Phil Levesque Photography: New CAMERA and New Blog!!!

This is my first post on my first blog. I figured quite a few of my other photography buds have one, why not me? Funny thing though, I'm not much of a talker, so don't be surprised if future posts are just mumbled grunts.

So, I finally snagged myself a Nikon D700!

I just can't put this camera down. I've already read the manual, it was so helpful (eyes rolling) that I ran out and bought the Magic Lantern Guide Book for it. I highly recommend all of their books, they go far deeper into the details than the manufacturer's manual.

Coming from the D200, the D700 has a solid camera body that fits nicely in my small hands (yes, small hands, ha ha). The 3" LCD is large, crystal clear and sharp.

Though the button layout is the same as most of Nikon's cameras, the image review buttons have a friendlier setup, particularly with the zoom. The menu is extensive and you can easily get lost, however, a welcoming feature is the "My Menu" option where you can setup your very own quick menu tab of all your favorite menu items/options.

The AF system, in my opinion, is simpler compared to previous Nikon cameras I've owned. And it goes without saying, fast and deadly accurate. Tracking moving subjects is a breeze compared to what I'm use to with the D200.

The WB is a little finicky and is taking sometime getting use to, same with the Picture Control. Like Goldilocks though, I'm close to getting it "just right" so as I have very little to no post processing.

At first I thought the Live View feature was a bit of a gimmick, however, it's actually a great feature adopted from today's P&S cameras. I can see this being very handy for use with landscapes and portraits while setup on a tripod. Hand held Live View isn't very handy (pun intended) in my opinion.

Some of the smaller bells and whistles I like are the;

Viewfinder Blackout Shutter

Virtual Horizon

Info Display (Viewed on the rear 3" LCD screen, with quick menu options)

Front connectors (no more screw caps to lose!)

Finally, the image quality, has to be the best I've seen and the high ISO IQ is remarkable. Telling the difference between ISO 200-800 is an exercise in splitting hairs. At ISO 1250 and 1600 I can virtually see no loss are perfectly usable.

(ISO 800)