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D4 or D800Dunno if this is the correct forum  Rate Topic 
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Posted by Constable: Sun Jul 29th, 2012 16:13 1st Post
Hi all

In the middle of my hols on a flaky wlan so no pics.

Thought someone might be interested. I took to bodies with me (D4 and D800E) with the main target being insect macro and birding.

If anyone is having difficulties deciding where to invest their hard-earned pennies ....

The ration D4:D800E shots to date is2:1.

Macro is with with Nikkor 200 on D4 or Sigma 150 on D4/D800E

Birding with 300 f4 +/- 1.7 TC on D4 or D800E.

The D4/300/1.7 TC combination is very much better that the the D800E in DX mode with 300 (and infinitely better that 300 + TC). Anyone care to explain this? All at greater that 1/2000 so probably not a real technique/technical issue.

More interesting, when I have taken just one body - if anyone knows the plain de Crau in Provence, you understand why just one body - the it is always the D4.

The Nikkor 200 just flies on the D4 ... ISo 1600, 3200 is no problem and f 10 - f22 at 1/1200-1/2000 is easy.

Good to know what anyone else is finding. Will post when i am not relying on French wlan at 2 kB/sec

Ed



Posted by Eric: Sun Jul 29th, 2012 17:53 2nd Post
Constable wrote:
Hi all

In the middle of my hols on a flaky wlan so no pics.

Thought someone might be interested. I took to bodies with me (D4 and D800E) with the main target being insect macro and birding.

If anyone is having difficulties deciding where to invest their hard-earned pennies ....

The ration D4:D800E shots to date is2:1.

Macro is with with Nikkor 200 on D4 or Sigma 150 on D4/D800E

Birding with 300 f4 +/- 1.7 TC on D4 or D800E.

The D4/300/1.7 TC combination is very much better that the the D800E in DX mode with 300 (and infinitely better that 300 + TC). Anyone care to explain this?

Ed

Is this just magnification of pixel size limitation?



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Posted by Constable: Mon Jul 30th, 2012 01:18 3rd Post
Hi Eric

Maybe ... can't really see with the laptop.

Just as an appetizer a little bittern. D4 with TC1.7 and 300 f4, f 9, ISO 400 1/1250, heavily cropped and downrezzed, but otherwise straight from camera.

Ed

Attachment: D41_4375.jpg (Downloaded 90 times)



Posted by jk: Mon Jul 30th, 2012 06:20 4th Post
The bittern looks sharp enough and as you say it is a crop then it is pretty good.

Cant explain the findings with the D800E other than it may be, as Eric says, down to pixel size.



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Posted by highlander: Tue Jul 31st, 2012 06:01 5th Post
Being away for a while...can someone quickly explain what the difference between the D800 and D800E is and if this would have any bearing?

I'm assuming the D4 and D800 are more akin to eachother as the D3 and D700 were or am I missing something?



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Posted by Robert: Tue Jul 31st, 2012 07:10 6th Post
The D800 and D800E are the same camera.

The D800E has had the anti aliasing filter removed/omitted for an extra cost. Said to increase sharpness with the possible penalty of moire in some images.

The resolution is at the limit of Nikons best lenses. Even Nikon say you must use the sweet apertures to get full benefit from the resolution.



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Posted by Eric: Tue Jul 31st, 2012 08:28 7th Post
highlander wrote:
Being away for a while...can someone quickly explain what the difference between the D800 and D800E is and if this would have any bearing?

I'm assuming the D4 and D800 are more akin to eachother as the D3 and D700 were or am I missing something?

As Robert says, plus...
No....the D4 / D800 relationship is not the same as the D3 / D700, as the former pair have differing sensors and pixel power (16mp v 34mp)



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Posted by Iain: Tue Jul 31st, 2012 09:23 8th Post
The Bittern is spot on Ed. It takes sharpening really well.



Posted by Constable: Tue Jul 31st, 2012 16:13 9th Post
Hi Jan

Yes, D800 and 800E differ only in the anti-alias. I ended up with the 800E because it is what was available and because I do not do wedding photography with fabrics.

I am very much on the fence at the moment. The D4 is the logical replacement for the D3? - built like tank, reliable, reasonable IQ (not quite D3X but subjectively as good).

The D800? is a bit like Churchill's response to a lady named Bossom (neither one think nor the other). It is not MF and the quality (with Nikon or Zeiss lenses) will never reach Hassy or Leica S2 standards.It has the form factor of the DSLR, but is far more discerning in the glass it likes and the technique.

And just so I do not seem to be against the 800, here is a shot with 800E and naked 300 f4 - cropped but not much else.

Ed

Attachment: 800_3919.jpg (Downloaded 60 times)



Posted by jk: Tue Jul 31st, 2012 18:53 10th Post
Ed,
Looking at your images I notice that the EXIF says that you are using exposure compensation of EV0.
I would normally use EV+1.7 for shots of birds against the sky.


Do you use post processing to bring up the bird to normal exposure or some other technique to get them exposed as you have shown here ?



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Posted by Constable: Wed Aug 1st, 2012 02:51 11th Post
Hi jk

Correct in principle, but in practice the D800E seems to overexpose by about 1 to 1.2 stops so my normal setting is -0.7 EV.


Therefore EV=0, is an overexposure of +0.7.

The D4 just seems to nail it correctly without ned for exposure correction or PP.

Ed



Posted by jk: Wed Aug 1st, 2012 03:08 12th Post
Thanks for the info. That is interesting as it implies that Nikon have improved the metering. I havent done any bird pictures with the D800 yet.



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Posted by blackfox: Wed Aug 1st, 2012 04:07 13th Post
funny you should bring this up j.k as its one of the main differences i noticed when changing from canon to a d7000 ,with my canons i always had to flick my + exp compensation right up for birds in flight .with the d7000 leaving it at 0 is more than sufficient ,two different approaches but as long as you know your camera/lenses and how they work as a combo who cares.

in fact heres one of mine from last week a little egret taken off the cuff exp comp set at -0.33 ev .theres no way i would have got this shot at this setting with a canon .camera d7000 ,lens 300mmf4 with 1.7tc .



Posted by Eric: Wed Aug 1st, 2012 04:54 14th Post
In both of those examples its a white bird against a 'light' blue sky, with no white clouds ...and parts of the birds are lit with direct sunlight.

The backlighting is therefore countered to a very large extent and I would have expected to keep the exp comp to a minimum.










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Posted by jk: Wed Aug 1st, 2012 06:10 15th Post
It is also dependent on the metering mode. I use Matrix Metering.

I have been shooting bee-eaters and hawks recently with the D3 but I need to use +1.7 or +2EV.



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Posted by Ed Matusik: Wed Aug 1st, 2012 08:50 16th Post
You've convinced me Ed. The D4 is my next camera.



Posted by Constable: Wed Aug 1st, 2012 13:22 17th Post
Ed M

And I discovered another reason today.
D4, 1.7 TC, 300 f4 ended up between me and the ground in some non-olympian athletics!

D4 ... Ok, just a war scratch.
300 OK, dent on lens hood.

TC - stuffed. Lens-mounting ring distorted. D4 couples perfectly to all lenses and focus is spot on.

Lucky but maybe an argument for always having a TC!

Ed



Posted by Squarerigger: Wed Aug 1st, 2012 14:29 18th Post
Constable wrote:
Ed M

And I discovered another reason today.
D4, 1.7 TC, 300 f4 ended up between me and the ground in some non-olympian athletics!

D4 ... Ok, just a war scratch.
300 OK, dent on lens hood.

TC - stuffed. Lens-mounting ring distorted. D4 couples perfectly to all lenses and focus is spot on.

Lucky but maybe an argument for always having a TC!


Ed

No mention of the operators condition?



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Posted by Ed Matusik: Wed Aug 1st, 2012 15:25 19th Post
Constable wrote: Ed M

And I discovered another reason today.
D4, 1.7 TC, 300 f4 ended up between me and the ground in some non-olympian athletics!

D4 ... Ok, just a war scratch.
300 OK, dent on lens hood.

TC - stuffed. Lens-mounting ring distorted. D4 couples perfectly to all lenses and focus is spot on.

Lucky but maybe an argument for always having a TC!

Ed
 

All OK I hope? I've been in a quandry wondering if I should get the D4 or wait to see if a DX version would be released under the D400 designation, but now, with your experiences I have no doubt. - EdM.



Posted by Eric: Wed Aug 1st, 2012 15:33 20th Post
Constable wrote:
Ed M

And I discovered another reason today.
D4, 1.7 TC, 300 f4 ended up between me and the ground in some non-olympian athletics!

D4 ... Ok, just a war scratch.
300 OK, dent on lens hood.

TC - stuffed. Lens-mounting ring distorted. D4 couples perfectly to all lenses and focus is spot on.

Lucky but maybe an argument for always having a TC!

Ed


When I got my gold medal in the D3/24-70 hurling event last year, the 24-70 disintegrated into several bits...but the mount stayed fixed and intact on the D3.

The lens was easily reassembled.

It made me wonder if there was a deliberate 'crumple-zone' in the modern lenses such that it sacrificially takes the impact in an area of least concern?



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Posted by Constable: Wed Aug 1st, 2012 16:09 21st Post
Eric

That is so eloquently put. It was exactly my thought.

Operator condition is fine but slightly embarrassed.

Ed



Posted by Constable: Wed Aug 1st, 2012 16:20 22nd Post
And an example of the d4 with the 200 mm Nikkor later today

Ed

Attachment: D41_5080.jpg (Downloaded 67 times)



Posted by Squarerigger: Wed Aug 1st, 2012 16:20 23rd Post
Constable wrote:
Eric

That is so eloquently put. It was exactly my thought.

Operator condition is fine but slightly embarrassed.

Ed

Embarrassment easily recovered from, injuries at my age take longer.



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--------------------------------------------
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Posted by Ray Ninness: Wed Aug 1st, 2012 16:46 24th Post
I've shot action sports all my life starting in High School, cars, motorcycles, and folk running about.. I have been extremely lucky, One hit and no cameras damaged!!

One thing I learned early, "One eye for you, and the other for the camera!! And never-ever turn your back to they action!!!!

Trust nothing at speed :-O

And you need just a bit of luck too!!! :salute:



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Posted by Eric: Thu Aug 2nd, 2012 04:32 25th Post
Constable wrote: And an example of the d4 with the 200 mm Nikkor later today

Ed
Lovely capture.

:thumbsup:



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Posted by jk: Thu Aug 2nd, 2012 17:04 26th Post
Glad to know you are OK Ed.
I havent noticed an Olympic event of D4 vaulting but maybe it is limited to Alpine Games and you are testing it for the next winter Olympics at Sochi.

Hope the TC replacement is not to painful.



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Posted by Iain: Fri Aug 3rd, 2012 05:52 27th Post
I entered my D700 in the high jump, the D700 faired well but the lens let the team down and we missed out on the medals.



Posted by Constable: Fri Aug 3rd, 2012 12:59 28th Post
And if anyone is interested, Carl Zeiss UV filters appear to be harder than Nikon lens hoods.

Sorry about the lens Iain - I hope it wasn't a buggy.

Ed



Posted by jk: Fri Aug 3rd, 2012 14:28 29th Post
Iain wrote: I entered my D700 in the high jump, the D700 faired well but the lens let the team down and we missed out on the medals. Oh dear that doesnt sound good.
Need to get Victoria Pendleton to cycle down to Kingston for a quick repair or replacement.



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Posted by Constable: Fri Aug 10th, 2012 07:57 30th Post
You know, the 300 f4 is pretty good!

http://nikondslr.uk/photos/data/500/medium/800_4479.jpg

D800E, naked 300

Ed



Posted by Iain: Sat Aug 11th, 2012 09:58 31st Post
The 300 f4 is a good lens Ed, it's just a bit short for serious wildlife.


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