photography Archives - Heiko's Blog

Nikon Z7 II Review

Half a year ago I replaced my Canon R5 and RF lenses for the Nikon Z7 II and some selected Z mount lenses. Both mirrorless cameras feature a 45 MP sensor, weather sealing, and are in many ways comparable. But a closer look shows substantial differences between both cameras and lenses.

Dome of the Rock with Dome of the Chain, Jerusalem – Nikon Z7 II and Z 14-24 f/2.8 lens (click to enlarge)

This Nikon Z7 II review attempts to not only show the pros and cons of the camera and the lenses I own or used, but I feel also able to compare it with the Canon R5 and some Canon lenses. I will also share some impressions on how the Nikon Z7 II works with the FTZ-II adapter and the Nikon 200-500mm/f5.6 F mount lens.

Canon: Why Make Shutter Count Inaccessible?

Yesterday I finally decided to part with my Canon gear. I tried everything to make it work but it doesn’t work for me. See my Canon EOS R5 Disappointment post.

So, the first thing I thought a potential buyer of a camera might want to know is the shutter count. It is kind of the milage of the camera. Mechanical shutters have a maximum life expectancy that is published by the camera manufacturer. My Canon EOS R5 has an impressive shutter life of 500,000 actuations. That is a lot even for a professional camera body. Compare that to the shutter rating of the Nikon D850 with a mere 200,000 shutter actuations.

Camera Manufacturers: Please Use Accurate Time Stamps for Image Files

My Canon and Nikon cameras use either the exFAT file system or the (older) FAT file system for image storage on their SD, SDxx, CF, CFexpress or XQD cards. In theory, the exFAT file system supports accurate time stamps up to a precision of 10 milliseconds. The FAT32 file system, in contrast, just offers 2 second accuracy for the modification time, or 10 millisecond for the creation time.

Chromatic Aberration Removal in Lightroom

Chromatic aberration (CA) or “color fringing” is a color shift or distortion usually along high contrast edges in a photo. The wider the lens, the more likely it is that you’ll find color fringing in the picture. Old or inadequate lenses can also contribute to color aberration, so does shooting at a wide aperture.

Nikon D850 Review

Last edited: February 21, 2022

Edit December 19, 2022: See also my latest Nikon Z7 II Review!

Two and half years ago I wrote a Nikon D700 Review (and D850 Preview) that – for most potential buyers – came a little late. The D700 was long taken off the shelves, replaced by newer models. This time I try to be a little faster and post my Nikon D850 review when this camera is still sold.

Klausenpass, Switzerland – Nikon D850 with Tamron 15-30mm f/2.8 G2 @ 18mm, 1/100s, f10

Photos from Acre, Israel

This is a selection of photos from Acre, a town in Northern Israel. UNESCO declared Acre, also known as Akko, a “World Heritage Site”. The old city preserves substantial remains of its medieval Crusader buildings beneath the existing Ottoman period town.

Many citizens of Acre, especially those in the old city, live from tourism. Acre has been a popular destination for tourists arriving from abroad, but also Israelis going on a weekend trip. The current CoVID pandemic has practically shut down the old city.

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Sharpness and the D850

Recently I switched from a 12 MP Nikon D700 to the 46 MP Nikon D850. Along with the 4 times increase in resolution come new challenges. An obvious one is lens sharpness – you’ll be surprised how many “sharp” lenses aren’t that sharp on the D850.

Yet, soft lenses are the least of the problems. If you want to have reasonably sharp photos, you will have to hone your technical photography skills. For any kind of landscape work, the tripod will become your best friend. But often enough you may just want to grab your camera and take photos. Continue reading “Sharpness and the D850”

Nikon D850 – First Impressions

I recently purchased a Nikon D850 to replace my aging D700. I’ve been very happy with my D700 – see Nikon D700 Review (and D850 Preview). But the 12 megapixel D700 sensor showed its limits, for example when I wanted to crop a photo, or when I was looking for more detail in landscape photos.

In this post I like to share my first impressions of the Nikon D850. I must admit that I didn’t get much use of the D850, so my experience is still that of a newcomer to this camera model (but not to Nikon). The observations I share here are in no particular order of importance, just a list.

Nikon D700 Review (and D850 Preview)

Don’t worry – I won’t bore you with yet another camera review with all the nits and bits. This is more a personal farewell, an epigraph if you wish, to a trusted companion that has been on my side on many travels and hikes.

Golden Gate bridge in San Francisco - Nikon D700 — Golden Gate bridge in San Francisco (Nikon D700)

In 2010 I bought my third digital camera, the Nikon D700. It was my first camera with a full-frame sensor. Before this, I had the Nikon D70 for six years.

Photos from Jordan

Photos from a trip to Petra, Jordan. Including the “Siq”, the “Treasury”, the “Street of Facades” and the “Monastery” (A-Deir).

Recently a friend and I traveled to Petra, Jordan, for a 3 day photography trip. Weather in winter (January) can be hit or miss. We were lucky to have a full day of clear sunshine, an evening with partly cloudy to clear sky, and an hour in the morning before the sand storm reached us.

Petra is a fantastic place. I’m sure that with more time we could have explored more of it. Jordan has much more to offer than just Petra, and I’m confident that I will visit again in the not so distant future.

Hope you enjoy the gallery.

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