Rationalization

IcebearIcebear Registered Users Posts: 4,015 Major grins
edited May 10, 2011 in Cameras
So, I'm probably trying to rationalize a stupid Jones for something new, but here goes. I love my D700. It's a wonderful portrait, landscape and architectural body. The low light capabilities have really spoiled me. I use my D300 as a back-up body, and as primary for sports and critters. That is to say I use it like a 1.5x teleconverter. Then I go and clamp on a 1.4x TC and lose a stop.

I have shot night time high school sports using both the D700 and D300 and there's really no comparison in IQ at the higher ISOs necessary. If I slap the TC on the D700 for the reach, I lose one stop advantage in ISO. If I use the D300, IQ suffers by comparison anyway.

SO . . . Since I veery seldom just mash down on the shutter button and blast away at the highest fps the D300 is capable of (in RAW) anyway, should I sell the D300 and buy a D7000? Better low light performance, and a third more pixels available for cropping . ? ? :scratch
John :
Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.

Comments

  • MarkRMarkR Registered Users Posts: 2,099 Major grins
    edited April 27, 2011
    Therefore the Master takes action
    by letting things take their course.
    He remains as calm
    at the end as at the beginning.
    He has nothing,
    thus has nothing to lose.
    What he desires is non-desire;
    what he learns is to unlearn.
    He simply reminds people
    of who they have always been.
    He cares about nothing but the Tao.
    Thus he can care for all things

    I find this helpful to ponder whenever I want "new stuff." Wanting is a human condition, but it sometimes leads us to do things that don't advance us very far. Just my .02, FWIW.
  • IcebearIcebear Registered Users Posts: 4,015 Major grins
    edited April 27, 2011
    So, you're saying I should still be shooting with my old Leica rangefinders and Mamiya C330 TLR? Or maybe in my pursuit of more and more material gratification, I missed your message entirely.
    John :
    Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
    D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
  • MarkRMarkR Registered Users Posts: 2,099 Major grins
    edited April 27, 2011
    Sorry, just having a bit of fun. :) I struggle with "gear wanting" a lot too. And have to remind myself that a stete of undesire is sometimes desireable.
  • ziggy53ziggy53 Super Moderators Posts: 24,129 moderator
    edited April 27, 2011
    The very best way to test your hypothesis is to rent a D7000 for a pertinent shoot. Try it against your D300 and compare the experience and the results.
    ziggy53
    Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
  • catspawcatspaw Registered Users Posts: 1,292 Major grins
    edited April 27, 2011
    ziggy53 wrote: »
    The very best way to test your hypothesis is to rent a D7000 for a pertinent shoot. Try it against your D300 and compare the experience and the results.

    great words of wisdom. and probably the best way to 'know' for sure!
    //Leah
  • QarikQarik Registered Users Posts: 4,959 Major grins
    edited April 27, 2011
    I hear what you are saying. I keep hearing the same thing too..d700 with TC still beats out the d300 with out becasue you get 2 stops more of clean iso but you only lose 1 stop form the TC..plus AF and fps is still better on d700. If you go the d7000 route, you cut that ISO advantage out pretty much as the D7000 is about 1 stop better then the D300s. For night time sports..you may still just end up using the D700 anyway becasue AF and fps are still better on the d700. The d7000 will certainly allow for a bit more flexibilitiy then d300s but may fall short of the d700 still.
    D700, D600
    14-24 24-70 70-200mm (vr2)
    85 and 50 1.4
    45 PC and sb910 x2
    http://www.danielkimphotography.com
  • IcebearIcebear Registered Users Posts: 4,015 Major grins
    edited April 27, 2011
    MarkR wrote: »
    just having a bit of fun. :)
    Me too. No worries!thumb.gif
    John :
    Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
    D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
  • ZerodogZerodog Registered Users Posts: 1,480 Major grins
    edited April 27, 2011
    I love my 300s but in low light it just isn't enough for me anymore. This led to the D3s. I love the D3s for a lot of reasons, but I do still like shooting with the 300s. The crop factor on the DX is a blessing and a curse. So the way around it is to have one of each FX and DX. I thought about tossing the 300s for a 7000 for the same reasons. But I decided for now, I will wait for the 300s replacement. I know it will be killer. And in the end I still might not get rid of the 300s. It is hard to say for me at this point.
  • IcebearIcebear Registered Users Posts: 4,015 Major grins
    edited April 27, 2011
    ziggy53 wrote: »
    The very best way to test your hypothesis is to rent a D7000 for a pertinent shoot. Try it against your D300 and compare the experience and the results.

    You give me way too much credit Ziggy. Hypothesis??? BS. No hypothesis, just lookin' for an excuse. Wonder if Penn Camera has a D7000 for rent . . . They ought to give me one for an evening. I've spent a year's income in that place.
    John :
    Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
    D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
  • IcebearIcebear Registered Users Posts: 4,015 Major grins
    edited April 27, 2011
    Qarik wrote: »
    I hear what you are saying. I keep hearing the same thing too..d700 with TC still beats out the d300 with out becasue you get 2 stops more of clean iso but you only lose 1 stop form the TC..plus AF and fps is still better on d700. If you go the d7000 route, you cut that ISO advantage out pretty much as the D7000 is about 1 stop better then the D300s. For night time sports..you may still just end up using the D700 anyway becasue AF and fps are still better on the d700. The d7000 will certainly allow for a bit more flexibilitiy then d300s but may fall short of the d700 still.

    What fun are you Qarik? I should send you shoe shopping with my wife. Save me a ton of money. mwink.gif I think you're probably right though. I "should" prolly just keep the D300 (no "s")
    John :
    Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
    D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
  • IcebearIcebear Registered Users Posts: 4,015 Major grins
    edited April 27, 2011
    Zerodog wrote: »
    I will wait for the 300s replacement. I know it will be killer.
    Nikon has set the bar breathtakingly high for the D300 replacement by bringing out the D7000 haven't they???
    John :
    Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
    D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
  • ZerodogZerodog Registered Users Posts: 1,480 Major grins
    edited April 28, 2011
    It doesn't need to be that far. More rugged body, more AF points, little better ISO?, more buttons on the outside,
    Pretty much put the 7000 sensor in a 300s.
  • Matthew SavilleMatthew Saville Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 3,352 Major grins
    edited May 2, 2011
    Having used both the D300 and D700 extensively for years, here's my thoughts after recently renting the D7000 for a wedding job:

    http://cameratalk.xanga.com/739440527/the-nikon-d7000---my-first-impression/

    Bottom line - depending on what your shooting needs are, I'd either get a D7000 right now, (before inflation and natural disasters push the price even higher!) ...or save up and wait for the D400.

    At first when I heard about the specs of the D7000, I was afraid that was the end of the line for the semi-pro DX cameras; it sounded like the D300s just didn't need to be replaced at all!

    However, after having held the D7000, side by side with the D300 and D700, I have to say that I can definitely feel the difference, and feel the "lack" in the D7000 when it comes to professional situations. Therefore, I'm pretty confident Nikon has a D400 up it's sleeve and that it will rock.

    On the other hand, definitely buy a D7000 if you're looking for a lightweight backup / hobby camera to carry around on your day off. It's truly the best dang thing on the market, and certainly capable of professional results if the necessity arises. However for hardcore side-by-side shooting, and "workhorse" functionality in general, I'm waiting and hoping for a D400. :-)


    =Matt=
    “My first thought is always of light.” – Galen Rowell
    My SmugMug Portfolio • My Astro-Landscape Photo Blog • Dgrin Weddings Forum
  • IcebearIcebear Registered Users Posts: 4,015 Major grins
    edited May 2, 2011
    Thanks Matt. I've come to the same conclusion.
    John :
    Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
    D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
  • PupatorPupator Registered Users Posts: 2,322 Major grins
    edited May 2, 2011
    No, no, no. I'll tell you what you want to do. You want to keep the D300 and trade me your D700 straight-up for my D7000. :)

    (As much as I love the D7000, and would recommend it to anyone, I'd love to be full frame!)
  • WarpedWarped Registered Users Posts: 98 Big grins
    edited May 2, 2011
    ...... or if you really want to screw with your head - go and hire something like a Phase One/Mamiya kit, a Hasselblad H4D-XX, Pentax 645D ....etc Medium Format digital and shoot with that for a day or two.
    Guessing one of two things will happen:
    - The price will scare you silly and your current options will all of a sudden look VERY cheap and make rationalisation easier.
    - You'll love the MF gear and you'll be wanting one, it will share the main duties with the D700, you'll not be able to afford anything else for a very long time so thoughts of back-ups and the like will be irrelevant.

    DISCLAIMER - If you end up broke it's not my fault if you listened to me!

    :)
    If at first you don't succeed - maybe sky diving isn't for you.
    www.warped-photography.com
  • IcebearIcebear Registered Users Posts: 4,015 Major grins
    edited May 3, 2011
    Warped wrote: »
    ...... or if you really want to screw with your head - go and hire something like a Phase One/Mamiya kit, a Hasselblad H4D-XX, Pentax 645D ....etc Medium Format digital and shoot with that for a day or two.
    Guessing one of two things will happen:
    - The price will scare you silly and your current options will all of a sudden look VERY cheap and make rationalisation easier.
    - You'll love the MF gear and you'll be wanting one, it will share the main duties with the D700, you'll not be able to afford anything else for a very long time so thoughts of back-ups and the like will be irrelevant.

    DISCLAIMER - If you end up broke it's not my fault if you listened to me!

    :)

    No effing way I'm doing this. I know myself too well. Once I find something I like, the money may as well be burned.
    John :
    Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
    D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
  • DsrtVWDsrtVW Registered Users Posts: 1,991 Major grins
    edited May 6, 2011
    I was trying to hold out for the D300 replacement but I went D7000 because of issues with the D300 it is heading for repair. D7000 is quite adequate but I do miss the handling of the D300 and will buy its replacement when it comes out. If you do get the D7000 I do not think you will be dissapointed.
    Chris K. NANPA Member
    http://kadvantage.smugmug.com/
  • IcebearIcebear Registered Users Posts: 4,015 Major grins
    edited May 7, 2011
    Thanks Chris. Thus far, my will (won't) power is holding out.
    John :
    Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
    D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
  • OspreyOsprey Registered Users Posts: 162 Major grins
    edited May 7, 2011
    In the end
    In the end it is the photograph not the camera.rolleyes1.gif
  • borrowlenses.comborrowlenses.com Registered Users Posts: 441 Major grins
    edited May 10, 2011
    ziggy53 wrote: »
    The very best way to test your hypothesis is to rent a D7000 for a pertinent shoot. Try it against your D300 and compare the experience and the results.

    This. You can always rent it and see what you think. The body feels VERY small compared to the D300, however.
    http://www.BorrowLenses.com
    Your professional online camera gear rental store

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  • PupatorPupator Registered Users Posts: 2,322 Major grins
    edited May 10, 2011
    Go ahead and add the battery grip price to the D7000 and you've got the perfect feeling camera. It makes an incredible difference for handling.
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