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Thread: Planning on new photo gear?

  1. #1
    Senior Member RWB's Avatar
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    Planning on new photo gear?

    Anyone planning on purchasing new equipment this year? One camera that caught my eye is the Sony A7S, only 12mp but an alleged low light beast. Kinda pricey at around $2500 then another $3-400 for a lens adapter if you want to use something other than the Sony E-mount lenses.
    http://wildernessphotographer.blogsp...otography.html
    https://www.flickr.com/groups/sony-a...7648159562929/
    I've been wanting a wide lens and have been considering a Tokina 11-16 2.8, B&H had a used one for under 400 but it went quick, have seen them on sale new at just over 400, anyone have experience with the Tokina brand?
    PANTS UP, DON'T LOOT!

  2. #2
    Senior Member Zee71's Avatar
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    As of now I'm waiting on the Nikon D7200 to upgrade from my D7100. The new body with have a larger buffer which is where the D7100 fell short and I think up to 6 fps along with some other features.
    Mark
    Queens, NY

    My website: http://mbsphotography.smugmug.com
    My photos at: JetPhotos and ANet

  3. #3
    Senior Member moose135's Avatar
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    I have the Tokina 11-16 f/2.8 in a Canon mount - it's a superb lens, great image quality.

  4. #4
    Senior Member megatop412's Avatar
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    I might get the new Sigma 150-600 Sport at some point, but otherwise I'm good. Saving for a car at this time.

  5. #5
    Program Coordinator
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    Torn between a used 1DX or a 100-400. Each depends on how existing gear sells, of course!

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    I just added a 7D Mark II to complement my 6D. So far I am really happy with my purchase. Quality on the 7DII is pretty good, considering it is a crop and all I can compare it to is the full frame 6D.

  7. #7
    Senior Member Aviation.High.Guy's Avatar
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    Just upgraded my 7D to the Mark II and my 100-400 to the 100-400 II.
    -Don B.

  8. #8
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    I don't have an 11-16 myself, but I've shot my girlfriend's quite a lot and I love it. I'm not sure it can be beat for wide angle on crop sensors. The AF/MF clutch takes some getting used to, but it's a well built lens overall and plenty sharp on our cameras (D7100/D5300) wide open (especially at 11mm) and does even better at 5.6.

    Here's a few shots I got with the Tokina in the past year or so.

    sa60 by MK16photo, on Flickr

    tm3 by MK16photo, on Flickr

    sbpan1-s by MK16photo, on Flickr

    CPdeckhdr-s by MK16photo, on Flickr

    As for my purchases, my wallet is already shriveling at the thought of the Sigma 150-600S, but I don't think I can pass it up as a spotting/airshow lens for the future.

    I did already make one spotting purchase this year though and picked up a Uniden Bearcat BC125AT and finally joined the scanner crowd. Hopefully this will prevent the runway swap at JFK from burning me in the future.
    Last edited by captmjk16; 2015-02-05 at 10:32 PM.

  9. #9
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    Being that spotting is a new hobby for me, I wanted to make sure that I was going to stick with it before jumping into the deep end of the pool with buying expensive lenses. I've made due with an antique Nikon 70-210 mated to my D7000. I'm getting good, if inconsistent results. My one spotting purchase over the past year has been a Uniden Bearcat BC75XLT scanner that has more than paid for itself. Not only useful for runway changes etc, but also useful if you are waiting for a specific flight to capture a photo of a specific plane. For example,waiting out BA's daily 777 flight into PHL which can be an hour early or two hours late on any given day.

    That said I am currently looking for a long lens. Something with more reach.

  10. #10
    Senior Member RWB's Avatar
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    Thanks for the info and photos for the Tokina 11-16, that's pretty much what I had my mind made up on. Went to the local camera shop and Bestbuy and looked at/ handled the A7S, really nice but have read two reviews on it with the Tamron 70-200 2.8 (which I have and would have used w/adapter) and both have said the auto-focus wont work, so it'd be manual only, you'd think for $2800+ they would figured a way to make that happen.
    PANTS UP, DON'T LOOT!

  11. #11
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    I have 2 Tokinas, a 12-24 f4 (DX/Crop) and a 16-28 f2.8 (FX). No major complaints on either lens, solid build, sharp; they do have a bit of color fringing, but that's fixable in post, it's a 2-click fix; and the 16-28 can suffer from flare if pointed at a light (no big surprise, considering that the front is a big glass sphere).

    I am also a memeber of the scanner crowd, but I have a slightly different piece of equipment, my main scanner is actually an ICOM IC-2200H 2m amateur radio that also receives airband, it's a mobile radio and it's hard wired to my truck and I have a roof mount antenna.

    As far as plans, I have nothing solid right now, but I might replace my FF camera (a Canon EOS-1Ds that's already on the 2nd shutter).

  12. #12
    Senior Member RWB's Avatar
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    B&H had it for $429 recently so I finally got it and a Hoya polarizer which was 2/3rds off and I can use it on the 70-400. Got to take it out a couple of times, using the filter is going to take some practice, I was very happy with it!








    PANTS UP, DON'T LOOT!

  13. #13
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    Glad you like the new toy! It has become my favorite lens for flight deck shots too whenever the opportunity arises, might be worth a shot.

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