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Nikon D800 36.3 MP CMOS FX-Format Digital SLR Camera (Body Only) (OLD MODEL)
Purchase options and add-ons
| Compatible Mountings | Nikon F (FX) |
| Aspect Ratio | 1.30:1 |
| Photo Sensor Technology | CMOS |
| Supported File Format | NEF (RAW): 12 or 14 bit, lossless compressed, compressed or uncompressed, TIFF (RGB), JPEG |
| Image Stabilization | Dynamic, Optical, Digital |
| Maximum Focal Length | 300 Millimeters |
| Optical Zoom | 1 x |
| Maximum Aperture | 3.5 Millimeters |
| Expanded ISO Minimum | 100 |
| Metering Description | Multi, Center-weighted, Average, Spot |
About this item
- Item Package Dimension: 10.799999988984L x 7.799999992044W x 5.099999994798H inches
- Item Package Weight - 3.30032006214 Pounds
- Item Package Quantity - 1
- Product Type - CAMERA DIGITAL
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| Price | $499.95$499.95 | $1,799.00$1,799.00 | -5% $799.95$799.95 Typical: $839.95 | $2,789.95$2,789.95 | $934.95$934.95 | $1,874.99$1,874.99 |
| Delivery | Get it Oct 18 - 22 | Get it Oct 17 - 21 | — | Get it as soon as Tuesday, Oct 15 | — | Get it as soon as Tuesday, Oct 15 |
| Customer Ratings | ||||||
| Sold By | Unique Photo, Inc. | Wholesale Photo | The Pixel Hub | Green's Camera World | Fast Ship Direct | Minty Gadgets (we track serial numbers) |
| display type | LCD | LCD | LCD | LCD | LCD | LCD |
| display size | 3.2 inches | 3.2 inches | 3.2 inches | 3.2 inches | 3.2 inches | 3.2 inches |
| lens type | Nikon F-mount | not included | Interchangeable | Interchangeable | Fisheye | Macro |
| zoom type | manual | Optical Zoom | — | — | Optical Zoom | — |
| shooting modes | High dynamic rang | Landscape, High dynamic rang, Portrait | Photography Live View mode, Movie Live View mode | Manual | Auto, auto (flash off), A (aperture priority), M (manual), P (programmed auto with flexible program), S (shutter priority) and more | Fotograma a fotograma, continuo a baja velocidad, continuo a alta velocidad),Obturador silencioso, Obturador silencioso continuo,Disparador automático, Espejo arriba. |
| connectivity tech | HDMI, USB | HDMI, USB | HDMI, USB | Wi-Fi | USB | 3.5mm audio, Ethernet, Mini HDMI, USB 3.0 |
| video resolution | FHD 1080p | FHD 1080p | FHD 1080p | 1080p | FHD 1080p | FHD 1080p |
| optical zoom | 1 multiplier x | 1 multiplier x | 3.5 multiplier x | 1 multiplier x | 1 multiplier x | 1 multiplier x |
| magnification | 0.70x | 0.70x | 0.70x | 0.70x | 0.94x | 0.75x |
| wireless tech | — | ✓ | ✓ | Optional, via WU-1a wireless mobile adapter | BuiltIn, NFC | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
| model name | Nikon D800 | Nikon D800E | Nikon D610 | Nikon Df | Nikon D7200 | 850 FX-Format Digital SLR Camera |
What's in the box
Looking for specific info?
Product information
| Display Fixture Type | Fixed |
|---|---|
| Has Color Screen | Yes |
| Display Resolution Maximum | 921,000 |
| Display Type | LCD |
| Screen Size | 3.2 Inches |
| Focal Length Description | 300 millimeters |
|---|---|
| Zoom | manual |
| Camera Lens | Lens not included; Nikon F-mount accommodates a wide range of AF lenses |
| Minimum Focal Length | 55 Millimeters |
| Maximum Focal Length | 300 Millimeters |
| Optical Zoom | 1 x |
| Lens Type | Nikon F-mount |
| Image Capture Type | Stills & Video |
|---|---|
| Movie Mode | Yes |
| Night vision | No |
| Digital-Still | Yes |
| Shooting Modes | High dynamic rang |
| Self Timer | 10 seconds |
|---|---|
| White Balance Settings | Auto |
| Crop Mode | 1.30:1 |
| Exposure Control | Aperture priority (A), Shutter-priority (S), Manual, Automatic |
| Metering Methods | Multi, Center-weighted, Average, Spot |
| Total USB 3.0 Ports | 1 |
|---|---|
| Video Output | HDMI |
| Connectivity Technology | USB, HDMI |
| Focus Mode | Manual Focus (MF) |
|---|---|
| Autofocus | Yes |
| Autofocus Points | 51 |
| Focus Type | Automatic with Manual |
| Auto Focus Technology | Phase Detection, Selective single-point, Face Detection, Tracking, Multi-area, Single, Continuous, Live View |
| Focus Features | Multi-CAM3500 FX Phase detection with 3D tracking |
Warranty & Support
Feedback
| Maximum Image Size | 6.3 Inches |
|---|---|
| Total Still Resolution | 36.3 MP |
| Effective Still Resolution | 36.3 MP |
| JPEG Quality Level | Basic, Fine, Normal |
| Supported Image Format | NEF (RAW), TIFF (RGB), JPEG, NEF (RAW)+JPEG |
| Aspect Ratio | 1.30:1 |
| File Format | NEF (RAW): 12 or 14 bit, lossless compressed, compressed or uncompressed, TIFF (RGB), JPEG |
| Flash Memory Video Speed Class | V30 |
|---|---|
| Flash Memory Type | Compact Flash (Type I), SD/SDHC/SDXC UHS-I compliant |
| Memory Slots Available | 1 CompactFlash© (CF) card and 1 Secure Digital (SD) card |
| Memory Storage Capacity | 4 GB |
| Model Series | D800 |
|---|---|
| Global Trade Identification Number | 04960759134653 |
| Best Sellers Rank | #253,616 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics) #357 in DSLR Cameras |
| ASIN | B0076AYNXM |
| UPC | 018208922062 018208254804 |
| Customer Reviews |
4.3 out of 5 stars |
| Are Batteries Included | Yes |
| Model Number | 25480 |
| Remote Included | No |
| Brand | Nikon |
| Model Name | Nikon D800 |
| Age Range Description | Adult |
| Built-In Media | Battery, Body Cap, USB Cable, Instruction Manual |
| Battery Capacity | 1.9E+3 Milliamp Hours |
|---|---|
| Mount Type | Nikon F |
| Item Dimensions D x W x H | 5.7"D x 3.2"W x 4.8"H |
| MicrophoneTechnology | Mono |
| Warranty Type | Limited |
| Shutter Type | Focal Plane Shutter |
| Mounting Thread Type | 1/4-20 |
| Long Exposure Shutter Mode | Bulb |
| Viewfinder Display Size | 3.2 Inches |
| Audio Recording | No |
| Is Electric | No |
| Number of Batteries | 1 Lithium Ion batteries required. (included) |
| Enclosure Material | Magnesium alloy |
| Has Image Stabilization | No |
| Lens Mount | Nikon F |
| Compatible Devices | Nikon F (FX) mount devices |
| Continuous Shooting | 6 |
| Aperture modes | Yes |
| Viewfinder Magnification | 0.70x |
| Audio Input | Microphone |
| Flash Sync Speed | 1/250_sec |
| Video Capture Format | mpeg-4;h.264 |
| Expanded ISO Maximum | 6400 |
| Battery Weight | 3 Ounces |
| Audio Output Type | internal |
| Battery Cell Type | Lithium Ion |
| Battery Type | EN-EL15 |
| Processor Description | Expeed 3 |
| Water Resistance Level | Not Water Resistant |
| Supported Audio Format | NEF (RAW), TIFF (RGB), JPEG, NEF (RAW)+JPEG |
Videos
Videos for this product

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Quick Review of Nikon D800 Camera
✅ Aladin's Reviews ✅

Videos for this product

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Nikon D800 36.3 MP CMOS FX-Format Digital SLR Camera
DPReview
Product Description
Product Description
Hold in your hands an HD-DSLR able to capture images rivaled only by that produced by a medium-format camera: extremely low noise, incredible dynamic range, the most faithful colors, the broadest tonal range. Meet the Nikon D800, a 36.3 megapixel FX-format D-SLR for professional photographers who require end results of the highest quality; who demand superior performance, speed, handling and a fully integrated imaging system. For multimedia professionals, 36.3MP means true 1080p HD cinematic quality video. The essential tool for today’s still and video professional, every photo will astound, every video will dazzle.What's in the box: Nikon D800 SLR Digital Camera (Body Only), EN-EL15 Lithium-Ion Battery (1900mAh) , MH-25 Quick Charger for EN-EL15 Battery 1 Year Warranty, DK-17 Finder Eyepiece (Replacement),UC-E14 USB Cable, USB Cable Clip, Camera Strap, BM-12 LCD Monitor Cover, BF-1B Body Cap, BS-1 Hot-Shoe Cover, ViewNX 2 CD-ROM and 1-Year Limited Warranty.
From the Manufacturer
The Nikon D800E
The Ultimate Attention to Detail
The D800E is a specialized camera that differs from the D800 in just one way yet requires some extra care to get optimal results. Use the information below to determine if the D800 or D800E is right for you.
D800 and D800E
Which is right for you?
Every Nikon DSLR camera uses an optical low pass filter (OLPF) in front of its sensor to slightly blur the image at a pixel level in order to reduce the occurrence of false colors and moiré that can appear when shooting repetitive and/or fine patterns. For the vast majority of photographers, the D800 provides an ideal balance between sharpness and effectively prevented moiré and false color, ideal for shooting using all file formats. D800E is a specialized camera that removes the "effect" of the OLPF, which results in a slight gain in sharpness and resolution and is recommended for studio and still life professionals but carries an increased possibility that moiré and false color will appear.
D800 D800E Strikes an ideal balance between sharpness and preventing the occurrence of false color and moiré for consistent performance Slight increase in sharpness and resolution with increased occurrence of false color and moiré Ideal for:
- All shooting situations
- Photographers shooting RAW (NEF), JPG or TIFF images
- Photographers who do not want to adjust their workflow (via software) to mitigate the occurrence of moiré and false color
- Studio, commercial and still life photographers who can control their shooting conditions, lens selection and aperture choice, as well as use of software (Capture NX2) to reduce the occurrence of false color and moiré
- Medium format photographers whose current digital system does not utilize an optical low pass filter
- Shooting RAW (NEF)
What else is different?
Other than the very slight image quality differences described above, the D800 and D800E perform exactly the same. Focus speed, exposure metering, shooting speed, movie recording, accessory compatibility, control location and function, and all other aspects are identical.
Reveal every nuance, every detail
The 36.3 megapixel FX-format advantage
Wedding, commercial or landscape, the D800E is the ultimate 36.3 MP FX-format camera for creative genius. Witness tonal range and precision rendered to supreme clarity, depth and texture. Make poster sized prints without sacrificing detail. Explore creative opportunities with ISO 100 to 6,400 (expanded up to 25,600)—shoot from dawn to dusk. Experience Nikon's new Advanced Scene Recognition System featuring a 91,000-pixel RGB light meter capable of rendering unprecedented levels of accuracy to AF, AE, i-TTL flash control, face recognition and auto white balance. Nikon's new EXPEED 3 image processing reduces color phase shifts seen with lesser systems, producing more faithful colors and tones while managing massive amounts of data at breakthrough speed. With the D800E in your hands, achieve what was once unreachable.
Broadcast quality video
A full cinematic experience
Filmmakers, multimedia professionals and event photographers—record Full HD 1080p at 30/25/24p or 720p at 60/50p in AVC-HD format. Produce to your exacting vision when working in manual mode, controlling aperture, ISO, AF and shutter speed. Record uncompressed files via HDMI to an external recording device via HDMI. Widen production perspective using either Nikon FX or DX lens formats at Full HD 1080p and 16:9 aspect ratio. Attach headphones and check audio levels or monitor input via peak audio meters as displayed on the camera's LCD monitor. Microphone sensitivity can be adjusted in up to 20 steps. Remotely start and stop video. Simultaneously Live View footage on the camera's LCD monitor and external monitor during recording are possible.
Render every megapixel with precision
Fast, precise 51-point wide area coverage
Precise AF detection is critical to sharply render every pixel of the D800E's massive resolution count. An improved 51- point AF system with 15 Cross Type AF sensors, versatile AF area modes and superb AF detection in even the dimmest lighting deliver immediate, pinpoint focus. Fast shot-to-shot time, full resolution frame rate up to 4 fps, 6 fps in DX crop mode using MB-D12 Multi-Power Battery Pack and ultra fast CF and SD card write times. For more productive workflow, high-speed data transfer using USB 3.0 is realized. For demanding professionals, the D800E responds immediately and precisely.
Versatile shooting, fluid operation
Streamlined ergonomic design puts critical tasks a touch away
Intuitive design makes D800E operation a thing of beauty. A streamlined ergonomic body allows critical photography and video tasks, including Movie Record, Live View, White Balance and Picture Control to be performed at the touch of a button. Confirm image capture and view menu options, histograms, video settings and more using the D800E's super sharp 3.2-inch 921,000-dot LCD screen with 100% coverage. Anti-glare coating and auto brightness control ease of viewing, no matter the environment. Enlarge images up to 46x for on-the-spot focus confirmation. Magnesium alloy construction and environmental sealing make the D800E as comfortable in the field as in the studio.
EXPEED 3 image processing
Nikon's EXPEED 3 technology extends and assures breathtakingly rich image fidelity and reduces noise, even at high ISO's. EXPEED 3 is so powerful that it handles data-intensive tasks such as Full-HD video recording at 30p with ease.
Rich image previewing
The D800E's 3.2-inch super-sharp 921,000-dot LCD monitor automatically adjusts LCD brightness and visibility according to your environment for bright, crisp image playback, menu adjustment and Live View shooting. Enlarge images up to 46x to make on the spot focus confirmation—crucial for high resolution shooting.
Expand dynamic range with built-in HDR
Create a single image revealing an extremely wide dynamic range, but with less noise and rich color gradation than ever before. Combine two exposures at up to 3EV.
Dedicated picture control button
The convenient Picture control button provides six preset options: Vivid, Monochrome, Neutral, Standard, Landscape and Portrait for stills and video while 9 customizable settings provide advanced, personalized color control.
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers like the quality and image quality of the digital camera. They mention it does a fantastic job at digital photography, the menu is intuitive, and the resolution is phenomenal. Some are satisfied with the value for money. However, some customers have different opinions on the focus issue, functionality, speed, ease of use, and color accuracy.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers like the quality of the camera. They mention it's a great camera, the menu is intuitive, and the movie capture quality is really good when paired with a VR lens. Some say the camera is sturdy and has more features than anyone needs.
"...I'm raising back my score to 5 stars. The camera is so amazing, that one easily forget all bad experience with left AF points (or whatever else) in..." Read more
"...working photographer's perspective though, the D800 is a fantastic classic legendary camera, and may go down as Nikon's best full frame camera for..." Read more
"...(aside from obvious things like resolution, improved DR etc.) is the Auto ISO feature...." Read more
"...No big deal. Focus is very quick. The feel of the camera is very solid and the shutter sound is nice, with authority, although not as sharp a sound..." Read more
Customers are satisfied with the image quality of the camera. They mention it's phenomenal, detailed, and has a high ISO capability. Some also appreciate the ability to do a lot of image processing right in the camera.
"...Maybe I'm exaggerating a little...but not by much.4. Sharper image with the same lens...." Read more
"...It's image quality is some of the best that has ever been...." Read more
"...Assist Light, intervalometer, spot metering based on AF point, intelligent Auto ISO, better AF position selector, better access to flash options,..." Read more
"...For pros and serious amateurs it would seem the image quality is the best you can purchase in this form factor today...." Read more
Customers appreciate the value for money of the digital camera. They mention it's a great buy and worth the wait. Some also say it's pleasant to use.
"...The D800 is a reliable tank of a camera that is pleasurable to use, consistent, durable enough for generations of ownership, and priced in the used..." Read more
"...Image quality: Simply, utterly amazing (when you use the center focus point). Dynamic range is remarkable...." Read more
"...But aside from that --- if you want world class equipment at a great price, this is the one. Just buy it...." Read more
"...Best bang for your hard earned money.I do not have any focus issues as I tested with 50 (1.8) already...." Read more
Customers have mixed opinions about the focus of the digital camera. Some mention it's spot-on, while others say the autofocus problems only get worse when in AF-C mode. They also say the Live View focusing could be better and real-life pictures using those focus points are unfocused.
"...Autofocus problems only get worse when in AF-C, if shooting a person walking towards the camera at a slow to medium pace in the F/1.4-2.0 range,..." Read more
"...Very nice, Nikon!I have no green cast. I have no out of focus focus points (that I know of). My beep on focus function is broken...." Read more
"...body serial number 305xxx has the same left focus defect and cannot focus correctly using the left focus sensors. It is also going back...." Read more
"...at night (no light - all lights turned off) and the AF assistant light was enough to focus, without even hunting...." Read more
Customers have mixed opinions about the functionality of the camera. Some mention it performs beautifully and gives incredible results, while others say it doesn't work if you shoot RAW and Eye-Fi cards don't quite work properly.
"...All performed beautifully. As an aside, I did not like the fact that the 105, despite being a pro lens, is now made in China...." Read more
"...It also does not work if you shoot RAW - only JPG and only 2 images hence the joke. Your probably not buying the camera for this anyway.-..." Read more
"...I still use my 17-55 DX lens with the d800 and right now am very happy with the results...." Read more
"...Overall the menu system works pretty well and things are laid out reasonably well + you can re-program buttons to perform other functions...." Read more
Customers have mixed opinions about the speed of the camera. Some mention it's significantly faster, while others say they have AF speed issues with certain lenses and inadequate processor performance.
"...It has been said before but the fact that this thing has similar high ISO performance compared to the D700 with 3x the resolution deserves a slow..." Read more
"...: Nikon software can produce excellent results, but it is clunky and slow.-..." Read more
"...Auto focus:About the same as the d300. Fast and dependable as long as you can find a point with good contrast to lock onto...." Read more
"...On one hand, the handling, image quality, and low ISO performance, cropping flexibility are everything that I hoped for and more, there has been a..." Read more
Customers have mixed opinions about the ease of use of the digital camera. Some mention it's easy to set up the menus, while others say it takes a little effort and requires good technique.
"...that my D7000 didn't do but the D800 does is allow easy access to change the Auto ISO settings...." Read more
"...the d300 especially the one touch live view button, and simple toggle between AF and MF.Using DX lenses:..." Read more
"...of being a good sports or action camera therefore the specification itself is a bit useless...." Read more
"...But setting up the menus is not difficult...." Read more
Customers have mixed opinions about the color accuracy of the camera. Some mention it's perfect, while others say it has a green tint on the LCD and left AF. They also mention that solid debris appears black against the background.
"...Specifically I like the fact that it does not have any shiny stuff on it. The rubber (or whatever it is) has a great feel to it...." Read more
"...I like the screen resolution, but it does have that slight greenish tint (if that's bothering you it can be changed in the settings)...." Read more
"...ISO 400 and be completely satisfied with noise, dynamic range, and color quality...." Read more
"...You will see the results in your images with small annoying dark grey specks or dots on your images. This is not dirt but oil droplets...." Read more
Reviews with images
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Top reviews from the United States
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The beauty of a high megapixel camera is that it makes your pictures better at the same megapixel size as your last camera! Let me explain this, for most lens, sharpness differences can be viewed at 100% zoom. Unless you print at gigantic 36MP, which only a very small percentage of pros will be using, it's moot. Now, when you downsize a picture, the pixels are interpolated. Lens that were previously unacceptable at 12MP all of a sudden look pretty decent at 12MP downsized from 36MP! For example, a picture that was taken with slight motion blur at 100% pixel peep will disappear when I re-size it to 12MP. That's the thing, most will not print a 36MP picture at 36MP! You will have to resize it to make prints! It's pretty insane to upload 36MP JPEGS to make 4x6 prints anyway. Although someday, I will hang a 36MP picture on my wall.
So what's the purpose of getting a 36MP? First, high ISO noise will be interpolated out of existence when downsized. Second, blurriness will be sharpened out of existence when downsized. Third, your not so sharp lens at 100% will look pretty darn good downsized. You need to compare the pictures produced at the printed size and not at 100% zoom! If you take a picture of your face and zoom in at 100%, it'll be pretty unflattering with all the pores and stuff. Same concept here. So if you buy this camera just to view pictures at 100% zoom, you will all be disappointed because that simply is not the point.
Coming from a D90, these are the things that are better.
1. Full frame. Your 50mm prime now has a real 50mm FOV rather than a fake 75mm FOV.
2. Bokeh. You get to see more of that 50mm FOV which means the bokeliciousness that were lost on the D90 is now there. The further you go away from the focus point, the softer the bokeh is. When the DX picture is truncated, you lose that bokeh. This is why full frame appears to have better bokeh.
3. ISO. When downsized, my ISO 6400 looks like ISO 100 on a 12MP. Maybe I'm exaggerating a little...but not by much.
4. Sharper image with the same lens. Yes, at 100% zoom, all the short-comings are there to see. At 12MP downsized, it will look very great.
5. Cliff Mautner looking pictures. Yes, I went there. I've always looked at those nice midday pictures where Cliff take pictures of his models in front of a green background (trees) and the model's faces has that cool looking rim lights... yeah, I can replicate that! Except his models are better looking. Is this due to the better sensor or the better imaging processor?
6. Better dynamic range. When the sun's beating down on you at high noon, dial the exposure compensation down -2EV, shoot without flash, and then fix the under exposed parts without blowing out highlights. Tada, natural light at high noon without flash! Very nice, Nikon!
I have no green cast. I have no out of focus focus points (that I know of). My beep on focus function is broken. I turn it on, but it doesn't beep. I don't know why. At 100% zoom, my prime doesn't look that sharp at F1.8 as it does at F4. But I don't care. If you want a camera to test out lens sharpness, this camera is it! But don't blame me if you proceed to throw them all in the trash to buy sharper lens.
Is this a better camera than the D700? It depends. Is it worth the $1300 premium for the added functionality? Is a $3000 Channel purse worth $1300 more than a $1800 LV purse? A purse doesn't even take pictures and you sure as heck can't downsize it on command! And yet my wife buys a new one each year. For me, yes it's worth it! I'm referring to the camera, not the purse. Then again, if you were reading carefully, I previously own a D90 not a D700.
As a final note, I'm going to read more books on photography because this camera tells me what I'm terrible at it. I look at the pictures on Flickr that people took using this camera, then I compare it with my pictures, all I want to do is to punch myself in the face. If I become a better photographer as a result of owning this camera, then I guess the $3000 is worth it.
This is the Internet. Feel free to tell me I'm idiot and that I'm wrong in the comments.
Update 6/23/12: (1) The beep issue was resolved by deleting bank A and then use bank B. Unfortunately, my camera has the left focus issue. Most of my lens are fine, however I borrowed a friend's 24-70mm and the left most focus definitely has a problem on this one. In liveview, it works fine. I'm going to wait a few months to see what Nikon says about this before sending it in for repair.
Reviewed in the United States on June 14, 2012
The beauty of a high megapixel camera is that it makes your pictures better at the same megapixel size as your last camera! Let me explain this, for most lens, sharpness differences can be viewed at 100% zoom. Unless you print at gigantic 36MP, which only a very small percentage of pros will be using, it's moot. Now, when you downsize a picture, the pixels are interpolated. Lens that were previously unacceptable at 12MP all of a sudden look pretty decent at 12MP downsized from 36MP! For example, a picture that was taken with slight motion blur at 100% pixel peep will disappear when I re-size it to 12MP. That's the thing, most will not print a 36MP picture at 36MP! You will have to resize it to make prints! It's pretty insane to upload 36MP JPEGS to make 4x6 prints anyway. Although someday, I will hang a 36MP picture on my wall.
So what's the purpose of getting a 36MP? First, high ISO noise will be interpolated out of existence when downsized. Second, blurriness will be sharpened out of existence when downsized. Third, your not so sharp lens at 100% will look pretty darn good downsized. You need to compare the pictures produced at the printed size and not at 100% zoom! If you take a picture of your face and zoom in at 100%, it'll be pretty unflattering with all the pores and stuff. Same concept here. So if you buy this camera just to view pictures at 100% zoom, you will all be disappointed because that simply is not the point.
Coming from a D90, these are the things that are better.
1. Full frame. Your 50mm prime now has a real 50mm FOV rather than a fake 75mm FOV.
2. Bokeh. You get to see more of that 50mm FOV which means the bokeliciousness that were lost on the D90 is now there. The further you go away from the focus point, the softer the bokeh is. When the DX picture is truncated, you lose that bokeh. This is why full frame appears to have better bokeh.
3. ISO. When downsized, my ISO 6400 looks like ISO 100 on a 12MP. Maybe I'm exaggerating a little...but not by much.
4. Sharper image with the same lens. Yes, at 100% zoom, all the short-comings are there to see. At 12MP downsized, it will look very great.
5. Cliff Mautner looking pictures. Yes, I went there. I've always looked at those nice midday pictures where Cliff take pictures of his models in front of a green background (trees) and the model's faces has that cool looking rim lights... yeah, I can replicate that! Except his models are better looking. Is this due to the better sensor or the better imaging processor?
6. Better dynamic range. When the sun's beating down on you at high noon, dial the exposure compensation down -2EV, shoot without flash, and then fix the under exposed parts without blowing out highlights. Tada, natural light at high noon without flash! Very nice, Nikon!
I have no green cast. I have no out of focus focus points (that I know of). My beep on focus function is broken. I turn it on, but it doesn't beep. I don't know why. At 100% zoom, my prime doesn't look that sharp at F1.8 as it does at F4. But I don't care. If you want a camera to test out lens sharpness, this camera is it! But don't blame me if you proceed to throw them all in the trash to buy sharper lens.
Is this a better camera than the D700? It depends. Is it worth the $1300 premium for the added functionality? Is a $3000 Channel purse worth $1300 more than a $1800 LV purse? A purse doesn't even take pictures and you sure as heck can't downsize it on command! And yet my wife buys a new one each year. For me, yes it's worth it! I'm referring to the camera, not the purse. Then again, if you were reading carefully, I previously own a D90 not a D700.
As a final note, I'm going to read more books on photography because this camera tells me what I'm terrible at it. I look at the pictures on Flickr that people took using this camera, then I compare it with my pictures, all I want to do is to punch myself in the face. If I become a better photographer as a result of owning this camera, then I guess the $3000 is worth it.
This is the Internet. Feel free to tell me I'm idiot and that I'm wrong in the comments.
Update 6/23/12: (1) The beep issue was resolved by deleting bank A and then use bank B. Unfortunately, my camera has the left focus issue. Most of my lens are fine, however I borrowed a friend's 24-70mm and the left most focus definitely has a problem on this one. In liveview, it works fine. I'm going to wait a few months to see what Nikon says about this before sending it in for repair.
In the beginning I was very upset by the Mpx number. After just the first shoot, I have to tell you - I don't want to have a camera with small resolution any more. Period!
The level of details is astonishing! The images are excellent even straight from the camera - with no edit at all. The dynamic range is excellent.
Also the AF is very good. It literally sees in the dark. I tried to take pictures in dark room at night (no light - all lights turned off) and the AF assistant light was enough to focus, without even hunting. I wasn't able to see ANYTHING, because it was complete dark, but the camera did. Daytime I never experienced any problems with the AF.
I believe the fast AF and details level are also determined by what lens you use (and I have really good optics), but I do compare with D700 and D7000 and there is significant improvement.
I like the ergonomics. It's comfortable to hold, even for quite long time. I like the screen resolution, but it does have that slight greenish tint (if that's bothering you it can be changed in the settings).
The only things I don't like are:
There is a slight noise even in low ISO values - 400 and above, but it is only when you look at 100% and the noise is very fine grade, extremely easy to remove in LR.
I would also like to see some more customization options for some of the buttons - like I never use the WB (well almost never) and since I shoot RAW, for me this is quite useless button.
I currently own the Sony NEX-7 and I'm impressed with the level of customization of that camera. You can do all your settings just with your thumb - A, S, ISO, etc. I really would enjoy to see at least some of this on D800.
Overall, D800 is a dream camera - I highly recommend it to everyone!
~~~~~~~~~~ Update 1 ~~~~~~~~~~~ (after 4 months of use):
Lowering my score to 2 stars.
I do not change my mind on what I've written before about this camera. Everything is correct, except with one - the AF.
I said I didn't have problems with my AF, but surely now I do.
And it's the commonly spread left AF points problem.
I did not discover it in the beginning, because I rarely use the very left AF points. Few months after the camera was on the market, I started to read reviews, describing this problem, but since I haven't experienced those, I neglected to test myself. Until one day, when shooting outdoor I saw my images come extremely soft and blurry (with 24mm 1.4G lens). I tested with the 16-35mm - same thing. 50mm 1.4G - same. I had inconsistent problems with my 85mm 1.4G lens while ago, thinking first that it is caused by backfocusing. After I talked with the technical department from Nikon I realized that this could be caused by the fact I was shooting kids, and you never can be sure how fast they move, etc.
However - this was something different now.
I now remembered what I read about the left AF points and when I got back home, I decided to test myself. I downloaded some charts, put those on the wall and started testing my D800.
It clearly had problem with AF when the left points are used. The problem is bigger with wide angle lenses at big apertures(small numbers) - especially with 24mm at f/1.4. It fades away after f/5.6-f/8.
And as you switch from wide-angle to tele lenses it also fades, even at big apertures.
That's why it is not very easy to discover the problem, until you don't fell in a situation like mine, or just decide to test your camera in the beginning.
I contacted Nikon, sent them multiple pictures and they requested the camera for check.
I'm waiting now (already about 10 days) and meanwhile reading the latest review from Mansurov's website (how the guy received his camera with fixed left AF, but they screwed up his center AF, which is worse). I hope it will be different with my camera and everything will be ok, but I know Nikon from before - it's not easy to deal with them when have troubles with your equipment.
So wait for my second update, once I receive the camera back.
Until then my score is 2 stars.
...and it could go either way..
~~~~~~~~~~ Update 2 ~~~~~~~~~~~ (after 3 weeks in Nikon's service center):
I can say the camera is repaired in general.
I did the tests again and it's fine, but you can still see small difference in sharpness when use left AF points (more top left now, than middle and bottom), but it is acceptable, keeping in mind that this is visible ONLY with my 24mm at f/1.4.
At f/1.8, f/2, etc. it is sharp. With the 50mm at f/1.4 is sharp now too.
There is another issue though - the pictures taken with LiveView are sharper, than the ones taken using the viewfinder. I'm sending the camera back to be fine tuned.
I'm also changing my review to 4 stars - this is otherwise awesome camera, but there are still few issues! Hope Nikon will do a better QC next time.
~~~~~~~~~~ Update 3 - The last one ~~~~~~~~~~~ (after many months of use):
I'm raising back my score to 5 stars. The camera is so amazing, that one easily forget all bad experience with left AF points (or whatever else) in the past.
















