D810 photos featured on Really Right Stuff's blog this week

[Ellis Vener]

A photo of mine from early last week is now featured this week on Really Right Stuff's blog! Check it out at http://blog.reallyrightstuff.com/bts-ellisvener-2/

As noted in the blog I converted the 14-bit lossless NEF to DNG in Lightroom 5.6 and also did the color to B&W conversion in Lightroom. Being an RRS blog it naturally highlights RRS components. The QR plate on the camera is the base plate from Arca-Swiss Classic L bracket as the RRS 810 L-plate isn't shipping just yet.

[BernardLanguillier]

Congratulations Ellis,

Cheers,
Bernard

[Ellis Vener]

Thank you Bernard.

[Colorado David]

Congratulations Ellis.  I try my best to simplify and I don't like it that there has to be a new different L-plate for every new camera.  I am a little confused since I was under the impression that the same vertical grip that fits the D800 also fits the D810.  If that's the case, why the need for a new L-plate?

[Ellis Vener]

" If that's the case, why the need for a new L-plate?"

Hopefully the new L plate for the D810 will be similar to the one for the Canon EOS-1D X (http://www.reallyrightstuff.com/s.nl/it.A/id.2106/.f), a  two-part modular plate that allows you to either keep the vertical leg close to the camera, a little further away for better cable port access and connections, or remove it completely. That design works like a champ on my 1D X.

I haven't seen the new plate and my fiscal arrangement with RRS is a one-way street: I pay full retail for the gear I buy.

[JohnBrew]

David, the new L-bracket is necessary to clear the new side door access. If you don't mind taking it off for access the D800 L-bracket works fine. I, personally, have never opened the left side doors on my D800.

[Petrus]

After looking at the blog I have to ask what it the purpose of the elaborate L-bracket thingy for a macro shot like this. Why not screw the camera straight to the ball-head? You should be able to get exactly the same spot and aim by moving the tripod, less wobbly also.

[Colorado David]

. . . and my fiscal arrangement with RRS is a one-way street: I pay full retail for the gear I buy.

I have the same arrangement with RRS.

[Ellis Vener]

After looking at the blog I have to ask what it the purpose of the elaborate L-bracket thingy for a macro shot like this. Why not screw the camera straight to the ball-head? You should be able to get exactly the same spot and aim by moving the tripod, less wobbly also.

Those are reasonable & fair questions:

A) To get the camera exactly where I wanted it to be, and at the exact angle and distance I wanted, while getting around the raised concrete edge of the pool, which was about a foot high.

B) With my set up there was no "wobble" or instability.

[swisscheese]

David, the new L-bracket is necessary to clear the new side door access. If you don't mind taking it off for access the D800 L-bracket works fine. I, personally, have never opened the left side doors on my D800.

The D810's side doors are around 2 3/16" tall, vs the D800's single door, which is around 2" tall.
The

So, the D810 top and bottom side doors open a couple of degrees less than 90º, but they open far enough to where you should not have a problem, to insert whatever needs to be inserted. You will have to attach the L-plate to the left of center, for this to work.
The bottom left image (on tripod) shows, what I mean:
http://www.reallyrightstuff.com/s.nl/it.A/id.2176/.f

Markus

[Ellis Vener]

"So, the D810 top and bottom side doors open a couple of degrees less than 90º, but they open far enough to where you should not have a problem, to insert whatever needs to be inserted. You will have to attach the L-plate to the left of center, for this to work."

True! But the the way the new 2 piece RRS 1DX bracket works really is better. For one thing you don't have to loosen the bolt attaching the plate to the camera body to move or remove the side plate. I was skeptical too until I tried it. 

[LawrenceBraunstein]

Ellis, what a beautiful photograph! I hope you made a print of it. I can imagine how exquisite a beautiful B&W print of your water lily (or is it a lotus?) would be. You wrote in the blog:

“To make sure I was getting the sharpest image possible I used the camera’s self timer so I wouldn’t jiggle the camera and also set it to use the new “Electronic First Curtain” mode.”

I’m afraid the ‘mechanical’ and not the ‘EFC’ shutter was used for this shot. The reason is because the release mode dial was set to ‘self timer’ and the EFC shutter is only available in ‘Mup’ mode. I recently started a discussion about the activation of the EFC shutter which you can read about here:

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/forum/index.php?topic=92251.msg750359#msg750359

A quick update to that thread; after contacting Nikon Germany a second time, they revised their first claim and now agreed with both Nikon UK as well as Nikon USA that the EFC shutter is only available in ‘Mirror Up’ mode. Like so many, I hope this will be changed in a future firmware update for the D810. The EFC shutter should really be available in nearly all modes, including Exposure Delay Mode, Live View, as well as Self Times without the need to use ‘Mup’. Gratefully, all of this had no negative effect on the beauty of your photograph!

With best wishes,

Larry

[swisscheese]

[quote author=Ellis Vener link=topic=92522.msg752933#msg752933 date=1407989490

True! But the the way the new 2 piece RRS 1DX bracket works really is better. For one thing you don't have to loosen the bolt attaching the plate to the camera body to move or remove the side plate. I was skeptical too until I tried it. 
[/quote]

Looks nice. Based on the price, I doubt the D810 bracket will be a 2 piece.

Markus

[Chairman Bill]

Why bother with RRS L-plates? I use the Arca-Swiss L-bracket. Works perfectly well with a wide range of cameras



http://www.robertwhite.co.uk/arca-swiss-l-bracket-quickset-classic.html

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

Ellis, congrats on such a beautiful transformation of reality. From a seed-catalog photo (as Russ would put it) to an exquisite fine-art, warm-toned b&w.

[Ellis Vener]

Why bother with RRS L-plates? I use the Arca-Swiss L-bracket. Works perfectly well with a wide range of cameras



http://www.robertwhite.co.uk/arca-swiss-l-bracket-quickset-classic.html

I have two of those, and if you look closely at the set up photo in the RRS blog, the plate mounted o nthe camera is the base plate from one.

[Stephen Starkman]

Congratulations Ellis. Lovely image!

Stephen

[David Anderson]

I liked your reply to the criticism in the comments - I don't know that I would have been so diplomatic. 

Anyway, nice one getting your picture up..