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Archive 2014 · D4s For BIF?

  
 
billsnature
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · D4s For BIF?


My question is for any bird in flight (BIF) shooters who have upgraded from D4 to D4s. Do you see a big difference in performance? Is the D4s less likely to jump to busy background than the D4 is/was?

Thanks
Bill



Apr 07, 2014 at 08:02 PM
Shepherd_in_CO
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · D4s For BIF?


Been wanting to know the answer to this myself. Bill, I hope you don't mind me adding in if anyone has the 600mm f/4, if they've noticed faster focusing?


Apr 07, 2014 at 08:20 PM
Steve Park
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · D4s For BIF?


4mpx posted some BIF shots & more in this thread;
https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1278112/0



Apr 07, 2014 at 11:49 PM
billsnature
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · D4s For BIF?


Hi Steve,

Thanks for the link, but still doesn't really answer the question for me.

Is D4s with 500mm VR or 600mm VR look closer to the Canon 1Dx with equivalent lens than the D4 did? I thought 1Dx was consistently better at pick-up and sharper than D4, and want to know if D4s closes or eclipses that gap.

Anybody note improvement beyond the requiring less AF fine tune?




Apr 08, 2014 at 07:24 AM
BenV
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · D4s For BIF?


It's a minor upgrade, you won't see a huge performance increase. I still use my D3, so a D4s won't have any problems.


Apr 08, 2014 at 07:46 AM
trenchmonkey
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · D4s For BIF?


Is the D4s less likely to jump to busy background than the D4 is/was?
I don't have that problem with ANY of my lesser bodies D800/D3/D700/D2Xs/D7K.
Rear button AF, thumb off when flyin' thru a sh*t BG...back on when clear. Keepers.
If they're coming at me, go from 9 to single point and keep the hammer down.



Apr 08, 2014 at 08:13 AM
sjms
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · D4s For BIF?


trenchmonkey wrote:
I don't have that problem with ANY of my lesser bodies D800/D3/D700/D2Xs/D7K.
Rear button AF, thumb off when flyin' thru a sh*t BG...back on when clear. Keepers.
If they're coming at me, go from 9 to single point and keep the hammer down.


its knowing how to use the AF to your advantage and not relying too much on the automation. had that same issue back in my Canon days.

Edited on Apr 08, 2014 at 04:29 PM · View previous versions



Apr 08, 2014 at 10:27 AM
4mpx
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · D4s For BIF?


billsnature wrote:
My question is for any bird in flight (BIF) shooters who have upgraded from D4 to D4s. Do you see a big difference in performance? Is the D4s less likely to jump to busy background than the D4 is/was?

Thanks
Bill

The D4 I have used had BF issue with all my lenses. For BIF, it was hard to fully take avantage of its AF performances.
Now as my D4s doesn't require any AF fine-tune at all with all my lenses, I have much much more keepers for BIF, but still don't know if there is a big difference in AF performance for this kind of subject.
I cannot do any comparison here between the two cameras because most of times I use the new AF Group Area on the D4s for BIF (and usually 9 AF-Points or Single on the D4).



Apr 08, 2014 at 02:41 PM
billsnature
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · D4s For BIF?


Hi 4mpx,

I could interpret your answer as being a "yes it is better" . You indicate that you always use the Point plus 4 AF group on the D4s and you always used 1 or 9 option on D4. Should I interpret that to mean that the 1+4 group that was introduced on the D4s is a big improvement for BIF?

That is the option I typically use on 1Dx, but wasn't sure how much that by itself contributed to my improved performance.

Any thoughts? Have you seriously compared D4s in the 1+4 group and the 9 point and see a big improvement in the 1+4 group?

Thanks
Bill



Apr 10, 2014 at 06:42 PM
4mpx
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · D4s For BIF?


billsnature wrote:
Hi 4mpx,

I could interpret your answer as being a "yes it is better" . You indicate that you always use the Point plus 4 AF group on the D4s and you always used 1 or 9 option on D4. Should I interpret that to mean that the 1+4 group that was introduced on the D4s is a big improvement for BIF?

That is the option I typically use on 1Dx, but wasn't sure how much that by itself contributed to my improved performance.

Any thoughts? Have you seriously compared D4s in the 1+4 group and the 9 point and see a big
...Show more
The most interesting thing is the whole package of new AF features that come with the D4s. For example, the possibility to program an AF area mode on the four buttons of those pro tele lenses. You're shooting a stationary bird on a branch with Single AF mode, suddenly another beautiful feathered creature flying nearby : you just need to press on one of the four buttons on your lens to change the AF from Single to Group Area (or 9/21/51 points, etc.) to capture it. Is that really cool ?



Apr 12, 2014 at 01:05 AM
James R
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · D4s For BIF?


Dave Black (Nikon Ambassador) finally got around to doing a write-up on the D4s in his "Workshop at the Ranch". I have a lot of respect for this guy's work. He worked on the D4s sports campaign prior to release. You might find his perspective interesting.

Dave Black



Apr 12, 2014 at 11:14 AM
brian_sp
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · D4s For BIF?


4mpx wrote:
The most interesting thing is the whole package of new AF features that come with the D4s. For example, the possibility to program an AF area mode on the four buttons of those pro tele lenses. You're shooting a stationary bird on a branch with Single AF mode, suddenly another beautiful feathered creature flying nearby : you just need to press on one of the four buttons on your lens to change the AF from Single to Group Area (or 9/21/51 points, etc.) to capture it. Is that really cool ?


pretty damn cool!



Apr 12, 2014 at 11:33 AM
groob
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · D4s For BIF?


What I'd like to know is: does the D4S cycle through its focal ranges quicker than the D4? I.e. does the D4S go from infinity to 10m and back while hunting for focus more quickly than a D4 or D3S? All the accounts I've read extolling the virtues of the 1DX over a D4 use that as the biggest differentiating factor between the two. This is helped by the new AF motor in Canon's new super-tele's, but the 1DX has a different battery than the 5D MkIII which Canon says allows for much quicker autofocus motor function.


Apr 13, 2014 at 02:06 PM
m.sommers00
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · D4s For BIF?


May be of use to you, OP.

http://aboutphotography-tomgrill.blogspot.ca/2014/03/nikon-d4s-hands-on-review.html



Apr 13, 2014 at 03:49 PM
Brad Barr
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · D4s For BIF?


I like how folks that have not used the camera chime in about its being good/bad or a minor update....

In reality, its the same cam3500 af module thats been here since the d3/d300. The part that IS better, and very noticably so, is the NEW group mode. In normal mode, it might be a tad better (prob due to more advanced processors), but in group af mode....its significantly quicker and tracks better imo.
(I shoot sports and weddings for a living by the way).



Apr 13, 2014 at 07:12 PM
mkchang
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · D4s For BIF?


I used the D4s at a basketball tournament a few weeks ago. Yes, the group AF is very nice and is pretty much worth it for me (as a sports photographer).


Apr 14, 2014 at 09:33 AM
4mpx
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · D4s For BIF?


Brad Barr wrote:
I like how folks that have not used the camera chime in about its being good/bad or a minor update....

In reality, its the same cam3500 af module thats been here since the d3/d300. The part that IS better, and very noticably so, is the NEW group mode. In normal mode, it might be a tad better (prob due to more advanced processors), but in group af mode....its significantly quicker and tracks better imo.
(I shoot sports and weddings for a living by the way).


+1
As a bird photographer, I find the new group area mode on the D4s is far superior to other AF settings in all previous Nikon bodies.



Apr 14, 2014 at 02:58 PM





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