D700 here I come!!

[TheObiJuan]

I boxed up all of my Canon gear and misc equipment and began selling it off.
If I sell my 40D, two lenses, two flashes, and misc stuff I can afford a D700 and maybe a 35 f/1.8--if it's ever in stock.

I'm excited and eager. My main motivation to shift over was after working 5 months with a D300 on a daily basis, when I go back to use my 40D on my own time, I find it lacking customizable features and nifty Nikon add-ons.

I still hate the Nikon C,S,M, switch that always gets flipped to C!

Since I have ample equipment to borrow at work, I'll have no down time and can be shooting away with a D700 and some really nice lenses and flashes. I can slowly by my own and give the Navy back theirs.

I'm just hoping my stuff sells quick so I can shoot my first wedding with the D700.

[r3g]

Keep the flashes! They may come in handy off camera someday.

[TheObiJuan]

I like CLS and Canon's 580EXIIs don't jive, so they must go.

I have loads of flashes at work and I use them on a daily basis.
I go overboard with the justin clamps or stands and 3 sb800's gelled or grided for a typically simple assignment, but hey, it's fun!

I do have an issue with not getting the on camera flash to not contribute to the exposure at all. I thought that was possible. All I can do is -3FEC.

[herc182]

I boxed up all of my Canon gear and misc equipment and began selling it off.
If I sell my 40D, two lenses, two flashes, and misc stuff I can afford a D700 and maybe a 35 f/1.8--if it's ever in stock.


why the hell would you get a D700 then strap a DX lens on it?!!

I would get the 35mm f2 if you HAD to get one of the 35mm on the D700. At least its a full frame lens

[TheWengler]

Is the 35mm f/1.8 for the D300?

[Rooz]

its gonna freak you out a little, congrats. the 35/2 is the lens to have, the 1.8 is DX. alternately the 35/1.4 AIS. Rich just bought one of those.

[achuang]

To not get the on camera flash to contribute to the exposure you need to set it to "--". Mind you, if you're shooting at high ISO, wide aperture or close subject distance the flash will contribute even with that setting.

[TheObiJuan]

its gonna freak you out a little, congrats. the 35/2 is the lens to have, the 1.8 is DX. alternately the 35/1.4 AIS. Rich just bought one of those.

You're right, I had my short list of things to buy but that was when I was considering the D300s.

35/2 aye.

35/1.4--yikes, someday perhaps. :p

[TheObiJuan]

To not get the on camera flash to contribute to the exposure you need to set it to "--". Mind you, if you're shooting at high ISO, wide aperture or close subject distance the flash will contribute even with that setting.

Thanks for the heads up! It makes absolute sense. When the other flash group is not wanted I leave it in the "--" setting. :o

[RichNY]

Congratulations on making the switch!

[eddie_dane]

welcome to the cult

[Saleh]

Welcome to the Club !

[Turo]

Congrats and welcome to the club! The 700 is a BEAST, enjoy!!!

[TheObiJuan]

I can't wait to put the 16 f/2.8 fisheye on this baby.

[eddie_dane]

I just took a job a few weeks ago and they had a locker full of lenses. I've fallen in love withe the 14mm f2.8 and they don't even know they had it.

[TheObiJuan]

lol, that's how I felt when I got to my office.
The only lens that was used from their collection was a 24-85!
The 17-35 lives on my D300.

[erichlund]

The 17-35 is an entirely different lens on FX. You will go from a wide to normal lens to a super wide to wide. It is to FX what the 12-24 is to DX. But, perhaps that's obvious ;-).

So, the reason I mention it is, if you haven't used a super wide, you may find it doesn't fit your style. I suspect Rooz sold his 14-24 because he just doesn't like his results from that category of lens. It's not a fit for what he wants to shoot, despite the fact that it may very well be Nikon's most technically perfect lens. OTOH, I love my 12-24, and when I do transition to FX, the 14-24 will be at the top of my priority list.

[Rooz]

The 17-35 is an entirely different lens on FX. You will go from a wide to normal lens to a super wide to wide. It is to FX what the 12-24 is to DX. But, perhaps that's obvious ;-).

So, the reason I mention it is, if you haven't used a super wide, you may find it doesn't fit your style. I suspect Rooz sold his 14-24 because he just doesn't like his results from that category of lens. It's not a fit for what he wants to shoot, despite the fact that it may very well be Nikon's most technically perfect lens. OTOH, I love my 12-24, and when I do transition to FX, the 14-24 will be at the top of my priority list.

i'm simply not good enuf at WA photography to put that lens to good use. in the future i'll give it another go, but having a $2.5K lens (AUD), sitting on the shelf is not too smart. it is definately a superb lens...no doubt.

[eddie_dane]

i'm simply not good enuf at WA photography to put that lens to good use. in the future i'll give it another go, but having a $2.5K lens (AUD), sitting on the shelf is not too smart. it is definately a superb lens...no doubt.

The 17-35 stays on my D700 more than any other lens, about 80% I'd say. The rest of the time it's the 70-200. Most of the time, those are the only two lenses I pack.

[erichlund]

i'm simply not good enuf at WA photography to put that lens to good use. in the future i'll give it another go, but having a $2.5K lens (AUD), sitting on the shelf is not too smart. it is definately a superb lens...no doubt.

Don't be too surprised if you never feel comfortable working with a superwide. Many people don't. I'm somewhat convinced that we each have a focal range we work best in, because we naturally see that best in terms of the result we want to achieve. We may become competent at other focal ranges, but we generally won't get those special shots that others seem to pull off.

There's a saying in (American) football, that probably applies to any running sport: "You can't teach speed". I think the same applies to photography. You can't teach vision. You can teach composition, and understanding composition can help you be competent, but if you don't see the shot without the camera in front of your face, you probably won't see it through the narrow rectangle.

Now, of course, everyone will pull up their one great shot and say, "Do you see, Eric, how wrong you are?" We all have those lucky mistakes. If you take a shotgun out into the field and point it at enough pheasants (or quail, doves, whatever), one will eventually fall out of the sky. Doesn't mean you're a great shot. My dad was an expert shot. I was just dangerous, and not to the birds, so I gave it up. Now, in the military, I became competent with rifle, pistol and shotgun, but I'll never be a great shot.

I seem to have an affinity for wide angle, by I don't think I'll ever be more than competent with a telephoto. I think it's just what you see.

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

Sounds valid Eric and by the way congrats on the cam Obijuan (editted for clarity).

[erichlund]

Sounds valid Eric and by the way congrats on the cam.

No new camera. "When I upgrade...". Haven't actually done it yet. Doesn't look good for the near future either.

[TheObiJuan]

I'm struggling to find a used D700. I just may have to get a new one.
Anyone know who has the best price that is reputable?
I checked b&h, adorama, beach, 17th, canoga, etc.

2430 is about as low.

[erichlund]

I suspect that unless you are very lucky, the only way you are going to get a used D700 is to commit a crime. If I had one, you would probably have to pry if from my cold dead fingers. ;)

[TheObiJuan]

I ordered one on Sunday from Adorama.

[TheObiJuan]

Wow! The viewfinder is HUGE and perfect.
Since I wear eyeglasses I had to move my head around sometimes to see the entire viewfinder data, not anymore!

The camera feel just perfect and my lenses--especially the 16 f/2.8 fisheye-- are as they should be.


http://theobijuan.smugmug.com/photos/659768875_WLDuQ-O.jpg

[D70FAN]

Juan...

Amazing, ain't it?

I gave my 35 f/2 to a good freind up in OR. I use the 50 f/1.8 more often when I need a light "people" lens. But for portraits (on a tripod/monopod) I use the trusty 24-70 f/2.8 (Sigma)... it's a FF lens to boot.

I am jealous... and happy for you.

Some day when I get another job...;)