Warning - CHATGPT intruding in photography!!! 🤦‍♂️

User
is the sigma 150-600 C a heavy lens ?

ChatGPT
The Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Contemporary (C) lens is considered a relatively heavy lens, especially when compared to smaller and lighter lenses. It weighs approximately 1.93 kg (4.25 lbs) and can be quite tiring to hold for extended periods of time, especially if you are hand-holding the lens. However, it is important to note that the weight of the lens can vary depending on the camera body it is attached to, as well as the specific configuration of the lens (with or without a tripod mount, for example).

User
So branching your previous answer, what is the best telephoto lens for BIF using a Z30 with FTZ ??

When it comes to choosing a telephoto lens for BIF (Birds In Flight) photography with a Nikon Z30 camera using the FTZ adapter, there are a few factors to consider.

Firstly, the autofocus system on the camera is important to consider, as some lenses may perform better than others in terms of autofocus speed and accuracy. The Nikon Z30 has a hybrid autofocus system with 209 phase-detect autofocus points, which should work well with most modern telephoto lenses.

Secondly, you will want to consider the focal length of the lens. Generally, a focal length of around 300-400mm or longer is recommended for BIF photography, as this allows you to get closer to the subject without disturbing it and provides a narrower field of view to help isolate the bird from the background.

Given these factors, here are a few telephoto lenses that would be good choices for BIF photography with a Nikon Z30 and FTZ adapter:

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR: This lens is a popular choice for bird photographers due to its versatile zoom range and relatively affordable price point. It has built-in Vibration Reduction (VR) to help reduce camera shake, and the autofocus performance is generally good.

Tamron 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2: This lens is a popular third-party option that offers a longer zoom range than the Nikon 200-500mm lens, making it ideal for situations where you need to zoom in on a distant bird. It also has built-in Vibration Compensation (VC) and a fast and accurate autofocus system.

Sigma 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Contemporary: This lens is a relatively new offering from Sigma that is designed specifically for mirrorless cameras. It has a shorter zoom range than the other lenses mentioned above, but it is also more compact and lightweight, making it easier to carry around and handle for extended periods of time. It has a fast autofocus system and built-in Optical Stabilization (OS) to help reduce camera shake.

Ultimately, the best lens for BIF photography with a Nikon Z30 and FTZ adapter will depend on your specific needs and budget. It's always a good idea to read reviews and test out lenses before making a purchase to ensure that they meet your requirements.

User
Do you recommend the Sigma 150-600 C over the Tamron equivalent for a Z30 with ftz ?

ChatGPT
Both the Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Contemporary (C) and the Tamron 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2 are excellent telephoto zoom lenses with a long reach that are suitable for bird photography and wildlife photography.

In terms of image quality, both lenses are quite good, with sharpness, color, and contrast that is generally comparable. However, there are a few key differences between the two lenses that may make one more suitable than the other for your specific needs.

One major difference is in autofocus performance. While both lenses have fast and accurate autofocus systems, the Tamron G2 is generally considered to have slightly faster and more consistent autofocus performance, especially in low light. This may be an important consideration for BIF photography, where fast and accurate autofocus is crucial.

Another difference is in weight and handling. The Tamron G2 is slightly heavier than the Sigma C, weighing in at 2.01 kg (4.43 lbs) compared to the Sigma C's 1.93 kg (4.25 lbs). This may make a difference if you plan to handhold the lens for extended periods of time. However, both lenses are quite similar in terms of size and overall handling.

Ultimately, whether you choose the Sigma 150-600 C or the Tamron 150-600 G2 for your Z30 with FTZ adapter will depend on your specific needs and preferences. If autofocus speed and accuracy are your top priority, the Tamron G2 may be the better choice. If weight and handling are more important, the Sigma C may be the better option.

On a second shot, it forgot the previous answer and started repeating itself....

User
With a Z30 with FTZ what is the best option for price and weight for a BIF long lens

ChatGPT
If you are looking for a relatively affordable and lightweight telephoto lens for BIF photography with a Nikon Z30 and FTZ adapter, there are a few options to consider:

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR: This lens is a popular choice for bird photographers due to its versatile zoom range and relatively affordable price point. It has built-in Vibration Reduction (VR) to help reduce camera shake, and the autofocus performance is generally good. It weighs approximately 2.3 kg (5.1 lbs), which is relatively lightweight for a lens of this focal length.

Sigma 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Contemporary: This lens is a relatively new offering from Sigma that is designed specifically for mirrorless cameras. It has a shorter zoom range than the other lenses mentioned above, but it is also more compact and lightweight, making it easier to carry around and handle for extended periods of time. It has a fast autofocus system and built-in Optical Stabilization (OS) to help reduce camera shake. It weighs approximately 1.13 kg (2.5 lbs), which is quite lightweight for a lens of this focal length.

Tamron 100-400mm f/4.5-6.3 Di VC USD: This lens is another relatively lightweight option for BIF photography with a Z30 and FTZ adapter. It has a slightly shorter zoom range than the other lenses mentioned above, but it is also quite affordable and offers good image quality and autofocus performance. It has built-in Vibration Compensation (VC) to help reduce camera shake, and it weighs approximately 1.1 kg (2.4 lbs).

Ultimately, the best option for you will depend on your specific needs and budget. All three of the lenses mentioned above are good choices for bird photography and wildlife photography, and each has its own strengths and weaknesses. If price and weight are your top priorities, the Tamron 100-400mm or the Sigma 100-400mm may be the best options for you.

Hmmm... . what does it think about costs ??

Ooooh, it's courteous !!

User
What is the cost of your propositions ?

ChatGPT
The prices of the lenses I mentioned in my previous answer are:

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR: Approximately $1,396 USD
Sigma 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Contemporary: Approximately $949 USD
Tamron 100-400mm f/4.5-6.3 Di VC USD: Approximately $799 USD
It's important to note that these prices can vary depending on your location, local taxes, and current market demand. Also, it's always a good idea to shop around and compare prices from different retailers to find the best deal.

User
Sorry, what is the cost of your propositions in Italy ?

ChatGPT
I apologize for the oversight in my previous response. The prices for the lenses I mentioned in Italy are:

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR: Approximately €1,369 EUR
Sigma 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Contemporary: Approximately €799 EUR
Tamron 100-400mm f/4.5-6.3 Di VC USD: Approximately €729 EUR
Again, these prices are subject to change depending on your location, local taxes, and current market demand. It's always a good idea to shop around and compare prices from different retailers to find the best deal.

User
Should I sell my Af-P 70-300 5.6E if I buy one of your propositions, and what would be the price you may suggest ?

ChatGPT
As an AI language model, I cannot make specific financial recommendations. However, I can provide some general guidance.

If you decide to upgrade to one of the telephoto lenses I suggested earlier, you may want to consider selling your Nikon AF-P 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6E ED VR lens to offset some of the cost. The price you could sell it for will depend on a number of factors, such as its condition, age, and current market demand.

To get an idea of the current market value of your lens, you can check online marketplaces such as eBay or Amazon, or camera gear marketplaces such as B&H Photo Video or Adorama. You can also check with local camera shops or camera rental companies to see if they would be interested in purchasing your lens.

When determining a price to sell your lens, consider factors such as its condition, whether it comes with any accessories or original packaging, and any additional warranties or protections you may have purchased. Be sure to research the current market value of similar lenses to get a better idea of what price to ask for.

Ultimately, the decision to sell your lens is up to you and your personal preferences. If you find that you are not using the lens as much as you used to or if you want to upgrade to a better telephoto lens for bird photography, then selling your current lens may be a good option.

I work in IT and use ChatGPT throughout the day to help when I get stuck with commands or syntax using scripts, doing database lookups or just general information. I have also recently asked photography questions of it. On one occasion I asked for the depth of field in with particular settings and it got the answer wrong. I told it that answer was wrong and it immediately apologized and gave the correct answer. The wrong answer didn't surprise me. What surprised me is how it was able to fix the answer as soon as I pointed out the error. I think of ChatGPT as a good friend I can always count on to give me a direct answer and understand that I have to take all answers with a grain of salt. This technology helps me everyday which is way more than I can say about most tech. And, it's not currently full of advertising so it's WAY better than a Google search.

But what's the future of this technology? Scary, it's just danged scary.

Concerning ChatGPT,

one very very important thing to grasp is that it is a PLAUSIBILITY engine. All it has been trained for is to COMPLETE your prompt with further words, building something that ressemble the most human language. The 'answer' (which it is not, strictly speaking) built according to the context you give it in the prompt (the 'question' or remark) has the only constraint TO LOOK LIKE a human 'answer' in the field of constraints deduced from the prompt.

If for example, you ask 'When did Christoph Colomb discovered America?', you will get a proper looking answer, but if you enter 'When did I discovered America', you'll get the SAME answer, because it's THE MOST PLAUSIBLE ONE given your prompt.

ChatGPT has nothing to do with a google search or browsing wikipedia for validated info!

And a note: this kind of AI is rather easy to train: you harvest a vast quantity of human written texts from internet, you segment them in different halves, and you train your AI to try and generate second half based on first half. One paragraph can be segmented at different places to train on it. You simply need a hefty pack of nodes in your AI network, but the training material and expected results are readily available on the web.

I find chatGPT less of a danger for photography than Midjourney for instance. The industry should think about a kind of technical way to watermark invisibly the source of an image (brand, model, lens, date, maybe coordinates) in a way no one can mimic it or mangle it without being noticeable, a kind of unique hashcode. An image could then be undubiously attributed to an AI or a real photography with no doubt. One could even extend this to the post processing, all treatment being recorded in the hashcode. I should go and read a bit more about the blockchain, that does this for property traceability...

Greg

I've been thinking the same thing. Everything real needs a kind crypto identifier imbedded for validation purposes. Reality is becoming a little too malleable here.

But then how do we know when a person is real?

Yep,

difficult not to be border-paranoid sometimes...

At least, one would know some robot implementing some kind of Ai took a real picture with a real camera ;-)

The question of identity is at the root of most of the Internet's problems, IMHO. If we can get to a point where everyone has a digital certificate of identity issued by a certificate authority and validated using a chain of trust in a way similar to web site certificates and is required to use it to make public posts then we'd eliminate most of the ills we see online.