D810... am I worthy?

[bribrius]

is the camera that makes it pro or the person behind it?

 

[bribrius]

For me personally at this moment in life the d7100 does everything i need it to. A couple of months ago that was the d3200. If you've outgrown your current camera, then i would say that you should upgrade.

I should probably still have a point and shoot only then because I forget some real basic things when shooting. Like shutter speed and forgetting to bracket, basic things that don't occur to me until after....

 

[photoguy99]

I described it as a prosumer camera because I think it is. It is a superb instrument, make no mistake.

It has a pop up flash, and a multi digit model number.

 

[runnah]

I described it as a prosumer camera because I think it is. It is a superb instrument, make no mistake.

It has a pop up flash, and a multi digit model number.

Lol that is almost as silly as calling saying it's only pro if it has a round eyecup.

 

[photoguy99]

Lol.

I am perfectly willing to admit that the 'pro' designation is largely meaningless in terms of actual usage. People get paid to use every camera Nikon builds and most D3/4 owners probably never get paid.

Still, it's a thing.

 

[JustJazzie]

I've been following this thread for a bit and I finally decided to throw in my 2c for whatever it's worth.

I am absolutely not "worthy" of the camera I chose. It was expensive, and has more features than I will probably ever use, and I'm stuck with one lens until I can afford more. (Darn life throwing unexpected bills our way all the time! :giggle

That said, I've been taking pictures for over 10 years, more like 15 if you count the days I would hang up ugly curtains with my cousin as a backdrop and shoot on disposable film camera.
I upgraded my first dslr (probably $1000+ worth of equipment) to a mirrorless ($2,000) because the dslr had (unknown to me then) back focusing issues. I thought mirrorless was gold, until I learned that it's AF system couldn't hold up to my kids in motion. So, I was sick of wasting money upgrading when I WAS "worthy" of something better. My hobby is obviously not going anywhere so the way I see it, is that now, a) I have no reason to ever blame my camera for a technical issue and b) eventually I will be worthy of it, and I won't have to wast more money upgrading. Had I spent that $3,000 when I was new to the hobby on high quality gear then I wouldn't be starting over AGAIN 10 years into this mess.

You may not be worthy now, but keep it up and you will be, and it might even save you money in the long term.

 

[DevC]

It's not a pro camera! It's a very good camera, it is a rather expensive camera, but it is totally a prosumer camera.

I'm curious why you say that. I disagree only because Nikon disagrees. They claim to have Entry-Level DSLRs, Enthusiast Level DSLRs and Professional DSLRs. When you go to the Professional D-SLR Cameras page, you will find the D810 front & center. Now, I'm sure that not every camera on that page will suit every pro. Some may work better with one camera over another. But when I researched pro-level Nikons for landscape photography, which is what I am primarily interested in, guess what pros recommend the most?

Maybe you were confusing the D810 with the more recent D750. That one appears to be the best enthusiast DSLR from Nikon. I was this close to ordering that. I was lucky that B&H closes for the Jewish sabbath and during my waiting period, I happened upon a thread here about refurbished cameras.

The D810 is a professional camera. Owning it doesn't make me a pro. But I certainly do appreciate pro quality tools and I will endeavor to make pictures that will do that tool justice.

Jim

This is a good marketing technique for nikon to make many of those who are not professionals (which just by definition is people who get paid to shoot). THe d750 can quite aswell be a professional camera if need be. Heck, in the short time , many professional wedding photographers, event, and even landscape/travel photographers baught the d750 and stated they were quite happy with it.

The camera doesn't make you a pro, neither does the lens. By definition, the fact that you are getting paid makes you a professional.

 

[runnah]

Still, it's a thing.

Is it? I was looking at Nat Geo's latest photo contest and the photos that still had their exif data intact were all taken with mid to upper range cameras. Didn't see one "pro" model.

 

[kdthomas]

On your death bed ... with your loved ones gathered round you, holding your hands, will you whisper to them ... "Why oh why did I spend an extra $500 on that camera?"

Dude, grab the camera and don't look back ... make the best photos you can, capture the beauty you can find in this world. Every day is a gift.

Best wishes my friend

 

[greybeard]

It has been my experience that professionals will use anything that will do the job and many times it is held together with duck tape. The newspaper photographer that comes to our HS games uses a D610, that is what the paper buys for them. A wedding photographer friend of mine who has been in the business for 40 years and toted around an RB67 for years was using a D7000 but has since upgraded to a D750.

 

[JimMcClain]

On your death bed ... with your loved ones gathered round you, holding your hands, will you whisper to them ... "Why oh why did I spend an extra $500 on that camera?"

Hahaha... not exactly my style. I'll still be questioning if I should have got the grip with it, or saved a little more and got the Zeiss lens.

 

[photoguy99]

Yeah. It's a thing. The single digit model numbers are a particular group of products with a particular set of properties. Properties aimed at professionals. It's a thing.

The pop up flash doesn't matter much in and of itself but it's a tell.

This is a stupid discussion.

 

[runnah]

Yeah. It's a thing. The single digit model numbers are a particular group of products with a particular set of properties. Properties aimed at professionals. It's a thing.

The pop up flash doesn't matter much in and of itself but it's a tell.

This is a stupid discussion.

Agreed. now just say I am right and we can move on.

 

[Mike_E]

is the camera that makes it pro or the person behind it?

Nah, it's the paying customer.

 

[RichieT]

If you can afford it, go for it and not worry about "worthy" whatever that might mean. I upgraded from a D300 to a D800 for no other reason than I felt it was a time for a change, even though my pictures may not be "worthy" of the "standards" set by some of the forums. I'm glad I made the change since I see a big improvement in image quality.I do think good glass is important to get the full benefit of the camera. My Sigma 70-200 non OS looked really good on the D300 but was somewhat average on the D800. I also got a Nikon 28-300 to use as a walking around lens but to me it only looks average. I pretty much stick to the 24-70 and Nikon 70-200 when I can.