I am using D700 since it was launched. I also have Z6, D850, D750 & D610. My D700 has used 75% of its shutter cycle & I am using it sparingly as it has a magical image quality. The images of D700 are easy to edit in mixed lighting condition. The Whites, Warm and punchy contrast is just not present in any other cameras. I think it was the best camera and still holds its own unique place. I also own SONY A7iV and had used renowned Canon 5D markiV. Out of all these cameras I will strongly say that NIKON is the best & that the D700 is UNIQUE.
I agree with you I have a Sony A6000, Pentax K5 llS , D800E , D7100 and the trusty D700. The D700 was the last camera I bought and watched so many videos where people refer to it as "The Legend" and basically buy one, so I had to. The D800 she showing here is an amazing camera for the money they are now and in most ways it beats the D700. But just on colour direct from camera I've pitted all my Cameras against each other on the same scene and it's always the D700 or the Pentax that shine here.
I know what you mean, and totally agree. I have a D700, and about 2 years ago bought a D850, not to replace the D700, but just to have another, newer body. After only about 50 clicks, my 850 sits in a box while I continue to reach for the D700. It IS a legendary piece of gear which I thoroughly enjoy using.
Ive had a D3 from brand new, and now own a D850. I still love shooting with my D3 , feels so good in the hand and i've always got amazing photos from it. Still pull it out and shoot with it once in a while :)
I've a D700 which, up to a point, is a "smaller D3". They share the same sensor, which is what makes their images so unique. This sensor has the biggest pixels ever on a camera - no matter which camera sensor size. As a result it works nicely under low light, its images hold quality very well on big enlargements (they might lack the definition but they don't pixelize that much) and capture lights and colors in a unique way. When they were lauched, I saw some images on Popular Photography and thought "wow, digital is finally gettin the film look right from the camera!" This sensor is the one and only on a Nikon not Sony made. It was from Matsushita (Panasonic) and is one of the main reasons these cameras have so many fans even today. My best!
It only has one card slot though. I recently bought a D700. It does take lovely images but I found that it slightly over exposes. I wondered if it was my one but I got the exact same result from another D700 in a shop. I found setting the permanent compensation to about -2/6 is about right. The other point with the D700 is that the pins in the CF card reader are fragile. It's best to just leave the card in and read files out using a USB cable.
@@clairesschoolofphotography1767 sure! I believe photos were made to be seen printed, not only on screens. There's still the french Photo, ate least. But when I started shooting, on the 1970's, it was a pleasure to spend time on a newsstand looking for inspirations, information and great images from photographers all over the world - all decently printed. Would love to see a comeback!
The D800 my favourite Nikon digital camera. I bought mine on release in 2012 and shot everything with it, from sports, landscape and filmed short films. It was a reliable workhorse. Thanks for the video!
Thank you for your comment. You filmed short films with your D800? How on earth do you refocus whiile things are in motion? Ive experimented with manual focus and im going to try a really wide depth of field next but if i move the camera it stays focused on the original focus point....
@@clairesschoolofphotography1767 With the D800, manual focus is the only way to go I’m afraid. I used an external monitor to help judging accurate focus.
I acquired a D3 in open box from a dealer a few years ago with just 7k shots, it was a demo model. I love the way the D3 renders the images, works great in low light and as long as I’m not cropping I can get large good looking prints even at 13x19. The D3 colors are beautiful. We often think more and more megapixels, however, these large file sizes can take a lot of storage capacity.
It's normal to lust after the latest product and the improvements it brings but I have to admit my lust for new Nikons stopped at the D3s. It's always felt like the pinnacle of quality, colour rendition and low light performance to me and nothing newer I've test-driven has given me quite the results I take for granted with the D3s. Brilliant video; thanks for taking the time to make it.
Thank you very much for your comment and for your gratitude too 🙏⭐️ I took my D3 out today. It never fails to impress me 😄 Good to hear you still love the D3s 😊
Love the D3. Have used it for so many years and only recently let it retire. What an incredible workhorse it has been. Now on to the D850 as the main workhorse which is my new favourite.
May I know in what condition your D3 is in? If you were to sell the D3, may I know how much? I've never owned a pro body before. My name is RV. Using my mom's phone to write this.
@@yolysun7420 Hi RV. Thanks for your suggestion but I will be keeping my D3’s for sentimental value. Check MPB or other market places. They are sometimes available for a good price. If you can find one with under 100,000 actuations it’s a good bet to keep going for a long time. Very reliable, robust and capable cameras.
Refreshing to see older model Nikons still being discussed. D500 and D850 are my go to pair. Still haven't felt the motivation or necessity to upgrade aside from legacy autofocus for video just not cutting it. I never cared about video when I purchased them. I get the client liking soft photos, but I still wouldn't make it my goal.
I agree about the autofocus for video not being quite up to the job! I thought it was user error to begin with but a lot of feedback suggests it isn't!
Wow, interesting experiment! I love the D3 image of your elephants so much better. And I like the portrait taken with your D800 better. I too often prefer the warm of the cloudy and shade WB settings.
Thank you very much! The latest shoot (in my newest video) taught me so much about posing and what we were talking about recently with the finer details such as hair and makeup.
I own the D800 and the D700. Like you, I'm surprised how much more I like the D800 for portraits. Using these cameras in the exact opposite ways that I'd imagined when I purchased them. They're both great, and compliment each other well. I opted for the D700 over the D3 due to the size difference. I'm a senior citizen, and carrying a smaller camera appeals to me.
I have a D800 and a D700. I love the dynamic range of the D800, especially when bracketing for landscape shots. Not a fan of the overall color I get from it, though. The D700 is a totally different camera, in terms of color, black and white, and a slight film look to the photos. I love both!
Hi Claire, I'm new to your channel. My photography is mainly landscape but I was curious about your comparison between the Nikon D3 vs the Nikon D800. I was surprised to see the differences in colour balance and image resolution between each camera. I have in my mind what I would like to see in image quality for my landscape photography, so I'm doing my homework before I upgrade to the camera that I feel will give me what I need. I found your video very useful and has given me something extra that I need to consider. Have a good day.
Hi Paul thank you for your comment. My D3 has been an extremely reliable camera and unbeatable in low light. Have you tried an infra red converted DSLR for your landscape photography?
I've been at this since the 70's and started covering events and weddings pre-digital. I've had a D800 for several years and found the Expeed 3 chipset just struggles with the high pixel count, and autofocus has always been a weakness. The precision that Pixel count demands is right on the edge of what the AF system can deliver and even with fast primes, indoor lighting or just a small drop in contrast seemed to guarantee missed focus. Pixel peeping on the D800 revealed every image as soft, thanks to the low pass filter even when the rest of the stars aligned. The D800e is much more desirable in that regard. One of these days I will find a real bargain on a D810 and most of my current complaints of the D800 will be relieved. I found I stuck with crop sensor cameras like the D7200 as my go-to for events. 24 megapixels was adequate for my needs and my customers, and the smaller sensor works better for me covering tables at banquets and receptions. The D800 was purchased with high hopes and almost immediately set aside as a backup on my event jobs, but was a great companion when I could work from a tripod or a closed set for portraits or pictorial shots. I recently added a Z5 just to test the mirrorless waters in a full frame. That's been fruitful, but the lens ecosystem is a big jump in cost. Main reason I have stuck with Nikon has been the consistency of metering and especially flash metering. I can trust i-TTL to deliver under some pretty absurd conditions that even the TTL on the vaunted Hasselblad 553 and Metz CT60 could not be relied upon.
Nice video. I was I'mpressed with the D800's detail in the woman's portrait as well. Still, the D3 also produced an image that was very nice looking in its own right; though perhaps less color accurate (and less detailed).
I think more megapixels really is not a big issue because you can always downscale the image in post. But its nice to also work with smaller file sizes.
16MP really is all we need for portraits... I wish there were more 16MP full frame cameras on the market. 24MP and over are really more handy for landscapes and for walkabout shooting where you never know when you'll catch something on the fly and need to crop later.
D800 white balance, Menu - Shooting Menu - click right on the d-pad to bring up the list of options. You can also create a custom pre-order if you with to tweak the look. Hope that helps.
Ahh thank you. It only gives me 'choose colour temp' and 'preset manual' then when I go into preset manual it gives me d-1, d-2, d-3 or d-4 then when you go into one of those you have to 'fine tune' it with GBMA..? Im not sure what would be the preset option for something like cloudy... seems crazy to have to set it all yourself 😮🤔
@@clairesschoolofphotography1767 Most odd, on my D800 it gives me a choice of 'little pictures' in addition to a custom and selecting the kelvin value. If you use the button on the top-left then it scrolls through a series customs on the top LCD. But going in through the menu, the menu button on the back, and scrolling through the options on the back screen gives the picture icons as noted. I also still use my D3s for press work, a fantastic camera.
Nice comparison, but I believe the difference in shutter speed and lighting had more of an effect on the differences between the two portraits at the end than the sensor of either camera did, comparing the histograms would probably bear that out. Either way keep making content, good video!
@@clairesschoolofphotography1767 The D800 can be set up exactly as the D3/D3X for ☁️ cloudy WB. Just press the WB on the lefthand top plate, and then revolve the rear top wheel. The cloud ☁️ icon is shown very tiny on the top LCD display. To view the settings better, view the White Balance in the Shooting Menu...or faster and simpler, just press the LV button on the back, and this will show a larger colour icon of the cloudy ☁️ or shade settings in backlit yellow icons (hold WB while turning thumb 🎡 wheel).. I actually prefer the daylight 🌞 WB setting for the D800 in most situations, combined with a low ISO and a manually adjusted vivid Set Picture Control in Menu for personal preferences.
Love all the single digit Nikons, D4s is probably pick of the bunch. I also use a D810 which is amazing for all the reasons you highlight about the 800. Love the channel and your easy to listen to! All the best.
The exposure of the background is 1/2 stop brighter for the D800 compared to the D3 so the image and I think is making the difference. Thanks for your videos.
@@Vahagraphy You really have made my new year!! Thank you SO much! I started youtubing in 2020 and its been a painfully slow process. I paid for promotion etc but my channel was still not going anywhere. I dont think paying for promotion was wise in hindsight. I believe it was so slow because my first channel, Claire Middleton was a mixture of everything im passionate about. I decided to split the channel up and since i did this its been faster growing talking about 1 subject on each channel. To have yourself give me a shout out means the world to me, you are so kind. Its crazy also, I dont know how you saw my channel but I remember seeing one of your videos maybe a year ago, im not sure if i commented from my other channel but I remember thinking what a similar mission we are on and also both so passionate about rock and roll!! I just bought my son 'budgie, never turn your back on a friend' on cd for christmas 🤩😆 and he has been practicing jo satriani and pink floyd on his guitar. Dad passed me this passion for rock and roll and im happy to say Josh my son is part of the next generation to keep these legends of music alive. I never get bored of hearing him strumming away and you should see him on electric guitar! You wouldnt believe hes 14! Anyway, when I watched your video a year or so ago I thought such a shame you are so far away it would have been awesome to collaborate on some videos! I love how out of the blue you did this for me. You are genuinely an amazing soul thank you so much from all of us who have been hanging on in there waiting but trying not to wait 🤣 for my channel to take off!! 🙏⭐🎸🎼🎵 keep rockin ✊ THANK YOU
Thanks for this expose. Although I am pretty much all Fujifilm XT's and GFX's, I still own 4 x Nikon FF bodies 2 X D800's, D800e, and a D810. Love the output, hate the calibration process, as I shoot a lot wide open and it is hyper-difficult to pinpoint the focus accuracy. Mirrorless solves that problem.
Thank you for this! I am always shooting at 1.4 or 1.6 and it is causing a little frustration wishing to get it pin sharp consistently so I appreciate the mirrorless nudge. It is certainly a reason in itself to go down that route if it solves all focusing issues... I need to explore this further thank you.
@@clairesschoolofphotography1767 I was thinking of using my Nikon FF gear for one of my up and coming fashion shoots and still may, as I love the >Nikon 180mm f/2.8 lens so much. Here is just one example: thebkmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/athena-wilson-bridal-harpers-bazaar-benjamin-kanarek-11.jpg
@@clairesschoolofphotography1767 PS...mirrorless totally solves the calibration complications. The only concern comes down to how sharp the actual lens is and not the parallax.
Hello I am afraid i cant answer this. I hope one of my subscribers that is familiar with both cameras will see this and respond. What I would say is that the lens makes a huge difference. What is it about the D800 that you would like to be better?
12 megapixels is more than enough for most situations . I have had a few exhibitions using this camera as my main body , with some A3 enlargements showing good , sharp detail .
Hi Claire. I just subscribed. As a low light Nikon photographer myself who wants to get into photographing weddings, I'd like to see videos of behind the scenes (BTS) of a wedding or portrait shoot. How does the D800 perform in an actual wedding vs. D3? That would be an interesting video.
Ah thank you for subscribing! That would be an interesting video for sure! I am not shooting weddings anymore tho.... I will keep my eye open for similar opportunities where I can do the comparison for you in different light conditions 😊 p.s. I wouldnt be without my D3 at a wedding because its so good in low light.
My first Nikon Was the D200 in 2007 in 2013 I bought the D800 still using it but thinking about upgrading but I keep my D800 its that good .but what one next Z8 probable or a Leica SL2 series I am shooting now since 1979 with my own cameras .
I still use a D200. I'd keep it. It's the only Nikon camera I've seen that can render images that look like film especially at the higher ISO. Used to have a D3s when I was doing professional work. Watching this makes me want to go buy another. I personally don't want high megapixels, just don't need it personally.
Well... TBH the portrait taken with the D3 looks better to my eyes than the one taken with the D800, the latter looks flat and uninspiring while the former has certain "3D pop". May have been caused by different lighting condition, still though...;)
Interesting thank you! Yes lighting is what brings a subject to life but I do think there is something extra sparkly somehow about the D3. Maybe its my flow with the camera too. I connect with that camera better than any other...
I'm a d700 user and have just ordered a d3 with 60,000 clicks. Apparently, the screen has fogging but disappears when the camera is on. I loved your video 💙
Remember Hasselblad film camera lenses were often too sharp for portraits. We used softening filters to deal with that. It's always better to have more detail than not. I loved me D3. However replacing it with a D850 was a major game changer.
@@clairesschoolofphotography1767 While I did end up needed a new computer to handle the files (I was overdue to begin with), having so much detail and ability to crop is amazing. I do a lot of large wall portraits and never having to worry about how they will look when printed is a worry I appreciate not having to consider. When I bought my D4s my D3 became my backup. Then I bought my D850 and my D4s became my backup…which I haven’t touched since I bought my D850 (I have the vertical grip so both my cameras take the same battery). I have been doing lots of vehicle light painting the last two years. I’m in no rush to switch to mirrorless as right now it would be a sideways move as far as resolution. Yes I would benefit in some areas (autofocus for instance) but I’m worried about battery life for my light painting. Plus only the Z9 would take a similar battery and that’s more money than I would like to spend at this point. While having a camera that can capture smaller files if/when needed is not a bad thing (storage is an issue as I keep all my D850 Raw files on a RAID 1 drive and it’s a lot of data) I would not feel comfortable having my main camera will less MP than what the D850/Z9/Z7ii have at this point. Before I worked with the D850 I told myself I didn’t want the hassle of working with such large files - computer requirements, storage, etc. Thankfully I was smart enough to get a D850 eventually anyway. Once you see how great it is working with that much data you can’t go back. Honestly a part of me wishes I had the money to be able to get a 100mp camera and a computer that could handle those files (specifically for light painting where I can easily end up with a .PSB file in PS that is 70+ layers and over 2GB even now with my D850). The more you work with larger files the more you appreciate the detail and flexibility. You can always make a file smaller. However even with the best upsizing software you might run into issues. I still use upsizing software with my D859 files as I send my lab files that are sized tithe custom size I want them to print. So far my largest print sold was 60” and the final image still looked fantastic. I know I can go much larger with the D850 files when needed.
Liked the video but disappointed you not mention at all the specs between the two cameras such as megapixels etc and also as you know depends on glass you are using
Thank you for your feedback. I usually do mention the importance of the lens and I made sure I used the same lens for the experiment. You are right about the specs. I could include them in future videos thank you.
I used the D800 from June 2012 till August 2014, when got the D810. I liked them except for the Lousy JPG engine, which always smeared the Flesh Tones, in low light conditions, The NEFs were fine. Both were better than the D850, as they focused. You mention Video issues, Nikon was making these Cameras for Pictures, and they do that well. Video is, to me, is an add-on that really means nothing. I actually wished they made a version that didn't have that Video Crap on it. After suffering with a D850 for 18 months, I got rid of it, and got the Z9. It is an okay Camera, except for some weirdness regarding how the Flash system works/reports info, Nikon is looking in to it. I will be sending it in because of several Hot/Stuck Pixels. I did play with a D3 in 2012, I was pleased with its Focus and Low Light capability, far better than the D800.
Great video Claire. I've had two D800's, both were really not great, there was/is a weakness in the actual build quality (I can give you more details elsewhere). I also found that the D800 had really bland flat looking colours when compared to the awesome D700 and even D300s. Both D800's also had terrible back focussing issues too. That said, I can honestly say that my D3s is the best camera I have ever used, even more than my D4, there's just something about the camera, the build, the feel, the performance and speed, accuracy etc.
Arun thank you for such valuable feedback it will be so helpful to anyone watching! As you know I have limited experience of my D800 so your input is gratefully received. I agree about the D3 - mine has been a rock! ✊🙏👌😄
Your comment prevented me from buying a D800, I am a D700 and D3S user, for colors I stick with the D700 and for action and low light conditions with the D3S. I'm wanting an FX with a little more MPX because sometimes I need to crop, I'm very tempted by the D4 and the D600 for the price.
I love my D800E since 2013 combo with the Nikon 70-200mm f2.8 ED VR II along with 3 other Nikon f1.4 & f4 lenses. Now, 11 years later & they all still perform like a true champ and still my favorite go to camera for photos…
I feel the side by side portraits are too different to be compared. The sun has set more on the D800 image, as we can see there is less light falling directly on the subject. This is why there appears to be more details in the shadows. It's a flatter image... At golden hour as you know, the light changes by the minute so a "side by side"comparison in this environment is virtually impossible.
I enjoyed the video - or I *almost*, *nearly* enjoyed it - you really should get a better mike, like a lavalier pinned on your blouse, or a shotgun mic aimed at you. And you could put some acoustic plates or a moving blankets about to kill the boxy "head in a plywood box" echo . It would make the quality of the video so much much better! As you might know: people can tolerate low quality image, video, but when *sound* is concerned, the human brain gets annoyed and distracted very fast. Anyhow - keep up the good work!
Less is more many times. My maIn. Camera is a d810 (36 megapixels).. it got water damage so I switched to my 610 (24 megapixels).. using the same exact lens I was shocked that my 610 looks better with less megapixels.. I shoot at night and 3200 was. waaay cleaner.
Hello. I am surprised that you did not go for a pre-owned Nikon D850. There are plenty of them for sale as former D850 shooters move to the Nikon mirrorless Z line.
Claire you must look straight into the camera (lens) when talking in order to make eye contact with the viewer - not at yourself on the flipscreen monitor.
I've a D800, brilliant camera especially for landscape photography However there's nothing light about it. You must have a very large handbag to fit it? 😂📷👍
Ho avuto la d3 poi d810 e non mi è piaciuta nessuna delle 2 , ovviamente i primi anni parlo del 2007 era una macchina favolosa ma oggi sono più soddisfatto della D4 che offre piu competitività sia in af che come qualità immagini jpg molto leggeri e nitidi con dei colori che non ho trovato sulle più moderne reflex e mirrorles Nikon
Translation for you Miss- I had the d3 then d810 and I didn't like either of the 2, obviously the first year's I'm talking about 2007 is was fabulous machine but today I'm more satisfied with the D4 which offers more competitiveness both in af and in terms of very light and sharp jpg image quality with colors that I have not found on the most modern Nikon reflexes and mirrorles. Translation complete.
Sharp digital images are ugly and overrated. I say this as someone who had the gfx50r and I also have the D800. I have now gone back to my D800. The D800 produces more flattering and pleasing black and white images for me which aren't are sharp and with more character. The D700 D3s and D800 are when Nikon peaked. Those are the best digital cameras they ever made.
@@clairesschoolofphotography1767 yes of course and you style of work. My style is all black and white, gritty and moody, so less dynamic range and sharpness is what I'm after.
Loved my D700 but it started giving me the dreaded Err messages and eventually froze up. I moved on to a D800e which frankly I didn’t like as much as the D700. Now I’m a Sony user but I miss the days of my D700.