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My Day Off...A chance to visit North Walney Nature Reserve

Author	Post

Posted by Robert: Thu Mar 9th, 2017 16:04

1^st Post

Am busy working on my front room at present but given the weather seemed pretty reasonable I thought I would take a day off and take a look at the North Walney Nature Reserve. I have visited the South Walney Nature Reserve but access is very limited and bikes are banned. At the Northern reserve there don't seem to be many restrictions with completely unrestricted access, allowing early and night time photography, rather than 10 am to 4pm (5pm in summer...) at the Southern reserve.

I decided to take the D300s and the D3, giving a little more reach if I needed it. I have been a little underwhelmed by the D300s, seemingly lacklustre images leading me to leave it at home. However, I had a brainwave and did a two button reset the other day and the images now seem to have a bit more punch. So I wanted to try it out in the field.

This is the first pic I caught a hardy kite surfer braving the cold winds.

D300s with the 70-300mm f4.5-5.6 VR. @ 240mm, 1/640sec at f6.3, ISO200

D300s with the 70-300mm f4.5-5.6 VR. @ 250mm, 1/640sec at f6.3, ISO200

It seems you are guaranteed to see some birds, they are bolted to the main gate!!!

My first encounter with live wildlife was something of a surprise finding two Toads enjoying the sunshine in the middle of the main path. I grabbed for my Nikkor 105 f2.8 Micro and installed it on the D3. I took a few with the 105, but felt I was too close for the Toads, so I switched to the D300s with the 70-300mm VR.

D3, Nikkor 105 f2.8: 1/640sec at f8, ISO 800.

D300s, Nikkor 70-300mm f4.5-5.6 VR. @ 280mm, 1/400sec at f6.3, ISO200

North Walney is known for it's Natterjack Toads but I don't know if these two are Natterjack or common toads. According to what I have read, the Natterjack favour darkness.

Finally an example of fungi:

D300s, Nikkor 70-300mm f4.5-5.6 VR. @ 300mm, 1/640sec at f6.3, ISO200

I am rather impressed with the bokeh of the 70-300mm f4.5-5.6 VR, In some of the above images, the narrow DoF had nice smooth, gradual bokeh which enhances the images.

____________________
Robert.

Posted by Robert: Thu Mar 9th, 2017 16:40

2^nd Post

I had passed on this image but having tried processing it in Lightroom It's not as bad as I expected. It's a photo of a toad underwater in a pool, they are very hard to spot but I managed to grab this one with the D300s and 70-300.

300mm, 1/60sec at f6.3, ISO 560 (auto ISO)

I have to say I am warming to the D300s, I think the PO may have made some obscure change to the settings which resulted in lacklustre images (possibly why he sold it?), the two button reset seems to have improved it a lot.

____________________
Robert.

Posted by Graham Whistler: Mon Mar 13th, 2017 14:32

3^rd Post

Some interesting images thank you Robert!

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Graham Whistler

Posted by Robert: Mon Mar 13th, 2017 15:15

4^th Post

Thanks for looking Graham, hope your hand is getting better!

It's still a bit cool out there but I really enjoyed that little expedition, I hope to get out at least once a week from now on, if for no other reason it's a nice change and lets me take some nature pix.

I was impressed by the D300s rendition, much better than previous attempts. Still needed more post processing than the D3 but I expected that.

I went to an outdoor clothing store over the w/e, I was looking for camouflage clothing but I couldn't see any... I could't find any sales assistants either, perhaps they were wearing the camouflage gear? :lol:

____________________
Robert.

Posted by jk: Mon Mar 13th, 2017 16:53

5^th Post

Try Army Surplus store Robert.
Better quality and bettery cheaper price.

____________________
Still learning after all these years!
https://nikondslr.uk/gallery_view.php?user=2&folderid=none

Posted by Robert: Mon Mar 13th, 2017 17:52

6^th Post

Not sure the army have any surplus these days JK, have heard the soldiers have to buy their own kit...

Will take a look at the other possibility, FleeBay...

Do a search even! LOL

Thanks. :thumbs:

____________________
Robert.

Posted by Graham Whistler: Tue Mar 14th, 2017 04:31

7^th Post

The D300 is a super camera and results still look very near same as I'm getting out of D500 or D810 as A3+ exhibition prints in our local camera club! I think that D300 and the D3 were the point when as a professional photographer I gave up using my Hasselblads and film!

Hand improving and no longer in plaster but lot of physio to get it back to normal. Hope to be able to drive again soon!

____________________
Graham Whistler

Posted by jk: Tue Mar 14th, 2017 05:18

8^th Post

I hope the physio restores you to full working order Graham.
However be patient with yourself as it will take a while.

____________________
Still learning after all these years!
https://nikondslr.uk/gallery_view.php?user=2&folderid=none

Posted by novicius: Wed Apr 19th, 2017 18:26

9^th Post

Nice photo`s indeed

____________________
Back in Danmark

I do not use my equipment to make photo`s .. I take photo`s to use my equipment

The better I become at photography,the better my camera gets.

Posted by jk: Sat May 20th, 2017 13:31

10^th Post

Graham, I trust you are back to full working condition again. We havent heard from you in a while.

____________________
Still learning after all these years!
https://nikondslr.uk/gallery_view.php?user=2&folderid=none

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