First image with my D850 taken in very dim light.

[Stany Buyle]

I received my D850 this afternoon, and it's even better than what I experienced with the pre-production model, because now it's my cam  , and because now I have time...
My first picture with my D850 and of course with my favourite model. Taken handheld in very dim light, which should be clear if you look to the exif. (1/30 sec, F2.8 & iso 12.800) with my 70-200 F2.8 FL @ F2.8
In camera picture style I used for this picture was A(uto) and I love it. It has just enough to be pleasing, enough sharpness, not too much saturation and just enough contrast.

If I want I can reduce the blown highlight on my dog's nose, but I wanted to leave it totally unprocessed.
TMHO, DR at high iso is MUCH better than my D800 & D810 used to be

If you click on the underneath jpeg, you will open a bigger picture (3000px longest side).


If you are interested you can find the M jpg as it came straight out of my camera and the NEF on my website.

Thanks for your attention and kindest regards,

Stany

[pluton]

Very nice for EI 12800.  Progress.

[Thomas G]

Looks like first impression of low light usability progress.

[David H. Hartman]

And there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Dave who can't afford a Nikon D850.

[Ann]

Try the D850 at 25,600 ISO.

I would expect the D850 to give you very usable results with very good colours — providing you shoot RAW and expose to the right.

(You may want to reset the internal meters to +0.6 EV if the camera is anything like the D5.)

[Stany Buyle]

Just a little explanation about why I posted this picture how it is, while taking into consideration that it's an iso 12800 picture, taken handheld in very dim light at 1/30 sec.

• Because an OOC picture is the only kind of sample that has value to people who consider a D850 purchase. Of course some would like better a perfectly post processed picture of a gorgeous woman, but TMHO the choice of a subject and the illustration of someone's post processing skills have nothing to do with the potential of a camera.
• Post processed images will look better but we talk about what D850does, not about my PP skills.
• A picture with the fur of a Bernese Sennen, -with its B/W next to goldbrown colour gradations- suit very well to observe camera performance in relation to DR and noise at very high iso.
• And last but not least, because I love my dog. She's a proud girl who likes to be captured and shown on the internet.     :)

A 100% crop of the unprocessed NEF:



To illustrate the D850' image file latitude even at such high iso as 12800 in relation to noise and DR, a  100% crop of the same image with ADL set to low and -0.5 EV:

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If you are interested you can download the Original image and NEF from my website.

Thanks for your attention and kindest regards,
Stany

[Eddie Draaisma]

Try the D850 at 25,600 ISO.

I would expect the D850 to give you very usable results with very good colours — providing you shoot RAW and expose to the right.

(You may want to reset the internal meters to +0.6 EV if the camera is anything like the D5.)

Ann, exposing 25,600 ISO at +0.6 EV is the same exposure, at least on paper, as 16,120 ISO at +0.0 EV. Do you notice a difference between these two settings?

[Ann]

Yes: because of the way in which the internal meters control exposure.

Every Nikon I have ever used has under-exposed by default when shooting RAW.
There is a lot more headroom than the Histogram shows us; and getting sufficient exposure in the shadows makes all the difference in reducing noise.

I am betting that the D850 follows the same pattern.

[Frode]

Try the D850 at 25,600 ISO.

I would expect the D850 to give you very usable results with very good colours — providing you shoot RAW and expose to the right.

(You may want to reset the internal meters to +0.6 EV if the camera is anything like the D5.)

Ann; is this the same adjustment you had with the D3s? Same adjustment with both matrix and spot?

Wondering if that is what my D4s needs to....?

[Frode]

Regarding shutterspeed; I, for one, needed a faster shutterspeed with the D810 compared to D4s/D3s/D3 in order to get sharp pictures (handheld). If Nikon haven't come up with something new, I assume this also regards the D850?

If so the D850 doesn't turn out to be the ideal camera for me  . I need the shutterspeed I have with the D4s in dask/dusk (raptor, soccer).

Sure looks like a great camera,  though 

[Erik Lund]

My D810 definitely does not underexpose per default, quite the opposite!

I most often prefer to have dialed in -1/3 EV (or -1/6) as a default on my Nikon cameras,,, but it all boils down to the scene, subject mood and feel,,,

[Ilkka Nissilä]

Regarding shutterspeed; I, for one, needed a faster shutterspeed with the D810 compared to D4s/D3s/D3 in order to get sharp pictures (handheld). If Nikon haven't come up with something new, I assume this also regards the D850?

Nikon did add a counterbalanced shutter apparently which should reduce vibrations. Also the EFCS feature is now available in Quiet and Quiet Continuous modes as well, so if you can manage a delay you can have even less vibration (previously only available in M-UP mode). Dpreview wrote " the mirror and shutter mechanisms have been redesigned. We experienced severe mirror and/or shutter-induced vibrations at certain shutter speeds with long lenses on the D810; however, in our brief time with the D850 and the same problematic lenses, we experienced no issues at all."

[Bjørn Rørslett]

I'm with Erik and use -1/6 EV as a permanent correction for the meter on all my Nikons. The default setting makes for too richly exposed frames.

[Frode]

I'm with Erik and use -1/6 EV as a permanent correction for the meter on all my Nikons. The default setting makes for too richly exposed frames.

I`m not in a position to question either your, Erik or Anns experience regarding this topic (I`m all ears  ), but one question comes to my mind; can it be that Ann is exposing in order to minimize noise, therefore using +EV (ETTR), and you and Erik use -Ev in order to get "correct" exposure in camera? My experience with ETTR is that I`ve got to reduce the exposure when doing PP in order to get the "correct" exposure.

Secondly; doesn't`t it all depend on how one uses exposure compensation (with matrix) when it comes to tune + or -? Also, do you use - 1/6 with spot metering?

[Ethan]

Shall we get this right similar to the ridiculous claim that cropped sensor provide more reach.

What do you think happens when you use EV?

With the proviso that EV works only in P - A and S.

All what EV is doing in the three above modes as not applicable to M; is changing the Aperture or the Speed up down depending on the mode used.

Maybe you explain to us how you think it works so we might enhance our knowledge.