Publication: Digital Photographer magazine
Words and pictures by Andy Steel
On test: Nikon D700
It’s here – Nikon’s more affordable alternative to its flagship D3. But, as Andy Steel asks, has it been worth the wait?
I’ve been a Canon user since the day digital became big in the SLR arena, purchasing my trusty EOS 10D in 2002.
And, naturally, I’ve added several bodies and lenses to my kit over the past few years. But during that time I’ve been intrigued when Nikon test commissions have come knocking on the door – precisely why my excitement levels reached fever-pitch while waiting for Nikon’s latest full-frame SLR to arrive, the D700.
The Japanese giant has always been a major player in the DSLR market, but in the last year or so, it has seen its popularity increase and the gap between arch-rival Canon shrink.
The recently launched 12.1-megapixel D3, the first to boast an FX-format sensor, has caused quite a stir among some professionals, offering them an identical picture size as the 35mm film frame.
Nikon is coming from a similar angle with its latest model, the D700, which, at a fraction under £2,000 for the body, is sure to whet the appetites of many. Just how good is it?
With the D3, Nikon successfully persuaded much of the professional arena that size isn’t everything, with 12.1-megapixels proving more than adequate. Small wonder a queue built up to purchase one.
A genuine competitor to Canon’s market-leading EOS 1Ds series had arrived. But what about the 5D?
Read the specification sheets of the 5D and D700 and it’s clear to see where Nikon has aimed its new baby. Similarly to its rival, the D700 is an affordable way for the enthusiast to get into full-frame photography, while it has been engineered to provide the professional with a reliable working tool.
It houses the same 12.1-megapixel, full-frame FX-format sensor as the D3 but in a body that isn’t much bigger than the D300’s. Much of its guts are from the D3, however, and it is this that’s got so many people excited.
For me, the unit’s ability to shoot up to ISO25,600, as well as its 51-point AF system, is quite a draw. And the same processing engine as the D3 should mean identical image quality.
The compromise is speed – the D3’s awesome nine frames-per-second (fps) is now 5fps on the D700, although this can be boosted to 8fps with Nikon’s optional MB-D10 battery grip.
Also missing from the D3’s spec is the 5:4 crop mode and double memory card slots, neither of which are a big deal.
Advantage Nikon
The D700 has inherited the D3’s ability to shoot magnificently in low light, with the camera’s ISO setting ranging from 200-6400 (with ISO 100-25,600 available in push-pull modes). Performance at ISO6400 was so good it begs this question: why did Nikon wait until Canon’s 5D was so long in the tooth?
Nonetheless, at ISO6400, I was able to hand-hold shots in a dimly lit interior with ease, confident of the results – particularly useful if you’re a press or music photographer. If you shoot using small apertures it’s a godsend.
The ability to deliver this kind of performance at high ISO settings is down to the size of the FX-format sensor, giving the pixels time to breathe instead of being packed in as tightly as possible. They’ll interfere less with their neighbours, too, helping to reduce noise.
Optics performance
Nikon kindly provided me with a Nikkor AF-S f/2.8G 14-24mm lens for the purpose of this test, which proved a perfect partner for the D700 for wide-angle capture. Getting perfect results when using wide-angle optics is easy when you have a sensor as big as 35mm film. And with big sensors come big viewfinders.
The D700’s – compared to the D300 or that of any other cropped sensor – is a world apart. It is big and bright and relevant data is clearly shown on the bottom of the LCD screen.
When the camera’s AF kicks in, the photographer sees black rectangles that are superimposed over the subject, while a superimposable set of grid lines can be turned on via the custom function menu. Not as good nor as clear as the red indications of my Canon.
Thankfully Nikon’s engineers decided to include a spirit level on the D700, meaning it’s easy to get the camera level when shooting landscape or architecture.
And there’s one area where the D700 is torso and head above the D3: dust reduction. This feature was curiously omitted from the D3’s spec list, while, on this camera, a filter built in front of the sensor shakes up and then removes dust. This could save you from spending many hours cleaning up in Photoshop.
The final word
I really like this camera. Very much. It’s going to be popular, as indeed the 5D was when it hit the shop floor.
The D700 produces the same superb pictures as the D3, thanks to much of its older brother’s innards being included.
Any gripes, aside from the AF guidance? Well – there’s only one and it’s quite simple – there is a lack of FX-format lenses that Nikon has produced to complement its full-frame bodies. At present the D700 is being kitted by retailers with a Nikkor 24-120mm f/3.5-5.6G ED-IF AF-S VR unit, which can lack sharpness at wide apertures.
Other FX-standard Nikon-mount zooms are sparse, with Nikon instead offering DX-format lenses.
Most photographers can get the right lens, though sadly it all comes down to spending money. Nikon’s current 24-70mm f/2.8G ED is a fantastic lens and will certainly complement the D700. But it’s not cheap at £1,100, especially if you consider Canon’s rival model, which sells for around £300 less.
For those short on cash, prime lenses are a viable option and the 50mm f/1.4 AF-D and 28mm f/2.8 AF-D could fill the missing gap. Each performs well, but Nikon really needs to make available some good quality FX optics that do justice to its otherwise superb D700.
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