Nikon D800/E or D3x?

[BernardLanguillier]

Ummmm....did you even watch the video? It expressly states that rotation is limited, which is exactly what I inferred. That limitation, which is pretty much the same as when mounted on the D7000, can sometimes be a bit of a pain, especially when one needs to have either the tilt or rise on an odd angle, such as 45-degrees on the offending side. Also, it can be problematic when rotating the camera from horizontal to vertical and wanting to use the same tilt/shift settings, as the lens hits the flash housing and prevents rotation to one side. I know because, unlike you, I have real world experience with the issue. It can usually be worked out, but not as easily as when using on the D3x. So yes, my statement IS most definitely true.

This is indeed correct. The inconvenience is close to zero for my personnal shooting style, but there are indeed some limitations compared to the D3x.

Cheers,
Bernard

[heinrichvoelkel]

So yes, my statement IS most definitely true.

cool down Mr.Kimmerle, nobody is questioning your merits as photographer, it's just some small talk about cameras and lenses.
yes I watched the video and I think the "limitations" ("the Nikkor 24mm PC-E lens works without any problems on the D800 - it just clears the prism housing, to use the camera in portrait mode however, you have to rotate the lens the "wrong" way (clockwise) so the adjustment knob is on the right-hand side of the camera as you operate it. If you rotate the lens to the counter-clockwise the shift adjustment knob fouls the prism housing. It's not a major issue, more a different way of working, for me at least") are minor compared to the possibilities.

And I was thinking you refer to this: http://nikonrumors.com/2012/03/10/nikon-support-nikkor-pc-e-24mm-f3-5d-ed-lens-cannot-be-used-with-shifting-and-tilting-on-the-d800.aspx/#more-35516

I'm happy you love your D3x so much. Congratulations.

[SpiritShooter]

Also, the D3x can use all three PC-E lenses without limitations. The D800 should be able to use the 45mm and 85mm, but will have somewhat limited use with the 24mm.

Not so fast my friend.
I got my D800 last week and it works perfectly with the Nikon 24mm PC-E.....

SS

[BJL]

Also now the D3x is discontinued ,it is very clear there will be an upgrade coming of the D3x.

If by that you mean a big, heavy, super-rugged body with integrated vertical grip, and also with high resolution like the D800, it is not at all clear to me that such a camera is coming from either Nikon or Canon. The recent product announcements from both Nikon and Canon seem to say that those "super heavy duty" bodies are now being offered only in high speed "press cameras" like the Nikon D4 and Canon 1DX, because now that those high speed models exceed the resolution needs of even the great majority of professional and advanced amateur usage, it is probably the case that most customers needing even higher resolution (for landscapes, architecture, studio work and such) prefer lighter and far less expensive bodies like the D800. Maybe when a camera can offer both 10fps and 30MP+, you will see that in a super heavy duty body.

And after all, back when this high resolution market was served exclusively by medium format (along with view cameras), none of those cameras offered greater ruggedness than the D800. Or integrated vertical grips!

P. S. I premise this on the understanding that the D800 (and the D700 before it) are of build quality significantly greater than the D7000 referred to in some posts here. At the very least, it is weather sealed.

[ckimmerle]

Not so fast my friend.
I got my D800 last week and it works perfectly with the Nikon 24mm PC-E.....

SS

so it doesn't hit the camera housing at all when rotating?

[wthurman]

What would be the advantages of the D3x over the D800/E?

The chief advantage for me is that I have an underwater housing for the D3x- an admittedly specialized advantage.  It's just not worthwhile to look at the two cameras comparatively at this time given the fact an Aquatica housing represents nearly $4k.  I am impressed with the D800 and actually placed a pre-order but cancelled it.  I'm going with what I have for the time being; investing in a larger tripod, the 24TE lens, and additional underwater lighting makes more sense for me at this time.  Maybe in a year or so but in the meantime, I need to shoot and dive more with the core system I have.

I applaud Nikon for coming out with the D800/800e.  If I didn't have the D3x, I wouldn't think twice about purchasing one.

[heinrichvoelkel]

so it doesn't hit the camera housing at all when rotating?

to repeat it till you listen

"the Nikkor 24mm PC-E lens works without any problems on the D800 - it just clears the prism housing, to use the camera in portrait mode however, you have to rotate the lens the "wrong" way (clockwise) so the adjustment knob is on the right-hand side of the camera as you operate it. If you rotate the lens to the counter-clockwise the shift adjustment knob fouls the prism housing. It's not a major issue, more a different way of working, for me at least"

[kers]

to repeat it till you listen

"the Nikkor 24mm PC-E lens works without any problems on the D800 - it just clears the prism housing, to use the camera in portrait mode however, you have to rotate the lens the "wrong" way (clockwise) so the adjustment knob is on the right-hand side of the camera as you operate it. If you rotate the lens to the counter-clockwise the shift adjustment knob fouls the prism housing. It's not a major issue, more a different way of working, for me at least"

also at Nikon they will give you a smaller knob to replace it if you like

[ckimmerle]

to repeat it till you listen......you have to rotate the lens the "wrong" way (clockwise)

which is EXACTLY what I was saying all along. Quit being so damned argumentative as you evidently have no idea what you are talking about.

[DanLehman]

The D3x has many advantages over the D800, body build, as someone said earlier, being foremost among them. I've dropped my D3x twice, from 3-4 feet, onto asphalt and rock. Both times it emerged unscathed (though scared the crap out of me). If the D800 is anything like the D7000, I am sure the outcome would have been different.

The D800 is at the oft'-called "semi-pro" X00 level,
as for D200, D300, & D700.  Is there reasonable evidence
from usage of some manifestation of this supposed lesser
build?  --even along the anecdotal lines of the alleged
weakness of the 5DmkII from that Antarctica field trip?!

Or is whatever difference might exist on the order of minor
difference such that it would be tricky to find cases where
the D<X> body would survive better than the D<XNN> one?
--e.g., dropping the camera into the drink : all hopes sink!

As for the integration or not of the grip, that can be seen
as a possibility for lighter vs. heavier --and I've seen many
folks wanting and acting on getting the D700 vs. D3 because
of this.

--dl*
====

[rethmeier]

Why don't we wait what Bernard has to say?
Because of him,I got myself a D3x and I'm still very happy with it.
Also,for that bloody exchange rate at the time,the thing cost me $12.340 AUD
However in the 3 years I've had it , it's paid for itself over and over.
What you can pull out of the shadows with that thing is pretty amazing.
Best,
Willem.

[BernardLanguillier]

Why don't we wait what Bernard has to say?
Because of him,I got myself a D3x and I'm still very happy with it.
Also,for that bloody exchange rate at the time,the thing cost me $12.340 AUD
However in the 3 years I've had it , it's paid for itself over and over.
What you can pull out of the shadows with that thing is pretty amazing.

Well, in terms of physical build I won't have much to say.  

I have indeed been able to keep shooting with a D2x that had suffered a direct hit following a fall from the top of a 1.7m high tripod into a rock. It turned out the mount had been bent out of alignement, but the camera did keep working besides the pretty deep dent in the lower corner. Would the camera have survived had it fallen from the same height on its prism, I doubt it but will never know for sure.

Would a D800 survive a similar fall? No idea really.

The D800 seems to be very well built, I would say F100 class for those who remember. Now, the amount of padding around key organs is of course less than with the D3/D4 series simply because the body is physically smaller. I am unable to tell whether it would impact actual fall resistance or not.

Cheers,
Bernard

[Christoph C. Feldhaim]

The D800 ...
Will it blend?

[ckimmerle]

I am unable to tell whether it would impact actual fall resistance or not.

You could, if you really wanted. It be a sacrifice for science.

[BernardLanguillier]

You could, if you really wanted. It be a sacrifice for science.

We would have to sacrifice your D3x at the same time to make the comparison significant... 

1.5 meter fall on concrete, prism first,... I bet the D800 would fare better because the destruction of the built-in flash would dissipate enough energy to preserve the prism though. 

Cheers,
Bernard

[SpiritShooter]

Shot a series of interiors late last week. Not a single issue with fouling the prism/flash.
If I were shooting in Portrait configuration, I would rotate the lens clockwise rather than counter clockwise. Becomes a methodology of working and certainly not an issue that presents any type of problems.

So, as I said, the 24 PC-E works perfectly with the D800.
Steve