Nikon D850 previews, commentary - first reviews

[chambeshi]

The roll out of this eagerly awaited DSLR has generated no lack of conjecture and latterly internet leaks, claiming features that have turned out to be real (but also some pure speculation). Nikon Rumours proved impressive in its accuracy of the leaks it announced.
Some of us are committed to purchasing this camera. When - and How - are operative questions! Besides the boring issue of funds, the answers are contingent on taking the risk of early production glitches. There are also the tactics of trade in offers. Fortunately, Nikon promises the roll-out of the D850 well within a month - 7 September (as the situation stands today!)

Finally, with the official launch on 24 August, 1st hand reports on the D850 have soon begun to flood the internet. Some are useful. Besides the official promotions and specs released officially by Nikon, it will be useful to collate some of the feedback in one thread. So here are a few links to some more informative feedback on the D850 from today's launch. Most of the ones collated below have been posted on NG earlier today but it helps to pull them together in this post.

Dare one say, these specs look impressive, all in all :-)

Tokyo with feedback from interviews with Nikon engineers :
http://www.imaging-resource.com/news/2017/08/24/the-nikon-d850-is-here-with-exclusive-details-from-nikon-tokyo

DpReview https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tJqI3KyftE

B&H https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04HpoPkH7Rw

at UK launch early today 24 August
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wNKoR6e-6A

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRIimGFMkdI

http://www.digitalcameraworld.com/news/nikon-d850-review-hands-on
also http://www.digitalcameraworld.com/news/nikon-d850-specs-release-date-and-price-confirmed

http://www.techradar.com/reviews/nikon-d850

https://www.ephotozine.com/article/nikon-d850-hands-on-review-31314

https://youtu.be/7wNKoR6e-6A

and USA
https://fstoppers.com/gear/nikon-announces-d850-yes-its-amazing-camera-191972

2 price listings in UK with some accessories:
https://www.lcegroup.co.uk/New/nikon-d850-body_17040.html
http://blog.graysofwestminster.co.uk/

And ES-2 Slide Copier for the D850 priced by Adorama at US$139.95  https://www.adorama.com/inkes2.html?utm_source=rflaid63773

[jhinkey]

Personally going to wait for early production issues to be worked out and technical reviews - especially the DR when using fully electronic shutter - which is very useful for long tele work at sometimes slow shutter speeds in low light conditions (both of which stress the sensor DR).

Let the fun begin.

- J

[chambeshi]

sample photos across a range of ISO - jpg and RAW (CR2) NEF files
http://www.photographyblog.com/previews/nikon_d850_photos/

[Bjørn Rørslett]

CR2 - really?? These designate Canon RAW files ...

[bobfriedman]

They are mis-labeled. They are in fact NEFs

[chambeshi]

CR2 - really?? These designate Canon RAW files ...

yes - And cf Comment (!) to that page:
"Jeffrey G. Bank • 4 hours ago
Lightroom will not open the raw files. Do we have to wait for Adobe to add support for the D850? And Nikon Raw images are not CR2 files, they are NEF. I can't believe I have to tell YOU that."

[MFloyd]

I downloaded one of these files: NEF of course; size 30.8 MB. Nor my Mac or Lr are able to open the file.

[Bjørn Rørslett]

Photo Ninja opens these raw files, but the pixel dimension is reported incorrectly for 45.7 MPix ?? (says 7104 x 4728 pix, or about 33 MPix). PN possible interprets the file header info incorrectly (??)

All other EXIF including the data on the lens appear to be ship-shape.

With the uncertainty of whether PN actually reads the file correctly, there is an amazing dynamic range available and colours looked pretty good (no software profile in PN for it though, so high colour fidelity is not to be expected (yet).

[Eddie Draaisma]

Of course the stacking feature should be tried as soon as the D850 is here; what is currently considered the best software for that (Zerene Stacker, Helicon Focus, ??) ?

[Ann]

I happen to have software which can open the D850 NEFs and tried it on just this NEF which looks pretty nice to me — even down-sampled to 25% and as an 80-quality JPG

I think that you can be reasonably confident that when the cameras actually ship, updated software for editing its files will have been released.

[chris dees]

Just came back from a NPS meeting in the Netherlands.
There was a presentation of a Nikon photographer/ambassador; Little Shao. He's an action photographer and showed some impressive work with the D850.
After the presentation there was a possibility to check the D850 out (they had 4 of them).
I asked if i could put a card in it and to my surprise they said yes.
So now I have some RAW-images but no software to develop.

So Ann please...., which software you're using?

This is an SOOC JPG D850, 28E, @6400 F1.4 just downsized to 900px in PS

[Ann]

Chris:

My software has not yet been released publicly but I am very confident that it will be released in time for the arrival of the first shipment of D850 cameras.

Meanwhile, you can open and edit JPGs from those cameras — as you discovered.

[chris dees]

I thought I could import them as a DNG-file, but it doesn't work.

[MILLIREHM]

Some of the rumors appeared to become reality, some do not

Would be interesting to examine how big the cache is, and whether switching to DX can make it faster or not

[chris dees]

Some of the rumors appeared to become reality, some do not

Would be interesting to examine how big the cache is, and whether switching to DX can make it faster or not

51 RAW's (large).
No difference in speed between FX and DX. With the grip you can get 9 fps in stead of 7.