San Diego Wild Animal Park - Updated With Photos!

[MaxxxRacer]

Today I am going back to the San Diego Wild Animal park. The first time I went I had my old Olmpus C-8080WZ, but this time I am bringing the big guns. The D300, and to sweeten the pot, Camulet photo (which is 10 minutes away) every nikon lense for rental, so I am gonna rent the coveted 70-200VR. I had thought about the 300 prime, but I want to not fall over and to have a bit more versatility. I will be processing the photos tonight. Hopefully I get some good shots.


EDIT: check out www.flickr.com/photos/maxxxracer for some of the photos. I will post pictures directly when I get a chance.

Virtually all of the photos have no post processing other than cropping. The only other adjustments I have done are highlight recovery and exposure adjustment

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3141/2894375290_f0e4e9c872_b.jpg


This one was with a tight rope fence between myself and the bird. Notice how you cant see any fence at all. Crazy stuff.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3256/2896049201_34008ff287_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3035/2893561163_5c816a6643_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3047/2893544903_145465d55f_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3206/2894405352_bc02408b94_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3098/2893542353_7a3a891b3f_b.jpg

[Soulburner]

You're lucky, our photo shop here doesn't have jack to rent so I'm SOL unless I use an online rental service.

The D300 is the best crop-sensor camera you can buy IMO, and will pair superbly with the 70-200.

[MaxxxRacer]

You're lucky, our photo shop here doesn't have jack to rent so I'm SOL unless I use an online rental service.

The D300 is the best crop-sensor camera you can buy IMO, and will pair superbly with the 70-200.

Ya, being in Socal rocks as far as camera equipment goes. Well I ended up getting 45 minutes of sleep. Its kinda difficult to hanldle, but the 100mile drivew should take care of that. lol.

I'd have to agree with you that the D300 is the best non FF camera out there. My only big problem with it is that it has a dam hard time getting focus lock in poor lighting with my 18-200. But that is more my lens choice than camera issue. I remember when i had the 17-55 with the SB-800 focus assist, the focusing was retardedly fast. And it was that fast in a dark restaurant. But today I will have a fast lens and it will be daylight so Nikons crazy 51 point autofocus should take care of things nicely.

[Soulburner]

If you are going to be shooting stationary subjects though I would switch it down to 21 or 9 points to reduce the chance of focusing on something you didn't intend. By all means though use the 51-point 3D Tracking for things running around.

I find I still use my chosen center point 99% of the time...that may change but I haven't ever had problems doing things the "old way". ;)

[Nate P.]

Lucky bastard! Really looking forward to some pictures! I'm in with Soulburner as far as lens rentals... no good places around here.

[Jupiler]

Be sure to take a monopod with you as the D300 + 70-200VR combo is pretty heavy.
I went to a local zoo a couple of weeks ago, had a used (very good shape) AF-D 80-200 /2.8 on my D200, and I was glad I took a monopod with me.
Walking around several hours with this combo around your neck would have been to much.
here's a pic from then :

[MaxxxRacer]

Well I'm back. Totally exhausted because I only got 1 hour of sleep, but it was a hell of alot of fun. Now its time to process 8GB of NEF files!

Oh, about the lens. It was spectacular. Retardedly fast, excellent operation on all buttons, and I got used to it fairly quick. The only thing I found annoying was that I was always turning the autofocus ring with the zoom ring because of my hand placement. All of that said, the bastard is heavy as hell and considering I dont use a neck strap, my hands got sore after a while. But I am kinda used to it. I have ran around with the 17-55 with SB-800 on my D300 for about 8 hours, and did ~12 hours with the 70-300 and SB-800 so I can ignore the paint.


If you are going to be shooting stationary subjects though I would switch it down to 21 or 9 points to reduce the chance of focusing on something you didn't intend. By all means though use the 51-point 3D Tracking for things running around.

I find I still use my chosen center point 99% of the time...that may change but I haven't ever had problems doing things the "old way". ;)

I always use the center point. I find that with the D300 it takes too long if you let the camera decide the focus point for you. It usually gets what you want, but it takes too long. So I have it set to manual select with the other points as focus assist. Even still I found that I had to over-ride the focus sometimes due to the fences getting in the way.



Be sure to take a monopod with you as the D300 + 70-200VR combo is pretty heavy.
I went to a local zoo a couple of weeks ago, had a used (very good shape) AF-D 80-200 /2.8 on my D200, and I was glad I took a monopod with me.
Walking around several hours with this combo around your neck would have been to much.
here's a pic from then :

I have a monopod in my trunk but I didnt use it. It would have just gotten in the way. I saw some guy with a smaller setup with his monopod and just laughed. Yes, my wrist was sore from holding the lense, but I was always able to get nice steady shots with the VR, even in a moving vehicle.

[MaxxxRacer]

bump for photos added.
p.s. - what the heck happend to the server Sunday

[dinos22]

nice photos

i use cooliris software to browse photos online....you must have like 2000 shots or something in your profile lol dude

[MaxxxRacer]

nice photos

i use cooliris software to browse photos online....you must have like 2000 shots or something in your profile lol dude

1470 To be exact.

[dinos22]

1470 To be exact.

mmmm it looks more like ~1600 :p hehe

really good work there
those lens are just stunning

[metro.cl]

Pictures look amazing :)

[smee]

Wow, Those are some beautiful pic's Maxxx!!!!! That D300 is amazing. :up:

[MaxxxRacer]

thanks for all the kind words guys.

[Soulburner]

I hate Flickr because they always strip the EXIF data.

[MaxxxRacer]

I hate Flickr because they always strip the EXIF data.

they never strip the EXIF on the original file. they only strip it on the shrunken photos which I use to post on XS. Just click the flickr link in the first post and check out the photos to see the EXIF data.

[Soulburner]

Yeah I just like to check the data from forums and every time its from Flickr I curse at my screen.

Anyway, the shots look really good. Be careful when increasing contrast (in camera or afterwards), since you can easily crush blacks and blow whites.

For example, this bird's wing is completely black and you can't even see the feather detail:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/maxxxracer/2896044295/

Sorry to nitpick :D

[LagunaX]

That Giraffe needs a neck lift, lol!

[Anemone]

First of all the environs of San Diego, zoo, animal park and seaworld are all things I love to see photographed. So you caught my attention fast. I also love the pics. The cheetah is stunning. Very, very nice job and by all means feel free to make more such trips!

I have yet to get my 70-200 2.8 (canon side) but I know once I have it, that it will be the staple lens that all say it is.

[Soulburner]

I have yet to get my 70-200 2.8 (canon side) but I know once I have it, that it will be the staple lens that all say it is.
If Nikon ever makes a 70-200 f/4...I'm all over it.

Its the only thing Canon has over Nikon that would make me consider them...the f/4L lenses are super lightweight, fast and affordable compared to f/2.8 lenses.

[Knight203]

I'm going to have to buy me a good camera and take a trip or two :) Great shots :up:

[MaxxxRacer]

Yeah I just like to check the data from forums and every time its from Flickr I curse at my screen.

Anyway, the shots look really good. Be careful when increasing contrast (in camera or afterwards), since you can easily crush blacks and blow whites.

For example, this bird's wing is completely black and you can't even see the feather detail:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/maxxxracer/2896044295/

Sorry to nitpick :D

Soulburner,

You would think it was a contrast issue in the camera, but its not. The aviary had poor lighting and there was no direct light on the c0ck-of-the-rock (freeking filters). Because of this, the camera exposed for the orange and not the black. Had I spot metered to the black, everything else in the scene would be completely washed out.

When I get home today I will take the NEF file and bump up the brightness and lower the contrast to show you what it would take to get detail out of those feathers. In short, it will make a wonderful image into a P&S catastrophe.



I'm going to have to buy me a good camera and take a trip or two :) Great shots :up:

Thanks for the kind words. I would tell you that you dont need a great camera to make shots like those, and really you dont, but it shure does make it 1000x easier to make great shots. The only problem with renting pro gear is that when I go back to my 18-200 I want to throw it at a wall for being so low. I'd rather lug around a large fast lens than an all purpose lens with tons of compromises.

[Soulburner]

Hmm I can't see that from here (looks like plenty of light), but I'll take your word for it ;)

[Nate P.]

Beautiful pictures Maxxx, I had the pleasure to use the Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 once, and it was amazing. The Nikon equivalent is, no doubt, just as good.

[MaxxxRacer]

Hmm I can't see that from here (looks like plenty of light), but I'll take your word for it ;)

Lighting was good enough to get the lens to stay at ISO 200 F2.8 but just barely. The aviary has green opaqe plastic for the ceiling that heavily disperses the light as well as there being trees above me. Here the the edited photos as promised.

Photo as shot from camera
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3101/2896044295_bdec4836e4_b.jpg

Standard Picture Control, no other changes
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3087/2902885747_2518d36bfa_b.jpg

Photo with Neutral Picture control, -10 Sautration and +5 Shadow Protection
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3277/2902882347_83037d32f0_b.jpg


Beautiful pictures Maxxx, I had the pleasure to use the Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 once, and it was amazing. The Nikon equivalent is, no doubt, just as good.

From what I've heard the Canon is a great lens. Some people bag on the Nikon, especially for full frame (it vingettes), but I could not find fault with it. I'd willingly club a baby seal for one.

[Soulburner]

See, it is contrast that crushed the feather detail.

Processing is always up to the photographer...some like it more creative, some like it more accurate to real life. For wildlife I tend to err on the side of realism, and mostly use "Vibrance" in ACR to enhance color and try not to clip blacks or whites too much (some is ok though, adds contrast). I don't know why but my brain wants to prevent too much saturation changing fur, feather or skin colors to something that isn't what it looks like in real life. I think that's the technical side of my brain being dominant, again.

[MaxxxRacer]

My point in showing all 3 is that the 3rd one looks a bit washed out compared to the other two and the difference between Standard and Vivid isnt too much different in the Wings. the only thing I dont like in the orig is that the magenta color on the bottom of the bird is a bit too much, giving an overly red look.

Personally, I prefer a creative look over a natural one. I like being able to capture something in a way that makes someone say wow, whereas in real life it probably looks good, but it doesnt draw your eyes to it. The top photo of the three just pops out at you compared to the 3rd.

FWIW, IIRC the most natural looking was the Standard photo setting if I turn down the reds a bit (color balance)

[Soulburner]

Yeah I am trying to move more in that direction also, its that left brain / right brain thing getting in my way.

[MaxxxRacer]

Yeah I am trying to move more in that direction also, its that left brain / right brain thing getting in my way.

lol, I hear ya. Its a problem with computer "geeks". But thankfully I am right brained so it balances things out.