Considering switching to the dark side

EnglishMack

EnglishMack

EnglishMack

Associate
Joined
13 Feb 2008
Posts
210
Talk me in/out of it!

I've been holding out for the new 5D replacement, but having read the reviews on the D700, I'm really tempted to jump ship. It would mean auctioning away my Canon equipment, of which I'm unsure what to ask for (1Ds, 24-70 f/2.8, 580EXII).. the sale of which would be funding the switch - is £2500 a fair price?

I have read that we have a couple of D700 owners, how do you find the camera? How is it shooting in 14 bit RAW? Canon users, should I wait for the 5D MKII?

Meh!
 
Sounds to me like you've got itchy wallet syndrome.

Personally I think it would be mad to jump ship now, especially with the kit you've got - top quality flashgun and a fantastic lens, OK, so the body is a bit out of date but it still produces some great images.

I would definitely wait to see what the 5D MKII is going to be like...the original 5D was a revelation when it came out and I'm sure the next one will be great (though I'll reserve judgement until I see the reviews).

If you jump ship now and then find that the 5D MKII does everything you want in a system that you were used to and had invested in...well...you're not going to be a happy bunny. Hopping mad in fact *groan*
 
I doubt that the 5DMkII will come close to the D700, much like the 40D against the D300. Nikon made a massive jump in technology which Canon wasn't able to accurately predict or counter as of yet. What Canon will do is lower the prices sufficiently to make the product compete, probably to pu8sh potential D300 owners who can't scrape enough to get the D700 to buy the 5DMKII.

Doesn't mean the 5DMKII won't be excellent. ANd it may well serve a different purpose to the D700. Highly doubtful that the 5DMK2 sensor will compete for the D700's low ISO performance. But It might give good quality 18-22MP images say. It will probably be the next round (5Dmk3) that sees Canon leap-frog over Nikon. Hence the cylce continues.

I would buy glass and wait to see what the 5DMKII brings.
 
Haha you've hit the nail on the head. No one is really knowing what to expect from the 5D MKII, I can't see it fairing much better than the 1Ds MKIII, which imo, is blown out of the water by everything the D3 has to offer, other than mp count. a lot of the stuff I shoot is extremely low light, my current system shoots as high as 1250 ISO which doesn't really offer me much in the way of flexibility. My backup camera (20D), shoots upto 3200, but there's slight banding past 800.

The main reason I've fallen in love with the D3 and D700 is simply how good the images look at higher ISO ratings, the ability to shoot upto 6400 ISO and still get bandless results, plus the noise looks a lot more like film grain than it does noise.

I suppose only real problem is, if I wait until the 5D MKII comes out, I will get less for my 1Ds - this is why I have an itchy wallet! I don't really need to invest in glass. I just use primes, typically the 28mm f/1.8, 50mm f/1.4 & f/1.8.
 
Last edited:
You won't get a lot for your 1Ds as it is, as I said it's a pretty old camera now and there aren't many pros that will be looking for one...and not many amateurs will be wanting to buy it because of the weight and bulk of it.

You best customers might be students wanting a pro camera - weather proofing and full frame which they can't get for less than £1200 elsewhere...you could always wait for the reviews and flog it quick if you decide to change rather than waiting for it to come out and everyone else dumps their old kit.

T'is a difficult one to be sure!
 
You have a excellent lens & flash personally i hang onto what you got and wait for the 5D MkII or 7D depending what they call it next month.

If you sell it for the D700 it going to cost you more in the long run to replace the glass flash ect than it would buying the 5DMKII body.
 
EnglishMack said:
a lot of the stuff I shoot is extremely low light, my current system shoots as high as 1250 ISO which doesn't really offer me much in the way of flexibility. My backup camera (20D), shoots upto 3200, but there's slight banding past 800.
Click to expand...

If you're not strictly set on a FF body what about throwing the 1D mkIII into the mix as an alternative?

It's probably the best performer at high ISO in the current canon line up.

D3 trumps it though

Would still wait at least until photokina in Sept before you do anything though (there are also a few rumours flying around of Aug 26th being the date for an announcement but take that with a pinch of salt ;))
 
Yeah I'm deff seeking to stay with full frame, I've always disliked sensor crop and I'm not willing to go back to it. The only reason I've kept my 20D so long is because of the Sigma 10-20. I don't use it for anything else and I don't really see the 30D/40D as necessary upgrades.
 
af is better on the D3 isn't it? 51 point - same as D300 and D700. Each one selectable.

I too have been considering a switch over, i'm going to wait to see how the new 5d mkII fairs first then if it comes anywhere near the D700 i'll stick with Canon as i've got a couple of k invested in lenses (have a 100-400 too now as well as whats in my sig). But i always liked nikons flash system too.
 
Last edited:
Bare in mind that the nikon 24-70 equivilant costs £1000, £400 more than what your canon 24-70 is worth second hand. The nikon sb900 flashgun is £350, £120ish more than the 580ex II second hand.
 
wez130 said:
af is better on the D3 isn't it? 51 point - same as D300 and D700. Each one selectable.
Click to expand...

The impression I've been given is that the 1D series cameras still have the edge. After all, they've been king of the hill for quite a while and have had plenty of time to keep refining their AF.
 
EnglishMack said:
They're the most important factors for me in choosing a camera in the line of work I'm in. Excluding the pixel count, the 1DsIII doesn't really have anything on the D3.
Click to expand...

Whilst I appreciate that the 1Ds3 might not be best suited to your own personal requirements, stating that it doesn't really have anything on the D3 is a little more generic, and surely therefore a little overstated?
 
Are you bored? Apart from the greater pixel count, the D3 offers me everything the 1DsMKIII doesn't. It's a personal preference, not a statement. If you consider it to be overstated and I don't mean to sound rude, I think you need to wind your neck in a bit.
 
EnglishMack said:
Are you bored? Apart from the greater pixel count, the D3 offers me everything the 1DsMKIII doesn't. It's a personal preference, not a statement. If you consider it to be overstated and I don't mean to sound rude, I think you need to wind your neck in a bit.
Click to expand...

Go buy a D3 then?

You've answered your own question by saying you do lots of low light stuff, the D3 is the obvious choice for this...
 
I would wait a little while longer to at least see if the 5dII is launched and what it has to offer

thats what i am doing as switching to nikon will cost me a small fortune if i take into account the loss i will incure selling on all my lenses
 
EnglishMack said:
Are you bored? Apart from the greater pixel count, the D3 offers me everything the 1DsMKIII doesn't. It's a personal preference, not a statement. If you consider it to be overstated and I don't mean to sound rude, I think you need to wind your neck in a bit.
Click to expand...

I've got to ask, have you tried both models?
 
I picked up a D700 at the weekend and am loving it so far :) I'd say go to a camera shop and test it out but that's as good as setting out to buy it! I took mine into work as there are a few fellow camera geeks and 3 have ordered one already!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom