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Following *isteve's lead, I went to have a look at the Nikon D700 at a camera store yesterday.
My main reasons for looking at FF is for the bigger brighter VF, the extra stop in DOF control, and of course, the other benefits are just icing on the cake, like better high ISO for low light, better AF among a few, as we all know. There are other benefits as well but these are more to do with the fact that this is a true pro camera and therefore there are many features that the K-7 doesn't have, like 51 AF points etc, because it is not at this level of camera.
I really am in two minds about a switch. The D700 is a very impressive feeling camera. Unfortunately, the camera store didn't have a battery in the camera, so I couldn't power it up and try the AF and other features, so I am going to another store later today to hopefully try a powered up version.
The VF is bigger, but surprisingly not that much bigger than the K-7's as I was hoping, certainly not as big as I remember the ME Super's VF in the film days - oh how I miss that VF! - am I looking through rose tinted glasses? The build quality is superb, slightly better than the K-7, but this is probably moreso due to the heavier feel of the camera. Switches, buttons and dials seem a tad more robust, but again, this is probably due to the fact that it costs 3x the price of the K-7, or thereabouts, and you would/should expect that.
The 24-70 f2.8 was attached for evaluation and with this lens attached, the whole overall size and weight is a small part as to what has scared me off the D700, may be for now - D700 @ 995gms + 24-70 f2.8 @ 900gms = 1895gms(plus batteries and cards) - K-7 @ 670gms + DA*16-50 f2.8 @ 565gms = 1235gms. What I will say is that the 24-70 is s uperb piece of glass. Sensational build quality and great feel of the zoom and focus. Better than the DA*16-50 f2.8 in zoom feel and it really feels like a pro level lens and of course it would need to be as it is about US$2,000. This is the type of lens Pentax needs to have and the type of one that I asked this forum about last year as to whether people would pony up for one. I know I would buy one in a heartbeat, and a lens like this would almost convince me to not bother about FF.
As I said, I could not try the AF due to lack of battery and even if it is better, at the moment, as great as the D700 is, it was the size, weight and lack of in camera SR has scared me off it. If I were a pro, like *isteve has decided to go, I wouldn't hesitate at getting the D700 with the 24-70 f2.8. It is a superb piece of kit judging by my limited handling of it, by the results I've seen and by the writeups given.
As for Pentax maybe going FF sometime in the future? For me, I would purchase one in a heartbeat as long as they could make it about the same size and weight as the K20D or even better, then K-7. They would definitely need to have a 24-70 of the calibre of the Nikon version as well as a 70-200 f2.8 as well.
Of course, if Pentax can come out with a camera of this quality and performance in APS C, with a lens like the Nikkor 24-70 f2.8, then I think we may keep many Pentax FF advocates for the short term.
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Looked at theNikon D700 yesterday: Pentax SLR Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review
From his thread posted recently.
Lots of great posts in Lance's thread.
Great insights from his very first time handling any full frame dslr, albeit without a battery installed.
I don't think Pentax needs to offer full frame as most people thesedays who want full frame are finding it elsewhere instead of waiting yet another year or two or three...
Originally posted by awo425 it is quite ironic to see *isteve, who spent countless hours in the last few years defending Pentax and APS-C format system here on pentaxforums.com move to Nikon and FF. LOL.