Nikon USA, Black Friday Free Power Pack for D500 & D810 + Lens Rebates, Updated Dec 4

<p>Just got two e-mails from B&H. The first one had the wrong rebate info and the second one corrected it:<br /> http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?catName=items&ci=33261&N=3598878228&view=GRID?utm_medium=Email%201630752&utm_campaign=NewAnnouncement&utm_source=NikonLensRebates%20161112&utm_content=Retail&utm_term=nikon-lens-rebates<br /> These deals should also be available at other stores.</p>

<ol>

<li>24-70mm/f2.8 E AF-S VR (82mm filter version) $200 off</li>

<li>14-24mm/f2.8 AF-S $200 off</li>

<li>85mm/f1.4 AF-S $100 off</li>

<li>70-200mm/f4 AF-S VR $100 off</li>

<li>10-24mm DX AF-S: $100 off</li>

<li>18-35mm/f3.5-4.5 AF-S $100 off</li>

<li>DX 85mm/f3.5 and 35mm/f1.8, two-lens kit: $320 off</li>

</ol>

<p>Those lens rebates continue, and now they give you a free power pack/vertical grip when you buy a D500 or D810: http://www.nikonusa.com/en/nikon-store/black-friday-camera-deals.page</p>

<p>Picking up D500/16-80/MB-D17 tomorrow for my wife - she deserves an upgrade from her D300. Actually, the MB-D17 will be for me ;-).</p>

<p>Now debating whether or not to keep both the 16-85 and 18-140 or which one of the two to let go.</p>

<p>When Nikon announced the D500 at $2000 back in January, I thought it would be around $1500 by year end. So far, there is only a $200 rebate on the body. With this Black Friday deal, you are supposed to be getting a "$450" MB-D17 battery pack for free. Of course, that price is greatly inflated, but that overall deal is fairly close to my $1500 target. However, Nikon is merely giving you some free accessory, whose profit margin is likely to be very high, rather than dropping the overall price below $1800.</p>

<p>I would imagine (most of) these deals will be extended throughout the holiday season. At least based on past experience, Nikon would merely extend the duration of the deal, but they don't sweeten it. However, last year, the Canon 7D Mark II was down to as low as around $1100 in December. We'll see how serious the competition the D500 will get in the coming weeks.</p>

<p>There's currently a $300 discount on the 7D MkII, reducing its price to $1500. I doubt that Nikon will reduce the D500 price to match it.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>Nikon is merely giving you some free accessory, whose profit margin is likely to be very high</p>

</blockquote>

<p>My thinking exactly - those who don't actually need the battery grip can just sell it and reduce the price paid on the D500; can't be free. Wouldn't be surprised if I found out that the margin on the grip is 6x or thereabouts.</p>

The problem with Nikon grips is third-party clones, which are frequently sold for below $100. It is fine if you are using the

"free" grip yourself. If you are trying to sell it, you will be competing with many others who are also dumping theirs as well

as the clones. I would imagine used MB-D17 in like new condition will be well below $200.

<p>So far, used MB-D17 seem to be made out of unobtainium; the few that were available sold for little less than the price new. Personally, I wouldn't touch a clone with a ten-foot pole. At $400, the benefits of having the grip don't outweigh the cost; at $200, I would have purchased one already. A grip that costs as much as a consumer-level DSLR? Price gouging at the highest level!</p>

<p>Quite certain there will be some "new" MB-D17 showing up in the on craigslist or ebay in short order; and they will all be gobbled up quickly as long as the asking price is reasonable.</p>

<p>One benefit of having the grip has been made insignificant by the improvements in battery life. While it was quite common for me to have to resort to a second battery during a shoot with the D200, I have not run into that with any other DSLR since (mirrorless is a different matter entirely). Another benefit of using the grip now mostly doesn't apply either - no increase in frame rate when using the grip. So what's left is better balance with larger lenses and a set of controls when shooting vertical.</p>

<p>Before the D500 was announced, in the discussions about a "D400" it was often speculated whether it would appear with a pro-body style with build-in grip. While for me personally, it would have been welcomed, I am certain that my wife would not appreciated the additional bulk and weight. Seems Nikon made the right call.</p>

One advantage of a grip that nobody seems to have

touched on is that it allows an easy battery change

while tripod mounted. I've lost count of the times

I've needed to dismount my Nikon DSLRs from a

tripod to swap batteries, as well as remove any

QR plate attached because it obscured the battery

access. Not so "quick release" when that happens!

 

Personally, I believe in having as close coupling as possible between camera body and tripod head, and a battery grip can only make that coupling more sloppy. So it's a compromise between stability and continuity of shooting. If only Nikon would make their battery compartment side-entry alongside the card slots.

Normally the custom made plates and L brackets for a specific camera model (e.g Kirk, RRS) allow access to the battery door.

<p>Most people don't discuss it because it is not really an advantage, at least to most.</p>

<p>I have the habit to recharge my batteries every night after a shoot. Every morning I insert a fully charged battery. The end result is that I almost never need to change an EN-EL15 in the middle of the day. A few years ago, once I was at a tennis tournament, probably with a D7100. I deliberately not changed batteries over two days to see how the battery performs, and after some 1500 shutter actuations, that EN-EL15 still had about 40% capacity remaining.</p>

<p>I would imagine that one can come up with some scenario that you capture a lot of video and also use the GPS extensively in a cold climate to drain the battery.</p>

In the winter when I'm doing landscape photography, I use live view a lot and one EN-EL15 lasts maybe one hour in

typical hard winter conditions. I may be shooting for several hours per day so I need to change the battery in the D810

typically once per day while shooting. However, this is not an issue as my L bracket leaves room for the door to open and

close. With the D700 it was a bigger problem as the battery didn't allow me to work as long and I didn't have a custom L

bracket for it, so I had to take the plate off every time. The EN-EL4a did allow shooting for a longer time even in the

winter. The D810 is quite good in conserving power but it does occasionally misbehave if it is cold enough.

<p>Some of the previous Black Friday rebates have expired, including all but one of the lens rebates I mentioned in the opening post.<br>

The "free" power pack/vertical grip with either a D810 or D500 purchase continues. Body only, the D810 continues to be just below $2500 and the D500 $1800.<br>

<br /> Starting from today, Sunday, December 4, the following lenses have (new) rebates. The kit including two DX AF-S lenses: 35mm/f1.8 and 85mm/f3.5 Macro AF-S VR continues to enjoy a deep discount. A different 24-70mm/f2.8 AF-S is discounted in this round:</p>

<ol>

<li>An old version 55-200mm/f4.-5.6 G DX AF-S VR II is discounted by $200 to $150. Apparently Nikon is dumping remaining stock.</li>

<li>40mm DX AF-S Macro $30 off</li>

<li>50mm/f1.4 G AF-S $50 off</li>

<li>85mm/f1.8 G AF-S $50 off to $430. IMO, this is an excellent deal but is facing competition from Tamron and Sigma.</li>

<li>20mm/f1.8 G AF-S $50 off</li>

<li>35mm/f1.4 G AF-S $200 off</li>

<li>16-35mm/f4 G AF-S VR $100 off</li>

<li>24-70mm/f2.8 G AF-S $100 off, this is the older, 2007 version with 77mm filter and no VR. In the last rebate cycle, the newer AF-S VR version with 82mm filter had a $200 rebate. That deal is now gone.</li>

<li>The 35mm/f1.8 DX and 85mm DX Macro kit I mentioned above, $320 off as in the previous rebate cycle. This is the only lens rebate that is extended from Black Friday.</li>

</ol>

<p>Wasn't it that Nikon offered lens-only rebates only in spring? Now we have a second round of them prior to Xmas; wondering if there will be a third?</p>

<p>The macro kit was discounted for quite some time already, that's not a deal specific to the holiday shopping season. I could be wrong, but it seems that that particular discount has been offered for a year or so already.</p>

<p>I was half expecting the free battery grip deal to continue but purchased the D500/16-80 combo at the first opportunity nonetheless. If someone sends me $2500, I will help Nikon getting rid of their surplus MB-D12 ;-)</p>

<p>Dec. 10: Above rebates extended until 1/1/17 and 35/1.8G DX added at $166.95 (until 12/18).</p>

<blockquote>

<p>Dec. 10: Above rebates extended until 1/1/17</p>

</blockquote>

<p>The lens rebates started on December 4 continue.<br>

Those started on November 13 were over on December 3.</p>

Happy new year.

 

Happy new year? Other than the 35mm/85mm DX lens kit, these deals seem to have all expired. The D500 is back to $2000 with no free grip. Of course whoever needs a D500 has bought one, and hardly

anybody will buy one at that price now. We'll see what Nikon has to show at CES and perhaps there will be more rebates

by February and March before the end of Nikon's fiscal year.

<p>The D500/16-80 combo is still discounted $470 at $2600, as are the D750 and D810 with the 24-120 at $2400 and $3300, respectively. Those discounts already existed earlier in 2016.</p>