Is it Worth the Price ?

[suchitra]

I Just Brought A Nikon F55 SLR Camera With 28-100mm, 70-300mm lenses

on impluse, for 165 Pounds all together. I had never used Nickon SLR

before, Being the Pentaz Girl I jumped the Gun. Now that my already

non-existant student account is wiped out, i need some critque and

review on this Nickon Model. I want to know how bad or how good my

buy was? I know on the retailers market the 70-300mm lense retails

at around £119 and £249.99 with the camera and 28-100mm lense. This

Nickon is a second hand unwanted chirstmas gift , which still has 6

months warrenty left. I would also appreciate comments from previous

users of this model.<div></div>

[Sanford]

Based on your numbers you got a great deal. You can always trade up to better stuff or use it as a backup (you have to have a backup!). Canon owners hate to hear this, but model for model Nikon equipment retains more it's value than most other brands.

[petra_mallett]

I'm not quite sure what the exchange for pound vs dollar is these days, however I just purchased a Nikon N75 w/28mm-105mm for $300 dollars total. That, unfortunately, is the going rate here in the states so I don't feel I got such a bargain. HOWEVER - I have been using a Minolta point and shoot for the last 7-8 years, and prior to that I had a Nikon One Touch. The SLR world is a jump I eagerly anticipate and I must say, of the point and shoot experience I have had, the Nikon wins hands down. That being said, the N75 I truly believe will nake me a VERY happy camper.

[ky2]

It's only worth the price if you shoot with it. Otherwise, it's a very expensive paperweight =). It's a fine camera and good lenses.

[jbq]

One of my biggest gripe with the N55 came when I wanted to upgrade, as it can't use the current higher-end lenses (AF-S) and thus has little value as a backup.

 

The 28-100 is probably not a stellar performer if it is only as good as the 28-80 that usually comes with the N55/F55. If you add a 50/1.8 (very highly recommended), you'll see that you'll end up only using the wide end of the 28-100, and that the wide end of the 70-300 is much better than the long end of the 70-300. The 70-300 is a great lens if you think of it as a 70-200 that can extend to 300mm in a pinch, but if you shoot at 300mm all the time it cam be a bit disappointing (well, you need to shoot fast film in sunlight so that you can stop it down to f/11 or f/13 and still have a decent shutter speed).

 

Overall, this is not a top-quality or fully-featured SLR (the lack of mirror lock-up, spot metering or depth-of-field preview come to mind), but it's a great value for the money, and it'll run circles around any point-and-shoot that tries to cover similar focal lengths.

[scott_mcloughlin]

Sounds like a darn good deal.

 

Go shoot 100 rolls or so with it, and you'll know your money was well spent.

 

Yeah, as a poster said above, snag a 50/1.8 AFD when you get a chance. Ridiculously sharp and great contrast. Plenty fast for flashless shooting (with good old 400 speed film). Your zooms won't take you that direction. Crazy cheap, like some kind of "gift from Nikon." Should be had for a song used. ($90 new here in the states)

 

Of course, oodles of really superb, delicious and expensive high quality Nikon gear to burn some coin on in the future. But there's plenty of time....

[john_carter_rhodes]

Jean_Baptiste, The F55 can't use the AF-S lenses? Can't use the Silent Wave function surely, but the lenses themselves are perfectly useable, no?

 

Correct me if I'm wrong. I'm not too up-to-date with current AF functionaility.

 

Suchitra, sounds like a great deal though. I'm pretty sure the market price for these things is considerably higher, more like £300, weo well done. :) Use them lots and make the most of them.

 

John.

[doghouse_reilly]

Suchitra,

I think you made a swell bargain!

You got yourself basic equipment for the world of photography. You can make a lot with the N55 and the lenses., assuming you'll learn how to use them optimally.

I suggest a good article on the www.kenrockwell.com site. Its about why your photo equipment does not matter, when you have the basic equipment.

 

I started shooting with an old Minolta (3xi) and an antique Exacata lens (35-70). I bought it three years ago for about 110 pounds. Today I own a fine N75 and the great 50mm f/1.8D lens (I have the 28-80G too, yet I hardly use it now).

 

And the punchline is that, to be quite honest, I sometimes miss my old Minolta - which did'nt have spot/centreweighted light meter, which did'nt have light compensation options, neither bracketing.

I had great photos with it, because a good photo depends much on the artist that holds the camera and choose the scene and angle and light.

 

Start shooting. Hunt for light and events. Learn your mistakes after processing and printing the images - and go on.

 

Until you find that either you dont like it - and throw your camera away - or you love it - and start investing in better lenses (the lens is critically more important than your camera body) and indulge yourself in an expensive body (F100 or D70).

 

And, Most important, Enjoy while doing so!!!

[jbq]

John: well, yeah, an AF-S lens will mount, but the camera won't auto-focus. Similarly an unchipped AI/AIS lens will mount but the camera won't meter (I've even successfully mounted non-AI lenses without a problem).

 

Another limitation I forgot: no TTL flash with an external flash, only with the internal one.

[john_carter_rhodes]

Jean-Baptiste, Yup. But the camera body is probably the least valuable part of the kit she's bought. It'll work for now with the lenses she has, and will work with other lenses too. I guess you're right, that if she seriously wants to upgrade, a different body will be useful. :)

 

John.