Should i sell my D810 and D500 and revert back to only a D700?

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Craig
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I'm debating it and going back to just 1 camera which will be a D700 because i'm sick of doing photos for 'exposure'. I can't work my way into a paying photography gig and I've been at it on and off for 15 years now. Buying the latest and greatest doesn't guarantee anything except you'll go broke very quickly in photography terms. So the real question is will there be much difference in D700 if pics are just being seen small on Instagram, facebook and websites etc? I have owned a D700 before and it's a great camera. Thanks for any opinions on this subject.
 
Just using for small pics the D700 will probably be enough BUT, having been used to the AFof the D500 and the image quality of the D810 I think you might regret the move.
However, it would be helpful t know what your subjects are likely to be. :)
 
I sometimes hanker after my old D700 and to be honest I think it is more camera than anyone really needs, even most pros. In fact, in many ways pros are often less demanding of their kit as it just needs to be good enough, not the best (whereas enthusiasts often lust after the latest ‘best’ gear).

You only really need vast mega pixel counts if you are printing huge landscapes or need to crop for wildlife. And there;s something about the colours from the D700 that the modern Nikons cant match.

The biggest point is though, as you’ve found, ‘exposure’ gets you nowhere fast.
 
My d700 was a great body for portraits! The skin tones and warmness to the images were the best !
 
If I was just shooting for fun I would have absolutely just kept my D700 and been very happy. Great camera.
 
When these posts crop up, I seem to be the only one that didn’t get on with the D700. It just never set me on fire. I used several lenses with it, and whilst it felt substantial, the photos always felt like they were lacking.

Rather than going all the way back to a D700, how about a half way house. Maybe a 610 or similar.
 
I think you've made my mind up guys. I'm going to sell the D500 and D810 and go back to a D700.

Gremlin16 I'm not really keen on a D610 if I'm honest but if you could sell yours and buy my D500 that might be best? I'm definitely after a D700 now. I just forgot how much I loved it.
 
There were many that were happy with the D700 when it was first released. It’s gone down as a legendary camera of its time. I picked one up as a remote/second body a few weeks back, so far it looks good but I’ve not had a chance to really try it out yet and compare.

I can see where you are coming from with the point if it’s only going to be online viewing. I too mainly post online too but have started to print the occasional image to large 2-3 foot canvasses.

I’ve had a D810 for the last year, whilst it’s a nice camera I’m not sure I’m a 100% happy with ISO performance compared to the D810. A little bit of me thinks I was stupid swapping from a D750 but there was that itch to scratch. The D750 was a fantastic camera and for the money they are now going for they are great value. If you are happy to push to a D750 I would suggest that as it’s a bit more future proofed and lighter than a D700.that said if you were happy previously with the D700 I’m sure you would be again.
 
The D750 is a brilliant camera for the money definitely Rob but I really love the feel of the D700 and I know the 12mp will be more than enough for me. I think you can pick one up for about £300-350 now too which is a bonus.
 
How on earth can you give up the best camera Nikon has produced the D810 in that price range? sling out the others if you must but getting rid of the D810?????? that leaves me speechless
 
If all you are going to do is post on the Web then why even bother with a full frame at all. No one is going to be doing any pixel peaking. Seems to me you'd be happiest with something that's light and easy to carry and on the budget as well.
 
Sands try and find me a light and easy to carry camera that only costs what the D700 does mate. That's my point. I have 2 expensive camera bodies and to be honest I could near enough get similar results with a 10 year old D700. Light and easy to carry means to me mirrorless and that costs the same kind of money that the D810 and the D500 costs. In that case I would just keep what I have now because I'm invested in Nikon glass.

Respeed it is a very difficult decision to give up the D810 so that's why I came on here to see people's opinions. It's a tough one.
 
Well, here's my ten pence worth: it seems to me [not a Nikon user but no axe to grind, a camera is a camera and they are all pretty good i think] that if you can find the Nikon D700 that you want and you have the money, that you should buy one, use it exclusively [no cheating] for a set period that you decide say 2 weeks, a month, 2 months and then, if your suspicions prove correct, you can then sell your other kit and skip happily into the sunset. A chap at a club I joined the other day had paid £40 for a wooden pinhole camera. He produced a beautiful monochrome print from it....

PS I found 2 on the net - watch for the shutter count. One was at 225,000.
 
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I picked up a very cheap d700 off eBay and it's fantastic. Perfect for just sticking photos on the web and it will print to A3 comfortably.

I wouldn't mind an 810 though, just need to find a bargain on the bay.
 
All i can say is I have the D300 as well and keeping it as I have a 12-24mm DX f4 lens which I still use.going from 36mp down to 12 mp must reflect in the quality of the photographs.
Still i suppose one has to go with what one thinks, My bet is you will regret it going back to a camera with AA filters ,less definition etc
 
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All i can say is I have the D300 as well and keeping it as I have a 12-24mm DX f4 lens which I still use.going from 36mp down to 12 mp must reflect in the quality of the photographs.
Still i suppose one has to go with what one thinks, My bet is you will regret it going back to a camera with AA filters ,less definition etc
You're not looking at your photos right if that's how you think.

Pixel counts and blow-up-ability isn't the be all and end all of photographs. Unless you NEED those features any 10 or 12mp camera will produce excellent results. Anything more than 16mp is wasted for most real world uses.

If I could shove a D700 sensor in my D750 I''d be happy as Larry as I can see no difference between the pictures I've made with either camera at the sizes I use them - on screen or in print. If it wasn't for a couple of practical features on the D750 I'd not have changed from a D700. It was and still is a belting camera.
 
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small on Instagram, facebook and websites

I think if you're only looking at doing this with your photographs and enjoy the experience of using the D700 over the shooting experience of the D810 then why not. My Daughter has an old D70 she uses and from time to time I'll pick it up and use it and the image quality at web size is no problem at all, at low ISO's. Indeed the colours from it, I think look nicer than my D750 and I really do like that camera, so I can only imagine what the D700 colours are like.

I'd be interested to know where you pick up D700's for £300-£350 without a million miles on them mind, always quite fancied one myself! :)
 
Well, here's my ten pence worth: it seems to me [not a Nikon user but no axe to grind, a camera is a camera and they are all pretty good i think] that if you can find the Nikon D700 that you want and you have the money, that you should buy one, use it exclusively [no cheating] for a set period that you decide say 2 weeks, a month, 2 months and then, if your suspicions prove correct, you can then sell your other kit and skip happily into the sunset. A chap at a club I joined the other day had paid £40 for a wooden pinhole camera. He produced a beautiful monochrome print from it....

PS I found 2 on the net - watch for the shutter count. One was at 225,000.

I think you are the winner with this answer mate. Most probably what i'm going to do. Thanks.
 
I think if you're only looking at doing this with your photographs and enjoy the experience of using the D700 over the shooting experience of the D810 then why not. My Daughter has an old D70 she uses and from time to time I'll pick it up and use it and the image quality at web size is no problem at all, at low ISO's. Indeed the colours from it, I think look nicer than my D750 and I really do like that camera, so I can only imagine what the D700 colours are like.

I'd be interested to know where you pick up D700's for £300-£350 without a million miles on them mind, always quite fancied one myself! :)

I sold my d700 with battery grip and two batteries and three CF cards last week for £200.... it had 166,000 clicks on it .....
 
And I regret it already
 
I'm debating it and going back to just 1 camera which will be a D700 because i'm sick of doing photos for 'exposure'. I can't work my way into a paying photography gig and I've been at it on and off for 15 years now. Buying the latest and greatest doesn't guarantee anything except you'll go broke very quickly in photography terms. So the real question is will there be much difference in D700 if pics are just being seen small on Instagram, facebook and websites etc? I have owned a D700 before and it's a great camera. Thanks for any opinions on this subject.

12 MP isn't that small and the most important thing is a really good lens or lenses.

And nowadays new programs are coming out which can make an incredible difference to photos:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/20926615@N05/sets/72157700442514594
.
 
That's it Peter I totally agree it's all about lenses. I have some nice lenses so they should work well with whatever body they are paired with.
 
How on earth can you give up the best camera Nikon has produced the D810 in that price range? sling out the others if you must but getting rid of the D810?????? that leaves me speechless

I thought the D810 wasn’t great to be honest, didn’t keep mine for long. The D850 is the best dslr Nikon have ever produced. The D810 is just a slightly quicker D800. Nothing ground breaking with that camera at all. I was very disappointed with it.
 
I thought the D810 wasn’t great to be honest, didn’t keep mine for long. The D850 is the best dslr Nikon have ever produced. The D810 is just a slightly quicker D800. Nothing ground breaking with that camera at all. I was very disappointed with it.

I liked my D810 but kind of agree with you. It felt like a D800 1.1. Lot's of little bug fixes and the electric front curtain feature was nice but didn't feel like it moved things on massively in the way the D850 has. I'm using a D800 at the moment and the only thing I'm really missing about the D810 is the slicker live view. But a D810 would have cost double what my D800 cost. Just couldn't see the value there.

Have fond memories of my D700. Probably like many, it was my first full frame Nikon and I just loved the output. The images still have a nice look to them even compared to modern sensors. I used one again recently for a wedding having not picked one up for a few years and felt immediately at home again. Shot a wedding with just one card slot? Lock me up!
 
I’ve just bought a D810 and after my D600 it’s like swapping from a mini to a Ferrari. I get that the D850 would be like stepping into an F1 car but one step at a time!
The jump, for me, from a 700 to the 850 was like that, but I'll never sell my 700
 
The step down is always harder than the step up. You expect to get better and you often do when you step up in class with a camera body. But, you have to get your head around stepping down because you know you are giving up something for something less. To be honest with you, I don't think you would ever be truly as happy with a D700 as you are with your better kit. Never. Remember, happiness is not a reasoned out thing. It is more the heart. So, my advice is to stay put, rather than bouncing here and there. Love what you have and what it gives to you. The D700 you've done. Been there and done that. Keep joy you have. Stay home rather than move back in with mom. You'll be the happier. And, that is more the point than cost. Be happy.
 
Completely understand you sands. I'm going to take some time to think it over fully before committing to anything. Thanks for your input mate and I agree, happiness over anything ;)
 
I think you've made my mind up guys. I'm going to sell the D500 and D810 and go back to a D700.

Gremlin16 I'm not really keen on a D610 if I'm honest but if you could sell yours and buy my D500 that might be best? I'm definitely after a D700 now. I just forgot how much I loved it.


My NIKON D3 is the same for me, love it and I have a D500 bought for speed and low light I have a D810 too bought so I can crop top and bottom off stage shoots and still have lots of meat in the middle and it works too BUT the D3 is the camera that has my 70 200 on and its the bomb for portraits on the fly during a stage show...I have a D3s too and that is not the same as the D3 as I understand the D4 and D700 are very similar...But its horses for courses and each body has its uses for me...if not shooting for money I would choose my D3....
 
It seems to me that that lens stable is not a huge one. Expensive maybe. You were wise to pay for good glass up front. But, it does not seem to represent such a huge commitment to keep you married to Nikon. You could probably sell these few fine lenses with little trouble. So, you don't necessarily have to step back to a D700 if you want to move on to simply something else. So you could cast a wider net than simply the old D700 with all its faults. How about Sony's full frame? Its introductory a7 is still in production as well as all the revision models that followed it. Smaller means lighter, and no one is getting any younger. With the Sony a7 no one is going to say one day;'look at that old man with his old camera.' The a7, whatever model, puts you in the same track as the unfolding full frame world of photography. Then there is no 'step backwards' just different instead. This probably does not make it any easier to make up our mind, does it? Good luck..
 
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I have a 300 f2.8, 35 f1.4, 85 f1.8 and 16mm fisheye mate

If this is an exercise to free up funds

How often do you use those lenses?

I see from the 810 thread that the 300 is used a lot.

If it were me I would sell the 300, 85 and 16 and get a decent 70-200 2.8. The Tamron G2 is amazing and can be had brand new for little over £800. That should free up some funds. You can always add a 1.4 tc if 300 is important.

Also to free up funds I would replace the 35 1.4 with a 1.8 but that’s just me and I don’t know if you use it.

Have you also considered just selling one camera?
 
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Nah it's definitely not that Drew. Only reason I ever came 'off' was because it didn't pay the bills so was forced 'off'.
 
I am still with giving it a try although I do recognise the step down comments from Robert in post 29; I am unhappy with my compact now when I used to love it; had I moved it on at my usual point, I would be pining for it, not knowing that I don't like it any more. In another thread I have been told what I want a compact to do doesn't exist. So, I guess I am back to my original suggestion: if funds are available, buy a 2nd hand one whilst holding on to what you have got and try it without touching your other kit [no cheating] and see how you feel. If it doesn't do what you want it to, sell it on.
 
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