To keep a D3 or not....

What should I keep?

  • Flakey D3 with high shutter count

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Good D3 with 38k shutter count

    Votes: 8 80.0%

  • Get rid of all of them and recover some of my photography costs

    Votes: 2 20.0%
  • Total voters
    10
Desmond

Desmond

Really lucky purchase - I just bought these 4 cameras for $450.
Nikon D1 - can't test it because I don't have a CF card less than 4 gig :) Turns on, came with two batteries and charger, all 4 bodies came with two batteries and a charger each.

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D1X - also can't check shutter count until I have a 2 gig CF card or smaller. Also powers up.

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D3 with 325000 actuations, described as having a "flakey screen" because evey now and then the screen flickers and goes red for a second. It has happened once in about an hour's worth of shooting.

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Nikon D3 with 38k on the shutter, in pretty good condition. Came with 4 X 4 gig CF cards. Also came in original box with local warranty slip.

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Now my dilemma - someone has offered me a gripped D5200 with kit lens, two batteries plus an f60 and 3 rolls of film :D and $150 cash my way for the 'flakey' D3. I also have two people interested in buying the D1X for $175. This just about covers the whole purchase price of all 4 bodies - plus maybe $100 for the D1 for a collector.
So do I keep the good D3? I mean it seems like an amazing camera but I can't really see that much difference at iso 6400 to my D7200 though I've only zoomed in on the display. I already have two D7200 bodies and like my dx lenses - AND they have dust reduction :)
The other option is to get perhaps a decent price for the good D3 and use the 'flakey' one since I'm not that into full frame.
Opinions?
 
D

D.RicPhoto

Desmond said:
Really lucky purchase - I just bought these 4 cameras for $450.
Nikon D1 - can't test it because I don't have a CF card less than 4 gig :) Turns on, came with two batteries and charger, all 4 bodies came with two batteries and a charger each.

View attachment 1636191

D1X - also can't check shutter count until I have a 2 gig CF card or smaller. Also powers up.

View attachment 1636192

D3 with 325000 actuations, described as having a "flakey screen" because evey now and then the screen flickers and goes red for a second. It has happened once in about an hour's worth of shooting.

View attachment 1636194

Nikon D3 with 38k on the shutter, in pretty good condition. Came with 4 X 4 gig CF cards. Also came in original box with local warranty slip.

View attachment 1636193

Now my dilemma - someone has offered me a gripped D5200 with kit lens, two batteries plus an f60 and 3 rolls of film :D and $150 cash my way for the 'flakey' D3. I also have two people interested in buying the D1X for $175. This just about covers the whole purchase price of all 4 bodies - plus maybe $100 for the D1 for a collector.
So do I keep the good D3? I mean it seems like an amazing camera but I can't really see that much difference at iso 6400 to my D7200 though I've only zoomed in on the display. I already have two D7200 bodies and like my dx lenses - AND they have dust reduction :)
The other option is to get perhaps a decent price for the good D3 and use the 'flakey' one since I'm not that into full frame.
Opinions?
Click to expand...
I would sell all of them. Invest in something newer or refurbished. Though I could see keeping the better D3 .
 
Mitchell

Mitchell

Subscribing Member
Jonathan F/2 said:
Keep the good D3. That's still a good camera despite being over 10 years old. If someone gave me one to shoot, I'd have no problem shooting with it.
Click to expand...
I think the D3 shares the same sensor as the D700. I still shoot my D700 regularly. I believe that sensor is one of Nikon's best for portraiture. Put a good lens on a D700 and watch the portrait magic begin.
 
Jonathan F/2

Jonathan F/2

Subscribing Member
Mitchell said:
I think the D3 shares the same sensor as the D700. I still shoot my D700 regularly. I believe that sensor is one of Nikon's best for portraiture. Put a good lens on a D700 and watch the portrait magic begin.
Click to expand...
You know what camera often gets overlooked is the D3X. I shot with the D3/D3S/D700/D3X and by far the D3X was by far my favorite for portraits due to colors and image output. It was so-so at high ISO, but low ISO photos looked amazing.
 
Mitchell

Mitchell

Subscribing Member
Jonathan F/2 said:
You know what camera often gets overlooked is the D3X. I shot with the D3/D3S/D700/D3X and by far the D3X was by far my favorite for portraits due to colors and image output. It was so-so at high ISO, but low ISO photos looked amazing.
Click to expand...
I never shot a D3X. The price was always out of reach. It struck me more as a landscape camera.
 
Desmond

Desmond

The 'good' D3 may have an issue. I decided to format the two 4 gig CF cards in it and then it stopped writing images when I took a picture. I swapped the cards over to the older body and it was the same. Then I took a 2 gig SD card in an adapter and formatted that in the right card slot and it did the same. I put another 4 gig card into the right slot and it worked fine but I haven't tried another format in that slot.
The SD card that go formatted in it no longer works in my D5200 and can't be formatted again, it just keeps the green light on and freezes the camera.
 
Desmond

Desmond

Mitchell said:
I would keep a working D3 given your recent purchase of an 85mm, f1.4 lens. That glass really shines on an FX body.
Click to expand...
Technically I bought this for a workmate - she shoots weddings and when she found out I buy and sell a bit of gear she told me she was after an 85mm 1.4D [had to have aperture ring]. I will try it for a week when it arrives and pass it on to her. I may still look around for another one for myself because this is the second 85mm f1.4D in 6. months that I've seen go for $270.
 
gwh1bass

gwh1bass

For bar bands in artificial lights, I always seem to reach for the old D3 with an 85 1.8D since I don’t have a 1.4. Never disappoints although multiple Nikon branded batteries have given up, a DSTE battery works just fine.

With minimal cropping, get great results.
 
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