D300s->D600 or D800 upgrade path??
- Thread starter stevevmaloney
- Start date
JD, it's a bit of banter really and as I've said I use what suits my requirements at a given point, much as I'm sure you do. The point I was trying to make that seems to have got lost in our debate is that this guy will not have some eureka moment regarding sharpness by going from D300 or D200 to a D800, unless it's his giant sized prints that are suffering. In fact the only thing that I could guarantee is that he would have at least £1900 missing from the bank account and that's before any FX lenses have been purchased.
I'm now thinking the Canon troll suggestion regarding this topic may be correct as well.
I'm now thinking the Canon troll suggestion regarding this topic may be correct as well.
Ok. So I guess this is obvious by now... We have different perspectives based on our objectives and ancillary equipment. You are right, if you are focused on traditional requirements, and they do not include large prints, large display, or how they will hold up on future devices, then yes, not much different. But I don't think like that. That is not the world i lived in five years ago or now. I have photos back to the 1950's and the older, and better quality they are, the more I appreciate them. We are taking photos now that, hopefully will be seen in ten, twenty, potentially much longer ( preservation should now be much easier). I have said my piece about future display devices, hopefully this is a valuable perspective to those not lucky enough to to be a bit closer to the leading edge. Anyway, from my perspective there is a big and instantly noticeable difference between the two cameras.
When I got my D800. I went outside and snapped a couple photos in my neighborhood. Took it in and popped it in Lightroom. I noticed a couple specs of dust in the sky. I said to myself, "Darn dust is going to be a real problem with this camera." I was really disappointed. The sky was very white, and the lawns and trees were black (silhouette), I clicked the darkness slider and the landscape snapped many f stops into perfect exposure... My jaw dropped... I could never had done anything like that with my D700... Or D200. Anyway, For some reason I hit the 1:1 button and saw the dust specs... Two geese! Clearly their head, neck, body, legs and feet! Their body color visibly different than head and neck. Just for fun I made a 8.5 by 10 print to show my wife... The dust specs, an one at 1:1. This day changed my life, clearly this camera is leagues ahead of previous models. I had a preordered D800, so have had it for over a year... However long they have been out. It has been an amazing world of discovery and amazement. I occasionally use my D700... And kick myself each time I do. I can't click on the Lightroom button to go 1:1 and see if I know that ant... I mean person in the corner of the photo. So if confronted with a D600 vs d800 decision I would recommend the D800... It is more future proof. aLthough both are very capable.
I also shoot two APS-C cameras, and have learned how much you have to tweak each workflow to get the most out of your photo depending on the source. Like sharpening. I can make a APS-C photo look sharper than a D800.
Anyway, from my perspective and experience there is an order of magnitude difference between those two cameras, they are not in the same league. You are also correct, from your perspective.
Think I forgot the topic.
JD
When I got my D800. I went outside and snapped a couple photos in my neighborhood. Took it in and popped it in Lightroom. I noticed a couple specs of dust in the sky. I said to myself, "Darn dust is going to be a real problem with this camera." I was really disappointed. The sky was very white, and the lawns and trees were black (silhouette), I clicked the darkness slider and the landscape snapped many f stops into perfect exposure... My jaw dropped... I could never had done anything like that with my D700... Or D200. Anyway, For some reason I hit the 1:1 button and saw the dust specs... Two geese! Clearly their head, neck, body, legs and feet! Their body color visibly different than head and neck. Just for fun I made a 8.5 by 10 print to show my wife... The dust specs, an one at 1:1. This day changed my life, clearly this camera is leagues ahead of previous models. I had a preordered D800, so have had it for over a year... However long they have been out. It has been an amazing world of discovery and amazement. I occasionally use my D700... And kick myself each time I do. I can't click on the Lightroom button to go 1:1 and see if I know that ant... I mean person in the corner of the photo. So if confronted with a D600 vs d800 decision I would recommend the D800... It is more future proof. aLthough both are very capable.
I also shoot two APS-C cameras, and have learned how much you have to tweak each workflow to get the most out of your photo depending on the source. Like sharpening. I can make a APS-C photo look sharper than a D800.
Anyway, from my perspective and experience there is an order of magnitude difference between those two cameras, they are not in the same league. You are also correct, from your perspective.
Think I forgot the topic.
JD
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Do allow me share my views on this. Having gone into photography for the past 2 years, I want to believe all cameras are what you pay for. Whether it is Canon, Pentax, Nikon or etc, the more you pay, the better qualify product you get. Otherwise why would people pay those extra $.
Then of course you could buy the best but it is still the person behi d that camera. If others can produce that image and you can't, you need to work on it. Most times, it is not all about just the camera body, lens, lighting and most importantly that opportunity!
So, my tame is to shoot and shoot. Practice makes perfect. No point going into too much theory and you will not see any result.
Then of course you could buy the best but it is still the person behi d that camera. If others can produce that image and you can't, you need to work on it. Most times, it is not all about just the camera body, lens, lighting and most importantly that opportunity!
So, my tame is to shoot and shoot. Practice makes perfect. No point going into too much theory and you will not see any result.
AB-SO-LU-TE-LY
The camera/lens is but a recording device. You could have the best camera and lens available and still take absolutely crappy photos without a working knowledge of the basics of photography. On the other hand, a person who has mastered photography can take a masterful image with far less camera and lens. I have taken some beautiful images with my 60 year old Rolleiflex TLR and T-Max 100 120 film.
I took this photo of Crater Lake back in the mid 80's when you could still get Panatomic-X film in 120. I scanned the 6x6 negative with my Super Coolscan LS-8000. The Rolleiflex was on a tripod and I metered the scene with a Pentax 1° degree spot meter and using some good old tried and true Zone System principles. I held a 52mm 25A filter over the taking lens because I did not have any filters in 39mm diameter. That camera is really as bare bones basic as you can get, though it does have a very good Schneider Kreuznach Xenotar 75mm f/2.8 taking lens on it. So, even with a bare bones camera, you can still take some very good images if you have a good understanding of the photographic process. Certainly not my best work, but I am still proud of it nonetheless.
My tried and true, near mint condition (except the shutter speeds stick below 1/15 second) Rolleiflex 2.8E
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displayed on a computer screen, heck a D70 is plenty . I have been using Nikons from the 6Meg sensor to the now 36 Meg sensor with cameras in between.
What have I gained:
Two things.
top resolution Print size.
more flexibility in cropping,,
and that is about it.
Do I love my D800, yup, for the two reasons just listed,, but not because it blew my D300 out of the water, or my D700 for that matter. Its just a darn
nice camera,
but,, so was the 300, and 700.
What have I gained:
Two things.
top resolution Print size.
more flexibility in cropping,,
and that is about it.
Do I love my D800, yup, for the two reasons just listed,, but not because it blew my D300 out of the water, or my D700 for that matter. Its just a darn
nice camera,
but,, so was the 300, and 700.
Cowleystjames
Senior Member
Get the best you can afford, because you'll be somewhere, someday, see the camera you were going to get and wish you had.
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Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 4 Beta
Cowleystjames
Senior Member
So......
The photo at Crater Lake is beautiful. I was lucky enough to live up there for four summers in the mid '70s. I will point out, the beautiful image came from a very good quality, medium format camera, with really fine grain film taken during the mature phase of film photography, so really it shows great skill in photography with an excellent camera and good film. However, your point is still valid. JD
Bunsen Honeydew
Senior Member
Getting back to the original post, I recently went from a D300s (which I still have) to a D800. I also was very interested in the D600. No question it's a great camera, but the main reason I chose a D800 was the build. I have always had metal body cameras, & as you can see, my lenses are of the heavier kind, & I think the D800 frame matches up to them in build. JMHO.
Low light, low light and low light. I paid $1700 for my 1st D70. Bought a 2nd as a backup within 12 months of the 1st. Used them for years until I borrowed my mate's D300. Was blown away by its low light capability, so I bought one. Loved and cherished it for years. Then got my hands on D7000. Was once again blown away by its low light, with 3200 ISO usable. Bought a D700 cause I wanted full frame goodness and it's even better in low light. Will not update until a I see a substantial increase in higher ISO quality. Maybe a D900 and D7300. (Love both DX and FX formats)
All new release cameras have "new" features that are great. But for me personally, it's all about low light ability. That is pretty well the only reason I will upgrade. This is why most of us spend big bucks on fast lenses, low light, low light, low light!!
All new release cameras have "new" features that are great. But for me personally, it's all about low light ability. That is pretty well the only reason I will upgrade. This is why most of us spend big bucks on fast lenses, low light, low light, low light!!
Get the D800/E. You won't be disappointed. Its subtle rendering of colours and shades that were up to now not visible in other models regardless of brand make or model is amazing! People get stuck on resolution or sharpness but what really stood out for me was the amazing subtlety in shades in all different light levels and ranges. The dynamic range is just spectacular. Anyone that tells you its imperceptible or that model (A) or model (B) is just as good, is really just giving you information about their own eyes. Not the camera. Just my 2 bits.