D700 or D800 DILEMMA

[kundalini]

I bought my D700 about six months after it was introduced.

IT STILL ROCKS!!!!

 

[2WheelPhoto]

I bought my D700 about six months after it was introduced.

IT STILL ROCKS!!!!

+1 and no regrets

 

[Pete'sGirl]

D800 vs D700 Comparison | Nikon D800

Thanks for that. I actually read that before I posted here. Just wanted other thoughts. I could wait until March for the D800, but I am still debating whether or not it worth the extra $$ that I could put toward a new lens or something.

To reiterate my last question, what is the largest you have successfully printed images with the D700? By successfully I mean something that can be framed and hung up on a living room wall.

 

[2WheelPhoto]

D800 vs D700 Comparison | Nikon D800

Thanks for that. I actually read that before I posted here. Just wanted other thoughts. I could wait until March for the D800, but I am still debating whether or not it worth the extra $$ that I could put toward a new lens or something.

To reiterate my last question, what is the largest you have successfully printed images with the D700? By successfully I mean something that can be framed and hung up on a living room wall.

I've done 16x20 prints, haven't had a need for bigger. About to have a 20"x30" canvas done at Menaul Art in Clearwater FL. I'll let you know how that goes with my D700

 

[Vtec44]

To be honest, I'm a bit disappointed at the 36mp size. I was hoping for around 30mp with better low light ISO. Oh well, I guess we will have to wait and see. Most of the sample images online do not go past 800 ISO and they look great. I guess if anything, you'll have to do a lot of down sizing the resolution. I'm glad to see the new D800 uses the same battery as my D7000.

 

[o hey tyler]

To answer your question, yes 12MP is enough......for most applications. However, if you're working in a studio (home or professional), or you do landscape, architecture or commercial/corporate, then 12MP probably isn't going to cut it.

I've done weddings, landscape, and commercial shooting with a 12MP 5Dmk1. I've never needed any additional resolution for those applications. As a matter of fact, I've got prints up to 20x30 from it... and they look great. I could probably even go larger if I wanted to. Also keep in mind that the 5Dmk1 (while it is full frame) is a few years older than the Nikon D700... Not that it matters that much.

I have a 5Dmk2 as well, at 21MP. Frankly, I hate that the filesize is so large. It takes up a lot of processing power, and doesn't really amount to a whole lot when all is said and done. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE shooting with the 5D2, but I also still LOVE my 5Dmk1 for a whole different set of reasons.

So, I would argue that 12MP is enough for what you and MOST people are doing, OP. I'd stick with the D700 IMHO... Unless you have a beastly editing rig and a terabyte of storage or more.

 

[o hey tyler]

Just curious again - what is the largest you have successfully printed images with the D700? By successfully I mean something that can be framed and hung up on a living room wall.

To answer this question directly (I did in my other post) 20x30, and I could probably go larger. (From a 5Dmk1 which is 12MP)

 

[molested_cow]

Just curious again - what is the largest you have successfully printed images with the D700? By successfully I mean something that can be framed and hung up on a living room wall.

20X30" using Perfect Resize Pro software to enlarge it. Looks fine.

 

[Josh220]

I am battling between the D800 and D700. Closer to launch date, D700 prices will probably drop somewhere in the neighborhood of $500. Something that recently pushed me pretty hard in the direction of the D700 is the price of the battery grip for the D800. MSRP is over $600 and actual retail looks like it will be $500. That is ridiculous...

As of now, I feel like if you don't need video, there is no reason to go with the D800 over the D700, especially when you take into account the possible issues in the first batch. 6 months from now may be a different story when the kinks are worked out and there's much more feedback and tests to compare to.

 

[Trever1t]

where did you find that price for the grip? I tried to order one from B&H and was told it hasn't been made available to pre-order yet. I find it hard to believe it will be $500 or even close.

 

[greybeard]

Go for the D800, I know I am

 

[Josh220]

where did you find that price for the grip? I tried to order one from B&H and was told it hasn't been made available to pre-order yet. I find it hard to believe it will be $500 or even close.

B&H has them listed at $499 and I don't see it dropping much, if any, when they are actually available. You can't buy them yet though, so I hope they lower the price. I just don't see that as likely since the MB-D10 is listed at $3xx and sells for $2xx. Same ratio as $6xx and $499.

As much as I try talking myself out of it, I doubt I'll choose a 4 year old body over the new model. I will, however, probably wait to see what kind of kinks arise in the first batch. It'll give me more time to justify the cost.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[billydoo73]

i have a D700 and D7000. i shoot weddings and portraits. i do not need a D800. most people don't. the RAW file size alone scares me! ~75mb. i will fill up an external HD in no time. my D7000 shoots amazing video.

people get all nuts about new gear. to someone that shoots for dollars, it is just another expense that eats into profit. UNLESS the D800 gave me something that i simply CANNOT get done with the D700, then "upgrading" is a NET LOSS. i can get it done nicely with an FX D700 at ISO 3200-6400. the D800 will serve me no purpose.

...even Cliff Mautner makes reference to the D800 being equal to the D700 ISO performance. and he was one of the few pros to test the D800 months ago (and is top 10 photog).

keep the D700 and buy more glass. it comes down to REAL WORLD USE and not online stats. sure, the D800 is better on paper, but what is "better" for a job?

 

[Trever1t]

Certainly what billydoo said is true but the OP just bought a D700 and has option to return and buy the latest and greatest with only a few more dollars.

 

[Derrel]

Honestly--I would return the D700 and have the dealer apply the price toward a new D800...you can always re-size D800 images. I have not looked too hard, but I DO KNOW for a FACT that the D800 can shoot in FX, 5:4 ratio, 1.2x FOV, and 1.5X FOV or DX formats. The 5:4 or "8 x 10" proportion has some benefits. The D800 will likely be the camera in its category for the next four years or so. I think I would go with the "new", and let the old slide on by.

If the D800 can shoot RAW at the various different smaller capture sizes like 30MP,27MP,17MP,and so on, that would make it very useful for times when one wants raw images but will not need huge files. I KN OW for a fact that the D800 can make JOPEGS in smaller sizes like those I listed. In the DX crop mode, I think it's about 16.7MP or somewhere in that area...