360Photography

Nikon D850

Nikon has formally announced its latest enthusiast DSLR – the D850. Since the D850’s development was announced earlier this year, speculation (fueled by the usual leaks) has been rife about the exact specifications of the new camera, but now it’s official!

Offering 45.7MP capture at a maximum frame rate of 9 fps, with an autofocus system inherited from the D5, the D850 looks like a hugely impressive camera. When it was first announced, we put together a wish list of features based on what we’d seen introduced in the D5 and D500, with a few guesses thrown in for good measure. Now that the D850 is official, we’ve updated that original article with a breakdown of what we guessed right, and what we got wrong. Click through to see how we did – we added additional D850 features at the end of this slideshow.

More pixels (but not too many more) – yes!

A well-processed Raw file from the D810’s 36MP sensor contains a lot of detail, but the D850 offers a bump in pixel count.

Nikon has been making 36MP DSLRs for a long time now, and we expected the D850 to offer a higher output resolution, while hoping that it wouldn’t pack in too many pixels at the expense of operational speed. And so it transpired.

The D850 features a 45.7MP BSI CMOS sensor, which promises both excellent dynamic range at base ISO and very good noise performance at high ISO sensitivities. And no, Canon die-hards, those two things do not have to be mutually exclusive.

In terms of output resolution, the D850 is second only to Canon’s EOS 5DS/R models among current full-frame cameras. It remains to be seen how the difference between 36-45MP actually shakes out in practical use, but in general, more pixels = better images – especially when that high-resolution sensor is paired with one of Nikon’s excellent new-generation fast aperture prime and zoom lenses.

The same or better low ISO DR – probably…

This shot from the D810 was exposed for the highlights at ISO 64 and selectively pushed by 4EV – while retaining highlights – post-capture.

One of our favorite things about the D810 was its incredible dynamic range at its true ‘base’ ISO of 64. If you’re a regular lurker in DPR comments threads you’ll know that whether or not you need more DR is still (for some reason) a topic of hot debate. We’ll save you a lot of research and just say once and for all that more dynamic range is always a good thing. More DR means greater potential for capturing a wider range of tones in a single, clean, exposure. In fact, ISO 64 on the D810 allowed it to compete with medium-format image quality (If you’re still unconvinced, read this).

We haven’t been able to test the D850’s dynamic range yet, but it certainly looks like the new camera’s base ISO sensitivity setting of ISO 64 is real ISO 64, which is very encouraging. It would be odd (but not unheard of) for Nikon to go backwards in terms of dynamic range in one of its flagship product lines, so pending further testing, we’re chalking this one up as a win.

The D5’s autofocus system – yes!

The D5’s 153-point AF system is superbly versatile, and much more effective in poor light than the D810’s older system.

When we first heard about the D850, we said it was a pretty safe bet that the D5’s 153-point autofocus system will find its way into the new camera, and we’re delighted to report that it has. The D850’s AF coverage is 30% broader than its predecessor, and a dedicated AF processor works alongside the camera’s Expeed 5 processor to deliver 3D AF tracking at 7-9fps, with all of the D5 and D500’s AF customization options. Impressive stuff.

That’s the spec, and we’re hoping that in use, the D850 will be able to match the D5’s state-of-the-art autofocus performance, including excellent accuracy in poor light (not a strength of the D810) and an extraordinarily capable 3D AF tracking system. Of course, the D5 and D500 are 20MP cameras, so the D850’s AF system will have to deliver pixel-level accuracy at a much higher resolution, and that’s something we hope to start testing very soon.

4K video – yes!

The D500 and D5 offer 4K video capture, with some restrictions – the D850 is Nikon’s most convincing 4K-capable DSLR yet.

It was pretty much a sure bet that the Nikon D850 would offer some flavor of 4K video capability, and here we are. Full-width (i.e., no crop) 2160p 4K capture at 30 and 24 fps. Our very brief tests suggest that the footage is assembled using pixel-binning, which isn’t perfect (we’d prefer Sony-style oversampling) but if that’s how Nikon achieved full-width capture, we’d call it a decent compromise. It’s worth noting that going by the specs, the D850 is likely to deliver superior 4K footage to Canon’s EOS 5D Mark IV, albeit without Canon’s excellent Dual Pixel autofocus system.

We wanted focus peaking for 4K capture, but alas, while peaking is available it’s only an option for 1080p footage.

XQD support – yes!

CompactFlash has been around a long time, but XQD cards are the future. The D500 offers one XQD slot and one SD slot, and we expected the D850 to provide the same configuration.

The XQD media used in the D500 and D5 is smaller than traditional CompactFlash, mechanically simpler, and much, much faster. And now it’s available in the D850, too.

Since Nikon’s early press release pitched the D850 as having ‘high-speed capabilities,’ we expected that it would at least offer a single XQD slot, probably with an SD slot as backup/overflow (like the D500). And that’s exactly what we got. With an XQD card installed, the D850 can shoot 45.7MP Raw files at 9 fps for up to 51 images before slowing to allow the buffer to clear. That’s not (quite) D5-level performance, but it’s not far off.

An articulated, touch-sensitive LCD and better live view AF – yes and no…

Just like the D500, the D850’s rear LCD is touch-sensitive and semi-articulating. This is great news, and makes it considerably more versatile for lots of different kinds of photography.

This one’s not a surprise. We had expected the D850’s rear screen to at least offer the 2.36M-dot resolution and limited touch-sensitivity features of the D5, and we’re pleased to see that like the D500, it’s articulated, too. While potentially less robust than fixed displays, tilting screens are much more useful, especially for landscapes, and indeed any tripod-mounted shooting from low or high angles.

Sadly, it doesn’t look like the D850 will offer any meaningful improvements to autofocus performance in live view and movie modes compared to previous-generation Nikon DSLRs.

Proper electronic first-curtain shutter implementation – sort, of maybe, not sure yet…

This is what mirror/shutter shock looks like at its worst. We were hoping the D850 might offer a more effective electronic first curtain shutter feature than its predecessor.

The D810 improved on the D800-series by offering electronic first-curtain shutter (EFCS) to reduce the risk of shutter shock, but in our opinion, it didn’t go far enough.

With the D850, we had hoped to see Nikon implement this feature properly, which would mean decoupling it from the mirror lock-up drive mode. Essentially we wanted it to operate much like the existing exposure delay mode, but with a much shorter delay. When the shutter button is pressed, the shutter and mirror would lock up, and the exposure would be started electronically a fraction of a second later.

The D850’s EFCS implementation looks like it’s the same as the D810, but there are indications (we’re working on confirming) that EFCS is available in the camera’s ‘Q’ advance mode, which might essentially solve the vibration issue.

Encouragingly, even in normal advance modes, while we tried to replicate the odd results we saw with some Nikon VR lenses on the D810, we didn’t observe any problems in images from the D850. Stay tuned for a proper test once we receive a reviewable camera.

Built-in Wi-Fi (and improved SnapBridge) – yes and no.

Snapbridge has improved a bit since we first encountered it in the D500, but it’s still not great. We were hoping the D850 would include a refined connectivity suite.

The D810 arrived before built-in Wi-Fi was widespread in Nikon’s lineup and we fully expected the D850 to offer built-in connectivity of some kind, as opposed to being limited to using external Wi-Fi modules. We’re disappointed to see that the D850 offers essentially identical connectivity options to the D500, via the company’s beginner-focused ‘SnapBridge’ system.

Snapbridge provides full-time Bluetooth connection but it offers limited access to, or control over, Wi-Fi. As such, it still seems like an odd fit for a camera that promises both high speed and high resolution capture, but we live in hope that – at least – the app will get an update at some point in the near future.

Improved Auto AF Fine Tune – no.

Auto AF Fine Tune is a great feature, but there’s room for improvement. We had hoped that Nikon would refine it in the D850, but no such luck.

The D5 and D500 introduced automated AF point calibration, but it’s not as useful – or as easy to use – as we’d like. Eventually, we’d like to see the Auto AF Fine Tune extended to all AF points, not just the center point, and we’d like to be able to calibrate for different subject distances, and for ends of a zoom lens’s range. We’d also like calibration to be made more consistent – often the obtained value varies every time you try it.

Maybe we’ll just have to wait for the D5S.

Smaller body, illuminated controls – yes!

If you’ve ever shot at night, or early in the morning, you’ll appreciate the value of backlit controls. The D850 now brings this feature into Nikon’s enthusiast full-frame lineup.

The D810 was a pretty beefy camera, and not the most comfortable DSLR to hold and use for extended periods of time. We were pleased to see that the Nikon D850 has been slimmed-down a little, in the same way as we’ve seen previously with the D750 and D7500. It’s much more comfortable to hold than the older model.

Another feature that we’re glad to see included in the D850 is backlit controls, inherited from Nikon’s professional-grade DSLRs. The ability to illuminate key control points is extremely useful for low light and night shooting.

Any other business, 1: Speed

A continuous shooting rate of 9 fps for 45MP Raw files means that you’ll probably need to budget for a couple of extra XQD cards…

The D850 doesn’t just offer high resolution, it also boasts an impressively fast maximum shooting rate. Straight out of the box, the D850 can shoot at a maximum frame rate of 7 fps, but add the optional MB-D18 grip, and add the D5’s EN-EL18b battery (shown above) and this jumps to 9 fps. If you’re shooting to an XQD card, you can expect bursts of more than 50 Raw files at that rate before the camera needs to pause for breath.

As such, assuming that the D850’s autofocus system can compete with the D5’s we’d expect the D850 to be a highly competitive DSLR for sports and action shooting.

Any other business, 2: Fully electronic shutter

We don’t have a picture of the D850 with its mirror locked-up so we’re using this generic shot of the sensor instead.

As well as fully mechanical and electronic first-curtain shutter options, the D850 can also capture images in fully electronic shutter mode in live view. In this mode, images can be captured at full resolution at up to 6fps, and up to 30fps at 8.6MP. While potentially very useful for some kinds of photography, there is a major penalty in terms of rolling shutter.

Our observations suggest that the read-out rate is somewhere between 1/5-1/10sec, which risks delivering quite wobbly images unless your scene is entirely static. It can be fun though.

Any other business, 3: lovely viewfinder, no flash

It’s impossible to tell from this image but the D850’s viewfinder is very large, and very lovely.

While not the kind of feature that we’d expect to generate many headlines outside of specialist press, the D850’s viewfinder is pretty special. At a magnification of 0.75X, the D850 offers the biggest viewfinder image of any Nikon DSLR.

To keep the size of the viewfinder assembly manageable, (albeit still large enough to preclude a built-in flash) Nikon has used a complex optical arrangement, including an aspherical element. The end result is a beautifully large, sharp viewfinder image.

Any other business, 4: 8K time-lapse movies

The D850 can create 8K timelapse movies in-camera, with metering sensitivity down to -3EV.

We were half expecting this feature after Nikon released its D850 teaser video and here we are. The D850 can utilize its built-in interval timer to create 8K time-lapse movies, at an output resolution of 8256 x 5504 pixels.

And for all of the die-hard stills folks out there that scoff at such things, there are plenty of videographers that will be intrigued by the possibilities of post-capture cropping and panning that such high-resolution output makes possible. Your mileage may vary.

Any other business, 5: Focus Shift

The D850’s Focus Shift mode allows you to capture up to 300 images, with minute focus shifts between each exposure.

Also new in the D850 is a feature that Nikon is calling ‘Focus Shift’. Similar to focus stacking features we’ve seen before in Olympus mirrorless cameras, in this mode the D850 can capture a series of images (up to 300, in fact) with minute adjustments in focus between exposures. The resulting sequence is not stacked automatically in-camera, but is saved to a specific folder on your memory card that Nikon claims can be recognized by specialized third-party software.

This feature could potentially be very useful for some kinds of macro photography (the image above is a conventional single-exposure capture) where deep depth of field is difficult or impossible due to diffraction.

Any other business, 6: AF joystick

The D850 now features a dedicated AF point positioning joystick, just like its big brother the D5.

It didn’t occur to us when we put together the original version of this article, but if the D850 inherited the D5’s autofocus system, it would make sense for it to also include the D5’s dedicated AF positioning joystick. And there it is! Just below the AF-On button. From our experience with the D5 and D500, having a dedicated control point for AF positioning is a real time-saver in some situations.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)