Fixed the "non-Buyer's Remorse...Got a D4 30 mins ago

Lihkin said:

Great shot Bob. The D4 was meant for you - so don't sweat it.

Click to expand...

Lihkin said:

On another note, I am thinking of getting the Zeiss 100mm for my D800. The only negative thing being that it goes to 1:2. I know you have this lens - is it really worth it? I am almost scared to hear the answer from you as that would mean $1843 out of my pocket.

Click to expand...

Hi Nikhil!

Well.......

I can't imagine that you wouldn't love the Zeiss 100/2 (you knew that I was going to say that anyway, right? )

Personally, for most of my photography, I could care less about not going 1:1 as I often find the narrow DOF a pain (and I have extension tubes should I ever get the 1:1 urge)

The Zeiss will definitely be up to meeting the demands of the D800's sensor.

At f/2, there can be some CA at high contrast interfaces.

Also, the lens is resonablty sharp at f/2, but sharpens up a lot by f/2.8, and is sharp across the entire frame

The build and manual focusing mechanism is great; not like trying to focus some of Nikon's recent AF-S lenses.

The Zeiss 100/2 is actually the lens that I most commonly leave on my camera. For a 100mm lens, it's pretty compact.

Here are some of my Zeiss shots:
http://www.zeissimages.com/standardgallery.php?puid=532&showall

I find the Zeiss 10/2 suprisingly versatile:

Great for "macro" closeups:
Nikon D3 ,Carl Zeiss Makro-Planar T* 2/100 ZF
1/2500s f/4.0 at 100.0mm iso400



Terrific for landscapes (even stopped down, it buries my 70-200VR I):
Nikon D3 ,Carl Zeiss Makro-Planar T* 2/100 ZF
1/2000s f/11.0 at 100.0mm iso200



Lovely for portraits:
Nikon D3 ,Carl Zeiss Makro-Planar T* 2/100 ZF
1/125s f/5.6 at 100.0mm iso1600



Crop:



Kind of like "mini-me" 200VR in terms of image rendering, but without the VR, AF-S and not as stellar wide open performance (but a lot cheaper than the 200VR!).

It's one of my favorite lenses!

Best regards,

RB

http://www.dpreview.com/members/2305099006/challenges
http://www.pbase.com/rbfresno/profile

Skin tone looks quite good... but the hair tone ?!!
Congrats on the new toy, looking forward to see more

Ah well, I can look and admire the lens from a distance... lol.

My (very worthwhile limit) will be either a 180 2.8 or 300 f4. For not as much money as your 200f2, but that 300 f4 looks like another dream lens too.

Don't know when, but sometime.
--

.....Just from an amateur......'Sometimes it's to your advantage for people to think you're crazy.”

Over the weekend after some rounds of yes/no - I ordered a D800 (from a small store that I had bought a D3s and 135 DC & could use the loyalty card to get it fast), 35 f/1.4 G + lightroom 4 (BHPhoto), 85 f/1.4 G + Nikon TC 1.7 (both Amazon). All have shipped - I will get the Amazon orders tomorrow (prime), the BHPhoto next Monday and the D800 this Friday. I thought the D3s could use some company and some jealousy

tabloid said:

I will most probably buy a D800 on Ebay in a few weeks time.

Regards

George Richardson

Click to expand...

Even in few weeks you'd be paying at least $3500 for one..

What it'll be this time? Another Louis Vuitton, Farragamo, Burberry? Hope all goes well with your family. And many more years of fun with your D4.

nikoj said:

What it'll be this time? Another Louis Vuitton, Farragamo, Burberry?

Click to expand...

Uh, I've been noticing some recent spousal activity perusing the Tiffany catalogue....whatever!

To give my wife credit, she is amazingly supportive of me and is my biggest photographic fan. I've never heard anything but praise and encouragement to my hundreds of requests, "Honey, can you come over here and look at what's on my monitor? What do you think?"

She's actually more excited and happy for my most recent camera acquisition than I am.

Here we are at our summer cottage:



(Just kidding! It's the Biltmore in North Carolina).

nikoj said:

Hope all goes well with your family. And many more years of fun with your D4.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the good wishes. Same to you!

Best regards,

RB

http://www.dpreview.com/members/2305099006/challenges
http://www.pbase.com/rbfresno/profile

Glad I got it!

The D800 sales are way over what Nikon can produce and some will wait months before they see their 800.

--
Greg Gebhardt in
Jacksonville, Florida

grats on a great and very capable camera!
--
shoot today...
die tomorrow....
(torrance, ca)

I went back and forth and just came to the conclusion - I work hard, have no vices, don't cheat on my wife, so I just darn well deserve it.

It's a gift to me.

For others coming from the D3 to the D4, you won't believe the difference. I'm getting pictures that I simply could not get with the D3. The speed of focus and fps are something all cameras will aspire to be like.

I know I get frustrated with Nikon taking so long to come out with a complete new version, BUT when they do, they do it right.

I can guarantee no one will ever come here and say they regret getting the D4.

Just cause my dealer said I could get one did not make the D4 required and as many here know, I sold it and back to my D3X, Leicas and one of my favorite the Canon G1 X!

So Mr. Fresco, how you find you really need the D4 and did not just want it!
--
Greg Gebhardt in
Jacksonville, Florida

Greg Gebhardt said:

Wanting and getting are two different things

Click to expand...

Nietzsche?

Greg Gebhardt said:

Just cause my dealer said I could get one did not make the D4 required and as many here know, I sold it and back to my D3X, Leicas and one of my favorite the Canon G1 X!

Click to expand...

Yes, you've made this clear. Thanks!

Greg Gebhardt said:

So Mr. Fresco, how you find you really need the D4 and did not just want it!

Click to expand...

I never said that I "needed" a D4.

I was quite happy with a D2H!:
Nikon D2h ,Nikkor 200-400mm f/4G ED-IF AF-S VR
1/1000s f/4.0 at 400.0mm iso250



The D3 was a step up and helped my keeper rate, made FX available to me and of course had significantly better high ISO performance.

As I mentioned previously, I'm about to fly overseas and thought it a good idea (not needed) to have a back up camera. Renting a D3s would be $600 down the drain. I had the opportunity to get a D4 so I got (not needed, just thought it prudent to have a good back up camera).

Also I'm enjoying the D4's better focusing capabilities. Helps with bird stuff:

Nikon D4 ,Nikkor 200mm f/2G IF-ED AF-S VR
1/640s f/6.3 at 200.0mm iso400



BTW, I have never used a D3X. What types of uses do you find for yours? I'd love to see some of your examples!

Best Regards,

RB

http://www.dpreview.com/members/2305099006/challenges
http://www.pbase.com/rbfresno/profile