The NIKON Thread (Talk About Nikon Stuff here) - Page 25 - Head-Fi: Covering Headphones, Earphones and Portable Audio

Mrvile · 03-01-2007, 03:44 AM

Originally Posted by dj_mocok

I'd rather have a used 20D than a brand new 400Xt.

x10

skyline889 · 03-01-2007, 09:18 AM

Originally Posted by mbriant

My recommendation for the D100 was mainly based on cost, the fact that I owned one, and the fact that I usually give extra points for heft and build quality. I've read about the D50 and D70 when they were first released but since I had my eye on a D2H, never paid a whole lot of attention. I believe there are benefits to both the D100 and the D70 but you'd have to do a feature/spec comparison to see what the differences were and what's most important to you. I paid $2000 Can for my D100 body when new and recently sold it in mint condition to my brother-in-law for $1000 Can. ... but included an extra 2 batteries, a vertical/battery handgrip, and 3 practically untouched Tamron (their high end) fast zooms with Hoya MRC filters, and a case.

Like I said, because this product category is new and rapidly developing, any future upgrade will mean you'll take a big loss on whatever you own ... so if you're thinking of getting a DSLR as a stop-gap stepping stone to learn on, or if you're just looking for excellent value for a camera that if taken care of should last a while, IMO the D100 is a good choice at this point in time.

A good friend of mine has been a top commercial/fashion photographer in Toronto for many years and shot with a film Nikon F2, a Hasselblad medium format (which he eventually added a digital back to), and a 4 x 5 camera until recently. His first DSLR??? A Nikon D50 which he used to shoot for magazines. He finally upgraded ... to a D70. Again, he's an award-winning professional. So when people say that the camera itself isn't the most important part of photography ... believe it.

Here's his website. He keeps his promotional photos current, but over the years he has shot tons and tons of excellent product (including audio equipment) travel, and fashion photos.

http://www.lafondphoto.com/index.html

Wow, I'm shooting film with an F2 too! The other half was reversed for me though, I sold my D70 a couple of months ago to downgrade to the D50. I unfotunately don't shoot award winning pictures though.

The D100 looks like a great body to shoot with, but I think the D50 might do a better job for me until next year when hopefully, the D80/D200 prices drop and I can try and pick one up used.

Another question, what do you guys do when you get in a rut? I've been getting bored with my shots and local scenery lately and can't think of anything interesting to shoot. It seems like everyday and everything just looks the same after a while.

Every now and then I fall into a rut like this and it takes me a while to find something interesting to shoot, any ideas?

perplex · 03-01-2007, 10:12 AM

Originally Posted by skyline889

Wow, I'm shooting film with an F2 too! The other half was reversed for me though, I sold my D70 a couple of months ago to downgrade to the D50. I unfotunately don't shoot award winning pictures though.

The D100 looks like a great body to shoot with, but I think the D50 might do a better job for me until next year when hopefully, the D80/D200 prices drop and I can try and pick one up used.

Another question, what do you guys do when you get in a rut? I've been getting bored with my shots and local scenery lately and can't think of anything interesting to shoot. It seems like everyday and everything just looks the same after a while. Every now and then I fall into a rut like this and it takes me a while to find something interesting to shoot, any ideas?

Buy a new lens

And about D100, I don't think it would be worth consideration if you already have a D70 or D50.

dj_mocok · 03-01-2007, 10:19 AM

Have you guys ever put too much cleaning solution and it actually left dried out smudges on the lens?

I was using the cotton swab that comes with the Giotto cleaning kit, and as instructed, I sprayed the tip first before using the swab to clean the edge of my lens. It scared me for awhile because after wiping it, I got a circular dried smudge on the lens. Luckily I could wipe it off using lenspen.

If you put too much solution, can this happen? or is it because the cleaning solution is dodgy?

PS: When bored, shoot different type of things. Since you've been doing landscapes, try shooting portraits (your friends/family) or you can do street B&W photography. You'll never know what you'll come accross outside on the street, you can get lots of interesting images on the street. I love street photography and really wanna do it, but I'm too embarassed carrying my camera around in the city and shooting something that most-passerbys won't find special, I'll look like a tourist or a weirdo (try shooting hydrant or traffic light on the street). Guess street photographer needs to have fairly thick skin eh?

WhatMACHI · 03-01-2007, 01:15 PM

Maybe go around with a friend

My friends and I were driving through the city to get my girlfriend and we were shooting at anything and everything lol :P We probably looked like idiots but we had fun

dj_mocok · 03-01-2007, 01:18 PM

So have you decided (or already bought) which camera to get?

Pm@c · 03-01-2007, 04:46 PM

Im really in a pickle. I want to take beautiful pictures, and get introduced to the photography hobby, but I am unsure of what camera to buy. Would it be better to go cheaper for say a D40 or a D100 or should i splurge for a D80? I really want to get into this and be able to take some beautiful pictures, but I am unsure of what I should get. Can anyone comment on the quality of the different Nikon Dxx models?

Old Pa · 03-01-2007, 04:53 PM

I'm in my 34th year with Nikon kit. My current travel setup is a D70 with a Sigma AF DC 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 D and ReallyRightStuff mounting plate, a Gitzo G1568 monopod with RRS plate on a Monfrotto 3232 pivot, and a polarizing and a neutral density 0.6 filters. The whole kit fits neatly into my usual Tumi travel gadget bag and handles 90+% of shooting circumstances. Having tried this outfit in SoCal in February, I can't say enough nice things about the Sigma SuperZoom. It has Sigma's proprietary image stabilazation and is bright, light, sufficiently fast and sharp. No wonder Sigma has been getting such good reviews. With my D200 main system getting to the point that its LowePro backpack next needs a set of wheels (

), the D70 based travel kit is simple and fun.

kin0kin · 03-01-2007, 05:54 PM

Originally Posted by Pm@c

Im really in a pickle. I want to take beautiful pictures, and get introduced to the photography hobby, but I am unsure of what camera to buy. Would it be better to go cheaper for say a D40 or a D100 or should i splurge for a D80? I really want to get into this and be able to take some beautiful pictures, but I am unsure of what I should get. Can anyone comment on the quality of the different Nikon Dxx models?

You can get the D50 body at carsandmosher for 570CAD + tax. Get someone from the states to forward you a 50mm 1.8 (cost no more than 115USD to get it here as oppose to 179CAD + tax locally) and you can pretty much take awesome pictures both in and outdoors, with and without flash in most cases

fureshi · 03-01-2007, 06:23 PM

Originally Posted by skyline889

Another question, what do you guys do when you get in a rut? I've been getting bored with my shots and local scenery lately and can't think of anything interesting to shoot. It seems like everyday and everything just looks the same after a while. Every now and then I fall into a rut like this and it takes me a while to find something interesting to shoot, any ideas?

you can always trying shooting with a lens of a different focal length. it'll force your composition to be different than what you've been used to.