Great review of a classic camera that I will never sell. Glad to see you use it with a 35 F2 lens as that was my favourite lens for many years. Eventually, I replaced it with the 1.4 AIS, but I still have a soft spot in my heart for it, but I gave it to my son who really loved it too. It had a very nice character and was great and good and sharp up close. Glad to see you use the old 80-200 4.5 lens that was a classic in a zoom lens to be compared with any other zoom lens it set the bench mark for others to follow. Glad you included some pictures which were very nicely done and showed off the characteristics of each lens. Great review to keep them coming, I will look for future videos. Thanks for sharing. Regards Gerry.
Thanks for watching Gerry and I appreciate the kind words. Would love to try the f1.4 sometime but the more budget friendly f2 isn’t too bad at all. Love the 80-200mm. In fact I’ve uploaded a short video on it today if you’re interested!
Great video, I just got a D700, to compliment my F3HP. The D700 is everything everyone says about it. It’s a joy to use and it lives up to its nickname “The Legend”.
Yep, the unique and ever reliable D700...And like most owners will Always keep it for it's often magical picture taking properties. The best digital output I've seen ever on a DSLR because of i'ts incredible tonal range. The only camera that comes close for me is the Leica SL Mirrorless camera....If you have never tried it please do - you won't be disappointed with this camera either !! And Thank You for this video...
I'll never sell my Nikon D700. It's just a brilliant camera! And I love the quality and feel of the old Nikkor lenses. Luckily, living in Japan I can get hold of this camera and lenses in pristine condition on the cheap. There is actually a brand new (unused) D700 on Amazon Japan right now for 120,000 yen (US$750)
Excellent video - well done! Completely agree with everything you said and I'm one of those that has the latest flagship but will never part with the D700 or my Ai-S lenses.
Just subbed. Mate, I'm amazed you don't have many more subscribers, your content is great and very professionally done. The photos are stellar! As a fellow D700 user I really enjoyed this video. Looking forward to more.
Thanks heaps for the sub and the encouragement! I’ve only been at it a couple of weeks but people seem to be watching so I’ll keep making them😁 Glad you enjoyed the video. The D700 is an oldie but a goodie isn’t it.
I bought one 2 months ago - long time Canon user, this is my first Nikon. Love it, picture rendering is fantastic. I only have 2 issues - the shooting mode dial is erm fiddly at first, and I've only got a 50 f1.8G lens so deciding on other focal length options is causing some head scratching. Super video by the way.
Agree with you about the mode dial! It was improved from the D800 onward.. The 50mm 1.8G is supposed to be pretty good, sharper than the 1.4. And thank you for the compliment!!
Thanks! Yes, it takes some great photos doesn’t it! I can recommend the 35-70mm f3.5, 80-200mm f4.5 zooms and the 35mm f2 and 135mm f2.8 primes. Plenty of other good ones out there too though. Stay tuned for a future video if you’re interested!
I have a I have D700, it looks a lot more beat up than yours! Its taken some 400k shots. I also have a D810 which is my all time favourite camera. Yet despite owning modern mirrorless cameras I still use my D700 to shoot with all my vintage lenses. The D810 resolution surpasses the limitations of some of the older lenses due to the high resolution and lack of anti aliasing filter, as a result some of the older lenses render better on the D700, so if i want to shoot my film lenses on a digital camera it remains my first choice and that’s why ill never sell it. My main camera today is a Sony a7iii, its great for video and the autofocus and fps are substantially better. But the images need a more work out of camera, particularly the color, and they never please me in the way the D700 and 810 did. Particularly for prints. The D700 and 810 were comfortable to hold and i enjoy the weight for balancing big lenses and holding a steadier shot. Just more enjoyable to use. Less comfortable to travel with and heavier to carry but I wont be selling them
@@samuelsmith6804 Yes, I was lucky enough to find one in good condition a little while back. I was interested to hear about your experience using older lenses on the D810. Given my love for manual focus it looks there might not be much of a need to upgrade after all😁
@@Walknbout To be honest I rarely use them on the D810, I added a focusing screen to my D700 so thats my go to camera, it’s perfect for manual focus and vintage lenses. However the experience on the two is largely the same, they have the same compatibility with lenses. Although the older nikon lenses which have the screw drive focus, or any autofocus mechanism for that matter perform better on the D810 because the autofocus mechanism is better on the 810. If you’re using a really nice voightlander or other vintage glass thats sharp with lots of detail, and you have aspirations of cropping, that can certainly benefit from the D810, but some of the softer more “characterful” lenses can’t make full use of the resolution. I’m usually just using modern or semi modern pro glass on the D810, it’s a much better camera for things like Macro and landscape/nightscape, and even though it’s an all round better camera in every way,I just keep the d700 as a dedicated manual focus camera because it renders beautifully and is perfect for the job. I often pair it with my Nikon FM2 35mm film camera, with the cost of film these days its great for test shots.
@@samuelsmith6804 I’d actually forgotten you could change out the focusing screens. I’d love to try one. Do you know which one you use? I’ve occasionally thought about trying the D810 or D850 but I pretty much only ever use Ai lenses and like the way the D700 shoots. I’m also a cheapskate when it comes to cameras😁
They’re quite different cameras but if I was to own only one camera, I like the ability to change lenses and the look of the images from a full frame DSLR. I know the X100 can take great pictures though!
I’m currently stuck between the D700 and D800. I’m hoping to shoot older glass and I am a hobbyist that enjoys taking portraits and landscapes. I know the D700 would be great for portraits, but what are your opinions on it’s capabilities for landscapes?
I’m probably a bit of a spartan and like working with the limitations the D700 imposes. If your budget allows the D800 is technically the better camera for landscapes and everything else. Cameras don’t take pictures though..😉
@@Walknbout haha so true!! And thank you! I’m coming from shooting a D5200 crop sensor (which I’ve had for 9 years) and I’ve been seeing how low the prices are on full frames, especially the D700. Even though it has half the Mega pixels of the 5200 that isn’t really a concern to me since it’s full frame and I’ve looked at a lot of sample images😂 I guess my only consideration now is related to landscape and being able to make prints slightly larger than 11x17 that are still good quality.
The D5200 would let you take some great pictures too I’d imagine. To be honest I was never happy with the native DX lens selection. That and I also like using old cheap Ai lenses! With regards to print sizes, typically the larger the print the further away it’ll be viewed from so I personally wouldn’t worry too much about the 12mp if you want a D700. Good luck with it either way and thanks for watching!
The D700 sensor has its own interesting character but the dynamic range is really bad. I own two of them (used) just for specific use. It has something modern cameras are missing.
Good picture is still good picture. regardless of technology. D700 is the beast, I travel with this camera and it never let me down.
Still able to take great pictures even today😊
Great review of a classic camera that I will never sell. Glad to see you use it with a 35 F2 lens as that was my favourite lens for many years. Eventually, I replaced it with the 1.4 AIS, but I still have a soft spot in my heart for it, but I gave it to my son who really loved it too. It had a very nice character and was great and good and sharp up close. Glad to see you use the old 80-200 4.5 lens that was a classic in a zoom lens to be compared with any other zoom lens it set the bench mark for others to follow. Glad you included some pictures which were very nicely done and showed off the characteristics of each lens. Great review to keep them coming, I will look for future videos. Thanks for sharing. Regards Gerry.
Thanks for watching Gerry and I appreciate the kind words.
Would love to try the f1.4 sometime but the more budget friendly f2 isn’t too bad at all.
Love the 80-200mm. In fact I’ve uploaded a short video on it today if you’re interested!
Great video, I just got a D700, to compliment my F3HP. The D700 is everything everyone says about it. It’s a joy to use and it lives up to its nickname “The Legend”.
Thank you! Glad to hear you’re enjoying the D700!
Oh, I see 300mm ED-IF in your collection. Sir, you're definitely know your stuff.
Thanks! It’s a really nice lens to use with great optics!
Yep, the unique and ever reliable D700...And like most owners will Always keep it for it's often magical picture taking properties. The best digital output I've seen ever on a DSLR because of i'ts incredible tonal range. The only camera that comes close for me is the Leica SL Mirrorless camera....If you have never tried it please do - you won't be disappointed with this camera either !! And Thank You for this video...
Thanks for watching! I'll look into the SL!
Amazing vid
@@MerryKey-ei8oi Thank you very much!
@@Walknbout keep it going mate,cheers
I'll never sell my Nikon D700. It's just a brilliant camera! And I love the quality and feel of the old Nikkor lenses. Luckily, living in Japan I can get hold of this camera and lenses in pristine condition on the cheap. There is actually a brand new (unused) D700 on Amazon Japan right now for 120,000 yen (US$750)
Yeah, I love mine too. Amazing camera for the price!
Excellent video - well done! Completely agree with everything you said and I'm one of those that has the latest flagship but will never part with the D700 or my Ai-S lenses.
Thank you!
I’m happy to hear you’ve hung onto your D700😁
Just subbed. Mate, I'm amazed you don't have many more subscribers, your content is great and very professionally done. The photos are stellar! As a fellow D700 user I really enjoyed this video. Looking forward to more.
Thanks heaps for the sub and the encouragement! I’ve only been at it a couple of weeks but people seem to be watching so I’ll keep making them😁
Glad you enjoyed the video. The D700 is an oldie but a goodie isn’t it.
I bought one 2 months ago - long time Canon user, this is my first Nikon. Love it, picture rendering is fantastic. I only have 2 issues - the shooting mode dial is erm fiddly at first, and I've only got a 50 f1.8G lens so deciding on other focal length options is causing some head scratching. Super video by the way.
Agree with you about the mode dial! It was improved from the D800 onward..
The 50mm 1.8G is supposed to be pretty good, sharper than the 1.4.
And thank you for the compliment!!
Just came back from my holiday trip 1 fully charged battery can last me for 1300 jpeg..love it
DSLR’s have awesome battery life don’t they. Thanks for watching!
3:27
Love the video, I agree with you completely.
The D700 is a wonderful camera, love mine.
Would be interested in your AI-S lens recommendations.
Thanks! Yes, it takes some great photos doesn’t it!
I can recommend the 35-70mm f3.5, 80-200mm f4.5 zooms and the 35mm f2 and 135mm f2.8 primes. Plenty of other good ones out there too though. Stay tuned for a future video if you’re interested!
f2.8 60mm micro Nikkor, f2.0 35mm , f2.8 180mm AIS....ETC etc....
I have a I have D700, it looks a lot more beat up than yours! Its taken some 400k shots. I also have a D810 which is my all time favourite camera. Yet despite owning modern mirrorless cameras I still use my D700 to shoot with all my vintage lenses. The D810 resolution surpasses the limitations of some of the older lenses due to the high resolution and lack of anti aliasing filter, as a result some of the older lenses render better on the D700, so if i want to shoot my film lenses on a digital camera it remains my first choice and that’s why ill never sell it. My main camera today is a Sony a7iii, its great for video and the autofocus and fps are substantially better. But the images need a more work out of camera, particularly the color, and they never please me in the way the D700 and 810 did. Particularly for prints. The D700 and 810 were comfortable to hold and i enjoy the weight for balancing big lenses and holding a steadier shot. Just more enjoyable to use. Less comfortable to travel with and heavier to carry but I wont be selling them
@@samuelsmith6804 Yes, I was lucky enough to find one in good condition a little while back. I was interested to hear about your experience using older lenses on the D810. Given my love for manual focus it looks there might not be much of a need to upgrade after all😁
@@Walknbout To be honest I rarely use them on the D810, I added a focusing screen to my D700 so thats my go to camera, it’s perfect for manual focus and vintage lenses. However the experience on the two is largely the same, they have the same compatibility with lenses. Although the older nikon lenses which have the screw drive focus, or any autofocus mechanism for that matter perform better on the D810 because the autofocus mechanism is better on the 810. If you’re using a really nice voightlander or other vintage glass thats sharp with lots of detail, and you have aspirations of cropping, that can certainly benefit from the D810, but some of the softer more “characterful” lenses can’t make full use of the resolution. I’m usually just using modern or semi modern pro glass on the D810, it’s a much better camera for things like Macro and landscape/nightscape, and even though it’s an all round better camera in every way,I just keep the d700 as a dedicated manual focus camera because it renders beautifully and is perfect for the job. I often pair it with my Nikon FM2 35mm film camera, with the cost of film these days its great for test shots.
@@samuelsmith6804 I’d actually forgotten you could change out the focusing screens. I’d love to try one. Do you know which one you use?
I’ve occasionally thought about trying the D810 or D850 but I pretty much only ever use Ai lenses and like the way the D700 shoots. I’m also a cheapskate when it comes to cameras😁
Can you give lens recommendations that won’t break the bank? What’s the one lens I should make sure I get if I have this camera.
Sure! 50mm is a pretty versatile focal length. The Af 50mm f1.8D can be found for under $100 and is a great lens. I use mine all the time.
how do you think D700 full frame photos compare to Fuji X100V (24mp) photos?
They’re quite different cameras but if I was to own only one camera, I like the ability to change lenses and the look of the images from a full frame DSLR. I know the X100 can take great pictures though!
I’m currently stuck between the D700 and D800. I’m hoping to shoot older glass and I am a hobbyist that enjoys taking portraits and landscapes. I know the D700 would be great for portraits, but what are your opinions on it’s capabilities for landscapes?
I’m probably a bit of a spartan and like working with the limitations the D700 imposes. If your budget allows the D800 is technically the better camera for landscapes and everything else. Cameras don’t take pictures though..😉
@@Walknbout haha so true!! And thank you! I’m coming from shooting a D5200 crop sensor (which I’ve had for 9 years) and I’ve been seeing how low the prices are on full frames, especially the D700. Even though it has half the Mega pixels of the 5200 that isn’t really a concern to me since it’s full frame and I’ve looked at a lot of sample images😂 I guess my only consideration now is related to landscape and being able to make prints slightly larger than 11x17 that are still good quality.
The D5200 would let you take some great pictures too I’d imagine. To be honest I was never happy with the native DX lens selection. That and I also like using old cheap Ai lenses!
With regards to print sizes, typically the larger the print the further away it’ll be viewed from so I personally wouldn’t worry too much about the 12mp if you want a D700.
Good luck with it either way and thanks for watching!
What lens do you recommend?
I have a number of lenses I use with this camera but if I were to choose only one, the Af 50mm 1.8D might be it!
Try to find Nikkor 300mm 4.5 ED-IF. You'll be absolutely blown by the images this setup produce.
The D700 sensor has its own interesting character but the dynamic range is really bad. I own two of them (used) just for specific use. It has something modern cameras are missing.
Yes, perhaps not the most modern of sensors. There is something about the images you get from it though isn’t there.
You can't get anything without a tradeoff, if you get more dynamic range you lose character.
@@woodeternal8162 Spot on!
Still my main camera to this day with a D3 by it's side. See no reason to 'upgrade'.
Interesting to hear you have both the D3 and D700! Do you use the D3 professionally?