D810, All Discussions, Questions

JJ_SO

I think it is a nice upgrade. After your post I thought how could it be done less cumbersome without becoming an even bigger department in the individual functions? in my own "5 worst points" list the AF and setting the focus points don't appear.

I'm still learning how the settings d9 correlate. However, you can uncheck the choices (9, 21, 51 points etc) which you don't use normally, that makes it a bit easier or quicker.

EDIT: The whole upgrade comes with a lot more functions, but no much increased screen and no different dials. Engineers were afraid to make decisions by leaving menu points away and just adding new points with even more sub-menus. I must admit, I'd be the same coward, if I had to decide. If they don't come up with a new concept there always will be some users grown accustomed to a setting in particular - I'd be one of them for sure.

snakebunk

On the D300s it is a switch that you can easily change with one hand, with gloves and without looking. I would like that kind of switch between complete user settings, i.e. you save all of your current settings to a preset that you can easily switch to. If you want the current switch between filming or photography you can just program it that way. The current super tiny button requires you to put down the camera and use both hands (and the bird flies away), if you have a large lense.

JJ_SO

The space for that switch is needed for the switch between LV modes. At least, the current AF-mode is visible in LV and in OF when I push the button, but with a long lens - I understand your complain. Same goes then for the switch for the different metering modes (there's one additional metering mode, spot with highlight). The thing with those switches is, if you use the camera tethered, there function must be override. They are more difficult to seal and they are more likely to break if it comes to harsh use. Buttons are cheaper.

EDIT: Interestingly, not even the dials-packed DF or the D4 do have that knob...

rmp

What travel lens do I use?

I am taking a trip and I want to carry the lightest load possible. But, at the same time I am addicted to the Image Quality for the D810. So, I am stuck with a too-heavy body, but can I lighten the load and carry just one lens? I have the 24-70 but it is heavy and does not have the reach. Has anyone used or compared the 24-120 mm f4 to other lenses on the D810?

Photobug

Can't help with your 24-120mm question, but I can tell you my travel lens with my D7100 are 17-55mm F.8 and 70-200mm. I make it work since I don't want to comprise image quality.

I know lots of people have gone to one lens for traveling but that doesn't work for me. This question has been raised before; I would run some searches on here and scan down through the forums. Hopefully one of the Admins will provide a link. In the mean time run some searches.

spraynpray

Isn't it the 28-300 that has been the hot pick for travel lately?

sevencrossing

? I have the 24-70 but it is heavy and does not have the reach. Has anyone used or compared the 24-120 mm f4 to other lenses on the D810

not with the 810 but
There are lots of threads comparing the 24 -70 with the 24 -120
a quick summary "they are both very good lenses"
the 24 -120 is my travel lens

heartyfisher

What travel lens do I use?

I am taking a trip and I want to carry the lightest load possible. But, at the same time I am addicted to the Image Quality for the D810. So, I am stuck with a too-heavy body, but can I lighten the load and carry just one lens? I have the 24-70 but it is heavy and does not have the reach. Has anyone used or compared the 24-120 mm f4 to other lenses on the D810?

28-300 has the advantage of having more range. but a bit of sharpness will be sacrificed. however many people use and prefer the 28-300 for the range and the flexibility.

24-120 is sharp. Our MSMOTO has the 24-120 and a D800E .. she may chime in on that combination. I think since you like to take advantage of the MP the 24-120 would be your preferred option. I only know this from reviews but note that for most focal lengths the 24-120 is very good except for 85mm so avoid that. still this lense and a nifty 50 in the pocket would be a nice combination. I would replace the 50 with a 28 or 35 for in door shooting of museums etc.

another option is to carry a couple or 3 primes. which ever are your fav in that range. 24mm is a fav of many travel photogs. but 28 or 35 is also very popular bec of the minimal distortion. the next level is the nifty 50 and or the 85 the next level is the 105 or 135. If i were to take only primes it would be 24 and 135 in the pocket with the 50 on the camera. if only 2 lenses then maybe the 2 F1.8, 28 plus the 85. if i were to carry only one prime it would be the 40mm. ;-)

JJ_SO

I had a 28-300 and sold it. I would never use it on D8x0, resolution and sharpness were already disappointing on D7000, at least above 200mm range. The rest of the range was so-so.

I'm also always struggling with the "right lens" for travel. Don't know the 24-120, went for the Sigma 24-105. Which is a lot heavier and has a M82 filter thread (downsides) and really good sharpness and at the moment the very best OS/VR of may collection. The OS is good for about 3 stops more lowlight (with a D800, haven't tried the compensation capabilities with the far calmer D810 shutter).

With added battery grip, that's a really heavy combination. So, I have a second unit for high resolution in a bag, bag on a ThinkTank belt, together with a lightweight Sirui tripod. This second unit consists of 2 Sigma compact cameras (DP1 Merill and DP3 Merill). As much downsides and slowness they bring with (not to mention the necessary software), but resolution and sharpness are on par with D8x0. With tripod and bag and enough spare batteries less than 2kg.

And if I need the speed of the Nikon, I'm just using the 35 Sigma and crop afterwards, if necessary. I'd say, given normal light situation, this cropping is not noticeably worse than using 28-300.

Msmoto

I guess I will loan my 24-120 to rmp….. LOL

And, in reviewing this lens, the center sharpness is very good even wide open. There is a fair amount of barrel distortion with the lens, not an issue really as it is easily corrected in post.

rmp

Thanks, Msmoto. But, does this mean I owe you? ;;)

nek4life

Really curious to what people think of the extra stop of ISO the D800 get's you combined with the better shutter, does this get you sharper images hand held? I have a D800 right now and I'm finally getting the hang of getting sharp images hand held, but I'm really interested in the D810 for both of those reasons. Also without the AA filter would this help as well? Seems like a solid upgrade with all the refined features, but wondering if it's worth the cash. Getting a ton more keepers handheld is definitely worth it to me, but I'd like to know owner's experience with this.

JJ_SO

It's not easy to talk about "handheld" images, as long as FL and shutter speed are not defined. Also, after 4 coffees, there's a bit more shake in my hands. I tried a very light tripod with D800 and D810. mounted behind the 70-200 (VR switched OFF) for which I used the wobbly clamp what Nikon is selling separately. With all that artificial added instability the effect was clearly visible. D810 was not as sharp as with a good tripod and solid mount, but compared to the motion blurr of D800's take it was very obvious there is an improvement.

More or less noise is nothing I care too much about, but more or less AF reliability in low light is always interesting. I am not used to such sharp shots of people dancing in low light. The ones which were not as sharp were clearly a problem of my faulty set up and not being used with Group AF. I experimented a lot last Saturday and not everything was a good idea. So I expect even more keepers when I'm better used to it. It's so reliable wide open - fantastic.

AA and lowpass filter's absence deliver indeed more detail - if the situation is very good. Good lighting, adjusted AF, aperture in optimum range will lead to a bit better details. I just daresay, you need to pixelpeep to see them. What counts more to me is the dynamic range in lights and shadows. That's a bigger (and more useful) improvement to what I usally do with this machine.

Did I mention the LV which benefits massively of higher screen resolution? Finally I can enlarge and don't have to guess where the focus is

But - yippiekayeah - there's also a downside, terribly annoying and I'm tempted to call it the flashknob-issue. Somehow I'm too stupid not to touch the flash release button on the left side of the prism when shooting portrait mode. Scandalous! (/irony-mode).

I really admire what Nikon did with that upgrade!

Vipmediastar_JZ

Cool tip:

Nikonusa posted a tip for the D810 in one of the forum questions. Put the D810 in Quiet Mode for bracketing for HDR.

Quiet Release Mode is supported when bracketing with the D810. In Quiet Release Mode, the mirror does not click back into place while shutter-release button is fully pressed, allowing user to control timing of click made by mirror, which is also quieter than in single frame mode. The mirror remains up until the shutter release button is released.

IanG

Cool tip:

Nikonusa posted a tip for the D810 in one of the forum questions. Put the D810 in Quiet Mode for bracketing for HDR.

Quiet Release Mode is supported when bracketing with the D810. In Quiet Release Mode, the mirror does not click back into place while shutter-release button is fully pressed, allowing user to control timing of click made by mirror, which is also quieter than in single frame mode. The mirror remains up until the shutter release button is released.

I wonder if you would be so kind as to explain to us/me why this is an advantage please?

IanG

To answer the OP - I traveled extensively in India with a (1, one) D800, the 16-35 and a 24-120. In terms of range of focal lengths I had all I needed and it was all comparitively light - a grip was totally unnecessary as I wanted to be fairly discrete (I had a handful of extra batteries). The filter sizes are the same so I only had to take one polarizer, and there was enough room in my small rucksack for a small tripod (XSories TRIF Trifold) and a Leica Lens Cloth or two...

Vipmediastar_JZ

The Advantage the way I see it is that the mirror doesn't come down to create a vibration. While bracketing for such applications a Tripod is recommended but I have done HDR without one so this is an advantage doing it handheld.

sandi_ece

Anyone bought a Nikon D810 from Cameta Camera?

Photobug

Anyone bought a Nikon D810 from Cameta Camera?

So long it's a USA version and not an import, you won't have any issues buying from Cameta Camera. I have bought one flash from them and one lens about 8 years ago.

JJ_SO

Some images to show what I meant this afternoon:
Those two were 1/60 and 200mm


D800


D810

I... D810 was not as sharp as with a good tripod and solid mount, but compared to the motion blurr of D800's take it was very obvious there is an improvement.

The following are screenshots at 100%


Left: D800, Right: D810


Left: D810, Right: D800

AA and lowpass filter's absence deliver indeed more detail...

nek4life

JJ_SO: Those were all taken hand-held? Looks like a pretty big improvement to me.

Symphotic

Some images to show what I meant this afternoon:
....

Let's meet up and see how well we do hand-held with our D810s after a bottle of Islay!

JJ_SO

@Symphotic Any-hicks-time.

@nek4life no one was taken hand-held. I'm not always moving, breathing, holding the same way, so I wanted to keep out physical coincidences. The label pictures were take with a very fragile tripod (SIrui T-005X, fully extended, no mirror-up… as I said here before I could put the pictures in. For the rest I used a Gitzo Systematic GT4542LS with a ballhead GH3780 and mirror-up as I wanted the same perspective.

Although the tiny Sirui looks like spider legs with a thin bamboo on top, with mirror-up you would not see much of a difference between the two bodies. Electronic 1st curtain would have been unfair to D800. so I didn't use it.

Then I was checking the corners and focused something close to it. I can't confirm what a tester stated. He was first saying "no difference in resolution between the two bodies" after that he pulled back and said "in the center, no difference but in the corners visible improvements". I wonder how and what he focused but in my setup the relations remained the same.

Bokeh_Hunter

What travel lens do I use?

I am taking a trip and I want to carry the lightest load possible. But, at the same time I am addicted to the Image Quality for the D810. So, I am stuck with a too-heavy body, but can I lighten the load and carry just one lens? I have the 24-70 but it is heavy and does not have the reach. Has anyone used or compared the 24-120 mm f4 to other lenses on the D810?

I use it almost every day on my D800 - I opted for it over the 27-70 for work due to the reach and it is a bit lighter. The sharpness at F4 is great, stopped down to f8 I would put it against any lens at the same. The VR in it works very well also. MsMoto is correct there is a bit more barrel distortion but Lightroom corrects it without any noticeable issues. It is definitely a lens made for the higher MP sensors in mind.

CEBlueclouds

The 24-120 f/4 was my default go-to lens for traveling and walk around for the first year of having my D800 ( bought both together) .... However for the past year this has changed to my 24-70 f/2.8 which i now find the AF far snappier and colors more contrasty. I lose out on the extra reach but overall presently works for me....