Buy D850 or wait for its replacement

stetsonlaw

I'm looking to buy my first FX camera and have time on my side. Would you wait until the D850 replacement comes out at some point, or pull the trigger now and get the D850? Thank you,

mhedges

Personally I doubt we will get a DSLR D850 replacement. So I wouldn't wait.

WestEndFoto

I think that you will get a D860, but the D850 is state of the art. I would buy it now. As I walk through the Valley of the Temples at this very moment, I would be kicking myself if I did not have my D850.

Symphotic

The D850 is an astounding camera. If I didn't already have one, I would stand in a long line to buy one. It's a lot for a first FX camera, but there is nothing wrong with starting with the best.

Pistnbroke

I WOULD WAIT FOR A PRICE DROP

mhedges

That could be a ways off too considering the D850 is still selling well and they don’t want to undercut the Z7.

PB_PM

The D850 was only just released within the last year, so it could be a year or more before an update comes, if there even is one. Go for.

Rx4Photo

If I were in your shoes, I'd get the D850 if you're ready for it. Even though I don't own a D850, it seems to be at it's peak for that model and body. I don't know if Nikon Corp. will want to put more into it. Remember, many people complained that there was no "true" D700 replacement even with the release of the D800 which was a game changer.

snakebunk

I am like Pistnbroke. I will probably buy a D850 but I will wait for the price to drop (or until I really need it).

egosbar

when they fix snapbridge ill buy one , i use helicon remote on my d500 and i have to tether it to my computer to get it to work because the wifi doesnt allow it to connect
just give us back normal wifi please

decentrist

Intended use is relevant here, yet no on bothers to ask.

donaldejose

Buy it now. Or skip DSLR's entirely and start with a Z6 for $2000 in a few months.

kanuck

Yes I think the D850 will be with us for quite some time. Its still the best camera in Nikon's lineup and you definitely wouldn't regret the purchase

lowdowndan

What is the value of the photos you didn't take while waiting for a few hundred dollar sale?

WestEndFoto

One image might be worth hundreds, or even thousands. But I don’t think that this logic is valid for most “upgrades”, unless the shot is impossible without the upgrade.

donaldejose

I am in the middle of a large corporate shoot of instructors and employees for a large fitness center. The corporation wants from the knees to 6 inches above the head and the D850 allows me to take that file and crop out headshots which still show the eyelashes using the 24-120 f4 lens at f5.6. I knew the D850 could do it but was surprised the lens could do it. Sometimes "overkill" megapixels come in handy. The corporation wants 3/4 body images without pausing to take personal shots for people but the individuals want headshots so I am glad I can extract those headshots from the 3/4 length body shots. Keeps both the corporation and the individuals happy. The D850 is really a great camera. Probably will become a Nikon classic.

WestEndFoto

donaldejose said:

I am in the middle of a large corporate shoot of instructors and employees for a large fitness center. The corporation wants from the knees to 6 inches above the head and the D850 allows me to take that file and crop out headshots which still show the eyelashes using the 24-120 f4 lens at f5.6. I knew the D850 could do it but was surprised the lens could do it. Sometimes "overkill" megapixels come in handy. The corporation wants 3/4 body images without pausing to take personal shots for people but the individuals want headshots so I am glad I can extract those headshots from the 3/4 length body shots. Keeps both the corporation and the individuals happy. The D850 is really a great camera. Probably will become a Nikon classic.

Are the eyelashes crisp enough for someone as fussy as me, or acceptable/usable for the general public?

donaldejose

WEF: You will have to judge that for yourself from the examples below. I found I was shooting mostly at 50mm so I could have used the Sigma 50mm lens for more sharpness. However, the first shot in the series of 25 per person had to be a mugshot with a model release so I zoomed in for that one shot. I shot from a tripod so I didn't have to hold a camera all day and I didn't want to move the tripod all the time so I used a zoom lens.

Capt_Spaulding

I may not be as fussy as WEP, but I'm impressed.

mhedges

Yes looks very good to me. I'd be curious to see how much worse the results would be with a 24 mp camera.

donaldejose

Folks, I knew the sensor could do it but I did not know the 24-120 f4 zoom could do this at f5.6. The Sigma Art 50mm should be able to be even more impressive at this task.

mhedges

That's a good point. The reviews on that lens are mixed. It's hard to tell what to believe about it. But yours sure seems good, at least at the focal length you used for this.

donaldejose

I did a focus fine tune with mine at 120mm but it said 0, no changes needed. Maybe I just received a good example of the lens. That is one thing I am looking forward to with Nikon's mirrorless bodies, no more focus fine tuning needed.

spraynpray

I flogged my 24-120 f4VR not because it wasn't sharp at 50mm (ish), but because it was inconsistent throughout its range and at some focal lengths was really pretty poor. Mine was part of my D750 wedding kit and I really wanted it to be good but alas it lived down to the reviewers conclusions on them.

Donald, if yours is good all through the range, you are lucky.

donaldejose

I used the 28-300 for a wedding where I was a guest and not the photographer so I wanted to stay out of the way by shooting from a distance at 300mm. This is one of the photos from that lens. Not as sharp, shot wide open and backlit near end of day so faces were in shadows had to be brought up. Nevertheless, I made a 16x24 metal print of it for them and they love it. Sharpness isn't everything!

Pistnbroke

I use the 28-300 (as does Rockwell on his D850) but I stick to F8 and only use 300mm for the rings up the finger and people making speeches. Good pic/happy/good teeth/groom on the correct side but I don't think the backlight helped.