D850 first impressions after handling for a couple of hours...

[golunvolo]

I handle one today to try a couple of things I was interested in. In sounds wonderfully, it is fast, and it does shoot in complete silence with focus peaking -it works very well with the 85mm 1.4g at 1.4- as well as focus traking even at f1.4. Ergonomics as expected -very good too-. All this from 5 min play with it. No files to review at home. Iso 6400 looks very good as well on the camera´s screen. Will wait for more detailed and deep reviews.

[David H. Hartman]

Did it have a lock on one of those memory banks or do we still have stupid pro controlls ?

If I understand the difficulty with the memory bank getting inadvertently changed while in the field there is a work around. Save a BIN file to a memory card and the save it to your computer. After formatting a memory card copy the BIN file back and write protect it. Now you won't accidentally over write your defaults.

If you do not write protect the BIN file on the secondary memory card you can save a new BIN file there.

I only format memory cards at home and only after uploading and backing up incoming file to three HD(s) on two computers.

Any time I load my settings I'm assured that my, not Nikon's defaults are in place. Also I'm protected for my own errors.

Dave Hartman

[ColinM]

.... it does shoot in complete silence with focus peaking

Can you describe a little more how the "focus peaking" has been implemented?

I always assumed it was something that the mirrorless camers used through the EVF.

• Is the D850's version done via the external LCD?
  (I've heard some people just mentioning a slightly better green dot)
  
• What was it like to use in practical terms
  (given that many here like the optical VF and mostly work with the camera held up to their eye, not out in front)

[golunvolo]

It works like in the Fujis, using the lcd to highlight whatever fringe in the image is in focus, instantly and acurate with the 85mm1.4g @f1.4. Even from a couple meters away it distinguished between ears,face, eyes, etc
It works on video too but only in hd so far -no 4k focus peaking- and you have to decided the help you need: zebra pattern or focus, not both simultaneously.

[Stany Buyle]

Can you describe a little more how the "focus peaking" has been implemented?

I always assumed it was something that the mirrorless camers used through the EVF.

• Is the D850's version done via the external LCD?
  (I've heard some people just mentioning a slightly better green dot)
  
• What was it like to use in practical terms
  (given that many here like the optical VF and mostly work with the camera held up to their eye, not out in front)

Focus Peaking
Kindest regards,
Stany

[Macro_Cosmos]

I'm very hyped about the D850, hopefully I'll be able to get a copy by mid-October 

The DR is slightly better than the D810 and slightly worse than the a7r2, but base 64 ISO! Oh, and ISO 12800 delivers clean images as well. This is simply stunning. I was going to get a D500, but why should I? I'll have the D850 paired with a used D7200 rather than D810+D500. It's a bit more expensive, but I only paid $1000ish AUD for my D810 so why not. 

Nikon is on the right track in my opinion. Recently Canon released 3 new tilt-shift lenses, 50mm, 90mm and 135mm. Nikon's 24, 45, and 85 needs an update to allow tilt and shift on the same axis.
If Nikon doesn't goof this one with another D750 ploy, and if Nikon can give us an adequately spec'd mirrorless FX, Nikon shooters are on a roll! I personally don't care much about mirrored or mirrorless, but economically, it makes sense for Nikon to ride the wave as the market is maturing soon.

[richardHaw]

I was offered a very nice 72-month 0% deal 

[Akira]

Handled D850 briefly at Yodobashi today.

Even though it doesn't employ the monocoque construction, the body feels a bit thinner than D810, and the grip feels a bit more pronounced.  The holding feels thus a bit more stable.

The shutter sounds a wee-bit brighter than that of D810, but virtually almost identical.  The sample was attached with 24-70VR zoom and the combo focused swiftly.

[Ilkka Nissilä]

I'm wondering if anyone has had a chance to try out how the split-screen display live view zoom works on the D850. On the D810 and D5, you activate it from LV by pressing i and then selecting the split display. This opens up two views along the long axis of the frame, which you can zoom and move about but they are on the same rows of the image. I am interested in finding out if there is a possiblity to move the two windows independently so as to check focus diagonally or along the short axis in the image. This is mainly of interest to use of tilt shift lenses and specifically adjusting tilt and focus.

[Michael Erlewine]

While I would like a mirrorless FX Nikon, I don't have to have it. For one, I seldom to never use the optiical viewfinder on my D810, but instead use the LiveView all of the time. So, any improvement in the LIveView screen (which the new D850 has in spades) makes my life easier. In fact, LiveView is the same as an EVF for my use.

[Ann]

I was very interested to learn that Nikon abandoned Monocoque construction for the D850 because I have long-suspected that the failing shutter and uneven focussing problems which have plagued some of their recent models was because those components were not mounted onto a strong and rigid metal chassis.

Chassis-construction is something that I personally consider to be an extremely important part of the build and is one of the reasons that I stay with the D# range and preferred to shoot with a D3S until I was able to obtain a D5.

(The lack of twin matching card slots was my principal reason for sitting out the D4 series and is something that I don't like in the Specs for the D850.)

[Ilkka Nissilä]

The D800 had full metal chassis and plenty of AF problems. The D810 (which has the new material mirror box) is much more accurate and consistent, though this may or may not be related to the construction used.

Optimal fine tune settings over my lenses had the following means and standard deviations over my set of AF lenses:

D3X 5 +- 5
D800 -9 +- 9 initially
D800 1 +- 8 after service
D750 6 +- 4
D810 1 +- 5
D5 2 +- 8

The D810 is the one of these which required the least fine tuning with my lenses.  Though the D5 is the easiest to fine tune (because with most of my lenses the automatic fine tuning worked perfectly).

Now, this doesn't tell us how stable the AF is over long term or how it survives impacts. It only shows how much calibration was needed and how much it depended on the lens.

The D800 was dropped once and indeed the AF went off, which is how it ended up being serviced. The mean was after service much closer to zero but the lens to lens variability did not go anywhere.

[Ann]

The D800 did not have a full-body metal chassis in the way that the Dx cameras do but only had a pair of light-weight metal frames and the rear one could break quite easily under the slightest impact.

The metal lens plate in the D800 was mounted only on composite; and the mirror-box was another weak construction.

I use my cameras in wild places and although I do try to be very careful with them, i wouldn't trust a body which did not have the strength and rigidity of the Dx range.

[Ilkka Nissilä]

D800 looks metal to me, where is the composite?

http://www.bythom.com/_Media/d800_bodyframe_med_hr.jpeg

I am sure the D3/D4/D5 is more rugged but most people are not willing to carry such things around.  There is also the matter of payment ... ;-)

I believe the use of composite mirror box was brought out as a way to reduce weight and avoid the problem of misalignment. Whether it achieves that end is of course something that I don't know. I do know that the AF in my D810 has not needed further adjustment after initial fine tuning was made, during the three years I've used it, whereas with the D800 I was in constant struggle with the AF.

The D5 autofocuses excellently of course, and I haven't had any problems with it.

[David H. Hartman]

The metal lens plate in the D800 was mounted only on composite; and the mirror-box was another weak construction.

Ann,

I think you are confusing the D800 construction with the D810 construction however I've heard about the D800 rear end cracking so I'm sure it's lighter construction than the D3 series, D4 series and the D5. The front bayonet is mounted against alloy.

I'd have bought a D4s instead of the D800 if I could afford to and then I'd be foaming at the mouth when the D5 was announced. Have I heard of the D800 cracking around the tripod socket? I think I have but I'm not sure.

"Life is hard, then you die."

Dave Hartman