You thought (your gear) was going to be great...(but you were sadly "saddened")

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You thought (your gear) was going to be great...(but you were sadly "saddened")

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Started 2 years ago by tcole1983
Latest reply from Gareth
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tcole1983

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What piece of photo gear did you think was just going to be awesome and you were sadly disappointed or you find out that you never use it?

I got the Nikon 35 f1.8 because it was a cheap, fast lens. Although I do like it, I really don't use it all that much. I think I just usually don't have the time to switch lenses back and forth so I don't. It is almost making me gun shy to get a macro lens because I think it might just collect dust, but it at least has another use besides just another prime lens.

I know there are some things that have a purpose and you just can't use them all the time...like a wireless remote.

Posted 2 years ago #
bjrichus

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My Nikkor EL (enlarger) lens.

I now scan everything film and PhotoShop it.

Posted 2 years ago #
Godless

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tcole1983 said:
What piece of photo gear did you think was just going to be awesome and you were sadly disappointed

Canon EOS 5Dmk2 (crappy AF, good low-light performance)
Canon EOS 7D (good AF, crappy low-light performance)
Canon EF-S 10-22mm UWA (mechanically & optically inferior to Tokina 11-16)
Canon EF-S 18-55 non IS kit poo
Canon EF 20mm/2.8 (horrible product)
Canon EF 28mm/2.8 (slow buzzsaw AF, ugly bokeh)
Canon EF 17-40mm/4L (on the 5Dmk2 this produced VERY ugly corners & the sharpness was lacking. They should drop this off the L list and drop the price to half of what it costs now)

Sigma 12-24 EX DG HSM (bad AF, randomly soft left side of the image)
Sigma 50mm/1.4 EX DG (bad AF, diffraction patterns visble @ f/1.4-f/2.0)
Sigma 70-300mm EX (slow & bad AF, bad image quality, just so awful)

Nikon AF-S 35mm/1.8DX (sluggish AF, my copy flares -> unsuitable for night photography)
Nikon AF-S 60mm/2.8 macro (vignetting @2.8 too bad, AF problems w. d300..)
Nikon AF-S 55-200mm VR f/4-5.6G ED (too slow AF for action)

Some Tamron 70-200 zooms (slllooowwww AF)

----------------------------
So far the experience with Nikon has been nicer than the previous years with Canon.

Not to seem like I bash every piece of equipment there is, I am currently very happy with my d300s & 12-24mm/4G DX, 85mm/1.8D, 180mm/2.8 IF-ED, 50mm/2 AIS, 135mm/2.8 AIS & Sigma 150mm EX DG APO macro. And a few old Contax Zeiss gems I have.

Canon also makes some stuff I like very much. But their current line of bodies below 1Dmk4 is too appalling for me to think about ever touching that stuff.

Posted 2 years ago #
smarterchild

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Nikon D3. Gah, can someone just take this from me?! Just joking...

The ONLY product that I regret buying was a old Manual focus 50 1.8 for my F3, I really enjoyed it but about 3 weeks after owning it for 3-4 weeks. My aunt came in for a visit with her camera collection and it included a 50 1.4 that replaced it. No need for it now.

The products that i would of regretted getting would be the sigma and tamron off brand lenses i could of got instead of Nikon.

Posted 2 years ago #
bgregston

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Well so far an EH-5A AC Adapter because they don't seem to be in any hurry to make the EP-5B available for the D7000. I probably won't use it much when I can get an EP-5B

Posted 2 years ago #
jerl

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Nothing that I really regret- usually the opposite, like when I first got a set of extension tubes for $5, and found them useless. Later when I got a set of macro rails and a good tripod, they are now extremely useful.

I guess the closest thing to "regret" would be when I got the 11-16 to replace my slow 10-20. Judging from all of the reports, I expected to blown away by its so-called superior sharpness. But when I tested them against each other, they were actually quite similar (but both very sharp), so that was a little disappointing (but I use the 11-16 because it really does go to 2.8 with acceptable results).

Posted 2 years ago #
Rx4Photo

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Thanks Godless for providing a list of stuff I should never buy. Funny that you and tcole1983 both mentioned the Nikkor AF-S 35mm f/1.8 lens. I've been contemplating getting either the Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8 or the Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 HSM and fear that if I did, I'd leave the 35mm on the shelf.

Posted 2 years ago #
tcole1983

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Rx4Photo said:
Thanks Godless for providing a list of stuff I should never buy. Funny that you and tcole1983 both mentioned the Nikkor AF-S 35mm f/1.8 lens. I've been contemplating getting either the Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8 or the Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 HSM and fear that if I did, I'd leave the 35mm on the shelf.

Don't get me wrong on the 35 f1.8. It is a good lens. I won't agree with the slow AF because I think it is actually pretty fast. Using it just isn't my thing. I have seen some lens flare with it, but overall for the price it works flawless for me. I just jump around subjects too much. One second a landscape then next a bird or animal. I never really go out to shoot one subject type and so it causes me to switch it more then I would like. I went out with the ice and used it a couple of pictures, but then put my other lens right back on so I could zoom.

I thought the same thing about that lens choice and my 18-200. I think I would sell it and get the 70-300 if I get a faster lens in the 17-50/55 range.

LOL and thanks for the thread title enhancement mods!

Posted 2 years ago #
padlockd

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Nikor 50mm ƒ/1.4G. I didn't take the advice of someone older and wiser than I, and bought that instead of the 35 1.8G. 50mm on DX turned out to be very awkward for me, and pretty expensive too. Now I mostly only use the 35 (although I'd like something wider) and the 50 is for sale.

Posted 2 years ago #
Gareth

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Yes i don't like the 50 on dx either. If i don't use it for a while i may sell it. but my wife likes using it, so maybe i cant.

Sort of regret buying a 105 macro and a 70-200 because i seldom use them. but when i do they are indispensible, so not really a regret.

Posted 2 years ago #
kyoshinikon

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for me

My entire canon fd kit
and while I knew they were much awesomer lenses at the time I was very disappointed in the 55-200mm f4.5-5.6 and ended up selling it.

Posted 2 years ago #
kanuck

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I have had a lot of sample lens variation over the years. Usually when buying used lenses which I do often. My new 18-200mm VR was wonderful, but I traded it in plus cash for a Zeiss 35mm F4 ZF. Later I bought a used copy of the 18-200mm and I thought this copy was terrible. Also didn't like the old 80-200mm D push pull lens at all. Just the 2 for me. Love that Nikon!

Posted 2 years ago #
Paperman

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Nikon AF 28mm f2.8D
How can Nikon go wrong with a simple lens like this time after time ?

Posted 2 years ago #
NikoDoby

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I was sadly saddened by the Leica M8.0 :^(
I was also sadly saddened by the quality control on some of my Sigma lenses :^(

Posted 2 years ago #
Segura

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Nikon 28-300mm on my D700. Took about 15 pictures with it outdoors. Listed it for sale the same day I got it.

No regrets on the 35mm f/1.4G. It barely leaves my camera.

Posted 2 years ago #
studio460

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Hard-earned coin, woefully misspent . . . oh, the sadness!

1. My mint-condition AF Nikkor 18mm f/2.8, metal-barreled lens, purchased used on Ebay for $600 USD. When I got the UPS box, I was in awe. Perfect condition . . . pristine. It looked brand new. Original box, case, etc. Unfortunately, it's softer than a $99 plastic kit lens.

2. My AF Nikkor 80-200mm f/2.8D ED push-pull zoom that I bought used for $450. I thought, "Yay! An f/2.8 zoom for 'only' $450!" But, again I later discovered that It's soft, and realized that it really could use a tripod collar (which it lacks) for optimum operability since I almost always shoot long lenses on a monopod (I finally bought a 70-200mm VR I refurb).

3. My $600 Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 DX lens. Don't get me wrong--it's a great lens, and I love it--but I think it would've been smarter to put that money toward this $2,200 D700 refurb body I saw at Samy's only weeks later instead. A difference of only $1,600 would've put me in an FX body seven months ago.

Posted 2 years ago #
studio460

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bjrichus said:
My Nikkor EL (enlarger) lens.

I now scan everything film and PhotoShop it.

I know the feeling. I bought a $400 Sekonic flash meter just before I transitioned to digital. Kinda don't need THAT anymore.

Posted 2 years ago #
bjrichus

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studio460 said:
I know the feeling. I bought a $400 Sekonic flash meter just before I transitioned to digital. Kinda don't need THAT anymore.

I have a handful of Weston Master light meters I inherited from my Dad. One or maybe two still even work!

Essential items of kit ... in the 1960's...

Posted 2 years ago #
JorPet

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The only item I have that I don't use regularly is a 50mm f/1.8D. It was extremely inexpensive new, so not a huge issue for me. I just have not hit a time where the 24-70 was not easier to use and already on the camera. I bought it due to being "old school" and still believe that the 50mm is an excellent standard lens on a FF camera.

Posted 2 years ago #
The Man From Mandrem

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I get little regrets on most everything.

I regret not buying FX (love the 105/2.5's bokeh, end up carrying film body)
I regret not buying 105/2.5 earlier.
I regret not buying a 2.8 telephoto when they were cheaper (bought 70-300 instead).
I regret not using eBay sooner.
I regret waiting a long time before buying a flash.

I'm sure if my sensor gets dirty changing lenses in the field, I'll regret going all primes.
So far pretty happy with 11-16 and 35/1.8 to buck the trend. 35/1.8 is really fast comparing to screw lenses. Friends who've borrowed the camera have also commented on that.

Posted 2 years ago #
smarterchild

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studio460 said:
I know the feeling. I bought a $400 Sekonic flash meter just before I transitioned to digital. Kinda don't need THAT anymore.

I just loaned out a Meter from our school. now its a HAVE to buy for me. The ambient light helps with my film shooting but that doesnt really matter. My real use is using it as a flash meter instead of wasting 5 mins guessing on my exposure where i could set my flashes at 1/4 and 1/8 and do one shot and i get my settings

Posted 2 years ago #
ChrisLange

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For me it was a Bronica ETRS. Don't get me wrong, it was a fabulous camera, but it became purely unnecessary about a month after I bought it due to the fact that I was given a Rolleiflex, and got a great deal on a Pentax 6x7 and a 55mm wide angle for it. I owned it for a year and probably shot about 10 rolls of film with the thing, simply because my other medium format options (Rollei, Pentax 6x7, two Hasselblads...) completely displaced the ETRS.

Posted 2 years ago #
NikoDoby

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Chris have you tried any of the Mamiya 67 series cameras? The RB67 is a great camera.

Posted 2 years ago #
kanuck

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Hey Niko I remembered that you said you were disappointed with your Leica M8 and it almost kept me away from purchasing the M9. I can honestly say the M9 is a wonderful camera in every way. If I got burned once before I think my loyalty with a brand would be finished as well though so I understand your feelings towards Leica now.

Posted 2 years ago #
TaoTeJared

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Almost every Sigma lens I have bought. I didn't like any of them including their OS which makes sounds but did nothing.

Nikon 50-200mm vr after* I got my 70-200mm. I just couldn't believe the difference.

A ton of bags that I almost never use.

Posted 2 years ago #