First shots with Camera Control

Click the photo for a better rendering (I promise to get some shots sized for blogger correctly soon)
Blue Jay dropping his lunch
© Robert Donovan

My first attempt at remote triggering my D300. I installed Nikon Camera Control Pro on a laptop. Connected the D300 to the laptop and set it up in the yard with a clear shot of the feeder. Set the focus and locked it in. I then VNC'd into the laptop from a computer inside the house over the Wi-Fi network and kept an eye on the feeders. When birds came in i triggered the shot. Camera Control allows full control of the camera so I could set fstops, shutter speed and ISO no problem. Most of the shots came out with too shallow of a depth of field and parts of the birds were out of focus (this one included). Next time I'm going to have to get out when there is more light.

D300 through a Nikkor 300mm f/ 1:4 ED lens, 1/640 sec, f/4.0. ISO 800. Tripod Mounted and remote controlled through Nikon Camera Control. Some RAW processing in Lightroom and then Curves, Levels, Noise Reduction and Sharpening in Photoshop CS3.


I'll be trying it with a shorter lens and the tripod closer but I don't want the birds using the camera as a sitting and releasing station. This was also late afternoon and the sun was behind the birds. Early morning / Midday sun should bring the light on this side of them. I'm pretty sure a flash would just scare them away but I'll give it a shot.