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At 14:19 6/12/98 -0500, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote about the
Nikon N6006:
>> ...
>>For rail photography out on the road, this particular camera was a real
>>disappointment for me. I would never recommend this camera to a
>>railfan and I would really have to talk a lot to convince myself to ever buy
>>Nikon again. I know that's unfair--one rotten apple, etc, but that's just
>>the way I feel. And anyway, I can't imagine ever getting rid of my
>>Mamiya.
>>
>>Maybe I'll pull the 6006 out of the drawer and take it along as a
>>backup--but probably not.
>> ....
As far as I know, Nikon never marketed the N6006 as a professional
camera, while the N8008 was marketed as an advanced amateur and
entry-level professional camera.
As a life-long Nikon user (if you exclude the folding Zeiss rolfilm
camera I used in high school and the Canon rangefinder that I used
during my college years), I have found it invaluable to be able to
gradualy upgrade my equipment without ever having to switch to a
new system.
I currently own four Nikon bodies and an array of Nikon lenses. My
primary body is an N90s, while two N8008 bodies serve as
backups. I also still occasionally use my F2 (all-manual) with
motordrive, primarily for copying work.
In her book _Travel Photography : A Complete Guide to How to
Shoot and Sell_ Susan McCartney, a well-known travel photographer,
describes how, at the time that she purchased her N8008 cameras,
they represented the best compromise between functionality, weight,
and price, with a lot of emphasis given to weight.
(McCartney's book is excellent, by the way, with lots of useful
information even for advanced photographers. It's still
in print and available from such sources as www.amazon.com.
For most of us on this list, railroad photography is just a
specialized form of travel photography.)
I considered many of the same factors in making my selection, trading
in both an F2 and an F3. One of my primary reasons to going to the
electronic-based bodies was to get the automatic fill-flash capability
which, yes, I've even used in railroad environments. (Obligatory
railroad photography content.)
Also in the McCartney book, she points out what she considerered
the shortcomings of the N8008 models. Virtually all of those have
been addressed in the N90s. I've heard a number of photographers
say that the N8008 is a good camera; the N90s is an even better
camera. And I agree.
One of the reasons I use the N90s as the primary camera is that is
allows adjusting shutter speeds in 1/3 stop increments, has faster
autofocus than the 8008, and has a slightly faster motor for film
advance. (I also like the accessory grip and its shutter release
for vertical shooting.)
There are also a number of other subtle differences, but over-all, the
N90s and the N8008 bodies are similar enough that using both
during a shoot is no problem.
Now, having said all that, I need to point out that most of the time, I
use both the N90s and the N8008 bodies in manual exposure mode
with manual focus. I do use autofocus at times, particularly with my
300mm lens, and I do use the autexposure modes from time to time.
Over the years, my Nikon equipment has held up remarkably well with
little major maintenance in situations ranging from daily photojournalism
for a newspaper and then news service and even the blowing dust and
monsoon rains of Vietnam. About the only major repairs required have
been when I did something really stupid and equipment ended up being
dropped.
Do not judge a line of photo equipment on the basis of a camera body
made for amateur use. If you are going to do serious photography,
get professional-level equipment, regardless of the manufacturer.
(Yes, I know photographers who use other brands and who are happy
with their gear. This is not a Nikon vs. brand X discussion))
At some point, I'll probably trade in one of both of the N8008 bodies for
another N90s, just so I'll have absolutely identical cameras. The F2
will probably stay. It's built like a tank and has many more useful
years left in it.
Now, finally to the earlier question of equipment people travel with:
For serious location photography, I typically take three bodies and
the following lenses: 20mm, 35mm, 80-200mm zoom, 300mm; plus
a 1.4 extender for the zoom and 300mm. (I just recently traded in
a 24mm to get the 20mm.) I also own a 17mm Vivitar (with Nikon
mount--my only non-Nikon lens), a 28mm PC (architecture shift lens);
a 55mm macro lens with matching extension tube; and an 85mm
f1.4. (All of the four preceding lenses are non-autofocus.)
For railroad photography currently, the two most widely used lenses
are my 35mm and my 300mm -- with all of the other lenses also
gettig some use at one time or another.
-- Ernest
--
Ernest H. Robl, Durham,NC,USA Stock photography; photojournalism; writing
Specializing in transportation and travel subjects for more than 25 years.
mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Phone +1 (919) 286-3845 Fax +1 (919) 286-1696
http://www.robl.w1.com "I'd rather be on the train." At =NS milepost H-52.
Intermodal Container FAQ: http://www.robl.w1.com/Transport/intermod.htm
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