Tag Archives: D700

The Hasselblad CFV-50 is Sexy

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I love my Nikon D700 but if given the chance to use the Hasselblad CFV-50, I’d drop my Nikon like a bad habit.

Compatible with virtually all existing V-System Cameras and featuring a 50 megapixel sensor that is twice the size of even the best full frame 35mm DSLRs, the CFV-50 allows you to keep both the design and functionality of our classic V-System cameras while at the same time gaining access to a range of advanced features unavailable to film cameras, such as our proprietary DAC lens correction technology to correct for distortion, aberration, and vignetting, and the Hasselblad Natural Color Solution, which guarantees accurate colors straight out of the box.

This camera isn’t just a technical marvel, it is beautiful. Quite possibly the sexiest digital camera I have ever seen.

AND I WANT IT!

The Hasselblad CVF-50 digital back on a classic Hasselblad body. That my friends is photography heaven. The only possible competition might be the Better Light Super 10K-HS 4×5 digital back on a field camera…

And actually, if you’re willing to buy me either of these camera systems, go ahead and buy me both? Just think of what I could do with either of these…

Problematic Nikon D700 Sensor

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I just have all the luck don’t I?

The latest consumer electronic of mine to begin its supposed spiral downwards is quite possibly one of my most loved.  Over the last few months I have noticed a truly bizarre pattern show up in my photos.  I’m not sure if they are in all the photos or random but it does show its evil little head somewhat regularly on photos with solid colors.

Here is an example of what I’m talking about.

Click to view larger version

It’s almost like a fingerprint right on the sensor.  The image on the far right is the most zoomed in and adjusted to better illustrated the problems.   In it you can clearly see horizontal stripes across the chair back as well as uniform, circular stripes in the green and grey.

Columbia Photo’s authorized Nikon repair tech said he had never seen something like this the Nikon USA rep that I talked to today said he had never heard of the problem.

Here’s where things get unfortunate.  December 22 I fly to Paris.  December 27 I’m in London, then back to Paris, then Bahrain, then Saudi Arabia, then Germany and then back to the USA January 12.  Fun trip right?

Except, the warranty on my Nikon D700 ends January 8, 2010.  The soonest they could get my camera back to me, if I sent it out tomorrow, is around December 22.  That’s too late.  I absolutely have to have this camera on my trip!  Pedro at Nikon said if I reported the problem and sent in examples via raw files before the warranty expired, they would extend the warranty period until I can get the camera fixed.

Phew.  Now let’s just hope they keep to their word.

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Nikon D700 ISO Experiments

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My friend Zack (@zackluye) just got the new, beautiful, Canon 7D.  This thing takes the most incredible video you ever did see, for under $2k!  It got me all in a mess.  I have this amazing Nikon D700 which has the insides of a Nikon D3 with a smaller outside.  Yeah it’s missing some of the features of the D3 but it also has a few that the D3 doesn’t have.  In the end, it takes identical photos as the D3, same chip, same processor, same images.

I went to Internet to read about the 7D, the Canon 5D Mark II, Nikon D700, D3, D3X and D3S and, to my surprise, I left happy.  I was expecting to read that the 5D and 7D have lower image quality than the D700 but shoot amazing video. Got that.

The Canon 5D Mark II has a full frame sensor but doesn’t handle low light nearly as well as my D700 but shoots at a higher megapixel and does video.  The Canon 7D has the same problem but is aggravated by a smaller sensor so even more noise.  But again, the video? Glorious.

I was expecting to hear that the D3, D3X and D3S all take better pictures than my D700.  NOPE!  While the D3X and D3S take arguably better pictures, there are caveats.

The Nikon D3X has a 24mp sensor that would allow me to print my photos even larger than my current (20×30 inches) which I would love.  But it’s low light performance is ranked below my D700 and it costs three times as much (or something like that.)

The Nikon D3S has the same size sensor but ISO sensitivity up to like a babillion. Basically it can shoot in the dark and still get great photos.  At ISO 12,800 the image looks like ISO 6400!  Incredible.

So, after shooting a weekend full of concerts and artists and having to deal with extremely low lighting situations, I decided to run a little ISO test. So check out the image below, click to view it a little larger, there will be a download link for the full size image if you really feel the need for that.

Nikon D700 ISO Experiment

Nikon D700 ISO Experiment click to download the (almost) full resolution image.

I wish I had my Nikon D80 with me right now to run the same test. I’m pretty sure it’s ISO 800 looks like the Nikon D700 at ISO 3200.  The results here are pretty impressive to me and it makes me feel just that much better about my purchase.  It will be a year in January. What shall we do for my Nikon D700 anniversary?!

And as far as shooting HD video? I’ll just keep experimenting with my Kodak Zi8 until I’ve grown up into something better.  Really do hope Nikon comes out with a DSLR that shoots video that competes with the Canon equivalents, with a full frame sensor and doesn’t cost a fortune

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