Nikon D4 first images

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Nikon D4 first images

Postby DanielA on Tue Nov 06, 2012 9:58 pm

I finally gave in and picked up a D4. On Sunday I headed into the zoo to give it a run.
I'm very impressed by the image quality, ISO performance and speed.
I don't remember seeing a hands on review here previously, so here's a little summary as I see it.

These shots were done as raw and have had my normal processing, but I think the 100% clips show the ISO performance.

ISO 12800, 150mm 1/250s f/4.5 (Sigma 150mm f/2.8 macro)
Image
At 12k8 this is surprisingly good. I turned to B&W as a red heat lamp washed everything out. The noise is pretty controlled considering. At lot of contrast has been lost.
Image

ISO 4000, 400mm 1/500s f/7.1 (Nikkor AF 80-400mm VR)
Image
I was really surprised at the quality of 4k ISO. Some other areas of the shot show a little noise, but nothing obvious and it is easily hidden by any texture.
Image

ISO 1400, 400mm 1/500s f/6.3 (Nikkor AF 80-400mm VR)
Image
At 1k4 this shows a little patterning in the green background, but I think I prefer this to the same level in my D2Xs. :D
Image

ISO 100, 150mm 1/400s f/4.5 (Sigma 150mm f/2.8 macro)
Image
The base ISO looks flawless to me. Anything is easily obscured by jpeg compression artefacts.
Image

Things that stand out to me. (keep in mind I'm coming from a D2Xs, so have skipped a generation)

The Good
  • Excellent ISO performance (good, because that is why I bought it).
  • Auto-focus is very, very good. My slow lenses (80-400VR screwdrive) snapped to focus without any hunting or missed focus.
  • The Auto-ISO feature is nice, as it adjusts shutter speed depending on focal length. (Although I mainly used Manual mode and let the ISO adjust)
  • 10 FPS is really excessive, but nice.
  • I might be crazy, but the images appear sharper. This could be due to the full frame resolution not working the glass as hard, but probably because I can now use the optimal shutter speed and aperture.
  • Many more menu options.
The not so good
  • Many more menu options.
  • The lcd screen is polarised so that when in normal landscape orientation the screen is completely black. In portrait orientation the screen is crystal clear. This is going to be very annoying with polarised sunnies.
  • Battery life does look reduced. I only took a few hundred shots and the first battery bar segment had gone down. The D2Xs wouldn't have moved for those few shots. Still wouldn't be a problem for a single day's shooting (for me).
  • I think I expected too much from the 3D focus tracking. I need to play with it more to work out its limits.

Daniel
Nikon D4, D2Xs, D70, Nikkors and Sigmas lenses from 10 to 400mm
www.DSAimages.com
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Re: Nikon D4 first images

Postby biggerry on Tue Nov 06, 2012 11:12 pm

*drool*

DanielA wrote:The lcd screen is polarised so that when in normal landscape orientation the screen is completely black. In portrait orientation the screen is crystal clear. This is going to be very annoying with polarised sunnies.


like Wtf? that seems extremely daft! :shock:
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No amount of processing will fix bad composition - trust me i have tried.
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Re: Nikon D4 first images

Postby Murray Foote on Tue Nov 06, 2012 11:38 pm

DanielA wrote:I think I expected too much from the 3D focus tracking. I need to play with it more to work out its limits.

You may need to carefuly consider what autofocus settings you use it with. I find it works pretty well on my D3s and the D4 is probably better.
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Re: Nikon D4 first images

Postby aim54x on Tue Nov 06, 2012 11:42 pm

Congrats on the new camera!
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Re: Nikon D4 first images

Postby DanielA on Wed Nov 07, 2012 10:01 pm

biggerry wrote:
DanielA wrote:The lcd screen is polarised so that when in normal landscape orientation the screen is completely black.

like Wtf? that seems extremely daft! :shock:

I tried it again under artificial light and it's not as bad, but at only about 20 degrees CCW it's at it's darkest. I checked the D2Xs it doesn't go nearly as dark.
When I was first in the sun I thought I must have been pressing the wrong buttons because I didn't see anything.

Murray Foote wrote:
DanielA wrote:I think I expected too much from the 3D focus tracking. I need to play with it more to work out its limits.

You may need to carefuly consider what autofocus settings you use it with. I find it works pretty well on my D3s and the D4 is probably better.

The regular (9-, 21-, 51-points) AF-C look good. I haven't really used the 3D yet. I was just was expecting the focus point to move around the viewfinder a bit quicker. It probably is focusing tracking faster than it appears.

aim54x wrote:Congrats on the new camera!

Thanks. It's looking really good.

Daniel
Nikon D4, D2Xs, D70, Nikkors and Sigmas lenses from 10 to 400mm
www.DSAimages.com
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Re: Nikon D4 first images

Postby inmotion on Sat Apr 06, 2013 10:58 pm

Cratulations Daniel I hhave been shooting with mine almost a year and still try to push the limits of low light photography and at the max end it definitely is a matter of experimenting to get the
best results--jim
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Re: Nikon D4 first images

Postby claystevens on Tue Dec 31, 2013 1:48 pm

In fact, I prefer the parrot than others. :)
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