Here’s a video I made of the new Nikon D7100 which is Nikons top of the line DX format camera. The Nikon D7100 is the new 24 mp top of the line DX format camera from Nikon. It features an improved 51 point auto focus system that has been taken from the professional D4 model.

The other main talking point is the removal of the AA filter which should in theory result in sharper images. In a further video I shall be testing out the new features and directly comparing it to Nikon’s new affordable full frame DLSR the D600 to see which one you should choose.

In the mean time why not see what you get in the box and check out teh ergonomics and layout of the Nikon D7100 in the video below.

A full review will follow shortly.

Photos of the Isle of Harris

I thought I’d create a quick page with links to some of my favourite photos of the Isle of Harris so that you can quickly get a flavour for what the Isle of Harris has to offer as a holiday destination and also as a photographic location.

If you want to head straight over to my photos of the Isle of Harris then this link will take you there.

Photos of the Isle of Harris everywhere

In the time that I have lived on the Isle of Harris it seems to have increased in popularity as a photographic destination. Many people not surprisingly travel up to the islands to spend a few days or longer if they are lucky taking photos of the beautiful landscapes that you can find here.

If you look in books, magazines and even Thai travel brochures you are quite likely to see photos of the Isle of Harris or Isle of Lewis at some point.

The east coast of Harris (known as the bays) is a rugged lunar landscape and offers ample opportunities to play with composition in order to create something out of the bleak and harsh landscape. The coast line is littered with little craggy bays and inlets which also play host to a wide variety of wildlife including otters and seals. Check out Flodabay and Finsbay for particularly good viewing.

Photos of the Isle of Harris’ west coast

Cloudburst, Traigh Mhor

It is of course Harris’ west coast and the stunning beaches that attract the most vistitors. Beaches such as Luskentyre and Scarista are huge expanses of sand that are a photographers paradise. Having lived here for a number of years I would say that it is the beautiful light that we receive here that actually makes the Isle of Harris such a good place to create photos. Thanks to the almost continuous wind the light is constantly changing, helping to create incredible scenes that change by the second. You could spend a lifetime here and never get the same light twice.

If you’re thinking of coming to photograph Harris or just for a visit then I would suggest that April-June is the best time to visit. We seem to always experience patches of good weather during this time and it is also before the midges take hold. The days are not too long either which definitely helps if you are planning dawn until dusk photography.

If you are visiting Harris this year then get in touch and I’ll be happy to chat about locations or if you would like some tuition in some of the best locations in the UK then check out my landscape photography tuition page 

Traigh Mhor

25% Discount

To celebrate the successful launch of our new website we are now offering a massive 25% off all prints sales throughout April when you spend £30 or more.

If you’re thinking of buying a print for someone special for birthdays or even Christmas, now is a great time to buy with a massive 25% savings.

To get your discount simply enter the code April25 at the checkout.

Please note that this discount excludes canvas prints. However we are offering a 10% discount off all canvas’ throughout April too. Simply Enter the code Aprilcanvas at the checkout.

After having spent around 3 years up on the Isle of Harris in the Outer Hebrides creating landscapes and generally getting my photography business off the ground I have taken the decision to return to England again this year and will be relocating to the beautiful Cotswold town of Cirencester.

I have had a wonderful time living on Harris and there are many things that I shall miss about the island, not least the stunning beaches but I must admit I am very excited about my new adventure and the photographic challenges that await.

Over the course of the last 2-3 years I have managed to discover myself photographically and it has been a privelage to do it on Harris, with it’s beautiful landscapes and idyllic, crime free lifestyle. It’s been a journey that has taken me through some pretty rough years in my life personally and slowly allowed me to get to where I want to be.

I am excited and feel particularly fortunate to be setting up business in another unbelievably beautiful location in the heart of the Cotswolds and I hope I can go on and make a success of it as I feel I have managed here in the Outer Hebrides.

I shall always have an affinity with these islands and I hope to keep coming back and enjoying them for years to come.

If you would like to see a little more about the services that I will be offering in Cirencester then take a look here . I shall be gradually migrating down to live with my girlfriend this year and expect to be in Cirencester full time by the end of Summer.

Hopefully I may bump into some of you along the way.

I shall leave you with one of the latest images of my favourite beach on Harris (don’t forget you can buy prints here  )

Traigh Mhor

Nikon D600 Dust issues

I recently bought a Nikon D600 and obviously had heard about the issues with an unusually large amount of dust and possibly lubricant residue contaminating the sensor. I decided to go ahead and purchase because in my eyes the numerous benefits outweighed this possible issue. I also suspected that the issue had probably been blown out of proportion by internet forums and a small percentage of users that had suffered fanned the flames.

So after having the Nikon D600 for just under a month now and having taken roughly a 1200 shots so far is the Nikon D600 dust issue a reality?

Ok just to let you know my setup I am using the Nikon D600 with the kit lens 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 , I have a couple of primes too but haven’t used them in anger yet. So I am very rarely changing lenses and when I have (about 3 times so far) it’s been indoors, sensor facing down etc to lower the risk of contamination of the sensor.

My first outing with the Nikon D600 was to one of my local beaches. It was not my intention to check for dust, in fact I didn’t think about it. I just wanted to familiarise myself with the layout of the camera and all the features so that it becomes second nature for me to use. I also wanted to put check out the IQ and dynamic range of the sensor.

Firstly let me say the dynamic range and iq on this camera are superb, in fact the best I have ever used. I still use my Lee Neutral Density graduated filter kit but if I don’t have it with me the raw files from the D600 allow a heck of a lot of leeway to process in Lightroom thanks to the vast dynamic range of the sensor. You can click on the processed image to see a larger version in my gallery

Raw file before processing

Nikon D600 file after editing in Lightroom

So what about the Nikon D600 dust issue?

Well after approximately 200 shots I started noticing dust/debris on the sensor. It was predominantly in the upper left hand corner of my images and only really visible at apertures of f/16 +. On landscapes with a lot of clear skies etc this was an issue so I decided to give it a quick and simple clean using the cameras built in cleaning function and with a rocket blower. The cleaning function seemed to do nothing to be honest but then I didn’t expect it too as it’s not really designed to shift this volume of dust particles. So I moved onto the rocket blower and after several goes found that the dust had been reduced from around 20 spots initially to about 3-4 more stubborn pieces which were all in the upper left hand corner of my images.

Below is a crop from an image I took on the very first shoot (this image is number 283 taken with this camera) with the Nikon D600. This dust has accumulated during the 2 hours or so I was shooting as there was none on the early shots from the same shoot. This crop is the top left corner of the image shot at f/22 on a tripod. I have played with contrast and clarity to highlight the dust spots, they do not look this bad on the original file but they are visible.

Here’s the file showing the dust spots, you can see the original file on my flickr account

And here is a later file after the sensor had been cleaned with a rocket blower and another few hundred shots fired off. You can see the reduction in the amount of dust build up.  37 cloning spots on the first image reduced to 10 on the second image.

I must admit that this many dust spots on the Nikon D600 sensor after so few shots really did cause me some concern. If they were not easily removed with a simple rocket blower then it would have been a big problem, luckily they were. The couple that were left I felt comfortable removing in software later.

What was concerning me though is if this amount of dust were to build up on the sensor all the time then for instance when I’m away in Italy next month it could potentially ruin important shots.

In the month that I have had the camera though I have cleaned it twice with a blower and the amount of dust that it is gathering seemed to reduce. Last time I looked I had taken 1200 shots. This makes me think that there is some material inside the mirror box assembly which was being dislodged and spread onto the sensor when the shutter fired. Presumably there is a finite amount of material to dislode and so it would make sense that as it is dislodged and spread the issue will lessen.

Here’s a crop of the top left corner of an image taken at a later shoot after a second cleaning of the sensor with a rocket blower. It is a slightly unfair comparison because it is at f/18 and not f/22 like the others but it shows no sign of dust at all.

I contacted my dealer about this, not to replace the camera but to see how they and Nikon were dealing with this issue. As it turned out my camera dealers were really helpful and suggested that I return the camera and get a replacement as they said that the latest batch did not seem to be having this problem which leads me to believe that Nikon may have replaced parts in the newer cameras. I should emphasise that had they not suggested this I would have been happy to keep the orginal but intrigue got the better of me, what if the newer ones really are better. I don’t mind cleaning the sensor but better not to have to, right.

Would the Nikon D600 dust spots stop me buying one ?

In short, no. The sensor dust while annoying can easily be dealt with in my experience using a rocket blower. I also have no problem giving the sensor a wet clean from time to time if there is a build up of dust. My dealer also told me that Nikon are cleaning the sensors themselves free of charge to customers and although it might be an inconvenience it will sort the issue out for you.

I understand the argument saying that Nikon shouldn’t be putting out a camera with these issues but to me it’s not a major concern and when I look at the D600 as an overall package I think the fantastic sensor and superb ergonomics would lead me to make the same decision again and buy one over again. By all accounts the dust considerably reduces after 3000 shutter actuations if you happen to get one with this issue but in the meantime Nikon will clean it for you for free.

Don’t let a bit of dust ruin what is otherwise a superb camera. Dust will not stop you getting the shot, just keep your eye on it and you’ll be fine.

I should get my new copy of the Nikon D600 this week and I’ll report back after I’ve used it for a while and let you know if there are still issues with sensor dust on the latest batch of Nikon D600′s.

If you agree with me and still think the D600 is a fantastic camera then please shop using my links, even if you buy an alternative camera or any other items the small commission I get helps to keep the site going. Thanks to all those who do.

Hopefully you have noticed and like the new website design and no doubt some of you will have recently noticed a number of new blog posts that have appeared on my site that clearly don’t feature me or my photography. So what are they doing on my new website and how do they relate to me and my photography?

Well firstly let me take you briefly through the idea behind the new site. I wanted a fresh, cleaner appearance and a site that was easy to navigate and move around while telling my customers what it is that i can do for them. I wanted my images to be easily accessible and I wanted navigation of my images to be a simple straightforward affair.

I also wanted to make the site much easier for me to upload new images to as the old one had become a bit of a chore. I can also fulfil print orders on the new website while I am away travelling (which links in to the next bit). Hopefully we have managed to achieve this and I would be delighted to hear your feedback both good and bad to enable us to tweak the design further if possible.

Ok so where are these other blog posts from ?

To cut a long story short the new blog posts are those of my girlfriend, Claire. She recently returned from travelling around Asia and her blog posts inspired me so much that I wanted to incorporate them into the new website. I figured that if I enjoyed reading them so much then you guys probably would too.

The plan from here on out is to combine her (much better than mine) blogging skills and writing with my photos to create an archive of  all the places that we will visit over the coming years and hopefully that will make for interesting reading and perhaps provide a few tips for others along the way.

So the site is now going to be about showcasing our images and the blog will be regularly updated with pics and blog posts about the places that we are lucky enough to travel to.  First up is Tuscany in May, so just over a month away and I can’t wait for the adventures to begin. I hope you’ll join us.

If you want to keep up with either of us on Twitter you can do so here @cabanbury and @davidfleetphoto

Why choose the Nikon D600?

I have been having somewhat of a challenge lately deciding exactly which camera to choose as my main work horse.

I was not entirely happy with my Canon 5 dmk 2 once I decided to take more than just stationary landscape shots. To me the auto focus was not exactly great shall we say. With L glass on or with fast bright primes I was still getting an awful lot of shots that were not in focus when shooting people.

It actually amazed me that the auto focus on the Panasonic G3 was in my opinion actually better for slow moving or stationary subjects. Yes some of that can be put down to a greater depth of field for any given aperture thanks to sensor size differences but for the slow moving targets that I wanted to capture the contrast detection af of the Panasonic gave me a much higher percentage of keepers.

This led me on to the Olympus OM-D E-M5 which I bought 6 months ago and found to be a fantastic little camera. Small and light enough to take with you on most occasions yet producing good enough image quality for all but the most demanding photographers. I was very impressed with its 16 mp sensor and the handling of this camera body. However on a recent trip to my local beach at sunset I saw a few things that niggled away at me.

Let me firstly explain that I am in the process of moving from my home on the Isle of Harris in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland and back to England to be with my girlfriend. This is a costly move and it is making me consider all of my equipment that little bit more and whether it can justify its place in my camera bag (yes I’ve sold a lot of those off too).

In all likelihood the gear that I have now is going to have to see me through the next few years and so it must be capable of performing every task that I require of it, prominently landscapes but I am also taking on more and more commercial photographic work.

So here are my reasons for going with the new Nikon D600 rather than sticking with micro 4/3, going back to Canon or choosing another Nikon.

Image quality of the Nikon D600

The number one reason to choose the Nikon D600 in my opinion is for the superb image quality that it produces. I mentioned earlier that I saw a few things in the Olympus files that I didn’t like. Let me say that in general the Olympus OM-D E-M5 produces superb quality images, especially for a micro 4/3 sensor. The dynamic range was the single biggest improvement I saw when compared to older micro 4/3 cameras like the Panasonic G3.

However in low light shooting conditions such as those around Sunset and sunrise I saw a level of noise in the images even at base ISO (200 on the Olympus) that I wasn’t happy with. The images showed noise in the shadows and although the files were more than useable I know that at some point this would actually cause me issues when wanting to print large.

Olympus OM-D E-M5 ISO 200 100% crop. Notice the noise in this raw file at base ISO. It’s by no means bad but it does highlight limitations in the sensor tech.

It goes back to knowing that I can rely on my gear to get the job done and I’m afraid it was this single reason that caused me to lose faith in the Olympus as my sole platform. If I could justify keeping it as a travel camera I would but unfortunately with other financial constraints and the wish to invest money elsewhere in the business the Olympus is currently on Ebay. For almost all other purposes it is a fine camera though so if you don’t shoot landscapes in challenging light then you will more than likely be delighted with it.

If image quality is the number one factor in my choice then why not Medium format or the Nikon D800?

Well I think that Medium format is financially unviable for most photographers and it actually doesn’t suit a lot of the things that I shoot. Travel photography with a medium format system is definitely not my idea of fun.

So what about the D600′s older brother, the medium format killer D800?

Yes the Nikon D800 will produce more detailed files with its 36mp sensor but the difference for most applications is marginal and I do not do enough jobs that would justify the extra expense and more importantly the extra processing times and storage requirements of those huge files.

There are downsides in reality to that 36mp sensor, it makes shooting technique of paramount importance and getting razor-sharp handheld shots will require more thought and effort as even the slightest movement is highlighted by this behemoth of a sensor.

I used to live by my tripod and shoot in a very considered way. Tripod, mirror lock up, cable release, view finder to compose, live view to manually focus “oh dam the light changed” lol (see my landscape photography tips). In all seriousness I still shoot my landscapes like that but I need something that I can use for all types of photography including hand-held travel and street work. I don’t want to be restricted by the technique required of the Nikon D800′s 36 mp sensor.

What you do get with the Nikon D600 though is the fantastic dynamic range of the Sony sensors which is considerably better (in my opinion and that of DXO labs so Canon shooters please don’t start sending abusive emails my way) than those produced by rivals Canon. Even the smaller Olympus OM-D E-M5 (which used a much smaller Sony Sensor) rivalled my old Canon 5 d mk2 which was a very impressive performance indeed from the little Oly.

The Nikon D600 sensor

The 24mp sensor in the Nikon D600 is enough for my needs. I print regularly up to 30×20″ for exhibitions and for customer orders and with the 24mp sensor I can easily create superbly detailed prints from the D600. I could do this on the Canon 5d mk2 and even produced some wonderful prints from the Olympus at this size. I don’t need 36mp for this. I see a lot of photographers who have bought the Nikon D800 and use it to post pics to Facebook, that’s fine and I’m sure those people love their D800′s and will justify their purchase but for the work I do I couldn’t, as much as I would like to!

Customers, those who actually buy my prints wouldn’t be able to tell the difference and they certainly wouldn’t pay more for the privilege so I’m not going to spend my money on something that doesn’t give me a return on my investment.

I have noticed and I would think that most photographers who actually sell prints would agree that it is other photographers who pick up on things like corner sharpness, DPI, ppi and all these other little factors that really don’t matter much to those who buy your work. Take note of this, photographers don’t buy your prints (or very rarely) so who cares what they think. I have heard numerous comments like “this bit of the scene is not as sharp as this area” etc about my all time best-selling print. Did it stop all those people from buying the prints, no, because it’s a beautiful image. Once you reach a certain level of quality anything beyond that produces diminishing returns and if you are running a business and not a hobby then these factors have to be weighed up.

My point here is that the quality of the D600 is such that it will not hold me back. If I can’t create beautiful large prints with this camera it is not Nikons fault. It will be mine (unless these dust issues really are true of course but I will judge that for myself over the coming months and report back. I don’t trust reports on internet forums to give me an accurate representation of the issue, if indeed there is one.)

So what about my commercial clients? Well in my experience clients care about the end product that you produce for them. The image and the message conveyed is by far and away the most important aspect and it is your skill as a photographer that they are paying for. They trust you to use the right equipment for the job. I have never had any client question the gear I am using so I know for a fact that the Nikon will be more than capable of anything I ask of it in the commercial world. If I work on specific jobs that require huge billboard sized prints then I will rent a Nikon D800 for the shoot and charge the client appropriately.

This is a business and my gear has to pay it’s way.

Autofocus of the Nikon D600 for portraits, travel and street photography

This is an area that I am enjoying more and more and intend to dedicate a greater proportion of my time to.

My decision to get the Nikon D600 in this case was swayed by the 39 point auto focus system that although not quite up to the level of the D800 and certainly not in the same league as the Nikon D4 will be more than adequate for my needs.

Having come from the Canon 5D mk2 I can safely say that I will be suitably impressed by the superior Nikon system combined with the added benefit of over 5 frames per second continuous shooting rate. I know the Nikon will get the shot when I need it to. If I happen to be commissioned by National Geographic (if you’re reading this I am open to offers NG ) to travel half way around the World to photograph some exotic fast-moving species then I will rent a Nikon D4 and possibly someone to carry it and some huge lenses for me.

Why not get the Nikon D7000 or it’s replacement the D7100? The autofocus system in the D7000 is the same as that of the Nikon D600 but because it is a dx camera the autofocus points are spread over a smaller sensor area and therefore cover a larger percentage of the frame. The newer D7100 has a new and improved 51 point AF system and so should yield improved autofocus capabilities over both the D7000 and the D600.

Nikon D7100′s 51 point Auto Focus system

However my primary concern is with image quality and so it took priority in my decision-making process over the merits of the AF systems of the cameras. The full frame sensor of the Nikon D600 won the argument as it offers better IQ and low light performance. Sports and wildlife photographers would probably place greater importance on the AF system and possibly prefer the crop factor of the DX cameras too but that decision is going to be down to you and what you shoot most.

Weatherproofing and ruggedness of the Nikon D600

Nikon D600 construction

The weather proofing on the Nikon D600 is reported to be on the same level as the Nikon D800 and as I do a lot of outdoor shooting this is a pretty important feature for me to have on any camera body. I don’t need it to be capable of withstanding the worst of the Outer Hebridean weather because I don’t have any intention of continuing to shoot in those conditions. No shot is worth that, trust me!  It’s good to not have to worry about your gear and even having to put it away when things get a bit drizzly or damp though. Doing a lot of coastal shooting it’s good to have the weather sealing to keep out dust, sand and sea spray as much as anything else.

The Nikon D600 and Nikon System

One other factor that is a major consideration for me as I now intend to keep my gear fairly minimal and rent lenses etc as and when they are needed, is the availability of lenses, flashes and the range of compatible camera bodies.

I have in the past always bought the gear I needed even if it wasn’t used that much. However now I would prefer to keep those monies available to fund more trips, experiences etc and so it is important to me that I can easily rent specialist lenses or equipment as and when the need arises or jobs require it. Obviously Nikon and Canon hold a massive advantage in this area and realistically my choice is limited to the big two.

I am heading to St Kilda in a couple of weeks to shoot images for an upcoming exhibition and I needed to rent something wider than I have and also a telephoto. When you have a DSLR from Canikon it’s easy to do. Here’s where I get my lens rentals from at great prices in case you are interested.

Added benefits of the Nikon D600

Ok so I’ve pretty much covered the major factors that influenced my decision to go with the Nikon D600 but there are certainly other reasons too.

Affordable full frame DSLR

Price is one factor of course, it is billed (alongside the Canon EOS 6d) as the first really affordable full frame dslr. I’m not too sure how affordable £1300+ is to be honest but it is definitely a step in the right direction and perhaps the beginning of affordable full frame cameras.

Electronic level

I found the electronic level in the Olympus OM-D E-M5 really useful and I’m glad to see that the Nikon D600 has this although only a single axis level is visible in the viewfinder but that’s fine as I only use the secondary axis (pitch, roll? forwards and backwards lol it’s late here and I don’t have the energy to check) when trying to avoid distortion in interior or architectural photos. If I need it I’m happy to check it in the Nikon D600′s live view mode.

Dual memory card slots

Dual SD card slots of the Nikon D600

This is definitely a bonus feature that will be really useful for me as I will set the Nikon D600 to create a backup of all the images as I shoot. I don’t care that it’s dual sd cards rather than compact flash. To me that’s a moot point. Maybe it’s a factor for sports shooters (who need the extra speed of CF cards) but it seems to get mentioned by a lot of reviewers as a negative. Not for me, SD cards are cheaper, I already have a bunch of them from my Olympus and my girlfriends camera takes them too so we can share.

Ok so all these decisions have been made but I am still sat here waiting for the camera to actually turn up. I got the 50mm 1.8, I got the 85mm 1.8 and I got a battery grip and spare batteries plus filters for the lenses but me got no Nikon D600. Praise the lord for the Outer Hebridean courier service.

I’ll update the site with a review once I have had time to get to grips with the camera. In the meantime it would be great to hear what features made you buy your Nikon D600 or was there something that really put you off it? Maybe the 1/200 flash sync speed? reported dust issues? Let me know below.