D700 to D800 or wait for the D800s?

Msmoto

A new member asked a question in the intro thread and I think it may bring a lot of opinions to light, so:

Hello All,

I have been a Nikon hobbyist for over 30 years now, starting out with the FM-2. Looking to upgrade my D700 to a D800 with the latest updates, but it seems like Nikon thrives on suspense. I have been navigating through the internets to find more information on the upcoming D800 and came upon this site, so I have been lurking for a few weeks, learning much, seems like to be a fun group, I figured now is a good time to officially join in and begin adding to this site.

Also attempting to decipher whether to dump money and complete the Nikon Holy Trinity, or really jump into it and get the 200 f2.0, as it appears that lens is an excellent lens. There is some urgency to all of this as I am going to be flying from East Coast US to West Coast US to Washington State, and taking 2 weeks to drive back to the East Coast, so I definitely need to have my photo needs situated by beginning of June 2014. Equipment I currently have is in my signature.

Best,
Frank

D700, FM-2, 24-70mm f/2.8G ED, 105mm f/2.8G VR Micro, 24mm f/2.8 AIS, SB-900, SB-24, PB-4 Bellows

Msmoto

Oh, my comment on this… I would wait for the new D800….
As to a short tele, SquamishPhoto is one of the best at this shooting wide open a lot of the time and may share his experience.
What lenses one obtains is based upon the desire or need which is determined by the subject matter. The 70-200mm f/2.8 VRII is super, or if one wants to go longer the 300mm f/2.8….
Wide….14-24mm f/2.8, or even the 16-35mm f/4VR (I have this and love it)

mikep

coincidence!

I have just spent the morning considering the same upgrade, d700 to d800 / e

So far I have not been tempted to lose my d700, but I do wish to shoot a bit of video soon, and the d700 video function is not very good

I remember before I bought the d700 I was wondering should i buy it or should I wait for the then rumoured d800 .... and I certainly do not regret buying the d700, it was a full year + before the d800 finally showed up ... It is not Nikon that thrives on suspense, but the internet and the rumour mill; us lot.

Imo the only reason to upgrade is either you are being limited by your current gear, or you are bored and want to spend some cash - both are great reasons.

I just got a new lens ordered, so I am going to wait and see how it performs on my d700, if my d700 is still up to the task then I will keep it and maybe add a d7100 for my video needs. If however, I find that I could make some better shots with the added cropping power of the d800, then I will go get one, simple as that really.

i will not wait for a d800s or a d900, because it might be 3 years before that shows up, the d800 is only 2 years old, and there was a 5 year gap between the d700 and d800 ....

Even if the you buy a d800 and a d900 comes out the very next day, thats fine because imo you dont want to be buying a new camera the day it is released as you might end up with a d600-like issue. It is best to wait 6 months - 1 year before buying expensive new technology as you can see if any issues arise, and the price will also drop.

Alternatively, how about upgrading a nikon 3000 to film? ) http://imgur.com/MGaIeYH

donaldejose

Nikon does seem to have a rather regular upgrade schedule and to my knowledge the only body which has failed to come out on that schedule is the D400. For other bodies the schedule, which TTJ once posted and perhaps could post again, does seem to hold true and would be a way to determine what models should be "just around the corner."

sevencrossing

I had a D90 and did not upgrade to a D700 as I was waiting for the D700s ( which despite lot of rumors, never happened)

I waited a year and eventually bough a D700, my immediate reaction, why did I wait? The d700 was so much better than the D90

I ordered my D800 the day it was released and have not used the D700 since the day the D800 arrived . The D800 is in a completely different league to the D700

wait for a D800 replacement ?

Let's put this way; if my D800 was stolen today and even though I still have a D700, I would immediately go out and buy another D800

lenses? you can see what I have below

I would not buy another 70 -200 or a 50mm f4 but I am very happy with rest
especially the new awesome 80 -400

I would only get the 200 f 2 if you work in very low light and don't need a zoom

NB like any new camera. The D800 takes getting used to ( IMHO more than 2 weeks ) so you may wish to take the D700 on your trip

PB_PM

Oh, my comment on this… I would wait for the new D800….

As much as I would normal agree with this, given then conditions the OP gave, I'll say don't wait. The D800s (or whatever it will be called) is not likely to be announced before Photokina, so it wouldn't even start to ship until late September. Unless the OP manages to be one of the first pre-orderers, getting one in hand could be weeks or months after that. Kind of late for a trip in June. In any case, unless the OP really needs the features of the D800s, the current camera is already very, very good. One other consideration is that the D800, being close to end of life, is available at lower cost than the new camera would be.

That said, if the OP intends to use the new camera long term (4+ years), using the D700, a very capable camera in it's own right, for one last trip and waiting might not be a bad idea.

Photobug

IMHO take the D700 on this trip and wait until September for the D800 replacement. Once it's announced the ship date should be known and then place that order. If the D800 replacement is not announced at the show, then go buy that D800 and sell the D700 on eBay.

Wesley

If you put the extra MP to use get the D800 now. Otherwise wait for the new version.

Now where's the 24-70 f2.8 version 2.0? :>

SquamishPhoto

PB_PM has it right. The replacement is too far down the barrel for you to capitalize on it and you could likely save yourself close to a $1000 on the purchase of a sale priced D800 today. Its not like they can make the D800 that much better, its a bloody amazing camera - easily the best camera that Nikon has ever made.

As for the 200mm f2, I love mine -at least every part of me except my back loves it. ;] It is much more functional than simply being useful in low light. Uniquely, it allows you to capitalize on shallow depth of field as well as telephoto compression, as well as attaining image sharpness rivalled only by Zeiss and Leica. A worthy note is also the blistering speed and accuracy of its AF system - leaves either version of the 70-200mm f2.8 in the dust. If you shop around on fredmiranda.com or other online pages you can find used copies of the VRI version as low as $3000.

fjminor

Thank you MSMoto for posting this and thanks to all of the members input/feedback.

I will be navigating through states such as Washington[Seattle,Tacoma,Olympia,Levenworth,Spokane], Idaho, Montana [Red Lodge,BearTooth Road], Wyoming [Jackson,Grand Tetons,Yellowstone], Utah [Salt Lake City, Provo], Colorado [Denver,Aspen,Durango -going on the Durango-Silverton Train ride, which looks very cool] , and I wont be at any one place for more than 2 days at a time. After Colorado, it will be the mad dash for the east coast in 3 days.

As you can see there will be plenty of opportunities for many types of photography and videography. I am into Landscape, Wildlife, Portraits, Video and possibly would like to begin to dabble in some nightscapes.

I believe the D700, with the 24-70mm f/2.8G ED, 105mm f/2.8micro, and 24 f/2.8 AIS could handle most of the trip. But for most, this is like a once in a lifetime trip, although I believe I will be doing this type of trip more than once in my lifetime. The opportunities will be there which, if I had the new D800s and 200mm f/2.0, it would be close to perfect.

I would really love if Nikon would come out with the D800s in May so I can have a 36MP Camera with Video capability which will have the EXPEED 4 Image Processor update. But as posters have stated, this updated D800 wont show up until late 3rd quarter, and I really can't see spending that chuck of change on the current D800 when the update is Months/Weeks/Days away.

I also have read a lot about the D800 video capabilities and I am not very convinced that the current D800 will get proper video without a lot special handling of the camera.

I have been contemplating the D5300 [BHPhoto is running a sale on this one D5300 w/ 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR lens for $1100] as an inexpensive spare that would get me 1080p Video Recording at 60 fps which seems to be the key in getting good video, as well as decent photos.

The more I read and see pictures produces from the 200mm f/2.0 lens, the more I really want this lens, especially with the 2x teleconverter. Even though it is heavy etc etc , the results just speak for themselves.


Decisions, decisions, decisions..... :!!

TaoTeJared

Nikon does seem to have a rather regular upgrade schedule and to my knowledge the only body which has failed to come out on that schedule is the D400. For other bodies the schedule, which TTJ once posted and perhaps could post again, does seem to hold true and would be a way to determine what models should be "just around the corner."

I do need to update that - the issue is I'm not sure how the D610 & D800 will be on a schedule as the D600 was a bum and the D700 took longer than anyone expected to update. It does seem they may go with the more traditional schedule as the rest though and skip the D4x update.

One thing is for sure, as a D800 shooter, I could care less about a huge MP update, video or anything else. I just don't have the need or the desire - it is that good. I would say grab one (since they are on sale) and put the rest towards glass.

As for a 200mm f/2.0 - that kind of baffles me why you want that for a travel lens. It is big! And it is more of a specialty lens for low light sports and portraits. We all have our (odd to other's) desires though

Everywhere you are going you want large DOF (F8+) for landscapes and although that is a great lens, I'm not sure if it would be fully utilized. If you are looking at that kind of money I would just the 28-300vr and the 16-35vr with the D800. My last trip over the holidays I took my better glass and when looking back, I really do wish I left it all home and had those two lenses and my 50. If you want to go for better glass, get the 70-200vr. There is a reason every pro has one - it is just an outstanding lens and would complement your kit well.

fjminor

.......
As for a 200mm f/2.0 - that kind of baffles me why you want that for a travel lens. It is big! And it is more of a specialty lens for low light sports and portraits. We all have our (odd to other's) desires though

Everywhere you are going you want large DOF (F8+) for landscapes and although that is a great lens, I'm not sure if it would be fully utilized. If you are looking at that kind of money I would just the 28-300vr and the 16-35vr with the D800. My last trip over the holidays I took my better glass and when looking back, I really do wish I left it all home and had those two lenses and my 50. If you want to go for better glass, get the 70-200vr. There is a reason every pro has one - it is just an outstanding lens and would complement your kit well.

Thanks for your input Tao. I am really looking for the 200mm f/2.0 + a 2x teleconverter for wildlife shots, as there will be a couple of days which there will be some hiking involved and I would like to get some excellent shots of the local Wildlife of Montana/Wyoming without being their dinner. 3:-O You are right about the large DOF and sometimes I forget that is most important for the landscapes, as they will be the majority of my pics.

PB_PM

I also have read a lot about the D800 video capabilities and I am not very convinced that the current D800 will get proper video without a lot special handling of the camera.

I haven't had any major issues, but then I primarily use the camera to shoot stills. There isn't anything magical about shooting at 60FPS, unless you are hoping to do a lot of slow mo stuff. 24FPS and 30FPS are good enough for general purpose filming. The real issue Nikon has is compression, the bit rate is low compared to the competition (aka 5D MKIII), which makes the files look a little softer in comparison.

It doesn't matter what DSLR you get, unless you learn some of the basic manual settings, creating high quality video files will be difficult.

Golf007sd

I, too, agree with our fellow members that waiting is, in a way, not worth it. Having said that, you may want to consider renting the gear you seek for the duration of your adventure.

With respect to the 200 f/2, it's weight on a body, like the 800 without the optional battery, does bring additional challenges. The lens itself is astonishing. If I may, you should also consider the 300 2.8 VR II.

Lastly, welcome to NRF.

Msmoto

OK, don't wait…LOL

I waited one and a half years for the D4, so that was why I suggested waiting for the D800s. The D700 is such a nice camera, that was the other reason.

Your travels are in some very beautiful country….. have a wonderful time and use what ever camera you have to its best...

Photobug

Thank you MSMoto for posting this and thanks to all of the members input/feedback.

I will be navigating through states such as Washington[Seattle,Tacoma,Olympia,Levenworth,Spokane], Idaho, Montana [Red Lodge,BearTooth Road], Wyoming [Jackson,Grand Tetons,Yellowstone], Utah [Salt Lake City, Provo], Colorado [Denver,Aspen,Durango -going on the Durango-Silverton Train ride, which looks very cool] , and I wont be at any one place for more than 2 days at a time. After Colorado, it will be the mad dash for the east coast in 3 days.(end quote)

Regarding the Grand Tetons. If you like wildlife, you need to be at the rear of the Jackson Lake Lodge between 5:30 am and 6 am and be prepared to shoot Elk and Moose for any where from 45 minutes to an hour. Each morning they move from the east to the west and go behind the cottages and inn. In the early evening, they go back from the west to the east. I did this for three mornings and got some excellent photos. Warning, you need at least a 300mm lens on a DX DSLR, preferably a 500mm lens or a 70-200mm with a teleconverter. Walk back to the edge of the hill and they are just below you. Typically 100-200 each morning.

Another great wildlife shooting location is at the bridge at Moose Juniciton on Hwy 191. We spent 90 minutes taking pictures in the river and the edge of the river. Start shooting from the bridge. Here you need a 70-200mm or 55-300 or 18-200mm for best pictures. I used a bean bag on the bride railing to shoot from others hand held or used tripods. We got excellent pictures around noon to 1pm. And I switched lens and go within 10-12 feet of some moose...before the park Ranger ordered the four of us up the river bank back to 25 yards.

And finally, you must go to the Cunningham Cabin. One of the most photographed barns in the west. Try it in the morning and evening with the Tetons mountains in the background. You should figure 4 to 8 hours on the loop drive. And go to the Oxbow Bend Turnout in the morning and late evening. The light gives you a different perspective depending upon when you go there.

Finally, you have to take the boat across the lake and climb up to the Jenny Lake Overlook. You need wide angle and tele lens. Suggest you wear low height boots, you can do it with tennis shoes but for better stability use boots. It's an easy climb, I did it when I was 62 and out of shape with a camera back pack.

It's a great National Park and well worth your time. Just be aware you will be worn out every evening.

fjminor

Thank you Photobug for those Grand Teton tips - Sounds like my short stay will go by even quicker, as there is so much to see and do. Your input helps narrow down some key sites. =D>

WestEndBoy

Good recommendation Photobug on the Jackson Park Lodge.

Here is another reason to go there.

Photobug

Thank you Photobug for those Grand Teton tips - Sounds like my short stay will go by even quicker, as there is so much to see and do. Your input helps narrow down some key sites. =D>

Your welcome. There is just so many opportunities to photograph those Teton mountains. Love the shot WestEndBoy took. If I can get motivated I will start dropping some of those shots into PAD.

Photobug

Thank you Photobug for those Grand Teton tips - Sounds like my short stay will go by even quicker, as there is so much to see and do. Your input helps narrow down some key sites. =D>

My mistake was not going back for the evening and early morning shots.



Plus you got to move around to get this sized correctly.

Finally, wildlife galore:



That should motivate you to prepare for the majestic Grand Tetons.

bigeater

If I were going to buy another telephoto, I would skip the 70-200 and buy the Zeiss 135 f/2 Apo Sonnar. I rented one last week for a job and holy mackerel! that is an amazing lens. It definitely takes advantage of the D800 sensor in a way that I've never seen other lenses do.

fjminor

Again, Photobug, beautiful shots. I will be leaving for this trip on 6/29, and I cannot wait.

Made a decision today. Decided to go with the current D800 and not wait, the possibility of having a D700 & a D800 on this trip may be a blessing in disguise. It is now in my cart for order. Now struggling with what lenses to go with. I am ditching the idea of the 200mm f/2.0 for this trip. I need an excellent Landscape lens, as after much thought, that will be the majority of pictures I will be taking on this trip.

@bigeater, investigated the Zeiss 135 f/2, that really is some lens. The camera decision was the easiest. The lens decision will be a tough one, but I do know I will need a killer landscape lens.
.

SquamishPhoto

Nice move. A good landscape lens can mean a lot, so its hard to recommend just one. You don't truly need a much wider lens since you've got the 24-70mm already and the 24mm prime, unless you were thinking UW. However, I would recommend the Sigma 35mm 1.4 Art lens as it will be useful beyond landscape as well as being outstanding at rendering large scenes sharp and full of rich colour. Plus its cheap and easy for filters.

Golf007sd

Given all the great lenses that I own, when it comes to landscape, and/or night shots, the Nikon 14-24 2.8 shines above them all. It is truly in a league of its own on multiple parts.

As for filters, it is true that it does require some additional gear but the payoff is well worth it.

fjminor

If I were going to buy another telephoto, I would skip the 70-200 and buy the Zeiss 135 f/2 Apo Sonnar. I rented one last week for a job and holy mackerel! that is an amazing lens. It definitely takes advantage of the D800 sensor in a way that I've never seen other lenses do.

Is it possible to use the Nikon TC-20E III 2x Teleconverter for AF-S & AF-I Lenses with the Zeiss 135 f/2 on a D800? Thanks in advance.

Photobug

Again, Photobug, beautiful shots. I will be leaving for this trip on 6/29, and I cannot wait.

Made a decision today. Decided to go with the current D800 and not wait, the possibility of having a D700 & a D800 on this trip may be a blessing in disguise. It is now in my cart for order. Now struggling with what lenses to go with. I am ditching the idea of the 200mm f/2.0 for this trip. I need an excellent Landscape lens, as after much thought, that will be the majority of pictures I will be taking on this trip.
.

+1...good decision to buy that D800. I agree with Squamishphoto about the wide angle lens. The 24-70mm is going to be the work horse. My 17-55mm was on my DX body most of the time followed by the 70-200mm. The 200-500mm was only used for wildlife at a far distance. Did not have the 1.7X teleconverter at that time.

Now with that said, check out PAD for Golf's pictures with his 14-24mm lens. He has captured some great lens. Then Msmoto is going to say, if she did not already, the 16-35mm is her go to wide angle lens when you need the wide. I really think you can get buy with other these extremes but it comes down to how wide you like to shoot.

As I recall you said you were also going to Yellowstone NP. Before our trip to Yellowstone and Grand Tetons I did some research and put together a summary Word document of where to take pictures in Yellowstone NP. It's based upon research on the Internet and a DVD on shooting photos in Yellowstone. My shooting sheets gives locations, what time of the day is optimal, what lens to use, and precise locations, 100 ft from parking lot down trail, etc.

For example one of the most favorite photos in magazines is of a pond of colored water. The pros rent a helicopter and shoot down on the beautiful pool. For amateurs and some pros this vantage point is not realistic on our budget. My write up tells you to go to a hiking trail head, hike 1.5 miles down the trail until you are opposite the pond, then leave the trail and hike up the side of a hill. Due to the underbrush, that hill climb takes about 20 minutes with no path. It's not steep but you do have to climb over some trees and go where there is no worn path. The view from the top is outstanding. Will find one of those photos and post it for you. The wife stayed in the car on a 80 degree day and I cam back to the car dripping wet and an empty water bottle. Not a smart move on my part. About 50 yards in front of me another photographer did the same thing and when we got to the top, there were 6 of us up there taking pictures. By the time I was done moving along the ridge/hill top 2 more joined us. We all came to the conclusion that that Park Rangers need to get a path up the side of the hills to make it easier on us. Going down I passed a few more going up so this is more known than I thought.

If your interested in a copy of my write up, send me a PM.