The champion is the current best Nikon glass, and the “Old School Gang”, got in several good hits, but no knock outs, so far!  In my first evening out I got mixed feelings.  I forgot how tedious it is to carefully focus and use the depth of field scales!  It certainly works, but the modern stuff sure makes it a lot easier, but then this is just, “getting warmed up” time, so hold that thought.  One thing is for sure, the old glass can still produced sterling images when you use it carefully.  I was reminded by these results just how tack sharp the old 80-200 f 4.5 really is.  Tomorrow, I will turn up the heat.  Keep in mind that tonight I had an incredible condition happen, summer fog rolling in!  It made for some good conditions, but it sure was dark for focusing, better light should help that.  I will show you some of the best from tonight and you can judge for yourself.  I discovered again just how valuable live view can be as a focusing aid.

 

Top image, D800 with the 80-200 f4.5, tripod mounted, of course.  Below close-up of lobster trap floats, and rope  with the same combination.

 

Below, the seat covers in the Route 66 restaurant, 24mm f 2.8  D800 again.

 

Less bleary eyed this morning found another fog shot I like a lot, 80-200, all with D800.

Lastly fun grab shots with the iPhone 4s and Simply HDR, last one is a statement of what your tax dollars are funding at most colleges!  I will say no more…… I’ve said too much already!  Asking for forgiveness where needed!

 

Blessings,

 

the pilgrim

 

Well boys and girls, another Marriott, and another O:Dark thirty flight!  Would love to be home with my beautiful bride, but sadly Nikon has a nasty habit of expecting me to leave home to get paid, so off we go into the wild blue yonder at 6:10 a.m.  Actually,in all honesty, if I had to go off on assignment, this is a good one, Bar Harbor, Acadia National Park, and the great folks of the Bio Communications Association.  This is one of my favorite  groups and we always have a great time, at the Nikon provided workshops, across America.

 

To make this adventure even more fun, I’ve decided to go “old school” this trip and try out some the old classic manual focus Nikkors on the brand new, and incredible, D800!  Wait a minute you say, I thought the D800 was best used with only the newest and best Nikon glass??!!  That is the recommendation, but a lot of the video guys are using the older manual focus glass, because of how smoothly they can focus them, and they are getting great results, so I figured it was my turn to find out for myself, and you, if this is a good idea or not!  I also happen to own a good number of some of the best Nikkor manual focus lenses, and I would love to put them to work with the D800 when I take a notion to do so!   This little test will give us an idea as to just how good this old glass is!  I’m sure the D800 will put them to the test!

 

For the test I decided to use several of the maual lenses that I think are among the best film lenses Nikon ever made; the 24mm f 2.8 wide angle, the 55 Micro Nikkor f 2.8 lens, the 105mm Micro Nikkor f 2.8 and one of the true legendary lenses from the past, the 80-200 Nikkor f 4.5 zoom.  In the film days I used these lenses, almost every day.  As digital imaging came along, and zoom lenses got much better, we all started shooting a lot more with zooms.  I’m anxious to see if manually focusing these old sweethearts can yield some spectacular results, or that it will be a major league hassle to have to turn that little ring on the front of the lens, again!!!

 

The next few days will tell us the answers, and I promise to faithfully report them to you!  I certainly will be in a beautiful place to inact my plan!  Stay tuned, results will be on the way soon!

 

the pilgrim

 

Glorious window light!  No this is not a post about my photograph but it does tie into that theme!  For most photographers there is nothing much more captivating that the sweet light coming through a window.  It certainly captured my attention on our recent trip up to Bodie.  What is even more captivating in the kindness of others!  I have been blessed beyond measure to know and work with such great people.

 

I arrived home last night at 8:00 p.m. from the Bodie workshops and the Reno Pyliong schiool, a total of just about two weeks on the road.  I leave in about an hour for the airport, for another two weeks in Bar Harbor and the Kentucky NASCAR race week after next.  One day at home with my wife, but what a day!  First, we had a great time together and it makes me want to stay home!  Can’t do it, more miles to cover.  While I was home for 24 hours I had two wonderful surprises.  First I had a large box waiting for me, not an uncommon occurrence, but this one was from someone other than Nikon.  Upon opening the box I discovered a beautiful framed certificate naming me a Kentucky Colonel, quite and honor!  It has been arranged for by my dear brother Howie George.  As much as I an delighted to have this honor bestowed on me, his letter meant so much more.  His words of encouragement will last long past the honor!  Howie, thanks for your act of kindness and your very gracious words, I will strive to live up to them!

 

Just as I was finishing packing my camera bag for the next trip, more on that in a minute, the door bell rang and I went to the front door to receive a package.  It was a tube from the Mountain Light Gallery which I visited just a week or so ago with out students at the workshop.  Inside was my very favorite photograph from the late Galen Rowell!  I has shown the priont in his gallery top Jim, and Snake when we visited an related to them how I could remember Galen telling me about the morning he made the shot.  Once again the note in with the print meant so much to me!  I am honored to work wiht Jim Begley, John “the Snake” Barrett and Chuck Barnes, they have brought a lot of joy into my life!  I will think of t hem and Galen every time I look at the beautiful poster, which will soon be framed and grace my walls!

 

I thank God for the great people He has placed in my life!  Thank you Jim, Snake, Chuck, and Howie for your kindness, it is deeply appreciated!!!!

 

Now later tonight I will post a new entry in the Learning Center, about my photography plans for the trip to Acadia this week.  I hope to have it posted before 11:00 p.m. tonight, please tune in for a neat experiment I want to share with you!

 

Till the, God bless,

 

the pilgrim

 

This is the Galen Rowell image my guys got for me!

 

 

I can imagine that on a very cold winter night in Bodie, the family that lived in the house huddled around this stove to soak in what little warmth there was.  In life we seek warmth where we can find it, a family, children and grandchildren, friends, brothers and sisters.  I guess we fear nothing more than being out in the cold, alone.

 

The good news is that even if we were completely alone, we have all the warmth we could ever contain in a life, through Christ!  He fills every void and warms even the coldest of hearts.  You strike the match by saying, come in.

 

the pilgrim