Nikon D700 12.1MP FX-Format CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 3.0-Inch LCD (Body Only) (OLD MODEL)

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I bought this used on Amazon in pristine condition, which opened up a number of opportunities to use my Nikon lenses from the film days in the way they were intended. This is a boon for folks who gravitate to the wide-angle end of the lens spectrum. With lens factor no longer a consideration, wide-angle lenses like 28mm are again true wide-angle and not the equivalent of something between 35-50mm anymore. My decade old Sigma 12-24mm wide-angle zoom has found new life, particularly at 12mm. The D700 has surprisingly respectable low-light/high ISO capability, allowing the use of ISO6400 as the upper range of the "Auto-ISO" setting. The relatively small image files are easily manageable on the computer due to the 12.1MP sensor. In fact, this may a good reason to go for a used D700 rather than a new D600/D800 -- the files from the D700 are smaller and more convenient in terms of work flow in Lightroom or Photoshop. There are a significant number of cost-effective Nikon film-era lenses available used which will work on a D700. One can easily procure an entire set of used iconic Nikon lenses for the cost of a single modern-era F2.8 pro zoom. The best thing about the D700 may be the coverage and size of the viewfinder.

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I have transitioned from the D50 to the D90 to the D300s and now to a used D700 (from Green Earth Values). i am always a bit behind the curve, not being an "Early Adopter." I am, at best, an avid amateur, so the latest and greatest is not necessarily an issue for me. I had gotten used to the dual card slots on the D300s, and so was a bit concerned about losing that capability, but so far, it has proved not to be an issue. The color rendition is superb, and it seems to fit my hand comfortably. I paired it with the Nikkor f/4 24-120VR offering and I believe that it will work for me. I made the switch in order to get into FF, and I considered the D600/E but the oil issue caused me to back off, but perhaps that will happen someday.

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I just got my new D700 yesterday. I have use a D40, D3000 & D90. I wanted the D700 for the low noise low light performance. I shoot events. I was trying to decide between the D700 and the D7000. I labored with my decision for months. I had always wanted the D700 but had begun considering the D7000 due to the much lower price...and lens inventory. The reviews swayed me left and right and was no closer to making my decision. I decided not to wait any longer and get the D7000, after all, some of the reviews claimed as good or even better at high ISOs. I only used it for a couple hours and knew it was not the move I expected from the D90. It made me realize that the D90 is an excellent camera up to ISO 800...I actually have greater respect for my D90 now. I found the D7000, even though fairly good performance in ISO 1600, was soft. It reminded me of Canons..whose high resolution are pretty good but soft in low light. This may be due to excessive noise reduction, so please dont take this as a negative comment about Canons. Just my preference and experience(limited with Canons) I could have kept the D7000 and enjoyed marginal performance over the D90 but I was looking for a leap. So then I waited and waited for the D700 to be available. Amazon.com alerted me via email of availability and I did not hesitate. It came immediately, I paid for next day for just 4.00, being a prime member. I instantly checked my shutter count and it was 6 after shooting several images! It is here now in my hands and due to time limitations, I have not given it enough tests but so far, I am floored...my eyes are tired from popping in amazement from the performance. I have shot at ISOs 2500 and to my disbelief, images were actually brighter than my eyes saw them. This has to be due to excellent dynamic range. This was similar to the D7000 but the images were sharper, bokeh cleaner, colors richer and more honest. Will provide more updates to this review because it is premature but I cannot contain my immense fulfillment so far with this product. BTW, the D800 was not a consideration because I honestly did not want to deal with the heavy resolution image sizes for an event.

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4/1/13 Update: Its been nearly a year and this camera has still met all my expectations. Ive shot a variety of subjects from sports to studio to street and its not let me down. Recently, Ive done a car shoot and some night street photography during SXSW here in Austin with some amazing results. With the money Ive saved (vs. getting a D800), Ive been able to add other photography gear like a studio strobe, lighting modifiers, and the AWESOME Nikon 85mm f/1.8 AFS. Id eventually like to add a D3S or D800E as a primary (and keep the D700 for a backup camera) in 8-12 months. For those considering the D600 and D700: if youre a hobbyist, the D600 will probably meet 99% of your needs. Its got a great 24MP sensor, improved high ISO capability, smaller body, dual card slots, movie mode, etc. Basically a mid-range DSLR camera with all the features one would expect in 2012/2013. I cant speak to the quality issues regarding oil spots on the sensor, but on paper, the D600 is a great full frame camera for the money. Pros may consider one as a backup body. Where the D700 trumps it is in ergonomics, weather sealing, and autofocus. If any of those matter, then the D700 is still a very strong contender. Original review: I wont get into the specs, but give my take on how this camera holds up being a generation older than the current competition. At current used prices it matches up very closely to the new Nikon full frame kid on the block-- D600, although the ergonomics and features of the D700 are closer to the the D800. The D700s lineage is from the mighty D3 so youre getting essentially the same camera in a smaller body. Slap on the optional hand grip and you can fire away at 8 FPS. The sensor and processor dont quite match up todays semipro DSLRs, but it is still VERY GOOD. Unless youre always shooting in the dark with no flash, images are clean up to ISO 3200 and still usable at ISO 6400 with the proper exposure and post processing. I rarely go up to 3200, so that was no big deal to me. The only major omission is the lack of a movie mode, though that really wasnt a deal breaker for me. Other features you may miss: No custom modes on the mode dial, single card slot (unlockable), and live view isnt that useful. Its hard not to get caught up with GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome), but you really have to consider that last gen cameras are still capable of producing the same high quality images as any new camera today. Besides, the money saved could be best used for lenses, lighting, and photography lessons.

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I have owned the D7000 for about a year and decieded to go "full frame" because I needed the improved image quality within a larger camera sensor. However, this camera will only be an upgrade to you if you completely understand the camera settings(PSAM,Manual controls,Light metering,Focus options, etc.) for each shooting situation regarding what you will be using it for. Also, you must eventually be willing to Invest In (fx)Lenses to use this camera to its full advantages in image quality over the smaller consumer grade camera bodies. If you are an ameture photographer or a hobbyist, it would be a Very Smart choice to go ahead and purchase (fx)lenses for your current dslr cameras to prevent a waste in your money later on down the road. This will also give you a multiplied zoom on a (dx)camera body. Over all, you cannot help but appreciate this camera shortly after you open the box. Keep in mind, YOU are the Photographer. The camera is only a tool to assist you on the job. I Love my D700 :) Recommended Lenses: Nikon 50mm 1.8g = Very sharp and great quality for general shooting at a cheap price Nikon 85mm 1.8 = Considered as "of the best portrait lenses" by majority of advanced photographers Nikon 24-70mm = Excellent zoom lens for professional shooting (weddings, Special Events, etc.)

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Ive been trying to relive the feeling I got shooting Ektachrome and Kodachrome for years. Especially printing on Ilford Pearl paper. Somehow, my D200 and D300 (let alone my $1K 995) always fell short, and I tried to make up for that by shooting HDR exposures. It was a real joke on the photo trips Ive been on, firing off nine frames at a time. The first couple of days after I bought this camera, I was shooting along the Chicago river with a group. This was the final bridge raising for people to get their boats out of Lake Michigan to safety for the winter. I didnt bother to read the manual except on how to map the function button to use the virtual horizon feature, which I thought was neat. Here I am, standing in the shadows under a bridge and trying to figure out how to bracket exposure for HDR. There is no bracket button on the camera, unlike the D200 or D300. I give up, and just start shooting. Im underneath a raising bridge, shooting a sailboat, with a bright sky and the Tribune Building in the background. I shot a couple hundred frames in a couple of hours, following the boats down the river, when I got home I expected nothing. I later found out I had remapped the Fn button from bracket to virtual horizon. Lo and behold, I was able to pull out shadows beneath the bridge, clouds, the "Chicago Tribune" lettering on the building, and even the John Hancocks building antennas in the distance. This is all with a wide angle Nikkor 14-24 lens, so its not like I was zooming anywhere, let alone a half mile away. I just cant say enough good things about this cameras exposure latitude and detail retention. Ill still bracket, but not be obsessive about it. On a more practical level, I did not want to buy this camera. I kept thinking a new model is coming out, so I would wait. But, I injured my right hand really bad, which will most likely take another 6 months to heal, and I figured the ISO boost along with some fast lenses, would at least let me to get out shooting again. Im happy, I set the ISO to go up to 3200 on auto, went out shooting, and those shots with a little bit of noise reduction are fine. With my D200 the limit was about 400, with my D300 realistically 800. The first shot I took with this camera was in my apartment, and I couldnt believe that a black light stand in front of a black subwoofer still showed definition. Keep in mind that low light shots at ISOs higher than 3200 are going to show noise. A lot of noise in low light. Also on a practical level, I was also able to use all of my D300s accessories, except for a right angle viewfinder and a diopter adapter. Plus, this model has been going down in price. I bought this and a Nikkor 14-24 as a combo from Amazon for about 3650, the equivalent locally was 1250 more, and I can only imagine the next model will be more money with no instant rebate. [...] Id get this camera for what it does now, and not wait to pay a whole lot more for the next model. This might actually be the last camera I buy for a few years. As far as Im concerned, Ive gone back 30 years in time, I love it.

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Nikon D700 is the first and the only (up to now) compact full frame (FX) camera Nikon has to offers. It inherits many great features from Nikon pro-DSLR camera Nikon D3 and add some other useful features such as dust reduction and wireless flash commander. What is special about Nikon D700? Like its big brother Nikon D3, D700 has incredible clean image at high ISO setting, 51 AF points with several tracking modes include 3D tracking. It shoots 5 fps but can be boost to 8 fps with battery grip attached. Unlike D3, it has compact size but it is not light. It is 995 g. Body and Handling Nikon D700s body is similar to Nikon D300 (a crop sensor DSLR camera or DX) in many ways. But of course it has a little bit different here and there. For example. D700 is taller and wider to accommodate larger viewfinder. D700 body feels very solid and made by magnesium alloy body. It has textured rubber in the grip area. As discussed above, the camera is quite heavy, but it helps to balance the camera especially if you mount it with heavy pro grade lenses. Although regarded as pro camera, D700 body is not as tough and reliable as top of the line pro camera and some advanced crop sensor camera. There are some irritations for example the rubber side door open up occasionally and the built-in flash also opens up because the flash button is quite sensitive to touch. Nevertheless, the control and handling are great, just like Nikon D300. Nikon has different philosophy than other cameras such as Canon. Instead pressing button, dial and pressing button again, Nikon requires you to press and hold the button and then dial. It is so to avoid accidental change of setting. There is no more mode dial, but there are so many dedicated buttons for all important camera settings such as ISO, WB, Mode, Metering, Auto focus mode, and many more. D700 also has top LCD screen like some advanced Nikon cameras (D90, D300), but it is a bit smaller to make room for the viewfinder and flash. So there is no AF points position in the top LCD. But most of the crucial information are there. The other great thing about the camera is you can program function button and depth of field preview button to other function that you like, it could be activating live view, or set the focus point to center, etc. There wide customization available to suit your shooting style and preferences. Although this camera has only 95% viewfinder coverage (Both D3 and D300 has 100% coverage), the size of the viewfinder are very big and it will amazed most of people that use crop sensor camera without fail. Image Quality and Auto ISO Image quality in high ISO is the best in the world (along with Nikon D3). Images are very clean up to ISO 4000. Image at ISO 6400 is very usable and great in print up to 8 X 11. The great image quality in high ISO is due to Nikon full frame sensor which has only 12 megapixel and software that control the chroma/color noise out of the image. The noise in Nikon looks more natural compared to camera of other brand. For pixel peepers (people who likes to zoom in 100% in digital images), you will be very satisfied. D700 is very sharp (depends on the lens too) up to pixel level. One of my favorite feature of D700 and also Nikon D90 is the Auto ISO limiter. You can effectively limit the ISO and minimum shutter speed. The Auto ISO works very well and accurate most of the time. My favorite way to use this is to set the camera to Auto ISO, and then use Aperture mode and let the camera adjust the rest for me. LCD Screen It is 3 LCD Screen with 920k res which is standard for mid range camera in the late 2008 and 2009 camera. It is very detailed and relatively good in bright light condition. Menu Like other Nikon cameras, I feel Nikon menu is pretty confusing because they throw all over items regardless if the item is popular item or not. Therefore, it might take you some time to find some of your favorite menu items. To be fair, Nikon has my menu tab, where you can choose and put the menu item in this tab. Overall, I feel menu could be improved. Canon cameras menu for example, is easier, more logical and simple to navigate. Auto Focus system & Continuous shooting speed Nikon D700 has 51 AF points. It is the same as Nikon D3 or D300. It has several dynamic tracking modes include 3D tracking which is very fast and accurate. The AF speed varies depend on what kind of Nikon lens you use. Old Nikon lenses usually slower in AF, same as customer grade AF-S lens like 35mm AF-S f/1.8G lens. D700 has continuous shooting speed are good (5 fps), but when you attached the battery grip, it becomes 8 fps, which is great for sports or wildlife. It cost several hundred more for the grip, but it worth it, because not only you get more frames per second, but it is easier to shoot in portrait mode. The drawback is the entire package becomes bulky and heavy. Lens compatibility Investing in FX / full frame Nikon cameras means that you are ready to spend money, not only for the camera, but you need to spare some money to get the lenses as well. As a FX camera, D700 does not compatible with many consumer grade lenses which has "DX" letters attached in the lens name. You can still use DX lenses, but your image will be cropped and you will get only 5 megapixel image. Nikon has several primes that work very well with D700 such as Nikon 50mm f/1.4G, Nikon 35mm f/2D and Nikon 85mm f/1.4D. For zoom lenses, there are Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8, Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 and Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 VR. Most of the lenses above are expensive, but there are some affordable solutions (third party lenses) that cost a lot less, but they are really good for Nikon D700. Creative Lighting System Unlike D3 which has no built-in flash, D700 has built in flash. It is due for a reason, to fit in wireless commander features or also called Creative Lighting System (CLS). This system is not perfect because it wont work in certain position and situation, for example in bright daylight, in a great distance, or if the line of sight to the flashes are blocked. However CLS is fun to use and save you money. Nikon D90 also has built-in AF motor so it is compatible with older Nikon AF-D lenses which we often found in fixed focal length lenses / primes. Competitors Nikon D700 has three major competitors in compact full frame DSLR class and some competition from crop sensor DSLR class. In the full frame category, Nikon D700 competes with Canon 5D mark II and Sony A900. 5D mark II has video mode, and 21 MP, but the image is not as clean as D700 in low light, Also, 5D mark II has old auto focus system which is slower and it also have slower 3.9 fps continuous shooting. Sony A900 has double the resolution of D700, 100% coverage viewfinder and 5 fps continuous shooting. A900 does not have sophisticated AF system and live view. Photographers that consider to get D700 should also consider Nikon D300/D300s and Canon EOS 7D. They are not only cheaper but have most of the features D700 has. The other benefit of crops sensor camera is the crop factor of 1.5 (Nikon cameras) / 1.6 (Canon cameras) so you get more reach for sports or wildlife. The drawback of crop sensor camera is it wont be have great image quality in high ISO. Conclusion Nikon D700 is an very versatile camera for any kind of assignments. It is great for portrait, wedding, sports, photo journalistic assignments. It is great in bright or extremely low light. I will say it is all-around camera. The image quality is fantastic. However, I will not recommend it for travel because it is an heavy camera, and I dont recommend it to use in extreme environment condition because the built quality and seal is not as good as Nikon D3 or Canon 1D series. For outdoor field sports such as football or soccer, you might miss crop sensor DSLR camera because it has extra reach. Overall this is great camera, with a great price of this class. Subjective Rating - Relative to competitors * Image Quality: 5/5 * Features: 4/5 * Performance: 5/5 * Body and Handling: 4/5 * Value for money: 4/5 Check out my website for sample images and more reviews

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Its a full frame DSLR with a big LCD screen and a pretty extensive menu. This being my only digital camera, it has and is serving me well. Digital cameras come and go while my film cameras stay...however, I know this will be my final digital camera because it is absolutely perfect.

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This review is directed to the serious or advanced amateur who may have sold an occasional shot or had work published in various media from time to time, but doesnt make a living from photography. I"ve been a Nikon user, both lenses and camera bodies, since 1954. Almost all of that time was spent with film as I waited for the digital results to come close to the kodachrome, etc quality I wanted. After learning a little about digital on a NIkon 8700, I purchased a D200, but as a film shooter found its limitations somewhat unsatisfactory. Also, with a large collection of prime AIS lenses, the 1.5 crop factor was annoying. The ability to upgrade to the full frame format (FX) opens up a whole new range of capability to enhance results especially for an old film shooter . If one has an extensive array of prime lenses predating AF days, the camera provides a helpful assist to focusing if one follows a few simple steps in programming. Also, FX allows one to exploit the full range of that prime lens inventory as well as many currant ones. While I continue to use a D200 for certain applications with a DX lens, the D700 is the customary carry. In film days for work involving heavy street or crowd activity accompanied with selected close ups as well as some architecture, I usually carried two film camera bodies with zooms mounted to cover the desired focal lengths. (By architecture, Im referring to the ability to capture at 200mm intimate details of things like Frances gothic cathedrals as well as ones overall views with the 35 to 50mm range (perhaps with a prime,) for example.) Today, for comparable coverage of these applications, I wonder if the new 28-300mm VR Nikon eliminates the need for a second D700 carrying the marvelous new 16-35mm for those special close details. Im ignoring the overlap for purposes of conversation. Perhaps other shooters have some insight on this challenge. To keep a new D700 price in prospective, think what you would have paid for an F3HP in the early 80s in todays dollars. Even though rumors are swirling about introduction of an alleged D800 by late summer or early fall of 2011, the pleasure of FX results shouldnt be delayed if ones main interest is the rewards from still photography.

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UPDATED: 6/20/2012: WOW. WOW. WOW. Yes, I repeat myself. I just love this camera so much. Images are clean at ISO 1600, and very usable at ISO 3200. Im now over 90,000 clicks and couldnt be happier. I do have on order the new D800, but may cancel that if the new D600 is released before I receive the D800. This camera (D700) is revolutionary IMHO. It just works. It feels good with the larger lenses and my Zuiko battery grip. The images are amazing. Ive printed 30 x 20" wedding and landscape images that will blow your mind. Super reliable. Never a glitch, or a hiccup at any events I have shot. You cant go wrong with this beast. UPDATED: 3/10/2010: WOW. WOW. WOW. Those three words really say it all. I cant believe how nice this camera has worked. I love it. I thought my D300 was great in low light. Nothing compares to this camera. I just returned from a trip up north to photograph the Canadian-American Dog Sled Racing Championships and the camera functioned flawlessly in the cold and snow. I shot over 1900 frames between the dog sled racing teams, and some landscapes. All I can say is that Im blown away by the quality. I have been shooting with the Nikon D300 since 2008 and it was stolen in January 2010. I then ordered two D300s which I returned and then purchased the D700. WOW. I am so happy I did that. The camera is amazing. Nice weight, and heft. Even after i took my Zeikos (also purchased here) battery grip from the d300 and attached it to the 700. Sharpness wise, the D300 and D700 are on par. However, I have shot many events at high ISO upto 1600 with my D300. I wish I had had the D700. The images with the D700 are absolutely amazing whether at lower ISOs or higher. Here is one of my test images shot at ISO 3200: [...] Also on this blog are "philadelphia Flower Show" pictures that I shot at ISOs up to 3200. Check them out and youll see none of the reviewers here are exaggerating when we say its truly amazng. The downside is I can no longer use my go-to lens the Nikon 18-200VR but I found in one of my boxes of "old"gear a Nikon 28-200AF-D lens that works beautifully, and a 50mm F1.8 For now, these two will do the job for me.

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