Very late Christmas for me, sort of ...

[Experiment_626]

Last year here at work, I had been told I would be getting a new camera, lens, and other assorted accessories as part of our annual "SRAD" expense items (I forget what SRAD means exactly, but in essence it refers to bigger ticket items that are not purchased on a regular basis). Then they yanked it out from under me at the last moment. This year, it all got final approval -- and for much more than I would have gotten last year. My office had a D50 (technically; I always used my personal D300 instead).

This year they approved:

A HD camcorder, exact model to be determined.

A Nikon D7000.

A SB-700 Speedlight.

Tamron SP AF 17-50mm f/2.8 XR DI-II VC lens.

Nikon 55 - 300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED AF-S DX VR II (Vibration Reduction) Lens.

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 35mm f 1.8G DX Lens.

Manfrotto 190XDB with 701HDV Tripod with fluid video head.

Nikon MB-D11 vertical grip.

Lexar - 128GB Professional 133x SDXC Card.

Sony Optiarc 12X Blu-ray Burner.

Vello FreeWave Wireless Remote Shutter Release.

Extra Nikon EN-EL15 Li-on Battery.

Woo-hoo!

Now, I just wish I could find an acceptable place (i.e., one that will take a purchase order) that has the D7000 in stock. We're planning a Disney trip later this month, and I'd love to take the new camera with me. After all, how does one learn a new piece of equipment other than by using it?

SSB

 

[Gianna'sPapa]

In my past working life, we used purchase orders at B & H. I ordered quite a bit of equipment and supplies from them.

 

[Experiment_626]

In my past working life, we used purchase orders at B & H. I ordered quite a bit of equipment and supplies from them.

As have I. But they don't have any right now — they've been out for two or three weeks, I believe.

SSB

 

[Gianna'sPapa]

Adorama?

 

[Experiment_626]

Adorama?

Same deal; that would work if they had any.

I could get it for just over $1100 from a state government-contracted source -- if they had any.

Sheesh.

Amazon has them, but they don't take purchase orders.

SSB

 

[Venomhatch]

Same deal; that would work if they had any.

I could get it for just over $1100 from a state government-contracted source -- if they had any.

Sheesh.

Amazon has them, but they don't take purchase orders.

SSB

You have any speed flashes you want to sell now lol? I have a D5100 and I need another one.

Thanks

 

[Experiment_626]

You have any speed flashes you want to sell now lol? I have a D5100 and I need another one.

Well, I'm not replacing anything I personally own. I have an SB-600 that belongs to the department and hope to use it and the SB-700 in the Nikon CLS once I have both. I actually don't own a speedlight myself.

SSB

 

[Experiment_626]

I should really lay off the time travel ... the universe takes it personally. Weird things happen when you work in a physics department ...

SSB

 

[Experiment_626]

You have any speed flashes you want to sell now lol?

Flash photography? I wouldn't! It alters the homing signal and that's not good.

Refer to my last couple of posts to see what can happen ...

SSB

 

[Venomhatch]

Flash photography? I wouldn't! It alters the homing signal and that's not good.

Refer to my last couple of posts to see what can happen ...

SSB

I love the signature you have. I am watching the movie now on DIS Channel thanks to the lil one.

So your a hardcore no flash artist huh? I am curious to learn more about the art of no flash. Any tips for my model? I will be staying at the POLY and need some truly beautiful night shots.

***Also how the heck did you get posts in before mine with my quote?

 

[Experiment_626]

So your a hardcore no flash artist huh?

Not really; I was making a multi-part joke. Go back two posts before your initial question to me and maybe it will be clear.

SSB

 

[NateNLogansDad]

I think I heard something about the D7000 being back-ordered because they get assembled in Thailand and their monsoon season was really bad with crazy flooding. Don't hold me to it.....

 

[Experiment_626]

I think I heard something about the D7000 being back-ordered because they get assembled in Thailand and their monsoon season was really bad with crazy flooding. Don't hold me to it.....

Oh, yeah -- I already knew that going in.

Late yesterday I managed to find a place that has at least one in stock -- far from the first place I would have thought to look. I'm pestering TPTB to pounce on it right away.

These things are scarce enough that I'm not even willing to say where I found it until it is ordered or has disappeared!

SSB

 

[Experiment_626]

And, thanks to the foot-dragging and confusion over what was approved, the source I had located is now sold out again.

When my supervisor told me it was approved, he said, "You got your Nikon ... and everything else." I interpreted that to mean that I got everything I requested. Silly me. Apparently, "everything else" meant something other than what I foolishly presumed.

Now, don't get me wrong -- I think I got a huge amount and far more than they've ever approved at one time in the past, so far as I know. Still, I am annoyed because I wasted a whole lot of time locating best prices for equipment they were never going to allow me to buy. Had I known that, this would already have been done. Now, I'm spending yet another day searching and recalculating everything.

I got the camera, three lenses, memory card, tripod and Blu-ray burner approved. Of the stuff I didn't get, I'm most bummed about the vertical grip. I can't afford to buy that myself, and I won't be able to finagle another way to get it either. Wouldn't feel nearly as bad about that had they told me "no" right off the bat.

Don't know why they wouldn't approve the flash -- that was always part of the deal. I'd be willing to consider trading the 55-300 lens in exchange for that, but I don't know if that would be allowed. Strange that I make the case for what identifying what I need and why, but once they approve a subset of that, they then know more about what I need than I do.: And they'll approve $600 for one lens but not $50 for a spare battery? Really?

My immediate supervisor (she wasn't the one who approved what I got, but she is the one who will order the merchandise) just visited and said she asked and was told they didn't approve the flash "because we don't do many nighttime events." This just proves I should be in the meeting where such things are considered. A further case in point -- at one point in the past I had asked for a for 30mm f/1.4 because it is good for low light. The response I got was "They didn't approve that because we don't do much outdoors." Again, That doesn't even make any sense.

I'm especially annoyed because this is the second year in a row I've been told I would get something that I ultimately did not get. Plus, I'm stressed out anyway because my two-year-old son is going to have a tonsillectomy on Monday, and he is going to have no idea why he'll likely spend the next week to 10 days with a throat that feels like he swallowed broken glass, nor why Mommy and Daddy can't make it better. So if I sound like an ungrateful jerk, try to cut me a little slack. I'm sure all will be forgiven in my mind once I have the new toys and my baby is his normal bubbly happy self (new and improved -- now with 100 percent less sleep apnea!).

So, does anyone know of a decent fluid video tripod head only that would offer significant savings over the $250 kit B&H offers and would easily support the D7000 and either that Tamron 17-50 DC lens or a Nikon 18-200, which are probably the heaviest lenses I'd use for video?

SSB

 

[Experiment_626]

I'll repeat this first part from the previous post: Does anyone know of a decent fluid video tripod head only that would offer significant savings over the $250 kit B&H offers and would easily support the D7000 and either that Tamron 17-50 DC lens or a Nikon 18-200, which are probably the heaviest lenses I'd use for video?

Second question ... should I give up the 55-300 lens in order to get the flash? I don't often need the extra reach, but I could certainly put it to use. Without it, the longest lens to which I usually have access goes to 135. I already have an SB-600, but as stated I hoped to use the two flashes together in the Nikon CLS -- take better portraits, have the flashes set up in various places in lecture halls and fire them remotely, that sort of thing.

This process is always like pulling teeth. I should have asked for a D3s; they would have said no but would likely have approved a D700 or some such.

And next time I submit requests, I'll go with average prices rather than the very best I can find from resellers who don't actually have items in stock. That's a lesson learned.

SSB

 

[Gianna'sPapa]

I don't have any answers for you, but I want to thank you for reminding why I retired! The last ten years of my working life were very busy formulating our organization's $28 million annual budget. I don't miss that. You are right though, never give cut-rate costs for budget requests. Always the going price plus 10% for price increases. Our budgets were usually planned 18 months out so I needed to plan for increases. After approval then work your butt off to get the lowest cost. After everything was purchased, if there was any funds left over, I could then request to spend the remaining amount on items that never made it through the approval process. Usually that was allowed. Good luck on your purchases and I hope all goes well with your son!