Which new camera is exciting you at the moment?

[ALwin]

Ok. within the past couple of months both Canon and Nikon have announced 3 new DSLRs. Which one are you excited about.

1) Canon 1DX
2) Possible Canon 5DII successor coming in the next few months
3) Nikon D4
4) Nikon D800/D800E
5) Other brand (Sony, Olympus, etc) that I am not familiar with.

I am excited about the D4 and made an order the same week it was announced, was hoping to get it today (Feb 16th) but Nikon has delayed the global shipping until sometime in March. As for the D800, which I might order one also, I am just waiting to see whether I should get the D800 or the D800E.

The D4 and my current D700 will be my workhorses for everything and if I ever decide to get the D800/E, it will be mainly for portraiture. I don't have the budget or feel like getting a medium or large format camera...too expensive and too bulky. Even for the D4, I had sell my 5DII + Canon 24 TS + Canon 24-105 to cover 2/3rd the price.

[Troy]

The D4 and my current D700 will be my workhorses for everything and if I ever decide to get the D800/E, it will be mainly for portraiture. I don't have the budget or feel like getting a medium or large format camera...too expensive and too bulky. Even for the D4, I had sell my 5DII + Canon 24 TS + Canon 24-105 to cover 2/3rd the price.

I don't have the budget for a second hand broken disposable camera! How you can just buy a D4 and not know whether to splash an extra £2.5k on a D800 is beyond me. You shouldn't spend that much money on something you can't drive!

The Canon 1Dx doesn't excite me at all. It's going to be the same as the D4 but probably only slightly worse in low light. The D800 is looking like it could be exciting, but i fail to see a use in my life for 36 megapixels. Maybe when i'm a world famous portrait photographer it can be my backup camera for the times my Hassleblad is just too cumbersome to carry around.

The replacement of the 5D II should be fairly exciting, mainly because the 5D II is one of the most popular sodding cameras out there, so no doubt this will replace that immediately.

[ALwin]

I planned and saved up man.

When I started with the D90, I had 2 bodies. After giving the D90 + DX lenses to my brother and bought the D700 in late 2010, I knew I would want a second body but decided to hold off until Nikon announced new FX bodies. Sure it was a year+ wait, but when rumors started flying about the 36mp of the D800, I had to find a way to find a budget for the 16mp D4 instead and managed.

Here's my camera progression.
Jan 2009 - Sony A350, used it for 1 month, found I did not like it.
Feb 2009 - first Nikon D90, loaned the Sony to a friend who bought it from me for 80% of the original price a few months later
June 2009 - Second D90 body only
sometime in 2009 - a traffic accident with one of the D90 bodies so had to get a new one.

March 2010 - found a Canon 5DII brand new for a lot less then local store prices, added 24-105 and 24 TS lenses a few months later.

Late 2010, after nearly using the D90s for 2 years, got the D700, once again at a bargain price.

Mid 2011 - Gave the D90 + DX lenses to my brother while selling one of the bodies.
Aug-Sept 211- Sold the Canon set (1 body, 2 lenses) for somewhere between 60-80% of original purchase price. Saved that money for the second Nikon FX body that would be bought in the near future.

Jan 2012 - Ordered D4, going to wait to see how the production models of the D800/E will be like in the hands of those who buy before deciding whether I should even get one.

A third of all the lenses I bought, I paid second-hand prices for them. Another third, I bought the older AF-D instead of AF-S lenses. I only ever bought 3 brand new lenses of the latest model: 14-24, 70-200 VRII and 85 1.4G.

And I've found myself enjoying documentary photography, sure I still do the occasional artistic side using backgrounds, lights, filters etc. But I want to do documentary photography more and more (and videography too and need a DSLR capable of video), plus I've been asked by the office on a few occasions to help cover events while the official photographer is away.

[Troy]

No matter how much saving i did i couldn't afford all of that. I also couldnt justify it. Most professional photographers probably don't want/need a D4 and a D800. Personally don't see that they are both needed, and if they are then you are working too hard!

[ALwin]

No matter how much saving i did i couldn't afford all of that. I also couldnt justify it. Most professional photographers probably don't want/need a D4 and a D800. Personally don't see that they are both needed, and if they are then you are working too hard!

I understand you Troy, but I also know the conditions when I am out with my camera. Hard rain, snow, humidity, heat, etc. I thought about getting something like a D3000 or D5000 or D7000, which are obviously a lot cheaper, but they just wouldn't survive how I use them. When I was in Burma last year, it was during the Monsoon season, I was able to be out in the heavy rain with my D700 and minimal rain cover, my brother and his D90 wouldn't be able to take such a beating.

My needs are:
1) very good low light capability
2) fast burst speeds
3) good weather sealing

Let's just say my D700 has been halfway to this a few times already.

[Troy]

But surely the D700 is pretty good for all of the above, and if not, the D4 is excellent for all of the above. The D800 isnt really needed, so send me that £2.5k please

[ALwin]

But surely the D700 is pretty good for all of the above, and if not, the D4 is excellent for all of the above. The D800 isnt really needed, so send me that £2.5k please

I haven't even decided to get the D800 yet, still waiting to see how much differences there are between the 2 versions. I may not even get it at all. I want to see if the D800 resolution can match the resolution of the medium/large format cameras mainly used in fashion photography. A colleague went on home leave to Croatia where one of his professional photographer friends invited him to attend a model shoot where they used a medium format (Hasselblad or Mamiya) 40+ mp camera. When my colleague returned he showed me the photos from that day and I was amazed with the fine details it captured, even on full body portraits and not just face close-ups.

[Troy]

I'm not sure if the D800 will be a competitive match for the medium formats, but i think it will definitely bridge the gap and allow people to dip their toes in to the world of super high resolution.

[Rosie]

With all these fabulous cameras, I'm looking forward to seeing some more of your work soon ALwin - we haven't seen anything from you in a while!
Are you planning to go down the fashion route next then or is ot something you've done before?

[ALwin]

With all these fabulous cameras, I'm looking forward to seeing some more of your work soon ALwin - we haven't seen anything from you in a while!
Are you planning to go down the fashion route next then or is it something you've done before?

I am trying to create more photos, since mid 2011 I have been extremely busy. The latest set I can share are the skydiving photos when I went with my friends, since then I have only used the camera in the office to cover events.

I am not sure about the fashion route, it would be nice to try but for the moment I am planning some timelapses. Already got some locations mapped out. Oh and the Geneva motor show is next month, I will be there doing some photography.... oh this would be perfect to try out a D800 with its high resolution, too bad I have not yet ordered one nor will it arrive in time for the show (8-18th March 2012). So I will be there with my D700 perhaps doing some timelapses and model (both vehicles and booth girls) photography.

If anyone from or on DP already has a D800/D800E or even a D4 by then, please come to Geneva for the show. I want to meet up and try out the cameras. And I'll even be willing to take them off your hands if you're luggage becomes too overweight with all the Swiss chocolates, cheese and wine you are taking back with you.

[db1]

What about the Sony NEX 7 guys. Surely with its performance and size its going to give most DSLR's a trouncing?

Cheers David

[ALwin]

What about the Sony NEX 7 guys. Surely with its performance and size its going to give most DSLR's a trouncing?

Cheers David

I was considering it, body only to use with my Nikon glass using an adapter. But I have decided not to. Therefore I am not familiar with its qualities. Feel free to share if you want here.

[db1]

Haven't been able to get hold of one to play with yet but on paper would seem to give my 5D II a run for its money. Have trips to Cornwall, Peaks , and Dales fixed for March and was hoping to get one for then to run alongside the 5D II Ideally with an adaptor for the Canon lenses. Will post any results if I manage to get one in time. What made you decide against it?

[ALwin]

A couple of reasons:
1) My budget was set aside for the D4
2) Even with a Nikon to Nex adapter, I would only have manual focus
3) They only started being delivered this month, Sony like Nikon had delays. I was actually at the store today and asked someone there if I could see one of the few they had in stock (all reserved for those who pre-ordered). I liked the build but not entirely sold on the EVF thing.

[db1]

Thanks ALwin