Nikon PC-E 24mm f/3.5D ED available at B&HPERMALINK
The Nikon PC-E 24mm f/3.5D ED has been out of stock and hard to find. It’s in stock at B&H Photo as I
write this for $1899.
The PC-E 24/3.5D ED is reviewed in DAP and I also cover it
in my July 10 blog entry. It’s an outstanding lens, one I recommend
for landscape photographers in particular, but also for creative uses and stitched images.
Same old new cameras — the EOS 5D optionPERMALINK
With Nikon’s 12-megapixel D700 available for some time now (a lovely camera), and Canon’s 21-megapixel 5D
Mark II just around the corner (less lovely perhaps, but still lusted after), which should you buy? Fewer, cleaner pixels, or more
noisier pixels?
Perhaps neither, unless you have close to US$3000 burning a hole in your pocket. Cameras
are accessories. Put your money into optics that will serve you for a long time to come. Good
optics will still be good 3 or 5 years from now. The fancy new D700 and 5D Mark II will seem like yesterday’s stale bread
in 3 years, even though they’ll perform as good as when new.
So here is an alternative worth considering, at least for some photographers: soon the market will be flooded
with used Canon EOS 5D bodies. WIth the new 5D Mark II priced at US$2699, a very nice used EOS 5D with low mileage should sell for
around $1500 or so, perhaps even less (the 5D sold in large volumes). If money is no object, by all means get the latest and greatest,
and don’t buy a used 5D if you have any doubt whatsoever about the seller’s integrity.
The 5D has its shortcomings and annoyances (see my extensive Nikon D2x vs Canon EOS in DAP),
but it’s a damn good image maker. I still use mine, converted permanently to infrared
use, where it offers outstanding detail, having no anti-aliasing filter after the IR conversion. Especially if you shoot black
and white, an EOS 5D can be an excellent choice. You could also “hot rod” it at maxmax.com (eliminate
the anti-aliasing filter).
The Canon EOS platform also offers bountiful optical choices, because Canon, Nikon, Leica and Olympus lenses
can be used with adapters. If your photography is specialized or contemplative and/or just doesn’t require fast autofocus, very high
ISOs, big bursts, etc, a used Canon 5D might just do the trick.
So think carefully about your type of photography, and whether the “latest and greatest” really will make
a difference in the images you produce and whether the money saved could be used instead on a lens that might serve you for years to
come. Maybe that means a Zeiss ZE lens (ZE is ZF for EOS mount). Maybe
it means a Leica 90/2 APO (a good deal on the used market).
You can still buy the original 5D new for $2199.
The 5D Mark II is $2699 and
the Nikon D700 is $2759.
Only 6.8 cents per day for DAP — your help
neededPERMALINK
Readers have noticed a focus on diglloyd’s Advanced Photography (DAP)
lately. DAP already contains a large amount of content including The
Sharpest Image and other past Pro Reviews. But because I’ve just launched DAP,
I’m putting intensive effort into adding content, and in the short term this means less time available for preparing blog content.
I’m aware of that drought, and I do plan to continue to provide the insights readers have come to value. But I also need your help.
Yosemite pond near Tuolumne Meadows
Nikon D3 + Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8G
A subscription to DAP runs for a full year for just $24.99 (6.8 cents per day). Check out the contents
page for details of what’s already present and what’s coming.
DAP is one of the best investments you can make in your photographic pursuits. It is brand-neutral, free of
sponsor bias, and already covers or will cover everything from cameras and optics to storage and software and technique and art. (Please
note that DAP does not include Zeiss ZF Lenses or Guide
to Digital Infrared, but you can get them with DAP at a discount if you purchase them together).
Please encourage your friends to subscribe to DAP—thank you, I am truly grateful for any assistance you can
provide.
Finally, suggestions for topics are welcome!
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