Nikon D810

sk66 said:
I missed this...
It's not really "new," or an "innovation" IMO. It's just a stationary version of the way all Nikon's behave when in a dynamic AF mode (I think it's "all" but I can't really recall how my first Nikon DSLR's (D200/D300) behaved. But I know it's how all of the recent Nikon's behave). It's essentially just a d5pt mode.

You can test this yourself. Put the camera in a dynamic AF mode (w/ the focus enabled on the shutter w/ newer bodies) and set so that it won't fire until focus is achieved. Then attempt to focus on a blank section of wall where the camera cannot achieve focus. Now move the selected focus point towards something with detail it can focus on, like a window frame. The camera will focus/fire when one of the four surrounding points reaches the window frame.

If you do the same thing with a single point selected (i.e. non-dynamic AF mode) the camera will not focus/fire until the selected AF point reaches the window frame.
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Ok that's a given, The old system had a single focus point that you could move manually. The new Group Area AF system has build on this to include 4 additional focus points around the 5th in the centre for accuracy. In addition it also offers face detection. This goes beyond the single AF mode and can also be used in the Continuous AF Mode.
 
You can move the selected point when in a dynamic AF mode. The only real difference is that dynamic modes can't be used in Af-s and the selected point moves with the subject (min 9pts, which is just the additional 4 remaining around the selected point). But it can be used with an AF-s type behavior w/ BBF.
Face detection I've never understood the point of...it's also dependent on the metering sensor (color data) and slows AF down a little.

Don't get me wrong, I don't mind group area AF being an option.... I just think it's a little on the "hype" side.
 
Ok, rather than read through endless pages, what are the main differences between the 800 and 810?
 
In short, the speed module has just been plugged in. Quicker faster AF in low light. It's now more of a General purpose camera. Host of other new feature too. Not worth upgrading from D800 unless you need the better AF. If you need FF camera then this is a robust workhorse.
 
Also Group area AF & Electronic front curtain shutter.
 
I agree, the biggest difference is the AF speed and tracking. They've also completely removed the AA filter which may have downsides. But overall, combined with the many other minor improvements it's just a much better camera to use for the kinds of things the D800 is suited.
 
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I think we all know the D800's AF is a little flaky in low light. I think Nikon realised that the D800 was more of a studio camera. The D810 addresses that, and makes it quite possibly one of the best all round DSLRs available IMO. If I didn't already have a D800E I'd be buying one. AF isn't a priority for me though. There's still the thought of all the good things I already have with the 800E, but with 1080p @ 60fps nagging away at me though.... I have a feeling that I'll probably end up with one at some point... just no great rush.
 
FWIW, I'm very impressed with the D810, especially in low light. The past few weeks working with foxes and pine martens from late afternoon until dusk the camera has no problem tracking and focusing. It's as good if not better than my D3s. One of the evenings a colleague of mine were next to me with his D4 and he couldn't focus lock. Now I appreciate there are other factors involved, not least the way you set the focus as well as the choice of optics etc. Currently for my work, the edge the D3s has is noise control and FPS.

As an aside, I hated the D800e (another loaner from NPS). I had it for a week last year when I was working on a project in Spain. My impression is that the D800x and the D810 are like the D3 and D3s -they made lots of small tweaks, but the overall effect was significant. To me anyway, as a wildlife shooter. I haven't made any conscious, scientific/controlled tests so these are just my own observations from the field. But I was so impressed with the D810 I that actually bought one.
 
The D810 is obviously better - at some things. It would be pointless for them to bring out a lesser body!

But, I'll stick with the E for some time yet. The AF seems fine to me, but then I don't do sports or flying birds or cars ... I do snap kids running about now and then for family shoots, and find it keeps up with them no problem, as it's usually outdoors in good light anyway. What the D810 has for me is the quieter shutter, better video - not that I'd ever use it much - and I might open up more to different types of shooting, like sports, and wildlife. But by the time I'm ready to upgrade [I guess] - there will probably be another big boy on the scene. D850E or something
 
Pookeyhead said:
I think we all know the D800's AF is a little flaky in low light. I think Nikon realised that the D800 was more of a studio camera. The D810 addresses that, and makes it quite possibly one of the best all round DSLRs available IMO. If I didn't already have a D800E I'd be buying one. AF isn't a priority for me though. There's still the thought of all the good things I already have with the 800E, but with 1080p @ 60fps nagging away at me though.... I have a feeling that I'll probably end up with one at some point... just no great rush.
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LoL, after all the stick you gave me about it not being much better than the D800 a couple of weeks back....... and that my real life experience with it compared to so called experts views was not relevant..... and now your agreeing with what I said :)
 
Wilky said:
LoL, after all the stick you gave me about it not being much better than the D800 a couple of weeks back....... and that my real life experience with it compared to so called experts views was not relevant..... and now your agreeing with what I said :)
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I seem to recall that was the low light (high ISO) QUALITY.. not it's AF.
 
I just got myself a D810 and the 14-24 mm lens to go with it and it just blows me away every time I look at the detail I'm getting in the pictures ,
I started with a Nikon D40x back in 2005 and upgraded to a D7000 and few years ago and now jumping to full frame and this quality lens is just amazing, I love it !!
 
Dmax said:
I just got myself a D810 and the 14-24 mm lens to go with it and it just blows me away every time I look at the detail I'm getting in the pictures ,
I started with a Nikon D40x back in 2005 and upgraded to a D7000 and few years ago and now jumping to full frame and this quality lens is just amazing, I love it !!
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That's one quality lens even devoted Canon users have jumped ship because of it. Just wait until you set your ISO dial to 64 you're going to be in for a treat.
 
Dmax said:
I just got myself a D810 and the 14-24 mm lens to go with it and it just blows me away every time I look at the detail I'm getting in the pictures ,
I started with a Nikon D40x back in 2005 and upgraded to a D7000 and few years ago and now jumping to full frame and this quality lens is just amazing, I love it !!
Click to expand...

That's one quality lens even devoted Canon users have jumped ship because of it. Just wait until you set your ISO dial to 64 you're going to be in for a treat.
 
Dmax said:
I just got myself a D810 and the 14-24 mm lens to go with it and it just blows me away every time I look at the detail I'm getting in the pictures ,
I started with a Nikon D40x back in 2005 and upgraded to a D7000 and few years ago and now jumping to full frame and this quality lens is just amazing, I love it !!
Click to expand...

That's one quality lens even devoted Canon users have jumped ship because of it. Just wait until you set your ISO dial to 64 you're going to be in for a treat.
 
A pair of Df's

Lovely files but I've run into a couple of issues this season.

1. I shoot around the edge of a frame and use outer AF points a lot. The narrow spread of the Df has, as I feared, meant me working around it, rather than with it. The outer points themselves aren't as accurate as the 51 point sensors either.

2. Max shutter speed of 1/4000s. I shoot at f2 for 95% of a wedding, and this summer I've had to stop down more to counter that shutter speed limit. I want to be back at 1/8000s

The D750 was a poss, but the lack of AF-On and the same 1/4000s limit were both deal breakers for me.

I played with a D810 yesterday and the handling is just lovely. Sadly, the excellence of the Df files weren't ultimately enough to make up for the shortcomings as I see them. I've had a couple of friends (also wedding photographers) using D810's send me various NEF files so I can look at noise, shadow recovery etc and those files are also very nice indeed.

I've put 35 weddings on the Df's, but these niggles take me back to the original 5D and having to shoot around, rather than with, the cameras.
 
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The noise level is excellent I was in Yorks dimest darkest medieval church on Saturday and the results are impressive. No problem with AF either.
 
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