D700, D3 or D3s

EMA747

EMA747

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Andy
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I am looking to get back into the DSLR game and I really can't decided how best to proceed. :thinking:

I owned a Canon 1DmkIV last time I had a DSLR but had to sell for financial reasons at the time. I have since had a play with some Nikon bodies and think a Nikon body is the way I want to go now.

My options are pretty much as follows:

1) - Get a new D700 + grip
2) - Get a used D3
The following two options would require me to wait and save a while longer.
3) - Get a used D3s
4) Get a new D3s

Options 1 and 2 work out about the same price at around £2000. Options 3 and 4 sound nice but is it worth the extra money?

I will most likely get a part exchange deal through MPB Photographic for some lenses and/or the body if I buy used. I am looking at getting a Nikon 24-70 and 70-200 vrI.
I have a Canon 17-40, 24-70 and 430EXII for my Canon days to do a part-ex on.

I am so undecided as I shoot such a range of things; aviation, sports, travel (in no particular order). :thinking:

Andy S
 
As a Nikon owner I would go for a D3 rather than a D700+grip if the price was close and if it's the larger body size you prefer....MPB have a couple of D3's at the moment. Budget wise if i thought a D3S(used... also MPB have one)was in my price range in the near future :love: I would be tempted to wait.

In the end only you can chose.....I can spend your money easily :D
 
When I was in a similar position I chose a D3 over a gripped D700 for a number of reasons.

When you comparing costs, don't forget to add the cost of a EN-L4a battery and charger to the D700's price. They're not cheap. You also need to add the BL-3 battery compartment door.

All in it's about £220-£240.

The extra cost plus the added functionality of the D3 (LCD display, voice record, 100% viewfinder, better weatherproofing) swung it for me.

If I were you though, I'd hold out for a D3s, as I'd want to option of video plus it will hold it's value bytes than a D3.
 
Defo a D3 over a D700 + grip, D700 + grip is heavier for a start and feels a lot less solid, + battery life isn't as good unless you buy the d3 battery and charger (cost for this is an issue as above).

D3s is better in terms of iso + video

if you can save then do so, else go for the D3
 
If you factor in buying the ludicrously expensive grip,,end cap,charger and battery from Nikon, then I see the points being made.


However, perfectly good copies are a fraction of the price.

Saying that, if I had the brass, I would have a D3s..................:thumbs:
 
I would have a d3 over a d700 all day long... Oh, I do :) a much nicer camera, build, feel and the built in grip just feels so right! I picked up a gripped 700 and they don't feel right :)

Go for a d3 now and get a d3s later!! Lol... The only thing I miss going full frame is the crop factor for longer stuff. But that will soon be solved by the d300 or d7000 (more likely the 300 b again for the build quality and cf cards)
 
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as said by frac cheaper grips can be had also the jog dial for moving focus is alot better than on the d3 unless you have massive hands in portrait mode., depends what you want the d700 has some extra thing over the d3 like sensor cleaning but the d3 has a higher rated shutter, if you have the money for a d3s buy 1 super high isooo.
 
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fracster said:
If you factor in buying the ludicrously expensive grip,,end cap,charger and battery from Nikon, then I see the points being made.

However, perfectly good copies are a fraction of the price.
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Copies may very well be available, but you don't get copies with a D3 or a D3s, you get Nikon. Apart from doing a like for like comparison, I'd much rather spend the extra for a genuine Nikon battery and not invalidate the warranty.
 
Aviation and sports you need long long lenses... You considered sticking to a crop sensor? The d300 is a fricken bargain, just £550 on here....

A d3 and a d7000 is cheaper than a d3s, and has better video...


Northernnikon, the copies are great and work fine :)
 
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itsdavedotnet said:
, the copies are great and work fine :)
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I'm not saying that they're not nor that they don't, but for a like for like comparison you have to compare apples with apples as the saying goes. Also, using 3rd party batteries will invalidate your warranty for any malfunction that could be associated with doing so. It's a very slim chance that you'd ever be caught out by this but it's something to be aware of.
 
NorthernNikon said:
.... I'd much rather spend the extra for a genuine Nikon battery and not invalidate the warranty.
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I agree, I got a genuine Nikon EN-EL4a for my D700 for this fact as I didn't want to knacker a £1800 body for the sake of saving a few quid on a battery.. I also got an original MB-D10 (when I had a D300s) for the same reason...

I would imagine if the body/grip purchased used and was out of warranty then I would prob have used/purchased non-original batteries/grip - but I got mine new just under a year ago....

I'm not putting down anyone who uses non original thats down to personal use - but for me I would rather pay the extra for piece of mind of an original..

I shall await the responses with "do I know of any battery malfunctioning" or similar... :p
 
NorthernNikon said:
IAlso, using 3rd party batteries will invalidate your warranty for any malfunction that could be associated with doing so.
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Can you point me to where Nikon say that? All I can find with regard to batteries and warranties is that "The battery itself is not covered under a Nikon warranty, while the battery charger is covered by the warranty", so it looks as if Nikon don't even guarantee their own products.....
 
NorthernNikon said:
Copies may very well be available, but you don't get copies with a D3 or a D3s, you get Nikon. Apart from doing a like for like comparison, I'd much rather spend the extra for a genuine Nikon battery and not invalidate the warranty.
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i would like to see proof of this not only that how the hell would they know.
 
scottthehat said:
i would like to see proof of this not only that how the hell would they know.
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Nikon D3 user manual, page xix

Use only batteries approved for use in this equipment.
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Nikon Manufacturer's Warranty:

4. The warranty will not be applicable in the case of: - damage caused by misuse including but not limited to failure to use the product for it's normal purpose or according to the user instructions on the proper use and maintenance,
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As for how would they know? Well it depends on the issue, but it wouldn't be unreasonable for the manufacturer to request to see the battery if the cause of the malfunction was related, but that would only be in the case that the owner had removed it before sending it in for repair.
 
Nowhere does it say "using 3rd party batteries will invalidate your warranty" though, all that is is a recommendation.....
 
Can't see that the battery choice would invalidate the warranty unless it could be clearly established that it caused the failure ... certainly wouldn't stand up legally IMO.
 
gramps said:
Can't see that the battery choice would invalidate the warranty unless it could be clearly established that it caused the failure ... certainly wouldn't stand up legally IMO.
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Well if you'd read the thread you'd have seen me say "using 3rd party batteries will invalidate your warranty for any malfunction that could be associated with doing so" and if the case would most certainly stand up legally.

I'm not sure why so many are getting all het up about this, it's just common sense that any manufacturer would want to limit their liability under warranty to factors that they could actually control.
 
I'm pretty sure I'm not going to go with a grip after reading the above costs of doing so. :eek:


I was passing a Jacobs store this afternoon and went for a quick look. On my way out I noticed the have a big golden box on the shelf that says D3s on the side! It was calling me! :D I am really tempted to go in on Monday and ask if I can have a look at it.
 
EMA747 said:
I'm pretty sure I'm not going to go with a grip after reading the above costs of doing so. :eek:


I was passing a Jacobs store this afternoon and went for a quick look. On my way out I noticed the have a big golden box on the shelf that says D3s on the side! It was calling me! :D I am really tempted to go in on Monday and ask if I can have a look at it.
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See if you can do better than the £17 discount they offered me :lol:
 
NorthernNikon said:
Copies may very well be available, but you don't get copies with a D3 or a D3s, you get Nikon. Apart from doing a like for like comparison, I'd much rather spend the extra for a genuine Nikon battery and not invalidate the warranty.
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Your money and your camera. But a fool and his money is easily parted. As you have just proved to be 100% correct.

Nikon do not make batteries.
 
The really annoying thing is last week they were giving away an SB900 with it. Now they are not and they have put the price up £20!
We have a Jacobs, Jessops and LCE in Nottingham so there might be some haggling power but I doubt it.
 
NorthernNikon said:
So? It doesn't have to, it's covered by a much broader exclusion.
I also can't see how you can call a direct instruction a 'recommendation'.
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A thought that's just occurred to me, why do Nikon say on their website that any make of AA batteries (as used in the D200/300/700 grips), can be used in their cameras. Surely using anything other than Nikon-brand AAs would also invalidate the warranty?
 
EMA747 said:
The really annoying thing is last week they were giving away an SB900 with it. Now they are not and they have put the price up £20!
We have a Jacobs, Jessops and LCE in Nottingham so there might be some haggling power but I doubt it.
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I missed out by a week on the special deal that Nikon had with the D700 & battery grip - not the first time as I think I missed out on a deal with either the D90 or D300s....

we must be in the same boat when it comes to missing out on the "deals" :lol:
 
NorthernNikon said:
Nikon D3 user manual, page xix



Nikon Manufacturer's Warranty:



As for how would they know? Well it depends on the issue, but it wouldn't be unreasonable for the manufacturer to request to see the battery if the cause of the malfunction was related, but that would only be in the case that the owner had removed it before sending it in for repair.
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sorry but your wrong, if i was to have a problem my nikon pro sevrice would fix it like that.
if they did want to se the battery i have 2 originals one from my d300 and one from my d700 and 5 non oem ones, so if i was worried i would just send an original, not only that like flash said any aa batts can be used.
 
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Have I missed something? Is 1st October national lobotomy day or is the unusually hot weather adversely affecting people's reasoning? Either way there's a lot of ****witted pedantry knocking about.

fracster said:
Your money and your camera. But a fool and his money is easily parted. As you have just proved to be 100% correct.

Nikon do not make batteries.
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If you're going to start calling people fools you might first want to double check that you're just proving yourself to be the idiot.

Nikon produce batteries. Whether they manufacture them themselves or whether they outsource the manufacture is neither here nor there, they produce batteries which they then brand and sell under their name. As such they have control of, and therefore liability for, the batteries.

Flash In The Pan said:
Because that's all it is.
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I worked long enough in insurance to understand policy wording and the reasoning behind it. If you want to insist that the direct instruction "do not" with no modifier like 'recommend' or 'suggest' is simply a recommendation, go ahead.

gramps said:
More like increase their sales of consumables.
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If that were the case they'd be better served taking a leaf out of Panasonic's book and hardwiring their cameras to only work with OEM batteries than relying on an instruction hidden in the user manual.
 
NorthernNikon said:
Have I missed something? Is 1st October national lobotomy day or is the unusually hot weather adversely affecting people's reasoning? Either way there's a lot of ****witted pedantry knocking about.



If you're going to start calling people fools you might first want to double check that you're just proving yourself to be the idiot.

Nikon produce batteries. Whether they manufacture them themselves or whether they outsource the manufacture is neither here nor there, they produce batteries which they then brand and sell under their name. As such they have control of, and therefore liability for, the batteries.



I worked long enough in insurance to understand policy wording and the reasoning behind it. If you want to insist that the direct instruction "do not" with no modifier like 'recommend' or 'suggest' is simply a recommendation, go ahead.



If that were the case they'd be better served taking a leaf out of Panasonic's book and hardwiring their cameras to only work with OEM batteries than relying on an instruction hidden in the user manual.
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the next thing will be nikon dont cover using 3rd party lens being used on there bodys, better buy all original nikon glass now.
 
NorthernNikon said:
Nikon produce batteries. Whether they manufacture them themselves or whether they outsource the manufacture is neither here nor there, they produce batteries which they then brand and sell under their name. As such they have control of, and therefore liability for, the batteries.



I worked long enough in insurance to understand policy wording and the reasoning behind it. If you want to insist that the direct instruction "do not" with no modifier like 'recommend' or 'suggest' is simply a recommendation, go ahead.
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So what about the AA battery situation? I can't find anywhere selling Nikon-branded AA batteries so if you're saying only Nikon batteries can be used in the cameras then the battery grips are a bit of a waste of time :naughty:
 
NorthernNikon said:
If that were the case they'd be better served taking a leaf out of Panasonic's book and hardwiring their cameras to only work with OEM batteries than relying on an instruction hidden in the user manual.
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Actually Nikon do do that, hence why when, say the D300 came out the older 3rd party batteries that worked fine in a D200 suddenly wouldn't work. It usually only takes the manufacturers a week or two to get around it, but it is there.
 
NorthernNikon said:
If you're going to start calling people fools you might first want to double check that you're just proving yourself to be the idiot.

Nikon produce batteries. Whether they manufacture them themselves or whether they outsource the manufacture is neither here nor there,
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Nikon do not make batteries, they do not manufacture nor produce them. You can dress it up with as many words as you like, they do not make batteries.They out source them, so your argument is nonsensical.
 
Flash In The Pan said:
A thought that's just occurred to me,
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Well that would explain the high temperatures then.

why do Nikon say on their website that any make of AA batteries (as used in the D200/300/700 grips), can be used in their cameras. Surely using anything other than Nikon-brand AAs would also invalidate the warranty?
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If you had bothered to read the wording, it doesn't say 'Nikon manufactured', or 'Nikon branded' it says 'Use only batteries approved for use in this equipment."

The list of batteries compatible with the MB-D10 (alkaline, Lithium, Ni-MH, or Ni-Mn) doesn't include zinc-carbon or NiZn, so would give you an indication of what AA batteries are approved.
 
fracster said:
Nikon do not make batteries, they do not manufacture nor produce them. You can dress it up with as many words as you like, they do not make batteries.They out source them, so your argument is nonsensical.
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How is it nonsensical when I never claimed, nor have I ever claimed, that they Nikon 'make' batteries?

Producing something is entirely different to making it, but even then it's still irrelevant and has no bearing on the point in question.
 
scottthehat said:
sorry but your wrong
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My wrong what?

if i was to have a problem my nikon pro sevrice would fix it like that.
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I presume you mean "if my camera were to have a problem", the Nikon service department might be good but I don't think they extended to treating people, whether they have a grasp of the conditional tense or not.

Other than that, if you are so confident in Nikon, why don't you drop your camera in a sink full of water and then send it off for them to repair? You can let us all know what their response is.

if they did want to se the battery i have 2 originals one from my d300 and one from my d700 and 5 non oem ones, so if i was worried i would just send an original, not only that like flash said any aa batts can be used.
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Whether you are prepared to act dishonestly is up to you but circumventing a warranty exclusion doesn't mean that it ceases to exist, just as driving at 90mph doesn't alter the speed limit just because you weren't caught.
 
NorthernNikon said:
My wrong what?



I presume you mean "if my camera were to have a problem", the Nikon service department might be good but I don't think they extended to treating people, whether they have a grasp of the conditional tense or not.

Other than that, if you are so confident in Nikon, why don't you drop your camera in a sink full of water and then send it off for them to repair? You can let us all know what their response is.



Whether you are prepared to act dishonestly is up to you but circumventing a warranty exclusion doesn't mean that it ceases to exist, just as driving at 90mph doesn't alter the speed limit just because you weren't caught.
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because it not a submarine:thinking:
and your wrong end of, and are you not a nikon pro member, you get it when you buy so many bits of nikon pro gear, it gets you better faster service.
 
NorthernNikon said:
Well that would explain the high temperatures then.
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The sign of someone that is losing an argument is when they resort to personal insults. You'll be invoking Godwin's Law next :lol:

If you had bothered to read the wording, it doesn't say 'Nikon manufactured', or 'Nikon branded' it says 'Use only batteries approved for use in this equipment."
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Uh-huh and they only "approve" non-oem batteries of the type they don't "manufacture". Funny that. ;)
 
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