D5100 vs. D700

Rick M

Senior Member
Yes a D700 is a full frame camera, the sensor is much larger and will in most cases deliver higher image quality, especially noticable in large enlargements.

Did you mean to compare it to the D7000 which shares the same sensor?
 

Marcel

Happily retired
Staff member
Super Mod
Yes and no. A bad picture taken with the D700 will not be as good as a good picture taken with the D5100 :)
 

chowchow

New member
Yes a D700 is a full frame camera, the sensor is much larger and will in most cases deliver higher image quality, especially noticable in large enlargements.

Did you mean to compare it to the D7000 which shares the same sensor?

Thank you for the response.

No I wanted to compare the D5100 to the D700.

Here is how I feel: I have been playing with point and shoot cameras for a while and I have gotten good images, and so I thought that moving up to the D5100 would improve my images significantly. It did, but I want to take "professional" quality images. Don't get me wrong, the D5100 is a vast improvement above the point and shoot, but when I look at pics from a pro, i get jealous. So I really want to know if the D700 will be much of an improvement compared to the D5100. I mean, if two cameras were to be tested in a controlled environment, which one would produce a better pic. Definitely, the D700 is a full frame, so it will capture more, but is it worth the investment. I got the D5100 thru Costco and after taxes it came out to be 1000.
 
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Rick M

Senior Member
You can take great pictures with DX camera's, but, in my opinion, DX is not a "professional" format. FX sensors allow much more cropping and enlarging. If I were hiring a photographer, I would expect them to have FX equipment (and to be a better photographer than me :))
 
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Rick M

Senior Member
If a client requests a poster size print, they will probably be dissapointed with the quality if you shot it on a Dx sensor.
 
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Just-Clayton

Senior Member
i agree with rick. i only started with the 3100 to get the hang of photography. this spring i plan to invest in a full frame camera. probably a 700. i want to get into more weddings and i know the 3100 isnt going to hold up. also get prime lenses like the 50mm or 35mm. you will see that these lenses produce better pictures on your 5100. i recently got a hold of a 28mm and a 50mm manual lense.( they are around 40yrs old) the pictures are a far cry more sharp and crisp than the 18-55 and 55-200 i got with the camera. give that a try. find someone with an older nikon and try those lenses.
 

Ruidoso Bill

Senior Member
There are technical reasons for higher quality camera bodies but your ability to take good images is not dependent on the equipment, it is more dependent on your eye for composition and your skill with using the camera, that is any camera, and all of its settings to achieve what your trying to capture. Good equipment is great but it doesn't always yield good pictures, just my 2 cents.
 

Johnathan Aulabaugh

Senior Member
I am going to second what Billo said above. Many have the delusion that just because you have a full frame camera you're going to automatically take great pictures, and that's a dangerous and expensive road to travel. Yes, the D700 is capable of taking pictures that you can blow up to poster size, but that is in the way the pixels are designed. I have printed as high as 24x30 with decent detail, although a print size down is much better.
The D700 is for all intents and purpose an amazing camera, but that does not mean you need to go out and purchase one to create amazing images for the internet or your friends. Learn the trade, see if you really need a camera like that first.
 
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Rick M

Senior Member
My comments were geared toward the technical aspect of the diffence between the sensors, not the user. I believe that the question was more about the actual equipement? The user is a variable. Assuming a perfect photographer takes two identical shots, one DX and one FX. The FX image will retain higher quality at larger sizes.
 
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Browncoat

Senior Member
The FX image will retain higher quality at larger sizes.

Not always. Pixel sizes vary as well. The crop factor and a number of other things come into play here.

To the OP: Cameras are tools, they are not gadgets where he who has the biggest and most expensive, wins. There are tons of people who can do amazing things with a cell phone camera. There are also people who are stupid rich, and will go out and buy a D3 just because they can...and are unable to do anything with it. From a spec standpoint, yes: the D700 blows the D5100 out of the water. There really is no comparison, as the D700 is a far more capable piece of equipment in every way.

Does better gear make you better? Yes. Don't ever let anyone tell you different. The best in the game, any game, use the best equipment available. But you have to know what the hell you're doing or it isn't going to matter.
 

chowchow

New member
Well, I do want to make some money taking pictures (especially wedding). Please check out some of my pics on Flickr.com and please search for user ricktran94704 to judge. A lot of these pics were taken with point and shoot.
 
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