Hi Terry... thanks for the review... I particularly interest with the AF performance on D700, as I found my D300 AF failed to focus on main object on quite a few occasions, especially when selecting continuous focus and 3D tracking. Thank you, Andy.

Andy: The D700 has exactly the same auto focus system as the D300 and the D3 -- i.e. a 51 point focus grid.

As a D300 owner myself I have come to the conclusion that as good as the system is it is not perfect, simply because it doesn't know what you want to focus on. I find that I have to move the camera, usually very slightly, to get a bunch of activated focus points in the right place, then hold the button halfway down (or user AF lock) and reframe.

When focus is really critical I use the single centre point option. And usually when people tell me that they can't get sharp focus this is the first thing I tell them to do -- set the camera to single centre point focus. Start from that as default and then get a feel for when the 51 point system is the way to go.

As for tracking a moving subject, that depends on setting the camera parameters correctly and having a lens with a very fast focus motor. For instance my Sigma HSM 70-200 is pretty quick to focus, but not quick enough to track.

TL

Terry, thank you for the response.

I read a comment on D3, that is has a superior processor to D300, hence more accurate AF. Is it true? If so, can you suggest the AF performance comparison between the three cameras? Is D700 as good as D3 for the AF?

Andy

Andy: I'm not sure what you are looking for here.

The D3 is a professional level full frame camera. It is Nikon's best. The D300 is what they call their "flagship" DX professional camera. The D700 sits between them. It has the full frame sensor of the D3 and it has some of the features of the D300, but in some ways it is a little inferior to the D300 -- in weather/dust sealing, for instance.

The D700 is intended for the wealthy amateur who isn't prepared to go all the way to a D3. And there are some good reasons not to. The D3, like all professional DSLRs, doesn't have an inbuilt flash. The D700, like the D300, uses the inbuilt flash as a "commander" to fire Nikon flashes [SB600/800/900] wirelessly. With the D3 you have to buy an expensive add-on to get flash wireless control. No big deal for a pro, but pretty expensive for an amateur who is not going to get so much use from it.

Also the D3 is a monster. It is incredibly heavy because it is designed to be dropped from a helicopter onto rocks just below the water level and to be picked up unscathed.

It has a two battery compartment on the bottom. The D700 is more like the D300 in mass and bulk.

All three cameras use the same focus and exposure controls. The D300 will generally look sharper because it has greater depth of field [at the same f stop] and is therefore more forgiving.

Let me stress, the D300 is not an inferior camera. It is an absolutely marvellous camera. But if you want the very best, built like a tank, no excuses and take-no-prisoners camera then the D3 is the one to buy. But take my word for it -- it won't produce sharper pictures, but it will produce "better" pictures -- larger frame, more
leeway for enlargement, more film-like tonal quality etc.

So here's the bottom line. The D3 is simply The Best. The D300 is the best DX DSLR on the market. The D700 was created to be a Canon 5D killer -- which it is.

If you are worried that you made a mistake buying the D300 then don't. If it is not focussing as precisely as you would like then, believe me, the fault is not in the camera. Nor in you. It's just a matter of getting to know the camera and how it works and adapting to its methods.

TL

Just letting you know that I bought the Nikon D300 and have not looked back.

Being mainly a sports photographer, I am happy with the extra reach as opposed to a full frame option.

Sure I like my landscapes. but my Tokina 12-24 f/4 handles them beautifully even if it equates to 18mm on FF. Then again my 80-200 f/2.8 also becomes 350mm which is a nice bonus.

Now I know when my photo turns out rubbish, that it was me and not the camera....

thanks
Kip

Kip
Have you tried to shoot sport indoor? Or indoor party at night without flash?