D3 "Crop Function"

Rovers_Andy

Rovers_Andy

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Andy
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Quick question for any D3 owners.

I understand the D3 has a function that effectively allows you to switch between full frame and a crop sensor, is this right :thinking:

More importantly, how good is this function and do you use it?
 
never used it, may as well crop it myself in pshop, all it does is mask of the display and capture a smaller res image
 
Rovers_Andy said:
I understand the D3 has a function that effectively allows you to switch between full frame and a crop sensor, is this right :thinking:
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It just a crop mode - the sensor doesn't switch. No different to cropping later in Photoshop, apart from you get smaller files out of the camera.
 
yes it does have the ability to go from fx to dx, ive used it when shooting from one end of the pitch to the other and got something used too, page 60-64 of the handbook
 
Ok, thanks guys, next question then :lol: would you go for D3'S over the D3?
 
for sport where you are regularly cropping and shooting in low light i think the extra ISO reach of the D3s would be a big help, but the D3 will still be a step forward. The cleaner images the s produces may make up for the loss of reach you are going to get with the Nikon system.
 
Rovers_Andy said:
Yes especially for lower league stuff and night games at RL
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Seems like an expensive upgrade when you're shots are totally useable (as proved on a few occasions recently) for their intended targets already - the papers!
 
i'm happy with my D3 cant see any reason to move to the D3s, it does the job at the end of the day, papers are really not going to say oh lets use this coz it a D3s image.
 
purpleclouds said:
Seems like an expensive upgrade when you're shots are totally useable (as proved on a few occasions recently) for their intended targets already - the papers!
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Thats a fair point but i want the best IQ i can get, which sadly isn't the MKIII. And in all honesty i've never been 100% happy with the MKIII :(.

The price side isn't really an issue as i had already planned on upgrading to MKIV's.

So its either Stay with Canon and MKIV or switch to Nikon and the D3. I think it will come down to how i find the Nikon system and menu layout. I'll be having a play with a D3 on thursday so i'll know better by then.
 
Rovers_Andy said:
Ok, thanks guys, next question then :lol: would you go for D3'S over the D3?
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I did and I would again. The D3 was a great camera. But the D3s is amazing. If you are going to Focus next weekend, you're welcome to have a go with it and see what you think. Just bring a memory card and you can take your shots home and see what you think. :thumbs:

Kev.
 
The crop function looked atractive but in reality I've not bothered to use it day to day.

The MkIV on the face of it looks like the camera to get, just a pity that there again seem to be inconsistencies :(
 
dod said:
The crop function looked atractive but in reality I've not bothered to use it day to day.

The MkIV on the face of it looks like the camera to get, just a pity that there again seem to be inconsistencies :(
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The MKIV does look good having seen the results from Kipax, on the back LCD and on the computer.

The thing is this kit should be working out of the box, without calibration. Canon seem unable to achieve this where (correct me if im wrong) Nikon just does.

Thats not to say that Nikon don't produce lemons but i haven't heard any.

Coupled with the current problems im having with the MKIII'S :(

I know i would loose the crop of the MKIII but i can't see that there would be any real world difference in shooting sports, i cant see you missing a crucial tackle or pass because your on full frame?
 
Never shot football so couldn't really comment. I do miss the crop, a bit, but the other benefits outweigh that loss for me.

In things like motocross I was mostly shooting in the 100-150 range anyway so now I'm using 150-200, roughly. For equestrian my biggest loss is the 100-400 which was a great lens, probably the one I miss most. A 300mm and 1.4X partly compensates though and as I rarely do prints over A4 I've usually got scope to crop in processing.
 
Having just upgraded from the d3 to the d3s the real question - is it worth an extra £1500 over a good used D3? probably not.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with it and I'm not a bit disappointed with it, but I'm not sure it's worth the extra to me.
 
Rovers_Andy said:
The MKIV does look good having seen the results from Kipax, on the back LCD and on the computer.

The thing is this kit should be working out of the box, without calibration. Canon seem unable to achieve this where (correct me if im wrong) Nikon just does.

Thats not to say that Nikon don't produce lemons but i haven't heard any.

Coupled with the current problems im having with the MKIII'S :(

I know i would loose the crop of the MKIII but i can't see that there would be any real world difference in shooting sports, i cant see you missing a crucial tackle or pass because your on full frame?
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You'd have cleaner, but smaller images.. your 400 becomes 300 essentially.. does the cleaner image to crop mean a better image than a MKIII? I'd say at the long end of things, there wouldn't be much to trade off against each other. It'd just mean a small change in shooting style and waiting for the action to come a little closer - ala, me shooting the footy with a 300 instead of 400!

Near end when you're not cropping.. then you'll have cleaner images. What short lens would you choose?

Just a quick addition - high ISO on the D3 produces a softer image (from what I can tell), which doesn't really help you current problem... Linky
 
Id be using the 70-200MKII. its a good point about the 300 vs 400 which reminds me there was a guy at West Brom using a 600 f/4 on is D3 for the footy


Off to look at that link now, cheers for playing devils advocate Phil ;)
 
kevshore said:
I did and I would again. The D3 was a great camera. But the D3s is amazing. If you are going to Focus next weekend, you're welcome to have a go with it and see what you think. Just bring a memory card and you can take your shots home and see what you think. :thumbs:

Kev.
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Thats a very kind offer Kev :) but i dont think i'll be there on the sunday. im probably going to go on the monday or tuesday
 
The D3S has a 1.2x crop mode... that will give you about 8mp - pretty much 1D MkIIN territory with better ISO handling and superior AF system.

Dunno about you, 8mp is good enough for newspapers and magazines and think how much smaller the files are!
 
Rovers_Andy said:
The thing is this kit should be working out of the box, without calibration. Canon seem unable to achieve this where (correct me if im wrong) Nikon just does.
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Don't wish to intrude, but why you say this? What's the deal with Canon stuff having to be calibrated?
 
Rovers_Andy said:
The MKIV does look good having seen the results from Kipax, on the back LCD and on the computer.

The thing is this kit should be working out of the box, without calibration. Canon seem unable to achieve this where (correct me if im wrong) Nikon just does.

Thats not to say that Nikon don't produce lemons but i haven't heard any.

Coupled with the current problems im having with the MKIII'S :(

I know i would loose the crop of the MKIII but i can't see that there would be any real world difference in shooting sports, i cant see you missing a crucial tackle or pass because your on full frame?
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To be fair Andy, I'm not fussed about having to calibrate etc. anyway. I spent a weekend when I got Tony's mkIII sorting all the custom functions and Calibrations out. I just want to "make it my own".

I'm not fussed because I know it'll work as best it can for me. I'm more happy to have something I can customise and work with much more than just being able to "switch on and go" it means I've put more thought into getting it right!

The idea of the D3/D3s being full-frame is what puts me off...I love my 1.3x crop factor.
 
You micro adgust your lenses to the body, something I cant be @rsed with myself, if I have a problem I just get it fixed.:D
 
Nifkin said:
Don't wish to intrude, but why you say this? What's the deal with Canon stuff having to be calibrated?
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In the custom function menu of the MKIII there is an option to adjust the focusing of each lens to the body, this is to allow you to correct and minor front/back focusing caused by tolerances in manufacture of the Bodies and Lens.
 
Malla... what does that say on your profile? "1DSmKIII" does it not?
 
Rovers_Andy said:
In the custom function menu of the MKIII there is an option to adjust the focusing of each lens to the body, this is to allow you to correct and minor front/back focusing caused by tolerances in manufacture of the Bodies and Lens.
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OK, but isn't this the same as the microadjust on a 50D? Do Nikons not have this? I thought it'd be a useful tool if I ever had to use it (not so far). I find it hard to believe that all Nikon lens and body combinations are bang on, yet Canons aren't? Forgive me if I'm sounding green, but I aint no pro ;) :D
 
Nifkin said:
OK, but isn't this the same as the microadjust on a 50D? Do Nikons not have this? I thought it'd be a useful tool if I ever had to use it (not so far). I find it hard to believe that all Nikon lens and body combinations are bang on, yet Canons aren't? Forgive me if I'm sounding green, but I aint no pro ;) :D
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Yes it's the same as on the 50D and all the newer Canon models :)
 
desantnik said:
Malla... what does that say on your profile? "1DSmKIII" does it not?
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Go look in the FS section:thumbs: I dont use it a lot for what I do most, I use the 300 on a 1.3 and it works well for me for the 1ds I would need a 400f2.8
 
And thats a fair point, i don't have an issue with optimizing the camera, thats one of the positives in buying Pro spec kit, it allows you to fine tune the camera settings to get the best results. Having to mess around with the calibration of the AF system is a bit much though.

I'll still customise my next camera body, be it the MKIV or the D3(s)
 
Nifkin said:
I find it hard to believe that all Nikon lens and body combinations are bang on, yet Canons aren't?
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I have no idea why that might be the case, or even if its true. Just more people fiddling with something thats probably not fruitful? I've never felt the need to waste a day like that... :thinking:
 
jamesb84 said:
To be fair Andy, I'm not fussed about having to calibrate etc. anyway. I spent a weekend when I got Tony's mkIII sorting all the custom functions and Calibrations out. I just want to "make it my own".

I'm not fussed because I know it'll work as best it can for me. I'm more happy to have something I can customise and work with much more than just being able to "switch on and go" it means I've put more thought into getting it right!

The idea of the D3/D3s being full-frame is what puts me off...I love my 1.3x crop factor.
Click to expand...

And thats a fair point, i don't have an issue with optimizing the camera, thats one of the positives in buying Pro spec kit, it allows you to fine tune the camera settings to get the best results. Having to mess around with the calibration of the AF system is a bit much though.

I'll still customise my next camera body, be it the MKIV or the D3(s)
 
desantnik said:
I have no idea why that might be the case, or even if its true. Just more people fiddling with something thats probably not fruitful? I've never felt the need to waste a day like that... :thinking:
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Well I must admit all my lenses needed MA on my mk3 so I played hell with CPS and they just calibrated the body and all was well after that.
 
snapper75 said:
i'm happy with my D3 cant see any reason to move to the D3s, it does the job at the end of the day, papers are really not going to say oh lets use this coz it a D3s image.
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How wrong can you be, i shot a D3's at Sundays World Club Challenge at Elland Road on Sunday night, all other togs had d3 or Canon Mk111 and MK1V's, i was the only one with a D3's

Guess what both RL Ppaers on Monday morning had my images at A3 size on the front covers, the other guys have to make do with the smaller stuff inside for the reports etc, etc.

I even had one editor ringing me up to say how much better my stuff was than the others.
 
desantnik said:
The D3S has a 1.2x crop mode... that will give you about 8mp - pretty much 1D MkIIN territory with better ISO handling and superior AF system.

Dunno about you, 8mp is good enough for newspapers and magazines and think how much smaller the files are!
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It actually gives you 10.2mp, however the crop mode is just a gimmick, best to crop in camera then if you cut toes and heads off its your own fault.
 
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