james xie , Mar 08, 2010; 10:04 p.m.
HI, GUYS: I CURRENTLY HAVE A NIKON D-300, AND WANT TO UPGRADE . THERE ARE TWO CHOICES NOW. ONE IS D3S, BUT IT'S TOO EXPENSIVE. THE OTHER ONE IS D700. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN D700 AND D300 IS DX AND FX. IS IT TRUE?. DOES IT WORTH BUYING WHEN I HAVE HAVE D300 OR JUST WAIT FOR D400 OR D800? THANK YOU.
Matt Laur 
, Mar 08, 2010; 10:11 p.m.
What lenses are you using? What do you photograph?
Dave Lee 
, Mar 08, 2010; 11:05 p.m.
Moving from a D300 to a D700 is not an upgrade, it is changing from DX to FX format. The real upgrade from the D300 would be the D3s.
B M Mills 
, Mar 09, 2010; 12:12 a.m.
I second what Matt asks. You are moving from a DX to an FX camera so the issue of lenses is critical. Also important is what you intend to do with it. If you want a great wide - normal camera with fabulous low light and ISO abilities then D700 makes sense (again assuming you have the lenses for it). If you prefer more telephoto photography (eg wildlife, sports, etc) then the DX format of the D300 will be far better suited to you.
The crux of the matter is that going from D300 to D700 is not just an upgrade. You're not just getting a newer model of essentially the same thing. You are changing from DX to FX, and so have to look at the strengths and weaknesses of each of those formats and decide what suits you best. You say this is 'the only difference'. But it is a very important difference.
Dave - the D3s is also an FX camera so in fact moving from D300 to D700 or D3s would be the same in terms of the most important element of change. I think the 'natural' upgrade within the DX format is from D300 to D300s.
Rene' Villela , Mar 09, 2010; 12:55 a.m.
I agree with Dave, going from a D300 to a D700 is not an upgrade but a format change therefor the first thing you should do is to look at the lenses you already have. If you mostly have FX lenses then going for a D700/D3s won't be a problem.
Another question you should ask yourself is "Why you wanna jump from DX to FX". I don't think anyone can answer that question here.
The last part of your question, when you asked if you should wait for a D400 or a D800 gives me a feeling that you just want a new camera coz again, one of them should be a DX camera and the other one an FX.
So before making a jump you should think again what is wrong with your D300.....
Good luck on your decision! Cheers!
Chad Mulcahy , Mar 09, 2010; 01:37 a.m.
As already said here, it depends on what type of shooting you do. My guess is that you should stick w/ the D300 and buy some new glass if you have $ burning in your pocket or are in need of an upgrade.
If you are shooting weddings or events then I'd say switch to the D700. The improved ISO performance will be greatly appreciated. Just keep in mind you may need to purchase new glass w/ the D700 given the FX sensor.
Shuo Zhao , Mar 09, 2010; 02:44 a.m.
Going from a D300 to a D700 is a bit of a trade off. You'll loose the reach and higher pixel density of the D300; while gaining better low light performance and greater flexibility with WA shooting. As other have said, there could be some issues with lenses.
Even if the D700 end up being the better camera for what you do, it could still be better to hold off the purchase and stay put; as it is almost always a cost effective to do so, and that more capable cameras will always get introduced in the future.
dean turner , Mar 09, 2010; 02:54 a.m.
i had the d80 and moved up to the d700 mostly because i wanted full frame pictures.i bought myself the 28 - 70 nikon lens and the 70 - 200 vr lens and the differences im getting in picture quality now is massive.the fx format to me for landscape brings this camera into a league of its own.if your primarily thinking of the bigger picture then the d700 would be the choice hands down.but if you dont have the glass you would be looking at more payout get get proper results.
Chris Leck , Mar 09, 2010; 03:24 a.m.
James, what is driving the 'upgrade?' The D700 is an upgrade in terms of high-ISO performance. It's a downgrade due to the arrangement of AF sensors, IMO.
As already mentioned, it's a format change -- all of your lenses get wider. DX lenses may work, but at lower resolution or limited zoom range. If you have specific needs, you may have to invest in additional lenses.
Joe Overton , Mar 09, 2010; 05:03 a.m.
I made the change from D300 to D700 about 18 months ago. I personally think it was a huge upgrade. The low light capabilities are exceptional. I shoot alot of HDR's and inside pics. I had a 18-200mm DX and went the 24-70mm 2.8 and 70-200mm 2.8, and again both are a dream to use. The only trade-off to me is the weight - the D300 system is small & light compares to the D700 system.
ALSO, the move to the D700 and those two lenes cost me about $7000 at the time - but the D700 body has come down in price.
Just to be clear - the DX lenses do not work correctly [ different size light cone ] on FX bodies.
