D700 or D3 - dual card slots important?

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Lee D

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I have decided on an upgrade from my d300 as a main body. I have looked into both camera's and the d700 would do the job and save a bit of money.

I have started to shoot a few weddings recently and I do like the idea of the backup facility with the second cf card. I intend to make a decision later today but just wanted other folks opinion first.

Any comments are appreciated.

Lee
 
If you can stretch to the D3 then do it... but surely it must be for a better reason than dual CF slots. I do not think I would spend an additional 1.2k for an additional slot.

You could always get the D700 and shot with smaller cards to minimise the risk of card failure say have 8 x 2gig cards. that way the loss would be minimal if you did have a card issue.

Just a thought..

Nigel
 
I use the Canon one series camera's and one my main reason for going for them was they were the only maker that had the backup option back then. I use it all the time for weddings, it just gives you that piece of mind if a card ever fails.
 
The price difference between the D700 and D3 isn't that much when you factor in other items. You'd need the MB10 to increase frames per second, an additional £170. That plus the initial price of the D700 (I've been quoted £1,700 for a brand new one) brings the total cost to £1,870 vs. £2,600 for the D3 (these are not imported models). You would still need to get the bigger capacity battery (En-El4a) which is another £80! As you can see, the price gap narrows down conciderably :).

That said, there are other advantages to the D3 over the D700. Artificial horizon (I have no idea how that works, sorry); the dual slot is a life saver however you choose to set it up; and extra fps will come in very handy; there is the better weather sealing on the D3 vs. the D700 also. So, for a few £££ you will surely get a far better camera with better features.

Of course, if you don't need the extra fps, or don't want the bigger body then of course saving the £££ can get you some really nice glass and / or accessories to compliment your D700 :shrug:

I am in the very same boat as you're in, but I am thinking of replacing my D2Xs with the D3 or a D700. Haven't decided as yet. To me the weight is the biggest issue since I have serious problems with my hands & fingers that limit my ability to hold a big body very well.
 
Thanks, pretty much what I was thinking. The D3 is a great camera but possibly an overkill for the photography I do on a regular basis. Although it seems daft to spend the extra 1K for added peice of mind with the weddings, I think i'm going to do it anyway. I will get the added benefits of the D3...which might become useful if I ever want to try my hand at sports photography etc.

Thanks for the comments.

Lee
 
Hi Wail,

where have you seen the D3 for £2600, best I have found (not grey) is £2689 with Cliftons?

Thanks

Lee
 
I never fancied the D3 due to its size - the CF slot thing never entered the equation.

If you want a semi-Pro full frame body, get the D700. Otherwise as Wail says the price differential between a D700 and D3 isn't a lot if you plan to add a grip (personally I took the grip off my D700 and sold it, bulks the camera too much)
 
Lee D said:
Hi Wail,

where have you seen the D3 for £2600, best I have found (not grey) is £2689 with Cliftons?

Thanks

Lee
Click to expand...

There is a small camera store here in Swansea, I've been dealing with them for a few years now. About a month ago I went to them to see what best prices I'd get off of them for the D700 and the D3. I was quoted £1,700 for the D700 and £2,600 for the D3.

I daily check prices on CameraPriceBuster, and just now noticed that the D700 has been dropped to £1,711; still higher than what they quoted me a month ago :).

I am planning to phone them later today, to get a quote on some lenses, I will ask them if they'd better that price for me. If so, I will pass on the details for you.
 
For what you want the D700 will be ideal - and you don't need the grip.

For the difference in the price get a 24-70 and some 4 GB Extreme Iv cards. They won't let you down.

Put your mind into gear about marketing for your weddings. You want some budget for that - and THAT is where you should be spending some money.....put it where it earns itself back again. The couple won't care which body you use, they want their pictures to look good - that comes from YOU, not your camera. The D700 is perfectly good enough, it has the same systems inside it.
 
sorry to hijack.

Fabs did you ever use the minolta dynax 7d and if so how do you think it compares to the sony A700 (I use a 7d at work, and find it to be a very nice camera)
 
Lee D said:
Hi Wail,

where have you seen the D3 for £2600, best I have found (not grey) is £2689 with Cliftons?

Thanks

Lee
Click to expand...

Hi again,

Just got off the phone with the store; they said they would sell me the D3 for £2,650/- ... we hung up with me telling them I will pay for it (as they don't have it in stock) tomorrow when I pick-up my 70-300VR (at £299.00 !!) ... so long that they give me the offer quoted to me last month (£2,600).

So, as it is now, they are a bit cheaper than the best prices on the market, but they've uped their price by £50. I am sure I can push a bit more to get that off of them again. Last month, they were happy with the price £2,600 as I was buying the D300 along with the D3.
 
TBH I'd say it depends on what lenses you have. If you've got a fast zoom 28/24-70/2.8 and a couple of primes 85/1.4, 50/1.4 already then get the D3. If not then get the d700 and put the extra into the lenses.

The D3 is made like a brick though :)
 
What you have to ask yourself is if the very considerable extra cost of the D3 over the D700 can really be justified - if you are shooting the weddings for a living it is a significant hit to your bottom line which could well be better invested elsewhere. There is no doubt that the D3 is a cracking piece of kit but that comes at a price - not only financial but also the fact that you will have a heck of a lot of extra weight to lug around for not a great deal of benefit.

Sure, the second card slot is a reassuring feature, especially for situations like weddings where if it all goes pear shaped you will be very heavily out of pocket, but the extra cost would pay for a significant part of a second body which I would regard as far more important, or it would pay for decent flash equipment which you will certainly need and anything left over can either stay in your pocket or be allocated to marketing.
 
On the weight issue, if you're going to get the grip on the D700, you might as well just get a D3 as it's lighter than the D700+grip+EN4la battery
 
Thanks all...

I have a D300 with grip and this would become my backup. I am lucky enough to have the 2.8 lenses I need, I just want a better camera for low light and my 70-300 vr will be a bit more usable on the fx body.

I have been getting a bit hung up over the dual card slot issue, I enjoy the weddings but the worry is always loss of data. I guess that's what the contract and PII is there for though!

I think this thread shows that its not an easy choice :)
 
Lee,

So, have you decided on the D700 or the D3?

In all likelyness, and after a lot of thought, I may be picking up a D3 tomorrow :)
 
Just to add, one huge advatage of the D30 over the D700 is the fact that the D3 has a 100% viewfinder while the D700 has only 95%.

For the decision would be this, if I wanted the grip I'd get a D3, if I didn't I'd get a D700. The price differential of the D700 + grip and accesories is great enough not to justify the extra outlay to get a D3. Those who will be shooting mainly landscapes say and who just want a full frame sensor and are not bothered about a vertical grip won't be missing out by getting a D700.
 
Wail said:
There is a small camera store here in Swansea, I've been dealing with them for a few years now.
Click to expand...

Whats the name of the store as i live near swansea.

thanks
julian
 
The camera store I deal with is "Camera Centre".

As for the 70-300VR, that is a fullframe lens. Ordered one today .. apparently they are in short supply!
 
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