Nikon D800 takes #1 Spot

[Alan B]

The new Nikon D800 36 megapixel full frame Digital Single Lens Reflex camera has taken the #1 spot at DxOMark, surpassing even the Phase One digital medium format back at much higher cost, size and weight. This is a test of the raw sensor's imaging quality, ISO and noise capability.

Of course it also completely surpassed everything Canon has ever built in terms of sensor quality.

This is amazing performance for any camera, let alone for a 3k$ DSLR.

This camera is just starting to arrive on dealer shelves but is sold out in most venues.

This camera was scheduled to be released more than six months ago, but the events in Japan and Thailand delayed the introduction.

http://www.dxomark.com/index.php/News/D ... core-of-95

[MikeFairbanks]

Canon is still kicking their butts, however.

Both cameras are great. I'm surprised they don't merge. They both pretty much manufacture the same thing at this point.

[Alan B]

From what I can tell Nikon makes better DSLR's, and Canon has greater market share, probably due in large part to their historical market inertia and excellent lenses. In many markets Nikon has overtaken Canon, and they seem to be investing the R&D dollars that Canon is not.

A few years ago when I was shopping for my first DSLR it was clear that the Nikon was the better camera in the market segment I was searching, and Canon did not make the lens I wanted, and their flash system was way behind current technology. I had expected to buy a Canon, but they just weren't there in so many ways. So I had to buy a Nikon. An engineering decision, not an emotional one. I don't shop by product popularity, but by image quality, user interface and product features.

I think we are better off if they compete rather than merge. Can you imagine the fight over lens mounts if they did?

Enjoy your Canon, Mike!

[Hillhater]

This is the same debate as .. "Ferrari is better than Lamborghini" .. or "Rolex is better than Longines " .. "Picaso is better than Van Gogh" .. etc
At some point the cost /value/performance factors just become a technicality as either product will more than satisfy the demands of the user.
It simply becomes a "personal preference" or emotional choice.

[full-throttle]

This is the same debate as .. "Ferrari is better than Lamborghini"

True, except it would be more like "Subaru vs Mitsubishi" - I believe there's only one "Ferrari" in camera world and it's Leica

[Hillhater]

There is a big difference between a Subaru and a Ferrari .
Are you implying the Nikon is the Subaru of camera's ?

[full-throttle]

Are you implying the Nikon is the Subaru of camera's ?

That's right. Except with D800 they managed to jump from WRX to Nissan GTR

[Alan B]

Looks like Nikon is going to have a 24 megapixel full frame DSLR out for $1500 this year.

[zombiess]

Im still happy with my nikon d200 purchased used for 600 4-5 years ago from a pro photog. Has almost 200,000 shutter clicks and is still going ( i put about 10,000 clicks on it).
Digital technilogy is finally catching up to 35mm film quality and becoming affordable now which is amazing.

[Alan B]

The D200 is a great solid pro DSLR. I was going to get one when I started but they were backordered for months so I went with another body. I came very close to making that my first DSLR, it was just coming out when I was looking. The old film DSLRs are getting very dusty these days.

[MikeFairbanks]

Looks like Nikon is going to have a 24 megapixel full frame DSLR out for $1500 this year.

Wait. What? Do you have a link for that?

1500 is cheaper than the best crops sold by Nikon and canon.

Fwiw: neither makes a better camera. They leapfrog each other with each new release. Both have various advantages and disadvantages. It's all about priorities.

Serious professionals won't claim one as better than the other and would get quality results on either.


Also, serious photographers left the megapixel war about the time it hit 6mp.

Everyone makes a good dslr now, so it comes down to evolving technology and a steady decline in prices.

[Alan B]

I was never a fan of high pixel counts, they need to be quality pixels. There were many cameras made that lost sight of that. Those were not good days for digital cameras.

What is amazing is that these new cameras have high pixel counts and high quality pixels with better dynamic range. Note that the high pixel count D800 beats the new D4 low pixel count top of the line pro camera in most areas, and everything else 35mm including every model of Canon, notably absent from the neighborhood. Indeed. The only competition was from the high dollar medium format sensors. This is truly an achievement in sensor and electronics design and fabrication.

The ratings referred in this thread are by an independent company who is in the business of working with sensors and image processing, and indicates the image quality from the sensors. The camera sensors are not equal. The second runners may well be "good enough", but they are not equal.

There are many factors in what makes a good camera from ergonomics to features to image quality to electronics and of course lenses, so many different evaluations are possible. This one is about raw image quality. Noise, dynamic range, etc.

The upcoming Nikon low cost full frame is too far out to be certain of all the details, but the information is coming out. Search for the Nikon D600. There is a shift in the DSLR market going on. Soon there may be no "crop" pro cameras. High end amateur cameras will be full format. The "crop" sensors may be only in low to mid amateur products.

Good cameras don't make good photographs. But many photographers want to start with the best image quality they can afford. The D800 has incredible image quality at an amazing 3k$ price point; and soon the D600 will provide full format performance at an unsurpassed price point.

This is probably good news for other brands as well, even if you don't use Nikon cameras the market is driven by the competition, quality is going up and pricing going down.

[Alan B]

Nikon D4 and D800 were chosen as the 2012-2013 best professional camera and camera of the year by EISA:

The EISA judges said: “The best professional camera of the year is Nikon’s full frame 16-million-pixel D4, for its ability to deliver the highest image quality even in extremely difficult conditions. Tests performed by EISA magazines found the camera has an exceptional combination of high resolution, wide dynamic range, very low noise levels even at ISO 12800, super-fast autofocus, short response time and high frame rates that can be maintained for very long sequences. The body is rugged and well protected against dust and moisture. The viewfinder delivers a sharp, comfortable and very precise view of what will be recorded. Almost perfect handling makes the D4 very easy and pleasant to use and we especially like the new joystick control that’s available whether the camera is in the horizontal or vertical position. The D4 also delivers very high video quality thanks to its uncompressed output.”


The EISA judges said: “This year’s best camera is the Nikon D800. Its 36-million-pixel full frame sensor offers exceptionally high resolution capture and, according to EISA magazine tests, no compromises have been made to the extent of the camera’s dynamic range or noise levels at high ISO settings. In a compact and reasonably priced, strong and sturdy body, it offers first-rate metering and a 51-point autofocus system developed from the professional D4. The camera has a clear and bright 100% viewfinder that is very precise and comfortable to use even for glasses wearers. The tiny flash can command additional Nikon flash units and delivers just the right amount of fill-in illumination even in complex lighting conditions. The D800E version delivers even higher resolution images without needing any post processing sharpening: the image quality comes close to that of a medium format camera, but with the benefits and versatility of a lightweight 35mm reflex camera.”

[Alan B]

New Nikon D7100 coming later this month, 24 Megapixel top of the line DX camera for Nikon.

I'm not sure what we need all those pixels for, but hopefully this will be a great camera. One outstanding feature is the lack of a lowpass filter on the sensor, said to make the images very sharp but possibly subject to moire.

[amberwolf]

I'm not sure what we need all those pixels for,

They'd be nice for astrophotography....

[Hillhater]

Speaking of high resolution..
Have you seen this.. Try the zoom.
http://btlondon2012.co.uk/pano.html