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SUMMARY

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INTRODUCTION

The new Nikon D800 is a tremendous announcement from Nikon. The camera is somewhat a hybrid, combining some powerful features of the more expensive Nikon D4 with the familiar D700 body style, but with a new high resolution 36.3MP sensor. The first shipments have been delivered in late March / and the D800E is expected to ship in mid April. The new D800 sets a new precedence in digital photography.

There are lots of improvements to discuss, many of which are similar to the Nikon D4. The most obvious advancement is the new 36MP sensor with improved dynamic range and decent ISO performance. Further enhancements include: improved ergonomics, 100% viewfinder coverage, improved autofocus and metering, improved shutter durability. 1080p HD-Video, etc. It is smaller and lighter than its predecessor the Nikon D700.

AVAILABILITY

Those who are NPS (Nikon Pros) and have pre-ordered early, have received D800s, as Nikon has shipped the first allotment. Amazon did not prioritize NPS members first, which is why I prefer Amazon, along with Adorama. The D800E is delayed and the big shipment will ship out the week of May 16. To the right is a 6 minute video of the unboxing of the D800E as it arrived in a camera store on April 17, 2012. Nikon is scheduled to produce 30K D800's per month from their Sendai manufacturing facility. However, I am not sure if this number excludes or includes D800Es.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE D800 AND D800E

Nikon produces two models, a D800 and D800E, allowing photographers to choose the right model for their needs. The Nikon D800E is identical to the D800 but without an anti-aliasing filter. The anti-aliasing filter prevents color moiré patterns from appearing in repetitive patterns. Color moiré patterns occur because of the bayer arranged RGB sensor. However, the anti-aliasing filter does reduce some sharpness. So those who are looking for ultimate sharpness and detail can take the risk of the Nikon D800E without an anti-aliasing filter. Before reading any further, luminous landscape has generated an excellent comparison of the two models.

Keep in mind that if you are aware of how these color moiré patterns are created, you can do your best to avoid photographing things that cause them. Although Nikon’s Capture NX update now supports moiré reduction, don’t be fooled. The effectiveness of software to eliminate color moiré without some side effects is highly debatable. Remember that this filter exists in the spatial domain (in front of the sensor). Once color moiré is captured by the sensor, it is hard for software to distinguish it from other natural occuring patterns or elements.

How can you avoid moiré? Moiré is created by repeated patterns. Manmade things often produce moiré because of precise repetition (grids, fabrics, etc). However, things in nature, although can exhibit repetition, are less exact and more randomly occurring. Landscapes, wildlife, and nature are less likely to produce moiré and make good subjects for the D800E. On the other hand, textures, cityscapes, and industrial photography can have a higher risk of moiré. Most people should tend towards the D800 and avoid the D800E, depending on what they shoot, as it is harder to reduce moiré in post processing than it is to sharpen images. Stopping down to the diffraction threshold (f/11) can also help reduce moire but consequently soften image results.

I have provided some additional information about the affects of aliasing and the D800E at the Nikon D800E Overview.

CP PLUS 2012 - HANDS ON PREVIEW

CP Plus is the camera and photo imaging show in Japan. btobey.com was present at this years 2012 show and has compiled a brief video (right) of the Nikon D800 at CP+. Additionally, you can see more images of the show at our Nikon CP+ Plus page.

MEDIUM FORMAT COMPETITION

The D800 presents some serious competition to medium format cameras at a much more affordable price. Some argue that medium format cameras have a different feel, with their shallower depth of field, etc. This of course is true, as medium format cameras use a larger sensor, requiring less magnification for visual reproduction, and a larger pixel size for increased data collection. However, the D800 presents a welcoming alternative to medium format with its high resolution sensor and excellent dynamic range.

NEW CONTROLS

The D800 has a similar look and feel of the prior D700, with some adjustments for the new prism and improved ergonimic shape. Added at the top is a much desired bracketing button which was lacking on the D700, in addition to a new video record button. The record button is customizable when in still image mode. However, it is closely positioned next to the MODE button, and is in the same place of the old MODE button of the D700. I expect to accidently press this often.

Nikon has also adjusted the slope of the shutter release button to 35 degrees, much like the D4.

REAR CONTROLS

Not much has changed on the back side. Just like the Nikon D4 the lock button is now overriden with the picture controls while in shooting mode. Also the autofocus area mode is now implemented in the front of the camera similar to the Nikon D7000. In its place, they have added a still image and movie selector mode. I suspect Nikon made this selector to prevent accidents of hitting the wrong buttons in the wrong mode.

THE IMAGE SENSOR - PIXEL SIZE

The Nikon D800 / D800E feature a newly designed 36.3 MP sensor (SONY) producing images at resolutions up to 7,360 x 4,912. It is full frame FX CMOS sensor measuring 35.9mm x 24.0mm. This tranlates to a new ~4.9 micron pixel size, similar to the D7000. In fact in DX crop mode the Nikon D800 will produce 15MP images, nearly equivalent resolution as the D7000. This means we should expect similar or better pixel integrity (ISO, Noise, etc) than the D7000. Further, the sensor is so versatile, using DX lenses will not be an issue and produce near equivalent results of the D7000.

The camera features a new dust reduction auto cleaning system. Should you choose, Capture NX 2 can be used for post dust analysis to help gather dust data for more precise removal.

D800 RECENT TEST RESULTS

Many of you are aware DXO scored the D800 the highest overall of any camera to date. DXO is a professional image test lab. The real question is what to make of the results. Further I plan to test and validate in my own findings. However, both my Nikon D800 and Nikon D4 has yet to arrive.

Let's first take a look at noise performance. DXO tests signal to noise ratio (SNR), a measurement for noise. These results are shown using 100% "screen" view, which shows noise on a pixel level basis. You can observe how the D800 is behind the D4 by about 1 - 1.5 stops in SNR. This makes sense since the D4 has roughly half the pixel count for the same sensor area. I also see that the D4 holds up a bit better at larger ISO sensitivities (at 6400). Another thing to note, although not shown, the D700 outperforms the D800 in SNR throughout the entire ISO range, and the D700 is more closely matched up to the D4, but breaks down at higher ISOs.

Although the D4 claims super high ISO ranges, it suffers greatly from noise at these settings (above 51K). My conclusion from looking at DXOs test data is that if you are considering a D800 or D4 strictly for noise performance, you should stick with a D700 or D3s, as these are much cheaper alternatives that can achieve slightly better SNR. I have expanded on this on my article about the D800 noise characteristics.

DYNAMIC RANGE TEST RESULTS

The D800 exceeds in dynamic range at ISO 100. It is capable of 14.4EV, which dictates the amount of f-stops (EVs) distinguishable between blacks and whites (0 to saturation). High dynamic range is desirable for things like landscapes where gradient details can be captured.

However, the D800’s dynamic range begins to give way beyond ISO 400, and cameras like the new D4 really excel in these ISO ranges. Compared to the D700 and D3X, the D800 provides a similar dynamic range beyond ISO 400.

One caveat: The medium format cameras are still great for studio work and can produce better SNR, color, and tonal range, than that of Nikon’s cameras, at the lower ISO range, but at the same time, are a lot less sensitive to light. The D800 is an order of magnitude less expensive and can perform well at medium-high ISO ranges.

Overall, I suspect the D800 to produce surreal masterpiece images at ISO 100, permitting you have a great photographer behind it (not me). You can read more about DXO’s findings here. I will be validating there results, once I receive both the D4 and D800, against each other and my D700.

ISO COMMUNITY DISCUSSIONS

The Nikon D800 has an impressive ISO range from 100 to 6400, expandable to 50 and 25600, and performs quite well throughout. However, be wary of those who are underestimating the ISO performance of the D4. There are many discussions around the web on how the D800 can outperform the D4 through downsampling. Noise has several characteristics that contribute to the degradation of the image. Simple comparisons by upsampling or downsampling cannot accurately depict the noise response, both spectral aspects and RMS amplitude. Further, at higher ISOs, dynamic range and color depth decrease. I will be testing both cameras based on the ISO 12232:2006 standard. This is evident in the DXO test results already described above, as examined at 100%.

I have written an article describing the analysis of noise on the D800, along with discussion of diffraction, motion blur, and dynamic range.

AUTO ISO IMPROVED

The Nikon D800 offers a new Auto ISO functionality that incorporates the lens' focal length into the equation when in P or A modes. The D4 and D800 are among the first to implement an Auto ISO to account for the lens' focal length. To set "Auto ISO" to control the shutter threshold using the inverse of the focal length of the lens, set Auto ISO to "ON" and set the maximum sensitivity and minimum shutter speed to AUTO. From there, you can adjust the speed of the focal length interpretation speed.

Auto ISO can be controlled easily by pressing the ISO button and rotating the sub-command dial!

91K RGB METERING

The D800 utilizes the same metering and scene recognition system of the recently announced Nikon D4. This advanced metering system can detect differences between artificial and natural light, compensating quickly in difficult lighting conditions. Further, this will also improve flash exposure using i-TTL and i-TTL-BL flash metering.

The new metering system allow the D800 to use face detection both with phase detect and contrast autofocus. This allows it to be used while looking through the viewfinder. Nikon claims it to be highly accurate.

AUTOFOCUS SYSTEM

The D800 features the same autofocus system as the Nikon D4, allowing you to focus with an open aperture of f/8 in the center focus point. The autofocus system is the advanced multi-cam 3500FX. It features the three dynamic AF area options, 9 point, 21 point and 51 point. It also features a 3D tracking mode.

The ability to change the autofocus area has been repositioned from the rear to the front of the camera. It is now a button located on the autofocus drive control (M / AF). Press the button and adjust the command dial to iterate through autofocus area modes. This is the same implementation as the Nikon D7000 and Nikon D4.

NIKON D800 IMAGE SAMPLES

Rob Van Petten provides an in depth preview of the amazing capabily this camera has. He provides sample images on his website. Be sure to see his video below using the D800 hands on in the fashion photography world.

Also additional samples can be found on Cliff Mautner's site here, and of course on Nikon's website.

HIGH ISO ANALYSIS OF SAMPLES (UNOFFICIAL)

The following images were taken by Victor Zaykovskiy of Ferra.ru (site takes long time to load). He used a pre-production D800. After running it through nikonshuttercount.com, the serial number was 1001083, with a shutter count of 1701. All the images were taken using the Nikon 50mm f/1.8G.

Some of the images he took were good tests to analyze the ISO performance. This one in particular shows the retained textures in the shadow and minimal presence of color noise. Clearly there is an amount of luminescent noise, but not a whole lot different than my experience with my D700 at 6400. This is optimistic, but for more critical work I would probably not want to be above ISO 1600.



Below is another example at ISO 3200. Click here for full resolution original JPEG, straight out of the camera.

VIEWFINDER | NEW PENTAPRISM

A significant improvement over the prior D700 is the new 100% viewfinder coverage. Further improvements include added clarity for manual focus adjustments. Also Nikon has added a virtual horizon with roll and pitch indication.

CROP MODES

The D800 now comes with a 5:4 crop option. This didn’t exist on the D700. It also has a 1.2X crop feature for a telephoto edge, along with DX and full frame FX. Cropped modes are time savers. Why crop in post when you can get it right or close the first time. Crop modes can also save on image file sizes, also saving additional time on data transfers and image processing.

HDR FUNCTIONALITY

The D800 has a built in 2 frame HDR option within one shutter release, processing 16-bit. The two exposures can be at two different exposures at up to 3EV apart. The in camera HDR tone mapping provides nicely blended saturated results.

NEW 3.2" LCD REAR DISPLAY

The Nikon D800 features the same 3.2 inch LCD as the new Nikon D4, with auto-brightness. The new LCD features 921K dot TFT with near sRGB color spectrum, along with a wide viewing angle. For use in live view it will work great for macro and landscape use to ensure precise focusing, 23X zoom (loupe) capability.

CONNECTIVITY

• USB 3.0 (Nikon D4 only has USB 2.0?)
• HDMI Type C mini (uncompressed | simultaneous)
• Audio In - 3.5mm pin jack
• Headphone Out - 3.5mm pin jack
• 10-Pin acessory terminal

DUAL STORAGE CAPABILITY

The D800 has dual memory card slots, one for an SD / SDHC card and one for a CF card (Compact Flash UDMA Type I). The D700 lacked this redundancy. Nikon did not see the need for its new XQD slots as it did with the high speed Nikon D4. The compact flash card should provide sufficient speed for the high resolution imagery at 4 fps.

4 fps is a tremendous bandwidth requirement at 36MP RAW data transfers (100MB/s peak). The buffer is rates for 16-25 shots on RAW NEF, depending on the compression.

SHUTTER DURABILITY

The Nikon D800 has a rated shutter life of 200,000 shutter clicks. This is just a reliability statistic, probably 2 sigma point, and I suspect most D800s to last well beyond this expectation.

The shutter is capable of speeds up to 1/8000s. Further, the camera is intelligent enough to detect actual shutter speeds and can calibrate itself to adjust for variations such as temperature or wear.

D800 PRODUCT TOUR

VIDEO HD-SLR RECORD (SIMILAR TO D4)

• 1920x1080 30p, 25p, 24p
• 1280x720 60p, 50p, 30p, 25p
• H.264 / MPEG-4 (.MOV)
• Movie Index Marking
• Timelapse Movie
• 10-Pin Remote Trigger
• Live view + HDMI (uncompressed) simultaneously
• Smooth Aperture Changes while Recording
• Live Frame Grab upto 1080p resolution

SAMPLE VIDEO

Below is the promotional video shot exclusively using the Nikon D800. You can see the low light performance is quite good. It is titled "Joy Ride" and was shot by Mark Miller and his team in Chicago. Also take a look at the D800 sample movie titled, "through the lens" on youtube.

BATTERY LIFE

Plagued by the same battery regulations of the Nikon D4, the D800 no longer uses the EN-EL 3 and instead the EN-EL15 battery, same as the D7000 and Nikon V1. The endurance is expected to be a bit worse than the D700, but instantaneous current delivery should improve.

VERTICAL BATTERY GRIP | MB-D12

Yes you will require a new battery grip for the D800. It is priced high, at $450 USD. The MB-D12 functions much like the previous MB-D10. It is compatible with a variety of batteries: AA batteries, the EN-EL15 battery, or the Nikon D4’s battery the EN-EL18. Obviously the new grip provides controls for vertical positioned shooting and allows faster continuous shooting in DX mode of up to 6fps. It too is environmentally sealed. Adorama is now taking pre-orders for the Nikon MB-D12 battery grip.

KEY DIFFERENCES BETWEEN NIKON D800 | NIKON D4

	Nikon D4	Nikon D800
Sensor Size	36.0 x 23.9 mm	35.9 x 24.0 mm
Resolution	16.2MP (4,928 x 3,280)	36.3MP (7,360 x 4,912)
Frames / Sec	10 fps (AF) / 11 fps	4 fps
ISO Standard	100-12800	100-6400
ISO Expandable	50-204800	50-25600
Playback Functions	GPS Data Display IPTC data display and embed	-
Illuminated Buttons	YES	-
Video Modes	2.7x Crop Mode 1920x1080 30p (Telephoto Power) 640 x 424 30p	-
Movie Length	30 / 20 minutes (depending on frame rate) ~60 minutes uncompressed hdmi output	Not Specified Yet
Storage Media	1 x XQD 1 x CF (CompactFlash)	1 x CF (CompactFlash) 1 x SD (Secure Digital)
Built-In Flash	NO	YES
Connectivity	Ethernet, WT-5 / WT-4 Wireless, USB 2.0	USB 3.0, WT-4 Wireless
Shutter Rating	400,000 cycles	200,000 cycles
Battery	EN-EL18 (New) 2600 Battery Life (shots per charge)	EN-EL15 (same as D7000, Nikon V1) 900 Battery Life (shots per charge)
Price	$5,999	$2,999

SIZE AND WEIGHT CHARACTERISTICS

The D800 is both smaller and lighter than the old D700. Its overall dimensions are 5.7" x 4.8" x 3.2" and weighs 900g (15.7 oz) without battery. This is a subtle but important improvement over the existing Nikon D700.

INCLUDED IN PACKAGE

• Eyepiece (DK-17)
• Body Cap (BF-1B)
• EN-EL15 Battery (Lithium-Ion 2000mAh)
• Battery Charger (MH-25)
• LCD Cover (BM-12)
• Camera Strap
• Shoe Mount Cover
• USB Cable
• USB Cable Clip Attachment

BUILD QUALITY

The overall structure is built up of a magnesium alloy body, obviously environmentally and electromagnetically sealed similarly to the Nikon D4.

MORE INFO ABOUT THE D800E

The figure to the right is a conceptual depiction of how I suspect the difference in filter implementation of the D800 and D800E. These filters are placed just before the sensor. The filters group is composed of UV and IR band reject filters, and low pass filters to prevent aliasing.

For the standard D800, the light is split horizontally (polarizing filter), then filtered (low-pass), then filtered for IR, and then split vertically and then filtered again to prevent color moiré. The D800E is similar, except that it is not split in two axis and filtered twice, instead it is only split once and filtered using one low pass filter. This allows color moiré to still occur but provides less blur caused by the low pass filters.

Although this provides a brief summary, it does not provide us with any conclusion. Unless we are given the low pass cut off frequency specs, and its relation to the bayer RGB photosite arrangement and size, only then can we fully understand the true impact of the two filters have on image results. I hope to perform some extensive testing whne I receive the cameras.

D800 VS CANON 5DIII

When discussing differences between Nikon and Canon it can get ugly. Although the D800 is an exceptional camera, Canon’s new 5D mark III is also exceptional. However, when analyzing image quality at ISO 100, the Nikon D800 truly outperforms nearly any DSLR. Fred Miranda has provided an excellent comparison between the two cameras. I highly recommend reading it.

FULL HANDS ON REVIEW

I have pre-ordered the Nikon D800 and D800E. I expect to receive it at the end of April. I will add more to this review and compare it to the D4 and previous D700. Check back frequently, or follow me on google+ or twitter.

COMPARISON

Ultimately this review will include comparisons from the Nikon D800E, Nikon D700, and Nikon D4. Obviously at different resolutions, it will be difficult to compare apples to apples. However, hope to isolate each test and keep the review focused on specific needs for photographers.

RECENT NIKON D700 PRICING DATA:

FOR THOSE WHO WANT A NIKON D700

The Nikon D800 came out at a surprising price point, offering many similar features of the Nikon D4 all at half the cost. Clearly it is a significant step up from the prior D700. What will this do to the D700’s pricing? I suspect the D700 to come down to $1900 price range for a moderately used D700 with a 40K shutter count.

I have provided a table to the right that shows the latest D700 used offers on eBay. I would not pay more than $2100 for one these days. Look for one that has low shutter count. You can find out a cameras shutter count easily by going to nikonshuttercount.com

USER COMMUNITY CONCERNS

I have recently received emails regarding concerns or possible issues with the D800. Although these may be valid concerns, keep in mind that until more cameras are produced, we cannot conclude that these are D800 design flaws or are just specific to an individual’s D800. Each concern is independent of the other and only one has repeatedly been expressed. This is a good sign, and tells me that these concerns are unlikely related to some inherent design flaw. Please email me should you find any possible flaws (brian@btobey.com).

Numerous users have expressed that the rear 3.2” LCD screen has a shifted white balance and appears to have a green tint. This is not observed in the actual captured image, but just on the rear LCD screen. Also users of the professional D4, which uses the same LCD screen, also expressed this issue. Nikon has recently responded to this concern and claims that the screen is more accurate and that the prior cameras were less accurate. Although some users are misreporting this when shooting Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFLs), which already exhibit a green tint, others have done extensive testing and comparing results from multiple cameras. If this is a real issue, it requires a more intrusive calibration performed only by Nikon and not just a mere adjustment as described on p52 of the user's manual. I will be keeping close watch of this issue as more D800s are delivered, along with the upcoming production of the D800E. Further discussion on flickr.

Another concern is when using live view with tethered control in manual mode, and stopping down to small apertures (ie f/22), focus cannot be acquired. However, it can be acquired when pressing the shutter button. This makes some sense because in manual mode, ISO is usually fixed, and at f/22 it’s pretty dark, probably black, so autofocus will not be able to adjust. However this doesn’t explain how pressing the shutter button permits autofocus. Well it does. When pressing the autofocus, I assume the metering is reactivated in live view and either readjusts the ISO or aperture to acquire autofocus. Is this really a bug? Not sure, I would have to play around more with the settings to ensure this is not the intended implementation. This was found true for both the D4 and D800.

The last concern is the ability to fire remote flashes in commander mode. A user made a youtube video demonstrating how more recent flashes, particularly the SB-700, do not reliably trigger using the D800, but does with D700. At this time, I am going to rule this out until more users observe this or I test it myself.

CONCLUSION

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The Nikon D800 is a new iconic camera that will be very popular for years to come, much like the D700 has been. This is a very exciting time for digital photography. The D800 has some solid similarities to the new Nikon D4 along with the comforting familiarity of the D700, and features its own uniqueness with its amazing 36MP sensor. Nikon has provided the photographer the ability to choose between two models, one with an anti-aliasing filter and one without. Thank you Nikon! I look forward to receiving the camera!

Would I still be satisfied with my old D700, sure... But what the heck, it is time for a change up.

PREORDER D800 | D800E

You can pre-order the Nikon D800 and Nikon D800E from Amazon now. You can also try Adorama as well. The expected delivery date is just after March 20th, 2012.

I have pre-ordered Nikon D800E and hope to expand on this review soon.

NIKON D800 TECHNICAL GUIDE

Nikon has published a technical guide for those interested in the new features of both the D800 and D800E. It is worth checking out, especially if you have already pre-ordered. However, I perceive the document as more of a precautionary from Nikon, informing amateurs of the likelihood of observing blur with its high resolution.

Nikon has also pre-released the user manual available for download. I highly recommend browsing through it for those who have pre-ordered.

COMMENTS

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© Brian Tobey 2012