Nikon D800 and D800E

[nikonuser]

I wonder whether Nikon have made a fatal error with these 2 cameras having such high pixel resolutions with the side effect that bokeh and blur are made that much more obvious.
Although the uptake for the D800 appears to be pretty good despite delivery problems!! There has also been concerns about the left AF focus points, colour irregularities on the LCD and the need to use good quality glass.
Nikon have issued a Technical Guide which recommends the use of a tripod, using live view to improve focus and prevent blur, not stopping down too far etc etc so I think it's going to be pretty interesting to see owners feedback once the cameras fully hit the market.
Dave

 

[LongLensPhotography]

I wonder whether Nikon have made a fatal error with these 2 cameras having such high pixel resolutions with the side effect that bokeh and blur are made that much more obvious.
Although the uptake for the D800 appears to be pretty good despite delivery problems!! There has also been concerns about the left AF focus points, colour irregularities on the LCD and the need to use good quality glass.
Nikon have issued a Technical Guide which recommends the use of a tripod, using live view to improve focus and prevent blur, not stopping down too far etc etc so I think it's going to be pretty interesting to see owners feedback once the cameras fully hit the market.
Dave

Or you could simply treat it as anaolgue film, depending on print sizes. A3 should be no different compared to 20ish mp for example. But with a good technique this is now capable of very clean A0 billboard.

 

[Ksanti]

1) High resolution does nothing to change the obviousness of bokeh or blur at any normal crop.
2) You don't /need/ to use good quality glass. To make the most of 36MP of course you do, but you rarely actually need that sort of resolving power and if you're outresolving a 36MP lens you're printing massive Tate sized gallery prints. The only camera for which that is true is the D800E because if you're not using stellar lenses than it has only disadvantages compared to a D800, but then if you have a D800E for studio work with primes and then a 28-300 as a walkaround there's nothing wrong with that.

 

[david357]

Nikon's technical guide suggests ways of using the camera in a similar fashion to using a medium format camera - more care in set-up will always produce better results, and mf cameras were less forgiving of sloppiness.

Results I have seen (and taken) from the D800/D800E are very detailed and colour dynamic range really is very good, and I think that anyone moving to either of these cameras should test their existing lenses at different settings to find the optimum setting for image quality.

I moved to a D800 from a D700, and though I loved the results from the D700, I am not sorry I have changed. I have a thread further down with bluebells in it, along with a 100% crop, showing a bug on the flower. Taken at 400 ISO, with the 70-200vr1 at 170mm hand-held.
No special care was taken with that image, but I am impressed with the result!

The ability to crop small areas of the raw file to make A3 prints is awesome, as is the option of huge images from the whole file. I didn't think initially that 36mp was a good idea, until I tried it.

The D800 suits my way of working perfectly, but I was never one for "spray and pray" style shooting, having been a long term user of medium format film cameras in the past.

 

[arclight]

Nikon's technical guide suggests ways of using the camera in a similar fashion to using a medium format camera - more care in set-up will always produce better results, and mf cameras were less forgiving of sloppiness.

Results I have seen (and taken) from the D800/D800E are very detailed and colour dynamic range really is very good, and I think that anyone moving to either of these cameras should test their existing lenses at different settings to find the optimum setting for image quality.

I moved to a D800 from a D700, and though I loved the results from the D700, I am not sorry I have changed. I have a thread further down with bluebells in it, along with a 100% crop, showing a bug on the flower. Taken at 400 ISO, with the 70-200vr1 at 170mm hand-held.
No special care was taken with that image, but I am impressed with the result!

The ability to crop small areas of the raw file to make A3 prints is awesome, as is the option of huge images from the whole file. I didn't think initially that 36mp was a good idea, until I tried it.

The D800 suits my way of working perfectly, but I was never one for "spray and pray" style shooting, having been a long term user of medium format film cameras in the past.

I too had reservations about 36MP, but that aspect you mention and demonstrate in the bluebell shot is pulling me towards the D800.

 

[david357]

I too had reservations about 36MP, but that aspect you mention and demonstrate in the bluebell shot is pulling me towards the D800.

Image size from the D700 at max resolution is 4256 x 2832

Image size from the D800 at max resolution is 7360 x 4912

Which leaves a fair bit of spare if you need it!

I know most of us are perfect and will fill the frame with subject matter, but it's there if you need it

 

[AshleyC]

I wonder whether Nikon have made a fatal error with these 2 cameras having such high pixel resolutions with the side effect that bokeh and blur are made that much more obvious.
Although the uptake for the D800 appears to be pretty good despite delivery problems!! There has also been concerns about the left AF focus points, colour irregularities on the LCD and the need to use good quality glass.
Nikon have issued a Technical Guide which recommends the use of a tripod, using live view to improve focus and prevent blur, not stopping down too far etc etc so I think it's going to be pretty interesting to see owners feedback once the cameras fully hit the market.
Dave

You seem to be rehashing old concerns that have been mentioned time and time again and feedback given.

1. It doesnt make blur more obvious, i handhold it fine and have perfectly sharp images. No idea what you mean about making Bokeh more obvious.

2. I use an £80 lens (50mm 1.8) and its pin sharp on the d800 which disproves that theory. But its a good quality lens. If you use a crap lens then it will look crap on whatever you bolt it onto.

3. Of course you should use a tripod and mirror lockup, stopping down too to help minimise issues. But this is basic workflow 101 which people have been doing since the dawn of time, its certainly not more or less necessary on the d800


left AF focus there does seem to be an issue, lots of reports etc. I dont use that one though as when im in portrait mode i use the right focus point due to how i hold it.

Green tint is there, but after doing a custom white balance it goes away.

 

[arclight]

Image size from the D700 at max resolution is 4256 x 2832

Image size from the D800 at max resolution is 7360 x 4912

Which leaves a fair bit of spare if you need it!

I know most of us are perfect and will fill the frame with subject matter, but it's there if you need it

Thanks, David.

Looking more likely that I will end up minus a D700 & D300s and plus a D800.