I really like Nikon's lens choices. I still have a Nikon FM. I like Nikon. Will probably never switch.

Slightly off-topic: A more dramatic example of U.S./U.K. prices differentials are U.S.-made guitar amps. A Mesa/Boogie guitar amp sells for about $2,400 USD new, here in the U.S. That same amp costs between $5,000-$6,000 USD in the U.K. and in Australia (I have no idea why). I own three Mesa/Boogie amps, a Soldano SLO-100, and a 6505 (all, U.S.-made). Thank god I live in the U.S.!

I've thought about switching to the 5dmII. I could sell my nikon gear and get more lenses then I do with my nikkor setup. Get my trinity of 2.8 zooms and the 24,35,50,85 1.2/1.4's around the same price. But I'm use to nikon. Canon doesn't have the lenses like nikon and nikon just feels right. I've also heard bad things about canons autofocus in the 5D series.

I too think Nikon gear is expensive in the UK compared to the US. But thats with all products. I think it costs companies more money to do business here. That being said its more of the 5 year warranty that only the US get on Lenses is what grinds my gears.

RRRoger, please do make such an announcement on a regular all brands photo forum, but be sure to duck very quickly :D

RRRoger said:
I've tried Canon products over the years and have always ended up disappointed.
1. They OverHype their products. They never seem to live up to the specifications.
2. There is no product support on old models.
3. There often is no backward compatibility.
4. The manual HD video on my 5D2 (I think it is their best DSLR) was great
but the AutoFocus terrible. It was no good at all for action stills.
5. I get killed when I sell them used.

Sony can't seem to get their DSLR act together.
They came out with the A900 at killer specs and price,
but it does not perform anywhere near a D3x.
Then they came out with the A850 at a lower price point with even less performance.
Why didn't they come out with an improved A950?

I always go back to Nikon cameras and Nikon glass.

I agree 100% While a old thread, canons are overhyped and look better on paper than they actually are. On paper the D90 seems closer to the t2i and D5000 than the upper models but after shooting with both along with upper models the D90 is clearly much closer to the 50D... Also it is missing only a few important body controls that the D300 has... Its the internals that make the D300s blow the D90 out of the water. In fact the D90 out specs the 5DmII in half of the categories including Faster AF more accurate metering, Faster framerate( I know but the similar sized a900 does more than that!) However I bet there are 20 threads on this subject...

Canuts also are very biased and refuse to try or look other brands on the opinion that they are not as good. Nikonians usually are willing to try everything else to only to verify that Nikon is still better or to improve what is better. All in all don't switch from nikon just because of import rates... they are similar across the board..

I've tried Canon products over the years and have always ended up disappointed.
1. They OverHype their products. They never seem to live up to the specifications.
2. There is no product support on old models.
3. There often is no backward compatibility.
4. The manual HD video on my 5D2 (I think it is their best DSLR) was great
but the AutoFocus terrible. It was no good at all for action stills.
5. I get killed when I sell them used.

Sony can't seem to get their DSLR act together.
They came out with the A900 at killer specs and price,
but it does not perform anywhere near a D3x.
Then they came out with the A850 at a lower price point with even less performance.
Why didn't they come out with an improved A950?

I always go back to Nikon cameras and Nikon glass.

Nikon cameras still lack of in-camera stabilization, dust cleaning system for pro bodies etc... Very disappointing...

Sony's Alpha mount is the same as Minolta. So any Minolta AF lens can be used with a Sony DSLR. Minolta made a 600mm F4 and a 200mm macro lens. Hartblei makes some tilt-shift lenses in the Minolta/Sony mount too.

Actual Sony labeled lenses are slowly being introduced.

Just wondering if Sony makes a 600m F4 lens or a 200mm micro or a 24mm TS lens?

Hi dellaaa, good to hear from you again. Why don't you just sell your gear and move to Sony? If your not using your gear then just get rid of it. I use several Sony,canon,Fuji,Olympus, and other cameras. I've got a heavy investment in lots of different gear but my Nikon stuff stays with me no matter what. I've kept my D70 around and my canon film stuff, and I've also kept and still use my Sony 717. I love my Sony 717.

So why haven't I bought a Sony DSLR? Because I don't like the control layout and menu's. Nikon wins against every camera I have used. Nikon's just fit like a glove for me.

I asked the same question here a week or two ago and I was almost tarred and featherd.

For the most part, you are asking the wrong crowd here (resisitance is futile and all that), no matter what Nikon produces they eat it up with a spoon. Thay are not very objective.

If I wanted an advanced amateur camera today, the SONY line (900 and 8950) is pretty hard to argue with.

24 MPixels plus in camera stabilization, with great build and lenses it's a state of the art system.

I have a load of Nikon lenses that I have aquired over the years (16mm 2.8 AIS fisheye, 20mm 2.8 AIS, 28mm 2.8 AIS, 35mm 2.8 AIS PC, 50mm 1.4 AIS, 55mm 2.8 AIS Micro, 105mm 2.8 AIS Micro, 200mm f4 AIS Micro, 180mm 2.8 AIS, 75-300mm Auto Focus, 24-120mmm Auto Focus, and a 28-85mm AIS) plus lots of macro stuff (bellows). If I didn't have this stuff I would buy SONY for sure.

What do yo think these are worth, they are all in mint shape, most with Nikon filters? I have an F2, F3, F4, F100 and N2020 also. As you can see, I was a big Nikon fan, but alas, those days are gone.

Do you have more recent numbers than http://www.taxfoundation.org/research/show/22685.html , ted2001?

isn't the 750 cropped versus full frame for a900?

Why the a900 and not the new/cheaper a750?

I sold the lot and now have a Sony a900. My small protest.

If you look at the amount of federal money Texas receives, versus what they pay, it would be better for the rest of us if they seceded. But this is a Nikon forum, it's on a higher plain, kinda like Oklahoma.

Over my dead body!

Niko - there's a separate thread for a850, let's keep our forum clean :)

So getting back to the time to move to Sony... What are your thoughts on the new a850? 24mp full frame for "only" $1999US ! That's gotta be tempting for a lot of you :^(

Oh and I suggest you all move to Texas....we use to be our own country. Actually in a way we still are :^)

Doubtful that the state will care enough to look. This state is in such political and financial disarray that their not going to spend resources on stuff like that.

If you avoid sales tax in US by having merchandised shipped from out of state, you are supposed to pay the sales tax with your state income tax return. They are very, very unlikely to catch you, unless your equipment is for business and you depreciate it on your return (or schedule 179). For businesses in California the Franchise Tax Board does look.

Sorry.

The problem with US pricing is that they is very wide variation. There are the MSRP's that most people see but then certain companies have great deals and these deals drive prices lower overall.

As far as switching brands, I wouldn't let pricing influence that decision. Lots of bird photographers did this a few years back largely because the Canon stuff was noticeably cheaper. Now days, the prices are much closer than they used to be. Canon still a bit cheaper but not by much. If I were to to jump ship, for what I do, it would have to be to Canon. I'm not even sure if I would completely jump ship. I may just buy one Canon body and one lens. Mainly just to get the lens I can't get from Nikon. As I mentioned before, I almost did this instead of getting my D90.

Thanks guys, this is all good stuff.
Something must have happened that I am even considering other makers.

Pete - ebay is really not an option for most European taxes, as You have to pay the VAT and fee for custom procedures if You get stuff from US, or even customs if You get stuff from china, not to mention shipping costs which are ridiculous. if I have to pay the tax and app. $200 shipping costs (insured postage for higher priced bodies or lenses) than it's cheaper (or at least not more than that) to buy a ticket and fly to US, especially that my wife's aunt lives in chicago, so I don't have to pay for the accommodation on one hand and can have all my stuff delivered from BH without tax on the other.

I hope at the minimum Sony, with their excellent offering of Zeiss zooms, can help lower the absurd cost of Nikon lenses. . .I mean, $2400 for a 70-200 with VR? Shit, the sony offering, though maybe not as SHARP, is cheaper and I can get it on a FF sensor WITH camera built in stability. . .

if I wasn't so far in with Nikon, I'd consider the switch if not to see at least what life is like with a FF sensor!