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Archive 2012 · Ready to go full frame: best choice for high ISO?

Mescalamba
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p.2 #1 · Ready to go full frame: best choice for high ISO?

D700 or D3s, depending on money. Unless you really need very high ISO, then I would buy D700 and spend rest on some high quality lens.

Mar 16, 2012 at 04:38 PM

jdben622
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p.2 #2 · Ready to go full frame: best choice for high ISO?

Had my D3s for about a year and I can't think of a time it disappointed. Also had a D7000 at the same time. It is a very good camera, but different league completely at the higher ISOs. In fact, not much difference IMO at 1600 and below. ISO 6400 on the D3s can be shot without too much care. It has pretty forgiving files. It's a sweet machine.

Mar 16, 2012 at 04:45 PM

thr1961
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p.2 #3 · Ready to go full frame: best choice for high ISO?

With the release of some new models and a renewed interest in upgrading, I'm bringing this thread back to life.

To recap, I am currently shooting a D7000 using a 24-70 2.8, a 50mm 1.8, and an 80-200 2.8 (in that order). I shoot a lot of indoor rock climbing, but also love urban landscape work. Low light work is critical and so high iso is key. I rarely print, relying on electronic as my main viewing. I do not require huge images.

Still drawn to the D3S, but struggle with even the used prices! My plan is to sell the 7000 and likely the 80-200 and go full frame. It still seems like the D3S or the 700 are the obvious choices, but what other views do you all have now?

Thanks!

Dec 29, 2012 at 02:19 PM

NathanHamler
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p.2 #4 · Ready to go full frame: best choice for high ISO?

Wellll, if your output is strictly web sized or maybe a little larger, how does the D7000 not fit the bill? i shoot 3200 and 6400 all day long with my D7000 and at web sized they look incredible.....that being said, if you want FX for reasons the D7000 cant reproduce, then get a D700....For some reason i thought they were selling higher than they actually are, but if you actually BID on ebay, not buy it now, they're selling for around $1,150-1,300 all day long....BUT, you gotta find ones that aren't Buy It Now, and cross your fingers that you win......i just bought a D3 for $1,300, with 250k shots, but i still think it's a good deal...so i'm pretty happy...

Dec 29, 2012 at 03:40 PM

davidnholtjr
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p.2 #5 · Ready to go full frame: best choice for high ISO?

thr1961 wrote:
With the release of some new models and a renewed interest in upgrading, I'm bringing this thread back to life.

To recap, I am currently shooting a D7000 using a 24-70 2.8, a 50mm 1.8, and an 80-200 2.8 (in that order). I shoot a lot of indoor rock climbing, but also love urban landscape work. Low light work is critical and so high iso is key. I rarely print, relying on electronic as my main viewing. I do not require huge images.

Still drawn to the D3S, but struggle with even the used prices! My plan is to sell the 7000 and likely the 80-200 and go full frame. It still seems like the D3S or the 700 are the obvious choices, but what other views do you all have now?

Thanks!

How about a D3? You can get good deals on them under 2k.

Dec 29, 2012 at 03:45 PM

SoundHound
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p.2 #6 · Ready to go full frame: best choice for high ISO?

I have the D4, D800e and D3s (had the D3 before it). Most of my shooting is low light dance action. The D3s is the value leader in ultimate hi ISO low light performance with a full stop advantage over the D3/D700. The D4 appears, to me-after resizing, to be the equal of the D3s for low light.

The main D4 bonus are the improved controls and maybe a little better super low light AF. The D4 has another 1fps (10 verses 9=significant) and and even larger buffer for long burst action. The Canon 1Dx is a fine camera but not quite the equal of the D3s/D4 in low light AF and, of course, it costs lots more.

Dec 29, 2012 at 03:59 PM

Nathan Padgett
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p.2 #7 · Ready to go full frame: best choice for high ISO?

SoundHound wrote:
I have the D4, D800e and D3s (had the D3 before it). Most of my shooting is low light dance action. The D3s is the value leader in ultimate hi ISO low light performance with a full stop advantage over the D3/D700. The D4 appears, to me-after resizing, to be the equal of the D3s for low light.

The main D4 bonus are the improved controls and maybe a little better super low light AF. The D4 has another 1fps (10 verses 9=significant) and and even larger buffer for long burst action. The Canon 1Dx is a fine camera but not quite the equal of the D3s/D4 in low light AF and, of course, it costs lots more.

Agreed. I've got a D4, D3s, and a couple of D700's right now. Honestly, they are all close. The D4 and D3s are very close, but honestly the D700 isn't that far behind. You'd be hard pressed to find point out differences at ISo 6400 noise wise. The color and tonal range seems better on the D4/D3s at high ISO but that is something that is tougher to point out in test shots.

Dec 29, 2012 at 04:48 PM

sjms
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p.2 #8 · Ready to go full frame: best choice for high ISO?

I have a D4 and a D7000. I've been going lightweight lately with the 7K. no legset either though I should have.

Nikon D7000 ,Sigma 17-70mm F2.8-4 DC Macro OS HSM
1/100s f/5.6 at 17.0mm iso12800

This image is copyrighted by the owner

This image is copyrighted by the owner

Nikon D7000 ,Sigma 17-70mm F2.8-4 DC Macro OS HSM
1/50s f/5.0 at 17.0mm iso12800

This image is copyrighted by the owner

This image is copyrighted by the owner

Nikon D7000 ,Sigma 17-70mm F2.8-4 DC Macro OS HSM
1/80s f/5.0 at 62.0mm iso12800

This image is copyrighted by the owner

This image is copyrighted by the owner

all thrown through DxO 8.1.1 Elite and then a little futzing around and tightening up in PS6 while in Berlin the last week. somehow I manage to get something reasonable out of it.

Dec 29, 2012 at 05:19 PM

thr1961
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p.2 #9 · Ready to go full frame: best choice for high ISO?

Yup, the 7k does fine with images such as the above. It is the poorly lit, fast moving indoor sports where it falls short. I can get passable images at 6400 iso, but know more is possible. It seems the 700 and D3 are very close and the primary gain will be full frame benefits. It is the D3s where the world shifts! The challenge is, of course, cost. Decent used bodies seem to be in the mid to high $3k range. I can swing it, but need to give it due thought.

Dec 30, 2012 at 01:46 PM

frezeiss
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p.2 #10 · Ready to go full frame: best choice for high ISO?

D700 is worlds apart to D7K in high iso and AF, not to metion FX dof upperhand..

The D7K AF just doesnt work that good, I've gave it 6 month to try different settings but its still same misses in the end. However I do like the colors coming from the D7K better than D700.

Dec 30, 2012 at 04:05 PM

RRRoger
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p.2 #11 · Ready to go full frame: best choice for high ISO?

trenchmonkey wrote:
IMHO the jury's STILL out on the high ISO abilities of the D4 vs a proven D3s. You be lookin' @ a $1500+ price diff
for maybe not that much more.

Patience, grasshopper....patience.

quote<<<

The D4 has slightly better High ISO, not absolute higher ISO.
Unless you need higher resolution and Video, the D3s is a much better investment.
I am waiting for the D5 myself but would not turn down either if someone wants to give me one.

Dec 30, 2012 at 04:39 PM

trenchmonkey
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p.2 #12 · Ready to go full frame: best choice for high ISO?

The D7K AF just doesnt work that good
Sounds a lot like operator error

Dec 30, 2012 at 04:53 PM

RRRoger
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p.2 #13 · Ready to go full frame: best choice for high ISO?

trenchmonkey wrote:
The D7K AF just doesnt work that good
Sounds a lot like operator error

quote<<<

Yup, I agree!
But you are probably getting at least 90% out of your D7k
and most people are lucky to get 20% of their cameras potential.
You could probably get better pictures from a D40 than most could get with a D4.

A used D7k is the best bargain out there right now.
Seems that more people are dumping those to get a D600 than anything else.
The price is now so low (new and used) that it may actually go up.

Dec 30, 2012 at 04:59 PM

sjms
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p.2 #14 · Ready to go full frame: best choice for high ISO?

trenchmonkey wrote:
The D7K AF just doesnt work that good
Sounds a lot like operator error

+1

Dec 30, 2012 at 06:10 PM

sjms
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p.2 #15 · Ready to go full frame: best choice for high ISO?

now the D700 ( I previously owned one) is a good solid camera. it biggest drawback is it buffer for any real HS work. it will do the job with the grip but if you are doing a running game you can eat the buffer up in a few short bursts. the same for the D3 unless you find one with the buffer upgraded. then you have a better then solid option to use under rapid lower light situations. in many situations its better to have and not need then need and not have.

this image was from a series of short bursts I just shot of the Army Golden Knights jumping onto Liberty Island. it was the last frame before the camera buffered out due to the multiple inbound jumpers at different locations coming in on the same target. this shot became the front cover of Parachutist Magazine July 2009. shot with my then D700/70-200 2.8 VR. kinda wished it had more buffer memory. could have gotten a few extra off. I shoot raw 90% of the time.

This image is copyrighted by the owner

This image is copyrighted by the owner

Dec 30, 2012 at 06:22 PM

RRRoger
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p.2 #16 · Ready to go full frame: best choice for high ISO?

sjms,

Better get a D4 with the newest XQD II card if you want to do better than that!

Dec 30, 2012 at 08:45 PM

Kerry Pierce
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p.2 #17 · Ready to go full frame: best choice for high ISO?

trenchmonkey wrote:
The D7K AF just doesnt work that good
Sounds a lot like operator error

I know that you say this a lot and I hate to be disagreeable, but my experiences with my d7k are less than wonderful. Using the same lenses and under the same conditions, the d7k consistently performs poorly when compared to my d300, d700 and d3s, especially at longer distances.

Now, I'm open to the suggestion that it could be operator error on my part, but I don't understand why I can consistently get better results from my other bodies than I can with the d7k. I've been doing low light action shooting for a long time and AF just hasn't been a problem for me, until I got the d7k. IMO, AF operation and selection of its different parameters isn't rocket science. I'm not the brightest bulb in the box, but configuring the AF hasn't ever been a big deal to me.

thanks
Kerry

Dec 30, 2012 at 09:02 PM

davidnholtjr
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p.2 #18 · Ready to go full frame: best choice for high ISO?

I'm with Kerry on this one.

I've had the D7k for 3 months now and it's just not cutting it. I got better results using the same settings and lenses on my D300, D700 and D3 then the D7k. So I'm probably going to pick up a D300s or just see what is coming up next and hope a high end DX body comes out.

Dec 30, 2012 at 09:23 PM

trenchmonkey
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p.2 #19 · Ready to go full frame: best choice for high ISO?

You boys need to tweak yer settings, then. I'll bet I can take your camera and enjoy an obscene rate of in focus captures.

It's not quite the D800/D3/D700 AF but damn good once learned. FWIW I've been offering my settings for a beer for over
a year now, and lots of happy (prior frustrated) campers have since joined the fold. Just sayin'

@OP: apologies this keeps gettin' steered OT

Dec 30, 2012 at 09:49 PM

sjms
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p.2 #20 · Ready to go full frame: best choice for high ISO?

RRRoger wrote:
sjms,

Better get a D4 with the newest XQD II card if you want to do better than that!

I do and there is quite a difference in more ways then just raw speed. I got one of the originals in the country. XQD II has yet to surface just as CFast II is a promise. there is a big difference between a 10 frame buffer and a 59 one 14bit raw believe me I know.

Dec 30, 2012 at 10:14 PM

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