d700 vs d800

aj1608

aj1608

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Hi all

Was just wondering what people would recommend more for portrait/wedding photography The Nikon d700 or D800?

Also ive heard a rumour that the D800 is not compatible with lightroom 4. Does anyone know if this is tue, or better yet has anyone used lightroom 4 with images from the d800

all views and opinions appreciated

thanks
 
aj1608 said:
Hi all

Was just wondering what people would recommend more for portrait/wedding photography The Nikon d700 or D800?

Also ive heard a rumour that the D800 is not compatible with lightroom 4. Does anyone know if this is tue, or better yet has anyone used lightroom 4 with images from the d800

all views and opinions appreciated

thanks
Click to expand...

Errm that rumours rubbish,
 
Is it a slow process with the editing due to the hig file sizes that come with the d800?

Also would you recommend the d800 for wedding photography is I hear that the camera is much better when used with a tripod, I will mainly be handholding the camera

thanks
 
aj1608 said:
Is it a slow process with the editing due to the hig file sizes that come with the d800?

Also would you recommend the d800 for wedding photography is I hear that the camera is much better when used with a tripod, I will mainly be handholding the camera

thanks
Click to expand...

You know what listening to armchair 'experts' does for you? Assuming your computer meets the current specs for lr you'll not notice any slow down processing.

Every photo on my blog from the last year or so uses a d800. No tripod for any of them. Decide if I need one or not :)
 
aj1608 said:
Also would you recommend the d800 for wedding photography is I hear that the camera is much better when used with a tripod, I will mainly be handholding the camera

thanks
Click to expand...


ANY camera will be better with a tripod. The D800 is just a camera like any other.

I'm currently using Lightroom 4.4 and there are no problems using the RAW files.

My RAW files (14bit lossless compressed) are around 48MB in size. Loaded into Photoshop as a 16bit TIFF they are 205MB approx. If your computer can't handle that, then it's due for an upgrade anyway, D800 or not.

Stop believing all this crap on the internet. The D800 is just a camera.. it's not super special.. you don't have to learn any new techniques... it just produces high resolution files, that... if you're sloppy, it MAY be more apparent when when you pixel peep.

As for which would be best at a wedding, I've no idea... I don't shoot wedding.. but I doubt you;d need to ever print large enough to warrant the 36MP resolution and they handle roughly similarly.
 
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^^^This

Works perfectly well with my LR 4.4 - files take longer to render 1:1 previews but otherwise no issues and I'm running a 4.5 year old Mac Pro.

Really the choice depends on whether you are a portrait photographer who sells large images (i.e. 40x30") and does the occasional wedding in which case go for the D800 or if you are a wedding photographer who does some portraits and rarely sells above a 20x16" then the D700 would be a better choice. You certainly don't need 36mp for wedding albums.

Personally if you have the money for a D800, but are the latter then I'd suggest a used and well looked after D3 which gives you everything the D700 has but dual slots for backup of your wedding images in-camera.
 
Just shot a wedding with my mate ( not something I normally do!) i used my D700 he used his D800, both of us used good glass. I'm damned if I can tell the pictures apart from either camera! If the D800 is at the expense of decent quality glass then get a D700, if you can afford it then go for the D800 as a more modern model thats got to be the better option from a resale point of view etc. Neither of us used a tripod and all that nonsense about not hand holding a D800 is just that.
 
005269 said:
Just shot a wedding with my mate ( not something I normally do!) i used my D700 he used his D800, both of us used good glass. I'm damned if I can tell the pictures apart from either camera! If the D800 is at the expense of decent quality glass then get a D700, if you can afford it then go for the D800 as a more modern model thats got to be the better option from a resale point of view etc. Neither of us used a tripod and all that nonsense about not hand holding a D800 is just that.
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I think this sums up the situation, if you use a D800 and D700 hand held at higher ISO settings then the results will be very similar. If you use a good tripod (not a flimsily aluminium and plastic affair) and shoot at ISO 100 to make the use of the increased dynamic range then the D800 images will be better and have much more scope for post processing.
 
005269 said:
Just shot a wedding with my mate ( not something I normally do!) i used my D700 he used his D800, both of us used good glass. I'm damned if I can tell the pictures apart from either camera! If the D800 is at the expense of decent quality glass then get a D700, if you can afford it then go for the D800 as a more modern model thats got to be the better option from a resale point of view etc. Neither of us used a tripod and all that nonsense about not hand holding a D800 is just that.
Click to expand...

Who says "don't hand hold it". You can hand hold it, but make sure your technique is sound. I had to get better with that having come from a D700 & D300 that did not show up the fact that I was less steady than I thought (since corrected that).
The advice is use a tripod for the best results. That is irrefutable.
The D800 has superb high ISO capabilities. It will provide super results with big prints. Probably few folk go for really prints so big that need 36MP, but the cropping advantage that the D800 is excellent and that, I find, is really worthwhile for the type of photography I do.
 
As much as i like to frame in cam, im a notorious cropper. Never mind printing large, i love knowing i can crop the bejaysis out of an image if i so wish.

I would say I'm steady enough hand holding at lower speeds, to a point. I really don't find this any more difficult with the D800 than with a D90. If anything i would dare say its easier with the D800 because its heavier and chunkier and easier keep steady for me.
 
Bottom line is (to the OP), either will do more than a good enough job IF you have good glass. So, spread your budget accordingly.

FWIW, as much as I'd like a D800 I decided that upgrading from my D700 wouldn't actually offer me anything that I'd need for my shooting.
 
thanks again. the glass im looking at is the sigma 24-70mm f2.8 and the 70-200mm f2.8 can anybody shed any light on these lenses?
 
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