What camera are you using??

Dre,

Congrats on the D800 and you have some nice lenses. As i posted earlier I had always used Pentax but when the D600 full frame became available I finally got a Nikon DSLR though I did keep the K7 because of the lens collection. I really like the D600 but only have 28-75 f2.8 and 150-500  Sigma f5-6.3 (nature stuff). Enjoy your new camera and look forward to some pics.

Bick, I have posted random photos in the Ready Room forum in the past- you'd have to look back to find them.

I used to use Pentax gear- great glass and very good bodies but neither were really built for heavy duty, daily usage.   When the photo world went AF in the early 90's, Pentax decided to quit the pro market and focus entirely on decently priced consumer products.   It's a shame as the LX system was/is a little gem.  

I shot this with the D700 and 16mm a little while ago.... its pretty hard to see the Milky Way in these parts. 

Dre,

Thanks - I'll have a look. That posted pic is lovely! Print it and hang it on the wall (BTW for others looking you really need to  click on the pic to see it as a bigger size - lots of stars). I totally agree about Pentax - always wanted an LX but finances then - well I never got one. I only went totally digital about 8 years ago. Used to do my own bw/color film/print processing and still have all the equipment including a Vivitar VI enlarger with dichroic color head. Anyway, to get this marginally back on track, each of those stars could be a sun surrounded by planets that could be a MODEL of our galaxy - or vice versa. Thanks again.

LOL, I have an enlarger collecting dust in the basement...

here's something I shot today with the new D800 and the 400...  a SWAT Basic School for local LEO's.

Since this seems to jump to my Photobucket, you can browse the other stuff too.

Dre

here's something I shot today with the new D800 and the 400...  a SWAT Basic School for local LEO's.

Since this seems to jump to my Photobucket, you can browse the other stuff too.

Shot Looks good.

I use a Canon 60D.  Before that it was a Canon XS.  As far as Canons go they tend to have very good sensors.  I have had and used MANY DSLRs but Canon and Sony seem to give me the results I want.  However I have a small Fuji for Macro shots and it works well.  Its more prone to getting tricked by light than the Canons but I dont have Macro Lens for the Canon so it doesnt matter.  As many have said I like to take model pics in natural sun light.  Here's a couple that are not model related but some of my favorites.

Those shots look good, CodyJ- love that Ferrari.

I use a Nikon D700 with the 24-70 2.8 lens.

The lens is a great workhorse for most things including photographing WIP, kit sprues and everything else. At the moment the lens is with Nikon being repaired after my Nephew knocked it on to the floor.

Both myself and the guys in the camera shop thought that the repair would not entail much, but this is one of two lenses (the other being the 14-24 2.8) that can only be repaired by Nilkon. The damage list to replace they sent reads like the entire interior of the lens workings and when it is returned it should be like brand new.

Repair is a no brainer as a new lens is £1550 and the repair is £580..... the insurance paid out for a new lens so I am ahead! :)

This lens is pin sharp all the way though, works in any light without flash and is fast. Enables me to get stuff like this....

This

And through 1 inch of tempered reflective glass at London Zoo.....

My camera bag with all it's kit in may weigh more than my suitcase on 2 weeks holiday, but I can't complain about the quality.

Hi Snapdragonxx,

Really nice photos. I use a Nikon D600 - wanted the 24-70 f2.8 but couldn't afford it and the body so chose the D600 and got a Tamron 28-75 f2.8. Just for fun here's my pic of your pic taken with the Tamron. Can't really talk about 'sharpness' but I've been happy with the Tamron.

I use the D600 more for wildlife than photos of models but if the 70-300 VR isn't on the camera the Tamron is. Still, I'd really like the 24-70.

The 24-70 is amongst one of Nikons expensive lenses, but it is king in it's class. The Tamron and Sigma versions of this lens are very, very good, and cheaper, but they are just a little soft around the very edges of the picture while the Nikon is pin sharp all over.

You go with what you can afford and while using it you subconsciously learn what it can and can't do. I bought the lens with the D700 as a package when the D700 was first released so I got a really good deal.

For me the only thing missing on the Nikon lens is their VRII stabilisation. Adding that would really make my day.

Check on Ebay for used lenses. This may bring one of Nikons finest into your house.

I do love the 30cm minimum focus on it.

Nikon 24-70 at point blank range, Blackpool zoo

I still like the 18-55 mm lenses that come in Nikon kits.  Two things make it a good lens for modelers.

First, it is macro at all focal lengths, not just the longest.  That allows you to go macro at wide angle- better for perspective, makes objects (models) look larger.

Second, when you use aperture priority or manual, it will stop clear down to as high as f/32, depending on the focal length.  Throughout the focal length range it still maintains a pretty high f/#.

just bought off evilbay a canon d10 luckily I can use the lenses off my eosRebel ll, also still have the canon eos rebel ll and a canon ae1 guess you can say Im a Canon man

Same here MRME.  I swear by Canon.  To me they Handle lighting situations much better than most.  I am very partial to their sensors and anti-shake being integrated into the lens.

For photographing models, your lens and lighting choices are far more important than the camera itself.

I shoot sports for a living, and here's my newest tool of the trade. This is a Sigma 150-600 f/5.6-6.3 "Sport" lens. I never remove a camera from a lens, so for this one, I've attached a Nikon D7100. It's not a perfect camera, but with no anti-aliasing filter, it delivers beautiful crisp images with this lens. A match made in heaven. 

For video work, I use a JVC GY-HM150U HD cam.

I hope one day to create a model worth sharing images of. That may not happen for quite some time to come! 

Rob, do you find the f/5.6~6.3 lens a bit slow for action sports?    

Occasionally. The aperture certainly limits that Sigma to bright daylight use only, but Its optical firepower makes up for that deficiency. I misspoke, it's actually an f/5-6.3.

What's the weight on that?   My 400mm f/2.8 is close to 20 lbs.

I have a Canon 5D MkII, and for modelling photos I usually pair it with either a 100 IS Macro or 17-40.

It's a good setup, but I wouldn't mind winning the lottery and update to a MkIII.;)

i use two different ones a olympus sp57ouz  and a Canon eos10 d

I like to do many of my model photos as realistic shots, rather than the ebay-type photo.  I find, as far as lens focal length, it is better to go fairly low focal length (wide angle).  Long focal lengths-long object distances compress sense of depth. Short focal length-close object distances, on the other hand, expand sense of depth.  For model photography we are trying for a perception of depth.  So for me I use short FL.  Fortunately, the lens I use for model photography, the standard Nikon "kit" lens is macro at all focal lengths, not just the telephoto (long focal length) position.

Hi Rob,

I have the Sigma 150-500 on my Nikon - wasn't aware of the Sport 150-600. I, too, have been impressed with the 'sharpness' of the one I have. Here's a pic of mine"

My trusted Canon 600D, with 50mm f/1.8 lens to emphasize certain part of the model, or 18-55 kit lens for comparison photos or "full body shot" of the model. Recently broke my 70-300 macro Tamron lens, so I couldn't shoot macros for a while.

Sometimes I use my 60x60cm photobooth.

I would be more concerned about glass than camera choice, unless we are talking FF over crop. Lighting is not a camera choice, it's a shooters choice, so if you think a certain brand handleas light better than other brands, that logic is flawed. Your lens has f/stops, thats what lets light enter the camera, most modern sensors are fine and will produce a good light source as long as you allow your lens to do so. Whats in a Brand? Nikon user swear ny Nikon, Canon shooters swear by Canon and even Pentax user's swear by Pentax, and they all perform as well as the shooter. I have seen fantastic images from all the brands I mentioned. I use mostly legacy glass, I do not shoot in auto mode, all manual for me. I still use my K10 but plan on a K3 as soon as funds allow. My typical glass of choice are mostly M42 mounts with an ocassional K mount, or Nikon AIS even non ai lenses. My camera handles most mounts perfectly as long as the register distance allows for infinity focus i am fine, if not the other lenses make great close up lenses, tossed on a tube.

Most of the stuff I shoot for forum use is shot on my Nikon Coolpix 8meg PS camera. If I wanted better shots I would go to better gear, but for most of the forum stuff my PS is fine. If I wanted to present a model to FineScale I would definetly go to my good gear, but most of the stuff I load onto the site is just meanigless dribble that I shoot right on my desktop under a dim tungsten bulb, I correct the lighting in PS and Im good to go, and Im fine with the results, the photos are not meant to be world-beaters.

Nikon 100mm E lens:

My Fujinon EBC 55mm 3.5 Macro lens:My Fujinon EBC 135mm:My Nikon FG flim camera with my 100m lens:

This is part of my Fujica film camera collection:

This is one of my favorite Nikon film cameras, I still use this when the mood strikes:

I am using a Nikon S7000 Coolpix. Being completely new to this hobby I didn't want to go nuts buying an expensive camera. It has done a great job for me so far.