Menu
What's new
The GetDPI Photography Forum

Great to see you here. Join our insightful photographic forum today and start tapping into a huge wealth of photographic knowledge. Completing our simple registration process will allow you to gain access to exclusive content, add your own topics and posts, share your work and connect with other members through your own private inbox! And don’t forget to say hi!

D3?

Chris Barrett

Chris Barrett

Member
Hey Guys,

I'm looking for a little advice. I'm thinking of picking up a DSLR and not sure which to go with. This is not going to get a lot of use, as I mostly shoot MFDB on my Arca and just ordered the Phamiya 645 with some lenses.

Still, I want a camera that I can just walk around downtown with doing street photography and maybe for scouting my Architectural jobs.

I've use the 1ds and the 5ds and really prefer my wife's D90. Of course, I want a little more resolution and a full frame sensor. So I was thinking about the D3 and maybe a Zeiss 35mm ZF for it.

Thoughts?

Thanks,
Chris
 
W

woodyspedden

New member
Chris Barrett said:
Thanks Woody, but I wanted to go "new in the box" on this, ordered my D3 a few hours ago.

-Camera Junkie
Click to expand...
Hey Chris

No problem for me man. Just want to make sure you are getting the best from the best. My D3 is a LNIB and super low actuations.........so after thinking about it for a bit I realized that I should not be selling this body at all!!! LOL

I need to keep it for the wonderful high ISO performance which we all have need for from time to time. So you end up with a lower resolution body which betters the D3X in terms of performance in low light situations. Between the two bodies there is virtually nothing impossible for system Nikon. Plus the advantage of having all the controls in the same place for both cameras so no excuse for missing a shot due to educational fatigue!!!

Happy imaging to all here folks. We are all working our #$@s off to get the best. So let's enjoy what we get and why.

Best

Woody
 
S

S.P.

Guest
I own and use D3 + D700 + D300.

I like the D700 much more than the D3.

IQ is the same but with the D3 you have the dustproblem on the sensor and have to carry the big and heavy body.

With the D700 you can choose if you go out with the MB-D10 or not. Without the D700 ist the perfect camera for travel and reportage.
 
GrahamWelland

GrahamWelland

Subscriber & Workshop Member
I have the D3x and D700 and D3 prior to the D3x. For form factor and ergonomics (and performance!) the D3 body is simply superb.

I sometimes use the MB-D10 with the D700 and it gets close to the D3 in terms of usability but be aware that it's actually heavier. Another point to consider is that the control layout is slightly different with the D700, plus the viewfinder is significantly different.

I enjoy using the D700 as the hi-ISO flexible companion to the D3x but I expect that I'll buy another D3 at some point. It's that good. :D

As regards D3x :thumbs::clap:
 
F

fultonpics

New member
congrats on the camera !! the iso IS amazing. i do NHL games at 2500 ISO and bounce between 2000-2500 for night ball games. makes one 'rethink' the whole ISO thing.
 
M

Mort54

Guest
The D700 has all the goodness of a D3 (same exact sensor and electronics), but in a smaller body (as long as you don't use the vertical grip). Someone else suggested the D700 and Zeiss 35. I'd second that recommendation. By the way, I have the D3, so I'm not just recommending the D700 because I have one.

Oooops. Just saw that you got the D3. It's a superb camera, you won't regret it.
 
Steen

Steen

Senior Subscriber Member
GrahamWelland said:
(snip) Another point to consider is that the control layout is slightly different with the D700, plus the viewfinder is significantly different. (snip)
Click to expand...
Hi Graham
Would you please elaborate a bit on how you think the D3 viewfinder is different from the D700 ditto ?
I'm contemplating an upgrade to either D700 or D3 for only one single reason: the better viewfinder.
I have the D300 and it is all I need, only I could use a better viewfinder because my eyes are getting worse every day and most of my lenses are manual focus lenses. I think the viewfinder is the single most important part of a camera :)
 
S

Stuart Richardson

Active member
I bought a D3 right before the D700 came out, and was really angry that I was stuck with the larger camera. I was going to sell it and pick up the D700. I went to the store to try the D700 and was glad I wound up with the D3 -- I liked the VF much better and the D3 just felt better to me. So yes, it is a large, heavy beasty, but when you stop looking at it and start using it, it disappears. (Cue Radiohead's "Everything in its right place"). The ergonomics have been developed over years and years, and it is really put together in a way that simply works well. I really started noticing this when I was shooting the aurora here this winter. When you are out in freezing weather, pitch black night with gloves on, you really start thinking about how easy it is to control your camera. The D3 is easy to manipulate, completely blind, with gloves on. Not many other digital cameras can claim the same. Also, ever see a camera focus when the only light source is the stars and a single street light over 2km across a fjord? Point it at any point-source light, and it will focus, even if it is a bright star or tiny light on a building kilometers away. The D3 doesn't give you any excuses!
 
F

fultonpics

New member
great vf. i carry 2 or 3 sometimes. mostly 2 though, since the lenses on the them weigh much more than the camera. the size is relative. not an M8 though. only problem is if you point one at someone on the street it can be a bit too much for them.
 
GrahamWelland

GrahamWelland

Subscriber & Workshop Member
bondo said:
Hi Graham
Would you please elaborate a bit on how you think the D3 viewfinder is different from the D700 ditto ?
Click to expand...
The D700 finder covers 90% of the frame and I find that framing shots between it and my D3x (and D3 before it) is different. Similarly I find the D3(x) finder brighter in operation.

I do miss the grid lines on demand though in the D3(x) finder.
 
Lars

Lars

Active member
GrahamWelland said:
The D700 finder covers 90% of the frame and I find that framing shots between it and my D3x (and D3 before it) is different. Similarly I find the D3(x) finder brighter in operation.

I do miss the grid lines on demand though in the D3(x) finder.
Click to expand...
The D3 also has a larger exit pupil than D700. The D700 is slightly masked off, I'm guessing probably due to slightly smaller prism. This means your eye needs to be closer to the camera to see the entire image. This is more of an issue when you wear glasses.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top