Cameras & Equipment
Last updated on Wednesday, September 20, 2023 08:59:55 AM Mountain US Time Zone

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Nikon Accessories, Nikon APS-C DSLRs, Carbon Tripods, Mini-Tripods,
Fluid Base Monopod, Carbon Monopod, Tilt Head, Ball Heads, Pan-Tilt Head,
Fluid Pan-Tilt Head, Gimbals, Bubble Level, Carrier, Binoculars, Wx, Astrophotography

As an aside, here are some beautiful
mechanical & electro-optical mechanisms.

Leica IIIf circa 1951

1951 Leica IIIf rangefinder 35mm film camera with
an Elmar 50mm, f/3.5 collapsible Leitz lens (Germany).

Nikon F2

Nikon F2. A purely mechanical, all metal, 2nd generation,
single-lens reflex (SLR) 35mm film camera (Japan).

Nikkor AI 50mm f/1.4

A Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 Automatic Indexing (AI) FX lens
circa 1978 (Japan). Nikon F2 Lab Report Feb 1973.

Nikon F2A Photomic DP-11.

Nikkor AI 24mm f/2.8

D500 with a manual 24mm f2.8 AI
Nikkor lens. Body was set for the
non-CPU lens parameters: storage #,
focal length, & max aperture.

Voigtlander ULTRON 40mm f/2 SL II Aspherical
 
Voigtlander ULTRON 40mm f/2 SL II
Aspherical CPU lens for Nikon (Japan).
The lens' CPU allows use of different camera
modes & provides distance information.
One of the best fast normal lenses
made both optically & mechanically.
Sharp to the edges wide open, excellent
micro-contrast, & no coma. Simply amazing.
52mm to 39mm adapter/hood holds the
supplied close-up lens & Leica filters.

Voigtlander LH-40 II S screw-in
aluminum lens hood (Japan).

Exquisite Voigtlander screw-on aluminum lens hood,
smooth slip-on cap, & 39mm pinch lens cap.
Close-up lens screwed into the adapter. The close-up
lens was designed specifically for these optics.
This metal cap also perfectly fits the Nikon HS-11 metal hood.

Nikkor AI-S 50mm f/1.8 Lens

Nikkor AI-S 50mm f/1.8 pancake lens with
52mm NC filter & HS-11 metal lens hood.

This is a Nikkor lens,
not the inferior Series E type.

Low profile.

Nikkor AI 135mm f/2.8 Lens

Nikkor AI 135mm f/2.8 lens with
extended, built-in metal lens hood.

Collapsed lens hood.

Mounted onto the Nikon F2 with prism viewfinder.

Light Meters

Kicking it old school with a
Gossen Luna-Pro SBC light meter (Germany).

Gossen Luna-Pro variable angle attachment
mounted. It is set at 7.5 deg (green) spot size.

Exposure compensation reference table.

Compact Gossen Pilot 2 light meter (Germany).

Hard case.

Metal HS-9 metallic hood & HR-2
rubber hood for 50mm prime lenses.
The lens cap is of superior design as it
can be easily affixed into a deep lens hood.

The rubber lens hood can be folded back.

Nikkor AI 24mm f/2.8 FX

D7200 with an old Nikkor AI 24mm f/2.8 lens.
These lens work beautifully with this body in A & M modes.
In the menu, go to "Setup Menu" (the wrench icon),
"Non-CPU lens data", assign a "Lens number", select the
"Lens focal length", & then "Maximum aperture"
(round-up if necessary), then "ok". A sharp prime lens that
is a 36mm FX equivalent on this DX body. The Nikon
HN-1 screw-in, all metal hood is very nicely made.

Low-profile (pancake) Nikkor AIS
50mm f/1.8 lens on the D500.

Nikon HS-11 all-metal lens hood.

The compact Nikkor AI
135mm f/2.8 prime lens (Japan).

Nikon Z8

Key Z8 specifications: 45.7MP Stacked CMOS sensor.
Up to 20fps with Raw, 30fps full-sized JPEG.
Pre-burst capture in JPEG modes (up to 120fps for 11MP crops).
Subject recognition AF & AI 3D Tracking.
Synchro VR combining in-body & in-lens stabilization; up to 6EV.
8K/60p video in N-Raw, 4.1K in ProRes Raw.
8K/30p or up to 4K/60p from 8K.
Choice of ProRes 422 HQ, H265, H.264.
N-Log or HLG capture. Dual USB-C ports.
3.68M dot EVF with dedicated low-lag sensor feed.
2.1M dot screen on two-way hinge.
One CFexpress Type B, One UHS II SD slot.
Nikon Z8 Manual     Nikon Z8 Reference Guide     Nikon Z8 Custom Controls List
Nikon FTZ II Z to F Lens Adapter Instructions
Nikon N-log Specification     Nikon Z8 Technical Guide HLG

Nikkor Z 26mm f/2.8 Pancake lens mounted onto the Z8.
Smallest Z-mount lens. Integral (snap-on) hood protects
the lens barrel extension. 52mm Nikon NC filter seals it up.
The slip-on cap still attaches to the lens front or you
can use the standard 52mm squeeze thread cap LC-52.

I have used the D850 for over 5 years and
the Z8 feels like an old friend with new tricks.

Nikon D850

Nikon D850 FX, Back-Side Illuminated (BSI)
45.7 million pixel sensor digital camera.

Nikon 24-120mm Zoom Lens

Nikkor AF-S 24-120mm f/4G lens SWM VR ED
IF Aspherical, Nano Crystal Coat, 77mm filter.
Nikon AF-S 24-120mm f/4 G ED VR lens.

The D850 & D500 have the exact same control
layout plus the menus are very similar
thus making going back & forth very easy.

D850 magnesium-alloy sub-chassis.

D850 Wx sealing.

Nikon MB-D18 Vertical Grip

The Nikon MB-D18 multi-power
battery pack or vertical grip.

MB-D18 Multi-Power Battery Pack manual.

MB-D18, 8-AA battery holder & BL-5
battery chamber cover for the EN-EL18c.
There is also an EN-EL15a battery holder.

EN-EL18c rechargeable Li-ion22 battery,
10.8V 2500mAh 27Wh (Japan) with cover.
Increases the D850's capabilities from 7-fps
to 9-fps & over 5100 shots. Importantly, the
higher speed reduces blackout duration allowing
the AF system more time to acquire a lock.

MH-26a charger.

Nikon 20mm f1.8 Wide-angle Prime Lens

Nikon AF-S 20mm f1.8G ED Nano
Crystal Coat, Aspherical, SWM RF lens.
A very sharp, high contrast prime lens for FX.
Nikkor 20mm f/1.8 G ED manual.

Nikon 77mm NC protective filter.

Sturdy bayonet-mounted pedal hood.


Excellent protective inner-box packaging.

Nikon AF-S 16-35mm f/4 VR

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 16-35mm f/4G ED VR FX Lens.
Nano Crystal Coat SWM VR ED IF Aspherical 77mm filter.
Nikon AF-S FX Zoom FX 16-35mm f/4G VR ED IF

Super sharp wide-angle zoom lens.

Nikon AF-S 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6 ED VR

Size comparison of 24-120 (L) vs. 28-300 (R) w/o filters.
Collapsed lengths - 4-1/8" & 4-5/8".
Extended lengths - 5-5/8" & 7-1/2".
Weights - 710g & 800g.

Nikon AF-S 28-300mm 3.5-5.6G ED VR

Nikkor AF-S 50mm f/1.4G FX

The FX Nikon AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.4G prime is
an excellent (75mm) portraiture lens on a DX body.
The large apertures beautifully isolate the subject &
the color rendition in natural light is amazing.
Combined with the low-noise high-ISO capabilities of the
D7200 & D500 they make a potent low-light-level kit.
On the D850, it's a fantastic low-light combo.

Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E

Nikkor AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED G VR
IF SWM Aspherical, Nano Crystal Coat,
fluorine coated front & back elements,
82mm filter, zoom FX lens (Japan).
Nikon AF-S FX Zoom 24-70mm f/2.8E ED G VR IF
One of the Holy lens Trinity.

Dimensions (D x L) 3.46" x 6.08" (88mm x 154.5mm).
Weight 2.35  lb. (1070 g). Sharp & heavy.

Nikon AF-S 70-200mm f/4G

Nikon AF-S 70-200mm f/4G ED IF VR SWM N FX lens.
Sharp, light-weight, fast-handling tele-zoom Nikkor lens.

Focal length - 70-200mm, Maximum aperture - f/4, Minimum aperture - f/32,
Lens construction - 20 elements in 14 groups (with
3 ED & Nano Crystal Coat-deposited lens elements),
Closest focusing distance - 1m, No. of diaphragm blades - 9 (rounded),
Filter/attachment size - 67mm, Weight - 850g,
Diameter x Length (extension from lens mount) - 78 x 178.5mm.

Nikkor AF-S 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G FX ED VR

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR lens (Thailand).
A fast-focusing FX lens that uses two, extra-low dispersion lens elements.
Its vibration reduction (VR) mechanism is very effective.
Note the D7200's top LCD, as compared to a D7100,
has a larger, simplified layout that is quicker to read.

Nikon AF-S VR Micro-NIKKOR 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED

Nikon AF-S VR Micro-NIKKOR 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED prime FX Lens,
Nano Crystal Coat SWM VR IF macro 1:1 62mm filter.
Nikon AF-S Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8G VR IF Prime Lens

The Nikkor 105mm f/2.8 is a very sharp primary lens.
D850 FX, 1/125s, f/3, ISO 180 (cropped).

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 300mm f/4E PF

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 300mm f/4E PF ED IF VR SWM lens
f/4 prime telephoto lens having: a fluorine front element coating,
Electromagnetic (E) diaphragm, Phase Fresnel (PF) lens,
Extra-low Dispersion (ED) glass, internal focusing (IF),
Vibration Reduction (VR) image stabilization, silent wave motor (SWM),
full-time manual focus override, Nano Crystal Coating,
77mm filter size, approx. 3.5 x 5.8" (89 x 148mm),
1.6 lb (25.6 oz. or 726g). Case, strap, caps, & plastic hood included.

Nikkor 300mm PF with the Nikon AF-S
Teleconverter Model TC-14E III.
See Lens Crop Factor.xlsx Calculator.

Nikon AF-S VR 500mm PF f/5.6 IF ED NC FX Prime Nikon Lens

Ultra-sharp, quick-handling, light-weight,
weather-sealed 500mm prime FX Nikkor.

Focal Length - 500mm
Maximum Aperture - f/5.6
Minimum Aperture - f/32
Lens Mount - Nikon F
Format Compatibility - Full-Frame
Angle of View - 5°
Minimum Focus Distance - 9.84'/3 m
Maximum Magnification - 0.18x
Optical Design - 19 Elements in 11 Groups
Diaphragm Blades - 9, Rounded
Focus Type - Autofocus
Image Stabilization - Yes
Tripod Collar - Removable & Rotating
Filter Size - 95mm
SIze - (Diameter x L) 4.17" x 9.33"/106mm x 237mm
Weight - 3.21  lb/1460g

Nikon AF-S VR 500mm PF f/5.6 IF ED NC FX Prime Lens

Lion of South Table Mountain, Golden, CO.
D850, 500mm PF Nikkor, ISO 80, f/5,.6, 1/500s

Sunset South Table Mountain, Golden, CO.
500mm PF Nikkor, ISO 180, f/5,.6, 1/500s

Nikon 500mm PF lens Wx sealing (yellow)
complements the D850 body sealing.

Kirk (USA) LP-64 lens mount foot with Quick
Detach (QD) steel socket for the Magpul MS4
Dual QD Sling Gen2 single or two-point QD swivel.
 

Kirk LS-1 support bracket.

Magpul MS4 2-point sling carries the camera
at its balance point. Steel to steel connection &
tested by Magpul to withstand 300 pounds.

I wanted Quick Disconnects (QDs) for my camera
so the entire OEM strap was not hanging down
when I used my Magpul MS4 QD sling to hold
my 500mm PF or 80-400mm AF-S lenses by
their Kirk lens collar feet. I prefer & retained the Nikon
OEM D-ring lug attachments. I removed the attached
loops (shown below) & used Nikon strap slides/webbing.

 
These two OEM plastic QDs can
hold a total of 20 kg (44 lb.) 

I also wanted the short, loose strap ends to be secured
while using the QD sling on the heavier lenses so I
attached two female quick disconnects together with a
black, split-ring & stored them on the larger sling.

When the larger QD sling is used,
I connect the two short ends, as shown.

Nikon AF-S 80-400mm F4.5-5.6G ED VR

The Kirk QD socket on the collar foot
allows easier carrying of the larger lens.

LS-1 support bracket works fine on both Nikon
AF-S 80-400 & 500PF. LS-2 bracket not needed.

Lens collar foot with
1/4-20, QD socket, & 3/8-16 mounts.

The Magpul MS4 was too heavy-duty for camera
use although perfect for a rifle. I bought a simpler,
lighter-duty Magpul RLS, Rifleman Loop Sling, &
transfered the single-point attachment hardware. It
is perfect for this large camera/lens carry application.
I carry the rig cross-shoulder. Note the storage clip.
Both sling models have a quick-adjustment slide clip.

Out of Afrika!
I needed a super zoom Gold Ring Nikkor for game drives in Africa.
On safari, there are ever changing vistas plus big & small game that
are close, nearby, & far. This sharp, contrasty 80-400 fit my requirements,
perfectly. It balances in the hands nicely with the larger D850 body. I carried this
combo in the field for over three weeks in the Lowveld & Bushveld, no problems.
I used my Nikon AF-S 24-120mm f/4 G ED VR lens when in the cities.
This kit proved 100% reliable & no dust got into the body or lens,
even in the Kalahari Desert in Namibia. Click to enlarge photos, below.

South Africa, Cape Town Botanical Gardens.


South Africa, Cape of Good Hope,
most South-Western area of Africa
where the Atlantic & Indian Oceans meet.


In Botswana on the Zambezi River.

African Buffalo in Botswana

Zimbabwe

Namibia

Kruger National Park, Kapama Game Reserve

Young brother & sister lions in Kruger.

Kruger

Young male lion in Kruger.

Kruger.

Kruger Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill

A Crested Barbet in Kruger.

Common Boomslang Snake (venomous) in Kruger.

Nikkor AF-S 200-500mm f/5.6E G IF ED FX VR

Nikon AF-S 200-500mm f/5.6E G IF ED FX VR zoom lens
Constant f/5.6 aperture. Fast focusing, sharp, electronic (E) diaphragm,
three extra-low dispersion (ED) elements super telephoto lens.
Diameter 4.2 in. (108 mm) x Length 10.5 in. (267.5 mm),
5.08 lb, 81.2 oz. (2300 g), 95mm threaded filter.
Compatible with TC-14E III teleconverter & select camera
bodies that auto-focus at f/8 & use E diaphragm.

Lens-ring base is 3-1/8" L x 1-1/2" W with a
steel-threaded insert 1/4-20 thread in cast aluminum alloy.

SmallRig, lens or cage, aluminum carry handle with rubber grip.
The oversized 1/4-20 threaded knob is machined from one piece.
The knob center accepts a hex wrench for extra tightening.

A handle makes the big Nikon
200-500mm lens easier to carry.

Strong build & light-weight.


Lowepro 13x32cm case is a perfect fit for the large
lens with tripod collar, reversed hood, filter, & caps.

Nikon AF-S Teleconverter Model TC-14E III

Nikon AF-S Teleconverter Model TC-14E III. Third
generation, 1.4 magnification teleconverter for specific
Nikon telephoto lenses & Nikon bodies that can auto-focus
at f/8. The "E" designation denotes that it works
with electronic diaphragms. Only certain Nikon bodies
can use lenses with the electronic diaphragms. It's a
perfect match to my Nikon D500 body & AF-S 200-500mm
Super-telephoto zoom lens, shown above.
The TC-14E III has a durable, weather-resistant barrel,
plus fluorine-coated front & rear glass elements.

Nikon D500

Nikon D500 DSLR; DX 21MP APS-C CMOS sensor without AA filter. Expeed 5 ASIC processor.
Up to 10 FPS. Nikon Advanced Multi-CAM 20K autofocus sensor module with TTL phase
detection & fine-tuning, plus 153 focus points (including 99 cross-type sensors &
15 sensors that support f/8), of which 55 (35 cross-type sensors & 9, f/8 sensors) (Thailand).
4K video. Two different slots for high-speed XQD, SD, SDHC and/or SDXC memory.
My D500 uses 128GB Lexar 2933X 440 MB/s XQD & 128GB UHS-II SDXC memory cards.
This camera body is super responsive; it's like a machine gun. Nikon's Flagship DX body (2016).

The Nikkor AF-S DX 16-80mm f/2.8-4E ED VR is a stabilized
24-120mm FX equivalent standard zoom lens for Nikon APS-C DSLRs (Thailand).
High-cost, compact, fast aperture, mid-range zoom; great for all-day carry.
A very sharp lens with excellent contrast that performs well in low-light situations.
Incorporates an electronic (E) diaphragm that is only fully functional on late-model bodies.

Specifications: focal length 16-80mm. Maximum aperture f/2.8-4; minimum aperture f/22-32.
Lens construction: 17 elements in 13 groups including four ED glass elements, 
three aspherical elements, plus a flair-reducing, proprietary, Nano Crystal Coating. 
Fluorine coatings on the front & back outside surfaces reduce adhesion of dirt & moisture.
Angle of view 83 deg - 20 deg. Minimum focus distance 0.35m (1.15 ft.) from focal plane at all zoom positions
Maximum reproduction ratio 0.22x. No. of diaphragm blades 7 (rounded).
Diameter x Length (distance from camera lens mount flange) approx. 80 x 85.5mm.
Four-stops VR combined with the faster apertures are a great, low-light combination.
Weight approximately 480g (1 lb 1 oz.) Supplied accessories: LC-72, 72 mm snap-on front lens cap,
LF-4 rear lens cap, HB-75 bayonet hood. Optional accessories: 72mm screw-on filters, CL-1218 lens case.

Lens Crop Factor.xlsx Calculator

The high-resolution touch screen is articulated.

The index also illuminates the release mode dial setting in the dark.

The eyepiece shutter has to be closed to unlock the
round, fluorine-coated viewfinder eyepiece.
Fluorine coatings resist dirt, oil, & moisture.

The eyepiece diopter adjustment (left) is quite good.
Pull knob out, adjust (it has detents) until the
display info is clear, push back in to lock.

The rubber cover wraps nicely around the
entire grip including the entire battery door.

Control buttons, display (optional), & top LCD illuminate
when activated by the OFF-ON-Illuminate switch.

D500 & MB-D17 grip magnesium alloy sub-frames.

D500 Wx sealing (yellow).

Nikon MB-D17 Gripp

Nikon D500 with matching Nikon MB-D17 grip.
A Nikkor AF-S 50mm f/1.4G FX is mounted. 

The add-on grip has a programmable
Fn (Function) button (left).

The camera body black dust cover (left) is shown
stowed in the grip. A white dust cap protects
the connector. There are two alignment pegs.


The grip reproduces the camera's shutter release
button, command dials, AF-ON, & mini-joystick. 

The grip is supplied with two types of battery holders.
The MS-D12 holds 8, AA batteries.
The MS-D12EN holds the EN-EL15 Li-ion battery.
Type & usage order are set in the menu.
The grip also holds the larger, higher capacity
EN-EL18a battery with the BL-5 cover which
is handy if you already are using that battery
type with another camera body (e.g., a D5).

Only use the Li-ion 20 (not 1) model battery.
Nikon will exchange them for free.
Make sure to the keep the D500's firmware
updated from the NikonUSA site.

The MS-D12 loaded with eight, Eneloop Pro AA Ni-MH batteries.
The body is programmed to use this type & access them first.

The Panasonic BQ-CC17 Ni-MH battery charger.
It's a smart charger that turns OFF when complete.
It has 4 green LED charging indicator lights.
It can charge any number and/or combination of
up to 4, AA or AAA rechargeable Ni-MH batteries.

The location of the folding plugs allows both
chargers to be plugged-in to a single, modern outlet.

Nitecore Digicharger D4 charger.
Compatible with: Li-ion (26650, 22650,
18650, 17670, 18490, 17500, 18350,
16340(RCR123), 14500, 10440), Ni-MH &
Ni-Cd (AA, AAA, AAAA, C) rechargeable batteries.
NiteCore Digicharger D4 Manual

Nitecore UNK1 USB portable charger for Nikon EN-EL15a.
A compact unit; 3-5/16" (8.5cm) x 2" (5cm) x 1" (2.5cm).

Nikon EP-5B wall power connector for D850.

Nikon APS-C DSLRs & Accessories

Nikon D7200 (left) &. Nikon D500 (right).
The D7200 benefits from the addition of a grip
thereby giving the little finger extra area to grab.
The D500's grip is deeper & longer allowing
comfortable placement of all of one's fingers.
The D500 has no pop-up flash nor a focus
light; no scenes or U1/U2 top-dial settings
whereas the D7200 body has all of these features.
I use the D7200 w/grip for landscape &
portraiture; the D500 is for nature/wildlife,
action/sports, & low-light scenes.


Nikon D7200 DSLR body (Thailand).

Nikkor AF-S 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G DX

 Nikon D7200 DSLR; 24.2MP APS-C CMOS sensor with
no AA filter & 1920x1080 60p video. Expeed
4 ASIC processor. Nikkor DX 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G
wide-angle zoom lens, 110 deg maximum FOV with
three aspheric & two extra-low dispersion (ED) elements
(Thailand). It uses a 77mm (NC) filter (removed). 

Nikon NC 77mm filter & HB-23 hood, in-place.

Nikkor AF-P 18-55mm G DX VR

The Nikon AF-P DX Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR
lens. The "P" stands for Pulsed with the adoption
of a stepping motor for AF. The stepper motor accelerates
phase-detection AF speeds by approximately 10 times &
contrast-detection AF speeds by approximately 3.5 times. There
is a 25% reduction in noise within the AF drive mechanism
thus facilitating the shooting of videos. There are no A/M focus
nor VR switches on the side. Just turn the focus ring as needed.
VR defaults to ON & can be set to OFF in the
menu. The D500 also has in-body electronic vibration
reduction used in conjunction with the lens built-in
VR to further decrease the effects of camera motion
during video recordings. This lens has the best MTF's
of this particular kit lens series from Nikon & is superior
to most other makes, too. A light, sharp lens.

Auto/Manual focusing & VR ON/OFF switches
are gone. Focusing can be over-ridden &
VR is a menu selection that only appears
when the proper lens is attached.

The front ring can be used to manually focus
at anytime without having to throw a switch.
The front ring does not move when the lens
is focusing as it is electronic & decoupled.

Nikkor AF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 G VR

Nikon AF-S DX VR Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G lens (Thailand).
The barrel is collapsed & locked. Sharp photos on
the 24mpix camera. Performs well beyond its cost.
Its Silent Wave Motor is too noisy for video even
with an external microphone. Many videographers
recommend manual focusing. The AF-P Pulse stepper
motor is superior; faster, smoother, very quiet.

Nikkor AF-S 16-80mm f/2.8-4E G DX ED VR

The Nikkor AF-S DX 16-80mm f/2.8-4E ED VR is a stabilized
24-120mm FX equivalent standard zoom lens for
Nikon DX crop-sensor APS-C DSLRs (Thailand).

A Nikon 72mm neutral clear (NC) filter (Japan).

Compact, stout lens that mounts & balances
nicely on D500 & D7200 sized bodies.

Relatively low-cost filters protect delicate,
expensive lens optics. Why would I put a cheap
filter on (>$1000) lenses? Nikon lenses & filters
have integrated optical designs that deliver
maximum performance, thus I will not put a
even expensive different brand on any of my
Nikon lenses. Plus, Nikon filters use superior
materials & have excellent workmanship (Japan).


Lens fully extended at 80mm focal length.

A nice photo using a D7200 with a 16-80mm DX
zoom lens (above). Click to see full-sized photo.

Nikkor AF-S 18-140mm 3.5-5.6G ED VR

Nikon AF-S 18-140mm 3.5-5.6G ED VR zoom lens.
It uses both aspherical & ED elements.
This is a sharp, nice handling general-purpose
lens that I favor over the Nikkor 18-200 zoom.

Nikkor AF-S DX Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G

 Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G prime lens.
Rugged, sharp, fairly fast; uses an aspherical element.

Nikkor AF-S DX Micro-Nikkor 40mm f/2.8G

Nikon AF-S DX Micro-Nikkor 40mm f/2.8G prime lens
with a Nikon NC 52mm filter. Super sharp prime lens.

Nikon D7100 rear colored display.

Nikon D7200 updated B&W information layout
of the rear 3.2" LCD (1,228,800 pixels).
Even though the Nikon's rear screen is made
out of very tough, scratch-resistant glass,
a Vello Ultra LCD screen protector has been
affixed (static adhesion, no sticky residue).

The D7200 with two, 64 GB SDXC 95 MB/s flash
memory cards (shown ejected) for a total of 128 GBs.

Nikon SB-700 Speedlight.
Excellent price to performance
ratio & is not overly large.

The flash head zooms with the focal length.

The head tilts down & has a built-in
diffuser for close-up macro shots. 

It has a built-in flip card to highlight the eyes in
portraiture. The head tilts & swivels over wide ranges.

A stand, filters, & a nice padded case are included.
It detects the filter type (fluorescent or incandescent) &
sets the camera's color temperature, accordingly.
As part of Nikon's Creative Lighting System (CLS), the
flash can communicate with other flash units.
It can act as a master or a remote unit with other CLS flashes
for synchronized triggering; multiple units can be used.
A specific camera's internal flash must have CLS.

Nikon R1C1 Close-up Speedlight Commander Kit

The Nikon R1C1 Close-up iTTL Speedlight Commander
Kit is a part of Nikon's Creative Lighting System (CLS).
SU-800 wireless Speedlight Commander sits in the hot-shoe.
A threaded adapter (52, 62, 67, 72, 77mm) screws into the lens.
A mounting ring is then attached which can fix multiple
SB-R200 Speedlight units at different (15 deg) angles.
Shown mounted onto a Micro-NIKKOR 105mm f/2.8G Lens. 
Nikon R1C1 Close-up Speedlight Commander Kit Manual

Diffusers attached for very close working distances.

Photo of a Rocky Mountain Hummingbird & her
two chicks, in the tree's shade, using the R1C1.
A:B (L:R strobes) set to 2:1 light output,
fixed at 10 & 2 o'clock positions on the ring.

Micro-Nikkor lens & R1C1 strobs
mounted onto a carbon mini-tripod.

Photocopy Setup

Desktop photocopy setup. Nikon D850 with
MB-D18 vertical grip for extended battery life
since I'm using the camera's LCD display.
Nikkor AF-P 18-55mm G DX VR len. SB-R200
wireless remote speedlights. WR-10 remote kit.
Carbon mini-tripods with strobes set at 45 deg.
Camera white balance set to Flash. ISO set to 64.
Aperture priority, set to f/8. i-TTL flash mode.
Distortion correction ON. Darkened room.

Ulanzi VL120 RGB LED Light

Set to 5000K & 100% luminace output.
There's Macie.

Nikon MB-D15 grip multi-power battery pack.
The body & grip have strong,
lightweight magnesium alloy cores.

The Lowepro Top Loader Pro 70 AW day bag
holds the D7200 with an MB-D15 grip & a
Nikon AF-S DX VR Zoom-Nikkor 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G IF-ED lens or 70-300, perfectly.

Nikon AN-SPL001 premium leather strap; black, soft & wide.

A nice subtile logo vs. the huge, yellow logo.
Also, turn off the camera-ready beep & turn the
reversed lens hood, foward. Use a clear, high quality
filter to protect the delicate lens & keep its cap off
except for transport. Use Back-Button focus.

Remote Cords

Nikon intervalometer MC-36A. Easy to use. Under SET,
press Left/Right selector buttons to choose a function
then, use the Up/Down selector buttons to set the parameter
values. Turn SET off then use Timer Start/Stop.
There is no power switch,. To conserve the two, AAA batteries,
Nikon recommends turning off all active functions;
delay, long (shutter exposure,) & interval (above). This unit
is really helpful for DSLR wide-field astrophotography.

The 10-pin connector has robust design & construction.
It is secured using a screw-in locking collar.

White indicia (right) guide alignment of the plug & socket.
Note three socket keys at 1,4 & 7 o'clock.

 Nikon Wireless remote WR-10 kit. 3-channel WR-T10 transmitter (middle), 
WR-A10 10-pin adapter (bottom), & the WR-R10 receiver (right).
The transmitter has a two-stage shutter release button like the camera, itself.
The Fn button is programmed in the camera's menus as are other functions.
I programmed mine to toggle Live View.
The nylon component bag (left) has a divider inside to keep the units separated.
Nikon WR-R10/WR-T10/WR-A10 Wireless Remote Adapter Set Manual

The WR-R10 receiver unit (top) plugs & locks into the WR-A10 adapter
which plugs into & screw-locks into to the 10-pin socket. Two small gray buttons are
simultaneously pressed to pair the unit's receiver with the WR-T10 remote transmitter.
The entire mounted unit can pivot through a limited range. Firmware v3, which can
only be updated by Nikon, is needed for use with the SB-5000 Speedlight.

Nikon MC-DC2 wired remote shutter release
for select Nikon cameras (e.g., D7200).
 

Release button shown locked-down for extended-time exposures.
Used for long controlled low-light & sky exposures.

MC-DC2 connector.

Sony sensor, 32MP, max 128GB SD chip, trail camera.
GardePro-A3_V1.2_Trail camera Manual

Filter wrenches pairs. Two can be used
 to separate two filters stuck together.
48-55mm, 58-62mm, 67-72mm, 77-82mm sizes. 

Nikon Speedflash remote hot-shoe cord SC-28.
Mounted on a Nikon SK-7 bracket.

MIOPS external events trigger.
I used a 10-pin Nikon flash cable.
Different cables adapt different camera bodies.
It can trigger a camera using: lightning, sound, time lapse,
stormlapse, bulb ramp, remote, times, laser, HDR, DYI,
scenario. This photo shows the unit being charged via USB.
The battery has long endurance & is replacable. This is
a modern unit that auto-updates its firmware via BT. The
phone app or the top keys make it easy to access all functions. 

A quick setup that remoted the flash & MIOPS trigger.
It was set to trigger on a sound event. 

Exploding water balloon.

Cold-Shoe Mod for Nikon Speedlight Hot-shoe Lock

Nikon Speedlight hot-flash bases have a
retractable locking pin (right on base plate).


Aftermarket cold-shoe bases do not have a
hole to allow Nikon flashes to securly lock.
I used these tools to drill a hole into
a plastic base for the locking pin.

Dabbed with lip balm to help mark the pin location.

Very lightly center punched the
middle of the half-round end mark.

Hand drilled a 1/16" hole.
Lightly chamfered the hole.

Auto-focus Calibrator
If you suspect your camera is not properly auto
focusing, modern bodies have an AF fine-tune feature.
To assess weather or not your camera/lens system
is front-focusing, back-focusing or correctly locking onto
objects there are a variety of test charts available.
This chart & setup can be found on YouTube searching the
terms "AutoFocus Calibrator DIY". The project used
cardboard but I substituted more rigid/precise materials.
It is my impression that older bodies/lens or newer
body/older lens combinations have more AF problems.
My D850/D500 & lenses are newer & show no
need for any corrections after testing.
I test zooms at maximum magnification.

Refer to various YouTube videos for testing details.

Numerous parameters must be controlled for the test:
Use tripods, mirror lockup, remote or timed release.
Assure focus chart is flat, square, & normal to the optical axis.
Test beyond minimum focusing distance.
Test distance 40 times the lens' focal length or typical distances.
Aperture wide open using Aperture Priority or Manual modes.
Low ISO (e.g., 100 recommended) with good lighting.
Turn off VR, sharpening, noise reduction, & distortion correction.
Compensate to obtain proper exposure, if required.
30 degree scale tilt from horizontal (not 45 deg).
Use the center, single-point focus point.
Manually defocus the lens between each of multiple readings.
In the AF Fine Tune menu, adjust saved value not default.
Plus values "Push" the front focus towards back focus (Nikon).
Testing over a zoom lens' range can be problematic.

Unit mounted onto a tripod.

 
Acrylic used as backing.
See Cutting Thin Acrylic Sheet.
Used a very lite coating of 3M spray adhesive.

The plastic sheet is 1/8" thick & the pivot is a 1/16" dowel pin.

The scale pivot is two lines above center so the
centers align when it is tilted at about 30 degrees.

When drilling plastic, use a slow speed, small cuts, & clear
chips very often, otherwise heat builds up & melts the material.

Silicon glued an aluminum L-bracket
(with 1/4-20 threads) to the back.

There are numerous autofocus test charts.

Azden SMX-30 DSLR Video Microphone

An Azden SMX-30 DSLR video microphone
mounted on top the D500 with grip (Japan).
The unit is surprisingly light-weight & compact.
See SMX-30 manual for full specifications.

Entire rig on a light-weight
Manfrotto fluid pan-tilt video head &
 Manfrotto carbon tripod legs.

The shotgun mic is located under
the stereo pair of capsules that are
120 degrees apart XY configuration.

Uses two, AA batteries that last about 24 hrs.
Though this is significantly less run-time than most other
DSLR video mics on the market, the increased
current draw is a direct consequence of the built-in
low-impedance pre-amplifier design. Lower
impedance can yield a better signal-to-noise ratio.
The easy to access battery door has a nice,
sturdy (thick) design. I use Eneloop NiMH batteries.

Left-to right: flat & high-pass filter, XY stereo (ST) &
mono (shotgun). OFF, ON (battery) & Auto ON/OFF,
+20, 0, -10 dB selections. The Auto power turns the
unit ON & OFF for cameras with powered-mic inputs.
I really like being able to quickly & easily switch between
shotgun or stereo with a minimum of equipment.

The recess-molded black switch indicia
were hard to see so I inlaid light gray
paint using a toothpick & a damp finger.
The original labels are also a light grey.

The compliant suspension is
effective & sturdy yet compact.

The two stereo capsules behind a metal screen.

The cord with a 3.5mm mini-jack is not too
long (like many) nor too bulky (coiled). The cord
is permanently mounted with good strain relief.
Plug-in connections can be problematic.

Supplied foam wind cover shown in place.
The foam makes it a little harder
to open/close the battery door.

The SMX-30 comes with a faux leather storage
bag. A deadcat wind baffle (Denmark) that
covers the foam is available, separately.

A Rode 10 ft. audio extension for closer placement of the
microphone. Gold-plated 3.5mm mini-jack connections.

Nikon ME-1 Stereo Microphone

L-R: Infrared remote, magnifying eyepiece for macro lens
work, hot-shoe cover & eyepiece light baffle.
The D7200 has IR sensors on the front & back of the body.

Nikon HC-E1 HDMI cable used to connect Nikon D7200 to a TV.
Male Type C Mini to Male Type A.
Cable length = 114 in. (9-1/4 ft. or 2.9 m).

Lowepro SlingShot 202 AW bag. Lowepro products
are well thought out & made of the best materials.

Lowepro Photo Classic BP 300 AW.

Nikon D7200 & Nikkor 200-500mm f/5.6 telephoto
with Nikon AF-S Teleconverter Model TC-14E III.


Lowepro Flipside 400 AW backpack.

High-quality materials & workmanship. Holds a lot of kit.
Here it's holding my Nikon D7200 w/grip & a
Nikkor 200-500 telephoto lens. This is a unique design.
It works by taking off the shoulder straps, bring the
pack to the front (pivoting on the belt) & then the
back flap unzips. Suppose to keep the pack off the dirty
ground & defeats pickpockets. Some people like
this style & some do not. The zipper can be difficult,
the weight of the open back has to be supported
(e.g., a knee), & the flap attachment area makes it hard
to access the very bottom spaces. It's best to not
carry a body with a long lens attached as shown here
because even a modest bag drop could put
undue stress on the mount causing damage.

Carbon Tripods

Feisol CT-3442 (Taiwan) high-grade carbon fiber
 tripod having a metal frame constructed of
7075 aerospace aluminum alloy; CNC milled.
Leg tube diameters are from 28mm to 19mm.
The legs fold-up 180 degrees for more
compact storage. Super lightweight & strong.
One reason I chose this tripod was that it
does not have a center column that would add flex.
The original meaning of FEISOL is "Flying to Sun".
Feisol Tripod CT-3442 Manual
Feisol Tripod General Maintenance

Feisol Tripod CT-3442 Specs 
Load capacity - 55 lb (25 kg) 
Min height - 7" (18cm) 
Max height - 55.9" (142cm) 
Folded length - 19.3" (49cm) 
Preset leg angles - 25/50/75 degrees 
Four Leg sections. Weight - 2.5 lb (1.1 kg) 
Anti-leg rotation, Tripod bag, Spikes 

Hook to suspend additional weight (e.g., a
camera bag) for extra stability (e.g., in wind).

Feisol Tripod Leveling Base
 
Feisol leveling base LB-7567 for the CT-3442
tripod (Taiwan). 75mm diameter ball & bowl.

Leveling base, installed.
Plus-minus 30 degrees tilt for uneven ground.
Solid aluminum. Check the three, bowl
set screws for tightness before use.

The OEM Feisol leveling head handle does not
allow attachment of the weight hook so I
modified it using my lathe. The hook is a 10-24
thread. I used a jam nut with a fiber washer.

Protected the part with tape. Center-drilled the curved end.
Feisol told me the handle was solid aluminum
but it is hollow, obviously for weight savings. Too bad,
as I would have adapted the 3/8-16 steel plug from
the OEM base for a more durable threaded mount.
It should be solid metal with a steel insert, instead.

Drilled a #25 hole for a 75% thread, in aluminum.

Threaded the hole with a 10-24 tap.

Lightly padded case with accessories side pouch.

Legs not reversed.

The legs can be reversed with the ball head
attached to compactly store in the supplied
bag. Double-check that the three set screws
for the top plate are properly tightened.

Allows reverse-folding of the tripod's legs.
 

Legs reversed for compact storage.

Tripod padded carry strap.

Long SS spikes' weight 15.9g each (x3 = 47.7g).
Hardness is low; suitable for wilderness ground
surfaces such as sand, grassland, & snow. Not
for use on concrete or asphalt surfaces. Feisol
short stainless steel spikes' weight 10.1g each
(x3 = 30.3g). Hardness is high; suitable for a
concrete, asphalt road, plus all other wilderness
ground surfaces such as sand, grassland, &
snow. The hook's thread is 10-24.

Manfrotto 290 MT294C3 carbon tripod (Italy).

Aluminum plate with 3/8-16 thread. Note
rubber bumper ring for the vertical column.

At each leg pivot there is an aluminum position
lock that can be rotated to increase leg stance.

A small, snap-on plastic wrench is
supplied to allow leg lock adjustments.

The leg locks are aluminum with plastic
levers. Levers are much quicker,
stronger, & easier than turned collars.

5 kg (11 lb) capacity.

Carbon Mini-tripod

Leofoto LS-223C-LH25 Mini Tripod Kit 
Carbon Fiber & 25mm, Low-Profile Ball Head.
The design, materials, & workmanship
are excellent plus it's light-weight.

Manfrotto 482 mini ball head with a 1/4-20 base (Italy).
Subsequently replaced by Manfrotto 494RC2.

Manfrotto 494RC2 pan-tilt ball head.
All aluminum construction (Italy).

Manfrotto 498RC2 pan-tilt ball head with
friction control & quick-change plate (Italy).
Load capacity - 17.64 lb (8 kg).
Weight - 1.34 lb (0.61 kg).

The base has a degrees scale that
can be used to take a sequence of
overlapping photographs that are then
later stitched together for a panorama.

Manfrotto QR ARCA-type
adapter for ball head (Italy).

Triangular design (theoretically) allows close
folding-up of the tripod's legs but with no plate. 

Manfrotto's proprietary
stem attachment design.

A size comparison of the three heads.

Manfrotto 2909 35mm Super Clamp
with short & long studs. The short stud
has both 1/4-20 & 3/8" threads.
The long stud has a 1/4-20 thread.
Triangular piece snaps into fixed jaw
or underneath post lock for storage.

Ball-head mounted mounted onto clamp.
This setup was for an African safari
to clamp onto vehicle rails. It worked well.

Leophoto LH-55 Ball Head

Leophoto Ball Head LH-55 Specifications 
Ball Diameter - 55mm / 2.2"
Height - 98mm / 3.9"
Weight - 940g / 2 lb
Base Diameter - 72mm / 2.8"
Max. Load - 25 kg / 55 lb
Thread Size - UNC 3/8-16 

 Pan-Tilt Head

Manfrotto 804RC2 tripod pan-tilt head with RC plate (Italy).
The handle have good ergonomic design.
It is constructed out of dimensionally stable,
engineered plastic for weight & cost savings.


It has a built-in level.
The RC plate is, of course, aluminum.

Fluid Pan-Tilt Head

Manfrotto 128RC pan-tilt fluid head (Italy).
All aluminum construction with RC plate.
Compact, low-cost simple fluid head. 

The drag is semi-adjustable via the two knobs.

3/8-16 mounting thread in an aluminum base.

Manfrotto MVH502AH Fluid Head

Manfrotto MVH502AH fluid head incorporates
their Bridging Technology (Italy).
Manfrotto Fluid Head MVH502AHH 
Manfrotto Fluid Head MVH502AH parts

Manfrotto MVH502AH Fluid Head
Weight	59.64 oz.
Collection/Series	502
Material	Aluminum
Safety Payload Weight	15.43 lb.
Counterbalanced Weight	8.82 lb.
Tilt Drag	adjustable 0 - max
Pan Drag	adjustable 0 - max
Plate Type	504PLONG
Ball Flat	Flat
Center of gravity	2.17 in
Front Tilt	-80 deg / +90 deg
Bubble Spirit Level	1
Accessory Compatibility	502HLV; 509HLV; 520BALL, 520BALLSH
Top Attachment	1/4″ & 3/8″ screws
Base Diameter	2.95 inches
Certifications	None
Color	Black
Easy Link	Yes
Head Type	Video/Fluid Head
Max Working Temp.	140 F (60 C)
Min Working Temp.	-4 F (-20 C)
Pan Bar Included	Yes
Panoramic Rotation	360
Quick Release	Yes
Working Height	5.12 inches

Manfrotto MVHN8AH Fluid Video Head
\
Manfrotto MVHN8AH fluid video head (Italy).

Front view (above) & back view (below).


Manfrotto Fluid Head MVHN8AH Manual 

Manfrotto Fluid Head MVHN8AH Parts

Manfrotto Fluid Video Head MVHN8AH Specs
Weight	77.59 oz.
Collection/Series	Nitrotech
Material	Aluminum
Safety Payload Weight	17.64 lb.
Counterbalanced Weight	17.64 lb.
Tilt Drag	adjustable 0 - max
Pan Drag	adjustable 0 - max
Plate Type	504PLONGR
Ball Flat	Flat
Center of gravity	2.17 in.
Front Tilt	-70 deg / +90 deg
Bubble Spirit Level	1
Top Attachment	1/4″ & 3/8″ screws
Powered by (batteries)	Lithium CR1220
Color	Black
Easy Link	Yes
Head Type	Video/Fluid Head
Max Working Temp.	122 F (50 C)
Min Working Temp.	5 F (-15 C)
Pan Bar Included	Yes
Panoramic Rotation	360
Quick Release	Yes
Working Height	5.83 inches

 

Tilt lock, drag, counter-balance force, & pan lock controls are on the left,
good for right-handed people operating the pan handle on the right side.
Pan & tilt drag are continuously variable as is the counterbalancing force.
The equipment mounting plate does not slide in but rather snaps in from the top
which is a better method when attaching heavier, bulky equipment.
The plate is then captured but slides for initial balancing before locking.

A Nitrogen gas piston is part of a continuously
variable force mechanism used to counterbalance a load
of up to 17.637 lb or 8 kg (top-right pullout handle).

Top & bottom views.
1/4-20 or 3/8-16 plate attachment
screws & 3/8-16 threaded aluminum base.

 
The spirit leveling bubble has a Lithium CR1220 battery powered, snap-in illuminator.
It turns off when the red button is pressed again or automatically after about 10 seconds. 
Mounted onto a Feisol tripod with its optional leveling head attachment.

 
The left pull-out knob is the variable counterbalancing force control.
The outside knob is the tilt lock & inner knob is the variable drag.
While behind the camera, rotating the knobs forward increases
drag & locks the tilt axis but the counterbalance level will decrease.
The knob pulls out (extends) to give additional hand clearance
for the tilt locking knob and/or when large equipment is mounted.

 
This fluid video head is the best featured, smoothest fluid head for the cost.
The variable load compensation is effective. Its ergonomics are good.

Follow Focus

Fotga follow focus for 15mm rails.

Fotga 15mm rail mount.

I made a rubber wheel that has an aluminum hub
that holds a large O-ring in a square groove.
It is attached with a 4mm cap-head
screw with a red, press-on knob.

The Fotga Model DP500 III now uses the
JTZ X-Type coupling, as shown above.