Giant Box (Landscape Camera for Sale)

I have a camera to sell. I thought I'd offer it here before putting it on eBay.

Tom Burke visited TOP World HQ a few years ago from Sheffield, UK (here's Tom, not to mention Tom Waits; portrait at right by me). Tom wrote a nice comment about landscape cameras this morning, partially in response to my grousing about not wanting a "camcorder" (heh):

"DPReview has just published an article 'Best Cameras for Landscape Photography 2021,' and their pick is the Nikon Z7II. Well, OK, it’s a very good camera, but expensive.

"Then I looked at their reasons for preferring it over competing cameras. In the case of what you might think of as the leading three contenders—Canon R5, Fuji X-T4 and Nikon D850—their reasons were almost entirely video-centric. The Canon had 'limited battery life with EVF at 120FPS', the Fuji was a criticised for having 'limited tools for video exposure,' and the D850—surely the last great all-round DSLR—for having 'poor autofocus in live view/video mode.' And these were being assessed for landscape photography! What happened to horses for courses?

"Of course, with landscape photography especially, the skill and dedication of the photographer is a key component, as are the other tools they might have and use—graduated filters, for example. The actual camera is quite secondary, it seems to me. There’s really no need to spend nearly £3,000 on a camera for landscape photography! In fact I became quite incensed by this, and I looked at my local photo dealer’s secondhand listing (I'm fortunate to live in a city with one such dealer…) to see what might be available for much more reasonable cost. I could get a Canon 300D, the first Digital Rebel, for £35! Going for something slightly more recent, a 500D or 550D (T1i/T2i) were available for less than £200 each. Looking at Nikon my eye was immediately taken by a D300 for £165.

"I’m sure that any of these cameras would be plenty good enough, with sufficient technique and processing, to produce excellent landscape images; and all for a fraction of the prices of the cameras dpreview assessed. In fact, I’m quite tempted…."

Nikon in search of new home
Along those lines, and in the spirit of Tom's comment:

I received a giant box at the front door recently, and it was full of Nikon gear. A longtime reader/supporter, having transitioned to lighter mirrorless cameras and their lenses, sent it as a donation in support of TOP—the expectation being that I'd "do something with it" all, with the proceeds being a friendly gift.

It was very fun to open.

That's how come I have this D800E to sell. Here are the details:

Nikon D800E in fine, clean condition with very low shutter clicks (fewer than 2k) and many extras, no box.

Extras, with new prices where applicable:

• MB-D12 Multipower Battery Pack/vertical release, with both inserts, one that accepts the same rechargeable lithium batteries the camera uses and one that accepts eight AAs ($427, still available); 
• Really Right Stuff BD800 Arca-Swiss tripod mounting plate ($60, still available);
• Four Nikon EN-EL15 rechargeable batteries ($57 each, still available), with charger;
• One Sandisk Extreme 32GB CF card ($30);
• Nikon SB-800 Speedlight (current SB-700 is $327).

That last is the only bit you don't strictly need for a top-class landscape kit.

First $1,198 + shipping gets it, so I can transform it like a Harry Potter wizard into a Sony A6600, on account of I want to write about the lens "drawing" of the Sigma 30mm ƒ/1.4 Contemporary. (I have, er, lots to say. Famous quote from a former Editor when I asked her how she liked my latest submission, after a long pause: "Well, you certainly said everything there is to say.") But if you think that's too much, by all means make an offer you think is a good deal for you. If no one wants it for the asking price I'll take the top offer. For that matter you can also offer more if you want to add in your own donation to the proceedings! (Has such a thing ever happened, in world history?) I can ship today if you contact me soon enough.

There is lots more besides, including some delightful lenses, which I think I will offer to my Patreon Patrons before slapping it all on YeBay. I was mighty impressed by the excellent Nikkor 80–400mm.

Giant thanks to Benefactor of the Box and to Tom, and I hope it's nice in their parts of the world this time of year.

Mike

Book of Interest this week:

Ralph Eugene Meatyard: American Mystic (Fraenkel Gallery, 2017). An excellent introduction to Meatyard's quirky, spooky worlds. "Photography is a dream of awaking to a world still dewed in sleep." And Fraenkel Gallery's productions are always a cut above. The link is a doorway to Amazon.

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Comments

[Richard Parkin]

I was reading a blog about macro photography (mostly tiny 1mm insects) and of course much use was made of focus stacking but also focus stacking from video. I guess some use focus stacking for landscapes, though I can’t recall reading of it, but if they do, how about video focus stacked landscapes? I can’t think it would be great but maybe there’s some situation where it would be useful.

It’s been warm sunny weather in Sheffield and most of the U.K. at present and looks like lasting … .

[hugh crawford]

Isn’t that Dan Gurney to Tom’s right?
Oh wait, parsed that wrong.

[hugh crawford]

And speaking of parsing errors, I thought this was going to be about an 8x20 box camera. For landscapes, like a banquet camera but without the front tilt.

[grant kench]

Mike, I note your resolve to acquire a Sony 6600. Good choice. I use a 6500 as my carry around camera, with a higher resolution Sony for my serious landscape work.
Point is this. On the 6500 I often just put on a zoom. I can highly recommend the Sony 18-135 zoom. Great versatility. Overpriced probably but worth it if that makes sense.

[c.d.embrey]

How about using a 4x5 film camera? They are inexpensive and readily available used. Adapters also let you use 120 film or digital cameras doing multiple exposures.

[Jeff1000]

I'd have to whole-heartedly agree that the Nikon Z7II is the best landscape camera around: a superb sensor with ample megapixels for cropping and enlarging, but most importantly the cutting edge Z mount for using the incredible Nikon Z lenses. These lenses are in a class all their own.

To me, the best landscape camera is the original Z7 which can be had for 1200 dollars less than when it first appeared (currently around 2300 dollars brand new), with the same great sensor and lens mount as the Z7II.

Sensor and lenses, not video performance (which is absurd).

[Pak Ming Wan]

Mike, I'd love to buy off you again (but Nikon isn't my system unfortunately, so I'll pass on this today). Somewhat offtopic: a quick update on my last purchase from you -- your old Pentax-M 85/2 and 28/3.5 now have new life on my Micro 4/3rds GH5. I've added a Pentax Pixco 0.71x speedbooster adapter (turning them into approximately a 90/1.4 and 30/2.4), stabilised in body. They handle really well and also render well on a modern sensor giving great Pentax color and contrast. The 0.71x conversion to make them "whole" again is a relief -- so I finally, finally get to use them in a way that they were originally designed for.

Pak

[David L]

I was thinking of an ultra large format camera, 11x14, or 12x20, etc. Real cameras, made of wood, and the size of a piece of furniture.

[Not THAT Ross Cameron]

I’m a Nikon shooter, please feel free to post lenses for sale on TOP, or at least a link to any online sale listing.
Cheers

[Phil Martin]

I note as well that DPR review down graded the Pentax K1 as a landscape photographer because of "The camera's 33 autofocus points are concentrated toward the center of the frame, and is looking limited by modern standards. Likewise AF tracking lags behind the competition in terms of reliability. The K-1 II can focus in very low light, down to -3EV, but AF points barely light up making it difficult to know what you’re focusing on". I mean who needs state of the art AF for landscape photography? For years the bulk of my landscape photography was shot on a Mamiya RB67 with no autofocus but all of my Pentax 35mm and DSLRs going back to the MZ5n, had more than adequate AF for landscape work.