Paul_K Offline Upload & Sell: Off
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I handled the D850 quite extensively at the introducion party NPS Netherlands threw at its introduction end of August.
I directly was quite impressed with the viewer, AF and overall impression of the body
As it was allowed to put a private card in it, I put an SD card of my own in it and shot a series of high ISO (800 to 12800) shots at under quite abysmal lighting condition I was able to take home and study on my computer http://www.pbase.com/paul_k/d_850
Must admit GAS hit me quite hard at that moment, and I immediately had the D850 at the top of the list after I saw the quality/IQ of the files
But after a while I started to think twice and questioned myself how often I really needed the admittedly much improved AF and high ISO IQ for what I do (I shoot quite a bit of fashion, both the 'normal' studio/outside location stuff, and catwalk)
For the studio/outside location stuff my D800's can handle the job without any limitations for my shooting style
I'm not so much obsessed with 'the ultimate sharpness and contrast', but rather much more concerned with capturing the mood and spontaneity during a shoot (admitted, I'm an old fart with for my fashion shooting, firm roots reaching back into the 80's) so apart from GAS no real need for a D850 there.
http://a4.pbase.com/g9/20/670620/2/164047177.jTM2NAB7.jpg
(40% crop of a non posing, fast moving model, on the beach with the setting sun 'hitting' the horizon, D800 1.4/58mm AFS at 2,2 1/640s iso1250)
As far as catwalk is concerned, at least the last couple of years I find I usually shoot under quite good light, and as a consequence only very rarely go near, let alone ISO 6400. Under those circumstances, the AF of my D800's handles the job well too.
If however I'm forced to constantly work above ISO 6400, the lighting usually is pretty bad anyway. Not only as far as intensity is concerned, but more importantly also the (lack) of creative set up.
Resulting in bad, hard and consequently unwanted deep and harsh shadows, something no high ISO capable sensor can make up for. Under those bad lighting conditions I am forced to fall back on my speed lights, on and off camera, not only for additional light, but also fill in the unwanted shadows
Admittedly the better AF of the D850 always is welcome, but I find the D800 (I intentionally kept instead of upgrading to a as far as AF under bad light worse preforming D810) does the job very well nevertheless (maybe dumb luck or thanks to years of shooting with Nikon AF film and digital bodies)
So in the end I decided to, at least for the moment, postpone the purchase of a D850, to maybe buy it at a later moment when is has become wider available and possibly cheaper. And maybe someone found a way to process the RAW's in Nikon Capture NX2 (that option already been created for files from eg the D7200, D5 and D500)
Instead spend part of my cash (still have ample funds on the bank to get a D850 if I would want one) to recently upgrade my older, slow recycle times (around 1 second even at the lowest power settings) studio units for more modern, much faster (4 fps at approx 100Ws, near instantaneous up to 50% of full power = 375 Ws ) modern ones which allow me a much more spontaneous studio shooting style closer to the way I shoot outside
Happy with my choice, for the time being
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