Nikon D810 Black Friday sale (and lens?)

double_entendredouble_entendre Registered Users Posts: 141 Major grins
edited November 8, 2016 in Cameras
Mulling if I want to drop the dough on the D810 for the Black Friday sale

$2,499 for the body and battery pack. That doesn't seem to be a significant discount relative to BH Photo's typical pricing ($2,496), really. Am I wrong that this "deal" isn't much of one? Also, is the kit lens that is available (24-120 F4) worth buying ($3,199 with the body and battery pack). Or cough up the dough for the 24-70 2.8 ED VR? Conceded they're different worlds.

Really appreciate the thoughts.

Comments

  • ziggy53ziggy53 Super Moderators Posts: 23,764 moderator
    edited November 6, 2016
    I agree that the "sale price" isn't ...

    Since you don't mention how you might use either the NIKKOR 24-120mm f/4G ED AF-S VR or the NIKKOR 24-70mm F2.8G AF-S ED, it's hard to make a recommendation.
    ziggy53
    Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
  • double_entendredouble_entendre Registered Users Posts: 141 Major grins
    edited November 6, 2016
    Thanks, Ziggy.

    Mostly the lens will be my "vacation" lens. It'd fit nicely in my luggage or on the motorcycle.

    If I get the 810, it'll be replacing a D7000 with the 18-105 lens that I found to be a good range. We went to Olympic National Park and Mount Rainier recently and I took a lot of photos with that lens. Eventually I'd want to add a wide angle prime or zoom as well. Often found myself wishing for a wider lens than the DX 18mm.

    Mostly all I shoot is landscape and wildlife.
  • dbddbd Registered Users Posts: 216 Major grins
    edited November 6, 2016
    ziggy53 wrote: »
    I agree that the "sale price" isn't ...

    B&H
    Price: $2,996.95
    Instant Savings: $500.00
    You Pay: $2,496.95

    Adorama
    Regular Price: $2,996.95 Instant Rebate: -$500.00
    Final Price $2,496.95

    Samy's
    Original Price: $2,996.95
    instant Rebate(s): $500



    What's wrong with a $500 rebate?

    Dale B. Dalrymple
    "Give me a lens long enough and a place to stand and I can image the earth."
    ...with apology to Archimedies
  • ziggy53ziggy53 Super Moderators Posts: 23,764 moderator
    edited November 6, 2016
    The first thing I suggest checking out is the Nikon D7200 APS-C body. You could continue to use the DX NIKKOR 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED AF-S VR, if you found it otherwise acceptable. I would suggest also looking at a multiple lens "kit" of your own choices and one that you could configure for specific applications.

    For instance (and in addition to the NIKKOR 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED AF-S VR), you could purchase a Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 EX DC OS HSM in Nikon mount which is really wonderful for its range, and add a telephoto zoom for wildlife images. Either add an additional wide-angle zoom or wide-angle prime for the vista landscapes or use multiple images stitched together for "really" wide views and/or more detail.

    With those three lenses you could create a kit which could be as light as necessary, or better image quality as desired.

    For instance I have:

    Nikon D7200 body
    Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 EX DC OS HSM
    Nikon refurbished AF-S DX NIKKOR 55-200mm f/4-5.6G ED VR II
    Tokina 12-24mm F4 DX

    ... and that "kit" of lenses is remarkably capable for a broad number of situations. I do intend to add a 70-200mm telezoom at some point but not in any rush. It would be reasonably competent as a travel kit as is, but better with the addition of a fast-aperture prime plus a close-focus diopter accessory lens. Stitching multiple images together is something I do regularly to extend FOV/AOV.
    ziggy53
    Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
  • ziggy53ziggy53 Super Moderators Posts: 23,764 moderator
    edited November 6, 2016
    dbd wrote: »
    ... What's wrong with a $500 rebate?

    Dale B. Dalrymple

    My reply was too brief, but I was agreeing with the OP that the Black Friday sale price was nothing too special, compared to most regular prices (which include the rebate).
    ziggy53
    Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
  • MitchellMitchell Registered Users Posts: 3,503 Major grins
    edited November 7, 2016
    Personally, I buy these bodies lightly used. Low click D810 bodies are selling for around $1950.

    The 24-120mm is a great walk-around lens on the D810. It's my most used travel lens covering a wide range and good VR. Toss a 58mm, f1.4 in your bag and you're all set. I love the 24-70mm, but it's just too big and heavy for me as a walk-around lens.
  • chasgroh2chasgroh2 Registered Users Posts: 68 Big grins
    edited November 7, 2016
    ...the OP states that the deal includes a battery pack. Last one I bought, for my D500, was 500 bones...so that makes this a great "deal" in my book...
    Charlie Groh
    (tin can tied to the bumper)
  • double_entendredouble_entendre Registered Users Posts: 141 Major grins
    edited November 7, 2016
    ziggy53 wrote: »
    The first thing I suggest checking out is the Nikon D7200 APS-C body. You could continue to use the DX NIKKOR 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED AF-S VR, if you found it otherwise acceptable. I would suggest also looking at a multiple lens "kit" of your own choices and one that you could configure for specific applications.

    For instance (and in addition to the NIKKOR 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED AF-S VR), you could purchase a Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 EX DC OS HSM in Nikon mount which is really wonderful for its range, and add a telephoto zoom for wildlife images. Either add an additional wide-angle zoom or wide-angle prime for the vista landscapes or use multiple images stitched together for "really" wide views and/or more detail.

    With those three lenses you could create a kit which could be as light as necessary, or better image quality as desired.

    --snip--.

    Thank you for the thoughts. Right now I've got an 80-200mm and a 300mm at the big glass end and a fixed prime at the standard end. The 18-105 is pretty good, but also pretty slow compared to other options. I had a lot of photos from Mount Rainier that were dark because I couldn't hold the lens still enough.

    (Do I sound like I'm trying to persuade myself this makes sense? lol3.gif)
    chasgroh2 wrote: »
    ...the OP states that the deal includes a battery pack. Last one I bought, for my D500, was 500 bones...so that makes this a great "deal" in my book...

    It is, but if I had to pick between the battery pack and $500 in my pocket, I'd go with the latter. Maybe if it was a multiday camping trip I could justify the battery pack, but for me it's not really accretive. I can see how it would be to many, just not me. ne_nau.gif

    Oh yes, re: buying used, I could do that, but I just am not convinced that the discount is enough for me to get excited about buying a sensitive electronic device. Cars and motorcycles, sure. Cameras....less sure. That may not be entirely rational, though.
  • MitchellMitchell Registered Users Posts: 3,503 Major grins
    edited November 8, 2016
    Cameras....less sure. That may not be entirely rational, though.

    Yeah, I would say that's not rational. Buy from a seller with great feedback on an active site like fredmiranda and you won't be disappointed. The nice thing about cameras is that you know exactly how many shutter actuations a used body has on it.

    If you're patient you can get some good deals with significant savings. I just bought a D500 with only 400 clicks on the shutter for $1500. That's a good $500 off the going price at B&H. The body looked and smelled new.

    If you're trying to save some cash, lightly used is the way to go.
  • NikonsandVstromsNikonsandVstroms Registered Users Posts: 990 Major grins
    edited November 8, 2016
    Thank you for the thoughts. Right now I've got an 80-200mm and a 300mm at the big glass end and a fixed prime at the standard end. The 18-105 is pretty good, but also pretty slow compared to other options. I had a lot of photos from Mount Rainier that were dark because I couldn't hold the lens still enough.

    (Do I sound like I'm trying to persuade myself this makes sense? lol3.gif)



    It is, but if I had to pick between the battery pack and $500 in my pocket, I'd go with the latter. Maybe if it was a multiday camping trip I could justify the battery pack, but for me it's not really accretive. I can see how it would be to many, just not me. ne_nau.gif

    Oh yes, re: buying used, I could do that, but I just am not convinced that the discount is enough for me to get excited about buying a sensitive electronic device. Cars and motorcycles, sure. Cameras....less sure. That may not be entirely rational, though.

    Looks like the perfect thread for me to jump into, that's a lot of gear to be putting on a bike where are you housing all of it? Panniers?

    To add what Ziggy said I shoot with a D750 and D7200, the latter is a very interesting camera since it behaves like those recent FF Nikons' in that ISO doesn't really matter much. Lifting the shadows a few stops has a very small penalty VS shooting at the higher ISO. So beyond the high ISO noise and resolution improvements you'd get that as well. More importantly on a motorcycle a DX kit can be much smaller than an FX one, and for landscape work at the same effective focal length DX will have greater depth of field for a given F-stop. My current wide angle camera is actually the D7200 with a Tokina 11-20 F2.8.

    As for lenses close to the 24-120 the Sigma 17-70 F2.8-4 looks like it fits the bill but I haven't used one myself so I can't really comment further on it.

    Also since you're trying to convince yourself for a D810 one thing to double check is if your computer is up to it. Especially if you use lightroom which is very CPU intensive I'd go to a shop and take some photos, or find some files online and try running them through your processing. I tried a D800 back in the day and my computers at the time just weren't fast enough with them so that sold me on going to 24 MP and I've been pretty happy with that level of resolution.

    If you do want to go FX the D750 would be another camera to look at, plus it's more compact and 700 dollars cheaper, or with the 24-120 it's 2,300.
  • LadyJemimaLadyJemima Registered Users Posts: 17 Big grins
    I've found that buying factory refurbished or demo usually comes out WAY cheaper than the "sales" offered on new bodies and lenses. Just be sure to do a thorough price check before you buy. FYI, I think Adorama is the only company that offers a 1-year warranty on used products (if I'm remembering correctly).
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