Why the Nikon D700 is great:

Those of use who have been waiting for an affordable full-frame (FX) format Nikon were ecstatic when the D700 was announced. Now that I've been using it, I find it's even better than I expected. And I’ve been using full-frame Nikon-based digital single lens reflex (SLR) cameras since before they had Nikon’s name on them. (Thank you, Kodak!) And never before have I been blown away by a digital SLR tailored for the needs of advanced amateur and professional photographers as I was by the Nikon D700. That's saying a lot, because, since the end of November, the only time my Nikon D3 has left my hands has been when I needed the very special and useful features of my Nikon D300. What do I love about this camera?

It gives you 90 percent of what the D3 provides, in a more compact, less expensive package. It's a full-frame camera, like the D3, and uses the same sensor with wonderful low-noise characteristics. (I shoot at ISO 3200 routinely, don't shy away from using ISO 6400, and have actually gotten some usable shots at ISO 25,600!) When outfitted with my MB-D10 battery grip and alkalines or EN-EL4/4a battery, it has the same useful vertical grip and a continuous shooting speed of 8 fps (close to the 9 fps that is my max with my D3.) The incredible autofocus system is virtually as fast, and the 3-inch LCD is a glory to behold, and is very useful with Live View. The D700 has a rugged body with excellent weather sealing. Most of us wouldn't miss the features the D700 lacks and the D3 has -- especially for a $2000 price differential.

It has great features the D3 doesn't even have. Heck, it even comes with a plastic LCD cover! The more useful (and obvious) extra features are the auto dust removal, compact size and built-in flash. Here is why they are important:

The dust shaker is valuable, because, like many folks, I've found my D3 sensor to be a dust magnet, and there's an oily residue at the borders of the sensor that can be troublesome until you've cleaned it off. You won't be manually cleaning the D700 sensor very often.

You'll love the compact size. The D700 is a better walk-around camera than the D3.

Even if you distain the built-in flash found in most cameras, you'll like the one included with the D700. It not only makes a great fill flash, but you can set it in Commander mode to trigger CLS off-camera flashes without contributing to the exposure. Only the pre-flash fires, setting off your other Nikon flash units, but the pre-flash doesn't register on the sensor. It's like getting a $250 SU-800 (a requirement with the D3) for free!

The D3 features it lacks, you may not need. Do you shoot sports photos in the pouring rain -- and are all your lenses water-sealed, too? Then you might not need the D3's superior body sealing. Plan to take more than the 150,000 exposures the D700 is rated for? Miffed because the D700 doesn't have dual Compact Flash slots? I admit I use that D3 feature for security (the camera can write the same image to both cards at once.) But when I need maximum capacity for a long shoot, I just pop in a 32GB 133-233X UMDA memory card, and fire the D700 off all day.

What don't I like about the D700? I have no plans to sell my D3. It makes a great backup for my D700 (just kidding!) If you have the extra two grand to throw around, you'll easily get your money's worth. I know I did. Here are some reasons you might want to buy a D3, or even a D300 (which I continue to cherish:)

Dual memory cards. Okay, I am somewhat addicted to those dual CF slots, but for more reasons than you might think. When I am traveling and using a camera that's not a D3, the double card slots turn my D3 into a backup device. I can carry around some old, slow, 32GB cards and copy from a CF card taken with any camera that uses them onto the backup card in the D3's second slot. This is an incredibly useful feature, as when I am in Europe or another distant locale, I like to have at least two copies of every shot.

Better zoom review. With the D3, when you're reviewing a shot on the LCD, you just press the Zoom In button, and rotate the Main Command dial to zoom in and out, using the multi-selector pad to move the enlarged area around. (This is similar to the way my D2x and D200 did it, but the implementation is even easier on the D3. With the D700 and D300, a thumbnail pops up and you you navigate around the thumbnail to change the view. I like the D3 method better, and especially don't like having two systems on my two full-frame cameras.

Longer battery life. The D700's EN-EL3e battery lasts a long time. The D3's EN-EL4a battery lasts forever. I once left on a short trip and forgot my spare battery and charger. I managed more than 2400 shots and still had plenty of juice left. But, hey, with the MB-D10 grip, you can use an EN-EL4a battery, too!

Control placement. I like the D3's dedicated bracketing button (I bracket a lot when trying for special effects), instead of the D700's use of the Fn button, which limits your options for other uses for that button. I like the Info button display found on the D3, D300, and D700, but I still find the D3's extra monochrome LCD for certain information useful when changing certain settings, compared to looking at the D700's top panel LCD. (Especially when the camera is on a tripod at eye-level.) It's also annoying that the control placement is different for certain functions (especially the Metering Mode dial.)

Pro body. Of course, the D3's pro body is reassuring when you're giving the camera a heavy workout, or need to pound a few nails.

I'll have more tips on the Nikon D700 as I use it more. Meanwhile, check out my recommendations for crucial lenses accessories, all based on my personal use.

My recommendations for Nikon D700 must-have essentials:

(Click picture for a discount price)

You gotta get this!

Wow! After I tried this out, I told everyone I knew about it, and then I ordered three more; one for each of my camera bags. Don't pay $50 or more for a scope to check out your sensor for dust. This $8.95 gadget does the job for a fraction of the price. It's a Carson slide-out 3X magnifier (although the packaging says it's a 2X unit) with an LED light. Lock up your mirror, open the shutter, and focus in on your sensor by holding the Carson magnifier just above the lens mount. Any dust, scratches, or other artifacts just pop out. You can even use a sensor brush or other tool to clean the sensor while you're looking at it with the magnifier. I'm rarely blown away by inexpensive gadgets, but this one belongs in every digital photographer's camera bag.


My guidebook, natch! My books on the D700 and D3 won't be available until this Fall, so stay tuned for updates.	The Nikon SB-900 AF Speedlight I bought this the same day I got my D700, and it's a huge improvement over my old SB-800. Autofocus, and it recognizes when you use one of the included filters.	MB-D10 battery pack/vertical grip Adds 8 fps shooting to the D700 and much longer battery life!	Nikon D700 camera (body) Don't have your D700 in hand, yet? Order one here from a reliable retailer.

MC-30 remote release Never leave home without your MC-30 release! A must for HDR shooting on a tripod, or any relatively long exposures.	Manfrotto Monopod I own this, and the Manfrotto carbon fiber monopod. Super for sports, landscapes, wildlife.	D700 with 24-120mm VR lens You can order your D700 with this inexpensive full-frame walk-around lens.	Nikon DK-17M Magnifier Helps you focus your macro shots manually for better control over depth-of-field. The D700 uses this one, not the DK-21M used with the D300.

Take advantage of your D700's 8 fps rate with the MB-D10 and 8 alkalines or the EN-EL4/4a battery and get fast transfer to your computer as a bonus with this fast CF card.	8GB CF Card While the 4GB Sandisk card is great, I've standardized on 8GB cards. I can shoot all day on a single card for sports and travel photography.

More stuff I can't live without:

The New "Magic Three" Unless you're shooting close-ups or distant sports, you really don't need any other lenses. Sharp, fast, and expensive, these lenses do everything! They are full-frame lenses for both DX and FX formats, too.
	Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8G ED AF-S Nikkor	Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8G ED AF-S Nikkor	Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Zoom Nikkor

	The 80-400 VR gives you a bit more range for sports, and many photographers prefer it to the 70-200 VR for wildlife photography.	105mm VR Micro-Nikkor Vibration Reduction may be overkill for a macro lens, but folks said the same thing about autofocus. This one is great indoors or out.	Nikon 85mm f/1.4 "Cream Machine" Beautiful bokeh; this is the #1 portrait lens for Nikon dSLRs. Get one now before Nikon replaces it with something less. You can own a legend!

Learn more about the incredible Nikon D700 digital SLR!

Return to Main Nikon Guides Page

Discover why my last two books have been the #1 and #2 best-selling camera-specific guidebooks on Amazon. Whether you’re a veteran of my previous books or a new convert, I think you’ll find this introduction to the D60 quite different from the other books on the market. When Nikon unveiled the long-awaited D700, I realized that a compact “field guide” wouldn’t hack it for such an advanced camera. Although many shrewd beginners will be buying the D700 as a first digital SLR (quite an ambitious leap!), the vast majority of you will be advanced amateurs or professional photographers – or those who aspire to join those ranks as quickly as possible.

You don’t need a book that devotes almost third of its pages to little sections that provide the rudiments of shooting the most basic types of pictures. You don’t need to be told that you ought to use a fast shutter speed when shooting sports – you probably already know a dozen different kinds of action situations when slower shutter speeds are superior (such as motor sports with spinning tires, or when panning to capture a long jumper speeding towards the pit.) There’s a good chance that telling you to use a large aperture when shooting a portraits a bit simplistic for your skill level, too. If not, don’t worry, I will provide this kind of information, too. I just don’t waste dozens of pages on these basic techniques when they can be covered in a few pages before jumping into the truly cool stuff. Instead, I’m going to emphasize the exciting things you can do in David Busch's Nikon D700 Guide to Digital SLR Photography. This book won't be available until later in 2008. For now, I'm providing tips on what lenses and accessories you should consider for your D700.

When this book is ready for pre-order, I'll post a link here that will save you 34%!

Don't settle for a pocket-sized
guidebook! Your Nikon D700
deserves hundreds of pages more
of photographic knowledge!

After a couple introductory chapters that help you get your bearings with this innovative camera, we’re going to explore dSLR photography together using a significant new tool. I’ve tried to make David Busch's Nikon D700 Guide to Digital SLR Photography different from your other D700 learn-up options. The roadmap sections use larger, color pictures to show you where all the buttons and dials are, and the explanations of what they do are longer and more comprehensive. Instead of the checklists devoted to general topics like “architectural photography” or “landscape photography,” you’ll find tips and techniques for using all the features of your Nikon D700 to take any kind of picture you want. The Nikon D700 Guide to Digital SLR Photography is aimed at both Nikon and dSLR veterans as well as newcomers to digital photography and digital SLRs. Both groups can be overwhelmed by the options the D700 offers, while underwhelmed by the explanations they receive in their user’s manual. The manuals are great if you already know what you don’t know, and you can find an answer somewhere in a booklet arranged by menu listings. I've done my best to make my book accessible, friendly, and comprehensive.