Fortkentdad
Senior Member
What's your thoughts on the D800 today? Yesterday's great camera? If you lost it and were to replace it, would you buy another D800 like that refurb with 48 clicks on it, or ???
New Camera? D800 - D750 - D500
- Thread starter Fortkentdad
- Start date
What's your thoughts on the D800 today? Yesterday's great camera? If you lost it and were to replace it, would you buy another D800 like that refurb with 48 clicks on it, or ???
I got a used D810 for 2500.00 $ Cad with only 13,000 actuations. If you're not in a hurry, why rush a decision you're not certain of yet? Take your time, shop around and wait for the right time to buy. Just saying.
john*thomas
Senior Member
I can't imagine anyone not being happy with a D800.......even in 10 years from now unless some crazy new technology comes along. Holographic camera's?
Taking it from another angle, which subjects do you want to shoot with more compelling images? And what difference do you expect from another camera.
You mentioned weddings, that is one area that a D810 is a little better due to a quieter shutter, but either of your current cameras has plenty of DR, and AF for a wedding, Great wedding shots have almost no connection to the camera features. Being in the right place at the correct moment, composition skills, posing for formals and being well rehearsed. Attending a good wedding photographers workshop or being a second shooter for a wedding shooter whose work you admire Is going to help create more desirable photos than any camera change.
Each of the cameras you narrowed your choice to has a different strong point, but those strong point only become an advantage when pushing things to extremes, for everything else any camera has enough credibility.
You mentioned weddings, that is one area that a D810 is a little better due to a quieter shutter, but either of your current cameras has plenty of DR, and AF for a wedding, Great wedding shots have almost no connection to the camera features. Being in the right place at the correct moment, composition skills, posing for formals and being well rehearsed. Attending a good wedding photographers workshop or being a second shooter for a wedding shooter whose work you admire Is going to help create more desirable photos than any camera change.
Each of the cameras you narrowed your choice to has a different strong point, but those strong point only become an advantage when pushing things to extremes, for everything else any camera has enough credibility.
Fortkentdad
Senior Member
Weddings is one thing I've never done and have not desire to get into - way too much stress for a small 'on-the-side' retirement business. I'm happier with family portraits, kids and pets portraits. Been asked to do some product photography going to give that a go.
My landscapes so far have been for my own enjoyment. But I do enjoy them.
I listened to a youtube of the shutter sound of the D800 vs D810, didn't sound that much louder but who knows how accurate the youtubers audio was. I do read that the D800 was known for its shutter sound.
I'm having second thoughts now on whether I should have cancelled the D800 I had on hold. . . .
The D800 was going to give me the option of 36mp image when I might want that. As John Thomas said above he 'can't imagine anyone not being happy with a D800 even 10 years from now" . . . I've heard people still praising their D3 workhorse ... (I also passed on a used one of those for about $1,800).
But for detailed portraits - demanding pet portraits of black hair dogs, and kids with flawless baby complexions. ... and of course my tendency to mega-crop when I can't get close enough to the bird with my 200-500 lens. But my D610 does allow amazing cropping - would the D800 allow even more?
I also know that I have some disposable income today while I'm working, once I retire I'll be on a much tighter budget ... yes a responsible person would just put the money into a savings account and buy later ... I'm not that person.
For family portraits and any high res applications the D800 is hard to beat. The D810 is about 4 db lower in level, measurable but hardly noticeable in sound level. But the two have a different sound and for most people the sound seems softer, less mechanical. For studio, shutter is not an issue.
The ART 50 and the 85 1.8G are your go to lenses, both very competent. If you don't have flash controllers, folding soft-boxes, grids, snoots, multiple flashes or strobes, C stand, light stands maybe background, a large silver/gold reflector, gels, and other very reasonably priced items that is where the best return on investment is You can get nice 9 foot stands for $25/ea, 80x80c collapsing soft-boxes for $50 from GODOX(great for location shooting folds downs to a small cash the size of a woman's purse, a strip box with grid for about $100, a flash controller for $50, transceivers for $49 each, and some dumb non-TTL flash units for $80-90 each or used SB-28s for $25, various clamps and adapters.
That would be a good portable studio so you can shoot in their homes or outdoors. Backgrounds should be simple and white is the most flexible, easy to use for seamless, High Key, and easy to tint in post processing and much preferred for product or catalog sessions. Pure white background works best for web catalogs
If you go with studio strobes, ever the low cost Alien Bees, like the 800 watt, it is less portable and power source becomes a problem outdoors. A couple speedlights can generate enough light to balance a setting sun and are surprisingly powerful. I use 6 with Yongnuo YN-622n transceivers and YN-622 TX LCD display controller that have proven to be reliable and cheap. I hardly ever use my strobes now.
I would encourage you to invest just a few hundred first in versatile lighting and if you still want to buy a camera, the D800 (and D810) are the best portrait cameras Nikon has ever made.
The ART 50 and the 85 1.8G are your go to lenses, both very competent. If you don't have flash controllers, folding soft-boxes, grids, snoots, multiple flashes or strobes, C stand, light stands maybe background, a large silver/gold reflector, gels, and other very reasonably priced items that is where the best return on investment is You can get nice 9 foot stands for $25/ea, 80x80c collapsing soft-boxes for $50 from GODOX(great for location shooting folds downs to a small cash the size of a woman's purse, a strip box with grid for about $100, a flash controller for $50, transceivers for $49 each, and some dumb non-TTL flash units for $80-90 each or used SB-28s for $25, various clamps and adapters.
That would be a good portable studio so you can shoot in their homes or outdoors. Backgrounds should be simple and white is the most flexible, easy to use for seamless, High Key, and easy to tint in post processing and much preferred for product or catalog sessions. Pure white background works best for web catalogs
If you go with studio strobes, ever the low cost Alien Bees, like the 800 watt, it is less portable and power source becomes a problem outdoors. A couple speedlights can generate enough light to balance a setting sun and are surprisingly powerful. I use 6 with Yongnuo YN-622n transceivers and YN-622 TX LCD display controller that have proven to be reliable and cheap. I hardly ever use my strobes now.
I would encourage you to invest just a few hundred first in versatile lighting and if you still want to buy a camera, the D800 (and D810) are the best portrait cameras Nikon has ever made.
Fortkentdad
Senior Member
Dang, you are making this hard - tempted to just call and order that D800 - the D810 is almost twice the price and I don't think is that much better for what I want.
john*thomas
Senior Member
Do what makes you happy. There might not be a later.
Fortkentdad
Senior Member
What a wonderful comparison - with great shots.
Given that part of my plan is to have two cameras in case one fails, having two with similar capacity is a good thing no?
And if I need a more weather resilient one the D800 would be the one to take out on a wet day. I'm really not sure how the weather sealing varies and of course depends on the lens too. And a nearly new D800 will last a long time.
Between your post and Stan's I'm rethinking this decision.
The D500 would be wonderful - had I not bought the D7100 just last year. ... and then I'd have a DX backed up by an FX (and a DX if I keep the D7100). . . .
Obviously switching between the two bodies works for you. Some have said get the D750 as most of the buttons are like the D610 and D7100 ... not a deciding factor for me at all.
Sigh ... another night of thinking about cameras instead of sleeping
Fortkentdad
Senior Member
Interesting tidbit - looking at used cameras on Henry's.com (Ontario Canada stores) and notice that a used D800 commands higher price than used D750 ... says something. Not much more, but more.
Fortkentdad
Senior Member
Looking for a second body for portrait shooting. Both the D610 and D7100 are delivering as expected. My reasoning is that I would like to have a second FX to back up my D610 when I go on a paid shoot - last year I did a 100th Birthday Party / Family Reunion, if for whatever reason my D610 failed I could have completed the job with the D7100 but I'm thinking that maybe a better camera would be good to have. And since I'd be getting another camera one that is as good as if not better than the D610 would be good to have.
I like the reach of the D7100 for birding and I have some DX lenses I can use on it. It is actually newer than the D610 having added it to my collection just last year. It replaced the D5100 that my wife now used - she likes the smaller camera.
The idea of the D800 was suggested to me when I saw a used D3 in the case at a camera store - I know that one is a classic. The suggestion was made for about the same money I could get a D800 which was recommended as a better choice as my 'second' camera. Not sure which one would be second and which first if I get the D800 and D610.
singlerosa_RIP
Senior Member
Buy a used D600/610 ($700 US) and buy a lawn mower. The 600 would be a great backup camera.
Bikerbrent
Senior Member
Boy, one of the worst cases of NAS I have seen 
Fortkentdad
Senior Member
Aye it would -
But if I'm getting another camera I think I'd go for something that widen's my options - at least a little.
The other day I was looking at a cheaper ($1,200) ride-on lawn mower, it was not Husqvarna, my wife suggested that maybe she will just get me a lawn tractor of her choosing for Father's Day. It will be nicely decked out Husky I'm sure. She is the gardener - I just get to mow the lawn with her mower ... and shoot her flowers, and the birds and bugs they attract.
Fortkentdad
Senior Member
Boy, one of the worst cases of NAS I have seen
Ya think?
A used D800 is a heck of a lot of camera for the price. I shoot a lot of events, both in and out of studio fashion, portraiture, events etc and carry two cameras at events or weddings, on two sling straps. The longer lends is on the D7000 and wide angle or 24-70 2.8 on the Fx, and never remember confusion with the different button layout but must admit the D800 is a quicker response and buttons or controls needed do not require taking the camera away from my eye, which is needed on Dx cameras. The common statement that different layout is a problem I think is greatly exaggerated.
It sure does not seem to be a problem switching from auto transmission, to 4 speed to 6 speed manual so why it a problem for cameras. After a few minutes switiching between left hand drive to right hand drive is not much of a problem either yet it changes everything in perspective and controls.
The 2 images posted with D800 and D610 were close but the shadow detail was better and the tone transitions were smoother on the D800. The d600 was shot at -1ev and the D800 was at 0.0ev. so exposed 1 stop lower with the D600 and probably boosted in post.
But overall, just like I mentioned in every post, by itself, no one could tell what camera took a particular shot with any reasonably modern Nikon camera. Up until the last year or so, you could tell a difference between cameras with Canon and Nikon. There was nothing in the Canon line with the DR, color depth or shadow detail being inferior to a D3300. They are doing better with adding RAW non-defeatable noise reduction at the cost of fine detail at high ISO
Get the lighting first...then if you have the desire and cash left over, the D800, with a grip(either 3rd party or Nikon) is an awfully sweet kit. Heavy but handles great.
It sure does not seem to be a problem switching from auto transmission, to 4 speed to 6 speed manual so why it a problem for cameras. After a few minutes switiching between left hand drive to right hand drive is not much of a problem either yet it changes everything in perspective and controls.
The 2 images posted with D800 and D610 were close but the shadow detail was better and the tone transitions were smoother on the D800. The d600 was shot at -1ev and the D800 was at 0.0ev. so exposed 1 stop lower with the D600 and probably boosted in post.
But overall, just like I mentioned in every post, by itself, no one could tell what camera took a particular shot with any reasonably modern Nikon camera. Up until the last year or so, you could tell a difference between cameras with Canon and Nikon. There was nothing in the Canon line with the DR, color depth or shadow detail being inferior to a D3300. They are doing better with adding RAW non-defeatable noise reduction at the cost of fine detail at high ISO
Get the lighting first...then if you have the desire and cash left over, the D800, with a grip(either 3rd party or Nikon) is an awfully sweet kit. Heavy but handles great.
Fortkentdad
Senior Member
And the final decision . . . .
Happy wife - Happy Life
Happy wife - Happy Life
Fortkentdad
Senior Member
Have not given up on the D800 - I'll be in the city in July and able to look at the camera (if they still having one) and maybe then . . .
OR maybe my dearly beloved will surprise me and has ordered it for my Birthday coming up next week - I can dream can't I?
Bikerbrent
Senior Member
I see your wife and the Husky won out. Guess she has HAS (Husqvarna Acquisition Syndrome) Oz