Getting The Feel Of It

The perils of having a day job: sometimes you have to work longer than expected and it screws up your plans for the day. And this is exactly what happened to me today. Because of a meeting that went longer than expected, I missed my exercise class. But I guess it was meant to be. I have been working out intensely for the past three days, so my body could use the restitution.

So my plan of visiting my camera dealer was done today instead of tomorrow. I wasn't expecting them to have a Nikon D800 on display. Heck, they didn't even have brochures (they ran out during last weekend's photography convention). But I was still able to do something important. They did have a Nikon D700 and some lenses on display, so I was able to check it out, since the D700 and D800 are more or less physically identical (the D800 is a few grams lighter).

I attached the AF-S Nikkor 50mm F1.4G lens they had on display. The D700, like most full-frame cameras, is huge, and the setup is weighty but not heavy. It's actually the perfect size and weight for street photography. What surprised me though was the ergonomics. The hand grip is edged quite deep, so the camera feels like it "locks" itself to your hand once you start to hold it. It gave a nice feeling of security which was quite assuring! I also held the Canon EOS 5D Mark II they had on display, and all of a sudden I realized what they were talking about in the reviews. The Canon wasn't as nice to hold as the Nikon, because the grip isn't deep enough. It felt like it could slip off your hand and fall to the ground if you are not careful. They fixed this somewhat with the Mark III, but Nikon still gets the top character for this one. Way to go! And the fact that they already include a screen protector for the LCD is another plus. It's the little things that can sometimes make or break a deal. And the Nikon package to me seems much more attractive as a whole.

So my decision to get a Nikon D800 is more or less becoming final. Now I just have to play the saving-and-waiting game for a few more months.