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D810 on the way - now what?

ptomsu

Workshop Member
So true. I'm still using a bag that's approaching 25 years old, the biggest I could find at the time. Zippers still intact! The tripod though had to be replaced when I got the D800E, it demanded it. Filters, yup, very old indeed and have survived countless cameras/lenses in the interim.

As with all things modern/digital, I'm very interested to see what comes after the D810, as good as it is. When the used price more closely approaches the used price of my existing camera I'll replace it with one, another year perhaps, unless Nikon goes batshit crazy and puts out a mirrorless FF, EVF, replacement. That'd be too tempting.
Same for me, I seem to hold bags forever :D

WRT D810 successor, I was actually waiting for this but then I decided to go with the D810 for the time being (because I needed) and I am really happy. Well if there is a successor I need to see what it is, if it is mainly more MP it might not be for me, if it is a D810 with a Sony A7RII-like sensor it would be very tempting. But then I need a second body anyway.

A mirrorless FF Nikon (like the Leica SL but with existing F mount and hopefully a much better price) would make me live in photography heaven :D
 

Lars

Active member
Well if there is a successor I need to see what it is, if it is mainly more MP it might not be for me, if it is a D810 with a Sony A7RII-like sensor it would be very tempting.
I think a fairly simple upgrade (no retooling) would be 4K video - doesn't matter for us still shooters but could be important to defend video market share for the Nikon ecosystem. But perhaps that requires a new sensor that can be read at required pace for 4K. Same sensor as A7RII would be nice. With Sony spinning off the chip business that might perhaps be a reasonable expectation?
 

ptomsu

Workshop Member
I think a fairly simple upgrade (no retooling) would be 4K video - doesn't matter for us still shooters but could be important to defend video market share for the Nikon ecosystem. But perhaps that requires a new sensor that can be read at required pace for 4K. Same sensor as A7RII would be nice. With Sony spinning off the chip business that might perhaps be a reasonable expectation?
Indeed, with Sony spinning off their sensor business there is hope that other vendors can use state of the art sensor technology earlier than today.
 

Lars

Active member
OK, so I played around with time lapse a bit. 3K shutter actuations. I can see where this is going. How much was shutter replacement, again?

So - what better reason to dive into MFT? I now have a Lumix GM5 on order - the complete opposite of the D810 - will try time lapse using that one. And it's a bit more pocketable as well.

GAS setting in...
 

Lars

Active member
Alright the tiny Lumix GM5 is a great complement to D810, in a David vs Goliath way. I would never call a camera sexy - we know where that leads - but it's definitely cute.

The GM5 also quite suitable for time lapse, with silent electronic shutter (no shutter to wear out) and decent timer functions, as well as in-body video conversion to quickly verify the results as well as keep the source images (incl raw) for high quality video PP.

In essence it could be just as much a tool as a toy.
 

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
Alright the tiny Lumix GM5 is a great complement to D810, in a David vs Goliath way. I would never call a camera sexy - we know where that leads - but it's definitely cute.

The GM5 also quite suitable for time lapse, with silent electronic shutter (no shutter to wear out) and decent timer functions, as well as in-body video conversion to quickly verify the results as well as keep the source images (incl raw) for high quality video PP.

In essence it could be just as much a tool as a toy.
Will you use the GM5 with F-mount lenses and a Speed Booster?
 
V

Vivek

Guest
Alright the tiny Lumix GM5 is a great complement to D810, in a David vs Goliath way. I would never call a camera sexy - we know where that leads - but it's definitely cute.

The GM5 also quite suitable for time lapse, with silent electronic shutter (no shutter to wear out) and decent timer functions, as well as in-body video conversion to quickly verify the results as well as keep the source images (incl raw) for high quality video PP.

In essence it could be just as much a tool as a toy.
I bought a GM1 (a bit smaller). It is cute and is quite fitting for the size of the sensor. Yes, I was shocked to find the features. Totally awesome. :clap:
 

Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
Hah - I have the identical set of primes except for the f/2.5 version of the 105 AIS.
Just FWIW: I have found ALL of the 105's -- the f/1.8, f2.0 DF, and f/2.5 all render identically at f2.5 -- which is excellent, and the other two remain nearly as good at f2.0 --- IOW all are outstanding options in AIS or AF-D versions.
 

Lars

Active member
Will you use the GM5 with F-mount lenses and a Speed Booster?
Maybe down the road - those Metabones are not cheap. The goal here was cost-effective, and small as in pocketable - adding an F-mount lens kinda ruins that. I'll get a cheap straight F mount adapter to see if it makes sense to use my Nikon glass first. And I have some old Pentax lenses to evaluate for the digital age, most notably a 135/2.5 Takumar MC that always seemed sharp back in the film age.

A speed booster could perhaps bring life into my 12-24/4 DX lens - I rarely shoot DX but an 8-16 on MFT would perhaps be interesting. But not pocketable.
 

Lars

Active member
Since I mentioned time lapse - for us based in the U.S. there's a sale this week on a motorized panning unit, sells for $42 right now. I ordered two - you never know when you need to mod something.

360° Panoramic Rotator - Monoprice.com

This seems to be the same that sells for $99 on the big online sites.

Build quality seems decent - all metal, reasonably good stepping motor, high quality circuit boards. Should be OK with any DSLR with a short lens as long as the mass is centered.
 

Lars

Active member
I was in Death Valley this morning. It was cold, and windy like hell. The dust cloud engulfed the entire 6000 ft mountain - seriously. Not a pleasant day.



Stitched pano - six or seven portrait-orientation exposures. D810 @ ISO 64, 180/2.8D at f/8. Stitched with PT and hugin, then some quick fixes using my own software Monochrome.
I have one more pano series, have not looked at it yet. My gear is full of salt dust.
 

ptomsu

Workshop Member
So... handheld, you are using live view with EFC to avoid mirror-up slap and front curtain vibrations?
Lars,

sorry for late response!

No I actually use just EFC with no live view. Just normal mirror! Meanwhile have taken many more shots already this way and I am even more confident how great the D810 works compared to the D800E. Absolutely no issues with any vibrations, also at focal length up to 200 (from my 70-200G VRII). I could not be happier.
 

JCT

Member
I was in Death Valley this morning. It was cold, and windy like hell. The dust cloud engulfed the entire 6000 ft mountain - seriously. Not a pleasant day.



Stitched pano - six or seven portrait-orientation exposures. D810 @ ISO 64, 180/2.8D at f/8. Stitched with PT and hugin, then some quick fixes using my own software Monochrome.
I have one more pano series, have not looked at it yet. My gear is full of salt dust.
That is wild.

Funny coincidence , we just left 29 Palms/Joshua Tree a day early - combo of wicked cold and this crazy wind. Our campground was engulfed in sand though I did get a cool edge of a dust-tinged sunset- with my RX1R II though.:p

JT
 

cerett

Member
Be sure to go through the process of a good AF fine tune for all of your chipped lenses as a few points + or - can make a huge difference in your AF (and MF with confirm dot) pleasure!
Hi Jack - What are you currently using for AF fine tune?
 

Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
Hi Jack - What are you currently using for AF fine tune?
Are you asking how I set it? I go through a very simple process:
Lens wide open
1) Place a small object with detail on a large expanse of pavement at distance of about 50x focal of lens,
2) focus lens on it,
3) evaluate at 100% review on LCD,
4) correct front or rear as required,
5) repeat steps 2 though 4 until I have focus on object perfect.

Lens stopped down to f5.6
6) Next I stop down to f5.6 and confirm focus at 50x focal,
7) then I confirm wide open at distance of roughly 1000x focal,
8) then I confirm stopped down to f5.6 at same 1000x distance.
9) On the rare case there is a focus shift in either step 6, 7 or 8, I'll adjust focus to a "compromise" in-between setting that works best for the way I shoot.*

*Note that I've only had to do this with two lenses, the 85/1.4G and 70-200/2.8 VRII G. For the 85, I set the 50x focal wide-open setting biased one number to the front of the DoF. For me this corrected for the minor focus shift in that lens as you stop down or add distance. For the zoom, I set it for best performance at 200 medium distance wide open since that was the most critical usage point for me -- at that setting, I did not ever notice any serious focus issues with that lens, but admittedly I never did use it much before I sold it.

Hope this helps!
 

ptomsu

Workshop Member
For the zoom, I set it for best performance at 200 medium distance wide open since that was the most critical usage point for me -- at that setting, I did not ever notice any serious focus issues with that lens, but admittedly I never did use it much before I sold it.
Interestingly enough, the 70-200 G VRII is now one of my most used lenses on the D810. Just love it!

And I never saw any focus shift - not in any range of the zoom.
 

Lars

Active member
Here is a quick B/W version:



Not sure if I like the change - the source image is essentially monochrome except for the sky, so removing color doesn't do as much to abstracting the scene as it might in other images. Still, it adds a certain artistic ambition. :)

I also left what little foreground I had in this crop, and the dunes come out clearer in this one. For anyone who has been there, the scale should be obvious from the dunes.
 

ptomsu

Workshop Member
Here is a quick B/W version:



Not sure if I like the change - the source image is essentially monochrome except for the sky, so removing color doesn't do as much to abstracting the scene as it might in other images. Still, it adds a certain artistic ambition. :)

I also left what little foreground I had in this crop, and the dunes come out clearer in this one. For anyone who has been there, the scale should be obvious from the dunes.
I must say I prefer the color version of this, but I am rather a color guy than b&w. I also think you could work out the same details in the color version as you did in the b&w version.

Anyway a great shot!
 

Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
Lars,

For whatever it's worth, I prefer the color version -- I like the accentuated drama from the color contrast.

*IF* I were going B&W, I'd pull the levels so you have about 253 white and somewhere around 2 net of black -- right now too much gray -- and I would add some clarity (local contrast) to attenuate the fog slightly, and then I'd brighten up the mid-range by about 20 points on curves. But I still believe the color version would win for me.

Maybe if the B&W was split toned to warm blacks cool whites it would be best?
 

Lars

Active member
Lars,

For whatever it's worth, I prefer the color version -- I like the accentuated drama from the color contrast.

*IF* I were going B&W, I'd pull the levels so you have about 253 white and somewhere around 2 net of black -- right now too much gray -- and I would add some clarity (local contrast) to attenuate the fog slightly, and then I'd brighten up the mid-range by about 20 points on curves. But I still believe the color version would win for me.

Maybe if the B&W was split toned to warm blacks cool whites it would be best?
Thanks, Jack - Yep I agree with all your points, have had similar thoughts. This was a five-minute quick hack - one problem I have right now is that the Hugin software (GUI front-end for PanoramaTools) only spits out 8-bit TIFFs (not sure what goes on internally) so the B/W conversion really suffers with lots of posterization. So if I go really aggressive on curves/contrast/clarity the transitions in the clouds really suffer. Color suffers less as there is more data to work from.

Part of the problem with posterization is the way I use B/W conversion - it's mostly the red channel which means not enough data. I'm thinking it's better to let the B/W conversion work off all colors and then work on contrast/clarity on the B/W image. I love using a red digital filter but the source pipeline needs to be 16 bits (or at least 12) per channel all the way for that to work well.
 
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