Should I Go Full Frame??

[sm4him]

Wow, thanks everyone for your thoughts! This is all VERY helpful.

Another vote for the D3s, just make sure you get some CF cards to go with it and a card reader. Guess you could use a USB cable to transfer ? You are probably going to take a lot of shots and the size of those D800 files will be an issue unless you have a serious number of memory cards, as already mentioned, and a large amount of available hard drive space. And the 24-70 would be my first choice too.

I can borrow some of my son's CF cards that I've gotten him for his D100; already have a card reader that will accept them, so good to go on that.

The D800 is a 36 MP FX, and about a 15 megapixel crop-body camera, all in one. It's also fairly small and easy to handle. I think the D3s is the better camera than the D3; it's two years newer and has notably better High-ISO performance. Still the D3, and the D700, are basically identical noise-wise.

I really think you could handle any of the cameras with one afternoon's getting used to the layout. Not sure why they will not let you use you own gear, but honestly, I would rather use my OWN, familiar gear than new, "better" rental gear.

For an all-day gig, a D3s and a 70-200 or 24-70 AF-S is pretty heavy, but I know you do birding, so, you can handle the non lightweight gear I guess now, post-car-accident, right? I dunno....the outdoor bus driving thing...you could shoot that with any camera.

Yeah, I'm not worried about the weight. I've got both that Sigma 150-500 lens AND a 70-200 f/2.8 and I routinely walk around with one or the other of them pretty much the entire day. Several times, I've spent the day hiking with the Sigma on my camera, and the 70-200 in my backpack, and had no problems. That Black Rapid strap I bought earlier this year was the best purchase I've ever made!! I'd definitely put it on the rental.

And I agree, I'd far rather use my own gear, even if the rental stuff were "better." I don't exactly know why they won't let me either, I just know that the Chief Financial Officer has decided I shouldn't use my own equipment anymore and that's that.

 

[D-B-J]

Wow, thanks everyone for your thoughts! This is all VERY helpful.

Another vote for the D3s, just make sure you get some CF cards to go with it and a card reader. Guess you could use a USB cable to transfer ? You are probably going to take a lot of shots and the size of those D800 files will be an issue unless you have a serious number of memory cards, as already mentioned, and a large amount of available hard drive space. And the 24-70 would be my first choice too.

I can borrow some of my son's CF cards that I've gotten him for his D100; already have a card reader that will accept them, so good to go on that.

The D800 is a 36 MP FX, and about a 15 megapixel crop-body camera, all in one. It's also fairly small and easy to handle. I think the D3s is the better camera than the D3; it's two years newer and has notably better High-ISO performance. Still the D3, and the D700, are basically identical noise-wise.

I really think you could handle any of the cameras with one afternoon's getting used to the layout. Not sure why they will not let you use you own gear, but honestly, I would rather use my OWN, familiar gear than new, "better" rental gear.

For an all-day gig, a D3s and a 70-200 or 24-70 AF-S is pretty heavy, but I know you do birding, so, you can handle the non lightweight gear I guess now, post-car-accident, right? I dunno....the outdoor bus driving thing...you could shoot that with any camera.

Yeah, I'm not worried about the weight. I've got both that Sigma 150-500 lens AND a 70-200 f/2.8 and I routinely walk around with one or the other of them pretty much the entire day. Several times, I've spent the day hiking with the Sigma on my camera, and the 70-200 in my backpack, and had no problems. That Black Rapid strap I bought earlier this year was the best purchase I've ever made!! I'd definitely put it on the rental.

And I agree, I'd far rather use my own gear, even if the rental stuff were "better." I don't exactly know why they won't let me either, I just know that the Chief Financial Officer has decided I shouldn't use my own equipment anymore and that's that.

Maybe it's a liability thing? Like if your gear got ruined mid shoot FOR THEM they'd have to pay/you sue them... where as a rental they can buy a "cheap" coverage plan or if it's their OWN gear then they absolve that cost to repair. Financially it's probably "safer."

 

[BillM]

Go look at the football pictures Mike posted using the D3s and ISO 10,000. You'll do great with it

Under the Lights | Photography Forum

 

[astroNikon]

make them pay for the memory cards
and get fast good ones too

 

[D-B-J]

make them pay for the memory cards
and get fast good ones too

Definitely get good, FAST, cards. Not big ones though, as I am always paranoid of losing images.

 

[Solarflare]

Its funny how people get paranoid when it comes to big memory cards ...

... but when you discuss mirrorless with them, they complain they can only shoot aprox 300 images per battery charge.

If you have to frequently change the card, you can change the battery as well ... cant you ?

Personally I prefer huge cards and having a second card in backup mode. I use 2x 64 GB cards in my D600. That means both my battery and my cards last about a thousand shots.

 

[tirediron]

make them pay for the memory cards
and get fast good ones too

Definitely get good, FAST, cards. Not big ones though, as I am always paranoid of losing images.

I like 4Gb cards. 1 card = 1 DVD for second-level back-up.

 

[sm4him]

Yeah, I'm not really a fan of big memory cards. For me, it's because I know myself--If I have a 64gb card, I will be lazy and wait until I have at least 60gb of pictures to download onto my hard drive.

If I only have a 4 or 8gb card, I'm MUCH more likely to stick to a routine of downloading after every shoot.

Most of my cards are between 4gb and 16gb. ALL of my extreme pro cards are either 8 or 16gb.
I've got plenty of decently fast cards, as long as what I rent uses sd. I've only got a few CF cards that I have access to, so if I went with a camera that uses those, I'd probably have them spring for some cards. And then give them to my son, since we'd have no further use for them.

 

[Vince.1551]

I'll suggest to rent the D610. It's not so dissimilar with the D7000. Better be sure then fumble with unfamiliar controls and settings as you don't have lots of time to do that. Will also give you a peace of mind. Plus the D600 series is easy to handle


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[astroNikon]

I'll suggest to rent the D610. It's not so dissimilar with the D7000. Better be sure then fumble with unfamiliar controls and settings as you don't have lots of time to do that. Will also give you a peace of mind. Plus the D600 series is easy to handle

She has a limited number of models she can rent and only from one shop in her area.
So its ..
D3,
D3s,
D800
D700
D300x

or nothing except maybe a P&S

 

[Vince.1551]

I'll suggest to rent the D610. It's not so dissimilar with the D7000. Better be sure then fumble with unfamiliar controls and settings as you don't have lots of time to do that. Will also give you a peace of mind. Plus the D600 series is easy to handle

She has a limited number of models she can rent and only from one shop in her area.
So its ..
D3,
D3s,
D800
D700
D300x

or nothing except maybe a P&S

I see my mistake.


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