No Annual Nikon February/March Lens Rebate in 2017?

[ShunCheung]

In the last several years, Nikon USA always had some lens-only rebates from around mid February through the end of March, which is also the end of Nikon's fiscal year. For example, in 2014 and 2015, we had these rebates:

• https://www.photo.net/discuss/threads/nikon-usa-lens-rebate-thru-march-28-2015.495681/
  
• https://www.photo.net/discuss/threads/nikon-usa-lens-rebate-through-march-29-extended-from-march-1.489438/
  

 

However, it is March 1 already, and at least I am not aware of any rebate this year. As most of us know, the DL series is cancelled a year after its original announcement and many shipment delays (without ever reaching the market). And after the D5 + D500 launch in January 2016, there still hasn't been any more higher-end Nikon camera announcement in over a year.

 

Somehow this Nikon 100th anniversary year feels different.

[lahuasteca]

Gee - what a coincidence with your post! I woke up this morning and decided if, by chance, there were rebates on either 70-200 f4 or 28-300. I had used a rented 28-300 last weekend to photograph a cultural event and was surprised at how good the IQ, albeit in bright sunlight. Did not purchase the rented lens (Lens Rentals) in hope that rebates were just around the corner.

[Member69643]

I can see the Nikon bean counters looking at the marketing guys and saying "REBATES? Have you SEEN our financial results???"

 

:)

[ilkka_nissila]

I guess rebates are issued when there is a lot of unsold stock which can be sold by reducing prices a bit. I guess at present this is not the case. Nikon may be paying more attention to making a profit rather than being interested in number of cameras or lenses sold as an end in itself.

[Andrew Garrard]

I thought retailers tended still to have several old models kicking around - B&H are still selling the D5300 (and imported D5200s), for example. Nikon's USA web site talks about sales and includes discounts on the D810, among others. I've not looked too closely, being in the wrong country. WEx have some discounts active too (and also still sell the D5300) - I don't know whether that's Nikon's doing. I don't get the impression that Nikon's stuffing of the channel for the last few years has emptied itself out yet.

[bob_flood1]

As I recall, one of Nikon's recent statements explained that they are moving away from trying to increase market share (or expanding the market) to improving profitability of what they sell. That seems to be in line with omitting rebates unless absolutely necessary. It seems to me that, given the new focus on profits, it would likely take some fairly intense pressure from retailers holding too much Nikon inventory to get rebates from now on.

[Dieter Schaefer]

A rather timely article by Thom Hogan: http://www.dslrbodies.com/newsviews/what-nikon-users-are-saying.html

Fully agree that it's high time for a "state-of-Nikon" address by their top brass. D5, D500, 200-500 (that was 2015 though), 105/1.4, PC-19/4E, and 70-200/2.8E (not sure what the current state on affairs regarding the ring switch is) are some very fine products. Snapbridge, D5600 warm-up, another round of consumer kit lenses, not so much. There's still promotions on cameras/camera lens combos going on, but there's almost no rebate on lenses alone (55-200, and 85/35 DX macro/portrait kit).

[bob_bill]

And where's the replacement for the d810???

[rodeo_joe1]

A "me too" 50 megapixel (or higher) FX camera from Nikon is their most likely next move IMHO. It would be nice if they fitted a 16 bit A/D converter to gazump Canon and compete with so-called MF cameras as well. Further than that my crystal-ball gazing gets a bit cloudy, but it wouldn't surprise me if a mirrorless camera was on the horizon. Maybe not in this fiscal year though.

[bob_bill]

Joe, more megapixels nice, but how about more dynamic range.

[Two23]

This is a long read, but worth it. I think it explains why the rebates of the past really weren't a good idea.

 

https://petapixel.com/2017/03/02/another-big-camera-store-fails-many-closing/

 

 

Kent inSD

[ilkka_nissila]

My guess is that Nikon put the D810 team to make the D500 which would partly why the D810 hasn't been replaced. You can't have everything all at once. The D810 still has the best base ISO dynamic range among 35mm full frame cameras, but its autofocus could benefit from Multi-CAM 20k and improved LVAF.

 

Increasing pixel count given otherwise similar technology seems to increase base ISO dynamic range automatically by a small amount as the per pixel read noise affects a smaller area in the whole image. So with high pixel counts, no need for a high bit depth ADC.

[ilkka_nissila]

70-200/2.8E (not sure what the current state on affairs regarding the ring switch is)

What is the question exactly? The rings aren't going to be exchanged back without a complete redesign of the lens, so 7-8 years ... :)

[Dieter Schaefer]

70-200/2.8E (not sure what the current state on affairs regarding the ring switch is) What is the question exactly?

Whether or not the 70-200/2.8E can be included in my list of "fine products" or not. Given the negative outpouring over the ring switch, I am merely wondering if the obvious optical quality of the lens has swayed even those naysayers. And you are quite right, whether grudgingly or not, everyone buying the current lens will have to adapt as the rings wont get reversed anytime soon.

[Mike_R1664876643]

Like it or not, many have come to rely on the rebates as a small incentive to go ahead and buy a lens they didn't necessarily need, but wanted. I think this will hurt Nikon's bottom line for that reason. If someone really needed a lens they would buy it with or without rebates, but this takes away a lot of potential buyers waiting for the rebates, who will now either hold off buying for now or maybe just not buy it at all. I'm in that category. I have the 80-200 2.8d, which is a great lens, but thought I would get the 70-200 f4 as a lighter weight alternative to take on a photo trip this summer. But without the incentive of a rebate I'm just going to stick with the lens I have, unless I can find a good deal on a used one between now and then.

[ilkka_nissila]

The negative outpouring, as far as I can see, was short lived and before the lens was actually available for proper testing. The new lens is lighter especially at the front, which makes it easier to handle, even one handed (holding just the camera). The AF is faster and hesitates/jitters less, there is the very nice SPORT VR mode, the tripod collar is more rigid, the image quality is improved (no longer double line back bokeh at mid to long distances (the G II version produced this artifact a lot of the time for me at whole body distances, which really subtracted from its value), less flare, more consistent sharpness), maintains focal length upon close focus (yes it is important especially if one prefers not to carry a separate longer lens), focuses closer etc. Lensrentals consider it the best 70-200mm available from any maker after their optical testing. It certainly is the most enjoyable to use of the four different f/2.8 telezooms that I've used. IMO complaining about the ring swap sounds like a complaint from someone who is unwilling to adopt to any changes and it is hard not to see some of those outbursts as click bait. Most zoom lenses in the Nikon system have the zoom ring at the front of the lens so it is not something new, yet it is the first time I've ever heard such a complaint. Yes, it would be nicer if the zoom ring was at the back but no way would I give the lens back. I'm not a child who has a tantrum at every turn and complains about anything and everything that is different from what they would like, no matter how trivial. But then I do not make money from making sensationalist outbursts online which is kind of a signature of our times I guess.

 

It is not a fine lens, it is an astonishing lens. I think it is ironic that when Nikon made mediocre products in general, with numerous flaws, they sold a lot of them. Now they make nearly perfect products in many cases (speaking of their higher end products) and people don't buy. It's kind of a paradox. Perhaps Nikon products are getting too good and sophisticated for their own good. For some reason it appears that when you have a deeply flawed and immature product, people will forgive it for its flaws and use it. But if there is a product which has a tiny flaw and a thousand things done extremely well, then they complain about the tiny flaw instead of using the product for all that is good in it. It is so strange.

[Dieter Schaefer]

people don't buy

In this particular case, the price may have something to do with it. I am sure glad I don't need a 70-200 f/2.8 zoom.

IMO complaining about the ring swap sounds like a complaint from someone who is unwilling to adopt to any changes and it is hard not to see some of those outbursts as click bait.

One or two I saw made some valid arguments (valid for them, not necessarily valid for everyone else). But in general, it just appeared a case of "searching for and finding something to complain about".<br><br> While I am not happy with how Nikon positions some of the camera controls, after a while I adapt (grudgingly). The one time it definitely influenced a purchasing decision was with the D7000, a camera I could not hold comfortably at all and hence didn't buy.

many have come to rely on the rebates as a small incentive to go ahead and buy a lens they didn't necessarily need, but wanted.

Indeed. For me, this was the case with the AF-S 80-400 a few years back; the $400 rebate at least made the purchase a bit more palatable (I am not going to argue the need vs want here). And without the rebate, I would not have added the 16-80 to the D500 purchase at the end of last year.

[Two23]

Rebates were never an incentive for me. I almost always buy used. I save a lot more money. Just bought a Nikon D5300 for $290, and it's essentially the same as the latest D5600 at $700. Unfortunately, Nikon doesn't make a really first rate travel zoom for it, so I am buying a Sigma 17-50mm f2.8. (Also from ebay.)

 

 

Kent in SD

[ilkka_nissila]

I do think it would have been better if the rings had not been swapped, but there are so many improvements which I would not give up to get the rings swapped back to where they were. I believe the rings need to be positioned in such a way that the mechanisms that they control are underneath and they cannot just position the rings where ever it would be most convenient for the user unless they implement the control by "fly by wire" and motors (or a complicated and potentially bulky mechanical control system). I think the lens is a stunning achievement given that the reason Nikon gave for the focus breathing in the VR G II version was to achieve the fast and accurate AF; in the new lens they were able to achieve a breathing-free lens with very fast AF, and reduce the weight. Every time I lift the lens up to shoot I notice that the lens is light in the front, and it is just nice that it doesn't need to be always supported by the left hand. It is also nice that I can frame the shots tight to get a close-up of a performer and it just lets me focus that close. And the SPORT VR is something that supports the lens but doesn't interfere with my composition, following the action etc. The focus buttons on the lens I have not quite gotten used to using, but I'm practicing that. They can be used to switch the autofocus area mode to a specific setting temporarily, without having to take one's left hand off to access that (dreaded) button on the left side of the camera. ;) I think maybe it would be better if the lens buttons could be used as toggle instead of "press and hold", but it is good to have configurable buttons to customize the camera in the lens as well as the body. I tend to use a constant AF area mode most through the shoot and not change it, but perhaps if changing it were easier, I would do it more often. Still, my brain has difficulty coping with changes in AF area mode during a shoot and usually if I change the mode I end up with missed shots. I am happiest with group area AF mode and single AF point mode, and have the most difficulty with dynamic area AF, but I know others here use it successfully. I guess we could have another discussion on how we use different AF area modes and can find a better understanding of how they work.

 

I agree sometimes the controls are not in the most convenient places. For example, in the D5 the MODE button is on the left side and I reprogrammed the record button to MODE so that I have access to both MODE and ISO on the right side, on both the D810 and D5 (on the D810 I reprogrammed REC to act as ISO). But they're not in the same place in the two cameras even after reprogramming which is inconvenient if not using the cameras daily (in which case the hands would feel the camera's shape and know instinctively where to go for each control). I realize I was quick to complain that the record button in the D8x0 was right next to the shutter button where I used to have MODE in older cameras, and Nikon took the REC button further away, but now that it can be reprogrammed as MODE, I want it close to the shutter button! Be that as it may, I think Nikon is going to shift controls around and we as users have to adopt. I think overall the situation is not too bad and I can still pick up the D3X and instinctively know how to use it without looking at the controls, because my hands recognize the shape of the camera and somehow they just know what to do. The MODE / ISO swapping business with the D810/D5 do confuse me, however, and force me to look at the camera before adjusting MODE on the D5 in particular.

[ilkka_nissila]

Unfortunately, Nikon doesn't make a really first rate travel zoom for it, so I am buying a Sigma 17-50mm f2.8.

 

Did you try the 16-80mm Nikkor? I believe it is a bit lighter than the 17-50mm Sigma, and has more range (but is f/2.8-f/4, not f/2.8 constant).

[Dieter Schaefer]

Unfortunately, Nikon doesn't make a really first rate travel zoom for it

The 16-80/2.8-4 that Ilkka mentions IMHO fits that description quite well. Though at $1067, it is quite dear. Adorama currently has refurbished ones for $750, which is still 50% more than its closest competitor, the Sigma 17-70/2.8-4 costs new. At its currently heavily discounted price of $370, the Sigma 17-50/2.8 is hard to beat though (I personally find the range to be quite limited and hence limiting).<br><br>

While not as good as the 16-80, the 18-140 is a lens that works quite well on Nikon's 24MP DX bodies. In fact, it is my walkaround solution, attached to a D7100 and in lieu of an FX midrange zoom (aka 24-120/4).

[Two23]

Did you try the 16-80mm Nikkor? I believe it is a bit lighter than the 17-50mm Sigma, and has more range (but is f/2.8-f/4, not f/2.8 constant).

 

 

Have not seen any reviews that include metrics such as resolution. And anyway, I just can't justify spending over $1K on a lens that is basically a back up. In a year or two there will be used ones available, and I'll see how it compares to the Sigma 17-50mm f2.8. That lens seems to be second best only to the Sigma 18-35mm f1.8. After 50mm I will just use the longer lenses I have for the D800E.

 

 

Kent in SD

[Two23]

Looks like someone dumped a Nikon 16-80mm on ebay for $400. I would have paid that. I'll add the lens to my watch list.

 

 

Kent in SD

[steve_johnston4]

Joe, more megapixels nice, but how about more dynamic range.

Yes! I'd love 10-12 stops of DR.

[Dieter Schaefer]

Yes! I'd love 10-12 stops of DR.

I must be missing something. Even my D300 offered 12 and one has to go back quite far to find a Nikon that didn't at least give 10 (at base ISO, data taken from dxomark). Current cameras usually are at 14+ (though I know of none that offers 15).