D700 First Impressions
After owning a D700 for a bit over 24 hours, I’ve started to assemble a pretty long list of first impressions. Of course, in the first day or so of owning a new camera, it’s easy to be infatuated with all of the new bells and whistles and to overlook things that will bother you later. It’s like that first drive in a new car. Everything is fresh and it’s really hard to be objective. In fact, I’m not even going to try at this point. Instead, here’s an unfiltered view into what I’ve thought of the camera so far.
First of all, everything you’ve heard about the D700 being a low-light monster is true. This things kicks butt. ISO 3200 is definitely a safe sensitivity to use in any situation that I would feel comfortable using ISO 1600 in before. The noise that I’m seeing in the files as processed through Adobe Camera Raw / Lightroom is primarily luma noise, which is fine in my book. Chroma noise, which I detest, is well controlled. ISO 6400 is where chroma noise creeps in, at least when processing through the ACR pipeline. If you’re targeting black and white use, however, ISO 6400 is more than usable. And, the use of a tool like Dfine, I’m sure 6400 would be very usuable for client work.
Here’s a shot I took at ISO 3200 while walking in my neighborhood earlier this evening. I didn’t use a tripod. The exposure is 1/15 of a second at f/4.0. I was shooting with the Nikkor 14-24 f/2.8 at 24mm.
I haven’t done any tweaking to this file other than import into Lightroom and then export up to Flickr. With the ability to cope well at ISO 3200, including hanging onto as much dynamic range as the camera does, means that entire realms of shooting open up. Turning things down a notch into ranges that I'm more used to using, the camera’s performance just gets better. Here’s a shot that I took at ISO 1600 over at Stumptown.
When I first looked at this shot, I was a bit disapointed that the logo was smooshy. Then, I zoomed to 100% and saw that the problem wasn't resolution loss in the file. Instead, part of the problem was a bit of a blow out in the reflective area of the logo. I wasn’t being that careful with exposure at the time. The rest of the problem was residue from cleaning products left on the machine. Here’s a 100% crop of the area:
I can’t complain about that at all. Not even a little bit. If I try this shot again over at Stumptown, I’ll have to make sure to wipe the panel down a bit tho.
So, what about build quality? In hand, the D700 feels like you want a pro camera to feel. Nice. Solid. It’s got the same super well constructed feel that I’m used to from my Canon 1-series cameras, but in a normal sized body. This is the kind of construction that people want when they say they want an improvement in build quality in the Canon 5D. If you’ve never held a camera of this caliber, you won’t care about this. But if you have, you know exactly the attributes I’m talking about. It’s like the build quality of a BMW compared to a Ford.
I do find the mass of buttons and dials to be intimidating coming from Canon. There are things all over the place on the Nikon. As I get used to what’s where, I’m getting used to things, but it is going to take a bit of time. On the other hand, the benefit to all the buttons is that there are things that are buried in menus on a Canon are easily accessible on the Nikon. For example, mirror lock up!
After using the Nikon controls for a day, I think I’ve also answered a question of mine about Nikon users. As a Canon user, I’ve never powered down any my cameras on a regular basis. Yet, every time a Nikon shooter has handled my gear, it comes back with the power off. I’ve noticed this with a variety of photographers over the years. Obviously, this is a small thing, but I never really did get the reasoning behind it. I just noticed it and moved on. Now that I've been playing with a Nikon for a bit, it suddenly seems to me that you really want to power down the camera when you’re not using it so that you don’t hit one of the buttons and change a setting. Or, maybe it’s just that the power switch on a Nikon is so well positioned around the shutter release button that it becomes and easy habit.
The last thing about the controls that I should say at this point is that the whole way that every control turns different to a Canon is sometimes invisible and sometimes really annoying. When it comes to putting on a lens, it’s no biggie for me. Likewise on zoom and focus. But, where it’s annoying as anything is that the exposure and exposure compensation scales are opposite from the direction they go on Canon. Ouch. That one hurts my brain so far. (Alessandro points out in the comments that you can use function f12 to fix this. My brain already feels better...)
So, what else? Here’s a hodgepodge of miscellaneous observations.
- I dig the Nikon finger-pinch lens caps. They’re really nice to use. Much nicer than all other lens cap designs.
- Having a time zone world clock map is super sweet for travelers. Setting a clock back and forth is annoying. Being able to point on the map is much better. And hopefully the time zone information travels with the file. I’ll have to look into that.
- The strap points are nicer than on my Canons and easier to thread straps through. As well, for some reason the camera sits better on my shoulder when I carry it off of one shoulder. I have a hard time with my Canons slipping off when I do that. I’ll have to figure out what’s contributing to this now as I’ve always just blamed the slope of my shoulders.
- The included strap that screams Nikon D700 FX is tacky. Canon is guilty of this as well. I wish camera makers just shipped black straps.
- The virtual horizon is cool. Being able to set the preview button that’s usually used for DOF preview to activate it in the viewfinder is priceless.
- Nikon lens back caps and body caps don’t mate together as nicely as Canons do. Instead of positively locking, they just kind of rattle when you put them together. I’ve picked this habit up with my Canons as keeping them together in ones bag means it’s faster to find them when you need them.
- It’s too bad the charger has a separate plug in cord instead of just a compact little flip out plug like the Canon 5D battery charger does. It’s one more thing to pack. To be fair, the Canon 1D-series batteries that I’ve been using come with this huge charger that takes up lots of space, so I’m not complaining too much.
- Yay for being able to set copyright and author IPTC information in the camera. With Canon, you have to use your desktop software to do this. Also, the D700 lets you turn on and off the stamping of your files with this info which makes things a lot nicer when you hand a camera off to another shooter for a day.
As you can see, things are going well. I do have tons of open questions at this point and I’m slowly working my way through online resources and the manual. But, right off the bat, I’m super impressed with the camera and am happy that I’ve added it to my tool chest. As far as the two lenses I picked up with the camera, the Nikkor 14-24 and 24-70, I’m super impressed with their sharpness. In fact, I can’t believe some of the results I’ve seen from the 14-24. They deserve their own separate posts, however. More to come, soon!
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- Patrick Lenz has also picked up a D700 recently. Here’s a shot of his puppy at ISO 6400. It’s beautiful.
37 Comments
While the Nikon fans are incredibly happy, the Canon users in your audience are undoubtedly having some emotions similar to mine. They're tough to describe, too. I have $10k in Canon glass, and while I know the resale value would be quite good, I still wouldn't want the headache of switching. So I've regarded your posts with a bit of sadness (at "losing" a "Canon comrade"), a bit of jealousy, and a bit of anger (towards Canon for being so backwards thinking with some of the decisions on the 5D Mark II, among others).
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About the separate plugin cord for the charger: You can use the "flip out plug" from an Apple charger instead of the cord. Not as nice as an actual flip out on the charger itself, but definitely smaller and compacter than the original cord.
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I'm quite fond of the programmable button that sits next to the lens on the D200 (below the DOF button). Depending on what you're doing you can use it for bracketing, exposure locking, etc. I also like having all those controls that don't require a trip in the menu, while keeping the possibility to use the menu instead if you want.
I also always power my camera down and yes, powering it up has become a reflex that is part of the grabbing movement, so that's probably the main reason.
Even though I've never used a Canon body, I'm also always confused with the direction of the exposure compensation (when you don't think about it you have 50% chance of getting wrong, if you think about it the chance of getting it wrong increases). In the end I took the habit of looking at the scale in the viewfinder when I make an adjustment.
I kind of remember that when I was a kid and played with my dad's lens back caps and body caps, the used to fit better together.
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"The included strap that screams Nikon D700 FX is tacky. Canon is guilty of this as well. I wish camera makers just shipped black straps."
I totally agree with you on the strap. This is my first Nikon that it really bothered me enough to buy a new strap. I had a heck of a time finding a basic black strap with out any bells and whistles. I ended up with a $15 strap from bestbuy.
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Glad to see a devoted Canon user trying out Nikon. I'm a Canon user who frequently wonders about those Nikon users. I did notice on a recent trip to Yellowstone, that the overwhelming majority of long lens users shooting wildlife were using Canon systems. Like so many things the Canon vs Nikon debate takes on religious overtones, with few real-world users using the two systems side-by-side for obvious reasons. It will be interesting to read your impressions, and hopefully objective assessment of the two systems.
It could very well be true that the Nikon system is better suited to some uses and the Canon better suited to others. The quest for the perfect camera goes on.
Thanks.
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The D700 looks like a great camera and I really wish I was buying Nikon as I've done in the past. But the ability to shoot HD video on the new 5D Mark II, is a selling point that's really hard to pass up.
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Wonderful post. As a Canon 20D owner considering an upgrade, I have primarily looked at the 50D and upcoming 5DMII. I was really disappointed at the tiny focus area of the 5D. At the store I played with the D700 and was very impressed. Granted, being a Canon guy, I was thoroughly confused as to the control layout, but the large focus area and build quality were impressive. It just feels like a camera that would be worth every penny.
Will I switch? Maybe. I don't have that much invested in the Canon system, but it would still be a pain. It really comes down to deciding if I want to go full frame and looking more into the Nikon camera and lens offerings. The advantages tend to swing back and forth so there really isn't a wrong choice most of the time. Everyone benefits from this type of competition.
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Re: The charger cable
If it uses the standard 2-pin connector used on shavers and other small devices, the removable the "duck head" connector from any Apple charger will likely work with it as well, and gives almost the same flip-out functionality.
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Yeah, the exposure compensation meter being the wrong way is horrible. I've been a Nikon shooter my whole life, and still haven't gotten used to it.
I do believe in the higher-end Nikons (like the D700) there is an option in the menus that will reverse the exposure compensation scale back to it's normal view.
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I've just replaced the bundled strap on my D300 with a LowePro one which is plain black, better padded, has quick releases on each end, and a little pouch that holds two cards. Highly recommended:
http://products.lowepro.com/product/Transporter,2065,41.htm
You might also be able to reverse the directions of +/- on things like EV comp in the custom settings, but not too sure on that.
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hi duncan
i've had the privilege to get my D700 with one of the first european shippings on July 28 .. so i've been able to used it quite extensively already and was looking forward to reading from you about it. even with sony's A900 and the new 5D in the game i'm still extremely happy with my choice of nikon back in '96 ;-)
there is a custom setting to change the orientation of the exposure and exposure compensation scales that should make you very happy. i'm at the office now but i'll look it up later and add to my post.
keep up the good writing!
cheers
alessandro
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hi duncan
you can change the orientation of the exposure compensation scale with individual funcion f12.
cheers
alessandro
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I lost my Nikon charger when my suitcase was stolen. Instead of paying $75 locally (B&H is cheaper, but then shipping + customs adds up) for that giant cable again, I ordered a $5 mini charger from Hong Kong.
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The high-ISO performance is impressive. I would love to see this one squared off against a 5Dmk2 in that area.
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Thanks for sharing all your thoughts! I just took the plunge and upgraded my old D70s and ended up going with the D90 mainly because of cost. Some day I'll go full frame, but $2k was a tough pill to swallow. I haven't done any side-by-side comparisons with the D90 vs. D700 at 3200 ISO, but I've been more than happy with the D90's performance there.
Oh and I'm already drooling over that 14-24mm lens you've got. 14mm, full-frame, damn. You professionals get all the cool toys! I keep justifying my purchase with the HD video :).
I'm originally from Portland and visit often driving down from Seattle. Might have to buy you some Stumptown or Voodoo donuts and pick your brain a bit.
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When I saw the first reviews of the D3 you were actually one of the people on top of the list of who I thought would get one immediately, seeing you taking pictures in those dim lit conference rooms.
I am curious to read about your experiences after you're using the Nikon for a while. Also feel free to send me an email anytime if you have any questions about Nikons.
As for the charger: i actually liked the additional cable. That way I could use the same charger on trips to Europe while only replacing the (standardized) cable.
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Thanks to Sebastian and Zack for the nice tip on using the Apple plugs. I'll have to keep that in mind. And yeah, having the cable separate from the charger is nice when you travel to places with different plugs. At some point, I’ll probably just try to find a little 6" long cable that fits.
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Ben, you're absolutely right that competition between the makers is good for all of us. Even as the choices make get harder, the tools we're using are getting so much better. I actually look forward to more competition as time goes on. And, I hope Sony and others help push everyone along as well.
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Alessandro, thank you for that pointer. Ten seconds later, my brain is feeling better. :)
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Tom, the D90 is a really nice camera, especially at its price point. And yes, ping me when you come down. If I'm in town, I'd be happy to grab a coffee or the like and chat.
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Daniel, I've had my eye on the D3 since the moment it was announced. It’s lead to a year where all of my equipment purchases have been on hold while I sort out how to proceed and waiting to see how Canon’s strategy unfolds. Now, I just can’t wait to get into a conference room and see how it works out. I’ll post more—probably much more—over the weeks and months ahead on this topic.
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Dang... I got out of using a DSLR a while back because I'm just not a pro and frankly the money spent was just taking up more space on my hard drive, for pics that only a select few people would ever see...
But reading this stuff... New toys! Makes me want to jump back in. Just have to hold the wallet closed for a few weeks, the feeling will pass....
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I shoot with a Canon but I borrowed a Nikon for a day and on that model (I don't remember which one but it was the hot item in 2005), if you didn't turn the switch off, the battery continued to drain and was dead within a few hours. I was used to my Canon 20D going to sleep very quickly and taking little or no power while asleep. Maybe that is why your camera always came back turned off. It becomes a habit when your battery goes dead!
I liked the Nikon but it seemed like the buttons and menus were less intuitive than Canon's but that is subjective and may have changed.
The world needs positive images right now,
Show them!
Will Emerson
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Hmm somehow your blog fell off my feed reader. :) But I caught this post from Flickr.
1) First congrats on buying a Nikon, welcome to my world, though I am a step down from you in series (as well as ability)
2) For those that can't afford or justify the D700 the D90 has the same great low light as the D700, like this one in China. I love it. (And PS it shoots video, yes I know manual focus and mono audio, I don't care can your SLR shoot video?)
3) I like the sound the shutter makes on Nikon's over Canon for some reason, not sure if you noticed that or not.
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Straps are picky things, I have actually fallen in love with the Up-Straps w/ quick releases.
I have a wrist strap, bandolier, and one of the heavy rubber straps, I swap them out as desired, although the wrist strap can get annoying if you keep two quick release dongles on the body.
Each of my bodies has a set of QR dongles, and I just grab the desired strap, clip it, and go.
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"I like the sound the shutter makes on Nikon's over Canon for some reason, not sure if you noticed that or not."
While I like the sound, it could be quieter. A friend shoots performing arts (classical music) and would certainly benefit from the D700's high ISO, but it's v important for him to have the 1DMk3#'s near-silent shutter setting.
Even as a long-time Nikon user, I still hate the focus mode C / S / M switch tucked under the lens and can't believe Nikon still haven't produced something more ergonomic.
That said, I love using the camera.
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Welcome to Nikon.
Since you're using the 14-24 wide angle, give Capture NX a try for wide angle photos or problem photos in general.
Lightroom is an excellent photo filer, but one of the worst raw converters for Nikon.
It's a pain to use two programs to do one thing, but there are photos where Lightroom really does not do justice to lenses like the ones you have (portraits for example).
piero
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The power bricks on some older HP printers use a short 6-10" cable that has the right connector.
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Another thing which hacks me off is having to remove the grip to get at one of the batteries, which is in the camera body. Why can't they both be in the grip?
Again, though, it's a quibble compared to overall delight with the camera.
I've got to disagree 100% with the statement "Lightroom is an excellent photo filer, but one of the worst raw converters for Nikon." It's a decent DAM application, and a fine raw converter - just different colours from your JPEG, and none the worse for that. The lens vignetting correction is more than adequate.
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Interesting point about powering down Nikons. I use the very humble Nikon D40 and its batteries have incredible longevity. I turn the camera off when I put it in my vintage gas mask shoulder bag. No compartments there so turning the camera off preserves settings from other stuff in the bag knocking into buttons.
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Just want to add here that the Nikon 14-24 mm is a mind blowing lens it is the one lenses that I won't part with so if your going to steel any of my kit don't even think about the 14-24 mm I will come looking for you.
I use it for street portraiture shots which it is not designed for and in most situations where being close to the subject is important it works perfectly it is
remarkably good in low light conditions being a very wide it draws more light
into the frame I'm really always amazed with the results.
There are a few examples below:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3154/2784476222_7b292643bb_o.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3199/2855739084_b6478db2ae_o.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3100/2786123620_180c4247cf_o.jpg
the last shot was lit only with 1 fluorescent tube at night.
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The shutter sound on the D700 is quite nice indeed. It’s hard to describe the exact quality, but it's nice... :)
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The 14-24 is a very impressive lens. So far, I've been totally blown away by what I'm getting out of both it and the 24-70.
Nice shots! Thanks for sharing 'em!
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I've been using a Nikon F3 film camera for years with all manual focus Nikkor prime lenses and waiting for years for an affordable way to take my old lenses to the next level. I went out a got a D700 and I'm 100% impressed with how I'm able to use ALL my old lenses full frame instead of a smaller sensor with cropping. Now I can always predict the results I will get before choosing a lens with my years of using my primes.
For my first 4 weeks of using my D700 I didn't have a zoom or AF lens. Then I picked up a few newer AF lenses (still primes) and I'm impressed with the AF, I have a few zoom lenses in mind for the future, but I've kinda blown my photography budget for the year.
Once I finally get some zoom lenses it will be like getting out of a steam train (my old film setup) into a bullet train (my D700)
I gotta say though, I'm not impressed with the use of so much plastic in the construction of so many lenses these days. They just don't feel solid like the old lenses do.
Thanks,
Tim
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I've had fits with Adobe Lightroom and my D700. I downloaded the D2X profiles from adobe's site and they certainly give better defaults than ACR. However, NX2 is just *way* better for NEF conversion. If the UI and speed were improved NX2 might actually replace LR for me.
But for now, I convert the 14-bit RAW images in NX2 and then reimport them as ProPhoto 16-bit TIFFs to LR. A slow and painful addition to the workflow. But it's worth it.
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Peiro, Check out the new Camera Profiles in Lightroom. I've been getting great results.
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The only other permutation that has given me somewhat greater headroom with exposure is D700 + 50/1.4 + 85/1.4.
For my natural history work D700 has yielded amazing results with 200/2.0, 200-400/4.0 and 200/4.0 micro-Nikkor.
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