The Nikon Coolpix A camera is now listed as discontinued on the official Nikon Japan website (it was already removed from their online store few weeks ago). It seems that all the good deals are also gone: B&H still has few at $449, eBay prices start at $399.
→ Phottix announced firmware update for the Phottix Odin TTL flash trigger for Nikon.
→ Tokina released additional details for their new AT-X 24-70 f/2.8 PRO FX full frame lens.
→ Apple released Digital Camera RAW Compatibility 6.04 with support for the Nikon D7200 camera.
→ Iridient Developer v3.0.2 released with support for the Nikon 1 J5.
→ The latest Nikon deals (updated weekly):
| Refurbished (US warranty) | Grey market (no US warranty) |
| Nikon D3200: $279 Nikon D3300 two lens kit: $519 Nikon D7000 two lens kit: $499 Nikon D610: $1,149 Nikon D800: $1,769 Nikon D800E: $1998.88 Nikon 70-200mm f/4G: $1,199.95 | Nikon D3200 kens kit: $299 Nikon D5200 lens kit: $399.99 Nikon D7200: $917.73 Nikon D810: $2,249 Nikon 24-120mm f/4: $584 Nikon 35mm f/1.8 DX: $139.99 |
| Full US warranty |
| Nikon WP-N1 waterproof housing for J1: 96.95 ($650 off) Nikon Coolpix AW130 is now $50 off Nikkor 50mm f/1.4: $349 ($136 off) Nikon D610 with free MB-D14 grip at Adorama & B&H Nikon D750 with free 12 months CC subscription Nikon D750/D610 with free Shure VP83 microphone Nikon Df with free GP-1A GPS & WU-1a wireless adapters |
TechRadar posted an interesting Nikon 1 J5 camera review where they compare the resolution, dynamic range and signal to noise ratio with three other cameras (Panasonic GM5, Samsung NX Mini and Sony RX100 III):
It is not much, but I believe this is the first Nikon 1 V3 price drop since the camera was introduced in March last year: $50 off with a free camera holster at B&H or a free 1 year drops & spills warranty at Adorama. The Nikon 1 V3 grey market prices now start from $600.
The rest of the Nikon specials for Mother’s Day are the generic Nikon instant rebates on combo purchases (the D7100 savings are now up to $680, Adorama offers a free Nikon WU-1a wireless mobile adapter):
This is Laurent Thion’s second post on using the Nikon D810 with the new Cambo Actus (part 1 can be found here, see also his Cambo X2 Pro review):
Macro, APO & EL – NIKKOR with Cambo Actus and Nikon D810
I use many Macro, APO and EL – NIKKOR lenses for a very specific reason (see the end of the article). The Nikon D810 camera release was a good occasion to test all these lenses and find out if it’s a good idea to use them in a studio or for macrophotography (they are not suited for architectural photography).
Extended bellows and long base rail
As you can see in the first picture, it’s possible to replace standard bellows and base rail with a longer version – it allows you to have the highest enlarging coefficient and always use any lens >= 100mm from infinity to close-up.
About theses lenses
The lenses are all built around a very simple and (often) symmetrical optical formula and have a big image circle. This means that it’s possible to use all of them on the Cambo Actus with tilt and shift capabilities. The symmetrical formula doesn’t need to be reversed when the reproduction ratio is > 1:1. I’ve tested this with the EL-NIKKOR 50mm and results are exactly the same.
Phottix found out that the hot shoe on the Nikon D750 has different dimensions than previous camera models – being longer in the front (see comparison picture above). This is causing some issues with the Phottix Odin TTL trigger:
Jim Winters from NikonMiami sent me few pictures of his clever invention that he calls TRIAXEZ: a shoulder mounted “triple axis” shooting system that also has built-in remote triggers and a 12V battery used as a counterweight and power source. The wheels make the whole rig easy to transport. His first version had a lead diving weight and no wheels, but it was difficult to carry out to the average aviation shooting spot. The 12v battery runs the camera for days if not weeks. All the wiring is hidden in the aluminum tubing, which is very light. The battery also has a port for USB charging and a cool little volt meter. The left hand controls the remote focus/trigger.
Jim uses the TRIAXEZ mainly for shooting aviation and claims that the quality of the images is great, not to mention that his shoulder/back no longer hurts after shooting airplanes for few hours. Here are two photos taken with the rig (you can see more at NikonMiami):
