D3 pricing

[wenhan_xue]

By now most people who shoot Nikon digital know Nikon just released news of D700 which will be availble in late

this month. Many people say it's a baby D3. I concur because many major features of D3 remain in D700, such as

FX format, 3" high resolution screen and live view, high ISO, etc. But the price of D700 is $2000 less than D3. This

makes me wonder if Nikon priced D3 too high?

 

The above listed features that D3 and 700 share are ones people really care. Others that D3 does and 700 doesn't

are minors. Those are: 1) two CF slots; 2) 5:4 Format; 3) longer battery life; 4) 300,000 vs 150,000 shutter cycles;

and a few more. However, 700 has its own advantages, like Pop-up Flash and lighter.

 

Here comes my next question: Is $3000 price of D700 too high too?

[harvey_edelstein1]

The VF is probably like that of the F100, not bad but not 100% view. I don't know if it can lock up mirror. How well is it weather sealed.

[Barry Clemmons Photography]

"Others that D3 does and 700 doesn't are minors."

The items you list are not minor to a professional. In fact they are exactly why I purchased the D3 for weddings. The second card slot can be a lifesaver if your first card corrupts while doing a once in a lifetime event. The 5:4 format saves a great deal of time if you know in advance that your customer wants 8x10s. The longer battery life and double shutter actuation life are also important to pros. The D700 is marketed for those who want the great IQ of the D3 but are not interested in the four items you mention. I consider the extra $2,000 as a sort of insurance. Is it too much? Not if you have ever had an unhappy client staring you in the face because your card lost their shots or your camera ran out of juice during a shoot. Is $3,000 too high for the D700? Time will tell, but to me it sounds about right.

[anthony_valvo]

Well I think you can look at it much the same way that the D300 impacted the D2x price, and in particular its used price. For most the D700 will offer all that is needed, and so I would expect that used D3s, when they become available, will trade for under $3K, or at that price. This is the way of changing technology.

 

Anthony

[dan_brown4]

I don't think Nikon will let the D3 price take too much of a hit before they roll out an improve upgrade; D3x, D3h, or something like

that. My guess is a higher pixel count with equal low-light performance, or something like that. I feel like they will be aiming into

medium format territory before too long.

[derek_thornton1]

Is the D700 price too high? I think it is a fair price, the D3 is too high. But, the reason I would like full frame is for landscape only. The Canon 5D is perfectly suited for landscapes and at almost half the price. If I was to get a D700 I would also need to swap 12-24mm for 17-35mm. That is about $4,800.00. Or I could get a 5D and 17-40mm L for $2,800.00.

[michael_bradtke]

D.F.

When the 5D came out it was priced higher then the D700. The price of the 5D today reflects a camera that has

been on the market for 3 years. Its ancient history for a DSLR

[elliot1]

The price difference is actually not all that big at this point, especially if you add the grip, extra battery and charger. You will be paying full price for the D700 and accessories while the D3 has been available at discounted prices for months, and continues to fall.

 

Barry's comments are right on the money! I will be upgrading shorty to the D3 strictly for the 2nd card slot due to a recent unfortunate experience of a memory card failure. I lost thousands of dollars in future business from this client that would have been money in the bank with a backup card.

[derek_thornton1]

Michael, it is ancient history. But, like I said it is still perfectly suited for landscapes today. It makes a lot more sense for landscape photographers to go with the Canon 5D at this point. Three years from now it will probally be the other way around. I will give the D700 some time to drop but so far I am leaning towards the 5D.

[Jerry_]

The $3,000 price will remain until Nikon offers a rebate at some future date. At that time, a 'new' wonderful digital body (i.e., the D800?) will be on the horizon. It is all marketing. The camera you elect to buy and use is a tool. You, the operator, make any camera work or not work in the capture of decent images.