Buy D800E and lens etc in China

[gqtuazon]

I have been pondering about different cameras too D600, D7000, even D7100 but I keep coming back to the D800E, I handled it in the shop for the first time last week, it seemed huge to me first impression, but when I looked through the viewfinder with the Nikon 24-70 it looked amazing!! I like the way the buttons are set out on the camera..
There was one thing that surprised me that a review said the exposure button (+-) wore out in 3 weeks? Which means its cheap ink or something on the button?? Do you know have you had that problem??
The large files in opinion is not too much of an issue, ok so it takes longer to process, but the wait will be worth it!! Faster computers and Larger hard drives are getting cheaper all the time... One day I want to invest in SSD drives but not yet!!

Steve - you've pointed out a lot of great things (pros / cons) between the cameras and lenses. First hand experience is a lot better than reading a review by somebody else. All I can say is that I am very satisfied with my camera and lenses for now. I don't know if I will ever need a newer model camera in the future since the D800E is arguably the best studio camera for my use.

Re: EV button. I have not experience such thing with any of my current and previous Nikon cameras. The SSD card is definitely a must for me with my desktop computer although the USB 3.0 is also important when transferring my files from the memory card to the hard drive. Faster processor such as the i7 Sandy bridge will definitely get the job done including HD video files.

 

[stevebobb]

Steve - you've pointed out a lot of great things (pros / cons) between the cameras and lenses. First hand experience is a lot better than reading a review by somebody else. All I can say is that I am very satisfied with my camera and lenses for now. I don't know if I will ever need a newer model camera in the future since the D800E is arguably the best studio camera for my use.

Re: EV button. I have not experience such thing with any of my current and previous Nikon cameras. The SSD card is definitely a must for me with my desktop computer although the USB 3.0 is also important when transferring my files from the memory card to the hard drive. Faster processor such as the i7 Sandy bridge will definitely get the job done including HD video files.

Yeagh the computer laptop i have is not too fast, but its a i5 with USB 3.0 i bought about a year ago..SOO glad the 800 has USB3 very useful.
In reality I never found USB3 to be 10x faster than usb2.0.. as they claimed I found it to be 2-3 times faster!!

I have just found out that i have some available funds now, and I now can proceed to buy some of the things I need. I am hopefully going to buy the Nikon D800E before this weekend for sure as I have a wedding coming up I am not the photographer, but would be good to practice with the new camera and lens LOL!! At least I can have a beer...LOL

I am going to buy probably the Tamron 24-70 f/2.8 VC as I want to take video, It's weather sealed and has been marked as a good lens compared to the Nikon 24-70 f/2.8, the rest of my lenses I hope to buy Nikon probably second hand the 70-200 f/2.8.. New 50mmF/1.8G I would like to get a wide angle lens, but that will be later. I have noted down which lens are best, and on the day we will see what deals i can get......
too...
I want to buy Yongnuo 622N triggers and a cheapish Speedlight with commander mode in it, maybe a SB700?
And I need some Light stands, might see if i can pick them up second hand?? In Beijing somewhere??

I also have been looking at Camera bags wow the difference in price is amazing, in Wukesong i saw one make of bag "was an exact copy of an original" the shop owners told me it was a copy, and they actually sell the original too for double the price. At least they are honest dodgy tradesmen LOL

I wonder how professional International photographers travel on a plane?? ( i guess they can afford to pay extra!!) When I go back to UK, I have no idea how i am going to NOT get away without paying extra luggage weight.. I am only "Mr Economy Class" and only aloud 30Kg and 7Kg hand luggage..

Will be buying a camera rucksack type bag..this weekend too.. Oh and nearly forgot I will look around for a WIDE strap for the D800E Very exiting time for me now...

Glenn if i ever get photos anywhere near the quality of yours i will be extremely happy...........Glen your pics are truly sharp and so perfectly clean, do you use a tripod a lot of the time?? Some of the photos you did in the Church seemed so perfectly well lit and clear!! What's the secret?

thank you ALL for the advice already given by the Nikonites members..

 

[gqtuazon]

Thanks Steve. You are too kind. That was actually my first paid gig that I did and I thank you for your feedback. The parents were also pleased with the pictures that I captured for their kids.

I used two Paul C Buff Einstein E640 strobes. I'm glad the priest allowed me to use these strobes since the flash would have been very difficult to lower down the ISO and they would have probably over heated with the fast paced actuations between each child. It was definitely a great experience for me. All of them where hand held except for the studio shots where I used my tripod to achieve super sharp images.

 

[stevebobb]

Thanks Steve. You are too kind. That was actually my first paid gig that I did and I thank you for your feedback. The parents were also pleased with the pictures that I captured for their kids.

I used two Paul C Buff Einstein E640 strobes. I'm glad the priest allowed me to use these strobes since the flash would have been very difficult to lower down the ISO and they would have probably over heated with the fast paced actuations between each child. It was definitely a great experience for me. All of them where hand held except for the studio shots where I used my tripod to achieve super sharp images.

Yeagh for your first gig, that was a 1st for effort, and I am glad everyone was happy what you did for them a perfect job..

Wow so basically you turned the Church into a Studio, actually I never would of thought of doing that!! I mean I didn't realise you can add Studio strobe lights into a Church, In Uk I am not sure if that would be aloud..! as I am inexperienced with wedding photography, maybe the pros do this as the norm!!

What was the wattage of those lights? I think when they came on, the rest of Towns light dimmed a little didn't they ?LOL


Must of cost a pretty penny too..
Since being in Beijing I have found out that Studio lights are quite cheap to buy!! All for the future for me..

But Its actually a much better way of controlling the light and none of the flashes going off all the time, so you just pre-worked out your settings on the camera and clicked away...No doubt your a great photographer, thank you for giving the Nikonites members and me an insight on how you did it..

Ah by the way I have kinda changed my mind again, I'm probably going to buy the Nikon 24-70 2.8 and NOT the Tamron, my reasoning is listening to the pros the 24-70 mm is a workhorse of a lens, and some say they use it 80% of the time, so I think I should buy the Best Lens as I will be using it most of the time, AND the Nikon will keep its value more..."I hope"!! I will be doing some video much not much I guess.. Saturday is the big day for me, so its an important day for me, my wife's friend son is having a wedding on the 2nd June and i'm hoping to take lots of picks, Its obviously a Chinese wedding which culturally speaking will Very interesting for me to see.. If I get some nice photos done I will put a couple of them on this site IF I get permission from the Bride and Groom.

 

[gqtuazon]

Wow so basically you turned the Church into a Studio, actually I never would of thought of doing that!! I mean I didn't realise you can add Studio strobe lights into a Church, In Uk I am not sure if that would be aloud..! as I am inexperienced with wedding photography, maybe the pros do this as the norm!!

What was the wattage of those lights? I think when they came on, the rest of Towns light dimmed a little didn't they ?LOL

The Einstein lights are pretty expensive if you buy the entire package but I find them to be more versatile, sturdy, and easy to use. The pictures on their website is exactly what I purchased except for the umbrellas. I used the medium octobox and large rectangular softbox as shown on the picture above. I had them pointing up to create an indirect lighting effect so that it is less distracting during the mass. The Einstein can operate on various voltages from 97 VAC to 220 VAC. Our local priest was very accommodating so everything worked out well.

Without these strobe lights, the church lighting would have been much harder to work with and you usually get a yellowish color since they are all incandescent lights.

Paul C. Buff - Einstein E640