Junior Member
This section is listed as the beginners section. That fits me with my zero knowledge of cameras. My question--My wife has an entry level Nikon N10 (film) with a couple of lens, a Nikor AF 35-80 and a Sigma APO Macro 70-300. My question, is there an entry level (not too expensive) DSLR camera body which would utilize these lens? Or, are we in a start over mode if we go digital?
Thanks
Ray
If you go entry-level, the lenses won't be usable as Nikon took the focus motor out of the cheaper bodies many years ago. You can, however, get a used D7100 or later or an old D700 without breaking the bank.
If you get a body with the smaller DX sensor, you will probably want something wider than the 35-80 as the smaller sensor crops the capture to roughly half the area of the film or an FX sensor.
A D700 is old, but it can still perform really well as can be seen in this thread: How about an insanely low light challenge? - Mini-Challenges, Member Contests, and Games - NikonForums.com Both I and Krag96 have used our D700-s in many of the photos.
Junior Member
Peter is right, the D700 is one of the best built, best laid out cameras ever made. The D700 is a tank and many are still in service with close to half a million shots logged on them. It takes a little getting used to and practice, (it's a pro grade camera) but you will find everything laid out well and be shooting it without even looking for the controls, your fingers will naturally find them once you learn them.
They don't make em anymore and used prices are on the rise for them, but you should be able to find a clean, low shutter count D700 for around $500.00 (+/-$50.00-$100.00) that's about the price of a same condition better ''beginners'' camera that won't auto focus with Nikon's older screw drive lenses. You can find them on E-bay, but rarely get any warrenty. I would suggest looking at KEH, MPB, UPP, or B&H for a decent one with a warrenty. UPP, (Used Photo Pro) has one, under 20,00 shutter count for $475.71 and includes a 6 month warrenty. MPB have several listed in excellent shape with low shutter counts, (one with original box and packaging) for between $464.00 and $515.00. They're a lot of camera for the money. I have two of them and like them a lot.
Junior Member
Thanks for that. It never occurred to me that there was a shutter count available. What would you consider the ranges, high (don't bother to look at it), high but probably worthwhile, normal for the age of the camera, and low, probably a camera with a long remaining life. Or, whatever categories people use 
My first one is still clicking away @270 000, but this one is living on borrowed time as the design expectancy is 150 000 and the shutter makes some noise now that it never used to do. There are ones out there that have done well over 500 000 actuations, but I would look for a sub-100 000 one unless the price is really low.
Under 100,000 is good, under 50,000 is a lot better, under about 30,00 is great! The two I have had under 10,000 each when I bought them last year, so, they're out there. Most good camera shops post the shutter count with the ad as well as over-all condition and price. Body cover, battery and charger are standard with a body. A little luck can get you the original box, and packaging now and then, (manuals, cords, etc.). I suggest a manual and pocket guide for the D700, also Thom Hogan published an excellent field guide and manual for the D700.
Junior Member
Thanks again for the insights. It's interesting taking up a new hobby in your 80's
Junior Member
Before I actually purchase the D700 I decided to print the users manual and read it. 443 pages, Ouch! Alright, 442, since the last page was just to take notes. I thought the manual for my Samsung NX1000 was a challenge, which it was because it was all new material. This is going to take some serious time. Thanks again for all the help.
Yeah, it's kinda thick. I just use the big book to look up things I may not understand from the pocket guide, or Thom Hogan's Field Manual, (I think Thom's manual is even bigger than Nikon's full manual!). Thom Hogan's Field Guide is probably your best bet, if you can find one. The D700 is actually a very basic and simple camera, once you learn what the dials and buttons do. As I said before, I have two of them, each set up for a different purpose. One for night sky photography, the other for general shooting.
Here's some links that will help. https://youtu.be/HYv2MStJ66c https://www.kenrockw.../nikon/d700.htm
The Ken Rockwell link is a basic introduction to the D700.
The YouTube link is a 28 part tutorial, (each part is very short) on the D700 on what's what and what it does, how to set the menu, and what the dials, buttons, and levers do on the camera. It's really simpler than shown. For mine, I set the White Balance, (in the menu) to AUTO and let the camera do the work with that, (it's very good at it). You can set the ISO to AUTO also and not worry about it, though I use it manual in both of mine, (ISO is like film speed, the lower the number, the finer the picture quality, but you need more light, or slower shutter speed, or larger aperture, or a combination of all). For regular shots auto ISO will do you well. I shoot RAW 14 bit for top quality, but there are other options for different shooting situations, (check out the tutorials).
I started digital with a Nikon D5500, a consumer camera. I soon out-grew it, it produces great images, it's light, compact, but way too auto and actually harder to learn shooting manual than a D700. And it won't auto focus with the older AF lenses that don't have a built in the lens motor. For me, learning the D700 was a lot easier.
If you get one, we'll help you set it up to suit your photography. Look at our settings for photos you like and try them. Hey, I'm learning new things here all the time!
You'll be very pleased at what you can do with a DSLR, and the D700 is a quality machine you can continue to grow with.
Junior Member
I just started going through the manual. Thanks for the suggestions, I think they will be helpful. I must admit that I am a little intimidated by the D700 and will try to remember that you pointed out that it is a basic and simple camera. I guess you need a Phd in photography to understand cameras that are beyond basic or simple . I feel like I did many years ago when I first sat in the pilot's seat of a small airplane and marveled at all of the switches, dials and other gadgets. I think this journey is going to be fun. Thanks again for the helpful comments.
Here's a simple and basic lesson on getting started once the white balance and ISO are in AUTO. battery charged, and CF card formatted. I won't touch on any finer points, just keeping it basic to take a picture in manual mode.
Assuming you have a lens attached and caps removed, chose a subject, aim and press the shutter release half way down. This will ficus the lens and activate the display in the view finder. You'll see a bar in the bottom center with lines and a + symbol on one side, a - on the other and a heavy line in the center. Now, let's say the bar is solid toward the minus side, (needs more exposure). There are two rubber dial wheels on the battery grip where your right hand goes, one front, one back. The back wheel is the main command dial you move with your thumb, simply move it right or left to change the shutter speed, (it also changes other things in combination with pushing a button at the same time, but we'll discuss that later at some point). Moving this dial to a slower shutter speed will move the lit portion of the bar toward the center where you want to be for a good exposure. The display shows shutter speed and aperture, so let's say to get to the center and the shutter speed is slower than you know you can hand hold. Use the right index finger to move the front dial which controls the lens aperture and open the lens up a bit so you can raise your shutter speed to an acceptable hand held level, adjust the shutter speed up to match your new aperture setting. Maybe 1/120 sec. from 1/20 sec. and aperture of f4 from f22. Okay, no more green blocks on the bar, go ahead and take the picture. That's very basic and simple like a film camera, just make things balance in the center, (can be done quicker than reading about it).
Unlike a film camera, you can see your photo instantly in the rear 3'' display! Like it, do nothing, it's on the CF card to transfer to your computer, or print at a photo place if you don't have a printer. Don't like it, press the trash can button on the upper left twice and it goes away. There's a simplified get started tutorial on the D700 in Manual Mode.
Using the rear command dial and the MODE button on the top right you can make the D700 more automatic with either Shutter Priority or Aperture Priority in which case the camera will choose the correct chosen setting for you and you simply have one dial to move, it even has a Program mode where it does just about everything for you. M-A-S-P...Manual, Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, and Program. Quite a few photographers will select Aperture Priority to keep some manual control, yet only have to move the rear command dial for shutter speed. This is handy for moving subjects like kids, animals, cars, etc. Your mode, aperture, shutter speed, battery, and more are also viewable on the top display.
Junior Member
I have been working my way slowly through the National Geographic course on photography on The Great Courses. This is helping to bring some of the concepts together. Next, I really need to buy and get my hands on a D700. Thanks again for your helpful information.
There are two controls on the D700 that might be worth studying a bit deeper than the rest of the camera. These are covered on page 74-77 and 112-113. I would start by setting the AF area selector to the single point setting and the metering to 3D colour Matrix as a starting point and revisit these controls as you learn your camera. These two have tripped up more than one newcomer to these pro bodies as they won't reset when you do a factory reset as they are physical switches and not controlled via software.
Another thing I always recommend is to download the old D2X colour profiles tweaked for the D700. If you use Capture NX-D, you will get better starting points for final raw conversion and post processing than using the native D700 profiles. The camera is perfectly usable without them, but IME, they save some time. They are available from this link, just read the directions on how to install them carefully. The link leads to the Macintosh download as I am on a Mac; if you need the Win version, there is a link somewhere low on the right to change.
Junior Member
Got it, thanks. Getting anxious to get my hands on one of these soon. I see a couple of D700 rated excellent with low shutter numbers in the reference sites provided earlier. Will probably pull the trigger over the weekend.
There's two very nice ones currently available from reputable U.S. dealers that come with a 6 month warrenty.
This one from MPB listed in excellent condition with 40,098 shutter count comes with original packaging, body cap, battery, and charger.
https://www.mpb.com/...00/sku-1080980/
This one from Used Photo Pro is listed in good condition with a 19,671 shutter count and comes with, body cap, charger, and battery.
The one from UPP has been sold since I posted, ad removed.
If/when you order one, order a good CF card at the same time, (I buy them off e-bay, Lexar brand, 1066 32GB, but Lexar or San Disc are good brands, the ones I buy run about $35.00 each). Also a card reader, these are cheap, between $5.00-$20.00. Just plug them into your computer and put the card in to view and download photos.
Junior Member
I just snagged the one at MPB. Being cheep, I selected free delivery, so I will have a few days to look at YouTube videos and get a CF card. I have a couple of card readers which I almost threw away years ago . Thanks for the heads up. I had my eye on this one but could have let it get away from me if I dithered. Thanks again!
Great! MPB is in Brooklyn, depending on where you're at, I would say you should have it mid-late week. Watch the tracking as it may require a signature upon delivery.
I hope it comes with manuals, both full and pocket guide. There should be a cord or two with it, and possibly a CD or two if all the original packaging is there. It says it's missing the two bottom covers, which isn't a big problem, it probably had an Mb-D10 battery grip on it as mine does requiring the covers to be taken off and possibly lost. Simply put a small dab of dielectric grease on the contacts and cover with a piece of electrical tape.
Now, if you'll tell us what your interested in shooting, Peter and I will help with setting up your menu, (primarily Peter, he has much more time logged with a D700 than I do). Though the D700 can shoot in any menu setting, if it's optimized to your shooting style or interests any additional changes can be very simple. Example, I have mine set to my general interests. The only change I usually make is color saturation, once it's set I leave the menu right there so making a change is quick and simple with very few button presses, (the menu remains where I left it). It makes life much better to optimize the menu to your primary interests.
I think you'll be shooting it, day one. Take some time an get a feel for it, then do join us in the photo challenges. We have several open.
Junior Member
Thanks for helping. I guess my general interests are people, airplanes and to the extent possible in suburban NJ wild life (we have deer, rabbits, foxes, coyotes and an occasional bear in our back yard) . I am in NJ, 30 minutes from Brooklyn so delivery will probably take an extra week . I grew up on a cattle ranch in Colorado, hence my interest in wild life, got a pilots license at age 50 hence my interest in airplanes and married an Italian girl hence my interest in people . I am in my early 80's so this isn't going to be as fast as it once might have been. I was overwhelmed by the long instructional video on the D700 but I am really looking forward to seeing what I can do. I will probably need to invest in a lens or two. I really was interested in the Nikon because my wife has a film SLR and I wanted to use her lens (since she no longer does photography outside of her smartphone). She has a AF Nikkor 35-80 and a Sigma APO Macro 70-300. I didn't understand what a Macro lens was so that may not be of much use to me. Probably looking for a telephoto at some point after I learn the camera. Again, thanks for all of the good information. BTW, I downloaded the DX2 colour profiles and will install them when the camera arrives and I installed Capture NX-D. Hope some nicer weather arrives with the D700. Thanks agan to all!
I'm right next door in central PA, a few miles outside of Halifax. I haven't bought from MPB in a while, but I think it was about four days to me the last time. B&H in Manhattan is two days...
When the weather get a little warmer I want to get out to some of the small towns around here and do some night street photography along with my milky way and moon shots at night. I want to get to Gettysburg in late April/ early May and catch the flowering trees on the battlefield as well as the field itself and some select monuments. It's been a while since I made the pilgrimage, so I haven't photographed it with a DSLR yet.
Lenses, something we all need more of, no matter how many we have. I know I want two more!
Forums
Sign In
Create Account
Back to top
Report
