OK, so I want a second body for my birds

[coastalconn]

For the past year, I go into a FF want every few months. The D7100 does most of what I want it to do, but I want a FF for times when the light is low. I am thinking about a D3, a D800 or a D600/10. The D3 would give me all the speed I need, but at a very reduced resolution and the sensor might be showing its age a bit compared to the 800 or 600. The D800 would still give me 6 FPS in DX mode with a grip and a better buffer. The million dollar question that no one seems to be able to answer. If I am standing in the same spot and take the same shot with the D7100 and the D800 at say ISO 3200 and then crop the D7100 by 50% and crop the D800 image to the same size, will there still be a 1 stop+ advantage in noise? I have shot with the D600 and thought the IQ was very good, but I felt the AF was a step down from the D7100. So remember this is only from a bird standpoint... I'm thinking buy used now, and shoot through the winter and by the time spring rolls around sell one or both cameras depending on the D7200/D9300/D400 whatever Nikon comes out with...
Edit, guess I could throw the D700 in the mix too, since I already have a BG from my D300 that would allow me 8 FPS...
Any thoughts?

 

[sm4him]

No thoughts, but I'll be watching this thread with interest. At some point, I'll have some of the same questions, when I get a bit of disposable income. But my situation will be complicated by the fact that I'm also wanting to do more portrait work. Still mostly birds, and fine art, but with more portraits and such thrown in too.

Question: Are you not considering the D750 simply because you're looking to buy used? Disclaimer: Because I've never bothered to even LOOK much at FF, I have NO idea what the D750 even offers, just that it's new.

 

[coastalconn]

No thoughts, but I'll be watching this thread with interest. At some point, I'll have some of the same questions, when I get a bit of disposable income. But my situation will be complicated by the fact that I'm also wanting to do more portrait work. Still mostly birds, and fine art, but with more portraits and such thrown in too.

Question: Are you not considering the D750 simply because you're looking to buy used? Disclaimer: Because I've never bothered to even LOOK much at FF, I have NO idea what the D750 even offers, just that it's new.

I'm sure the d750 will be great, but I am capping my budget at 1600. I really want Nikons version of the 7dm2 but that doesn't exist...

 

[D-B-J]

No thoughts, but I'll be watching this thread with interest. At some point, I'll have some of the same questions, when I get a bit of disposable income. But my situation will be complicated by the fact that I'm also wanting to do more portrait work. Still mostly birds, and fine art, but with more portraits and such thrown in too.

Question: Are you not considering the D750 simply because you're looking to buy used? Disclaimer: Because I've never bothered to even LOOK much at FF, I have NO idea what the D750 even offers, just that it's new.

I'm sure the d750 will be great, but I am capping my budget at 1600. I really want Nikons version of the 7dm2 but that doesn't exist...

Where in the world can you find a used D800 for 1600?!?

 

[coastalconn]

Where in the world can you find a used D800 for 1600?!?

I can't tell you I have one lined up under 7K clicks... I really think I should grab it...

 

[sm4him]

^+1
Buy it, and then sort all this out later. Heck, you can resell that D800 and MAKE money if you decide to go with something else.

 

[D-B-J]

Damn.. Mine cost me 2300! I feel gipped!

 

[18.percent.gary]

FYI I was just looking at the Boston Craigslist and there are three D800s with asking prices of $1600-$1750. I might snap one up myself if I can get it down to $1500 or less.

There's also one advertised at $480. I think I'll pass on that listing...

 

[BillM]

I have both, want me to take some side by side test shots for you ?

 

[coastalconn]

I have both, want me to take some side by side test shots for you ?

Thanks Bill, what's your opinion? I know for awhile you liked the D800 better.. I think I'm going to grab that d800.. I shot a few frames on one this morning and liked the feel of the camera... Unfortunately the images recorded to his CF card instead of my sd card

 

[Don Kondra]

I have the D7100 and the D800.

For wildlife, the 80-400mm lives on my D7100, mostly for the reach.

Not great light and back light to boot but...

Quick edit/normal crop of the D7100 image. No noise reduction...

Same thing with the D800 image...

Full size crop of the D7100..

Same size crop of the D800...

The D800 handles higher ISO better, it is a little slower FPS but the buffer seems to take longer to fill. Normally the buffer on either body is not an issue for me nor are the file sizes. I upgraded from an Olympus E-5 @ 12 MPs.

The D7100 body is 8 1/4 ounces lighter. Not a big deal but I do notice it after a while..

Pick a feature set and go for it....

I think it would be fair to say I purchased a used D800 just to satisfy my curiosity about FF and for the first time in many years have no GAS

The D7100 for wildlife and the D800 for the studio work.

Now if I could afford a longer prime it would go on the D800

Cheers, Don

 

[coastalconn]

I have the D7100 and the D800.

For wildlife, the 80-400mm lives on my D7100, mostly for the reach.

Not great light and back light to boot but...

Quick edit/normal crop of the D7100 image. No noise reduction...

Same thing with the D800 image...

Full size crop of the D7100..

Same size crop of the D800...

The D800 handles higher ISO better, it is a little slower FPS but the buffer seems to take longer to fill. Normally the buffer on either body is not an issue for me nor are the file sizes. I upgraded from an Olympus E-5 @ 12 MPs.

The D7100 body is 8 1/4 ounces lighter. Not a big deal but I do notice it after a while..

Pick a feature set and go for it....

I think it would be fair to say I purchased a used D800 just to satisfy my curiosity about FF and for the first time in many years have no GAS

The D7100 for wildlife and the D800 for the studio work.

Now if I could afford a longer prime it would go on the D800

Cheers, Don

Thanks for the comparison Don, The D7100 was at ISO 1250 and the D800 was at ISO 2000 if the exif is correct. Hard to tell since the exposure are a bit difference. Looks like less noise in the BG on the D800, but more shadow noise on the bird. I basically want a FF for when I know I will be in darker places, it happens alot. Sometimes I have gotten pretty clean shots at ISO 6400 on the D7100, but it is pretty rare and it depends on the bird and the BG. I think the D800 would be a good companion to the D7100. I shoot pretty much every day so I am out there on some pretty dark cloudy days.. I have the Tamron 150-600 so I still have a good deal of reach. I'm thinking battery grip to give me the same speed in DX and according to the charts, the buffer will be much better on the D800. It won't be an end all, but more of a bridge until Nikon makes the camera I want...

You reminded of a chickadee I shot the other day from about 12 feet. There was no light so I shot this at 12800 (high 1) on the D7100 with the Tamron. Maybe I won't get better results with the D800...
Chickadee 10_7 ISO 12800 by krisinct- Thanks for 3 Million + views!, on Flickr

 

[Don Kondra]

12,800.... LOL

Coming from Olympus I've been leery of shooting anything over 2000 !

But that was before I had DX0 and Capture One, they both do a good job on noise..

Can't beat the price of a used D800 right now. You may want to consider the D800E for a couple hundred more ?

Very generally speaking, I apply some amount of noise reduction on the D7100 @ 1250. At 2000 on the D800 I may not have to..

BTW - I don't use in camera noise reduction.

Cheers, Don

 

[greybeard]

I have debated the same question as I shoot small wildlife handheld with a 105 micro. I THINK it comes down to the signal to noise ratings of the 2 sensors. The only real way to find out though would be to rent or borrow a d810 and compare it with your d7100 side by side with the same lens, same lighting, same ISO, same camera settings, and same subject and then crop the results and compare.

 

[jaomul]

I bought a d7100 about a year ago but only because I got a great deal, I was originally buying a d7000 and researched it to death like everything I buy.

I saw a comparison between the cropped 15 or 16mp file from a d800 vs the same framed shot from a d7000, both in similar light, manual, and same iso. I can't find it again but there was no perceivable difference between both on the comparison.

When the shot was framed to take in the d800 at 36mp and both files were resized the d800 looked better.

I'm not sure how scientific the test was.