I’ve had mine since new, will never part with it. 12mp, who cares, A3+ prints easy. Smaller file sizes, quicker to load on PC and quicker processing in LR or PS. Team it with a 70-200 2.8 zoom it to 200, one of the best portrait combos ever. Oh, and you get a good workout if you rock it with a grip 😊. Enjoy!
I purchased my D700 4 to 5 years ago and it has become the camera that reignited my passion for photography. Honestly I have used all kinds of cameras through my career and through my time shadowing and working with other photographers, but there’s just something about this camera. The raw files come almost perfect, the camera focuses almost perfect 100% of the time and the camera is really built well. I just can’t get rid of it and I am looking to get a D850, but the D700 I think will still be my main for a long time
Hi Blake, thank you for sharing! Yes, the D700 is something special. What I really enjoy is the manageable file size - with the D850 you will get files that are considerably larger! All the best!
@alghadbanehisham4081 have you tried cleaning the contacts on both the lens and the camera? Does the lens work on other cameras? Do other lenses work on the D700?
I have a D700, a D750 and a D850. When it comes to feel, the D850 and D700 are comparable. The D750 has a DX-style viewfinder which i don't like so much. Image quality is great for all three cameras.
I have 2 - D700s and will never part with either of them. I bought a new D850 about 4 years ago, and used it for less than 100 shots. It sat in the box while I continued reaching for my D700. After a couple of years I realized I just did not need the D850, so sold it and continue using the D700. I don't need another camera for anything that I do. It is legendary.
Best Nikon DSLR ever made, I've been through D200, D300, D300s, D600, 2 x D800's (dreadful flat images from the D800) in the last 15 years, yet in 2020 I'm still using my D700 as my GO TO camera. Every time I use this beauty it just delivers the best looking images ever!
Thanks for sharing! I cannot compete with that long list of cameras, but I also find the D700 to be a great camera! With the 180mm f/2.8 the package is around 2 kilos, so I get a workout when shooting! :-D
@@frederikboving The 180 2.8 is a stunning lens, and absolute perfection on the D700. My present line up includes one D800, and a D300 as a backup, but pretty much everytime I shoot it's with the D700, it just delivers the best results.
@@arunphillips6977 I got the 180 2.8 a week ago and I am in love! Wow! What a lens! If I was to take a lens to the notorious lonely island, this would be the one! :-D
@@frederikboving .. Hi! How I wish Nikon could build a lighter & smaller camera, (use carbon fiber substitute materials or equivalents) with the same awesome pictures you get from it. The D 700 is very heavy to carry around, for vacations & trips..!? lol. hahaha
I've never understood the idea of using video on a DSLR. I have a D850 and I've never used its video recording capability. I typically buy dedicated video handycams for that--or use my smartphone.
I'm looking at this video in March 2021! I still shoot with the D700. it's a dated camera for sure, but I have thousands of great images from this camera! It is built to professional standards, can be used in all kinds of weather, it takes great images with good color and great dynamic range even at high ISOs! I usually shoot at ISO 1000 to 1600 and see very little noise in my images. i use a vertical grip which gives me about 7 frames per second for Wildlife. I love the camera and will shoot with it until I die or it comes to it's life. One of the best cameras Nikon made!
D700 is amazing, about to head out in to the storm with mine now. It produces fantastic images and is great to use. It is currently my only DSLR and I would not swap it. I already use a Leica Q , X100F and a Ricoh GR, which are fantastic image machines but the D700 is holds its own in image abilities. Enjoy.
Nikon's best camera since the F2 IMHO - and it reminds me of the F2 in its build quality! I have had mine now for 9 years, and I just bought a second body as insurance. I simpy don't see the need for a more modern camera (I don't shoot video). The balance between image quality and file size is optimum for me, as I never print larger than A3. Every setting I need is rapidly accessible through button/dial combinations, - I don't need to search through menus when I'm shooting. I like to work fast, so this is a huge plus for me. The old 'screwdriver' AF lenses are built like tanks! The old 85mm f1.4D and 135mm f2DC are the finest portrait lenses in the world (IMHO) and last forever. Only drawback is weight (I use my D700s with battery grips) but you get used to it - and it actually helps for hand holding at slow speeds. A basic PC has more than enough processing power to handle D700 files, and the relatively small size of RAW files is a bonus too.
Thanks for sharing Bob! Wow! 9 years! I very much follow your logic. Some years back I bought a Sony A7Rii - a fine camera, but I learned that the high res (42MP) was not for me - I simply don't have the need even though I print much larger than A3. Natural viewing distance will make 12MP - 24MP more than sufficient as I see it. All the best!
Got a used d700 this summer (with extra battery grip, strap shipping etc) for $400 and I am love it!! I am new to photography and I love how much I can learn on this camera.
and I love how much I can learn on this camera...You have said it all in one line! The so called modern cameras with all the bells and whistles, although they give you quality shots, take a lot of the thinking and planning (and fun) away from the photographer. I feel its the difference between hand crafted and machine made items. The person operating the machine is not an artist. Enjoy a real camera and learn the skills of a photographer. 😊
Hi. Nice review. I have purchased an used D700 with 15k shots for only 350euros last month. I also have D3 since 2010. I have tried Olympus, Fuji and Panasonic mirrorless but they seem more like video games to me than cameras. D700 is a lot of substance with immediate control buttons without unnecessary frills. Incredibile grip and ergonomics, important functions at your fingertips,fantastic performance even at ISO 6400, abundant resolution even for a3 prints, higher reactivity than mirrorless,slow but usable live view, infinite battery ! Moreover, today it is at an incredible price.
I just ordered a D700, should be here in a few days. I shot weddings and portraits in the 1990s into early 2000s. Started with medium format film and finished with Nikon D1X, D100 and Fujifilm S-3. The D1X no longer works, the S-3's back screen no longer works, the D100 still works fine. Looking forward to trying the D700 as an amateur and just enjoying the process of creating images. Thank you for the videos on the D700, you were very helpful in my decision to try this camera.
What a find! Bargains are out there, but you have to be sharp. I’ve been carefully shopping for vintage and under-loved glass. I’ve picked up a 180 f2.8, Nikon-Q 200 f4, a 28-80 f3.3-5.6 G, and a 20 f4. All for about $600 CDN. The D700 set me back $680CDN. You did well!
Great video! I bought a D700 a year ago as my first FF camera. I believe it still retains a great value. Amazing IQ even with a crappy plastic 28-80 af-d I had in my closet for years. The only only negative I find is the heavy banding issues i face when recovering shadows.
Hi Dimitris, and thank you! Yes, the D700 is an amazing value-for-money camera. I currently shoot with the 28-105 lens, and that combo is amazing when you consider the price/performance ratio.
Thank you so very much for taking the time to review this camera. I was sitting on the fence with this one, but your review swayed me to go ahead and purchase one! I like your style of review. Keep it up. Have subscribed! Ps. Would like to see your thoughts on using this camera after a few months. Any setting recommendations etc. Cheers,
Excellent video Frederik and many thanks, I have a D7100 and I am quite happy with it but lately have been thinking of going FX (for print size/quality), you're info/presentation was a great help as choosing the right camera can almost be a nightmare! I have always been a Nikon user and still have an F4 with data back (now that is heavy!) and an F100 both of which I love to use, I have a VERY comprehensive darkroom which at the moment just can't bear to lose, (never mind the HUGE investments made in it) I'm 74 now and of course was brought up on film. One of the biggest problems with film now though is it's becoming very expensive, plus the time spent in my darkroom (divorce city!!) just simply flies by! Now it's computer, printer and Lightroom etc. somehow not quite the same but that's progress? I suppose, happy shooting Frederik and stay healthy.
Thank you for your kind words Keith! I shot film when I was a young man, then left photography for many years and came back some 5 years ago. I really enjoy the use of LR and digital photography, It is now my daughters (!) that shoot with film! I don't think I will ever go back to film seriously, and especially not after seeing this video: ruclips.net/video/T0NBF3ccUNU/видео.html - hope this helps and all the best!
This was my first fullframe camera and still love it. The output straight from the camera is indeed very beautifull. This a pure photo machine, no video gimmicks and other weird stuff that you won't need or use. I might get another one with only 10k shutter for 350 euro. Have to see the camera in real live first of course. Even when I get something new I have to hold it in my hand first.
Dear Sir: first, I want to thank you for making a video of reasoned and consistent content. Just my situation was that of wanting to go to FX and not spend the fortune they ask for some new cameras.As in literature, I always have a certain predilection for the classics. And without a doubt, after seeing his video and continuing to investigate, I understood that it was the camera I was looking for. I got one in good condition and I am delighted. The viewfinder it' fantastic.I have some old Takumar that I can use with adapter even though they don't focus to infinity, it is very easy to focus manual.It's nice to have a dedicated button for each thing and to be able to add others. This camera will be old but it looks like something from the future. The quality and texture of the image are delightful.I cannot explain it very well, what I feel when I see the images is that they are exactly as I saw it, with exactly the same and natural color reproduction. Very happy with the results.Again, thank you very much for uploading such great content. Greetings from Buenos Aires, Argentina.
@@unbroken1010 Its a tough question - I do not know all the Nikon cameras. However, I did come across this article that suggests that the CCD technology improvement has not been big over the last years: petapixel.com/2019/01/02/this-is-what-a-14-year-old-nikon-dslr-can-do/ - he is talking about the D200, so I thought you might find it interesting. Another factor is how the glass and the sensor work together. I have read several reviewers complaining that newer lenses have super complex constructs with many layers of glass that flattens the light, and although technically superior, the pictures they produce are not very interesting. And hence vintage glass (with all its technical faults) gives better - although technically inferior - light to the sensor. So my thinking is that the reason why the D700 gets so many good reviews is exactly because many shoot with the D700 in combination with vintage glass. So when you want to know which sensor is the best, I think the question is which combination of sensor and glass gives the best result, and that is exactly why it is difficult to point to a good sensor. And why there are so many different opinions. I know this was probably not very helpful, but it is my best answer! All the best!
@@unbroken1010 D90 is trash, it is made of plastic and will fall apart after minimal use. I have a D2X, not too useful in low light or above ISO 400 but it will outperform the D90 a million times. You don't need SD cards. It sounds like you just want to be different.
It's an amazing camera still. I re-purchased one after more than a decade and immediately fell in love with the color reproduction of this camera again. I also paired it with the Nikon 105mm f2 DC (defocus control). This amazing lens works quite nicely on the D700 and delivers incredible images. At DC setting of zero the lens is tack sharp with very nice bokeh and rendering (even when I adapt it to my 60mp Sony A7rIV). The main issue of this lens is the front focus when used with nonzero "rear" defocus setting. I got it fixed as good as possible by dialing in a "+20" lens lens focus calibration. With that setting I get tack sharp images with amazing bokeh at f2 with defocus settings of "2 rear" and at f2.8 with "2 rear" dc setting. Nornally it should also be "f2.8 rear", but in that case even the +20 lens focus correction is not quite sufficient to correct the front focus. But now I can get great images at f2 and f2.8 which is all I want of this lens.
Great write up regarding the Pro's and Cons of the D700... I picked one up recently at a good price with only around 9k shutter count and in beautiful condition. I was curious to see what all the fuss is about with this camera...Megapixels aside the images this thing produces are amazing! Wish I picked one up earlier... Built like a Tank yes, and in a world where making things disposable, cheap and to a price seems to be the norm, it's awesome to shoot with a camera like this...
Hi Savas, and thank you for sharing! Yes, it is a wonderful camera, and you have been very lucky to find a copy with only 9k on the shutter count! That is amazing! Some say it will go over 500k, so you got yourself a camera for many years, I think!
Thank you! I enjoyed this video as I just recently purchased a D700. Everyone has different taste ...as for me ...I love the feel and I don't mind the weight of this camera!
I used to shoot weddings with a a pair of D700's over a period of three years 2008 to 2011. They were amazing and so forgiving to use. I sold them when I retired from doing social photography but considering one now for fun as they are so cheap used.
In the grand scheme of things I'm not even considered an amateur but an "enthusiast"... and I barely used my new Nikon d5000 (don't laugh) years ago because carrying the tripod for the long lenses just never fit with my hikes. For the last 8 years or so I've dabbled in mirrorless and now looking into dslrs again, but I can get a professional level used at this point for less money than my original d5000. I'm watching this video in 2023 as I make my decision! This really seems like the beast I want to tame if I'm going to better myself in photography! Cheers!
Thanks! The D700 is a great FF camera and I can only recommend it. Access to a lot of vintage glass that won't break the bank is just an additional plus. All the best and hope you'll find a good copy!
Thanks for all these insights , Frederik. I have bought a used D700 as a backup , now it is my main camera. I love the colors and the look of the images. Is it a myth? No, I don't think it is . It is maybe magic but that's good for photography! All the best from Vienna, Thomas
Thank you for sharing! I have never shot with Canon, so just out of curiosity: What is the main difference between the two systems? What do you like about coming back to Nikon? Thanks!
11:16 life expectancy is not really an issue when you have a camera at this price point. Of course, in 5 years, the prices will drop even further, below 200 EUR, for example. But it doesn't matter. It's just a commodity. Honestly, if you are a pro, the camera is the D850, no question. Anyhow, I love your video. I am planning to buy one for my 80200f2.8D, as you excellently mention at 3:52, AF motor. Nikon weirdly didn't include AF motor into the FTZ adapter, so Z cameras are not OK for AF-D lens owners, like me. At 12:22 you mentioned fixed screen, actually Nikon's live-view AF is so primitive, that when I had the Df I purchased an optical right angle viewer (DR-5) and I loved it, since I more then very often shoot low angle, and I prefer OVF. The viewer has an easy switch for 2x magnification, which is another excellent feature.
Thank you for sharing Miklos! I can see you have studied the videos well, and thank you for that! I fully agree - the reason why I don't have a Z6 (yet) is due to the lack of AF motor in the FTZ adapter. The Z6 with a FTZ/AF would be a killer combo! Maybe the Z6V1 will drop now the Z6V2 is here, but I can almost guess what your comments will be: "wishful thinking" :-D The DR-5 sounds like something to be investigated, but for now I enjoy the magnification of the SK-17M!
Let me add my rant on "successors" of D700 here. I've known MP in marketing is bs since I've got my used D700 and compared it's results with D5100 I had at the time, in low light conditions, 12mp D700 absolutely blown away a much higher 16mp on D5100, a camera from 2011. I've always explained it by simply having more rf interference between photosites on smaller aps-c sensor vs larger 35mil sensor on D700. Now, in 2020 I'm still cracking my head over the question should I get the darn D850 because by many reviews and pics I've seen my 12yo 12mp D700 is still a very solid and die hard performer and I love it a lot. It's not that I don't have money to buy hasselblad or D850, it's more of "do i really need this 3x more megapixels stuff?" I've recently encountered an issue where I'm using mf lens for fast moving subjects photography and I simply needed more than 5fps cont shooting, so I can solve that by buying a battery grip for D700 instead, which will give me up to 8fps. True D850 can give me more(actually a whole 7 instead of 5 fps, WOW!). It'll go up to 10 AFAIR but cmon. It's not worth to be called a competition. Then, weight. I think it's almost about the same maybe around 100g less in D850, SFW? While at it, I was looking at Z6 but then again, it's incompatible with older nikkor lenses like my 50 f/1.2 which I absolutely love. Yea it does have aberrations but who cares if it's used to create soft portraits and soft looking pics, not to find that needle in that haystack over there. What bs of a marketing this "backwards compatible z mount" is. I can't go Z because I've other older lenses too. It may be innovative and wide and stuff but why nikon treats their customers like this? If only they've fixed it and made it REALLY backwards compatible with all lenses including MF then yeah, I'd jump on(but of course I won't discard D700 until it breaks down, which I don't expect to happen within the next 10-15 years at least). In the end it's not about quantity, it's about quality, it's about what you fill those pixels with, not about how many millions of them you have. Yeah, and lenses too btw, which is the thing responsible for actually forming the stuff you fill your pixels with. D700 works absolutely amazing for me, and I can't find enough pros in D850 to convince me to buy it. It just doesn't cut it. Sometimes I actually think maybe I should try digital MF or something but again, why, if I actually still shoot 645 film and have a freezer of it lying around. If I properly scan those they're almost as hi-res as MF digital cameras, depending on lens and film resolution. I love the amount of detail in MF film. D700's most significant drawback is lack of good remote controls(release has to be done via wired connector on the body, compared to D5100 from 2011 which works fine with IR, and flash commander is optical only which needs a separate IR filter cover in order not to fire into face of your subject), lack of good flash controls in menu in general, allowing only group A and B control, with a LOT of clicking. Those are my biggest concerns with it personally. Otherwise, it's still kicks ass.
Thank you for sharing Konstantin! Not many take the time to write a post like yours and I enjoyed reading it! And I am with you all the way. Have Nikon D750 and Fuji XT3 and Sony A7RII (42mp) and still shoot with the D700 for the most. More pixels just makes the SSD and HDD producers happy. I find that 12MP is enough, even for print of 100x80 cm that I recently did. So I also struggle to give my GAS something to wish for, but with the D700, I need a new camera as much as a fish needs a bicycle. Stay safe!
@@frederikboving I'd love to post a review on D700 somewhere but who needs that stuff in 2021 lol! I've recently crash-landed on speedlite runway for the first time in my life shooting portraits with artificial light and heck I struggled with nikon lighting system. It's not impossible but it's complicated to the point these nikon speedlites are generally useless at their price mark of ~140-150 usd per SB700. I just figured I wanted a higher quality light so I got 2 extra SB700 but I can't go above 1/320 on SU-4 mode if I'd love to set all 3 lights to different powers. Maybe I should've went with chinese stuff after all. Coz throwing cash at profoto/broncolor lights for just a couple of pics is crazy. It's not that I'm planning to set up a studio anyway... Oh yeah, got lucky(as per Daft Punk) and got a hold of brand new MB-D10 here in Japan for some 200 bucks and heck it solves my speed problem giving me solid 8fps cont shooting speeds. Beware amazon and some other places sell fake "nikon" MB-D10. You can find tons of posts dating back to late 2000s and even nikon support page helping with telling genuine grip and knockoffs. You can pretty much tell the difference though if you just hold it from what I can see. I'll stay calm and shoot D700 for now and if it dies I'll probably even get another one at ebay.
Laddy, the d610, which is an FX camera beats the d700 in low light. with some tweaking the file can be made to look the same. d850 imgages scaled down 16 mp and cropped match and surpass those of a d700. fact. no rose coloured glasses.
@@castieldiallo2945 I think you’re missing the point. The D700 color rendition is fantastic ! The cameras today are way too HD looking. Check out some photos taken by Film using those classic colors.... Beautiful ! The D700 output is on that par. The photo characteristics are something many cannot appreciate. Today it’s all about SHARPNESS and DETAIL.... DYNAMIC RANGE. These cameras today produce portraits akin to a News Anchor with too much makeup on a 72 inch 4K Television Display ... Yuk !!
@@christianmollo3239 no guilty. the d850 has just as good colour rendition. ask yourself,"would d700 pictures colour look the same if it were a 24mp or more camera?"
You never regret of purchased D700 , Its build like a tank , dropped a few times in Canadian Rockies trails , no problem beside all metal of F mount lens of Nikon you can find , cheers to all D700 fellows users
I picked up my D700 in 2011 (it was Nikon's #2 camera at the time). It was billed as "D3 pro quality in the D300 body and price". It's still my go to camera that I am using today (5-26-2022) with 85,000 actuations and it is still chugging along. I wouldn't mind a D3s or D4s but this one continues to get the work done. I have trouble parting with it and I will pick up another one or a new one in a heartbeat coupled with the 28-300 mm lens and 3 f1.8 primes i am good to go.
I just got a D700 a month ago. Very nice. I do have three F100 bodies and a D7000. Full frame digital is nice as my Nikon lenses work as they were intended. I can realize now that DX can be helpful for telephoto lenses to extend the range. 180mm F2.8 will be my next telephoto. I had it once and sold it. Very nice discussion here. Thank you.
Hi! Bought my D700 two years ago. coming from a film camera era, I think it's a good dslr Camera, simple but straight forward. Highly recommended by the angry photographer, I took a chance on it, and I do not have any regrets. Its an awesome camera, for its price, built and use. I am a photography enthusiast and for my needs, it is doing a great job, more than i could expect for. Keep safe guys. God Bless.
Always great content!!! Considering that the price of d700 is now very close to d610 and d800 which one do you recommend? And which all round lense will you choose for it?
Hi Matteo and thank you! Camera choices often comes down to what you shoot and hence what is important to you. The D800 is a high resolution monster (36MP) and it is great if you need to crop your images and still maintain a good deal of resolution in the image. But the downside is that the files are very large and takes both processing power and storage space. So if you really don't need the resolution, the D800 could be a bit overkill. The D610 is Nikons entry level full frame DSLR and it is really great value for money. It is also lighter than the D800 and also shoots more FPS, so if you are into wildlife and things that move fast, this could be important to you. You can find a compare of the two camera specs here: cameradecision.com/compare/Nikon-D800-vs-Nikon-D610. The D700 is a classis due to its image quality. I consider this an "artistic" camera. Especially the B&W images that comes out of the D700 I find to be something extraordinary. But it is also an old camera and for example the Live View is not as easy to work with as it is on more modern cameras. But it is also big and heavy, so if weight is important to you, this could be a showstopper. So what would I recommend as a general purpose camera? Well the D800 I think has too high resolution - I have the Sony A7Rii (42MP) and I find that the files are a nuisance to work with, so I would probably think twice before diving into the D800. You can lower the resolution via camera configuration, but then you also pay for resolution you really don't use. The D700 I love, but if convenience and ease of use is important to you, then maybe the D700 is a bit too old. It is the oldest (2008) of the 3 cameras, and it does show if you ask me. And then it has the least resolution of the 3, and cropping images from the D700 could be problematic. So if ease of use and good - but not super high - resolution is important to you, and you are not after an "artistic" camera, I think the arrow points to the D610. You do not say if it is a prime or a zoom lens, but a really good lens that I keep using although I have better primes in this range, is the 28-105: ruclips.net/video/0yaNK7mSbUo/видео.html - it is dirt cheap and if you get a good copy, you will love it. Only problem is CA if you shoot directly into the sun or stark contrast. If you are after a prime, then I would recommend a 50 mm, there are lots of options, and this one is really good: ruclips.net/video/L2a4XSPuSnU/видео.html - hope this helps!
@@frederikboving thank you vert much for your detailed answer! I think i'll give d700 a try as composition Is my main focus...actually i'll shooting black and White film with a Leicaflex! Keep on the food work and have a nice day!
Very good video as usual, I have a Nikon D700, and have had it from new, it has all the main controls available by the touch of a button, this is such a great feature and is probably why I like it and my Fuji camera so much, with external controls you can just get on with taking pictures instead of diving into menu's. Keep us informed of what you think as you use it.
Thanks for the great videos , got a good one yesterday . Only card they had was 64 GB you get full and 0 on the display . Probably because firmware 1 and you need 1.2 . Put the 32GB card out the D810 in and works fine .
Just this week I received my new Zf, and yesterday I bought a sensor cleaning kit to finally clean my D700's sensor as that camera will be my second body if ever I do paid work again. What. A . Camera.
I bought my d700 after having a d610 I take photos, I'm not a videographer, and I've added the mbd10 battery grip which will take a d3 enel4 battery, this gives a boost from 5fps to 7fps so wildlife and action is quite feasible, as far as repairs nikon canada can no longer get parts, so I would buy another for parts and take to a 3rd party repair shop LIVE ON LEGEND!
Wow, you do not need to change the cam belt, it is running cam chain in a digital camera. I hope your D700 is still running fine after 1 million clicks !!!!!
Same. Bought it right when it came out from a guy switching to canon who had way too much money. Got it for $1200 back in early 2009. I'll never part with it.
One note about the aufofocus AF vs. AFS. The most common opinion is that the AF system (screw-driver type; no AF motor in the lens) is not as fast as AFS. This opinion is incorrect for many AF lenses. AF 35 f2 is definitely faster than AFS 35 f1.8G, both Dx and Fx. Both AF 50 mm lenses, 1.8D and 1.4D are focusing faster than AFS 50mm lenses, both 1.4G and 1.8G. AF 85 1.8D focuses faster than AFS 85 1.8G. The same is true when most of D primes are compared to their AFS 1.8G counterparts. Of course, AFS 70-200 2.8 is focusing faster than AF 80-200, no question, but still, the AF 80-200 2.8D is not a slow focusing lens by any standards. I own these lenses, so I'm writing based on my own experience. I love D series primes, and I own all of them. I'm not planning to get rid of them any time soon.
Thank you for sharing! I must admit that I have never tried testing AF vs AF-S, i.e. built in motor vs mechanical drive, but it seems to me you have done your homework to reach your conclusions, so thank you for sharing. I am not an experienced BIF or sports shooter, but with the little I have done, the speed of the AF has never been an issue. Only the speed of yours truly and his fat fingers!
Got mine in 2008 as backup to D3 which had the same sensor. I shot many weddings and model portfolios with it and it is still one of the best I have owned. What about newer Nikons? I also own a D800, a D750 and Z7 and if for some reason I were to go back to professional photography, I would use my D3 and the D700 as a backup. The colors are outstanding and the 3D focus tracking has never been topped since.
Thank you Ken! Have you ever notices an IQ difference between the D3 and the D700? I hear that the processing software in the D700 is one of its kind and should produce better pictures than the D3 although the sensor and much of the HW is the same. But I have never found any evidence or anything conclusive on the subject. All the best!
@@frederikboving - No, i saw no differences in the results. I used only Nikon software which is the only one that works so well. The only issues with the D700 is the 95% viewfinder vs the 100% of the D3. And the one memory card. Neither bothered me at all. Colors with both cameras were beautiful and I have not been able to get them with later models. They are available for low prices so people should pick one up and try it.
@@lescobrandon3047 Thanks Ken, noted. Agree, the 95% viewfinder is one of the flaws of the D700, but then again, much is forgiven when you see the images that comes out of it.
@@miklosnemeth8566 Hi Miklos, if you take a look at this overview: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Nikon_DSLR_cameras it looks like the DF is one of a kind, and that the D750 is the one following the D700. I think the DF was/is a strange animal. I think Nikon wanted to make a designer camera that could compete with Leica and gave one of their key designers free hands to come up with a "out of the box camera". But as I see it, it never hit the nail on the head. Too expensive and too close to an ordinary camera to meet/beat the expectations IMHO. But Ken is happy: www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/df.htm
Fin video! Bliver helt nostalgisk og bliver nødt til at støve mit gamle D700 af. D700 er et ægte pro kamera hvor D750 nærmere betegnes som prosumer. D810 er den værdige efterfølger og har mange af de samme dedikerede knapper som er vigtige for pro-segmentet. Men de har bare ikke det samme "feel" som D700 :)
Enig, der er noget ved D700. Men jeg er nu også glad for mit D4 - super kamera. I forsvar for D750 vil jeg sige at det er en fantastisk loyal arebejdshest! Den har ikke samme solide feel som D4 eller D700, men hold nu op hvor det bare leverer gang efter gang. Mit D750 er min foretrukne arbejdshest når jeg skal skyde produkter eller med flash! Jeg forstår til fulde hvorfor det var bryllups fotografers foretrukne kamera for år tilbage!
The reason people love the D700: The cameras today take photos That look very HD. It’s incredible how detailed the photos are. But they don’t look real. The D700 photos look real. That’s it ! The Nikon D700 output is what you saw before snapping the photo. The human eye cannot illuminate the shadows and see every tiny crack in a tree trunk. The camera today take photos that look surreal. I love my D700 and my D3s because they both reproduce the scene as I saw it. Like film, it looks realistic. I know in this world today it’s not a popular opinion but there are still some of us who enjoy keeping it real.. Really Real 👊
Thanks for sharing Christian! Yes, there is something about the D700. It is not every shot that I think is amazing. Some of the images are not that different from say a D750, but just once in a while I find that the D700 takes an image where I am like: WTF happened there? See this one: flic.kr/p/2mPWMUd - the micro contrast and detail in that image does not stop to amaze me. So I agree, there is something about the D700.
Hi Steve, as always these things come down to personal preference and what is important to you. Relative to the video, I have a more updated list of pros and cons here: frederikboving.com/the-legendary-nikon-d700-still-relevant-in-2020/ If you don't mind carrying a relatively big and heavy camera (relative to say APS-C cameras), you can accept that the camera can no longer be repaired by Nikon, that it is difficult to find a good copy with low shutter count and that it's age starts showing when we talk say Live View or video capabilities, and that the 12MP does not give much headroom for cropping, then this could be the camera for you. I still have mine and still shoot with it, but I also grab my D4 and Z6ii equally often. The D700 is a great camera also today, superb ergonomics and image quality - a classic DSLR. Hope this helps.
@@KK-no7be On. But my experience with other cameras is that the post software does an excellent job reducing noise as well. Notice that for long exposures the in camera processing time can be significant when noise reduction is on.
@@frederikboving Ok thanks. I got my D700 yesterday for £136, but with a high shutter count of about 570,000. Got a broken leg at the moment, so haven't had a chance to get out and about with it yet. Cheers.
Hi Jamal, the honest answer is that I do not know. I can see the Loawa comes in both a version for the F-mount and the Z-mount, and obviously you need the F-mount version for the D700. And then it is a fully manual lens, i.e. no AF, so my thinking is that it should work, but of course better if someone who owns both this lens and the D700 answers if they work together!
How is the high iso performance of the D700/D3 compared to a D7200? I’m thinking about getting a D3 as a first fx camera (same sensor as D700 anyway) but I’m worried about it still being good enough at high iso compared to something more modern like a D7200/D500.
Hi Frederik, I think your worry is spot on. One of the areas where cameras get better and better still is dynamic range. Now, I cannot test the DR for the D7200 vs the D700, but DXMARK has done so here: www.dxomark.com/Cameras/Compare/Side-by-side/Nikon-D700-versus-Nikon-D4s-versus-Nikon-D7200___441_945_1020 - I cannot link the the specific page, but you have to click on "measurements" and then "Dynamic Range" (the tab sheets) to get to the right page. As you can see the DR of the D700 in the high end is 1.5-2 stops whereas it is is more even in the more "normal" range. The same picture applies for the D500 vs the D700: www.dxomark.com/Cameras/Compare/Side-by-side/Nikon-D500-versus-Nikon-D700___1061_441. If this is an issue or not depends on what you shoot - bracketing can help you a long way, but when you mention the "catch anything that moves fast D500" my guess is that you are not photographing steady objects, and hence bracketing is not really an option. Hope this helps your decision making.
Hi we have 4 x D700 rarely used now but still taken out for a spin occasionally. We cannot recommend highly enough the addition of the MBD-10 GRIP the BL-3 cover and the EN-EL4 or 4A battery these additions just supercharge the D700.
Thanks for sharing Janis! Yes, I also enjoy the original Nikon grip as part of my D700 setup. It really gives the camera a good balance and "feel" when the grip is added.
I wish I had never sold mine - D700 is strongly recommended to anyone considering it When I look back some of my best photos were taken by the d700 there are two top Nikons for me One was d700 and the other is Df Re mpx = 12 is plenty - and 16 is more than plenty
Agree to all you write. One comment though: "some of my best photos were taken by the d700" - no, some of your best photos were taken by YOU! All the best!
Hello there, Two weeks ago I bought my D700 with only 32,000 shots. She makes a perfect combo with my Nikkor 35-70 f2.8 AF-D, and has become very good friends with my Olympus Pen-F For me, the best choice is to combine an Fx sensor camera (D700) with an M4/3 (my Olympus), so I can cover any situation. I just wish they last me forever 😊
Thanks for sharing Santiago! Yes, a blend of FF and cropped sensor is great! The cropped sensor has so much smaller glasses that if there is plenty of light, the cropped sensor is much more convenient! All the best!
I've owned the D70, D100, D200, D300, D90, D7000, D7100 & D7500 all APS-C Sensors ... not into Full Frame just yet? The D300 was a beefy camera body one of the best?
This was posted on another D700 video by a user named Nikos Zochios so just copying and pasting FYI: The D700 has the best colour accuracy and hue discrimination than any other Nikon camera. The D700 sensor NC81338L (CMOS) has been designed by Nikon and has been manufactured by "Matsushita" There are some factors that separate the D700 sensor from any other Nikon camera sensor. About D700 colours: What makes the D700 colours so special (including excellent skin tones) is its unique CFA together with a unique algorithm applied to its sensor. (different than the D3 and D3s ones) After the D700, Nikon altered CFA filters in order to boost high ISO performance and fit a bigger number of mpx in the same size sensor. But this required making the filter less discriminating. The colour discrimination of the specific CFA allows the separation as a unique shade of any single basic colour. Modern cameras' lighter CFAs simply cluster similar shades of a single colour. So we are coming now to the most important of all the factors which is called "Tonal gain" This is the D700's sensor pixel area (Photosite):71.70µm2 and this is-a an example- the D850 sensor pixel area:18.88µm2 That means that the D700 sensor has a 279% larger pixel area. So, let's see why this makes the difference in dimensionality and depth we see on many D700 shots. Light is a signal. This represents the tonality (colours, contrasts, details) of the subject. Its strength is defined by shutter speed and aperture. Pixel area (Photosite) is an antenna that receives the signal so it affects how much light per pixel can be gathered. The larger it is, the more light can be collected by a single pixel. BUT, The size of the photosite defines its native signal gain as well. For a camera to record the maximum amount of micro-contrast and depth of a good lens, it requires low photosite density for higher native gain. Tonal gain is NOT a dynamic range. The higher the native gain, the bigger is the gap between the peak of the gain and the noise floor over the same signal.- Photosites exist at various densities within the size of the camera sensor. Higher megapixel sensors have a higher density and lower native gain. The ISO defines the applied gain on the photosite so that it can receive a weaker signal. Increasing the gain raises the noise floor. The Analog to Digital Converter (A/D converter) converts the gained signal into digital information. The quality of the conversion is influenced by Bit Depth. The Signal to Noise Ratio firmware (SNR) separates the signal (the detail) from the noise (the noise) right before making the RAW file. If the converted gain is low, it will have a harder time figuring out the difference, therefore removing more signals. So the quality of the TONAL GAIN matters greatly in final image-making. The current ideal photosite density is 12mp for the size of a full-frame sensor (Nikon D700 - 8.5 microns is ideal) So yes, the D700 is definitely worth buying! Now in 2023 and even in 2030!
@@frederikboving I've seen all your videos. I subscribed lately but I've been watching all your content for years. I trust your opinion since you seem to be a perfectionist. I am after a used D4 but lately I bought a Canon 5D Classic and a D700 so the D4 will have to wait a bit 😊 Please keep making these videos. Thanks Frederik.
HI, I see you are using a manual focus 50mm nikkor lens with D700. Currently I only posses film cameras, but would like to experience the digital world by leveraging on my manual focus lens collection. I wonder how challenging is to use the D700's viewfinder to nail the focus with the 50mm? Do you have experience with other manaul lenses as well?
Hi Daniel, yes, I have other "manual" lenses like a 85mm, 105mm and 180mm. It is more or less the same experience with all lenses. It is not challenging at all, unless of course you want to photograph birds in flight or the like. I have a video here where I talk about manual focus on the D750 (ruclips.net/video/NLsqwPWHxbc/видео.html), but it is the same as the D700. I have a Nikon F100 and although I do not shoot much film, the little I have tried to use the F100, it is my impression it works exactly the same way as a DSLR. I don't know which film camera you come from, but if it is the F100 then you will feel at home right away. Hope this helps!
@@frederikboving Thank you for the reply, I use a Nikon F3 mainly, with Nikkor 20mm f2.8 35mm f1.4 50mm f1.4 and 85mm f1.8 and would like to leverage on this park, altough was not sure about the manual focus capabilites of fullfram DSLRs, amogst the bodies you have used did you experience any difference in FX viewfinders? I was gone sellect a d700 mostly based on your review, but wonder if there is a better choice out there.
Hi Daniel, maybe I am the biggest ignorant that ever walked planet earth, but across my D750, D700 and D4, I have never really noticed any difference in the manual focus system. I have though noticed that the D700's viewfinder does not have 100% coverage. That simply drives me nuts! I try to frame my images rather precisely and not having full coverage (the image it takes is larger than what you see in the viewfinder) is a pain. But that of course has noting to do with manual focus. Also, for the D700 I have bought a magnification eyepiece (DK-17) and that one is hard to get from new these days as Nikon has stopped production. The slight magnification it provides helps you doing manual focus, as it enlarges what you see in the viewfinder. In other news: Maybe a big jump to go from film to mirrorless (ML), but mirrorless cameras have both focus peaking highlights and 200% magnification in the viewfinder to help with manual focus. Down side with ML is that the good old focus confirmation dot does not always work with older lenses, for reasons beyond me. So if you like the confirmation dot, be careful with ML.
Right. I guess you can’t have it all 😉 Nikon lenses of today often comes with image stabilization and that compensates to some degree, but a D700 with a vintage lens - no stabilization at all!
@@frederikboving indeed. From 1980 to 2005 I never really needed stabilzation: I was the active stabilization, or I used a tripod. I still don't really use it and most of the cameras I kept don't have it.
@@josephbalson Interesting also to notice that Steve Perry, despite stabilization and what not, still says he gets noticeably sharper pictures if he shoots using a tripod.
I bought my D700 new in the first months of its release years ago. I was using a D200 prior to that and wanted the full frame. What I do miss and never understood is why Nikon decided not to give the D700 ISO 100. Instead, the lowest is ISO 200.
Hi CW Sam, you were one of the first movers with regards to the D700! It took me around 10 years to discover this wonderful camera! I have no idea about the ISO 200, but I can see the D3 is subject to the same design decision. Could be related to the Panasonic sensor, but I am guessing and have no evidence to support it.
@@frederikboving With all the fanfare after all this time I decided to see check on my D700's shutter count. With less than 39,000 clicks I guess I don't need to buy a spare yet.
@@cwsam1256 I saw in another comment that the prices on the D700 has dropped recently, maybe because the world is going mirrorless and people flush the market with used DSLRs. So it will be interesting to see if it sticks, or the D700 will have a revival at some point just like vinyl records.
Agreed. Unfortunately YT does not allow you to upload a new version of a video with the same URL, so I cannot easily add a point to the list. But your comment is reflected in this blog, where I have extended the list of cons: frederikboving.com/the-legendary-nikon-d700-still-relevant-in-2020/
I passed D200, D700, D750, D850. D700 is by far the best in rendering the special feeling that cannot be put in words. D850 is too noisy, good at very low ISO, good for macro stacking and video.
@@frederikboving just posted a response but it was deleted within 2 minutes. Not sure why, maybe because I mentioned the specific crime. So, short version- An eBay’er sent me her near mint Nikon D3X after she initially failed to send it to me after I paid her asking price on eBay. She’d been the victim of a serious assault after posting the camera and just forgot about it. I eventually had eBay reimburse me after she failed to send it. After speaking with her on the phone about photography (she’d been an Associated Press photographer for decades) and listening to her vent about the assault she’d suffered, she sent me the D3X for free. Shutter count was less than 5K as she said she never liked it and preferred her D3 instead.
@@alexblaze8878 Thanks for sharing Alex! And thank you for confirming that the message was "snatched" by RUclips! It happens from time to time for me - I get an e-mail that a post has been made, and when I try to respond, then the post is gone! I thought I did something wrong, so thank you for confirming that you also see the post as suddenly gone! AND congrats with your new camera! Wow! You now have a camera with a history! Sorry to hear about the assault, but I guess that explains the camera was not shipped in the first place. So nice of her to send you the camera for free!
@@frederikboving Yes with all the crazy in the world going on, that boosted my faith a bit. She just needed someone to listen to her and she shared so much knowledge about photography based on her decades working with the Associated Press I thought it’s the least I could do. We spoke for weeks and had become sorta friends in a way. Then out of the blue, she sent me the camera with a note apologizing again for the months-prior eBay mess up and thanked me for listening to her frustrations and vents. As a token, in turn I sent her a Helios 44-2 that had been optically adapted for infinity focus on Nikon. Though she had vast experience shooting all over the world with Nikon she’d never tried her hand at the unique bokeh of some of the old vintage M42 mount lenses. She now raves about the images she gets with that lens every time we talk.
Thanks, now I have to go out and start looking for a good used D700, If the image quality is anything like my D300 this could get costly. I got one D300, fell in love with the images and got another one just in case.
Ha-ha! Yes, the D700 is indeed a great camera! In my experience you can get a not-too-beaten-up copy for around 400 EUR. If you look at what you have to pay for a new camera, you get a lot of bang for the buck. I have not experience with the D300, but I understand it is an APS-C sensor? Then I can only think you will love the D700 even more... All the best!
@@frederikboving Half of the fun of photography is hunting for a great deal on used gear. I buy 99% of my gear used for pennies on the dollar. The only down side is that I can't pass up on a really good deal. There are 3 Nikon items that I can;t have enough of 1) the SC17 flash extension cable, 2) the old film ere SB28 speed light which I use in auto flash mode on my Nikons and Pentax cameras, and 3) the Nikon 28-80mm G kit lens which has only 6 glass elements. This little cheap lens is by far the sharpest lens I have come across. A little research showed that Nikon put their best lens designer on the project to make a lens that would give the first time SLR buyer a great start. At 50mm it out performs my 50mm f1.8 even when both are set to f8 or f11 The only down side is the plastic mount, which has yet to give me any trouble, but to be safe I have 4 or 5 copies of this lens. This cheap little lens is out standing on my D600 although it does look kind of funny being on a large body. I will be on the prowl for a D700 as it used the same battery and battery grip of the D300.
@@dominicwroblewski5832 Right! It seems to me like you have found a little gem of a lens, and that Ken Rockwell agrees with you 100%: www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/28-80mm-g.htm - I have made a mental note that I need to get a copy someday. I understand there are plenty out there! THANK YOU for sharing!
@@frederikboving Well it took a year of hunting, but I finally got a super great deal on a D700. Original box, cables, strap for $365 The best part is only 277 shutter clicks. I'm gonna pair it up with a 28-80mm and a 70-210mm F4.
The D700 also makes for a good real estate camera or back up camera . The small files means your HDs will not full up fast . It’s not my favorite all time camera , but it’s still great .
I got mine at a very good price. The reason I bought it was for my industrial photography. Crawling around mines and sewage treatment plants are not kind to gear. If it is destroyed I can pick up another and the cost is covered by part of the shoot fees.
@@frederikboving sorry for the delay. I have looked and cannot find a definite number. Someone reported 367,000 in 2011. I don’t know if that’s worldwide, Japan , Europe or USA. Regards Geoff Sydney Australia.
@@geoffreystone4849 Thank you Geoffrey - I actually thought it would have been much higher when you consider the (general) number of lenses produced. Thank you for sharing!
I would add another plus. The camera-card-computer flow is much more fluid and you can run it with an old computer. You can put also your old SD cards inside a cheap CF Adapter.
Mine is labelled *SD… to CF Compact Flash Memory Card Adapter Reader Type 1*, 12.59€. (There is also a microSD version). I think only works (but it does very well) on old SDHC-I cards, which I have a lot from my ancient compact cameras. It will not detect Extreme Pro o things like this. When you shoot on CL or CH you will need them. With erratically moving subjects (kids, birds…) the Focus mode C-ontinuous plus the combination of the AF-area mode selector is one of the D700 best features. Despite the years it works very well for me.
Well, I am perplexed as to why Nikon has ceased all support for the D700. I know this because I am having issues with my D700: formatting issues again. Well, I love this gorgeous hunk so much that I got another mint copy on eBay. I also shoot the D750 but I kept grabbing the 700. As an aside, Nikon USA still supports the crappy D90 which I owned years ago. Go figure. Much enjoyed your take on the D700.
Hi Keith, I cannot remember someone speaking badly about the D700, rather everyone who owns one praises it! The sound of the focus beep can be controlled via the Custom Settings Menu, menu item D1. I have 3 videos (!) about the menu system on the D700, and one of them talks about the customs settings menu, item (A) through (D): ruclips.net/video/cBtn2ERZD_4/видео.html and 4:38 into that video, I talk about the focus beep.
Thansk for your videos. I have already suscrribed to your channel. Question, I have the 35-70 2.8, I think you too. Have you used it on the D700? It performs well? Because I am looking this camera as a back up of my D750. Thanks in advance.
I had the d750 before the D700, and I love the D700 despite being older and less resolution. I am sure the D700 will not disappoint you if you get a good copy.
Daniel, sorry, I have not. I shoot mainly with the 180mm f/2.8 and the 24mm f/2.8 on the D700. I have not used the 35-70mm for some time, but seem to remember that it is quite soft wide open. If you want me to do a few test shots of the lens, please let me know, and I will upload a few shots to a dedicated album on Flickr. Let me know what motives has your interest, and I will see what I can do. This weekend is busy, so first half of next week I can look into it.
@@frederikboving It is no necessary sir. Just curiosity. But ask you if you can share your experiencie with a piece of advice: between a Nikon D3 with 150.000 clicks and a Nikon D700 with 10.000 shoots, both with the same price, where would you go your money? Thanks in advance. Regards.
@@danielrfunes Uh, Daniel it is a good question. There is something about the D700, but Nikon only promises 150t clicks where the D3 it is 300t. So there is more lifetime to be expected on the D3 than the D700. Also, I find the ergonomics of my D4 to be absolutely stellar, and if the D3 is like that, then you are in for a treat. So I would be leaning toward the D3 I think. But mind you that the body is big and for example does not fit into most "normal" camera bags. And if you have small hands, then the D3 may not be for you. Hope this helps. All the best!
Thank you very much. I have learnt so much more on how to use my D300 as its functions are very identical to the D700 from your wonderful videos. I only use manual lenses and shoot only Black and white images. Only Editing I do is image cropping. Looking out for a D700 now.
Your videos are great, Frederik! I bought a mint D700 with only 6000 clicks and accessories and even though i have newer Nikons, this camera is a legend and I find myself grabbing it a lot of the time. I have a lot of Nikon glass, new and older, and also some third-party glass and they all work perfectly..
Thank you Ed, and thank you for sharing! Yes, the D700 is a pleasure to work with, and like you I often reach for the D700 despite the D750 standing next to it!
I normally refer to the D700 as the artistic camera when I am do describe it in a few words. So when you say "artist deny", I guess the answer is right there. The D700 has less resolution and hence larger photosites that capture the light more precisely than what you see with other cameras (the signal to noise ratio is simply better for this reason). The effect is "clean" images with a micro contrast that you do not see with many other cameras. One of my favorite examples is this one: flic.kr/p/2mPWMUd - hope this helps!
I love my D700, imho the bigger defect is that there isn't an easy way to move from A mode to S mode while shooting sports... I found easy on my previous D80 to shot near me with a fixed time exposure to have panning effect and then just moving a finger passing to diafragm priority for a second shot after a very limited time! Like two different turns in the same circuit in motorsport... Ps other things that I don't like very much are the menus, a little bit too complicated... All the rest is history!
It is a good point. Turning a dial is faster than the "push a button and turn the command wheel" style. Btw: If you don't like Nikons menu system, stay clear of Sony! I have a A7Rii and using that as a reference - I simply love the simplicity of the Nikon menus!
@@frederikboving it wasn’t about nikon menus sistem, I used to manage completely the settings of my D80, it’s just the D700 that I found more complex, some parts of the settings are for me really difficult to understand! It’s a professional camera though, there are plenty of settings, it’s just boring to remember everything while passing from a kind of foto to another... I do stars, long exposures, sports, portraits etc... Sometimes there are too many things to modify! After this complexity the camera is simple great! I have many Nikon lenses, and with this FX i moved to 24-70 2.8 and 70-200 vr, my only two glasses with af motor inside!
Hi Frederick,
I've recently returned to photography and it was you and your videos that convinced me to buy a D700.
Keep the faith!
Excellent! Glad you returned to photography! If you want more about the D700: ruclips.net/p/PLPjooVCTLG910wkb8TMrajbIHmA54MJ-A - all the best!
I’ve had mine since new, will never part with it. 12mp, who cares, A3+ prints easy. Smaller file sizes, quicker to load on PC and quicker processing in LR or PS. Team it with a 70-200 2.8 zoom it to 200, one of the best portrait combos ever. Oh, and you get a good workout if you rock it with a grip 😊. Enjoy!
Thanks for sharing! Yes, I guess there is one constant in life: Never part with your D700 :-D
that is exactly my same opinion
Agree. My zoom of choice is Nikon 80-200 f 2.8.
James Archer yes i pair d700 with nikon 80-200 2.8 and sometimes use the 24-70 2.8
@@slimjim340 same lens add MB D10 and watch it squirm in your hands on 3D tracking
I purchased my D700 4 to 5 years ago and it has become the camera that reignited my passion for photography. Honestly I have used all kinds of cameras through my career and through my time shadowing and working with other photographers, but there’s just something about this camera. The raw files come almost perfect, the camera focuses almost perfect 100% of the time and the camera is really built well. I just can’t get rid of it and I am looking to get a D850, but the D700 I think will still be my main for a long time
Hi Blake, thank you for sharing! Yes, the D700 is something special. What I really enjoy is the manageable file size - with the D850 you will get files that are considerably larger! All the best!
I have the D700 right now I have problems when I changed the zoom so now the focus it doesn't work .So can you help me about that thanks
@alghadbanehisham4081 have you tried cleaning the contacts on both the lens and the camera? Does the lens work on other cameras? Do other lenses work on the D700?
I have a D700, a D750 and a D850. When it comes to feel, the D850 and D700 are comparable. The D750 has a DX-style viewfinder which i don't like so much. Image quality is great for all three cameras.
I have 2 - D700s and will never part with either of them. I bought a new D850 about 4 years ago, and used it for less than 100 shots. It sat in the box while I continued reaching for my D700. After a couple of years I realized I just did not need the D850, so sold it and continue using the D700. I don't need another camera for anything that I do. It is legendary.
Best Nikon DSLR ever made, I've been through D200, D300, D300s, D600, 2 x D800's (dreadful flat images from the D800) in the last 15 years, yet in 2020 I'm still using my D700 as my GO TO camera. Every time I use this beauty it just delivers the best looking images ever!
Thanks for sharing! I cannot compete with that long list of cameras, but I also find the D700 to be a great camera! With the 180mm f/2.8 the package is around 2 kilos, so I get a workout when shooting! :-D
@@frederikboving The 180 2.8 is a stunning lens, and absolute perfection on the D700. My present line up includes one D800, and a D300 as a backup, but pretty much everytime I shoot it's with the D700, it just delivers the best results.
@@arunphillips6977 I got the 180 2.8 a week ago and I am in love! Wow! What a lens! If I was to take a lens to the notorious lonely island, this would be the one! :-D
Totally agree
@@frederikboving .. Hi! How I wish Nikon could build a lighter & smaller camera, (use carbon fiber substitute materials or equivalents) with the same awesome pictures you get from it. The D 700 is very heavy to carry around, for vacations & trips..!? lol. hahaha
Frederik, I greatly appreciate your insightful reviews! Thanks for your efforts!
Thank YOU!
I would say you can easily put the lack of video mode to camera's advantages;)
:-D
I've never understood the idea of using video on a DSLR. I have a D850 and I've never used its video recording capability. I typically buy dedicated video handycams for that--or use my smartphone.
For me this is a pro!! I hate videos on DSLR and pay for something than I never use!! Video has a cost and I don't like pay for it!!
I’m a photographer, so I love cameras with no video!
This is a massive pro, video can f right off lol
I'm looking at this video in March 2021! I still shoot with the D700. it's a dated camera for sure, but I have thousands of great images from this camera! It is built to professional standards, can be used in all kinds of weather, it takes great images with good color and great dynamic range even at high ISOs! I usually shoot at ISO 1000 to 1600 and see very little noise in my images. i use a vertical grip which gives me about 7 frames per second for Wildlife. I love the camera and will shoot with it until I die or it comes to it's life.
One of the best cameras Nikon made!
D700 is amazing, about to head out in to the storm with mine now.
It produces fantastic images and is great to use. It is currently my only DSLR and I would not swap it.
I already use a Leica Q , X100F and a Ricoh GR, which are fantastic image machines but the D700 is holds its own in image abilities.
Enjoy.
Thank you for present. From Russia with gratitude!
Great video! I bought mine as my first full frame camera and it’s been a joy! Keep the videos coming.
Thanks! Will do! :-D
Nikon's best camera since the F2 IMHO - and it reminds me of the F2 in its build quality!
I have had mine now for 9 years, and I just bought a second body as insurance. I simpy don't see the need for a more modern camera (I don't shoot video). The balance between image quality and file size is optimum for me, as I never print larger than A3. Every setting I need is rapidly accessible through button/dial combinations, - I don't need to search through menus when I'm shooting. I like to work fast, so this is a huge plus for me.
The old 'screwdriver' AF lenses are built like tanks! The old 85mm f1.4D and 135mm f2DC are the finest portrait lenses in the world (IMHO) and last forever. Only drawback is weight (I use my D700s with battery grips) but you get used to it - and it actually helps for hand holding at slow speeds. A basic PC has more than enough processing power to handle D700 files, and the relatively small size of RAW files is a bonus too.
Thanks for sharing Bob! Wow! 9 years! I very much follow your logic. Some years back I bought a Sony A7Rii - a fine camera, but I learned that the high res (42MP) was not for me - I simply don't have the need even though I print much larger than A3. Natural viewing distance will make 12MP - 24MP more than sufficient as I see it. All the best!
Got a used d700 this summer (with extra battery grip, strap shipping etc) for $400 and I am love it!! I am new to photography and I love how much I can learn on this camera.
That is awesome! Welcome to the family of D700 owners! :-D
and I love how much I can learn on this camera...You have said it all in one line! The so called modern cameras with all the bells and whistles, although they give you quality shots, take a lot of the thinking and planning (and fun) away from the photographer. I feel its the difference between hand crafted and machine made items. The person operating the machine is not an artist. Enjoy a real camera and learn the skills of a photographer. 😊
Hi. Nice review. I have purchased an used D700 with 15k shots for only 350euros last month. I also have D3 since 2010. I have tried Olympus, Fuji and Panasonic mirrorless but they seem more like video games to me than cameras. D700 is a lot of substance with immediate control buttons without unnecessary frills. Incredibile grip and ergonomics, important functions at your fingertips,fantastic performance even at ISO 6400, abundant resolution even for a3 prints, higher reactivity than mirrorless,slow but usable live view, infinite battery ! Moreover, today it is at an incredible price.
350 EUR for a D700 with 15k actuations? You made a good deal there! Congrats!
I just ordered a D700, should be here in a few days. I shot weddings and portraits in the 1990s into early 2000s. Started with medium format film and finished with Nikon D1X, D100 and Fujifilm S-3. The D1X no longer works, the S-3's back screen no longer works, the D100 still works fine. Looking forward to trying the D700 as an amateur and just enjoying the process of creating images. Thank you for the videos on the D700, you were very helpful in my decision to try this camera.
Thank you Lawrence! Best of luck with your new D700 - I hope it will serve you well!
i just bought the D700 14,000 actuation's for 325..us. last week.. bought 3 great lenses.. from NIKKOR for cheap.. loving this bad boy..
That sounds like a fantastic deal you made there - congrats!
Could you tell me please from what website did you find the camera? Thank you!
What a find! Bargains are out there, but you have to be sharp. I’ve been carefully shopping for vintage and under-loved glass. I’ve picked up a 180 f2.8, Nikon-Q 200 f4, a 28-80 f3.3-5.6 G, and a 20 f4. All for about $600 CDN. The D700 set me back $680CDN. You did well!
I just bought one one hour ago in excellent condition. I missed my first one and I got lucky to find this one.
Thanks for sharing SV! I am sure you will love the images that comes out of the D700! All the best!
Great video! I bought a D700 a year ago as my first FF camera. I believe it still retains a great value. Amazing IQ even with a crappy plastic 28-80 af-d I had in my closet for years. The only only negative I find is the heavy banding issues i face when recovering shadows.
Hi Dimitris, and thank you! Yes, the D700 is an amazing value-for-money camera. I currently shoot with the 28-105 lens, and that combo is amazing when you consider the price/performance ratio.
I am still using it, my favourite camera, wonderful colour capture.
Great to hear! And thank you for sharing!
Thank you. I love the discreet tooling on Nikons, as well as the overall feel.
👌
Welcome to the club, amazing camera still today
Thanks! I feel it is an exclusive club I have joined, and a good one :-D
Thank you so very much for taking the time to review this camera. I was sitting on the fence with this one, but your review swayed me to go ahead and purchase one! I like your style of review. Keep it up. Have subscribed!
Ps. Would like to see your thoughts on using this camera after a few months. Any setting recommendations etc. Cheers,
Thank you for your kind words!
Excellent video Frederik and many thanks, I have a D7100 and I am quite happy with it but lately have been thinking of going FX (for print size/quality), you're info/presentation was a great help as choosing the right camera can almost be a nightmare! I have always been a Nikon user and still have an F4 with data back (now that is heavy!) and an F100 both of which I love to use, I have a VERY comprehensive darkroom which at the moment just can't bear to lose, (never mind the HUGE investments made in it) I'm 74 now and of course was brought up on film. One of the biggest problems with film now though is it's becoming very expensive, plus the time spent in my darkroom (divorce city!!) just simply flies by! Now it's computer, printer and Lightroom etc. somehow not quite the same but that's progress? I suppose, happy shooting Frederik and stay healthy.
Thank you for your kind words Keith! I shot film when I was a young man, then left photography for many years and came back some 5 years ago. I really enjoy the use of LR and digital photography, It is now my daughters (!) that shoot with film! I don't think I will ever go back to film seriously, and especially not after seeing this video: ruclips.net/video/T0NBF3ccUNU/видео.html - hope this helps and all the best!
This was my first fullframe camera and still love it. The output straight from the camera is indeed very beautifull. This a pure photo machine, no video gimmicks and other weird stuff that you won't need or use. I might get another one with only 10k shutter for 350 euro. Have to see the camera in real live first of course. Even when I get something new I have to hold it in my hand first.
👍
Dear Sir: first, I want to thank you for making a video of reasoned and consistent content. Just my situation was that of wanting to go to FX and not spend the fortune they ask for some new cameras.As in literature, I always have a certain predilection for the classics. And without a doubt, after seeing his video and continuing to investigate, I understood that it was the camera I was looking for. I got one in good condition and I am delighted. The viewfinder it' fantastic.I have some old Takumar that I can use with adapter even though they don't focus to infinity, it is very easy to focus manual.It's nice to have a dedicated button for each thing and to be able to add others. This camera will be old but it looks like something from the future. The quality and texture of the image are delightful.I cannot explain it very well, what I feel when I see the images is that they are exactly as I saw it, with exactly the same and natural color reproduction. Very happy with the results.Again, thank you very much for uploading such great content. Greetings from Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Thank you Mister Giovanni! So glad that you and the D700 found each other - sounds like you found an excellent copy!
Still using my D700 in 2020. Just brought it out last night to shoot the Neowise comet. I want a D3S as well but I will be keeping the D700 forever.
Hi Chis, thank you for sharing! Yes, most D700 owners want to hold on to it and never part.
@@unbroken1010 Its a tough question - I do not know all the Nikon cameras. However, I did come across this article that suggests that the CCD technology improvement has not been big over the last years: petapixel.com/2019/01/02/this-is-what-a-14-year-old-nikon-dslr-can-do/ - he is talking about the D200, so I thought you might find it interesting. Another factor is how the glass and the sensor work together. I have read several reviewers complaining that newer lenses have super complex constructs with many layers of glass that flattens the light, and although technically superior, the pictures they produce are not very interesting. And hence vintage glass (with all its technical faults) gives better - although technically inferior - light to the sensor. So my thinking is that the reason why the D700 gets so many good reviews is exactly because many shoot with the D700 in combination with vintage glass. So when you want to know which sensor is the best, I think the question is which combination of sensor and glass gives the best result, and that is exactly why it is difficult to point to a good sensor. And why there are so many different opinions. I know this was probably not very helpful, but it is my best answer! All the best!
@@unbroken1010 D90 is trash, it is made of plastic and will fall apart after minimal use. I have a D2X, not too useful in low light or above ISO 400 but it will outperform the D90 a million times. You don't need SD cards. It sounds like you just want to be different.
It's an amazing camera still. I re-purchased one after more than a decade and immediately fell in love with the color reproduction of this camera again. I also paired it with the Nikon 105mm f2 DC (defocus control). This amazing lens works quite nicely on the D700 and delivers incredible images. At DC setting of zero the lens is tack sharp with very nice bokeh and rendering (even when I adapt it to my 60mp Sony A7rIV). The main issue of this lens is the front focus when used with nonzero "rear" defocus setting. I got it fixed as good as possible by dialing in a "+20" lens lens focus calibration. With that setting I get tack sharp images with amazing bokeh at f2 with defocus settings of "2 rear" and at f2.8 with "2 rear" dc setting. Nornally it should also be "f2.8 rear", but in that case even the +20 lens focus correction is not quite sufficient to correct the front focus. But now I can get great images at f2 and f2.8 which is all I want of this lens.
Thank you for sharing Stefan! Much appreciated!
Great write up regarding the Pro's and Cons of the D700... I picked one up recently at a good price with only around 9k shutter count and in beautiful condition. I was curious to see what all the fuss is about with this camera...Megapixels aside the images this thing produces are amazing! Wish I picked one up earlier... Built like a Tank yes, and in a world where making things disposable, cheap and to a price seems to be the norm, it's awesome to shoot with a camera like this...
Hi Savas, and thank you for sharing! Yes, it is a wonderful camera, and you have been very lucky to find a copy with only 9k on the shutter count! That is amazing! Some say it will go over 500k, so you got yourself a camera for many years, I think!
Had my D700 since 2010. It’s a lovely machine. Rolls Royce quality - yes, a bit ancient in specifications but bulletproof (except the card door 😬)
I agree, is weak the card door and the battery door. They are the only two complaints you could have.
Thank you! I enjoyed this video as I just recently purchased a D700. Everyone has different taste ...as for me ...I love the feel and I don't mind the weight of this camera!
Thank you Tracy - really appreciate the feedback! Yes, it is a great camera, and I find that it grows on you!
Sorry for being late in your channel, my friend. Always been a fan of your works in instagram. Cheers!
Thank you Dennis! And welcome! Also over at Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/185271541@N07/ - take care!
I used to shoot weddings with a a pair of D700's over a period of three years 2008 to 2011. They were amazing and so forgiving to use. I sold them when I retired from doing social photography but considering one now for fun as they are so cheap used.
Thanks for sharing SS! I have not yet come across a photographer that regrets buying a D700, so you should be safe!
In the grand scheme of things I'm not even considered an amateur but an "enthusiast"... and I barely used my new Nikon d5000 (don't laugh) years ago because carrying the tripod for the long lenses just never fit with my hikes.
For the last 8 years or so I've dabbled in mirrorless and now looking into dslrs again, but I can get a professional level used at this point for less money than my original d5000.
I'm watching this video in 2023 as I make my decision! This really seems like the beast I want to tame if I'm going to better myself in photography! Cheers!
Thanks! The D700 is a great FF camera and I can only recommend it. Access to a lot of vintage glass that won't break the bank is just an additional plus. All the best and hope you'll find a good copy!
@@frederikboving thank you 😊
W
A true legend. I picked myself up a used one with very low shutter count of 12860. Colors out of this is just out of the World.
Thank you for sharing!
Love my D700!! Both of them! Bought an extra one in case I loose one!
Ha ha! That's a smart move - it probably gets more and more difficult to get them repaired.
Excellent video!! It has convinced me the D700 is my next camera.
Great to hear! The D700 will not disappoint you!
Thanks for all these insights , Frederik. I have bought a used D700 as a backup , now it is my main camera. I love the colors and the look of the images. Is it a myth? No, I don't think it is . It is maybe magic but that's good for photography! All the best from Vienna, Thomas
Thank you Thomas! Appreciate you feedback! Hope Vienna is doing great, now you no longer need to host cruise ships!
@@frederikboving Vienna ≠ Venice
@@sturmreiter8402 thanks 🙏🏻- cruise ships in Vienna would raise a few eyebrows I guess 😮
I'm just moving back to the D700 now from shooting Canon bodies for a few years. Best decision I've made for a while.
Thank you for sharing! I have never shot with Canon, so just out of curiosity: What is the main difference between the two systems? What do you like about coming back to Nikon? Thanks!
11:16 life expectancy is not really an issue when you have a camera at this price point. Of course, in 5 years, the prices will drop even further, below 200 EUR, for example. But it doesn't matter. It's just a commodity. Honestly, if you are a pro, the camera is the D850, no question. Anyhow, I love your video. I am planning to buy one for my 80200f2.8D, as you excellently mention at 3:52, AF motor. Nikon weirdly didn't include AF motor into the FTZ adapter, so Z cameras are not OK for AF-D lens owners, like me. At 12:22 you mentioned fixed screen, actually Nikon's live-view AF is so primitive, that when I had the Df I purchased an optical right angle viewer (DR-5) and I loved it, since I more then very often shoot low angle, and I prefer OVF. The viewer has an easy switch for 2x magnification, which is another excellent feature.
Thank you for sharing Miklos! I can see you have studied the videos well, and thank you for that! I fully agree - the reason why I don't have a Z6 (yet) is due to the lack of AF motor in the FTZ adapter. The Z6 with a FTZ/AF would be a killer combo! Maybe the Z6V1 will drop now the Z6V2 is here, but I can almost guess what your comments will be: "wishful thinking" :-D The DR-5 sounds like something to be investigated, but for now I enjoy the magnification of the SK-17M!
Let me add my rant on "successors" of D700 here.
I've known MP in marketing is bs since I've got my used D700 and compared it's results with D5100 I had at the time, in low light conditions, 12mp D700 absolutely blown away a much higher 16mp on D5100, a camera from 2011. I've always explained it by simply having more rf interference between photosites on smaller aps-c sensor vs larger 35mil sensor on D700.
Now, in 2020 I'm still cracking my head over the question should I get the darn D850 because by many reviews and pics I've seen my 12yo 12mp D700 is still a very solid and die hard performer and I love it a lot. It's not that I don't have money to buy hasselblad or D850, it's more of "do i really need this 3x more megapixels stuff?"
I've recently encountered an issue where I'm using mf lens for fast moving subjects photography and I simply needed more than 5fps cont shooting, so I can solve that by buying a battery grip for D700 instead, which will give me up to 8fps. True D850 can give me more(actually a whole 7 instead of 5 fps, WOW!). It'll go up to 10 AFAIR but cmon. It's not worth to be called a competition.
Then, weight. I think it's almost about the same maybe around 100g less in D850, SFW?
While at it, I was looking at Z6 but then again, it's incompatible with older nikkor lenses like my 50 f/1.2 which I absolutely love. Yea it does have aberrations but who cares if it's used to create soft portraits and soft looking pics, not to find that needle in that haystack over there. What bs of a marketing this "backwards compatible z mount" is. I can't go Z because I've other older lenses too. It may be innovative and wide and stuff but why nikon treats their customers like this? If only they've fixed it and made it REALLY backwards compatible with all lenses including MF then yeah, I'd jump on(but of course I won't discard D700 until it breaks down, which I don't expect to happen within the next 10-15 years at least).
In the end it's not about quantity, it's about quality, it's about what you fill those pixels with, not about how many millions of them you have. Yeah, and lenses too btw, which is the thing responsible for actually forming the stuff you fill your pixels with.
D700 works absolutely amazing for me, and I can't find enough pros in D850 to convince me to buy it. It just doesn't cut it.
Sometimes I actually think maybe I should try digital MF or something but again, why, if I actually still shoot 645 film and have a freezer of it lying around. If I properly scan those they're almost as hi-res as MF digital cameras, depending on lens and film resolution. I love the amount of detail in MF film.
D700's most significant drawback is lack of good remote controls(release has to be done via wired connector on the body, compared to D5100 from 2011 which works fine with IR, and flash commander is optical only which needs a separate IR filter cover in order not to fire into face of your subject), lack of good flash controls in menu in general, allowing only group A and B control, with a LOT of clicking. Those are my biggest concerns with it personally. Otherwise, it's still kicks ass.
Thank you for sharing Konstantin! Not many take the time to write a post like yours and I enjoyed reading it! And I am with you all the way. Have Nikon D750 and Fuji XT3 and Sony A7RII (42mp) and still shoot with the D700 for the most. More pixels just makes the SSD and HDD producers happy. I find that 12MP is enough, even for print of 100x80 cm that I recently did. So I also struggle to give my GAS something to wish for, but with the D700, I need a new camera as much as a fish needs a bicycle. Stay safe!
@@frederikboving I'd love to post a review on D700 somewhere but who needs that stuff in 2021 lol! I've recently crash-landed on speedlite runway for the first time in my life shooting portraits with artificial light and heck I struggled with nikon lighting system. It's not impossible but it's complicated to the point these nikon speedlites are generally useless at their price mark of ~140-150 usd per SB700. I just figured I wanted a higher quality light so I got 2 extra SB700 but I can't go above 1/320 on SU-4 mode if I'd love to set all 3 lights to different powers. Maybe I should've went with chinese stuff after all. Coz throwing cash at profoto/broncolor lights for just a couple of pics is crazy. It's not that I'm planning to set up a studio anyway...
Oh yeah, got lucky(as per Daft Punk) and got a hold of brand new MB-D10 here in Japan for some 200 bucks and heck it solves my speed problem giving me solid 8fps cont shooting speeds. Beware amazon and some other places sell fake "nikon" MB-D10. You can find tons of posts dating back to late 2000s and even nikon support page helping with telling genuine grip and knockoffs. You can pretty much tell the difference though if you just hold it from what I can see.
I'll stay calm and shoot D700 for now and if it dies I'll probably even get another one at ebay.
Laddy, the d610, which is an FX camera beats the d700 in low light. with some tweaking the file can be made to look the same.
d850 imgages scaled down 16 mp and cropped match and
surpass those of a d700. fact. no rose coloured glasses.
@@castieldiallo2945
I think you’re missing the point.
The D700 color rendition is fantastic ! The cameras today are way too HD looking. Check out some photos taken by Film using those classic colors.... Beautiful !
The D700 output is on that par.
The photo characteristics are something many cannot appreciate.
Today it’s all about SHARPNESS and DETAIL.... DYNAMIC RANGE.
These cameras today produce portraits akin to a News Anchor with too much makeup on a 72 inch 4K Television Display ... Yuk !!
@@christianmollo3239 no guilty. the d850 has just as good colour rendition.
ask yourself,"would d700 pictures colour look the same if it were a 24mp or more camera?"
You never regret of purchased D700 , Its build like a tank , dropped a few times in Canadian Rockies trails , no problem beside all metal of F mount lens of Nikon you can find , cheers to all D700 fellows users
Thank you Thanh, and thank you for sharing!
I picked up my D700 in 2011 (it was Nikon's #2 camera at the time). It was billed as "D3 pro quality in the D300 body and price". It's still my go to camera that I am using today (5-26-2022) with 85,000 actuations and it is still chugging along. I wouldn't mind a D3s or D4s but this one continues to get the work done. I have trouble parting with it and I will pick up another one or a new one in a heartbeat coupled with the 28-300 mm lens and 3 f1.8 primes i am good to go.
Thank you for sharing Don! 🙏🏻
I haeve one, a friend offered it to me. It's from 2008 ! Still working ! I love it !
Congrats! 🎉 I hope your D700 will last many years to come!
I just got a D700 a month ago. Very nice. I do have three F100 bodies and a D7000. Full frame digital is nice as my Nikon lenses work as they were intended. I can realize now that DX can be helpful for telephoto lenses to extend the range. 180mm F2.8 will be my next telephoto. I had it once and sold it. Very nice discussion here. Thank you.
I just got the 180mm f2.8 AI and it is a WONDERFUL lens. I can feel a review coming up, but spoiler alert: it will be very positive :-)
Hi! Bought my D700 two years ago. coming from a film camera era, I think it's a good dslr Camera, simple but straight forward. Highly recommended by the angry photographer, I took a chance on it, and I do not have any regrets. Its an awesome camera, for its price, built and use. I am a photography enthusiast and for my needs, it is doing a great job, more than i could expect for. Keep safe guys. God Bless.
Hi! Thank you for sharing - much appreciated! All the best!
Welcome
Just picked up an excellent used one from KEH, it arrives this weekend and I can't wait to get it!
Hope you enjoy it!
Than you for your video... I think you have told me 20 pro. I love analog.. and this will be my first digital camera in 2021.
Ha-ha! 🤗 Thank you 🙏🏻 Flavio and the best of luck with you Nikon D700!
They made it for photos .. That's it LEGENDARY
To think that before 2009 they were *all* like that.
Always great content!!! Considering that the price of d700 is now very close to d610 and d800 which one do you recommend? And which all round lense will you choose for it?
Hi Matteo and thank you! Camera choices often comes down to what you shoot and hence what is important to you. The D800 is a high resolution monster (36MP) and it is great if you need to crop your images and still maintain a good deal of resolution in the image. But the downside is that the files are very large and takes both processing power and storage space. So if you really don't need the resolution, the D800 could be a bit overkill. The D610 is Nikons entry level full frame DSLR and it is really great value for money. It is also lighter than the D800 and also shoots more FPS, so if you are into wildlife and things that move fast, this could be important to you. You can find a compare of the two camera specs here: cameradecision.com/compare/Nikon-D800-vs-Nikon-D610. The D700 is a classis due to its image quality. I consider this an "artistic" camera. Especially the B&W images that comes out of the D700 I find to be something extraordinary. But it is also an old camera and for example the Live View is not as easy to work with as it is on more modern cameras. But it is also big and heavy, so if weight is important to you, this could be a showstopper. So what would I recommend as a general purpose camera? Well the D800 I think has too high resolution - I have the Sony A7Rii (42MP) and I find that the files are a nuisance to work with, so I would probably think twice before diving into the D800. You can lower the resolution via camera configuration, but then you also pay for resolution you really don't use. The D700 I love, but if convenience and ease of use is important to you, then maybe the D700 is a bit too old. It is the oldest (2008) of the 3 cameras, and it does show if you ask me. And then it has the least resolution of the 3, and cropping images from the D700 could be problematic. So if ease of use and good - but not super high - resolution is important to you, and you are not after an "artistic" camera, I think the arrow points to the D610.
You do not say if it is a prime or a zoom lens, but a really good lens that I keep using although I have better primes in this range, is the 28-105: ruclips.net/video/0yaNK7mSbUo/видео.html - it is dirt cheap and if you get a good copy, you will love it. Only problem is CA if you shoot directly into the sun or stark contrast. If you are after a prime, then I would recommend a 50 mm, there are lots of options, and this one is really good: ruclips.net/video/L2a4XSPuSnU/видео.html - hope this helps!
@@frederikboving thank you vert much for your detailed answer! I think i'll give d700 a try as composition Is my main focus...actually i'll shooting black and White film with a Leicaflex! Keep on the food work and have a nice day!
Very good video as usual, I have a Nikon D700, and have had it from new, it has all the main controls available by the touch of a button, this is such a great feature and is probably why I like it and my Fuji camera so much, with external controls you can just get on with taking pictures instead of diving into menu's.
Keep us informed of what you think as you use it.
Thanks for sharing! Yes, will do!
I love my D700 its old but beautiful images
Mine came today , I have D810, D4s and I love the images from this more than any camera I've ever owned.
Thank you for sharing Adam! Great that you love the D700! And I am amazed to see that it can beat the D4S! Take care!
more than the D810 even?
Thanks for the great videos , got a good one yesterday . Only card they had was 64 GB you get full and 0 on the display . Probably because firmware 1 and you need 1.2 . Put the 32GB card out the D810 in and works fine .
Thanks for sharing Thijs!
Love this video and the D700!
Thank you Jeffery!
Just this week I received my new Zf, and yesterday I bought a sensor cleaning kit to finally clean my D700's sensor as that camera will be my second body if ever I do paid work again. What. A . Camera.
👍👌
Great video
Thanks much from Baguio city
PHILIPPINES😊
Thank you 🙏🏻- greetings from Denmark 🇩🇰
80 -200 2.8 and grip with 3D tracking awesome combo.
Great cam.. had 2 of em.. gonna buy the 3rd one
Too much of a good thing is wonderful :-D
I actually like that you mentioned the F100, when I am shooting both switch back and forth is pretty seamless.
🙂
I bought my d700 after having a d610 I take photos, I'm not a videographer, and I've added the mbd10 battery grip which will take a d3 enel4 battery, this gives a boost from 5fps to 7fps so wildlife and action is quite feasible, as far as repairs nikon canada can no longer get parts, so I would buy another for parts and take to a 3rd party repair shop LIVE ON LEGEND!
💪
I will never EVER part with my beloved legend D700. 400,000+ shutter count and still counting!
Hi Dan! Noted! I'm with you - hold on to my D700 until it or I drop dead!
Wow, you do not need to change the cam belt, it is running cam chain in a digital camera. I hope your D700 is still running fine after 1 million clicks !!!!!
Same. Bought it right when it came out from a guy switching to canon who had way too much money. Got it for $1200 back in early 2009. I'll never part with it.
One note about the aufofocus AF vs. AFS. The most common opinion is that the AF system (screw-driver type; no AF motor in the lens) is not as fast as AFS. This opinion is incorrect for many AF lenses. AF 35 f2 is definitely faster than AFS 35 f1.8G, both Dx and Fx. Both AF 50 mm lenses, 1.8D and 1.4D are focusing faster than AFS 50mm lenses, both 1.4G and 1.8G. AF 85 1.8D focuses faster than AFS 85 1.8G. The same is true when most of D primes are compared to their AFS 1.8G counterparts. Of course, AFS 70-200 2.8 is focusing faster than AF 80-200, no question, but still, the AF 80-200 2.8D is not a slow focusing lens by any standards. I own these lenses, so I'm writing based on my own experience. I love D series primes, and I own all of them. I'm not planning to get rid of them any time soon.
Thank you for sharing! I must admit that I have never tried testing AF vs AF-S, i.e. built in motor vs mechanical drive, but it seems to me you have done your homework to reach your conclusions, so thank you for sharing. I am not an experienced BIF or sports shooter, but with the little I have done, the speed of the AF has never been an issue. Only the speed of yours truly and his fat fingers!
Got mine in 2008 as backup to D3 which had the same sensor. I shot many weddings and model portfolios with it and it is still one of the best I have owned.
What about newer Nikons? I also own a D800, a D750 and Z7 and if for some reason I were to go back to professional photography, I would use my D3 and the D700 as a backup. The colors are outstanding and the 3D focus tracking has never been topped since.
Thank you Ken! Have you ever notices an IQ difference between the D3 and the D700? I hear that the processing software in the D700 is one of its kind and should produce better pictures than the D3 although the sensor and much of the HW is the same. But I have never found any evidence or anything conclusive on the subject. All the best!
@@frederikboving - No, i saw no differences in the results. I used only Nikon software which is the only one that works so well.
The only issues with the D700 is the 95% viewfinder vs the 100% of the D3. And the one memory card. Neither bothered me at all.
Colors with both cameras were beautiful and I have not been able to get them with later models.
They are available for low prices so people should pick one up and try it.
@@lescobrandon3047 Thanks Ken, noted. Agree, the 95% viewfinder is one of the flaws of the D700, but then again, much is forgiven when you see the images that comes out of it.
I was lucky to buy an as new D700 and just using it has reinvigorated my interest in photography.
👌
Nikon need another D700!!
12MP with Expeed 6 processor for that High ISO and dynamic Range
Agreed! A D700 in a modern version would be nice 👍
@@frederikboving Wasn't the Df meant to be a kind of successor? Pure Photography, 16M, no video. What do you think?
@@miklosnemeth8566 Hi Miklos, if you take a look at this overview: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Nikon_DSLR_cameras it looks like the DF is one of a kind, and that the D750 is the one following the D700. I think the DF was/is a strange animal. I think Nikon wanted to make a designer camera that could compete with Leica and gave one of their key designers free hands to come up with a "out of the box camera". But as I see it, it never hit the nail on the head. Too expensive and too close to an ordinary camera to meet/beat the expectations IMHO. But Ken is happy: www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/df.htm
Only thing I would ask for is the updated AF System and high ISO. Other than that I wouldn’t want it touched, especially the color.
Fin video! Bliver helt nostalgisk og bliver nødt til at støve mit gamle D700 af.
D700 er et ægte pro kamera hvor D750 nærmere betegnes som prosumer.
D810 er den værdige efterfølger og har mange af de samme dedikerede knapper som er vigtige for pro-segmentet.
Men de har bare ikke det samme "feel" som D700 :)
Enig, der er noget ved D700. Men jeg er nu også glad for mit D4 - super kamera. I forsvar for D750 vil jeg sige at det er en fantastisk loyal arebejdshest! Den har ikke samme solide feel som D4 eller D700, men hold nu op hvor det bare leverer gang efter gang. Mit D750 er min foretrukne arbejdshest når jeg skal skyde produkter eller med flash! Jeg forstår til fulde hvorfor det var bryllups fotografers foretrukne kamera for år tilbage!
The reason people love the D700:
The cameras today take photos
That look very HD. It’s incredible how detailed the photos are.
But they don’t look real.
The D700 photos look real.
That’s it ! The Nikon D700 output is what you saw before snapping the photo. The human eye cannot illuminate the shadows and see every tiny crack in a tree trunk.
The camera today take photos
that look surreal. I love my D700 and my D3s because they both reproduce the scene as I saw it.
Like film, it looks realistic.
I know in this world today it’s not a popular opinion but there are still some of us who enjoy keeping it real.. Really Real 👊
Thanks for sharing Christian! Yes, there is something about the D700. It is not every shot that I think is amazing. Some of the images are not that different from say a D750, but just once in a while I find that the D700 takes an image where I am like: WTF happened there? See this one: flic.kr/p/2mPWMUd - the micro contrast and detail in that image does not stop to amaze me. So I agree, there is something about the D700.
Very helpful, I keep getting the urge to purchase one of these, would you still recommend one in 2022?
Hi Steve, as always these things come down to personal preference and what is important to you. Relative to the video, I have a more updated list of pros and cons here: frederikboving.com/the-legendary-nikon-d700-still-relevant-in-2020/
If you don't mind carrying a relatively big and heavy camera (relative to say APS-C cameras), you can accept that the camera can no longer be repaired by Nikon, that it is difficult to find a good copy with low shutter count and that it's age starts showing when we talk say Live View or video capabilities, and that the 12MP does not give much headroom for cropping, then this could be the camera for you. I still have mine and still shoot with it, but I also grab my D4 and Z6ii equally often. The D700 is a great camera also today, superb ergonomics and image quality - a classic DSLR. Hope this helps.
It’s an amazing camera for the price nowadays 😊 as long as you get your composition right.
Yep, I guess you cant blame bad composition on the D700 🙂
@@frederikboving absolutely not!
Do you get the nice looking high iso with or without the noise reduction on? Cheers.
@@KK-no7be On. But my experience with other cameras is that the post software does an excellent job reducing noise as well. Notice that for long exposures the in camera processing time can be significant when noise reduction is on.
@@frederikboving Ok thanks. I got my D700 yesterday for £136, but with a high shutter count of about 570,000. Got a broken leg at the moment, so haven't had a chance to get out and about with it yet. Cheers.
H Frederik, could please tell me if the Loawa lens 100mm f2.8 work with d700? Thank you
Hi Jamal, the honest answer is that I do not know. I can see the Loawa comes in both a version for the F-mount and the Z-mount, and obviously you need the F-mount version for the D700. And then it is a fully manual lens, i.e. no AF, so my thinking is that it should work, but of course better if someone who owns both this lens and the D700 answers if they work together!
How is the high iso performance of the D700/D3 compared to a D7200? I’m thinking about getting a D3 as a first fx camera (same sensor as D700 anyway) but I’m worried about it still being good enough at high iso compared to something more modern like a D7200/D500.
Hi Frederik, I think your worry is spot on. One of the areas where cameras get better and better still is dynamic range. Now, I cannot test the DR for the D7200 vs the D700, but DXMARK has done so here: www.dxomark.com/Cameras/Compare/Side-by-side/Nikon-D700-versus-Nikon-D4s-versus-Nikon-D7200___441_945_1020 - I cannot link the the specific page, but you have to click on "measurements" and then "Dynamic Range" (the tab sheets) to get to the right page. As you can see the DR of the D700 in the high end is 1.5-2 stops whereas it is is more even in the more "normal" range. The same picture applies for the D500 vs the D700: www.dxomark.com/Cameras/Compare/Side-by-side/Nikon-D500-versus-Nikon-D700___1061_441. If this is an issue or not depends on what you shoot - bracketing can help you a long way, but when you mention the "catch anything that moves fast D500" my guess is that you are not photographing steady objects, and hence bracketing is not really an option. Hope this helps your decision making.
Hi we have 4 x D700 rarely used now but still taken out for a spin occasionally. We cannot recommend highly enough the addition of the MBD-10 GRIP the BL-3 cover and the EN-EL4 or 4A battery these additions just supercharge the D700.
Thanks for sharing Janis! Yes, I also enjoy the original Nikon grip as part of my D700 setup. It really gives the camera a good balance and "feel" when the grip is added.
I wish I had never sold mine - D700 is strongly recommended to anyone considering it
When I look back some of my best photos were taken by the d700
there are two top Nikons for me
One was d700 and the other is Df
Re mpx = 12 is plenty - and 16 is more than plenty
Agree to all you write. One comment though: "some of my best photos were taken by the d700" - no, some of your best photos were taken by YOU! All the best!
@@frederikboving wonderful words - absolutely right
🙏🏽
Hello there,
Two weeks ago I bought my D700 with only 32,000 shots.
She makes a perfect combo with my Nikkor 35-70 f2.8 AF-D, and has become very good friends with my Olympus Pen-F
For me, the best choice is to combine an Fx sensor camera (D700) with an M4/3 (my Olympus), so I can cover any situation.
I just wish they last me forever 😊
Thanks for sharing Santiago! Yes, a blend of FF and cropped sensor is great! The cropped sensor has so much smaller glasses that if there is plenty of light, the cropped sensor is much more convenient! All the best!
I've owned the D70, D100, D200, D300, D90, D7000, D7100 & D7500 all APS-C Sensors ... not into Full Frame just yet? The D300 was a beefy camera body one of the best?
Hi Michael, you sure know your Nikon APS-C's!
This was posted on another D700 video by a user named Nikos Zochios so just copying and pasting FYI:
The D700 has the best colour accuracy and hue discrimination than any other Nikon camera.
The D700 sensor NC81338L (CMOS) has been designed by Nikon and has been manufactured by "Matsushita"
There are some factors that separate the D700 sensor from any other Nikon camera sensor.
About D700 colours:
What makes the D700 colours so special (including excellent skin tones) is its unique CFA together with a unique algorithm applied to its sensor. (different than the D3 and D3s ones)
After the D700, Nikon altered CFA filters in order to boost high ISO performance and fit a bigger number of mpx in the same size sensor. But this required making the filter less discriminating.
The colour discrimination of the specific CFA allows the separation as a unique shade of any single basic colour. Modern cameras' lighter CFAs simply cluster similar shades of a single colour.
So we are coming now to the most important of all the factors which is called "Tonal gain"
This is the D700's sensor pixel area (Photosite):71.70µm2 and this is-a an example- the D850 sensor pixel area:18.88µm2 That means that the D700 sensor has a 279% larger pixel area.
So, let's see why this makes the difference in dimensionality and depth we see on many D700 shots.
Light is a signal. This represents the tonality (colours, contrasts, details) of the subject. Its strength is defined by shutter speed and aperture.
Pixel area (Photosite) is an antenna that receives the signal so it affects how much light per pixel can be gathered. The larger it is, the more light can be collected by a single pixel. BUT, The size of the photosite defines its native signal gain as well.
For a camera to record the maximum amount of micro-contrast and depth of a good lens, it requires low photosite density for higher native gain.
Tonal gain is NOT a dynamic range.
The higher the native gain, the bigger is the gap between the peak of the gain and the noise floor over the same signal.-
Photosites exist at various densities within the size of the camera sensor. Higher megapixel sensors have a higher density and lower native gain.
The ISO defines the applied gain on the photosite so that it can receive a weaker signal. Increasing the gain raises the noise floor.
The Analog to Digital Converter (A/D converter) converts the gained signal into digital information. The quality of the conversion is influenced by Bit Depth.
The Signal to Noise Ratio firmware (SNR) separates the signal (the detail) from the noise (the noise) right before making the RAW file. If the converted gain is low, it will have a harder time figuring out the difference, therefore removing more signals.
So the quality of the TONAL GAIN matters greatly in final image-making.
The current ideal photosite density is 12mp for the size of a full-frame sensor (Nikon D700 - 8.5 microns is ideal)
So yes, the D700 is definitely worth buying! Now in 2023 and even in 2030!
The most beautiful colors I ever did see come out of any camera was the Nikon D4. I think color rendition is very subjective.
@@frederikboving I've seen all your videos. I subscribed lately but I've been watching all your content for years. I trust your opinion since you seem to be a perfectionist. I am after a used D4 but lately I bought a Canon 5D Classic and a D700 so the D4 will have to wait a bit 😊 Please keep making these videos. Thanks Frederik.
@@lucasliaskos Thank you Lucas! Much appreciated! And welcome as a subscriber to the channel! 👌
HI, I see you are using a manual focus 50mm nikkor lens with D700. Currently I only posses film cameras, but would like to experience the digital world by leveraging on my manual focus lens collection. I wonder how challenging is to use the D700's viewfinder to nail the focus with the 50mm? Do you have experience with other manaul lenses as well?
Hi Daniel, yes, I have other "manual" lenses like a 85mm, 105mm and 180mm. It is more or less the same experience with all lenses. It is not challenging at all, unless of course you want to photograph birds in flight or the like. I have a video here where I talk about manual focus on the D750 (ruclips.net/video/NLsqwPWHxbc/видео.html), but it is the same as the D700. I have a Nikon F100 and although I do not shoot much film, the little I have tried to use the F100, it is my impression it works exactly the same way as a DSLR. I don't know which film camera you come from, but if it is the F100 then you will feel at home right away. Hope this helps!
@@frederikboving Thank you for the reply, I use a Nikon F3 mainly, with Nikkor 20mm f2.8 35mm f1.4 50mm f1.4 and 85mm f1.8 and would like to leverage on this park, altough was not sure about the manual focus capabilites of fullfram DSLRs, amogst the bodies you have used did you experience any difference in FX viewfinders? I was gone sellect a d700 mostly based on your review, but wonder if there is a better choice out there.
Hi Daniel, maybe I am the biggest ignorant that ever walked planet earth, but across my D750, D700 and D4, I have never really noticed any difference in the manual focus system. I have though noticed that the D700's viewfinder does not have 100% coverage. That simply drives me nuts! I try to frame my images rather precisely and not having full coverage (the image it takes is larger than what you see in the viewfinder) is a pain. But that of course has noting to do with manual focus. Also, for the D700 I have bought a magnification eyepiece (DK-17) and that one is hard to get from new these days as Nikon has stopped production. The slight magnification it provides helps you doing manual focus, as it enlarges what you see in the viewfinder.
In other news: Maybe a big jump to go from film to mirrorless (ML), but mirrorless cameras have both focus peaking highlights and 200% magnification in the viewfinder to help with manual focus. Down side with ML is that the good old focus confirmation dot does not always work with older lenses, for reasons beyond me. So if you like the confirmation dot, be careful with ML.
Found one for 300eur,card 16gb,charger,strap,battery,box... around 99000 shots...thinking of buying...
Decisions, decisions :-)
@@frederikboving Change of decision:Went for D3S,290 eur,32gb card,456.662 shots ...😄
No ibis in a 12 years old DSLR? well, my Minolta 7D had IBIS in 2005 :-) a very basic IBIS but still.
Right. I guess you can’t have it all 😉 Nikon lenses of today often comes with image stabilization and that compensates to some degree, but a D700 with a vintage lens - no stabilization at all!
@@frederikboving indeed. From 1980 to 2005 I never really needed stabilzation: I was the active stabilization, or I used a tripod. I still don't really use it and most of the cameras I kept don't have it.
@@josephbalson Interesting also to notice that Steve Perry, despite stabilization and what not, still says he gets noticeably sharper pictures if he shoots using a tripod.
I bought my D700 new in the first months of its release years ago. I was using a D200 prior to that and wanted the full frame. What I do miss and never understood is why Nikon decided not to give the D700 ISO 100. Instead, the lowest is ISO 200.
Hi CW Sam, you were one of the first movers with regards to the D700! It took me around 10 years to discover this wonderful camera! I have no idea about the ISO 200, but I can see the D3 is subject to the same design decision. Could be related to the Panasonic sensor, but I am guessing and have no evidence to support it.
@@frederikboving With all the fanfare after all this time I decided to see check on my D700's shutter count. With less than 39,000 clicks I guess I don't need to buy a spare yet.
@@cwsam1256 I saw in another comment that the prices on the D700 has dropped recently, maybe because the world is going mirrorless and people flush the market with used DSLRs. So it will be interesting to see if it sticks, or the D700 will have a revival at some point just like vinyl records.
another con is the single card operation... No backup in case of card failure.
Agreed. Unfortunately YT does not allow you to upload a new version of a video with the same URL, so I cannot easily add a point to the list. But your comment is reflected in this blog, where I have extended the list of cons: frederikboving.com/the-legendary-nikon-d700-still-relevant-in-2020/
My favorite DSLR camera is the D700 - makes beautiful images. The body seemed to be modeled after the Nikon F100 which I also have.
Thanks for sharing TrueToad! Yes, the D700 is a wonderful camera in many ways and it is still my no 1 choice for black and white images. All the best!
I love My D700...
You may also mention the large pixel pitch (8 microns), greatly contributing to its image quality.
I could. If I assessed it contributed significantly to the image quality. ruclips.net/video/FpcWSRCprSQ/видео.htmlsi=H7zjlBrs3xnYsq40
I passed D200, D700, D750, D850. D700 is by far the best in rendering the special feeling that cannot be put in words. D850 is too noisy, good at very low ISO, good for macro stacking and video.
i hope i can find one with this good condition. im going to buy one to start on macro photography.
Right. Macro is not my forte, but I am sure the D700 will also work well for macro photography! All the best!
Image quality is down to the larger pixels on the D700 sensor
👌
I bought a near mint D700 last year for $350 with less than 5K on the shutter! Love this camera.
Well done! Finding a D700 with such a low shutter count is very seldom this day and age!
Alex, 3 hours ago you posted a comment starting with "incidentally", but it is no more. Did you delete it?
@@frederikboving just posted a response but it was deleted within 2 minutes. Not sure why, maybe because I mentioned the specific crime.
So, short version-
An eBay’er sent me her near mint Nikon D3X after she initially failed to send it to me after I paid her asking price on eBay.
She’d been the victim of a serious assault after posting the camera and just forgot about it. I eventually had eBay reimburse me after she failed to send it. After speaking with her on the phone about photography (she’d been an Associated Press photographer for decades) and listening to her vent about the assault she’d suffered, she sent me the D3X for free. Shutter count was less than 5K as she said she never liked it and preferred her D3 instead.
@@alexblaze8878 Thanks for sharing Alex! And thank you for confirming that the message was "snatched" by RUclips! It happens from time to time for me - I get an e-mail that a post has been made, and when I try to respond, then the post is gone! I thought I did something wrong, so thank you for confirming that you also see the post as suddenly gone! AND congrats with your new camera! Wow! You now have a camera with a history! Sorry to hear about the assault, but I guess that explains the camera was not shipped in the first place. So nice of her to send you the camera for free!
@@frederikboving Yes with all the crazy in the world going on, that boosted my faith a bit. She just needed someone to listen to her and she shared so much knowledge about photography based on her decades working with the Associated Press I thought it’s the least I could do. We spoke for weeks and had become sorta friends in a way. Then out of the blue, she sent me the camera with a note apologizing again for the months-prior eBay mess up and thanked me for listening to her frustrations and vents.
As a token, in turn I sent her a Helios 44-2 that had been optically adapted for infinity focus on Nikon. Though she had vast experience shooting all over the world with Nikon she’d never tried her hand at the unique bokeh of some of the old vintage M42 mount lenses. She now raves about the images she gets with that lens every time we talk.
Thanks, now I have to go out and start looking for a good used D700, If the image quality is anything like my D300 this could get costly.
I got one D300, fell in love with the images and got another one just in case.
Ha-ha! Yes, the D700 is indeed a great camera! In my experience you can get a not-too-beaten-up copy for around 400 EUR. If you look at what you have to pay for a new camera, you get a lot of bang for the buck. I have not experience with the D300, but I understand it is an APS-C sensor? Then I can only think you will love the D700 even more... All the best!
@@frederikboving Half of the fun of photography is hunting for a great deal on used gear. I buy 99% of my gear used for pennies on the dollar. The only down side is that I can't pass up on a really good deal. There are 3 Nikon items that I can;t have enough of 1) the SC17 flash extension cable, 2) the old film ere SB28 speed light which I use in auto flash mode on my Nikons and Pentax cameras, and 3) the Nikon 28-80mm G kit lens which has only 6 glass elements. This little cheap lens is by far the sharpest lens I have come across. A little research showed that Nikon put their best lens designer on the project to make a lens that would give the first time SLR buyer a great start. At 50mm it out performs my 50mm f1.8 even when both are set to f8 or f11 The only down side is the plastic mount, which has yet to give me any trouble, but to be safe I have 4 or 5 copies of this lens. This cheap little lens is out standing on my D600 although it does look kind of funny being on a large body. I will be on the prowl for a D700 as it used the same battery and battery grip of the D300.
@@dominicwroblewski5832 Right! It seems to me like you have found a little gem of a lens, and that Ken Rockwell agrees with you 100%: www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/28-80mm-g.htm - I have made a mental note that I need to get a copy someday. I understand there are plenty out there! THANK YOU for sharing!
@@frederikboving Well it took a year of hunting, but I finally got a super great deal on a D700. Original box, cables, strap for $365 The best part is only 277 shutter clicks. I'm gonna pair it up with a 28-80mm and a 70-210mm F4.
@@dominicwroblewski5832 277! Wow! That is practically brand new! Well done!
The D700 also makes for a good real estate camera or back up camera . The small files means your HDs will not full up fast . It’s not my favorite all time camera , but it’s still great .
What is your favorite all time camera? And why?
I got mine at a very good price. The reason I bought it was for my industrial photography. Crawling around mines and sewage treatment plants are not kind to gear. If it is destroyed I can pick up another and the cost is covered by part of the shoot fees.
Geoffrey, do you know how many D700s that were produced? I have tried to google it, but with no luck.
@@frederikboving sorry for the delay. I have looked and cannot find a definite number. Someone reported 367,000 in 2011. I don’t know if that’s worldwide, Japan , Europe or USA.
Regards
Geoff
Sydney Australia.
@@geoffreystone4849 Thank you Geoffrey - I actually thought it would have been much higher when you consider the (general) number of lenses produced. Thank you for sharing!
I would add another plus. The camera-card-computer flow is much more fluid and you can run it with an old computer. You can put also your old SD cards inside a cheap CF Adapter.
Hi Mateu, thanks for the tips! I will need to get me one of those CF adapters you mention, so I only have to work with one card reader.
Mine is labelled *SD… to CF Compact Flash Memory Card Adapter Reader Type 1*, 12.59€. (There is also a microSD version). I think only works (but it does very well) on old SDHC-I cards, which I have a lot from my ancient compact cameras. It will not detect Extreme Pro o things like this.
When you shoot on CL or CH you will need them. With erratically moving subjects (kids, birds…) the Focus mode C-ontinuous plus the combination of the AF-area mode selector is one of the D700 best features. Despite the years it works very well for me.
Well, I am perplexed as to why Nikon has ceased all support for the D700. I know this because I am having issues with my D700: formatting issues again. Well, I love this gorgeous hunk so much that I got another mint copy on eBay. I also shoot the D750 but I kept grabbing the 700. As an aside, Nikon USA still supports the crappy D90 which I owned years ago. Go figure. Much enjoyed your take on the D700.
Thank you James, yes - I simply cross my fingers that my D700 will last - I have no idea how to get it serviced should it go belly up someday!
I have a d700 , with excellent results, the auto focus beep is very quiet, are all d700 cameras the same
Hi Keith, I cannot remember someone speaking badly about the D700, rather everyone who owns one praises it! The sound of the focus beep can be controlled via the Custom Settings Menu, menu item D1. I have 3 videos (!) about the menu system on the D700, and one of them talks about the customs settings menu, item (A) through (D): ruclips.net/video/cBtn2ERZD_4/видео.html and 4:38 into that video, I talk about the focus beep.
Thansk for your videos. I have already suscrribed to your channel. Question, I have the 35-70 2.8, I think you too. Have you used it on the D700? It performs well? Because I am looking this camera as a back up of my D750. Thanks in advance.
I had the d750 before the D700, and I love the D700 despite being older and less resolution. I am sure the D700 will not disappoint you if you get a good copy.
@@frederikboving And the 35-70 2-8 in the D700? Have you use this combination?
Daniel, sorry, I have not. I shoot mainly with the 180mm f/2.8 and the 24mm f/2.8 on the D700. I have not used the 35-70mm for some time, but seem to remember that it is quite soft wide open. If you want me to do a few test shots of the lens, please let me know, and I will upload a few shots to a dedicated album on Flickr. Let me know what motives has your interest, and I will see what I can do. This weekend is busy, so first half of next week I can look into it.
@@frederikboving It is no necessary sir. Just curiosity. But ask you if you can share your experiencie with a piece of advice: between a Nikon D3 with 150.000 clicks and a Nikon D700 with 10.000 shoots, both with the same price, where would you go your money? Thanks in advance. Regards.
@@danielrfunes Uh, Daniel it is a good question. There is something about the D700, but Nikon only promises 150t clicks where the D3 it is 300t. So there is more lifetime to be expected on the D3 than the D700. Also, I find the ergonomics of my D4 to be absolutely stellar, and if the D3 is like that, then you are in for a treat. So I would be leaning toward the D3 I think. But mind you that the body is big and for example does not fit into most "normal" camera bags. And if you have small hands, then the D3 may not be for you. Hope this helps. All the best!
Thank you very much. I have learnt so much more on how to use my D300 as its functions are very identical to the D700 from your wonderful videos. I only use manual lenses and shoot only Black and white images. Only Editing I do is image cropping. Looking out for a D700 now.
Thank you Hari! Glad you found the videos useful! I think you will like the D700 - it is a great camera!
Your videos are great, Frederik! I bought a mint D700 with only 6000 clicks and accessories and even though i have newer Nikons, this camera is a legend and I find myself grabbing it a lot of the time. I have a lot of Nikon glass, new and older, and also some third-party glass and they all work perfectly..
Thank you Ed, and thank you for sharing! Yes, the D700 is a pleasure to work with, and like you I often reach for the D700 despite the D750 standing next to it!
I am an artist deny own to Nikon cameras the Nikon D600 and the Nikon D7100, will it be worth it to give the Nikon d700 I've heard that it's so good
I normally refer to the D700 as the artistic camera when I am do describe it in a few words. So when you say "artist deny", I guess the answer is right there. The D700 has less resolution and hence larger photosites that capture the light more precisely than what you see with other cameras (the signal to noise ratio is simply better for this reason). The effect is "clean" images with a micro contrast that you do not see with many other cameras. One of my favorite examples is this one: flic.kr/p/2mPWMUd - hope this helps!
My D700 is still going strong.
🙂
I love my D700, imho the bigger defect is that there isn't an easy way to move from A mode to S mode while shooting sports... I found easy on my previous D80 to shot near me with a fixed time exposure to have panning effect and then just moving a finger passing to diafragm priority for a second shot after a very limited time! Like two different turns in the same circuit in motorsport... Ps other things that I don't like very much are the menus, a little bit too complicated... All the rest is history!
It is a good point. Turning a dial is faster than the "push a button and turn the command wheel" style. Btw: If you don't like Nikons menu system, stay clear of Sony! I have a A7Rii and using that as a reference - I simply love the simplicity of the Nikon menus!
@@frederikboving it wasn’t about nikon menus sistem, I used to manage completely the settings of my D80, it’s just the D700 that I found more complex, some parts of the settings are for me really difficult to understand! It’s a professional camera though, there are plenty of settings, it’s just boring to remember everything while passing from a kind of foto to another... I do stars, long exposures, sports, portraits etc... Sometimes there are too many things to modify! After this complexity the camera is simple great! I have many Nikon lenses, and with this FX i moved to 24-70 2.8 and 70-200 vr, my only two glasses with af motor inside!