Battery management

Mike McCarty · 04-27-2004, 01:41 PM

Garth et al,

I know you use a Nikon D100. I would think that it would operate very similarly to my new D70 in this regard. I have to do a photo shoot tomorrow and it will be my first time out with my new camera. if you don't mind, I have a couple of questions.

I presently have a 256k flash card installed. With the settings I plan to use (JPEG, fine resolution), the camera indicates that I can shoot 129 images. This should be plenty for my mission tomorrow.

What is your experience with a fully charged battery? Have you been able to predict how many images you can safely expect from a full charge?

Also, is there any problem recharging a battery that is only partially expended?

My camera came with the rechargeable battery and another battery holder that can be used with standard batteries in case you get out somewhere and are unable to do a recharge. This seems like a dandy way to do it.

Garth Herrick · 04-27-2004, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike McCarty

Garth et al,

I know you use a Nikon D100. I would think that it would operate very similarly to my new D70 in this regard. I have to do a photo shoot tomorrow and it will be my first time out with my new camera. if you don't mind, I have a couple of questions.

I presently have a 256k flash card installed. With the settings I plan to use (JPEG, fine resolution), the camera indicates that I can shoot 129 images. This should be plenty for my mission tomorrow.

What is your experience with a fully charged battery? Have you been able to predict how many images you can safely expect from a full charge?

Also, is there any problem recharging a battery that is only partially expended?

My camera came with the rechargeable battery and another battery holder that can be used with standard batteries in case you get out somewhere and are unable to do a recharge. This seems like a dandy way to do it.

Dear Mike,

First, may I congratulate you on your new camera! I'm looking forward to your future photo posts.

If your D70 uses the same proprietary rechargeable battery as a D100 (Nikon EN-EL3) you really have nothing to worry about because it's the best battery in the world. I can get about 700 to 1000 JPEG-Fine images shot and downloaded before it runs out of juice. I keep a spare charged at all times - you never know ... . This battery can be put on the charger at any time. There is no memory penalty.

I have a 256K flash card too, as a back up to the 1 Gig microdrive I mostly use. My 256K card in my D100 has room for only 76 JPEG-Fine images (and 149 at JPEG-Normal). It must be a different level of JPEG compression or something. In reality one usually gains 25% more image number capacity, as the card fills up.

Let us know how it goes. Have fun!

Garth

Marvin Mattelson · 04-27-2004, 02:38 PM

Hi Mike,

I got the D70 camera a week ago, yesterday, so I've been playing around with it. Why aren't you shooting Raw (NEF) or Raw + jpeg? The Raw format gives you the ability to manipulate the image with no deterioration, like a jpeg which loses data everytime you save it. The camera comes bundled with Nikon Capture, an editing program for Raw files (30 day free trial). Make sure you download Nikon View off their website first.

My plan is to buy a portable burner which can burn cd's directly from a memory card. I bought a 512 mb card since the burner burns in one shot. Since a cd is 800 mb max, 512 will fit, but i gig won't. Also, I don't have to worry about loading up my hard drive or the effects of magnetic wands at airports (which will erase data).

Mike McCarty · 04-27-2004, 03:34 PM

Garth, Marvin

Thanks for the info on the battery life, that's very reassuring.

My camera indicates (with the 256 flash card) that I can get 479 images at JPEG basic, 252 images at JPEG normal, and 129 at JPEG fine.

If I switch to RAW medium it drops to 23. If I go to RAW+JPEG medium it drops to 21 (go figure).

Given the capabilities of these machines, and my own personal processing limits, it's going to be a while before I can absorb the first half of this. I feel like I just left the industrial revolution and landed on the other side of the bridge to the 21st century.

This thing tomorrow will be some trade off photos for my CPA's tax work, so I probably won't be manipulating them much.

When I got the camera home one of my concerns was whether I would be able to use my existing Nikon lenses. So I put the camera into auto pilot, strapped on one of my old zoom lenses and went out on the porch. This are my first photos, a study in red, white and yellow.

Elizabeth Schott · 04-27-2004, 09:12 PM

Mike, I can't wait to see some of your people (young ladies) shots! Did you manipulate the flower images at all on your computer?

Even though I don't have the Nikon (jealous here), I agree with Marvin. Shoot your images RAW - mine does an automatic JPEG, you will be happy when you bring them into your image software. It is worth buying a new memory card with tons of megs, then you have an extra for added shots.

Are you excited with the camera? I am so anxious to hear how you like it, plus Marvin - how do you like yours?

Marvin Mattelson · 04-27-2004, 10:48 PM

Beth,

I've been very busy lately, finishing up the semester at SVA, preparing for my workshops, and getting it together to go tothe PSOA even. I'll be going over the manual with a fine tooth comb on the train ride from NY to Boston. I've played with it a little but I like to understand things inside out before I take them into battle. The myriad of adjustments seem to demand a degree in electrical engineering. I'm considering applying to MIT while I'm in Boston.

Mike McCarty · 04-27-2004, 10:58 PM

Beth,

The only thing I did was crop them way down then reduced to forum size. I didn't tamper with the color at all. Here's the original image of the red snapdragon.

Garth,

Quote:

In reality one usually gains 25% more image number capacity, as the card fills up.

I assume that the camera is making some worst case judgments early on? Am I to assume that the number of images that it is giving me with an empty card, 129, will grow to 160+- by the time the card is almost filled to capacity? Is this a common phenomenon?

Marvin,

Tomorrow I'm going to go pretty much on auto pilot, I'll let you know how it turns out (mostly baby pictures at the local rose garden).

I don't think I could sneak this last image in anywhere else, my daughters last high school concert choir performance. With my new machine on auto pilot with pop up flash. Guess who's in the red dress?

Elizabeth Schott · 04-27-2004, 11:23 PM

Ha Mike... the all important question! Does your auto focus work in low light without a flash? Remember my frustration with this!

Marvin, I am glad I am not the only one, a bit different from my Sony, isn't it? Maybe you can be like David K. and take pictures of people on the train, especially if Tim M. is riding! Where has he been btw?

Mike McCarty · 04-27-2004, 11:34 PM

Quote:

Does your auto focus work in low light without a flash? Remember my frustration with this!

When I was glancing through the tons of literature and gadgets that came in the box, I noticed a single page caveat regarding the auto focus. It had to do with focusing on a distant subject with a complex background, or, if like in a field of wheat, there is much sameness in tone and texture. Nothing about low light.

I didn't notice having any trouble at the concert. I used the camera without the flash on occasion. There are just some circumstances when you can't rely on auto focus, that's been my experience.

Garth Herrick · 04-27-2004, 11:48 PM

Really great pictures Mike!

Your D70 on autopilot seems to manage the image highlights perfectly. I don't see too much evidence of the dreaded white hole, as so much digital photography is prone to. You may find with a digital camera that you no longer can expect a correctly balance exposure by using a gray card like with film. You may blow out your highlights because a digital reacts to light differently than film.

Instead of the gray card:

The new rule is to 1: "Expose Right" (on the histogram, make sure the exposure fills NEARLY the full highlight range to the right), and 2: make sure you don't exceed the range to the right of the histogram, or you will get those blown white holes. 3: If you are in doubt, then manage your image exposure to conservatively preserve the highlights. This may mean adjusting your exposure compensation to - 0.3 (minus, not +), or more. If you can keep the exposure compensation at 0.0, all the better for the shadows. You will catch on!

In a nutshell what I am trying to say is:

Rather than expose for a middle value, like with film, you must now expose for the best management of the highlights, in digital photography.

Congratulations on some great pictures,

Garth