First pictures w/ the D700

My wife and I walked two blocks, for 5 minutes, then it rained, so this is all we could take.

Pictures taken using the cheapest of the Cheap! The Quantaray!!! 28-90mm 3.5-5.6 macro!!!

Why the D700?

So, like many photographers who are still trying to take the plunge into the 35mm/full frame digital format, which up until now has been obstructed by high cost, I found myself trying to decide between the Canon 5D and the Nikon D700.  I read through forums, wrote out an excel sheet listing the pros and cons of both and went to hand hold a 5D and the big/little brother combo of the D700 [the D3 and D300].  When looking at the two systems here is what I saw:

5D pro's

• Price, especially when the rebates are in effect
• Available lens are a designed for full frame since Canon hadn't dedicated themselves to the crop sensor as rigidly as Nikon had.  Canon has more 1.4 and 1.3 primes, more cost effective and light F4.0 lenses, the best 70-200 ever [the 70-200mm F4.0 IS], and... well just more lenses
• DPP comes free
• And while being a nikon user primarily I've always loved the color rendition and tone curve of the canon.  Contrasty but not washed out
• The 5D is marginally sharper than the D3

5D cons

• I would miss the Nikon Flash system and the 580's are very expensive.
• The body is due for replacement, hence the lower cost.  [this would eventually become the source of "I need the new body"-ism]
• 12 bit versus 14 bit
• Ergonomics, the camera just isn't as quick as even my D80, and since I do event and wedding photography, a faster interface is important to me.  Not that the 5D in incapable of pulling of a wedding because its actually a main stay body used by many talented wedding photographers

D700 pros

• High ISO performance;  this was the reason my choice didn't include the D300.  You can view the D700 as either a "D3 jr" or a "D300 on roids", I feel the aforementioned is more so the case than the later.  The D700 can provide photographic ability beyond what a crop sensor can manage at this point in the evolution of sensor technology.   The D300, to me, is not really that large a step up from the D80.  The 2 megapixels of little more resolving power and the high ISO performance while better doesn't redefine your limitations as much as the jump to FX format
• The Flash system, built in/wireless etc.
• The ergonomics, the real deal breaker against the 5D;  Once it arrived, the box was opened, and I held it, it just felt like it was in a different class
• More mature product with little possibility of a replacement soon
• AF speed
• More usable LCD
• Shares a lot with my current set up.  Same battery/charger as the D80, already have the SB800 and SB600, can still use all my lenses, even FX although with a resolution penalty.
• 14 bit
  
• Better service reputation, from my experiance, and no 1DIII-like incidents

D700 cons

• Cost is higher than 5D today, although the 5D started off MUCH higher than the D700 today adjusted for inflation.
• Nikon still needs to offer more lens choices AND manufacture enough of the lenses they DO offer so that they are available for purchase.
• Untested, very few reviews out there.
• Anti-aliasing filter a bit to heavy and sharpness suffers a tad.
• NX2 is ridiculously slow but gives the best results for converting .nef's to dng/tiff/etc's.  It almost seems like it needs an outboard PCI card to run on like Pro-Tools does [<- music recording software]
• Nikons big three zooms are very expensive and the 70-200 needs to be updated for FX

So, in the end it became a battle of cost versus usability since a picture control can get me the 5D look if I create it, and while the 5D on paper may be less expensive the difference in what you are getting is greater.

Remember, before digital professional bodies existed even though "sensor" quality [film] was the same no matter what body you used.  Well, now that dslr's are maturing we are back to paying more for bodies that make sure we GET the picture.  Once Canon creates a body with similar specs and Nikon starts offering more lenses, the Great Nikon v. Canon debate will again be a wash.

Genesis

So, a little bit about me.  I live in Birmingham, AL at the moment [born  and raised].  And I just purchased my first "professional" dslr body.  Not since I bought my first camera, an Nikon 65, have I been so... artistically motivated!  As a way to track my growth and share my experiences with anyone who will read/listen, I am starting this blog and plan to document my projects.

The body I purchased was the Nikon D700.  In the past I've used the Nikon N65, N8008, D70, D80, and D40.  I also had a brief stint with a Mamiya RB67 that I got used of eBay;  it was great but then digital arrived.  I only have a couple left over "Film" lenses that aren't of the highest quality but do intend to add some decent glass overtime [with the exception of the marvelous 80-200 AF-S I got while in undergrad].  I decided to start with the D700 body and a Nikkor 50mm 1.8 lens because the body represented to me a maturity in digital evolution and I honestly don't think I will use more than what this camera offers, at least at a reasonable and recoupable price.  Would love the D3 or even the Canon 1DsII or III, but neither is cost effective for someone who has a day job.

Anyway feel free to ask questions and I will do what I can to answer with my little bit of "prosumer" knowledge.  I'll address my first impressions of the D700 at the next post.  Thanks and よろしくね！