I bought a Nikon D810; First Thoughts

Focus Tracking a fully backlit freight train with the Nikon D810 (click to enlarge)

A couple of weeks ago, I purchased a Nikon D810.  I have had a Nikon D800E since they were first introduced and found it to be a spectacular camera.  No exaggeration.  Although it is big, heavy and expensive, the images I produced from that camera were some of the best, technically, I have made.

I like the color palate that Nikon programs into their digital SLRs and the high ISO/low noise is terrific and allows me to create images in a much wider range of conditions.  Additionally, the dynamic range that sensor is able to capture is simply amazing!  Finally, when forced, I can heavily crop an image and still have more pixels in the remaining image than other cameras' full sensors produce.  I really like that camera.

When the updated and improved D810 was introduced, I contemplated purchasing one to see how different it is from the D800E.  Here are some initial impressions.

First, picking it up feels better.  It seems to fit my hand better.  The grip is different.  The controls are almost exactly the same, so I really didn't have to read the owner's manual.  There are a few minor differences, but on the surface, they were easy to figure out.  I am now in the process of reading the owner's manual, from cover to cover, because as much as I think I know about the camera and its features, I always learn several things I didn't know or learn the enhanced capabilities of features I already did know.

Recommendation:  Always full read and study your camera's manual.  In fact, do as I do and keep a PDF version on your smartphone, iPod or tablet for ready reference.

The first thing I did when it arrived was to fully charge the battery and check the box to ensure everything that was supposed to be included, was actually in the box.  I also checked to make sure the camera was an official USA import.  As you may know, Nikon will not repair a camera, in or out of warranty, that you did not buy in your home country, not even if you pay for the repair!  So, buying an official import into your country is important.  I used to buy gray market gear when film cameras were primarily manual, but with the electronics involved in today's cameras, that is a fool's errand, in my opinion.

Once the battery was charged, I turned the camera on and set all of the controls as I did with my D800E.  That includes my name as copyright holder which will be embedded in each file before it leaves the camera.  So, if I never edit the image in an image editor that may also embed your copyright, my ownership is never in question as creator.  I also change the files names to a unique name that will tell me instantly in which camera the images were made.  I use AF ON instead of the shutter button to focus, use only RAW, set the AF to C, etc.  In other words, I tailor a camera to fit my needs and way of working that have developed over years of making images.

After setting up the camera, I take it outside and go through the various modes and settings to ensure the camera is working properly.  Fully satisfied that all is well, I then add it to my insurance policy. I have a separate policy on all my camera gear as it is inexpensive and covers all risks.  I have only made one claim but that claim paid for about 10 years worth of premiums.  It has been well worth it to have the policy.

Next, I calibrate all of my lenses to the camera body.  I do this using Reikan FoCal Software.  FoCal is an automated way for a computer and software, with its ability to precisely measure things, to assess focus accuracy, focus consistency and best aperture for each lens.  Instead of me trying to photograph a ruler set at 45 degrees and try to see if the camera focuses exactly where I intended it to, or if it focuses in front or behind the point of desired focus, the software goes through your entire range of micro AF fine tune settings and tells you where the most accurate setting for that particular lens/body combination is.  You then set that in the camera.  Each lens then enjoys optimum calibration to a specific camera body.  I find it indispensable.  You would be surprised how much some lens/camera body combinations need AF fine tuning.

After the calibration is complete, then I am ready to take the camera out and photograph some real world scenes.

In this case, I drove up to the newly refurbished Lee Hall railroad station on the CSX RR mainline in Newport News, Virginia and photographed the station and a couple of oncoming trains.  I wanted to track and photograph Amtrak at 79 mph, but it didn't come through as scheduled.  I did track a fully backlit freight train running at about 45 mph, and the camera perfectly captured all 19 images I made. In other cameras, I have found that the bright headlights of oncoming locomotives can sometimes fool an autofocus sensor. Not with the Nikon!

One thing that was immediately apparent to me is that this focus locks on immediately, with absolutely no hesitation.  One thing that kind of bothered me with the D800E was that the camera would seem to hesitate, just for a millisecond or two, before locking on an object.  This camera seems, without scientific measure of course, to be faster and more sure in locking onto an object for focus.  This makes me feel more confident when having to photograph something moving or flying.

I also photographed a couple of "light" engines that were traveling west.  This image was front lit.  I have to say, I really love the color palate of this camera!  Below is one of the images.  Since I was very close and was using a Nikon 24-120mm f/4 G VR lens at 24mm focal length, I had the camera pointed up significantly for compositional reasons.  I then corrected the verticals in Lightroom 5.6, cropping the edges.  Even though I cropped the sides to correct the verticals, the 36mp file provided plenty of pixels to lose and still have a large, high quality image.  I think the image turned out quite nicely, if I do say so myself!

A couple of westbound "light" engines on the CSX mainline at the newly moved and renovated Lee Hall Station
with the Nikon D810 and Nikon 24-120mm lens.  The station was moved from the other side of the tracks and renovated.

I have done some other experiments to stress the dynamic range of this new sensor.  I will be posting the results of those tests on Monday.

Photographing mainly with a 16mp camera for the last couple of years, I forget the extraordinary detail and subtleties that one gets when using an extremely high quality 36mp camera.

So, my first thoughts after setting up, calibrating and going out on my first photo excursion is that the camera feels better, is quieter, faster and more responsive than the D800E.  Additionally, with the new sensor Nikon put in this camera, I like the color palate better than my Nikons in the past and I already like those a lot.

I really look forward to taking this camera on my upcoming road trip.  I don't think there is any situation I can encounter that this camera cannot handle with ease.  But time will tell.

Stay tuned for Monday.  I think you will be amazed about how versatile this new sensor is when overexposing and greatly underexposing a scene, but still producing excellent images.

Thanks for looking.  Enjoy!

Dennis Mook

Many of my images can be found at www.dennismook.com.  Please pay it a visit.  I add new images regularly.  Thank you.


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