How to deal with expensive lenses you only use a handful of times throughout the year

[nerwin]

Are those coolpix P7xxx cameras really that good?

I love mine, excellent IQ full manual capable. Astro has the next model up and @oldhippie uses the newer Coolpix for some cool work. Fixed lens though.

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I guess I have something to think about.

When I had the Fuji X100, I really did love using it even though it was fixed lens only, it really made me think instead of just zooming. I only really sold it because I needed the money for the D610. I loved that camera. That was my go-to travel camera.

 

[Braineack]

How do you decide when to use the P7800 and D600? If I was to buy an advanced compact, I'd probably end up using that more than my D610 just because its so much smaller, lighter and easier to carry so I'd bring it with me heck a lot more than my DSLR.

once you look at the images produced by both the decision will be easier.

 

[nerwin]

How do you decide when to use the P7800 and D600? If I was to buy an advanced compact, I'd probably end up using that more than my D610 just because its so much smaller, lighter and easier to carry so I'd bring it with me heck a lot more than my DSLR.

once you look at the images produced by both the decision will be easier.

Its hard to look at a camera with a 1/1.7" sensor from a 35mm sensor point of view.

 

[jcdeboever]

I decide by type of shoot, image style and location is preferred over image quality.

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[Derrel]

Its hard to look at a camera with a 1/1.7" sensor from a 35mm sensor point of view.

Yeah, because millions and millions of photos shot with 1/1.7" sensors are made in situations where nobody would be caught dead using a full-frame Nikon or Canon camera. A good example is in a nightclub, in church, at a funeral, at street fairs and picnics and playgrounds, or at protests in the Middle East...a place where even experienced professional photojournalists are now more and more, relying on the near-invisibility of a point and shoot.

Same thing in most types of "social photography"; the compact digicam's small sensor and correspondingly short focal length lenses make it possible to create deep,deep depth of field shots in one click of the shutter, even at short telephoto settings. With a large-sensor camera, the same kinds of images would require focus stacking, a tripod, and some luck.

For "social photography", the m4/3 sensor camera has a big advantage over a FF digital, as far as depth of field at wide and normal and even short tele lengths. APS-C doesn't come close to 1/1.7" sensor cameras for the ability to have almost infinite depth of field, and also the lenses for APS-C and FF are, basically, very close in size once you get away from the compact prime lenses and the kit zooms.

A LOT of people are very,very suspicious of big cameras and big lenses these days.

 

[astroNikon]

I have the P7800 - the most recent model with the bright EVF, etc.
There's also the older P7700, P7100, P7000 models
==> Nikon COOLPIX P7800 | Advanced Performance Compact Digital Camera

It's not like the CoolPix A which is an APS-C sensor.
==> Nikon COOLPIX A

I wanted more DOF, especially for video.
My d7000 dslr didn't have the DOF that I wanted. So I knew another APS-C won't work for me.

also, pocketability
hot flash, and able to control the flashes like my D600.
Full manual control.
but with that ..the "FULL" options like manual focusing are menu driven.
ISO is limited, aperture is limited though controllable.
everything is is much more limtied than a full fledged DSLR
but once you learn how to use the camera you're fine.
Focus Areas are limited to "segments" and things like that. Don't expect 39 focus point. shutter lag ... don't expect to shoot sports with it. the list goes on. which is why I have a DSLR too.

it depends if it fits into what you want it to do.

I only use mine in JPEG mode. I'd have to upgrade my Lightroom to support it's RAW mode as it's the latest release of the camera.

 

[nerwin]

I'm actually considering to just selling the 105 and picking up the Sony RX100 M3, its exactly what I want. Small, light, viewfinder, 1" sensor and fast lens. Perfect companion for my D610. I'd hate the part with my 105, but I don't use it much anyways and that RX100 M3 would get a heck of a lot more use I think. Besides, I can always buy another macro lens later if I really do need one.

 

[OGsPhotography]

Just sell your guitar. If you can live with that start selling more things until you want something again. Theres always more stuff to want.

 

[astroNikon]

Just sell your guitar. If you can live with that start selling more things until you want something again. Theres always more stuff to want.

but the guitar has been taking up space in his closet preventing him from buying other things that he wouldn't use to put in his closet !!

LOL

 

[beagle100]

I decide by type of shoot, image style and location is preferred over image quality.

I prefer image quality over style and (possibly) location
www.flickr.com/photos/mmirrorless

 

[Derrel]

I'm actually considering to just selling the 105 and picking up the Sony RX100 M3, its exactly what I want. Small, light, viewfinder, 1" sensor and fast lens. Perfect companion for my D610. I'd hate the part with my 105, but I don't use it much anyways and that RX100 M3 would get a heck of a lot more use I think. Besides, I can always buy another macro lens later if I really do need one.

I just looked at the RX100-iii samples on dPreview...looks pretty good when converted from raw. Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III Review

For a $759 compact body with a small footprint and a FAST f/1.8~f/2.8 24mm-70mm equivalent zoom range, it seems like it'd be a good on-the-go camera for the pocket. OTOH, the Fuji X-Pro 1 has been dropped to $499 body-only from B&H, and that has a bigger APS-C sensor, but it is a bigger, bulkier camera that's really not anywhere near as pocketable.

I think the way to choose a compact camera is really based on how you want to carry it: shirt pocket? Jacket pocket? Fanny pack or holster bag? Neckstrap/full-sized camera bag? There are cameras from very small and compact, up to big rigs that MUST be carried on their own strap. Basically, like four different camera sizes. Each size up means less likely to be carried around all the time.

 

[nerwin]

I'm actually considering to just selling the 105 and picking up the Sony RX100 M3, its exactly what I want. Small, light, viewfinder, 1" sensor and fast lens. Perfect companion for my D610. I'd hate the part with my 105, but I don't use it much anyways and that RX100 M3 would get a heck of a lot more use I think. Besides, I can always buy another macro lens later if I really do need one.

I just looked at the RX100-iii samples on dPreview...looks pretty good when converted from raw. Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III Review

For a $759 compact body with a small footprint and a FAST f/1.8~f/2.8 24mm-70mm equivalent zoom range, it seems like it'd be a good on-the-go camera for the pocket. OTOH, the Fuji X-Pro 1 has been dropped to $499 body-only from B&H, and that has a bigger APS-C sensor, but it is a bigger, bulkier camera that's really not anywhere near as pocketable.

I think the way to choose a compact camera is really based on how you want to carry it: shirt pocket? Jacket pocket? Fanny pack or holster bag? Neckstrap/full-sized camera bag? There are cameras from very small and compact, up to big rigs that MUST be carried on their own strap. Basically, like four different camera sizes. Each size up means less likely to be carried around all the time.

I don't mind hand carrying a smaller camera. I brought my Fuji X20 that only had a wrist strap around with me everywhere. I've been into some awesome restaurants with no camera and my phone sucks at that kind of stuff. I rather not bring my DSLR with me into a restaurant but a small compact camera I see quite often.

 

[Solarflare]

Hmm.

I think a macro lens is important enough that its no shame to keep one in your backhand even if you dont use it that very often. Though I am not really fan of the current Nikon AF-S 105mm f2.8 VC micro, which IMHO is more of an overpriced underperformer ... I would much rather get a Tamron 90mm f2.8 VC macro, Tokina 100mm f2.8 macro, an old AI 105mm f2.8 micro (1:2 only), or the really mighty ones - Zeiss Makro Planar 100mm f2.0 (1:2 only), Voigtländer APO Lanthar 125mm f2.5 macro, Nikkor AF 200mm f4 micro, or Nikkor PC-E 85mm f2.8 micro (1:2 only).


Personally I currently use, with exactly this priority:
AF-S 28mm f1.8
AF-S 70-200mm f4 VR
AF-S 16-35mm f4 VR

Yes the 16-35mm stays at home quite often, because I like the two lens setup. Sometimes the 70-200mm stays at home as well, because I like the one prime lens setup, too. But the only thing I've contemplated about the 16-35mm is the question if I should replace it with a Tamron 15-30mm f2.8 VC since that appears to be an awesome lens. Even then I think I would keep it for having a more lightweight lens that also allows filter useage.


P.s.: Ooops, started ranting ... what I wanted to say: I really dont see the issue with having lenses you use less ... just as long as when you actually use them, you really need them.

 

[astroNikon]

One thing to keep in mind is your expectations.

The "fast lens" ... well, okay if you want to use that term. mine is f/2 - 4

But my old pocket camera was a Nikon L20. The P7800 is heads over heels way superior to that camera.
So moving UP it's fantastic.

But, as mentioned earlier, moving DOWN it's a BIG disappointment (the smaller the sensor you go).
So as long as it meets your criteria be aware that it's not a DLSR with all the advanced and full features.

That being said, I like carrying around the P7800. I can put it anywhere.

Though this morning I saw a Boeing 747 up around 40k feet with a nice trail behind it as the sun was coming up. I know the P7800 can't do anything about that. I also knew if I bought out my DSLR that the temp change from inside to outside would just fog over the lens immediately and take 20 minutes to settle. So I still missed a shot.

 

[Dao]

One thing I like about the RX100 MIII is you can use your finger to tilt the built-in flash so that you can bounce the flash off the ceiling.