Niche for the D700

I agree with you 100% Kerry.

 

It is a backup body for the rich or photographers who do not have to buy there own gear. 3 grand! The 5D is $1,800.00. That is a huge differance. Not the same niche. I just do not see Nikon selling many of these. Bad move and/or bad timing.

The D700 is a full-featured professional body and by that I mean it is extremely tough, completely weather-sealed and has

the most advanced features on the market. Organizations that demand the very best and toughest bodies - Nikon D3s,

D2s and Canon IDs' - now have a $3000 option, which is $1000 less than the closest Canon competitor, the 1D Mk. III.

$3000 is now the price for an all-around professional body with the most advanced features and the best iso performance.

(The 5D was never a real professional body with all the bells and whistles - Canon did not want it to compete with their

more expensive bodies). With the D700, Nikon has eclipsed both the 1D Mk III and the aging 5D. Nikon has proven they

offer better value than Canon for professionals; they now set the price points and the technical features to beat. To answer

your question, the D700 doesn't fit into a niche: it now defines the workhorse professional camera body.

This camera is exactly what i need. I mostly shoot interiors and just recently have gone into it full time. I've been using

the 14 -24mm on my D300 and getting by with the 21mm perspective due to the crop factor. To be able to shoot at a true

14mm is very exciting to me. I got the 14-24mm early this year with an FX camera by autumn in mind.

 

I just thought that the D3X would come out first like many of us. But I'm actually glad that the D700 is coming out soon.

Now that my income comes solely from photography, this camera will help me earn more and pay for itself quickly. I

intend on using my D300 as a second camera on a shoot, with the 50mm 1.4 or 85mm 1.4 to capture details. Or the 17-

35mm (being 26-52mm on DX) makes a perfect pairing with the 14-24mm on FX. The aspect of a tandem will have me

ready for any situation. The 10.5mm or 70-200 will find their use on the D300 as well. My Tokina 12-24mm has served

me very well but i must say goodbye to it and the D200 as i won't need it as a backup anymore.

 

Nikon has really came through with bold moves this past year and I'm enjoying the ride.

How about "DSLR dominance"? Is that a big enough "niche"?

 

--Lannie

<i>i'll tell you who's feeling anguish: D3, D2x, and D200 owners, not to mention marketing reps at canon, pentax,

olympus, and sony.</i>

<p>

I have both a D3 and a D200, and I'm delighted with the idea of Nikon bringing the D700 to the market. It means that

they mean business with FX and intend to take over a large chunk of the market. This suggests that my existing lens

investment is secure and there will be more and more FX lenses in the future. For a long time I was afraid Nikon was

stepping one format smaller permanently, which would not have satisfied my applications.

<p>

The fact that the D700 is inexpensive compared to the D3 doesn't bother me at all. It means I can get a nice backup /

lightweight travel camera for use with my 24 PC-E.

Well, let me put it this way: I want one. Maybe not immediately (I'm going to enjoy my D300 for a bit first), but after a while. There must be more like me out there.

One difference between a buyer for a fleet of airliners and a buyer for a professional-level camera is that the first buyer is buying.... a fleet of airliners and the second buyer is buying... well, a camera.

 

I'm a Canon shooter, and this gave me a tiny tinge of 'hmm, well, if I sell my lenses and bodies....."

 

Even though I know a Canon updgrade is probably close behind.

 

Nikon is neither stupid nor late/early with the D700. And I hardly consider the affordable, full frame, high quality camera body market to be a 'niche'.

Dale Strumpell , Jul 02, 2008; 03:07 a.m.

 

Nikon has proven they offer better value than Canon for professionals; they now set the price points and the technical features to beat. To answer your question, the D700 doesn't fit into a niche: it now defines the workhorse professional camera body.

 

Yea, if Nikon brought the FF sensor 6 years ago when Canon released 1Ds FF body in 2002, that would bring better value than Canon. Timing is way off.

"I just do not see Nikon selling many of these. Bad move and/or bad timing."

 

Boy are you ever about to be proven wrong.

Oh, boy, oh, boy. Thank you for that one, Elllis.

 

--Lannie

I am exactly somewhere in the 'niche' this camera is targeted at.

 

I want one and will (if money allows..) get one.

 

This camera induces the same sense of urgency that the D200 inspired when it was announced in December 2005: a camera that does what I want from it and even a little bit more. Back then it was good image quality at 10Mpx or more, and compatibility with older lenses.

 

Right now.. It is exactly the same! But with much better high-ISO performance (cf. the D300, maybe even better) and with the beloved 24x36mm format! I love it.

Ellis, dumb statement on my behalf, just venting.

 

I can not understand why I am the only one venting. 6 months ago the D3 came out. A lot of folks spent 6 grand on that body. Now they are offering the same camera in a smaller package at half the price. I got the D300, could not afford the D3. At that time I may have been able to afford the D700. Now, I can not and the value of my second body D200 is falling very fast.

 

All I can figure is you folks have way too much money. And, there must be a reason for Nikon to make this move 6 months after the D3. Maybe they did not sell as many as they thought. I am sure there is a reason. I was hoping that they would have a ff body at the 5D price. I guess we will have to wait a few more years for that now.

I'm also having a little difficulty determining the real niche for the D700. First, for shooters that already have a D2x, D200, and or D300, this is another 10/12 megapixel camera. Second, for sports, the D700 has better low light capability but you lose the crop factor which really works great. Third, for landscapes, many Nikon shooters already have a 12-24 or similar DX wide angle lens so full frame is not quite as important anymore. I'm waiting for the 24 megapixel FX body that Sony is busy making the chip.

D.F., you sound bitter and i can't figure out why. I can understand if you bought a D3 last month but you are enjoying your D300 (hopefully)

and passed on the D3. Eventually, you'll be ready for the D700 or another camera that arrives that fits your needs.

 

This release is a coup for Nikon, who have taken back a lot of the cache that they lost to Canon over the past 5 years or

so. Some of us make a living with these tools and they serve an integral part in our careers. See my post above about

why i'm so excited.

 

Others can wait until the price drops or for the next FX camera that will someday be under $2K. Nikon is making this

move because they can and the reason for the releases is because they are going to sell a whole lot of D700's and make

a hefty profit. This is an aggressive move and it will work. Would you rather they sit on their hands and miss this

opportunity? So you wouldn't feel disappointed because you can't afford one right now?

 

This camera is exactly what they needed to deliver now. Have you seen the hundred(s) of threads about an FX cam in a

D300 body? I guess they did. I hoped for a D3X, but this makes more sense for me. When that camera is released, they

will be in a very strong position with no weaknesses in their line-up for the time being.

 

Most don't "NEED" FX ( i do). Your D300 is a wonderful machine. It helped me to get where i am and take the bold step

that i just took. Enjoy what is happening as we all reap the benefits. Even Canon users, because Nikon is pushing

Canon and they will have to answer. Don't waste your energy on envy. Positive thoughts!

The "niche" seems more like a gaping hole. I for one am in there with my F4s......... I will be getting the D700, after passing on the D2h, D2x and D3.

Aaron, im with you, only im going to hold out longer.

 

Your going to buy a D700, and im going to buy a used D5X in four years for $3000. By shooting film and being patient, im going to get a 100MP camera with no grain images up to 64000 ISO.

 

The next day, a better model will come out and boy will i kick myself.

 

Someone above noted that a DSLR is no good investment, id like to add that nothing that uses ones or zeros is. So, off i go to use my typewriter.