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Why Nikon at all

I work with the two systems, Leica and Nikon. I think the results are very similar if you can use the high class lenses of both systems. For me the real difference is the way do you use them. For ex&le, when I work on events as "fiestas" at open air or whatever the greater noise of Nikon shutter can't be a problem (I make human documentary photography) I prefer to use my Nikon F5 with a 28-70 ED lens. But if I make photos in the street or any place where I would have to be discret, the Leica system is by far much better.
I enlarge my 35mm film to 20x24" papers and the resolution of Nikon and Leica lenses are to human eye virtually indistinguishable.
 
I started 35mm photography in the early 70´s and covered events in the Latino community in Massachusetts (published in El Mundo, La Semana) with an non-metered Pentax, a Konica T3 but once I tried Nikon I was hooked. I brought my Nikkormat to the hospital where I worked my way through college and used the pathology department's original 55mm f3.5 Micro-Nikkor mounted on a stand with chromatic l&s- what a lens. I joined this group in hopes of getting back in the swing of things. I bought a used F3 and 2 used AIS lenses; I like the 24mm wide but I think I made a mistake on the 105 f2.8. Nikon equipment still feels comfortable and since I want to take close nature pictures, I stuck with manual focus but I could have saved a lot by buying an FM3a which would work with my old Sunpak flash. I just found some self portrait Ektachromes from 1979 and the digital pints from them are amazing! Tom
 
Tom,

Welcome back to photography.

What mistake do you think you made by getting the 105mm f2.8?

Is your 105mm f2.8 a micro lens?

The reason I ask is that I find the 105mm Micro Nikkor perfect for close nature photos.
 
John, It is a Micro Nikkor 105mm 2.8AIS, the version focuses down to 1:2; my 60mm AFd reached 1:1 without PK tubes. I just bought a Nikkor 180mm 2.8 ED AIS (not IF)in new condition from a local store so I might look for a smaller close-up lens if I can sell the 105. A new 60mm would have cost me less than the used lens and the working distance is not that much less. I have an old NIkon copying accessory, a 39mm Leica screw mount to F; someday I might try to use it with an enlarging lens or a cheap normal lens reversed and mounted on an old F body (no TTL metering)of course).
 
Hello,
I was enquiring about the Nikon D70 yesterday in the local camera shops. No-one stocks it. One said it would take months to arrive if they ordered it and other shops said they had stopped dealing with Nikon due to appalling service. One shop was quite curt with me because I had dared to ask and I understand that they had been the Nikon main agent in the area. Mind you the same salesman was similarly curt when I dared to ask about the Panasonic equivalent of the Leica Digilux 2. He had the Leica on display but was not interested in demonstrating it properly as the battery was flat. It was Friday afternoon I suppose.
I just wondered what the general perception was of Nikon service as I have never owned Nikon so far.
Cheers,
John
 
John

Sounds like the camera sale-dude was more of a problem than Nikon. The level of service may well vary from place to place on the planet, depending on the people running the regional offices. Also nice people can react to obnoxious people in kind. If the store tended to specialize in rudeness, they may well have alienated good folks Nikon to the point that little effort is made.

I have always had good service with them. When I was working full time, I could call them and they would express any lens or body to me as long as I paid the freight both ways, and I could count on overnight repairs to equipment shipped to them. They would show up at auto-races I was covering, and also lend equipment there. They had techs who would even loan a camera and repair yours during the race. This was Nikon US.

A friend had his CP5000 cease functioning while on vacation a month or so back. It had been repaired last fall, and was out of warrantee. He took it back to the store and they sent it to Nikon. A rather substantial estimate came back, with a delivery time of several weeks. The camera salesman called Nikon service and pointed out that the camera had been previously repaired and let him down while abroad. The camera was back at the store the next day in full working order, with no charge. This was Nikon Canada - and the camera salesman had couth.

Of course, YMMV.

larry!
ICQ 76620504
http://www.larry-bolch.com/
 
Hi Larry,
Thanks for your reply. That sounds very good service indeed to me and is much what I would have expected. I would expect that someone like Nikon would provide excellent service. Apart from anything else, if they don't they will give the game away to Canon!
As you say though, it may vary from country to country. I am a Contax user and I read of varying experiences with service in different places. Some people say it is terrible whereas I have had only had good experience here in the UK.
All the best,
John
 
I am an out and out digital man, having come back to photography after about a fifteen year break. In September of 2004 l bought a Leica D2, and whilst l find that this does it for me on a daily sort of basis, when l get to my passions of macro and wild life, it just does not cut the mustard.

So taking life and limb in hand, and not telling the wife, l have purchased a D70, 105mm macro and a 300mm lens.

Why Nikon, because fifteen years or so ago l had a FE2, and had nothing but praise for it. Am l disappointed with the D70 .... no way.
 
I am sort of complaining about a refind I am due from Nikon. Last November I bough a 80-200mm f2.8 lens from B&H. I was supposed to get a $200.00 refund. In January I got a letter back saying I need to send the yellow copy of the warranty card. I did this. It is now going into April and still no check. I have made five calls the latest to the supervisor who gave me the "I'll call you back after I make a call" reply. That was yesterday, still no call.
I have been a Nikon man for over 30 years but I am about mad enough to change. This is so stupid because I have been thinking about buying the D2X. This is now a principle thing. They stad to loose more than $200.00 on this thing. I'll take my business elsewhere.
I don't kow if I made someone mad or what. I don't even know who to call next. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Art Schlaman
Aschlaman@comcast.net
 
Art,

FWIW, I've recieved my refund on a flash unit I purchased in November and am waiting for a refund on a lense I bought in the end of December.

I did send in all the required information and did understand it would take approx 12 weeks or so for it to be processed. The flash was almost exactly 12 weeks. It will be 12 weeks in the middle of April for the lense (I didn't send it right away...)

Possibly your problem was the missing "yellow" warrenty card? It could be the "clock" started ticking from when they recieved that? It's just a guess. I do agree that if they said they would call back they should. I've heard from a couple of others that they got theirs back in that amount of time.

Good luck. I hope it shows up soon for you.
 
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