Well now I've done it!

[Touchdown]

I just blew my tax refund on this...



and $2X00;) later (including 5 year warranty), I'm putting this card away for a few years. Anybody want some Kraft Mac-N-cheese? It's all I'll be eating.

I hope Prestige Camera are good people. They were the only ones with theD200 and 18-70mm f3.5 ED kit in stock. Should I call to cancel?:scared:

I just got a couple of jobs (weddings) lined up, and am taking a trip to DC to lobby Congress for Labor in March, so I wanted it, and needed a D-SLR. Is $500 too cheap for a first time wedding shooter?

[CC]

1. Post pictures soon

and let me know how you like it.

On the wedding prices, you are probably a bit too low but you know your area and should know the prices there. Find out how much it will cost you to print and remember you also need to make a profit off them. Do not offer to give them the digital files unless you want them to not get prints from you. I would get myself to the library and find wedding photography books and photography business books. Check out photogs near you for prices etc. Also go talk to them. Be up front about what you want to do, most good photogs will share their knowledge. BTW this is a great book, even if you want to only do it part time. The Business of Studio Photography: How to Start and Run a Successful Photography Studio by Edward R. Lilley A lot of the info is plain business sense and would work for weddings. Good luck.

[Touchdown]

2. To tell you the truth, they are friends at work.

I work at the big beach ball phone company that thinks that reaching out to touch someone means spying on Americans for Bush, but it's True Voice shall remain anonymous, with a non-descript, unrecognizeable logo that in no way looks like this...



Anyhow, they just came up to me today with this, and I blurted $500 out. Kind of kicking myself now. Denver is around $1200-1500 a wedding, but these are friends. After I did my sister's wedding for free, with film and development, I spent about $500 myself, but that was her gift.

I have a couple of Photog business books, but I'll check that one out too. I can never have too much advice, for when the Death Star lays me off. Thanks!

[CC]

3. Well for friends probably

not too bad, though make them pay for prints, you can give them a cd with very small (no more than 640x320 pixels)web size pics for proofs. Beside they can then share those with family and you might sell more prints. Keep your receipts for the camera etc. Once you do that wedding it becomes a business deduction.

[F.Gordon]

4. Which Kraft Mac-N-Cheese?

The one with the powdered cheese or the cheese in the can?

Hope you don't "waste" this awesome camera on just weddings.

If you need an assistant and I'm available I'd work for free on your wedding snaparoos. Unless I have to wear a tie. I don't "do" ties. It'd be a good learning experience. The numbers I keep seeing for weddings are around $200-$250 an hour on top of an initial fee of $300-$500 up front. The hourly would include post processing time.

I'm doing one free wedding this summer. Have downloaded a ton of software I plan on using. All the fancy dancy protrait stuff. If ya' would like to try some of it let me know and I'll dig up the links...

[Touchdown]

5. Which is cheaper?

That one.

We'd be learning together. I've only done one so far. It won't be 'till the summer (June), but it sounds like a fun Saturday. I'll PM you when it gets close!

[Boo_Radley]

6. Outstanding

You're going to LOVE that camera. I promise.

If you're doing weddings for the first time, you should consider having a second photographer. A good idea is to offer yourself as a backup photographer at a reduced price for a few tries. That way, if you don't get it quite like you wanted it, you didn't screw up the most important day of someone's life.

Everything I've shot so far has been for free (not weddings, I haven't done any, but other things). That way, I get some experience, and there's no real liability. I let them know I'm an amature and will shoot for free (or for a meal, or something), but they should get a pro if it's that important.

[bvar22]

7. Looks like a great camera.

I am very interested in this camera. I have been shopping for a DSLR and waver between this Nikon and the Canon 20D.
I have heard rumors that Canon was going to release a 10MP upgrade of the 20D this month, but these rumors have so far been unfounded.

I don't know about "Prestige Camera".
I DID notice that no one else lists this camera as "In Stock".
You can Google them by typing in "Review Prestige Camera" . There are several sites that have Consumer Reviews of Internet Retailers.

Good Luck, and let us know First Impression experiences, and post some pics.

Bob
St Paul

[Touchdown]

8. So far, not impressed with Prestige Camera

Not to NY bash, but their customer service hours vs. sales dept. hours are screwy. My salesman wouldn't return my call.

They called my answering machine with a "discrepency" on my transaction. Since I couldn't call after 5pm EST, even though the sales dept is open until 9pm, I called my credit card company instead (thinking they flagged such an unusually high transaction. She said they approved the transaction. They called the CC to verify my billing address, but my card company requires addr. verification to be faxed for my protection, which Prestige refused to do. She said they usually call back (to customer) and say that the card is declined, as opposed to telling the truth by saying they're too lazy to go to the fax machine.:eyes:

When I call Tomorrow, if they lie to me (say it's declined), I'll go off on them...before I cancel the order!

[F.Gordon]

9. Brooklyn

Everything I've read says to avoid Brooklyn based photo stores. Prestige is yanking your chain. I'd bet ya' a nickel they don't even have it in stock because I can't find any reputable dealers that do.

Put your name on the waiting list at one of these places.....

http://www.adorama.com/

http://www.bhphotovideo.com

I've bought quite a bit from Adorama. Quick. They keep you advised of shipping constantly. Great customer service. A little higher in price but when you're sucking big time on your check book it's worth paying a little more to get the service. IMHO

Real bummer on what you're going through.

:(

Edit? I was practicing my Norwegian and got the words all screwed up.
:evilgrin:

[Blue_In_AK]

10. HullBoss got all my stuff from B&H...

They were very helpful on the phone and we had no problems with any of the orders.

[TahitiNut]

11. I've bought a LOT from B&H over the years ... and they're good.

They supplied all my Hi-8 gear (Ricoh camcorder, Sony deck, Sony VCR, and bus controls) way back when and the prices were the best and the hand-holding just right.

[DS1]

12. B&H have been first-rate at everything they do

and I live so close that even when I pay for 3rd day ground, I still get it next day :D

[Touchdown]

13. Called them. It's on it's way.

Sjould arrive FedEuxed by Monday. They verified the address oslo. I wasn't bjorn yesterday, which is why I don't own a Fjord. :P

[F.Gordon]

14. Uff Da

:yoiks:

Looks like I owe you a nickel. Do you take paypal?

[wakeme2008]

15. Let me get more info

but there are national photo organizations that you can join. One of the programmers I work with spent four days in Richmond Va at the yearly meeting with his photog wife and it costs like $100 per year to join but the classes at the four day event were very very good. LOL one local Roanoke photog just upped his price to $4,000 per wedding because he could. Has 32 weddings booked.

One example from the Richmond class was one well known Va wedding photographer gave a class on shooting weddings. From what I remember Sammy saying, this photographer had the bride always in one place. He places a blue light under her dress and once he gets the dress just like he wants it, the brides feet never move. Just the new hubby moves around her. For this "free" class he had a model and his equipment and showed all the tricks he uses.

Sammy picked up some web software for setting up a wedding site, so your customers can look at all the wedding pictures and click on the pictures they want to order. Makes it simple. Because the wedding URL can be shared with other members of the wedding party, they also can order shots they want. Because the pictures on the site carry a "watermark" they have to order them thru you.

[Touchdown]

16. This thing is HEAVY!

Just stood in the UPS line for an hour, but I got it tonight. This baby's hefty. Pics of my new baby taken by my coolpix 8700.

Nikey hatched (No, I didn't clean up)


Nikey with Stephen :D


Nikey piggybacking Sparky


What? You don't have names for yours?:shrug:

[alkaline9]

17. Glad it all worked out and you got it...

...now we all have someone to be extremely jealous of! How does it operate? A lot like the cheaper Nikons?

[Touchdown]

18. It's smooth, and FAST!

I couldn't believe how fast it powers up, focuses, and recycles for the next shot, even in RAW. There's a buffer in it that allows for 20 RAW files, to take away the download time. The LCD and menu are the same a other Nikons, so it'd be easy to learn. LCD is very bright!

Another cool feature is Compressed RAW, which cuts down a RAW file by 40%, with no discernable reduction in pic quality. I never saw that on other cameras. Making 60 shots a gig more like 110. Great for vacations.

Sorry about the pics. I deleted them off of PB before I knew what I was doing.

[Touchdown]

19. Ok, this is my first DSLR, so this might be old hat for yous alls.

...but this is cool! It's got...

7 contrast settings
7 color saturation settings
7 sharpness modes
3 color modes (portrait, pre-photoshop, landcapes)
a Black and White photo option
I can pre-program (from Nikon capture) my own curves.
Bracketing only uses one shot, not 3.
A compressed RAW function, turning 15 Megs a shot into 8-9 Megs a shot, saving card space.
A cabled hook up to an iPod, so iPod can be used as a storage device instead of flash cards (still, the camera is tethered to the iPod with a cord). $350 for 60 a Gig iPod is cheaper than $90 per Gig on CFs.
A 20 RAW shot buffer, so I can still shoot while the card is being loaded.

You all probably are thinking "Yeah! Big DEEEEAAAAL! That's on all of them.", but it's all new to me.

:woohoo:

[regnaD kciN]

20. Have you tested for banding yet?

:shrug:

[Touchdown]

22. I don't think it's equipped.

But that's ok, since I have a first aid kit in my trunk, with plenty of Band-Aids.

[bvar22]

21. Hey, I appreciate the updates.

I am seriously shopping for a new digital, and this hands on info is valuable.

Please keep posting your impressions.
So far, it would be safe to assume that you are happy with your purchase? :+

I am waiting for some end product.