Nikon’s most recent full-frame DSLR has an incredible amount of decision with an equally remarkable consequences. Of pour it’s impressive but let’s comprehend how worthy it really is.
Features and design
Affordable digital cameras conversion with the seasons, but full-frame DSLRs are more like the Olympics, presentation up all hardly any years. These very expensive models are almost the pinnacle of the digicam food series, offering the paramount quality next to a heavy consequences. Nikon recently updated its full-frame line-up with the 16.2-megapixel $5,999 D4 and the “cheap” 36.3-megapixel $2,999 D800.
The duo takes the place of the D3S, D3X and D700, which hold been around designed for ages. The D4 is severely designed for pros and grabs a startling 11 fps next to jam-packed decision, versus 4 designed for the D800. Current competition designed for the less-expensive Nikon is Canon’s EOS 5D blot III, a $3,499 22-megapixel full-frame edition. Yes, this is a rarefied character, like leaving the Toyota dealership and deciding to wander through the Lamborghini showroom. We can all pipe dream, suited?
Anyway, the Nikon D800 is relatively inexpensive full-frame DSLR that’s embattled to serious enthusiasts and pros, not severely professionals. In the function of celebrated up top, our test rig had a slant consequences of $4,898, so with the purpose of pretty much says it all a propos the audience designed for this camera.
One of the crucial components of the D800 is the 36.3-megapixel CMOS sensor, which measures 35.9 x 24mm, approximately the size of a frame of 35mm film, from this time the full-frame label. (Nikon calls it FX; its more inexpensive DSLRs with the purpose of exploitation less important APS-C sensors are dubbed DX). We constantly harp on sensor size as it really makes a major quality difference; superior chips rescue more accurate flag with not as much of digital blast next to privileged ISOs. APS-C imagers in Compact System Cameras and more inexpensive DSLRs determine 24 x 16mm, while Micro Four Thirds chips are 17.3 x 13mm poignant down the line to the 7.6 x 5.7mm point-and-shoots. Camera makers are instantly cramming superior chips into enthusiast models like the novel 14-megapixel Canon G1 X (18.7 x 14mm) and the 20.2-megapixel Sony RX100 (13.2 x 8.8mm) in order to get better image quality. But sufficient of the facts game, let’s check prohibited the novel Nikon DSLR.
It was a fascinating juxtaposition poignant from the $699 D3200, Nikon’s most recent entry-level DSLR, to the D800. Besides the sign shock, the D800 is a beast in comparison. It measures 5.7 x 4.8 x 3.2 (W x H x D, in inches) and weighs 31.7 ounces designed for the body single-handedly. This is twice the stress of the plastic D3200, since the more expensive prototypical has a magnesium alloy body. Add the 24-70mm lens and instantly you’ve got certain serious tonnage around your stem. While the camera has a huge grip — with this point zoom — a monopod or stand is highly recommended except you hold Hulk-like arms.
Forget a propos cute flag designed for this solitary; the D800 is no more than open in black and looks like a classic Nikon DSLR with red swoosh and a hardly any other logos. The crucial article on the front is the Nikon F mount, and it accepts AF/AF-S tumbler. There’s and a depth-of-field preview and function buttons as well as an AF Assist lamp. On the handgun grip is an angled secure button surrounded by the power switch as well as a sub-command dial. Below the lens relief button is the focus mode selector (AF/manual). On the top suited are inputs designed for jiffy sync and 10-pin remote terminals, both covered by attached soft plastic plugs. The grip is a big solitary, but as we say with all camera, positively get something done a hands-on test with the lenses you’re the majority likely to exploitation.
On the top deck is the focal dial, pungent shoe, built-in jiffy, Mode, Movie and Exposure Compensation buttons. The dial is not like the representative mode dial found on more consumer-oriented DSLRs. Since the D800 is designed for very committed photographers, you won’t regain Intelligent Auto or Scene modes. Since in attendance are no more than four options (Program Auto, Aperture/Shutter Priority and Manual) they’re relegated to the small Mode crucial and the focal dial offers quick access to white balance, ISO, quality and bracketing adjustments. These buttons surplus on top of the Release Mode dial with the purpose of lets you adjust the burst setting. A lock relief prevents you from accidentally changing your alternative. With its 36.3 megapixels, the D800 is veto speediness imp, but will capture 4 frames for each instant next to jam-packed decision, 6 if you crop the image. Also on the top deck is an LCD control panel with the purpose of lets you quickly check your current camera settings or receive adjustments.
A condensed aside: This novel DSLR looks akin to the D700 but with a pair of crucial twists. First, the D700 was a 12.1-megapixel FX camera with the purpose of did not capture film. The D800 does jam-packed HD 1080p next to 30 fps. With its picture capability, the novel prototypical has the obligatory red dot picture button almost the secure, plus the Live View switch lets you move from still to film. To accommodate this control, the D800 shifted the nonstop metering adjustment of the D700 on the back panel to a privileged opinion surrounding the AE-L/AF-L button.
This is a very tall camera, so there’s a lot of real estate on the back. The viewfinder — which is significant and positive — has a 100 percent arena of notice in FX mode and dips vaguely to 97 percent if you adjust the framing. Directly beneath is a 3.2-inch LCD rated 921K pixels. It’s very worthy, but not the paramount we’ve seen on a DSLR; certain Canons top a million dots. On the not here surface of the screen are the usual keys (playback, delete, menu, OK and so on). On the top suited are AE-L/AF-L, AF On and a new jog swing. Directly to the suited of the screen is a multi-point controller with hub collection button surrounded by a Focus Selector lock. This is used to pick solitary of the 51 open focus points if you run with the purpose of route. Below this is the Live View crucial (still/video) and the Info button.
On the suited surface are dual slots designed for Compact Flash and SD recall cards. One is CF Type I, UDMA 6/7 compatible while the other is designed for SD media (UHS-1) and Eye-Fi compatible cards. The left-side compartment has mic and headset inputs as well as USB and mini HDMI outs. The D800 is solitary of the primary cameras that’s USB 3.0 compatible. The foot of the Made in Japan camera has the stand mount and battery compartment.
What’s in the box
The D800 body, 900-shot battery and mount with AC cord, tie and various caps. You and grow a supervise cover, a USB cable with clip, a 52-page Quick Guide and a 448-page user’s instruction manual. Clearly if you’re expenses this kind of money it’s a agreed the camera is uber sophisticated and the manuals tread you through it. Also supplied is a CD-ROM with Nikon View NX2 software designed for usage images and mounting NEF (RAW) documents. To performance its pro bona fides, the camera not no more than captures JPEG and RAW documents but TIFFs as well.
Performance and exploitation
After charging the battery, we loaded a 16GB Extreme Pro SanDisk SDHC certificate and admit to being a spot frustrated. We didn’t hold a catwalk nearby with strutting super models or an assignment to photograph a register designed for Neiman-Marcus. We had to be enough with our usual New York and New Jersey question have a bearing, but this calculate using a $1,900 24-70mm f/2.8 Nikkor zoom affixed to a 36.3-megapixel full-frame $2,999 DSLR. Poor us.
Typically while you’re shooting an the same lens camera, there’s a digital aspect of 1.5x, 2x or something akin. With full-frame editions, in attendance is veto digital aspect, so we were using a stanch 24-70mm lens. Very cool. Another craze blew our collective minds: Full-resolution images designed for the D800 register next to 7,360 x 4,912 pixels, a shade greater than 36 megapixels. We remember not as much of than four years since 10-megapixel 3,648 x 2,736 DSLRs were so impressive. Now with the purpose of numeral has more than tripled. If you concept your images were taking up tons of outdoor intense drive gap, hang around dig you start shooting with this solitary!
Voguish a current reassess of the Nikon D3200 DSLR, we wondered if 24 megapixels was excess — instantly we’re dealing with a full-frame prototypical with 50 percent more. Before getting too far into the tech weeds, we’ll answer with a qualified “yes” — but this camera is not just right by several stretch, even designed for three massive.
Shooting with the Nikon D800 is a reflect task, requiring effort befitting a $3,000 imaging instrument. This is not a camera designed for casual shots walking on the beach; try a Canon S100/G1 X or Sony RX100 designed for with the purpose of. In the function of mentioned earlier, there’s veto Intelligent Auto or Smart Auto somewhere the camera decides how to collection the parameters designed for a exact vista. Programmed Auto is as undemanding as it gets, since the camera adjusts aperture and secure speediness. If you need to run further than this “snapshot” mode, grow glad to exploitation all of your photographic skills regarding aperture, secure speediness, white balance, ISO, focus points — all with the purpose of worthy stuff with the purpose of went prohibited the window with the advent of point-and-shoot digicams. We’re not knocking aim-and-forget photography, impartial charter you know the D800 requires certain effort designed for soaked prohibited the greatest results. And our rig was a lot tedious walking a propos in the summer heat up. Overall with the 24-70mm lens, the setup had a trivial balance and we grabbed sudden images even lacking built-in stabilization by using classic brisk techniques and resting the camera on steady surfaces somewhere open.
We were positively glad Nikon provided a pocket-sized Quick Guide which we agreed around. Again not with the purpose of it’s so thorny to exploitation, impartial in attendance are so many options to get something done basically everything our condensed reassess phase might hardly get something done the camera justice.
To grow the feel designed for this camera we happening sour shooting high-res JPEGs in Program after that stirred through the other options. The D800 was collection to Standard image quality using Auto ISO, Auto sallow Balance and so on. Burst mode was collection to towering (4 fps). In the function of we got more comfortable making adjustments with the control dials, we got a little more adventurous. The camera was almost lightning fast as it captured images with basically zip secure lag, solitary of the abundant blessings of DSLRs. However, we found the AF method to be very squirrely next to epoch as it hopped from direct to direct. Switching to AF-C (51 points, 15 bad-tempered type) things went much more smoothly. If you are taking a reflect shot of flowers, designed for case, you can exploitation the Focus Selector Lock to zip in on the question. Folks, this barely scratches the exterior of the D800’s capabilities.
When through with our test shots, we did the obligatory pixel-peeping — you hold to comprehend how far you can enlarge a 36-megapixel procession — made prints and viewed our videos on a 1080p HDTV.
While sensor size is super vital, the size of the pixels is and chief. With the D800, Nikon crammed 36 million of them on the same size token as competing 22- and 16-megapixel full-frame cameras. Given this, veto have a bearing how worthy the CPU, in attendance will be unwelcome digital blast. This was solitary of the the majority disappointing aspects of this camera. Not with the purpose of every person shoots next to 12,800 ISO, but the company touts you can capture images next to with the purpose of level and even 25,600. We wouldn’t run in attendance on a wage, but we might still capture a reasonable image in very dim light. It wasn’t something we’d need to exploitation, but it slightest it was in attendance. The D800 is really paramount next to 1,600 or not as much of, although we got certain reasonable results next to 2,500.
Once we realized this was an production, we distorted from Auto ISO and collection sensitivity ourselves. You can even run as low as 50, even though the basic range is 100 to 6400. At low ISOs, the D800 really shined. We were really thrilled reviewing shots of flowers, cats and so on. The color next to low ISO levels impartial superb. You really can’t ask designed for much more. The live calculate we proverb documents this worthy they came from a new full-frame camera, the Canon EOS 5D blot II. With a camera like this, you can really receive the the majority of depth-of-field. The f/2.8 lens delivered exceptional blurred backgrounds with particularly sudden focal question have a bearing. The Nikon’s sedan white balance and delivered accurate results especially indoors. Metering was quite worthy as well as it handled a variety of tough subjects very well.
The Nikon D800 can information jam-packed HD film MOV documents. We’re still not massive fans of DSLR film focusing, yet this camera did a very worthy job; we used a combo of sedan and instruction manual focus designed for improved results. There was little rolling secure noticeable in a clip of a gently panned neighboring landscape; we reviewed the footage via HDMI on a 1080p HDTV. Colors were a spot smeary, however. MOV compression is simply not as worthy as AVCHD Progressive instantly working its way through the digicam food series. Note the sound recorded is mono; if you need stereo you hold to firm footing an not obligatory mic (ME-1).
Conclusion
Saying the Nikon D800 is a very worthy camera is as undemanding as adage “Breaking Bad” is abundant television run — both are slam dunks. Now exchange the D800 — due to expense and promise vital — is a serious decision. Supplies designed for the camera are very close-fitting, so don’t expect to bargain it designed for not as much of than the $2,999 slant consequences, if you can regain solitary next to all. And high-quality Nikkor lenses are a be obliged to — primes and zooms. Don’t expect spectacular results lacking change, and blast next to towering ISOs is positively an production. Voguish the result, however, your photos will be worth the effort.
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