D4s is even better with Iso range. I bought recently d700 and d4s is on my list.

A D700 with 8500 on the shutter count is close to a miracle in 2020! Well done!

Ha-ha! Sounds like you found one of the rare copies! Enjoy!

The D700 is still a great camera! Nevertheless, I just switched to the D3S. The reason was not the image quality but rather the overall feeling of a single digit Nikon. Hard to explain rationally, but the haptics are just out of this world!

@@timkramer2698 Hi Tim, I had to look up "haptics" :-D I fully agree, now that I know what it means :-D

@@frederikboving :) After I managed to scratch the sensor of my D3 with a rocket blower a year ago, I switched to the D700. Although I really liked the output of that camera and still do, I always felt like missing something. At first I even thought the shutter was faulty because I was used to that fat click of the D3. Now, I'm happy with my D3S, it somehow feels like coming home.The output is very similar to the D700 except of course for the low light capabilities and the slightly better dynamic range.

@@timkramer2698 "Rocket blower". Isn't that thing made of rubber and completely harmless when going against the glass plate sitting on top of the sensor? Or what went wrong?

Yes, a good camera is a precondition for a good image, not the reason for a good image. You need to know light, subject, composition, storytelling, color science, etc to master your craft. I think the eye opener for me was when someone said that many of the most famous images we admire today are taken with camera gear that is inferior to most modern cameras. Go figure! I also "market" the 12MP D700 and say that if you don't do cropping then 12MP in most cases is more than plenty provided you have a natural viewing distance to the image. That also causes some commotion :-D But as we say in Demark: the truth is seldom welcome! Hope you recover soon! All the best!

Thank you for sharing Randy! The D4 is certainly growing on me :-D

Congrats! Hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoy the D4! :-D

You will love it’s a quality beast

@@JonnyEnglish-gu1cs Thank you Jonny - I think you are right :-D

Cool, thanks!

That is an awesome deal. Normally the price for a decent copy is 400 EUR

@@frederikboving He actually told me to read the reviews on it and I did and I saw your video about the D700 as well. I did not know a thing about camera's at the time and called a local camera shop and asked what they thought and they told me it was good deal but too old and that I should not buy it. Glad I did not listen to them. Love your video's by the way.

@@smokeymc22 Thank you Smokey! Glad you got a D700 despite the "advice" from the camera shop!

I thought I was the only one. Also had a D7200 & thought it was extremely grainy throughout the entire ISO range. The only thing I liked was the focus in low light, but build quality, IQ & overall performance was like Meh. So I sold it & kept my D300s.

Thank you - much appreciated!

Keep an eye out on EBay. Low shutter count D3s and D4s examples pop up every month. Also, B&H camera usually has them. I bought my D3s and D4s from them with 24k and 3,600 respectively.

It is a really nice camera. Great ergonomics and mind blowing colors!

👍💪

Good to hear that I am not the only one with problems finding a good D700 copy! Thank you for sharing!

Thanks for sharing 🙏🏻

🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

I know the D4 was built for speed, but IMHO the colors it renders are absolutely stunning!

👍 Thanks for sharing!

Thank you Marty! Noted!

Cool 😎

👌

Right, the shutter is loud. Congrats on the low shutter count - sounds like you got a REALLY good copy! All the best!

It’s an amazing camera, especially in low light. A friend of mine uses one for street photography at night

Thanks! Will do! I have a plan for a new D4 video ("impressions after a few weeks") and in that I will reference toward the D700. It is in the planning. Lots of nerdy stuff to come! :-D

Right. Finding a D3/D3S/D4/D4S that does not look like it has rolled down a mountainside several times gets harder and harder. But then again, you get so much more happy when you finally succeed! All the best and good hunting!

I finally found a D4 on MPB with only 914! shutter clicks in like new condition! At $900, I pounced on it immediately.

Thank you for your kind words Zaaid!

A D700 with a count that low is something unique! You will love the color rendition of the D4!

LOL! 🤣

About the D? series. Until now, the D? series showed the best of Nikon technology at that time and the rest of Nikonians could imagine what would be available in the upcoming pro-consumer models. The outstanding feature of a D? model is ergonomic, it often fit like a glove and fingers do not have to stretch or bend too much to reach certain dials/buttons that can introduce fatigue. Also, there are the various small details that most owners took it for granted. For instance, I have a pair of small hands and fingers, yet it feels relatively lighter to hold my D3. Why? Because the grip is thicker and longer, thus my palm and wrist are supporting it, instead of holding the camera and lens up with my three little fingers that hold the grip. In shooting position, my left palm can take some of the weight off from my right hand. Hence, it feels balanced and lighter than a smaller body, such as D700/Z series. Of course, it is just an user case and the majority with average/bigger hands only need a grip extension for their pinkies. However, besides being heavy duty, the D? series would not offer the best value in features, after the pro-consumer model came out. Such as the D700 and D750 were better in value than the D3 & D4. Thus, it was mostly the early adopters and pros went for the D3/D4, while the rest favored the D700 and D750 (hence, best sellers). The latter could be a case of what one doesn't know, don't hurt. Another user case, I will buy a D750/D850 today for value & features, but D4/D5 for having a camera body that I love to shoot with. If one pays attention, the fact that many YT Nikonian creators owned a heavy & very expensive D2, D3 or D4 to do pro jobs in the past is noticeable, this is a case of beggars cannot be choosers. But not the D5 and many went with the D850 instead. Almost every Dick, Tom and Harry were buying the D850, even the D800 series was originated as a niche product. Why? Because then they had a choice to buy a CHEAPER and smaller DSLR with similar handling experience. The same buying decision factor applies to the Z series too. Many of those D850 owners suddenly find the Z7 had too many MP (translation: more expensive) and the Z6 became the popular choice.

Thank you for sharing BFS 🙏🏻 - interesting read as always 🙂

Thank you Matt! And thanks for sharing! Yes, the world is going ML, so for those that stay on the DSLR side, there is bargains to be made! Hope the D4 will serve you well for years to come!

Thank you for sharing!

I found mine in Japan a couple of years ago with just over 4k clicks. It still looks like new!

@@secarr09 yea the best stuff does seem to come from Japan 👍

Hi, no unfortunately I have never tried a D850 or D810. Love the D4 ergonomics 😍

😀- Excellent! I know you will LOVE that camera! Please let me know what you think after a few days of shooting! All the best!

@@frederikboving I returned it because that website false advertised the condition. However, I did a shoot with my D3X this weekend and it made me rethink, if I really need a D4S. Other than the slow processor speed, I can't fault it.

@@MMPAspergerian If you're happy with what you got, stick to it. I "upgraded" my fuji XT20 to an XT3, only to find that I didn't like the XT3 weight and ergonomics, although it technically is a better camera. But the little XT20 gives me images like this one: flic.kr/p/2n3SxgA - so I sold the XT3 and went back to the XT20. Fits my hand and pocket. All I need.

Tim, did this video help? Why I hold in to 3 Nikon DSLRs? D700, D750 and D4. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/eZ6lp66isNO9f6M.html

🤗👌💪

That's a good point about Nikon spare parts! Thanks for sharing 🙏🏻

Thanks for sharing Arun! I find that the colors of the D4 blow me away! I looooove those colors! The colors of the D700 I find to be more pale or pastel, but the D4 is just right for me! So I find myself shooting with the D4 more and more. Never had the D800, but happy that I never did reading your post.

@@frederikboving No probs Frederik, only to happy to share experiences. The D800 produced dull and lifeless images, and I think the main reason for this is that the contrast is by default set quite low. That aside, no matter what glass I threw at it, i.e 85mm 1.4D, 80-200 2.8ED, it just never nailed sharp focus, with backfocussing being a major issue. That and the small grip, just a horrible nasty camera. I also agree with your findings that the D4 produces slightly warmer tones than the D700. Either way, I love my current set up, the D4/D700. They also compliment my D3s so well. Who needs 36MP, not me!

@@arunphillips6977 Thanks for sharing Aurun - much appreciated!

Thank you Tribesman! The mini tripod is actually the feet of a monopod! kzfaq.info/get/bejne/adyUfpt53N7aeoE.html (forgive the quality of this video - it was one of my early ones!) 😀

Thank you. Quality was fine.

Yep - I guess nobody's perfect but in the bigger scheme of things I can forgive the D4 for this issue 🤗

Hi Martin, yes indeed! My D4 is still around. You can see one of my latest videos about pinhole photography that I still use the D4 ( kzfaq.info/sun/PLPjooVCTLG92Uvu9E7mRLl2FDjt7RRn4Z ). And it is still my favourite camera when we are talking colors (yes, no one likes that I say it, but IMHO it beats even the legendary D700!). That said, the D4 is a big and heavy and chunky camera. And because it is the pro series where the vertical grip is built into the camera, you cannot reduce the size like you can with other cameras by taking off the vertical grip. And when I mount a large lens like my 70-200mm, then the combo is ridiculously big and heavy (so I often go with a light prime and the D4 together). I have never missed a pixel with the 16MP but if you crop a lot, then it becomes an issue of course. And the the video capabilities of the D4 is REALLY dated - it is great for 1080 but beyond that it's age start to show. And then I think most D4 and also most D4S'es have reached the end of Nikons service lifecycle so i think repairs and spare parts are hard to get to this day and age. So when it works, it works, when it doesn't, it's probably the end of it, unless you know a unauthorized wizard in a basement somewhere. Hope this is helpful!

@@frederikboving Great response thank you. I am looking for a 'pro' spec body simply because I have always wanted to own one and the D4/D4S seems to be the right balance of capability v price, I didn't know about the service lifecycle so maybe a D5 might be more appropriate. Thanks again for the reply.

Thank you for sharing Tiowen!

man, wtf, people here sell d4 for 2500 easily. d4s 3000. without a single lens. sometimes I just don't get it...

​@@_systemd Yeah I know! I was just casually browsing FB Marketplace that day. And I wasn't really upto date with the latest Nikon out there. I was just looking for some used prime lens. Until I saw that popped up. And again, I didn't know what a Nikon D4 is or the original cost of it. I do know the 24 70 and the 70 200 are great lens. Given it was just posted minutes ago, with no detailed description other than it's in a working condition. Shutter count wasn't even mentioned. I didn't have time to think. All I know is that 2 of those lens plus a camera for that price seems cheap. I guess, I just hope everything is working fine. Messaged her to pickup on the afternoon. Good thing she lives 5 minutes from my place. Sealed the deal. Handed the items in carton box. I have it for a few months now and it just reignites my passion to take photos again.

Oh, I am not in the camera housing pusher business, so not sure you should ask me. The D850 is probably one of the best DSLRs Nikon has ever made (other than single digit) and hence you already have the top of the line. I can relate to the feeling of the Z6ii being different than the D750 - and for that exact reason I hold to my D750 still; it is my workhorse for product photography. The Z6ii is a very comfy camera, and the viewfinder is great IMHO, but it is not the same feel as a DSLR. I find the color rendition of the D4 is out of this world! I absolutely love the colors that comes out of that camera - sunsets and evening light especially. And then the ergonomics is as good as it gets. But it is big and heavy. Especially if you put on a 70-200 G lens! The D700 with a battery grip has a feel that is close to the D4, so if you sold your D700 for a reason, you may not like the D4.

@@frederikboving Thanks for your reply. Since I already have so much equipment, I do not want to spend too much money on a D4. There is one for sale with 300' exposures for 600 eur, and one with 49' exposures for 1050 eur. That's my dilemma now. The cheaper one can go on for a long time, or collapse tomorrow. Tough decision😊

@@erikbirgerson9893 🙂

I was in the market for a 2nd copy of a D700 as a backup body, but I had troubles finding a good copy. So I started to look for alternatives. So no problems with the D700 as such, more to find a good copy. All the best!

What do you think about KOMEHYO（コメ兵)? I was impressed to see quality, pricing and variety of gear compared to what I find in Germany. Japanese people usually treat their equipment very well and keep it in good condition. For second hand equipment I would always prefer Japan over any other country.

@@dirkmeyer3586 I didn't know about that shop. Bookmarked! The one year warranty is icing on the cake.

🙂🙏🏻

Yes, I was curious about why anyone, other than a pro who needs a workhorse sports/action DSLR, would spend the same amount of money on a camera with 44% less resolution than the D800 series semi-pro bodies. Obviously, the D4 is a work of art in terms of engineering, so one can understand that too! It's why, for instance, I love old Nikkor lenses - especially the AI/AI-s's. Not "optimal", perhaps, but masterpieces of lens-making.

@@user-zv6qu4ks1p Doubtless Frederik would agree with you when comparing the resolution of the D4 with, say, the D8xxx series. Clearly, he bought his D4 for reasons other than resolution.

@@AntPDC The colours seem more natural from a D4/D3 etc.

@@user-zv6qu4ks1p Yes, I'm sure. Frederik does (of necessity) pixel-peep when testing lenses, and I do enjoy his technical uploads, even though he uses comparatively low resolution bodies. He seems to favour landscape photography too, so his camera body choices are puzzling if he's printing big - but I suspect he doesn't. And I highly doubt that he earns his living from photography alone, so I'm guessing he's a collector of used, historically high-end gear - the kind of gear he and most other people could never afford to buy when new. Nothing wrong with that of course - almost all of my gear is used, too. As you say, there is no perfect camera.

@@33antonius Yes, I've read that. It's a subjective assessment though.

A coincidence - I came across a D4 with a low shutter count and a very fair price and then I made a quick decision. Love my D4 and the colors it produces.

Dunno much about Sigma but this kit lens from Nikkor is cheap and performs well provided you find a good copy: Nikon 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 AF-D Review (CRAZY value for money!) kzfaq.info/get/bejne/Zt-Rga5o0rnGhaM.html

@@frederikboving thank you definitely have look. What about 28-120 F4?

@@JrPfreedomDon't know the lens first hand. Uncle Kenny seems to Like it: kenrockwell.com/nikon/24-120mm.htm

Funny how different photographers using the same type of gear can reach different conclusions. Shot APS-C on my former D5600, and now on my XT20 and XT3 from Fuji. None of them works for me in low light situations (high ISO and grain). Plenty of light? happy camper.

@@frederikboving well, I don't know the Fujis, but the D500 is on a whole different level than the d5600. It delivers even better above iso 6400 until 12800 than the d600. Copmared them very strictly and didn't thought that this would be the case. The d600-iso looks finer, but above 6400, the D500 shows definitely more details and less pixel flaws.

until iso 8000 the d500 is ->very usable.. never expected that!

Right. I may just have struck some bad APS-C cameras, and now I will be carrying massive amounts of glass over hills and mountains! Thanks for you feedback! Take care!

Look out for blown highlights! D4 better for uncontrolled light conditions.

Hi Kevin! It is some very good questions you raise, and I am not sure I have solid answers for all of them, but I may be able to add more confusion to the picture, so here goes: The D700 is praised over and over again as you say. In part because of the sensor with "big fat pixels" but also due to the software that processes the image in camera. I have read somewhere that the D700 software is not the same as the D3/D3S software, and hence the "magic" associated with the D700 stems from the software, despite the two cameras sharing a lot of hardware components. I do not know if this is true, but if you look at how many that praise the D700 vs how many that praise the D3, then the correlation makes sense. But on the other hand the D3/D3S is probably sold in much fewer copies than the D700 and to a more demanding audience, so that could also explain why the D700 gets so much praise when the D3/D3S does not to the same degree. I have no hands on experience with the D3/D3S, only the D700, but I really like the images that comes of of the D700. The D4 is a brilliant camera - full stop. Some say that in the DSLR era, it is one of the best Nikon has ever made (the D4S being the peak of the DSLR era). I love mine, partly because it is so solid built with stellar ergonomics, partly because the colors that comes out of that camera blow me away. I am in the minority with this point of view. I have not seen many others praising the colors of the D4, but I do. The colors are warm and painterly - not too much, but enough for me to notice. As I do many landscape and photos of flowers, this is key for me. I know the D4 was designed for speed (sports) and maybe that is why not many have noticed the colors. I simply don't know. Which one to go for? I think it depends a bit on what you shoot. For B&W I would recommend the D700. The B&Ws it produces are simply stellar. And if you manage to get a copy with not too many clicks on the counter, you have a super camera that does not break the bank. But live view is quirky and it is an older camera. The D3 I do not know, but I am sure it is a fine camera, built to last and built for speed. But you risk that the "magic" of the D700 is gone, so factor that in. The D4 I would go for if either colors or speed is important to you. Or you want to crop once in a while. The D4 sensor has 16MP so you have a bit more to work with than the 12MP of the D700. If all this leaves nothing but a big question mark, I would do as follows: Buy a D700. Try it out and see how you like it. If it does not work for you, I am pretty sure you can sell it for a price close to what you paid and hence the "rental costs" will be low. And then you are a bit wiser with first hand experience. Hope this helps.

@@frederikboving i bought a d700 a little while ago and shoot it almost exclusively in black and white mode after i saw the jpegs. but i want something better for colors so maybe i will get the d4. im also a little hesitant to use a camera with only one card slot for professional work. but i hear cf cards are really good. i use the dx crop mode on the d700 to turn my 60mm micro into a 90mm portrait lens at 6MP and it looks great so having more resolution with the d4 sounds good. i just got a leica iiif and an elmar lens and now im thinking about buying into some leica stuff. debating whether or not i want to buy more nikon or sell my nikons to buy an m8.

@@kevinmarkham6385 Thanks for sharing Kevin! A little note on one card slot: No matter how good the card type is, the underlying technology is magnetism! Think about that - no matter if you can drive a car over the card itself without the card being damaged, the underlying technology is the same as in the cheapest SD card: magnetism. And it will fail - sooner or later. Not often, but it will happen. So I think your concern using a single card camera for professional use is VERY valid. I have no experience with Leica, but I do follow the Georgia Photographer. He has lots of both Nikon and Leica gear, and I seem to remember him saying that the Leica was his favorite camera. You can try to look up his channel and see if it is of use. All the best!

@@frederikboving i know of that channel too. i just got a d3 for $500 with only 16,000 shutter count. i think the colors are slightly better. the black and white look the same but i think the d3 has better dynamic range. im thinking about getting a fuji s5 pro. its an older dslr that has good colors and skin tones and i can use my f mount lenses with it.

@@kevinmarkham6385 Thanks for sharing Kevin! Good luck with your D3 - sounds like a good purchase you made there!

Hi Stefano, hopefully this review can help: frederikboving.com/review-nikon-d4/ - it is pretty recent!

I started out owning a VW years back. Got mad at their customer service and switched to Renault, later Citroen, Volvo etc. But never felt happy. Now I'm back with VW. Still lousy customer service.

kzfaq.info/get/bejne/e7OWdqemz7fdp40.html1

I know it's like fairy dust, but to your eyes which camera gives you more pleasing images?

D4

Hi Zebrzyd, it is a good question. The D4 is built for speed. It can take a lot of pictures very fast and get them onto the memory cards. Hence it is brilliant for sports photography or shooting anything that moves. The D750 is a great all round camera, loved by especially wedding photographers, but also known for its low light capability. The D700 is a legend and produces images that many love and admire. I have only owned the D4 for a few weeks, but I must say that I am impressed. It is big and chunky, but it is a great tool, works well, great ergonomics, simply gets the job done. Relative to the D700 it has a 100% viewfinder, a Live View that works as it should and on top of that it produces amazing colors if you ask me (there is a lot of psychology in color preferences, so don't put too much into it). I must say that owning all the 3 cameras you mention, the D750 is the one that I use the least. The D700 I cannot get to work with my Godox flash trigger, so I shoot with the D750 where I also have a cable for tethering. But that is my main usage for the D750. To your question: Only if you shoot things that move very fast I think you have a "rational" reason to up grade. But if you have a bit of GAS and you are curious how it is to own a single digit professional camera from Nikon, the the D4 is definitely worth the upgrade. But I think you will find that the D750 and the D700 will be used less and less. The D4 is that good. Hope this helps.

@@frederikboving Thank you very much, Frederik, for taking time and answering my question. It is very kind of you. Could I just ask, why you finally didn't keep the D4? All the Best, Christoph (zebrzyd)

Oh, I still have them all 3. D750, D700 and D4. The D4 is my favorite. It's the last one I'll let go, if I have to sell one or more!

@@frederikboving Thank you Frederik. Have a nice week and good luck with all your photography projects.

Thank you Christoph! You too!

🙂

Sounds like a fantastic deal! The D4S'es I have seen were priced way above that.

@@frederikboving oh.. great.. I wasn't so sure at first!!!

I doubt that ML has faster AF than this one. The dedicated AF system on this one is blazing fast. I think only the Z9 is able to keep up. I bought the D4 because I wanted to try the "top of the line" quality from Nikon without breaking the bank. And in that process, I came to love the colors that this camera produces - I have not seen anything like it; not even the classic D700 renders colors as beautiful as this one. And then the ergonomics and build quality on the D4 - it does not get much better, especially if you like me have big hands. I also shoot with a Nikon Z6ii, so I am not one of those religious "DSLR is the answer" types, and there is a lot of good things about ML (focus peak, zooming in the viewfinder, etc). But the D4 just brings a smile on my face.

@@frederikboving Ok, I'm really glad with your response because I might pull the trigger on a D4S for $1400 with a low shutter count. I have a Sony A7S II and a Sony RX100 III. They shoot well in good lighting. But they need a ton of post-processing in harsh midday light (muted colors, oversharpened, way too harsh). I don't have the luxury to shoot only at sunrise/sunset. So a majority of my time is in harsh natural midday light (no flash and no diffusers). I've been trying to find a good digital camera that can render nicely in this lighting. And my research shows that the D4 renders colors and highlights extremely well out-of camera. I hate post processing. I also switched to film which handles harsh lighting well, but it's nice having a digital setup too since film is becoming expensive due to the shortages. Do you find that your D4 does well in midday blazing sunlight? The pictures look great.

@@UniteAndAttack Uh, I tend to stay in the shade in the midday blazing sun. And I live in Denmark, where it is often more rainy and cloudy than anything else - so I am not the most experienced when it comes to shooting in harsh light conditions. But I cannot imagine that the D4 would not do well - it is a pro level camera built to withstand the most challenging conditions, so it would be strange if it did not perform well also in blazing sun!

Maybe 🤔 because I have no D300?

Thanks for the pronunciation lesson.