Nikon D700 & basic three lens kit
This is number 2 (3, 4 and 5) on my Christmas 2008 wish list. Not much luck that I will get all of it that soon, but we can dream. Sometime this next year (2009) I am going to have to be brave though and sell all my Nikon DX cameras and lenses, because I know that once I change to the Nikon FX format, there will be no turning back, I know that I will never use the DX cameras and lenses again.
The camera will be easy, I will buy the Nikon D700, the Nikon D3 is a very nice camera, but I travel a lot and it is just too heavy, especially when you carry two of them. Since I currently use the Nikon D300, there will not be much of an adjustment to make, the two cameras are physically very similar.
Nikon D700 12.1MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only)
Wide angle zoom lens – I really love my 12-24mm DX Nikkor and it is not easy to decide what to replace it with, there are basically three choices, the very highly rated (and very heavy at one kilo) AF-S Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8G ED (1.7x), the equally impressive (and not quite as heavy) AF-S Zoom-Nikkor 17-35mm f/2.8D IF-ED (2.1x), or the inexpensive (about $500) and very light weight AF Zoom-Nikkor 18-35mm f/3.5-4.5D IF-ED (1.9x).
I will more than likely go for the light weight (and relatively inexpensive) AF Zoom-Nikkor 18-35mm f/3.5-4.5D IF-ED, because it is still very highly rated and most of all it is very light weight. I will of course continue to lust after the Nikkor 14-24mm F/2.8, but when I am trekking through a remote jungle location in South East Asia, I will congratulate myself on having made a good choice.
Nikon 18-35mm f/3.5-4.5D ED-IF AF Zoom Nikkor Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras
Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8G ED AF-S Nikkor Wide Angle Zoom Lens
Normal angle zoom lens – this is an easy choice because this lens is a workhorse and has to bring home the bacon consistently, in many different situations. I use the Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8 DX lens with the Nikon D300 for this purpose and will have to make the same choice with the Nikon D700. The most highly rated and fairly heavy weight (900 grams), AF-S Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8G ED (2.9x).
Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8G ED AF-S Nikkor Wide Angle Zoom Lens
Telephoto zoom lens – there is basically no difference between DX and FX when it comes to choosing a standard telephoto zoom lens and it should come as no surprise to anyone that the number one choice is still the AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G IF-ED (2.9x).
Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Zoom Nikkor Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras
The D700 is a great camera. I have the superb D3 and am pleased I bought it. The weight difference you mention is 8 oz. If you add a battery pack you will have a bigger camera that weighs about the same as the D3. Since many use the battery pack (extra cost with the D700), using the weight difference really is not much of a point. It is more so with the DX models, that weigh less.
I really think the D700 is a wonderful camera, but the D3 is still in a class of its own, IMHO.
I just found your website and really like it. I will be visiting often.
Thanks,
Vern Rogers
Thanks for the comment Vern.
As I mentioned in the blog entry above, I travel quite a lot and to me carrying two cameras is more important than any advantages to be gained from the accessory battery pack. I carry a second battery in case the first one is used up on the D300, but to be honest with you, it doesn’t happen that often (and when it does, I can usually recharge them during my lunchtime siesta).
No argument from me, the D3 is a great camera, but unless I go back to studio work, or am given a budget for a full-time assistant to travel with me, I will stick to the the slightly smaller “pro-sumer” bodies. 8 oz. (times 2) is a lot of extra weight for my weary old bones.
PS. I travel with a D300 and a D80 right now and rarely use the D80. I hope that Nikon comes up with a consumer level FX camera soon, so I can build a similar (light weight) travel outfit in the FX format.
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I think your choice of lenses is weighted to much to the short end. I think you are forgetting that the sensor sizing difference between the D300 and D700 will make all those zooms proper wide angles, but neuter the reach of the 70-200. I love my 70-200, but in an FX format it hust won’t have enough reach. You need something that will reach 300mm at least.
My 2c worth.
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