Review Nikon D3 -ISO 6400 in real life situations

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Lee
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There's been a lot of talk about recent posted images by Nikon on the subject of image quality / colour balance and colour depth when shot at high ISO.

Well - yesterday I used the D3 at it's first wedding.
I went armed with a selection of glass and put a range of ISO to the test.

I found the low end ISO (up to 1000) to be amazing. ISO1600 you see the first signs of noise on both bright and dark backdrops. The dreaded green Nikon noise problem appears to have been truely resolved (thankfully!).

Hitting ISO2000 isn't a problem, images are sharp (handheld at 1/60 with VR @ 200mm on the 70-200).

Towards the end of the night, I wanted to throw the flash away and crank up to the top end of the range.

Below is an image (one of many) shot at ISO6400 where there was no problem.

It makes taking pictures easy again, and no worries that cranking it up is going to provide difficult pictures to work with post-processing.

Image below - not sharpend, not touched just cropped the RAW file.

ISO6400.jpg


I'm going to write a full review on the D3 tomorrow - i've found some problems with the handling when a flash is attached that I don't feel Nikon have thought about, and other minor issues - some could be relative to me and my handling, but would be interested to see what others think.
 
Just cropped this image to resolution for the forum.

No sharpening, no reduction. Nothing!
 
There are situations where it's not so great at 6400. Namely images with lots of black in. These aren't too bad as easily rectified in PP. Usability wise, there's no issues now shooting in the church at f5 - 6.3. Used to be shooting at 1000 ISO and f1.8 - 2 which causes problem in itself.

It's an amazing piece of hardware - I would consider purchasing another one to be honest.

Placing a DX lens onto the device, you can control how it accepts it. Running in Crop mode is superb, really pleased I don't have to initally change all of my glass which would cost ££££.
 
Better start saving then for a D3. If I start now I think I could have one by 2010?!?!!

It's true, but hopefully by then this kind of performance will have made its way into cameras more people can afford.

It really is amazing.
 
Wow, thats like a spot the noise contest.
 
Blimey, this really tests my resistance to temptation to get D700/D3 to the limits :)

[to myself] Need to resist, need to be strong...
 
It's funny - even after 12 months shooting Nikon I haven't gone over 3200. Maybe I should give 6400 another chance!!
 
What I love about the D700/D3 is you can just put it in auto ISO, set a limit and snap away without having to worry about noise to much.
 
I usually dont go over 3200 in mine.Just find thats when the noise starts to creep in.
Last night although I shot at 4000 and the smoke was starting to make it noisy but nothing that made them that unusable
 
Ahh yeah - cracking piece of kit is the D3S! I remember first posting this and was well blown away with it. Strange how it becomes 'the norm!'
 
Can I just take this opportunity to say, that Lee's website is the second photography-orientated website I've come across recently, that plays music in the background, with no easy way of turning it off.

Seriously, it's annoying and makes (made) me close the site straight away. Think fellas and girls, about your audience.
 
Can I just take this opportunity to say, that Lee's website is the second photography-orientated website I've come across recently, that plays music in the background, with no easy way of turning it off.

Seriously, it's annoying and makes (made) me close the site straight away. Think fellas and girls, about your audience.

Don't think he was looking for feedback on his site,... :thinking:

Maybe a PM would of worked better?
 
LOL.
 
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Can I just take this opportunity to say, that Lee's website is the second photography-orientated website I've come across recently, that plays music in the background, with no easy way of turning it off.

Seriously, it's annoying and makes (made) me close the site straight away. Think fellas and girls, about your audience.

The bottom right has a Sound On/Off toggle (y)
 
Sorted out the domain issue - all my previous pics will now show.
 
The groom could have at least combed his hair :)
 
Ah this one. You posted this a couple of years ago didn't you? Pretty sure I've seen it before. The ISO handling certainly opens avenue in which it makes things easier.
 
For some reason this thread was brought back to life recently, so it's the same image posted!

The D700 is just as superb - I have one as a backup and I used it in anger at a recent wedding - did me proud!
 
The very first shot I took with the D3s at iso 12800 a couple of months ago. Shot in jpeg and only resized for web.

DSC_0009.jpg


Still find it amazing.


Kev.
 
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