Nikon D800E: first couple of observations

[dwnelson]

Hey all,

My rental D800E came in this afternoon and I spent an hour or so playing with it. I'm coming from a D7000 (28K+ shutter actuations) and I've never owned an FX DSLR, but I have limited experience with a D700 and a D3s.

1) I LOVE the bigger viewfinder going from DX to FX. It makes manually focusing my Zeiss primes a dream... this was previously not possible with the D7000.
2) It's definitely bigger than my D7000 but doesn't feel substantially heavier. It is heavier, but thankfully it's not a huge heavy brick.
3) I agree with previous comments about the weird handling with the camera, in particular from Lloyd Chambers and Kai from DigitalRev TV. I can't explain why, but it feels somehow less secure than my D7000. I keep wanting to dig my pinky in deeper for more of a grasp, and I want a more molded palm area. I also hate how the mode button is so far away from my right index finger... it's definitely a stretch. Changing ISO and WB from the top of the left knob is also a little awkward, but it's probably something I'll adjust to. FYI, I'm a 5'11" all American kind of guy with average size hands for a guy of my height.
4) A huge disappointment is the interpolated quality of the Live View for critical focusing. The D7000 is actually superior because at the highest Live View magnification, there is no apparent interpolation. I felt like I couldn't get a really confident focus with my Zeiss 100/2. This is a lens that can deliver on the D800E and even a tiny focus error can affect the resolution quite a bit. Bummer. [EDIT: Michael and Bernard point out below that this view is roughly a 300% view that actually makes critical focus easier, in spite of how horrible it may look. Mea culpa.]
5) I like the new LCD screen. It is sharp and colorful. When you take a sharp picture with a good lens, it's an amazing experience to zoom in and see more and more and more detail. Very cool. That said, the LCD definitely has a greenish color cast, which can make some colors ugly (especially warmer color), but can also enhance the greens of foliage. I'd prefer a more neutral screen... in the big picture this isn't a big deal because I don't check color accuracy on my LCD, I check it at my computer.
6) Okay Nikon, did you really have to switch the + and - zoom buttons?
7) AF accuracy was good on my 80-200/2.8 AF-S and my 14-24/2.8G. My 50/1.4G wasn't as consistently accurate. I haven't done AF Fine Tune yet and I haven't done extensive testing... I'm just reporting how things came out of the box. I'm not terribly sophisticated when it comes to AF, so please be nice with your comments.
I saw some really subtle, minor moire on a repeating brick pattern at f5.6 on my 14-24/2.8... but I had to go looking for it. I ran an aperture series on that lens, and by f11 it was gone. f11: a built in AA filter!
9) The color quality and sharpness is amazing. I've never seen detail like this out of a camera. I'm excited to take it to Yosemite this weekend!

Dan

[bill t.]

Very interesting point about diffraction a quick and dirty AA filter!  I just love solutions like that.

Since you're so close to the big trip, I just thought I would admonish that you need to be attentive to depth of field issues.  In going from a 2/3 frame D2X to a FF 5D2, I was quite surprised how much less effective DOF I had available.  Whereas the D2X could just barely carry enough DOF for most near/far landscape shots, I definitely had to use focus stacking with the 5D2.  Of course the net effect of focus stacking with the FF is that those images would totally blow the equivalent non-stacked D2X shot out of the water.  But with just similarly framed single exposure shots, the D2X could often carry the day.

Anyhoo, I am so jealous!  Yosemite!  Way cool.

[michael]

Something to keep in mind is that the magnify function during Live View goes beyond 100%. At maximum, 23X, it's likely at about 300%. This makes the image look pixilated, and at first I wondered at why it was included. Then when I started manual focusing with MF lenses I realized that it makes MF much easier to see. The image looks like crap, but the shimmering one sees makes it easy to distinguish precise focus.

Then, just back off two presses on the "-" button and you have sharp 100% view. Compare this with the accuracy of focusing at 100% and you'll see that there is method to Nikon's madness.

Michael

[kers]

1) I LOVE the bigger viewfinder going from DX to FX. It makes manually focusing my Zeiss primes a dream... this was previously not possible with the D7000.

I can imagine you put it on 1 ;
It is the main reason I will never go back to DX

(If you come from MF I can imagine you are disappointed with the FX viewfinder)

[BernardLanguillier]

Something to keep in mind is that the magnify function during Live View goes beyond 100%. At maximum, 23X, it's likely at about 300%. This makes the image look pixilated, and at first I wondered at why it was included. Then when I started manual focusing with MF lenses I realized that it makes MF much easier to see. The image looks like crap, but the shimmering one sees makes it easy to distinguish precise focus.

Then, just back off two presses on the "-" button and you have sharp 100% view. Compare this with the accuracy of focusing at 100% and you'll see that there is method to Nikon's madness.

Precisely!

The realisation of this tells apart those having actually tried to shoot with this camera vs those who just played with it casually.

Cheers,
Bernard

[MatthewCromer]

I can imagine you put it on 1 ;
It is the main reason I will never go back to DX

(If you come from MF I can imagine you are disappointed with the FX viewfinder)

The Sony Alpha 65 and 77 EVF is pretty much the same size as a FF viewfinder (but with APS bodies).

After using them I agree on how small and cramped APS-C optical VFs seem.  It's also easier still to MF lenses, as you can magnify zoom or (best of all) use focus peaking.

[dwnelson]

Something to keep in mind is that the magnify function during Live View goes beyond 100%. At maximum, 23X, it's likely at about 300%. This makes the image look pixilated, and at first I wondered at why it was included. Then when I started manual focusing with MF lenses I realized that it makes MF much easier to see. The image looks like crap, but the shimmering one sees makes it easy to distinguish precise focus.

Then, just back off two presses on the "-" button and you have sharp 100% view. Compare this with the accuracy of focusing at 100% and you'll see that there is method to Nikon's madness.

Precisely!

The realisation of this tells apart those having actually tried to shoot with this camera vs those who just played with it casually.

Thank you for pointing that out! What a relief! Yes, I have only played with the D800E casually, and apparently I have only read your reviews casually. 

Hopefully as I get used to this camera I'll adapt to its quirks and grow into it nicely.

I'll make an edit to the original post so as not to confuse too many others.

[Ellis Vener]

3) I agree with previous comments about the weird handling with the camera, in particular from Lloyd Chambers and Kai from DigitalRev TV. I can't explain why, but it feels somehow less secure than my D7000. I keep wanting to dig my pinky in deeper for more of a grasp, and I want a more molded palm area.

I have a pretty fair amount of experience with D3 series cameras, the D700, D7000, D300, and nopw the D800. 
In his review  of the D800 Mr. Chambers clearly states his standards for body types; the taller (and heavier) D3X and D3s, so if you feel your D800 experience is compromised the simple solution is to get the MB-D12 Multi Power Battery Pack.

I am 6'5" with normal for my height/weight/fitness level size  hands and don't understand your "somehow less secure than my D7000" comment. maybe you are referring to the fact that the D800 is a heavier body than the D7000? For me the D7000 felt light.

[Dustbak]

My first observation was the green screen.... Apparently this is a feature according to Nikon. One, that I find slightly annoying. Probably that will be taken care of with the next firmware update.

Beside this, the D800 is a nice camera but for the moment not yet the 'forget all and just shoot' tool that my D700 used to be. Probably a matter of getting used to it...