5D2 shooters - do you secretly desire a D700

I was catching up on a Nikon blog this week and stumbled upon an interesting comment. The author was addressing a question that he

receives regularly from disappointed Nikon shooters, i.e. when will Nikon introduce a 5D2 style camera with video and high resolution at a lower price than the D3x?

 

Oddly enough the author reassured the Nikon faithful by telling them (I am paraphrasing here) don't worry, Canon shooters also wish that they had a D700 type camera.

 

I own a D700, and it's a fine camera, but I must admit that I have used it very infrequently since purchasing a 5D2 last year. So my

personal opinion is that Canon shooters probably are NOT lusting after a D700 type camera. I could be wrong, so I thought I would

pose the question:

 

Is D700 envy alive and well in the Canon camp, or is this blogger misinformed?

<p>No D700-lust here. Sounds like wishful thinking...</p>

I suspect that anyone making a statement like this is trying to reassure himself about his own equipment

choices.

<p>The whole attitude with cameras is sort of the same you find with motorcycle owners, at least certain ones. They spend more time arguing whose is better instead of just enjoying the ride.</p>

<p>I bought a Canon because it was the only FF camera on the market at the time and the only one with 20+MP. These were both important to me. If Nikon had their current top end camera on the market then, I might be a Nikon shooter (which was what my 35 film camera was). Deflections like the above just ignore the issue raised and for some reason many appear to be undiagnosed ADD's and follow instead of remaining focused on the issue.</p>

<p>Cameras are tools and you get the one that YOU need and then you use it.</p>

I secretly desire a Leica M9. Got no interest in Nikons.

The whole "which brand is best?" business is generally a silly distraction. Frankly, both Nikon and Canon (and others)

make excellent equipment. Excellent photographers use both brands and manage to produce fine photographs. You cannot tell which brand was used by inspecting the photographs.

 

Dan

<p>Is there a reason I should want a D700?</p>

<p>I'm like Mike. I'd like a Leica M9. No interest in a D700, although its a fine camera. I am at least glad that "The D700 is THE best camera" movement of a year ago has fizzled out.</p>

<p>I'm with G. Dan on this. I committed to Canon years ago because of their lens line-up. I have no intention of taking the hit of moving across to a parallel system of bodies. Besides, I like the Canon interface very much and just can't cope with the Nikon layout though doubtless Nikonians would say something similar.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>I secretly desire a Leica M9. Got no interest in Nikons.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>+1</p>

What is the best camera for the job? The one I own. I lust in my imgination after the opposite sex not camera bodies. If I had a D700 it would be fine. I have a 5D. It's fine. I had Bronicas. They were fine. I am confident, given a certain quality minimum I could use any of the cameras people argue about here and get the job done. As said above these posits are just "silly distractions".

<p><em>I secretly desire a Leica M9.</em></p>

<p>Why is that?<br>

As for the OP's question -- I think it's a senseless premise or question too.<br>

N v. C is boring. Hard to go wrong with either obviously. N v. C at a business-marketing-tech level is good for us heavy DSLR consumers though.</p>

<p>The very best make of camera body is the one that supports the lenses you own! I love my lenses, am generally happy with Canon, and lust after the 5DII, not the D700. (I currently own the 5DI.)</p>

<p>Sarah said it well: I too love my Canon lenses, and there are a few more that I hope to own someday. I also would like to have the 5DII for those times I don't want to carry a 1Ds3. I started with Nikon and had a great Nikon film system, but like John A, when I made the switch from 35mm to digital, Canon had the best lineup, IMO, at the time. What's on my tripod is not nearly as important as where my tripod is planted on the ground at a given moment.</p>

<p>If I was starting out buying a new system, I'd get a Nikon D700. The AF and the flash system are, I am sorry to say, better enough for me than the Canon 5D MkII. Lets not kid ourselves either, the vast majority of the time 12MP is more than adequate. But I was tied into the Canon range of lenses and needed superb AF so secondhand 1 Series cameras were the way to go.</p>

<p>Secondhand 1Ds MkII's are an absolute FF bargain.</p>

<p>Whilst it is true at these levels it is impossible to tell manufacturers from each other based on images, there is no doubt it is an interesting topic of conversation. Glaring omissions in both the Nikon (no affordable high MP FF camera) and Canon camps (no ultrawide lenses for the 1.3 crop cameras) make seeing the thoughts of the users, and the way they deal with their systems "limitations" interesting. I know a heavy Canon user who has a Nikon just to use the 14-24 on, and a lifelong (over 40 years) Nikon user who has a 5D MkII just to use with a 17mm TS-E. To them all these things are just tools, to most of us they are a little bit more :-)</p>

<p>I have been a Nikon user for 32 years. When I bought my first FF digital in June of this year I chose a Canon 5dMkII. Apart from image quality, it's the quietness of the shutter which impresses me most. I would liken it to a combination of a heartbeat, a breath and the blink of an eye. The sound of the D700's shutter and mirror I find annoyingly loud and harsh.</p>

<p>Using it with my Nikkor's, various M42 lenses, Mamiya 645, Pentax 67 and Pentacon 6 glass. No Canon lenses yet. My next specific lens purchase for the 5dII will be Sigma's 50mm 1.4 HSM and 28mm 1.8 HSM. In the future, I will buy into the TSE's, especially the 17mmTSE.</p>

<p>I do not regret not buying a Nikon D700.</p>

<p>I secretly desire a date with Scarlett Johansson.</p>

<p>Good points Jerry,</p>

<p>I likened the D700 sound to an authoritative thump, the 5D MkII is definitely more appropriate for wedding ceromonies! The old EOS 3 film camera, on the other hand, sounded like a train wreck! The EF mounts ability to accept so many different lenses mounts and convertors, and the ability of the camera to meter independently of lens connection is a dream of a feature for many.</p>

<p>Thanks Scott,<br>

Indeed, as you mention, it does meter with all my different lenses. How very nice!<br>

I did buy my 5dII with weddings in mind. However, I have also shot a traditional Chinese opera (live musicians playing ear-splittingly loud instruments) with it, and my friend whom I brought with me, (shooting with a D700) noticed the relative quietness of the Canon's shutter!</p>

<blockquote>

<p>The old EOS 3 film camera, on the other hand, sounded like a train wreck!</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Oh well done, Scott, I've been trying to describe it for years!<br>

As to the D700, well, no. I don't like the handling of Nikons, including lens mounting direction and focusing direction, and although it's a great camera, it's simply not as good - for me and my uses - as the 5D II. Oh, and I've so much Canon glass it would be madness.</p>

<p>Since we're talking about secretly wishing for cameras, I personally long for a Leica S2... oh wait, it costs ... 10x as much as my car. Hmm...</p>

<p>I say, use the camera you've got and be happy you live in a time and place where you have disposable time and income to do fun things like photography instead of toiling in muddy turnip fields :-D</p>

<p>Nope.</p>

<p>Yup!</p>

<p>( ...along with a 14-24, 24-70 and a 70-200 all 2.8 set)</p>

<p>Left,</p>

<p>I'm very happy, I wouldn't swap, but were in an initial purchase position I might well start out on the dark side. Only trouble is I recently got a 17mm TS-E myself, which is of course, a lens Nikon don't have an answer to, it takes me back to my MF days and sublime landscape detail, I don't think I'd like to give that up.</p>

<p>I own a 5D and lust for a 5DMKII .Its my ultimate camera for the type of shooting that I do. Cant wait for the 5dMKIII to drive those 5DMKII prices down :)</p>