GAS: Please Share your Latest Acquisitions Big and Small

[Craig C]

Been eyeing the Aer City Sling for a while and with the BF 20% off sale, I pulled the trigger.

City Sling - Black — Aer | Modern gym bags, travel backpacks and laptop backpacks designed for city travel

www.aersf.com

A good option for EDC and will fit a smaller camera setup as well. It’ll come in handy when my PD 5L sling is a little bulky.

 

[Jonathan F/2]

Just added the Samyang 35mm f/1.8 FE lens to my Sony kit! I sold the Samyang 35mm f/1.4 for the f/1.8 mainly for the smaller size, weather sealing and better AF performance. I'm tempted to swap the Samyang 85mm f/1.4 for the smaller 75mm f/1.8, but the 85mm is the first of the Samyang lenses to nail down auto focus, weather sealing and has the solid image performance.

The Samyang 18mm f2.8, 35mm f/1.8 and 85mm f/1.4 FE lenses compared in size:

My entire Sony setup w/the A9, A7III Sigma 50mm f/1.4 EX + adapter, Tamron 28-200mm FE + Samyang 18mm/35mm/85mm:

 

[phigmov]

Nikon D600 body - feels good but also a lot lighter than my D700 (which has a definite tank-like feel).

_1060483 by Walter Kernow, on Flickr

 

[rayvonn]

Nikon D600 body - feels good but also a lot lighter than my D700 (which has a definite tank-like feel).

View attachment 241816_1060483 by Walter Kernow, on Flickr

What a wonderful sight. I sometimes consider trading up my D800E for newer gear but then think "nah!". Using the plethora of always available manual focus AI lenses aligned natively on those DSLR bodies (and the AF-D/ G lenses of course) is a wonderful thing.

 

[mike3996]

Using the plethora of always available manual focus AI lenses aligned natively on those DSLR bodies (and the AF-D/ G lenses of course) is a wonderful thing.

This is such a bittersweet situation for me personally. Nikon's DRF dot feature helps tremendously with focusing MF glass and without much interruption but it's not nearly as accurate as a magnified EVF view. But optical is optical, no getting around it. And native lens support, automatic aperture stopdown in particular, does enhance the satisfaction also.

Overall, not sure what I should make of the Df/Z6 situation.

 

[rayvonn]

it's not nearly as accurate as a magnified EVF view.

True, which I do understand will be a problem for most users these days.

 

[MoonMind]

This is such a bittersweet situation for me personally. Nikon's DRF dot feature helps tremendously with focusing MF glass and without much interruption but it's not nearly as accurate as a magnified EVF view. But optical is optical, no getting around it. And native lens support, automatic aperture stopdown in particular, does enhance the satisfaction also.

Overall, not sure what I should make of the Df/Z6 situation.

I'm basically with Ray on this one, but what I really, really dig is the interoperability of the Nikon systems - I'll keep my D750 as long as it'll last (even though I've started shifting AF-S lenses in earnest - the Z mount counterparts outdo them easily) because I like the native F mount and optical viewfinder capabilities; and after acquiring the 28-105mm AF-D, I actually own a fun package to carry around, too. And I can use all of my F mount lenses with little to no penalty and without having to fiddle with magnification or anything. The AF(-D) stuff even autofocuses ... Of course, you can get technically better *results* with the EVF - but not better *images*.

The Z 6 provides everything else (small, stabilised, EVF, great glass, right down to the superzoom - heck, in most cases, the Z 24-200mm actually equals or beats the venerable AF-S 70-200 f/4G). And the FTZ adapter works fantastically well - which actually opened up my new tele solution for me: Z 50 with FTZ and AF-S 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6E - great combo; the lens works equally well with the D750 and Z 6, too; it's one of Nikon's true sleepers - inexpensive, very decent results.

However, I've really had to stop myself several times from adding an L mount body (i.e. the S5). I really, really like what's available for that mount - however, it doesn't add anything specific to my kit that's not already covered, at least not in the way I want, so I'd better stop thinking about it. Another system definitely wouldn't help things, anyway.

I do hope thtat 2021 will get me to the point where I can once again push out one or even more systems and still keep the capabilities (i.e. mostly lenses and use cases) they provide. Nikon and Sigma can make that happen. Sony will be the one to go first ... The E mount was (well, is) fun, but the cameras are *not* my cup of tea. They're not bad - I just don't like them much; the lenses I own for them is what makes me keep them. If only Sony (and maybe Samyang) would manage to crack the Z mount ...

M.

 

[mike3996]

Of course, you can get technically better *results* with the EVF - but not better *images*.

I don't know. The DRF dot on the Df is so inaccurate with 20-55mm lenses I tried that the pictures come out visibly out of focus.

With 135mm f/2.8 the dot is totally accurate for my needs but that's just one focal length.

 

[Graham Moore]

Bought a DJI Mini 2 drone today. I haven't had time to unpack it but will do that over the next few days. Once it's all figured out and I have a federal licence it will be used mostly for work but some play too.

 

[agentlossing]

Bought a DJI Mini 2 drone today. I haven't had time to unpack it but will do that over the next few days. Once it's all figured out and I have a federal licence it will be used mostly for work but some play too.

I'm very interested in your observations, that drone sounds very cool.

 

[Bobby Tingle]

Sell a bunch of gear. Find out rebates are still on. And things happen. It’s kind of weird for me buying brand new gear after so many years of working the used market. Anyhow, this was ordered.

 

[Jonathan F/2]

I'm basically with Ray on this one, but what I really, really dig is the interoperability of the Nikon systems - I'll keep my D750 as long as it'll last (even though I've started shifting AF-S lenses in earnest - the Z mount counterparts outdo them easily) because I like the native F mount and optical viewfinder capabilities; and after acquiring the 28-105mm AF-D, I actually own a fun package to carry around, too. And I can use all of my F mount lenses with little to no penalty and without having to fiddle with magnification or anything. The AF(-D) stuff even autofocuses ... Of course, you can get technically better *results* with the EVF - but not better *images*.

This is why I still keep my D750 bodies despite owning the Sony A9 and A7III. My Nikon 28-85 f/3.5-4.5 AF is like a 30 year old lens, but it's still plenty sharp and useful. I paid $40 USD for it! There are also cases where I prefer Nikon DSLRs that mirrorless just cannot replace. Mirrorless does many amazing things DSLRs can't either, so I think it's best to own both!

 

[davidzvi]

My only recent acquisition has been returned. I finally got my Olympus 100-400 and sent it back. It's just too big and heavy. I'll probably just pick up an Oly 75-300 for now.

But you guys are killing me with the Z5 and Z6 stuff. I could just about swing a Z5 + 24-200.

 

[davidzvi]

The X-S10 and rumored 70-300 isn't helping my gas either.

 

[Jonathan F/2]

My only recent acquisition has been returned. I finally got my Olympus 100-400 and sent it back. It's just too big and heavy. I'll probably just pick up an Oly 75-300 for now.

But you guys are killing me with the Z5 and Z6 stuff. I could just about swing a Z5 + 24-200.

I ended up returning the Z5 mainly because of the EVF/live view display noise that was just too distracting for me. I'd probably opt for a used Z6 instead which doesn't have that problem.

 

[mike3996]

I ended up returning the Z5 mainly because of the EVF/live view display noise that was just too distracting for me. I'd probably opt for a used Z6 instead which doesn't have that problem.

What's this thing? I read Z5 amplifies the view more in low light as opposed to Z6.

But what is Z6 doing if it doesn't amplify the signal? You get jerky live view in low lights, Panasonic m43 style?

 

[Mr_Flibble]

Last Wednesday I acquired a crate full of cameras from a friend clearing out their parents' attic. It contained;
- Some plastic fantastic stuff; Nikons, Minoltas, Kodak Disc and a bunch of filters and light meters.
- A Voigtländer Vitomatic.
- A Zeiss Contessa with a stuck shutter.
- A Dallmeyer Special Press Reflex in poor but salvageable condition.
- A lovely Voigtländer Bessa II with Color-Skopar.

She told me she wanted a 'symbolic amount' for it, even after I told her the going value of the Bessa.

I've loaded up the Bessa with film now. And I'm in the process of restoring the Dallmeyer Reflex;
- Ordered new shutter curtain cloth from Aki-Asahi.
- Ordered a new ground glass from ViSt Kamera.
- Still shopping around for a first surface mirror in the correct thickness.

And Saint Nicholas Eve brought me a couple of photo books;
"Burning Bridges" and "The Bridges Are Ours" - Pictorial History of the 82nd Airborne Division in Holland during Operation Market-Garden by Hendriks & De Trez

 

[Jonathan F/2]

What's this thing? I read Z5 amplifies the view more in low light as opposed to Z6.

But what is Z6 doing if it doesn't amplify the signal? You get jerky live view in low lights, Panasonic m43 style?

The Z5 amplifies the live view quite a bit. I compared it to the live view of my other mirrorless cameras (A9, A7III, J5 and even the D750 LV) and the Z5 was boosting the video gain in complete darkness making it look like a snowstorm. The problem though is that when shooting at night, even if there is ambient light, it'll still try to amplify the live view. My Sony bodies won't even try to do that and give more of a WYSIWYG live view keeping the dark areas dim.

I still think Olympus has the best all-around live view implementation of all mirrorless cameras.

 

[Mr_Flibble]

Oh, and just added a Butcher&Son "Midg" Falling Plate camera to the collection

Hello group, I'm Rick and I have a problem

 

[rayvonn]

Oh, and just added a Butcher&Son "Midg" Falling Plate camera to the collection

View attachment 242361

Hello group, I'm Rick and I have a problem

The closet I've got to that is the wet (not flat) plate presets in Analog Efex Pro(!). Would love to see an image from the real thing if you ever get a spare moment.