hipmom said:
Thanks Everyone- I bought the D700, the SB900 and The 70-200 2.8 VR II
I appreciate all of the advice and the encouragement!

Thanks for the nice welcome to the forum. I can't wait for it to arrive!

You're going to love it. Be sure to give us your impressions once you get to shoot with it.

Happy shooting! What a fun set of new tools!

Thanks Everyone- I bought the D700, the SB900 and The 70-200 2.8 VR II
I appreciate all of the advice and the encouragement!

Thanks for the nice welcome to the forum. I can't wait for it to arrive!

For 5000. You would be able to only purchase 1 Nikkor 2.8 glass if you purchase the D700 with grip. Possiably get the nikon 70-200 2.8 vrI or vrII along with tamron or sigma 24-70 2.8. Also The sb900 along with.

PB PM said:
Yeah, for weddings you want the narrow depth of field for some artsy shots.

Not to mention the speed itself. Almost every wedding is going to have some portion of it in low light, whether it is the ceremony inside or reception that's indoors and/or goes into the evening. ISO alone isn't going to do the trick on even a D700. Fast glass is needed as well. I'm just glad the 50mm 1.4s are still reasonably priced.

Yeah, for weddings you want the narrow depth of field for some artsy shots.

mb said:
You could find a very good deal on D700 now and, unless you are shooting full page images for a National Geographic, it is a very good professional camera.
New 70-200 VR2 is a fantastic lens from what I have heard but it is not that usable for weddings, you will need some space with it though it is big so you will look very serous with it.
If I had 5000 for a gear I would keep that 50 F/1.4 you have, fast, nice and very usable for photojournalist work, and I would get in addition:
Nikon 24-120/3.5-5.6G ED-IF AF-S VR, very good lens for the price, right size for weddings and you better harry before the overpriced replacement comes that would be somewhere around 1500.
For sports Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED-IF AF-S VR is actually very good on D700, it has VR II and it may be not as fast as 70-200 2.8 but is the right choice for a budget sensitive photojournalist.
If you are after weddings SB-900 is probably a must have thing, for photojournalism as well.

I personally wouldn't recommend anything slower than a 2.8 for weddings, even with a D700.

You could find a very good deal on D700 now and, unless you are shooting full page images for a National Geographic, it is a very good professional camera.
New 70-200 VR2 is a fantastic lens from what I have heard but it is not that usable for weddings, you will need some space with it though it is big so you will look very serous with it.
If I had 5000 for a gear I would keep that 50 F/1.4 you have, fast, nice and very usable for photojournalist work, and I would get in addition:
Nikon 24-120/3.5-5.6G ED-IF AF-S VR, very good lens for the price, right size for weddings and you better harry before the overpriced replacement comes that would be somewhere around 1500.
For sports Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED-IF AF-S VR is actually very good on D700, it has VR II and it may be not as fast as 70-200 2.8 but is the right choice for a budget sensitive photojournalist.
If you are after weddings SB-900 is probably a must have thing, for photojournalism as well.

The D700 can do things that you can't do with any cropped sensor camera. Whether you get the D700 now or its replacement later it's going to amaze you.

I agree with NikoDoby, if you need it now, get it now. There will always be something better coming in a few months, and frankly the changes are not going to be that big, unless you need the video feature, the D700 is a great camera, enjoy.

Personally, I would wait for the update if you can. I am sure you can shoot great pictures with your D40 being a photojournalist. If the D700 update has the same sensor of the D3S, you will be glad you did. Google the high ISO quality of the D3S. Its amazing.

I second NikoDoby's post. Have a blast with a D700 until next winter and then buy the D700 replacement for hundreds of dollars less than its launch price and enjoy having two bodies. Thats sort of my plan to replace the D300s I have for videography and then I'll have a D700 as a backup for my D700s/x/whatever.

Welcome to the forum hipmom. Nobody actually knows when the D700 replacement will show up. From the looks of things right now it seems like we won't get it until summer. As a working "pro" you need the D700 now so regardless of if a D700 replacement comes out in Spring you still need a camera and lenses. Even if a D700 replacement were to be announced at PMA this month (very unlikely) It would still be a while before it is actually on store shelfs. Even after its in stores I know shipments will sell out almost instantly and you will have to wait your turn on a list.

Get the D700 and use it for the jobs you need now. You can always get the replacement model later with the income the D700 provides you and keep the D700 as backup.

If you've gotten a long useful life out of a D40x, you should expect to do better with the D700. I've had a D90 for around 16 months and don't really care about an upgrade.

A lot of cameras have come out since your D40x and it still seems to work. The combination of ISO and MPs should satisfy your requirement for a very long time.

Welcome, hipmom. I doubt you'd regret buying the D700. It will still be an amazing camera after the replacement comes out. I can't imagine the replacement having anything better than the sensor on a D3x or D3s (I know, nothing to sneeze at). The D3 was pretty much the stuff for a while there. Depending on the price of the replacement, I might buy a D700 instead of its replacement when it comes out anyway.

I work as a photojournalist for a newspaper. Believe it or not ....forever I have just been using my D40x and a 50 f.1/4 prime Nikon lens and a 55-200 DX lens. Life has been good. I shoot an event every day. I do portraits on the side. I have taken many good shots with an entry level camera.

Oddly enough, my camera has been just fine- but for a year- I have wanted to move to a full frame and have more ISO capability for nightime events. I am now moving into shooting sports and need the 70-200 lens f2.8 badly.

For a year, I have been reading and waiting for the D700 upgrade...I have stalked this forum and read everything possible on the net. I don't think I can't wait for Summer or Fall now and have a huge trip next month to Europe where I am doing a travel piece.

Will I regret buying the D700 now when the new camera arrives....again when and if?

I potentially would like two bodies but I only have 5000.00 to spend right now and I don't anticipate buying another body shortly after.

I am also shooting a couple of weddings mid summer and fall, so I need the equipment more than ever. I need the portrait work for summer for more income.

I have considered going to Canon- but I completely love the Nikon system and glass. Now I can finally afford what I want -I can't get an updated camera quick enough.

Please help me.....I am in a sink just swishing in a circle around the drain.