Andrew Garrard Posted March 29, 2018 Share Posted March 29, 2018 1. I need to be able to easily change between aperture priority and manual. I don't like command dials as a general rule, but they're workable within those criteria 2. I want ready access to ISO and exposure compensation. It seems like any body under consideration here is okay in the latter, but I'm not sure about the D600 in the former. 3. I want a function button that I can program to set non-CPU lens data-that also seems to be there on all of these bodies. 4. I don't use this functionality as often, but differences image review-particularly scrolling and zooming-drive me crazy. It MIGHT be a make or break issue if any of these are appreciably different from my D800. I think the D300 is more or less the same as my D800, though, so I don't expect that to be an issue. Right... Aperture priority vs manual is the top left dial on the D600, and mode + button on the others. That means it's a pain to change if you're holding a big lens in your left hand on the D600, but otherwise it's reasonably convenient. I spend my life holding over-sized lenses, and have a pathological dislike of anything on that side of the camera; YMMV.They're all worse than the D800 (with a firmware update), in that you can't use the Rec button to change ISO. The D600, and I think none of the others, has "easy ISO", although that doesn't help for manual mode. The D700's ISO button is in the top left place I hate (as is the D800's, but you can't do the mapping to rec button); I complained to Nikon about this (after many occasions almost dropping my 150-500 Sigma), so there's at least a chance that mine was the feedback which led to the mapping. :-) The D3 and D3s have the ISO button in a place which made reasonable sense on the F5 but which they didn't seem to have realised isn't so clever for a dynamic primary exposure control parameter on a DSLR unless you have a prehensile chin. The D600 is also the only one which allows an "auto" option (defaulting to 1/focal length) for the shutter speed in auto ISO - also something I requested, though I doubt I was alone - which I found makes a difference to whether aperture priority is viable with a zoom lens. (I've tried asking Nikon to make the "program shift" on the auto shutter speed something you can change directly, but I believe it's still only a menu option.) I think they can all do exposure compensation in the same way, though I still wish there was a way to do it that didn't involve me taking a finger off the shutter release.I think so?See whether the difference between your D300 and D800 bother you if you hop between them in anger. The D300 is the same as the D700, with the "zoom in" below "zoom out". The D600 is like the D800, with "zoom in" above "zoom out". I've not owned a D3, but from the D3s manual it looks like it's a "hold and spin" interface, which avoids confusion but does mean you need two hands on the camera to change zoom - you can't do the "hold the big lens with your left hand and hop your right hand across" shuffle. I have vague hopes that the touchscreen on the D850 might make this less painful for me when I upgrade. I hope that helps! (With a massive "I've only owned a D700, D800e and D810 but I quite like reading user manuals" proviso.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben_hutcherson Posted March 31, 2018 Author Share Posted March 31, 2018 Alright, I went by the local shop today and played with a D3s, D700, and D600. All said and done, I ended up putting the D600 on lay-a-way for a shade under $600 OTD($595 sticker, and they knocked $40 of the price which is a bit more than the sales tax). It does fall into the shutter recall range, so they're sending it to Nikon for me while I'm paying on the lay-a-way. All said and done, I think I could have done worse... I just had to look past the Sinar P with the 150mm Rodenstock for $400 and the associated tripod for $125 that was starting at me... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chulster Posted March 31, 2018 Share Posted March 31, 2018 Alright, I went by the local shop today and played with a D3s, D700, and D600. All said and done, I ended up putting the D600 on lay-a-way for a shade under $600 OTD($595 sticker, and they knocked $40 of the price which is a bit more than the sales tax). It does fall into the shutter recall range, so they're sending it to Nikon for me while I'm paying on the lay-a-way. All said and done, I think I could have done worse... Hope you will let us know how it turns out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Naka Posted March 31, 2018 Share Posted March 31, 2018 Ben I wish I had your photo shop near me. drool. On second thought, maybe that isn't such a good idea, for my wallet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben_hutcherson Posted March 31, 2018 Author Share Posted March 31, 2018 Ben I wish I had your photo shop near me. drool. On second thought, maybe that isn't such a good idea, for my wallet. Gary, If you're ever in Kentucky, give me a shout. I'm fortunate in that I have two GREAT shops that are less than a mile from each other. Most of my interesting stuff has come from a small, laid back shop that's piled floor to ceiling with everything imaginable. The "interesting" stuff often gets stuck in the owners office and stays there until I(or someone else) talks him out of it. I also have blanket permission to go "digging" under the show cases and even back in the back room especially if I'm looking for something in particular. More than once I've had a "where did that come from" when I pulled something out. This same shop has a card catalog cabinet filled with filters in almost any size and configuration. When I first started going in, they were $5 each...they eventually dropped to $3 and then to a freebie add-on to whatever I'm buying unless it's an oddball like a Bay 50 or a big polarizer. Even then, it might be $5 or $10 for a couple. The other shop MOSTLY deals in new equipment, but also keeps a limited selection of film and chemistry on hand(something the other shop doesn't, although I've bought two enlargers and bunches of other darkroom stuff from them). With that said, their used cabinet is good, well presented, and usually fairly priced. In addition to the Sinar, they just recently got in a Mamiya 7, Pentax 67II, and a full complement of lenses for each. With that said, the Mamiya and Pentax are fairly priced but still close to $2K. The same lot brought in a bunch of darkroom equipment and lighting stuff(modifiers and stands) and bought a lot for a pittance. The single most expensive item was an easel that went up to 16x20 for $25-they had an enormous one(probably 20x30 or larger) for $50 that I passed on... The Sinar MIGHT come home with me when all is said and done, but I'm having a hard time justifying it. I don't do indoor LF, and I doubt I'd make it more than 20ft from the car with it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDMvW Posted March 31, 2018 Share Posted March 31, 2018 On the question of format (DX vs. FX, aka 24x36mm sensor vs APS-C), many of us don't consider these alternatives, but rather complementary*. I have both and use the APS-C format for long lenses for the extra "factor" effect, when I want more reach. The so-called "full format" is more for normal and wide angle effect. The two bodies, one with the ~100-400mm, the other with the ~24-100mm mean I don't have to switch lenses, just pick up the other body. * on the other hand, complimentary lenses: 100-400 to 24-105: You sure are sweet 24-105 to 100-400: I like your lines 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Naka Posted March 31, 2018 Share Posted March 31, 2018 Ben, I went on a local large format excursion once to a small excursion railroad yard/shop. My arm and shoulder HURT from carrying the 4x5 gear all day. And I was so worn out that towards the end, I was not interested in shooting, but wanting to rest and put the gear away. It did not help that I have a monorail, rather than a field/press camera. After than I told myself, NEVER again without a CART. Wheels required, for anything beyond 50 feet from the car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben_hutcherson Posted March 31, 2018 Author Share Posted March 31, 2018 Gary, I have two 4x5 cameras-a Speed Graphic and the field camera I show in my avatar. The field camera is a bit rickety, but it gets the job done and is a good camera. I can pack either pretty well in a backpack or even "going light"(film holders in my back pockets, tripod over my shoulder, camera in my hand). I've noticed that there are some great deals even on really high end monorails(the Sinar locally being a prime example) but ultimately the weight kills them for me. With that said, I should probably invest in some sort of roller for my LF stuff. I wouldn't mind getting a few more Grafmatics since a since one takes up a WHOLE lot less space than 3 regular film holders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Naka Posted April 1, 2018 Share Posted April 1, 2018 Ben, Maybe one day I will pick up a Speed Graphic. Always wanted one of those. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben_hutcherson Posted April 1, 2018 Author Share Posted April 1, 2018 Gary, in all honesty I'd suggest a Crown over a Speed(even though both are great) if you only want to get one. The difference between the two is that the Speed has a focal plane shutter that go to 1/1000(hence the "speed" in the name) while with a Crown you must have lenses in shutter. You can use lenses in barrel with the Speed. You also have fast shutter speeds, although stopping action can be iffy due to the transit time of the curtain. Also, I've seen more than one where the speed was inconsistent across the film plane. A Crown saves a fair bit of weight, and also you can theoretically bring a lens closer to the focal plane. I don't know how significant that is as I've put a 75mm Nikkor-SW on my Speed and can bring it to infinity but I don't know if I could get a shorter lens to work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Naka Posted April 1, 2018 Share Posted April 1, 2018 Thanks for the tip on the Crown Graphic. That sounds like the one I want. I would only shoot with a lens shutter anyway, so the FP shutter would be just excess bulk. I can't even get a 75 to work on my monorail. The Toyo does not have a bag bellows, so I am limited on the short end to 90mm. And I have to use a recessed lens board for the 90. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark_stephan2 Posted April 1, 2018 Share Posted April 1, 2018 If it were me I'd choose the D600/610 because it's a smaller and lighter body which makes a difference to me. I own both the D700 and D800. I also own the D7100 and a recently purchased D7200 and prefer those bodies because of their size and weight. If and when I buy another FX body it'll have to smaller and lighter than what I'm currently using. I know the D750 is probably the better camera when compared to the D610 but price makes a big difference in my purchasing decisions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rick_jack1 Posted April 2, 2018 Share Posted April 2, 2018 Look at the D750 or save up more money for a D850. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben_hutcherson Posted June 15, 2018 Author Share Posted June 15, 2018 I wanted to follow this up with a conclusion. I picked up the D600 from the camera store on Monday. I haven't really had a chance to take it out yet, but so far I'm quite happy with it. Yes, the controls are annoyingly different in some key areas from my D800, but I'm happy with the IQ and color rendition. I also like the size and weight of it. It's not replacing my D800, but I can see it getting taken at times when I don't want to take the D800, esp. if I put a 50mm f/1.4 on it or something else small. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Garrard Posted June 15, 2018 Share Posted June 15, 2018 Glad to hear it, Ben! Enjoy the new body. I think it happened after my previous discussions here, but I ended up keeing my D810 as a backup for my D850 on the basis that I wasn't given a very good offer as trade-in; it will do me good not to eat for a while. On the topic of NAS and reasons I don't have money, I've picked up an IR-converted D90 (because I always wanted one). As a curio, I do (still) have two G-but-not-AF-S lenses (a 28-80 and an 8mm Sigma fish-eye), so the screwdriver-but-no-aperture-ring feature set works for me. Having given away my last spare D700 battery literally within the last month, I'm a bit annoyed that I'd not thought through the chance of picking up a D90, which uses the same batteries. And the swapped + and - buttons (same way round as the D700) are predictably driving me nuts. Although not as badly as my Coolpix A, which has the power switch around the shutter release, where my RX100 has the zoom control; every time I try to peer closely at an image I accidentally turn the camera off. And I've apparently trained to hit the top left button to get image review, which on the Coolpix is the exposure compensation button. My poor muscle memory... So after recent experimentation, I think the D600 was a better choice than a D700, at least. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben_hutcherson Posted June 15, 2018 Author Share Posted June 15, 2018 Andrew, I have an IR D80 and it's a ton of fun. I haven't had it out in a while(I should) but I love shooting with it. You know how I am about film, but after I bought it I said that I would never again shoot IR film. It's too much trouble and digital IR is basically better in about every quantifiable way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Garrard Posted June 15, 2018 Share Posted June 15, 2018 :-) There's certainly something to be said for being able to see what you're pointing at (in that the body is converted without the need for a filter over the lens, so I can actually see through the finder - I realise I could have done this by taping a filter over the shutter on a film camera) and telling whether you got a usable image (the meter in IR being a bit random). The D90's live view - which I'm going to give a work out with some stronger IR lens filters - isn't all that good for checking exposure, but at least it means I'll be able to see through different filters. HIE with an R72 was fun, but I didn't miss trying to change film under a duvet, or the roll that came back blank, or picking film cameras without IR sprocket sensors in awkward places (another reason I have an F5 - HIE got discontinued just before I switched to Nikon and I still had some). I suspect it wasn't popular with camera stores either - I pointed out the "store below 13 degrees C/55 degrees F" label to a local store which had some sitting on a shelf. I may not stretch to bothering to expose the outdated IR film in my fridge, given the cost of developing it! Now I just need to find something more interesting to point at than yet another glowing tree... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben_hutcherson Posted June 15, 2018 Author Share Posted June 15, 2018 Just be careful with photographing people unless it's your wife/SO :) . Not only does it tend to make people look like they have a horrible complexion, but it can also "see through" certain types of sheer fabric... Processing isn't a huge issue for me, but the IR films available now have pretty poor sensitivity relative to HIE. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Garrard Posted June 15, 2018 Share Posted June 15, 2018 Yes, I'm aware of the issue. I'm carefully avoiding people! (As, indeed, I normally do.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vincent Peri Posted June 15, 2018 Share Posted June 15, 2018 ...but it can also "see through" certain types of sheer fabric.... Hmm... how about fur...? Can it see through fur...? http://bayouline.com/o2.gif 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Garrard Posted June 16, 2018 Share Posted June 16, 2018 I actually was going to try to take an infrared photo of a cat earlier, having seen one wander past. It disappeared before I could tell whether it would look normal or like a sphinx... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben_hutcherson Posted June 16, 2018 Author Share Posted June 16, 2018 BTW, I still don't know how Nikon figures card capacity. I bought a set of two identical Sandisk 32gb cards for this camera, and as typical for me I set it for RAW+Jpeg Fine, with RAW on card 1 and JPEG on card 2. When I pulled out the top card(1) this morning, the remaining capacity went down to 500 some odd. When I putt the wiped 32gb card back in, the capacity only shot up to a little over 700. One would think that if 500 RAW+JPeg can fit on a single 32gb card, at least twice that many should fit on two 32gb cards but that's apparently not the case. Of course, I've also noticed that Nikon seems to be conservative in their remaining capacity, and shooting 5 shots(for example) might only cause the counter to go down by 2 or 3. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodeo_joe1 Posted June 16, 2018 Share Posted June 16, 2018 My once much-loved D700 now languishes in the loft. Would I buy another today? No, definitely not. It's just not competitive with the D800, and not even with my D7200. All that weight and bulk for a 12 megapixel return? It just doesn't make sense. I'd hold out for another D800, or even a D800E or D810. They can't be that expensive these days. Maybe only the cost of a few F5s, half-a-dozen F3HPs or ten F2As. Or 50 rolls of film plus processing costs.;) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben_hutcherson Posted June 16, 2018 Author Share Posted June 16, 2018 (edited) My once much-loved D700 now languishes in the loft. Would I buy another today? No, definitely not. It's just not competitive with the D800, and not even with my D7200. All that weight and bulk for a 12 megapixel return? It just doesn't make sense. Joe, Perhaps I didn't make the conclusion to the thread that obvious, but I now have in my hands a D600. In fact, I just got back from a family wedding where I took it and my 24-85 VR. It lived up to the task admirably, although admittedly outdoors under good sunlight isn't exactly stringent. It did bog at one point doing RAW+JPEG-I wan't really machine gunning but shooing probably 3 shots every 2 seconds for a few seconds and filled the buffer. I'm wondering if I need to invest in faster cards, although shooting that fast is VERY unusual for me. One other thing-I don't like the location of the ISO button. Actually, I should say that the location is fine and it took me just a couple of minutes to get use to where it was. The problem, though, is that if I press it while the previous image is still up on the screen it toggles to tile view on the screen rather than changing the ISO. I guess the solution is to either turn off image review or to shorten the review time. Edited June 16, 2018 by ben_hutcherson 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodeo_joe1 Posted June 17, 2018 Share Posted June 17, 2018 "Joe, Perhaps I didn't make the conclusion to the thread that obvious, but I now have in my hands a D600." - Sorry, I missed that Ben. Happy shooting with the D600. I'm surprised that the buffer fills so easily. I'm doubtful that faster cards will compensate for a small buffer though. The usual behaviour is shooting at full speed until the buffer fills, and then a slowing down until a break in shooting allows the buffer to clear. Card speed regulates shooting speed after the buffer fills, and how long it takes to clear, but does little to prevent the buffer filling in the first place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now