Aloha All. Having decided to hold off on the D800 for a while, I'm still ready to move to FX from my current D300. There are some very nice D700 bodies for sale here in the $1800-$2000 range.
My question for the experienced D700 users here, since Amazon often has new bodies for sale at $2199, is the warranty worth the extra 300-400? Or is this unaswerable, as peace of mind has value as well. Thanks for your thoughts.
Jim Oz

Visit my Nikonians gallery.

Hi Jim,

The D700 is a very robust body. Mine has been working perfectly since I purchased it about four years ago.
I think you are correct regarding the value of Peace of Mind and the choice is very dependent on your comfort level.
If you buy a used camera from an individual you have to have some trust that they took good care of the camera.
If you buy from KEH or other Dealer, most stand behind the used equipment that they sell and provide a three to six month warranty on used gear. Of course this is reflected in the price.
Good Luck with your decision.
Good Luck and Enjoy your Nikons!

Best Regards,
Marty

My D700 is 3 years old and never let me down, however the 2 year Nikon guarantee to me is worth much more than the difference between new and second hand, certainly more than $200-300. Nikon are not noted for low money value repairs, besides which it's piece of mind.

Richard

Visit my Nikonians gallery

I bought mine last November (2011). I always thought the images were missing critical focus but chalked it up to poor technique, bad lighting, etc. Me, not the camera.

I dropped the camera from a short height and for my piece of mind brought it in for a check...the AF was off. DOF was able to resolve that issue most times so of course, I thought it was me. It was repaired under warranty. No problems, now, AF is sharp (though I do need to do more macro testing.)
Personally, I like the idea of a warranty, but that's me.

Anthony

The Moderator Page and My Gallery
The important things in life are simple; the simple things are hard.

My friend has the warranty on his current D700, and it's about to expire. He's a full-time shooter right now. He was among the first to buy a D700 when they came out. Then about two years ago, the camera met an untimely end during an accident on location. It was water damage, so Nikon didn't pay for it. He had to buy a new camera himself. This time, he bought the extended warranty with it. He has used this new camera moderately hard for a few years, and is at 150,000 shutter cycles or so. I keep telling him to make sure he sends in the camera for warranty service before the term expires. They will make it like new again. For him, the added cost will probably be worth it.

An undeniable paradox: To think that there is any such thing as an absolute rule is at worst naïve, and at best, shortsighted. There is no such thing as an always-true, all context- or situation-salient, absolute rule that always holds true…including this one!

Thanks to all for sharing experiences. I suppose I already knew where peace of mind played into the question. My D300 suffered a broken shutter at around 25k clicks, and while waiting for parts at Nikon repair, they cleaned it, replaced the rubber, updated the firmware, fine tuned everything that can be, then fixed the shutter and returned it, NO charge. Much thanks to them, and much gratitude for the warranty!! I believe I'll buy new

Thanks again everyone.
Jim Oz

Visit my Nikonians gallery.