Nikon Shooters

[DougC]

[QUOTE=Melany;1351997]



What's NOT important:Video (don't give a crap about vids)
GPS (I dunno, I may like it later though)


I think I love you...

[texxter]

D700 is an outstanding camera. It's what I use most of the time.

Having said that, good lenses are going to be important to get the most out of these sensors. What FX lenses do you have?

[Melany]

Originally Posted by texxter

D700 is an outstanding camera. It's what I use most of the time.

Having said that, good lenses are going to be important to get the most out of these sensors. What FX lenses do you have?

I have a few primes: 28mm, 50mm, a 105mm macro, and the 80-400mm
I have an 11-16mm tokina, but I read in a blog somewhere that it will still work on a full frame body at about 14mm.

I'll lose out on my 17-70 Sigma (my favorite!), 55-200 VR that I never use, and the kit 18-135 that also doesn't get used.

I have a Quantary 100-300 cheap-o bargain, I don't know if it'll work either; don't really care.

I have an old manual Tamron 400mm I think it'll work ok as well.

From what I've seen, this is sold "body only", so I'll need a lens too. I need to decide what lens I'm going to ask for.

This may all be for nothing, they may say "You need a camera? Here's a stinkin Canon" (sigh...) I just don't know what to expect.

[venchka]

Originally Posted by shnitz

I'd hold off on getting a camera until you've started school, and you get the input of your professors. Your first few photo classes are probably going to be film-based anyway, if you are entering any half-respectable program. If you end up working for your school's newspaper as well, they will likely have cameras for you, and your D80 and current collection of lenses is more than fine for any situations where you'd use your own camera.

Must you make a decsion before you go to your first class? Is this a one time only must be done immediately before classes even start?
I ask because you may find, after a bit of study and practice, that you need/want/prefer something else. Also, if you wait awhile until you get some training and practice, Nikon may have introduced a replacement for the D700. I would think that a new camera that suits your new found talents & training purchased closer to graduation and the start of your professional career would make more sense. Does that make any sense?
As for a lens to go with the new camera I would choose, in no particular order,
A lens wider than 28, probably 24mm.
The fastest 35mm I could get them to pay for.
The best 50mm lens Nikon makes. Unless you alreday have that lens.
Sell every lens you don't use.

[venchka]

Check the Texas Tech catalog:

Studio practice includes both black and white and color film and print processing and printing, view camera, lighting studio and alternative processes. All this leads to the production of a personal portfolio and a one person exhibition during the final semester.

All students enrolled in photography courses, including Photo I (3325) and Advanced Ditigal (4329), are required to have both a digital SLR and a laptop per our specifications. You are welcome to contact your instructor if you have any questions about these requirements.

Notice that Photoshop and DSLR aren't mentioned until the Spring semester of your second year.

You may find that you need a totally different camera than what you currently think you need. Say, for instance, medium format digital?

ps: This is a huge benefit:

The photolabs are available to photo students on a 24 hour basis.

One more piece of the puzzle: You won't go near a camera until your second year.

http://www.depts.ttu.edu/ART/SOA/nav...lans/photo.pdf

[Tom]

Looks like you have some good advice on the camera body. I'd also consider waiting, because there are a lot of rumors swirling about a new successor to the D700 (which has been out over 3 years now.) I'd wait on buying a camera until then.

Also, I would HIGHLY recommend NOT majoring in photography. If you get burned out or find that you don't like it or whatever, it doesn't translate into any other job you could possibly get. Instead, major in something with broader implications like marketing, accounting, business administration, IT, etc. I think most photographers will tell you that the hardest part about being a professional photographer is running the business, not taking the pictures. With a little dedication, anyone can learn to be a great photographer on their own. In fact, I would bet that most professional photographers DO NOT have a degree in photography. For me, a degree in business would be much more helpful, because learning how to do my own accounting, marketing, business administration on the fly was a whole freaking lot harder than learning how to measure exposure and compose a shot. And it continues to be harder. We all know a LOT of people that aren't great photographers but are INCREDIBLE business people and are successful because they are incredible business people. We probably also know a lot of crazy talented photographers that absolutely suck ass at the business side of things and they will never make it successfully as a photographer because they don't know the business side. I lecture on photography a the university level and I help with judging student portfolios and I don't have a lot of faith in a university education in photography.

Just my two cents.

[Snarfy]

Originally Posted by Melany

Thans Snarfy! Are you involved in the Flickr group from Sac? I have a lot of friends in that group (I lived in Rocklin).
Do you know about Action Camera's swap meet tomorrow? Many of them will be there.
Galib, Ted, Byron, Andy, Bjarn, Joe -- know any of these clowns?

I'm actually not in the Flickr group... suppose I should! And I didn't hear about the Action Camera's swap meet until it was too late!!! I'm so crushed to have missed it. I'm a downtowner, so roseville events don't make it my way often.

[Wes]

Absolutely nothing wrong with the D700 - like everyone else said, it's an outstanding choice.

The D700 was not around when I bought my D3, but if I had to make the choice today I'd still go with the D3. Dual memory card slots give me an enormous amout of piece of mind when shooting for money. I'd probably feel the same way if I were shooting for an important grade in school. YMMV.

[scottbuckel]

I own a D700 and think it is a great camera, but you do know it does not have Live View. As Tom suggested there are more and more rumors about a replacement floating around.

Scott

[Snarfy]

Originally Posted by scottbuckel

I own a D700 and think it is a great camera, but you do know it does not have Live View. As Tom suggested there are more and more rumors about a replacement floating around.

Scott

The D700 does have live view. It can be used via the mode dial.

[PEC]

Another vote for the D700.

If you already have DX lenses though, the D300 is worthy of consideration for much less. I just limit my shooting with the D300 to under 800-1000 ISO - although noise ninja cleans up any noise nicely.