Nikon D800E for a Beginner? (Page 5): Sounds good. 800E and bargain price. The only downside is that it will hard for her to blame the camera for bad results. :sm17:...

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Sounds good. 800E and bargain price. The only downside is that it will hard for her to blame the camera for bad results.

wdross Loc: Castle Rock, Colorado

JonathanChemE wrote:

My niece may have an opportunity to acquire a used D800E from her late great uncle’s estate at a bargain price with some good lenses. She is a beginner but shoots mainly for a local newspaper. She does no post processing now but is planning to take a course. Would this be good for her or would it potentially just frustrate her? This question is mainly for Nikon users and I don’t know much about this camera other than what I read at the BH site. Right now she uses a CanonT100.

A tool is a tool is a tool. A camera is a camera is a camera. If the price is right, "buy". I am sure she will learn from them. Then if she wants something different, she can buy that - or sell what she has and buy that. This looks like a "win / win" situation.

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

Architect1776 wrote:

Is it repairable any more?

No longer supported by NikonUSA. Neither is the D810, I believe, since the Z8 was released.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

larryepage wrote:

No longer supported by NikonUSA. Neither is the D810, I believe, since the Z8 was released.

My T1i is no longer supported, but I still use it.
Not get a camera because it's no longer supported?
Not me....

My H-1 is no longer supported either...
Oh well!

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

Longshadow wrote:

My T1i is no longer supported, but I still use it.
Not get a camera because it's no longer supported?
Not me....

My H-1 is no longer supported either...
Oh well!

Didn't say not to get it. Just said it's no longer supported. I have no plans to get rid of my D810 (or D300s or D200). I'll keep my D850 when the Z8ii is introduced, as well.

Mustang1

We all have a choice, and we make that choice, good, bad or otherwise, but we have one, and we make it!

uhaas2009

She have some knowledge already and the late onkel may can teach and help too.I would go for it

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

larryepage wrote:

Didn't say not to get it. Just said it's no longer supported. I have no plans to get rid of my D810 (or D300s or D200). I'll keep my D850 when the Z8ii is introduced, as well.

Sorry, I inferred that.
If not a game changer, why bring it up?
(I suppose it may be important to some? None of my 8 cameras in over 50 years needed "support".)

riderxlx Loc: DFW area Texas

JonathanChemE wrote:

My niece may have an opportunity to acquire a used D800E from her late great uncle’s estate at a bargain price with some good lenses. She is a beginner but shoots mainly for a local newspaper. She does no post processing now but is planning to take a course. Would this be good for her or would it potentially just frustrate her? This question is mainly for Nikon users and I don’t know much about this camera other than what I read at the BH site. Right now she uses a CanonT100.

Since this morning we are now at 5 PAGES ! Uh, well. I am back home now and see 5 pages. I not going to read all this mess but look, this is your niece. IF you are local to her and are able to help her and tutor her along the way to learn and appreciated the Art of photography, this could be the most beneficial blessing for her. She may not realize the opportunities can could open up for her. This is a great chance to just let her try it and see if this camera is a comfortable fit for. JUST GO FER IT.
Oh yea, she has the UHH here her.
Bruce

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

Longshadow wrote:

Sorry, I inferred that.
If not a game changer, why bring it up?
(I suppose it may be important to some? None of my 8 cameras in over 50 years needed "support".)

Today's cameras are remarkably complex systems. There are all sorts of things that can go wrong with them. My Olympus OM-2s from 40 years ago still works perfectly, and I can still get A76 batteries for it. I probably could get most failures repaired somewhere, should one occur. But it was a major project to fix a moderately serious problem with an out-of-support D300 that I got in a trade back in 2017. So I just think it's worth thinking about.

What I do think isn't a topic for concern is whether the OP's niece can learn to operate this camera. If it's something that SHE really wants, I'm guessing that she will have the basics under control within a couple of hours and will be able to offer lessons to others after a couple of days.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

larryepage wrote:

Today's cameras are remarkably complex systems. Th... (show quote)

So you think maybe reliability with the newer cameras has been reduced?

Would you get an extended service plan?

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

Longshadow wrote:

So you think maybe reliability with the newer cameras has been reduced?

Would you get an extended service plan?

I had two cameras of different models that had to go for warranty service. The viewfinder mask did not work correctly in a D850, and the flash control system quit working in a D500. (I actually suspected mishandling somewhere along the way.) They've worked fine since being repaired 4+ years ago, as have an additional D500 and D850. So I can't say I'd go that far. But I do believe that it's worth thinking about.

ELNikkor

Her T100 cost $400 new with a lens, was made in 2022, and weighs a pound. It has all the quality of images she'll need for years, especially shooting for a local newspaper, and dabbling in whatever pleases her photographically. Just because a D800e might be available at a good price is no reason to buy it. Whatever it costs, it is currently just unnecessary. She might should rather get a Canon telephoto if she doesn't have one, and learn photography with what she has.

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

ELNikkor wrote:

Her T100 cost $400 new with a lens, was made in 2022, and weighs a pound. It has all the quality of images she'll need for years, especially shooting for a local newspaper, and dabbling in whatever pleases her photographically. Just because a D800e might be available at a good price is no reason to buy it. Whatever it costs, it is currently just unnecessary. She might should rather get a Canon telephoto if she doesn't have one, and learn photography with what she has.

I don't know what it's like to shoot Canon "beginner" cameras, but I do know that I find Nikon's beginner cameras quite annoying to shoot, especially in a critical situation, or if I'm working against a deadline. I also know that I had a couple of uncles and great uncles who had tools or cameras that I would have loved to have an opportunity to have after their death.

It's pretty certain that we don't know the whole story here. We were just asked about the D800e by someone who uses Canon products.

cambriaman Loc: Central CA Coast

Great camera. I have one as a backup to my D850. The answer is yes! Get a user manual and start in the AUTO mode and learn by experiment how to improve results by experimentation with Aperture pref and later shutter pref mode. It will be frustrating in the beginning but she has all the growth potential she may ever need.