Theres always tons of reasons, sometimes people just can't afford it. Sometimes its more than what they need. Buyers remorse. Wife drama. The list goes on and on and on.
Have not sold mine (nor do I plan on it) but my biggest dissapointment by far is not file size as that's easily fixed with memory and hard drive space. It's the live view image. I use it so much for landscapes and it's unacceptable and maddening when you try and focus a MF lens. But, I accepted it... and have a workaround... Now it's been so long I can't remember how nice my D700 and D300s team was.
So if I were to sell, it would be because of that...
I returned my d800e and got a d4. D800 was / is fantastic but for me the combination of high mb file sizes, 4fps and the fact that with so many pixels my focus inadequacies became more apparent made me switch. Now if indoor tripod shooting or shooting more static subjects were the better part of what I shoot the d800 would be tough to beat. Quite honestly the D800 performed excellently and exactly as advertised and it was me that just chose wrong in the first place.
ckcarr wrote:
Have not sold mine (nor do I plan on it) but my biggest dissapointment by far is not file size as that's easily fixed with memory and hard drive space. It's the live view image....... But, I accepted it...and have a workaround...
I love my D800. But I would also be very happy with a D600..
To be honest, alI I wanted/needed specwise was a D600. But I bit the bullet the day D800 preorders went live as I couldn't foresee Nikon's intentions..
I am, and staying, with D800e. I moved from Canon 5D Mark II, so file size jump was not as significant as for D700/D3 users. Also I build my own computer so adding extra memory or swapping for a new CPU is trivial and cheap.
There were four reasons for my switch from Canon; more MP, more DR, no AA filter, better AF (as compare to 5D Mark II). Like others, I was also disappointed by Live View, so much so that I returned the first D800 that I bought. However after returning my first D800 I started looking at the pictures that I took from it again, and was so impressed that I bought another D800 again, until the D800e showed up, which I really like for everything from family pictures to landscape.
I don't like Nikon's interface, it has button in every nook and cranny, and in unspeakable places where I blush to put my finger on. I also don't like Nikon's menu system which follows a twisted logic and is impossible to pre-program. However I plan to stay with Nikon for now, at least until a worthwhile Canon (or Sony or Pentax) alternative appears, which I don't think will be any time soon.
I bought the D800 this past summer from B&H after ordering it in March. The first time I used the 10 pin connector, the connector on the camera fell into the camera. Since I was leaving for my home (Hong Kong) in 7 days, I had a real problem. Nikon Hong Kong wont honor a US guarantee. Thank God I bought from B&H since I could return the camera.
Last week I bought a D800E in Hong Kong. The pricing is now $50 cheaper than the US (excluding rebates) - so Nikon Hong Kong has eliminated their 18% premium which only started with the D4.
The camera is good, the file sizes are large but resolution is great. However, my D4 is much more practical, built much, much better and seems to focus better and have better dynamic range (even if the testing labs disagree).
Just wished I lived in the US so I could shop at B&H exclusively.
JTS1 wrote:
However, my D4 is much more practical, built much, much better and seems to focus better and have better dynamic range (even if the testing labs disagree).
D800 has an advantage at base ISO of 100 (a full stop advantage). The two are tied at 200-400 ISO. At higher ISOs than that D4 has better dynamic range.
If you want to maximize utilization of D800's DR capability, you have to shoot at 100-200 ISO.
I can't comment about the D800, but after a few weeks with the D600 and seeing 24Meg I can see that there might be some regret and or fascination with 36.
The detail and DR in the D600 is amazing, love the small formfactor, I can see that file size for 36 could be a hassle. The reality is that my D4 and D600 are almost pefect combo and even 12 was more than enough for really nice 16x20 prints.
I shoot a lot on a tripod and the worthless line skipped fake live view is a deal breaker for me. I spent a lot of money renting the D800E and new Zeiss 15 to shoot the fall colors this weekend and didn't get one goddamn shot because I don't have the vision to focus a lens that wide without live view zoom. I am furious.
Lee Saxon wrote:
I shoot a lot on a tripod and the worthless line skipped fake live view is a deal breaker for me. I spent a lot of money renting the D800E and new Zeiss 15 to shoot the fall colors this weekend and didn't get one goddamn shot because I don't have the vision to focus a lens that wide without live view zoom. I am furious.
Wow, that is extreme emotion. Didn't you read reviews?
Fwiw, I am able to manually ficus using live view, except at night and in full manual mode.
my 800E to me is a dream come true,, love those large files and all the info contained,, I crop a lot as shooting on water you don't always have the ability of getting close so the large file offers me far more latitude, the glass only reaches so far,,
I always said if Nikonever came out with a high MP camera and no AA I will write the check and I did,, nary an issue with the camera and it certainly will test your abilities,,
not for everyone but I have photos that are amazing to me and I have had a camera in hand for 50+ years,,
Nikon, now do and I repeat DO NOT come out with a 50 or 60 mp camera in another year or the DW may finally put her foot down on my photo buying,,
bemyzeke wrote:
Wow, that is extreme emotion. Didn't you read reviews?
I knew about the "exposure preview" thing that makes it useless with strobes, ie 90% of my shooting, which is why I didn't buy one. But no review I saw mentioned the line skipping which to me is a bigger flaw!!
I tried a couple of D800s and returned them instead of selling them. Both had the focusing issue.
Didn't love the file size, hated how they moved the mode button. I still have mixed feelings on the IQ. I still feel like the D3 or D3s files just look better or just as good. I rarely ever touch live view, but I think it is better on the D800 than it is on any Nikons before it.
I did like how much you could save the highlights and push the shadows though.
Robin Casady wrote:
If you don't wear glasses while focusing, the Nikon DK-17M magnifying eyepiece is helpful. If found it a necessity on a D2x, D700, and D800E.
Definitely good advice. I wear glasses and still find it quite helpful.
Not as good as a properly debayered live view zoom, especially for distant landscapes / extreme wide angle, but absolutely worth every penny nonetheless
