My first year with the Nikon D700
A year ago I treated myself with an unusual gift for my birthday: my first full frame camera, the Nikon D700. In that moment, I knew I was taking a plunge into the unknown. Never tried this camera before, but among all the cameras I reviewed back then to become my first full frame, at the end, I chose my dear Beast. And why you ask, many reasons: price, user reviews, history, but mainly those 12 megapixels. I wanted the full experience of deep pixels on a full frame camera, a non-excuse purchase, but at the end it was an unexpected purchase, the performance out of this old camera blew me away from the very first moment I held it in my hands. You can read my first impressions from a year ago, if you wish: https://www.eddieruizphotography.com/blog/2020/5/23/my-first-full-frame-camera-the-nikon-d700
I won't lie, this wasn't easy for me to understand this camera, sometimes it disappointed me, some others it educated me. There were moments I wanted more out of the camera: a better focusing system, a tilt screen, a different button layout, longer battery life when using liveview, and a few others, but the D700 wasn't a camera to please my every whim. Luckily, I didn't rush a decision, even though I hesitated, I kept this camera for the challenge it provided. Nowadays, this is a camera I respect, a camera with a purpose, a camera to keep my ego in check, a camera to grow a photographer out of me.
A year passed, and there are a few things to make note of, a couple of lessons I have learned using the Nikon D700:
The 12MP sensor. At the beginning I have to admit I was in awe with that full frame look, that organic and denser feeling produced by a much shallower depth of field (compared to crop sensor cameras). True, some times, despite the benefit of wider apertures, some photos looked plain and boring, but some other times, photos popped, and I don't mean in a 3D kinda way, but the way they pull you in for some reason. And I think it has to do with how this sensor performs with certain types of light, and certain types of colors, and when that happens you get a picture that's hard to replicate, a unique Nikon D700 picture.
2. The RAW files. I edit my photos using Lightroom, and I welcome with open arms working with 14MB files, my Mac responds so much faster, and for some reason I feel these files lend themselves to finer rendering, gone are those wormy effect from my Fujifilm files, plus the detail, texture and color I can get out of shadows, or in high iso photos is impressive. Now, you couple this with what the 12 megapixel sensor can produce, in terms of catching the proper light, with the right color combination, and you get some beautiful results. Granted, when these factors are not weighted, the results are as similar as those from any crop, or 1 inch sensor camera. It is on this regard that I consider the Nikon D700 a master, and me, a student. It forces me to see the light, its brightness, its temperature, its angle of incidence, and even its lack of it, if I could learn to better identify the characters of light, I am sure I'll be shooting more keepers with this camera.
3. Its ergonomics. Once and again I have read and heard in reviews the Nikon D700 is a professional camera, an exquisite photographic machine, durable, sturdy, engineered to last. I think all of that is true; nevertheless, for the kind of photography I do: street, landscape, family stories, the Nikon D700 is a different kind of camera. Yes, in some of my past reviews I refer to its ergonomics as something to improve (check my blog: https://www.eddieruizphotography.com/blog/2020/12/7/too-many-buttons-an-inconvenient-truth). But this is not a camera to compete with newer ones in terms of features, it is not a fair comparison. The Nikon D700 is to me a purpose camera, in other words, you hold it and you feel compelled to take pictures, good pictures, great pictures. There is something about the grip and the size of the camera, that when you grab it, there is a switch in your brain that clicks, a "sense of purpose", to take it easy, slow down, compose, meter, and shoot, and shoot again if you must. It brings out the artist within you, and yet you have to be aware people also notice its presence, hence you are forced to man up and stand your ground with the confidence that no one should dare to mess with you. You are armed.
I am glad I decided to purchase the Nikon D700 to be my first full frame camera. I am glad I was patient enough to learn to appreciate it. In this fast paced world of instant results, a world of social media, likes and self-grandiosity, it is good to know you can find out there artistic tools to mold your ego, to take it easy, to learn the craft. I learned this first with film photography, now I have another tool at hand.
A year after owning a Nikon D700 I can't find a reason to let it go. In fact, I strongly recommend this camera if your pursuits and aspirations are in desperate need of purpose. Dear reader, do take care of yourself and your family.
