Another first full frame body thread

It is with great surprise that I learned about the new D850 camera. I'm an architect and an architectural photography enthusiast that just started his small practice in the photography field. I'm having some work here and there, but still building my way to make photography for a living. A lot of investment has to be done.

I've been using a Nikon D5300 with a 18-140mm DX lens and a 50mm 1.8 for portraits/travel, this is my starter kit and the only kit that I ever used. I feel that I need a full frame camera to take bigger pictures and, in the future, use a Tilf-Shift lens to take advantage of the perspective control. I had my eyes on the Nikond D750, mainly because of the tilt screen and the price (the D810 was too expensive).

Now the D850 is released and I realized that the D750 is almost 4 years old. I'm not in the market to buy a D850 - it is way out of my prince range - but this release could mean two things:

- Is it time to buy a D810 and take advantage of the price drop?
- Is it safe to assume that the D750 will get a refresh in the near future?

Regarding the use, mainly architecture, so I don't really care about very high ISO specs, I do everything with a tripod. I also take some pictures while traveling (I like to use the 50mm, open it up all the way and do some street photography, portraits), so comfort and weight could mean something for me. No macro, sports, food and weddings :smiley:

Could you guys shine some light in here? You can check my portfolio so you know what I do http://cargocollective.com/emontenegro

Thank you,
e

Comments

  • spraynprayspraynpray Posts: 6,545Moderator
    Welcome to NR eR125L.

    I would have thought that in your line of business resolution is king so that means at least D810 or even D850. If funds are tight, see if you can find a D800E.
    Always learning.
  • WestEndFotoWestEndFoto Posts: 3,742Member
    edited September 2017
    Welcome ER125L.

    One thing to beware. The poor pay twice.

    Also, if you are looking for a more than trivial price drop, you are looking for a used D810.

    Also, the D850 has focus stacking. If you are making money from photography, these things make a difference and focus stacking could be useful in architectural photography.

    And if money is an issue and you are using a tripod, buy a D610. I can't think of anything that the D750 has that is not on the D610 that will make a huge difference for architectural photography.
    Post edited by WestEndFoto on
  • vtc2002vtc2002 Posts: 364Member
    Lack of knowledge and uninformed buyers leads to paying twice or more. Being poor has little to do with making poor buying choices. I have seen just as many if not more wealthy individuals make extremely poor purchases.

    D810 with a low shutter count will serve you very well. I would not recommend the D800 but the D800e could be a option if you could find slightly used or refurbished one. If you can wait a month or two there will be a lot of D810, D800e cameras on the market and prices will fall.
    Westendfoto's recommendation the D610 may be a good choice as well. I have never used the camera and cannot speak directly to its merits.
  • WestEndFotoWestEndFoto Posts: 3,742Member
    I agree with you about the poor. My statement could be misconstrued or twisted. But I think there is a valid truth from the saying.
  • sportsport Posts: 120Member
    If your looking to get a new camera, I would say that you should really try out as many cameras as possible by renting or borrowing them. There is a big learning curve when looking at the D800e or D810 interfaces. As a D750 owner I can say that there isn't really anything about it that needs to be fixed or leaves me feeling like I have to jump to next camera.
  • vtc2002vtc2002 Posts: 364Member
    @Westendfoto I am not sure what value your statement added to the discussion. There are only a few ways to interpret your statement,whether it is misconstrued or twosted. It is as if your are critical of eR125L for not being able to afford the D850 because of his budget. Having a budget and sticking to it to me is a smart buyer.
    Ansel Adams was poor for most of his career and it wasn't until the 1970s that he began to profit from his work. For 35+ years he did commercial work to support his true passion.
    I do agree that your statement has merit. There has been a lot of research that supports your statement. However, it should include the middle class and is a very complex issue. The same research also points out that the wealthy consistently over pay for the same goods and services as the poor and middle class. You are correct your statement is valid.

    @sport Excellent point about renting or borrowing cameras to test before buying.
  • WestEndFotoWestEndFoto Posts: 3,742Member
    Perhaps I should have given credit to my source:

    The Poor Man Pays Twice
    If you really want something, buy it, or wait until you can.
    Don't buy something that isn't what you really want. If you do, you'll keep dreaming about what you really wanted, and eventually get it. When you do, you've just paid twice.
    Worse, as mentioned at the top, if you have a job done by the lowest bidder, you're going to need to pay the highest bidder double to fix the damage done by the first guy.

    Ken Rockwell
    May 2015


    For the record I hope that er125L does not believe that I am critical of him for not being able to afford a D850 and sees my intended message. Now if somebody wants to still choose to believe something else despite my clarification, I am not going to lose sleep over it. I know what I believe and intended and am not going to let somebody that won't take me at face value bother me.

    Best,
    WEF
  • vtc2002vtc2002 Posts: 364Member
    Westendfoto I apologize if I am coming across as not choosing to believe the intent of your message as I do and that was not my intent.

    Your reference helps.

    This is my reference.
    www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/05/20/the-poor-pay-more-for-everyday-purchases-and-its-getting-worse-a-new-study-warns/?utm_term=.7cf18b409522

    Regards,
    VTC
  • WestEndFotoWestEndFoto Posts: 3,742Member
    No offense. My response is coloured by the blowback that the actress (forgot her name) that had a C-section because she was lazy is receiving. Apparently, she offended people because she implied that all C-section patients are "lazy". Give me a break, I don't think anybody has to justify their own personal decision or mold their decisions (I can't have a C-section because if I do it will be lazy and I will then have to tell the truth which will offend people) to society's expectations. Whenever I sense that I am on the receiving end of the bs, I deploy the middle finger.

    Their is wisdom in that article. The current assault on free trade will further hurt the poor. In Canada, we have marketing boards for a variety of things that raise prices disproportionately on the poor. Minimum wage laws hurt the poor.

    Controversial views? Yes. But my point is that there are lots of government policies that hurt the poor and they make me angry - especially because they are marketed as being beneficial to the poor. The participants in this "industry" are often not in the class that they are "helping".

    So not to debate this issue on Nikon Rumours. My point is that actions that hurt the poor make me angry.
  • spraynprayspraynpray Posts: 6,545Moderator
    Point made. Any more advice for our new friend?
    Always learning.
  • vtc2002vtc2002 Posts: 364Member
    edited September 2017
    Slightly used D810 or D800E. D810 prices have started to fall some and will hold its value longer than the D800E.
    I have seen several D810's in the $1500 range with 39,000 to 45,000 shutter actuations on a couple of different websites. Seems like bargains to me.
    Unless the D850 offers functionality that the D810 does not have and is critical for what eR125L shoots. The market is changing so fast that in 6 months Nikon may release a mirrorless camera that has more to offer than the D850. The D850 would lose more of its value compared to the D810. Just my 2 cents worth of advice. If eR215L has no desire for a mirrorless camera I would still by the D810 and shoot while saving for the difference between the D810 and D850 and trade in the D810 once that happens.
    Post edited by vtc2002 on
  • manhattanboymanhattanboy Posts: 1,003Member
    @eR125L hopefully you post again. We get a lot of great questions here that stimulate a debate but the OP then disappears.
    I took a look at what you had and my question to you is why do you need something different? Are you currently printing? If so how large do you want to go? You may actually benefit more from stitching software than from a new camera and required full frame lens. Remember that the move to FF for you also necessarily involves a switch from your DX zoom to a FF lens. What I am conveying to you is it will not be cheap.

    In order of importance here are my recommendations:
    1) download a trial of stitching software and try taking multiple shots with your existing set up. Likewise there is software that performs amazing perspective correction.
    2) invest in FF wide glass. This allows you to continue to use your current set up but also readies you when you do jump to FF.
    3) look for a good deal on the 810. If I was in Portugal I would cut you a deal on mine as I really use the D500 a hell of a lot more than my D810 as I'm into sports and action primarily. The best thing for the 810 for you is not the MP but the dynamic range. For example some of your outdoor shots could have better preserved contrast from the D810s dynamic range.
  • vtc2002vtc2002 Posts: 364Member
    @manhattanboy Excellent points. I like your stitching recommendation as an option.
  • vtc2002vtc2002 Posts: 364Member
    Photography Life posted a article earlier in the week on "The Camera Hype" that is related to this discussion.

    This is the link to the article.
    www.photographylife.com/the-camera-hype

    This following are excerpt's from the article.

    "Are You a Consumer?
    Now the question is, are you a smart buyer or a consumer? If you get excited reading about camera rumors and buying every new iteration of a camera, you are not a smart buyer – you are a consumer. The bigger question is, can you actually afford the gear you are buying? If the answer is “yes” and if buying a new camera makes you happy, then by all means, go for it. However, if the answer is “no”, then you are a consumer, plain and simple. It really boils my blood when a reader emails me, asking if they should be buying a camera on a loan, because they cannot afford it. When I ask a few questions, it typically turns out to be camera lust more than anything else. Want vs need. Their existing gear is more than adequate and yet they think they need something else. A newer camera cannot magically make you a better photographer, just like a newer knife cannot make better-tasting food. I can understand if one was shooting with their grandpa’s film camera and wanted to invest in a digital camera for the first time. But even then, I would never recommend to finance a camera. That’s just not right…"


    Summary
    As I am getting ready to start writing my Nikon D850 review (which has been sitting on my desk for a few days now), I have been already thinking that it will be another glowing review of yet another new Nikon DSLR. Looking back at the Nikon D810 that earned a 5-star rating, I am already running out of stars to give. When another Nikon DSLR rolls out with even better features and an integrated EVF, it will be the same, all over again. In short, there will always be a better camera. As I look back at some of my favorite pictures I captured with my Nikon D700 almost ten years ago, I see light, color, subject and its beauty. I don’t see a tilting LCD or electronic front curtain. I don’t see automatic focus stacking or 45 Megapixels. Those are my favorite shots because I was able to concentrate on what really matters – photography.

    Don’t be a victim of The Hype. Don’t be a cameraholic and a brainless consumer. Stop yourself from the Internet hysteria that surrounds cameras, lenses and other gear. Instead, spend time learning about photography techniques and improving your skills. Travel more, see more, shoot more. And when I review a piece of camera gear, don’t buy it because I praised it. Only buy what you truly need, not what you want. That’s all I have to say for today.
  • eR125LeR125L Posts: 2Member
    Guys!

    Lot of good information here. Been busy this days, had a chance to come back to the forum and got a fast read on the answers - I will study everything with more detail since there is a lot of knowledge here - thank you!

    Meanwhile, I had the chance to have my hands on the D750, D810 and D850. Something about the D810 speaks to me - but its just a matter of comfort and interface - every option has its own button, it really helps you to work faster. I will pull the trigger on a new camera in January, so I have some time to keep the reading and try them all - but im leaning for the D810.

    Thank you very much ! :)
  • Capt_SpauldingCapt_Spaulding Posts: 729Member
    It's hard to go wrong with the 810. Good Luck!
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