Ask Matthew
Our resident Nikon expert Matthew Richards answers your questions and solves your problems. If you have a Nikon-related question, email it to mail@nphotomag.com
Our Nikon savant Matthew answers all your questions
Q I’ve bought a macro lens for my D750, but I can’t seem to get sharp close-up shots, even when using a tripod. Are there any tips that you can give me? Steve Watts A
Getting sharp images when shooting extreme close-ups is quite a challenge. Even with a narrow aperture of around f/16, depth of field is small, so you need to focus very accurately. Another problem is that any slight movement in the camera or the subject can ruin sharpness. Try using the Exposure Delay mode of your D750. This delays the shutter opening for a number of seconds after the reflex mirror flips up, avoiding vibrations from ‘mirror-bounce’. Alternatively, shoot in Live View mode with a self-timer delay or a remote controller. Shooting in Live View also has the advantage that you can use a magnified preview for accurate manual focusing.
Q I want to trade up from my Nikon P900 to an SLR. It needs to be advanced enough to last me a few years, and I’d rather not be constantly changing lenses. Suggestions? Stephen Shaw A
The Nikon D3500 is the best SLR on the planet for absolute beginners. It has a unique, interactive ‘Guide’ shooting mode, which acts as a pictorial photography tutor. However, it lacks a custom settings menu and some of the advanced features that you’d usually find in more up-market Nikon SLRS. You’re probably comfortable with the basics of aperture, shutter speed and the like, having used a P900 for a while, so a mid-range SLR like the D5600 would be a better buy. If you went for the kit option that comes with an 18-140mm VR lens, that would cover most shooting scenarios without needing to change lenses.
Q I bought a D7200 at Christmas and want to have a crack at motorsports photography. What would be a good choice of lens that’s not too heavy or expensive? Gary Jarman A
One of the great things about DX format cameras, like the D7200, is that they have a 1.5x focal length multiplier or ‘crop factor’. This enables you to get an ‘effective’ focal length of 450mm in full-frame terms, using a relatively compact, lightweight and inexpensive 70-300mm zoom lens.
I’ve been really impressed with the Nikon AF-P 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6e ED VR for shooting motorsports. It has a fast and very accurate ‘Pulse’ autofocus system, excellent stabilization and superb image quality. Its electromagnetically controlled diaphragm is also a bonus, helping to maintain consistently accurate exposures in high-speed continuous drive mode. The autofocus and aperture control systems are fully compatible with your D7200, but not with some older Nikon SLRS.
Q I use a Sigma 10-20mm wide-angle lens for landscapes, but when I fit a circular polarizer I get dark corners and uneven skies at short zooms. Why is this? Phil Barrington A
The Sigma 10-20mm is designed for use with screw-in filters or a filter holder. If you’re experiencing vignetting (darkened corners), it could be because you’re ‘stacking’ the circular polarizer filter on top of a UV or protective filter that you leave on the lens all the time. Remove the UV filter first and, if you’re still getting vignetting, invest in a low-profile circular polarizer, like the Hoya Pro 1 Digital Circular Polarizer.
Circular polarizers are most effective when shooting at rightangles to the sun. If you use one at or near the shortest focal length of your 10-20mm lens, the viewing angle is so large that the polarization effect will be stronger in one section of the sky than the rest. If you’re aiming for a darkened sky, you’d be better off using an ND grad (graduated neutral density) filter.