Posted: 6/5/2010 7:30:59 AM EDT
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ARFCOM photo gods need some help to decide on what camera to get. The wife is wants to buy a pro level camera for my 40th B day. I'm a Nikon guy. Dad started with a FM2 and our Nikon kit has grown from there.
Choices are a Nikon 300s with 18-200 VRII glass or Nikon D700 body only.. Right now they are in the same price range +-$ 200 I have lenses from my other Film Nikon SLR cameras, so I can get by on body only. My older lenses are film rated only . Any insight on what you would pick and why? Thanks LV After talking to the wife with the input you all have provided. A Nikon D700 will come my way. Thanks again LV |
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I shoot Canon, but I'm pretty sure there isn't an 80-200 VR. There is a 70-200 VR G and 70-200 VR II.
Anyway, you're basically choosing between APS-C and full frame sensors. If a 1.5x crop factor isn't a big deal, go with the D300s. If you'd rather shoot full frame so your effective focal lengths on your lenses is the same as film SLR, then go D700. |
| I have a D300 and it was my last of 4 bodies. I no longer wish for a new camera. and IMO full frame gives up too much on the long end and they have wides and ultra wides for all my wide needs including fish eye's so unless you need the ridiculous low light quality of a FF then get the D300 and some good glass. the 18-200 isnt good glass and will handicap your D300. with 12+MP you really need good glass and good technique. |
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I will be shooting mostly action stuff for kid sports (mine) and portraits pictures of them growing up.
Thanks for the input. As far as the lenses. Mostly early film nikor lenses from the 90's . About 6 fixed length lens. 1 Tamoron 80-200mm plus one other I can't remember. |
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I have a D300 (non-S) and shoot sports photos for money (not much but it's paid for all my photo equipment thus far) and if you couple that with a NIKON 70-200 F2.8 VR or VRII you will be very very pleased. the 18-200, as nice as it is, simply isn't remotely in the same class as the pro-grade 70-200's.
The D700 will buy you another stop of high ISO which is sweet, but the D300 series isn't exactly chopped liver. If you shop around you can find lightly used 70-200 VR's for $1100-$1200 and they are awesome on the DX bodies, literally they were the gold standard before the VRII's came out and slightly edged them out of top spot. So, if the choice is between a D700 body ONLY or a D300 with a pro-grade 70-200 F2.8, that's easy....if it was a D300 vs D700 with the same pro-grade glass for each? D700 in a heartbeat. |