Nikon D850 previews, commentary - first reviews

[Frank Fremerey]

I just had a longer chat with an NPS guy and my brick and mortar. The speed option increasing the fps from 7 to 9 will cost roughly 700€ and consist of the battery pack mb-d18, one D5 battery, one body cap / placeholder connecting the D5 battery with the mb-d18 and a battery charger.

Only the 12.4 Volt of the D5 Battery will make the shutter unit move faster.

[Frank Fremerey]

NPS also said that the speed does not increase with smaller size files, because the speed is limited by Voltage and shutter unit, BUT the buffer size increases with M RAW from 51 to 80 frames until the camera gets slower. As I recall this number is for 7fps and Lexar 2933x cards.

I do not care much about buffer size, do not remember a situation where I needed more than 10 fast frames in a row.

[Eddie Draaisma]

It is no long wait. If the first shipment arrives here at 7 September it is only 13 days to survive without her.

Availability within 2 weeks after announcement is not bad at all, but how do you handle the itching for 13 days?? 

[chambeshi]

I just had a longer chat with an NPS guy and my brick and mortar. The speed option increasing the fps from 7 to 9 will cost roughly 700€ and consist of the battery pack mb-d18, one D5 battery, one body cap / placeholder connecting the D5 battery with the mb-d18 and a battery charger.

Only the 12.4 Volt of the D5 Battery will make the shutter unit move faster.

Hi Frank
there has been some discussion of benefits of the ENEL18 on the D500. I plan to get one soon for my D500 as I have the much less expensive Meilke grip, which works and handles perfectly). As with their 2000mAh ENEL15, Hahnel have also cloned the ENEL18  http://www.hahnel.co.za/irish-shop/hlel18/

fyi https://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/3999603

The DSTE clone with dedicated charger. It has positive recommendations; one I will invest in, as I often spend days 'out there' with no mains power in bushcamps etc. 12v is the viable option including using a portable & compact solar panel:

https://www.amazon.com/EN-EL18A-Replacement-Li-ion-Battery-MB-D12/dp/B00N0E5KZI

There are also 3rd party chargers  for the ENEL18 eg https://www.amazon.com/Kastar-Charger-Battery-EN-EL18-EN-EL18a/dp/B01LHNNSAM/ref=sr_1_15?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1502535707&sr=1-15&keywords=EN-EL18A+charger
work with mains AC + 12v DC inputs

best

woody

[Ilkka Nissilä]

How do you know that the third party products will actually increase the fps rate to 9? It could require some chip to allow it to happen. Did the D700 and D300 allow full 8fps with third party batteries and grips?

[Erik Lund]

I'm using the D810 with original grip, was included in the price, and using the EN-EL18a - The power it delivers gives great comfort and confidence not to run out of power even during very extensive shooting assignments!
The handling is great although it is a heavy set.

BTW very seldom do I have need for the fast FPS than D810 actually delivers.

[Eddie Draaisma]

According to the brochure linked above the number of still images that can be taken with the D850 on a single EN-EL15a or EN-EL15 battery has increased to 1840, compared to 1200 with the D810on a single EN-EL15 battery (all in the CIPA Standards test). That is a significant improvement.

The brochure also confirms that the D850 works with the current EN-EL15 batteries (as used in D800, D800e, D810, D500 etc), and not only with the EN-EL15a it comes with.

[Frank Fremerey]

The standard battery EN-EL-15 (or two of them) will not increase the Voltage and not increase the speed. It will only extend the range. The range of a EN-EL18 combined with the internal EN-EL15a is said to be more than 5000 shots. Only the EN-EL18a or clones will deliver the 10,8 volt necessary to drive the shutter unit faster, said the NPS guy. I do not know yet if third party batteries are supported or if some chip response is necessary.

I know e.g. that my Eneloops will deliver 10 to 11 Volts (8 x 1.3 to 1.4) to the system but are not allowed for firmware updates, so they might also not be allowed for fps boost.

The NPS guy said that the EN-EL18a delivers 12,4V, I just looked it up. Not true. 10.8V is the real number. I will give it a try.

[Ilkka Nissilä]

According to the brochure linked above the number of still images that can be taken with the D850 on a single EN-EL15a or EN-EL15 battery has increased to 1840, compared to 1200 with the D810on a single EN-EL15 battery (all in the CIPA Standards test). That is a significant improvement.

No. In cameras with built in flash, if I recall correctly. the CIPA test requires that the flash is used for every other shot. The D850 has no built in flash which increases the number of shots you can get. But if you performed the CIPA test on the D810 without using the flash you would get a higher number as well.

[Frank Fremerey]

I just measured the Voltage eight fresh eneloop pros deliver to my D500: 10.89V (1,36V measured per single cell) and these possess 8 x 2500 mAh (also measured with my chargers). So fps could come.

But: at 10,33 Volt (1,28V measured per single cell) the eneloops potter along and still drive my D500 after some usage.

I guess the EN-EL18a (and clones) has a more stable Voltage supply...

[David H. Hartman]

According to the brochure linked above the number of still images that can be taken with the D850 on a single EN-EL15a or EN-EL15 battery has increased to 1840, compared to 1200 with the D810on a single EN-EL15 battery (all in the CIPA Standards test). That is a significant improvement.

Please keep in mind that lithium Ion batteries like the battery in your car do not do well when it is fully discharged. If the test says 1840 think 920 as it's best not to deplete the battery more than 50% on a regular basis. Even NiMH batteries should not be regularly discharged below 50%.

If one thinks they need two batteries then buy three or maybe four. At the end of the day recharge any battery that is between 40% and 80%. There is no harm in charging a battery early. Before a major shoot top off every battery you carry.

This is the best place I've found for battery information...

Battery University

Dave Hartman

[Bent Hjarbo]

How do you know that the third party products will actually increase the fps rate to 9? It could require some chip to allow it to happen. Did the D700 and D300 allow full 8fps with third party batteries and grips?

Yes the D700 with grip and 8 AA batteries will give full fps.

[chambeshi]

How do you know that the third party products will actually increase the fps rate to 9? It could require some chip to allow it to happen. Did the D700 and D300 allow full 8fps with third party batteries and grips?

Good question. The EN-EL18a is for the D5 as well as D4 and D4s apparently and also the D500. It is listed to work in new grip of the D850, and also a new EN-ELb Presumably 3rd party batteries eg Hahnel that conform to ENEL18a will work in MB-D18 too as do 3rd party chargers. The EN-EL18 is only listed for D4 and D4s but I've read elsewhere it also works in the D5 and D500. Nikon's guidelines is vague on all this

http://www.nikonusa.com/en/nikon-products/product/batteries/en-el18a-rechargeable-li-ion-battery.html#tab-ProductDetail-ProductTabs-CompatibleWith

http://www.nikonusa.com/en/nikon-products/product/batteries/en-el18-rechargeable-li-ion-battery.html#tab-ProductDetail-ProductTabs-CompatibleWith

http://www.nikonusa.com/en/nikon-products/product/power-packs/mb-d17-multi-battery-power-pack.html#tab-ProductDetail-ProductTabs-Overview

If the D850 works with the new chipped better ie EN-EL18b it would be in the detailed specs of the 90page documentation pdf [link above], where a full adobe search picks out several statements on power requirements eg ...."The D850 captures massive, sharp 45-megapixel images at 9 fps with the optional MB-D18 Multi-Power Battery Pack
(with EN-EL18b/EN-EL18a Rechargeable Li-ion Battery*1) attached, or at 7 fps with the body only."

Unsure if 8 AA batteries will deliver 9fps in the D850

[chambeshi]

Please keep in mind that lithium Ion batteries like the battery in your car do not do well when it is fully discharged. If the test says 1840 think 920 as it's best not to deplete the battery more than 50% on a regular basis. Even NiMH batteries should not be regularly discharged below 50%.

If one thinks they need two batteries then buy three or maybe four. At the end of the day recharge any battery that is between 40% and 80%. There is no harm in charging a battery early. Before a major shoot top off every battery you carry.

This is the best place I've found for battery information...

Battery University

Dave Hartman

Bookmarked - Thank You!

[David H. Hartman]

I guess the EN-EL18a (and clones) has a more stable Voltage supply...

NiMH batteries deliver very stable voltage, 1.2v to 1.25v but when fresh out of the charger they deliver more for a time, 1.3v to 1.4v. They should be warm but never hot when coming out of the charger. They will produce their rated voltage through out their use then drop very quickly.

What I know about batteries comes mostly from Battery U and some from tech sheets from the makers.

Dave