D800, Discussion, Questions, and Answers

Benji2505

The article talked about the D3 and the D3X.

Whatever, the issue exists, but it gets better over time and it should not affect your buying decision. Let's let the dust settle with that.

I would agree that buying the first release is a bad idea. I bought my FF camera about 2 months ago and did not have any of the child diseases mentioned on this site.

D900E

TaoTeJared

I sent you a PM as I can't say anything here without being insulted by some smart guys.

macfly

Hey, chicagonature, I hope it's ok to ask this here, but would you mind giving me a recommendation for the NPS - you can see my site/work at www.macfly.com 

I do find it pretty insulting they won't take the minute it takes to look at someone website to see if they actually work with cameras, but having just re-joined the Nikon fold after 20 years with CPS I have to say every part of dealing with NPS has been awful, you can't even get a human being on the phone, much less someone who knows about the cameras!

Msmoto

A brief divergence from the D800 topic, but if someone wants to discuss NPS, a new thread can be started.  Or you can receive my condolences as in spite of working almost everyday in an educational field, doing all my work for charity and 501(3) c organizations, pro bono, MPS ignores my requests as well.

I think NPS is for the elite who demand money from using the camera, and is based only on one being in organizations which are Nikon friendly.  They have very stringent rules for membership.  And, if one does not live in the big city where others can vouch for you....oh well.

fishguy

All,

  I've tried to post an image of my dirty D800 sensor on Flickr (I've never done this before - hope it works). 

~fishgu

jonnyapple

fishguy, I fixed your link. Golf007sd posted a nice video on how to do this in the How to post a photo to the PAD thread.

BTW, I think this is why Adamz suggested to take a few thousand shots before sending it to be cleaned again:

http://nikonrumors.com/2012/11/21/time-lapse-video-of-the-nikon-d600-dust-accumulation-problem.aspx/

adamz

yup, there was this post JA. 

@fishguy - it looks like oil spots... just get some more shots and send it for free cleaning. 

NPS - it's off topic so please start a thread about this. honestly, I don't understand the whole hype about it. You get a paper once in a while, and they send You x-mas greetings. one thing that count's for me is the fast service line and 1 free camera cleaning annually. 

Prathap

Hi All..

I am a noob but i have a D800 (sorry)..

When i shoot videos in D800, i get this clicking sound. its like click click click click click........click click click click click.......click click click click click. this sound is recorded in the clip also

i am using the camera's mic.

is this a know issue? any work around for this? or is something wrong with my cam??

Regards,
Prathap.

PB_PM

That is common with built in mics, it is picking up internal sounds from the camera. You need an external microphone to get around that.

Prathap

Thank you for your reply PB_PM

ooh is it!! thats sad..
any suggestions for a good budget end external mic?

Regards,
Prathap.

Msmoto

I think Rode makes one and B & H has it as a kit...VideoMic Booming Kit. Less than $170, and just the mike is $150.

Prathap

Thank you for your reply Msmoto..
Will check those out.

i am disappointed that after paying so much, D800 cant even shoot a simple video with me paying extra and getting that mic!!

Regards,
Prathap.

JJ_SO

Most serious reviewers would have told you that in advcance. You will get a camera-noise free sound records with a D800, but then you need to
switch off AF (with the switch of the lens or the one left bottom frontside of the camera)
switch off VR, too

However, that doesn't mean "totally noise free" - there's still wind and there's poor acoustic in a room. If you film a person 3 meters away, you might hear your own breathing or the action of your fingers on the camera. No filmmaker uses a camera with built in microphone. Have you never wondered, why there are so many sound people mentioned in the titles?

JJ_SO

After second thought, even the Røde microphone can give you camera noise, when you mount it on the hot shoe. If you want to have good sound, then you better record it with an external recorder and place the microphone(s) close to the source of sound.

You could have my Nikon micro - I was thinking like you, but it's just unsatisfying.

Msmoto

The whole issue of video recording needs to be looked at. We all have expectations about our equipment, but if we are after good audio this requires a very well placed pickup. The microphone will record everything it hears. Our ears do as well, but in our brains we screen out the unwanted noises and never recognize they may be present. If you want NBC like sound, watch the Today show and note how they do it. If it were possible to do this without individual microphones, well....

My original suggestion of the Rode with the boom kit is exactly the point. One must place the microphone where the sound is.

I think a new thread to discuss this specifically might be started soon..... B-)

fishguy

All,

I got some good news: I just received an email from Nikon US last night - they are going to replace my D800 (mentioned above that had been sent in three times for oil spots on the sensor).
I will say that although Nikon took some urging, they eventually did the right thing, and the person that I worked with there was great - despite my getting irate, she never did. They also covered all transport costs (next day air) so aside from being without a camera from 6 weeks, I have nothing to complain about now - can't wait to get the new camera and start using it!

~Fishguy

marpater

Thats awesome news fishguy hope the new one if de-oiled, I have an 800E with the only issue being a broken 10-pin socket, Nikon took care of this under warranty no questions asked, I did have to pay for shipping to Nikon. I was surprised that they shipped it back to me uninsured, I had UPS route for a local pickup, I didn't want it sitting on my front porch all day.

fishguy

Rats - the replacement D800 arrived- but the sensor has 50+ spots and a cleaning streak on it! Back to square one on this saga.....

Symphotic

Rats - the replacement D800 arrived- but the sensor has 50+ spots and a cleaning streak on it! Back to square one on this saga.....

That is really discouraging. I'm sorry to hear that.

I was going to buy a refurb D800E as a second body, but I won't now unless I can return it. I guess that means buying from somebody other than Nikon. I don't have the time in the day for dealing with sending things back.

My D800 came out of the factory with minor focus issues (not the left focus issue.) I used AF fine tuning until I had a chance to send it back, and now it works perfectly. It was one of the first 400 shipped to the U.S., so I can't understand how they would let an initial release out with any defects at all. Maybe because we were all screaming for delivery...

CraigB

I have two D800e and have very little sensor dirt. No issues with left AF either. I have been very pleased with the build quality and image quality from these cameras. I've owned the FujiPro S2, Nikon D1x, Nikon D2x, Nikon D90 and now the Nikon D800e. I have always had to clean the sensors, especially on the D1x's. Shooting weddings every week, I just got into the routine to clean the sensors, check the lens and sync the time on my cameras...every week before shooting. I have never damaged a sensor and it only took a minute or two per camera.

The image quality from the D800e simply blows me away when compared to my older Nikon's.

T3LF

hi guys and girls sorry if any of these question have been asked before. Im thinking of getting a D800 (because i cannot wait any longer for the dust/oil problem with D600) and have a few questions.
First question is their much of a problem with dust/oil with D800 like the d600? i have not heard much if their is.
How is the noise level at higher iso? anyone done any astrophotography how does the camera perform in that department?
I heard of people having a problem with sharpness when handheld because of high megapixel it catches your movement easier is this true or just a myth?
Anyone used both 50mm 1.4g and 50mm 1.8g on D800 how do they compare im not sure i need the extra speed but on sharpness is there much difference? is it worth the extra £130 for 1.4g?
Thanks for your help

Symphotic

hi guys and girls sorry if any of these question have been asked before. Im thinking of getting a D800 (because i cannot wait any longer for the dust/oil problem with D600) and have a few questions.
First question is their much of a problem with dust/oil with D800 like the d600? i have not heard much if their is.
How is the noise level at higher iso? anyone done any astrophotography how does the camera perform in that department?
I heard of people having a problem with sharpness when handheld because of high megapixel it catches your movement easier is this true or just a myth?
Anyone used both 50mm 1.4g and 50mm 1.8g on D800 how do they compare im not sure i need the extra speed but on sharpness is there much difference? is it worth the extra £130 for 1.4g?
Thanks for your help

Let me give my on the first, third and fourth:

I have one of the early D800s and I have not heard of the dust/oil problem on D800s. They are manufactured in a different assembly line (in a different country) so whatever the source of the D600 problem is, it doesn't seem to be a problem with the D800.

High megapixel count causing sharpness problems is a myth, somewhat encouraged by Nikon themselves to sell more expensive lenses. You need good photographic technique on either the D600 or D800. You will get the same amount of camera shake on either camera, but the resolution of the D800 is better, so with poor technique you will get just as poor results with either camera, not poorer results with the D800. Some people have a hard time getting their heads around that.

I have both lenses. For some reason, unquantifiable, I like the 50 mm f/1.8 better. I wouldn't pay an extra 130 for the 1.4G. Save that money for something fun, like a camera bag.

As for astrophotography, the D800 is not a low-light champ, but my town has developed a lot in the last 10 years and I can no longer see the Milky Way from my yard, so I gave up trying.

T3LF

what about long exposures any problems there?, normally in astrophotography i would not push the camera above 800 iso anyway and just do more exposures or longer ones.

Symphotic

The D800 can do quite long exposures, and there is a long exposure noise reduction feature. Use a remote for best results there. You might want to consider the D600 after all: it is thought to have better sensitivity, and as a lighter camera, it will fit better on your telescope.
I'm actually off to look at a clock drive tomorrow as I expect to photograph at least two comets this year.

T3LF

The D800 can do quite long exposures, and there is a long exposure noise reduction feature. Use a remote for best results there. You might want to consider the D600 after all: it is thought to have better sensitivity, and as a lighter camera, it will fit better on your telescope.
I'm actually off to look at a clock drive tomorrow as I expect to photograph at least two comets this year.

I would of got the d600 but i wont because of the dust/oil problem i have little time for editing and the time i do i dont want to be spent getting spots of the pictures but i always did want the d800 just the size was my concern and if it was anygood at night photography..

Does anyone have any sample pictures of the nights sky from d800 weather on telescope or just generally thr sky. (or even night time photography)? or come across any problems with it?
Thanks