Welcome to Nikon Rumors, and thanks for the tip. I can't believe Nikon has the gall to charge $900 USD for a wireless adaptor. I hope you don't mind if I post this on another Nikon site.

Thank You

Time has past, since the last comment in this threat, but perhaps someone is still interested in finding a cheap working wifi-connection for the D4, that doens't need an internet connection.

Well, I have an easy-working one I paid about 50$ for. It looks complicate in the beginning, but once you've set it up, it works very stable and easily.

I use an asus WL-330N N150 WLAN AP, REPEATER,GATEWAY,BRIDGE (about 40$, it's tiny and looks professional and has an easy selfexplaining setup-programm) and an external battery (to power up the modem). I configured the WL-330N as an access point.

What you have to do first:

Download the software "Wireless Transmitter Utility" from Nikon https://nikoneurope-en.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/51367

Have the USB-cable for the camera ready.

Connect the camera with an ethernet cable to the pc.

Configure the camera D4:
In the D4 go to network menue, choose hardware, wired lan (go back), enalbe network connection, go to network settings, Create a profile, connection wizzard, choose Camera control if you want to use the software camera control Pro 2, name it, after that select "enter manually" to choose how the IP address ist optained. (you can choose for example 192.168.101.101). The subnet mask you don't have to change.

Now the pairing starts:
Connect the camera to the pc using the USB cable, then start the wireless transmitter utility. The software configures the IP-Address for the camera. You are almost done.

Connect the ethernet-cable from the camera to the asus-WL330N. Give the system a minute.

Go to the pc:
No go to thewireless-network of your computer an choose connect to the asus access point. Now its getting interesting. On windows-pc go to control Panel > Network and internet > Manage network connections. Select internet protocol version 4 (TCP/IPv4) choose properties > choose optain an IP adress manually and set the IP-number according to my example to 192.168.101.102. (it must be a number nearby the one from the camera IP-address).

Now we can start the connection:

Go back to the camera: network, network settings, the camera starts to connect, if it takes to long reconnect the wifi conection pc to asus. Now everything should be fine.

Next time you want to connect the camera to the pc you just have to do the last two steps. Enable Network connection on the camera. Start the wifi-connection pc to asus and don't forget to optain an IP number manually in the internet protocol version 4 (TCP/IPv4)properties. You can control the camera wireless without an internet connection.

Hope this gives you an idea, how to do it.

phototop

I too am interested in one of the Variable ND filters and like many have stated I don't much care for the price(s).

Is there anyone here who can facilitate a group buy and perhaps help us all save a little?

Also, what about the Lee Big Stopper? No one has commented on said filter.

You have a lovely camera that is almost brand new! I sold mine to get a D800 and whilst I love the D800, I miss the D700 that was by far the best (digital) camera I ever owned. I wish I could have kept it but.........

Hello,
Thanks for all your suggestions. I now have done a shutter count on my recently
bought S/H D700 and it comes out to 464! I paid A$1450 plus spare battery.
Cheers, Pino.

I have always wondered about the variable stop filters, at this moment I have an ND4 and an ND16.

One day I might just buy or rent if I can one of these.

70-300mm VR is the only one I would see as a possibility. It could be the AF Select (change to spot like HF said) and use the center spot. I would try the latter first before another lens. AF deals more with the camera and not the lens unless you do go for a f/4 or f/2.8. When my 70-300vr starts to hunt alot I changed everything to single servo, center focus point and spot metering. If I have the 3d 51-pt on it does go bonkers in low light.

HF: Have you actually shot all those?

Consider the new 18-300 DX or the 28-300 FX from nikkor.

For the range you mentioned the Tamron SP 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di VC USD Lens would probably be suitable.

For low light, maybe the newer lenses will focus better .. or get a newer camera which has a better autofocus system? the D3200, D5200 seems nice.

Also try using the spot focus with the camera set at the center focus point, which is usually the most accurate focus sensor.

PS its nice too see my old pictures from early on in the thread! .. See the dragonfly in flight photo? with challenging subjects .. Manual is the way to go.. Maybe suggest that she try manual focus ..

PPS what about the Tamron 70-200 F2.8 vc. seems like a good option.

What you are asking for really doesn't exist, short of using a higher end camera body (D600/D800/D4). The only consumer zooms that don't weigh a ton are the 55-300 VR, and 70-300mm VR, both of which are variable aperture and wont solve the current problems your wife is dealing with.

Anything cheaper? :)

Sounds like the new 70-200 f4 would be perfect.

Warming over an old thread with a new question:

We just got back from Antarctica. My wife shoots a D90, and the only thing she wanted to shoot was the 55-300mm kit lens. Ok, fine. She uses autofocus and always will. She was annoyed that as soon as the light wasn't perfect, or as soon as the background grew complex, the 55-300mm started to hunt.

I was about as shocked as the dude in "Casablanca" was to find out the gambling was going on at Rick's. I offered her any/all of my primes, but she only wants to use a zoom lens. The 200-400mm I brought along was too heavy for her to handhold for any length of time. So she needs a new piece of glass and I need a suggestion as to what to get her (yes I'll be selling the 55-300 to help finance it).

REQUIREMENTS
--Something that zooms she can handhold for a 1-2 hour stretch
--Something that won't hunt in full-AF mode around f/5.6 to f/8 in light that isn't horrible but isn't perfect.

DON'T CARE ABOUT:
--Great IQ. She's going to be posting 2MB JPEG files on the Internet.
--VR

Yes I'd like nice IQ, yes I'd like VR, but I don't want to pay for it. There are a wide array of choices (with the new 70-200 f/4 at the very edge of the price range) but all I really want is "zoom, doesn't hunt". Maybe if IQ is nbd, a third-party solution is the way to go?

Opinions?

I wanted to resurrect this to see if anyone has had a chance to purchase and use any of these. I'd been thinking of buying a straight 10 stop ND filter, but noticed that B&H is having a killer deal on the Tiffen 2-8 stop variable filter. I don't have a lot of experience with Tiffen filters (the only one I own is a 58mm ultra clear that I keep on my 50 1.4g) as I mostly use Marumi filters on my better lenses. Anyone have a point of view? B&H isn't taking orders until later today and the deal lasts through 12/20.

The reviews on the site were pretty instructional. Some complained of an "X" across the image at higher stops. Others warned of color cast. Others said it didn't really work at shorter focal lengths. Some however, were over the moon. Not really psyched to drop $400+ on a Singh Ray, although I do know you get what you pay for.

As always, thanks for the valuable input.

Keep in mind that a D700 with 30,000 to 50,000 actuations is really just broken in and would make a great deal if picked up used.

@golf007sd, there is also a "Nikon" tab on that same dialog that calls the same value "shutter count". The reason I like reveal is that it's a tiny standalone program that displays all of the EXIF data. I grew up on unix so I guess I have a tool mentality. Most apps are like Swiss army knives with a small chainsaw attached. Yes, you can use that Phillips head screwdriver on the knife in a pinch, but I like a real (standalone) screwdriver for most tasks. Really just boils down to personal preference I guess :-}

There is a free program called KUSO EXIF Viewer that works great and displays the shutter count. You can download it here: *LINK REMOVED*

Ironheart said:
I use a program called "reveal" on the Mac.

Why not just bring it up in Preview and then hit command-I and then look at the EXIF info. Forth from the bottom where it says "image number."

I use a program called "reveal" on the Mac.

I use the software Opanda load a pic into it (like flickr) and you should find it...

Try loading an image in your computer and look at Exif data. If the "Image number" is available it should show up there. If you cannot get the Exif data in your computer, load to Flickr. It should be available there.

Hello,
Does anybody know how to determine the number of shutter actuations on a used Nikon D700 ?
Cheers, Pino.

msmoto said:
Here is my plan...as I have had good results with Hoya, I am planning on Hoya ND filters, 77mm, one 8X (3 stops) and one 64X (6 stops). My thoughts are if I want less light reduction I can use one , and a full 9 stops of reduction, use both. Thus, it would seem that in many cases I would be going through only one piece of glass, while with a variable filter one always goes through two filter elements, four surfaces.

The issues of vignette will always be present with almost any multiple filter setup on a very wide lens.

Any thoughts on this? Negative results with Hoya? Recommendations?

Reread your post. I got it.

Wow, I think I caused some confusion. The Singh-Ray, is a stacked filter, polarizing, I presume, and when rotated so the angle of polarization of each lens is 90°, then the maximum density is in effect. About 8 f stops. When the angels are in alignment it gives a density of 2 2/3 f stops. And of course the benefit is it is variable in between this limits.

The way I usually do a shoot is I know what I am trying to do, before I go into the field. I will have scouted the location, or at least have an idea in mind as to what I need in terms of f sot reduction. So, I can with the Hoya filters have either 3, 6, or 9 f/stops of ND. The 3 and 6 would be with only one filter in front of the lens. And I have in my B & H wish list the rings to step down to both 67mm and 72mm as this will cover the lenses I want to shoot with. The 16-35mm f/4VR, the 24mm f/3.5PC, the 24-120mm f4VR, and the 85mm f/1.8.

Now, the convenience of the variable aspect is nice. But for $130 I can do this vs. the $390 for the Singh-Ray.

And I have coming in a day or so a filter to cover the front of the 400mm f/2.8 so I can not only look at the sun, but shoot with this filter and do it safely with no heat build up internally in the lens. So, I kinda want to spend only a small amount as I have never done this long exposure thing with the ND filters and may decide I really do not like it. Ha, ha,, ha...never have found a photographic challenge I did not like.

The point of a variable ND is speed and convenience. I'm sure you could stack NDs out the wazoo and crop out vignette and make it work, but you'd still be screwing filters on and off in the field, worrying about dust and so forth. That said, there was a company doing cool work with rare earth magnet mounts for filters that could solve some of the convenience issues around stacking filters. Like PB said, different purposes depending on what you're shooting; stills, video, landscapes, portraits, etc.