This year I want to move more away from people shooting and more into "nature" shooting which will involve wild life, landscapes and macro. Im wondering if selling my two D2H's and a lens is worth grabbing the D2X. I really don't need two bodys but I must say it is nice to have a back up. Im not sure what lens I would part with and I guess that is why I am posting this? I can remain the way I am and be quite happy or I can wait to see what the D200 brings. I gotta admit though Im not sure that I will ever want to leave the view finder if the D200 view finder remains like the D70s.
My ideal package change would include the D2X, 12-24 and a 400 or 500 long lens. Right now I am having a hard time trying to decide what to sell to take the plunge into D2X heaven. I love the 17-55 and 70-200 but would sell them if I knew I could get along with just my 50, 60, 12-24 and 300f4 untill I could nail down the 400 or 500. I may have some senior portarits later in the year but what I am most concerned about is if I can make it through my Nephews football season with just my 300f4. I also like the 17-55 as an all around lens so I am really stumped.
Should I hang tight and save for the D2X and keep my loving lenses or go for it
Ok guys/girls be nice and have some fun with this as you all know I am a Nikon addict and just need some opinions that I may not of thought of. I really do want the D2X and would even suffer without the 12-24 for a while. Right now I am leaning towards long lens shooting for the winter but wonder if I will miss a wide zoom? Man I hate this.
Christian, I've narrowed my kit down to the Nikkor 12-24, Nikkor 24-85, Nikkor 80-400. I know this isn't the kit that most would recommend, but I'm having a ball shooting the 12-24 landscapes, then mounting the 80-400 and shooting 'landscapes within landscapes'. I use the 24-85 for portrait work. Oh yeah, I did keep my Sigma 105 macro, but the three Nikkors have wrapped it up for me. My backup is an F5, which just about always has the 24-85 mounted. Life is good
FWIW, I hardly do any super low light shooting, and when I do, I get tremendous results with high ISO on the X. (I opted out of buying 2.8 glass)
My wife wants a backup D2X. I'll tell you what I told her: Camera bodies are increasingly disposable. Lenses really arent. I asked her if she would buy a D3X when it comes out and her eyes lit up... She NEEDS more stuff. I told her we should get the 200-400 or a 200 f/2 if we can spend that kind of money.
I wouldnt really sell lenses to finance a body because you are going to end up buying those lenses again... I really think you should wait until the D200 comes out and you see what its all about before getting rid of things to finance a D2X...
Patience is a virtue! - Also, a D2H for sports and a D200 for landscapes would probably be really great.
On the other hand, if I had to sell any one of your lenses, I just have this future hunch that nikon will offer a 24x36 sensor some day, and, figuring I am going to keep my lenses forever, I lean away from DX lenses as much as possible, so if you were going to really go for the D2X, I personally would sell the 17-55... even for a D70 kit lens temporarily. Another approach is to sell the 300 f/4 and pick up a 1.4 tc for the 70-200... I really like the results thus far with the kenko 1.4 tc on the 70-200 and the 85 1.4
hmmmmm... so I'm rambling: Heres my official recommendation:
sell 1 D2H and the 300 f/4 and pick up a 12-24 and a 1.4 tc to couple with the 70-200... Then sell the 17-55 and pick up a 28-70 so that you'll have 12-24, 28-70, 70-200 and effectively a 98-280 f/4
Jack - I have been considering the 24-85 and not so much on the fast 2.8 lenses because of the ISO on the D2X. I have a lot to think about and appreciate your insite. Im wondering if my 300F4 can cut it for sports. I do have the the 1.4 TC that adds to the 300F4 for a 400 @5.6. My problem is the hand held comfort of the 70-200 with VR for shooting sports. I plan to shoot basketball with strobes this year so that should help. I found I could do quite a bit with my 50mm so the 24 - 85 with strobes could be interesting. I mostly do these sports shots for my sister but the parents catch on and want me to shoot their kids so I have the OK to use strobes shooting games. The football situation is a whole diffrent animal in Oregon with many cloudy days with rain, It will all work out. Man do I feel lonely not being able to contribute my D2X shots,
I've only done a couple of sports jobs, so I probably should keep quiet but I used the 300f4 and to me, it was very restricting. I feel like the 70-200 and TC combo would be a much better fit. But then again, I've never used it
Right now I am leaning toward selling a D2H dumping my 17-55 and sitting tight to save for a D2X. That would keep me with my beloved 70-200. Most all of what I shoot from 17-85 on I use flash for fill anyway. I also find I need more reach than wide just the oppisote of what I thought a year ago. I have also decided that I am not in a position to continue on with weddings. It is just to much with a 5 and 3 year old. I did have a lot of fun this summer and my clients loved what I provided. My poor wife is the web designer and with her full time job it is also to much to stay on top of. My love is Nature so that is where I will be heading this year
It will all work out. Man do I feel lonely not being able to contribute my D2X shots,