Coolpix 8800 and Basketball

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

The other features of the camera are what I expected. The 8mp makes
cropping a lot better. Likewise with the 10X VR zoom.
Thank you for the assistance.>>>

I had an 8800 and returned it. For sports shooting you're better off with a
DSLR and a wider faster lens. If there's enough light, the 8800 can manage at
times but it is what it is. Slow.

RB

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

I dont think the sb 80dx is compatible with the 8800

Only the sb 600 and sb 800


James


"BobS" <Catsue26@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1102618284.909983.119660@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
> Hi Folks,
>
> This week I purchased a Nikon Coolpix 8800 AND a Nikon SB80DX
> Speedlight. All of the pictures from a basketball game were pure luck
> in that the shutter delay is a challenge. I actually did better with
> my wife's "point and shoot" 2 mega pixel camera firing the SB80DX in
> wireless.
>
> I don't understand how the "AE/AL-L" button works or how to determine
> its status. I have the focus set to the "continous focus" mode.
>
> What I would like -- push the shutter-release button part way, have
> focus and exposure lock, track/pan/follow the action (several seconds),
> and then have the shutter release, and the SB80DX Speedlight fire the
> instant I push the release button beyond 1/2 way. Are their settings
> to accomplish this?
>
> I will take my chances with exposure and focus and at least have the
> players in frame. With Photoshop I can fix most things, but I can't
> put players into the scene. Basketballs and nets, yes, but players no.
>
> I am sure I am doing something wrong.
>
> What settings are you using?
>
> The other features of the camera are what I expected. The 8mp makes
> cropping a lot better. Likewise with the 10X VR zoom.
> Thank you for the assistance.
>
> BobS
>

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

On 9 Dec 2004 10:51:24 -0800, in rec.photo.digital "BobS"
<Catsue26@yahoo.com> wrote:

>Hi Folks,
>
>This week I purchased a Nikon Coolpix 8800 AND a Nikon SB80DX
>Speedlight. All of the pictures from a basketball game were pure luck
>in that the shutter delay is a challenge. I actually did better with
>my wife's "point and shoot" 2 mega pixel camera firing the SB80DX in
>wireless.
>
>I don't understand how the "AE/AL-L" button works or how to determine
>its status. I have the focus set to the "continous focus" mode.

First, don't do this. All it tends to do is run the battery down. You
normally don't buy much if anything in focus times doing this.

>What I would like -- push the shutter-release button part way, have
>focus and exposure lock, track/pan/follow the action (several seconds),
>and then have the shutter release, and the SB80DX Speedlight fire the
>instant I push the release button beyond 1/2 way. Are their settings
>to accomplish this?

That is how the camera will work. A half press will lock focus and
exposure. Fully pressing with take the shot. This should minimize lag.
Assuming the flash is charged I would imagine this shouldn't slow things
down

>The other features of the camera are what I expected. The 8mp makes
>cropping a lot better. Likewise with the 10X VR zoom.

Have you considered pushing the ISO up, doing without the flash and post
processing to remove noise?
________________________________________________________
Ed Ruf Lifetime AMA# 344007 (Usenet@EdwardG.Ruf.com)
http://EdwardGRuf.com

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

Thanks all, I did set down and RTFM but it wasn't clear to me until
last night. I have this family problem of shaking and twiching, plus
from years of computer keyboarding,my finger tips are near num. With
that challenge I found it hard to push the release half way and not
jitter to an unwanted shot. I have found if I hold the AF/AE-L with my
thumb I can do pretty good and not have much of a delay

Here are the results of my adventaure last night at a local basketball
game.
http://imageevent.com/dvds4bmx/mortongirlsdec9
Still have a ways to go, but Photoshop does help. Comments Welcomed
and needed!

How/why did I buy the 80DX speedlight. Biggest reason is I don't read
in detail now that I am retired. After looking on ebay and finding the
80DX and winning the bid on a new one for $214 total I was delighted.
Bought it before I bought the camera so the wife would be sure and let
me have it. ;-) The GN of 125 also caught my attention as I want to
get high school football images. BOTTOM LINE is I didn't read Steve's
review close enough and I thought it was the newest of the new..
Someday it will be a slave bouncing off of the ceiling at full power.
Until then it will just keep blasting for all its worth out of control.

Yes, we have changed the focus mode to single with as good of, if not
better results.

400 is the highest ISO avaialbe. The range on the Ev is +/- 2. This
bumps the effective ISO up to ?? (ISO400 times sqrt of 2?)

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

Well we have 1300 pictures behind us now and here are the latest. I
think they have getting better?

Here is the latest group from last night.
http://imageevent.com/dvds4bmx/mgdec30

Comments Please. Help this novice out so he can have more fun!
Regards,
BobSam

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

On Fri, 31 Dec 2004 19:28:33 GMT, tnguymNoSpamm@yaho.com
(TheNewsGuy(Mike)) wrote:

....
>I purchased the SC-28 cable that fits the CP5700 hotshot

"hotshoe"




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Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital (More info?)

On 1 Jan 2005 08:29:35 -0800, "BobS" <Catsue26@yahoo.com> wrote:

>Thanks Mike,
>
>How much of an offset between the lens center and flashhead center do
>you have? Righ now, using the Nikon SB80DX Speedlight on top the
>Coolpix 8800 gives me a six inch offset.

Two shots of the bracket I presently use:
=================================
http://tinyurl.com/62ssh

http://tinyurl.com/3jqp8

This bracket is from a video camera I used to have. It does not have
enough of an "offset' for me. I will purchase a better bracket soon.
But it is still produces a better lighting and shadows than the very
flat on-camera lighting. I believe it is the lateral offset that has
to be increased more - perhaps 10 inches or so.

This one puts the middle of the flash a bit less than 6 inches
laterally from the middle of the lens - and the hotshoe of the
bracket is 3 inches above the camera's hotshoe. I would want a few
more inches here too. I put the bracket on the left side of the
camera for access to the battery and to allow me to hold it in my left
hand and to adjust and shoot with my right.

Hope that helps,

Mike






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