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
QI’m interested in buying the Tamron 10-24mm lens that you reviewed very favourably in a Big Test a year ago. Is it fully compatible with my D7200 camera?
Leslie George
AThe Tamron 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 Di II VC HLD is fully compatible with Nikon DX format DSLRS and you can also use it on full-frame cameras in DX crop mode. With the latter, however, you naturally wouldn’t be able to use the whole area of the image sensor. It would be my first choice of wide-angle zoom for a DX format DSLR, as it has outperformed all competing lenses on the market in our tests.
The VC HLD edition is a major upgrade over Tamron’s original 10-24mm zoom, boasting an HLD (High/low toquemodulated Drive) autofocus system, which is faster and quieter. It also improves handling, as the focus ring of the new lens doesn’t rotate during autofocus. Image stabilization has been added and the build quality is better, featuring weather-seals and a fluorine coating on the front element.
QYou recommended the Nikon SB-800 as a secondhand superstar in N-photo 125, but I have one and it only works in manual flash mode with my Z 6II. Is this normal? Eddie Walker
AIt seems that your Nikon SB-800 Speedlight has unfortunately developed a fault. You say that the automatic zoom function doesn’t work with your Z 6II camera, and that in ITTL automatic flash exposure mode, it always fires at full power. Neither of these problems should be happening, as the SB-800 is compatible with all of the Z-series cameras.
As with other Nikon flashguns, one thing that won’t work with the Z 6II is the infrared AF assist beam, as this can’t be ‘seen’ by mirrorless cameras. A word of warning however – if you’re thinking of buying a relatively inexpensive but popular Yongnuo YN622N or Godox TT685N flashgun to replace your SB-800, neither of these currently work in the hotshoe of the Z 6II and Z 7II cameras. You can, however, use them via the respective hotshoe-mounted RF transmitters from each of the manufacturers.
QI’m having trouble setting up the timelapse function in my D7200 camera, especially with long exposures of up to 30 seconds for darkly lit shots. Do you have any tips?
Zoe Parfitt
ASelect your camera’s ‘interval timer’ or ‘time-lapse movie’ option. With the interval timer, set the interval length that you want between successive shots, and the total number of shots that you want to capture.
The tricky bit, for long exposures, is that the ‘interval’ is timed from successive openings of the shutter, so it needs to be longer than the shutter speed. For example, a shutter speed of 15 seconds and an interval time of 20 seconds would only give you a five-second gap between each photograph. Finally, set your camera to its continuous drive mode and use a remote controller to lock the shutter button in its ‘full press’ mode.
With the Time-lapse option in the Movie shooting menu, set the interval in the same way as for the stills option, but define the overall shooting time. The resulting pictures will be automatically converted into a video clip.
QCan you recommend a battery-powered, pocket-sized printer for creating small square prints from my Nikon photos stored on my mobile phone?
Dave Watts
AI’d go for the Canon Selphy Square QX10, which costs around £120/$149. It’s dead easy to use and creates square 2.7-inch photo prints direct from your mobile phone via Canon’s companion app. Like competing pocket printers, it’s powered by an internal rechargeable battery, so you can use it anywhere and everywhere. Also like competing models, it uses dye-sublimation print technology rather than an inkjet system, so you get ink (or rather dye) and photo paper as a complete pack. The paper automatically passes through the printer four times, laying successive cyan, magenta and yellow layers of dye, then a final protective overcoating.
If you’d rather create 2x3-inch prints that match the aspect ratio of images from your Nikon camera, a neat option is the Polaroid Hi·print 2x3 Pocket Photo Printer, which works via Bluetooth from your mobile phone using a similar app, and costs around £75/$100.