Nikon D800 Refurb - Now $2,299 at Adorama w/ $7.95 1 Year Warranty

In addition the other Nikon deals, Adorama has the D800 refurb for $2,299: (just reduced by $100)

Nikon D800 refurb - $2,299

I believe this is $200 cheaper than the last time this was offered.

This includes the standard Nikon 90 day warranty on refurbs. But you can join the Adorama VIP program for free, then add a 1 year Adorama warranty for $7.95

This **might** also be eligible for the Adorama 2% rewards program, which would be worth an additional $46 toward future purchases. Most items are, although this item is not marked with the 2% rewards, so YMMV on that.

Man, I want this camera but I just can't justify spending over $2k for a hobby.

I do a budget for photography every year. Right around New Years is a good time.

It is a carry-over from when I had a studio, but you can do the same thing. Equipment, travel, magazines, classes/workshops, repairs, etc. It helps me throughout the year when temptations crop up. If it is something I budgeted for 6 months ago, it is pretty easy to move forward without feeling guilty. If not, I know that I will have to give up or shuffle something else on the list.

The only difference here is that I don't look at the outright cost of a camera (or studio flash system, etc.) I look at the net "Cost of Ownership", basically the depreciation that I expect for 1 to 2 years.

In this case, you might expect about $500 to $600 the first year in depreciation, maybe $300 to $400 in eth second year. That might be a bit high at this price, as this swill still be a great camera in 1 or 2 years.

That assumes you have the cash to purchase. But cost alone was never a factor for me.

If I could get a really good deal on something that I could later sell at the same price, that was a no brainer. Not so much a camera, but high quality Canon and Nikon lenses, for example, hold their price really well. Especially if you buy a high quality used lens at a good price (buying new you can expect to lose a certain percent of course.)

That also makes the upgrade decision a lot easier. Even your older body will depreciate a certain amount. the question is the incremental depreciation on the new body versus the old, not the outright purchase price.

That is what makes the lower end cameras such a steal now (at least 6 months after introduction.) The depreciation on a Canon T4i at $600, or a Nikon D3200 at $500 (list is $595, but I bought a new one a while back at $500) is only about $100 a year.

That is an incredible bargain, especially compared to shooting film! Pro color 35 mm film used to cost me about $0.33 per frame, so 300 images is break even! Medium format 6x7 used to be $1 per frame!!! That makes a camera like the D800 very easy to justify.

Good luck!

Best, Michael