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Archive 2014 · considering DX body backup's to D800/D800e

---XR---
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · considering DX body backup's to D800/D800e

hey guys, been out of the game for awhile do to work. Coming back, held onto alot of my previous glass but my bodies are getting dated, (haven't shot since before the D800 came out) Yikes!

That's looking like a solid option for me considering there has still not been any update to a D400 (duh- pro body, 24+MP's, 8-9 FPS, DX crop 1.3-1.4ish yadda yadda..) which is dissapointing.... gotta make do, and 36 MP's with the performance i've seen, will do the trick for now.

But! i need a backup, and for that.. i am lost in the sauce. There's things like this new fangled D7100, i never loved the build of the upper echelon amatuer cams, small body's, dial layout (basic ergonomics), but for a backup, i'll deal. i'm looking primarily for
input on D5300, D7100, and the issues you guys have had- i heard buffering is an issue due to the influx of MP's that nikon's churing out?

Just something decent around a grand i can slap a Zeiss on and put around my shoulder for a walkabout. D800 will primarily hold longer glass. Anything i should know about the D800 that's been an issue? I remeber the days of the initial D2H recalls,Yikes!

Jun 08, 2014 at 05:33 AM

Big Appa
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · considering DX body backup's to D800/D800e

D7100, you won't like the mirror prism on the 5300.

Ed

Jun 08, 2014 at 06:00 AM

Taoguy
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · considering DX body backup's to D800/D800e

D7100 is beaten to death on the boards because of the buffer. Its the only DX body I have as a backup to my FX bodies and quickly it moved out of the backup status. Great camera in so many ways. For reference my other bodies are the D800e, Df, D3s, and D3x, and the Df and D7100 are getting a lot of use these days.

Gerard

Jun 08, 2014 at 07:05 AM

david debalko
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · considering DX body backup's to D800/D800e

There is a rumor of a flagship DX body coming soon - http://www.cameraegg.org/category/nikon-d9300/

Jun 08, 2014 at 07:51 AM

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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · considering DX body backup's to D800/D800e

david debalko wrote:
There is a rumor of a flagship DX body coming soon - http://www.cameraegg.org/category/nikon-d9300/

any word on possible release date or spec's?

Jun 08, 2014 at 08:33 AM

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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · considering DX body backup's to D800/D800e

Taoguy wrote:
D7100 is beaten to death on the boards because of the buffer. Its the only DX body I have as a backup to my FX bodies and quickly it moved out of the backup status. Great camera in so many ways. For reference my other bodies are the D800e, Df, D3s, and D3x, and the Df and D7100 are getting a lot of use these days.

Gerard

resounding yes for 7100 from you than, hahhaa

, i take it that the buffer issue is more blown out of the water than a legitamately complicating issue- In your experience? i do occasional BIF work..

Jun 08, 2014 at 08:37 AM

Taoguy
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · considering DX body backup's to D800/D800e

I shoot BIF, I'm an old duffer, had a camera in hand long before autofocus came along. Somehow we managed to get a few shots in focus. I've done air to air aviation with the D3x that has a good buffer but at a snails pace in the fps dept. Just a tool and the operator needs to learn to maximize the capability.

Gerard

Jun 08, 2014 at 01:38 PM

gfinlayson
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · considering DX body backup's to D800/D800e

For a backup to the D800, I'd give serious consideration to a D7k. The files have a very similar 'look'. The D7100's just aren't cutting it for me......

Jun 19, 2014 at 04:18 PM

james.d53
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · considering DX body backup's to D800/D800e

---XR--- wrote:
hey guys, been out of the game for awhile do to work. Coming back, held onto alot of my previous glass but my bodies are getting dated, (haven't shot since before the D800 came out) Yikes!

That's looking like a solid option for me considering there has still not been any update to a D400 (duh- pro body, 24+MP's, 8-9 FPS, DX crop 1.3-1.4ish yadda yadda..) which is dissapointing.... gotta make do, and 36 MP's with the performance i've seen, will do the trick for now.

But! i need a backup, and for that.. i am lost in the sauce. There's...Show more →

I don't shoot sports for money, but I would pick up a used D700 if it were me, or another D800 when the 810's are released. I'm from the film days and 4 to 5 frames a second are great for me. I'll always get a few sharp ones that are keepers. I don't like to have two different systems Fx and Dx. That is just me and my opinion.

Jun 19, 2014 at 05:50 PM

ChipThome
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · considering DX body backup's to D800/D800e

There's one option to the D5300 that none of the other Nikons offer and that's the articulating screen. If you are wondering what it's good for, hold a camera over your head and try to frame the shot. I use it all the time, not just when it's over my head.

For a backup, that articulating screen just might be the trick to getting something you otherwise might miss.

Jun 21, 2014 at 02:37 AM

hijazist
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · considering DX body backup's to D800/D800e

The D7100 is a brilliant camera and much better than the D7000, at least in my experience. Better AF, better ISO, more MPs, faster FPS and more features. The low price is the icing on the cake

Jun 21, 2014 at 04:25 AM

Frogfish
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · considering DX body backup's to D800/D800e

---XR--- wrote:
Just something decent around a grand i can slap a Zeiss on and put around my shoulder for a walkabout. D800 will primarily hold longer glass. Anything i should know about the D800 that's been an issue? I remember the days of the initial D2H recalls,Yikes!

If you are looking at a camera for use with MF glass and as a walkabout then the option is clear : Sony A7 or A7r for use with those Zeiss. Seriously gorgeous combination and an MF focusing dream.

You can find the A7 for very close to the price of the D7100 now.

Jun 21, 2014 at 04:32 AM

the solitaire
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · considering DX body backup's to D800/D800e

There is one benefit in carrying FX and DX in one bag. You get a 1,5x teleconverter without the light loss when using the crop sensor camera.

You would get that and more when switching the D800 to crop mode but since you specifically ask for a $1k backup I presume you intend to carry both with different focal lengths mounted like I hope to do from now on.

After giving my gear a lot of consideration, thoughts and a small dose of contemplation and a pinch of pondering I also ended up with one FX and one DX camera in my bag.

This is a fairly recent development for me. I paid for my FX camera today and expect it here towards the end of the week so I can not tell you how it really is to field a kit like that.

I can only say that even now that I purchased an FX body I still consider the DX body very capable and more practical for long glass as long as light permits. Saves me the use of TC's or exotic long glass for my means and that keeps my camera bag lighter and smaller.

As to the D7100, it is more camera then I would need for my DX preferences. I guess the buffer issue really only slows down those who shoot large NEF sequences. Then again, my kit consists of a D300 and a D3 and with the D300 I also had a few situations where I ran out of buffer shooting NEF. From the specifications the D300 at 12 bit NEF and the D7100 at 12 bit NEF should be about equal give or take the odd buffered image. When shooting JPG it'll be even more of a non-issue.

If fair to poor high ISO performance is not an issue you could consider picking up a good used D300. It has a button layout very similar to the D800 and about the same body size. That means that after some practice you should be able to operate both cameras blindly. With the D7100 one of my biggest gripes is ergonomics. The buttons are in the wrong place for my hands, some buttons are not even there and the grip is so narrow that my hand just feels cramped which is bad when carrying a long lens on the camera, which is just what I would use it for. The D7100 is D90 sized. My girlfriend loves it, I think it's too small. But that's a matter of personal preference I guess.

Jun 21, 2014 at 06:04 AM

glassartist
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · considering DX body backup's to D800/D800e

First of all, I love my D7100. It does everything it does at a high level and a reasonable price. As for the the buffer issue I have two words: shot discipline.

But I have a related question . . . How do you effectively use manual focus glass without a split prism screen? I frankly have never taken to the focussing dot. I've tried an Oly omd-M10 with focus peaking, and that is just a pleasure to use, but I've never gotten the hang of MF on a DSLR . . .. Any hints?

Jun 21, 2014 at 09:20 AM

the solitaire
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · considering DX body backup's to D800/D800e

On DX I strongly recommend replacing the stock matte screen for one with a micro prism AND shimming the new screen until focus is spot on.

In my D300 I needed to take out the original Nikon metal shim and replace it with the somwehat thinner plastic shim that came with the split prism screen.

Before I fitted the split prism screen I just watched for sharpness through the viewfinder. The focus dot is not really that accurate but it's a good starting point and for that quite reliable.

When using fast glass things become a bit tricky because there will be a DoF area that look sidentical through the viewfinder. You turn the focus ring and nothing big changes. Especially with f1,4 and f1,2 lenses you have to estimate the DoF at f2,8 (which is about the shallowest DoF the focus screen can display) and know that measured from the camera your DoF extends 2/3rds towards infinity and 1/3rd toward you from the focal plane. That's where you want to position your focal plane when working with a shallow DoF.

It's a process of estimation you get used to when using fast manual glass on your dSLR a lot.

So in short:
1) use the focus confirmation dot and the image on your focus screen to get close
2) look closely for details and contrasty edges to tune in
3) estimate the exact position of the focal plane by closely watching the changes on your focus screen

Alternatively you could use live view but for sports and anything that moves as well as photography in the field without use of a tripod that's more dodgy then doing things the "old fashioned" way

The split prism screens really help. I need one in the D3 as well, even though it does mess up spot metering. (center weighted and matrix remain unaffected, as well as AF performance. The AF modules light path does not cross the focus screen, the light meters one does, and the center 3% is occupied bythe prism hence it's measurements are out of whack)

Jun 21, 2014 at 11:10 AM

glassartist
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · considering DX body backup's to D800/D800e

Thanks much. I look forward to practicing.

Jun 21, 2014 at 11:14 AM

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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · considering DX body backup's to D800/D800e

Thanks all, looking like the D7100 for now, Nikon definitely stepped up the upper end amateur cams. Might get 2 if the D800e drops in price with the d810 on the horizon..

Jun 22, 2014 at 10:18 PM

Lauchlan Toal
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · considering DX body backup's to D800/D800e

The D7100 has a lot of advantages already mentioned here, and is more similar to the D800 than the D5300 is. Unless you do lots of shots from odd angles where the flip out screen would help, the D7100 is a clear winner.

Jun 22, 2014 at 10:23 PM

JimFox
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · considering DX body backup's to D800/D800e

I would get the D600 and stay all Full Frame...

Jim

Jun 23, 2014 at 02:48 AM


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