# D700 or D610 or ?



## pondball (Jan 24, 2014)

I'm looking to upgrade my present camera... Cool pix 5700 bought when it first came out. It was the closest thing to a "real" camera that i could afford at the time. 
Before that I had a couple of canon TLs and a full darkroom setup... That sadly I had to sell when we moved to the country 25 years ago!
I'm now retired and am looking at getting back into photography again and have been looking at the range of DSLRs available... Specifically at Nikon as they were exceptional when I had a sensor problem with my little 5700... Past it's warranty period even!
I still can't afford one of the biggies but have been narrowing the search recently to the 7100 or the 610... Having read up more on DX  and FX I am now convinced I would like to go with an FX model and was leaning towards the 610... But have had an offer for a 700 with a bunch of lenses included that would would be a better price then any 610 kit I could get...
My photo interests are still quite broad... Love shooting nature (we live In The country and have dozens of varieties of birds visit us every year as well as other animals both large and small)... Used to take a lot of candids and would like to get back into that again... The summer will see a trip to Europe and I'd like to be equipped to take landscapes and where necessary a number of low light shots... And I still play a numbers of sports (golf, curling and lawn bowls) which all provide many photographic opportunities. 
I would have liked to have a camera that included wifi but understand the D700 is too old to allow this, and a movie mode... But theses are the only two things that seem to distinguish the d700 from the d610...  That and an additional 12mp... 
The cost of the d700 including 3 lenses (one VR) and a flash would be less than a d610starter kit with only a 24-85mm by about $700...
Any suggestions for this DSLR newb?


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## bribrius (Jan 24, 2014)

I have a Coolpix 520 point and shoot and love it. Have you considered just upgrading your Coolpix? Saves from carrying around lenses and dealing with a dslr unless you really want to deal with one.


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## pondball (Jan 24, 2014)

Yup... Thought the 5700 would do the trick when I first got it... But missed not having ability to go long without distortion or short for some macro shots. I don't mind lugging and when lugging is not an option we can use my wife's smaller PaS


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## pondball (Jan 24, 2014)

Is the difference in mp of about 12 between the older d700 and the newer d610 really that much of a difference?


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## drbondod (Jan 24, 2014)

Just bite the bullet and go with the Nikon D4.


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## pondball (Jan 24, 2014)

Home life is good and I Don't feel like getting shot for real so while I have cravings, it would not be sage!

I'm not looking to sell photos but do understand quality. Back in the 70's I used to shoot B&W for the university theatre groups during their dress rehearsal... Mostly during  scene 1 and then.. Trundle off to the darkroom and be back by the end of the play... In hand with proof sheets and a few 8x10's... Did this mostly cuz I loved doing it and just made enough to cover the cost of the shots and then a few bucks more for the weekends beer and pizza. Also shot candids at various weddings and at most the couples used more of my shots than they did the professionals shots. Made the mistake of getting talked into doing the "real" wedding shots for a few friends weddings... All within the space of a month and a half... After the second wedding I put my camera away and didn't bring it our again for at least 3 or more years. Absolutely hated the experience and would never get talked into doing that again. 

I love photography but am in this for the joy of it not the almighty buck. If someone wants to buy something I've shot then sobeit... However I will never again get commissioned to shoot something. Having said that I understand quality... 

So my question comes back to... Given what I want to be able to shoot what is the better fit for me... The d700 or the d610? Chances are the former will be off the market by the time I figure this out but... One never knows...


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## Derrel (Jan 24, 2014)

I think you might prefer the D700 and the three lenses over the D610 and just one lens. Without lenses to get the job done, a good camera is not all that useful. The D700 was always a good shooter. The D610 has a better, newer, higher-MP sensor. The D610 has a 14.2 EV dynamic range in RAW at base ISO, the D700 has a 12.2 EV DR at its base ISO.

Nikon D610 versus Nikon D700 - Side by side camera comparison - DxOMark

Compare those two cameras with what was once considered one of the best FF cameras, the original 5D from Canon.

Nikon D610 versus Nikon D700 versus Canon EOS 5D - Side by side camera comparison - DxOMark

My advice? Just get a camera.


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## bribrius (Jan 24, 2014)

you could look at the 300s. somewhat outdated but everyone seems to love them. I don't know why I never had one.


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## goodguy (Jan 24, 2014)

I'd go with the D610.

Newer and better camera, newer technology!!!


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## coastalconn (Jan 24, 2014)

What are the 3 lenses with the D700?  Another option to consider is a refurb D600, not sure on the Canadian market but they dropped to around 1300 last month, but seems to have went back up..


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## photodude1956 (Jan 25, 2014)

Hands down --D700. 51 focus points. All controls are easy to find on outside of camera. You don't need video. The D700 is a workhorse. Mine has 150,000+ shutter count and still rolling. (Though i now use a D4 and Df as their low light ability is boss.)

I've seen the D600 and its like a hobby toy compared to a D700. Just hold them and compare. Im assuming the D610 is similar in size to the D600, etc.


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## vipgraphx (Jan 25, 2014)

Get a D3000 with kit lens that seems to be ideal right now&#8230;.



















The D700 has things that the D610 does not have and vice versa. They both are great cameras! It comes down to what fits your needs more..Are going to want to print huge prints? Do you need to shoot at a higher ISO? Do you want a fast frame rate camera better bracketing for HDR? I dunno maybe the D700 with extra lenses, but wait what lenses are we talking about here?


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## jaomul (Jan 25, 2014)

It's as said above. The d700 was and still is a fine camera. The newer models seem improved in many ways. You (likely) would love the d700 but the saving may not be so big depending on the lenses supplied. Many dslr users have old lenses lying around that may or may not be of high quality. The vr lens might be newer but vr does not guarantee the lens is good, just that it is stabilised.

Will you miss movie mode? Do you regularly print large? Do you know the shutter count on the d700? They are rated to 150000 which many pros exceed. If you can do research on the lenses and they are good and the d700 is in good shape it is a hard camera to not recommend if your answer is no to the movie/print large questions. If you are unsure or the lenses are poor and just thrown in to bulk up the deal the newer d610 would be a safer bet. The 24-85 lens that you can get as a kit is supposedly very good.


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## CaptainNapalm (Jan 25, 2014)

photodude1956 said:


> Hands down --D700. 51 focus points. All controls are easy to find on outside of camera. You don't need video. The D700 is a workhorse. Mine has 150,000+ shutter count and still rolling. (Though i now use a D4 and Df as their low light ability is boss.)  I've seen the D600 and its like a hobby toy compared to a D700. Just hold them and compare. Im assuming the D610 is similar in size to the D600, etc.



You say hobby camera feel. Not everyone wants a tank for a camera, especially hobbyists such as OP.  The D600 had double the resolution which to me is a huge bonus, improved low light performance and many other benefits that contribute to better picture quality. I have no complaints with my D600.


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## drbondod (Jan 25, 2014)

Just kidding about the D4. You have to keep a happy family life. I shoot a D4 but use my D700 as a backup. Still love it and it is a very solid camera body. I like a heavy camera in my hands. Just feels right to me. Most of the successors to the D700 are lighter and just don't feel as solid. The D700 choice would not be a bad one for you.


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## sk66 (Jan 25, 2014)

Personally, I would buy a D700 over a D610 every time. But the lenses included will really determine how much of a deal it really is. Bodies decline in value very quickly regardless.


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## JTStrong (Jan 27, 2014)

"Hands down --D700"

Eh, not so much.  The end product, i.e., photograph, is "hands down" better on the D610.  D700 was a great camera in it's day, and still is, but any of the current crop of full frame cameras produce better images. Of course, the best way to make a decision is by not only reading the tech specs, but also by handling the camera.  I love my D610, but could have sprung for a D800.  I decided against that camera, despite it's superior "pro" specs, simply because it felt bulky and ungainly in my hands.  The D610 fit like a glove.  How it feels is much more important than specs these days, because it's tough to buy a bad camera.

Good luck!


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## pondball (Jan 27, 2014)

Hi everyone... Greetings from the newest member of the dslr family!

i took a look at all your advice, spent countless hours researching all cameras (yes, even those outside the nikon family), had numerous chats with family and friends (at least with those who had some knowledge of photography), and took into consideration both the sample shots and advice sent from a retired co-worker who has the same d700 and collection of lens... 

And... Decided that the lower $$$ spent on the used d700 would allow me to get back into photography without breaking the bank, or home life, and still allow me to have a little extra left over to purchase another quality lens or piece of equipment when I determine what it is I will be craving next

When I got to see the camera and the lens I was elated that it looked brand new... In fact it had a count of only just over 1,800 on it. There wasn't a scratch or sign of any marring on it, the 3 lens, the SB800 flash, and even the camera bag he put everything into looked brand new. Basically it had been purchased for family photos, which they took, but  they had never used it as much as they intended. It had been used often enough to keep the battery fully charged regularly and ensure nothing had seized up (if that was possible). The only thing he couldn't find was the English manual, but I had already downloaded it on my iPad and had been through the first 150 pages so that I wouldn't appear like a complete newb when I got there to check it out

since getting it home I've done a more thorough check on all the components (I spent about 30 minutes with him at his home going over as much as I could think of when I picked it up) and everything appeared to be as it should be...

early observations... Yes it is heavier than anticipated, but I can only compare it to the coolpix5700 and iPhone I've been using the last 5-10 years... And that's not really fair... It seems a little heavier than the old canon slr's with my tamron 70-210 I used to lug around, but I am assuming this is also due to the solid glass it is sporting. In future if I get to the point of wanting a second lighter body I can always do so then but in the meantime this one has me super excited!

A quick search for online d700 training found me 20 videos produced at the Scott Kelby studio explaining every detail of the workings of the d700... Hey, I might not need the manual after all!

Again, thanks everyone for your input... And I look forward to becoming a regular member of this forum very soon!


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## Derrel (Jan 27, 2014)

Good to hear that you were able to "pull the trigger" and get yourself a d-slr outfit!!!! The SB 800 is a very solid, reliable flash unit, and 1,800 clicks is basically "a few weekends worth of shoots"  for many people, so yeah...the thing is basically LIKE-NEW!!!!!!!!


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## pondball (Jan 27, 2014)

That's what I thought too... 1800 seemed really low... And I thought the price was reasonable as well... I priced all the components (which I would have purchased separately at some time anyway) with prices based on what I could find in both the used and new market and it would have cost me about another $k to get what I got... And no other used d700 had this low a count


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## DNel928 (Jan 27, 2014)

Wish I could find a good used D700 with that count on it! Congratz on the purchase!


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## shadowlands (Jan 29, 2014)

Congrats on the D700!!!
I have the SB-800 also and I love it... I came from the SB-600, so it was a wise move for me.


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## ekonom (Jan 31, 2014)

I prefer Nikon d610


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## boomer (Jan 31, 2014)

You will love the D700! It is a tank! I have both cameras and honesty am more than happy with either of them. Ya, IQ is better on the D610, but it doesn't make or break a shot by any means IMO.


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## sashbar (Jan 31, 2014)

I applaud your enthusiasm. To buy such a tank for a retirement hobby shows some passion


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## astroNikon (Jan 31, 2014)

I had the same choice a few months ago ... a d700 v a refurb'd d600.  I got the d600 though as they were the same price and I wanted the MP but it could have gone either way.  If only the d700 was 16mp ....

congrats on your d700


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## vipgraphx (Jan 31, 2014)

Congradts! The D700  is an awesome camera and IMO if you do not need the extra MP it will out perform the D600 in many ways even though it older.


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## pondball (Feb 3, 2014)

LAst year at this time I suffered (out of the blue) a torn retina... had laser eye surgery (close to 300 blasts) on my right eye to try and keep it attached... guess I was lucky to keep sight in that eye... started as vertical lightning bolts in the right side of my eye, followed by some massive lava lamp like black floaters all over the eye... anyway... the lightning has (thankfully) gone away after a second shorter (70 blast) treatment... however I still have this squished daddy long legs floating around my right eye... so... where is this going?

I used to use my right eye all the time for viewing images through the viewfinder, and at first I thought maybe I had found something wrong with my new D700 as no matter how I focussed the diaopter (or whatever its called) it was still a little fuzzy!... not sure why but I decided to peek with my left eye... so... I've already fixed the only thing wrong with my D700... apparently it cannot cure floaters! it was crystal clear viewing with my left... it will take some getting used to but wow does it ever make a difference... wish the little arachnid would go away though... doc said 4 - 6 weeks... this one certainly has staying power...

so... 12 mp or 16 mp... I don't think it will make much difference to me... I can see all the features on the new camera (unlike the tiny stuff on my old CP5700)... picked up some good books and guides, downloaded some videos and am about to join a local camera club to see what's what...

havin' fun already


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## shadowlands (Feb 6, 2014)

Congrats on the D700!!! I love mine!!! I don't plan on swapping anytime soon.


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