Need Advice re Serious Upgrade to my Main Camera

capitoljayhawk

I am going to buy a Nikon D700.

A few questions:

1. Any advice on where to buy?

2. I am not pressed for time on purchasing. Any advice on time of year to buy? Anything on the horizon that might depress the D700's price?

3. Do you all buy any kind of insurance to cover for accidental damage? (I have another thread on here about having dropped a camera. The idea of dropping a $2500 camera hurts, even in the abstract.)


Thanks in advance for any advice.

ziggy53

Recommendations for Nikon D700 vendors (USA):

B&H
Adorama
Tallyn's
Calumet
Amazon (depending on the actual vendor)

Current prices are around $2200 from Adorama (refurbished) to around $2700 (after instant rebate). If you buy a refurbished model you might also get a third-party warranty to extend your coverage. Also check to see if you can add a rider to your household insurance and review what it might cover versus the cost of the rider.

If you can wait for that long before purchase I have to wonder why you want the camera? Cameras do not make good investments unless you use them. If you don't satisfy a genuine need with the D700 then maybe you might be better off with a less expensive alternative. If you really do need one, now is a good time to buy. You can be using the camera to produce images demonstrably better than the D70 you currently own. (Not to degrade the D70. It was almost my first dSLR and I would have been very happy with it, plus my father has one that I have used. The D700 is full-frame and that does provide tangible benefits over any crop camera.)

The D700 is the first of its breed. (Nikon FF, prosumer grade) Without a product line history it's impossible to guess when the replacement camera might come out, which is the only sure thing to drive the relative price of the D700 down. The D700 was announced almost a year ago so a replacement might be 6 months to a year away, or it could come tomorrow. I do suspect that we would see a replacement for the D3 first since it is coming on 2 years since it was introduced.

Then again a weakening US dollar might drive the price up.

angevin1

ziggy53 wrote:

Recommendations for Nikon D700 vendors (USA):

B&H
Adorama
Tallyn's
Calumet
Amazon (depending on the actual vendor)

Current prices are around $2200 from Adorama (refurbished) to around $2700 (after instant rebate). If you buy a refurbished model you might also get a third-party warranty to extend your coverage. Also check to see if you can add a rider to your household insurance and review what it might cover versus the cost of the rider.

If you can wait for that long before purchase I have to wonder why you want the camera? Cameras do not make good investments unless you use them. If you don't satisfy a genuine need with the D700 then maybe you might be better off with a less expensive alternative. If you really do need one, now is a good time to buy. You can be using the camera to produce images demonstrably better than the D70 you currently own. (Not to degrade the D70. It was almost my first dSLR and I would have been very happy with it, plus my father has one that I have used. The D700 is full-frame and that does provide tangible benefits over any crop camera.)

The D700 is the first of its breed. (Nikon FF, prosumer grade) Without a product line history it's impossible to guess when the replacement camera might come out, which is the only sure thing to drive the relative price of the D700 down. The D700 was announced almost a year ago so a replacement might be 6 months to a year away, or it could come tomorrow. I do suspect that we would see a replacement for the D3 first since it is coming on 2 years since it was introduced.

Then again a weakening US dollar might drive the price up.

Truly Sound Advice!

The D700 is a fine camera. It's price has dropped since new, but it seems to be holding its own now. If anything, Nikon has proven they don't seem to mind if you don't buy it. When its replacement shows up, the price will indeed drop. But its replacement will be 3k or so new, and the D700 will become old news, albeit only 5-8 hundred cheaper than now.

The news on the rumor mill says a D300's' is next up. With the status of the economies of the world, I'd say Nikon ain't in too big of a hurry to move just a few units. You'll remember the D300 sold well and like hotcakes when it came out too. But market statistics predict and show sales are down and will stay down for another year or two in the SLR. A bunch of regular folks bought the D300, and a bunch of regular folks have job woes too.

If you like that camera buy it now, and buy from a reputable dealer such as Ziggy suggested!


good luck~

Art Scott

all above is good sound advice.......I try ot buy extended warranties on all my equipment......if I buy off Ebay I try to make sure I can purchase a Square Trade Warrnty on used products or at least a Mack warranty on new items......

With just a few wise questions one can figure out who to or not to deal with on ebay......I just bought a D300 barely used for a very good price....there are several D700 on there also....some due to people being hobbist and just needing the money and some are going out of business and are selling off their top equipment as it brings a better price.....

I bought off ebay since it began, but I learned to ask questions to get a feel for the seller.

Add to the list of reputable dealers in Ziggy's List.... Cameta Camera in AmityVille Ny.....their online store is an Ebay Store and I have purchased several Cameras and accessories from them...............

So unless you just have to have new.....I would check out Ebay.

As far as insurance goes If your doing this as a business, in insurance speak ever made any money off what you shoot.......then yu will need business insurance......if it is a bonafide hobby, then a rider on your home owners policy could work.....either way....make sure it is for 100%REPLACEMENT VALUE without depreciation figured in.....