D810 - sample pics ... really?

<p>Can I say this out loud ... I don't find the sample pics of the D810 that impressive, the ones I see from dpreview and other places. I downloaded some 20meg full jpegs and I can't say I am sold. It's just an impression, but do other people find this? The D800E pics seem better... What do you guys think?</p>

<p>When it comes to IQ, there is very little difference between the D800e and the D810. DXO's rating indicate that both cameras will basically give the same results. It appears (based on user comments) that the biggest improvements with the D810 over its predecessors is in the camera's functionality.</p>

<p>What are you expecting?</p>

<p>To me the pics don't feel as nice/crisp/color rich/sharp as the samples I saw of the D800 back when, that's all...</p>

<p>I think if you view or download identically shot studio test images in RAW format, you will see the true differences in image quality (or lack thereof). There just isn't that much of a difference. Are you comparing studio shots or randomly shot images?</p>

<p>You can view comparison studio shot RAW (and JPG) images here:<br /> http://www.dpreview.com/previews/nikon-d810/7</p>

<p> </p>

<p>If I am not mistaken, the Adobe Camera RAW used by most review sites for the D810 is still in beta, and hence it could be the sample shots will get better as the software reaches its final status.<br>

Plus, your reaction is possibly also understandable - when the D800 came out, it entered pretty new territory in terms of resolution. Sample pictures wowed because we never basically saw so many pixels from a DSLR. The D810 is much more an evolution in this sense, and as such less likely to wow and "feel" as impressive. Compare the D810 photos to the D800, and you get much more of a serious comparison.</p>

<p>Some times a new body isn't going after improved IQ but more on little improvements that make the shooting experience better and easier. I know I've been contemplating on going to FX and if I decide to, the D810 will win out over the D610 that I was considering. It's the little things that let you be more creative with photos (native ISO 64, better shutter, grip, etc.).</p>

<p>I'm kind of confused about the idea of "preliminary support" for raw. It's a Bayer sensor. Debayering will work. One can work out (probably quite quickly) what the spectral response of the filters is - and it's highly unlikely to be very different from the D800. One can work out what the response curve to intensity is. You can do a healthy subset of this with a single shot of a colour chart. I guess it's possible that the pixel coverage (which might not mean much with gapless microlenses) might vary, but what I know of debayering algorithms doesn't have to change much. If you care about Nikon's encrypted white balance, I guess there's a problem; if you're doing your own thing (and one reason I shoot raw is so that I can pick the white point later) then not so much.<br />

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That said, no, I don't think the D810 shots do much to show off the differences between the D810 and the D800. Maybe Nikon really don't expect people to upgrade. But the D800 launch pics weren't all that exciting (especially the 24-70 samples) and, being almost universally at f/8, weren't going to show the D800e's resolution advantage. I've seen some launch shots for the 1-series, and they were pretty awful. So there's precedent here. (Not that I'm claiming I could do better, but a lot of photo,netters could.)</p>

I would not expect significant differences in image quality apart from lower noise at the new base ISO of 64 and also when using certain shutter speeds (1/30s to 1/125s) with mid to long lenses with EFCS (on tripod). Also to see the differences you need a side by side comparison with live view focus etc.

 

However, improved AF performance and calibration at factory is expected and also have been reported by early users. However it is not so easy to conclusively demonstrate this without extensive testing using several camera samples of each type. Also the live view image in the D810 shows better rendering of detail and this should make it easier to focus in live view (both AF and MF). Focusing improvements are much more likely to show as differences in the ease of successful capture of highly detailed images.

<blockquote>Also the live view image in the D810 shows better rendering of detail and this should make it easier to focus in live view (both AF and MF).</blockquote>

 

<p>I've been trying to get a definitive answer on this - have Nikon definitely fixed the line skipping/interpolation behaviour of the D800?<br />

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The impression I get is that some of the lower frequency noise at higher ISOs has been fixed, and Thom Hogan's comments suggest that some of the thermal noise might have been addressed. I'll try to get to a store that has one at some point, but I don't really have a local retailer any more (that would have anything in this class), and I don't really have the time for a long trek.</p>

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<p>I don't find the sample pics of the D810 that impressive</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Instead of basing your impression on files created and processed by someone else in unknown conditions, take a memory card into your local dealer and ask them if you can take a few test shots of your own. </p>

<blockquote>I've been trying to get a definitive answer on this - have Nikon definitely fixed the line skipping/interpolation behaviour of the D800?</blockquote>

 

<p>Just FWIW, links in other threads suggest that live view <i>is</i> definitively <i>not</i> doing the interpolation trick in the D810. Yay.</p>