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Author Topic: Live View D700  (Read 14764 times)

Rob C

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Live View D700
« on: December 01, 2013, 05:35:31 pm »

Hi folks,

I tried LV on my D700, once, and the experience was very frustrating, involving tripping back and forth into menus. I can't believe that I am doing (driven by the manual) this right - there must be a more simple and intuitive method of switching this function into life. Why isn't there just a simple button!

Can anyone with D700 LV experience bring me up to speed?

(I wouldn't ordinarily need this function, but I'm afraid my peepers are not what they used to be, and not even what I might expect them to be anymore. It's all very well focussing on highlights, but they aren't always in the main place I want sharp wide open!)

Thanks -

Rob C

Jim Metzger

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Re: Live View D700
« Reply #1 on: December 01, 2013, 11:47:06 pm »

Rob,

You can program the "function" button to turn live view on and off with one touch.

This is the button at the lower left hand of the lens when facing the camera from the front. Set the function button from custom menu item F5 or hit the info button twice on the back of the camera, lower right corner of the lcd. This will bring up the various functions that can be triggered by the function button.

Live view can also be triggered by turning the mode dial (on top of the camera where the rewind knob used to be) to Lv and tripping the shutter release.

Zooming in and panning within the frame in live view is critical for architectural work.

Be sure to set live view for hand held or tripod function, I think this is set in the live view menu.

Be aware that live view will deplete the battery much more rapidly.

Jim
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Rob C

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Re: Live View D700
« Reply #2 on: December 02, 2013, 04:02:47 am »

Rob,

You can program the "function" button to turn live view on and off with one touch.

This is the button at the lower left hand of the lens when facing the camera from the front. Set the function button from custom menu item F5 or hit the info button twice on the back of the camera, lower right corner of the lcd. This will bring up the various functions that can be triggered by the function button.

Live view can also be triggered by turning the mode dial (on top of the camera where the rewind knob used to be) to Lv and tripping the shutter release.

Zooming in and panning within the frame in live view is critical for architectural work.

Be sure to set live view for hand held or tripod function, I think this is set in the live view menu.

Be aware that live view will deplete the battery much more rapidly.

Jim


Thanks, Jim!

I have now set it onto the Function button, but I have reservations!

When I first took delivery of the camera I set that button to the auto-horizon function, where you get the artificial level. It never worked after the initial setting. Could be somethimng that I did or did not do, but let's hope Lv stays true.

Thank you again, problem solved!

Rob C

Hulyss

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Re: Live View D700
« Reply #3 on: December 02, 2013, 05:26:01 am »

Well... on the D700 Live view can be easily summoned :

You do have a dedicated switch for live view, called LV at the top left of the camera under the ISO/QUAL/WB buttons.


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Rob C

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Re: Live View D700
« Reply #4 on: December 02, 2013, 10:02:12 am »

Yes, I know that, and also the manual deals with it; the problem is - or was - that I didn't want to switch off MU (where I was) to switch over to the Lv setting, play with that yet again, and then switch once more to MU.

The manual, should you have it to hand, is less than crystal clear, and if I can remember from the shiny top of my head, one had to dig into a further section of it to complete the information process which I remember (willing to accept I could be mistaken) to be spread over two separate sections.  You can't access Lv at all with Mirror Up - or at least, I can't. The switch has to be set either to Lv, or, alternatively, left on S and then the little Function button down below the iris stop-down button will bring it up when pressed. In either case, it requires that the camera be touched yet again after focussing, which I don't feel is clever policy. I do use an electronic release when possible, and that helps enormously - one of the best accessories.

So yes, it's good to have the Functions button capable of affecting the change over to Lv, but unfortunate that it still complicates the use of MU. I thought that Lv functioned after mirrors were out of the way, so I wouldn't have imagined that could have turned into a problem.

Rob C

Rob C

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Re: Live View D700
« Reply #5 on: December 02, 2013, 11:48:31 am »

Rob, if you're shooting in liveview then surely the mirror is already locked up?



This demands further investigation, Keith; I must do a dummy run, which in the circumstances, feels as apt as is possible.

If I dream up another thrilling Cindy Sherman scenario for the Coke botle, I shall take advantage of it to test!

;-)

Rob C

Rob C

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Re: Live View D700
« Reply #6 on: December 02, 2013, 02:45:56 pm »

Rob, when shooting on a tripod I'd achieve focus with liveview, turn it off, lock the mirror up and shoot.





Ah Keith, I took the bottle on a quick holiday down to Mexico, tried Lv again, and to my horror, unlike looking at images already in the card, where one can magnify and move the little rectangle on the screen around to check different area, when in Lv it appears that only the central bit can be seen gettin bigger and bigger. One can't select corners, for example, and magnify them! Pretty useless, then. (I temper that statement by saying that I can't make the damned thing do it.) Isn't that also the glitch with one of the Leicas you'd considered?

Anyway, the Mexican trip looks reasonable, so I should have something up on screen soon.

Did I tell you that I've lost the Home page on my website? It now opens up on the second page, at the dedication to Ann, with the b/w portrait and the lines of copy nowhere to be found. SOSed Weebly...

I think I need Mexico, or at least a stiff drink of something.

Rob C

elliot_n

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Re: Live View D700
« Reply #7 on: December 02, 2013, 02:51:08 pm »


...to my horror, unlike looking at images already in the card, where one can magnify and move the little rectangle on the screen around to check different area, when in Lv it appears that only the central bit can be seen gettin bigger and bigger. One can't select corners, for example, and magnify them!

Hmm, you should be able to move the rectangle all over the frame. Do you have the ring around the focus-point selector set to 'L' (lock)?

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Rob C

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Re: Live View D700
« Reply #8 on: December 02, 2013, 03:45:31 pm »

Rob, as Elliot has said you should be able to move around the frame in live view.

Looking at your website on xml-sitemaps, it seems that your original .com page has indeed gone walkabout rather than been moved or misplaced and has been replaced with the "For Ann" page. You'll need to recreate your original page and replace it as your .com(home/index) page.

I shall try again with Lv tomorrow, but it sure didn't do it tonight. Also, the bloody PS computer has gone temperamental again, I can't work on the Mexican Coke because straight after downloading the files from the card, it closed down on me, and I'm about to go watch a show about British wrecks - I feel I am one of them.

Regarding redoing the Home Page - I'm hoping to avoid that - perhaps Weebly has something backed up... they were able to revert to a previous configuration with a gallery that had gone strange during editing just prior to their change of system. I contacted them earlier today, hope something comes up.

I do have the files for the image, but it was all such a hassle jugling images and words - which I think I've mostly forgotten, though it was about orphans etc...

Rob C

Rob C

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Re: Live View D700
« Reply #9 on: December 03, 2013, 06:54:02 am »

Yes, Rob, the M(240) can only magnify the central portion of the image in live view. But hey, I'm used to medium format digital with no live view whatsoever and only one central autofocus point, so any form of live view is a bonus ;-)

Hopefully Weebly will have a backup.


Nothing from Weebly yet, so I've posted my Mexican vacation on 'Prejudice' via LuLa, in case I find myself working on the website at the same time as Weebly might be. At least the PS comp. returned to life!

However, I have tried using Lv again this morning, and I have to confirm that it does NOT allow me to shift to the area where I might want to focus other than in the centre. It can't be shifted as it can when viewing images already on the card.

I am wondering if this is a function of manual lenses, that make the viewfinder's central af point the only one where you can confirm focus with a green light. Perhaps if other af points are enabled it might work in areas other than the centre.

Anyway, I put my 180mm Nikkor onto the camera (and off again) before I thought of this (it's my only af lens) and realised another thing: when in the vertical position with a long, heavy lens, the blasted camera slips slowly downwards. As I see it in my head, we have a moment about a point that's actually conspiring to unscrew the damned camera! The camera slides downwards in the same direction as you would tighten the screw!

The tripod is a huge Gitzo G 410 and the head a two-way tilter Gitzo G1371.

I can't believe that anything so heavy and expensive could have such a basic engineering design flaw.

The 500 Cat is okay because it carries its own tripod shoe and the weight is better distributed.

Anybody know of this and have a solution? I tried a rubber spacer to give more frictional grip, but it made no difference: simply can't turn the screw tight enough, and also worry it might damage the base of the camera.

Rob C
« Last Edit: December 03, 2013, 07:25:13 am by Rob C »
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Walt Roycraft

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Re: Live View D700
« Reply #10 on: December 03, 2013, 06:59:51 am »

Rob,

All I have are AF lenses but I can move the focus point around in Lv with the d700
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elliot_n

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Re: Live View D700
« Reply #11 on: December 03, 2013, 07:10:32 am »

I just dusted off my D700 and put an old manual focus lens on it (50mm, AiS).

I can move the focus point around in Liveview.

In 'handheld' Liveview mode, I'm limited to the 51 AF points.

In 'tripod' Liveview mode, I can move anywhere in the frame.

Are you sure you haven't got the focus-point selector locked (position 'L' on the outer dial)?

« Last Edit: December 03, 2013, 07:13:53 am by elliot_n »
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Rob C

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Re: Live View D700
« Reply #12 on: December 03, 2013, 07:23:11 am »

I'm cooking my own lunch today - can't get to the camera right now, but I never thought of that option. I shall have a look when the 'domestic' stuff is out of the way. Thank you again, and I hope you are right!

Rob C

Jim Metzger

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Re: Live View D700
« Reply #13 on: December 03, 2013, 08:27:55 am »

Rob,

You should definitely be able to move the focus point around when zoomed in. I do this with all my lenses including a 24 PC manual focus lens. The image "pans" around the screen and a small red rectangle shows up in a reduced size image to show you where you are in the frame.

You need to be in "Tripod mode", assuming your manual is in English check page 89 and 96. It is the "+" and "-" button on the rear of the camera that allows zooming in and out on the live view image.

I find a Hoodman loupe very helpful for reviewing on screen focus, the image becomes pixelated when fully zoomed in and it becomes difficult to distinguish soft focus from pixels..

Tripod creep has been a problem forever. The cork or rubber friction material never seemed to do its job with even a moderate telephoto. It is easily but somewhat expensively solved with an "L" plate from Really Right Stuff or Kirk Enterprises. These plates are machined to wrap around the bottom of the camera preventing any rotation. My plate goes on the day I get the camera and pretty much never comes off. The added benefit is that it keeps the camera centered over the tripod instead of cantilevering it out to the side when switching to a vertical orientation. This is a much more stable position.

Regards,

Jim
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Rob C

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Re: Live View D700
« Reply #14 on: December 03, 2013, 09:05:26 am »

LuLa is one site!

I finished lunch, steeled myself to snapping point and pulled the camera from the cabinet.

Yep, the 'Lock' switch was turned on, simply because it always is, because I can only use the central focussing point due to manual lenses, and have locked the focus point to the centre. As a result, I forget about it and all of the other stuff that I have never wanted to use. Lesson learned! To be truthful, I didn't even see the thing earlier on during my battle with the machine.

I am now able to move the screen around exactly as I already could with images in the card.

Thany you all again - what would  I do without you!

;-)

Rob C

Rob C

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Re: Live View D700
« Reply #15 on: December 03, 2013, 09:11:43 am »

Rob,
Tripod creep has been a problem forever. The cork or rubber friction material never seemed to do its job with even a moderate telephoto. It is easily but somewhat expensively solved with an "L" plate from Really Right Stuff or Kirk Enterprises. These plates are machined to wrap around the bottom of the camera preventing any rotation. My plate goes on the day I get the camera and pretty much never comes off. The added benefit is that it keeps the camera centered over the tripod instead of cantilevering it out to the side when switching to a vertical orientation. This is a much more stable position.

Regards,

Jim

An even better option - were it available or even affordable - would be a full-frame digital Hassy 500CM, that square being both a beautiful shape in its own right, as well as a most convenient format for cropping to suit!

Rob C

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