Cameras


Hands-On Review: The Nikon D850

January 5, 2018

By Theano Nikitas

The Nikon D850.

Packed with power and pixels, the 45.7-megapixel Nikon D850 is the successor to the D810. At $3,300, the price is the same as the D810 at launch in June 2014, but the new model offers so much more than its predecessor (which has had a price drop, to about $2,800).

Don’t Miss: Nikon D850 Lab Test

With a new BSI sensor and the faster EXPEED 5 processor, this camera not only delivers more pixels but also better performance: 7 fps continuous shooting (up to 9 fps with the optional battery pack and D5 battery). Among the updated features are 4K UHD video, 4K/8K time lapse shooting, slow motion video, multiple AF points (153 vs. 51), Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

My go-to lens for this camera test was the NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8 lens, with some testing done on the NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8, 70-200mm f/2.8 and 85mm f/1.4.

The New York Bridal Fashion Week was in town, so I was able to check out how the camera performed with faux brides. Photo © Theano Nikitas

Image Quality

Although not unexpected, the D850’s image quality is impressive. Images were sharp and filled with fine details. Colors were, overall, rendered in typical Nikon fashion—rich without being over-saturated. When shooting indoors under a variety of lighting conditions at bridal shows, Auto White Balance produced files that were slightly warm but easily adjusted in post. Photographing bridal gowns, as many of you know, has its own challenges, but the D850’s expansive dynamic range worked wonders on those white-lace-on-white dresses. In outdoor test shots, regardless of subject, shadow details were easily pulled out.

The camera’s native ISO range of 64 to 25,600 is expandable to 32 and 102,400, exceeding that of its predecessor. As expected from Nikon, image noise is kept well under control, and pushing the ISO to 12,800 offers usable results, although I tried to limit my high ISO shots to 6400 or lower for cleaner images.

Visually, the D850’s 4K UHD video is excellent, with good color rendition and sharp focus. However, the autofocus isn’t quite as smooth as, say, that of the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV or the mirrorless Sony a7R III. However, the D850’s time lapse capabilities are excellent, especially if you’re in a time crunch or don’t want to bother to create it manually in post. (Note: this applies to 4K time lapses only. 8K time lapses must be built in post.)

Design

Rugged and weather-sealed, the D850’s body measures 5.8 x 4.9 x 3.1 inches and weighs 32.3 ounces. There’s no pop-up flash, for example (although that probably won’t be a deal breaker for most). Nikon has also swapped the positions of the ISO and Mode buttons, so the dedicated ISO button conveniently resides within a forefinger’s reach near the shutter button.

What We Liked

The image quality is excellent, as is the camera’s performance—from continuous capture rate to responsive and accurate autofocus. Dynamic range is superb, and having a base ISO of 64 is a welcome change. The high-resolution touchscreen is responsive and can be tilted for overhead and low angle shots. Not surprisingly, the D850 offers Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Low Energy.

The addition of 4K/UHD, 30p video is a necessity these days, but I’m impressed that you can now record using the full sensor (there’s also a crop option). I’m a sucker for slow motion, though, and really like a 1080/120p option. Of course, focus peaking and Zebra Stripes are welcome additions (though there’s no focus peaking for 4K). And the fact that I can shoot a 4K lapse and have the camera make it into a movie is a huge plus.

What We Didn’t Like

The biggest disappointment is the less-than-smooth video autofocus. The lens tends to hunt for focus, so be prepared to use manual focus. My other main complaint is Nikon’s SnapBridge technology, which uses Bluetooth Low Energy to automatically transfer images to your mobile device. Sure, it’s generally easy to set up and transfer files from camera to mobile device, but it’s often slow. (SnapBridge was updated to v. 2.0 shortly after we finished this review.)

How it Compares

Although the Sony a7R III (which I had the pleasure of shooting with recently) is mirrorless, it definitely belongs in this high-end comparison with the Nikon D850 and the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV. All three are excellent cameras with beautiful output, but I think the Nikon D850 and the Sony a7R III have an edge over Canon when it comes to dynamic range and fine detail capture. The latter may be, in part, because the Mark IV is equipped with a low pass filter and lower-resolution sensor.

On the other hand, the Sony and especially the Mark IV offer better AF in video. Obviously, if you like the size and weight of DSLRs, then the Sony a7R III mirrorless will probably get scratched off your list. We will have a full review soon.

Bottom Line

Despite the somewhat slow autofocus for video, the Nikon D850 is really an incredible piece of technology. Its full complement of features, excellent performance and gorgeous images make thisone of the best DSLRs on the market today.

Theano Nikitas has been covering the photography industry for over 20 years.

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