Nikon D810 Released

Digital SLR camera D810

June 26, 2014

An effective pixel count of 36.3-million pixels for the sharpest, best image quality in Nikon history

TOKYO - Nikon Corporation is pleased to announce the release of the D810, a Nikon FX-format digital SLR camera.

The D810 is a digital SLR camera that boasts incredibly superior definition and image quality made possible with a new Nikon FX-format CMOS sensor with no optical low-pass filter, adoption of the latest EXPEED 4 image-processing engine, an effective pixel count of 36.3-million pixels, and a standard range of sensitivities from ISO 64 to ISO 12800. Not only does it offer extremely accurate AF, but vibrations generated inside the camera have been reduced to maximize the resolution of its 36.3-million pixels for sharp and clear images. The camera also supports recording of smooth, extremely sharp 60p full-HD (1920 x 1080) movies. What's more, high-speed continuous shooting at up to 5 fps with the FX-format image area and up to 7 fps* with the DX-format image area is possible for excellent response to a wide variety of scenes.

• *When powered by the AC Adapter EH-5b or the Multi-Power Battery Pack MB-D12 with batteries other than the Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL15.

D810 Development Background

The D800 and D800E, added to Nikon's lineup of Nikon FX-format cameras in March 2012, drew great attention from professional and advanced amateur photographers as digital SLR cameras offering superior image quality nearly equal to that of medium-format cameras. The performance of these two cameras was well received around the world, earning them a number of prestigious awards, including a respected Technical Image Press Association (TIPA) Award 2012 and a European Imaging and Sound Association (EISA) Photo Award presented to the D800.
Developed with this background, the D810 offers the best image quality in the history of Nikon, as well as functions that increase the certainty and reliability of this superior image quality, to respond to the expectations of photographers who demand superior clarity, sharpness, and image quality from their photos.

D810 Primary Features

1. The first digital SLR camera in Nikon's history to offer a minimum standard sensitivity of ISO 64 at which superior clarity and image quality with rich tones is achieved
   A minimum standard sensitivity of ISO 64, at which the same broad dynamic range available with ISO 100 is possible, was achieved through the adoption of a new FX-format CMOS sensor and by increasing the volume of light information that can be accumulated. This enables suppression of loss of detail in highlights (blown highlights) and beautiful rendering of subjects with rich tones, even when a fast lens is used in bright surroundings. In addition, collaboration with the same EXPEED 4 image-processing engine adopted for the D4S achieves a broad range of standard sensitivities up to ISO 12800 (Lo 1, Hi 1, and Hi 2 settings are also available).
2. Further increases in imaging flexibility: The Picture Control system, Nikon's exclusive advanced system for image processing
   A new "Flat" Picture Control option has been added with the D810. Less in-camera processing is applied to images captured at a Picture Control setting of "Flat" than to those captured at a setting of "Neutral", enabling maximization of the amount of subject information acquired. The "Flat" setting prevents loss of detail in highlights and shadows, as well as over-saturation of colors, enabling adjustment of image quality and post-processing for richer tone characteristics, including contrast and colors. In addition, a "Clarity"*1 option has been added to adjustment settings for each Picture Control, allowing users to make images sharper or softer without over-emphasizing outlines and edges in images, and each setting can be adjusted in increments of 0.25 step*2, enabling more precise adjustment that makes it easier to achieve imaging that better reflects user intent.
   • *1Can be applied only to still images.
   • *2Does not apply to Quick Adjust.
3. Extremely precise AF and superior vibration suppression that maximize the resolution of the 36.3-million-pixel effective pixel count
   In order to make the most of the incredibly high pixel count of 36.3-million effective pixels, the precision of the 51-point AF system has been increased with adoption of the Advanced Multi-CAM 3500FX autofocus sensor module and improvements to the focusing algorithm, ensuring exact autofocus acquisition on the intended portion of a still subject. In addition, mechanical operation of components such as the mirror and shutter has been improved for significant reduction in the amount of internal vibration generated. The end result is a system capable of maximizing the superior rendering performance of NIKKOR lenses and the superior definition of the D810's CMOS sensor.
4. High-speed continuous shooting at approximately 5 fps in FX format and approximately 7 fps* in DX format makes capture of a broader range of subjects possible
   Adoption of a new CMOS sensor and the EXPEED 4 image-processing engine makes high-speed continuous shooting at approximately 5 fps in FX format and approximately 7 fps* in DX format possible with the D810. This makes capture of a broader range of subjects/scenes possible with excellent response with not only still subjects, but also moving subjects such as wildlife and sports scenes.
   • *When powered by the AC Adapter EH-5b or the Multi-Power Battery Pack MB-D12 with batteries other than the Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL15.
5. Full-HD movie recording with which picture quality and operation has been significantly improved
   The full-HD movie recording function, capable of recording extremely sharp and clear movies exhibiting significantly fewer moiré patterns and jaggies, and less color aliasing, supports 60p recording for smoother expression of subject movement. In addition, operation has been improved with Auto ISO Sensitivity Control in M exposure mode, enabling exposure control with aperture value and shutter speed locked and automatic adjustment of only ISO sensitivity, as well as a highlight display that shows the brightest areas of the frame in which detail may be lost with display of slanted lines. Beautiful time-lapse movies with which variations in exposure between frames are controlled can also be generated in-camera.

D810 Additional Features

• An electronic front-curtain shutter that prevents blur in images with minimization of vibration resulting from the operation of mechanisms with shooting
• Highlight-weighted metering, with which exposure values that reduce loss of detail in highlights (blown highlights) are determined, convenient for capturing theater scenes and the like
• The first Nikon FX-format camera with an OLED viewfinder display; an optical viewfinder with frame coverage of approximately 100% that offers better light transmissivity and colors, and makes it easier to achieve the optimal focus when fast lenses are used
• A 1229k-dot LCD monitor with bright RGBW array equipped with the "Monitor color balance" function that allows users to adjust monitor colors
• A "Split-screen display zoom" function that displays enlarged views of two separate areas of the frame side-by-side for checking level if the building is aligned with the horizon with live view photography
• Advanced Scene Recognition System, which utilizes a 91K-pixel RGB sensor, for highly precise automatic control over auto exposure (AE), autofocus (AF), and auto white balance (AWB)
• RAW recording at an image size of "Small"
• Multi-area mode full-HD D-movie that allows users to choose between two movie formats (image areas), FX-based and DX-based
• Improved movie sound quality with "Wind noise reduction" and "Frequency response" ("Wide range"/"Vocal range") settings
• Optimal layout of operational controls, and a grip sized and shaped for a firm, steady hold even when large lenses are used
• Effective sealing for superior resistance to dust and water

• Except where noted, all specifications provided apply to use at an ambient temperature of 23° C (± 3° C) with a fully charged battery, in accordance with Camera & Imaging Products Association (CIPA) standards.

• Products, brand names and service names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.
• Specifications, design, product name and supplied accessories may differ by country or area. Specifications and equipment are subject to change without any notice or obligation on the part of the manufacture.

• Find your local Nikon website for further product information

Why Postprocess Images?

Some have asked what is the point of postprocessing images. Here is an example of why I shoot in RAW and postprocess afterwards. This image was taken in RAW+JPEG mode so that I had a RAW and a JPEG image to work with. The image on the left is a camera-created JPEG, with no postprocessing (the famous SOOC). The image on the right is a RAW image after minor postprocessing.

Click picture for larger view

(Shooting specs: Nikon D800, AF-S Nikkor 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED VR lens at 34mm, 0.3 sec at f/14, ISO 50, on tripod, with Hoya HD circular polarizer, SD Picture Control).

Notice how my interpretation is quite different from the camera's? That's the point!

Camera-created images will rarely have the snap of a postprocessed image. Notice how I have pulled a bit more detail out of the water, where the camera burned it out. RAW images simply have more "headroom," or the ability to access a larger amount of highlight and dark image data. At the same time, I selectively raised the brightness, increased contrast, and added a small amount of extra saturation to the colors. If you had done the brightness and contrast increase as a global operation on a JPEG, the background would have improved, but any detail in the water would have been obliterated.

Years ago, I didn't like using flash. I told everyone that I just liked natural light photography. Secretly, flash was never one of my strong points in photography. Later, I learned how to use flash and suddenly, I found I really enjoyed flash photography. I honestly feel that shooting RAW and then postprocessing is similar. Many photographers don't have the tools or know how to do serious postprocessing, other than global adjustments. Therefore they don't "like" post processing. Later, they aquire some good software tools, learn some techniques, and finally understand the limitations of SOOC.

The camera's built-in software can rarely give you an ultimate picture, for the simple reason that the camera is an averaging device. It wants to make things as average as possible. Unless a person seriously tweaks their Picture Controls, or uses full manual, the SOOC image is created according to the standards of the software programmers at Nikon.

The human eye can probably see twice as much dynamic range as even the best of production cameras. Therefore, no JPEG image can even come close to capturing the full range of what the human eye can see. There must be a way to add to that dynamic range to make it closer to what a human can perceive. The RAW image, with its greater "headroom," contains significantly more detail to call upon. When converted to JPEG, the image can contain a better representation of what the human eye initially saw.

Therefore, in reality, a postprocessed image is more accurate than any JPEG image can possibly be. I know these are fighting words to some, however, other than photojournalists who have no time to postprocess images, the majority of fine artists postprocess their images for a serious reason. To capture reality more closely to what they perceived with their own eyes.

This is why many photographers—especially landscape artists—shoot in RAW and postprocess the image. You have more detail to work with and the final JPEG image can look better after postprocessing.

Keep on capturing time...

Darrell Young

Darrell Young is an active member of the Nikonians User Community, Nikon Professional Services (NPS), Professional Photographers of America (PPA), North American Nature Photography Association (NANPA), and the author of 15 photography books from NikoniansPress through Rocky Nook, including Beyond Point-and-Shoot, Mastering the Nikon D610, Mastering the Nikon D800, Mastering the Nikon D7100, and the upcoming Mastering the Olympus OM-D E-M1, to name a few. He’s been an avid photographer since 1968 when his mother gave him a Brownie Hawkeye camera.

His website, www.PictureAndPen.com, was created to support the readers of his educational books, photography students, and clients. Visitors to his website will find articles and reviews designed to inform, teach, and help you enjoy your photographic journey.

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