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Tagged: D800

05Mar

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR Lens

Posted in Gear, Glass, Hardware, Lens, Specifications, Telephoto | 1 Comment

Nikon have just announced an updated version of their 80-400mm 5x telephoto zoom lens with Super ED glass and Nano Crystal Coat. It also has a revision of their VR (II, not the latest III) technology and a different lens design from its predecessor in further reducing CA. Whilst I can’t confirm this on Nikon’s website, others have reported the new lens to have weather sealing…?

Lens construction:

20 elements in 12 groups (including 4 ED glass and 1 Super ED glass elements, and Nano Crystal Coat)

vs the original‘s

17 elements in 11 groups (3 ED glass elements)

Due it’s IF motor it will now AF on all the consumer Nikon DSLR’s as well as the Pro-Sumer and Pro FX models.
DX D40, D60, D70, D80, D90, D2x, D2xx, D3xxx, D5xxx, D7xxx, D300, D300s

The reach on DX is an effective 120-600mm from f/4.5 to f/5.6 on DX. An ideal reach with an additional stated 4 stops of VR effectiveness.
FX D700, D3, D3s, D3x, D600, D700, D800, D4.

On today’s High ISO Low Noise sensors and the stated improvements of Super ED coated lens I’m keen to see the results. Even on FX it should be a useful all round lens for those who do not have the $5000+ for a prime.

03/2013: AF-S 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR2

06/2001: AF 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6D ED VR1

To quote Nikon:

The Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR Lens is a telephoto zoom lens that is compatible with both FX and DX-sized image sensors. This lens features an extensive zoom range that encompasses both portrait lengths and long-reaching telephoto lengths to suit working with a variety of subjects.

The lens construction integrates one super ED (extra-low dispersion) and four ED glass elements to help minimize chromatic aberrations throughout the zoom range and also contribute to higher image sharpness, clarity, and color fidelity. A Nano Crystal Coat is also applied to individual lens elements to help reduce surface reflections and prevent lens flare and ghosting for greater overall contrast and light transmission. Built-in Vibration Reduction image stabilization also lends itself to producing sharper imagery by compensating for the effects of camera shake up to the equivalent of four shutter speed steps. Additionally, a dedicated VR setting for tripods is available for producing the sharpest imagery possible without countering the effects of the image stabilization system.

The MTF graphs look very promising & I trust real world use on today’s 16, 24 and 36MP DSLR’s provide exceptional results.

MTF Chart: Wide

MTF Chart: Tele

Brochure

Click here to see the full spec on Nikon’s Website and here for sample images.

Order yours at B and H Photovideo

04Mar

Pied Kingfisher in flight

Posted in Bird Sanctuaries/Hides, Flora and Fauna, Locations, Park, Portfolio, Print for Sale, Road Trip, THL, Wildlife | 2 Comments

In order to satisfy my penchant for environment images and not just in your face portraits I decided to have a crack at this PKF taking off from his perch. The bird was +/- 30 paces away. There were two other togs seated next to me one with a new Nikon D800 and both with Nikkor 500mm f/4′s and they refused to take this shot as it was “too far away”… A 36MP Full Frame Camera and a R 60,000.00+ “Professional Lens”. Good Grief … and here I am with a DX Nikon D7000 16MP DSLR and (admittedly) a very sharp Sigma 100-300mm f/4 (effectively a 150mm-450mm) making it work for me, with some cropping. It’s not as pixel peeping crisp as it might be if I were sitting on the branch but it will print nicely and hang on my wall.
At least my image (below) will be unique online

Pied Kingfisher in full flight with carp. © Harvey Grohmann 2013 All Rights Reserved

Shot details: Nikon D7000 and Sigma 100-300mm F/4 EX IF HSM @280mm.
ISO-800 | f/8 | 1/5000s | EV -1.7 | Post Processing in part with Topaz Labs.
Bean Bag.

Gear I use: Bodies: Nikon D-SLR’s / Lenses: Nikon, Sigma, Tokina, Vivitar
Filters: Hoya UV & Polarizing / Flash: Nikon Speed-lights / Bag: Lowe Pro
Tripods & Heads: Manfrotto / Grips, Triggers, Timers, Batteries etc: BandH
Editing Plug-in: Topaz Labs Noise Reduction, HDR, B&W Conversion & more!

ALL IMAGES ON THIS SITE ARE © Harvey Grohmann. Read more for Terms and Conditions:
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13Sep

Nikon D600 – Quick Report

Posted in Camera, Gear, Hardware, News | 1 Comment

Nikon has announced it’s latest model, the 24Mp D600, the smallest, least expensive ($2099-00) FX Full Frame DSLR on the market, aimed directly at enthusiast photographers but well capable for Photojournalists and Wildlife togs too. I’m drooling! The D600 has a new 24MP, 36x24mm, CMOS sensor and is loaded with many of the features of the pricier D800 into a body not dissimilar to the DX D7000. This makes the 4th Full Frame model released by Nikon this year. The others being the D4 (24MP), the D800 and the D800e (both at 36MP). It remains to be seen how effective it’s sensor is at maintaining low noise at high ISO shooting.

Nikon’s new Full Frame D600

It’s viewfinder features 100% coverage and a 39-point autofocus system, nine of which are cross-type points. It captures 1080p HD video at 30, 25 or 24 frames per second and can stream uncompressed footage out over the HDMI port. There is also an optional WU-1b Wi-Fi unit allowing the camera to be controlled remotely from an Android or iOS device. It uses an MB-D14 Multi-Power Battery Pack and EN-EL15 Rechargeable Li-ion Batteries. It also has a built-in flash which is uncommon in Nikon’s FX range.

24.3MP Full-frame CMOS sensor (10.5MP DX-format crop mode)
ISO 100-6400 (expandable to ISO 50-25,600 equivalent)
Maximum 5.5fps continuous shooting
39-point AF system with 9 cross-type AF points
1/4000s max shutter speeed
3.2in 921k-dot LCD screen
1080p30 full HD video mode with stereo sound recording
Headphone jack for audio monitoring in movie mode
Uncompressed video recording via HDMI
Dimensions: 141mm x 113mm x 82mm (5.5 × 4.4 × 3.2 in).
Weight: 760 g (1.6 lbs) (camera body only, no battery)

The D600 will list at $2,099 body only or $2,699 with the AF-S NIKKOR 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED VR lens and will be available from BandH New York from September 18th.

The D600 on Nikon’s web site.
D600 full specifications.
Sample images at Nikon’s web site.
Download the PDF brochure here and user manual here.
Here is a hands-on preview at DP Review.

Contact me for tuition, workshop tours as well as event photography!

Gear I use: Bodies: Nikon D-SLR’s / Lenses: Nikon, Sigma, Tokina, Vivitar
Filters: Hoya UV & Polarizing / Flash: Nikon Speed-lights / Bag: Lowe Pro
Tripods & Heads: Manfrotto / Grips, Triggers, Timers, Batteries: Phottix
Editing Plug-in: Topaz Labs Noise Reduction, HDR, B&W Conversion & more!

07Feb

Nikon D800 and D800E released.

Posted in Camera, Gear, Hardware, News, Specifications | 3 Comments

Nikon Press Centre. Feb 6, 2012: Expectations Surpassed: The 36.3-Megapixel Nikon D800 Is The Multimedia HD-SLR That Shatters Conventional Resolution Barriers For Maximum Fidelity

The New Nikon D800 Offers Unrivaled Resolution and Features Designed for a Variety of Demanding Professional Photographic and Multimedia Disciplines, Videographers and Filmmakers

Nikon's new FX DSLR, the D800 (and D800E)

Nikon D800/D800E

Exciting news indeed. After months of watching and wondering, and 3.5 years after the D700, it’s here! I’ll be brief. After my debate of “Are more Megapixels better?” the D800 now sports a 36.3Mp CMOS sensor in Full Frame (FX) 35mm (35.9 x 24.0 mm). That is rivalling Medium Format…but with the choice of f/1.4 lenses where nearly all MF lenses start at f/2.8! The sensor is also completely redesigned and engineered by Nikon, and with Nikon’s legendary FX Format Low Light Low Noise characteristics, this is a leap forward in the evolution of the digital camera, especially in this format. Not just a small Mp progression…It allows unedited A1 size pictures without needing Fractal Software and amazing cropping options without degradation of pixel/image quality.

That’s a pixel density of 42,131 pixels per mm² and to all appearances it’s not at the cost of IQ, sharpness or noise, keeping in line with the high ISO, low noise tradition of all Nikon full frame DSLR’s from the D700 on up, and specifically the D3s.

(Owners of the remarkable Sigma SD1 Digital SLR Camera with the FOVEON X3 – 46Mp will no doubt be wondering what all the hype is about…except maybe the price tag, however the SD1 has an APS-C 24 x 16mm small frame sensor and thus a pixel density of 119,791! Yes I know it has 3 stacked sensors (layers), each 4800 x 3200px but thus needs no AA filter (such as the D800E) and no coloured jaggies but with a slight increase in colour noise in low-light.)

As a reminder here are the current FX per mm² pixel densities (from my 2009 500mm Vivitar mirror-reflex-lens report):

Nikon D800/E 36,3Mp CMOS

All of the FX DSLR’s use a Nikon designed and built CMOS

D700—14,063 pixels/mm² (12.1 Mp FX 36.0 x 23.9mm)
D3 -–- 14,063 pixels/mm² (12.1 Mp FX 36.0 x 23.9mm)
D3s –- 14,063 pixels/mm² (12.1 Mp FX 36.0 x 23.9mm)
D3x –- 30,113 pixels/mm² (24.5 Mp FX 35.9 x 24.0mm)
D4 -–- 18,850 pixels/mm² (16.2 Mp FX 36.0 x 23.9mm)
D800—42,131 pixels/mm² (36.3 Mp FX 35.9 x 24.0mm)

I won’t add more tech gumf, as no doubt thousands of other blogs and websites have done so already however you can download the PDF brochure here (3.6MB) / Full D800/D800E Specifications here.

Despite all it’s new bells and whistles, this is the most intriguing and interesting aspect to me:

What is the difference between the D800 and the D800E or the D800 vs D800E? (Note: Both have the SAME resolution and SAME sensor at 36.3 Mp)

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14Dec

Nikon D4

Posted in Camera, Gear, Hardware, News, Specifications | 1 Comment

Rumours have been flying around for a while. Thom Hogan’s logic about the life cycle of Nikon models and their launch times makes sense as is his question as to who will buy the D4 is also pertinent as it means that delivery will not be in the 100′s of thousands. The D800 (D700 replacement) and a successor to the D300s would be more important to Nikon. The only curve ball has been the Tsunami in Japan and the flooding in Malaysia which has set them back a few months. Expect an announcement at the PMA show in Las Vegas (January 10-13, 2012).

Here are a few specs gleaned from the web (scary right?) from sources that are generally on the ball. The D4 would be competing with the Canon EOS 1Dx.

16.2 MP (18Mp?)
11 fps
Shutter durability up from 150,000 to 300,000 (A real guess)
100 to 102,400 native ISO range, expandable to 50 and 204,800
Face detection/recognition function that will work in the viewfinder (Nikon has submitted several viewfinder patents)
Improved video, possibly 1080p/30/25/24 fps and 720p/60/30/25/24 fps similar to the expected Nikon D800
Uncompressed video out through an HDMI port
Ability to assign the two front body buttons to smooth aperture control during video recording
Compatible with a new Nikon WT-5 wireless transmitter to replace the 2007 WT-4a
Ethernet integrated in camera (wired tethered shooting?)
Expeed 3
USB 3.0
Improved 51 AF points
AF detection range will go down to EV-2.0 (the D3s went to EV -1)
Autofocus system: 9 cross-type sensors operational up to f/8
Compact Flash + XQD memory card slots.