Anyone use a Nikon D700 & Nikon D3s

ianbarber

ianbarber

Suspended / Banned
Messages
882
Name
Ian
Edit My Images
Yes
I am not looking to start another one of those D Vs D threads, I just want to hear from anyone who has used both these cameras and whether they firmly believ tha the D3s is really as good as the marketing people say it is.

I am especially interested to hear about how heavy it is compared to the D700 with the MB-10 battery grip installed and also looking at them side by side if they think the D3s is more weather proof and robust.
 
Not the D700 - but I've used the D3 extensively (2 years / 150K frames) and the D3S a bit (2 months, 15K frames). (Of course the D3 has the same sensor as the D700 - the D3S has an "improved" one).

The D3S is IMO a lot better. Love my D3 and on paper the difference is small but the D3S is quite astonishingly good - even by comparison with a D3.

As for size and weight - I believe the numbers say that with a grip the D700 is bigger and heavier than a D3S but only by a tiny amount.

Weather proofing? Not got the D3S significantly wet yet. IMO D3 isn't as well sealed as the D2X. I've got both very very wet and the D3 showed a couple of minor issues (fogging in seeing path - taking path was clear). D2X never gave me a problem.
 
We have both and the D3 is better at high iso (yes I know it shouldn't be but it is) it also has a better focusing system and weather sealing. We are actually thinking of ditching the D700 and getting more D3's.
 
I've just upgraded from a D3 to the D3s and it is FAR superior! I can't rate it enough! I actually just posted a blog entry about how amazed I was with the D3s after using it for myself. There's an image in this link taken at ISO 4000, and a 100% crop to show there is no real noise - even though there is no noise reduction used. It's about as clean as ISO 1600 was on the D3 (maybe even a tad cleaner)!

Linky to ISO 4000 image

Plus of course, if it's your thing you can do video too:
[YOUTUBE]ucd7TiipCHM[/YOUTUBE]

If you can afford the D3s and need the advantages it offers (including a bigger buffer if you shoot sport etc) then it's well worth getting. D700 + grip is bigger and heavier also, yes.
 
The D3 (and variants) are indeed not quite as well-sealed as the old D2x, but I've had no issues so far in either hot/dry and dusty or cold/wet and muddy conditions (Afghanistan both hot/cold and dry/wet - and Salisbury Plain during the wettest Summer fortnight ever last year: twelve consecutive days of being soaked-through to the socks with almost no respite).

Weight? I carry two bodies and all the bits, plus lots of other stuff: after a while you don't notice.
 
I was in Park Cameras yesterday looking to upgrade my D300 to D700. The D700 was ok, but to be honest apart from being full frame there was not much difference. I took some shots to compare high ISO levels with my D300 and all though the D700 was better, I wasn’t blown away by it.
After I finished looking at the d700 I had a play with the D3s. WOW!
Yes it feels much more bulky and heavy in your hands than the D700, but I expect that is something you get used to. I flicked it onto Cl mode and fired off a few shots, it focuses extremely fast, and goes off like a machine gun. I then took a few shots at the same ISO settings as I did with the D700.
When I got home I compared the images. The D3s is certainly far superior to the D700 in low light conditions and in terms of noise.
For me the D700 was not a big enough jump, and I think if you going to go full frame, then do it properly ;-) I was ready to purchase a D700 before I went in the shop, but I think I will be doing some more saving and be back after Christmas for a D3s.

On a side note, I highly recomend Park Cameras, extremely friendly and helpful service in there, and they have a massive selection of great stuff.
 
Yes, I have 2 D700s and occasionally shoot with a D3s when I second.

Prefer the ergonomics of the D700 but it's not really an issue working with the D3s, shoots a black cat in a coal hole!

If I could a) afford and b) justify it as a business decision I'd have two of them :)
 
I have both and the D3s feels a bit lighter than the D700+grip+big battery, not sure if this is true but it fells like it to me. Handling wise I do have a little issue with not always being able to move focus points easily using the vertical grip on the D3s as my thumb isn't quite long enough to reach the selector, I can do it but it not easy; the MB-10 has a small selector on it to make it easy.

I've forunately not had to use the D3s in really bad weather yet but I wouldn't have any concerns - on paper I understand the sealing is better and I know the D700 is good. I did have a little bit of bother once with the grip failing to fire in a warm and humid environment of a swimming pool (I actually think it got splashed) - but I just took it off and continued as normal but it didn't do any permenant damage as it still works.

I would say the D3s is a bit quicker on the AF and the ISO performance is just stunning, I was shooting ISO4000 yesterday to keep the speed above 1/500th at a gymnastics event and the images were fab straight out the camera, not done a direct comparison but I do think it makes similar jobs much easier.

The D3s also has Dual Card slots which can be damn useful at times.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top