D700 12.1MP FX-Format CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 3.0-Inch LCD (Body Only) (OLD MODEL)

4/1/13 Update: It's been nearly a year and this camera has still met all my expectations. I've shot a variety of subjects from sports to studio to street and it's not let me down. Recently, I've done a car shoot and some night street photography during SXSW here in Austin with some amazing results. With the money I've saved (vs. getting a D800), I've been able to add other photography gear like a studio strobe, lighting modifiers, and the AWESOME Nikon 85mm f/1.8 AFS. I'd eventually like to add a D3S or D800E as a primary (and keep the D700 for a backup camera) in 8-12 months. For those considering the D600 and D700: if you're a hobbyist, the D600 will probably meet 99% of your needs. It's got a great 24MP sensor, improved high ISO capability, smaller body, dual card slots, movie mode, etc. Basically a mid-range DSLR camera with all the features one would expect in 2012/2013. I can't speak to the quality issues regarding oil spots on the sensor, but on paper, the D600 is a great full frame camera for the money. Pro's may consider one as a backup body. Where the D700 trumps it is in ergonomics, weather sealing, and autofocus. If any of those matter, then the D700 is still a very strong contender. Original review: I won't get into the specs, but give my take on how this camera holds up being a generation older than the current competition. At current used prices it matches up very closely to the new Nikon full frame kid on the block-- D600, although the ergonomics and features of the D700 are closer to the the D800. The D700's lineage is from the mighty D3 so you're getting essentially the same camera in a smaller body. Slap on the optional hand grip and you can fire away at 8 FPS. The sensor and processor don't quite match up today's semipro DSLRs, but it is still VERY GOOD. Unless you're always shooting in the dark with no flash, images are clean up to ISO 3200 and still usable at ISO 6400 with the proper exposure and post processing. I rarely go up to 3200, so that was no big deal to me. The only major omission is the lack of a movie mode, though that really wasn't a deal breaker for me. Other features you may miss: No custom modes on the mode dial, single card slot (unlockable), and live view isn't that useful. It's hard not to get caught up with GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome), but you really have to consider that last gen cameras are still capable of producing the same high quality images as any new camera today. Besides, the money saved could be best used for lenses, lighting, and photography lessons.

I agree with everyone else here that the Nikon D700 is the state of the art in digital cameras. So just some picky observations based on a few weeks use: 1. I compared photos from the D700 at ISO 1600 with the same shot from my DX D60 (jpegs only) - and looking at fine detail, the image is much smoother and the noise much less, just as one would hope. Compared to high-end pocket cameras with the same pixel count, much superior contrast and dynamic range. 2. Nice understandable manual, which is not always true with Japanese cameras. 3. I experimented with using a DX lens, specifically my Nikon 10-24mm zoom, even though theoretically this should vignette badly on this FX camera. To my delight, it does work, not over the whole zoom range, but reasonably well from about 18-24 mm. This means I do not have to go out and buy an expensive FX wide angle zoom if I only use it occasionally. I also tried to see if these results could be improved by using a new tool in the D700 called Vignette Control which compensates for lenses (typically wide angle lenses at full aperture) whose brightness falls off in the corners. Although the D700 manual says Vignette Control is not effective with DX lenses, this seems to mean when DX lenses are used in the default DX Crop mode, which uses only the central portion. If DX Crop is turned off so the DX lens is used over the full FX field, Vignette Control does indeed improve the results in some cases. It's subtle and inconsistent and dependent on the other settings, in particular Active D-Lighting, so be sure to try it first. But the bottom line is that you may already have your 20mm lens from your DX collection, a big cost saving. 4. A minor complaint. The only remote wireless shutter release which works with this camera is an expensive radio setup which plugs into the electrical connector and then has a transmitter and receiver, way too complicated and overkill for occasional use. I wish they had enabled the D700 to support the $15 ML-L3 infrared remote which is used in their consumer DSLR's such as D60. A cheap and handy way to set off the shutter remotely is important for nature photo, portraits, even self-portaits. 5. The multi-selector control on the back is annoyingly vague and does not give a sufficiently positive switching action. I often have to press twice. This is not just my individual sample - they are all like that. Nikon, please, a better quality switch! 6. Finally, in spite of the 51-point exposure control sensor, I have had trouble capturing proper exposures in high contrast situations such as a flower backlit by bright sunlight against a dark background. The highlights tend to get blown out. Many pocket cameras such as Canons let you watch the LCD and adjust the exposure compensation in real time until it looks right. Although the D700 has a Live View mode where you can pop the mirror up and watch the image on the LCD, it does NOT show the compensation in real time. The compensation is only applied at the time of capture. Disappointing. Maybe they will fix this in a later firmware upgrade? Summary: Love this camera. But of course nothing is perfect!

I was holding out for the 5d mk2 with the kit lens and didn't really consider the d700 until it became evident that it was going to take a very long time and that I wasn't going to get a discount any time soon.... I was already not a 100% sure with the 5d because of it's plastic body, the low 3.9 frame rate and the fact that they have a fairly high number of issues per 'capita'. I was convinced though that the megapixels were important enough that I didn't really have any other choices in that price range. I started researching the Nikon after I needed to find a "2nd" choice for my camera purchase. I realized that I was going to get a better deal on the Nikon, have a weatherproof body and be up to 8fps for sports photography. All this for the cost of approximately half the megapixels. I made the choice and purchased the camera and have been acquiring lenses to go with the camera. Despite only having 12.3mp, I was very surprised with the quality of the images. I recently did a camera workshop and there was a person there with the 5d mk2 and after looking at the images of the same subject, under the same lighting, I liked the Nikon's images better. I am not a pro, just an amature, but to my eyes, the images looked better. So, to sum up, here are some features that I found where the D700 had the upper hand over the Canon 5D MK2: 1. Superior build 2. Better autofocus 3. Better white balance controls 4. Higher frame rate 5. More natural looking images 6. Much better in camera software/ image editing 7. Built in wireless control 8. Better lens inter-changeability (F-mount since the 50's) 9. Built in flash...I almost forgot about that.... Some of the pros on the Canon side: 1. Considerably higher megapixel count 2. Higher image sharpness 3. Built in HD vid 4. Better pricing for lenses on 2nd hand market Those are my opinions of the Nikon and they are based on my interpretation of what I consider to be a good image quality. My opinions may not coincide with other people's opinions, and that's ok. I am very happy with my purchase and would highly recommend this to a friend or a family member.

I have been using Nikon now for 5 yrs, and started with a d70s.. Now I thought that was the cats meow. But after putting the d70s to sleep on dec 3 09, when I recieved my D700. And lets just say is a learning curve from a d70s but felt like a someone who has never picked up a camera before.. I was blown away from the simple fact that it was full frame was amazing, no more crop factor. It was heavier than my little Nikon camera was but that why we buy a mac daddy strap that comfortable and balanced. Anyway back to the camera, The custome menus are a creative measure one will enjoy. Love the fact I can take any non af lens and affix it to this body, which it meters well and is wicked sharp. Love the choice focus, and being able to move it around where I want it, the 3d tracking is sweet to. ButI may not be using the camera to its greatest capabilities, but does in fact make working with strobes and CLS a breeze.. I thought a 85mm on a d70s was the cats meow but now on the D700 ...all I can say is WOW..makes me want the 14-24mm and see how that will scream on a D700.. Ok enough about that.. I have been using this camera for just shy of a 1yr. And lets just say Its Awesome, not only the full format view. But from its easy short cut buttons, to its power of capturing in complete darkenss to fireworks, full sun portraits. I have not found anything this camera doesn't like. Only thing that I think Nikon could have improved on is the battery, I just feel that the beast that this camera is should have been given the same power its older brother has. Thus the reason for 4 stars out of 5

I've been trying to relive the feeling I got shooting Ektachrome and Kodachrome for years. Especially printing on Ilford Pearl paper. Somehow, my D200 and D300 (let alone my $1K 995) always fell short, and I tried to make up for that by shooting HDR exposures. It was a real joke on the photo trips I've been on, firing off nine frames at a time. The first couple of days after I bought this camera, I was shooting along the Chicago river with a group. This was the final bridge raising for people to get their boats out of Lake Michigan to safety for the winter. I didn't bother to read the manual except on how to map the function button to use the virtual horizon feature, which I thought was neat. Here I am, standing in the shadows under a bridge and trying to figure out how to bracket exposure for HDR. There is no bracket button on the camera, unlike the D200 or D300. I give up, and just start shooting. I'm underneath a raising bridge, shooting a sailboat, with a bright sky and the Tribune Building in the background. I shot a couple hundred frames in a couple of hours, following the boats down the river, when I got home I expected nothing. I later found out I had remapped the Fn button from bracket to virtual horizon. Lo and behold, I was able to pull out shadows beneath the bridge, clouds, the "Chicago Tribune" lettering on the building, and even the John Hancock's building antennas in the distance. This is all with a wide angle Nikkor 14-24 lens, so it's not like I was zooming anywhere, let alone a half mile away. I just can't say enough good things about this camera's exposure latitude and detail retention. I'll still bracket, but not be obsessive about it. On a more practical level, I did not want to buy this camera. I kept thinking a new model is coming out, so I would wait. But, I injured my right hand really bad, which will most likely take another 6 months to heal, and I figured the ISO boost along with some fast lenses, would at least let me to get out shooting again. I'm happy, I set the ISO to go up to 3200 on auto, went out shooting, and those shots with a little bit of noise reduction are fine. With my D200 the limit was about 400, with my D300 realistically 800. The first shot I took with this camera was in my apartment, and I couldn't believe that a black light stand in front of a black subwoofer still showed definition. Keep in mind that low light shots at ISO's higher than 3200 are going to show noise. A lot of noise in low light. Also on a practical level, I was also able to use all of my D300's accessories, except for a right angle viewfinder and a diopter adapter. Plus, this model has been going down in price. I bought this and a Nikkor 14-24 as a combo from Amazon for about 3650, the equivalent locally was 1250 more, and I can only imagine the next model will be more money with no instant rebate. [...] I'd get this camera for what it does now, and not wait to pay a whole lot more for the next model. This might actually be the last camera I buy for a few years. As far as I'm concerned, I've gone back 30 years in time, I love it.

OK, Amazon asked me (by email) to review this camera so I'm going to bite. First of all, I must say that I am a long-time Nikon user. I currently own two film bodies(N90S and F100) and one DSLR (D200). I've used primarily the D200 for the past 3 years. Before that, I collected a lot of "film" Nikkors as well as my film bodies, so that was one reason I wanted to go FX. So I'm not a troll or have any axe to grind with Nikon. Generally their products have performed very well for me and when (rarely) I have needed their customer service, it has been good. I love the F100 and if I had time, I think I would still shoot film with it. But this review is about the D700 and unfortunately, the D700 is on its way back to Amazon for a refund. There was a really bad spot on the sensor (many pixels were affected) that was visible on any image shot at ISO 400 or above. This "red spot" was even visible on jpegs on the normal size that opened with NX2 - no magnification. The main reason I am writing this review is to let prospective buyers know you should thoroughly check out your new camera ASAP after receiving it. Thanks Amazon for you great return policy! This was a BIG investment for me. I have seen images from the D700 and they are really gorgeous but now I wonder how good Nikon's QA/QC is. I'm undecided if I'm going to try another sample as this has created work and anxiety that I don't need. I may stick with my D200 for awhile, as it still works great an produces nice images. I have no idea what the probability of getting a defective Nikon may be, but I sure would like to know the odds. I'm pretty sure that if I would not have been able to return the camera that Nikon would have made some sort of fix under warranty, but that would have been even more hassle and anxiety. Hence the title of this review. Good luck and I hope you get a good sample. I'm sure this would have been five stars if I had gotten a D700 with a good sensor.

UPDATED: 6/20/2012: WOW. WOW. WOW. Yes, I repeat myself. I just love this camera so much. Images are clean at ISO 1600, and very usable at ISO 3200. I'm now over 90,000 clicks and couldn't be happier. I do have on order the new D800, but may cancel that if the new D600 is released before I receive the D800. This camera (D700) is revolutionary IMHO. It just works. It feels good with the larger lenses and my Zuiko battery grip. The images are amazing. I've printed 30 x 20" wedding and landscape images that will blow your mind. Super reliable. Never a glitch, or a hiccup at any events I have shot. You can't go wrong with this beast. UPDATED: 3/10/2010: WOW. WOW. WOW. Those three words really say it all. I can't believe how nice this camera has worked. I love it. I thought my D300 was great in low light. Nothing compares to this camera. I just returned from a trip up north to photograph the Canadian-American Dog Sled Racing Championships and the camera functioned flawlessly in the cold and snow. I shot over 1900 frames between the dog sled racing teams, and some landscapes. All I can say is that I'm blown away by the quality. I have been shooting with the Nikon D300 since 2008 and it was stolen in January 2010. I then ordered two D300s' which I returned and then purchased the D700. WOW. I am so happy I did that. The camera is amazing. Nice weight, and heft. Even after i took my Zeikos (also purchased here) battery grip from the d300 and attached it to the 700. Sharpness wise, the D300 and D700 are on par. However, I have shot many events at high ISO upto 1600 with my D300. I wish I had had the D700. The images with the D700 are absolutely amazing whether at lower ISO's or higher. Here is one of my test images shot at ISO 3200: [...] Also on this blog are "philadelphia Flower Show" pictures that I shot at ISO's up to 3200. Check them out and you'll see none of the reviewers here are exaggerating when we say it's truly amazng. The downside is I can no longer use my go-to lens the Nikon 18-200VR but I found in one of my boxes of "old"gear a Nikon 28-200AF-D lens that works beautifully, and a 50mm F1.8 For now, these two will do the job for me.

I am a pro portrait photographer and after much angst purchased this camera over the D800. While the D800 has tweaks and more resolution over the D700, I did not feel like investing in a more powerful computer to handle humongous files nor felt such resolution was necessary unless I was going to print something 5 stories hgh or was too lazy to take two steps forward closer to my subject! Great decision. While my current D90 and D7000 are great cameras and have more than paid for themselves, there is something remarkable about full frame. My 24-70 and 70-200 vrII have come alive. Video. .....why would any photographer use a limited use video on a DSLR and not a dedicated video camera? I am so happy this camera has no awkward video like the d90 and d7000 with crappy focus and horrible lack of stabilization for hand held. No....VR is not video stabilization and to have good focus you have to leave VR on and camera on full time focus....and that means your videos are visibly breathing. No thanks! New semi and pro video cam models easily give digital 12 mp photos straight from the video and the image stabilization blows away VR. Also sound quality is easily superior and conveniently monitored on a dedicated video cam, without the need for some camera frame and a zillion attachments! No separate sound recordings to blend with video. Time IS money! No one will ever sell me on the convenience of inferior video from a DSLR. When shooting a wedding and the dancing starts I take off my two camera harness and pick up my 24 mp camcorder and am liberated to shoot the flower toss at 64fps, the first dance at 24fps, recorded in 5.1 surround and know I will have an awesome still for my clients. The D700 means no crowded sensor, no subtle noise issues, just awesome, mind blowing colorful, sharp and creamy background photographs. Glad I waited to buy 'last years' Rolls Royce' and skip on the new model and pocket the price difference. Nikon is coming out with a new range of lower priced full sensor bodies. I could not see myself spending three grand on the newest toy when cheaper and better performing full sensor bodies are on the horizon. I do not track through the Everglades so I do not need to use my camera bodies to drive nails into trees in the rain! By no means am I saying don't buy the d800. If you have the cash of course buy it. Rich hobbyists are gobbling them up. Bravo! What I am saying, is if you take pictures for a living, then the D700 is more than enough to impress your clients with mind blowing photographs. FYI-I will now be retiring my D7000 as i find it's image/ noise quality inferior to the D90 and will get another d700. I just don't buy into the Rockwell school of more pixels is everything! More pixels on same old sensor means more noise. Cannot argue physics.

I WAS MOST PLEASED WITH THE SELLER OF THIS CAMERA; MODEST COSMETIC DAMAGE (AS HE STATED) DOES NOT INTERFERE WITH THE SYSTEM FUNCTIONS. "BUIILT LIKE A TANK" IS A FREQUENT REVIEW PHRASE USED TO DESCRIBE AN ERA PRIOR TO THE PRESENT: "MAJESTIC PLASTICS"! SERVICE WAS QUICK & EFFICIENT WITH FOLLOW UP E-MAIL.

Nikon D700 arrivata prima del previsto in un accuratissimo imballaggio in condizioni eccellenti e senza segni di usura . Ottimo venditore.

Best large format dslr for under $1000