bennett ho

The 28mm 2.8 AIS is a great lens for film or digital. I lucked out and found a mint condition used one for $125 in Korea 4 years ago. I love the close focusing qualities(tack sharp); plus the lens seems to reach it's peak performance around F4 already. Of course I don't really do much tests. I just take photos with it...

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<img src="http://bhophoto.com/images/misc/28ais-01.jpg">

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<img src="http://bhophoto.com/images/misc/28ais-10.jpg">

 

I say get one if you are considering it.

That may well be the most confusing thing I've read today.

 

QUOTE: "the 17-55mm is pretty sharp wide open at all apertures" Doesn't wide open mean F2.8? I think you mean to say 'at the widest setting'.

 

QUOTE: "After f5.6 things take a turn for the worse. I was fairly impressed with the 17-55mm even stopped down"

Why are you contradicting yourself?

 

If you look for wides for landscapes then why not get the 12-24mm? Its more suited for landscapes on a Nikon digital body then the 17-35mm.

If you absolutely need to review your images with a portable device than the Epson is great. Personally, I don't waste time(and battery) browsing through my photos after I've previewed them on the camera so I didn't bother with the pricey Epson. Instead I got myself a Nexto DI 120GB portable HD for around $200. It's probably even cheaper now. I believe they make the fastest portable(CF card) photo storage unit at the moment. If you use other formats than CF you can get the optional adapter. My 80x Transcend 2GB CF card takes less than 2 minutes to transfer.

The 50mm F1.2 does cost a bit at KEH(and in the US). I got a brand new on in Tokyo for around $375. Whether it's worth it or not I'll leave that up to you. The glass itself is superb and among my favorite to use.

 

I find the 28mm F2.8 AIS another great walk around manual lens that is tack sharp and great for wide-angle perspective close-ups(0.2m close-focusing).

I had a Tamron 180mm F3.5 macro but sold it to a friend. Many people associate the R1-C1 only for macro work, however I used it mostly for studio work and portraits.

 

So far 2 votes for the 10.5mm and 2 for the 105mm VR. Hmm...

This is sort of a fun thread(for me anyways). I'll be heading to Tokyo and have

some money to spend on lenses. Whether the lens is neccessary is not important. >;p

On my wish list(in no particular order):

 

Nikkor 35mm F1.4 AIS

 

Nikkor 50mm F1.2 AIS

 

Nikkor 10.5mm F2.8 Fisheye

 

Nikkor 105mm F2.8 VR Micro

 

Zeiss ZF 50mm F1.4

 

I can't seem to pinpoint which lens is most desirable at this point. I will pick

one up but which? I know different people have different opinions and tastes.

Let's take a vote!

 

Current gear:

 

D2x

 

Tokina 12-24mm

 

Nikkor 17-55mm

 

Nikkor 70-200mm VR

 

Nikkor 28mm F2.8 AIS

 

Nikkor 45mm F2.8P

 

Nikkor 85mm F1.4D

 

Nikon SB-800

 

Nikon R1-C1

 

Cheers...

Wondering if any of you folks have either the Lowepro dryzone Rover or the Rover

AWII backpack? My concern is will the 70-200mm VR fit in either one? The Rover

AWII camera compartment seems a tad deeper(taller) than the newer dryzone Rover

so I presume the 70-200mm should fit better.

 

Also going into the bag is a D2x+17-55mm / SB-800 / portable HD.

 

Your suggestions or experiences would be appreciated.

The 18-70mm is a perfectly good lens on the D200. Unless you are looking for faster glass I don't see a reason to give it up just to get the 18-200mm. The 12-24mm on the other hand is a wonderful addition if you enjoy the ultra-wide perspective. Depending on your shooting style it may even be more useful than just the 18-200mm VR and your existing 105mm macro.

Thanks for the informative suggestions and experiences everyone. Much appreciated.

 

Weight isn't a big concern as long as the equipment gets used. I wouldn't want to take the 80-200mm if it's not on the camera more than 15% of the time. I can sacrific a bit. Concerning the tele-end, I will give it more thought.

 

The D2x on the other hand is my workhorse and I intend to take thousands of photos. I don't have a problem with its weight plus it is my only digital SLR right now. I am not going to take a heavy tripod for the trip. Just a compact one.

 

The toughest decision is between the 12-24mm and 17-55mm. The only time the ultra-wide will be wonderful are for architecture and landscapes. I can't imagine not having it inside a beautiful church or on top of a building overlooking Rome's cityscape. On the other hand the ultra-wide is a little limiting for general photography. So...I believe I will bring both, maybe sneak the 12-24mm inside the wife's handbag. >;)

 

Oh yeah...concerning the flash, take or leave at home? I can't imagine enough situations for its use to warrant taking it along. Maybe some of you could convince me otherwise...

Planning a 5 week trip to Europe. Countries on the list so far -

England, Ireland, France, and Italy.

Bringing the D2x, SB-800, 80gig HD and tripod.

 

Currently I have these lenses:

12-24mm F4 / 17-55mm F2.8 / 80-200mm F2.8 (AF-D) / 28mm F2.8 AIS /

45mm F2.8 P / 85mm F1.4D

 

The MF lenses usually stay on my little FA so I'll probably omit them.

I only want to take the miniumum and here are the combo(s) I have come

up with, in no particular order...

 

1) 12-24mm + 80-200mm

 

2) 17-55mm + 80-200mm

 

3) 12-24mm + 85mm

 

4) 17-55mm + 85mm

 

I would love to take just the 17-55mm lens but I think I need

something wider and longer. Wider for interiors/cathedrals/landscapes,

longer for portraits/isolation/scenery. Will the 85mm be long enough

you think? If so I am leaning towards option #3. It is also the

lightest combo. I will be stuffing this gear into a lowepro dryzone

rover and the 80-200mm might be a pain to carry and might not be needed.

 

18-200mm VR is out of the question so don't bring it up. >;)

 

Any suggestions or experiences you like to share on shooting in europe?

Oops...one more time...

 

These are my usual combinations:

 

FM3a + MF 28mm F2.8 AIS/AF 85mm F1.4D

 

FM3a + MF 45mm F2.8P

 

D2x + AF 12-24mm F4/AF 80-400mm VR

 

D2x + MF 28mm F2.8 AIS/AF 85mm F1.4D

I switch between the D2x and FM3a depending what is on the agenda that day. For walk around I prefer the FM3a as it is tiny and light compared to the D2x. For events and landscapes I prefer the D2x for it's speed and high image quality.

 

These are my usual combinations:

FM3a + MF 28mm F2.8 AIS/AF 85mm F1.4D

FM3a + MF 45mm F2.8P

D2x + AF 12-24mm F4/AF 80-400mm VR

D2x + MF 28mm F2.8 AIS/AF 85mm F1.4D

Hello informative folks,

 

I have a general question about flash photography using a FM3a and

SB-800. Firstly, I understand in "A" mode the FM3a will fire at 1/250

every time with a flash mounted on. That is fine for daytime

fill-flash use but for evening shots I am better off selecting slower

shutter speeds manually, right? 1/60-1/15 depending on the lens in use...

 

On the SB-800, in TTL mode I still have to manually select the

aperture and zoom(len's lenght) since it won't automatically identify

this data from the FM3a. Is this the way it works? What about "A"

mode on the SB-800 vs "TTL" mode, what's the difference?

 

What are the best settings to use in general for

daylight/evening/night shots? Much appreciated.

The concern is that I do not live in the US so I do not intend to deal with returns, exchanges, etc. I've dealt with Adorama before in the past, bought a few filters and accessories(new) without any problems. Once, many years ago, I tried to buy a used Nikon FE2 but they didn't even shipping it and no replies to my emails for over a week. In the end I cancelled the order. I guess things haven't changed much after hearing out your feedbacks. That seals the deal.

Thanks for the responses everyone. From the tone of everyone's post it's best I stay away from Adorama. Will wait a while and shop at KEH.

Hi folks,

 

I am wondering if any of you have previous experiences purchasing

"used" equipment from Adorama? I am looking to pick up a used Nikon F3

with "E+" rating from them. There is also a "D(demo)" rated F3HP w/

box but the price is a lot steeper. How reliable are the ratings? I

understand KEH.com may be a bit more reliable in terms of their

ratings but they do not have a F3 in mint condition at the moment. I

do not intend to buy from ebay either.

 

Any feed back from your past experiences would be appreciated.

Even without the SB800 attached, I can lock focus(auto) in near pitch dark environments as long as there is a little contrast in the scene. You shouldn't have any problems focusing with that camera in a nightclub. As the above poster suggested, check and make sure your SB800 AF-assist is set to "On".

Depends entirely on your budget and what you plan to do with your photos. Optically, these lenses: 18-55mm, 18-70mm, 28-200mm, 24-120mm VR, and 18-200mm VR will be very similar on prints done with the D70s. The extra money you spend will be for better mechanics(focusing), VR, focal lenght coverage, and built quality. 18-200mm VR being a brand new lens will be the best of the bunch in most respects, great lens if you can afford it. Do yourself a favour and go try out each lens before deciding. It's much easier to make the decision after you get to feel it.

<p>I've always wanted one of these specialized flashes for macro and studio work. It makes taking close-ups a lot easier without having to carry a tripod around, plus works nicely for close-up portraits and studio type shooting. When Nikon announed the R1C1 late 2005, I knew it would find it's way into my camera bag.</p>

<p>This is one of the most advanced flash system available today and it's suprisingly a breeze to operate. It's not that much bigger than the Canon MT24, the commander unit is actually much smaller and there are no wires which lightens the package even more. The flash units themselves maybe a little bigger but the overall system is not that heavy. If you need to get the shots and have more control over lighting, then it's not too big and cumbersome. The SB-29s is great for macros but it's not as versitile for studio shooting, where as I can place the SB-200's anywhere I want then trigger it from a distance with a tele-lens. Surprisingly it works great even with a 12mm lens.</p>

<p>The R1C1 package comes with 5 filter rings - 52mm, 62m, 67mm, 72mm, and 77mm. It probably isn't powerful enough for catwalk fashion shows or for subjects 15ft away(iso100), but I've only tested it with two flash units. Mounting a few more units might improve the coverage.</p>

 

<p align="center"><img src=http://www.bhophoto.com/images/camera-gear/r1c1.jpg></p>

<p align="center"><img src=http://www.bhophoto.com/photographs/2006%20Abstract/abstact-20.jpg></p>

<p align="center"><img src=http://www.bhophoto.com/photographs/2006%20Abstract/abstact-18.jpg></p>

I'll be picking up the R1C1 tomorrow. Can't wait >:E

 

I'll post a thread with sample photos soon so look for it.

Thanks for your informative responses everyone. Much appreciated.

 

I like both cameras but the F3 is tempting because of the history behind it. I use a D2x for my photography these days and quiet honestly I am looking to get one of these old classics for sentimental reasons more than anything, plus for travel photography. I still love shooting film which is why I still use my 645 format from time to time.

 

Regarding mirror slap noise, is there a difference? I also read reports that the F3's LCD read-out will get dimmer over the years. True? Can this be serviced?

 

There are a few good used camera shops where I live and I will definately closely inspect them prior to purchase. But if prices are considerably higher than on the internet I might just order online(probably from KEH.com).

I'm currently looking to pick up either one of these cameras and

overall I know the benefits and limitations of both cameras but

simply can't decide which one would be best. I've handled the FM3a

before but not the F3. I like the fact that the F3 has a better

viewfinder and LCD read-out compared to the needle read-out of the

FM3a. I also think the mini-grip on the F3 will be nice. The only

drawback of the F3 is poor flash performance plus the need for

additional flash adapter. Also I will be purchasing the F3 from the

used market vs a new FM3a.

 

I guess the question is what are the minute advantages of the F3(non

HP) over the FM3a from personal experience? and vice versa?

 

Folks with either one of these classic cameras could you give some

feedback?