...And it is starting to really annoy me.

So, I'm willing to make any Nikon shoters out there an offer. Any weekend left this month, (pick a weekend, I've got a wedding!) ANY weekend, if you're not using your DSLR or lenses, LET ME KNOW! I'll buy you lunch, pay you $25, whatever you want, if you have a D2H, D200, a D80, a Fuji DSLR, a 17-55, 50 1.4, 35 f/2, ANYTHING that I am going to have to otherwise rent this month.

Okay I'm desperate. If you have a CANON DLSR and a lens, let me know too. *cringe*

(Garrick I already owe lunch, so maybe I'll have to upgrade him to dinner if he loans me anything)

Here's the deal- My D200 is at Nikon for focus calibration. Who knows how long that could take, it could be up to 2-3 weeks if I'm very un-lucky... My D70 plus no fewer than FOUR other items (lenses / flashes) are ALL at KEH being quoted for trade in towards a D300. Who knows what they'll wanna buy and/or ship back to me... Lastly, the 50-150 f/2.8 that I still possess is focusing questionably on the rental S5 that I had this weekend. So essentially I have zero gear that I am 100% confident in. And FOUR weddings this month.

Talk about bad timing, eh?

Lemme know if you can help me out. If not, no big deal, I can just expense out the rentals, but still I hate to burn money, mine OR my clients...

=Matt=

EDIT: Just held the Olympus E-3 and 12-60 f/2.8-4 when I went to return my rental. WOW, that thing focuses FAST! They weren't kidding when they claimed it was the world's fastes AF system, I am in disbelief! Gerk, was the E-3 + 35-100 f/2.0 mind-bogglingly fast too? That particular setup is probably so much glass that it didn't really seem different than the leading brand 70-200 2.8's... But AF with the 12-60, man, this new SWD autofocus is like, instantaneous. Faster than the human eye even. Beats the snot out of Sigma's HSM, noticeably faster than than the Nikon / Canon SWM / USM found in "prosumer" lenses, and equals / beats the ultra-fast 70-200 lenses... And I have tried them all, a LOT.

Viewfinder is big and bright, which is one thing I was worried about what with the 2X crop. Fears allayed!

Amazing quality body, too. I mean it is rock solid, but not heavy as a brick like a 1-series Canon or 2-series Nikon... Extreme attention to detail for those who photograph in really nasty conditions, seriously. Gotta be the best adventure photography setup on the market if you ask me... Only $2300 for the E-3 + 12-60! Sign me up for one plus I can get my favorite macro lens, the Sigma 150mm f/2.8 HSM, in the Olympus 4/3 mount. Niiice... That setup plus a 1.4x could get me from 24mm f/2.8 to 420mm f/4 with ease...

=Matt again=

So, Sigma has announced that they're updating both the 50-150 f/2.8 EX DG, AND my beloved 50-150 f/2.8 EX DC

They are both now going to have the APO nomenclature, which means they've got an apochromatic element which SHOULD greatly improve close focusing...

This was a problem that was definitely visible with both the 50-150 AND the 70-200; even though the 70-200 officially had the "Macro" notation in it's name it was not the best lens to shoot wide open at 200mm. My 50-150 is not the best lens to shot wide open at 150mm and close distances, either.

So hopefully the lenses should be tack sharp now at close focus distances.

HOWEVER, I have had a sad realization in using the 50-150 for a year or so now- It is not as practical as I originally thought to use a monopod in 90% of the situations I use the lens, meaning, I NEED STABILIZATION!!!! Yes I am the king of hand-holding rock-steady shots, but I dont' always HAVE the time to hunker down and relax and steady myself and shoot without any camera shake, it takes time and concentration.

So, I am torn. Do I sell my current 50-150 and upgrade to the APO version? Do I WAIT for Sigma to come out with an OS version? Do I WAIT even MORE for Nikon to come out with their own DX verison with VR?

Sigh...

=Matt=

I am smitten. Thrice...

Hello Nikon D300, hello Fuji S5, and hellooOOooo Nikon D3!

Yes, I have recently handled and tested all three of these cameras. I shot a wedding with the S5 a weekend or two ago, I held / fired / tested the D300 on two occasions and the D3 just today, about 12 hours ago...

All three are AMAZING cameras in their own right.

The Fuji S5 does JPG:

Fuji S5, Nikon 50mm f/1.4, hand-held
1/50 sec, f/2.0, ISO 400. (+1 EV comp from matrix metering in apeture priority)
JPG capture with camera set to "Fujichrome simulation mode" (Velvia)
(COMPLETELY un-processed, without even the slightest bump in anything at all.)

The Fuji S5 does RAW:

Fuji S5, Nikon 24mm f/2.8 manual focus, tripod
1/2 sec. f/16, ISO 100. (Nikon pro bodies meter with old manual lenses...)
RAW capture with camera set to "STD" mode, dynamic range set to 400%
(NO bracketing exposures, NO graduated filters, NO dual-processing! ONE straight exposure!)

The D3 does ISO 25600!!!!!

(100% crop)
I am just in shock that the image even comes close to use-able. I mean, this is the camera at "HI 2" for crying out loud. "HI 2" is not suposed to look this clean!!!

The D300 does ISO 6400:

(100% crop)
Definitely not 16x20" print quality, but I've done 4x6'x and 5x7's with worse images, that's for sure! And yes that would be JChan! Here's the full size image...

What I notice foremost is the fact that Nikon has managed to do away with that horrible drop in color and tone when you used to switch into "HI" ISO modes. With all other cameras it was a slow progression of increasing noise until HI, and then POW the saturation and contrast just falls through the floor as soon as you switch the D200 to ISO 3200, for example.

Not anymore. Both the D300 and the D3 just roll right on through, hardly batting an eye when you switch into "HI" mode... Yes, there is noise. Yes, there is considerable loss of fine detail. But the matter of the fact is that they're still use-able, AND the fact also is that ISO 800 and 1600 are now perfectly acceptable for almost ANY application. And THAT is what I need in a camera.

Now I just gotta decide which one to buy!

After a LOT of uncertainty, and flying accusations from both sides of the argument, I've decided to say it "officially"...

The D300 beats the snot out of the D200 for high ISO performance!

First, let's see what both cameras do at ISO 3200:

(NOTE: In all comparisons, the D300 is on the left....)

YIKES! Maybe that's why I never used my D200 at 3200...

Next, let's see what the D300's ISO "equals" on the D200. This should be interesting...

D300 3200 = D200 1600? Well, at first glance it appears that even the D200's 1600 is worse than the D300's 3200.

HOWEVER, if you view the original size screenshot HERE, you'll notice that details are a tad bit sharper in the D200 image, although SUPERFINE details are gone in the D200 image whereas the D300 is almost able to get them. (the smallest text on the left-hand edge) But, let's continue on down the chart and see where the NOISE of the two cameras will equal out:

Hmm, it looks like at D300 3200 VS D200 800, we have finally passed even noise levels. So that puts the D300 at maybe 1.5 EV less noise than the D200, but with not even 1 EV of more resolving power at high ISO...

Perfect, for me at least.

Now while I'm on the topic of D300 VS D200 ISO performance, let's dispell a myth really quick:

The D300 only does ISO 100 via "LO 1", while the D200 does ISO 100 native. You may ask, does this mean that the D300's ISO 200 equals the noise level of the D200's ISO 100? Or does the "LO 1" notation mean that it is somehow degraded image quality in comparison to the D200's ISO 100?

I'm tired of posting screenshots, so just take my word for it:

The D300 at ISO 200 does just as good as the D200 at ISO 100, with almost practically un-noticeably more noise and much more resolving power.

Here's the tidbits I just can't help posting:

The D300's 12 MP resolves exactly the same as the 5D's at low ISO. At high ISO, a difference is noticeable for sure, the 5D maintains detail like no tomorrow while the D300 needs to rely on noise reduction to achieve the same level of noise. BUT, at least it should be noted that the D300 can equal the 5D for noise at high ISO! If you're going to make a 16x20 out of 3200 you'll want to use a 5D, but if you shoot theater like I do and only ever sell 4x6 - 8x10's, the D300 will do a fantastic job....

(Side note: I remember many many months ago, the talented Scott Robert made a 20x30 print from a 5D ISO 1600 image as a gift to one of his clients, and he actually had to *add* grain to make the print look natural... So, when I'm as big as Scott, remind me to get an FX Nikon!!!)

The D300 at ISO 3200 has almost as little noise as the D2Xs at ISO 400, and almost as much resolving power. WOW.

The D300 at ISO 6400 ALSO comes within a hair of matching the Canon 1D mk3 at 6400!!!! Wow!

And, lastly, it is with mixed emotion that I post *this* screenshot, since I know a boatload of people who own this camera:

You got it, that's the D300 smoking the 40D for noise levels at 3200, though admittedly the 30D LOOKS less smudgey, even though I can't really SEE any loss of detail in the D300 image. I'm betting that a little bump of the contras and clarity settings in Bridge / Lightroom and the D300 will look gorgeous...

Alright, that's all folks!

LOL I want this book. Christmas is coming, heck, my birthday is coming too! Anybody?

Ahahahaha that is so genius of a title, why haven't I thought of it before? It's so ME...

=MATT=

Well everyone, it was nice knowing you all. But I think the world is about to end.

Nikon ACTUALLY is shipping enough D300's to come very close to meeting demand!!! This is un-precedented, especially for Nikon, to have this many cameras shipping this quickly. Tiny unknown non-chain retailers are getting something like 30+ units in stock, as opposed to the dozen or so that one could have hoped for previously.

This is not just the word of mouth on the internet, either, in fact I talked to the Nikon rep last Tuesday in San Diego and he said Nikon was stepping up the delivery volume this time.

I'm so happy, this might just mean that I'll be able to get one in time for my birthday in January! Woohoo!

Now all I have to do is, uh, well, come up with the money! Minor details... Anybody getting married? Hire me now while you can! My prices are going up in 2008!

=Matt=

...Ken Rockwell has some mad photography skillz:

http://www.kenrockwell.com/trips/2007-10-395/index.htm

I wish *I* had the time to go on a trip like that!

=Matt=

Only days after Sigma released it's pair of uber cool, crop-sensor fisheye lenses that I was so excited about, Tokina has joined in the fun a little with their own latest DX idea:

Tokina 35mm f/2.8 DX Macro!

At $500 or so street price guess I won't be able to pick up one any time soon as much as I'd like to, but it's still a sweet lens and I'd totally want one for my oldschool type of macro photography! The long "reach" of my Sigma 150mm f/2.8 Macro is nice a lot of the time, especially when I want to REALLY isolate a subject and get some shallow, shallow DOF, but other times I'd like to still be able to get 1:1 macro but with a wider angle of view, and a little more play room closer up to the camera. The Nikon 60mm f/2.8 macro would have been ideal on 35mm film or FX digital, but I don't plan on "upgrading" to that any time soon, especially not for nature photography, so this Tokina 35mm is an awesome option. And Tokina ATX PRO lenses are known for being dang sturdy, that's for sure! My all-metal construction 17mm f/3.5 is a tank of a lens...

Yet another lens which Nikon and Canon don't have a true equal for... Actually, if the optical quality is there I've got nothing wrong with buying a third party lens... Still, it's lame that Nikon and Canon aren't doing as much as Sigma / Tokina (and Tamron) are...

[EDIT] Wow, how did I miss this other lens, hidden underneath the Nikon ad on DPR? The oh-so-sweet 11-16mm f/2.8 DX!!!! NICE!!!!

11-16, hmm, at first glance it's a little too close to the 10-17 fisheye zoom and the 12-24 ultra-wide zoom.

But then I realize, it's ASPHERICAL 17mm equiv, and unlike the fisheye zoom it accepts filters, and unlike the 12-24, this one is f/2.8. Then there's the fact that Tokina makes a 16-50 f/2.8, which would pair very nicely. Then there's my Sigma 50-150 f/2.8 to complete the lineup, yum...

But, do I ever really USE that wide of a focal range? As popular as that range is these days, I find it really hard to compose a photo that DOESN'T have tons of wasted space. The lens is often SO wide that unless you really get in and get close and maybe distort perspective, you're going to lose the subject in all the wide angle-ness...

Definitely another lens that is NOT going at the top of my list, that's for sure. Right now I'm still too addicted to fast-apeture primes to think seriously about buying another zoom just yet...

=Matt=

Alright folks, this is it, things are starting to "happen" with the Nikon D3 and D300 that were announced almost 3 months ago...

People are claiming to OWN a D3 or D300 and are posting images from them.

People are claiming to have at least heard from the dealer where they're on a waiting list, that their D3 / D300 is "on it's way to the warehouse"...

MANY people have confirmed that in Japan an official "hit the shelves" date of Nov. 24th or so has been announced, with US release a few days around that. Nov. 28th has been mentioned a couple times for the US...

If you're not already on a waiting list, it'll probably be 2008 before you can own one, lol...

But, let the Nikon insanity begin!!!

For starters, I'll be heading to the Escondido Calumet next Tuesday, Nov. 20th, to at least hold and fire the two cameras. Any other Nikon shooters / fans who are interested, I'm totally down for a "Nikon-con" of sorts. We'll get together and riot in the streets and assault some poor un-suspecting Canon shooter, just for fun... Okay maybe we won't, but you ge the idea. It will be fun. Nikon will be one step closer to being "on top"...

[rolls eyes as he saves up for a cheapo 20D to shoot theater with, after seeing how GORGEOUS Eric's ISO 1600 pics were with his 30D... Still can't understand how Canon managed to convince so many people that it's all about FF VS 1.6x, when it's actually all about crappy sensitivity technology VS Canon's amazing CMOS technology... Silly 5D, $2000 cameras are supposed to be fully pro featured!]

All in good fun, my friends, all in good fun...

=Matt=

No, don't go taking your camera with you to the CAR dealership to trade in on that new vehicle you need to buy, I don't think that will work...

What I mean is, what if selling off your old camera and upgrading to a new one could be just a single convenient, safe, secure transaction? What, not possible you say? Gotta deal with Ebay or Craigslist? (or Fred Miranda or Nikonians, for the super-savvy I guess...)

Bleah, in my opinion there are few things more annoying than trying to sell your used gear to some other private party, and having to deal with them wanting to haggle, then the Paypal fee or whatever, and then the UPS shipping, and worrying the whole time about whether or not they'll try and rip you off somehow...

Well, no more! Behold, I give you the camera dealership you've always wanted, http://www.keh.com...

A couple bucks more expensive than Ebay, you say? A bit less than top dollar for your used gear, you complain?

Duh. Here's why:

Purchasing security- Imagine the security of buying a brand new camera from a world-wide, trustworthy dealer like Amazon or Adorama. That's what KEH has, pretty much. If they say a camera is in EX condition or better, you can be sure that it'll look practically brand new, and DEFINITELY won't have any hidden flaws that only manifest themself after a month of shooting. And no paypal fee, no dealing with cashier's checks, no worrying if the camera will even get to you period, and no jacked-up shipping fee.

Selling security- You won't have to worry about waiting for a check to clear before you ship, you won't have to worry about an angry buyer coming back to you a month later because of an issue you never even knew the camera had...

Lastly, and the reason for this post: trade-in simplicity, plus a 10% discount- Yep, that's right, you can get rid of the camera you've got and own the camera you want with as LITTLE complication as possible, and if simplicity and security weren't enough to win you over, you get 10% off your purchase! Which if you ask me is a great deal, plain and simple. I dunno about you, but I have enough things to worry about in life, enough stuff to keep track of and stress out about. I'd rather let a dealer like KEH handle everything for me, and skip all the fees and nonsense that goes with trying to sell and buy used gear.

In fact, I'm definitely considering calling them up and getting rid of my old D70 in favor of a D300, that's for sure! Wait a minute, I still want my D70 for IR modification, drat. Selling a perfectly good USA D70 only to buy another one in half a year doesn't make too much sense... Hmm wait a minute, if I'm gonna crack open a D70 and tweak around with the sensor, I might as well do it with a grey market one, since any mistakes would probably put it "beyond economical repair" lol... And grey market D70's are hitting $399 in EX condition! oooOOOOoooohhh, the plot thickens...

Now the final question involves a little math- I paid $485 for my 2nd D70, I'd probably get about $250-350 for it, I'd get $180 off a $1800 D300, and someday spend maybe $375 on a grey D70 to modify as an IR camera. Worth it in the short run? In the long run? Forgive me, I'm bad at math right now, too busy processing play photos like a madman while writing this post piecemeal...

=Matt=