Ladybug for Dinner, Anyone

[Paul Lagasi]

I love this new lens, the 300mm Nikon f4/d. I recently sold my 300mm 2.8 and needed a replacement lens, so I chose the f4.
Quite a few of my friends raved about the quality of images from this lens.

Here's an example..taken at about 7 feet..cropped 50%

Thanks for Looking

[Steve Maxson]

Hi Paul. Congrats on your new "macro" lens! (Please remember to include more of the shooting specs such as ss, f/stop, ISO.) :S3: Very interesting behavior captured here - I haven't seen dragonflies eating beetles before. Good sharpness and I like the diagonals of the perch and dragonfly. The light is a little harsher than ideal, though there was not much you could do about that - maybe a little fill flash to open up the shadows. I would suggest running some nr on the background to smooth it out. Overall, this is a very nice behavioral image!

[Ron Sprunger]

I was going to get that lens, but instead pooled funds to get the 200-400, which I love. But this IQ is over the top. Very nice indeed. Don't know if you had enough light, but you could get him bigger in the frame with a 20mm tube and closer focus.

[Paul Lagasi]

Thanks to you both, Steve, I will work on this a bit more, sometimes I forget which forum I am in the? di is for

D7000
nikkor 300mm f4/d not sure what the d is for?
f8 - this lens works best
1/2000
iso 1000
matrix metering
handheld
+0.3ev

Ron, this was at minimum focusing distance, and hand held...haven't tried tubes yet but their on my wish list...Thanks

:tinysmile_shy_t:

[Julie Kenward]

Neat image, Paul and what a sharp lens you have there! I'd also consider running NR on the BG - or you might try surface blur in PS as well. The light does look a tiny bit harsh but it seems to put the focal point right where you'd want it on the bug's face so not a bad trade off. I like how upclose you are - and the focus is right where it needs to be.

[Ron Sprunger]

The 'D' is for "Distance". The lens provides distance information for the EXIF data, and has an aperture ring. I didn't realize the 300 f/4 is still a 'D', much preferable IMO to the new 'G' lenses, which lack the aperture ring (Ken Rockwell calls the "G for Gelded"). I'm tempted to sell my 28-300 in favor of this one.

[bhavya joshi]

Hi..Paul. Congrats. on new Lens.. This lens Really gave a Good result.. Nice Moment captured.. Sharp and well Compose.. :S3:

[Ken Childs]

Hey Paul, it sure looks like your choice on the lens was a good one....this looks nice and sharp! Considering the harsh light, I think you did really well with this shot. In addition to the suggestions already given, I would do some work on the branch because as it is now, it's bright and a bit distracting. Try selecting the branch and take it part way down with SH and then finish it off with a selective color adjustment, adding black to the whites.

[Paul Lagasi]

Thanks everyone, I will try the suggestions on this image..:tinysmile_shy_t: