that’s correct 
I remember, Nikon started ‘Matrix metering’ with Nikon FA, which replaced my FE. While I used to do a lot of macro stuff, bright little blossoms often got overexposed (slides are not forgiving).
Looks good, but no head. All things being equal, I prefer buying from Amazon, where I can send it back after a couple of weeks if I don’t like it.
Isn’t aluminum acceptable? Half a pound isn’t that big of a deal.
If you’re not in the USA, things get complicated - but thank you for the offer!!!
Yikes!!! Converted to dollars, that is far more than I would prefer to spend.
Weight of heaviest gear - let’s say the “biggest” Nikon, with a 80-200 Nikon lens. But who knows what else I may want to mount on it in the future?
I have - it is rock steady, heavy, solid, and the only issue is one of the “feet” is missing. The head has never been in my way. I think it’s the kind of head Joanna wants me to get:
I suspect I should just buy or make a new rubber foot, and continue to use this one.
My 80-200 also has a lens foot, so that is covered.
It seems to work great with the D750.
…and YES, it is HEAVY !! As you note, it supports the camera, not the other way 'round.
It does have a 3-way head - never thought about heads until now. I thought they were all like mine.
Yes, I was thinking of all the other settings from the menu. As I recall, I used to keep it on “center weighted”, not “averaging” or “spot”. Geez, it’s been too long - I forgot where that switch was located. Great!!!
Yes, I forgot, I used to use center weighted, and think that’s what the video recommended. If I get a decent sunset I will take on that way, and another spot metering, overexposed by 1 and 2/3 stops. Note to self, bring notepad!! Also my special progressive glasses that let me see the viewfinder or
Joanna - on your D850, how do you meter to get the + 1 2/3 stops setting? I assume you are using (M)anual mode, and selecting an exposure for the brightest part of the image. Then what?
(If it includes using the AEL/AFL button on the back of the camera, I can’t do that, as that is now my focus button.
It’s not just weight. Because of the woven structure of carbon fibre legs, they are not so susceptible to vibration as aluminium and, thus, more stable, especially in windy conditions.
Certainly a three-way head is more convenient. But, if you want a single tripod that is both strong and easy to transport, the Bogen is never going to fulfil the second requirement. The Manfrotto 290 can easily carry up to 11lbs, which is more than the weight of my Ebony with a decent lens on it. Whereas the Bogen is designed for much larger cameras and it would be inconvenient to have to fit or remove the RC0 adapter plate to/from your camera whenever you want to use the tripod. On the other hand, the MH804 head uses the much smaller RC2 plate, which you can leave on the camera all the time. I have one such plate permanently on each of my cameras, apart from the Ebony, which has an RC4 adapter.
As you surmise, I am using Manual mode. The procedure is this:
Before you put the camera on the tripod -
-
Set the ISO to 100
-
Set the aperture to f/10
-
Set the exposure compensation to +1⅔
-
If you have a zoom lens on, zoom in temporarily to pick the brightest part of the scene (lighting, etc) or, with a fixed lens, just point the spot metering box in the viewfinder to the largest such bright point.
-
Rotate the main command dial (shutter speed) until the meter in the bottom of the viewfinder is centred.
-
Place the camera on the tripod, frame your shot and focus.
-
Assuming the exposure time is less than 30 seconds, touch the shutter button lightly to release it. If the camera its stable enough, you shouldn’t need to worry about a remote release or shutter delay.
If the exposure is longer than 30 seconds, the Time mode is shown as (–) on the display and you will need to press once to open the shutter and again to close it.
When i was looking for a tripod i came to Siriu, Manfrotto, Mefoto
The carbon version where lighter and have less vibrations but are steep in price.
I bought a twistlock travel ballhead siriu. But for g80 m43 it’s sturdy enough.
Siriu makes nice tripods for a the price and Mefoto is much better then most think.
(it sounds as a aliexpres but is quite good build.)
Manfrotto is probably the best choice but higher in the price tree.
You must think which use would be most.
Travel, less then 1 kg.
Night shot’s , (means heavy tripod so less for travel.
Multipurpose, say a 1kg 1,3kg travel type.
Benro could be also a candidate.
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Yes, much better. Of course on the Leica, I can’t access the battery or memory card without removing the bottom plate on the camera, something the M11 is supposed to “fix” - no bottom plate, and easy access. I am trying to buy the missing “foot”, so I have the Bogen for use at home. I can order the new aluminum leg model for a good price from Amazon - need to see if I can find it in carbon as you suggest.
when you are NOT spot metering …
→ Combine back-button AF-ON + shutter-release AE-L
( pdf p.167-170 + 389, 390 / print p.139-142 + 361, 362)
( custom menu c1 = ON + f4 = Press AF-ON … )
→ DxO PhotoLab and camera viewfinders - #47 by Wolfgang
or flick exposure compensation on the fly [Personally … d8 …]
→ Using PhotoLab 4 to process sunset photos - #342 by Wolfgang
Mike, I’m not going to repeat again.
Wolfgang, maybe I’m both ignorant and very slow. I downloaded the pdf version again, and not only do I not see a simple way to do this, I’ve almost forgotten what it is I’m trying to do.
For starters, I do not want to combine my rear button to do more than one thing. All I want it to do, is focus the camera when I press it.
I looked at the PDF for pages 167-170, 389, 390, 361, and 362, and the custom menu. It’s over my head, and after two weeks of non-use, I won’t remember any of this. I need something simple, like press the button on the back to focus - and I’ve even forgotten that after using the Leica for a few weeks.
However, your reference to Joanna’s post seems simple and straight forward. I will try that tomorrow:
Simple, straight forward, and I will print it out and keep it in my pocket.
Thanks for trying to help me - I think when I was younger, I learned faster.
Two additions.
I obviously need to learn a lot more about the D750. My brother found an excellent book on the Df, easy to read, easy to understand, and I searched for the same book for the D750. I want it as a book, so I can read it as often as read my (paper) book on the M10. With the Nikon manual, I get confusabobbled as to why I’m doing things, but this author makes things especially clear.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1781451427/ref=ppx_od_dt_b_asin_title_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Then, right after posting the earlier information, I put my D750 in front of me, and watched this video for what must be the umpteenth time:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmYJuCZiJWE
For every change he suggested, I went into my camera and checked if I had already done it (usually yes), and also did things that I didn’t feel were necessary many years ago, but the way he explained it they now seemed very useful - even the movie settings. It took forever, but I was also re-learning how to use these functions. I left my camera set for a white balance of 5600 K, which I think Joanna suggested a year and a half ago - the fellow said this didn’t matter anyway, as long as I was shooting in ‘raw’ mode, as I could set it later.
I also saved my settings “just in case” - now need to copy to my computer.
EOF. Off to sleep.
Wow! that’s truly amazing. So, you have to attach and detach a tripod adapter every time you want to use the M10 on a tripod? This tells me that it really was only designed for handheld street use - the bottom plate meant to “disguise” it as a film camera.
Did you not see my reply to one of Guenter’s posts?
You are not the only one 
Seriously though, Because I am used to teaching total novices in our camera club, I’ve learnt to KISS (keep it simple stupid)
Unfortunately, when you get a brand new camera, it is usually setup in “idiot mode” - everything set to automatic and to give you “instant gratification” by making everything average, including default JPEG file settings so you can put images from your newly acquired toy on social media 
This means the first thing you have to do is go through every single menu item, turning all that stuff off.
Having just received my D850, I had to do just that and my approach was - if I didn’t know what it did, turn it off - I will return to those settings as and when I need them.
As to the function buttons, once again, KISS. Only setup the ones you recognise to do only one thing, what you are used to them doing. The only extra button I assign is the function button on the front, on the grip side, which I use to activate the virtual horizon in the viewfinder.
But do make sure you set the Picture Control settings to “Flat”, so you get a much better idea of how the RAW file will look when you look on the back screen.
The simple to understand screenshot about permanent Exposure Compensation is taken from your manual pdf p.171, 172 / print p.143, 144 – permanent exp comp until you reset it manually.
The other 2 possibilities are to correct on the fly.
- AE-L with half press down of the release button (I guess like with your Leica) – good per single picture
- exposure correction with the main command dial – good for a series as long your cam is not switched off / exp comp reset automatically
Don’t flood your head with watching a tiring video – try it out yourself, one by one!
Hi Mike,
you are jumping for every blog you can catch and forget that a camaera it’s like a weapon during army time. You have to learn how to use, repeat all the steps thousand of times to got it in your brain. If I wake you up 3 am (thats the best time to make an attack on a camp 
) and ask you to set your camera for birds you don’t have to think about.
Maybe you check something like that, if one of the Nikon heroes gives an okay Recommended Nikon D750 Settings (photographylife.com)
For my Olympus I’ve found a manual like this from a guy with the name Grabherr, and every moment I’ve a little bit of time I’ve played with the menues, read the manual and so on.
It’s not a guaranteed that I do not forget some points, but it goes better and better every time.
And like Wolfgang said in another thread concentrate on your camera not on writing posts 
Always good light and a well adjusted camera
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That’s a very interesting article Guenter. There are a couple of odd menu settings I would disagree with but, on the whole, a useful step by step guide.
Unless you have a camera that has a “Quick Control Screen” like this…
Here’s the few changes I would make:
-
NEF (RAW) recording:
- Type:
Lossless compressedNo Compression, if available - NEF (RAW) bit depth: 14-bit
- Type:
-
White balance:
AUTO (AUTO1 Normal)K - 5600/0 -
Set Picture Control:
SD (Standard), Default valuesFlat (set everything to 0) -
ISO sensitivity settings
- ISO sensitivity:
100400 - Auto ISO sensitivity control:
ONOFFMaximum sensitivity: 6400Minimum shutter speed: Auto → Middle of the scale
- ISO sensitivity:
Hi @Joanna ,
As Lossless means without any loss, it’s better (for space saving at least) to use this option as we don’t loose any pixel doing that.
You are right and maybe it’s just me being fussy but when I want RAW, I want it really RAW - a bit like ordering filet de bœuf, saignant at getting it “à point” 
I don’t know if it really makes any difference but I would have thought compressing slows down writing to the memory card.
[EDIT]
What is odd, on my camera, is that choosing lossless compression doesn’t change the number of images I can get on the memory card, even though, once transferred to my Mac, they are two thirds the size.
I also want to be sure to have an absolutely complete raw, and I know that I have it using the lossless compress option with a more limites space.
About the time to write to memory card, there is less data to write with compression, and as far as I know the global time to compress + write to card is less than no compression time + write no compressed file.
Yes, at first step, it cont as if not compressed, but adding files is less decreasing number available with compressed raw files.
OK. You are absolutely right but, this time, for no logical reason, I’ll continue to eat my bœuf saignant 
DSLR mirror in burst mode sounds like a machinegun!!! 
and electronic shuttermode is then the silencer mounted for stealth mode… 
But your right
1 every carefully selected “custome mode” i forget why i made it. so i need to write down which C1-1 or c1-2 and C1-3 is for what. and yes still didn’t
2 best is to understand why things need to be set as required.
3 RTFM. say what? yes RTFM. take time to read the manual and play with the settings wile you read. make notes. highlight sentences. writing does help to memories and highlighting are great to find things back in the manual.
i want to do some fun with my camera when i have time and opportunity and a subject to use:
timelaps, stacking as in stroboscope or object deletefunction (moving cars in a burst of a building) dual exposure, backflash, fill flash, night shots, sky shots,
Just to see what happens and what goes wrong. the fun of digital free images.
bought some extenders and used them not often just to see if it’s fun. (macro like shots)
CPL, Variable ND filter also interesting. (it’s about finding the right scene or subject to use them which keeps them in the bag… )
(or too much different things i do in freetime to keep up… 
)
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muuaahh! 
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It was designed back in 1954 as a film camera, and Leica came up with a design to keep the film “flat”, with the pivoting back, and the removable bottom plate. It was certainly designed for hand-held use, but it had a tripod thread in the bottom. When Leica designed the M8 camera, they started with the film camera design and modified it. They didn’t know how to squeeze in a full 24x36 sensor, so it had a reduced sensor, and they couldn’t fit everything into a “standard” Leica frame, so it got “fatter”. To get at the battery and memory card, the lower plate had to be removed - I guess they thought it was cute, making it similar to reloading film? They forgot other things that were far more important - apparently they left of the built-in filter that blocks infrared light, to get the best possible sharpness, but it was quickly discovered that photos of black cloth clothing changed to “purple” much of the time. Oops. So they gave out two infrared-blocking filters to anyone who bought the M8. The M8.2 came out a bit later, with several upgrades, but it still required those filters for color photography. On the other hand, B&W photos were sharper, and people like me found it was a great camera to take infrared photos, hand-held. Anyway, the M9, and then M10 cameras all have this removable bottom plate, and again, as far as I can tell, the camera was designed for hand-holding, and not for convenience with tripod use. The new M11, coming out on 11/11/21 is supposed to have done away with the bottom plate, allowing for easier battery or memory card changing.
Yes, but it is much easier for me to order through Amazon - much lower prices, and several weeks during which I can evaluate the product and return it if I’m not satisfied. Also, the parts people I spoke to are trying to find me a new “foot” for my Bogen. I see no hurry to order a new tripod, and I’m not that excited to spend $500 or so, having just bought several other things I needed/wanted, including a Wolf table-top oven. Amazing oven - that’s another “hobby” of mine.
For me, the Nikon manual seems to give equal space to things you probably “need” to do, and things you “can” do. When I first got the D750 I set it in a way I thought was reasonable. Then I searched for videos, and found the “wedding photography” video I posted. Everything in that video made sense to me, and other than the changes for movie work, I made all the changes - but only after making sure they made sense to me. One was moving the “focus” button to the back, but so many people involved in sports photography have told me the same thing, so I did it - and it took weeks for it to become “automatic” for me to use it instead of the half-press on the shutter-release.
Gee, I agree with what you wrote about “instant gratification”. I assume they thought that “simple” users could use the camera “out of the box”, and more knowledgeable users would have no problem doing what you did. For me though, I didn’t turn anything “off” until I convinced myself that this was the right thing to do. If in doubt, I left things “on”, and spent time later searching for more information. As to changing functions, I agreed with almost everything in the video, such as pressing the OK button in image review to instantly see the focus point at 100% size.
In their case, they were making changes for wedding photography, with lots of photos probably taken very quickly. For you, it is one photo at a time, taken slowly. For me, the settings need to allow me to do either. For example, with the Crane photos, I wanted continuous auto-focus (Leica M can’t do this), but the 750 is excellent at it. I like the way the video showed me how to have continuous or single focus, depending on whether I held down the focus button on the back. I didn’t understand this four or five years ago, but now I do.
Hmm, I had no idea about this - thank you again. I just set it to “flat”. I had left it at “standard” as I didn’t see any reason to customize it, and left it at the default. Since I “only” shoot in RAW (unless I’m taking give-away photos I don’t care about), I’m curious how “flat” will look compared to “standard”. Will this also change “live view” the same way?
For me, videos like this are not “tiring”, and if I watch for a few minutes and agree with what is shown, I start over with my camera in front of me, and one by one decide if the change seems good to me, and if so, pause the video and make the change, then test it. Yes, one by one.
My D750 pdf manual comes from here:
I downloaded it again, and saved it. I thought this was the PDF, but apparently it’s identical to the print version, and sure enough, on page 143 I found what you suggested. Maybe I was just too tired last night. Yes, I can now leave the camera in (M)anual mode, change the compensation to +1.7, and it will remain as long as I don’t reset the compensation.
Again, if I keep the camera in (M)anual mode, the exposure compensation affects only the exposure indicator - the shutter speed and aperture do not change.. I like this, because I’m in control, and I will aim the camera, in spot metering, at the brightest place in the image, with exposure compensation at +1.7, set the camera accordingly, recompose, and shoot.
I apologize - I am very slow about these things, but last night none of it made sense, probably because I was too tired/sleepy. Now it’s clear as can be.
Old habits die slowly, and you are SO right about this. I can’t set things today, and a week later go to try them out, as it will all get “foggy”. I need to start DOING it immediately, and often enough that it becomes natural. I like your analogy - I have to do things naturally, and not try to remember what it was I am supposed to do, and when - like with Wolfgang’s settings for exposure compensation - I need to be using that today, forcing myself to do it often enough that it becomes “natural”.
Just like with cars, where I may need to drive a stick-shift today, and switch to an automatic later in the day, I need to be able to go back and forth. Joanna has finally convinced me to put my Df away, and concentrate only on the D750, and fortunately the Leica is so completely different that using one won’t mess up my ability to use the other. It’s like Windows and macOS - I used to be very good with Windows, and could do almost anything, but then I switched to Apple, and six years later, I turn on my Windows laptop and don’t remember what to do next.
I opened the link to your “PhotographyLife” settings guide, and I’ll probably read through it later today, just as I plan to read through the book I ordered on the D750. My biggest influence right now is Joanna’s recommendations, as her kind of photography is also my kind of photography, but I often feel like a sixth grade student who walks into a calculus class. I see things on the blackboard I never saw before, don’t recognize, have no idea what they do, and worse yet, have no idea why I would ever want to do them. I am often a slow learner, and the first thing I need to find out is WHY I might want to do something. Once that happens, I’m usually eager to learn. As an example, sports photography, which was my main thing for so many years, is totally different from what I’m learning now, capturing ONE single image of something beautiful, and doing it the best I can.
I used to have real, live, people, who shared my interests, were often much better than I, and promoted learning new things. This is when I lived in NYC and in Michigan, many years ago. Now it’s not at all the same - I know perhaps one or two people who share my interests, and who are experienced enough for me to learn from. Most other people don’t even use a camera any more, and all they want to do is flood their social media account with “stuff”. So, for me, the Leica Forum, this forum, and a very few other places have become my world. I do think I write too much, but I love reading posts from good places, and this forum is “as good as it gets”. Reading here makes me want to go out and “DO” things, either on my computer, or with my camera, usually both.
There is also a local camera club that I learned about from a friend two days ago.
https://www.sfnpcc.org
They have a “Zoom” meeting this evening Miami USA time.
I can post the link if any of you are interested in attending - I’m hoping this will cure my problem of having nobody around me who is still “into” photography.