Help to convince me to fall in love with the D700 again

gqtuazon

Gear Head
Help! Convince me with the D700 again

Some of you maybe aware that my D800E could be potentially gone for good. There are several D700(s) that are listed for sale. Most likely from people who wants to upgrade to the Df. The selling price for a unused D700 is $1,500. The others have reasonable actuations are much cheaper of course.

I don't need anymore lenses but a FX camera is a must have for me. The D700 was my first FX camera after I moved from my D80.

Is it still worth considering the D700 compared to the newer FX offerings? I know it was my go to camera even when I had both D700 and D7000 at one point.

Your opinions are greatly appreciated. :D
 
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FastGlass

Senior Member
Re: Help! Convince me with the D700 again

If it was worth upgrading to it when it came out, why not now? Just because it's been a number of years since it's release doesn't make it any less of a camera. Sure it's no 36 mp body but still a decent one.
 

Marcel

Happily retired
Staff member
Super Mod
I still love my D700. I know it might not be THE camera for advertising and billboard production, but it produces "Fantastic files" and can handle at least 95% of today's photographic needs. The thing is it's almost foolproof, give it any situation and it will come out shining with results that are sometimes just amazing.

I will NEVER sell mine. And I love the grip, the high ISO, and the sharpness and colour depth that it can produce.

I know the newer cameras are very tempting, but, as a tool to makes pictures, the D700 is still MY CHAMP!

I lurk at the Sony Alpha-7/r, but the handling of my D700 has become second nature and I don't feel I want to start fumbling with another model, get other lenses, be using 2 different systems, so I'll stick to what I have now and the D700 is my to go to camera. My D600, I use more for travel since it's smaller and lighter.

How long before you know what will happen with your D800E? When you switched from 700 to 800E, did you see that much difference in your "prints"?

Marketing has so much power on our desires that it's sometimes hard to stay cool and only buy what we need versus what we'd like to have, but on the other hand, I think it's better to have less and enjoy life more. Like instead of spending 3000$ on a Df, I can travel for a whole month and come back with a lot more pictures than if I'd have the Df at home and just kept shooting things around the house...

But it's not easy to deal with our little demons, NAS is a strong obsession. DAMHIK :)
 

gqtuazon

Gear Head
Re: Help! Convince me with the D700 again

If it was worth upgrading to it when it came out, why not now? Just because it's been a number of years since it's release doesn't make it any less of a camera. Sure it's no 36 mp body but still a decent one.

Coming from a D80, the D700 is definitely a great upgrade, hands down. One of the reasons why I purchased the D800E is because I occasionally shoot video with it. I didn't have to bring the D7000 just to shoot video and it quickly replaced both cameras.

The thing that I am hesitant is that I got used to the acuity of the D800E files and they just offer a lot of details that I have not seen with other cameras even the D800. I'm not saying that the D700 is a mediocre camera, it was a great camera in it's camera time but like what Marcel have mentioned, it is still a great camera for still photography.
 

Scott Murray

Senior Member
Well you know that when mine died I went to the D800E, if this camera died would I get another D800E hhhhhmmmmm most likely. Its not an easy decision though and mine was covered under insurance so I was kind of lucky. All I can say is think hard about it and follow your heart ;)
 

gqtuazon

Gear Head
I still love my D700. I know it might not be THE camera for advertising and billboard production, but it produces "Fantastic files" and can handle at least 95% of today's photographic needs. The thing is it's almost foolproof, give it any situation and it will come out shining with results that are sometimes just amazing.

I will NEVER sell mine. And I love the grip, the high ISO, and the sharpness and colour depth that it can produce.

I know the newer cameras are very tempting, but, as a tool to makes pictures, the D700 is still MY CHAMP!

I lurk at the Sony Alpha-7/r, but the handling of my D700 has become second nature and I don't feel I want to start fumbling with another model, get other lenses, be using 2 different systems, so I'll stick to what I have now and the D700 is my to go to camera. My D600, I use more for travel since it's smaller and lighter.

How long before you know what will happen with your D800E? When you switched from 700 to 800E, did you see that much difference in your "prints"?

Marketing has so much power on our desires that it's sometimes hard to stay cool and only buy what we need versus what we'd like to have, but on the other hand, I think it's better to have less and enjoy life more. Like instead of spending 3000$ on a Df, I can travel for a whole month and come back with a lot more pictures than if I'd have the Df at home and just kept shooting things around the house...

But it's not easy to deal with our little demons, NAS is a strong obsession. DAMHIK :)

Thanks for pointing out these items Marcel. I use the D800E files for my clients. I don't do weddings and most of my clients have only ordered up to 16" x 20" print which the D800E and just about any camera today can easily handle.

You are definitely right about NAS. Knowing where to look for used items is sometimes a disadvantage since it increases my options. I've always wanted to keep with my objective which is buy it right the first time. However, a used D700 isn't going to put a big dent in my wallet compared to the other offerings.

My D800E is expected to reach APS within the next few days. I should get a better idea if they can still save it. If they can, I will get the D700 as my back-up camera instead of my D7000. If not, the D700 can be my primary camera until the Df price goes down within the next 12 months.
 

gqtuazon

Gear Head
Well you know that when mine died I went to the D800E, if this camera died would I get another D800E hhhhhmmmmm most likely. Its not an easy decision though and mine was covered under insurance so I was kind of lucky. All I can say is think hard about it and follow your heart ;)

Your not helping Scott! LOL!

You are indeed lucky to have insurance. This is an out of pocket purchase for me.

Speaking of insurance, Amazon, Adorama, and Best Buy offers insurance that covers drops and spills. Can anyone recommend which insurance company offers best? Thanks.
 

Ruidoso Bill

Senior Member
My D700 is and will continue to be used. I use it now for outdoor action with my 70-200 f2.8 and it has never let me down. Sure, my D800 is great for hi res detail but I'm not always excited about the raw file size. When I shoot outdoor horse action the D700 still produces great results and the file size is much more manageable since it is shutter down and lots of exposures. Both cameras have the same feel in my hands.
 

Scott Murray

Senior Member
Your not helping Scott! LOL!

You are indeed lucky to have insurance. This is an out of pocket purchase for me.

Speaking of insurance, Amazon, Adorama, and Best Buy offers insurance that covers drops and spills. Can anyone recommend which insurance company offers best? Thanks.
I don't have everyday insurance though and is something that maybe I should really look into, I had travel insurance for when I was in Africa. And I even was hesitant about getting it then. I am glad I did though. Lets hope your camera is repairable and at a reasonable cost.
 

gqtuazon

Gear Head
My D700 is and will continue to be used. I use it now for outdoor action with my 70-200 f2.8 and it has never let me down. Sure, my D800 is great for hi res detail but I'm not always excited about the raw file size. When I shoot outdoor horse action the D700 still produces great results and the file size is much more manageable since it is shutter down and lots of exposures. Both cameras have the same feel in my hands.

Bill - the file size of the D800 is something that I do not miss. Getting the D800 forced me to upgrade my desktop computer and various softwares to use 64bit operating system unlike the D700 which are easily handled by my previous computer.

I've tried the D610 at the store yesterday and the 39 point AF system doesn't spread that well on a full frame. It is good for DX but not with FX camera.

I also prefer a camera with a CF card for faster transfer. SD cards are ok and I have a bunch of them.
 

Marcel

Happily retired
Staff member
Super Mod
But Glenn, since you want to do video, maybe you should rent a D610 and see how you feel about it. It's also a sweet camera with the "in the middle" resolution of 24mp.
 

gqtuazon

Gear Head
But Glenn, since you want to do video, maybe you should rent a D610 and see how you feel about it. It's also a sweet camera with the "in the middle" resolution of 24mp.

Good point Marcel. I am open for a "refurbished" D600 or probably just go with a D610. I can wet clean the sensor if needed. The EN-EL15 is a big plus since I have 3 of them.
 

BackdoorArts

Senior Member
I was going to point out that if you're considering dropping $1500 for a "new" D700 then why not a D600, or look for a holiday sale on a D610? A new D600 might be had for the same or less, and if you're willing to go refurb you can go even lower. The battery thing is a huge plus for me, I can carry the D7000, D600 and D800 and only one type of battery.
 

gqtuazon

Gear Head
But Glenn, since you want to do video, maybe you should rent a D610 and see how you feel about it. It's also a sweet camera with the "in the middle" resolution of 24mp.

Good point Marcel. I am open for a "refurbished" D600 or probably just go with a D610. I can wet clean the sensor if needed. The EN-EL15 is a big plus since I have 3 of them.

Based on your experience, what would be the disadvantages that is lacking on the D600/610 assuming that there are no oil issues and different controls?

I am glad that I started this thread since I tend to follow my random thoughts.
 

gqtuazon

Gear Head
I was going to point out that if you're considering dropping $1500 for a "new" D700 then why not a D600, or look for a holiday sale on a D610? A new D600 might be had for the same or less, and if you're willing to go refurb you can go even lower.

Thanks Jake. Any suggestions on where to get refurbished D600/D610? The D700 definitely does not offer any warranty.
 

Marcel

Happily retired
Staff member
Super Mod
Good point Marcel. I am open for a "refurbished" D600 or probably just go with a D610. I can wet clean the sensor if needed. The EN-EL15 is a big plus since I have 3 of them.

Based on your experience, what would be the disadvantages that is lacking on the D600/610 assuming that there are no oil issues and different controls?

I am glad that I started this thread since I tend to follow my random thoughts.


I don't see any disadvantage Glenn. Yet some people say it's not a "pro" body, as you found out the hard way, the magnesium "armour" thing is not that valuable with the 800.

The huge advantage you'd see with the 600 is that most the controls are identical to the 7000, the exception being they reversed the + - buttons for review.
Second advantage being the price of the refurbished 600, and the quiet mode which I really enjoy for it's quietness and extra gained sharpness since it eliminate a bit of mirror slap that can cause a tiny bit of motion blur up to 1/125s.

Go to a store, bring a lens and a card and shoot a few frames. Then go home a look at the results. Then, torture yourself for a few days or weeks and then go and spend money :)

In the meantime, maybe you can get your 800E back for a low repair fee ( I sure hope so for you).
 

gqtuazon

Gear Head
Thanks Marcel. I am already tortured for more than a month now. I am almost certain to get the D610 instead for its more robust shutter mechanism.

My buddy is willing to sell his D700 for $1,200 but I'll be facing my old dilemma about the lack of video.
 

Marcel

Happily retired
Staff member
Super Mod
Thanks Marcel. I am already tortured for more than a month now. I am almost certain to get the D610 instead for its more robust shutter mechanism.

My buddy is willing to sell his D700 for $1,200 but I'll be facing my old dilemma about the lack of video.


Well, I spoke with a Canadian Nikon Rep on saturday and he told me that the 610 shutter is the same that has been used in the 600 for the last few months. He said that the problem was there but it might have been on a particular batch of shutter more than a generalized thing. Internet chatter sure made this problem seem like plague, but he assured me that the problem was on less than 2% of units sold in Canada.

But for resale value alone, you'd be better with the 610, but you might save more if you buy a refurbished item with warranty.

​One thing I wonder Glenn, was there such a problem in Japan with the 600 or was it mostly in the US?
 

gqtuazon

Gear Head
Well, I spoke with a Canadian Nikon Rep on saturday and he told me that the 610 shutter is the same that has been used in the 600 for the last few months. He said that the problem was there but it might have been on a particular batch of shutter more than a generalized thing. Internet chatter sure made this problem seem like plague, but he assured me that the problem was on less than 2% of units sold in Canada.

But for resale value alone, you'd be better with the 610, but you might save more if you buy a refurbished item with warranty.

​One thing I wonder Glenn, was there such a problem in Japan with the 600 or was it mostly in the US?

Thanks for the clarification Marcel. I haven't paid much attention with the specs but I thought the D610 has a slightly higher shutter life and a .5 faster fps.

It is difficult to monitor Japanese forums since they don't use English nor use our alphabets .


Sent from my iPhone.
 

BackdoorArts

Senior Member
Adorama is selling refurb D600's for $1399. Occasionally they pop up from various stores on eBay for less. Roberts Camera had them for $1325 a week ago. No one seems to be selling them new any more and B&H has them listed as discontinued, but refurbs may pop up there as well. Amazon seems to have a couple new bodies at $1659. It's one of those things that you need to poke around for, it would seem.
 
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