ken_i_h

<p>My guess - I see and hear "some" complaints in the past few months regarding the US custom when importing "relatively" expensive goods, e.g. watches, gudgets, etc., namely it takes much longer than before.</p>

<p>I recently bought Panasonic's new P&S and time lag of the release here from the release in Japan (the model is made in Japan) was about two weeks. So, this lens was released on March 19 in Japan and it is April 7 and obviously more than two weeks - but there was the easter or passover week and that might explain the extra delay. B&H - the biggest retailer for Nikon in US - had been closed until yesterday for a week or so, too.</p>

<p>I highly doubt that US market is placed so low in Nikon's priority list. I believe US is the TOP priority market outside Japan, like many other products/brands - evidence is that the products are priced cheaper in US than in Japan and many other markets.</p>

<p>Just my 2 yen.</p>

<p>Update 135mm f/2 DC!! (maybe 105mm, too)<br>

The AF is too front focus with D700 and the Nikon Service Center could not recalibrate, essentially telling me to suck it up. This focus length with fast apperture is kinda missing in the current line-up. I know D3 users have little problem with this lens, but unfortunately not with my D700.</p>

<p>I would be interested as well in:<br>

35mm f/1.4 AFS<br>

300mm f/4 AFS w/VR</p>

<p>Peter Heritage - I am deeply sorry for your loss. My father passed away last year and it was not easy for me as I had been very far from home for a long time. My condolences.</p>

<p>One more thing to consider in the price in Japan when comparing it with US price - all the prices in Japan include sales tax (5%). So, the cheapest price is "almost" par with the US price....</p>

<p>Congrats, Rene!<br>

I triied it in Ginza last month when I was on home leave. My impresson was inconclusive (of course, I could test it only in the "Nikon Plaze" premise in front of the Nikon rep), but leaning to positive. Let us know what you find out. If I should decide to get one, I should get one in here (US) before moving back to Japan (soon) as it appears more expensive in Japan than in US. Maybe someday we bump onto each other :-)</p>

<p>Best,<br>

Ken</p>

<p>Well, I always send mine to Nikon Service Center in NY. It takes a day to get there and they ship back overnight as well. As long as I explain the problem in very detail, they fix it pretty quick. Normally within two weeks. Last time I sent my D90 for hot pixel fix, it was just a week. My nearest authorized service center - they charge for shipping for under warranty repair as they have to send to Nikon anyway (that's okay, but I can choose how I ship it and I choose cheaper way but it takes just one day anyway from NYC) and they don't listen to me well about the problem and try to summarize the problem in just a few words - no one, let alone Nikon would understand the full context of the issue. So, I decided to write a letter myself when I have problem in detail and attache it to the equipment when I ship it out to Nikon Service Center. What is even better - UPS comes to my apartment building everyday to deliver and pick up, so I don't have to bother to take subway to go to downtown. I am totally happy with Nikon Service Center - sans other better alternative like APS, I guess. Now, I don't know how Nikon Service Center behaves for non-warranty repair as I have never tried that....</p>

<p>Hmnn. I have been using D700 for about a year and I have noticed the "LO" message when the cap is on and half push the shutter buttun, but it never annoyed me or appeared in the actual shooting situation. Maybe I am missing something here.... It must mean "warning" when the required shutter speed (I normally use "A" mode) is extremely long, say 30sec? Sorry, I don't do such low-light or long shutter-speed shooting, so I may be just lucky. Unnecessary or annoying - could be, but I don't know as I haven't encountered it in the field.</p>

<p>I got the same letter from Nikon when I sent in 135mm f2 DC under warranty due to front focus issue (with D700, can't make it right even with +20 on AF fine tune). I undersood that Nikon is telling me to give it up, and I sold the lens with very loss on *Bay. I NEED 135mm lens (it is the gap in my lens line up), and I wish for "better" 135mm AF lens... D3 maybe one of the solutions (as many D3 users seem to have perfect AF with 135mm f2 DC).....</p>

<p>Almost zero or $10 to $20. May I suggest you bring it in to Nikon Service Center or one of the reputed authorized service center for repair estimate? If it works perfectly within factory specification, it will sell for, I don't know, $500 to $600 depending on the cosmetic appearance and/or whether there is box and manual and original papers, etc.. You can decide to dump it into the barbage bin or eBay as-is after getting the repair estimate.<br>

Just my 2 cents.</p>

<p>Depends.<br>

On my D700, it was too close focus even with +20 at Zero. At F2, it was okay, but I sold it. Some people say it focuses perfectly on D3....</p>

<p>AF Fine Tune doesn't work perfectly for zoom lenses, you are right. If you so feel, 35mm 1.4 AIS is also a wonderful lens, I have one and I can vouch, as long as you won't miss wider than 35mm..... But then again, if you go that way, AF 35mm f/2 is much less pricey and you also can get 24 or 28 primes with the similar budget. <br>

As for me, I am happy with my several-year-old 17-35 and its convenience as a zoom is sometimes priceless on walkabout. YMMV.</p>

<p>The more you have, the more you want..... Sometimes "need" has little to do when it comes to "hobbies", some say. As long as you can afford it, there is nothing wrong about NAS and enjoy!</p>

<p>With my FX body (D700), it always performs excellently and I love it and carry it all the time together with 24-70. Those two are, for me, "must" lenses for my FX body. Maybe your example needs a bit of AF Fine Tune adjustment?</p>

<p>I would have them both checked out by Nikon service or Nikon authorized service center and get estimate. Then decide which is cheaper, this pair or any alternatives. If you don't have time for that, then I would return them.</p>

<p>And my favorite this week are (sorry for mentioning without comment for each):<br /> Matt Laur, Narayan, Kovvali, Greg K, Bill J Boyd, Tiffany Brook, Greg Jones, Jennifer Meighan, Bogdan N, Sanford G, Rene V, Anish, Matthew B, Cees Maas, Hamish, Ashim, Dey, Ilkka, Monika E, David Love, John Mita, Aguinaldo, Kent Shafer, Roberta, Mark Gordon, Doug Santo, Dieter Schaefer, Shun, Christfer Sperry, Brian Bahn, Dimitris Tavlikos, Jeff Lipman, James Kazan, Per-Christian, Peter Doucette, Lex, Michael Borland, ...<br /> They are all great in color, composition, sharpness as well as blurness and I admire the skill. I hope everyone share a bit more of data (some do a lot, some do little). See you next week!</p>

<p>Ken</p>

<p>Better late than never. I was away for two weeks and just came back yesterday and had been sleeping until a few hours ago :-)<br>

In a garden nearby, there was a boy sitting there....</p><div></div>

<p>Hello,<br>

I am away this week and next - on trip for mostly business and family matter - and don't have one to post for the audience. But here are some that caught my eyes:</p>

<p>James Kazan, Eric James, Jana Hughes, Grant Tanner, Roberta Davidson, Epp B, Lil Judd, Jens Frederikson, John Morris, Dieter Schaefer, Cees Maas, Monika Epsefass, Aguinaldo de Paula, Richard Armstrong, Murali Palangat, Tim Holte, Mark Gordon, Dmitry Kiyatkin, Paul B, Doug Santo, Don Harper, Arthur Richardson, Gary McGhee, Filip Lucin, Steven Ford,,,,...</p>

<p>My apologies that I don't give each comment :-)</p>

<p>Looking forward to the next week entries.</p>

<p>I agree with vignetting. The 2nd pic background, I think that was the reflection of strange lighting from the ceiling and the glass diaplay case surface may not be exactly flat, etc.... But yes, the jury is still out.... We'll see.</p>

<p>Sorry, try again...<br>

D700, 24mm, f1.4, 1/250, ISO200<br>

<a href="http://picasaweb.google.co.jp/lh/photo/7Jo9VCqcnPSdhn6smVzaLA?authkey=Gv1sRgCJuaqfX7mLyN_gE&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_kwoecUwgMh4/S3Xq6Ee_kvI/AAAAAAAAJkg/my8dx4nE-t8/s800/KIH_4126.jpg" alt="" /></a><br>

1/160s<br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.co.jp/lh/photo/uG6mS69t5rcgwxsGRfnP-A?authkey=Gv1sRgCJuaqfX7mLyN_gE&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_kwoecUwgMh4/S3Xq6tRalvI/AAAAAAAAJkk/Lil5aSe97GM/s800/KIH_4128.jpg" alt="" /></a></p>

<p>Here you go. I am not sure what these can tell you, though :-)</p>

<p>I am in Tokyo now and today stopped by the "Nikon Plaza" in Ginza. There was a big showcase that had bunch of bodies and lenses and the two new lenses were in it. I asked to test 24mm f/1.4 and the they did let me use it for a while with my own D700 (in the show room only). I am not qualified to give review on it here, but my impression is "good". Focus was not impressively fast, but at wide open the "oozing" of bright light was much less noticeable than other 1.4 lenses I had (50mm 1.4D and 1.4G). <br>

If you are in the area, you should go and test it yourself.</p>

<p>There are so many great works. It's very hard to pick, but my favorite this week are:</p>

<p>Jeannean - your bird pics are as good as bug pics!<br>

Mikhail - nice angle of a handsome bird,<br>

Lil - um, where is the bird? Kidding. I like mushroom, too.<br>

Epp B - nice texture.<br>

Tiffany - I normally don't comment on people photo, but this one really got it.<br>

Aguinaldo - Sharp!<br>

Hamish - nice, cold and foggy scene.<br>

Neven - a great moment photo, as always.<br>

Dieter - nice pelican dance!<br>

Ilkka - I like your cold icy scenes.<br>

Janne - interesting pattern.<br>

Tom M - wonderful snow scene.<br>

Mircea C - like a painting and want to hang on the wall.<br>

Kent - what everyone said!<br>

Tom Pernal - I like this sunset scene.<br>

David Love - very nice night photo.<br>

Tim Holte - very nice angle sepia photo.<br>

Gary McGhee - wonderful scenery with water reflection.<br>

Dallas McVicker - very nice poster-like photo.<br>

Doug Santo - nice wide angle.<br>

Shun - as always, nice capture of the moment.<br>

F Dial - well captured the light and color of sunset scene.<br>

Monika - well composed pattern.</p>

<p>I enjoyed the tour around the world this week again. But where are Joseph Leotta and Rene V??? I miss them both regulars.</p>

<p>See you next Wednesday.</p>

<p>+1 for 17-35mm f2.8. Most useful for me - walk around the city and take landscape or cityscape. I picked up an old used one for about $900 but works flawlessly. </p>

<p>I do have 14-24, but rarely walk with it, but for indoor or museum only.... If you want pricme, 35mm f1.4 MF. 28mm f2.8 MF are both wonderful. I hear that 28mm f2.0 MF is great, too (I don't have that one, so I cannot comment).</p>

<p>But, then again, you may want to start from 24-70mm which seems very popular among FX body users, and I have one. My D700 is mostly attached to either 24-70 or 17-35, for walk around. And if you feel, after some time, 24-70 is not wide enough, then you add wider lenses.</p>

<p>Upon re-reading OP's post, I agree with what Matt and Shun said. I think it is a scam shop. Did you check reseller rating? Google the name of the shop and you may find lots of negative review.... I hope you still can get refund.</p>

<p>As far as I know, all D700 are made in Japan, so there is no "the USA made D700" but "D700 made FOR the USA market". Like Matt said, it is a matter of whether Nikon USA is the importer of D700. I guess the main difference between D700 sold for Japanese market and D700 sold for the USA market is the language of the operating manual and default setting (in Japanese or in English). You can change the language in the menu to whatever you prefer (I think there are over or almost 10 languages available in the menu). As a side note, for some reason, D700 sold IN Japan is more expensive than D700 sold in the USA now.</p>

<p>But $700 difference smells a bit fishy. Be careful. If you so prefer non-USA market products (grey market item), you must be okay that Nikon USA will NOT take care of your D700 whatever happens to it, while there are several good and authorized non-Nikon service centers throughout US as long as you pay for the service. I used warranty service (free) more than a few times by shipping to Nikon service center for my D700 (focus point shift - repaired!) and I am glad I bought USA model.</p>