Another bargain coming my way...

I was just in a local store dropping off my D70 to get a CLA (frikking
dust) and saw a Nikon F3HP on the shelf, with MD-4 motor drive. Very
good condition, but not something I would be looking to buy now that I
am saving for Project NYC 2006.

What I am going to buy though, is a lens that was being sold with the
F3. A 180mm f/2.8 AI, the second version of this classic, I believe. The
cosmetic condition is probably about a 8 out of 10, but the optics are
as clean as a whistle.

Price? A whopping $90.

It really saddens me to see so much excellent equipment simply being
abandoned by owners clambering to own a DSLR or the latest & greatest in
autofocus, vibration reduction, blah blah blah. In another local shop I
saw an EOS1V in as new condition being peddled for under $800. No
takers.

--
DD (everything is temporary)
www.dallasdahms.com

In article , DD (Rox) wrote:

It really saddens me to see so much excellent equipment simply being
abandoned by owners clambering to own a DSLR or the latest & greatest in
autofocus, vibration reduction, blah blah blah. In another local shop I
saw an EOS1V in as new condition being peddled for under $800. No
takers.

It's worse here. About a year ago a person advertised on a local list
an EOS camera for $600 (a lot of money here). KEH sold them for around
the same price. Six months later he posted a note that he had given up on
selling the camera himself and had put it up for sale at a local store
(which includes a 90 day warranty) for 600 NIS (about $125).

He also asked if when you went to buy it, if you would please ask for HIS
camera as there were five others of the same model for sale at the same
price.

Geoff.


--
Geoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem, Israel N3OWJ/4X1GM
IL Voice: (07)-7424-1667 IL Fax: 972-2-648-1443 U.S. Voice: 1-215-821-1838
You should have boycotted Google while you could, now Google supported
BPL is in action. Time is running out on worldwide radio communication.

"DD (Rox)" wrote:

I was just in a local store dropping off my D70 to get a CLA (frikking
dust) and saw a Nikon F3HP on the shelf, with MD-4 motor drive. Very
good condition, but not something I would be looking to buy now that I
am saving for Project NYC 2006.

Only thing to watch out for on most F3 bodies is the LCD failing. Most of
the rest is fairly durable. Of course, under very heavy usage, the shutter
could have failed (150k actuations, IIRC).



What I am going to buy though, is a lens that was being sold with the
F3. A 180mm f/2.8 AI, the second version of this classic, I believe. The
cosmetic condition is probably about a 8 out of 10, but the optics are
as clean as a whistle.

Price? A whopping $90.

Lens, body, and motordrive for $90????



It really saddens me to see so much excellent equipment simply being
abandoned by owners clambering to own a DSLR or the latest & greatest in
autofocus, vibration reduction, blah blah blah. In another local shop I
saw an EOS1V in as new condition being peddled for under $800. No
takers.

--

What amazes me is that someone probably got rid of the 180 mm f2.8 to get
some super zoom for the convenience. Really tough to beat the image results
from a 180 mm f2.8. The newer 200 mm f2.0 does as good a job, but at a much
higher price point.

Ciao!

Gordon Moat
A G Studio
http://www.allgstudio.com

In article , says...
"DD (Rox)" wrote:

I was just in a local store dropping off my D70 to get a CLA (frikking
dust) and saw a Nikon F3HP on the shelf, with MD-4 motor drive. Very
good condition, but not something I would be looking to buy now that I
am saving for Project NYC 2006.

Only thing to watch out for on most F3 bodies is the LCD failing. Most of
the rest is fairly durable. Of course, under very heavy usage, the shutter
could have failed (150k actuations, IIRC).



What I am going to buy though, is a lens that was being sold with the
F3. A 180mm f/2.8 AI, the second version of this classic, I believe. The
cosmetic condition is probably about a 8 out of 10, but the optics are
as clean as a whistle.

Price? A whopping $90.

Lens, body, and motordrive for $90????

No,no! Only the lens at that price. The body and drive would have cost
me an extra $380 or so.

What amazes me is that someone probably got rid of the 180 mm f2.8 to get
some super zoom for the convenience. Really tough to beat the image results
from a 180 mm f2.8. The newer 200 mm f2.0 does as good a job, but at a much
higher price point.

According to the shop the owner of the F3 has four of them, so I can
understand wanting to sell one, but unless he had a much better lens, I
can't understand why he would want to sell that 180mm for such little
money.

I picked it up yesterday afternoon and the body has seen some serious
work, but as I said the glass is immaculate. Funny thing is, the built
in lens hood has been replaced with a screw in one. I need to check if
this is the right hood for that lens but I can't recall the model number
right now.

--
DD (everything is temporary)
www.dallasdahms.com

DD (Rox) wrote:

In article , says...

"DD (Rox)" wrote:


I was just in a local store dropping off my D70 to get a CLA (frikking
dust) and saw a Nikon F3HP on the shelf, with MD-4 motor drive. Very
good condition, but not something I would be looking to buy now that I
am saving for Project NYC 2006.

Only thing to watch out for on most F3 bodies is the LCD failing. Most of
the rest is fairly durable. Of course, under very heavy usage, the shutter
could have failed (150k actuations, IIRC).



What I am going to buy though, is a lens that was being sold with the
F3. A 180mm f/2.8 AI, the second version of this classic, I believe. The
cosmetic condition is probably about a 8 out of 10, but the optics are
as clean as a whistle.

Price? A whopping $90.

Lens, body, and motordrive for $90????


No,no! Only the lens at that price. The body and drive would have cost
me an extra $380 or so.


What amazes me is that someone probably got rid of the 180 mm f2.8 to get
some super zoom for the convenience. Really tough to beat the image results
from a 180 mm f2.8. The newer 200 mm f2.0 does as good a job, but at a much
higher price point.

Here's my notes when looking at those lenses recently:

Non-IF MF version $750 new (better optics? f/32, heavier):
http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/180f28.htm

ED-IF AF version $680 new, $390 used (closer focusing f/22)
http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/180af.htm
http://www.fredmiranda.com/reviews/showproduct.php?product=78&sort=1&cat=12



According to the shop the owner of the F3 has four of them, so I can
understand wanting to sell one, but unless he had a much better lens, I
can't understand why he would want to sell that 180mm for such little
money.

I picked it up yesterday afternoon and the body has seen some serious
work, but as I said the glass is immaculate. Funny thing is, the built
in lens hood has been replaced with a screw in one. I need to check if
this is the right hood for that lens but I can't recall the model number
right now.


--
Paul Furman
http://www.edgehill.net/1
Bay Natives
http://www.baynatives.com

Paul Furman wrote:

Non-IF MF version $750 new (better optics? f/32, heavier):
http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/180f28.htm

ED-IF AF version $680 new, $390 used (closer focusing f/22)
http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/180af.htm
http://www.fredmiranda.com/reviews/showproduct.php?product=78&sort=1&cat=12


The 180mm f/2.8 was reformulated for the first AF Nikkor version, and
is optically even better than the manual focus version, although that
is still a superb lens, whether in ED or non-ED versions (the last
production batch of the non-ED series had ED glass anyway!).

The second AF version, the AF-N, has improved cosmetics and handling,
with the hard plastic focusing ring (very poor MF handling) replaced
by a wider, rubberised version with a much improved MF 'feel'.

The third AF version, the AF-D, has the same cosmetics as the AF-N but
with the addition of the focusing distance chip. This is of dubious
value with a telephoto lens, so the AF-N is a very good used choice.

The bargain of them all is probably the original AF Nikkor which has
the same optics as the later versions but is available used for much
less money. You just need to be able to tolerate the poor MF feel of
that loose, narrow, hard focusing ring.

I saw an EOS1V in as new condition being peddled for under $800. No takers.

What what will you offer for mine? Remember, it's Fabulous!

I saw an EOS1V in as new condition being peddled for under $800. No
takers.

So what will you offer for mine? Remember, it's Fabulous!

In article , Tony Polson wrote:
The bargain of them all is probably the original AF Nikkor which has
the same optics as the later versions but is available used for much
less money. You just need to be able to tolerate the poor MF feel of
that loose, narrow, hard focusing ring.

Note that the AF lenses went from the large helicoid focusing mechanism
(basicly a BIG screw) to a rack an pinion mechanism. IMHO this was
a big win, because it's lighter, sturdier, easier to fix and above
all cheaper.

Geoff.


--
Geoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem, Israel N3OWJ/4X1GM
IL Voice: (07)-7424-1667 IL Fax: 972-2-648-1443 U.S. Voice: 1-215-821-1838
You should have boycotted Google while you could, now Google supported
BPL is in action. Time is running out on worldwide radio communication.

(Geoffrey S. Mendelson) wrote:

In article , Tony Polson wrote:
The bargain of them all is probably the original AF Nikkor which has
the same optics as the later versions but is available used for much
less money. You just need to be able to tolerate the poor MF feel of
that loose, narrow, hard focusing ring.

Note that the AF lenses went from the large helicoid focusing mechanism
(basicly a BIG screw) to a rack an pinion mechanism. IMHO this was
a big win, because it's lighter, sturdier, easier to fix and above
all cheaper.

That's as may be, however, on this particular lens, the focusing ring
has a very sloppy feel, probably one of the worst of any of the early
AF Nikkors. Anyone considering buying this version of the lens would
need to ensure that they were content with this.