D700 quick first impression

James Pardon said:
Grips makes it heaaavvy! Great for action to get that 8fps though, only reason I'm keeping mine. .............. etc.

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I cannot make up my mind about adding a grip.
D700 body is 2.5 lbs without batt., card & strap.
My walkabout lens is the 24 - 70mm Nikkor which is nearly the same weight as the camera.
Grip adds nearly another 1lb !!
Think it could be just a bit heavy.
 
Phew, took me a while, but we had gradings at karate yesterday so I got a chance to try out the ISO on the D700 - this has had NO noise reduction, just tweak on WB, resized and web sharpen. The light in the studio, as you can probabably see, is dreadful, so it was the ideal opportunity to give 3200 a whirl.

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One of the biggest problems I've had throughout my years of snapping has been to keep horizons level and the built in level in the D700 has been a real boon - no more cropping to straighten them! I have the second button on the front set to activate the level so I can see it in the VF so wonky horizons are finally a thing of the past.

I went for the Magic Lantern Guide as a suplement to the Nikon manual and picked up a few tips. When I remember what they are, I'll try to remember to pass them on but I think they were basically the same as ones posted above (wheel scrolling and centre button zoom on playback). The tips from D-Town are worth watching too.
 
It's kind of cool being able to shoot at these ISO's without thinking "Oh-oh, this is going to hurt!" :)

Your 3200 shot is similar to my experience Yv, got the exposure as good as you can and there is very little work needed.

Now I need to get my backside into gear and get some shoots arranged :)
 
pablob said:
Sorry if I missed it but is there a way to change how the command dials alter the Exp or Flash Comp? At the moment click left increase and click right decreases. For some reason I'd expect it to be the other way round! maybe I'm simple!
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I'm not too sure ATM, I'll check later when I get in.
 
14-24mm arrives tomorrow :clap::clap::clap:
 
Arkady said:
The eyepiece on the newer Pro Nikons (D3, D3x, D3s) locks into place with the eyepiece shutter lever - you cannot install or remove it with that shutter open - try to do so and you'll break it.

On older Nikons D2x/H etc we were forever losing the eyepeices, so much so that I carried two with me in my camera bag.
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Yes, Rob, the eyepiece does as you say re the lever, but the rubber eyecup does not have the same security. It can pull off.
 
BouncyMelons said:
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Congratulations on your new toys, I am sure you're enjoying this BIG time.

I have to say, that picture is so soothing. Wouldn't mind having that framed in my bedroom or study (y)


Arkady said:
The eyepiece on the newer Pro Nikons (D3, D3x, D3s) locks into place with the eyepiece shutter lever - you cannot install or remove it with that shutter open - try to do so and you'll break it.

On older Nikons D2x/H etc we were forever losing the eyepeices, so much so that I carried two with me in my camera bag.
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Can I add, this lock is also there on the D700. I've found it to be a great little bit of tool to help reduce dust and weird particles get in there.
 
arclight said:
Yes, Rob, the eyepiece does as you say re the lever, but the rubber eyecup does not have the same security. It can pull off.
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ah - sorry, my bad - didn't know anyone still used those...
 
Wail said:
Congratulations on your new toys, I am sure you're enjoying this BIG time.

I have to say, that picture is so soothing. Wouldn't mind having that framed in my bedroom or study (y)
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Loving them and hope you enjoy your piccie :)
 
pablob said:
I worked it out! It's F9 Reverse rotation! I'm a happy camper now!:)
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Well done Paul ... Saves me trying to find the page in the book, Jeez will i ever get through it :shake: ???
 
Oh yes, there is something so tranquil about this. It's going to be printed tomorrow and has a place in my study prepared for it :)
 
Just 'modded' my 700 to use the rear dial, brilliant!
Just shows how well I read the manual , lol.


Steve
 
Ha ha! Switched the meter round, also switched the rear command dial round, (it ran the wrong way for me) and did the playback thing with the command dials which is SO much better. :)

Now to get a cheap low capacity CF card to copy all my settings onto. That way I can reload the settings any time I need to and I can copy them onto the other camera.

Now to go and have a look at setting custom white balances from an image..............more to learn!
 
Just skim read the thread, don't think anybody clarified the auto ISO thing.

When in manual, the auto ISO will screw with your exposures. It'll reference your exposure compensation setting, so if you've left it at 0.0 it'll try to under expose white and over expose black (teaching granny to suck eggs here I know).

So if you're using auto ISO, you'll need to set your compensation for the scene with the +/- button. Just as if you were shooting any of the semi auto modes really.
 
cyclone said:
Just skim read the thread, don't think anybody clarified the auto ISO thing.

When in manual, the auto ISO will screw with your exposures. It'll reference your exposure compensation setting, so if you've left it at 0.0 it'll try to under expose white and over expose black (teaching granny to suck eggs here I know).

So if you're using auto ISO, you'll need to set your compensation for the scene with the +/- button. Just as if you were shooting any of the semi auto modes really.
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I don't think that's right mate.

It won't be the Auto ISO that affects your exposure - it'll be the camera's "desire" to make everything 18% grey. Exposure compensation in Aperture Priority or deliberately under or over exposing in Manual - same difference. Auto ISO won't hurt these settings - it'll just adjust ISO up or down to suit your minimum shutter speed.

HTH
 
I have popped the auto ISO onto mymenu and it will be left off but I can put it on quite quickly if I want to use it. I rather liked Scott Kelby's description of when it IS useful and that is shooting outdoors in varying light. The auto ISO will take care of those variations leaving you free to look after the other two bits of the triangle. He likened shooting manual with all three parameters as trying to balance a triangle on a pinhead.

Indoors and in low light I'm going to want to retain the control because as Yv pointed out, I don't want the camera trying to make the scene too light (artificially so)

Had a little play again last night and tried the monochrome picture style shot at ISO 3200 for a bit of deliberate grain and I have to say the results were incredible!

Got one of my SWPP buddies coming for lunch tomorrow and I can just see him shaking his head already! ;)
 
ryanyboy said:
I don't think that's right mate.

It won't be the Auto ISO that affects your exposure - it'll be the camera's "desire" to make everything 18% grey. Exposure compensation in Aperture Priority or deliberately under or over exposing in Manual - same difference. Auto ISO won't hurt these settings - it'll just adjust ISO up or down to suit your minimum shutter speed.

HTH
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Trust me it's right. Although I think we're pretty much saying the same thing. Yes the cam tries to make 18% grey and it uses autoISO to do it as you've fixed the other parameters. That means you have to use exp comp to alter the exposure if you need to.

I'll try to do a comparison tonight and stick it up.
 
BouncyMelons said:
Had a little play again last night and tried the monochrome picture style shot at ISO 3200 for a bit of deliberate grain and I have to say the results were incredible!
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That is a great idea!
Are you shooting jpeg? Or are you using captureNX to read the files?
 
Shooting RAW and using Bridge (must get LR since the aim here is to get cleaner files in the first place!)

Although the 5DII has an amazing sensor with MP to spare and good high ISO the AF was not to my liking in comparison to the D700 and I just keep finding other "things" that it does. The level of customisation makes it almost an individual camera in that if you put 20 D700's in a row, I bet they'd all be different! lol
 
Yeah I bet they would...
So does bridge "see" the mono version of the shot when you shoot raw, because LR just ignores it and leaves you to do your own conversion lol.
That's fine, but, say you were going for the grainy mono look in a particular shot, it'd be easier to pick it out afterwards if LR showed what you shot.
 
Added a few more things to my menu too, including auto-iso but as I think has been established by discusion, don't want it operating all the time as sometimes you want over or under exposure nd you want to control the grain that comes with it.

So far, I am loving this beasty. This morning had the perfect light for some bif shots of garden birds, so as I dont need the 'reach' of a cropped sensor for this set up, gave the D700 a run out with the 120-300 attached. Previous attempts from D300 are great but noisy, so looking forward to comparing this mornings efforts when I get them downloaded.
 
cyclone said:
Yeah I bet they would...
So does bridge "see" the mono version of the shot when you shoot raw, because LR just ignores it and leaves you to do your own conversion lol.
That's fine, but, say you were going for the grainy mono look in a particular shot, it'd be easier to pick it out afterwards if LR showed what you shot.
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no it doesn't, I 'think' only Nikon s/w will 'see' it. I have just moved from Bridge to LR for viewing and despite some teething roubles, I am getting used to it. I like LR's functionality in terms of editing and even creating very simple but pleasant looking web albums.
 
Yv said:
I 'think' only Nikon s/w will 'see' it.
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That is my understanding also, so I've never messed with picture controls.
I just wondered how Alison managed to do it, unless it just looked good on the LCD?
 
Imstill shooting in RAW at the moment and it's actually quite good in camera as it was shot. :) Bridge does not "see" the monochrome used by the camera in the raw file

I love my B&W's though and prefer to use some Jeff Ascough actions so I'll still be doing it that way. :)

Today is the first day since I got them that I've not been able to play. :thumbsdown:
 
Did an interesting little comparison today. Did a side by side shot with a mate of mine in our dining room at home. He was shooting on a 5D with a 24-105mm and I had the D700 with the 24-70. Both took the same shot of his good lady.

His was soft and smudgy with muted colours and zoomed in was borderline useable at all.
Mine was bright and tack sharp. You could clearly see eyelashes. And that was just on the back of the camera.

I'm sure that if we were both shooting group shots outdoors there would be very little difference between the two cameras and if we were shooting landscapes I'd not be changing anything at all! But these indoor shots are exactly why I made the decision to change and seeing that yesterday does help when I look at the bank balance! ;)
 
Yv said:
no it doesn't, I 'think' only Nikon s/w will 'see' it. I have just moved from Bridge to LR for viewing and despite some teething roubles, I am getting used to it. I like LR's functionality in terms of editing and even creating very simple but pleasant looking web albums.
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Sorry to contradict Yvonne, Bridge in CS 4 see`s the B&W jpeg that the D700 produces when using the "monochrome" option.
 
i was also reccomended to set exposure comp at minus .3

i set C at release plus focus [kens idea it works]
 
fracster said:
Sorry to contradict Yvonne, Bridge in CS 4 see`s the B&W jpeg that the D700 produces when using the "monochrome" option.
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Yep, it sees the JPEG Ok Ade because the picture information is embedded in the JPEG at capture. But it has no effect at all shooting in RAW, the picture styles don't show in a RAW file. :)
 
I've just ordered the 24-70 from Park Cameras !!! Somebody stop me !!!
 
No! :p

Oh you are going to love it! Weighty little beast but lurrrvely> :love:

85mm f1.4 I'm trying to keep my hands off and I know that one day I will fail mightily.

Just wait till you try it, prepare to be dazzled! :D
 
The "only" other ones my eyes are clamped on at the moment are the 70-200 VRII to complete the "Trinity" and the 105 Macro plus an SB900.

A decent head (RRS or Acratech) will almost certainly be finding it's way into my bag but for now I know the 14-24 and 27-70 will keep me well occupied.
 
85 f1.4 made for the d700 and looks the part

i had an 135mm f2 dc arrive yesterday [after searching for ages its becoming rare] another superb lens on the d700 get one if you can.
 
straycat said:
85 f1.4 made for the d700 and looks the part

i had an 135mm f2 dc arrive yesterday [after searching for ages its becoming rare] another superb lens on the d700 get one if you can.
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Would like to know your thoughts on the 135 - been thinking about getting one for a long time. :)
 
oh this might be teaching people how to suck eggs (mainly for the new converts) but if anyone is using LR to import their images be aware that capture/view nx generates sharper images from the raw files for critical stuff

granted lightroom isn't pap and i use it more often because it's just generally easier but the nikon software even though it has a turd gui is quite good at rendering :)
 
Might have to fish the DVD out and actually install it then! :)

Thanks for the tip Alex, will give it a go.
 
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