If you may remember I had a camera dilemma a few weeks ago. I wanted to buy a nice digital SLR to cover the FPRA conference these past few days. Sure my Nikon CoolPix is a great camera, but point-and-shoot doesn't always fit the bill. I was just about ready to buy the Nikon D70s when I heard that the D80 was coming soon, as in a week or two. Looking over the initial specs of the D80 it seemed worth the wait, but I didn't have time to wait.
To the rescue comes Nikon's PR team. They had read my blog and provided an amazing gesture. They sent me a loaner Nikon D70s to use at the event, on the condition that it be returned afterward (of course). This would get me over the hump so-to-speak and allow me to buy the D80 once it was announced.
The D70s worked perfectly at the event. I took over 1000 photos without a hitch. Of course, out of those 1000 I had to narrow it down to 400 or so to post online :-) The conference turned out to be an all-Nikon affair since one of my blogging partners had a D50 and the official event photographer was using a Nikon D1X.
Now that the Nikon D80 is officially out, I need to figure out how to get my hands on one.
Big thanks again to Nikon's PR team.
Visitor Comments
Josh:
This was standard operating procedure for Nikon and Canon when I used to work as a photographer. You had to be an accredited photographer who had registered with them ahead of time. For big events, or special projects, you could request a mega-telephoto lens, a fisheye, or some other special piece of equipment. If they had the item available, they'd ship it to you (no cost) and you shipped it back on your dime.
Smart move on their part to get in touch with you.
Posted by: Eric Eggertson | August 10, 2006 5:18 PM
Also cool to know that Nikon is monitoring the blog world, good idea since enthusiast righltyly describes the consumer-grade camera owner.
Posted by: Kami Huyse | August 11, 2006 1:50 AM
Lucky stiff. I think I need more readers ... Sony hasn't contacted me to try out the new Mylo ... one can only hope though.
Posted by: Tris Hussey | August 11, 2006 1:48 PM
Talk about blog monitoring!
Posted by: Alexander Muse | August 14, 2006 12:41 PM
Today that really means something !
I don't know about you but I find that most companies really don't seem to care much about the end user. ( Nice Job NIKON ! )
I am very interested in the lending of the camera equipment portion to an accredited photographer.
I started a not for profit sports photography business where I donate 90% of all profits to people in need.
10% is used to drive the web site and to help off set some of the camera costs.
I have a Nikon D70 and really do love it ! However I have taken over 50,000 pics this year and am looking to buy something a little more robust like the D200 Body or Better. ( My Friends use Cannon ! I Have been using Nikon since the 1980s )
Do you think that Nikon would ever consider donating a camera body or make a donation to off set the cost of the equipment to a site such as this ?
http://www.4himphotography.smugmug.com/
Thanks,
Robert
Posted by: Robert Bracher | August 17, 2006 3:23 PM
My wife and I are in the middle of a 6 month class at Photo Arts Academy, 168 SE 1st St.,room 1004, Miami, FL. We decided one month ago to buy a Nikon D200. We called by Email, Phone, Letter to buy that camera and every store had it on back-order: 2 weeks; then another 3 weeks. It seemed to me that the Nikon Company asked the retail stores to return the D200 and wait for the D300 to be sent. We need that D200 camera now, instead of constantly borrowing the D70 from the school. It is us and one of our classmates, so 2 of that camera. We promise to be silent about the time these two cameras were bought.
To confirm this claim, the telephone of Photo Art Academy is 305-415-9759
or www.photoacademyart.com
Edwardo Gastelum, Principal
J. Peter Hall & Jane M. Zatoni-Hall
8950 Garland Ave.
Surfside, FL 33154
305-865-6838 305-298-0911
Posted by: J. Peter Hall | September 25, 2007 9:34 AM
Boo hoo, snifffff...shame your Nikon sponsorship happened two years ago and I'm needing to talk about it now. Ah well, give a look at my site and see what another photog out there is doing.
Posted by: Cyn Burton | January 9, 2008 2:52 AM