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D800/E Review updated

Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
A) With the E you also get over-clarity and occasional moire you need to process down

B) I have seen no noise issues related to sharpening ISO 800 and under files; what I do is mostly in a Photoshop action that I give away to all workshop participants and even sell on the forum if you're not a workshop participant. But you will need a "workflow," and not just a haphazard methodology of pushing sliders to the final effect you want -- if that's you, stick with the E and live with the occasional moire. But don't buy a second non-E, buy a second E so everything looks the same, good or bad.

C) It will be oversharpened.

D) Actually moire in the IQ140 is identical to moire in the 160, the 180 is less due to smaller pixel pitch. And yes MFDB fashion shooters have to deal with moire and I have yet to meet one that didn't hate moire showing up. Moreover MOST fashion shooters shoot tethered to an assistant who yells out "MOIRE!" when it happens so the photog can step back or move in to attenuate it. Most fashion file showing moire are trashed and not worked. SO with your E's if you shoot fashion, keep an eye out for it...

E) Yes it does. Download Rob Galbraith's example image and print it out full native size and look at the no skateboarding sign -- moire'd so bad you cannot read it. But wait, print the same non-E file and you can read that sign. Hmmmm....

Look, end of day nothing wrong with the D800E -- my point is we're not talking major gains going either side. If you shoot mostly jpeg and don't mind occasional moire, then the E is the better choice because of slightly better resolution in an out of camera jpeg. OTOH if you know how to process raw files and normally print, and sometimes have people wearing nice clothing or fine repeating patterns and details in your architectural images, then I would reco the non-E over the E. If you just shoot family gatherings and miscellaneous street, travel, landscape or nature for your own enjoyment, then frankly it isn't going to matter which camera you choose... The difference between these two cameras is just about same as it would be ordering extra cheese or not on your combination meat-lover's pizza; it's just not that important either way.
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
Not sure on the comment of hassle in your raw processors for sharpening . Almost every program lets you reset the default and apply a new default. Also you can apply any sharpening or adjustment you want in a preset on import. For instance High ISO shoots I reduce my sharpening so I have a preset if I want to use it on import. All of this is very simple in almost any program. Once you establish a base sharpening to your cam than make it a default or a preset. I know LR,ACR and C1 allow you to do this.

Btw you want crisper Jpeg images out of camera or whatever you like. Those adjustments are right there in your menu items with various settings to fine tune your images.

Folks honestly you all are falling directly into Nikons marketing. They are getting 300 extra per E model. As soon as you hear sharper images your doomed. Sure you may even squeeze 5 percent better. Honestly learn how to process effectively that does not mean more time in front of the computer. Frankly I don't make a dime behind the computer so I want as fast as possible too. Just need to do a little testing in raw and find the magic settings for yourself. I may get a E at some point myself just to have it more than need it. I don't need it. But 2 bodies the same maybe useful. I have a D7000 as backup but it's not a D800 so shooting two cams at once is a little tougher if diffrent. My point here buy the E if you want it but don't buy it over Nikon marketing.:D:D:D
 

Wayne Fox

Workshop Member
Moreover, both/either version file can be processed to look like the other -- however, since it takes extra effort to do that,
I see your point, but I guess I see the E taking less processing to get to what I want with the type of work I shoot. I don't have any real false color/moire issues, because I just don't' shoot anything manmade at all (at least not with this camera). No buildings, no people. So the e delivers me cleaner files right out of the camera with less need to apply additional sharpening ...

Of course, you can also just crank the e to f/11, which will deliver a nearly identical file to the one shot with the 800 at the optimum aperture, and false color is pretty well gone, and can then be sharpened up just like you must do with the standard one.

I'll admit I'm a little unique, and for the great majority your points are right in line. We won't be keeping the e in stock - it just isn't the best choice for the majority of shooters out there.
 
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