36 replies to this topic

[hawkhenries]

Hi All~

I am using a Nikon D-90 with a Sigma 200mm lens. I should state that I am totally clueless about "really"
using this camera. I have read the manual several times and have learned some basic things but a class would be helpful...

I have been shooting birds outside my window. They are reasonably close maybe 5-10 yards away. When I view the image on the camera screen it is always so much smaller than in real life. In addition when I upload to my computer the images remain small.

My questions ~ Do I need to change some setting on the camera? Is the final size of the image determined by how I edit it? I would think (clearly I don't really know) that a 200mm lens would be sufficient to capture a close up of a bird fairly close but maybe I need something larger???

Thanks much for any help~

[jsa47]

I shoot in raw. I use a 400mm and I still crop smaller birds at 30 feet.

[hawkhenries]

I shoot in raw. I use a 400mm and I still crop smaller birds at 30 feet.

Does this mean you have to edit to increase the image size??

[jsa47]

I use the software that came with the camera to cut out a piece of the picture I want to use. I just looked at the D-90 and it has the same size picture as my t3 (4,288 x 2,848) so you should have a large picture if viewed at 100%.

[hawkhenries]

Thanks for this info! Don't know what % I am viewing the image at but I suspect this may be the issue. I'll have a look and change settings to view at 100%. I'll report back later to let you know the outcome....Thanks again.

[lonestranger]

Is it the size of the image as a whole that is small, or is the bird small compared to the size of the whole of the image?

If the image is small then it's possible your camera is set to record small sized pictures. Most cameras can record raw files(largest) and various sizes of jpgs. If your camera is set to record the smallest jpg, you will have small pictures but be able to get 1000's of them on your memory card depending on it's size. Accessing your menu system should allow you to change the size from small to large if this is the case. Your memory card will fill up faster, but you'll have larger images to work with. If you're not shooting in RAW, then I suggest using your largest jpg option.

If the bird is small compared to the whole image and you want the bird to fill the frame more, then you need to get closer and a longer lens is one way of getting closer without physically moving closer. How far away your birds are and how much they fill the frame should help you determine if your current lens is long enough

[hawkhenries]

Is it the size of the image as a whole that is small, or is the bird small compared to the size of the whole of the image?

If the image is small then it's possible your camera is set to record small sized pictures. Most cameras can record raw files(largest) and various sizes of jpgs. If your camera is set to record the smallest jpg, you will have small pictures but be able to get 1000's of them on your memory card depending on it's size. Accessing your menu system should allow you to change the size from small to large if this is the case. Your memory card will fill up faster, but you'll have larger images to work with. If you're not shooting in RAW, then I suggest using your largest jpg option.

If the bird is small compared to the whole image and you want the bird to fill the frame more, then you need to get closer and a longer lens is one way of getting closer without physically moving closer. How far away your birds are and how much they fill the frame should help you determine if your current lens is long enough

I think you accurately describe the issue here~ Took some pics of a purple finch on a branch about 10 yards away from me. With the naked eye the bird was very clear to see but when I viewed it on the camera screen it was so small. Am I wrong in thinking that a 200mm lens "should" make the image fill the screen more???

Later I'll upload some examples from my camera....Thanks!

[jsa47]

I have a 55-250mm and I had to crop alot with it so I got the 400mm for birds. I use the 55-250mm for shots of insects about 3 feet away.
Normal shot.

and a crop of that shot.

[meghann]

200mm isn't really as up close as you would think. I have a 300, and that's not even that much, either. One thing that really helps me, is when you are looking through your viewfinder, imagine that is your computer screen.

[lonestranger]

As jsa47 demonstrated with his photos, cropping a photo is another way to enhance your subject. It's not a replacement for a longer lens, but cropping a photo is a considerably cheaper(free) alternative to a longer lenses.

[jsa47]

As jsa47 demonstrated with his photos, cropping a photo is another way to enhance your subject. It's not a replacement for a longer lens, but cropping a photo is a considerably cheaper(free) alternative to a longer lenses.

Absolutely.
I had to think hard about spending the money on the 400mm lens since I just started and didn't know if I would use it that much, but i'm glad I got it.

[hawkhenries]

The feeder is about 15 feet from the window where I took this picture. I haven't done any editing except resizing for the forum attchment requirements....Could I be expecting too much from my lens?

 Finches and a siskin.JPG   131.45K   19 downloads

[jsa47]

The feeder is about 15 feet from the window where I took this picture. I haven't done any editing except resizing for the forum attchment requirements....Could I be expecting too much from my lens?

If you didn't crop you could make the bird look closer doing that. Resizing just changes the whole image size.
If you send me the original full size I could check out a crop for you, and show you.

[Joejr14]

You could be expecting too much from the 200mm. In the grand scheme of birding lenses, 200mm aint squat. I was using 300mm before, and craving much more...so I upgraded to 500mm. Guess what? I still want more!

It would help if you could tell us the size of the pictures when you're downloading them off your camera onto your computer, before you do any editing at all. The D90's sensor is the same as my D300's, so at 12.3MP your files should be 4288x2848.

If they are the above size coming off your camera and onto your computer, then yes, the answer is the lens.

[hawkhenries]

You could be expecting too much from the 200mm. In the grand scheme of birding lenses, 200mm aint squat. I was using 300mm before, and craving much more...so I upgraded to 500mm. Guess what? I still want more!

It would help if you could tell us the size of the pictures when you're downloading them off your camera onto your computer, before you do any editing at all. The D90's sensor is the same as my D300's, so at 12.3MP your files should be 4288x2848
If they are the above size coming off your camera and onto your computer, then yes, the answer is the lens.

Yep that's the size~drat's I was hoping for some magical "you're doing something wrong" answer. Guess I better start whining to my wife about a new lens ~

[Joejr14]

What lens do you have, specifically? A zoom, like the 18-200, 70-200, or do you have a 200mm prime lens? If you have a 200mm prime (no zoom), what's the aperture?

[jsa47]

Here's a quick crop of your picture.

[hawkhenries]

What lens do you have, specifically? A zoom, like the 18-200, 70-200, or do you have a 200mm prime lens? If you have a 200mm prime (no zoom), what's the aperture?

It's a Sigma 50-200mm zoom (actually might be 55-200)...

[hawkhenries]

jsa47~So basically the crop would be removing unwanted parts of the picture so that I could then increase (blow up) the remaining image? As I said in an earlier post I guess it's time to whine for a new lens...
Do you think 500mm zoom can be hand held? I realize (from reading other post's here) that many people use tri/mono pods for a long lens but I think that would be cumbersome....

[jsa47]

jsa47~So basically the crop would be removing unwanted parts of the picture so that I could then increase (blow up) the remaining image? As I said in an earlier post I guess it's time to whine for a new lens...
Do you think 500mm zoom can be hand held? I realize (from reading other post's here) that many people use tri/mono pods for a long lens but I think that would be cumbersome....

It's showing the pic at 100% (actual size), not really blowing it up. If you have a long lens you could have the same field of view (or close to it, as the crop I did) without the crop, but then you have to resize to see the whole picture or view at less %. The better the starting picture, the better the crop will look. I always crop or resize mine to 1920 x 1080 for a computer background.
The 400mm I have isn't a problem to carry around (and use handheld with a high enough shutter speed) but it's a prime without I.S.