Not everyone approaches the dSLR buying decision as a tabula rasa choice. If you've already chosen Nikon--whether it's because you already have some lenses, your friends are brand-enamored, or you simply have had good experiences with the company's point-and-shoot models--here's some help selecting the right model
On a general note, if your budget is tight, and unless there's a specific feature or performance level you need from a particular model, it's usually a good idea to save money on the body and spend it on a better lens.
As you make your decision, keep in mind that two models are ready for replacement: the D5100, which is now over a year old, and the D300s, which has been around for over two and a half years. I wouldn't be surprised if we heard about a D5200 by the end of the summer and a D400 just before this year's big Photokina show in mid-September.
Also, rumors have surfaced of a D600, a cheap-ish full-frame model using an Aptina Imaging sensor -- that's what's in the Nikon 1 series of mirrorless ILCs -- rather than the Sony-produced sensor used by the D800. If they're true, I'd suspect a Photokina announcement for this too, but I'm not sure the world needs a cut-rate full-frame camera.
Reviews still to come: Nikon D3200 and Nikon D4.
(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)
Nikon D3000
If you're on a tight budget or need a newbie-friendly first dSLR, the D3000 (kit about $475) is the cheapest choice and is still widely available. However, it's pretty frill-free--it doesn't even include exposure bracketing, for example. For the cheapest model with video, the D3100 (kit about $549) adds that to the D3000 for about $150 over the D3000. The just-announced D3200 isn't much more expensive than the D3100, however. While many shooters are making the leap from a point-and-shoot to a dSLR, manufacturers are still in the experimental stage when it comes to determining the appropriate design and operational characteristics that define a camera for that audience. Thus far, Nikon seems to have gone the furthest with its attempts; the D3000 targets newbies by implementing an entire show-me-how-it's-done shooting mode without sacrificing the traditional manual controls one expects on a dSLR. For whatever reason, be it an attempt to simplify or straightforward cost cutting, the D3000 also bears the most stripped-down feature set I've seen so far in this class, but at least it doesn't sacrifice performance and photo quality as well.
If you're on a tight budget or need a newbie-friendly first dSLR, the D3000 (kit about $475) is the cheapest choice and is still widely available. However, it's pretty frill-free--it doesn't even include exposure bracketing, for example. For the cheapest model with video, the D3100 (kit about $549) adds that to the D3000 for about $150 over the D3000. The just-announced D3200 isn't much more expensive than the D3100, however. While many shooters are making the leap from a point-and-shoot to a dSLR, manufacturers are still in the experimental stage when it comes to determining the appropriate design and operational characteristics that define a camera for that audience. Thus far, Nikon seems to have gone the furthest with its attempts; the D3000 targets newbies by implementing an entire show-me-how-it's-done shooting mode without sacrificing the traditional manual controls one expects on a dSLR. For whatever reason, be it an attempt to simplify or straightforward cost cutting, the D3000 also bears the most stripped-down feature set I've seen so far in this class, but at least it doesn't sacrifice performance and photo quality as well.
For the most part, the D3000 looks, feels, and operates like a typical low-end dSLR. It's a little heavier than its classmates, but not significantly so, and feels well made and solid, with a nice grip. A programmable Fn button--you can set it to control the self-timer, release mode, image quality, ISO sensitivity, white balance, or Active D-Lighting menus, as well as to toggle a grid display in the viewfinder--lies under your left thumb, though it's a little hard to differentiate from the flash pop-up/compensation button that sits above it by feel alone. Behind the shutter button circumscribed by the power switch are the exposure compensation and info buttons; the latter toggles the back display.
(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)
Nikon D5100
If you can afford more, however, opt for the D5100 (kit about $699). It's a significantly better camera than the D3100--generally faster, with better photo quality and a broader feature set that includes exposure bracketing and a flip-down-and-twist LCD. It's also a better deal than the now-old D90 (body only about $799), and the D5100 has finally overtaken that model in most ways, although the D90 still has a better viewfinder.We're used to Canon and Nikon leapfrogging each other in terms of product announcement timing and technology updates, but this year they're finally going head-to-head in the budget dSLR market. Nikon's D5100, a replacement for the 2-year-old D5000, directly takes on the Canon EOS Rebel T3i as an evenly matched competitor. An improvement over the D5000 in almost all respects, the D5100 acquits itself well enough on enough counts to make it a formidable sub-$1,000 dSLR.
If you can afford more, however, opt for the D5100 (kit about $699). It's a significantly better camera than the D3100--generally faster, with better photo quality and a broader feature set that includes exposure bracketing and a flip-down-and-twist LCD. It's also a better deal than the now-old D90 (body only about $799), and the D5100 has finally overtaken that model in most ways, although the D90 still has a better viewfinder.We're used to Canon and Nikon leapfrogging each other in terms of product announcement timing and technology updates, but this year they're finally going head-to-head in the budget dSLR market. Nikon's D5100, a replacement for the 2-year-old D5000, directly takes on the Canon EOS Rebel T3i as an evenly matched competitor. An improvement over the D5000 in almost all respects, the D5100 acquits itself well enough on enough counts to make it a formidable sub-$1,000 dSLR.
Despite the higher-resolution sensor, the D5100 delivers visibly better image quality at all ISO sensitivities than the D5000, although the D5000 has slightly better white balance. It has an excellent JPEG noise profile, very clean up to ISO 400 and, despite some detail degradation from color noise, quite usable up through ISO 1600. Beyond that depends upon the content of your scene, though I wouldn't recommend ISO 6400 or higher. Though there's far more color noise in the high ISO JPEGs than I'd like, there's still enough detail, color saturation, and tonality to make the photo usable.
Canon leans just a touch more on the color noise suppression than Nikon, which I think produces slightly better results. It also helps that at equal settings the T3i delivers brighter exposures, with slightly better white balance, than the D5100. (Until Adobe delivers a D5100 codec for Camera Raw I can't do any raw-processing comparisons.)
Colors in the default Standard Picture Style seem to have the saturation pushed just a little, which produces attractive, relatively accurate results. I prefer the Neutral picture style; the others are too contrasty, which results in loss of shadow and dark midtone detail. (You can always increase the contrast later, but getting that detail back is hard.) However, the Standard doesn't shift the colors excessively as on some consumer dSLRs.
(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)
Nikon D7000
For the best Nikon value, the D7000 (body only about $1,199) delivers the best bang for an admittedly not-inconsiderable amount of bucks. If you're willing to shell out a little over $1,000, though, you get excellent photo quality, D300s-level performance for all but continuous shooting, and Nikon's best dSLR design. It doesn't have the build quality of the D300s, but it's pretty well constructed nonetheless.When it comes to mid-to-high-end dSLRs, it takes quite a bit to float my boat these days. I'm not looking for whizzy new features, bold redesigns, or insane burst rates for either myself or the shoppers I advise; to me, the perfect camera just gets out of the way between my eye and the final photograph (and perhaps video). That's a lot more elusive than you'd expect. But shooting with the Nikon D7000 frequently came close to delivering the photographic tinglies in a way I haven't felt in way too long--I think since I gave the Canon EOS 5D Mark II an Editors' Choice Award almost two years ago. Of course, the usual caveats apply: it's not the right camera for everyone and it's not best at everything. But its combination of design, feature set, performance, and photo quality for the price is hard to beat (and will be especially so once the street price starts to drop).
For the best Nikon value, the D7000 (body only about $1,199) delivers the best bang for an admittedly not-inconsiderable amount of bucks. If you're willing to shell out a little over $1,000, though, you get excellent photo quality, D300s-level performance for all but continuous shooting, and Nikon's best dSLR design. It doesn't have the build quality of the D300s, but it's pretty well constructed nonetheless.When it comes to mid-to-high-end dSLRs, it takes quite a bit to float my boat these days. I'm not looking for whizzy new features, bold redesigns, or insane burst rates for either myself or the shoppers I advise; to me, the perfect camera just gets out of the way between my eye and the final photograph (and perhaps video). That's a lot more elusive than you'd expect. But shooting with the Nikon D7000 frequently came close to delivering the photographic tinglies in a way I haven't felt in way too long--I think since I gave the Canon EOS 5D Mark II an Editors' Choice Award almost two years ago. Of course, the usual caveats apply: it's not the right camera for everyone and it's not best at everything. But its combination of design, feature set, performance, and photo quality for the price is hard to beat (and will be especially so once the street price starts to drop).
There's a variety of new Nikon tech in the D7000 over older models, including a new Nikon-designed 16.2-megapixel sensor coupled with its Expeed 2 processor; with this pairing, Nikon ups its analog-to-digital conversion to 14-bit processing. There's also a new metering sensor and more sophisticated autofocus system. It's also Nikon's first dSLR to rise to 1080p HD video--albeit only 24fps--with the "added bonus" of full-time autofocus during video capture. And the body's construction, though not quite as tanklike as the D300s, incorporates an all-metal chassis with magnesium alloy covers (the rest is polycarbonate), and is sealed against dust and moisture like the D300s.
Photo quality is first rate, and, despite the resolution increase, stands up very well against the D300s as well as most competitors. Though I'd probably say the D7000's JPEG photos are clean up through only ISO 800, they remain very good through ISO 1,600. By ISO 3,200, shadow detail gets pretty noisy. You can eke out about a stop more of usability out the D7000's medium-high ISO sensitivities by using raw instead of JPEGs, or at least by tweaking the default camera settings. Granted, the images aren't noise-free, but the monochrome-grain appearance is more attractive than the in-camera err-on-the-side-of-color-noise approach, and there seems to be enough dynamic range that there's still shadow detail and little loss of sharpness.
Exposure and metering are solid and consistent, and it reproduces color faithfully when you want it to. Nikon pushes the saturation a bit in its default Standard Picture Control, but it doesn't display the wholesale color shifts we tend to see on lower-end models. However, when you compare the Neutral setting with all the others, you can tell it pushes the contrast to the point where you actually lose shadow detail.
The video looks solid, but not standout. It's sharp, but there's a little more color noise and moire than I like; I didn't have much problem with rolling shutter, though, which can usually be produced on demand. The full-time autofocus is pretty useless. Not only is it too easily confused, like most contrast autofocus systems--if your subject is moving it hunts a lot--but you definitely need an external microphone with it because the lens noise is very obvious.
Some users have reported issues with dead/colored pixels in low light video; we didn't experience any problems, though we'll definitely keep a watch on the issue. Update, 2/2/11:Nikon released a firmware update to address it. . As I don't consider the video a compelling reason to buy this camera, and don't think it's up to really low-light video shooting, anyway, I didn't factor the problem into my evaluation. If it's important to you, however, I suggest you search the Web for updated information prior to purchasing it.
For all intents and purposes, with the exception of burst shooting, the D7000 runs neck and neck with the 60D for speed--and they're both really fast. Time to power on and shoot for the D7000 is negligible, much like it was for the D90. It takes a mere 0.3 second to focus and shoot in good light, rising to only 0.5 second in dim light. It typically takes about 0.6 second for two sequential raw shots (0.5 for JPEG), bumping up to 0.7 second with flash enabled. Shot-to-shot time is the only nonburst speed where the D7000 is slower than the more expensive D300s, but only by a bit and that's likely because the D300s uses faster CompactFlash. And the D7000's 5.7fps burst rate is quite good for a nonpro camera.
There are a bunch of autofocus options: Single-point AF; 9-, 21- or 39-point dynamic; 3D tracking; and full auto. Shooting with standard single-point autofocus feels almost instantaneous most of the time, and though the automatic AF is equally fast, it's just as bad as all other auto AF systems, chronically picking the wrong subjects. I couldn't thoroughly test the various dynamic AF options, but AF during continuous shooting seems to deliver similar performance to the D90. It's very good, but with the same problems that typically plague tracking AF systems; you have to carefully choose your settings based on the scene (such as going with the 9-point mode instead of the 39-point mode), for example, to prevent it from sliding off the subject and locking on something in the background, and it's not terribly effective for subjects moving toward and away from you, just those moving laterally.
In the D7000, Nikon tends to offer a lot of useful options on core features rather than whizzy but less essential capabilities. It's got two saved settings slots on the mode dial--less powerful than the settings banks in Nikon's older mid-to-high-end dSLRs, but with a more practical, straightforward implementation that means they're more likely to get used. I'm hoping that in the future (probably in a more expensive model) Nikon manages a combination of the two systems: saved, named banks of settings that you can mix and match and assign to the dial.
There are two SDXC card slots, which is both unusual and welcome, and you can configure them in functional ways: for overflow, backup, raw vs. JPEG, video vs. still. I was a little annoyed with the card-to-card copy, though. Thrilled to have it, but when it's done it just stops and goes dark. I copied a directory three times thinking the camera had died in the middle before realizing that it had, in fact, worked the first time.
Though it offers a maximum of three-shot exposure bracketing, it can handle up to a two-stop interval, which is unusual. Plus, it has a novel two-frame under/over bracket, which I imagine can come in handy. You can also set manual white balance from saved images on a card or by the typical measuring method--and they can be annotated and up to five presets stored; most cameras, especially in this class and down, offer only a subset of those capabilities. For video capture, you've got full manual exposure controls and a handful of microphone sensitivity settings.
(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)
Nikon D300s
If you need pro-level continuous-shooting but can't afford the D4, and don't need the lens compatibility or wide-angle flexibility of a full-frame model, the D300s (body only about $1,599) offers a few advantages over the lower-end models. It's better constructed, with a dust-and-weather sealed body and provides a more sophisticated 51-point AF system. Its burst performance outpaces the D7000 as well. Keep in mind, though, that we're hoping to see a D400 announcement by Fall 2012, which would change the dynamic in this price class.When a camera has an 18-month product cycle, it's hard to squash some disappointment when its follow up has only a few enhancements, despite the fact that it's common to only make a major update with every other generation. When it's a great camera to start with, like the Nikon D300, the ambivalence quotient increases even more. In some ways, I wish Nikon would have simply (or additionally) dropped the price on the D300 rather than make the few changes it did: adding video support and tweaking performance. Even the median street price hasn't changed significantly on the D300 since the D300s' announcement, at least at the time of this review, and as far as I can tell, Nikon has no plans to drop it. Just as Canon had a competitive gap in its line for the D300 for years until it announced the EOS 7D this summer, Nikon has nothing facing off with the 50D. (Note: I'm reserving judgment on how the D300s stacks up in its segment until I get a chance to test the 7D.)
If you need pro-level continuous-shooting but can't afford the D4, and don't need the lens compatibility or wide-angle flexibility of a full-frame model, the D300s (body only about $1,599) offers a few advantages over the lower-end models. It's better constructed, with a dust-and-weather sealed body and provides a more sophisticated 51-point AF system. Its burst performance outpaces the D7000 as well. Keep in mind, though, that we're hoping to see a D400 announcement by Fall 2012, which would change the dynamic in this price class.When a camera has an 18-month product cycle, it's hard to squash some disappointment when its follow up has only a few enhancements, despite the fact that it's common to only make a major update with every other generation. When it's a great camera to start with, like the Nikon D300, the ambivalence quotient increases even more. In some ways, I wish Nikon would have simply (or additionally) dropped the price on the D300 rather than make the few changes it did: adding video support and tweaking performance. Even the median street price hasn't changed significantly on the D300 since the D300s' announcement, at least at the time of this review, and as far as I can tell, Nikon has no plans to drop it. Just as Canon had a competitive gap in its line for the D300 for years until it announced the EOS 7D this summer, Nikon has nothing facing off with the 50D. (Note: I'm reserving judgment on how the D300s stacks up in its segment until I get a chance to test the 7D.)
Nikon's offering a body-only box of the D300s, though so far a kit has also surfaced with the 18-200mm f3.5-5.6G ED VR II lens (27mm-300mm equivalent), an updated version of this lens. I tested primarily with that kit, as well as the ubiquitous 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 VR model. If you're considering the kit, the 18-200mm model represents a very convenient focal range in a relatively compact body that balances well on the D300s, but it's simply not as sharp as I'd like for the money, the zoom ring has an annoying, inconsistent rotation feel, and it still suffers from lens creep (Nikon put a lock on it to prevent creep when it's not in use, but that doesn't help while you're working with it). Ironically, I feel like I get better results with the relatively cheap 18-55mm lens, which can also focus a lot closer--10.8 versus 19.2 inches.
| Nikon D90 | Nikon D300 | Nikon D300s | Nikon D700 | |
| Sensor (effective resolution) | 12.3-megapixel CMOS | 12.3-megapixel CMOS | 12.3-megapixel CMOS | 12.1-megapixel CMOS |
| 23.6 mm x 15.8mm | 23.6 mm x 15.8mm | 23.6mm x 15.8mm | 36mm x 23.9mm | |
| Magnification factor | 1.5x | 1.5x | 1.5x | 1.0x |
| Sensitivity range | ISO 100 (expanded)/200 - ISO 3,200/6,400 (expanded) | ISO 100 (expanded)/200 - ISO 3,200/6,400 (expanded) | ISO 100 (expanded)/200 - ISO 3,200/6,400 (expanded) | ISO 100 (expanded)/200 - ISO 6,400/25,600 (expanded) |
| Continuous shooting | 4.5fps n/a | 6fps n/a raw/100 JPEG | 7fps n/a raw/100 JPEG | 5fps 17 raw/100 JPEG |
| Viewfinder magnification/effective magnification | 96% coverage 0.94x/0.63 | 100% coverage 0.94x/0.63x | 100% coverage 0.94x/0.63x | 95% coverage 0.72x/0.72x |
| Autofocus | 11-pt AF center cross-type | 51-pt AF 15 cross-type | 51-pt AF 15 cross-type | 51-pt AF 15 cross-type |
| Live View | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Video | 1,280x720 at 24fps | No | 1,280 x 720 at 24fps | No |
| LCD size | 3 inches fixed 920,000 dots | 3 inches fixed 920,000 dots | 3 inches fixed 920,000 dots | 3 inches fixed 920,000 dots |
| Shutter durability | 100,000 | 150,000 cycles | 150,000 cycles | 150,000 cycles |
| Battery life (CIPA rating) | 850 shots | 1,000 shots | 950 shots | 1,000 shots |
| Dimensions (inches, WHD) | 5.2x4.1x3.0 | 5.8x4.5x2.9 | 5.8x4.5x2.9 | 5.8x4.8x3.0 |
| Body operating weight (ounces) | 26.0 | 32.6 | 34.2 | 38.7 |
| Mfr. Price (body only) | $999.95 | $1,799.95 | $1,799.95 | $2,999.95 |
The body design and interface haven't changed substantially since the D200: that's both good and bad. It's still built like a tank, dust- and weather-sealed, though it's put on a couple of ounces. Despite its heft, it's comfortable to grip and operate, with one of the nicest viewfinders in its class--big and bright with 100 percent coverage and an optional grid display--and a usable streamlined layout for the traditional shooting controls. As with its predecessor, I really like the switch for the AF-Area modes, and would have liked a similar feeling control for the metering selector, to allow for thumb-only operation, such as with the D3.
As time goes on, however, certain aspects of the camera's operation have begun to annoy me. For example, Nikon carries over the ultraflexible user-settings menus that consist of two banks--shooting settings and custom settings--with four nameable slots each. But I found myself wishing they were more easily accessible, such as sitting on the mode dial a là Canon.
One of the fastest ways to access the custom settings banks is via the information display, and it still requires at least four button presses (two to get into the interactive display, one to get into the menu bank, and at least one to navigate to the desired setting with the multiselector). However, the capability to access less frequently used settings via the information display is a welcome addition to the D300s.
This may be because the multiselector used for navigation feels so mushy and imprecise that using it feels like extra work, even if only for a couple of button presses. I also wish Nikon had separated the movie settings somehow, as well as adapted the information readout to display or access movie setting information.
Also, I'm not crazy about the Live View/movie interface implementation. It may seem trivial, but in that mode, Nikon switches the function of the playback button to handle volume and display brightness, which means that to review videos or photos shot in LV you need to first exit.
One of the best new features is the addition of an SD card slot and the fairly flexible dual card slot implementation. You can configure the camera to use whichever card you deem secondary to be used for overflow, backup, and JPEG only (when shooting raw+JPEG), though only for stills; for movies, you can only pick a primary, with no alternate behaviors.
(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)
Nikon D800
If you want the best photo and video quality currently available in the Nikon line, this is your dSLR (body only about $3,000). The D700 (body only about $2,199) remains a solid camera, but the D800 is sufficiently better, faster (at least for noncontinuous shooting) and more feature packed that you really are sacrificing to save the $800. With the step up to full frame, the D800 gives you access to a larger selection of wide-angle focal lengths (no crop factor) and extremely shallow depth of field in situations where it might not be attainable on an APS-C camera. Plus it has a more rugged build quality than the D700, though probably not tougher than the D300s. A couple of issues have surfaced with the D800, including complaints about inconsistent viewfinder autofocus and intermittent freezing, which Nikon has acknowledged, but I didn't experience them personally. They're both nontrivial problems if you encounter them, though, so you might want to wait a bit before ordering.
If you want the best photo and video quality currently available in the Nikon line, this is your dSLR (body only about $3,000). The D700 (body only about $2,199) remains a solid camera, but the D800 is sufficiently better, faster (at least for noncontinuous shooting) and more feature packed that you really are sacrificing to save the $800. With the step up to full frame, the D800 gives you access to a larger selection of wide-angle focal lengths (no crop factor) and extremely shallow depth of field in situations where it might not be attainable on an APS-C camera. Plus it has a more rugged build quality than the D700, though probably not tougher than the D300s. A couple of issues have surfaced with the D800, including complaints about inconsistent viewfinder autofocus and intermittent freezing, which Nikon has acknowledged, but I didn't experience them personally. They're both nontrivial problems if you encounter them, though, so you might want to wait a bit before ordering.
The D3X, formerly Nikon's highest-resolution full-frame model, remains in Nikon's product line at the now inexplicably high street price of almost $7000, though I can't think of any reason to buy it over the D800, unless you really want that built in vertical grip (instead of an add-on) or want the highest resolution you can get with an extra frame-per-second of continuous-shooting speed.After what feels like a long drought, this quarter looks like a desert flood of pro cameras, with a host of great models arriving that really improve on the already-great models that came before. The first of these to cross my path is the Nikon D800, a terrific full-frame model that's targeted at nonsports professionals such as wedding, landscape, and architectural photographers whose subjects generally don't sprint across the scene except for maybe a runaway bride or two. Any judgments about Editors' Choice Award-worthiness will have to wait until I've shot with some competitors, most notably the Canon EOS 5D Mark III.
The D800 actually comes in two versions, standard and a more expensive D800E model that incorporates a modified low-pass filter system that results in little to no antialiasing, and therefore generally sharper photos. The latter will probably be unsuited for video; aliasing can be a real problem in video and it's much harder to correct in post-production, so you need that filter.
Image quality
I wouldn't expect the photo quality on this camera to be less than spectacular, and it delivers. It's impossible to apply a hard upper limit on the usability at any particular ISO sensitivity because unlike a lot of cameras the D800 has no noise where it doesn't "need" it; I'm sure it's probably gaining up the sensor uniformly, but the photos simply don't look it. Plus, at less than 100 percent view in a lot of cases you simply won't see the noise. And when you scale down, the higher resolution of the sensor compensates for any sharpness loss due to noise reduction.
After what feels like a long drought, this quarter looks like a desert flood of pro cameras, with a host of great models arriving that really improve on the already-great models that came before. The first of these to cross my path is the Nikon D800, a terrific full-frame model that's targeted at nonsports professionals such as wedding, landscape, and architectural photographers whose subjects generally don't sprint across the scene except for maybe a runaway bride or two. Any judgments about Editors' Choice Award-worthiness will have to wait until I've shot with some competitors, most notably the Canon EOS 5D Mark III.I wouldn't expect the photo quality on this camera to be less than spectacular, and it delivers. It's impossible to apply a hard upper limit on the usability at any particular ISO sensitivity because unlike a lot of cameras the D800 has no noise where it doesn't "need" it; I'm sure it's probably gaining up the sensor uniformly, but the photos simply don't look it. Plus, at less than 100 percent view in a lot of cases you simply won't see the noise. And when you scale down, the higher resolution of the sensor compensates for any sharpness loss due to noise reduction.
At about ISO 1600, I do see a significant enough divergence between JPEG and raw quality for darker images that makes it worth processing raw to get better results. Between ISO 400 and ISO 1600 it depends upon the content of the image, but for the most part the JPEGs look pretty clean and intelligently processed. Even in the extended ISO ranges you can get reasonably solid images if you're not averse to some smoothing to even out the serious grain and a lot of clipping in the highlights and shadows. That said, I can't imagine any photo from this camera that wouldn't be usable in some way.
The D800 actually comes in two versions, standard and a more expensive D800E model that incorporates a modified low-pass filter system that results in little to no antialiasing, and therefore generally sharper photos. The latter will probably be unsuited for video; aliasing can be a real problem in video and it's much harder to correct in post-production, so you need that filter.
Image quality
I wouldn't expect the photo quality on this camera to be less than spectacular, and it delivers. It's impossible to apply a hard upper limit on the usability at any particular ISO sensitivity because unlike a lot of cameras the D800 has no noise where it doesn't "need" it; I'm sure it's probably gaining up the sensor uniformly, but the photos simply don't look it. Plus, at less than 100 percent view in a lot of cases you simply won't see the noise. And when you scale down, the higher resolution of the sensor compensates for any sharpness loss due to noise reduction.
I wouldn't expect the photo quality on this camera to be less than spectacular, and it delivers. It's impossible to apply a hard upper limit on the usability at any particular ISO sensitivity because unlike a lot of cameras the D800 has no noise where it doesn't "need" it; I'm sure it's probably gaining up the sensor uniformly, but the photos simply don't look it. Plus, at less than 100 percent view in a lot of cases you simply won't see the noise. And when you scale down, the higher resolution of the sensor compensates for any sharpness loss due to noise reduction.
At about ISO 1600, I do see a significant enough divergence between JPEG and raw quality for darker images that makes it worth processing raw to get better results. Between ISO 400 and ISO 1600 it depends upon the content of the image, but for the most part the JPEGs look pretty clean and intelligently processed. Even in the extended ISO ranges you can get reasonably solid images if you're not averse to some smoothing to even out the serious grain and a lot of clipping in the highlights and shadows. That said, I can't imagine any photo from this camera that wouldn't be usable in some way.
(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)
Nikon D4
If you need the best-performing, most rugged full-frame body in Nikon's line, you're going to have to shell out for the D4 (body only about $6,000). Though it's not as high resolution as the D800 and from what I've seen of the photo and video quality it's not quite up to that camera's standard, it still looks like it delivers excellent results, with better continuous-shooting performance and a sturdier build quality. Lori Grunin's rated review of the Nikon D4 will appear here soon. In the meantime, please enjoy this hands-on review from Lexy Savvides of CNET Australia.
If you need the best-performing, most rugged full-frame body in Nikon's line, you're going to have to shell out for the D4 (body only about $6,000). Though it's not as high resolution as the D800 and from what I've seen of the photo and video quality it's not quite up to that camera's standard, it still looks like it delivers excellent results, with better continuous-shooting performance and a sturdier build quality. Lori Grunin's rated review of the Nikon D4 will appear here soon. In the meantime, please enjoy this hands-on review from Lexy Savvides of CNET Australia.
Following in the footsteps of such asuccessful lineage of professional SLRs isn't easy. Fortunately, the Nikon D4 offers enough important features like Ethernet and wireless connectivity, plus a huge improvement in video, to make the upgrade worthwhile.
Design
The D3S wasn't particularly difficult or cumbersome to hold, but the D4 has received some fine-tuned ergonomic improvements that make the shooting experience even more enjoyable.
The D3S wasn't particularly difficult or cumbersome to hold, but the D4 has received some fine-tuned ergonomic improvements that make the shooting experience even more enjoyable.
A thermal shield at the top of the camera protects the panel from heating up when used extensively outdoors -- something that sports photographers will welcome. There's also an autodim sensor on the side of the (3.2-inch, 920,000-dot) LCD screen that detects the ambient light, and can automatically adjust screen brightness. The screen is very easy to see outdoors. The new addition of a special gel layer between the plastic and the LCD itself prevents fogging during temperature shifts.
There's a new rubberized focus point for vertical shooting, as well as improvements for vertical shooters where the same focus point is retained when the orientation is changed. The rubberized joysticks are precise, and give nice, tactile feedback when pressed or moved. A subtle adjustment has been made to the angle of the shutter button, moving to a 35-degree angle. It doesn't feel all that much different in regular use, but is welcomed after a long session of shooting. A small record button is located just behind the shutter button, and is very well placed, making it easy to instantly start shooting video.
Buttons at the back of the camera now glow ever so slightly in the dark when the backlight switch is triggered. Nikon has included the zoom buttons found on lower-end models of its SLRs, and the inclusion is much welcomed on the D4. I greatly prefer it to the odd method of zooming in and out using the one single button on the D3S.
The illuminated buttons on the back of the D4. (Credit: Nikon)
Two Live View modes are offered on the D4: one for video, and one for still photography. A switch underneath the LCD screen alternates between the two, with the center button switching Live View on and off. You can take stills when recording video, but the recording will stop in order to take the photo. There's also two release modes available when shooting in photo Live View mode: quiet and silent. Activated from the menu, the silent photo mode snaps an image at 1,920x1,280 pixels, as opposed to the full-resolution shot when using the quiet option.
The D4 has an excellent time-lapse function, which allows you to set the interval at which photos are taken. Rather than just simply taking photos, though, the camera automatically puts them together in a finished movie, at a resolution of your choosing (selectable from the movie options tab).
Connectivity
The D4 breaks new ground in connectivity options, thanks to both a wired Ethernet and wireless transmitter (sold separately), which allow photographers to assign the D4 to its own IP address. The wireless transmitter is powered by the camera, and is a compact module that sits on the body, supporting IEEE 802.11n for fast data transfer. Unfortunately, I wasn't supplied with the transmitter during the review period, so I can't comment on the wireless capabilities of the D4. I will update this review when I have had access to a transmitter.
The D4 breaks new ground in connectivity options, thanks to both a wired Ethernet and wireless transmitter (sold separately), which allow photographers to assign the D4 to its own IP address. The wireless transmitter is powered by the camera, and is a compact module that sits on the body, supporting IEEE 802.11n for fast data transfer. Unfortunately, I wasn't supplied with the transmitter during the review period, so I can't comment on the wireless capabilities of the D4. I will update this review when I have had access to a transmitter.
Connectivity options accessible from the D4. (Credit: CBSi)
I can, however, talk about the Ethernet connectivity on the D4. There are multiple ways of using the Ethernet connection, namely to view and transfer files from the memory card, FTP transfer, or in HTTP server mode. HTTP mode lets you access the camera via browser or smartphone, and have basic camera control to take photos and video. The D4 doesn't have a built-in DHCP server, so in order to connect the camera directly to a laptop to interact with the camera, you need to set a static IP address on both the camera and the computer manually. Otherwise, for automatic configuration, you will need a DHCP server (such as a router) between the camera and computer.
Once the camera has been connected to your PC, you can view files on the camera's memory cards or access some basic controls (in Shooting Viewer mode) on the screen. This will show shooting options, like full PASM and exposure control, a shutter release, metering options, and autofocus options. You can activate Live View by clicking the "LV" icon at the bottom of the screen, and focus the camera by clicking anywhere in the Live View window. Live View does lag more than I would have imagined through the Ethernet connection, and the wired connection does eat away at battery life.
Performance
Typical continuous shooting speed (in fps)(Longer bars indicate better performance)
Nikon D4
10
Shooting speed (in seconds)(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
 | Shutter lag | | Raw shot-to-shot time | | JPEG shot-to-shot time | | Time to first shot |
Nikon D4
0.1
0.2
0.15
0.08
Given that the XQD format is so new, I have yet to receive a test card, and therefore have been unable to assess the D4 based on its XQD performance. At the time of writing, only one manufacturer, Sony, is producing the format. All figures above were derived from testing the D4 in conjunction with a Lexar Professional CompactFlash 16GB 1000x card. I'll also update the performance chart when the Canon 1DX is available for comparison.
The D4 can take a burst of approximately 60 frames in JPEG at fine quality, and 53 in raw before slowing to process them. It takes 22 seconds for the buffer to clear when shooting the D4's maximum burst of raw images.
The focusing system of the D4 is absolutely excellent. It retains the same AF points (51) as the D3S, but is incredibly responsive, achieving and locking onto focus correctly even in very dark situations. The D4 also lets you use all 15 of the cross-type points when shooting with lenses with a maximum aperture of f/5.6.
It's a small irk, but given the increasing proliferation of USB 3.0 devices, I would have liked to see a USB 3.0 interface on the D4 as well.
The battery is rated at 2,600 shots (CIPA), which is significantly less than the battery in the D3S. However, in an interview with a Nikon spokesperson, Nikon claims that the performance in continuous shooting actually allows the photographer to take more shots with the new D4 battery than with the D3S.
Image quality
As would be expected from a professional SLR of this caliber, the D4 delivers impeccable photographs. Let's dig a little deeper, though, particularly in regards to ISO performance. The native ISO range has improved to 100-12,800, and is expandable even further up to extremes of 50 and 204,800 in the low and high modes, respectively.
As would be expected from a professional SLR of this caliber, the D4 delivers impeccable photographs. Let's dig a little deeper, though, particularly in regards to ISO performance. The native ISO range has improved to 100-12,800, and is expandable even further up to extremes of 50 and 204,800 in the low and high modes, respectively.
(courtesy:cnet.com)
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