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Camera equipment. What's everyone using now?
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design219
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Jan 1, 2015, 01:30 PM
 
Hey photographers, both serious and not. Just curious as what people are using now... and yes, I shoot with my iPhone too. I've been a Nikon user since 1978. If I was starting from scratch, I would look long and hard at Canon, but I've been with Nikon too long to switch. Even my oldest lenses still work to some extent on todays camera.

I'm currently using a d7000 and d200, but the d200 is failing after years of use. I've also got a d70 and a mint film f100 almost never used, but I keep it for sentimental reasons.

I'm getting ready to order the new d750 (my first full frame digital) as a Christmas present to myself, and possible a 14-24 2.8 if I can talk myself into the investment.

Post your setup.
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Was free. Now it's gone. Never to be seen again.
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mattyb
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Jan 1, 2015, 05:09 PM
 
Nikon D90, 35mm f/1.8, 16-85mm - great lens, on the D90, 95% of the time, a Sigma 150-500, Sigma 85MM f/1.4, Sigma 10-20mm and a POS 70-300. A while back I was thinking of getting the Sigma 50-150mm f/2.8, but never did.

I was also looking at 'upgrading' but heard that the buffer in the D7000/7100 doesn't like more than 3 or 4 RAWs before slowing down its FPS - I do sports quite a bit and the 4.5 FPS of the D90 is just about right for me.

I also wondered about the D750, looks like a great camera. DPReview seems to like it.

Then I look at the prices of gear and someone starts a thread about the new Fuju whatever on here and wonder if I really do need such a high-end camera.
     
Mike Wuerthele
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Jan 1, 2015, 06:05 PM
 
Still on my faithful D40 and D80.
     
subego
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Jan 1, 2015, 09:21 PM
 
Canon, here. I've got a Mk III, which blows the doors off the Mk II for work in bars/clubs. Better low light, halfway decent servo. The killer feature for that is "silent mode", which isn't silent, but people don't give me dirty stares anymore during a performance.

The Nikons are certainly attractive. I get the impression they make better bodies, but Canon has the better glass.

I'm still trying to build up the nerve to pull the trigger on the 300mm f/2.8 IS.

Kinda wouldn't mind the 400mm either.


All that said... I use my iPhone for photography, too. Constantly.
     
design219  (op)
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Jan 1, 2015, 10:09 PM
 
Originally Posted by subego View Post
I'm still trying to build up the nerve to pull the trigger on the 300mm f/2.8 IS.
Oh man, I used to have a Nikkor 300 2.8 years ago when I shot sports. I had to sell when I bought a house. i sure miss that beautiful hunk of glass!
__________________________________________________

My stupid iPhone game: Nesen Probe, it's rather old, annoying and pointless, but it's free.
Was free. Now it's gone. Never to be seen again.
Off to join its brother and sister apps that could not
keep up with the ever updating iOS. RIP Nesen Probe.
     
subego
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Jan 1, 2015, 10:33 PM
 
This is where I'm thinking the glass/body difference comes to the fore. Did the Nikon have an insane image stabilizer?

You can work the Canon, in a dark club... handheld.
     
subego
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Jan 1, 2015, 10:36 PM
 
OTOH, I get the feeling Nikons have better and quicker autofocus. I've noticed Nikon people get the shot with more consistency than Canon people.

One can argue your IS is useless if you can't catch focus quickly enough.
     
BadKosh
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Jan 2, 2015, 11:12 AM
 
Sony Cybershot and Sony Video camera (Digital -8 ).
     
Cap'n Tightpants
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Jan 2, 2015, 12:55 PM
 
My phone, dedicated cameras are too much of a pain to carry around.
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P
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Jan 2, 2015, 01:28 PM
 
Use my iPhone as the camera myself, but we got my mother a Nikon D5100 with an 18-105 zoom lens and an external flash (SB 400 or something like that, the smallest Nikon themselves make). It takes impressively good pictures given that it is not the most expensive package.
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Chongo
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Jan 2, 2015, 01:45 PM
 
Retired the Minolta 35mm. I use a Dimage Z1 3.5MP with 10X optical zoom if I am asked to take pictures. It was called a "prosumer camera" at the time. I recently purchaased a Canon HD camcorder for video. I was recording a rally in Phoenix in July and my 4S shut off because it was 110f The iPhone 5S is fine for spur of the moment stuff.
( Last edited by Chongo; Jan 3, 2015 at 11:39 AM. )
45/47
     
design219  (op)
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Jan 2, 2015, 01:50 PM
 
Originally Posted by subego View Post
Did the Nikon have an insane image stabilizer?handheld.
The 300 2.8 didn't have stabilization or even autofocus, it was about 30 or so years ago when I bought it. I've been doing photography professionally about 35 years now, so equipment and technology has changed around my shooting. It's not that it all necessarily makes photography better, but it has sure made photography easier, especially workflow and time.

In the early days of autofocus, we jokingly called it "aught to focus", but today's equipment is amazing. The introduction of optical image stabilization was a major improvement. Combined with the low-noise and high ISO of modern cameras, well, it's just amazing compared to the old days. We used to have to Push-Process film (under expose and over develop) to work in low light and the results were always less than ideal to say the least.
__________________________________________________

My stupid iPhone game: Nesen Probe, it's rather old, annoying and pointless, but it's free.
Was free. Now it's gone. Never to be seen again.
Off to join its brother and sister apps that could not
keep up with the ever updating iOS. RIP Nesen Probe.
     
Thorzdad
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Jan 2, 2015, 02:56 PM
 
I still have my old, reliable Canon EOS 650 sitting up in the closet gathering dust. It's the last camera I did any shooting with, and kept using it well into the digital age. I really don't do any photography anymore. Every once in awhile, though, I'll be rummaging through a bunch old pictures I took with the EOS and I'm still impressed with the quality I got out of it. Really nice camera. Big and heavy, of course.
     
glideslope
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Jan 2, 2015, 04:09 PM
 
Still have my Old 12mp FX D700. I have no intention of leaving her.

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FireWire
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Jan 3, 2015, 08:13 AM
 
I'm using a Canon S110. I wanted a very good camera that was small enough to carry in a jeans pocket. This compact camera has a large sensor (1/1.7-inch, not as big as a DSLR but way bigger than other compacts) and big aperture (up to f/2.0) with 24-120mm equivalent focal length. It produces great pictures and I never have to use the flash indoor. There are a lot of manual options and a control ring to adjust aperture and other options. Barrel distortion is within average, with almost none pincushion distortion or purple fringe. Good 3" touchscreen. Very good 1080HD video with a super slow motion option. I use it extensively for semi-professional work and if I had to choose again, I'd buy the same thing! I did *a lot* of reading and research when I bought it and it was in my opinion, the best choice for this size. Cons: no hot-shoe, viewfinder or remote trigger.
( Last edited by FireWire; Jan 3, 2015 at 08:26 AM. )
     
design219  (op)
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Jan 3, 2015, 12:05 PM
 
Originally Posted by FireWire View Post
I'm using a Canon S110. I wanted a very good camera that was small enough to carry in a jeans pocket.
Hey, that looks pretty nice, just looked at the review on dpreview. I could certainly use something like that when packing equipment is not appropriate. iPhone cameras are not bad, but the lack of an optical zoom is a limit.
__________________________________________________

My stupid iPhone game: Nesen Probe, it's rather old, annoying and pointless, but it's free.
Was free. Now it's gone. Never to be seen again.
Off to join its brother and sister apps that could not
keep up with the ever updating iOS. RIP Nesen Probe.
     
subego
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Jan 3, 2015, 12:42 PM
 
Originally Posted by design219 View Post
The 300 2.8 didn't have stabilization or even autofocus, it was about 30 or so years ago when I bought it. I've been doing photography professionally about 35 years now, so equipment and technology has changed around my shooting. It's not that it all necessarily makes photography better, but it has sure made photography easier, especially workflow and time.

In the early days of autofocus, we jokingly called it "aught to focus", but today's equipment is amazing. The introduction of optical image stabilization was a major improvement. Combined with the low-noise and high ISO of modern cameras, well, it's just amazing compared to the old days. We used to have to Push-Process film (under expose and over develop) to work in low light and the results were always less than ideal to say the least.
I still have my FM2 with the all-important 50mm lens on it.

I wouldn't even bother with low-light situations. I'd get mad if I didn't have the headroom to overexpose a stop.
     
OreoCookie
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Jan 3, 2015, 01:13 PM
 
I have a Nikon D7000, two primes (Sigma 30 mm f/1.4 and Nikon 50 mm f/1.8), an ultra wide-angle zoom (Tokina 12-24 mm f/4), a 18-70 mm Nikkor which hasn't been used in ages and a 80-200 mm f/2.8 Nikkor. That is complemented by an SB-700 and an aging SB-600 flash gun.

But I have to say, my heart is where my Fuji X100s is: while my dslr is great, and I like it a lot, I fell in love with the X100s. It's not a perfect camera, but it's small and it delivers on image quality. And the viewfinder. I kinda wish I had the X100T where you can use MF effectively with the optical viewfinder, but this is pretty damn great as-is.
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mattyb
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Jan 4, 2015, 05:03 PM
 
Originally Posted by mattyb View Post
Then I look at the prices of gear and someone starts a thread about the new Fuju whatever on here and wonder if I really do need such a high-end camera.
Originally Posted by OreoCookie View Post
But I have to say, my heart is where my Fuji X100s is: while my dslr is great, and I like it a lot, I fell in love with the X100s. It's not a perfect camera, but it's small and it delivers on image quality. And the viewfinder. I kinda wish I had the X100T where you can use MF effectively with the optical viewfinder, but this is pretty damn great as-is.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just the sort of thing that I was on about.
     
dav
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Jan 5, 2015, 09:56 AM
 
still shooting with Pentax (K-5 II)
one post closer to five stars
     
OreoCookie
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Jan 5, 2015, 11:11 AM
 
Originally Posted by mattyb View Post
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just the sort of thing that I was on about.
… and I really mean it: I really like my D7000, but I love my X100s. When I wrote it's not perfect, I meant that it has some smaller quirks, but these quirks add to the character of the camera.
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mattyb
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Jan 5, 2015, 02:06 PM
 
I read the Ken Rockwell (yes I know that not everyone likes him) reviews of the X100, X100S and the X100T. Seems like a wonderful piece of kit.
     
andi*pandi
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Jan 5, 2015, 03:12 PM
 
I am always disappointed in my iphone photos. Blurry, unless it is a tranquil sunset or posed photo. For that reason, and waterproofing, I still like my Pentax waterproof point and shoot. Takes better action shots.
     
Amber Neely
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Jan 5, 2015, 04:21 PM
 
I use my iPod Touch for 95% of my photo-taking needs, since it's pretty much consistently the only thing in my bag.

I have a Fujifilm X Mini 8 Instax Camera for days when I know without a doubt that I'm going to get good shots of pets/family/etc etc. I like it because it's small, and having a Polaroid is fun. It was something I snagged off of ebay for $60 - You can get them from Urban Outfitters, but they cost $100 and frankly, I would never paid full price for it. I just don't use it enough. Film is expensive as all getout, too.

Dad and I chipped in and got mom a Nikon COOLPIX S32 not too long ago - it's not bad for a point-and-shoot, and it can be used in the rain/snow/is drop resistant. Apparently it's waterproof up to 35 feet, but none of us were gutsy enough to try it. My mom takes some of the worst pictures ever, but I won't blame the camera for that. I enjoyed using it the several times I have, and if you're just looking for something that is easy to take along and not have to worry about it getting destroyed if you get rained on or bump it around in your bag, it's good.
     
Amber Neely
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Jan 5, 2015, 04:23 PM
 
Originally Posted by Mike Wuerthele View Post
Still on my faithful D40 and D80.
Oh man, I think we still have a D40 somewhere at mom's place.
     
mattyb
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Jan 5, 2015, 04:59 PM
 
D40 is a great camera, still have mine.
     
SSharon
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Jan 5, 2015, 08:49 PM
 
I use my iPhone exclusively now that its quality is on par with the Canon point and shoot I purchased a few years ago.

I'm in the market for a lower end DSLR (Nikon D3300/5300 or Canon T5i), but can't find the right combination of lenses, accessories, and price to make the purchase.
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subego
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Jan 6, 2015, 02:50 AM
 
I'm tempted by every now and then by something to go between the iPhone and the DSLR, but then I think "do I really need more cameras?"

I have an aversion to selling my old bodies, too. Some day I imagine doing a multi-camera setup, or loaning it to someone worthy.

Speaking of which... pm sent.
     
Chongo
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Jan 6, 2015, 12:37 PM
 
The Z1 has serverd me well. I sent it for repair (zoom toggle). I was shocked when I was not allowed to bring it in to a concert. I was told it was a "professional" camera! (lens length) I had taken it in to other shows at the same venue. Most venues allow non flash still photography now.
Minolta DiMAGE Z1: Digital Photography Review
Digital Cameras - Minolta DiMAGE Z1 Digital Camera Review, Information, Specifications
45/47
     
glideslope
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Jan 10, 2015, 11:50 AM
 
Originally Posted by mattyb View Post
D40 is a great camera, still have mine.
The D50 and D70s were classics as well. I loved the weak AA Filter on the D70's. If you were careful with your composition you could avoid moire 98% of the time. I was drooling when the D800E came out. But alas, no longer the Trail Hiker I once was.
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QuadG5Man
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Jan 10, 2015, 08:10 PM
 
Still on my faithful Nikon D5000 with 18-55mm kit lens and a cheap Sigma 70-200, and a manual flash unit, mostly for hand-held, off-camera flash.

Would love to upgrade to the D7000, but the D7100 looks better. D750 would be ideal...except on my pocket.
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SSharon
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Jan 11, 2015, 06:51 PM
 
Originally Posted by QuadG5Man View Post
Still on my faithful Nikon D5000 with 18-55mm kit lens and a cheap Sigma 70-200, and a manual flash unit, mostly for hand-held, off-camera flash.

Would love to upgrade to the D7000, but the D7100 looks better. D750 would be ideal...except on my pocket.
How about a D7000 for $630?
Nikon D7000 DSLR Camera with 18140mm VR Lens Black 13310 - Best Buy
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Chongo
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Jan 11, 2015, 07:00 PM
 
Cool bug pic I took with the Z1.
PICT0005 by machavez00, on Flickr
45/47
     
badidea
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Jan 13, 2015, 07:15 AM
 
Just sold my Canon DSLR equipment and bought a Fuji X-E1 (was half the price of the X-E2) and will probably get a X-T1 body as well if I really like it...
***
     
Jawbone54
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Jan 13, 2015, 11:49 AM
 
I'm using a Sony A7 with a Rokinon 85mm f/1.4 manual focus lens. Absolutely love the combo. The mirrorless craze is really starting to take hold, as I've talked to numerous photographers that use them as their everyday camera.

Fairly recent shot with this combo:

     
Jawbone54
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Jan 13, 2015, 11:50 AM
 
Originally Posted by badidea View Post
Just sold my Canon DSLR equipment and bought a Fuji X-E1 (was half the price of the X-E2) and will probably get a X-T1 body as well if I really like it...
You ought to share some shots soon. I'd like to see how it performs. I've heard a lot of good things about it.
     
   
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