Is it worth buying a second-hand Nikon D750 in 2024? I think yes.

I’ve never been a big gear geek when it comes to photography. Sure, I can get excited about some flashy new mirrorless camera that will forever be out of my reach, or the new Hasselblad digital medium format camera (what a beauty!). I appreciate the cool features each new camera brings, I really do.

But when it comes to my own work, I’ve stuck to what’s tried and tested.

My photography journey: why I chose Nikon

I ended up using Nikon gear because my dad used a D90. As a teenager, I was sometimes allowed to play with his camera and learned the basics of photography on it.

So, when it came to getting my own camera, I made two decisions to prevent decision paralysis: it should be a Nikon so I already knew how to use it, and it should be second-hand to avoid breaking my budget.

That’s how I first landed on my crop-sensor D7200. But after a few years of great service, it was time to switch gears.

From crop-sensor to full-frame

I knew I wanted to finally go full-frame since I’d been low-key envious of fellow photographers who had one. I also wanted to take my photography business from a side hustle to a proper—if still part-time—venture, so I convinced myself that yes, I did deserve to go full-frame.

Since I already had a couple of loyal lenses compatible with Nikon’s FX system—including my Nikkor 50mm 1.8 and a beautiful Sigma 105mm macro lens—I decided to go down the classic (kinda) path.

After a bit of research, the Nikon D750 model grabbed my attention.

Scoring a second-hand Nikon D750 in 2024: The best deal

A big advantage for me was that the body was very similar to my old camera, so I already knew my way around it. I also scored a nice deal under EUR500 via MPB for a second-hand body in pretty good condition.

I was excited to use it as soon as possible, so I grabbed one of my dear friends and models in Amsterdam, and we went for a stroll around the neighbourhood. Here are some of the results.

First Impressions? Nikon D750: creamy colours and contrast

After using a crop-sensor for several years, it won’t come as a surprise that I was in awe of how amazing the colours looked straight out of the camera. The creaminess of the greens, the light movement, the bokeh in the background, the contrast!

After all, I’ve been using this 50mm 1.8 lens for ages, so I did not expect to be that impressed by the difference. 

Feeling the camera, or the joy of shooting with a classic

There’s also something I cannot replicate with any mirrorless camera I’ve tried so far. Call me old-school, but for me, there’s no comparison between feeling the heaviness of the camera in your hand, with its bulky buttons, and the feather-like bodies of the new mirrorless cameras.

Is it easy to travel with this almost 1-kg camera? Nope—that’s why I usually leave it at home and opt for a simple point-and-shoot film camera when I travel.

But over the years, how the camera feels in my hands has become a more important feature in my photography than I would have ever thought. It helps me stabilise the image better, I guess.

I didn’t feel like…editing?

Another thing I noticed right away after transferring the images to my computer was that I didn’t feel like editing the colours that much. I just loved the out-of-camera results more than expected! This came as a total surprise to me—I absolutely love editing and playing with colours, and I thought I had developed a pretty consistent editing style over the years.

But now, I was staring at the sliders in Lightroom, unsure if my small changes actually made the image better. I ended up making only slight adjustments compared to the heavy edits I used to create in the past.

What’s maybe not so great about the D750

Needless to say, I was (and still am) in love. Sure, there are some disadvantages to the camera. For starters, yes, it’s bulky, so bringing it from A to B isn’t always easy. As I mentioned, I don’t usually take it while travelling for this reason alone.

The live view option is pretty slow—it still takes quite a long time for the camera to focus and snap the shot while in live view compared to more modern cameras. And while I haven’t tried many auxiliary accessories yet, I’m sure they aren’t as advanced as those for newer cameras—after all, the D750 is 10 years old.

Mirrorless vs. DSLR: why I still prefer my D750

I didn’t want to be all ‘sour grapes’ about mirrorless cameras, so I borrowed my partner’s Sony a7c for a couple of portrait shots.

Perhaps not the fairest of comparisons, as they are two different brands and systems, and I don’t really know my way around a Sony. But it simply didn’t convince me—I still preferred my old D750 for portrait photography, by a long shot.

I don’t have any examples to show, as I didn’t think they were good enough to go into the editing flow.

Final thoughts: should you buy a Nikon D750 in 2024?

I’m extremely happy with getting a second-hand D750 in 2024, old-school as it is. And you might be, too! In short:

• I scored a great deal for it—under EUR 500, which is pretty much the standard.
• I can use some of my old lenses, reducing the cost of switching systems.
• The battery lasts a long time. I shot a 6-hour wedding, and the battery was still 20% charged.
• The quality and colours of the out-of-camera images are amazing. I truly love them.
• It just feels good to shoot with it—this is obviously subjective, but that’s my take.

It does have its disadvantages, but they weren’t enough for me to reconsider my choice:

• It’s heavy. A mirrorless camera is simply easier to carry around.
• The live view is slow—so you have to be creative or just use the viewfinder.
• The autofocus isn’t fantastic, especially in low light. I switch to manual and call it a day—but if this is of utmost importance for you, maybe think twice. Still, it works decently well about 70% of the time.

So, yes, I think it’s still worth getting a D750 in 2024. It’s a solid, quality full-frame camera that won’t let you down. It still delivers fantastic pictures and colours. And while it’s not light, it’s so much fun to use.

If you’d like your own portrait session in creamy colours and quality pixels, check out my Portrait page or drop me a message. My 1-kg Nikon D750 and I are ready for you.