Hi M&A, I want to purchase a DSLR sometime in the next year or so. I'm considering the D700, mainly for the "FX"(APS-C) 35 mm format sensor, and the fact it is cheaper and lighter than the D3s. I shoot a lot of 35 mm film with my Nikon FA, and I want to be able to swap lenses from camera to camera. I have a Nikkor 50 mm 1:8 lens that I bought with the FA, also I lost a Tokina 70-200 mm and a macro lens I had for the FA which I would like to get rough equivalents to. I also am planning to get a wide angle soon, preferably a 17 or 18 mm.
The D700 would be at the very top of my budget, being listed at $2500 on the Nikon site, I imagine I would be able to find it a bit cheaper with some hunting. I will definitely be able to invest in new lenses in the future, and the fact I can put old lenses on it is a big plus because I have found older lenses are much better quality than most current ones, and are often less expensive.
I've been shooting 35 mm film for 3 years now, and have taken intro and intermediate photography courses as part of a BFA. I've also shot 120 mm film with Hasselblad and Bronica, and I've had a few month's experience with a Nikon D80 DSLR (I had it on loan). I have been regularly shooting with digital point and shoots for about 5 years.
I shoot a really broad range of subject matter, including concept-based suites (for example, discarded/broken tools), abstraction, plants, landscapes, action sports, portraits, copy work, travel. Basically anything one would use a camera for. I would also be using it on at least a weekly basis, if not every day, and it would be on me a lot of the time.
The reasons I am not 100% sure about the D700 is lack of video capability, price (as I mentioned it is at the top of my budget), and the fact there may be cheaper cameras available for my needs. Should I get a cheaper DSLR now and wait a couple years to get a better camera? Video capability would probably justify the price, since I am frequently filming, and if I get this camera I would not be able to afford a good video camera for several years. I think I would use this camera enough to justify getting it, but are there better options? If I do buy it, I'm hoping to keep it for the foreseeable future, until it is totally obsolete.
Thanks very much for your time, I hope I provided enough information.
-Will