Personal gear review

On one hand my inner accountant is optimistic and relieved about my getting into affordable Nikon gear a bit more...

After all Nikon is a vast system with most affordable film and digital bodies and lenses from several decades, rich third party system as well spanning several decades. You can set a budget of $100 and get great lenses. And what comes to camera bodies, I've said it previously but for one good Leica M digital body you can buy yourself three Nikon digital cameras, for example a used D750, D4 and a D810 could all be hunted for the equivalent of one Leica M-P 240.


...but on the other, my Leica past and ongoing Leica things make Nikon prices a bit abstract to me. The high end lenses for Nikon cost about what low-end Leica lenses do, or the third-party ones. I read a conversation about Nikkor 28 f/1.4 D that's alongside the 28/2.8 AiS what comes to 28mm lenses, and how both are extremely overvalued right now, out of this world even. If my day job is to dream about owning the $6k Leica Summilux 28mm then these Nikkors at around $350 and $1300 don't seem like much -- why not as well buy them and see what's the hype?

I fear where I am in five years with the gear.
 
It's one of the holy(?) trinity of GAS threads... The other two are "share your gear acquisitions" and "share your gear desires."

It allows me to covertly sneak in the same GAS ramblings in three separate threads without being called out.
This is the sneaky one because it started out as people talking about maybe trimming back the kit. It has become the intermittent “second hand GAS” thread as time passed.
 
On the E-PL3? It was the first of the really small E-PLs, @mnhoj I also started with the E-PM1.

The D700? I could flood the showcase with too many images from archives. It was my first FF and the only body that I owned a pair of, there were times I wish I hadn't "upgraded".
The PM1 was a blast. I started with 14, 20 and 45. Couldn't even comprehend the size/output ratio at first.

My D700 era was golden. My kids were growing. The gear was amazing. It was a really great time with a ton of memories.
 
Okay, I feel somewhat stupid now, but also immensely relieved.

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I got my Summicron-M 50mm f/2 (V) back from Leica and took it out for a little trial ... long story short: It's simply great (again, probably). I should have sent it off much earlier :rolleyes:

The obvious bottom line: This lens stays!

M.
 
The PM1 was a blast. I started with 14, 20 and 45. Couldn't even comprehend the size/output ratio at first.

My D700 era was golden. My kids were growing. The gear was amazing. It was a really great time with a ton of memories.
At first I rented a D700. I had a wedding at the end of October in King's Chapel, downtown Boston at 5:00. No flash was allowed during the ceremony. My bodies at the time were a D300 and Fuji S5 Pro. Both I tried to keep below ISO 1600. Both of these shots were at 6400.
 

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What I call zoom boredom, combined with the release of the Fuji 18mm 1.4 has me seriously contemplating taking another small loss and selling my 16-55. And returning to a small prime kit.
This turned into a self fulfilling prophecy for me. A long time friend of mine here locally bought my 50-140. While talking with him about it he asked if I had thought about selling the 16-55 since that was next on his wish list. A few minutes later we had worked out a deal of a 50mm f2 and cash on his end for both lenses. He already has the 100-400 and now he's saving for the huge 8-16 2.8 to complete his set.
 
I should have been a bit more specific in the context of the D700. They are very clean and sharp with good DR and colors, especially given the indoor venue. My old soldier is working its way down the east coast. Since it is an older model, Adorama gets nostalgic and sends it via pony express.
You know Steve... you have me checking out eBay right now. I'm seeing some pretty decent prices on even the 36mp D800.
 
I'm really pleased with the combination of the E-M1 Mk II and P 14-45 . . . the original mu4/3 kit lens. I had this lens once before when I had a G1, and it did well, but this one seems to be loads better. Either there's the usual copy variation, or the E-M1 II just brings out the best in the lens. Either way, me likey.
I had this lens with the G1 and kept it for a long time. The first mu4/3 normal kit lens was probably the best until maybe the current generation of glass.
 
At first I rented a D700. I had a wedding at the end of October in King's Chapel, downtown Boston at 5:00. No flash was allowed during the ceremony. My bodies at the time were a D300 and Fuji S5 Pro. Both I tried to keep below ISO 1600. Both of these shots were at 6400.
Very nice.
I really wanted to try the S5 pro at the time but the D700 ended that craving.
 
This is the sneaky one because it started out as people talking about maybe trimming back the kit. It has become the intermittent “second hand GAS” thread as time passed.

And coming back, a bit, to the original topic of this thread. I still have too many cameras/lenses in my possession. I like the idea taking pictures with the other stuff I have, but I almost 100% shoot only with 5D IV and 50mm F1.2L. Only when a bit more discreet photographing is appreciated, I grab the Oly E-M5.2 with 14-40 F2.8 (and miss instantly the workhorse when starting to really take pictures with Oly and more when post-processing. Although I've found that DxO does the trick for Olympus Raw and I get mostly acceptable result with that way)

I'm sentimental when thinking my cameras and should I sell some of those. What say you, keep or cash:
- Leica M8
- Sony RX100.4
- Nikon Df
- Olympus OM-D E-M5.2
- Olympus PEN E-P5 with VF-4 (in my wife's possession, nothing to say here 🙄)
and some good glass for all of them.

What I could sometimes use are 85mm for Canon and versatile all around zoom also for Canon.
 
And coming back, a bit, to the original topic of this thread. I still have too many cameras/lenses in my possession. I like the idea taking pictures with the other stuff I have, but I almost 100% shoot only with 5D IV and 50mm F1.2L. Only when a bit more discreet photographing is appreciated, I grab the Oly E-M5.2 with 14-40 F2.8 (and miss instantly the workhorse when starting to really take pictures with Oly and more when post-processing. Although I've found that DxO does the trick for Olympus Raw and I get mostly acceptable result with that way)

I'm sentimental when thinking my cameras and should I sell some of those. What say you, keep or cash:
- Leica M8
- Sony RX100.4
- Nikon Df
- Olympus OM-D E-M5.2
- Olympus PEN E-P5 with VF-4 (in my wife's possession, nothing to say here 🙄)
and some good glass for all of them.

What I could sometimes use are 85mm for Canon and versatile all around zoom also for Canon.
Suppose my recommendations depend on what sort of lens arsenal you still own for each system.

Also whether keeping or cashing the M8, what kind of ask did you have in mind. 😎
 
And coming back, a bit, to the original topic of this thread. I still have too many cameras/lenses in my possession. I like the idea taking pictures with the other stuff I have, but I almost 100% shoot only with 5D IV and 50mm F1.2L. Only when a bit more discreet photographing is appreciated, I grab the Oly E-M5.2 with 14-40 F2.8 (and miss instantly the workhorse when starting to really take pictures with Oly and more when post-processing. Although I've found that DxO does the trick for Olympus Raw and I get mostly acceptable result with that way)

I'm sentimental when thinking my cameras and should I sell some of those. What say you, keep or cash:
- Leica M8
- Sony RX100.4
- Nikon Df
- Olympus OM-D E-M5.2
- Olympus PEN E-P5 with VF-4 (in my wife's possession, nothing to say here 🙄)
and some good glass for all of them.

What I could sometimes use are 85mm for Canon and versatile all around zoom also for Canon.
Entirely my take (YMMV!), but here goes:
  • Alongside the 5D IV, I don't see any real use for the Df - so that would be my first "victim". Not that I dislike the camera, but even if it's small for a DSLR, it's still a pretty big camera you won't usually pick over the 5D IV just for its form factor. And I'm sure the 5D IV outperforms the Df by some margin and feels more comfortable in the hand, even with the 50mm f/1.2 L attached. When I pondered my options, I picked the D750 over the Df for various reasons, handling being a prominent one (even though I would like the classic controls, they're certainly not a necessity, and they don't make me take better images).
  • The second possibility would be to let go of the RX100 IV if you don't use it often - but in my experience, it pays to own at least one pocketable camera. If it's basically a drawer queen, I'd move it on.
  • I see the E-M5 II as a workhorse, especially with the 12-40mm f/2.8 - I'd keep it to have a smaller, yet sufficiently competent compact setup with a zoom. Especially when compared to FF systems, the size advantage is considerable. I often compare the E-M5 III to other cameras I have, and it still seems one of the most sensible packages on the market - whenever I think about getting out of :mu43:, this fact intervenes. Arguably, some even prefer the haptics of the E-M5 II over the III - so, if I owned that camera, I'd be really hesitant to sell it. And while the sensor in the E-M5 III is a bit better, it's not worlds better.
  • The E-P5 is going to stay as far as I understand - and it's a nice enough camera.
  • Last, but not least, the M8 is just what it is - I personally would never let go of that camera as long as it worked. It's one of my all-time favourite cameras as far as the shooting experience goes, and I still do like the results. I wouldn't replace it with another one, though - they *do* age ... To let you gauge my appreciation for this camera: I just ordered a brand new battery for it (the two "no-name" ones I bought earlier don't cut it - they're so bad they'll get recycled!).
M.
 
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