After the Nikon D3, what's next?

keith204 · Dec 12, 2007

How much money do those hockey shots bring in?

domromer · Dec 12, 2007

Being as cheap as I am, I wince when I hear of buying a pro level camera before you are actually making a living through photography. That being said it sounds like that money is burning a hole in your pocket. If it was me. I'd sell the D80. Use the proceeds from that towards a D300. Invest in some decent glass, less than 2k and use the money you have left over to get a car. I don't know what kind of photography your into but it's tough to get to shoots on the bus.

All this being said, I regularly sell photos to magazines and trade publications. I have sold pictures taken with everything from my D80 to my A80 p&s. I'm not anywhere near making a living of these sales but I also felt like 50$ for a shot felt like more when it came from a 300$ camera I bought 3 years ago.

But I'm cheap I get my kicks out of that kind of stuff.

soylentgreen · Dec 12, 2007

Trenton Romulox said:
I need something that can, in unison with my f/2.8 180mm, produce noise-free shots in an arena. At the moment, with the lighting, and the flash ban in the arena, it's tough to get noise-free hockey shots without sacrificing sharpness.

The noise aspect is in relation to the ISO you use. What ISO are you shooting at? Nikon wise, look at the D300 and up. They have better ISO controls on the D300 & D3 over previous models.

Trenton Romulox · Dec 12, 2007

soylentgreen said:
The noise aspect is in relation to the ISO you use. What ISO are you shooting at? Nikon wise, look at the D300 and up. They have better ISO controls on the D300 & D3 over previous models.

Right, I know how noise works HAHA. And that's my point, I need to shoot at ISO 800, at least, to be even close to shooting 1/250 shutter speed in the arena with an f/2.8 lens, so, like, maybe I'll upgrade to the D300 or something. Would that be a wiser choice people?

jstuedle · Dec 12, 2007

Trenton Romulox said:
I am rather new at photography, so I think the D3 is totally overkill for me and what I currently do. But I am extremely interested into getting into doing professional portraits and things like that. So, when do you all think the next camera will be hitting, the D3x I guess it'll be called, following the pattern at least? I could technically afford a D3, but I figure it's so hard to get your hands on, and I haven't gotten my 'business' up and running yet, I'll look into full-frame Nikon dSLRs (or, dSLR technically), when the next model is announced. So, when do you think that'll be? Next summer? Two summers?

In the past, Nikon came out with the D1H and D2H models first to please the sport/news shooters that needed frame speed. Followed a short time later by D1X's and D2X's to satisfy resolution needs. With the D3 at 9 FPS and a decent resolution, I don't think they will have a D3X. I look for the next pro Nikon to be a D4 at 18+ MP. JMO.

jstuedle · Dec 12, 2007

monkeykoder said:
I don't know there are just some things you can't do in the back seat of a D3...

Like what? I must be missing something...... Hummm........

Trenton Romulox · Dec 12, 2007

jstuedle said:
In the past, Nikon came out with the D1H and D2H models first to please the sport/news shooters that needed frame speed. Followed a short time later by D1X's and D2X's to satisfy resolution needs. With the D3 at 9 FPS and a decent resolution, I don't think they will have a D3X. I look for the next pro Nikon to be a D4 at 18+ MP. JMO.

So, what would you guess for a time frame?

Would it be wise for me to invest in a D300? Does anyone know how that performs at ISO 1600?

Sideburns · Dec 12, 2007

Trenton Romulox said:
So, what would you guess for a time frame?

Would it be wise for me to invest in a D300? Does anyone know how that performs at ISO 1600?

the D300 JUST came out. They're not gonna have a new camera in that segment this year. I'd go for it. Google D300 ISO samples and you'll see a bunch of pics and crops.

sabbath999 · Dec 12, 2007

Trenton Romulox said:
None. Doesn't noise reduction software reduce the sharpness of images? I want the sharpest possible image at ISO 3200 or so to be able to stop action in the arena. I simply cannot get that with my D80, it you know, being ISO 1600 (and noisy as hell at it) and all.

The better noise reduction software is spooky good.

No, it is not as good as getting a new $5K camera.

On the other hand, you can make a lot better pictures than you are doing with it while using your current equipment for very little money... a LOT better.

I shoot sports in HS gyms and under the Friday Night Lights. I know whereof I speak.

MANY pro shooters use Noise Ninja, it is amazing.

Google them, download their software and try the demo. It is free to try.

domromer · Dec 12, 2007

+1 noise ninja

Trenton Romulox · Dec 12, 2007

sabbath999 said:
The better noise reduction software is spooky good.

No, it is not as good as getting a new $5K camera.

On the other hand, you can make a lot better pictures than you are doing with it while using your current equipment for very little money... a LOT better.

I shoot sports in HS gyms and under the Friday Night Lights. I know whereof I speak.

MANY pro shooters use Noise Ninja, it is amazing.

Google them, download their software and try the demo. It is free to try.

Right, that's all well and good, but the ISO limitations of the D80 hold me back from unleashing action-stopping shutter speeds in the arena I shoot, especially if I try and stop down and shoot at f/8 or f/16. And those are limitations Noise Ninja, as cool as it looks, can't fix.

ranmyaku · Dec 13, 2007

Trenton Romulox said:
She's got a nice car anyways. I'm down with my girl driving me places. HAHA. And besides, I can't technically drive people that aren't immediate family for a while anyways, thank you strict Maine teenage license laws. And since she's, like, away for college, I don't know how soon I need a car anyways. Ah, the pros of dating an older girl.

except that they usually go get drunk and bang college guys...