Nikon D3 - is it really that good?

[blazing fire]

Hey guys! As the tittle says, is the Nikon D3 really that good? Or is it over hyped?

And how important is a good lense?

Please note that I'm very new to the world of photography and I know nothing, nothing at all about it. So when you answer my question, it would be good to give me a short explanation to the technical terms/jargon that you use .

Thanks in advance!

[Dougjgreen]

It's really that good, but it's definitely NOT for you. It's designed for professional photographers who don't care how big and heavy their cameras are, but only that they are fast, and can be used in the lowest light, and will be used with the best (most expensive) accessory lenses. The Nikon D3, as well as the Canon Ds MkIII, are designed for professionals who know how to operate them and exactly what it is that they can do that a more ordinary, smaller, less costly camera cannot do.

[blazing fire]

Thanks for your response! But I have some things to clarify about what you've said.

1) What can the d3 do that other cameras cannot do?
2) What makes it so good?
3) What do you mean by fast? Fast start up? low shutter lag? High FPS?
4) If the D3 is good in low lights, why would one need a expensive big appreature lense, other than the blur in the forground and/or background?
5) Say I don't care about the weight and money, what complications would I face when using the camera?

[Dougjgreen]

Thanks for your response! But I have some things to clarify about what you've said.

1) What can the d3 do that other cameras cannot do?
2) What makes it so good?
3) What do you mean by fast? Fast start up? low shutter lag? High FPS?
4) If the D3 is good in low lights, why would one need a expensive big appreature lense, other than the blur in the forground and/or background?
5) Say I don't care about the weight and money, what complications would I face when using the camera?

what makes the D3 so good?

It's sensor is approximately 1.5 EV more sensitive than smaller sensor cameras like the Nikon D300 or Canon 50D, which are the state of the art for $1500 cameras.

It will shoot a higher continuous burst rate than any < $2000 camera. And it has the best tracking autofocus of any camera made - for shooting stuff like birds in flight. But that requires huge lenses that cost a fortune as well.

It's built to a higher standard of ruggedness and durability than any < $2000 camera.

As for your Q4, being able to selectively blur the foreground and background is a MAJOR advantage.

If money and size/weight is no object, the main complication you'd face using a D3 is the ridicule you'd get from people who are much more accomplished photographers than you, despite having cameras that sell for 1/4th the money, or less. If you don't think that carrying around a nearly 4 pound camera and 10 pounds of suitable lenses, batteries and accessories is a complication, then you really are looking in the wrong place for advice.

[Frog]

If you are very new, as we all were, I think you would be better off starting with a mid-range camera and a couple of good lenses. Then when you can shoot really good with that camera but still want better, keep the lenses, sell the mid-range and buy your D3.
I don't say this to belittle your enthusiasm. More to keep it going as the D3 will probably be too complicated for you to take advantage of and then when you're disappointed you might be inclined to forget photography.
There is jargon in photography and technical terms, but every one that is serious needs to know what the terms mean because when you do and can apply what they mean to your photos, then you get quality.
Knowing how your aperture setting will affect your photo or how increasing the iso affects it will make all the differance in whether you take great or mediocre shots.
And that's the easy stuff.

[AgingEyes]

1) What can the d3 do that other cameras cannot do?

Not a whole lot. Full frame, good high ISO results (read less noise) and faster auto focus.

2) What makes it so good?

Better built and answer to ''1" above.

3) What do you mean by fast? Fast start up? low shutter lag? High FPS?

Yes, plus fast auto focus.

4) If the D3 is good in low lights, why would one need a expensive big appreature lense, other than the blur in the forground and/or background?

So that you can still use a faster shutter speed than other camera can. Large aperture lenses also help in autofocus speed. Lenses either can't focus or have difficulty (read slow) auto focus if its largest aperture is smaller than f5.6.

5) Say I don't care about the weight and money, what complications would I face when using the camera?

Not much, as long as you know how to use its exposure meter to take an exposure reading, know what exposure setting to use for your photos, where and how to set the aperture, ISO, and shutter speed, where and how to select auto focus mode, shoot raw and can use post-processing software such as Photoshop.


Now go get a D3. You don't need to know everything about the camera to shoot photos with it. Many features of the camera you probably don't need them (same for those of other cameras) anyway.

[blazing fire]

Thanks for all your response!

I read up a review on the D3. It says it's actually a set it and forget it camera. Meaning, you set it on auto, cap the ISO at 1600, shutter at a min. of 1/250 and leave aperture on auto/manual. That's simple enough for me. Is there anything I've missed out?

Now time for some questions

1) What are aperture stops?
2) Since I can get 8fps* with the D700, and the same image quality (iso and light sensitivity, I think...), do you think the D700 is a viable choice over the D3?

*8fps from using the expensive battery + 8 AA ones.

3) I read that the speed of auto focus is mainly dependent on the lenses, while the accuracy is dependent on the body. Is that right? Then how do I know which lens is faster than others? What specs do I look out for?

---

If you are very new, as we all were, I think you would be better off starting with a mid-range camera and a couple of good lenses. Then when you can shoot really good with that camera but still want better, keep the lenses, sell the mid-range and buy your D3.
I don't say this to belittle your enthusiasm. More to keep it going as the D3 will probably be too complicated for you to take advantage of and then when you're disappointed you might be inclined to forget photography.
There is jargon in photography and technical terms, but every one that is serious needs to know what the terms mean because when you do and can apply what they mean to your photos, then you get quality.
Knowing how your aperture setting will affect your photo or how increasing the iso affects it will make all the differance in whether you take great or mediocre shots.
And that's the easy stuff.

That's very encouraging, and I think you gave very sound advice .

Now go get a D3. You don't need to know everything about the camera to shoot photos with it. Many features of the camera you probably don't need them (same for those of other cameras) anyway.

I think I'll have to try it out in a shop to see how overwhelming the settings are .

[Frog]

aperture stop = f/stop.
This is dependent on the lens and not the camera body.
A fast lens has f/stops of f/2.6 or lower. They go up to f/22 or even f/32.
Aperture is the opening through which the light passes to the body and sensor.
A small number = a large aperture. The bigger the number, the smaller the aperture.
You can use faster shutter speeds with the large aperture,(small number), because it lets more light in.
The trade off is depth of field,(dof). You will get less dof with the large apertures.
This is not necessarily bad. Many times you might want a blurred background so you would use the large aperture. If you want lots of depth of field you would use the smaller f/stop,(large numbers).
Other things affect dof too, such as distance from object. The farther away you are, the more dof you will have, and the closer you are, the less dof you will have.
Here's a chart in Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F-number
Google f/stop or aperture and you'll get enough info to give you a headache.

[Cathathome]

Thanks for all your response!

I read up a review on the D3. It says it's actually a set it and forget it camera. Meaning, you set it on auto, cap the ISO at 1600, shutter at a min. of 1/250 and leave aperture on auto/manual. That's simple enough for me. Is there anything I've missed out?

I think I'll have to try it out in a shop to see how overwhelming the settings are .

You've already received very helpful information from other members, and I can only offer my general opinion as to whether this is a good camera. In two words: Full Frame!

That being said, I have to wonder why you would want to invest in a camera of this caliber but plan only to set it on auto and forget about it? I think you would lose more than you gain. Though there are seasoned professionals who do this, they get away with it because they understand and trust the camera's ability to respond well to specific shooting conditions which they have analyzed in advance. Yet there are so many variables that can and will interfere with your shoot and over which you will have very little control except to compensate by adjusting your camera's settings, but that means you have to take it out of auto mode

Bottom line: the best camera on the market is still only as good as its handler.

Cheers,

[blazing fire]

Don't get me wrong! I will use manual settings in future, for I'm a tweeker. I overclock, watercool and custormise my computer. It's just that when I start, I want to get a feel of the camera and slowly explorer it.

I guess I shall go with the d700 for it's excellent ISO capabilities, good light sensitives (1.5EV more than others), low shutter lag, extensive controls and good auto focus. Plus a good fast lens.

I'm mainly shooting sports and in low light. Is this the ideal camera for me? Or are there cheaper ones that are "easier" to use and still have the d700 capabilities?

[Dougjgreen]

Don't get me wrong! I will use manual settings in future, for I'm a tweeker. I overclock, watercool and custormise my computer. It's just that when I start, I want to get a feel of the camera and slowly explorer it.

I guess I shall go with the d700 for it's excellent ISO capabilities, good light sensitives (1.5EV more than others), low shutter lag, extensive controls and good auto focus. Plus a good fast lens.

I'm mainly shooting sports and in low light. Is this the ideal camera for me? Or are there cheaper ones that are "easier" to use and still have the d700 capabilities?

IMHO, if you're actually shooting sports, I think you're better off with a smaller sensor camera which uses shorter telephotos for the same field of view. Shorter telephotos are faster, and smaller for a given field of view than the lenses that provide the same reach on full frame cameras are.

Full Frame cameras are better with wide angles. Small Sensor cameras are better with long telephotos.

[mattbikeboy]

Don't get me wrong! I will use manual settings in future, for I'm a tweeker. I overclock, watercool and custormise my computer. It's just that when I start, I want to get a feel of the camera and slowly explorer it.

I guess I shall go with the d700 for it's excellent ISO capabilities, good light sensitives (1.5EV more than others), low shutter lag, extensive controls and good auto focus. Plus a good fast lens.

I'm mainly shooting sports and in low light. Is this the ideal camera for me? Or are there cheaper ones that are "easier" to use and still have the d700 capabilities?

It's a great choice! I bought mine for those reasons. I did like having a little more reach on my zoom -- but so far the D700 rocks. Maybe I'll pick up a D300 body for outdoor daylight duty. :wink5:

mbb

[blazing fire]

Thanks! Any second opinions?

[Cathathome]

Thanks! Any second opinions?

Have fun & post pics! :smilewinkgrin:

[blazing fire]

Unfortunately, I'll only buy it in late 2009, somewhere around October.