bought a new camera
Feb. 26th, 2012 12:30 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sarea
Sooooooo a few posts ago I might've mentioned that I was itching to get a new costly camera lens. The good news is, I did more research and felt that at this time, I didn't really need a new one, though there are certainly a few I'd like to have. The not-so-good news is, I've gone and bought a new camera. >.> Well, not so good in the sense that it's kind of a lot of money. But I am SUPER EXCITED ABOUT IT, so I suppose it's the good kind of spending.
After doing some research, I decided to move forward with upgrading my existing camera, which I've been thinking about for some time. Several factors made me feel that this was the right moment, including price, familiarity with my current Nikon, and the desire to take things to the next level with my photography. Right now I have a Nikon D40, and it's fabulous. I love it. It's Nikon's second-most entry-level DSLR. I've decided to graduate to the D5100, which is one of Nikon's newest if not the newest camera in their lineup (at least for another couple of weeks, before the D800 comes out -- but that's a professional grade camera, it has 36.3 megapixels O.o). The D5100 is a mid-level camera, right in between the D3100 (more entry level) and the D7000 (more professional level).
I first did my research at Ken Rockwell's site, then followed up with more research at Thom Hogan's site. Nikon enthusiasts seem to trust his opinions/reviews more than KR's, so I figured it certainly couldn't hurt to consult his thoughts on the D5100 as well. KR couldn't recommend it enough; TH is more measured in his review but ultimately recommends it for someone like me:
Should you get a D5100? Consumer DSLR owner that's upgrading (D40, D40x, D50, D60, D70, D70s, D80, D3000). For all these folk the D5100 is a lot more. It's a bit like trading in your old CRT-based TV for a nice new LED backlit LCD HD large screen one. There will be some learning curve shock, but the performance you can obtain puts you in a different league. Moreover, Nikon pushed some higher end features into this camera that will eventually be appreciated as you learn to use them (swivel LCD, HDR, multiple exposure, GPS support, etc.).
One of the exciting differences from the D5100 (and Nikon's newer models, period) to what I'm using, other than all the other camera/LCD upgrades, is that you can shoot video with it. That was one of the disappointing things about the D40 when I got it.
I'm planning to get the body only, because I already have the lens it comes with (though the non-VR version). I can't find it on Amazon for what other reputable camera places are selling it for (about $650 with an instant rebate). I ended up getting it from Calumet, because every other camera place I checked said that they were "temporarily out of stock" -- which in my experience means being out of stock indefinitely. I actually don't even know if Calumet really has it in stock or not; they haven't yet shipped it out, but that might be because I asked them to delay doing so until it could arrive after I get back to Seattle. However, like I said, it's sold out at that price everywhere else, and they haven't actually confirmed that that's why they haven't shipped it out yet, so who knows. I suppose that means there's a chance that I haven't actually bought a new camera at all, lol.
Unfortunately, in the course of all my research, I realized that my D40 is very likely a gray market version. I got a pretty good deal on it at the time ($738, with two lenses and a bunch of other accessories), and now I think I know why. Gray market doesn't mean that it's an inferior product or illegal. It's the exact same product; it just means it wasn't sold through Nikon-approved distribution channels, i.e., the camera was made for a different market (say, Japan, or Europe), and someone bought it from there and sold it in the U.S., because by doing that you can sell it for less than what Nikon USA sells it for and still make a profit. That in itself is not a big deal, since it is everywhere the same product.
How it becomes a big deal for unsuspecting consumers like myself is that if my camera ever breaks, I'm screwed. Thankfully nothing happened during its warranty period, because it didn't actually have a warranty (or at least, it wouldn't if it were a gray market version, which I haven't confirmed with absolute certainty yet, but which I know in my heart to be true)! From what I've read, Nikon USA will not, under any circumstance, repair gray market products -- even if you pay them. I'd have to ship it back to the market that the camera was intended for, whether Japan or Europe or somewhere else, to get it repaired, which would be CRAZY. I suppose there must be non-Nikon repair people out there who would be willing to fix the camera for a fee, but would I really want non-Nikon personnel touching my camera? And who knows if such people really do exist, no one actually talked about that as an option, when I read up on the gray market!
Tomorrow I'm going to call Nikon and give them my serial number to confirm for sure if my D40 is gray market. There's nothing anyone can do if it is; I bought it nearly 3 1/2 years ago (jeez, I can't even believe that), but at least if it ever does break I'll know what I'm up against.
This is why, this time, with the D5100, I was determined to get it from a reputable camera seller that's actually on Nikon USA's authorized reseller list, because in theory these stores have USA products intended for the U.S. market, and my camera would therefore be covered by Nikon USA's warranty and ability for future paid repair. I don't want to screw myself out of a warranty/future repairs to save $100-150 (which would cost even more if something actually did happen with the camera). If I'd known all this when buying the D40 I would've done things differently, but oh well. In any case, with the current "instant rebate" going on, if you can find it in stock, it's about the same to buy the D5100 from an authorized reseller (other than Amazon, at least for the body only version) as it is to buy from some seller on eBay who might be selling gray market product. Sigh, that reminds me, when I get home I'm going to have to look at all my lenses to see if they're USA versions.
The good news forropo is that I'm certain she doesn't have a gray market D40; she's had to get it fixed many a time and it's never been a problem to do so; they've never turned her away so she must have a USA version. Plus I remember that she told me she got it from a reputable place as well. I've asked her for her serial number because I'd like to compare it to mine; Nikon might not be open on Sundays, but that should give me a clue. But like I said, I'm 99% sure mine is grey market (it'd literally be a miracle if it wasn't).
After doing some research, I decided to move forward with upgrading my existing camera, which I've been thinking about for some time. Several factors made me feel that this was the right moment, including price, familiarity with my current Nikon, and the desire to take things to the next level with my photography. Right now I have a Nikon D40, and it's fabulous. I love it. It's Nikon's second-most entry-level DSLR. I've decided to graduate to the D5100, which is one of Nikon's newest if not the newest camera in their lineup (at least for another couple of weeks, before the D800 comes out -- but that's a professional grade camera, it has 36.3 megapixels O.o). The D5100 is a mid-level camera, right in between the D3100 (more entry level) and the D7000 (more professional level).
I first did my research at Ken Rockwell's site, then followed up with more research at Thom Hogan's site. Nikon enthusiasts seem to trust his opinions/reviews more than KR's, so I figured it certainly couldn't hurt to consult his thoughts on the D5100 as well. KR couldn't recommend it enough; TH is more measured in his review but ultimately recommends it for someone like me:
Should you get a D5100? Consumer DSLR owner that's upgrading (D40, D40x, D50, D60, D70, D70s, D80, D3000). For all these folk the D5100 is a lot more. It's a bit like trading in your old CRT-based TV for a nice new LED backlit LCD HD large screen one. There will be some learning curve shock, but the performance you can obtain puts you in a different league. Moreover, Nikon pushed some higher end features into this camera that will eventually be appreciated as you learn to use them (swivel LCD, HDR, multiple exposure, GPS support, etc.).
One of the exciting differences from the D5100 (and Nikon's newer models, period) to what I'm using, other than all the other camera/LCD upgrades, is that you can shoot video with it. That was one of the disappointing things about the D40 when I got it.
I'm planning to get the body only, because I already have the lens it comes with (though the non-VR version). I can't find it on Amazon for what other reputable camera places are selling it for (about $650 with an instant rebate). I ended up getting it from Calumet, because every other camera place I checked said that they were "temporarily out of stock" -- which in my experience means being out of stock indefinitely. I actually don't even know if Calumet really has it in stock or not; they haven't yet shipped it out, but that might be because I asked them to delay doing so until it could arrive after I get back to Seattle. However, like I said, it's sold out at that price everywhere else, and they haven't actually confirmed that that's why they haven't shipped it out yet, so who knows. I suppose that means there's a chance that I haven't actually bought a new camera at all, lol.
Unfortunately, in the course of all my research, I realized that my D40 is very likely a gray market version. I got a pretty good deal on it at the time ($738, with two lenses and a bunch of other accessories), and now I think I know why. Gray market doesn't mean that it's an inferior product or illegal. It's the exact same product; it just means it wasn't sold through Nikon-approved distribution channels, i.e., the camera was made for a different market (say, Japan, or Europe), and someone bought it from there and sold it in the U.S., because by doing that you can sell it for less than what Nikon USA sells it for and still make a profit. That in itself is not a big deal, since it is everywhere the same product.
How it becomes a big deal for unsuspecting consumers like myself is that if my camera ever breaks, I'm screwed. Thankfully nothing happened during its warranty period, because it didn't actually have a warranty (or at least, it wouldn't if it were a gray market version, which I haven't confirmed with absolute certainty yet, but which I know in my heart to be true)! From what I've read, Nikon USA will not, under any circumstance, repair gray market products -- even if you pay them. I'd have to ship it back to the market that the camera was intended for, whether Japan or Europe or somewhere else, to get it repaired, which would be CRAZY. I suppose there must be non-Nikon repair people out there who would be willing to fix the camera for a fee, but would I really want non-Nikon personnel touching my camera? And who knows if such people really do exist, no one actually talked about that as an option, when I read up on the gray market!
Tomorrow I'm going to call Nikon and give them my serial number to confirm for sure if my D40 is gray market. There's nothing anyone can do if it is; I bought it nearly 3 1/2 years ago (jeez, I can't even believe that), but at least if it ever does break I'll know what I'm up against.
This is why, this time, with the D5100, I was determined to get it from a reputable camera seller that's actually on Nikon USA's authorized reseller list, because in theory these stores have USA products intended for the U.S. market, and my camera would therefore be covered by Nikon USA's warranty and ability for future paid repair. I don't want to screw myself out of a warranty/future repairs to save $100-150 (which would cost even more if something actually did happen with the camera). If I'd known all this when buying the D40 I would've done things differently, but oh well. In any case, with the current "instant rebate" going on, if you can find it in stock, it's about the same to buy the D5100 from an authorized reseller (other than Amazon, at least for the body only version) as it is to buy from some seller on eBay who might be selling gray market product. Sigh, that reminds me, when I get home I'm going to have to look at all my lenses to see if they're USA versions.
The good news for
ropo is that I'm certain she doesn't have a gray market D40; she's had to get it fixed many a time and it's never been a problem to do so; they've never turned her away so she must have a USA version. Plus I remember that she told me she got it from a reputable place as well. I've asked her for her serial number because I'd like to compare it to mine; Nikon might not be open on Sundays, but that should give me a clue. But like I said, I'm 99% sure mine is grey market (it'd literally be a miracle if it wasn't).
