Forster's Tern via Nikon D700

[James Shadle]

Forster's Tern

Tampa Bay, Florida about 4 hours ago.

Nikon D700
Sigma 300-800 DG F5.6 @ 800mm
Gitzo 1548
Mongoose 3.5a (This thing rocks!)

ISO 400
14bit Uncompressed RAW file.
1/1600 ss @ F8
AF-C, 9 Point Dynamic, Lock-On set to normal.

[Randy Stout]

James:

Congratulations on the D700. I have one on order and am very interested in how it compares to the D300, which I believe you have shot a fair amount.

I know the crop factor will be missed, but how do you find the AF speed?

Randy

[James Shadle]

Randy,
It feels like a faster camera overall.
The shutter sounds like a D3 and I can shoot 14bit at 8FPS.

Crop factor was not really missed, I just used 800mm instead of 600mm.

800mm was my favorite focal length for birds when I was shooting film (old school).

The higher and larger eye point is a welcome addition.

Today was my first experience with it. I set it up like my D300 except I am using 14bit with the D700.
I am going out pre-dawn tomorrow to check out the ISO performance.
James

[Juan Aragonés]

Congratulations for the new toy James.The D700 seems to be a winner boby, like a little sister of the amazing D3 but it is not very interesting for us, european wildlife photographers, because the full frame is not very usable here to photograph birds. Oh, well I forget that in the analogic age all of us were using full frame bodies and people made great images :D.. but it is so easy and so nice to use an APS camera for bird photography...

Enjoy the new baby

[George DeCamp]

Looks like a winner James! This is first nature image I have seen with the D700 and a killer shot as well...I would expect no less from you!

Best of luck with it, great choice!!

[Sabyasachi Patra]

Superb! Congratulations on the new toy. Would love to see more from it.

[Gayle Clement]

Terrific, James. I get mine Wednesday and your photo makes me even more excited. Now, if I can only guarantee my pictures will look like yours...

[Kaushik Balakumar]

Congrats on the new body James. Would love to know your feedback on its performance as you shoot more...

[Blake Shadle]

That looks sooo sharp! Great work dad, and I'm lookin' forward to hearin' that fancy shutter :)

[Gus Cobos]

Fantastic...congrats, and enjoy your new toy...I might just write a letter to Santa; I've been a good boy this year and see if he brings me one too. By the way; killer image...:eek::D:):cool: