I am the new owner of a Nikon D700 DSLR

Because of the kits you already own I advise you to concentrate on the DSLRs main advantage which is telephoto focal lengths. A D700 and a fast fifty is a get it done combo. The 105 is easy to focus and gets great results. 35/2 is great. 135/2 sublime. Use it with a TC and it's pretty powerful. Can't go wrong with FX Nikon kit. Very economically feasible too.
 
First of all, congratulations on getting your D700! It is an awesome camera and one very capable of producing awesome images. It has been my main camera for many years and it has never let me down. As my eyesight deteriorates (especially in my right eye where my central visual acuity is quite bad due to macular pucker in that eye) I increasingly rely on autofocus. I used to have a D300 before I got the full frame D700 so had an assortment of DX lenses. But I needed FX lenses when I bought the D700. Here are the 3 lenses I bought when I became the owner of the full frame D700:

16-35 f/4 VR
35-70 f/2.8 D
70-300 f/4.5-5.6 VR

I didn't want to invest beaucoup bucks into the 24-70 nor did I want to carry it around. Instead I opted for the much older, cheaper and lighter 35-70 f/2.8D. I found out that it used to be Nikon's top professional mid range zoom in the 90's before it was replaced by newer lenses. It's a bit quirky because you change focal length by push-pull but once you get used to it, it works fine.

I found that my choice of lenses covered the entire range from 16mm at the wide end all the way up to 300mm. Though the 70-300 is not known as a birding lens, I've even captured adequate, though not fantastic, images of birds in my backyard. At Glacier National Park this past fall, I even was able to get an image of a grizzly bear that was understandably far away.

The 60mm Macro lens is one that I own and have used a lot in the past for my underwater photography. I'm not using it so much these days and I'd be happy to let you borrow it if you want to try it out.

For macro lenses, an even better performer, and one which I own, is the 105mm f/2.8 VR. It's an extremely sharp lens and I've used it a lot for macro photography, even though it's a bit heavy.

I have a couple of manual focus lenses including the classic 105mm 2.5 AIS.
It's pretty easy to enter manual focus lenses using the menu of the camera. As I recall, I think you can set up to 5 different lenses, but don't quote me on that.

I would definitely always shoot in RAW. This really helps to get the best possible images. If you don't want to be bothered with post processing for some shots, you can set the camera to shoot both in RAW and in JPG.

You should definitely make sure you have the latest firmware in your D700.
See this link: https://www.nikonimgsupport.com/na/NSG_article?articleNo=000028188&configured=1&lang=en_SG

As you probably know by now, the camera uses the Compact Flash memory cards, not the SD cards that seem to be used by more cameras these days. Be aware, if you're thinking of buying a large capacity CF card, that the D700 cannot accept the really large capacity cards. I found this out the hard way when I wanted a card that would hold a lot of raw images when I was shooting the eclipse. I bought one but it wouldn't work in my D700. I think cards up to about 64MB should work fine in the camera.

Finally, I realize that you said you're not a low light shooter, but that is a great benefit of a camera such as the D700, especially compared to my DX D300 (or other DX cameras). I've found over the years that it works very well in low light situations that you may find yourself in either unintentionally or on purpose.

In short, you're most definitely not a traitor. The camera will be a great addition to the other tools you use for shooting.
 
Raid,

Here's the image of the grizzly bear mentioned in my previous post that I captured in Glacier National Park using the 70-300 lens on the D700. I was using the camera in DX mode, another feature of the D700.
large.jpg
 
Congrats, Raid.
The D700 is a very good choice, even in 2018. Perfect start in using a FF DSLR. You certainly will not regret it.
 
Raid, you should look a the Tamron 28-75mm f2.8 lens I got a great deal on it
and works great on the D700. It does amaze me for all the love this camera still
get's, Nikon surely designed a winner with this one.
 
Hey raid,

Congratulations. The D700 was a good camera for me. Unfortunately, mine died just recently when some friends and I went on a small photo expedition. It failed on the first exposure and I figured my "old reliable" Nikon would never fail me -- thus I had no backup camera.

In its defense, the shutter count was quite high and the shutter is what failed. This is (obviously?) the most common way these D700s die. Repair is not cost effective:mad:

But! Yours has a low shutter count and will give you years of service I'm sure. All of my AI and AIS lenses worked just great on the D700. My AF-S and AF-D lenses worked great as well (what would you expect?). My third party Tamron and Sigma lenses worked just great. Simply no complaints with this camera -- well except for the peeling rubber bits and the fact that the previous owner doused it with perfume which never subsided in its powerful stench. Not too big a problem as I typically used the camera outdoors.

I considered that D700 in the classifieds....thanks for removing the temptation.;)
 
rfaspen said:
Hey raid,

Congratulations. The D700 was a good camera for me. Unfortunately, mine died just recently when some friends and I went on a small photo expedition. It failed on the first exposure and I figured my "old reliable" Nikon would never fail me -- thus I had no backup camera.

In its defense, the shutter count was quite high and the shutter is what failed. This is (obviously?) the most common way these D700s die. Repair is not cost effective:mad:

But! Yours has a low shutter count and will give you years of service I'm sure. All of my AI and AIS lenses worked just great on the D700. My AF-S and AF-D lenses worked great as well (what would you expect?). My third party Tamron and Sigma lenses worked just great. Simply no complaints with this camera -- well except for the peeling rubber bits and the fact that the previous owner doused it with perfume which never subsided in its powerful stench. Not too big a problem as I typically used the camera outdoors.

I considered that D700 in the classifieds....thanks for removing the temptation.;)
Click to expand...

I am glad that you let me buy it!
I will have to find a few very good lenses that fit the D700, and this will be my belated start using a DSLR. Too bad about your D700 failing during a trip.
 
Range-rover said:
Raid, you should look a the Tamron 28-75mm f2.8 lens I got a great deal on it
and works great on the D700. It does amaze me for all the love this camera still
get's, Nikon surely designed a winner with this one.
Click to expand...

I have at home a very nice Tamron 35-80 SP (I think). I also have a very nice Tamron 90/2.5. I just need to get/find AI Nikon adapters for the Tamron lenses. Thanks for yhe reminder to consider Tamron lenses!
 
ornate_wrasse said:
First of all, congratulations on getting your D700! It is an awesome camera and one very capable of producing awesome images. It has been my main camera for many years and it has never let me down. As my eyesight deteriorates (especially in my right eye where my central visual acuity is quite bad due to macular pucker in that eye) I increasingly rely on autofocus. I used to have a D300 before I got the full frame D700 so had an assortment of DX lenses. But I needed FX lenses when I bought the D700. Here are the 3 lenses I bought when I became the owner of the full frame D700:

16-35 f/4 VR
35-70 f/2.8 D
70-300 f/4.5-5.6 VR

I didn't want to invest beaucoup bucks into the 24-70 nor did I want to carry it around. Instead I opted for the much older, cheaper and lighter 35-70 f/2.8D. I found out that it used to be Nikon's top professional mid range zoom in the 90's before it was replaced by newer lenses. It's a bit quirky because you change focal length by push-pull but once you get used to it, it works fine.

I found that my choice of lenses covered the entire range from 16mm at the wide end all the way up to 300mm. Though the 70-300 is not known as a birding lens, I've even captured adequate, though not fantastic, images of birds in my backyard. At Glacier National Park this past fall, I even was able to get an image of a grizzly bear that was understandably far away.

The 60mm Macro lens is one that I own and have used a lot in the past for my underwater photography. I'm not using it so much these days and I'd be happy to let you borrow it if you want to try it out.

For macro lenses, an even better performer, and one which I own, is the 105mm f/2.8 VR. It's an extremely sharp lens and I've used it a lot for macro photography, even though it's a bit heavy.

I have a couple of manual focus lenses including the classic 105mm 2.5 AIS.
It's pretty easy to enter manual focus lenses using the menu of the camera. As I recall, I think you can set up to 5 different lenses, but don't quote me on that.

I would definitely always shoot in RAW. This really helps to get the best possible images. If you don't want to be bothered with post processing for some shots, you can set the camera to shoot both in RAW and in JPG.

You should definitely make sure you have the latest firmware in your D700.
See this link: https://www.nikonimgsupport.com/na/NSG_article?articleNo=000028188&configured=1&lang=en_SG

As you probably know by now, the camera uses the Compact Flash memory cards, not the SD cards that seem to be used by more cameras these days. Be aware, if you're thinking of buying a large capacity CF card, that the D700 cannot accept the really large capacity cards. I found this out the hard way when I wanted a card that would hold a lot of raw images when I was shooting the eclipse. I bought one but it wouldn't work in my D700. I think cards up to about 64MB should work fine in the camera.

Finally, I realize that you said you're not a low light shooter, but that is a great benefit of a camera such as the D700, especially compared to my DX D300 (or other DX cameras). I've found over the years that it works very well in low light situations that you may find yourself in either unintentionally or on purpose.

In short, you're most definitely not a traitor. The camera will be a great addition to the other tools you use for shooting.
Click to expand...

Thank you for this information. This is all very useful. I may have to take a look at the 35-70/2.8 that several people here have recommended to me. I am glad that you set the record straight that I am NOT a RF traitor! :D
 
raid said:
I have at home a very nice Tamron 35-80 SP (I think). I also have a very nice Tamron 90/2.5. I just need to get/find AI Nikon adapters for the Tamron lenses. Thanks for yhe reminder to consider Tamron lenses!
Click to expand...

Your welcome, those lenses are pretty nice.
 
Raid,
Check the 50 1.8. I don't believe Nikon ever made a non Ai version of this lens. Hope you're not too overwhelmed by all the suggestions.
 
Congratulations Raid ... they are a great camera. I'm still mourning the loss of mine when the shutter died a few months ago.
 
madNbad said:
Raid,
Check the 50 1.8. I don't believe Nikon ever made a non Ai version of this lens. Hope you're not too overwhelmed by all the suggestions.
Click to expand...

I need to look up my old SLR lenses first. I set them all aside for the past 15 years or so.
 
Keith said:
Congratulations Raid ... they are a great camera. I'm still mourning the loss of mine when the shutter died a few months ago.
Click to expand...

Thanks, Keith. How many shutter actuations did your camera have? This seems to be the weak spot of the D700.
 
raid said:
Thanks, Keith. How many shutter actuations did your camera have? This seems to be the weak spot of the D700.
Click to expand...

I am not sure it is a particular issue for the D700 Raid. Perhaps it is just that the camera is otherwise so reliable that when it eventually dies (as they all do) it is the shutter that necessarily goes. I think Nikon advertise an expected life of 150,000 actuations and there are lots of reports of D700 shutters living till way over 250,000 - even up to half a million in one case I read.

I looked here http://www.olegkikin.com/shutterlife/ and while the D700 is not listed the graph for the nearest one I could find - the D300 (OK its a DX but that should not matter) shows that most are alive till beyond 150,000.

I think however that the internals of the D700 are the same as its contemporary pro camera the D3s. And I suspect this means the shutter too. Which suggests it is more than likely to be very reliable.

https://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/3579845#forum-post-52571530

more info on D700 here

https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-maximum-shutter-actuations-for-the-Nikon-D700

The latter link says amongst other things in a response to a query about D700 shutters:

"If your camera shutter has worn out, you can repair it at your camera service center, it will cost you 100 – 250 $."

This was in 2015. Of course it is contingent on them still having parts.
 
This is good to know, Peter. My D700 has fewer than 20k actuations. It should be fine for years to come, hopefully.
 
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