[R2D2]

Originally Posted by joslicx

I was at Croma again checked out the cameras. They had Canon EOS 550d there to play with and Nikon D5100 and D80. Man the D80 feels so good in the hand! I spent about 10mins fiddling with it. Its build felt on another level compared to the D5100. I again felt among D5100 and 550d the Nikon felt tad bit better in the hand! Also checked that equivalent canon primes are so much more expensive. Are they better than nikkor lenses?

After playing with the D90, I am more or less set on the D7000. Asked them about the D7000 and it is delivered only on order. Asked them for body only option and the quoted price for D7000 body was 58k (body + 18-105 kit lens is 72.7k). They were not sure if they could deliver it though and they took my number. Now waiting for their call.

Did you mean D800, instead of D80, by any chance? Looks like you are favouring Nikon at this time. Canon just increased its prices by a whopping 20-30% on nearly all lenses. Previously Nikon's lenses were considered more expensive. Canikon lenses are more or less equal in terms of IQ and construction quality.

Just hope Nikon doesnt follow as we've already seen 2 price increases by Nikon so far - one on 1st June and next in mid July IIRC.

The D7000 is a good choice. But hang on a while, if you can. Reason? There's an update (D7100/7200/D8000?) in the offing, as is the D300's successor the D400. May take a while though - Nov/Dec is also a time when Nikon is known to introduce new bodies. They introduced 4 FX and 1 DX this year, so the next round, if there's more to come in 2012, should be DX bodies.

[download2live]

So finally someone starts selling Leica camera and lenses online. Those prices are so eye watering.

http://smartshoppers.in/category/leica

I tried to find some stores selling it online and was unable to find any. That is till now.

[R2D2]

Do note that Smartshoppers is offering a seller's warranty, not manufacturer's. This probably means Leica is still not officially present in India. I checked Leica's site and couldn't find an Indian dealer/distributor.

As for pricing..sigh..it's a Leica after all.

[Behemoth]

The Nikon D600 shows up first for ordering on Smartshoppers
http://smartshoppers.in/product/niko...era-body-only/
Current price is 131,875 (Body only).

[joslicx]

Originally Posted by R2D2

Did you mean D800, instead of D80, by any chance? Looks like you are favouring Nikon at this time. Canon just increased its prices by a whopping 20-30% on nearly all lenses. Previously Nikon's lenses were considered more expensive. Canikon lenses are more or less equal in terms of IQ and construction quality.

Just hope Nikon doesnt follow as we've already seen 2 price increases by Nikon so far - one on 1st June and next in mid July IIRC.

The D7000 is a good choice. But hang on a while, if you can. Reason? There's an update (D7100/7200/D8000?) in the offing, as is the D300's successor the D400. May take a while though - Nov/Dec is also a time when Nikon is known to introduce new bodies. They introduced 4 FX and 1 DX this year, so the next round, if there's more to come in 2012, should be DX bodies.

Oh sorry it was a D90 and not D80/800.

Meanwhile Canon has also announced an entry level FF body to take on D600. It is the EOS 6D!

http://blog.gsmarena.com/canon-annou...shoot-cameras/

By the way is it just me or you guys also find names confusing? The EOS 7D is a crop frame but EOS 6D is full frame! Ditto in the Nikon world. D600 replacing the D700!! why are they going backwards in naming?

[ntomer]

Hi,

I've lost the eyepiece cap (DK-23) of my D300 and am not able to find a replacement. Nikon India site suggests it's retail price as 160; and eBay.in (the only place where it is available) shows prices as INR 1800.

Any suggestions on where can i find it?

Regards

Nitin

[gd1418]

Try Sumit at VSM Technologies, Gurgaon on 9999976594

Originally Posted by ntomer

Hi,

I've lost the eyepiece cap (DK-23) of my D300 and am not able to find a replacement. Nikon India site suggests it's retail price as 160; and eBay.in (the only place where it is available) shows prices as INR 1800.

Any suggestions on where can i find it?

Regards

Nitin

[ntomer]

Originally Posted by gd1418

Try Sumit at VSM Technologies, Gurgaon on 9999976594

Thanks GD sir. I ordered 3 of them from 3 different vendors on ebay.com; hopefully one of them will deliver.

I see that you have 80-200. I am also planning to buy one, would you recommend it?

[R2D2]

Originally Posted by joslicx

Ditto in the Nikon world. D600 replacing the D700!! why are they going backwards in naming?

The thing is Nikon does not view the D800 as the D700's successor as one would expect. Ordinarily I'd have expected the D600 to be badged as the D700s/x, but Nikon compromised on the build quality and focus module, so I guess that's the reason the model # regressed to 600. Look at the bright side of things - they really could introduce a D700x/s, though I consider it a pie in the sky.

As for Canon - well, I see a pattern in what these 2 companies do, so it's not entirely surprising. They are like a binary star system, in lock step

Originally Posted by ntomer

I see that you have 80-200. I am also planning to buy one, would you recommend it?

Yes! It is amazing glass. Buy a new one blindfolded, a second hand one
after inspecting it.

[clevermax]

This is exciting news.

Sony and Hasselblad announces partnership to work together to achieve technical breakthroughs in digital photography domain.

http://www.dpreview.com/news/2012/09...rtnership-dslr

[nilanjanray]

Originally Posted by chaudhrysan

I have a D90 and a 80-200/2.8 and 70-300VR telephoto zooms. I have been wanting to get a longer reach zoom for wildlife. The Nikon choices are out of question (too expensive, my level of expertise does not justify that kind of investment right now). So the options come down to third party - Sigma 150-500, 50-500 or Tamron 200-500, around 65k to 1L price range. Image quality reasonable for the amount you pay, nothing extra ordinary.

His observations were that image sharpness and CA control was excellent (both centre and corners) upto 250mm, at 300mm stopping down to f8 acheived excellent results.

I am in the same boat, but I try to do what i can with the 70-300mm and D90. I can't afford the lenses I want, so for extra reach (through cropping), I am thinking of going for the D400 or 7200 when they come out. Else the D800.

More than the reach, the ISO capabilities and DR of the newer cameras would make a big difference when shooting in low light. More shutter speed, sharper pictures etc.

IMO, one doesn't get too many chances to shoot at f/8 when shooting wildlife in the mornings and the evenings, unless the light is good. Possible in some parks, not possible in other situations. I prefer to shoot at the widest aperture possible - f/5.6 for my 70-300mm lens on the long end.

Originally Posted by gd1418

Whatever you do or decide, do not get rid of the 80~200 f/2.8. It is an extra-ordinary piece of glass.

So is the 70~300 but is a slow lens.

True. The D90 ISO capabilities frustrate me at times. A faster lens like the 80-200 would help for sure. I am currently lusting over the 70-200mm VRII and a TCIII combo.

The way I look at it, 2 stops benefit can come from the faster lens or from better ISO. E.g. if ISO 400 on my D90 is equivalent to ISO 1600 on some new camera (in terms of noise and DR), then I get to shoot at 4X the shutter speed. Same thing with a f/2.8 vs. f/5.6 lens. A better body is a cost effective option in the short/medium term, while acquiring lenses is a long term project.

[gd1418]

Yes with closed eyes. Amazing piece of glass. Except for the extra 10 mm that the 70~200 has, the 80~200 matches every step. Buy a used one with great caution, because IMO, why would anyone sell this at all?

Originally Posted by ntomer

I see that you have 80-200. I am also planning to buy one, would you recommend it?

[Behemoth]

Hi Guys,

Good news from my side! After dilly dallying over the upgrade from my existing D90 to the D800 for almost 4 months and then awaiting anxiously for the D600 to get launched, I have picked up the Nikon D600 today!
I got the Body at a rate of 1.25 (from the Gurgaon Nikon Showroom in DT city center), which is decent vs the MRP of 1.36.
So even at launch it is possible to get decent discount on the D600.
I have also sold off my D90 with 18-105 (which was around 19 months old) at a rate of 36K a few days back.
My lens collection so far consists of 24-85 f2.8-4, 50mm f1.8D, and 70-300 f4.5-5.6VR (all FX ) - slowly building on it, though I am not going for the higher 2.8 fixed aperture lenses yet.

I was feeling quite handicapped with the D90 due to the lack of low lighting capabilities and that's the reason which triggered the change.
I have a feeling that the D600 will be very close to the D800 in terms of ISO capabilities and could actually even be better as the MicroPixel sites are actually bigger.

More details and unboxing and first pics to follow in the evening!

Regards,
Behemoth

[Behemoth]

Apologies for the back to back posts, here it is:
The first few pics of my new D600!
(pics taken quickly with my Samsung S2, pardon the quality!)


I took the body only (I already have a 24-85, f2.8) and the dealer kept the lens from the kit box , as it saves them a bit more this way.

[R2D2]

Originally Posted by Behemoth

Good news from my side! After dilly dallying over the upgrade from my existing D90 to the D800 for almost 4 months and then awaiting anxiously for the D600 to get launched, I have picked up the Nikon D600 today!

Many congrats and welcome to the FX world. Thanks for the pics! I think you are the first D600 owner on TBHP and you certainly got it at a decent price just after launch. How much did the dealer give you for the kit lens? It's a decent lens BTW.

Also, I heard from a relative about Nikon dealers in Mumbai offering discounts on the D800 (1.54-1.59L), D4 (3.10-3.2L) and D600 (1.26L) as well.