Nikon Coolpix D700 Digital SLR Camera – Good Digital SLR
The introduction of Nikon’s new D700 may have been one of the worst kept secrets in an industry with more leaks than the Titanic, but it was still something of a surprise coming so hot on the heels of the D3 and D300. Essentially a D3 shrunk down and squeezed into a body roughly the same size as a D300, the D700 is Nikon’s first ‘compact’ professional SLR, and in its segment of the market will compete with the recently announced Canon EOS 5D Mark II and Sony DSLR-A900.
The imaging side of the D700 is pretty much the same as the D3; it shares the acclaimed 12.1MP full frame (‘FX’) sensor and has the same processing engine, so we would presume output to be almost identical. The main differences (aside from being considerably smaller) are physical; there’s a different shutter (good for 150,000 exposures rather than 300,000 on the D3), different viewfinder prism (with 95% coverage) and a slower burst rate. You also lose the rear LCD info panel (there’s no room for it) and one of the D3′s two CF card slots, but you do get a couple of extra features to soften the blow slightly; most notably a self-cleaning sensor and a built-in flash. We’ll look a little more in-depth at the differences between the D3 and D700 in a moment.
The D700 joins the D3 as a fully-fledged ‘professional’ model; it has the same tank-like build quality (though we’re sure the pop-up flash will cause a few raised eyebrows), and gets you the full pro service from Nikon. And the pricing (around $2999) reflects this; anyone hoping for an ‘affordable’ semi-pro full frame Nikon SLR will have to wait until the cost of producing such large sensors falls considerably.
When we reviewed Nikon’s first full-frame DSLR, the D3, in April this year we said it was ‘possibly the most compelling, capable and well-rounded professional digital SLR ever made.’ Only three months later Nikon announced another full-frame digital camera with the D700. The new model’s ‘compact’ dimensions and much more affordable price tag make it a more appealing proposition than the D3 to many professional photographers and serious amateurs alike but can it keep up the high standards that have been set by its bigger brother?
There is no doubt the answer to this question is yes. Considering the cost advantage over the D3 (almost $1700 at the time of writing) the difference in specification between the two cameras is surprisingly small. You get a larger, truly pro-grade body, faster continuous shooting and a slightly bigger viewfinder with the D3 but if these things aren’t too high up on your priority list you should definitely take the D700 into consideration. On top of the saving you also get a built-in flash (certainly useful for some) and integrated sensor cleaning. Specification is one thing though and image quality and performance are another. Luckily though the D700 is on a similar level as the D3 in these areas as well.
Unsurprisingly the Nikon D700 digital slr produces excellent output that is very similar to the D3’s. At low sensitivities the D700’s image results are very clean, virtually noise- and artifact-free and look pleasantly ‘unprocessed’. If you prefer a crisper, more consumer-friendly look to your images there’s more than enough latitude for fine-tuning the sharpness, contrast and saturation settings – either in-camera or in post processing. Having said that, the D700′s default tone curve is steeper in the highlights than its bigger brother’s which can lead to clipped highlights. You can keep this under control by adjusting the default settings but if you want to get the maximum out of the camera your best bet is, as usual, shooting RAW. The D700 offers an enormous, almost five stop RAW headroom that allows you to even pull back highlight detail that has been blown out beyond recognition.
The D700′s most obvious strength though is its quite high ISO performance (which again is very similar to the D3′s). It’s the combination of the huge photosites on the full frame sensor and Nikon’s really sensible approach to noise reduction (heavy-handed on chroma noise and much more lenient on luminance noise) that lets you (within limits) take usable pictures up to a sensitivity of ISO 12800. The ISO 25600 setting might be a slightly dubious compromise in terms of image quality but at the very least you can keep shooting at minimum light levels. At the time of writing the D3 and the recently announced Canon 5D Mk II are the only other cameras on the market offering these extreme ISO settings. However, the image quality of the latter is still an unknown at this point in time.
Speed wise the Nikon D700 digital camera is as good as it gets in this class of camera. Read/write and buffer times, shutter lag and power on are excellent and even the 5 frames per second continuous shooting should be good enough for most applications. If you use the optional battery grip with the big EN-EL 4a or AA batteries you can even push it up to 8 frames per second – pretty close to D3 performance (you won’t get a speed advantage by shooting in DX mode though).
Let’s have a look at the cons then and as you might guess from looking at the list above this will be a fairly short paragraph. The first thing that springs to mind is the D700′s 12 megapixel resolution. If this is good enough for your purposes you will only be able to decide yourself but it’s a fact that the competition in the shape of the Canon 5D Mark II and Sony DSLR-A900 offers almost double the amount of sensor resolution – at a similar price point (with the Canon you also get HD video on top). However, the lower resolution is the price you pay for the D700′s staggering speed and high ISO performance – you can’t have everything in life.
While a lack of resolution could be a real deal-breaker for some the slightly unreliable auto white balance performance in artificial light probably isn’t. Nor is the steep tone curve that we’ve mentioned above. Simply use custom white balance and change the default settings or – even better – shoot RAW to work around these minor issues.
In conclusion the Nikon Coolpix D700 is an excellent camera that is extremely versatile and performs well both in the studio and on location. No doubt it sets a benchmark in the ‘compact’ pro bracket of the digital slr market.
Canon 5D Mark 2 digital SLR video camera with lens kit AWB and auto focus
|
|
JJ693 Digital DSLR Camera Camcorder Shoulder Bag for CANON 5D 7D 60D 600D S30 $27.99 |
|
|
EE693 Digital SLR Camera Camcorder Shoulder Bag for CANON 1Ds 5D 7D 60D 600D S30 $27.52 |
|
|
EE612 Digital SLR Camera Bag Shoulder for Canon DSLR EOS 5D Mark II 1000D 50D $23.59 |
|
|
EE609 Digital SLR Camera Bag Shoulder for Canon DSLR EOS 5D Mark 1000D 450D $23.59 |
|
|
New Hand Grip Strap for Canon EOS Rebel DSLR Camera 1D 5D MARK II 7D 60D 50D $13.99 |
|
|
Camera Neoprene Neck Strap for CANON EOS 50D 40D 5D 1D 450D 1000D DSLR $2.25 |
|
|
AUTO Flash YongNuo YN560 Speedlite Fr DSLR Camera Canon 1D 5D II 7D 50D 60D 30D $69.50 |
|
|
Body Cover Rear Cap For Canon EOS 5D 50D 7D 60D Mark II DSLR Camera EF EFS Lens $3.25 |
|
|
DSLR YongNuo YN560 Speedlite Flash For Camera Canon 500D 550D 1000D 5D II 7D 50D $69.50 |
|
|
YongNuo YN460 II Speedlite Flash For DSLR Camera Canon 5D II 450D 550D 7D 60D $52.05 |
|
|
Canon EOS 5D Mark II 21.1 MP Digital SLR Camera – Black (Kit w/ EF 24-105mm IS L $2,299.99 |
|
|
15kg Load DSLR Rig Camera Tripod Ball Head Quick Release Plate For Canon 5D2 5D3 $53.99 |
|
|
Camera Case Bag B17 for Canon DSLR Rebel T1i T2i T3i T3 XS XSi 1100D 600D 60D 5D $12.87 |
|
|
Canon EOS 5D Mark II 21.1 MP Digital SLR Camera – Black (Body Only) $1,776.00 |
|
|
Camera Case Bag DF for Canon DSLR Rebel T1i T2i T3i T3 XSi EOS 1100D 600D 60D 5D $22.07 |
|
|
Canon EOS 5D Mark II 21.1 MP Digital SLR Camera – Black (Body Only) $1,500.00 |
|
|
Camera Case Bag for Canon Rebel DSLR T3i T3 T1i T2i XS EOS 1100D 600D 7D 550D 5D $34.98 |
|
|
Canon EOS 5D Mark II 21.1 MP Digital SLR Camera – Black (Kit w/ EF-S 28-135mm… $1,775.00 |
|
|
Camera Case Bag B2 for Canon 1100D 1000D 450D 500D 600D 550D 50D 60D 7D 5D DSLR $0.99 |
|
|
ZEROSHOCK DIGITAL SLR CAMERA CASE BAG FOR CANON EOS 5D Mark III $28.99 |
|
|
Canon EOS 5D 12.8 MP Digital SLR Camera – Black (Body Only) $699.85 |
|
|
Self-Adjusting Camera Harness for Canon 5D Mark II dSLR $12.95 |
|
|
Screen Protector LCD Film Guard for CANON EOS 5D Mark 2 II DSLR CAMERA NEW $1.63 |
|
|
Camera Case Bag B2 for Canon EOS 550D 400D 450D 500D 350D 300D 7D 5D DSLR $0.99 |
|
|
Shoulder Camera Case Bag For Canon DSLR T1i T2i T3i T3 XS EOS 5D 7D 450D C2 $9.99 |
|
|
Canon EOS 5D Mark II 2764B003 Digital SLR Camera BODY + ACC NEW $2,169.97 |
|
|
Canon EOS 5D Mark II Digital SLR Camera 24-105 +ACC NEW $2,959.97 |
|
|
Canon EOS 5D Mark II Digital SLR Camera 24-105 Lens NEW $2,939.97 |
|
|
Canon EOS 5D Mark II Digital SLR Camera BODY + 3 Year Extended Warranty NEW $2,159.00 |
|
|
Canon EOS 5D Mark II 21.1 MP Digital SLR Camera – Black (Body Only) BRAND NEW! $1,775.00 |
|
|
Canon EOS 5D Mark II 21.1 MP Digital SLR Camera – Black (Kit w/ EF L IS USM… $2,030.00 |
|
|
Canon EOS 5D Digital SLR Camera w/ Ultrasonic 22-55 Zoom Lens & Battery Grip $999.99 |
|
|
SLR Camera Holster Case for Canon Digital 5D 60D 7D NEW $47.95 |
|
|
Canon 1EG Digital SLR Camera Case/Bag for 60D 5D 50D 7D $69.95 |
|
|
SLR Camera Holster Case for Canon Digital 5D 60D 7D NEW $29.95 |
|
|
Canon EOS 5D 12.8 MP Digital SLR Camera – Black (Body Only) $810.00 |
|
|
Canon EOS 5D Mark II 21.1 MP Digital SLR Camera – Black (Body Only)… PRISTINE $1,675.00 |
|
|
Black Nylon DSLR Camera Case Bag for Canon EOS 5D Mark II 2 7D / 40D 50D ZQDO028 $9.99 |
|
|
Black Leather DSLR Camera Case Bag for Canon EOS 5D 30D 50D 1000D 1100D ZQDO030 $10.99 |
|
|
Black Nylon DSLR Camera Case Bag for Canon EOS 5D 30D 50D / 1000D 1100D ZQDO029 $11.99 |
|
|
F&V F1 7″ 1080p HDMI HD DSLR Camera LCD Video Monitor Peaking Focus Canon 5D II $248.99 |
|
|
Camera Case Bag for Canon DSLR Rebel T1i T2i T3i XSi EOS 450D 500D 600D 5D 7D $8.00 |
|
|
CANON DSLR Camera Tips Cards / Instruction Manual 7D 40D 50D 60D 1DS 5D – (BLUE) $9.95 |
|
|
10″ Flexible 250mm whip Speed For Follow Focus DSLR Canon EOS 5D Mark II Camera $18.95 |
|
|
Lightly Used Canon EOS 5D Digital SLR Camera (Body Only) plus EXTRAS!!! $500.00 |
|
|
Canon EOS 85mm f/1.2L II EF USM Digital SLR AF Camera Lens f/1.2 NEW 60D 7D 5D $2,048.00 |
|
|
Black Nylon DSLR Camera Case Bag for Canon EOS 5D Mark II 2 7D / 40D 50D ZXDO028 $9.99 |
|
|
Black Leather DSLR Camera Case Bag for Canon EOS 5D 30D 50D 1000D 1100D ZXDO030 $10.99 |
|
|
Black Nylon DSLR Camera Case Bag for Canon EOS 5D 30D 50D / 1000D 1100D ZXDO029 $11.99 |
|
|
Canon 200DG EOS 60D 5D 7D 1D DSLR Case Bag SLR 200 DG Digital Camera *EXCELLENT* $49.99 |
|
|
Introduction to the Canon 5D Mark II/50D, Vol. 2: Advanced Topics $29.99 Take great pictures with your Canon 5D Mark II or 50D Push your creativity to the limits; create photographic images that up until now have existed only in your imagination This guide takes you through Canon’s advanced features, and explains what they are, how they work, and how they can perform in real-world situations. Custom Functions: The 5D and the 50D are endlessly configurable. We go into d… |
|
|
Canon BGE2 Battery Grip for the EOS 20D and EOS 30D Digital SLR Cameras $120.00 The BG-E2 is made for both the EOS 20D & EOS 30D Digital SLR Cameras and holds up to 2 – (BP-511, BP-511A, BP-512, BP-514) Lithium-ion Battery Packs or 6 AA Batteries (using the included battery holder BMG-E2) to offer double-length shooting time. The vertical shutter release makes shooting with the camera in a vertical position just as comfortable as shooting horizontally…. |
|
|
Orion T-ring for Minolta Camera $20.99 A T-ring converts a camera’s lens mount to a standard T-thread, allowing you to couple a camera body to a camera adapter or, in some cases, directly to the focuser of a telescope. All camera adapters, including Celestron and Meade T-adapters and universal camera adapters, will fit this T-thread. Have a new digital SLR camera? We’ve got the T-rings you’ll need. The #5224 T-ring fits the Canon 300D … |
|
|
Sigma 17-35mm f/2.8-4 EX DG IF HSM Aspherical Super Wide Angle Zoom Lens + Hoya 77mm UV Haze Protector Glass Filter + 6-Piece Cleaning Kit + Spudz Microfiber Cleaning Cloth – for Konica Minolta Maxxum 7D & 5D and Sony Alpha 100, A100, A100H & A100K Digital SLR Cameras Kit includes: 1) Sigma 17-35mm EX DG IF HSM Aspherical Zoom Lens; 2) 6-Piece Cleaning Kit; 3) Sigma Spudz Microfiber Cleaning Cloth; 4) Hoya 77mm UV Protector Filter. ♦ Sigma 17-35mm Lens includes: Front & Rear Lens Caps; Lens Hood; Instructions; Sigma USA Warranty. ♦ The Sigma 17-35mm has an internal focusing system which eliminates front lens rotation. This makes it easy to use with … |
|
|
Transcend 32 GB Compact Flash Card 400X (Blue) $54.99 TRANSCEND INFORMATION FLASH MEMORY CARD – 32 GB – COMPACTFLASH CARD – READ(MB/S):86.16 WRITE(MB/S:45.8 Manufacturer : TRANSCEND INFORMATION UPC : 760557817178… |
|
|
Eye-Fi Pro X2 8 GB Class 6 SDHC Wireless Flash Memory Card EYE-FI-8PC $79.99 Store up to 4000 photos or 3 hours of video with 8GB SDHC capacity supercharged with class 6 read/write speedsWireless upload photos and videos from camera through user’s WiFi workAd Hoc send photos and videos to a laptop Endless memory Eye-Fi card will automatically free up space once photos and videos have been safely deliveredGeotagging lifetime automatic Geotagging service helps user organize … |
|
|
SanDisk 16GB 60MB/s Extreme Compact Flash Card SDCFX-016G-A61 (US Retail Package) $55.00 This Sandisk Extreme CompactFlash Memory Card provides 60 MB/second read/write speeds, and is UDMA enabled. You’ll see it takes more than a great digital SLR camera to bring your ideas to life. SanDisk engineered its Power Core Controller to take whatever your camera’s buffer can dish out. By distributing image data across the card more rapidly and efficiently, this card delivers professional perf… |
|
|
AmScope Canon SLR / D-SLR Camera Adapter for Microscopes – Microscope Adapter $78.75 This is a brand new Canon SLR/DSLR Camera adapter for microscopes. Coming with 23.2mm, 30mm and C-mount adapters, it fits almost all kinds of microscopes including compound and stereo microscopes. Its retail value is $350…. |
|
|
Opteka Timer Remote Control for Canon EOS 1D, 5D, 10D, 20D, 30D, 40D, & 50D Digital SLR Cameras … |
|
|
DustAid Platinum DSLR Sensor Cleaner $29.95 DUST-AID has taken dry sensor filter cleaning to a whole new level with the introduction of this new, patent pending, Platinum DSLR Cleaner. It’s now possible to clean any sensor filter no matter its coating or internal dust removal system (IDRS) filter housing. And to top it off, it can clean its own platinum cured cleaning silicone with specially made cleaning strips, extending its cleaning life… |