Ken, sorry to hear about your Sedona experience. That's one place which is high on my list, has been for a while. Too bad about your experience there.
Ken Hill wrote:
Jack we're back safe and sound with a lot of shots to process. Where in Florida did you live?
You're absolutely right about Sedona and tourists. They don't like them at all! I break the ice by saying I'm from central Florida and "hate tourists" which usually does the trick! But was overcharged at a hotel and a restaurant lousey service at another means we won't be going back. /K
That photo is rather heartbreaking Samy... a veteran who is asking for donations. He is disabled and can't afford to live in the region. I would have sympathies for most who can't afford to find housing, but feel especially so when it comes to men and women who have given service on behalf of our country. I may not always be excited about where we go to war, but when we do, I believe we need to honor those who are sent. That includes responding to their wounds, whether physical or psychological and to making certain they don't end up on the streets or in the woods. Many Vietnam veterans ended up in the woods of northern California... unable to cope with ordinary life after what they'd experienced in war.
I guess Memorial Day is a good day to tip our hats toward those who serve. Thanks for the reminder Samy.
Ken Hill wrote:
Jack we're back safe and sound with a lot of shots to process. Where in Florida did you live?
You're absolutely right about Sedona and tourists. They don't like them at all! I break the ice by saying I'm from central Florida and "hate tourists" which usually does the trick! But was overcharged at a hotel and a restaurant lousey service at another means we won't be going back. /K
Sedona scenery is stunning and is defiantly worth visiting, but it was a tourist trap 20 years ago and I can only imagine it now!
I lived on Sanibel and in Fort Myers from 1975 to 2004 and worked at the water utility on Sanibel up until 2000. Moved to Ormond Beach in 2004 at the urging of my son and daughter who lived there. That summer I drove west to Missoula for my 50th high school reunion, met a lady at the reunion and ended up getting married and moving here in 2005. I had always wanted to return to Montana and have never looked back.
Great hearing your back home now Ken. Looking forward to more pictures and now you can keep Regan in line too!
Jack
saph wrote:
Ken, sorry to hear about your Sedona experience. That's one place which is high on my list, has been for a while. Too bad about your experience there.
Samy,
Sedona is a photographers paradise, beautiful sites and scenery so don't let my experiences deter you from going. We've done a lot of road trips and have our favorites and of course and towns like Sedona that treat you like a number are not one of them.
The Canyon de Chely in Arizona is beautiful. We've been to Mesa Verde in Colorado a number of times. Pikes Peak, Yosemite, Zion, Bryce, Antelope Landing at Lake Powell all great places with warm people.
MontanaKid wrote:
Sedona scenery is stunning and is defiantly worth visiting, but it was a tourist trap 20 years ago and I can only imagine it now!
I lived on Sanibel and in Fort Myers from 1975 to 2004 and worked at the water utility on Sanibel up until 2000. Moved to Ormond Beach in 2004 at the urging of my son and daughter who lived there. That summer I drove west to Missoula for my 50th high school reunion, met a lady at the reunion and ended up getting married and moving here in 2005. I had always wanted to return to Montana and have never looked back.
Great hearing your back home now Ken. Looking forward to more pictures and now you can keep Regan in line too!
Jack ...Show more →
Jack Montana is definitely beautiful and a great State. You've tried both Coasts of Florida and not many can say they did that. So I'm guessing your 10 years older than I am and find it terrific you found the woman of your dreams.
Of course, Ken, it is probably safe to say you're STILL with the woman of YOUR dreams... the mother of your children.
So many ways to live a life. People love Florida... Montana, California and more places than we can name... with or without a significant other. We do, know, however, that kit building is FOREVER...
And he found another bear over there... exactly as we've done, finding other photographers from AROUND the world who ALSO love these lenses... We must be doing something right...
CGrindahl wrote:
And he found another bear over there... exactly as we've done, finding other photographers from AROUND the world who ALSO love these lenses... We must be doing something right...
No ... he saw another mountain. BUT I get your point 🙄
Ken Hill wrote:
Jack Montana is definitely beautiful and a great State. You've tried both Coasts of Florida and not many can say they did that. So I'm guessing your 10 years older than I am and find it terrific you found the woman of your dreams.
I'm looking back at 81 and still enjoying everyday to the fullest! Can't get much better than that!
The best I was able to do is take the like new freshly serviced 55 1.2 S.C for a quick low light test at different apertures with my only obedient model.
Thanks for the input Curtis and everyone else. After spending some time thinking about the use case for this camera I've decided to roll with the DF. The sensor was the deciding factor after I remembered thinking that I could live with the ergos when I tested it a few years ago. That, and it's small enough to clip to a belt or backpack while carrying the D500 on my shoulder and a kid on my back.
Still no decision on a wide angle although the consensus seems to be that one of the 20mm variants is the winner, and that's certainly wide enough for my purposes. I'm leaning towards the 20mm 2.8 ais as it seems to get good reviews in general and the CRC is intriguing. The 15mm 3.5 would be great but it defeats the purpose of a lightweight kit.
Thanks again for the help everyone. Happy shooting.
CGrindahl wrote:
Welcome Jay. You came to the right place and will likely get responses from a number of folks who spend time on this thread.
Since you're enjoying you D500 it makes perfect sense to stick with a prosumer camera like the D700 or D800. I didn't like the grip on the D800 so I stayed for many years with the D700. I found it to be just about the perfect camera for shooting with manual focus Nikkors. In fact, most of my kit building was done when I was shooting with that camera. The one drawback in doing so, however, is that you require lenses that were either produced as AI or AI-s lenses, or that have been converted to AI either through installation of a Nikon AI conversion kit or cutting the aperture ring. I have an aversion personally to cutting aperture rings so it meant I had to work very hard when I wanted to buy the earlier pre-AI lenses. When I eventually bought the Df, that problem went away since I could mount any but the very earliest lenses without an AI conversion. I'd recommend the Df, but it is a more expensive option. I believe you'd be perfectly happy with the D700. I still own one, though I only use it when taking photos of the Df with a manual focus lens attached...
I discovered this unposted comment as I closed browser windows before hearing to bed. I know many folks have commented already so my offering is rather superfluous... but here it is nonetheless. Good luck finding your camera AND lens. I agree with Ken H, the 15 f/3.5 is a fine performer but has a huge front element that would be daunting to handle carefully. The 18 or one of the many 20mm lenses would work well. I'm very happy with both the f/3.5 UD lens and the f/2.8 AI-s.
CGrindahl wrote:
That photo is rather heartbreaking Samy... a veteran who is asking for donations. He is disabled and can't afford to live in the region. I would have sympathies for most who can't afford to find housing, but feel especially so when it comes to men and women who have given service on behalf of our country. I may not always be excited about where we go to war, but when we do, I believe we need to honor those who are sent. That includes responding to their wounds, whether physical or psychological and to making certain they don't end up on the streets or in the woods. Many Vietnam veterans ended up in the woods of northern California... unable to cope with ordinary life after what they'd experienced in war.
I guess Memorial Day is a good day to tip our hats toward those who serve. Thanks for the reminder Samy....Show more →
Curtis, when we were in the US in 2011 we spent a few days on the Delaware shore near Dover AFB and the presence of the war was obvious with planes coming and going all day long. I was very surprised to see virtually no mention in the media of the progress or otherwise, casualties, or any other indication that the US was at war. It felt to me that the country was in denial and that the servicemen and women were out of sight and out of mind.
It saddened me at the time and I am even sadder when I see and read about these forgotten people who have given so much but have to sustain themselves after injury and mental trauma. The word "hero" is overused with respect to military veterans but at the very least their contribution deserves better than having to beg.
Still no decision on a wide angle although the consensus seems to be that one of the 20mm variants is the winner, and that's certainly wide enough for my purposes. I'm leaning towards the 20mm 2.8 ais as it seems to get good reviews in general and the CRC is intriguing. The 15mm 3.5 would be great but it defeats the purpose of a lightweight kit.
I've had good success with the ultra light and compact 20mm f/3.5. It has been my go-to ultra wide lens on many mountaineering trips and it will be back in my backpack this summer for a 3 week trip.
It may not be the greatest lens for astro shots, nor will it be critically sharp across the frame at infinity below f/8.0, but at just over 200 grams it is an easy call to put it into my backpack. Mine was a $90 bargain back in 2012, but today it seems to go for lot more money, making it less desirable. It isn't a $400 lens, but that is what some are asking for it.
