So a while back I lost a lot of camera gear to a freak wave.  While that kinda sucked at the time, on the flip side it’s given me the opportunity to get some new camera gear! This is supremely exciting for me, because I’ve never had a camera that is brand-spanking-new. And after using (and loving) the D500 for three weeks, it was the obvious choice to replace my D700 that went south. 

The D500 is a crop body compared to the full-frame D700, sure. At the moment, though, nothing in the current full-frame Nikon range suits my work. I have gripes about the D750, and I don’t want to deal with the massive files that come out of the D810. The D500 is the perfect tool for the job I do – with incredible autofocus, ridiculous frame-rate, and perfect ergonomics for my tiny hands. I loved using it in the subantarctic, and I can’t wait to head out on more adventures with it soon. We’ve got a lot of work to do together! Massive, massive thank you to the guys at Lacklands/Nikon NZ for helping me get back in business.

That said, I’m still on the look-out for a second hand D700 that’s in good condition. Edin, why do you want a seven year old camera second hand? Reviewing my photos from the trip, and comparing the file quality of the D500 and D700, I found that the images from the D700 stand up to, and sometime surpass the D500 files. It is, in my mind, one of the best cameras that Nikon has ever made. I’ve used it for four years now, and it feels like ‘my’ camera. It fits the way I work. Apart from wanting a full-frame body, the fact that the D500 has no inbuilt flash is another reason why I want a D700. It’s a very versatile body.

At this stage of my career I should probably be looking forward to getting more updated gear that will carry me further, and not giving in to sentiment. Realistically, though, there’s nothing wrong with the D700. It’s an amazing piece of kit and I’d have kept using it if events hadn’t transpired against that plan. So – if anyone knows of a second-hand D700 that’s in good nick – hit me up!