Nikon D810 Review
Introduction
Boasting a brand new 36.3-megapixel FX format sensor with no optical low pass filter, the Nikon D810 promises the highest image quality in Nikon's history, at least according to Nikon. The Nikon D810 offers a rugged, weather sealed magnesium-alloy body, a very similar control layout to the D800/800E, an ISO range of 32-51,200, 1080/60p video recording, latest Expeed 4 image processing engine, Multi-CAM 3500FX 51-point auto-focus system with new Group Area AF mode, 5fps burst shooting at full resolution, new electronic front-curtain shutter and an improved LCD monitor (3.2-inch with 1299K dots). Other highlights include a SuperSpeed USB 3.0 port, microphone and headphone jacks, dual CF/SD memory card slots, an intelligent self-diagnostic shutter rated for 200,000 actuations, a user configurable Exposure Delay Mode, a dual-axis Virtual Horizon, uncompressed 12 bit RAW Size S format (9 megapixels), Live View split-screen zoom and in-camera HDR exposure blending. The Nikon D810 replaces both the D800 and D800E models and is available body-only for £2699.99 / €3299 / $3299.95.
Ease of Use
The Nikon D810 is the successor to both the D800 and D800E cameras. With a new 36-megapixel, the D810 remains the highest resolution 35mm size digital SLR camera in the world. Outwardly, the Nikon D810 is very similar to the D800/E. It features a redesigned, deeper and narrower hand-grip, while the overall shape of the camera body is as rounded and streamlined as its predecessor, with near identical dimensions. Weighing in at 880 grams the D810 is very slightly lighter, feeling reassuringly hefty in your hand.
The control layout is broadly similar to that of the Nikon D800, which is a good thing in our book - but there are some differences. Th PV and Fn buttons on the front are now round and smaller, while microphone holes and the bracketing button have been added to the front plate. There's a new "i" button on the rear, and a new metering button on the release mode dial on the top of the camera. On the left-hand flank, the various ports are now covered by three seperate flaps, rather than one large one, while the memory card door has been rubberised. That's about it for the visual differences between the new D810 and the older D800/E, so upgraders will feel instantly at home with the latest iteration.
The focus mode switch has two positions only, AF and M. Cycling through the available options (single, 9-, 21- and 51-point dynamic, 3D tracking, auto area and group area) is done in a similar vein as on the D4 and D7000. To wit, the focus mode switch has a small button at its hub. You can toggle between AF-S and AF-C modes by holding down this button, with the switch in the ‘AF' position, and turning the rear control wheel. To cycle through the available AF Area modes, use the sub command dial instead. The settings are displayed in the viewfinder and the top-mounted status LCD. New to the D810 is the Group Area AF mode, which lets you assign 5 AF points that can be moved across the 51-point array as the subject demands, making it easier to track smaller moving subjects. Face Detect AF can also now be toggled on or off while shooting through the viewfinder.
The Live View button on the rear is encircled by a two-way Live View mode selector. This lever can be set to either “live view photography” or “movie live view”, each of which is denoted by a little, self-explanatory icon.
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| Front | Rear |
The Nikon D810's Live View implementation features only a single Live View mode where the mirror is locked up, and AF is performed using the contrast detection method. (Note however that unlike the Nikon D4S the D810 does not feature a completely silent Live View option, which is a bit of a pity as this was one of the things we liked most about that camera.) Upon entering Live View, the mirror is raised and the lens is stopped down to the working aperture, allowing for an accurate depth of field preview. A new optional electronic first curtain shutter eliminates the need to physically move the shutter at the beginning of the exposure, helping to reduce shutter vibrations.
As with other Live View enabled Nikon dSLRs, there is a red rectangle that you can position anywhere within the frame, so you can focus precisely on the part of your subject that you want to appear sharpest in the resulting photo. Live View auto focus speeds aren't stellar, particularly if compared to the latest generation of compact system cameras, but are decent for a DSLR. As far as manual focusing is concerned, you can magnify into the live view feed up to 23x - but it's worth noting that this magnified view is at least partially interpolated, which is a bit of a shame. Also there is a live histogram - though in order to actually see it you'll need to remember to push the OK button first to enable the Nikon D810's Exposure Preview feature. Architectural photographers will be glad to hear that the optional virtual horizon is a dual-axis version showing both pitch and roll. The new Live View split-screen zoom displays magnified areas of the left and right sides of the live view frame, making more precise adjustments even easier than the virtual horizon.
“Movie live view” enables you to accurately preview framing for videos, which have an aspect ratio of 16:9 rather than 3:2. The Nikon D810 offers Full HD movie capture at five different frame rates (24/25/30/50/60fps) and two quality levels with a built-in stereo microphone. Additionally, 720p is also available at 25, 30, 50 and 60fps; and again at two quality settings, High and Normal. For movies, you can also choose from two crop modes, 1.1x and 1.5x; referred to as “FX-based” and “DX-based” movie formats in the manual. The Nikon D4's 2.7x crop mode - i.e. native 1080p footage streamed directly from the central part of the sensor - is missing from the D810. The maximum length of a clip is generally 29 minutes and 59 seconds for Normal and 20 minutes for High quality videos, unless you're using an external recorder hooked up to the camera by way of an HDMI cable. New to the D180 is a 'flat' Picture Control mode for producing the greatest dynamic range possible, and Zebra strips for checking blown highlights.
Manual exposure adjustment is available for movies - note that ISO and shutter speed are only adjustable in 'M' mode, while the aperture can be set in both 'A' and 'M' modes. The Nikon D810 features a built-in microphone but for professional-grade audio recording you'll definitely want to use an external one. In order to monitor the audio during movie capture, you can also connect a pair of headphones to the camera. As is now the norm for virtually every digital camera, from compacts to CSCs to DSLRs, there's a dedicated red movie-record button on the D810, located right next to the shutter release (much like the D4, D3200 and D5100). We found this button a bit too small for our taste - your mileage may of course vary, but chances are you'll often push this movie shutter release inadvertently instead of the Mode button, which is located further to the left. The depth-of-field preview button found on the front panel of the camera can be used to add indices to specific frames during recording so that they are easier to locate in the editing phase.
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| Top | Side |
At the heart of the Nikon D810's live view and movie live view experience is an upgraded 3.2” LCD screen. Its resolution of 1299K dots is up from the 921K dots of the older 3” panel found on the D800/E, and it now has an RGBW panel for brighter reproduction plus customizable color. It features a design that incorporates a gel resin between the cover glass and the screen itself to combat the fogging that may result from sudden changes of temperature, and also makes use of a light sensor to allow for automatic adjustment of the screen's brightness, contrast, gamma and colour saturation.
Of course the Nikon D810 is, first and foremost, an SLR camera - so let us now take a look at how it performs at its more traditional functions. The optical OLED viewfinder, which is one of the most important parts of any SLR, is big and bright with 0.72x magnification and approximately 100% frame coverage. Like the D4, the Nikon D810 comes with a Type B BriteView Clear Matte Mark VIII focusing screen. The excellent on-demand viewfinder grid display (Custom Setting d6) has been carried over from the older model.
When using the optical viewfinder - as opposed to shooting in Live View mode - you can take advantage of the Nikon D810's outstanding 51-point phase-detect AF system. Similarly to the D4, the D810 features an upgraded version of the venerable Multi-CAM 3500FX auto focus module, which boasts improved sensitivity (down to -2EV) and support for lens-teleconverter combinations as slow as f/8. In use, we have found the system to be highly capable, even in low-light situations. Under normal light levels and with the right lens mounted, the speed of the auto focus system is blazingly fast, meaning you can capture even the fastest-moving subjects with ease.
The Nikon D800/E's physical metering mode selector has been retained in the D810, but is now found in a new location on the release mode dial. However, the meter itself features the very same 91,000-pixel RGB metering sensor as the D800/E. Aside from being very sensitive - down to -1EV in 3D Colour Matrix III and centre-weighted modes - the sensor also assists the camera in tracking subjects, detecting faces (when not using live view) and focusing. A new 'highlight-weighted' metering option promises to preserve highligh detail in especially contrast, backlit scenes.
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| Front | Pop-up Flash |
Unlike its main competitor, the venerable Canon EOS 5D Mark III, the Nikon D810 features a pop-up flash, which can also act as a master controlling up to two groups of wirelessly slaved system flashes. In addition, the D810 has a standard Nikon hot-shoe and an ISO 519 compliant Prontor-Compur flash sync terminal for connecting cable-contact flash units such as studio strobes. The PC sync socket is protected by a rubber flap, as is the proprietary 10-pin connector that sits directly below it. The latter is used to attach an optional wired remote release or GPS unit to the camera.
Similarly to the D4, the D810 has a user configurable Exposure Delay Mode - you can set the length of delay between mirror up and image capture (1, 2 or 3 seconds). Although the camera has a proper mirror lock-up mode too, the Exposure Delay Mode comes in very handy whenever you don't have a remote cord to hand. Auto ISO sensitivity control works the same in the new model. You can have the camera determine the minimum shutter speed based on the focal length of the lens in use. This means that the camera may raise the ISO sensitivity if the shutter speed drops below 1/200 second when using a 200mm lens but leave it unchanged down to 1/50 second if a 50mm lens is attached (this can be fine-tuned by the user). Usefully Auto ISO is also now available in the manual exposure mode.
Also on the Nikon D810 is a Quiet release mode, in which mirror return is delayed until you let go of the shutter release. First seen on the Nikon D5000, this mode isn't quite as quiet on the D810, as the larger mirror is inherently louder, but it's still useful whenever a greater degree of discretion is required than usual. Still on the topic of release/drive modes, the Nikon D810 offers a maximum continuous shooting speed of 5fps in FX mode, which is a step forward from the 4fps of the D800/E. Considering the amount of data that needs to be moved during a quick burst, this shooting speed is nothing short of phenomenal. In the DX crop mode, the maximum frame rate increases to 7fps for 15.3 megapixel images with the battery grip and EN-EL18 / AA batteries fitted for an unlimited number of frames.
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| Memory Card Slot | Battery Compartment |
What hasn't changed is the rather clumsy way of storing and retrieving combinations of frequently used settings. The Nikon D810 has separate Shooting Menu Banks and Custom Settings Banks, and even if you use both you still cannot store all of your settings, much less activate them at the same time. This is rather strange as even the more enthusiast-focused Nikon D7100 has two easy-to-access user settings, labelled U1 and U2. While we are aware that many photographers don't use memory banks / user settings at all on their cameras, we would still love to see this fixed in a future firmware update.
The Nikon D810 has dual CF and SD memory card slots. The implementation of the two-card system is exemplary: you can tell the camera to record every image simultaneously on both cards for instant backup, designate one card to store raw files and the other JPEGs, use the secondary card for “overflow” - you name it. The camera is compatible with UDMA compliant CompactFlash, UHS-I compliant SDHC and SDXC memory cards.
On the left hand flank, if viewing the camera from the back, we find three commendably firm, hinged rubber doors that stay open until you close them. Sheltered behind these is a pretty extensive array of connection ports including a mini HDMI connector, a USB 3.0 port, as well as both microphone and headphone jacks. The Nikon D810 also now features an Ethernet port and is compatible with the WT-5 wireless transmitter. Note that in order to use the mini HDMI port you'll have to buy a separately sold Type C HDMI cable, as none is included with the camera.
The Nikon D810 draws power from a proprietary EN-EL15 battery, as used by the D800/E. In the D810, this battery is CIPA rated for 1200 shots, which is excellent. Those that need more power and/or want to speed up their continuous shooting in DX mode might want to take a look at the optional MB-D12 battery grip, which takes the Nikon D4's EN-EL18 battery as well as the D810's EN-EL15a and even allows the camera to use standard AA size alkaline cells.
Image Quality
All of the sample images in this review were taken using the 36 megapixel Fine JPEG setting, which gives an average image size of around 25Mb.
At full resolution, the Nikon D810 produces images of 7360x4912 pixels, which yield sharp 24”x16” prints at 300ppi with no interpolation. The level of detail captured is stunning and comparable to many medium-format digital cameras and backs. However, there is more to the Nikon D810's image quality than pure resolution. The photos, especially those shot in NEF format, also have great dynamic range and generally low levels of noise.
When scrutinised up close at 1:1 view, they may seem noisier than most other full-frame DSLRs, especially at ISO 6400 and beyond, but given the insanely high levels of detail captured you can apply quite a bit of noise reduction to them and still walk away with a sharper and more detailed final image than if you had used a cleaner but lower-resolution photograph to begin with. Thus noise really only becomes a problem when shooting at high ISO settings in in DX crop mode, and even then it's comparable to what you've been used to seeing from top-of-the line 16-megapixel APS-C dSLRs.
Nikon's Active D-lighting and HDR technologies work well in contrasty light, the built-in flash produces even exposures with no detectable red-eye, and the camera is also very well suited to night photography and long exposures in general.
Noise
The base sensitivity of the Nikon D810 is ISO 64 but you can go down to ISO 32 (L1.0) if you wish. At the other end of the scale, the highest native sensitivity of the Nikon D810 is ISO 12,800 but two boosted settings, ISO 25,600 and ISO 51,200, are also available.
| JPEG | RAW |
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LO 1EV (ISO 32) (100% Crop) |
LO 1EV (ISO 32) (100% Crop) |
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ISO 64 (100% Crop) |
ISO 64 (100% Crop) |
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ISO 100 (100% Crop) |
ISO 100 (100% Crop) |
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ISO 200 (100% Crop) |
ISO 200 (100% Crop) |
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ISO 400 (100% Crop) |
ISO 400 (100% Crop) |
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ISO 800 (100% Crop) |
ISO 800 (100% Crop) |
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ISO 1600 (100% Crop) |
ISO 1600 (100% Crop) |
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ISO 3200 (100% Crop) |
ISO 3200 (100% Crop) |
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ISO 6400 (100% Crop) |
ISO 6400 (100% Crop) |
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ISO 12800 (100% Crop) |
ISO 12800 (100% Crop) |
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HI 1EV (ISO 25600) (100% Crop) |
HI 1EV (ISO 25600) (100% Crop) |
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HI 2EV (ISO 51200) (100% Crop) |
HI 2EV (ISO 51200) (100% Crop) |
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Sharpening
The out-of-camera JPEGs often benefit from some sharpening in a program like Adobe Photoshop. Alternatively you can change the in-camera sharpening level to suit your tastes. Here are two pairs of 100% crops - the right-hand images have had some extra sharpening applied.
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Original (100% Crop)
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Sharpened (100% Crop) |
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File Quality
The file quality settings available on the Nikon D810 include Basic, Normal and Fine for JPEGs, and the camera can also shoot 12- or 14-bit NEFs (Nikon's proprietary raw file format) and 8-bit TIFFs.
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Fine (23.2Mb) (100% Crop)
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Normal (12.3Mb) (100% Crop) |
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| Basic (5.95Mb) (100% Crop) |
Raw (43.4Mb) (100% Crop) |
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| Tiff (110Mb) (100% Crop) |
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Flash
Unlike its main competitor the Canon EOS 5D Mark III, the Nikon D810 features a pop-up flash, with a guide number of 12 in metres at ISO 100. This little on-board Speedlight has a number of functions including front- and rear-curtain sync, red-eye reduction, i-TTL, Manual and Repeating Flash. Additionally, it can act as a trigger for up to two groups of wirelessly slaved system flashes, alleviating the need to buy an SU-800 commander unit or use a more expensive flashgun as the master.
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Flash Off - Wide Angle (24mm) |
Flash On - Wide Angle (24mm) |
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Flash Off - Telephoto (70mm) |
Flash On - Telephoto (70mm) |
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As the shots below demonstrate, red-eye isn't a common problem with the built-in flash even if you don't use red-eye reduction.
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Flash On |
Flash On (100% Crop) |
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Flash - Red-Eye Reduction |
Flash - Red-Eye Reduction (100% Crop) |
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Night
The Nikon D810 lets you dial in shutter speeds of up to 30 seconds and has a Bulb mode as well for exposure times of practically any length, which is very good news if you are seriously interested in night photography. There is an optional long-exposure noise reduction function that can be activated to filter out any hot pixels that may appear when extremely slow shutter speeds are used, though we found no need for this when taking the photograph below at a shutter speed of 30 seconds, aperture of f/11 at ISO 64. We've included a 100% crop for you to see what the quality is like.
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Night |
Night (100% Crop) |
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Active D-lighting (ADL)
D-lighting is Nikon's dynamic range optimisation tool that attempts to squeeze the full dynamic range of the sensor into JPEGs. Active D-lighting works “on the fly”, before the in-camera processing engine converts the raw image data into JPEGs. The available settings are Off, Low, Normal, High and Extra High.
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Off |
Low |
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Normal |
High |
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Extra High |
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HDR Capture
The Nikon D810 offers the ability to shoot two differently exposed images in rapid succession, which are then blended in-camera to form a single, high-dynamic-range image. The exposure differential can be 1, 2 or 3EV, and you can choose from three different levels of smoothing (low, normal and high; with normal and high producing more realistic results than the low setting). Note that this feature is only available when shooting JPEG.
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Auto |
1EV |
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2EV |
3EV |
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Picture Controls
Nikon's Picture Controls are akin to Canon's Picture Styles in being preset combinations of sharpening, contrast, brightness, saturation and hue. All Picture Controls can be tweaked to your liking, then saved and transferred to other cameras.
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Standard |
Neutral |
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Portrait |
Vivid |
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Landscape |
Monochrome |
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| Flat | |
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Crop Modes
The Nikon D810 is an FX camera but it can also shoot in one of three crop modes, including a 25-megapixel “1.2x crop mode”, a 15-megapixel “DX crop mode” and a special, 30-megapixel “5:4 mode” that uses the full height of the sensor but trims the sides. The boundaries of the cropped areas are denoted with thin black lines in the viewfinder, which otherwise continues to show the full FX view, allowing you to see what's happening outside the cropped frame - perfect for sports and action shooting.
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5:4 |
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| 1.2x |
DX |
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Sample Images
This is a selection of sample images from the Nikon D810 camera, which were all taken using the 36 megapixel Fine JPEG setting. The thumbnails below link to the full-sized versions, which have not been altered in any way.
1/3s · f/8 ·
24mm
Download Original
1/5s · f/8 · ISO 64
24mm
Download Original
1/8s · f/8 · ISO 100
24mm
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1/15s · f/8 · ISO 200
24mm
Download Original
1/30s · f/8 · ISO 400
24mm
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1/60s · f/8 · ISO 800
24mm
Download Original
1/125s · f/8 · ISO 1600
24mm
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1/250s · f/8 · ISO 3200
24mm
Download Original
1/500s · f/8 · ISO 6400
24mm
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1/1000s · f/8 · ISO 12800
24mm
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1/2000s · f/8 ·
24mm
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1/4000s · f/8 ·
24mm
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1/80s · f/2.8 · ISO 280
70mm
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1/80s · f/2.8 · ISO 180
70mm
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1/800s · f/5.6 · ISO 64
34mm
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1/60s · f/2.8 · ISO 64
24mm
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1/1600s · f/2.8 · ISO 64
70mm
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1/1600s · f/4 · ISO 64
38mm
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1/25s · f/8 · ISO 320
24mm
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1/80s · f/8 · ISO 360
70mm
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1/60s · f/2.8 · ISO 100
62mm
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1/80s · f/2.8 · ISO 200
70mm
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1/160s · f/3.5 · ISO 64
70mm
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1/160s · f/8 · ISO 64
70mm
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1/80s · f/8 · ISO 110
70mm
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1/100s · f/8 · ISO 64
56mm
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1/80s · f/11 · ISO 64
24mm
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1/80s · f/11 · ISO 160
70mm
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1/400s · f/2.8 · ISO 64
70mm
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1/60s · f/11 · ISO 64
28mm
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1/50s · f/16 · ISO 64
24mm
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1/80s · f/16 · ISO 140
70mm
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1/160s · f/3.2 · ISO 64
70mm
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1/200s · f/8 · ISO 64
38mm
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1/50s · f/11 · ISO 64
24mm
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1/80s · f/11 · ISO 125
70mm
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1/1250s · f/2.8 · ISO 64
70mm
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1/500s · f/5.6 · ISO 64
50mm
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1/125s · f/11 · ISO 64
24mm
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1/125s · f/11 · ISO 64
70mm
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1/500s · f/2.8 · ISO 64
24mm
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1/8000s · f/5.6 ·
28mm
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1/500s · f/8 ·
28mm
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1/250s · f/8 · ISO 12800
28mm
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1/80s · f/8 · ISO 110
70mm
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1/80s · f/8 · ISO 100
70mm
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1/80s · f/8 · ISO 110
70mm
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1/60s · f/11 · ISO 64
28mm
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1/1600s · f/2.8 · ISO 64
50mm
Download Original
Sample RAW Images
The Nikon D810 enables users to capture RAW and JPEG format files. We've provided some Nikon RAW (NEF) samples for you to download (thumbnail images shown below are not 100% representative).
1/3s · f/8 ·
24mm
Download original
1/5s · f/8 · ISO 64
24mm
Download original
1/8s · f/8 · ISO 100
24mm
Download original
1/15s · f/8 · ISO 200
24mm
Download original
1/30s · f/8 · ISO 400
24mm
Download original
1/60s · f/8 · ISO 800
24mm
Download original
1/125s · f/8 · ISO 1600
24mm
Download original
1/250s · f/8 · ISO 3200
24mm
Download original
1/500s · f/8 · ISO 6400
24mm
Download original
1/1000s · f/8 · ISO 12800
24mm
Download original
1/2000s · f/8 ·
24mm
Download original
1/4000s · f/8 ·
24mm
Download original
1/60s · f/2.8 · ISO 100
62mm
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1/80s · f/2.8 · ISO 200
70mm
Download original
1/80s · f/8 · ISO 110
70mm
Download original
1/80s · f/11 · ISO 125
70mm
Download original
1/125s · f/11 · ISO 64
24mm
Download original
1/125s · f/11 · ISO 64
70mm
Download original
1/500s · f/2.8 · ISO 64
24mm
Download original
1/80s · f/8 · ISO 110
70mm
Download original
Sample Movie & Video
The Nikon D810 can record Full HD video in the MOV format. This is a sample movie at the highest quality setting of 1920x1280 pixels at 60 frames per second. Please note that this 19 second movie is 86.4Mb in size.
Product Images
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Front of the Nikon D810 |
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Front of the Nikon D810 |
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Front of the Nikon D8100 / Flash Raised |
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Side of the Nikon D810 |
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Side of the Nikon D810 |
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Side of the Nikon D810 |
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Side of the Nikon D810 |
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Rear of the Nikon D810 |
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Rear of the Nikon D810 / Image Displayed |
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Rear of the Nikon D810 / Live View - Stills |
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Rear of the Nikon D810 / Live View - Movies |
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Rear of the Nikon D810 / Info Screen |
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Rear of the Nikon D810 / i Screen |
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Rear of the Nikon D810 / Main Menu |
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Rear of the Nikon D810 / i Menu |
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Rear of the Nikon D810 / Split Screen Zoom |
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Top of the Nikon D810 |
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Bottom of the Nikon D810 |
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Side of the Nikon D810 |
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Side of the Nikon D810 |
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Side of the Nikon D810 |
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Front of the Nikon D810 |
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Memory Card Slot |
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Battery Compartment |
Conclusion
The Nikon D810 is an incremental upgrade of a great camera, adding slightly better image quality and a smattering of new features to the best-selling D800/E, most notably the improved shutter mechanism and electronic shutter option which help to combat unwanted vibrations, and the beefed-up video mode. While the D810 remains an enticing proposition, it faces fierce competition not only from Canon with the venerable EOS 5D Mark III, but Sony with the smaller, lighter and just as capable A7R. We'd have liked to see Nikon really push the D800 forwards with some major new features like 4K video, built-in wi-fi, and maybe even a tilting, touchscreen LCD, but instead they're played it rather more safely.
On the resolution front, the Nikon D810 continues to deliver images with a truly stunning amount of detail, even more so than the previous D800E model, thanks to the complete removal of the optical low pass filter and the new Expeed 4 processor. The D810's photos are subtly but discernibly sharper and more detailed than the D800E's, and unless you shoot a lot of subjects with very fine details like fabrics or man-made patterns, you'll be hard-pushed to spot any moire or colour aliasing. Even if you do, there are certain techniques that you can employ both during shooting and in post-production, so if out and out resolution is a key requirement then we'd certainly recommend the D810.
In summary, while the Nikon D810 is much less of a surprise than its illustrious predecessors, it is a more refined and simply better camera. Whether or not the relatively minor changes that Nikon have made are enough to keep up with the fast-moving competition is open to debate, but ultimately the D810 offers more than enough to remain a compelling camera in its own right.
| Ratings (out of 5) | |
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| Design | 4.5 |
| Features | 4.5 |
| Ease-of-use | 4 |
| Image quality | 5 |
| Value for money | 4 |
Main Rivals
Listed below are some of the rivals of the Nikon D810.
Canon EOS 5D Mark III
The long-awaited Canon EOS 5D Mark III DSLR has finally arrived, boasting improvements to virtually every aspect of its popular predecessor, the breakthrough 5D Mark II. It's cost has also increased significantly, so does the new 5D Mark III offer enough to justify the £2999 / $3499 asking price? Read our detailed Canon EOS 5D Mark III review to find out.
Sony A7R
Big sensor in a small body - that's the USP of the new Sony A7R camera. Offering a 35mm full-frame sensor inside a relatively compact body that takes interchangeable lenses, the A7R is a truly unique and genuinely exciting proposition. Is the Sony A7R the ultimate fusion of DSLR technology and compact system camera size? Read our Sony A7R review to find out...
Sony A7S
The new Sony A7S compact system camera offers an incredible ISO range of ISO 50-409,600, 15-stops of dynamic range when shooting RAW, and 12.2 megapixels on a 35mm full-frame sensor. Add in 4K and XAVC video recording, a truly silent shooting mode, and AF performance in light as low as EV-4, and it's clear that the Sony A7S could be one of the most exciting cameras of 2014. Find out how it really performs in our in-depth Sony A7S review...
Review Roundup
Reviews of the Nikon D810 from around the web.
neocamera.com »
The Nikon D810 is the replacement for the D800E and D800 twins. It features a new 36 megapixels full-frame CMOS sensor without anti-alias filter to deliver maximum sharpness. This sensor has a low base sensitivity to deliver ultra-clean images at such high resolution.
Read the full review »
Specifications
| Type | Single-lens reflex digital camera |
| Lens mount | Nikon F mount (with AF coupling and AF contacts) |
| Image sensor | Format: FX, Type: CMOS, Size: 35.9 mm x 24.0 mm |
| Total pixels | 37.09 million |
| Dust-reduction system | Image sensor cleaning, Image Dust Off reference data (Capture NX-D software required) |
| Effective pixels | 36.3 million |
| Image size (pixels) | FX (36 x 24) image area: (L) 7360 x 4912, (M) 5520 x 3680, (S) 3680 x 2456. 1.2X (30 x 20) image area: (L) 6144 x 4080, (M) 4608 x 3056, (S) 3072 x 2040. DX (24 x 16) image area: (L) 4800 x 3200, (M) 3600 x 2400, (S) 2400 x 1600. 5 : 4 (30 x 24) image area: (L) 6144 x 4912, (M) 4608 x 3680, (S) 3072 x 2456. FX-format photographs taken in movie live view: (L) 6720 x 3776, (M) 5040 x 2832, (S) 3360 x 1888. DX-format photographs taken in movie live view: (L) 4800 x 2704, (M) 3600 x 2024, (S) 2400 x 1352. Note: Photographs taken in movie live view have an aspect ratio of 16 : 9. A DX-based format is used for photographs taken using the DX (24 x 16) 1.5X image area; an FX-based format is used for all other photographs. |
| Storage file formats | NEF (RAW): 12 or 14 bit, lossless compressed, compressed, or uncompressed; small size available (12-bit uncompressed only), TIFF (RGB), JPEG: JPEG-Baseline compliant with fine (approx. 1 : 4), normal (approx. 1 : 8), or basic (approx. 1 : 16) compression (Size priority); Optimal quality compression available, NEF (RAW)+JPEG: Single photograph recorded in both NEF (RAW) and JPEG formats |
| Picture Control System | Standard, Neutral, Vivid, Monochrome, Portrait, Landscape, Flat; selected Picture Control can be modified; storage for custom Picture Controls |
| Storage media | CompactFlash (CF) (Type I, UDMA compliant), SD, SDHC (UHS-I compliant), SDXC (UHS-I compliant) |
| Dual card slot | Either card can be used for primary or backup storage or for separate storage of NEF (RAW) and JPEG images; pictures can be copied between cards. |
| File system | DCF 2.0, DPOF, Exif 2.3, PictBridge |
| Viewfinder | Eye-level pentaprism single-lens reflex viewfinder |
| Frame coverage | FX (36 x 24): Approx. 100% horizontal and 100% vertical, 1.2X (30 x 20): Approx. 97% horizontal and 97% vertical. DX (24 x 16): Approx. 97% horizontal and 97% vertical, 5:4 (30 x 24): Approx. 97% horizontal and 100% vertical |
| Magnification | Approx.0.7x (50 mm f/1.4 lens at infinity, –1.0 m–1) |
| Eyepoint | 17 mm (–1.0 m–1; from center surface of viewfinder eyepiece lens) |
| Diopter adjustment | -3 – +1 m-1 |
| Focusing screen | Type B BriteView Clear Matte Mark VIII screen with AF area brackets (framing grid can be displayed) |
| Depth-of-field preview | Yes, Pressing Pv button stops lens aperture down to value selected by user (A and M modes) or by camera (P and S modes) |
| Lens aperture | Instant return, electronically controlled |
| Compatible lenses | Compatible with AF NIKKOR lenses, including type G, E, and D lenses (some restrictions apply to PC lenses) and DX lenses (using DX 24 x 16 1.5X image area), AI-P NIKKOR lenses, and non-CPU AI lenses (exposure modes A and M only). IX NIKKOR lenses, lenses for the F3AF, and non-AI lenses can not be used. The electronic rangefinder can be used with lenses that have a maximum aperture of f/5.6 or faster (the electronic rangefinder supports the 11 focus points with lenses that have a maximum aperture of f/8 or faster). |
| Shutter type | Electronically-controlled vertical-travel focal-plane mechanical shutter; electronic front-curtain shutter available in mirror up release mode |
| Shutter speed | 1/8000 - 30 s, in steps of 1/3, 1/2 or 1 EV, bulb, time, X250 |
| Flash sync speed | X=1/250 s; synchronizes with shutter at 1/320 s or slower (flash range drops at speeds between 1/250 and 1/320 s) |
| Release mode | S (single frame), CL (continuous low speed), CH (continuous high speed), Q (quiet shutter-release), Self-timer, MUP (mirror up), QC (quiet continuous shutter-release) |
| Frame advance rate | Approx.5 fps, With EN-EL15 batteries Image area: FX/5 : 4 CL: 1–5 fps CH: 5 fps QC: 3 fps Image area: DX/1.2X CL: 1–6 fps CH: 6 fps QC: 3 fps. Other power sources Image area: FX/5 : 4 CL: 1–5 fps CH: 5 fps QC: 3 fps Image area: DX CL: 1–6 fps CH: 7 fps QC: 3 fps Image area: 1.2X CL: 1–6 fps CH: 6 fps QC: 3 fps |
| Self-timer | 2 s, 5 s, 10 s, 20 s; 1–9 exposures at intervals of 0.5, 1, 2 or 3 s |
| Exposure metering | TTL exposure metering using RGB sensor with approximately 91K (91,000) pixels |
| Metering method | Matrix: 3D color matrix metering III (type G, E, and D lenses); color matrix metering III (other CPU lenses); color matrix metering available with non-CPU lenses if user provides lens data Center-weighted: Weight of approximately 75% given to 12 mm circle in center of frame. Diameter of circle can be changed to 8, 15 or 20 mm, or weighting can be based on average of entire frame (non-CPU lenses use 12-mm circle). Spot: Meters 4 mm circle (about 1.5% of frame) centered on selected focus point (on center focus point when non-CPU lens is used). Highlight-weighted: Available with type G, E and D lenses; equivalent to center-weighted when other lenses are used. |
| Metering range (ISO 100, f/1.4 lens, 20 °C/68 °F) | Matrix, center-weighted or highlight-weighted metering: 0–20 EV Spot metering: 2–20 EV |
| Exposure meter coupling | CPU, AI |
| Mode | Programmed auto with flexible program (P); shutter-priority auto (S); aperture-priority auto (A); manual (M) |
| Exposure compensation | –5 – +5 EV, in steps of 1/3, 1/2 or 1EV |
| Exposure bracketing | 2 – 9 frames, in steps of 1/3, 1/2, 2/3 or 1EV; 2–5 frames in steps of 2 or 3 EV |
| Exposure lock | Luminosity locked at detected value with AE-L/AF-L button ISO sensitivity (Recommended Exposure Index) ISO 64 |
| ISO sensitivity | ISO 64–12800 in steps of 1/3, 1/2 or 1EV. Can also be set to approx. 0.3, 0.5, 0.7 or 1 EV (ISO 32 equivalent) below ISO 64 or to approx. 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, 1 or 2 EV (ISO 51200 equivalent) above ISO 12800; auto ISO sensitivity control available |
| Active D-Lighting | Can be selected from Auto, Extra high, High, Normal, Low or Off |
| ADL bracketing | 2 frames using selected value for one frame or 3–5 frames using preset values for all frames |
| Autofocus | Nikon Advanced Multi-CAM 3500FX autofocus sensor module with TTL phase detection, fine-tuning, 51 focus points (including 15 cross-type sensors; f/8 supported by 11 sensors), and AF-assist illuminator (range approx. 0.5–3 m/1 ft 8 in.–9 ft 10 in.) |
| Detection range | –2 – +19 EV (ISO 100, 20 °C/68 °F) |
| Lens servo | Single-servo AF (AF-S), Continuous-servo AF (AF-C); predictive focus tracking automatically activated according to subject status, Manual focus (M): Electronic rangefinder can be used |
| Focus points | Can be selected from 51 or 11 focus points |
| AF-area mode | Single-point AF, 9-, 21-, or 51- point dynamic-area AF, 3D-tracking, group-area AF, auto-area AF |
| Focus lock | Focus can be locked by pressing shutter-release button halfway (single-servo AF) or by pressing AE-L/AF-L button |
| Built-in flash | Manual pop-up with button release and a Guide Number of 12/39, 12/39 with manual flash (m/ft, ISO 100, 20 °C/68 °F) |
| Flash control | TTL: i-TTL flash control using RGB sensor with approximately 91K (91,000) pixels is available with built-in flash; i-TTL balanced fill-flash for digital SLR is used with matrix, center-weighted, and highlight-weighted metering, standard i-TTL flash for digital SLR with spot metering |
| Flash modes | Front curtain sync, slow sync, rear-curtain sync, red-eye reduction, red-eye reduction with slow sync, slow rear-curtain sync off; Auto FP High-Speed Sync supported |
| Flash compensation | -3 – +1 EV in steps of 1/3, 1/2 or 1 EV |
| Flash bracketing | 2 – 9 frames in steps of 1/3, 1/2, 2/3 or 1 EV; 2–5 frames in steps of 2 or 3 EV |
| Flash-ready indicator | Lights when built-in flash or optional flash unit is fully charged; blinks after flash is fired at full output |
| Accessory shoe | ISO 518 hot-shoe with sync and data contacts and safety lock |
| Nikon Creative Lighting System | Nikon CLS supported; commander mode option available |
| Sync terminal | ISO 519 sync terminal with locking thread |
| White balance | Auto (2 types), incandescent, fluorescent (7 types), direct sunlight, flash, cloudy, shade, preset manual (up to 6 values can be stored, spot white balance measurement available during live view), choose color temperature (2500 K–10000 K), all with fine-tuning |
| White balance bracketing | 2 – 9 exposures in steps of 1, 2 or 3 |
| Live View - Modes | Live view photography (still images), Movie live view (movies) |
| Live view - lens servo | Autofocus (AF): Single-servo AF (AF-S); full-time servo AF (AF-F); Manual focus (M) |
| Live view - AF-area mode | Face-priority AF, Wide-area AF, Normal-area AF, Subject-tracking AF |
| Live view - autofocus | Contrast-detect AF anywhere in frame (camera selects focus point automatically when face-priority AF or subject-tracking AF is selected) |
| Movie - metering | TTL exposure metering using main image sensor |
| Movie - metering method | Matrix, center-weighted, or highlight-weighted |
| Movie - frame size (pixels) and frame rate | 1920 x 1080; 60 p (progressive), 50 p, 30 p, 25 p, 24 p 1280 x 720; 60 p, 50 p. Actual frame rates for 60 p, 50 p, 30 p, 25 p, and 24 p are 59.94, 50, 29.97, 25, and 23.976 fps respectively; options support both high and normal image quality |
| Movie - file format | MOV |
| Movie - video compression | H.264/MPEG-4 Advanced Video Coding |
| Movie - audio recording format | Linear PCM |
| Movie - audio recording device | Built-in or external stereo microphone; sensitivity adjustable |
| Movie - ISO sensitivity | Exposure modes P, S, and A: Auto ISO sensitivity control (ISO 64 to Hi 2) with selectable upper limit, Exposure mode M: Auto ISO sensitivity control (ISO 64 to Hi 2) available with selectable upper limit; manual selection (ISO 64 to 12800 in steps of 1/3, 1/2, or 1 EV) with additional options available equivalent to approximately 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, 1, or 2 EV (ISO 51200 equivalent) above ISO 12800 |
| Monitor | Size: 8 cm (3.2 in.) diagonal; Type: TFT monitor with 170° viewing angle, approx. 100% frame coverage, and brightness adjustment; Resolution: Approx.1229k-dot (VGA; 640 x RGBW x 480 = 1,228,800 dots) |
| Playback | Full-frame and thumbnail (4, 9 or 72 images) playback with playback zoom, movie playback, photo and/or movie slide shows, histogram display, highlights, photo information, location data display, and auto image rotation |
| USB | SuperSpeed USB (USB 3.0 Micro-B connector); connection to built-in USB port is recommended |
| HDMI output | Type C HDMI connector |
| Audio input | Stereo mini-pin jack (3.5 mm diameter; plug-in power supported) |
| Audio output | Stereo mini-pin jack (3.5 mm diameter) |
| Accessory terminal(s) | Can be used to connect optional remote control, optional WR-R10 (requires WR-A10 adapter) or WR-1 wireless remote controller, GP-1/GP-1A GPS unit, or GPS device compliant with NMEA0183 version 2.01 or 3.01 (requires optional MC-35 GPS adapter cord and cable with D-sub 9-pin connector) |
| Supported languages | Arabic, Bengali, Bulgarian, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hindi, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Marathi, Norwegian, Persian, Polish, Portuguese (Portugal and Brazil), Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Spanish, Swedish, Tamil, Telugu, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, Vietnamese |
| Battery | One rechargeable Li-ion EN-EL15 battery |
| Battery pack | Optional MB-D12 multi-power battery pack with one rechargeable Nikon EN-EL18a or EN-EL18 Li-ion battery (available separately), one rechargeable Nikon EN-EL15 Li-ion battery, or eight AA alkaline, Ni-MH, or lithium batteries. A BL-5 battery-chamber cover is required when using EN-EL18a or EN-EL18 batteries. |
| AC adapter | EH-5b AC adapter; requires EP-5B power connector (available separately) |
| Tripod socket | 1/4 in. (ISO 1222) |
| Dimensions (W x H x D) | Approx.146 x 123 x 81.5 mm (5.8 x 4.9 x 3.3 in.) |
| Weight | Approx.980 g (2 lb 2.6 oz), with battery and SD memory card but without body cap; approx. 880 g/1 lb 15.1 oz (camera body only) |
| Operating environment - temperature | 0 °C–40 °C (+32 °F–104 °F) |
| Operating environment - humidity | 85% or less (no condensation) |
| Supplied accessories | Monitor Cover BM-12, Body Cap BF-1B, Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL15 with terminal cover, Battery Charger MH-25a (comes with either an AC wall adapter or power cable of a type and shape that varies with the country or region of sale), USB Cable Clip, HDMI Cable Clip, USB Cable UC-E22, Strap AN-DC12, ViewNX 2 Installer CD |
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