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D700 to Fuji XT3


raygreen

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Hi there.  New to the Fuji Forum.

I have a dilemma and wondered if there are people on here that have used both Nikon and Fuji.  I use a Nikon D700 and shoot mainly landscape with a Voigtlander 20mm.  Contemplating changing to a Fuji XT3 for reasons of size, weight and I do like the Fuji controls on the top of the camera (film-like days!).  Quite a bit of kit to trade in but would want to make sure I'm doing the right thing.

Will the Fuji match the Nikon for image quality (CMOS sensor and 12megapixels v APXC sensor and 26megapixels).  I am not a pro but serious amateur.  Image quality counts.

Also which is the best Fuji wide angle lens - don't mind a manual prime or would consider a zoom if wide enough.

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I have owned a Nikon D700 and currently own an XT3 and love landscape. I shoot handheld and with a tripod. I was a lifelong Nikon shooter and I consider the D700 a fairly special camera. There was something beautiful about the files that I would get from the camera. I used to have a Nikon D200 and was always a bit disappointed with the images out of camera with regards to dynamic range. The D700 caused me not to abandon digital and go back to film. There was a lot of data I could get out of the D700 files if I played with them a bit in Adobe. It will always be one of my favorites. Never tried the D750. Rented a D800 and found it didn't set off the same bells and whistles for me for some reason. Switched to Fujifilm in 2012 primarily because I was intrigued having a camera with no mirror box (less camera shake) and  was lighter weight (hiking). Fujifilm and Nikon had worked together or supported each other technologically in the past. I love Fujifilm's color science from the film days. 

I have had the X-T3 with battery grip for a very short time and have used it a few times. I like the way it feels and handles so far. I still need to do a big trip with it but what I see so far from the files I do like. I don't do a ton of post and I like to tweak things in camera. I can tell you my past Fujifilm ownership has included ownership of the X100(gone), X-T1 (gifted to family recently after several years of use), X20 (gone) , XPro1 and XPro2(keepers)  along with the XE3 (selling). I am very happy with the image quality from the Fuji products. When I compare my D200 shots from Yosemite and my XT1 shots from Yosemite the Fuji shots were fantastic. Also, I have found I can recover a lot of info from Fuji files if need be particularly in the shadows. 

You could always rent the camera and play with both to help your decision.

Lenses: Many folks swear by the Samyang 12mm. I own the Zeiss Touit 12mm which I picked up for sale in a bundle for $420 USD new. I found the 18mm equiv focal length useful in Yosemite and other landscape destinations. It sells for more than that still today. However my favorite focal length is 24mm equivalent so the Fujifilm 16mm f1.4 stays bolted to one of my X cameras these days. I used a 20mm Nikon prime back in the day but never felt like getting the Fujifilm 14mm. Some folks love the 14. I have a 9mm ultra wide (13.5 mm equivalent) and a 7.5mm fisheye (11mm or so equivalent ) that I am trying out on the XT3 this weekend.I've never been interested in trying the Fuji 10-24 zoom.  

 

Hope this helps. 

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I used Nikon D700 for 3 years Then I bought a Fuji x100 and i saught that though X100 was a dx format,  the images were much better. So I abandoned the nikon system that I  was using from 1968, and finallyi passed to Fuji. Now i Have a x-t1 and soon i'wiil by a X-T3

Edited by bergat
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Thanks for those replies.  Very interesting to hear your detail Blacksheep.  Like you bergat I hear others saying that the detail (and colour) in the Fuji is superior.  I am more and more liking the sound of the Fuji system.

I took my Nikon gear into Wex Photographic today for a trade in price.  Reasonably favourable I thought and also the bonus of extra money off a Fuji XT3 and lens should I buy from them - no reason not to.  The cost of an XT3 is not much more than the XT2 so makes sense to go for that given the faster processing and other improvements.

If I decide to make the switch the next decision would be lenses.  So I need to do a lot of reading up on Fuji lenses (maybe the Samyang too)...and other dilemma such as do I go for a zoom.  We may visit the west coast of the USA next year Blackbird for a final family holiday so Yosemite or Zion will demand the right lens (not sure I can stretch to 'lenses' at this stage).

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Some very good feedback on this thread.

I use to shoot with D200 and D700, then later with D610 and D3s.  The D700 was an excellent camera body, as was the D200.  They were true work horses.

If you reviewed one of my shared galleries, you won't be able to tell which of the different Nikon or Fuji cameras I used.  http://adamwoodhouse.info/kawartha-gallery/

I mostly shoot raw because I like to have the greater latitude to push and pull the image in post.  For my own casual, family stuff I usually shoot JPG to keep it quick and simple, but other work is raw.  I found I couldn't recover as much of the highlights on the Fuji as I could on the full frame Nikon, but I could recover a bit more out of the shadows on the Fuji.  But they are small differences ... maybe 1/2 a stop on the highlights and 1/2 a stop on the shadows.

Fuji is the only system you can get pro level, weather sealed APS-C lenses that offer the same focal length as full frame.  That is a perk overlooked by many people.  You get the same approx weight and size savings owning a Nikon APS-C kit, but you don't get 24mm and 50mm and 85mm fast weather sealed (or at least pro build)  primes on any other APS-C kit.

The only thing I can share that I've read about and experienced a couple of times on the Fuji system is the choice of RAW editing software you choose can effect your results.  For a long time pixel peepers have complained that Lightrooms rendering of the Fuji RAW files can caused problems in green foliage.  The term is 'worm effect'.  Many will say that if you do use Lightroom that the recent releases have improved that processing/sharpening artifact quite a bit ... others will argue it's still there.  It is very subjective and only happens to certain images.  This is a Lightroom thing, not a Fuji RAW file thing.  Those that edit their RAW file in other products don't seem to have that issue.  Just a FYI.

The XT3 is an excellent, 2018 camera.  It is in a position to win APS-C camera of the year.  As long as you use good glass, you will be pleased with your investment.  Also ... with this platform you can adapt vintage lenses and use the very effective manual focus 'peeking' features ... that can be a lot of fun.  :)

Edited by Adam Woodhouse
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Thanks for the information.  Very useful comments.

Decision made!!!

I have decided to stay with my Nikon D700 for the following reasons;

  • The D700 is a real workhorse.  Always wanted one and I have had this since about 10,000 shutter count (now nearly 30,000). Always been looked after and I ‘understand’ it.  Yes it’s heavy but there is a reason for that - it’s solid and tough!
  • I use a Voigtländer 20mm on the D700 which is a very small lens.  This actually makes the setup quite comfortable to handle - not front heavy and unbalanced.  Replacing with the Fuji I will end up with a bigger lens for a wide angle setup.
  • Glass.  Replacing glass is expensive.  I have 3 lenses for the D700.  Two of them good ones.  I’d have to start again and unfortunately no money tree in the garden.
  • I have numerous batteries, memory cards and filters for my current camera and lenses.  Replacing those also comes at a cost.

Hiring one as mentioned above is probably a better plan as mentioned above to see how the camera and in particular the electronic viewfinder works for me.  A different option may also to have a fixed lens camera for street photography such as the X100F.  I (well it was my wife’s) had a small Ricoh years ago and used it all the time.

Lets face it, we all just love cameras!

Edited by raygreen
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  • 1 month later...

Hello,

I can tell you that I moved from a Nikon D7200, and full frame D810 (still have the camera's) for reasons of size and weight for street and urban shooting.  I rented an XT2 for a week and the images were awesome, so I purchased on this past July.   I am learning more about it every day.  Glad I made the move.  Hope this helps

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  • 4 weeks later...

I used the D700 for many years, primarily with the 24-70 and 70-200.  Because of a very bad hip, and the fact that the majority of my photography is events, mainly low-light, I switched to Fuji x-system in 2013 and no regrets. I typically shoot with 2 camera, and have the 16/1.4 on on body - raised on a monopod for some unique angles ... the x-system is ideal for event photographers.  I have several fast primes as well as a couple of zooms, and used the 10-24 a lot as my landscape lens on a recent one week trip to Acadia.  

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  • 2 weeks later...

The D700 is a marvellous camera. I've always though the D3/D300/D700 generation of Nikons had the nicest straight-out-of-camera colours. I could never get colours that pleased me quite as much from my D800e (though that was a magnificent camera in its own right).

If the D700 is still producing the pictures you want, I'd say hold on to your money.

At only 30,000 shutters, it's still got a long life ahead of it.

I just sold off my two D300s and they had 210,000 and 140,000 shutters respectively (and we're still going strong ten years after I bought them). Nikon build their kit to last.

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  • 3 months later...

I moved to Fuji X last year after being joined to Nikon at the hip for most of my life. My last Nikon system was a D800E, which is a magnificent camera that I was really really sorry to let go of. I still miss it in many ways, to be honest, even though Fuji has transformed the way I work and arguably made me a better photographer as well.

Main reasons to let go of Nikon:

  • Weight. Towards the end my photo backpack often weighed over 20kg.
  • Cost. With Fuji I can get magnificent, high-end lenses for much less than the Nikon equivalents. 
  • Image style. I intentionally don't say "quality", but there is something about Fuji images that I just love. I think it's quite possible to argue that Fuji images are now as good as or better than Leica used to be, at non-extortionate prices.

Benefits of Fuji so far:

  • EVF: I thought I'd miss the optical viewfinder but the opposite is the case. I love seeing what the sensor sees directly and now I work in full manual exposure mode around 90% of the time. I have a much more direct control over the creative process than I ever had with my Nikon DSLR.
  • Manual controls: Having the ISO, shutter speed and aperture directly there in manual controls is heavenly. I never want to go back.
  • Image style. This has satisfied me right across the board.
  • Film simulations and color management. Fuji's film simulations save a huge amount of time by giving you an excellent starting place, one that is much better for me than the Nikon defaults ever were. Also, they're gorgeous.

So what do I miss from Nikon? Not much, really. Most of it is really just the love affair I had with my Nikon cameras, which had become part of me. The main thing I miss is that glorious, wonderful, 36MP full-frame sensor. The dynamic range of Fuji is fine, but if I'm honest the D800E's sensor is still a good way ahead. I also miss the wonderful crop freedom that the big full-frame sensor provides. With Fuji I tend to take much more care to make use of the full sensor area. But despite all that I have taken more really good pictures with the Fuji cameras and they have that certain quality that I love. And the Fuji system allows me to have a wider ranges of lenses and cameras to work with within my budget -- which is why I decided to make the full change rather than hanging on to my Nikon gear as well.

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