Price Increases and Updates the rumours?

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Price Increases and Updates the rumours?

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James W

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Joined: Jan '11
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Dear Nikon Rumours

Long time reader, first time poster; I'll give you a bit of information about who I am and what my conundrum is, but I'll try and keep it as short as possible!

I currently work as an events photographer for various companies at weekends and during the week I do various non-photographic tasks, the money I earn pays the bills, keeps me fed and my car running. Generally as the work is in the evenings my days are free so I spend most of my time camped out in my hide on my favourite part of the river with my D700 and 70-200, 2x III combo. This has got me so far, but I'm looking at doing bigger and better things.

I've got various projects booked for the 2011, New Zealand in March till May, Iceland in August, Cameroon in June, Kenya in June, Canada in September and more local trips to Skomer, Scotland and Donna Nook.

Although I cannot put off my purchase's of a D3s, 14-24mm f/2.8, 1.4x Converter and a 600mm f/4 VR. As well as bits of support equipment like tripods, heads and monopods. I have however decided not to buy the D300 but wait for the D400.

As you can imagine this is a huge investment, although I haven't borrowed any money for these items, I have used up my savings, buying the gear and paying for my trips.

I have heard rumblings that there will be a price increase in February, but then also of an announcement in the next couple of weeks, would it be worth waiting making the purchase but then I run the risk of prices increasing?

Posted 2 years ago #
spraynpray

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Joined: Feb '10
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Firstly welcome to the NR forum James.

Secondly well done for being so brave as to invest so heavily in your business, and best of luck for the future.

Third: This is a photography forum not a financial planning forum, so any advice you get here about that may be very 'finger in the air'. Having said that, I would THINK it would be a bit silly of Nikon to launch straight into a price increase, so maybe if there was going to be a worsening of the exchabge rate they would bear all of part of it for a while but that is all conjecture and I am NO expert (ask anybody here :).

Posted 2 years ago #
JorPet

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I would tend to go the other way. I expect price increases with the announcement of new equipment. They may hold prices on their current stock for a while yet, but anything new has the chance out of the gate to make up for the falling USD exchange rate. Consumers are more likely to be willing to see an all new camera with additional features as worth a price premium.

Older models that have already recouped their R&D expenses can continue for a while letting the lower production costs be offset by the drop in the exchange rate. I still expect to see the D700 replacement come in at around $3,500 and an equivalent bump in the D300s replacement.

Posted 2 years ago #
spraynpray

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You may be right JorPet (see my disclaimer about this being a photography forum).

We'll be looking back on this subject soon enough and then we can be experts! :)

Posted 2 years ago #
SkintBrit

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Joined: Jul '10
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Welcome to the forum James W, I'm very jealous of that 600mm (although I'd probably go for the 400 2.8) :-) FWIW if I were in your position, I'd do the research of which companies were currently stocking the items I was looking for at the best price, wait for any announcement, and buy from your already reccied shops if nothing in the announcement took your fancy. (I would be very surprised to see shops increase the price of any stock they are already holding prior to a price increase), It's also worth bearing in mind that even if something new and wonderful is released, it will likely be weeks or even months before you'll be able to get hold of it. Just my thoughts, good luck in whatever you choose to do.

Posted 2 years ago #
TravellingSwede

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Joined: Jan '11
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Hi everyone!
This is my first post so let me pls make a very short introduction.
Well, my name here says a lot, love to travel and hence the photointerest.
Too many travels with inferior cameras and technique, too many marvelous things not properly photoed.
Promised myself to get good hardware, I now have a D300s and a D3s with a couple o nice glasses.
But I think the D3s is underpixeled and eagerly await the D800.
Re the rumours a few points.
Why now introduce another DX when the 7k is selling fine and even in short supply?
Why wait to introduce D800 when so many are holding up buying the D700?
Simple as that, next DSLR will be the D800 and it will be within the next 3 months in my opinion (and highest hopes)
Question for all you pros; is the Sigma 150-500 an OK telezoom with a high Mp FF Nikon, price considered.
Puuuh, promise to keep future post shorter!

Posted 2 years ago #
gelu88

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Joined: Feb '10
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Its pretty safe to say they the glass you are getting will not change its value much. Its all stuff that has been updated reasonably recently and has all the newest bells and whistles. While there will be new glass i've not heard many complaints about those specific models.

Same goes for the support stuff. It's all material that will keep its value, and there is a pretty low probability of any hike (currency fluctuation aside). So i would suggest you buy all that stuff without worry.

Then we have the D3s... Thom Hogan recently predicted(pretty definitively) that it will be replaced by august. I would be very hesitant to go full speed into a purchase of a D3s. But you have some options, either rent a D3s for your trips (depends on their duration) or buy a used D3 or D3s with the intention of reselling it.

Or just accept the fact that your D3s will be superseeded 6 months after you get it, the new one will be more expensive anyways, and a used D3s 9 months from now will not be significantly cheaper, if current D3 prices are any indication.

Posted 2 years ago #
bgregston

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Joined: Jan '11
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It is a risky time right now because of the unknowns. Not to make it more difficult, you failed to mention the rebate issue. So decisions carry a tripple threat right now. I pulled the trigger on a 70-200mm 2.8 VRII this morning because of the price increase possibility. I would expect a price increase to occur before the release of replacement bodies. I also don't expect the rebate to be offered with the new replacement bodies.

Posted 2 years ago #
James W

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Joined: Jan '11
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I also realized I provided no details about to where I am based, I'm in the UK my retailer as always will be the outstanding Grays of Westminster.

The D3s is an interesting one, for me I wonder how much more expensive with the D4 be will it be worth it? Renting isn't a possibility I currently use a D700 so I don't need an extra camera but it would be great to have 2 bodies, my trips range from 5 days (Skomer) to 2 months (New Zealand) the total rental cost would probably equal a new body anyway!

FWIW if I were in your position, I'd do the research of which companies were currently stocking the items I was looking for at the best price

Oh I've done research, I've bored my friends to death drowning on about the benefits of VR vs non VR, weight compared to 500mm f4 and the other random facts.

Thanks for the help everyone, remember that feeling that time you got your first car? We thats how I feel!

Posted 2 years ago #
bgregston

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I didin't think about location when I mentioned the rebates in my above post. Also I made my post before the D7000 carried lens rebates with it. When I said "I also don't expect the rebate to be offered with the new replacement bodies", that was based on the D7000 not offering lens rebates.

Posted 2 years ago #
James W

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Joined: Jan '11
Posts: 13
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No going back now, just ordered my lot from G&W and some other stuff from Warehouse Express. I feel poor...

Posted 2 years ago #
SkintBrit

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Joined: Jul '10
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Ehhh, another Skint Brit! :-)

Posted 2 years ago #

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Price Increases and Updates the rumours?

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