Time to sell D700/16-35/24-70/70-200, replace with NEX-7, Fuji X200 ?

jakri

Regular
Location
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Name
Jim Krivitz
I need some help with the decision process. Is it best to sell before D800 arrives? Will NEX-7, Fuji X200 IQ be comparable to D700?
1) Current kit too heavy to lug around anymore.
2) Want to maximize sale price/timing.
3) What else should I be thinking about?

Thanks,
Jim
 
I still have my D300 and Nikon lens and every time I use it I appreciate how good it is

OK my M43 stuff, S95 and M8 is a lot easier to carry around and less obvious, but apart from that I would take the Nikon every time

Modern Nikor lens are really good and using the older MF Nikors is no problem on the D300 and at the longer end the DSLR clear beats M43 in the availability of glass

Unless you need the cash I would keep the D700 - but if you are moving completely to M43 and SC and are sure - sell the D700 as it can only go down in value, ($)
 
Thanks Bill. At some point SCs will come close enough to matching DSLR IQ, but I don't think they're there yet. Some combination of available glass, sensor characteristics and processing engine needs to improve I suppose. The delay in shipping the NEX-7 because of the flooding in Thailand gives me a little more time to agonize.
 
I've been buying some Zeiss ZM glass for the NEX in the hopes that I'll be satisfied with the overall IQ so I won't feel compelled to "upgrade" my medium format gear to a decent DSLR.

My reasoning is that I can sell ZM lenses for not far off what I pay for them and that I should be able to use them for some time on future NEX bodies and likely on other bodies over time. To me it seems likely that another maker will try to steal some of the head of steam Sony gets through appealing to the enthusiast or even pro user base that wants to re-purpose old MF glass we all have lurking about, and by extension the M mount folks are a valid market to try to attract as well.

Of course the ZM are all manual focus, not integrate with camera operation. The Zeiss 24 E mount lies on my horizon too for I do need some AF in the stable. It also seems likely to me that we'll see more high end glass for E mount over time and some of the entry level lenses don't seem too shabby either.

Anyway, that's my reasoning but I don't have a collection of current AF glass for a good full frame or APS-C DSLR platform to take into account... I'm actually trying to avoid building such a pile of lenses.

I did sell my X100 thinking I needed to before the NEX-7 release to maximize the value I could extract from it. While I still think that was the right decision a couple of weeks ago - before the extent of the flooding and impact to plants was known - I do wish I had the X100 around while we wait for the 7 to come out.
 
I need some help with the decision process. Is it best to sell before D800 arrives? Will NEX-7, Fuji X200 IQ be comparable to D700?
1) Current kit too heavy to lug around anymore.
2) Want to maximize sale price/timing.
3) What else should I be thinking about?

Jim, if I'd want to get a D800, I'd sell the D700 rather sooner than later. As for replacing it with a MILC: The NEX 7 doesn't have Phase AF, and as of know, there is no official information about the X200, actually we don't even know wether the name will be X200. Could as well be X1000 or whatnot.

Now, if you want ti get out of the DSLR game altogether, I'd definitely wait till January (CES), when Fuji and Samsung are supposed to announce and show their products.

Personally, I'm not hat impressed with the 24 MP A77/NEX 7 sensor so far, I have a feeling that the 16 MP sensor of the NEX 5N might actually be a better choice for most applications. I do appreciate Canon's move to offer a flagship DSLR with "only" 18 MP – a clear sign that the megapixel race is coming to an end. Canon is even suggesting to upscale those images in PP if you need more, suggesting that the resulting files will still be of higher quality than comparable native files of other high-end cameras with higher pixel density. In a way, I tend to entirely dismiss this claim, just look at what the X100 with it's "small" APS-C 12 MP sensor can do, especially in low light at high ISO.
 
Thanks adanac. Hope you've got some satisfying gear to shoot with in the interim. I don't think the Nikon lenses will depreciate too quickly, but I am concerned about the D700 body. I do have an E-P3 to play with in the interim and am awfully tempted to pickup a Nex 5-N and turn it around when the Nex-7 arrives. Help! Is there a photo gear addicts' version of AA??
 
Well, we could set up a thread for G.A.S* rehabilitation - or you could give me your credit cards and checkbook.:D Maybe we should approach Armanius AKA Armando to start a thread?:tongue:

*Gear Acquisition Syndrome
 
Great points, flysurfer. I've decided not to go the D800 route. Maybe I pick up the NEX 5-N and just be patient enough to see what Fuji comes out with early next year (you'd think it has to be good after the X100!). I can still decide on the NEX-7 when more samples (esp. RAW) and more detailed reviews are available. Good times for new gear, huh? Gosh, it's still hard to think about letting the D700 and lenses go, even though I'm not as likely to use them as the quality of m43 and SC gets better and better.
 
Great points, flysurfer. I've decided not to go the D800 route. Maybe I pick up the NEX 5-N and just be patient enough to see what Fuji comes out with early next year (you'd think it has to be good after the X100!). I can still decide on the NEX-7 when more samples (esp. RAW) and more detailed reviews are available. Good times for new gear, huh? Gosh, it's still hard to think about letting the D700 and lenses go, even though I'm not as likely to use them as the quality of m43 and SC gets better and better.

I know about all of this. After all, there was a time, like 15 years ago, when I owned and operated 2 EOS 1n, 1 EOS 3, 2 Hasselblads (regular & SWC) and pretty much every Canon L lens and accessory one could think of (like 1.2 85, 1.8 200, 2.8 300, 2.8 400 etc.). And I sold all of it at once to one lucky buyer, stopped taking pictures at all for several years and then got THIS in 2004, because I simply couldn't go to to South Africa/Namibia/Botswana/Zambia w/o bringing home some pictures. That's when I rediscovered photography as a hobby that turned into a passion, as opposed to a profession (and I wasn't that bad, actually, my stuff sold all over the globe).

Well, and look at me now, I'm still happy shooting with cheap, tiny cameras like a Fuji F200EXR, S100FS, HS20EXR and of course my dear X100. Yep, I am again in the process of upgrading my gear, but at a very moderate pace. Next in line will be the X10 and the X-S1 (the first to replace the F200, the latter to replace my HS20), and I might indeed invest in a MILC system next year. As I'm very comfortable with Fuji gear, I'll certainly wait for their upcoming CES announcement, but I'm not married to one company, I also like what I see coming from Sony or Ricoh (that GRD IV looks tempting).

But all in all, I really like to keep it simple. So far, I don't even own a camera bag – and also no accessories like filters, lens hoods, external flashes etc.
And that's coming from a guy who used to need a big bag just to house his set of Cokin filters and adapters. ;)
 
Just finished reading the ebook and I am very thankful that I did. I'm saving this - and should print it. Definitely passing this along to my daughter tonight. I want to thank you again, flysurfer. This link is worthy of it's own place in our Philosophy of Photography forum, me thinks.
 
Just finished reading the ebook and I am very thankful that I did. I'm saving this - and should print it. Definitely passing this along to my daughter tonight. I want to thank you again, flysurfer. This link is worthy of it's own place in our Philosophy of Photography forum, me thinks.

And the blog is great, as well. It's definitely right up my alley.
 
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