Nikon D700, Full Frame & Lenses

ray_rupnow · July 18, 2009

I have a D200 and have thought about getting a D700 myself...so in other words a lens made for a 35mm film camera will work on the D700 as it would on a film camera? As it is right now with my AF-D Nikkors and my AI-S Nikkors I get a little boost in mm department on the D200...I think it is like 1.5X stronger ...my 400mm 5.6 EDIF is a 600 mm on the D200.

dan_south · July 18, 2009

Sell the 18-200 DX VR G.

Buy a 24-85 f/2.8-4 ED.

Save up for the 17-35 f/2.8.

Be happy.

josephbraun · July 18, 2009

I am curious about something: why would someone who is a beginner at photography purchase a professional camera? I would recommend starting with a manual SLR film camera ($30 on ebay). a much better learning tool.

Dieter Schaefer · July 18, 2009

Looking at Joseph's portfolio here on PN and also his webpage, I'd say he is hardly a beginner at photography.

stwrtertbsratbs5 · July 18, 2009

"I am curious about something: why would someone who is a beginner at photography purchase a professional camera?"

I wouldn't classify someone who owns both a D200 and a D300 as a newbie (I'm assuming he's owned them for more than a few months). As for why a newbie would buy a D700 - good fortune!

mark_heseltine1 · July 19, 2009

Joseph,

Clearly you suffer from NAS (google for definition). Not to worry. The cure is simple. Stick with your D700. Do not 'upgrade' your camera for a few years. Learn to take pictures you like with this camera (I kept my Nikon FM for 25 years before I bought an F3). You don't need anything more than you have now. You have a great camera which will give you better indoor and low lighting shots than either of the D200 or D300. That is the brilliance of the D700.

I expect you may see your lenses shoot wider given you are using a full frame sensor. Be that as it may, carry on. As you have a digital camera you get instant feedback. You will know if any of your lenses pose problems.

Congratulations on owning one of the best professional cameras on the planet.

Regards,

Mark

ShunCheung · July 19, 2009

I just checked Joseph's portfolio also: <a href="../photodb/member-photos?user_id=2290906">http://www.photo.net/photodb/member-photos?user_id=2290906</a>

He is certainly not a beginner; in fact, he is quite good. Apparently Joseph knows his photography much better than the underlying cameras as well as DX vs. FX (which is the opposite to a lot of the people who participate in this forum).

There are a few firework images and a few moon shots. Otherwise, Joseph doesn't seem to do much indoor/low light photography, and I don't think he can really benefit from the D700. However, it is very obvious that he travels a lot and the 18-200 is a key lens for him. It is very well known that the 18-200 is excellent for travel photography.

I am afraid that the combo of D300 + 18-200 is excellent in Joseph's situation. For him, selling the 18-200 would be another mistake. There simply isn't any lens like the 18-200 for FX.

andrew_gale · July 19, 2009

Shun has hit the nail on the head here. Joseph is a good photographer but a beginner when it comes to gear. Its better to be that than the other way around.

Since all of your lenses will work, id keep what you have for now, and as you shoot try to figure out where you feel the weakness of your system is. I suspect that you may want something a little wider, maybe as others suggest the 24-70, or maybe not and you coud get the 28-70 which would give you almost exactly the same "wideness" as the 18-200. You might also find you don't like to carry the 170-500 lens, and maybe get a 180 prime. Really I think its all up to you. Go out and shoot and see how things feel and then make determinations about lenses.

gurbally_seth · July 19, 2009

Shun, I guess the cheap 28-200mm G will also be outstanding on FF.. I used it on D700 briefly and it was outstanding.

ShunCheung · July 19, 2009

I very well understand that most poeple don't like this type of suggestions, but I'll be blunt and echo what Peter Hamm wrote earlier:

you were better off with the D300, and should see if you can trade back.

</blockquote>

Check out the OP's portfolio; the 18-200 is the cornerstone to his travel photography. In this particular case, it neither makes sense to put some questionable super zoom onto the D700 nor does it make sense to carry a bunch of fixed-focal-lenth lenes and heavy zoom such as the 24-70 on foreign trips. Putting the 18-200 on the D700 to use it as a 5MP DSLR doesn't make a whole lot of sense either.

IMO, re-purchasing a high-end DX DSLR body to use with a super zoom that is wonderful for travel photography is the best choice here.

sparsons · July 19, 2009

The Tamron 28-300mm VC (image stabilization in Tamron speak) may be a legitimate choice to replace the 18-200mm focal length on a DX camera.

Some D700 shooters seem to like this lens and have obtained good images (for an 11x superzoom).

http://www.flickr.com/groups/nikond700/discuss/72157606885485828/

bsd230 · July 19, 2009

Ray- Yes you will lose some on the long end going from the D200 to the D700 but for me the trade was worth it. I still can't get over the improve portrait ability of the D700. The DOF with a 50mm lens is something to admire. I can't believe how much sharper the images are straight out of the camera and they take a good amount of sharpening in PS as well.

Two23 · July 19, 2009

What seems to be missed in these kinds of discussons is that photo gear is a SYSTEM. Sort of like a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, a camera system is only good as its weakest components. I've come to think the most significant part of the system are the lenses, and that's where my money is. Since I have drifted much further into night photography the past two years, I've also put together a fairly massive lighting system. I could easily have purchased two D700 for what the lights cost. However, the lights allow me to make photos that a camera body never would. I have matched my SYSTEM to my needs. I just don't see the point of buying a high dollar camera for low light use and then sticking f5.6 lenses on it. In the case of the Tamron 28-300mm it's an f6.3 lens.

Kent in SD

hughes · July 19, 2009

Kent

You took the words right out of my mouth, the problem with Joseph's deal was not so much about getting the D700 but about not having a clear plan as far as lenses were concerned. Let's face it a box brownie and a roll of outdated verichrome is of more use than D700 witout a lens, so investing in a $3000 camera should be part of a plan and all the posts suggesting different inferior lens solutions show how people think .

The camera is only as good as the lens you put on it and putting slow amateur "do it all" lenses on a camera like the D700 seems a little bass -ackward.

Steve

ilkka_nissila · July 19, 2009

Joseph, you bought a great camera. As pointed out above, the 18-200 isn't going to be very useful on the D700 but the 50mm will work great. I suggest that you sell the 18-200 and get either the 24-70/2.8 AF-S which is the standard range zoom designed for the D700 and sometimes sold in as a kit with the camera. Alternatively, if the 24-70 is too expensive, you could go for a 2nd hand 28-70/2.8 AF-S or one of the older mid-priced zooms such as the 28-105 or 24-85. With this swap, you're all set, assuming the Sigma you have works as a full frame lens. It's easy to try out. Put the lens on the camera, and if the DX frame shows up in the viewfinder then you're using a DX lens.

Let's face it a box brownie and a roll of outdated verichrome is of more use than D700 witout a lens

But the OP has an excellent lens, the 50/1.8 that works with the D700.

jeffrey_prokopowicz · July 19, 2009

Steve, it seems that the lens situation is just something that he's going to have to work out unless he wants to sell the camera at a loss and get a D300 again. Of course the camera is part of a system but Nikon is a great system to get into, so I don't really see a big problem there. Ideally he would have worked everything out beforehand, but he didn't, so he just moves forward building his system around his D700. Not a bad situation to be in really.

ilkka_nissila · July 19, 2009

I guess the 105/2.8 Micro VR or an 80-200/2.8D would fit well between the 24-70 and the 170-500, money permitting. Yes, a heavier kit than a 18-200 but you don't gain something without putting in more effort.

joshloeser · July 21, 2009

Shun, I wouldn't make the mistake of presuming that a person's portfolio here is the near-totality of their work or style. I've shot thousands of low-light images during the past year, but I cannot post any of them, as I work at a school. The D700 will be a huge help for me when I get it. I have never seen the D300 produce clean shots at 6400 ISO. Mine certainly didn't, at least. Further, I much prefer shooting with primes, and I feel like the two I own, plus a couple more to come, will cover most of my needs. I consider a 50mm to be wasted on a DX camera, as it's in a dead zone between 50 and 85. I'm sure most others will disagree, but I just don't like the 50 on a DX camera. I like it a lot on an FX of film camera.

For me, a 24/50/85/135 (or 180) setup covers the vast majority of my needs. I have the middle two and plan to get the first and last at some point. I hope it doesn't make me a lesser photographer because I feel like I do better with primes and like the FX/high ISO nature of the D700. I've had a D300/17-55 and I am selling both because they don't meet my needs.

josheudowe · July 31, 2009

Joseph, as many others (with the exception of Shun) battle over the pros and cons of your purchase decision, I just want to compliment you on your portfolio. Beautiful shots.

Sage7 · July 31, 2009

richard_spurgeon · February 18, 2010

I'm a beginner looking to buy a camera and lens; what about this combination? Nikon D300s with Nikon Nikkor 70-300mm zoom VR image stabilization f/4.5-5.6G AF-s IF-ED

richard_spurgeon · February 18, 2010

I'm a beginner looking to buy a camera and lens; what about this combination? Nikon D300s with Nikon Nikkor 70-300mm zoom VR image stabilization f/4.5-5.6G AF-s IF-ED

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