p.1 #1 · Simply amazing D700 & my thoughts on why i switched from Canon
First real outing with the D700. Shot last week in the Gorge, but not the best conditions and wasn't really stoked to shoot the same stuff I have shot 1.2 million times.
Get out today - in ideal conditions, and man; the D700 blew away any expectations I had. I was more worried about the Tokina lens I have - only lens i have. Even the lens exceeded what I expected! Can't wait to get something higher quality.
I am still learning the camera, and needs some more dialing in. I just updated the firmware and also entered the lens profile into the camera, if you will. Crazy that it knows what aperture it is at, and the lens has the aperture on the lens barrel.. Colors I still need to get down.. oh well, I have been up since 3 am...
p.1 #4 · Simply amazing D700 & my thoughts on why i switched from Canon
Nice shot indeed Dustin. Congrats on your new camera (used I assume) If you get a chance, and some time to save some money, I'd suggest you to get one of the Zeiss lenses for landscape. The 35mm f/1.4 or 21mm f/2.8 are absolutely stunning pieces of glass you get buy. They aren't cheap, but so worth it, if you don't mind a manual focus. That will get you to the "higher quality" you referring to...
p.1 #8 · Simply amazing D700 & my thoughts on why i switched from Canon
Zichar wrote:
Very nice Dustin; so what's gonna happen to the F5?
Well, I am going to get her fixed. The power button (95% sure) doesn't work, but the LCD shows how many frames are left on the roll when batteries are inserted.
Once I get her fixed, I will use my last roll of my beloved Fuji Reala - side by side with my D700, and probably sell her. I would absolutely love to shoot film, but I shot film as a personal project -- to see if I could get the same results as I did with my 1Ds. I feel I accomplished this. FIlm is getting harder to find (the film I like) in 35mm - and it is not cheap. $30 a roll of film is what it cost me (for the roll, developing and scanning).
p.1 #12 · Simply amazing D700 & my thoughts on why i switched from Canon
Lovely shot, Dustin.
I've been using my d300/d700 combo since they both were introduced. The d300 has long, gray hair and is losing its teeth, long ready for retirement. But, to me, the d700 is just as fresh today, as it was the day I got it. I did buy a d3s recently, which is basically a d700 on steroids, but the d700 still brings home some great images, in almost any type of event. I don't figure on replacing either one, anytime soon.
p.1 #13 · Simply amazing D700 & my thoughts on why i switched from Canon
mshi wrote:
The world has moved on and only you and I are still shooting D700. Great shot!
put me on the list mickey i just cant sell this one simply amazing
p.1 #16 · Simply amazing D700 & my thoughts on why i switched from Canon
Thanks for the comments everyone. Here are some of my thoughts on switching from Canon...
Crazy to think I used Canon for the last 10 years, and I switched systems after using a film camera, of all things. I was so impressed with the F5 - the build (serious, that thing is a work of art) and layout, that I started to look at Nikon digital cameras. My lens is Nikon mount, and was using it on my 1Ds .
I am used to the big, heavy, bulky cameras - I like the heft. I didn't realize that the D700 was so closely related to the D3 - sorta like an "ungripped" D3, until I started doing research. Much research is done before I buy anything - in this case, a few months.
Sure, I looked at what Canon had - but the 1Ds2 was not a significant enough upgrade to me, to make it worth it. Still had no real LCD, used old batteries that suck, and was also a dust magnet. I seriously spent like 20 minutes cloning out dust bunnies on the 1Ds files. Became more of a chore than it was worth I felt. 1Ds3 was out of my budget. The 5D2, while having great IQ, just isn't in the same league as the D700, in my opinion. The build quality difference is night and day, and that is one of the reasons I switched. I don't need video either. AF is also a concern, although I have yet to own an AF capable lens . The Nikon 85mm is on the horizon.
Never having held a D700 before purchasing this thing, the first thing that struck me was the build quality; it is almost as heavy as the F5 w/o batteries. Also, the LCD is amazing - as is the IQ - even better than my highly regarded 1Ds. Not having ISO 50 and only 95% coverage on the VF, I thought would be a drawback. Truth be told, the omission of these things has not hindered me one bit. I used ISO 50 so I could use a slower shutter speed, as I don't utilize filers. Now I just need to learn how to use LV. I do like how mirror lock up is much easier accessible on the D700 (and F5 for that matter) than buried in menus.
So all in all, I think it is a good match. Here is another shot..
p.1 #18 · Simply amazing D700 & my thoughts on why i switched from Canon
I'd be lying if I said I didn't ever want D800 performance at my disposal, but I would also be kidding myself if I thought I was more of a photographer than the D700 is a camera. There are only two scenarios where the D700 makes we wish for higher performance, but fortunately they're rare.
The first is high ISO shooting in dim, incandescent light. When I selectively pull up shadows, color saturation/fidelity doesn't match the rest of the image and noise starts to creep in. I use use ISO 3200 as my upper limit for acceptable color photographs, and even then I sometimes resort to Noiseware to clean it up. The example below is about as much as I can push the camera and be happy with the result (14mm f/2.8 1/25s ISO 3200):
The other case is where more pixels would be nice, especially in locations that blow my mind. The 14-24 on its wide end is able to create images that transport me back to those special places, and those are the pictures that would be the most exciting to print very large. In this scene, I wish there was more detail of the individual stones and weeds, which have a texture that the D700 comes up just a bit short of capturing:
Still, I'm quite happy with both images, and at these sizes have nothing to apologize for. For the other 99.9% of my shooting, the D700 continues to be an exciting camera that amazes me with its capabilities. Your enthusiasm is a refreshing break from the gotta-have-the-latest-thing virus that's so easy to catch. Have fun, enjoy, and keep sharing!
