Nikon D3300

[pontifex]

I got a Nikon D3300 for Christmas which will be replacing my D50.

I want to get some extra batteries but the Nikon ones are $42 on Amazon.
Do you guys know a good quality alternative brand that is less expensive or do you just stick with Nikon brand batteries?

 

[CuriousMike]

I bought this battery [for my D5200], highly rated on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GTY3QMU?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage

I think I get about 1/2 the shots of the Nikon battery.

I'd give it 3/5 stars

For a cheap backup, I'm OK with it. The stock battery lasts a long time and I've only had to dip into the aftermarket battery after multiple days of shooting with the OEM.

 

[pontifex]

Can anyone recommend a new strap too? something that is comfortable?

 

[CuriousMike]

I love this strap so much, I bought it for both my D5200 and my D610.

It's pricey and ... kinda big ... but ... I find it luxurious and very comfortable.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00YBC20LA?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00

 

[pontifex]

I love this strap so much, I bought it for both my D5200 and my D610.

It's pricey and ... kinda big ... but ... I find it luxurious and very comfortable.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00YBC20LA?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00

I've been looking at that brand, just a different model thats like $5 cheaper than the one you linked. Looking at a few and some like the Black Rapid are just too expensive for my uses.

 

[CuriousMike]

It probably doesn't make sense to spend 20% of the value of the camera on a strap.

Whatever you buy, make sure it's secure and durable.

I bought the below strap as a "value" alternative to a real Black Rapid, and it failed a little while back - my 70-200 f/4 crashing face first into a dirt road. Piece of crap... I deserved it for trying to save a few bucks.

To be clear, do not buy this
http://www.amazon.com/Fotasy-NSQF-Anti-Slip-Comfort-Ergonomic/dp/B0062W02C6

 

[pontifex]

how comfortable is the Slide? I was watching reviews on youtube and some people said the padding isn't much.

with some of these that just attach to the tripod mount, i worry about them turning loose.

 

[CuriousMike]

I find the slide to be moderately comfortable - I've used it on multiple all-day outings and it's fine... particularly when worn as a sling.

The tripod mounted systems ( such as Black Rapid ) won't loosen for two reasons.
a) The screw that you mount into the tripod socket is tight and has a grommet that you compress as you tighten. It ain't moving.
b) The clip that you ... clip into the screw is on a barrel head, so the barrel twists -- never putting tension on the screw on the tripod socket.

If you want plush, look at the "Crumpler Industry Disgrace" - I gave that to my daughter when I bought the second Peak Design.

 

[pontifex]

Another question - I like taking photos of wildlife, and the longest lens I have is 200mm. I find with my lens at 200mm I still can't get close enough, like with small birds and getting closer physically tends to scare the wildlife away.

I don't have a a lot of money to spend and I know that longer focal length lens get really expensive really quickly.

Is there any alternative to get around this? I've seen brands like Opteka with large focal length lenses but the aperture is fairly bad, like f8.3.

 

[pontifex]

I think I am going to try this sling strap:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0..._mini_detail?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

Seems to get good reviews on Amazon plus other sites I have seen.

 

[CuriousMike]

Optech is highly rated and that looks like a great fit on the D3300.

There just isn't a cheap way to get close - I've been trying... LOL.
Throwing money at those $300 800mm lenses is literally flushing money down the toilet.

To be clear, your D3300 has a "crop multiplier" ( don't fight me on the term photo-snobs, you know what I mean) of 1.5x

So, your 200mm is really 300mm in "normal" terms.


Options that you could consider
a) Tamron 70-300. That would get you 450mm. Can be found for $350 refurb
b) Nikon 70-300. The Tamron is said to be sharper at the long end, the Nikon is sharper everywhere else.
c) Find a used 80-400.
d) Save money and buy the Tamron or Sigma 150-600
e) Save money and buy the Nikon 200-500
f) You have more money than I do, so get the 600 f/4 and be done with it.

Unless you have a fast lens to start with ( f/2.8 constant or f/4 constant), don't consider teleconverters. You'll want to, and I'm telling you don't. Your camera won't focus, you lose light, and your camera won't focus.

No matter what you get, it won't be enough. You just never have enough reach for birds. Ever never. I've gone out with birding clubs where the typical setup is some huge Canon body with a literally comic sized 600 f/4 or 400 f/2.8 with 1.7 teleconverters and they complain.

I'm try gimp by with a 70-200 f/4 and a 1.7TC on my daughters crop body D5200 = ~ 510mm.

Patience and persistence will eventually reward you with decent shots.

If you're super patient and persistent, you can get a more than a few decent shots.

When you see those "OMG AWZSOME BIRD PHOTO" photos, those guys are not using $400 bodies and $300 lenses.
They've got $6000 Mark KDIIII or D4S with $7500 600f/4 lenses --- all those pieces focus 10 times faster than what we have and have optics to back it up.

I'm telling you all this because I've recently got into birding and JFC .. I can get "good" shots, but I'm sitting next to people with this gear and they post Holy SH~t shots. Same light, shoulder to shoulder damn near same exposures.

For me, the following is one of my good shots - but it's still soft, lacks contrast and is generally "average".
https://www.flickr.com/photos/coustier/23902666152/in/dateposted-public/

 

[pontifex]

thanks for the info!

i found that 2 of the lenses I used on the D50 won't auto-focus on the D3300. my 50mm prime and a 24-70mm that my dad let me borrow. My D50 18-55 kit lens doesn't work either but that doesn't matter since I got a 18-55 kit lens with the D3300.

Apparently I need AF-S lenses and those are just AF lenses?

I can use them, i just have to manually focus.

 

[CuriousMike]

Yep, have to be AF-S lenses to have AF.

The D7xxx and FX cameras all have a built in screw that will do the AF for you on pre AF-S lenses.

https://support.nikonusa.com/app/an...ikon-d5300,-d5200,-d5100,-d5000,-d3300,-d3200,

 

[pontifex]

What do you think of these 70-300 lenses? Is this the Tamron one you refer to?

http://www.amazon.com/Tamron-70-300...UTF8&qid=1451495712&sr=1-4&keywords=70-300+VR

http://www.amazon.com/Sigma-70-300m...UTF8&qid=1451495712&sr=1-2&keywords=70-300+VR

 

[CuriousMike]

The lenses you listed are... basic. I have a moderately low bar compared to most people when it comes to quality, but those fall under it.

Look at Amazon refurb/used prices on:
http://www.amazon.com/Tamron-70-300...&qid=1451586232&sr=1-2&keywords=tamron+70-300

http://www.amazon.com/Nikon-70-300m...8&qid=1451586307&sr=1-1&keywords=nikon+70-300

And, in particular, if you're really on a budget look at the 55-300 Nikon used/refurb:
http://www.amazon.com/Nikon-55-300m...8&qid=1451586322&sr=1-1&keywords=nikon+55-300

 

[pontifex]

Question - with the remote control, it times out after a set time. you can set it for 15 minutes before it times out and turns off remote control.

Is there a way to bypass this?

I just have the little Nikon remote (ML3 or something).

Would something like this do it?
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008FBMUMM...lid=1A7WOSWIX4IKD&coliid=I36KI1NWC39FF5&psc=1


Although it doesn't say it supports the D3300, but it does the D3200, so I'd think it would support the D3300? There is 1 question on the page about it working with the D3300 and they say it does work.

 

[CuriousMike]

This setting only applies only during viewfinder photography.
Does that mean if you use LiveView that it can be longer? In which case, you would need to adjust the LiveView timeout to be longer. Page 245, looks like LiveView is limited to 20 minutes.

 

[CuriousMike]

The wired remote shutters should work.
The one you linked looks pretty fancy.
I bought the "official" Nikon variant - it can be found for ~ $25 (B&H has it for $26)
http://www.amazon.com/Nikon-25395-MC-DC2-Remote-Release/dp/B001F6TXME

 

[CuriousMike]

OK, doesn't look like the D3300 has the built in intervoltometer features that the D5xxx and above have. So, if you ever need more than 9 shots taken (the self timer allows up to 9, page 246) then the wired remote you listed would be useful.

 

[pontifex]

I was thinking of using the wireless as I could be inside the house and trigger it while the camera is outside. was thinking about planting some bird seed as bait and then when birds came in, i could take photos of the birds through a window.

but if the thing is gonna time out that won't do me any good.