NW WA Meet / BS Thread

I'm down! I need to take the wife up there cause she has not been.

 

Ok. Probably wanting to go pretty early we want to hike while we are up there but you're more than welcome to tag along

 

Brian is up the right alley. If you can't find a decent 2 lens package on Craigslist, do it elsewhere. You should be ablt to do a 2 lens thing under 650. You defi nitely want to do a 2 lens package because it'll get you thinking about lrnses.

 

I'm down! Please get me out of the city lol

 

@Tayoflor

https://www.buydig.com/shop/product/NKD3400X2LENSKRB/Nikon-Refurbished-D3400-242MP-DSLR-Camera-with-18-55mm-VR-and-70-300mm-Lenses?sdtid=10278452&omid=200&ref=cj&utm_source=CJ&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_content=4485850

This package usually drops to $399 every few weeks. Keep an eye on slickdeals and it'll happen. Last time was June 22nd, it looks like. Even at $449 it's not a bad deal.

I have just now started to find the limits of my D3400, but really I didn't notice them until I used one of @Nimitz 's big boy cameras.

Lightroom can make any garbage photo look great.

Disregard, found the $399 deal on eBay. Nikon Refurb may as well be new.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/29203113549...p_id=117&ipn=icep&afepn=5337259887&rmvSB=true

Since that 70-300mm doesn't have VR it'll be tough to get a clear image without a tripod or a solid stance. I have the VR version and it's my second favorite lens. Just got it for my birthday.

The 18-55 is a solid starter lens. Paired with the 70-300 you can do quite a bit. All of these are with the 18-55

DSC_0004 by Alex Wilson, on Flickr
DSC_0081 by Alex Wilson, on Flickr
DSC_0048 by Alex Wilson, on Flickr

Back when Brian was a boy...
DSC_0086 by Alex Wilson, on Flickr

DSC_0036 by Alex Wilson, on Flickr

 

Took a drive up to Blue Lake on Sunday with a friend and her FJ. Hit some snow - elev about 6,400 - and had a great time. Hike in snow covered and the lake turned out to be ice & snow. Took the drones and shot some footage. Had a great time and this is a fantastic spot with some dispersed camping along the way....not hard - Forest Service Road - but fun!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXYPyPkohus&t=2s

Happy Wheeling!!!

 

This is an awesome picture!

 

I need a good camera too. Came up to whidbey yesterday.

 

Thanks Alex! I've gotten recommendations for this camera from a few other friends as well. Great price point for a begginer camera so I'll probably end up going this route.

 

Not sure about linking fb videos. Anyone see this jo koy video. If you haven't heard of him, he's a stand up comedian that's from Seattle. He does shows here often.

 

Yo man, I'd love to chime in. Nikon refurbs only have a 90 day warranty so keep that in mind vs buying used as the used price might be a LOT cheaper but you dont get a short warranty. Standard gold box warranty is 5 years on lenses and 1 year on cameras. Let me get to work and I'll write you a dissertation if youre interested.

 

I may already be there on sat and staying over night. Have you ever hiked from Van Epps Camp? There are a few hiking trails. Anyways, If I go I will probably be at Van Epps on Sunday.

 

I've been eyeballing this setup for a little bit now too. I had been trying to find it a little cheaper without the 70-300mm after reading that it is basically useless without the VR. I figure if I can save some coin there I can pick up a 35mm lens and start saving for a zoom lens with VR but I haven't been able to find anything with a single lens that is much cheaper than this.

The warranty issue is definitely worth considering, have you ever had to warranty your Nikon bodies or lenses? I am curious if it may be worth the gamble to get the refurb unit at the cheaper price and hope that like most electronics it either fails right away or is good to go for the long haul. Kind of like buying a Toyota and trying to get them to explain why I need to pay them a ton of extra money for an extended warranty when they are supposed to be the most reliable vehicles on the road.

 

I'd be getting camera envy reading this but I barely know how to use the APS-C Sony that I do own.

 

The 70-300mm is far from worthless without VR, it's just a bit more tedious (nearly impossible) to shoot @ 300 free-hand. Kinda like firing a rifle at 300 yards without a rest.

Unless Sam has warrantied a lens or camera, no one I know has ever used their warranty. Warranties, like anything else, are money making tools. They're banking on no one using it, and getting to advertise that their products come with a warranty.

You could buy a 3x00 body and pick up and 18-55 kit lens for cheap either on ebay, craigslist, or whatever.


Or these...

https://seattle.craigslist.org/see/pho/6209637075.html

https://seattle.craigslist.org/skc/pho/6210485493.html

 

Honestly, the only time i had to warranty a lens was the 14-24 that I got with a bad zoom cam in it so it only went from 14-20ish like a month after I got it.

 

I guess my position is that when im buying a $3500 body or a $2500 lens I want it to have a warranty, but a lot of time im using those tools to make money. On the other hand i have a bunch of manual focus Nikon lenses i bought for $100 each on CL that are 40 years old and could give a fuck if they stop working. They have zero electronics in them though and other than getting fungus on the glass, will never break in my lifetime. Its all about what things are worth for you. I would say if youre able to get a consumer zoom for $150 and it takes a dump a year later it was probably worth it and wouldnt happen twice. Just be really cautious about testing used stuff you buy. I've missed stuff on camera lenses that basically made them unusable and was just out a few hundred bucks.

To further dilute what im trying to say, I've never heard anything about nikon refubs having any issues.

 

Your only limitation without VR would be you have to use it in bright sunlight or with a tripod.

I'll stop adding to this but if you guys want to DM me I will write you a book on this shit.

 

I'm not sure exactly where I'll be up there, but if you see a drunk asshole in a tipi come say hi. I'll be camping somewhere with some elevation and playing with my new gps and my camera.