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Nikon D700

H8R

Cranky Pants
Nov 10, 2004
13,959
35
I'd rock it.






dpreview.com said:
Amsterdam, the Netherlands, 1 July 2008 - Nikon Europe is pleased to announce the introduction of an all-new FX-format digital SLR: the 12.1 megapixel Nikon D700, designed to enable many more photographers to enjoy the acclaimed image quality of the Nikon D3, but in a smaller form factor.

”The Nikon D3 has taken the action photography industry by storm, motivating many pros to change brands and we expect the D700 to contin5ue that trend,” said Robert Cristina, Manager Professional Products and NPS at Nikon Europe. He added: “The D700 excels in the extreme low-light and high-contrast conditions under which today’s cameras are judged and affirms Nikon’s ongoing commitment to meeting tomorrows imaging needs too.”

D3 DNA

The D700 inherits the ‘must have’ image quality of the D3. Using the same core technologies such as the highly-sensitive 12.1 effective megapixel CMOS image sensor with large pixel pitch and gapless micro lens array that affords bright, clean files across a broad ISO range. The D700 also features the same innovative EXPEED high-speed image-processing system, 14-bit A/D conversion and 16-bit processing pipeline to provide the detail and smooth gradation necessary for outstanding print enlargement and reproduction.

FX on the move

The D700 is ideal for those seeking a perfectly-balanced DSLR on the move, without compromising durability or environmental resistance to moisture and dust. The D700 incorporates an image sensor cleaning system that uses high frequency vibrations to reduce the accumulation of dust on the image sensor surface. A responsive 5fps is possible with the compact 1500mAh EN-EL3e lithium-ion battery, with up to 8 fps possible by attaching the optional MB-D10 battery pack to use the powerful 2500mAh EN-EL4a battery if desired. This offers complete power supply integration for those already using the D3 and D300. Another first is the practical i-TTL built-in pop up flash with 24mm lens coverage, ideal for discrete flash lighting when a full size Speedlight might be too cumbersome.

Getting the shot right

Despite its attractive price tag, the D700 makes no compromises in its comprehensive feature array with a highly responsive shutter release time lag of just 40ms, the acclaimed accuracy of the 51-point MultiCAM3500 AF system, DX Crop Mode and Live View with contrast-detect AF displayed on the same high-definition 3-inch TFT monitor used on the D3 and D300. One of the most important advantages of FX format cameras is the viewfinder experience and the D700 features an outstanding solid glass pentaprism, 95% coverage and adjustable AF point LED illumination for a bright, uninterrupted view. A clever new feature is the ability to display the Virtual Horizon level indicator during Live View mode to determine camera orientation at arms length.

What NIKKORS have been waiting for

The D700 is designed for the future without ignoring the past. As Nikon celebrates the 75th anniversary of the very first NIKKOR lens, and with well over 40 million sold, intelligent image processing technologies to control peripheral illumination (Vignette) and chromatic aberration enable photographers to rediscover the creative possibilities of their existing NIKKOR F mount lenses. For newcomers, the ever-expanding Nikon Total Imaging System provides lenses, Speedlights, Software and accessories for every photographic challenge both now and in the future.

The D700 is supplied with battery EN-EL3e, charger, and Nikon Software Suite and will go on sale from 25 July 2008 with a MSRP guide price of €2599.
http://www.dpreview.com/previews/nikond700/
 

binary visions

The voice of reason
Jun 13, 2002
22,092
1,132
NC
Yessir. Pretty sweet.

They left more of the D3 in there than I was expecting.

Narlus, come join us. The dark side is calling :D
 

blue

boob hater
Jan 24, 2004
10,160
2
california
Unless the 5Dmk2 is earth shattering (and a certain someone that posts here would have me believe it won't be), this WILL be my next body.

Sorry Canon, you fail.
 

sperkins

Monkey
Feb 26, 2008
396
0
looks like a great camera! i have a nikon and it has been really great for me. has lasted for at least 2 years.
 

binary visions

The voice of reason
Jun 13, 2002
22,092
1,132
NC
Unless the 5Dmk2 is earth shattering (and a certain someone that posts here would have me believe it won't be), this WILL be my next body.

Sorry Canon, you fail.
Luminous Landscapes has an interesting article on the D700 (and speculated 5Dmk2).

I wonder if Canon will try to scramble a bit to make non-extreme modifications to their inevitably planned (and inevitably inferior, at least in some respects) 5Dmk2? They've always severely crippled certain product lines to make sure they don't overlap. Kinda wondering if they'll, say, try to react by putting their 1DmkIII autofocus engine in there or something.
 

blue

boob hater
Jan 24, 2004
10,160
2
california
Luminous Landscapes has an interesting article on the D700 (and speculated 5Dmk2).

I wonder if Canon will try to scramble a bit to make non-extreme modifications to their inevitably planned (and inevitably inferior, at least in some respects) 5Dmk2? They've always severely crippled certain product lines to make sure they don't overlap. Kinda wondering if they'll, say, try to react by putting their 1DmkIII autofocus engine in there or something.
If they put MkIII AF and weather sealing into the 5DMk2 (in addition to the other updates that everyone is pretty sure of), and kept the price at $3k, I'd stick with it.

Canon is just moving way too slow to react to Nikon. If the new 5D is not at least on par with the D700, you can bet they're going to lose a large chunk of the Pro/prosumer market.
 

binary visions

The voice of reason
Jun 13, 2002
22,092
1,132
NC
Well, in all fairness, this is pretty much out of left field from Nikon. They really changed the way they do business in the past couple years and deliberately caught Canon, and actually the entire market, off guard.

They will certainly lose a chunk to Nikon, regardless of what they put out next, simply because there's some pretty interesting pairing going on in the Nikon lineup. There's the D3/D700 combo for people who want a light and beefy full frame combo, or a wedding pro who wants the D3 but wants a FF backup... then there's the D300/D700 for someone who wants a lightweight/inexpensive kit to handle both FF and crop... then there's the D3/D300 for the pro who wants a wildlife camera as well as the D3. All of these come in with the same body type/build/ergonomics/AF system which means it's easy to switch around. The fact that the grip takes both D3 and Dx00 batteries and can swap between the D300/D700 was brilliant and will help those pairings.

Not to mention, some people have already made decisions so the Canon announcement will be moot to them.

I hope Canon brings something big to the table - if nothing else, just to keep Nikon pushing forward with this kind of aggressive mentality.
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,032
7,550
uh, how again is nikon going to steal hordes of customers? all but the neophytes will have $$$ in glass, and that effectively ties one down. I'm one of those who are tied down.

would I like the 5D MkII to be weather sealed? sure. but I'll still buy it if it isn't, as my 135/2L and 50/1.4 are fabulous pieces of glass in my kit.
 

binary visions

The voice of reason
Jun 13, 2002
22,092
1,132
NC
They're not going to steal "hordes" but if you don't think people will sell glass and switch systems if they believe something else will work better for them, you're deluding yourself. It happens on both sides.

Investments in glass vary widely, lenses retain their value very well, and not everyone places the same value on the lens investment itself. A loss of a few thousand dollars is significant to some, not as much to others.
 
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blue

boob hater
Jan 24, 2004
10,160
2
california
They're not going to steal "hordes" but if you don't think people will sell glass and switch systems if they believe something else will work better for them, you're deluding yourself. It happens on both sides.

Investments in glass vary widely, lenses retain their value very well, and not everyone places the same value on the lens investment itself. A loss of a few thousand dollars is significant to some, not as much to others.
Indeed. I don't get all the whining about switching between systems, you can sell your beat three year old Canon gear to the rabid fanboys on POTN for near-retail prices.
 

Silver

find me a tampon
Jul 20, 2002
10,840
1
Orange County, CA
The SB-900 is hardly a nutpunch to Canon.

That's akin to saying that a new model from Turner is really going to put a dent into Walmart's bike sales...:)
 

narlus

Eastcoast Softcore
Staff member
Nov 7, 2001
24,658
63
behind the viewfinder
he's got a D700?

ok.



i think the decision by Noink was daring...they (i believe) are effectively siphoning off sales of the D3 by retaining most of the functionality in the D700, at 2K less...canon *never* puts the 1 series goodies into their non-pro bodies.

it'll be interesting to see how canon counters.


that said, the canon primes stomp the living **** out of the noinks, and their zooms are less money and most of the time in stock. i would like to see canon catch up in the strobist bit, but their lens lineup is unparalleled.
 

binary visions

The voice of reason
Jun 13, 2002
22,092
1,132
NC
they (i believe) are effectively siphoning off sales of the D3 by retaining most of the functionality in the D700, at 2K less...canon *never* puts the 1 series goodies into their non-pro bodies.
They'll certainly cannibalize a few sales but I think most people who are looking at a $3000 camera body are not the market who is penny pinching. Once you add the $300 grip to get up to the FPS of the D3 and having the grip itself, you're starting to cut into that price difference. If you want the D3 battery in your grip for that uber-extended battery life, you cut into the price difference even more. The D700, even with the grip, still won't be as fast or have some of the pro features like dual card slots, the AF will likely not be as fast...

that said, the canon primes stomp the living **** out of the noinks
I don't know about that. There are certainly a few ****-stomping primes. There are with Nikon as well, though. There are another few that are marginally better - there's no doubt that Canon's prime lineup is stronger.

No arguments about availability, though, or mostly cost across the board.
 

narlus

Eastcoast Softcore
Staff member
Nov 7, 2001
24,658
63
behind the viewfinder
nikon needs to ditch that annoying white 'focus-finder' light...that thing is ****ing awful.


btw, Boris had their own photog w/ them last night, and he was shooting Canon...smart man. :D
 

stevew

resident influencer
Sep 21, 2001
40,494
9,524
btw, Boris had their own photog w/ them last night, and he was shooting Canon...smart man. :D
So did you shoot, or just sit back and enjoy the show?

How was torche? I have heard good things about them.
 

narlus

Eastcoast Softcore
Staff member
Nov 7, 2001
24,658
63
behind the viewfinder
i was shooting. it was fvcking nuts up at the front, and i took my toys and bailed after 3 songs. my thighs were getting crushed at the edge of the stage.

torche were really good...i saw 'em open for Mogwai in '06 and this was lightyears better. they discovered the riff and the tune, both things which were missing last time. opened w/ the riff of 'she's so heavy'....brilliant!

boris were really good, better than i was expecting since i didn't like _Smile_ all that much. but w/ Kurihara playing, it railed. the long song at the end was a headtrip.

i'll get some shots up...i think i got some good ones, but their stage setup makes things difficult.
 

Silver

find me a tampon
Jul 20, 2002
10,840
1
Orange County, CA
nikon needs to ditch that annoying white 'focus-finder' light...that thing is ****ing awful.
You can turn that off. When I see that, it reminds me of someone who doesn't turn off the beep on focus function...of course, if you're shooting a 1DMk3, you don't need that light because Canon's flagship PJ/Sports Camera can't track focus anyways.

Canon might have nice primes, but that's doesn't mean **** all in the real world. I shoot an event where two years ago it was probably 80% Canon and 20% Nikon. Last year it was damn near 50/50. A bunch of the AP guys switched over. A whole lot of D3s and D300s. You're in a very small niche of photography where using flash is verboten. For everyone else, Nikon is about 10 years ahead of Canon in that department.

And for ****s sake, stop calling them Noinks. It was sort of funny when Nikon was fumbling around a few years ago, but now that they have their act together and have stepped up to Canon in every category with the exception of high MP studio stuff (where 12 vs 16MP is not a huge deal, and if it really is a deal breaker you ought to be shooting MF anyways) it's getting tiresome. You're starting to sound like a guy driving a 95 Taurus insisting that American cars are the end all be all :D

(Full disclosure: I shoot both systems, but I prefer Nikon's ergonomics. And flash, obviously.)
 

blue

boob hater
Jan 24, 2004
10,160
2
california
I was just post processing some wedding photos I shot with a D300 when I had it for a week a few months back.

I'm still kind of hurt at how awful the noise is compared to my ancient 20D.

*whistles tune*
 

narlus

Eastcoast Softcore
Staff member
Nov 7, 2001
24,658
63
behind the viewfinder
You can turn that off. When I see that, it reminds me of someone who doesn't turn off the beep on focus function...of course, if you're shooting a 1DMk3, you don't need that light because Canon's flagship PJ/Sports Camera can't track focus anyways.
has the rollout of the new noinks been trouble-free? not that i track that info, but have heard of battery and other problems; the D200 had a significant banding issue upon rollout as well.

Canon might have nice primes, but that's doesn't mean **** all in the real world. I shoot an event where two years ago it was probably 80% Canon and 20% Nikon. Last year it was damn near 50/50. A bunch of the AP guys switched over. A whole lot of D3s and D300s. You're in a very small niche of photography where using flash is verboten. For everyone else, Nikon is about 10 years ahead of Canon in that department.
ok...tell me that fashion shooters don't use strobes, nor primes.


And for ****s sake, stop calling them Noinks. It was sort of funny when Nikon was fumbling around a few years ago, but now that they have their act together and have stepped up to Canon in every category with the exception of high MP studio stuff (where 12 vs 16MP is not a huge deal, and if it really is a deal breaker you ought to be shooting MF anyways) it's getting tiresome. You're starting to sound like a guy driving a 95 Taurus insisting that American cars are the end all be all :D
the 1ds mkIII is 21 mp, not 16. basically you are getting MF performance at a 35mm size/cost basis.

my '95 taurus (i mean 5D) can still take pretty good pictures.
 

Silver

find me a tampon
Jul 20, 2002
10,840
1
Orange County, CA
has the rollout of the new noinks been trouble-free? not that i track that info, but have heard of battery and other problems; the D200 had a significant banding issue upon rollout as well.



ok...tell me that fashion shooters don't use strobes, nor primes.
A few problems with batteries on the D300. The D3 has been trouble free. And it focuses in bright light.

Fashion shooters do use primes. A lot of them also use medium format. Which was my point. And 1Ds3 gets you into MF price territory, which sort of negates the advantage.

A wonderful photographer I assist on a regular basis has an 85 1.2. I'd guess in the last year it's been used for less than 0.01% of all the shots he has taken in the past year. The advantages over the 70-200 just don't outweigh the disadvantages unless you're pixel peeping at test charts.

Of course you 5D still works. I saw a shot the other day that was amazing, and it was taken with a 10D. The camera doesn't really matter that much, it's the guy holding it. In your case, you'd do better with a Holga than a fanboy would with either Nikon or Canon's latest offering.
 

narlus

Eastcoast Softcore
Staff member
Nov 7, 2001
24,658
63
behind the viewfinder
A few problems with batteries on the D300. The D3 has been trouble free. And it focuses in bright light.

Fashion shooters do use primes. A lot of them also use medium format. Which was my point. And 1Ds3 gets you into MF price territory, which sort of negates the advantage.
the 1ds mkIII is 8K; what's a high-res MF w/ digital back go for? i'd bet at least triple. my buddy shoots w/ the high-end hassy, and that's close to 35K. then there are the lenses (and overall weight of the setup...my point is that you can use the canon 1Ds to do MF-type stuff w/ the resolution you get, but also have the portability and lens selection of a 35mm system).

A wonderful photographer I assist on a regular basis has an 85 1.2. I'd guess in the last year it's been used for less than 0.01% of all the shots he has taken in the past year. The advantages over the 70-200 just don't outweigh the disadvantages unless you're pixel peeping at test charts.
the bokeh difference in 2 stops (from f/1.2 -> f/2.8) is pretty pronounced. it depends on the look you are going for.

Of course you 5D still works. I saw a shot the other day that was amazing, and it was taken with a 10D. The camera doesn't really matter that much, it's the guy holding it. In your case, you'd do better with a Holga than a fanboy would with either Nikon or Canon's latest offering.
it all depends on what sort of stuff you shoot; the body (and glass) can make a difference. in other applications, it doesn't. i'm sure a good shooter could thoroughly outclass me if i had a 1Ds Mk III and any lens i wanted, and they were using a 1st gen rebel w/ kit lens. but put us in a dark club w/ the same gear and it's a different story.

anyway, i hope that canon wakes up and re-assesses their strategy. i've got too much sunk into the system to sustain the ~10-15% loss of selling my gear, and the ~10% markup on comparable noink (there's that word again!) lenses for me to make a system change, esp since the income i get from what i shoot is negligible.
 

Silver

find me a tampon
Jul 20, 2002
10,840
1
Orange County, CA
the 1ds mkIII is 8K; what's a high-res MF w/ digital back go for? i'd bet at least triple. my buddy shoots w/ the high-end hassy, and that's close to 35K. then there are the lenses (and overall weight of the setup...my point is that you can use the canon 1Ds to do MF-type stuff w/ the resolution you get, but also have the portability and lens selection of a 35mm system).
Mamiya ZD is about 7K for the back. Lot of guys have 645 stuff laying around in closets. Is it a Phase 1 or a Hassy? Nope...but then neither is any 35mm SLR. I've worked on image files from both a 1Ds2 and 1Ds3. There isn't really big difference. The nicest things about the 1Ds3 are the larger LCD and the battery.


the bokeh difference in 2 stops (from f/1.2 -> f/2.8) is pretty pronounced. it depends on the look you are going for.
Which is why it gets used fairly infrequently. It's a niche lens. Unless you're a dentist, in which case it's the lens you pop on there to show your friends how knowledgeable about photography you are for your family snapshots. I guess if you were a food photographer you'd use it a lot :)

Anyways, back to Nikon vs. Canon. I actually don't think the D700 is going to sell that well. The 5D has never been a huge seller (none of the high end cameras are, numbers wise) has it? Nikon's biggest coup IMHO was still the D300. They basically took their flagship camera, made it better with regards to frame rate, autofocus, and high iso performance, and sold it at less than half price for what the D2xs was going for. Not too shabby.
 

narlus

Eastcoast Softcore
Staff member
Nov 7, 2001
24,658
63
behind the viewfinder
i see a lot of guys on POTN using the 85 f/1.2 w/ pretty remarkable results.


if i was already a D200 owner w/ 5-6 lenses, i'd definitely get a D700. hell, if i owned a D300 i'd do the swap. instantly.
 

binary visions

The voice of reason
Jun 13, 2002
22,092
1,132
NC
I was just post processing some wedding photos I shot with a D300 when I had it for a week a few months back.

I'm still kind of hurt at how awful the noise is compared to my ancient 20D.
You're using it wrong. Period.