Damn! Another D7000 Related Query!

[Sahil]

Hey friends.
I have made up my mind to buy Nikon D7000 & I am pretty excited about it. Now the thing is, either I buy just the body or Body + 18-105 Kit lens. If I buy body only I save $300. Or other option I have with me is that I sell my D3000 for $300 and buy the kit lens too.
What I feel is that its better to have two bodies. (saves hassle of changing lenses every now & then) But then I was wondering, practically how comfortable is it to carry two cameras. I won't be carrying both the cameras all the time but only when I am on some vacation or some specific shoot.
The lenses I have already:-

• Kit lense - 18-55 VR
• Nikon 50mm f/1.8
• Sigma 70-300mm

So I am not very keen on 18-105.

What do you guys suggest?

[Dons]

I think its better to buy body only and buy 18-200 VR.II ( like I did )..
And sell your D3000 include your 18-55...

Link to Nikon's best lenses.. http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/10-best.htm

[MiniChris]

Well, all I can say is...good luck and I truly hope your D7000 is better than mine. Right now, my D40 shoots a sharper image. If it shot all my AF lenses, I'd shoot nothing else. After this experience, I'll never buy another Nikon product. I should have stayed with my gut and gone with the Canon.

[Sahil]

And sell your D3000 include your 18-55...

Link to Nikon's best lenses.. http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/10-best.htm

Thanks for the Link, Donny.

And selling D3000, let me have some more feedbacks on this.

Well, all I can say is...good luck and I truly hope your D7000 is better than mine. Right now, my D40 shoots a sharper image. If it shot all my AF lenses, I'd shoot nothing else. After this experience, I'll never buy another Nikon product. I should have stayed with my gut and gone with the Canon.

I am so sorry for your bad experience, Chris. I guess its just a bad piece that you got. & hope I don't have to face the same.
Upon reading your experience I had become doubtful as to buy this camera or not but then reviews from others users have been encouraging.

[MiniChris]

Go to google.com, type in focusing issues with the D7000 and perhaps you will see I am not the odd man out, but rather deep within a huge population of other disgruntled D7000 dislikers. I would love that you got one of the exceptions to the growing norm and have a lovely camera...I guess I can only say, good luck!

Keep in mind that most reviewers depend on the major manufacturers for revenues.

[Sahil]

Gulp!!!

[Sahil]

Hey Chris,

I was reading on some issues pertaining to focus on D7000. I read that when one moves to more MPs this issue is faced. One has to get hang of operating a new camera with MORE megapixels. I didn't really understand how more MPs would effect focusing.

Someone please throw light on this.

[rpcrowe]

What I feel is that its better to have two bodies. (saves hassle of changing lenses every now & then) But then I was wondering, practically how comfortable is it to carry two cameras. I won't be carrying both the cameras all the time but only when I am on some vacation or some specific shoot. What do you guys suggest?

Obviously from my previous posts, I enjoy shooting with a pair of cameras. I once used the Canon 30D paired with the 40D but, now I shoot with a 7D and 40D. I love the versatility of two cameras having a wide focal range at my fingers without the downside of slower apertures, slower auto-focus and generally lower IQ. I prsently shoot with a mid-range zoom: 17-55mm f/2.8 IS and a telephoto zoom: 70-200mm f/4L IS. Actuallly, I can carry the f/4L IS PLUS the second body at the weight of a Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L (series) lens alone. I would expect that a 17-50mm f/2.8 Tamron (VC or non-VC) would pair up exceptionally well with your 70-300mm Tammy.

There are multiple ways of carrying a pair of cameras:

1. Using each on its individual strap has always posed tangle problem for me...
2. Using the OPTECH Reporter Strap http://optechusa.com/straps/reporter-strap.html reduced the tangle problems but, places a lot of weight on my neck...
3. I personally love the OPTECH Dual Harness http://optechusa.com/straps/dual-harness.html because it fits my needs great. I make one addition to that rig by adding a lightweight carabiner clip to the side adjustment straps of my photo vest or to my side belt loops if I am not wearing a vest. This method prevents the cameras from swinging if I run or climb steps or inclines.
4. Before I got the Reporter Strap or Dual Harness, I carried my 17-55mm around my neck on a strap and my 70-200mm in a holster case with a hand gripp attached. This was a decent way to carry the cameras but, I couldn't carry the 70-200mm with a flash mounted. Since I like using fill light, this was a significant down side.

I have not used the Black Rapid or the OPTECH Double Sling but, I am quite happy with the Dual Harness and my philosophy is, "If it isn't broken, why fix it?". I can also carry the cameras on the harness beneath my photo vest or beneath a jacket for protection or security in inclement weather or crowds...

[ilovelucydog]

Right now, my D40 shoots a sharper image. If it shot all my AF lenses, I'd shoot nothing else.

So... I should just stick with my D60 and not think about upgrading sometime? If I put money into things in the future (like waaayyyyy into the future)... put it into lenses? It's the whole AF/AF-S thing...

[Donald]

So... I should just stick with my D60 and not think about upgrading sometime? If I put money into things in the future (like waaayyyyy into the future)... put it into lenses?

Yes!

You've got a body that can do the job (well, you know what I mean!). Now concentarte on the glass.

[ilovelucydog]

You've got a body that can do the job

I read your response when I came in from helping unload the moving truck to get dinner started. I read it, logged out... and then it connected... I 'bout died laughing! It's so funny how sometimes we say something that makes total sense in the way we meant it, but can come across so totally different. That is the best response EVER to any comment I have posted here. Totally made my day... too funny.

[Sahil]

Hey Richard, thanks a tonne for putting in so much time. That's a big help. I did like that reporter strap. I wonder if we have these available here. I kinda find it stupid to pay shipping charges which are more than the product itself. I hope to find it here in India. Will look out. Thanks again

I should just stick with my D60 and not think about upgrading sometime?

The thing is that you got to unstick from you iPhone & stick to your D60 first.

It's the whole AF/AF-S thing...?

AF/AF-S is one the major reason I am planning to upgrade.

Again, I love the humour on this thread

[ilovelucydog]

The thing is that you got to unstick from you iPhone & stick to your D60 first.

You're so funny. I love my iPhone...we're stuck together like glue... that's where my music is that I listen to while walking, it's where I get e-mails and keep track of people.

[Sahil]

You're so funny. I love my iPhone...we're stuck together like glue... that's where my music is that I listen to while walking, it's where I get e-mails and keep track of people.

Tracking people, yea alrite

[Letrow]

Go to google.com, type in focusing issues with the D7000 and perhaps you will see I am not the odd man out, but rather deep within a huge population of other disgruntled D7000 dislikers. I would love that you got one of the exceptions to the growing norm and have a lovely camera...I guess I can only say, good luck!

Keep in mind that most reviewers depend on the major manufacturers for revenues.

I am not sure whether your problem is more common than with other camera models, but if you have it, it sucks.
Having said that, I haven't experienced any of these problems with my D7000. In fact, as a camera, it is one of the best and most versatile that I have ever held.
I am a Nikon fan though, so slightly prejudiced

TBH, I did read some of the reviews as well, so when I just had the camera I did a lot of tests with my various AF lenses to see whether I had the same problem. I couldn't find any bad shots. All lenses produce sharp images. The 18-200mm came out as the lesser lens in these comparisons, but that is hardly noticeable and may be a result of the fact that this lens tries to be everything you need in one small package.

If I type in Canon focusing problem on Google I see quite a few items as well (on the 5D especially), so it might be something that every camera can encounter in parts of its production run. And we have to remember that we only see the bad news, not many people feel compelled to go online and write how much they like their camera.

So, for the moment I still think that you got a bad specimen

[Sahil]

Thats encouraging, Peter
Thanks

[MiniChris]

I have an image in the animals and everything else section called whirrley squirrely's shot on the D7000 with my 55-300 Nikkor lens. This is after tweeking everything I can in the camera for absolute top proficiency. Your call...it's not bad and does hold its own at 100% and considering this is a double crop, perhaps it is a bit better than it was.

This is the image after doing some PS editing and the RAW file after some minor tweeking.

[PhotomanJohn]

Chris - My only comment is that I think the focus is on the tree and not the critters. I almost always use AFS (single servo) with spot focus especially in situations like this one. Focus on the critters, compose the shot and shoot. If you use one of the multi-point modes you have to watch the red squares in the viewfinder and make sure it focused where you want it to. It will always pick the tree in a situation like this. Once you get used to the camera you will love it.

John

[MiniChris]

I'lll try that mode tomorrow....what mode do you use when shooting birds in flight?

[PhotomanJohn]

I admit to not having taken a lot of moving objects so take this with a grain of salt. With birds in flight the assumption is that there are no other close objects that the camera focus can lock onto. In that case I would use one of the multi-spot settings. The mode could be either AF-A or AF-C since the auto mode is supposed to switch to continuous when it detects moving objects. I think all of these smart features are very impressive but being an old manual/film guy, I would personally set the camera to AF-C for moving objects and not rely on any more of the auto features than I needed. Make some test shots and let me know how it goes.

Again, I use the AF-S spot focusing as my normal mode and only switch when there is a reason. I was put on to that by one of the reps in Nikon's professional photography service group when I was having focusing issues with my 105mm VR macro lens.

John