Nikon D820 Specs (rumor)

[Michael Erlewine]

This latest rumor of the replacement for the Nikon D810 looks pretty reasonable to me.

https://nikonrumors.com/2017/05/04/new-set-of-rumored-nikon-d820-camera-specifications.aspx/

Not all of what I want, but probably at least a baby-step forward.

[longzoom]

2-3 only Canon lenses were up to Canon's 50MP sensor. So where is that Canon with all of its bells and whistles?  How many Nikkors are up to the new task? Or this one will be great for Arts only? Let us wait and see, because most of today's Nikkors are on the border line of D800-810 cameras. BTW, it will be very convenient to have option to close aperture down when the camera is off, to safe the spring. Not for E lenses, of course. And what about IBIS? My opinion only!  LZ

[Frank Fremerey]

I hear the Canon 5DMK4 is quite good, esp. concerning AF

[chris dees]

I hear the Canon 5DMK4 is quite good, esp. concerning AF

But that one has "only" a little over 30Mpx.
The 5DR(s) have 50Mpx.

[Ilkka Nissilä]

All lenses resolve more detail using a higher pixel count sensor than a lower pixel count sensor of the same area. E.g. dxomark note 45 effective MP on 300/2.8 using 5Ds R and 22 effective MP on 5D III. Their 135/2 resolves 30MP on 5Ds R and 20MP on 5D III. 35/1.4 II 37MP on 5Ds R and 18MP on 5D III. 11-24/4 26 MP on 5Ds R and 15MP on 5D III. I've already listed four examples of lenses which significantly improve the outcome by choosing the higher resolution sensor, out of four lenses selected.

The same is basically true of any lens. Both camera and lens MTF affect the total system MTF and this happens over a wide range of spatial frequencies.

My observation has been that even TC rigs improve a lot by using a higher resolution cameras, the overall image quality rising from poor with a 12MP camera to quite good with 24MP or 36MP. Of course, I look at the image quality in the final print, not at 100% zoomed in view on a screen.

[longzoom]

I hear the Canon 5DMK4 is quite good, esp. concerning AF

     Highlights are clipping, with its very narrow DR. IF it is exposed to highlights, shadows are noise. That's why Canon returns to 30 MP very fast. Hope Nikon learned.  LZ

[longzoom]

All lenses resolve more detail using a higher pixel count sensor than a lower pixel count sensor of the same area. E.g. dxomark note 45 effective MP on 300/2.8 using 5Ds R and 22 effective MP on 5D III. Their 135/2 resolves 30MP on 5Ds R and 20MP on 5D III. 35/1.4 II 37MP on 5Ds R and 18MP on 5D III. 11-24/4 26 MP on 5Ds R and 15MP on 5D III. I've already listed four examples of lenses which significantly improve the outcome by choosing the higher resolution sensor, out of four lenses selected.

The same is basically true of any lens. Both camera and lens MTF affect the total system MTF and this happens over a wide range of spatial frequencies.

My observation has been that even TC rigs improve a lot by using a higher resolution cameras, the overall image quality rising from poor with a 12MP camera to quite good with 24MP or 36MP. Of course, I look at the image quality in the final print, not at 100% zoomed in view on a screen.

     In my observation, it is true to some degree.  My 28-300 is OK on 24MP, very good on 36 MP, but on critical border on D810 sensor. No way my copy will be better on 45-50 MP sensor. My copy of 80-400G will outresolve 50MP, cose I tried it on the Canon, even wide open. My copy of 24-70VR will not, out of questions. So on and on. Different situation for every lens/body combo. Let us wait, so far, and see. THX!  LZ

[Akira]

Sony's 42MP sensor in A7RII is of BSI type, and is superior to the curreent 24MP one in A7II, D610, D750 even in terms of low light noise.  The dynamic range of A7RII is a bit narrower than D610/750 at lower ISO, but wider in high ISO, according to DXOmarks.

The new 46MP sensor for the rumored D820 should be of BSI type, and, considering that Nikon designs the camera more for stills than movies, there is hope that D820 performs better than D750.

[Tristin]

I very much hope there is more to the D820 than these rumors suggest.  Nikon needs more than baby steps right now. 

[David H. Hartman]

The primary limiting factors for many lenses is nailing critical focus and choosing the right aperture. A week or so ago I shot four tests with a humble AF 28-70/3.5-4.5D Nikkor. The exposures were 1/250th~1/320th at f/6.3 and ISO 100. I was pleasantly surprised with the 28mm, 52mm and 70mm but I missed the 35mm focus. It might have been the camera or my AF technique or I may have moved a few centimeters after focusing, probably the latter. The focus is behind the intended focus point. I have two of these lenses. I paid $84.00 and $109.00 for them. They are plenty sharp enough for a D800.

While looking at a computer display at 60cm one needs to realize that at 100% pixels one is looking at a section of what would be 2.3 meter wide print. At this viewing distance DoF is almost nonexistent.

A step up from 36MP to 45~46MP is not going to make or break most lenses we own. If a lens is not sharp enough for 45MP but was for 36MP then down sample the image to 36MP and "Don't worry, be happy."

Dave Hartman

[longzoom]

As for me, this way is not ease nor practical, without significant, for me, loss of quality of the file. Everyone for its own. I'll wait for real camera, then test. It is very possible Nikon, in couple months, will show something close to A99II. Will see.  LZ

[simsurace]

     In my observation, it is true to some degree.  My 28-300 is OK on 24MP, very good on 36 MP, but on critical border on D810 sensor. No way my copy will be better on 45-50 MP sensor. My copy of 80-400G will outresolve 50MP, cose I tried it on the Canon, even wide open. My copy of 24-70VR will not, out of questions. So on and on. Different situation for every lens/body combo. Let us wait, so far, and see. THX!  LZ

If anyone gets worse results on a standardized output size when you start from a higher-resolution RAW file, they should look at their post-processing pipeline. I don't understand why you should get a worse output with more input data, provided you know how to work this data. Even if the lens is already severely constraining image quality at 36MP, if you go to 50MP you should have a little more details, not less, on a standardized output scale, but maybe the change will not easily detectable.
I'm just clarifying this, but I assume you know this already.

I guess the disappointment comes from zooming in to 100%, and I presume that the next generation (or maybe the one after that) of sensors will drive the demand for even higher-resolution lenses. I hope that there will be moderately fast high-resolving lenses, something like the Otus line but at f/2 would be nice and more reasonably sized. Or maybe there is a new breakthrough, like Fresnel technology was for the 300PF, that will make the lenses more compact without sacrificing maximum aperture.

[Ilkka Nissilä]

Multi-CAM 20k and the radio AWL are not baby steps and both are likely included.

Multi-CAM 20k is the first AF module Nikon have used in an FX camera which has widespread cross-type focus points and this makes a huge difference in the rate of in-focus rates e.g. when photographing portrait orientation shots of approaching people (with shallow depth of field so the focus point must be on the face). In the past linear points had to be used for this situation which really are quite erratic. I would call it a giant leap rather than a baby step. But I guess we have different expectations. I remember very well when it was a good idea to stop a fast prime down to f/4 to get the shots in focus, to me this was limiting and annoying especially during winter. Today I can shoot at f/1.4 using the D5 without penalty. If the D820 can do the same with 46MP, that's quite an achievement. I don't quite believe they can do it especially in dim light but one step at a time it gets better and better.

Nikon's radio AWL implementation is the most reliable radio flash control system I've used and well designed so you can mix old and new tech fluidly. While third party solutions that work more or less sometimes have been available for years, with some of those products it's a game of installing the latest firmware upgrade and hoping that this time the body doesn't hang when the controller is turned on, etc. some features being supported and others not, it may or may not work on a given body / flash combination etc. I want none of that: I want just the system to work and that's what radio AWL with SB-5000 does on the D5. Since fewer batteries and bits and pieces are needed (than with many third party solutions), it is much easier to work with. I would expect there not to be any incompatibility issues with Nikon bodies and flashes supporting radio AWL in at least a decade or two. The SB-5000 also keeps itself cool via active cooling and is more compact than SB-900/910.

[David H. Hartman]

Multi-CAM 20k and the radio AWL are not baby steps and both are likely included.

I'm sold! Where can I buy a Nikon D820?

Dave

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Ilkka,

I do pretty well with AF on the D800 but it could be improved. I'd like the feeling that 95~99% of my shots will be in focus. I think perhaps my D800 needs to be re-calibrated but maybe it's doing the best it can.

Another factor is high ISO mush. I really wanted a D700 replacement that never came. A D5 would make me happy I'm sure. I was hoping for the D4s image sensor and electronics in a D800 size body.

Is the D5 finder better suited to focusing manual focus lenses on the matte screen surface? I found the D2H easier to focus with than either the D800 and the D300s before it. I bought a AF-S 20/1.8G ED, AF-S 50/1.8G and AF-S 105/2.8G ED-IF VR as I found focusing my 20/2.8 AIS and 105/2.8 AIS/105/2.5 AIS difficult to focus.

Dave

[Roland Vink]

I very much hope there is more to the D820 than these rumors suggest.  Nikon needs more than baby steps right now.

I don't think we will see dramatic improvements in sensor performance over the D810, since sensors are already approaching the theoretical limits. BSI, copper wiring etc will squeeze better performance than before, but unless there is a breakthrough using new technology we won't see the improvements like we saw with the D3 generation. Of course a camera is more than just the sensor so we will continue to see improvements in other areas.