D800 User Thread I

[Umeiko]

Such a coincidence, most of us tried out the camera around the Marina Bay area. Here are some of my shots.

Nice Merlion shot. Didn't know the ilight end so quickly.

Did anyone try long exposure and notice some red and white spots when you zoom into the pic? It appeared in my pic when I exposed for 30s at ISO 100.

 

[cwaikong]

Nice Merlion shot. Didn't know the ilight end so quickly.

Did anyone try long exposure and notice some red and white spots when you zoom into the pic? It appeared in my pic when I exposed for 30s at ISO 100.

Thanks. I do not have the luxury to stay long at each location as I was there with my 2 year old son. The two pictures are taken hand-held with shutter speeds 1/50sec and 1/100sec respectively, both at ISO 3200.

 

[Umeiko]

Thanks. I do not have the luxury to stay long at each location as I was there with my 2 year old son. The two pictures are taken hand-held with shutter speeds 1/50sec and 1/100sec respectively, both at ISO 3200.

Impressive!

Let me see if this time I can get the time lapse posted here.

[video=youtube_share;jlyZln5-VPo]http://youtu.be/jlyZln5-VPo[/video]

 

[cwaikong]

Impressive!

Let me see if this time I can get the time lapse posted here.

That's nice. How long do you take to record this 6 sec time lapse clip?

 

[justarius]

I guess the reason is that D800 is released during this period, and iLight was a convenient occasion to play around with the new toy
Adding to the surfeit of iLight images.

 

[Umeiko]

That's nice. How long do you take to record this 6 sec time lapse clip?

I think I used the default setting or a bit more. More than 100 shots to create the 6s. Definitely will be considered disastrous for many forumers who are concerned about shutter counts on camera. For me, I'm still fine as I'm used to camera with 60k or more shutter counts. but that's just me.

 

[asdfg]

Not very sure if it's ok to compare D300 against D800, but subtle improvement is really an understatement..
For a start to see how a FX sensor triumph over DX sensor, move in nearer to the subject. The DOF behind the subject will be even more blur than what ur DX body with the same lens can achieve under the same framing.

Your view in the viewfinder is bigger and brighter, which is also a common improvement over D300 by most FX camera body. the ISO capabilities of a D700 can put a D300(s) to shame. See how similar the grains when comparing 6400 in D700 and 1600 in D300(s). That's 2 stops advantage already! I won't say D800 is definitely better than D700 in this department, but it is definitely not far worse of.

36mp goodness of details u can capture is only a subtle improvement over D300? I dunno if u need that much details or megapixels, but it's surely not a subtle improvement.


Though I also agree with u that the ergonomics may not be as comfortable than in D300, I would tend to believe that it just takes a moment to get used to that's all. It might also be that ur uncomfort is due to the extra weight u are carrying. Felt the same way when I switch to D700, but D800 slimming over D700 is definitely a welcome for me, as long as the body is not physically smaller (thank goodness I was wrong abt this)....

Erratic wb came from artificial lighting BUT my D300 never had such a problem. It'd get the WB wrong, but 2 shots wouldn't be different. Anyway, in natural light the wb is a tad off, either that or its the lcd but i'd prefer the wb to be properly reflected on the lcd because i shoot mainly jpeg, and i edit on the go (colour balance etc). So it's either the lcd hue or the wb, or both.

Anyway "understatement" or not, it's my opinion. I've been waiting to go to fx for a long time. Even when i got my D300 i wanted a D700 but couldnt afford it. I know the benefits of fx, its good to list them down because my opinion may not reflect how many other people feel about the camera. I expected to be blown away by the viewfinder, have to adjust to the fov, but i didn't. It felt like i owned the camera for a long time, an 85 was an 85, 24.. (okay i must admit the 24 was the only lens i felt was a bit strange..a bit wide), 50 a 50, 105 a 105, etc. And one of the perks of fx for me was the thinner dof appearance. Whatever you listed down were reasons i told myself were valid to move to fx. I just wasn't blown away. Maybe i've been looking at pictures by my lenses on fx online too much i'm so used to the fov. And maybe i don't appreciate the viewfinder cause i've never used the D300 and D800 side by side. But i've used the D300 for 3 years so i'm used to the dx viewfinder. I suppose it's just me. I'm not sure if i should take offense because you just made it seem like i moved to fx without knowing the benefits. Anyway i said subtle in every respect. Resolution wise if i used DX mode and cropped a bit more to get more "reach" in macro i'd end up with something along the D300's resolution. I enjoy the subtle benefits of the D800, except the grip, but major improvements to me are on paper and using it hands on wasn't as mind blowing as i expected.

 

[teojcb]

Hi, D800 is definitely better than D700 in terms of noise level and sharpness if you downsize the image. I use TIFF or JPEG for better noise level.

I have taken some pics using D800 with Sigma 150mm macro lens.


DSC_0649 by teojcb, on Flickr


DSC_0642 by teojcb, on Flickr


DSC_0808 by teojcb, on Flickr


DSC_0803 by teojcb, on Flickr

 

[Cowseye]

Erratic wb came from artificial lighting BUT my D300 never had such a problem. It'd get the WB wrong, but 2 shots wouldn't be different. Anyway, in natural light the wb is a tad off, either that or its the lcd but i'd prefer the wb to be properly reflected on the lcd because i shoot mainly jpeg, and i edit on the go (colour balance etc). So it's either the lcd hue or the wb, or both.

Anyway "understatement" or not, it's my opinion. I've been waiting to go to fx for a long time. Even when i got my D300 i wanted a D700 but couldnt afford it. I know the benefits of fx, its good to list them down because my opinion may not reflect how many other people feel about the camera. I expected to be blown away by the viewfinder, have to adjust to the fov, but i didn't. It felt like i owned the camera for a long time, an 85 was an 85, 24.. (okay i must admit the 24 was the only lens i felt was a bit strange..a bit wide), 50 a 50, 105 a 105, etc. And one of the perks of fx for me was the thinner dof appearance. Whatever you listed down were reasons i told myself were valid to move to fx. I just wasn't blown away. Maybe i've been looking at pictures by my lenses on fx online too much i'm so used to the fov. And maybe i don't appreciate the viewfinder cause i've never used the D300 and D800 side by side. But i've used the D300 for 3 years so i'm used to the dx viewfinder. I suppose it's just me. I'm not sure if i should take offense because you just made it seem like i moved to fx without knowing the benefits. Anyway i said subtle in every respect. Resolution wise if i used DX mode and cropped a bit more to get more "reach" in macro i'd end up with something along the D300's resolution. I enjoy the subtle benefits of the D800, except the grip, but major improvements to me are on paper and using it hands on wasn't as mind blowing as i expected.

U might want to share in what situation did u get the erratic WB flickering. All the time? For the benefit of all current and future D800 owners.

I'm sorry if I offended you, but at the same time, I got a feeling that most of these benefits of FX (that u listed urself) is not really something that you need for the stuff you shoot. hence it doesn't blow u away when ur now have it...

 

[rasdeep]

i believed the green hue problem could be from the lcd. have you compared it with another d800 lcd to see if they are the same? firmware tweaking can be done on the lcd but only if nikon thinks majority (or a certain batch) of the lcd present this problem. if it is an isolated case, then you could be out of luck. so maybe go to CSC and have them check out?

It locks on better in lower light thats for sure. I suppose tracking is due to user error...but the wb is rather erratic. Have you encountered situations where you take 2 shots and the wb in both shots differ in the same settings? And my lcd has a green hue to it. Hopefully a firmware update can fix them, for now i'll shoot. Or find the time to shoot.

 

[Cowseye]

so maybe go to CSC and have them check out?

NSC bah. Anyway, FYI, they are close tomorrow.

 

[cwaikong]

Trying the camera in daylight. The sky was dull as it was taken in noon, so I converted the picture in Black and White.

 

[ondoy]

nice pic. retro.

 

[alanng]

I have both D3s & D800 , focusing still D3s far better (maybe brighter view finder and high battery voltage) . D800 high ISO is 2 stops noiser compare to D3s when it goes 3200 and beyond .

 

[cichlid]

Just to check, do you all like that placement of the shutter button. It felt not so comfy when I tried it at the Nikon showroom, may be I've not gotten use to it.

 

[KL Barracuda]

I have both D3s & D800 , focusing still D3s far better (maybe brighter view finder and high battery voltage) . D800 high ISO is 2 stops noiser compare to D3s when it goes 3200 and beyond .

Wow . . . . if this is true, better for me to pick up second hand D3s than to buy new D800 . . . just thinking out loud . . .

Thanks for the insight Alan, appreciate it.

Cheers

 

[Yahooo]

Hmm, can enlighten me why the pics produced superior to other cams? As i can see none.

 

[rain5533]

Trying the camera in daylight. The sky was dull as it was taken in noon, so I converted the picture in Black and White.

Hope to see ur HDR photo soon..

 

[asdfg]

U might want to share in what situation did u get the erratic WB flickering. All the time? For the benefit of all current and future D800 owners.

I'm sorry if I offended you, but at the same time, I got a feeling that most of these benefits of FX (that u listed urself) is not really something that you need for the stuff you shoot. hence it doesn't blow u away when ur now have it...

Okay how bout this? How bout you actually read what i posted and that would answer your wb question.
"Erratic wb came from artificial lighting BUT my D300 never had such a problem. It'd get the WB wrong, but 2 shots wouldn't be different. Anyway, in natural light the wb is a tad off, either that or its the lcd but i'd prefer the wb to be properly reflected on the lcd because i shoot mainly jpeg, and i edit on the go (colour balance etc). So it's either the lcd hue or the wb, or both."

My issue is the lcd, which i have read about and seen samples all over the internet, and the erratic wb. One of the 2 shots would present a more accurate wb, more accurate than my d300, but my d300 would give consistently "off" wb. So part of me feels i'd rather get consistently "off" wb than erratic wb.

I'm not sure if you've seen my flickr, but i do macro, street photography, a little bit of portraiture. Other than landscapes, what other types of photography would fx benefit over dx, and are you saying what i shoot isn't as applicable on fx than dx? I suppose for macro yes, but i love thin dof and high iso benefits, but didn't want to lose the crop factor benefit, so the D800 was perfect for me. It's dual purpose. But it's funny you say you're sorry you offended me and then come around offending me again saying that the things i shoot don't need fx. Sure i don't need fx, i want it. The camera is my tool. I'm taking offense because you paint me as if i haven't been shooting, i haven't thought about fx and it's BLASPHEMY that i haven't been blown away by the d800. I never said the camera was bad, i said there are subtle improvements. "major improvements to me are on paper and using it hands on wasn't as mind blowing as i expected."

I can't believe i've to quote myself just to let you read my opinion again. And sorry for bringing up negativity in this thread.

 

[asdfg]

Just to check, do you all like that placement of the shutter button. It felt not so comfy when I tried it at the Nikon showroom, may be I've not gotten use to it.

It's...strange. I found that ergonomically the D800 i worse than some other nikons i've used. It'll take a while for me to get used to it.