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dennisbrown

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  1. Don't have a dog in the fight, but I do know the owners of the shop. This FE2 is trashed, but may be what you need for a replacement shutter. [url]https://www.ebay.com/itm/275960700509?hash=item40408a1e5d:g:xCoAAOSwKflkusgR[/url]
  2. I own an Induro (now Benro) CT-303 which came via B&H in mid-2022. At about the same time, I sold off all but three aluminum tripods, mostly for sentimental reasons. I kept a Slik Master 67 prototype. I altered it by removing the head and adding a Bogen plate to accept interchangeable heads, and added a set of Bogen spike feet. I still use it when I don't have to hike any distance. The other two, a Vivitar 1321 and a Leitz Tiltall, are still very reliable, and not all that heavy. My other two CF's, a Manfrotto 055, and a Gitzo GT1540G both get a lot of use. I prefer 3-section tripods mostly because they tend to be a bit more stable than 4-section, although the Gitzo Gt1540G is an exception, but I got it for a song at an estate sale. I use Manfrotto heads exclusively. I started out with 4047's, and now I've switched over to MHX-3 Pro heads with Arca Swiss adapters. I'm not a fan of ball heads, regardless the brand, and I've tried most of them. The Induro is a great piece of equipment, and I've used it in all kinds of summer rains, winter snows, and sub-zero temperatures. It's load capacity is @ 44lbs, and I've used camera bags as ballast.
  3. I bought an Induro CT-303 last year, and I've been extremely pleased with it. It's lightweight and sturdy. I was a bit surprised that the Induro name is now listed as Benro. Now, whether they've always been owned by Benro is unknown to me. I also own a Manfrotto MT055XPRO3 CF. It's really sturdy (capacity is 20lb), although it doesn't have the weight capacity (44lb) as the Induro. I also own a Gitzo GT1540G, which I picked up at an estate sale, along with a GH1780QR Gitzo head. The Gitzo is a 4-section, but serves me well when I need really light weight. I noticed that on B&H, the now Benro model goes for @ 475, which is some $27 cheaper than when I bought the same tripod as an Induro.
  4. Yes! However, my interpretation is due, in its entirety, to keyboard fumble-itis before finishing my morning joe.
  5. I have the SB-900, SB-910, and SB-5000 and all function perfectly with my Z5 and Z7 cameras. There were some issues with the SB-900 overheating when using for long bursts, but the SB-910 addressed that issue. As an aside, I never had problems with my SB-900, although I've never used it in rapid flash mode. One of my local dealers has an SB-910 on his eBay site for @@150.
  6. I still keep a 105mm f/2.5 Ai-S on my lens shelf, just in case. That stated, I have two Micro Nikkors in the same focal length; 105 f/2.8, one in F-mount (G), the other in Z. They are my "go-to" 105's. They're superb macro lenses, as well as short telephotos. In my film days, especially manual focus, I did some stringer work for a daily newspaper. One of the full-time pros there used a non-AI 105 on one of his Nikon F's. His reason was that since he pushed Tri-X, he could afford the extra focal length so he didn't have intrude as much when he needed close-ups. I bought an Ai version for my Nikkormat, and I've used one since (ca. 1978). A couple of years later, I traded it for the Ai-S version.
  7. In the U.S. there are very few authorized repair facilities, and they're the only ones who can get necessary parts for repairs.
  8. Nikon does make some exceptions, case by case, when it comes to repairs for the traveler. However, the norm is that if the product is gray market, Nikon will not repair. You would have to return it to the source of the sale for any repairs.
  9. I'd say that Nikon will likely profit from licensing the Z mount to Tamron. Nikon will likely get paid a royalty per copy that Tamron sells. I worked for Ford and we not only licensed our intellectual and physical property to others, but we also paid certain suppliers to use their products in our cars. The first tilt steering wheels were patented by GM's Saginaw Steering Gear and we paid them for each one we installed in Fords until the patent lapsed. The same thing was done for Toyota's sliding door mechanism used on full-sized vans and minivans.
  10. I had the same experience. I got decent photos with it, but was disappointed in the build. Seems it was more "thrown together" than carefully assembly. A/F was quite noisy.
  11. Since my last post, my "Z" condition has changed. I ran across a deal on a used Z7. It has mid-5k on the shutter, (2x) EN-EL15b batteries, the MB-N10 battery grip, strap, and Delkin CFexpress Type B 128gb memory card. I went over the body with a 10x magnifier, and couldn't find a mark or scar on it. I hadn't been specifically searching for a Z7, but a local store had this one, and the price was just too good to ignore. It already had the latest FW installed. And the first images came out very sharp. They're mostly of local items on our block, but this weekend it'll get a proper break-in.
  12. I understand that both sensors are FX, but the Z7xx has 45.7 MP (effective). I should have been more clear in my post. Thanks.
  13. I've been "locked in" to DSLR's since 2015. I just recently jumped into mirror-less, buying a used Z5 from a local dealer, the camera coming with a 24-50 "kit" lens, and a low shutter count. The Z5 is a great entry point camera for someone who doesn't want to go head first into the Z6xx or Z7xx. I'm comparing it, feature-wise, more to the D610 and D750, since those two have similar sensor sizes. The Z5 compares favorably, image-wise, to both cameras. It's not feature-laden, but since I prefer AP over other shooting modes, the Z5 answers my needs as a basic camera. It harkens back to a simpler time when you had to think a bit more about what you wanted to do with your camera. The same day I found the Z-5, another dealer had a used FTZ adapter, which really opened up the options with the Z5. I really like using my 24-70 f/2.8E ED VR lens although it is much heavier than the "walk around" 24-50 lens. I've also compared some of the images taken with the Z5, to those taken with my D810 (using the same 24-70 lens), and it's tough to make real distinctions in the images, especially in "web" sized photos. I'll likely advance to a Z7xx, since I'd like the nearly 2x size of the sensor, plus some of the bells and whistles on that model.
  14. I like to shoot fireworks, and The Henry Ford/Greenfield Village has a couple of fireworks shoots twice a year. This one is from the July 1st show. I was testing my new-to-me Z-5, using a Nikkor 50mm f/1.8 lens. Bulb exposure @ f/13.
  15. The flower and garden stores, and big box stores had a fairly good selection of annuals and perennials. This one was at Lowe's and was one of several gerberas. This one really stood out from the rest, so I framed and took a number of exposures. I took the RAW image to Adobe Elements for editing, but didn't move a single slider for exposure, color, etc. The only editing of the image was for cropping. The camera is a D810, lens is a 70-180mm D Micro set at 70mm. Exposure data is ISO400, f/11, and 1/320 second.
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