Daily Archives: February 19, 2013

Over the last year I’ve shared with you about how I’m trying to decide what I’m going to be shooing with when Nikon takes back all their toys!!  Like all thought processes this has been a  moving target as new circumstances have come to bare on the decision making.  I’m getting closer to knowing how to tackle the problem of what cameras and lenses to select.

 

Here are the factors that I’m curenty dealing with:

 

1.  What gear will give me the best possible image quality.

 

This one is pretty easy.  Today the better cameras, pro and semi pro, from everyone are extremely capable!  While the D800 certainly produces files much richer with detail than a D7000, in practical, everyday use, it’s hard to see the difference, the differences between the D800 and D600 are very small indeed.  I’m leaning toward the D600 and D7000 and a two body DSLR system.  I still own a mint condition D700, which I love and works fantastic with  all that old manual glass, so I’m sure I’ll keep that around too!  With a full frame camera and DX camera I can stretch the utility of my longer glass!  For example my ancient but “sweet” Nikkor 400 f 3.5 with the D7000 attached is a 600mm f 3.5, pretty cool!  I have absolutely no complaints about the quality of both of these bodies!  Is a D800 in my future, not sure, budget and needs will dictate that one, but for now the D600 has proven to be about all I could ever ask for!  Except for that bracketing function, sure wish it had 5, 7, and 9 stops brackets!  Firmware could fix that, hope someone is listening in Japan…..

 

2.  How much weight am I willing, and able,  to carry?

 

This one is tougher!  If I use my gear out of the back of my FJ, I can take all the gear I want, but if walking around for an extended period of time is part of the plan, I want  (o.k., need!), to use lighter gear!  I’ve been checking out the use of smaller mirror-less cameras like the Nikon 1 Series the V2 and J2 and the Fuji X10 and it’s bigger  brother an sister.  A number of other folks make mirror-less cameras too,  but I’m not thrilled about the build quality except for Nikons and  Fuji’s.  I’m convinced that with the right amount of care, these cameras can rival the big beefy DSLRs on image quality! For saving your back and making photography more fun again, (for old guys like me), they may just be the ticket!

 

3.  What fits my budget?

 

No one has unlimited funds, well no one I know, so cost is going to have to factor in my decisions. I already own my prime Nikon glass; 16-35, 24-120, 70-300 and a 105 Micro.  I also have a bag full of older manual lenses that I really like to use when I can slow down and take my time!  A mirror-less body and a few lenses will not break the bank and sure will be a welcome relief for travel and general walk around work.  I think I’m getting close on this front.

 

 

4.  What kind of subject matter do I expect to be shooting and what gear is necessary to make those images?

 

Travel, fine art, Americana, and smattering of nature will be about my only kind of shooting in retirement!  No more sports, no more serious wildlife!  High speed cameras, and very long glass, are pretty much off the table for me now.  I’m entering a time in my life that I hope to shoot things that interest me, not editors!!  The nice thing about this kind of work is it is far less “gear dependent.”  I will still do close-up work, but once again, that is a less demanding specialty!  I’ve long believed that with a wide angle zoom, medium zoom, and short telephoto zoom, plus some way to shoot in close, you can do 99% of this kind of subject matter!  

 

Caveat:  None of us knows what is coming next, and that could alter the plan, but I think I’m getting close to solving this riddle!

 

Now, I just want to go out and make some images!!!!

 

Blessings,

 

the pilgrim