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I've been wanting a D700 for about a year & using a fairly old P&S in the mean time.

Do you think it's a tad over the top to buy such a nice (& expensive) DSLR for my first one?

I've picked up & used a fair few models in the shops, Canon, Nikon & Pentax and I have to say that the D700 was my favourite by a long way.

Also, I feel that gradually upgrading with a few cropped sensor cameras before buying a D700 is going to cost me a lot more in the long run.

My plan is to buy the new 50 f/1.8G with it and just go from there.

So yeah, do you think I should go for the D700 or go the more popular path of buying a D90/550D first?

On a slightly different note, the D800 may be released soon, my reasons for not waiting are that it will probably be more than $1000 on top of what ever a D700 costs now (AUD) & the fact that I'm not that interested in video.
So do you think I should wait or just buy the D700?

Thanks

Hi elbeasto,

Your second post in almost a year - deserves a response

The D700 operates like any other DSLR and has a lot of external controls, making it more intuitive than a compact with a many-layer screen interface. From that perspective, it's not "over the top".

"Over the top" may be something to consider in the context of cost and purpose.

Let's start with purpose. If you will print less than..I don't know..say 100...large prints a year, the relative merits of the full-frame sensor, compared to cropped sensors, perhaps is overkill. Same-generation full-frame sensors have a potentially better handling of high-ISO - but D700 is not same-gen to the D7000 for example and the D7000 has better high ISO handling than the D700. If you were looking at a D3s, it would be a different case, but you're not.

Yes, a full frame sensor does offer a potentially wider view with a 14mm-lens than the cropped sensors that essentially stop at 10mm (=15mm on full-frame). But on the longer end, the cropped sensors more easily offers more reach.

Now lets look at cost. When you buy a full-frame camera, you buy into a system where the lenses on average are noticeably more expensive. They may also be a notch better, technically speaking. However, this difference is not relevant for all types of photography.

All in all - if it gives you pleasure for no other reason than you have fallen in love with this camera over all the others, grab it and don't look back. After all, it's not something you have to "justify" to anyone but yourself. But if you are a cost-conscious buyer, you can achieve the same at lesser expense.

Good luck with your choice - and let us know what you end up with?

Cheers

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Nikon stuff and other stuff, but not nearly as much stuff as I really want!

Hey LahLahSr, thanks for the reply,

Yep, I had a medical scare with my eyes last year and so had to cancel my odyssey into photography.
Fortunately my sight has remained bar a small blotch on my left eye which only slightly affects my vision.
(Phew!)

I realise that the D700 is 'last gen' and that croppers have improved with time, (those that have updated their sensors that is), personally that doesn't worry me too much unless we're talking about a D800.

I freely admit that there's a huge 'want' factor in owning and using a D700 but there's also the controls/buttons reason that you mentioned.
With the D700 you spend way less time navigating your way through menus while staring at the back of your camera.
Basically, it's easier to use in terms of the basic functions.

Cost and Purpose; Well I suppose it is a little expensive but I can afford it.

Purpose wise, I can't claim that I currently print that many photos a year but I haven't really begun to shoot seriously yet, (no real camera), so I don't know.
I am pretty keen and have a lot of time to put into it though.

At the end of the day I suppose I have two choices, buy a D5100 - D90 - D7K , start on my photography journey & upgrade later if I need or want to.

OR

Buy a D700 and go forth shooting until the shutter falls out at which point the D800 prices may have come back to earth and pick one up then.

Using a D5100 to absorb much of my beginner talent wouldn't be a bad thing.

Hi elbeasto,

If you can afford it then go for it so long as you are happy with size and weight. I went through two DSLRs in pretty rapid succession before I ended up near the top of Canon's model range with my 5D2 and that wasn't exactly a cost effective way to do things!

Bob.

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OM-D E-M5 + ED 12-50mm, H-PS14042E, H-F007014E, L-RS014150E, M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 45mm 1:1.8.
Gitzo GT1541T, Arca-Swiss Z1 DP ball-head.
Astrophotography: TEC 140 'scope, FLI ML16803 camera, ASA DDM60 Pro mount.

I wouldn't buy a D700 right now, due to the Japan quake prices have skyrocketed to near-introduction prices, and the secondhand market isn't much better sadly.

As for the general question "to buy a highend body":

Only do it if you're willing to learn, and invest a lot of time into it

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I take pictures so quickly, my highschool was "Continuous High".

Honestly,i would go for a D3100

If you go with this,toss the kit lens right away!
(I will recommended a better lens then the kit to do this with a Nikon,or use it a month,then sell it used

I was pretty surprised to see the D700 pricing when I started to look for one again but I have found one for $2.5K odd at a Nikon Authorised dealer.

While it could be cheaper, I don't think that price is too bad for what it is.

I have thought long and hard about buying a cropper before going FF but like Bob, I just can't get over how much more I will have spent once I get a better camera later on.

I have the public holiday tomorrow to mull it over some more.

There is sooo much to learn: Instructional models like the D5000, D3100, D5100, T1i-T2i-T3i etc can only expedite the building of a digital photo foundation. The entry level bodies are stuffed full of goodies that can take years for a novice to master. They also have very few features that are so confusing as to remain a redundant mystery until the end.
And the end will come....eventually, most thoroughly used digital cameras will crap out from terminal illness or age, or simply hit hard ground one too many times

hop on it.

buy a great body pair with fantastic lenses from the motor drive days and you'll be set.

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Lots of people can quickly grow out of their entry level DSLRs, I have a friend who purchased a D3100, returning it within the month to upgrade to a D90. You could look at a D7000 or D300s, perhaps wait for the D400. Buying a crop body like that would give you some extra money to spend on better glass, and you probably won't feel the need to upgrade (unless you really crave the full-frame!).

Of course though, the D700 is still an excellent choice if you're really interested in photography, but you may want to start off with something a but smaller, i's your call though.

-Evan

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-Evan

Gear: 7 Nikon Nikkor AI-S and AF-S lenses, SB-700 flash, Nikon D7000, Nikon FM, variety of accessories

"There are no rules for good photographs, there are only good photographs."
- Ansel Adams

Good camera's require good glass (lens should be good enough to keep up with the high resolution sensors).

So if you buy a D700 or a D7000 be prepared to invest in proper lenses like the new 50mm F1.8G as you mentioned for example. But if you want zoom lenses you probably would look at a 17-55mm f2.8 nikkor lens at 1100 euro. or a 70-200mm f2.8 nikkor (around 1800 euro?).

I have a 70-300mm VR ED G f3.5-f4.5 nikkor lens on my D7000 crop and i think the D7000 needs something better then that lens (d700 probably too), although it is not a bad lens at all. I also own a nikkor 35mm F1.8G it is quite a difference (and the sharpness is quite addicting).

D700 or D7000 will only truly shine with professional zooms or prime lenses.

I am not saying not to buy full frame but with cheap zoom lenses it will be a disapointment. You can buy a couple of primes of course, like a 105mm f2.8 macro a 50mm f1.8g and something for landscaping or birds depending on what you want.

There is nothing wrong with a D90 with a truly good lens.

Nikonfreak:

The 70-300 AF-S G is known as "Nikon's hidden gem", according to pro's like Joe MCnally and Scott Kellby (source: DTownTV).

The D700 is really not very demanding on the lens, because of the large pixel size.

A 17-55 for a D700 would be an epic waste of money, due to the full frame sensor incompatibility.

Oddly enough, the cheap 35 1.8 works quite well on that same D700, despite also being a DX (small sensor) lens.

I agree with your main point though, imho there are better options than buying a D700 with the cheapest 28-80 F/4-5.6 zoomlens.
It all comes back to my first comment, really.

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I take pictures so quickly, my highschool was "Continuous High".

@LahLahSr

Crop camera don't offer more reach. they just offer crop.
50mm stays 50mm doesnt matter on which camera you put it.

On DX bodies objects don't become closer, they just have a crop.
I still dont understand why everybody keeps saying on a dx camera your 300mm lens will be a 450mm lens. Trust me it wont be a 450mm it will just be a plain old 300mm.

I wish it would be true because those birds always sit just a tad to far away....

@ citruspers (ik ben ook nederlander).

Maybe on a d700 a 17-55mm would be a waste but it wont be on a D7000.
You are right 17-55 is a DX lens. My mistake.

But i still feel it probably is better to invest money in your lenses.
The lenses will still be there in 10 years time. The body will not be there anymore.

70-300mm lens is good lens but a D7000 is a very demanding camera so it can be a bit soft sometimes. Or maybe i am just an idiot and dont know how to operate it.... or how to post process. 70-300mm is not even in the same ballpark as 35mm prime lens regarding sharpness (35mm F1.8 even beats 35mm F1.4) .

You can get away fine with D lenses and MF lenses on a d700.

Newer G lenses will work great but D lenses are just as good for the d700.

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