So the Nikon D700 is now five years old ... and still kicking ar$e!

[v_roma]

Yup, I understood what you were saying. The comment did make me think about (and look up) the iso performance for these two cameras and I was expressing some genuine wonder at the fact that it is not that far apart. Again, if you disregard resolution, that is.

v roma, I was confused because he said he'd miss the high ISO on the D700 if he went D800.

 

[v_roma]

That's a good point, Dante.

I think the reason the D700 has managed to stick around so long and remain so popular is that 12.2 MP does not made modern Nikkors (and indeed, many old ones) look bad. It's also arguably the useful effective resolution of 100-speed 35mm color film, so it doesn't undershoot expectations.

I've had mine since late 2009, and I still love it. It's a camera that just works, with no excuses or hiccups (except human errors like forgetting to put a CF card in it... :bang: ). It would be nice to have it do basic video or support local wifi to an iPhone, but those things are not deal breakers.

If I kept only two pieces of DSLR equipment, it would be this and the 50/1.4D (Japan).

Dante

 

[peterm1]

I am lucky enough to own several cameras of various types including an M8. But when I want a money shot its the D700 I turn to. Again and again and again it delivers. Its just so reliable and capable. With a small selection of pro Nikkors its really very very hard to go past. Which is some ways annoys me - I would love to make more regular use of my other cameras. As others have pointed out its a mature camera system. My favourite camera store tells me its still in big demand on the second hand market and that as soon as they come in they sell. In some ways I am attracted to the large pixel count of the D800 but have difficulty giving up the other advantages of the D|700..

 

[maitani]

Indeed amazing what Nikon did 5 years ago, most cameras released today still don't touch the creamyness of those files. esp. used with some fine glass.

the D700 was my main workehorse body, and the body that cured most of digital 'gas' for me, it's near perfect, I never warmed with the D600/D800 for the build quality mainly and too high pixel count on the 800.. the D700 is very well built , I went for a used D3s instead (just because i found a very good deal on it, and I sometimes need video..) not because the D700 was not capable enough. , I sometimes still miss the D700 for the smaller form factor, I wish nikon would release a D700s with the Sensor of the D3s or D4.

 

[Keith]

Indeed amazing what Nikon did 5 years ago, most cameras released today still don't touch the creamyness of those files. esp. used with some fine glass.

the D700 was my main workehorse body, and the body that cured most of digital 'gas' for me, it's near perfect, I never warmed with the D600/D800 for the build quality mainly and too high pixel count on the 800.. the D700 is very well built , I went for a used D3s instead (just because i found a very good deal on it, and I sometimes need video..) not because the D700 was not capable enough. , I sometimes still miss the D700 for the smaller form factor, I wish nikon would release a D700s with the Sensor of the D3s or D4.

So how much better is the D3s high ISO performance ... I've read about a stop and a half?

 

[maitani]

Hi Keith, yes Hi-Iso is absolutely incredible, D700 ISO6400 is about ISO25600 on the D3s, but up to iso 1600 they're about on par, with a slight edge for the D3s at 1600. I feel DR on the D700 was slightly better.
since I got it about a year a ago, funnily I've rarely shot over ISO3200, sometimes ISO6400 in emergencies only...
ISO 102XXXK on the D3s look like ISO2500 on my M8.. small pun intended.
but high iso is not everything, I like the low noise at base iso mainly, also there is almost no noise in long exposures. the dual CF card door come in handy, and the built in grip, does a lot to ergonomy imo. but it's a heavy beast for sure, I wouldn't want to use this a leisure walk around camera, where the D700 is still ok for this.

 

[Keith]

Hi Keith, yes Hi-Iso is absolutely incredible, D700 ISO6400 is about ISO25600 on the D3s, but up to iso 1600 they're about on par, with a slight edge for the D3s at 1600. I feel DR on the D700 was slightly better.
since I got it about a year a ago, funnily I've rarely shot over ISO3200, sometimes ISO6400 in emergencies only...
ISO 102XXXK on the D3s look like ISO2500 on my M8.. small pun intended.
but high iso is not everything, I like the low noise at base iso mainly, also there is almost no noise in long exposures. the dual CF card door come in handy, and the built in grip, does a lot to ergonomy imo. but it's a heavy beast for sure, I wouldn't want to use this a leisure walk around camera, where the D700 is still ok for this.

Thanks. I thought briefly about the D3s in the classifieds because I could definitely use a little more working room with ISO occasionally ... but as you say it's a fairly big thing to carry around and the state of my shoulder currently is not great. I also like the alternate controls for portrait orientation of the D3s. Genuine pro DSLRs are definitely a step up in areas like this but the weight and bulk certainly increase accordingly.

 

[back alley]

do i want one? (d700)

 

[Keith]

do i want one? (d700)

Maybe next week! 😀

 

[back alley]

thank you!

 

[Keith]

thank you!

I can't see you schlepping a DSLR around Joe ... I do see you with an RX1 but it seems you missed out on the one you were considering.

I'd imagine the IQ of the little full frame Sony may embarrass the D700. 🙂

 

[back alley]

I can't see you schlepping a DSLR around Joe ... I do see you with an RX1 but it seems you missed out on the one you were considering.

I'd imagine the IQ of the little full frame Sony may embarrass the D700. 🙂

you might be right...
any dslr would be just a passing fancy...that rx1 calls to me...even though the fuji x-e1 with the 27 makes me happy.

i think it's just one of my more restless periods that i'm going through.

 

[Keith]

you might be right...
any dslr would be just a passing fancy...that rx1 calls to me...even though the fuji x-e1 with the 27 makes me happy.

i think it's just one of my more restless periods that i'm going through.

Not to mention transitioning from a lengthy period of unemploymet back into the work force ... enough to get anyone's mind in the frame for a little retail therapy.

I think you should definitely get an RX1 personally. There used to be a tourism ad for the Northern Territory here in Oz:


"But you'll never ever know if you never ever go"

 

[back alley]

someday...

 

[peterm1]

Thanks. I thought briefly about the D3s in the classifieds because I could definitely use a little more working room with ISO occasionally ... but as you say it's a fairly big thing to carry around and the state of my shoulder currently is not great. I also like the alternate controls for portrait orientation of the D3s. Genuine pro DSLRs are definitely a step up in areas like this but the weight and bulk certainly increase accordingly.

In relation to the alternate controls....unless the D3s has something I am not familiar with I find that I get what I need from a relatively cheap after market battery grip on my D700 without adding much extra in the way of additional weight. It certainly does make portrait shots easier and it also helps slightly with camera balance (even though as ai say the weight addition is small) especially when using lenses like the Nikkor AF 24-70 f2.8 which is physically quite a big and long zoom.

 

[Contarama]

you might be right...
any dslr would be just a passing fancy...that rx1 calls to me...even though the fuji x-e1 with the 27 makes me happy.

i think it's just one of my more restless periods that i'm going through.

Until you look through that beautiful viewfinder...

 

[sparrow6224]

I have a D700 and it has essentially put a stop to any digital yearnings I had. I picked up a D5100 when the D5200 came out and the prices went down, used for $375 which is really quite amazing; the 16mp sensor first used in the D7000 provides better high ISO quality than the D700 (according to DXOmark) --for $375. With the 16-85mm it's a lightweight do-it-all camera, even video.

But the D700 has the right shape, the right weight, the right feel and the right image quality. I've had mine for almost 3 years and it never has given me a moment's difficulty.

 

[Keith]

I have a D700 and it has essentially put a stop to any digital yearnings I had. I picked up a D5100 when the D5200 came out and the prices went down, used for $375 which is really quite amazing; the 16mp sensor first used in the D7000 provides better high ISO quality than the D700 (according to DXOmark) --for $375. With the 16-85mm it's a lightweight do-it-all camera, even video.

But the D700 has the right shape, the right weight, the right feel and the right image quality. I've had mine for almost 3 years and it never has given me a moment's difficulty.

I would find it very hard to go back to a DSLR with a crop sensor no matter how good it's IQ. And as pointed out the D700 has a very good viewfinder, which makes it suitable for manual focusing in less tha ideal conditions.

 

[Scrambler]

I would find it very hard to go back to a DSLR with a crop sensor no matter how good it's IQ. And as pointed out the D700 has a very good viewfinder, which makes it suitable for manual focusing in less tha ideal conditions.

Is this due to legacy lenses? I have no great difficulty with a aps-c sensor size with dedicated lens. But interchanging film and crop digital would frustrate me. I do have legacy primes in PK mount but don't shoot film in that mount so it doesn't bother me. Apart from lens investments, any other reason to prefer FF digital?

 

[Keith]

Is this due to legacy lenses? I have no great difficulty with a aps-c sensor size with dedicated lens. But interchanging film and crop digital would frustrate me. I do have legacy primes in PK mount but don't shoot film in that mount so it doesn't bother me. Apart from lens investments, any other reason to prefer FF digital?

I use Zeiss ZF primes on the D700 almost exclusively ... a 35mm f2 and a 50mm f1.4 ... these also do service on my F6 occasionally.

I also really like the control of depth of field that full frame offers.