Leitax users - consider the "ante" well and truly "upped" - D800 specs

[CalArts 99]

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Here are some non-manufacturer's examples:

 

Nikon D800 | Rob Van Petten

 

Cliff Mautner Photography

 

Granted they are wedding and commercial images. But if you look past the content and just imagine your own subject matter, then you can at least visualize the IQ. I think it is very good and can only assume that large exhibition prints should be quite decent.

 

I've just now ordered the E model. Apparently the filter stack is different in each version and so it won't be as simple as having the AA filter removed later.

 

This will never replace the M system and is not meant to, but it will be very useful in studio and other circumstances especially where large reproductions are anticipated. And I'll be keeping the D3s for now, too. It also has its place.

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[mmradman]

More sample shots on flickr - full res

 

Flickr: Mássimo's Photostream

[adan]

The OP's link said "NikonRumors has unearthed the first images of the upcoming Nikon D800!"

 

And I'm saying those pics are fakes. Bad ones.

 

And now we've seen the real thing - which exactly matches the pics you called "fakes. Bad ones".

 

Ooops!

[adan]

I am looking at the test shots and I must say... I'm not really over the moon about these.

Nikon | Imaging Products | Sample Images - Nikon D800/D800E

 

 

Why?

 

Subject matter? Content? Resolution? Clarity? Overall quality? What?

 

Resolution in all cases, content in all but the geisha. Except for the geisha, they'd rate about a "C-" in any photo class I've taken or given above entry-level. Shots that would rate zeros if I were reviewing portfolios.

 

Resolution - at best - is what I would get simply up-rezzing an M9 picture to 36 Mpixels. And that includes the geisha, which according to the EXIF, is with the D800E (anti-alias filter "cancelled"). Squishy edges to all fine detail. My shots with the APO-Telyt 180 on a 5D2 would eat all of them for lunch.

 

In the geisha, I see a lot of blown detail in the silver rim of her collar - raises questions about DR with such small pixels.

 

Now, it's early days, so I'll cut Nikon some slack. These are jpegs (even if captured raw, they were still compressed for Web posting). The lenses used aren't Nikon's best (zooms, 50 f/1.4). So I may happily revise my opinion of the sensor and camera once I've seen results with better glass and from original raw files.

[phancj]

Could it be the sensor outresolving the lenses in those particular photos?

 

CJ

[kdriceman]

The pics look like someone at Nikon forgot about the deadline to get sample images in for the launch and they hastily sent an engineer out to take some sample shots. The building with the blown-out sky looks like a 'check exposure' - chimp - in camera delete shot to me.

[phancj]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Here are some non-manufacturer's examples:

 

Nikon D800 | Rob Van Petten

 

Cliff Mautner Photography

 

Granted they are wedding and commercial images. But if you look past the content and just imagine your own subject matter, then you can at least visualize the IQ. I think it is very good and can only assume that large exhibition prints should be quite decent.

 

I've just now ordered the E model. Apparently the filter stack is different in each version and so it won't be as simple as having the AA filter removed later.

 

This will never replace the M system and is not meant to, but it will be very useful in studio and other circumstances especially where large reproductions are anticipated. And I'll be keeping the D3s for now, too. It also has its place.

 

I went with an order of the one with the AA filter. Figured I might dabble in videos too.

 

CJ

[elansprint72]

Dear Mods, could we have these threads on Nikons, Fujis, etc with very tenuous or completely absent Leica connections moved to Barnack's Bar?

 

I have read the debate subsequent to your post and understand what has been said. However; perhaps it is time to change the strap-line on the sub-forums menu page?

 

"The Leica Digital Forum is for discussions about Leica's Digital cameras."

[andybarton]

So where are we orphaned R users supposed to discuss the most interesting new solution on the market in years?

 

There are maybe half a dozen threads about non-Leica digital cameras here. Unless and until Leica offer something to satisfy R users, this is the right place for these threads.

 

If you don't want to read about a Nikon D800 solution for R users, don't click on the thread.

[mgcd]

Andy - I will be placing my order for the D800E in the morning. I had been considering the S2 but the price is totally askew as far as I'm concerned and I already have a Hasselblad system in any case. You're right as a fellow orphaned R user the Nikon D700 and D800 offer a superb haven.

 

Cheers,

[sfage]

For once, Adan, I agree with you.

 

This is not impressive.

[Jaybob]

So where are we orphaned R users supposed to discuss the most interesting new solution on the market in years?

 

If you don't want to read about a Nikon D800 solution for R users, don't click on the thread.

 

The D800E IS the R solution...

[Sp12]

Resolution in all cases, content in all but the geisha. Except for the geisha, they'd rate about a "C-" in any photo class I've taken or given above entry-level. Shots that would rate zeros if I were reviewing portfolios.

 

Resolution - at best - is what I would get simply up-rezzing an M9 picture to 36 Mpixels. And that includes the geisha, which according to the EXIF, is with the D800E (anti-alias filter "cancelled"). Squishy edges to all fine detail. My shots with the APO-Telyt 180 on a 5D2 would eat all of them for lunch.

 

I don't judge based on Jpegs, but I'd venture even from these I'm seeing a bit more detail than I've even seen with my M9s.

[phancj]

I'm thinking the same though there are some pretty bad portions in some photos.....think it could be the lenses. Waiting for more samples with good prime lenses wide open...

 

A close buddy of mine went on to pixel peep and told me that it appears that so far from his observations there appears only one lens that is not outresolved by the 36MP sensor, if memory serves me correct its the PC-E lens with some grass patch or something....

 

CJ

[CalArts 99]

Nikon has never been good with providing samples. It makes you wonder sometimes. Both the Leica and Zeiss websites are light years ahead of the poor sample imagery that Nikon provides when they release a product.

 

And remember when the D3x was announced? It was the same thing: a lot of bad down-sampled jpeg images. Nikon | Imaging Products | Sample Images - Nikon D3X

 

But we all know the capabilities of the D3x. It turned out to be an excellent high pixel count camera in a robust DSLR package.

 

With these samples you have to kind of 'read between the lines' and imagine a raw file's potential. Overall, the detail and DR looks good and with the file size you will be able to print large at a high dpi. And looking at other samples from outside Nikon's website, things look pretty good.

 

One of those non-manufacturer's sites did mention that they had to down size their samples due to getting hit with too much traffic (and as it was, their site went down.) They explained the situation here: Blog - Cliff Mautner Photography

 

We'll be seeing bigger and better files online soon, once the buzz dies down a bit.

[elansprint72]

So where are we orphaned R users supposed to discuss the most interesting new solution on the market in years?

 

There are maybe half a dozen threads about non-Leica digital cameras here. Unless and until Leica offer something to satisfy R users, this is the right place for these threads.

 

If you don't want to read about a Nikon D800 solution for R users, don't click on the thread.

Andy, don't read between the lines, read only what I wrote.

I repeat- is it time to change the strap-line?

[sfage]

The non-E shots are good. I don't know if they are a thousand bucks more than the 5d good... but they're good.

[delander †]

Here we talk all the time about Zeiss and CV lenses and other stuff added to Leica cameras, so it seems to me that talking about fitting Leica lenses to non-Leica cameras is the same. If Zeiss comes out with a new lens for the M camera then it wont be long before threads about it appear here. If Nikon come out with a new camera that will take Leica lenses then again again it seems bonafide to talk about it here.

 

We could put all the stuff about Zeiss and CV into Barnacks Bar eh?

 

Anyway i'm not a Nikon or Leica R user but I do find the subject interesting.

 

Jeff

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[phancj]

Dunno if it has been posted here's a large tiff file to download:

 

NIKON D 800

 

IMO a steal for a $3K cam. Looking forward to getting mine soon.

 

CJ

[janki]

It has been claimed, that in order to reduce weight and size of the DSLR camera bodies, there is only one way to go; an electronic viewfinder must replace the traditional movable mirror and pentaprism.

 

Sony's new Alpha SLT-A77, APS camera with OLED viewfinder, makes high scores in tests.

But, has it become a small and lightweight camera?

 

Here is an informal comparison with the FF Nikon D 800 with traditional viewfinder.

 

 

Nikon D 800 FF

Sony A 77 APS

Widt : 144.78 mm

Widt : 142.60 mm

Height : 121.92 mm

Height : 104.00 mm

Depth : 81.28 mm

Depth : 80.90 mm

Weight: 900 g

Weight: 732 g

 

 

Rumors tell us that Sony has at least two FF - EVF cameras in the pipeline.

Based on these comparisons, there is nothing to indicate that the new Sony FF cameras will be smaller and lighter than the Nikon D 800.