LufthansaFlyer

Currently I travel with my Nikon D7100 / 18-140 and sometimes Sigma Bigma but am really close to pulling the trigger on the D800 for a variety of reasons. Am wondering if there are any D800 users here who have had it for a while and would like to hear what you like and don't like about it.

Thanks muchly!

glennaa11

Keep in mind that you may need some new lenses as well. Your 18-140 is a DX lens for example.

LufthansaFlyer

the 18-140 will work in DX crop mode, but I'll be adding either the 24-120 or 24-70 and retiring the 18-140. Between the bigma and one of the new I mentioned, it covers range pretty well.

macdonaldj2

Full frame is a slippery yet extremely fun slope (expensive)

dimramon

I haven't read about issues related to the 800.
The 600 and 610 is a different story.

As always, Thom Hogan has excellent reviews:http://www.dslrbodies.com/cameras/cu...0e-review.html

allset2travel

I assume OP is a pro of shooting like one, and has read multiple reviews, including
http://www.dpreview.com/search/?quer...0d800%20review

Besides the investment in lenses, one has to think about the handling of such large RAW files. Think computing power (video cards, monitors, top-end computer).

After my long period of evaluation and comparison (including 3 trips in Japan checking out a newly release versions of D800 & D610). I opted for the D610 due to file size issues. I don't need 36 Mpx files unless I expect to blow it up to wall size prints, which I don't.
With the D610, I have to upgrade my current i7 laptop to a custom fitted tower with dual monitors.

My point: not just the camera, but the whole eco-system (or infrastructure).

Apologise, I do not have actual experience with the D800. I came across couple of trip reports where the D800 were mentioned. I think the Trip Report forum moderator Matthany uses one. His recent TR below:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trip-...d-cns-syd.html

glennaa11

A pro photog friend of mine has a D800 and as far as I know he really likes it. But I know that he recently got a Nikon AW1 because he does a lot of hiking and adventure type stuff so he wanted something small, light and waterproof. The D800 is BIG.

Personally I have a D600 that I use mainly for shooting sports locally. I have changed to m43 as my travel system. My E-M1 is awesome. Small, light, great quality lenses available. A joy to travel with. I used to carry a D7000 for travel along with some lenses. But it was just too much to lug around on a month-long trip to Asia.

nar0

A semi-pro (part-time wedding/event) photographer friend of mine as well has a D800, he also has a D600 and does say a lot that you should have a good handle on photography before getting a D800 since the huge resolution does expose flaws (Equipment or Technique) that would be invisible on other cameras. He does pixel peep every so often though so take that with a grain of salt.

If your carrying a bigma with you, even if just occasionally, I'm going to assume the added weight and size of a D800 over a D7100 is nothing to sweat though.

johnaalex

I have been a very happy owner of a D800E since it was launched. I really cannot find a bad thing to say about it. I am not saying I am a great photgrapher, but I have to say that I have achieved what I consider to be very good shots with all my lenses (ranging from a Nikon 35mm F2D to the new 80-400mm). To see my work please look at http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnaalex/

I also have a Dawn GPS unit unit which works great and does not overly drain the battery in the camera.

oblisk

I've had the D800 since June 2012.

I moved to it from a d90.

It was a jump in the deep-end. As others have said, it will expose ALL the flaws, bad technique, bad execution & bad lens'. It probably took me a year to get used to the higher resolution and what it actually means.

Additionally you'll want to upgrade your glass. Prime's are pretty much all I shoot on it (Sigma 35/1.4 | Nikon 85mm/1.8 | Nikon 105mm/2.8).

Lastly, it is heavier than the consumer series, not everyone is used to the additional weight when carrying it.

JVPhoto

I shoot with a 5D but half the students at the school I work at use the D800 or D610.
And it's a great camera.

Is it going to take better photos than your other camera?
No so much. The photographer takes the photos.
You're also going to want to invest in good glass…there's no sense in buying such a great camera and using cheap plastic lenses with Chinese glass.
As others have said you'll want to make sure your computer can handle ~35mb RAW files, most likely going to want to get a raw processor like Lightroom. If you plan to store your stuff you'll want to do it off the computer and on external hard drives…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=paJqHPHLExo

johnaalex

Not sure I fully agree - for sure the camera doe stake some getting used but its high ISO performance and a shutter speed of up to 1/8000th give it a level flexibilty that can help over come problems such as camera shake and DoF issues. The large file size also gives great flexibilty with regard to cropping options to assist with composition errors. I do use prime lenses but you shoud not be put off using zooms such as Nikon's 24-70, 70-200 and 80-400 (the "G" version).

JVPhoto

ISO 25,000 and 1/8000 sec….makes me think of Spinal Tap "but this one goes to 11!"

As a professional photographer that has shot plenty of indoor or low light events I don't think I have really every shot/needed to use above 1600 ISO. 3200 when using film for the novelty of an added "noir" effect (i.e. walking around Paris at night).
After the NY Mag issue came out with the picture of Manhattan half dark after Sandy came out where the photograph shot from a helicopter in the 25k~ iso range people were like…WELL SEE HE GOT PUBLISHED. And how many people are in that circumstance. Assuming the OP or most people looking at this info are just using the photos for web viewing/galleries in which case you're probably safe up to the 3200 range with noise. Print large on the other hand you risk losing quality.

I'd also be genuinely curious to see the situation where you are shooting an 8000th…maybe that one or two times where you are shooting at 1.2 in extreme light?
MOST people are able to hand hold without worry about shake shooting at 60th…however if you are using a longer lens the rule is you shoot shoot at least as fast as your focal length. So if you're shooting on an 85 then probably want to be around a 125th to be safe, shooting tele with a 200 you'll want to be faster around 250th. If you're that worried then don't shoot below a 500th and even if you have a tremor you should be fine. This is a matter of knowing how to set/shoot with your camera on either Manual or even Shutter Priority to tell it what to do and not just on full Auto mode. A $400 camera and a $35000 camera on Auto are going to do the same thing, they have no idea what you're shooting, what you want to accomplish, they are just the same computer trying to push everything to middle grey.

johnaalex

I doubt if I have shot at an 8000th, I was just making the point about the fantastic flexibilty that this camera offers.

LufthansaFlyer

thanks for the link!