HKG or Maxwell D200

[marcotrov]

OK guys, first up, how about some sound advice on which way to go with the purchase of the D200. Preorder Maxwell, not too sure when will be in stock, or order through HKG all with birddog, sure to arrive earlier. Also want to buy the grip with the 200. Come on now I know you at least, Geoff have been thinking of getting one?
cheers
marco

[stubbsy]

Marco

I think it all comes down to warranty. Do you want local warranty so you can send it off to Maxwell for repair, or are you happy to ship it back to HKG and wait longer for the repair turnaround. This in turn comes down to whether there'll be any problems in the warranty period.

[birddog114]

D200's price from (body only)

HKG = $2300.00
Maxwell = $2500.00 (till the end of next week)

Your judgement!!!!!!

[Geoff]

OK guys, first up, how about some sound advice on which way to go with the purchase of the D200. Preorder Maxwell, not too sure when will be in stock, or order through HKG all with birddog, sure to arrive earlier. Also want to buy the grip with the 200. Come on now I know you at least, Geoff have been thinking of getting one?
cheers
marco

Hi Marco,
Only thinking about it at this stage. Bel and I put in an offer on a unit today...we are yet to find out if they accepted it or not, so a D200 at this stage is a thought only..unless we get the unit at a GREAT price....

Knowing our patron Birdy tho u cna't go wrong with the HKG price If something does go wrong with your camera you know you've purchased it from a reputable source. My two cents worth.

[birddog114]

We already have 4 members with prepaid & preordered of the D200/ Maxwell's stock.

A D200 from Hongkong's stock will be in my hand soon, perhaps next week, then I'll take off for the rest of the month till January 06. enough time to "dis-assemble" and find out what Nikon have inside.

[Geoff]

Exciting times ahead!!!

[birddog114]

Exciting times ahead!!!

Yes, exciting with long time stay than usual at my DRP Boat Harbour.
With the D200? Not really! I shot with the D200 in 1/2 day last November at Williamtown RAAF Base. Just want to go into torture mode with sand/ salt water/ bush/ heat, to see how it is cope with.

[marcotrov]

You've been very quiet about the results of your test run with the beast. Does anyone recommend the extended warranty? And what would be the price with grip from HKG birddog, cause i sure want one of them.
cheers
marco

[birddog114]

You've been very quiet about the results of your test run with the beast. Does anyone recommend the extended warranty? And what would be the price with grip from HKG birddog, cause i sure want one of them.
cheers
marco

No, I haven't been quiet about my 1/2 day shoot with the D200.

I said: Pls. don't ask too much about its performance, great new toy in comparison with the D100 which I still have side by side, not par with the D2x and do not expect as the sub D2x, AF is slowish with me, coz I shoot with the D2 most and lastly I still prefer my D2x.

It's $2300.00 body + $300.00 for the vertical grip.

[marcotrov]

Thanks Birddog. Is the extended warranty for the HKG worth getting?:)

I said: Pls. don't ask too much about its performance, great new toy in comparison with the D100 which I still have side by side, not par with the D2x and do not expect as the sub D2x, AF is slowish with me, coz I shoot with the D2 most and lastly I still prefer my D2x

I know everything is relative and if i HAD A d2X i'd definitely be happy with it. Just that I believe it will be a significant step up for me from the D70 in more ways than one and with the extra I can then look at a likely 2 lens purchase in a MAcro (105 Micro or 150 sigma) and AFS 12-24DX. That seems pretty attractive to me.
cheers
marco

[sirhc55]

Correct me if I am wrong Birddog but the Maxwell pricing seems to be on the safer side in case the HK unit gets hit with gst

Edit: unless the Maxwell stock is ex-gst!

[birddog114]

Correct me if I am wrong Birddog but the Maxwell pricing seems to be on the safer side in case the HK unit gets hit with gst

Edit: unless the Maxwell stock is ex-gst!

That why and leave the judgement & decision to the buyer!!!!!

Maxwell's price is GST included/ HKG's price is GST-ex.

[kipper]

Birddog, out of interest when you did the 1/2 day shoot did you try the various modes of AF eg. normal and wide? I'd be keen if you did a bit of a look in to what the so called Nikon engineers say is the best mode for fast moving subjects. I know they have mentioned that the wide configuration is good but I'm not sure if this is in conjunction with some fo the menu settings configured specifically. Anyway if you could give it a burl in wide mode with various settings it'd be great.

[birddog114]

Birddog, out of interest when you did the 1/2 day shoot did you try the various modes of AF eg. normal and wide? I'd be keen if you did a bit of a look in to what the so called Nikon engineers say is the best mode for fast moving subjects. I know they have mentioned that the wide configuration is good but I'm not sure if this is in conjunction with some fo the menu settings configured specifically. Anyway if you could give it a burl in wide mode with various settings it'd be great.

Technically, nothing new as with my 1/2 day shoot. I've tried all AF mode on the D200. It's fast on most of the setting, my subjects were a big bird as the F-18 Hornet and the Hawk, they're huge so this made AF easy and fast, I haven't tried on a small bird or small fast moving subjects.
Again, I shot with various lenses as the 300VR/ 500 AF-S II/ 17-35 AF-S/ 10.5FE.

[LostDingo]

300 VR , that would be very nice. Is that a 2.8 lense?

[birddog114]

300 VR , that would be very nice. Is that a 2.8 lense?

Yes, it's! matched very well with the TC 1.7x.

[LostDingo]

300 VR , that would be very nice. Is that a 2.8 lense?

Yes, it's! matched very well with the TC 1.7x.

Enough Enough I don't want to hear anymore

[birddog114]

300 VR , that would be very nice. Is that a 2.8 lense?

Yes, it's! matched very well with the TC 1.7x.

Enough Enough I don't want to hear anymore

Not to hear ! don't you want to try it out?

[LostDingo]

300 VR , that would be very nice. Is that a 2.8 lense?

Yes, it's! matched very well with the TC 1.7x.

Enough Enough I don't want to hear anymore

Not to hear ! don't you want to try it out?

[gstark]

Just want to go into torture mode with sand/ salt water/ bush/ heat, to see how it is cope with.

Just lend it to Wendell for a half hour.

[birddog114]

Just want to go into torture mode with sand/ salt water/ bush/ heat, to see how it is cope with.

Just lend it to Wendell for a half hour.

He's the best tester and a "Drill Sergent"

[Greg B]

Correct me if I am wrong Birddog but the Maxwell pricing seems to be on the safer side in case the HK unit gets hit with gst

Edit: unless the Maxwell stock is ex-gst!

That why and leave the judgement & decision to the buyer!!!!!

Maxwell's price is GST included/ HKG's price is GST-ex.

This means that, on a GST inclusive basis, the Maxwells stock at $2500 is cheaper than the HKG price at $2300+$230=$2530 !!!! Extraordinary.

And you would have to think that the chances of GST being imposed on a camera body would be higher than a lens, simply because it would look more expensive.

[birddog114]

Correct me if I am wrong Birddog but the Maxwell pricing seems to be on the safer side in case the HK unit gets hit with gst

Edit: unless the Maxwell stock is ex-gst!

That why and leave the judgement & decision to the buyer!!!!!

Maxwell's price is GST included/ HKG's price is GST-ex.

This means that, on a GST inclusive basis, the Maxwells stock at $2500 is cheaper than the HKG price at $2300+$230=$2530 !!!! Extraordinary.

And you would have to think that the chances of GST being imposed on a camera body would be higher than a lens, simply because it would look more expensive.

Pls. note: the Maxwell's stock with $2500.00 price tag is only offered to members on this forum for a short period, it's a not a real price in retail shops.
Price of HKG stock is still an estimated price till we have stock.

[KerryPierce]

I said: Pls. don't ask too much about its performance, great new toy in comparison with the D100 which I still have side by side, not par with the D2x and do not expect as the sub D2x, AF is slowish with me, coz I shoot with the D2 most and lastly I still prefer my D2x.

I hope I'm not asking too much, but would like to know if you had a play with the 80-400 on the d200. If so, did you get an idea of how the AF speed is, compared to the d70/80-400? faster or about the same?

I'm expecting delivery of my d200 on the 19th, but I'm not going to be here to see it, until the end of that week....

The 35-70 f/2.8d and 80-400 are the first lenses I intend to put on it, when I get back.

[birddog114]

I said: Pls. don't ask too much about its performance, great new toy in comparison with the D100 which I still have side by side, not par with the D2x and do not expect as the sub D2x, AF is slowish with me, coz I shoot with the D2 most and lastly I still prefer my D2x.

I hope I'm not asking too much, but would like to know if you had a play with the 80-400 on the d200. If so, did you get an idea of how the AF speed is, compared to the d70/80-400? faster or about the same?

I'm expecting delivery of my d200 on the 19th, but I'm not going to be here to see it, until the end of that week....

The 35-70 f/2.8d and 80-400 are the first lenses I intend to put on it, when I get back.

KP,
Sorry, I have the 80-400Vr, but now I hardly to use it, it mostly on loan to other members around the country.
Hope the US shipping date is correct as they stated, and congrats!

[MHD]

300 VR , that would be very nice. Is that a 2.8 lense?

Yes, it's! matched very well with the TC 1.7x.

did you ever end up getting one?

[birddog114]

300 VR , that would be very nice. Is that a 2.8 lense?

Yes, it's! matched very well with the TC 1.7x.

did you ever end up getting one?

Getting what? D200? 300VR? Yes, came and gone then came and gone, will arrive again.

[MHD]

300VR

[birddog114]

300VR

Yes, as said above.

[shutterbug]

Any news on the D200 from maxwell? ETA?

[birddog114]

Any news on the D200 from maxwell? ETA?

Give Nikon Broadway a call!

[shutterbug]

Just called them, they said tommorrow or next week, hope it is true.

[sirhc55]

They must be shipping them in via Ulan Bator

[shutterbug]

hahahahaha.....

maybe by private jet