I am thinking about the D4... Should I buy one used? And where?

[pab]

I currently have a D600 and D750. Time to retire the D600. I was thinking about getting the D4s but I dont need it. I only shoot weddings, engagements etc so the best of the best is not needed. Would like a solid work horse and I feel like a gently used D4 (if thats such a thing) is going to fit my needs.

I would like one with less than 75,000 shots. Dont really want to pay over $3,000 for it.

Any ideas on good trusted used sites that offer them, or good up to date trading forums that have decent reputations for sellers?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Don Kondra]

I've been kinda watching for one, check out Fred Miranda, dpreview and ebay.

Cheers, Don

 

[Dillard]

Fred Miranda would be your best bet. And a word of advice, don't just wait for one to be posted. Post a WTB thread.

I was looking for a D750 for about 2 weeks with no luck. I posted a WTB thread, and had probably 5 offers by the next morning.

 

[pab]

Thanks guys, never been on that site before. It drives me crazy watching the prices in the last minute of ebay sales scoot up like $200-400, and I dont really want to pay premium on all the refurbs hitting the bay, but if the shots are low enough I might not have a choice. I will check out FM now though, thanks !

 

[photoboy2005]

Is there a reason you want the D$.... I mean D4? Why are the D610 and D750 failing you?

 

[shadowlands]

adorama & keh

 

[pab]

Is there a reason you want the D$.... I mean D4? Why are the D610 and D750 failing you?

the D750 is fine, but I have had several cases of failure with it. Nothing major, could be card write error, but it seems to happen when I least want it to happen. Says ERR on top display. After clicking the shutter for 4 or 5 photos it comes back on. I have attempted to do battery pulls, SD card swaps, lens reseats and nothing seems to bring it back to life in a quick fashion. less than 20,000 shots. My buddy who shoots landscapes with his 750 just had it happen as well. (I have had this issue 3 times in past two weddings)


My 600 is very weak in the ISO department. The last three weddings I shot this year were in larger dark churches with no flash with rules that restricted me from being close. The result was long dark photos and when the ISO was over 1000-1500 on the 600 it really starts to look grainy. The 750 is clean way higher... I want a big body that I dont have to buy another grip for, one that has great low light capabilities and files not huge (D800/810a). I only photograph people these days. Average about 12-15 weddings a year. Need a work horse now.

 

[photoboy2005]

Is there a reason you want the D$.... I mean D4? Why are the D610 and D750 failing you?

the D750 is fine, but I have had several cases of failure with it. Nothing major, could be card write error, but it seems to happen when I least want it to happen. Says ERR on top display. After clicking the shutter for 4 or 5 photos it comes back on. I have attempted to do battery pulls, SD card swaps, lens reseats and nothing seems to bring it back to life in a quick fashion. less than 20,000 shots. My buddy who shoots landscapes with his 750 just had it happen as well. (I have had this issue 3 times in past two weddings)


My 600 is very weak in the ISO department. The last three weddings I shot this year were in larger dark churches with no flash with rules that restricted me from being close. The result was long dark photos and when the ISO was over 1000-1500 on the 600 it really starts to look grainy. The 750 is clean way higher... I want a big body that I dont have to buy another grip for, one that has great low light capabilities and files not huge (D800/810a). I only photograph people these days. Average about 12-15 weddings a year. Need a work horse now.

Have you thought about buying a d4? [emoji6]

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk

 

[JerryPH]

As the owner of a D4, I can sincerely say that In the last I uograded because the camera was holding me back. The D4 after buying it pretty much as soon as it came out, I *still* have not hit any walls with it. It meets every challenge I toss at it with ease and finesse. Never has let me down and as a pro wedding photographer I pretty much push my photography into difficult and challenging circumstances more than 95% of all photographers do (brightest dasy, locatons so dark I cannot see my hand in front of my face, 100+ degree heat and -28C cold. Dry as a bone and pouring rain). It focuses super fast and accurate and the colours are way improved over the D700/D3 sensor.

It does pretty good video, but I rarely use it. It can give me professionally useable ISO 102400 photos and just keeps on trucking. The dynamic range is kicksass and 16.2 MP is a good 5-8 MP more than I have ever needed, goung as much as having printed 8-foot wide prints that look incredible from 4-feet away.

I am still sincerely wondering... what is it that this camera cannot do??

 

[Solarflare]

I only shoot weddings, engagements etc so the best of the best is not needed.

I'm so confused now. I thought wedding is the hardest type of photography out there ?

You have all the conditions that makes it hard, like:
- Often very bad conditions, such as poor light with no flash allowed
- Event unrepeatable, you have to plan it perfectly and get it right the first time
- Clients with very high demands that will be very enraged if you didnt get the shot
- You are kind of supposed to be invisible, too

Thats why AFAICS the D3/D3s/D4/D4s cameras (or the compareable Canon 1D line) are very popular with wedding shooters (as is the 24-70mm + 70-200mm f2.8 zooms plus two bright primes - 35mm f1.4 and 85mm f1.4).

 

[JerryPH]

I only shoot weddings, engagements etc so the best of the best is not needed.

I'm so confused now. I thought wedding is the hardest type of photography out there ?

Yikes. Apologies in advance. When I see comments like that, my first thought is... "Not much experience, huh?"

There is no more challenging and unforgiving form of photography out there beyond wedding photography. You shoot in the best and worst possible conditions, wet or dry, hot or cold, static and running, severe time constraints and NO second chances, and in most cases almost all of these conditions on the same day!

On an average 12 hour wedding I lose 5-8 pounds a day just from all the running around! In the last 5 years I have gone through over 65 assistants, mostly because they never last or leave because they get freaked out at how hard it really is go do a wedding right.

 

[pab]

Thanks for the responses,
I picked up a D4 with 14,500 photos on it, XQD 16 gig card, and reader.

When I was saying about not needing the best of the best, I was referring to having a D4s or waiting for the D5. The D4 is plenty good enough for what I plan to use it for.