My New Toys! Yup…more than 1… :P
Posted by KhoKing on Sunday Apr 24, 2011 Under PhotographyGot some new toys for myself recently…was planning for a holiday this year, so have to upgrade my already very old Nikon D200. (Many was surprised that I am still using Nikon D200…hahaa…it is still a great camera.)
So…what did I get? Not many actually, but some items which I have wanted.
Nikon D700, D300s or D7000?
Yes, I have wanted a full frame DSLRs. I have wanted a Nikon D3s, in fact my wife have already ordered one from Nikon Malaysia for me, but later I decided not to take it (out of the box). RM15k for a DSLR is too much for me, since I am only shooting for fun and most are just family shots. I told my wife that I want D4 when it comes out later.
However, oversea holiday has pushed me to consider upgrading my Nikon D200. High ISO performance of Nikon D200 is quite disappointing. Anything at ISO800 or above is NOT usable in my opinion. Not just because of noise but the colour cast.
Now the choice is Nikon D700 (FX), D300s (DX) or D7000 (DX). I want video actually, as I find it convenient and good to have from time to time. Too bad D700 is without this feature. I definitely prefer D300s more than the D7000, as I like bigger size camera and I feel that D300s response faster than D7000 in terms of AF and focus lock accuracy. It is OK if you disagreed. 
Now I have a “PROBLEM”. One of my beloved lens, the WHITE AFS 28-70mm F/2.8 is a full frame lens and in order to use this lens effectively, it should be used in FULL FRAME mode. 28-70mm zoom is a very common and convenient range in full frame, but in DX mode, it becomes 42-105mm. Not wide enough for sure and will need another lens to back it up. I am not saying that the 28-70mm lens performs poorly in DX mode, but the useful focal length should be 28-70mm instead of 42-105mm.
Because of the above, my preference is more towards D700.
Few days ago, a dealer friend called me and asked about changing system from Nikon to Canon (not me, but he wanted to change). To cut the story short, he wanted to sell off his D700…etc. I told him about my intention of getting a D700, so he said why not get his? Shutter count is less than 15k (D700 can last for 150k), condition is near new. The timing is perfect for me, so I accepted the deal and he posted his entire Nikon set to me few days later.
So…the toy is finally revealed. A Nikon D700.
As can be seen in the picture, condition is satisfying. Of course as an used item, there are some used mark on the camera for sure, but nothing major. I tested the camera, checked and cleaned with damp cloth. I am happy with the purchase.
You can see the above a Nikon 60mm lens. Ok, let’s take a clearly look from another angle…
Nikon AFD 60mm F/2.8 Micro
It is the AFD 60mm F/2.8 macro lens. Yes, the D version. This lens has been my favorite lens for all purpose shots. I have used it a lot since my film day, and WOW by the sharpness and contrast that produced by the lens! If you want the best Nikon lens, try this. You won’t be disappointed! I am glad to have it once again at a good price (no, not from the dealer friend but from another seller). Condition is around 80% new, but the important part is that the glass is clean and clear.
Did you notice something on the handgrip?
Yes, that’s the Matin Hand Grip “CREPIS”. Very elegantly made, very good cow leather material, made in Korea. There are black and dark brown colour available, and I chose the dark brown version for my own use.
Why hand grip? I makes holding the camera much more easier, especially when you are using a heavy setup. Yeah, D700 is heavy.
The added extra benefit of the Matin Hand Grip “CREPIS” is the foot stand at the bottom. In many occasion when I want to put my camera onto a table or floor, I have to tilt my camera tilt and the lens front is touching the ground. This causes the lens front or hood to get in contact with the ground and can be scratched easily. With the self-standing foot from the Matin Hand Grip “CREPIS”, the camera can stand on its own even with the AFS 28-70mm f/2.8 heavy lens.
Phottix BP-D700 Battery Grip
I have big hands, so I prefer to have a battery grip on my camera to make holding firmer. I didn’t add one to my D200 as a third party grip was not available by then (5 years ago). Now, great quality near to original battery grip can be bought at less than half the price of the original, so I put one onto my D700. Yes, it is the Phottix BP-D700 battery grip.
The good thing about the battery grip is that there is an extra shutter release on the battery grip, and there is a Nintendo pad on the battery grip too for easy navigation of the focus point or menu selection. As compared to the bigger Nintendo pad on the camera body, the small pad is much easier to navigate! Try it and you will know what I mean.
There are some other toys but I haven’t decided if I want to keep them or sell them off. The above are keepers for the time-being.
