Nikon D600 or D800

[SoulfulRecover]

I think its time to move to a full frame camera. I have been reading a lot of reviews on both cameras and they both sound fantastic. They would both be a huge bump up from the 12 year old D300 I am using, I just don't know if the extra money for the D800 would be worth it. I want to shoot full time, portraiture, outside and studio. I have all FX lenses already so that's a non issue.

I can get the D600 for 1,099.95 or the D800 for 1,749.95 (both used through a local shop)

I can sell my D300 for about 400 and one of my Mamiya RZ67s for about 600. Should I spend the extra 650 on the D800? Money isn't exactly tight but the wife and I make about 12.50 an hour each so 650 can be a lot of money for us.

What do you guys think?

 

[Vtec44]

Do you shoot a lot in the dark and need accurate focus? If yes, the D800 has the edge on this.
Do you shoot a lot of high ISO, over 5000 ISO? If yes, the D600 has the edge on this.
Do you want a full metal body construction? If yes, the D800 has the edge.
Do you need a fast frame rate? If yes, the D600 has the edge.
Do you need large megapixels for cropping and printing? If yes, the D800 has the edge.

I have both, I shoot both side by side and I'd pick the D800 over the D600 mainly because of the more accurate focus system especially in the dark. That's important to me but may not be fore someone else.

 

[astroNikon]

I don't know if you've thought of this, But you can get a d750 for $1750 or less, such as this ==> Used Nikon D750 DSLR Camera (Body Only) 1543 B&H Photo Video

Those 3 cameras are a hard choice. D600, D750, D800
it it comes to money I'd get the d600, which is what I did when I bought my d600 in 1/2014

If i had more budget between those 3 I'd get the d750 for the fps, flippy screen and I don't think I really need the d800's 36mp and all the accessories from my d7000 worked with my d600 and I also think would also work with the d750.

Whereas the d800 I think needs new accessories due to different connectors - all depending upon what you have. But I think your d300 would have the same connectors are the d800 ?? something to check out to minimize additional cost.

as for the d600 another reason I also got it was a free upgrade (hopefully) at some point to a d610.

so .. no real answer It's heavily budget driven and if you need to replace accessories.

 

[SoulfulRecover]

Good questions. Hardly shoot in dark situations, never have needed a fast frame rate and with the D300 ive never shot over ISO800. Ive made ~24x36" prints off 12 MP and they were just fine. Cant imagine Id ever print bigger than that. Typical print for me is 17x22"

I do like the idea of a metal body though and I like the button layout on the D800 (same as D300)

No accessories other than connection to strobes. Quite sure the D300 and D800 have the same setup but ill check

 

[pixmedic]

I don't have a D800, but i have two d600's and love them.
I think a used D600 is one of the best FF "bang for the buck" cameras on the market right now.
Its a perfectly capable camera for portraits and weddings, and handles higher ISO well.
that being said...I do sometimes find myself missing the 51pt AF system of the D7100.
the file sizes are already large enough for me with the 24mp sensor, I don't think i would care much for the 36mp. I don't do that much cropping for people shots that its really necessary.
if I were to upgrade from the D600, it would be to the D750, not the D800.

 

[DevC]

Do you shoot a lot in the dark and need accurate focus? If yes, the D800 has the edge on this.
Do you shoot a lot of high ISO, over 5000 ISO? If yes, the D600 has the edge on this.

Do you need a fast frame rate? If yes, the D600 has the edge.
.

It's a shame because the first two are very intertwined.


and the third one is somewhat too, depending on if OP shoots sports/ concerts.

 

[Braineack]

A good D600 shouldn't cost more than $900.

 

[SoulfulRecover]

No sports or concerts. granted my brother in law is the singer for A Skylit Drive and Id love to shoot a show or two

Edit: Sure enough 930.00
Used Nikon D600 DSLR Camera (Body Only) 25488 B&H Photo Video

 

[medic2230]

Bought my D800 off one of the forums and it was only $1500 shipped. Only had 5300 clicks on it. Seems to be a few low mileage ones showing up lately. Been very pleased with it so far.

Have to agree with Astro about the connectors being the same on the 300 and 800. I came from a D7000 and need to get new connectors.

 

[Derrel]

Yeah...D600 at 9 bills sounds like a good value proposition, and I am **always** impressed by the color rendition and image quality level that braineack's photos show, consistently. I think 24 million pixels on FX is the sweet spot for ISO performance/file size/storage and not too much detail for close-up people work and closer-in portraiture. I know the D600 got a bad rap, because well, frankly the oil-flinging issue was real. Like Thom Hogan wrote--oil-flinging off the shutter has been/is an issue with all d-slr's he's shot. My D3x flings some oil...it's a biatch. I can clean the sensor and in 1,000 frames or so, I have oil spots. My sets are usually right at 750 frames, so...I deal with it.

I've seen D800 as low as $1575 here in town at retail....the D750 is a camera to consider as an in-between, but honestly, if all you want is a black box with a good FX Sony sensor in it the D600 seems like the best value.

 

[Braineack]

FWIW, I've seen well-used D600s go for $700 on FM. Low-counts in the $850-900 point.

The IQ is still amazing to me everytime I go 100%. My oil flinging came back after a free shutter replacement, one year later, so i was able to get a D610 replacement. I had bought it refurbished for well under MSRP to begin with and now I have a zero-click, brand-spanking-new-in-box D610.

 

[pixmedic]

FWIW, I've seen well-used D600s go for $700 on FM. Low-counts in the $850-900 point.

The IQ is still amazing to me everytime I go 100%. My oil flinging came back after a free shutter replacement, one year later, so i was able to get a D610 replacement. I had bought it refurbished for well under MSRP to begin with and now I have a zero-click, brand-spanking-new-in-box D610.

lucky bastard....
I keep hoping one of my two D600's will spring an oil leak so I can get a new camera too...
so far though, no such luck.

 

[astroNikon]

FWIW, I've seen well-used D600s go for $700 on FM. Low-counts in the $850-900 point.

The IQ is still amazing to me everytime I go 100%. My oil flinging came back after a free shutter replacement, one year later, so i was able to get a D610 replacement. I had bought it refurbished for well under MSRP to begin with and now I have a zero-click, brand-spanking-new-in-box D610.

lucky bastard....
I keep hoping one of my two D600's will spring an oil leak so I can get a new camera too...
so far though, no such luck.

Mine's gone through one official Nikon cleaning.
But I cleaned it once myself earlier ... no more .. I'm watching it now.

 

[goodguy]

I dont think you really need the D800, its more of a studio camera with huge files.
The D600 is a more balance camera that can do it all VERY well.
Its AF system is a bit old but still very capable.
The D600 is known to have oil spots and dust on its senor, you should know that if you plan on getting it, Nikon is aware of it so it will clean it once or twice and then is problem persists it will just send you a D610 which is a D600 with a different shutter mechanism and 1/2 FPS faster.
D610 is a bit more expensive then the D600 but it has no known issues and from my knowledge is a very reliable camera.

D750 is a more modern camera then both the D600 and D800, it has about same sensor as the D600 but due to a new processor and a little teaking of sensor can shoot easily at 12800 natively so you do have a small edge over the D610 there, it can also focus in lower light better and the AF system is Nikon's latest and best.
I own the D750 and absolutly love it, I chose it over the D610 and while I am sure the D610 would have been just as good for my need I went with it and its a true gem.

 

[SoulfulRecover]

Thanks everyone. Im going to keep an eye out for a D600 or a D750 if I can swing it. The wife gave me the go ahead to get whatever I want