Post your latest purchases.

[BF Hammer]

When you get a chance can you comment on the ergonomics. Put my hands on one several weeks ago, but wasn't sure after having used the 810 for three years I wasn't sure and put it off for now.

I only have 3 days now hands-on. I not only have previous use experience with the large-grip Nikons, but in my life I have used flat cameras like the Pentax K-1000 (high school photography class) and Minolta xd-11 (first SLR I bought, whole kit from an auction). I learned early to hold with the left hand and it mostly is still a habit. I have noticed myself slipping in that regard more recently.

So yes, with the ZF it is better to hold from underneath with the left hand. Somebody who grips the zoom ring of the lens and mostly stays there is not going to be comfortable. I did not buy a handgrip...yet. I would have if any were in stock at the store. I certainly will, but it may well be that I do not use it full-time. But I need a good solution for an Arca-Swiss mount as the regular quick-release plates don't fit the camera well and allow access to the battery/card slot door. I see exactly 1 proper L-bracket available and many variations of the Smallrig hand grip on Amazon.

There is quite a bit of brass in the camera, you can feel it as you lift.

Shutter release button: you have to reach to get to it compared to big-grip Nikons. I am going to buy a soft-touch button. Expect to get 1 or 2 as an add-on to my hand grip order.

Front/rear command wheels: They are smaller in diameter than other cameras. I think they feel stiffer. Might be from less torque force due to the smaller diameter.

Dedicated exposure comp dial: Love that. Just turn it, no coordination of finger-thumb needed to dial in like other cameras. My viewfinder setting allows me to see the exposure compensation result as I do it.

Front function button: Two would be better. I am using the dedicated video record button on top for a 2nd assigned function button.

I live mostly in Aperture-Priority mode, so the shutter speed dial is not used so much by me. With ver2 and ver3 firmware, the "C" position of the ISO dial can be defaulted as Auto-ISO and I live on that setting more than dialing in manual ISO.

I already miss a dedicated port for my wired remote shutter release. Only wireless options can be used, it took me too long to figure out pairing to my phone to use the Snapbridge app as a shutter release. I can buy the bluetooth remote, but I think there are other advantages to using Snapbridge besides the shutter release. But you have to be connected in WiFi if you want to have LiveView and camera controls directly in Snapbridge, and that is extra work to connect. Bluetooth can happen automatically.

And circling in my mind is the thing where I had to buy an all-black version to get the full discounts. My personal choice is brown/black but it would have driven my purchase price up nearly $600 with the higher list price and lack of discounts last weekend. I see several brown leather half-covers and I think maybe I can eat my cake too. There is one version that has a metal base and a handgrip built-in (but lacks the Arca-Swiss mount). It's on the consideration plate, and that would alter the ergonomics also.

But honestly I am considering the future with trading into the Zf now. It is a big step-up from a Z5 but lacking in some comfort/use that a Z6III would have. But I know I am destined to have 2 camera bodies once again. So in 3-4 years I expect to be buying a future offspring of the Z8 and loving that as an upgrade, and I would retain the Zf as a "fun" camera.

 

[Needa]

I only have 3 days now hands-on. I not only have previous use experience with the large-grip Nikons, but in my life I have used flat cameras like the Pentax K-1000 (high school photography class) and Minolta xd-11 (first SLR I bought, whole kit from an auction). I learned early to hold with the left hand and it mostly is still a habit. I have noticed myself slipping in that regard more recently.

So yes, with the ZF it is better to hold from underneath with the left hand. Somebody who grips the zoom ring of the lens and mostly stays there is not going to be comfortable. I did not buy a handgrip...yet. I would have if any were in stock at the store. I certainly will, but it may well be that I do not use it full-time. But I need a good solution for an Arca-Swiss mount as the regular quick-release plates don't fit the camera well and allow access to the battery/card slot door. I see exactly 1 proper L-bracket available and many variations of the Smallrig hand grip on Amazon.

Shutter release button: you have to reach to get to it compared to big-grip Nikons. I am going to buy a soft-touch button. Expect to get 1 or 2 as an add-on to my hand grip order.

Front/rear command wheels: They are smaller in diameter than other cameras. I think they feel stiffer. Might be from less torque force due to the smaller diameter.

Dedicated exposure comp dial: Love that. Just turn it, no coordination of finger-thumb needed to dial in like other cameras. My viewfinder setting allows me to see the exposure compensation result as I do it.

Front function button: Two would be better. I am using the dedicated video record button on top for a 2nd assigned function button.

I live mostly in Aperture-Priority mode, so the shutter speed dial is not used so much by me. With ver2 and ver3 firmware, the "C" position of the ISO dial can be defaulted as Auto-ISO and I live on that setting more than dialing in manual ISO.

I already miss a dedicated port for my wired remote shutter release. Only wireless options can be used, it took me too long to figure out pairing to my phone to use the Snapbridge app as a shutter release. I can buy the bluetooth remote, but I think there are other advantages to using Snapbridge besides the shutter release. But you have to be connected in WiFi if you want to have LiveView and camera controls directly in Snapbridge, and that is extra work to connect. Bluetooth can happen automatically.

And circling in my mind is the thing where I had to buy an all-black version to get the full discounts. My personal choice is brown/black but it would have driven my purchase price up nearly $600 with the higher list price and lack of discounts last weekend. I see several brown leather half-covers and I think maybe I can eat my cake too. There is one version that has a metal base and a handgrip built-in (but lacks the Arca-Swiss mount). It's on the consideration plate, and that would alter the ergonomics also.

But honestly I am considering the future with trading into the Zf now. It is a big step-up from a Z5 but lacking in some comfort/use that a Z6III would have. But I know I am destined to have 2 camera bodies once again. So in 3-4 years I expect to be buying a future offspring of the Z8 and loving that as an upgrade, and I would retain the Zf as a "fun" camera.

Thanks for the in depth response.

 

[christian1972]

Tokina 70-200 F4 for my D7100

 

[hark]

Three or four days ago, Erik Kuna (who works for KelbyOne) posted on Facebook about using a Star Tracker. Although my area has a lot of light pollution, I've wanted to give one a try for a while now. So I asked which one he recommended. He mentioned a kit, but I opted to purchase the items separately because the manufacturer offers them for a lower price than the kit (B&H confirmed that info and said there isn't any difference between the kit and buying the items separately). This way I wound up getting a ballhead with the other items for LESS than the kit he mentioned that doesn't include the ballhead.

Move Shoot Move NOMAD Starter Kit (NOMAD + Ballhead + Calibrated Pointer)

Move Shoot Move Wedge for Equatorial Tracking

He also mentioned his book The Night Photography Book which I purchased via Amazon.

I've seen Milky Way photos taken in areas with light pollution so I am interested in attempting to see if I can capture anything. I have a lot of learning to do so this will be a work in progress. Milky Way photos should only be attempted when there isn't any moon – and I don't think that phase will be here for another couple of weeks.

I also have the Photo Pills app on my phone to help locate the Milky Way ... the app is another thing I need to learn how to use.

 

[blackstar]

Three or four days ago, Erik Kuna (who works for KelbyOne) posted on Facebook about using a Star Tracker. Although my area has a lot of light pollution, I've wanted to give one a try for a while now. So I asked which one he recommended. He mentioned a kit, but I opted to purchase the items separately because the manufacturer offers them for a lower price than the kit (B&H confirmed that info and said there isn't any difference between the kit and buying the items separately). This way I wound up getting a ballhead with the other items for LESS than the kit he mentioned that doesn't include the ballhead.

Move Shoot Move NOMAD Starter Kit (NOMAD + Ballhead + Calibrated Pointer)

Move Shoot Move Wedge for Equatorial Tracking

He also mentioned his book The Night Photography Book which I purchased via Amazon.

I've seen Milky Way photos taken in areas with light pollution so I am interested in attempting to see if I can capture anything. I have a lot of learning to do so this will be a work in progress. Milky Way photos should only be attempted when there isn't any moon – and I don't think that phase will be here for another couple of weeks.

I also have the Photo Pills app on my phone to help locate the Milky Way ... the app is another thing I need to learn how to use.


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View attachment 428929

Good luck to you. What camera and lens do you plan to use with the new tracker? Hope to hear soon about the performance with nice images of your new night star gear.

 

[hark]

Good luck to you. What camera and lens do you plan to use with the new tracker? Hope to hear soon about the performance with nice images of your new night star gear.

I'm still using DSLR bodies. So out of the bodies I have, my D750 will yield the best night photos. First I need to learn how to use the star tracker! As for lenses, I have a 14mm f/2.8 but might try my 16-35mm f/4 since Erik mentioned a slower lens can be used with along with a lower ISO. Or I might try my 50mm f/1.8. I do want a longer focal length since this area has heavy light pollution. I'm hoping a telephoto might crop out some of it. But I won't know until I give it a try.

 

[BF Hammer]

I'm still using DSLR bodies. So out of the bodies I have, my D750 will yield the best night photos. First I need to learn how to use the star tracker! As for lenses, I have a 14mm f/2.8 but might try my 16-35mm f/4 since Erik mentioned a slower lens can be used with along with a lower ISO. Or I might try my 50mm f/1.8. I do want a longer focal length since this area has heavy light pollution. I'm hoping a telephoto might crop out some of it. But I won't know until I give it a try.

I think you will want to use every bit of the field of view from the 14mm. I did do some early milky way work with a D750 + Sigma 20mm f/1.4 but I always preferred the extra width of the 15mm f/2.8 I later bought.

 

[bluzman]

Over the previous 18 months or so I've sold off several APS-C bodies (D7500, D500, Z50). These were cameras that I had owned for a number of years. Those actions reflected a move on my part to pursue my wildlife photography hobby mainly with a Z6iii and a Z50ii. I've kept a D3300 and D3400 on the roster because they're excellent grab-and-go cameras for general family and friends events and some occasional street photography. I even hung on to a D5600 that I paired with a full frame AF-P 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6E ED VR for some intermittent wildlife shoots.

Recently, I thought I'd take another look at the D780. I had dismissed it after a cursory look when it came out because the D500 was my go-to camera at the time. On further review, I can see that the D780 is quite capable with some truly unique features. Still, there isn't a compelling reason for me to buy one. What this exercise did recall, however, were all the reviews that compared the new D780 to the venerable D750...and that took me down the rabbit hole.

My first full frame DSLR was, in fact, a D750. When I finally sold it, it was done to partly fund a D500. At that point, I was all in on APS-C bodies. In the last few weeks, I revisited a lot of on line reviews and YT videos, some old and some recent, discussing the D750. Mostly, though, I went back into my photo archive and looked at the images I shot with that camera and I realized what a fine piece of gear the D750 was when I did my part.

Bottom Line: I sold the D5600 and a couple of DX lenses and used the money to buy a used D750. When it arrives, I'll pair it with the full frame AF-P 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6E ED VR, an old Nikkor AF 50mm f/1.8, and a Tamron 17-35mm f/2.8-4 Di OSD. Do I need another camera, heck no, but "need" has nothing to do with this purchase. This one's for fun.

 

[BF Hammer]

@bluzman An extremely small possibility you could have bought my D750 I traded away in March.

If I remember right, the D780 was mostly a D750 with some improvements in video and LiveView. Not much new offered for stills photographers.

 

[hark]

Over the previous 18 months or so I've sold off several APS-C bodies (D7500, D500, Z50). These were cameras that I had owned for a number of years. Those actions reflected a move on my part to pursue my wildlife photography hobby mainly with a Z6iii and a Z50ii. I've kept a D3300 and D3400 on the roster because they're excellent grab-and-go cameras for general family and friends events and some occasional street photography. I even hung on to a D5600 that I paired with a full frame AF-P 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6E ED VR for some intermittent wildlife shoots.

Recently, I thought I'd take another look at the D780. I had dismissed it after a cursory look when it came out because the D500 was my go-to camera at the time. On further review, I can see that the D780 is quite capable with some truly unique features. Still, there isn't a compelling reason for me to buy one. What this exercise did recall, however, were all the reviews that compared the new D780 to the venerable D750...and that took me down the rabbit hole.

My first full frame DSLR was, in fact, a D750. When I finally sold it, it was done to partly fund a D500. At that point, I was all in on APS-C bodies. In the last few weeks, I revisited a lot of on line reviews and YT videos, some old and some recent, discussing the D750. Mostly, though, I went back into my photo archive and looked at the images I shot with that camera and I realized what a fine piece of gear the D750 was when I did my part.

Bottom Line: I sold the D5600 and a couple of DX lenses and used the money to buy a used D750. When it arrives, I'll pair it with the full frame AF-P 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6E ED VR, an old Nikkor AF 50mm f/1.8, and a Tamron 17-35mm f/2.8-4 Di OSD. Do I need another camera, heck no, but "need" has nothing to do with this purchase. This one's for fun.

So I'm curious as to what happened to your Z6iii and Z50ii. Do you still have them?

I never felt the need to upgrade to mirrorless. My D750 and D500 are my main choices although occasionally I add my D610 and D7200 to the rotation. Looking forward to seeing your D750 photos after you receive it. Have fun!