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D610 prices keep dropping

JDDavis

JDDavis

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jan 16, 2009
1,242
109
I believe the D610 body started at $1996

You can now get it new on Amazon for $1596

Used (like new) for $1300

and now Grey market for $1200 http://nikonrumors.com/2014/11/19/new-low-price-grey-market-nikon-d610-is-now-1199-99.aspx/

I've been patiently plotting my next upgrade and after some testing and deliberation I had settled on going FF and the D610. And then the D750 hit the streets. The main gripe I had with the D610 was the AF system in low light and the D750 solved that. I decided to bite the bullet and save up for the D750 knowing I've used my current camera for nearly 6 years and my next camera will be a long term investment.

Watching the price drop on the D610 is pretty tempting though. Except for the AF I was more than pleased with its output. I'm going to stick to my plan for now though. How far will it drop? If a D610 goes sub $1k would I be able to resist?
 
I don't think the prices will ccome down much more.
A used d600 should go well under 1k.

I remember your thread and since you are dedicated to low light sports, the d750 seems like the way to go. For everything else the D610 would be a no-brainer.
 
Trouble is by the time you save up, the D770/D630 will be announced.

I am also debating between the two. I'll be hoping to upgrade around March next year at the photography show in the UK.
So many tempting choices! Not good for my savings.
 
Apple fanboy said:
Trouble is by the time you save up, the D770/D630 will be announced.

I am also debating between the two. I'll be hoping to upgrade around March next year at the photography show in the UK.
So many tempting choices! Not good for my savings.
Click to expand...

Always a risk I guess. I was ready to pull the trigger on the D610 and then along came the D750. If the 750 hadn't brought drastic improvement in low light AF then I'd have stayed course on the 610. It helps that I still love my D90 and have learned to work with it's shortcomings (in comparison).

In my mind, at least for now, I can't imagine what upgrade would convince me to wait for the 610/750 successors. The low light AF was my main concern so I guess if the 6XX is to be and it gets the 750's AF system at a lower price then I might change horses again. I'm not going to wait forever though...I'm targeting the spring as well. Maybe sooner becuase we have a winter visit to Yellowstone planned in Feb!
 
Apple fanboy said:
It's not very detailed though is it? I like the idea of the articulated screen for macro work. Sometimes you just can't get the camera where you want it and still see the screen.
But is that worth an extra £500? Not sure.
Click to expand...

I think macro photography is the LEAST demanding of an SLR body. This is because it is not likely an "action shot" and the subject is so close that you can add lights and shoot at ISO 100 and f/16 if you like. I use a 1960's vintage Nikon macro lens that at one time was "the sharpest lens in the world" with my D200 fro macro work. The results are such that it is always the display technology that limits image quality. More expensive gear can't do any better.

I use a Nikon finder attachment for macro work. Something like this http://www.nikonusa.com/en/Nikon-Products/Product/Viewfinders/DR-6-Rectangular-Right-Angle-Viewfinder.html
I got it used for not a lot of money.

But the OP was into the exact opposite of this: Low light sports photography. I was able to do this a while back only because I was able to walk up close enough to use my 85mm f/1.8 lens.
 
ChrisA said:
I think macro photography is the LEAST demanding of an SLR body. This is because it is not likely an "action shot" and the subject is so close that you can add lights and shoot at ISO 100 and f/16 if you like. I use a 1960's vintage Nikon macro lens that at one time was "the sharpest lens in the world" with my D200 fro macro work. The results are such that it is always the display technology that limits image quality. More expensive gear can't do any better.

I use a Nikon finder attachment for macro work. Something like this http://www.nikonusa.com/en/Nikon-Products/Product/Viewfinders/DR-6-Rectangular-Right-Angle-Viewfinder.html
I got it used for not a lot of money.

But the OP was into the exact opposite of this: Low light sports photography. I was able to do this a while back only because I was able to walk up close enough to use my 85mm f/1.8 lens.
Click to expand...

Interesting tip. I didn't know you could get a right angle attachment. Might have a look for a preowned one.
 
I am also a D90 shooter wanting to upgrade/update. I want to go FF and also used some of my MF lenes from back in the day. I real close to getting the D610, besides the low light AF is there any other big reason I should think about the D750?
 
dimme said:
I am also a D90 shooter wanting to upgrade/update. I want to go FF and also used some of my MF lenes from back in the day. I real close to getting the D610, besides the low light AF is there any other big reason I should think about the D750?
Click to expand...

Built in wifi or the articulated screen would be the two extra features you would miss out on. Are they worth the extra money? Only you can decide.
 
dimme said:
I am also a D90 shooter wanting to upgrade/update. I want to go FF and also used some of my MF lenes from back in the day. I real close to getting the D610, besides the low light AF is there any other big reason I should think about the D750?
Click to expand...

I've rented and tested the D610 for my needs and it's a huge upgrade from the D90. The only area I was not satisfied with it was low light AF. This was particular to my needs as one area I'm trying to improve is the ability to shoot gymnastics meets (bad light, fast action). If you have time to get the focus right in low light I don't think it's that big of a deal. Strangely I felt my D90 with its fewer and larger focus points got the focus right more often in regards to gymnastics. The D610 was by no means not capable of producing better results than my D90 and I was close to pulling the trigger when the D750 came out. After I saw its low light performance I was convinced to wait and save up for it.

BTW...unless you are really after the best low light performance you can get the D7100 is a great upgrade from the D90 too.
 
JDDavis said:
I've rented and tested the D610 for my needs and it's a huge upgrade from the D90. The only area I was not satisfied with it was low light AF. This was particular to my needs as one area I'm trying to improve is the ability to shoot gymnastics meets (bad light, fast action). If you have time to get the focus right in low light I don't think it's that big of a deal. Strangely I felt my D90 with its fewer and larger focus points got the focus right more often in regards to gymnastics. The D610 was by no means not capable of producing better results than my D90 and I was close to pulling the trigger when the D750 came out. After I saw its low light performance I was convinced to wait and save up for it.

BTW...unless you are really after the best low light performance you can get the D7100 is a great upgrade from the D90 too.
Click to expand...
No offence, but lots of cameras are a big upgrade from the D90! You've really had your money's worth out of that one!
 
Apple fanboy said:
No offence, but lots of cameras are a big upgrade from the D90! You've really had your money's worth out of that one!
Click to expand...

My entire sensibilities as a photographer and a D90 owner have been offended. Pistols at dawn! :eek:

Kidding of course. The D90 has been a great camera and unless something goes bad on it I expect to keep using it. It certainly has it's limitations when compared to new bodies but it sure has stood up to the abuse I put it through.

BTW, I think my brother has a better natural eye for photography then I do and he even had work printed back in collegiate level publications (with film). His first and only digital was a D40x and it's still his only camera today.
 
JDDavis said:
My entire sensibilities as a photographer and a D90 owner have been offended. Pistols at dawn! :eek:

Kidding of course. The D90 has been a great camera and unless something goes bad on it I expect to keep using it. It certainly has it's limitations when compared to new bodies but it sure has stood up to the abuse I put it through.

BTW, I think my brother has a better natural eye for photography then I do and he even had work printed back in collegiate level publications (with film). His first and only digital was a D40x and it's still his only camera today.
Click to expand...

Just goes to show. It's the photographer, not the gear!
 
dimme said:
I am also a D90 shooter wanting to upgrade/update. I want to go FF and also used some of my MF lenes from back in the day. I real close to getting the D610, besides the low light AF is there any other big reason I should think about the D750?
Click to expand...
I tested the D750 a tiny bit against my D610 and I actually wanted to write about it on here, but never had the time to. :eek: The D750 is essentially the same camera as the D610, except for the AF. Here are some other differences I noticed, that can also be found in various reviews online:

  • the text in the viewfinder is white on the D750
  • the grip is deeper and more comfortable to my hands (I am 6'3 with large hands) The (clueless) storeclerk I took the camera from complained about the new grip. He prefered the D610s.
  • in-camera high iso seems marginally improved
  • the D750 feels flimsy compared to the D610. A friend of mine commented on the D610 feeling much more rugged. I personally liked the feel of the D750
  • the one-push histogramm that I use on my D610 didn't work on the D750. I couldn't adjust it in the menu either and the clerk, again was clueless
  • the viewfinder on the D750 seemed clearer. This is probably due to my D610 viewfinder being horribly filthy :eek:
  • they changed the location of the iso button and not in a good way. I like it more on the D610
  • The tilty screen feels sturdy, but the screen protector is missing. I would not use a 2k dslr without a screenprotector. (The one on my D610 looks like I just came back from a warzone)
  • Overall I really liked the feel and features of the D750. If the extra features are worth 700€ is a truly tough call.
 
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dimme said:
I am also a D90 shooter wanting to upgrade/update. I want to go FF and also used some of my MF lenes from back in the day. I real close to getting the D610, besides the low light AF is there any other big reason I should think about the D750?
Click to expand...



I have a D90 too. I was looking at the D600, and then the D610 came out. I was ready to make plans for the D610 but the D750 came out. So now the D750 is on my list. One of the things I'm liking is that it has 51AF points. I know that they are close in but after using a D300 in low light I see the benefits of having more AF points (faster focusing). I don't shoot a lot of video but I get lots of request for video. It's good to have (finally) a DSLR that shoots 1080p at 60fps.

Its either D7100 or D750. I toyed with the idea of going with the D7100. imo it's not a huge upgrade from the D90 when looking at just the bare necessity of shooting. I don't go pass 1600ISO so I really don't see a big benefit in getting a D7100. You can easily put some fast glass on a D90 and get some great captures. But to go to D750 you get more use of your lenses. Something you can't do on DX camera (go wide-rrrr) lol




I see the D7000 going for $500 thats a good buy. I suspect the D610 to drop in the upcoming months to a little over $1k.
 
mofunk said:
I have a D90 too. I was looking at the D600, and then the D610 came out. I was ready to make plans for the D610 but the D750 came out. So now the D750 is on my list. One of the things I'm liking is that it has 51AF points. I know that they are close in but after using a D300 in low light I see the benefits of having more AF points (faster focusing). I don't shoot a lot of video but I get lots of request for video. It's good to have (finally) a DSLR that shoots 1080p at 60fps.

Its either D7100 or D750. I toyed with the idea of going with the D7100. imo it's not a huge upgrade from the D90 when looking at just the bare necessity of shooting. I don't go pass 1600ISO so I really don't see a big benefit in getting a D7100. You can easily put some fast glass on a D90 and get some great captures. But to go to D750 you get more use of your lenses. Something you can't do on DX camera (go wide-rrrr) lol




I see the D7000 going for $500 thats a good buy. I suspect the D610 to drop in the upcoming months to a little over $1k.
Click to expand...

Aha, fellow D90 users :cool: I had a little time with a D7100 as I was investigating my upgrade options. I'd say it's not a cosmic leap from the D90 but it is an overall much better camera. If it wasn't for my need to shoot fast action in bad light I probably would go with the D7100. Having never used a FF camera before I didn't realize I would miss the extra "reach" of a DX body in certain situations. You can't always zoom with your feet. That being said I determined the trade off was worth it on FF for the better low light capabilities. The D7100 is an improvement over the D90 for low light but it's no where as near an improvement as the D610 or D750 is.

I'll say that for every other aspect of my photography efforts the D610 was an outstanding choice. It's not like it was unusable at all for low light / fast action it's just I felt the AF was lacking in this arena. Heck, I've used old MF lenses on my D90 and been able to get good shots (though the in focus keeper ratio is much lower). The reason I decided on the D750 was simply the low light AF performance (and it's a general improvement in most other categories). Now...I haven't pulled the trigger yet as I'm saving up so I reserve the right to change my mind...again.

BTW, you can go ultra wide with a DX if you are willing to plan for it and then photostich shots back in post. Current software does an amazing job at stiching shots back together. You can go wide in just about any scenario with any lens if you plan it out. I like taking 3 shots with the camera rotated 90 degrees and then stiching them back together.
 
These price drops are good for buyers, that's for sure. I'm contemplating adding a FF back up to my D800, and the D610 (especially for the price) fits the bill. I would even contemplate purchasing a D600 if the price was right and the oil issue was fix as well.
 
nburwell said:
These price drops are good for buyers, that's for sure. I'm contemplating adding a FF back up to my D800, and the D610 (especially for the price) fits the bill. I would even contemplate purchasing a D600 if the price was right and the oil issue was fix as well.
Click to expand...

The fix for the D600 was the D610. Friend of mine had his D600 cleaned by Nikon and the shutter replaced, and they still kept coming back. He had it exchanged for a D610 last week.
 
Apple fanboy said:
The fix for the D600 was the D610. Friend of mine had his D600 cleaned by Nikon and the shutter replaced, and they still kept coming back. He had it exchanged for a D610 last week.
Click to expand...


The official Nikon D600 fix worked for my camera. It too had a replacement shutter fitted and mirror/sensor clean. Luck of the draw it would seem. To nburwell, I'd advise getting the D610 for a problem free experience, especially if the price difference between the 600 & 610 is minimal.

Given the choice between the D610 and D750 cameras, I'd get the D750 if budget allows. The reported superior low light AF is worth it imo - the D600 definitely struggles in this area. My next camera body will be the D750 and the D600 will become the second/spare body.
 
JDDavis said:
Aha, fellow D90 users :cool: I had a little time with a D7100 as I was investigating my upgrade options. I'd say it's not a cosmic leap from the D90 but it is an overall much better camera. If it wasn't for my need to shoot fast action in bad light I probably would go with the D7100. Having never used a FF camera before I didn't realize I would miss the extra "reach" of a DX body in certain situations. You can't always zoom with your feet. That being said I determined the trade off was worth it on FF for the better low light capabilities. The D7100 is an improvement over the D90 for low light but it's no where as near an improvement as the D610 or D750 is.

I'll say that for every other aspect of my photography efforts the D610 was an outstanding choice. It's not like it was unusable at all for low light / fast action it's just I felt the AF was lacking in this arena. Heck, I've used old MF lenses on my D90 and been able to get good shots (though the in focus keeper ratio is much lower). The reason I decided on the D750 was simply the low light AF performance (and it's a general improvement in most other categories). Now...I haven't pulled the trigger yet as I'm saving up so I reserve the right to change my mind...again.

BTW, you can go ultra wide with a DX if you are willing to plan for it and then photostich shots back in post. Current software does an amazing job at stiching shots back together. You can go wide in just about any scenario with any lens if you plan it out. I like taking 3 shots with the camera rotated 90 degrees and then stiching them back together.
Click to expand...



I've been using my only 50mm lens with my D90 when I got it when it was first released. lol I do however rent lenses for gigs. I started doing that because I couldn't decide on which to purchase. Before shooting with my D90 I owned a sweet SLR for years which is why I want to go FX. If I got a D7100 it would feel like a newer camera but I really wouldn't have anything that would excite me. The 51 AF points I saw the advantages of using that on a D300. So for years I forced myself to use just the D90 and 50mm until I was ready to move to my next body. I don't like to do any stitching. I want to capture what I see.

I know the price of the D750 will drop (eventually). If someone is buying their first Nikon, they have lots to chose from. My reasoning for going to the D750 is the same as when I bought my D90. Size and pro-like features. I can easily shoot with the D810 but I like carrying a slightly smaller body.
 
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