Camera Labs

Since buying my D80 2 weeks ago I've been buying all sorts of little extras to go with it. So far I've bought:

1. Crumpler Ben's Pizza XL shoulder bag - well I needed a camera bag.
2. Op/Tech Pro strap - I don't like the supplied Nikon strap
3. 2 x 2Gb Sandisk ExtremeIII SD cards - I needed two memory cards since I only had one rather slow 256Mb mini-SD card which just wasn't enough for shooting RAW. At least I got 2 free activations of Capture One LE with each card.
4. Hoya 67mm HMC UV filter - I needed this to go on the front of the 18-70mm kit lens to protect it.
5. Giotto Q-Ball air blower - I needed this to clean the camera
6. Spudz 18% Gray lens cloth - I needed this to clean the lens
7. Nikon ML-L3 remote controller - a luxury I admit
8. Nikon EN-EL3e battery - another luxury but I didn't fancy running out of juice
9. Crumpler The Formal Lounge backpack - for hand luggage when I go to New Zealand, damn these new hand luggage rules.

Today I tracked down a Nikon AF-S VR 70-300mm F4.5-5.6G IF ED lens at my parents' local camera shop. These lenses are like gold dust at the moment. It was only by chance that I checked their website this morning. They listed it as in stock so I gave them a call, paid a deposit and have sent my Dad down to pay the balance and collect the lens. I'll have it in my hands on Saturday when they come up for Christmas. I then rang up Warehouse Express to cancel the order I'd placed with them. They weren't expecting stock until some time in January which is why I was looking for an alternative supplier. Christmas morning is going to be great now with all my new Nikon toys.

I can't believe how many tempting gadgets there are for cameras. I've got my eye on a tripod as well as a Jobo Giga One portable hard disk and that's without wide angle and macro lenses.

Someone take my credit card away from me quick!

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Nikon D80, Nikkor lenses: 35mm f1.8 G AF-S DX, 50mm f/1.8 AF D, 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G ED-IF AF-S DX, 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED AF-S VR, SB800 flash
My photos on SmugMug

Ha ha, Phil!
Buying a Nikon and complaining afterwards about the additional money you INVEST in your hobby (b.t.w.: the EN-EL3e is no luxury, but a pure necessity).
I emphazise "invest", because you get a great return out of the things you bought for your D80. And you're going to invest more (for macro see my signature, plus I'm missing a flash from your compilation).
I'm going to New Zealand in March and I wouldn't want to be less than well prepared for the opportunities of this trip. The only thing I'm currently undecided upon is the extra wide zoom lens like the Sigma 10-20...
Congrats for your brand spanking new tele-zoom (b.t.w. where did all that extra budget come from?). Enjoy it and merry X'mas to you !!!

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Thomas (beware: Nikon-fanboy and moderator!) My Lens Reviews, My Pictures, My Photography Blog
D800+assorted lenses

The extra budget came from selling 2 electric guitars I didn't play any more and a very nice Christmas bonus from work. BTW, I'm going to New Zealand in March too, that has been the main reason for investing in the D80.

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Nikon D80, Nikkor lenses: 35mm f1.8 G AF-S DX, 50mm f/1.8 AF D, 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G ED-IF AF-S DX, 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED AF-S VR, SB800 flash
My photos on SmugMug

So we're lucky ones: a D80 + a trip to NZ!

B.t.w.: What is your experience with the ML-L3 remote regarding range and directionality (i.e. releasing from all positions relative to the D80)? After reading Banana Jacks comments on the ML-3 for his D200, I'm a bit cautious...

Another remark: I don't think that I get the Sigma 10-20mm. Everytime I look through the 18-200 @ 18mm I'm surprised how wide the field of view is. I think the hassle of carrying (and mounting) another lens is to much for me although I know there will be situations where you have no chance to get further away from the subject (to catch a wider fov).
Anyway, I'm more in for the detail as you can see from my purchase of the Micro-Nikkor.

With regard to the Jobo Giga One: I'm not sure wether they support the higher capacity (4+8GB) SDHC cards. One thing is for sure: Don't try standard 4GB SD cards in your D80. I tried one and would have lost 1000 pics if it was not a test. So you are on the safe side with the 2GB SD cards and a Jobo, but still: not supporting the SDHC standard means the Jobo is already outdated. Therefore I plan to take my lappy to NZ. It also gives a better way for reviewing your daily catch

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Thomas (beware: Nikon-fanboy and moderator!) My Lens Reviews, My Pictures, My Photography Blog
D800+assorted lenses

Now I've got definitive confirmation that the Jobo One does not read the latest SD high capacity standard SDHC cards

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Thomas (beware: Nikon-fanboy and moderator!) My Lens Reviews, My Pictures, My Photography Blog
D800+assorted lenses

Haha yeah man, I am also feeling the pinch after getting my D80. I bought body only to take some of the sting away from getting the 18-200mm VR Nikon lens. That lens is also special ordered so will be waiting up to four weeks. As for a camera bag, I got the lowepro Micro Trekker 200. Not cheap at £70. Lucky for me I bought a 1gb 50x SD card for my camera i had previously. Not very fast mind, but good enough as long as im not doing continuous shooting.

Hey Greg,
congrats for your new system. You invested quite a lot of dough though for a 19 year old - I envy you...
Do you think there will be more investments in the near future?

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Thomas (beware: Nikon-fanboy and moderator!) My Lens Reviews, My Pictures, My Photography Blog
D800+assorted lenses

Haha, Yeah the way I see it, I want to enjoy money while i have a job and live at home for free. As soon as Im out there in the real world it will be alot harder to buy these sort of things.

I might try get a wide angle lense if thats what you call it, a lense that captures ALOT, so the opposite of a zoom lense, for those landscape shots, to take advantage of the 10mp of the camera as I rarely print my shots. Maybe one of these 'one day' ; Nikkor AF-S 12-24mm f/4G IF-ED DX.

Or the Sigma 10-20mm. It is even more extrem without giving the ugly fisheye view...

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Thomas (beware: Nikon-fanboy and moderator!) My Lens Reviews, My Pictures, My Photography Blog
D800+assorted lenses