D700 and D800 Resolution and Quality Comparison

Raybo · Feb 8, 2012

I currently own a D200 (it's been great all these years) and will be moving to FF. I am concerned about all the memory (computer and memory card) required to shoot the D800 at full resolution in RAW. So my question is: how will a picture shot with the D800 at the medium image size setting (about 20MB) compare to a picture shot with the D700 (12MB) at full resolution? And which option will give me more latitude to crop and enlarge to A0 format and beyond?

I don't really care about the video capability of the D800. And I do not want to compromise on low light, low noise capability - we already know that the D700 is a winner here).

2WheelPhoto · Feb 8, 2012

welcome to the forum

Trever1t · Feb 8, 2012

I wouldn't use the D800 at anything other than it's best quality settings, to do otherwise is silly. Buy the D700, I hjave one and LOVE it. I just ordered a D800 for a second body, may become my primary

2WheelPhoto · Feb 8, 2012

Trever1t said:
I wouldn't use the D800 at anything other than it's best quality settings, to do otherwise is silly. Buy the D700, I hjave one and LOVE it. I just ordered a D800 for a second body, may become my primary

I'm still on the fence whether to order one or keep popping the D700, I'm interested to find out your take on both bodies after you've shot a few. I'm loving the D700 and I was hoping for a rockstar D800...I'm not feeling it other than its video

Trever1t · Feb 8, 2012

It's definitely gonna be different. Immproved RGB sensor, Expeed3, Focus. Yeah, I'm interested to see how much better I love it, or not :}

Raybo · Feb 9, 2012

Agreed. Given your experience with the D700 what is your feeling about how big you can print and enlarge an uncropped image and still get excellent results?

I'm not a pixel peeper and realize that as prints get larger it's appropriate to stand further away. I should also add that since a large part of my photo work is foreign travel, where I need to carry as little as possible, that I typically use Nikon's 18-200 VR lens. I know that if I purchased a D700 the 18-200 would have to be replaced and I would consider the new Nikon 28-300 VRII. Does this change your advice?

analog.universe · Feb 9, 2012

2WheelPhoto said:
Trever1t said:

I wouldn't use the D800 at anything other than it's best quality settings, to do otherwise is silly. Buy the D700, I hjave one and LOVE it. I just ordered a D800 for a second body, may become my primary

Click to expand...

I'm still on the fence whether to order one or keep popping the D700, I'm interested to find out your take on both bodies after you've shot a few. I'm loving the D700 and I was hoping for a rockstar D800...I'm not feeling it other than its video

Even the video doesn't do anything that Canon bodies weren't doing 3 years ago...

The D800 looks sweet for people who print huge, beyond that, it doesn't excite me.

analog.universe · Feb 9, 2012

Raybo said:
Agreed. Given your experience with the D700 what is your feeling about how big you can print and enlarge an uncropped image and still get excellent results?

I'm not a pixel peeper and realize that as prints get larger it's appropriate to stand further away. I should also add that since a large part of my photo work is foreign travel, where I need to carry as little as possible, that I typically use Nikon's 18-200 VR lens. I know that if I purchased a D700 the 18-200 would have to be replaced and I would consider the new Nikon 28-300 VRII. Does this change your advice?

The 28-300 is nowhere near sharp enough for the D800 to be a benefit to you. The D700 will outresolve this lens. To fully take advantage of 36mPixel, you will need very nice glass.

MReid · Feb 9, 2012

Coming from a d200 a d700 will blow you away sufficiently.

36mp is a specialty application that comes with its own set of issues.

ghache · Feb 9, 2012

so much hate for the d800 hahaha, its going to be a better camera than the d700 in every way.

analog.universe · Feb 9, 2012

ghache said:
so much hate for the d800 hahaha, its going to be a better camera than the d700 in every way.

Are you certain it will be better at high ISO? A lot of area looks really close. Burst rate has gotten slower...

Not hating on it cause it's a bad camera, it looks awesome. I'm hating on it because after waiting for however many years, in many instances, it looks like the D700 is still a better choice.

2WheelPhoto · Feb 9, 2012

analog.universe said:
ghache said:

so much hate for the d800 hahaha, its going to be a better camera than the d700 in every way.

Click to expand...

Are you certain it will be better at high ISO? A lot of area looks really close. Burst rate has gotten slower...

Not hating on it cause it's a bad camera, it looks awesome. I'm hating on it because after waiting for however many years, in many instances, it looks like the D700 is still a better choice.

Uh-huh I was assuming my D700 would become a back-up body because the D800 would blow it away, but that doesn't seem to be the case. Might hang onto it as my main.