excellent post regarding D3 vs D700 AF speeds

Qarik

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1021&message=33660055

D3 is significantly better then D700

ziggy53

Qarik wrote: »

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1021&message=33660055

D3 is significantly better then D700

It also seems to confirm that the Nikon D700 is generally faster than the D300, which is what many users/owners said on numerous sites. Note that this test is from late 2009 and so the D3S and D300S are not tested.

The D3 and D3S are later compared here:

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1021&message=33834563

Stuart-M

Not a huge difference (the charts do not start at zero), and quite possibly the results are not statistically significant, as only 1 of each model was tested, so it could just be that that individual camera is one of the best that came off the line that day? Also the D3X had similar results to the D700 and D300, does that not have the same AF as the D3?

Still quite interesting, but certainly not enough to say that any D3 will be faster than any D700 etc.

Stuart-M

ziggy53 wrote: »

It also seems to confirm that the Nikon D700 is generally faster than the D300, which is what many users/owners said on numerous sites.

You're reading far too much into that, actually the results are very close for the D300 and D700 (maybe 4/100 of a second difference on average), that would be very hard for a user to notice in the real world, and remember, just one of each camera was tested, no way you can say one D300 represents all D300 cameras out there.

ziggy53

Stuart-M wrote: »

You're reading far too much into that, actually the results are very close for the D300 and D700 (maybe 4/100 of a second difference on average), that would be very hard for a user to notice in the real world, and remember, just one of each camera was tested, no way you can say one D300 represents all D300 cameras out there.

Just as true that only one lens sample was used in each test. Still, it is interesting that the results corroborate the users' empirical experience (which I mentioned previously):

http://dgrin.com/showpost.php?p=1480535&postcount=3

Qarik

I think this data combined with anecdotal evidence of users that typically agree with the conclusion is pretty strong evidence

Matthew Saville

I have personally proven to myself that the D700 is way more accurate and faster than the D300, but I haven't been able to notice the same kind of difference between the D700 and D3.

HOWEVER, the fact that this test puts the D3X on par with the D300, I'm going to chalk this one up to statistical insignificance and sample variation. I'd expect the D3X to have an identical, if not improved, focusing mechanism and software compared to the D3 "classic"...

So, take it for what you will!
=Matt=

insanefred

Matthew Saville wrote: »

I have personally proven to myself that the D700 is way more accurate and faster than the D300, but I haven't been able to notice the same kind of difference between the D700 and D3.

HOWEVER, the fact that this test puts the D3X on par with the D300, I'm going to chalk this one up to statistical insignificance and sample variation. I'd expect the D3X to have an identical, if not improved, focusing mechanism and software compared to the D3 "classic"...

So, take it for what you will!
=Matt=

My guess is that black out times are considered. D3 has a noticeably faster/ better black out times than the D700. Adding the MB-D10 grip with AA or EN4 battery should close that gap significantly.
I too find the D700 overall faster then the D300, especially when tracking.