OK, so I'm out here at PMA and was able to brave the crowds and handle a D4 for a couple minutes (there was a line, didn't want to hog the camera). First impressions:
The camera screams speed, even over the D3. They had a standard CF card in it and you could just LAY on the shutter release and it never seemed like it was going to stop. Even doing BIFs I can't imagine filling that buffer.
AF was fast, but there wasn't any real way to "test" it at the show or compare it to a D3 series. It did lock on right away no matter where I pointed it, but I think any D3 series would have done the same in those conditions.
Handling was, in my opinion, even better than the D3 - especially in vertical orientation. You have quick access to all the essential buttons as if you were shooting horizontal. It even has a little "nub" sticking out to help with proper thumb placement.
The joysticks on the back are going to be super sweet. You can assign them to AF points and I have a feeling we FINALLY have a quicker way to change AF point selection (always hated the big rocker button)
The camera itself is even lighter than my D3x body (which is lighter than a D3). The guy brought out the magnesium skeleton for me to play with and it was easy to see why this new body was so light - the skeleton was only ounces!
Finally, ISO 3200 looked pretty darn good on the nice, large screen on the back of the camera, but without looking at it on a computer, I'd say the jury is out. I might try to take a CF card in today and see if I can secure a sample shot or two.
Overall, at least from my initial impressions are that while this isn't a D2 to D3 magnitude upgrade, there are enough improvements and refinements to make this camera more than the sum of it's spec sheet.
Hi Steve,
Thanks for taking the time to post this. One thing that I was surprised at on the D4 vs. D3 specs is that the battery life on the D4 is substantially less than that of the D3. Let us know if you find a D800 laying around out there. Have a good trip.
allstarimaging wrote:
Hi Steve,
Thanks for taking the time to post this. One thing that I was surprised at on the D4 vs. D3 specs is that the battery life on the D4 is substantially less than that of the D3. Let us know if you find a D800 laying around out there. Have a good trip.
Jack
I'm interested in hearing more about the new battery as well. My D3S batteries seem to last forever. Now you have a lower capacity battery and the WT5 draws power directly from the camera.
Word is they aren't letting anyone take images and have been VERY organized about that, but hope you can! Good luck! Take a sample video too at like ISO 6400 please!
stuuke wrote:
I'm interested in hearing more about the new battery as well. My D3S batteries seem to last forever. Now you have a lower capacity battery and the WT5 draws power directly from the camera.
from what i have read, the lower capacity is because Japan has new regulations regarding that. it appears the older D3 batterys had too much capacity and was considered 'unsafe'
Capacity + exposed connectors I believe was the issue. It's just a nice $160 sting for the early adopters. Hope my RRS L-bracket doesn't have to change too else that's another sting.
There was no line yesterday morning so I got to spend several minutes with it attached to the new 85. Agree with you on all points. Also AF speed with Live View on was pretty snappy (for those that care about such things).
allstarimaging wrote:
One thing that I was surprised at on the D4 vs. D3 specs is that the battery life on the D4 is substantially less than that of the D3.
Initially, that was the thought, but may in fact be the opposite if you shoot very continuously. Rob Galbraith interviewed a Nikon Sr Mgr/Eng at the CES. From Rob's article, "...the real-world charge life of the EN-EL18 in the D4 should end up about matching or slightly exceeding the D3S and EN-EL4a":
OK, I'm back at the hotel. The sample camera is allegedly a pre-production model so I wasn't allowed to take any photos with it. Oh well, I'm sure there'll be lots to choose from on the web soon enough.
One thing though - I know a lot of people were hoping for more MP, but I have to tell you I was totally impressed with some of the enlargements hanging on the wall. Very clean looking, even a 30x40 (it may have been larger) up close was very, very impressive. (although no real landscape shots with lots of detail to look at)
I also hung around for a couple demos. One was on the video capabilities which, if you're into that, are very impressive. The other was with Joe Mcnally and the D4 + SB910s. That guy is a freaking lighting wizard, and the camera and SB910s are a pretty wicked combination.
Was it mentined anywhere if you can capture RAW still images images while capturing video?
Never had a DSLR that could shot video, find it hard enough just to do the stills at a wedding so trying to think if the how you could juggle doing the two, trying to see if you be doing something like shooting video of the bride coming into the church and then take a few still images for the album?
Have a good trip.