Is the D4 worth a punt?

Cagey75

Cagey75

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Ok, I'm not asking if it's worth it in a way that it'll make you money. Just thinking as an enthusiast here, who would maybe like to expand - I had to choose between the D800E & the D4 when I was making that big jump to FX. I went for the D800E because generally, I prefer the tighter, more compact body - though I realise it's not as well built. I also fancied the 36mp factor, as I'm a habitual cropper. It's not that I can't get it right at the time of shooting, I just like to play with ideas once back at the PC, I've always been this way, and always found it perfectly acceptable.

But ... I do still look at the D4 and think "what a beast, what a beautiful machine!" and also, I love gig photography, and I imagine the D4 would give a nice file at higher ISO levels than the D800.

Also .. .I'd just love to have both!

OR ... wait and see do they top the D4 soon? D4E/X/S??

You don't really see too many D4 users about, I do wonder why not?
 
How about dipping your toe in the full size body water with a D3S?...high ISO capability about the same as D4 according to what I've read/seen online (I have no personal experience). Plus it'll be almost half the price.
 
I've had the D3, D3s and now the D4. All were improvements on each other. The D4 is better than the D4 in that the focus speed is quicker. It will acquire focus in almost total darkness. It will focus with a 2 x converter at f8.
I love the xqd card. I don't care what others say/moan about it. I like it.

I could go on, but just have a read on here and compare the two.

http://www.europe-nikon.com/en_GB/product/digital-cameras/slr/professional/d4

One thing I have noticed, is that I do less pp with the D4. It just gets it right almost everytime. Or I do, ;)

Kev.
 
As Joe says the D3s is a real possible alternative at about 50% of the price. High ISO (for your gigs) is about the same, build quality is the same.

Kev is right the AF is faster and lock on more rapid on the D4. It is the improvement you would expect of a next gen upgrade from Nikon - although there as much if not more upgraded on the video side than the stills side.

The 4s is probably 12 months away and would be back up at the £5k mark, the 4x well who knows it could be Sept/Oct this year or it could never materialise, but when it does it'll be £6.5-7k, just as the D3x, 1Ds MIII and all the previous high Canon/Nikon MP pro bodies have been at launch.

You may not see many D4 users but we are out there. Perhaps we don't gear-w**k as much as other model or brand owners, perhaps we are too busy making images and/or money with the camera, and maybe there are a bunch of D3s owners very very happy and waiting to see what next year brings.

Fact is you either buy one because you know it will make you the money back (or additional to your other camera) or because you have the funds available and just fancy it. I personally wouldn't be spending £4k on a body on the hope it might make the money back - especially if I already owned a D800E.
 
i'd love a D4 sometime too, you just can't beat the feel of the fullsize pro bodies :thumbs:
i'm a bit of a shovel handed leviathan & the bigger bodies just feel so right.
yeah there is a slight weight penalty but that is often outweighed by the additional function buttons that offer even more direct access to settings & features :thumbs:
its the operational speed of the pro bodies that just can't be beaten :thumbs:
 
Cheers for the responses/suggestions. A D3s is not a bad idea at all.

meonshore said:
Fact is you either buy one because you know it will make you the money back (or additional to your other camera) or because you have the funds available and just fancy it. I personally wouldn't be spending £4k on a body on the hope it might make the money back - especially if I already owned a D800E.
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It'll be more that funds have become available really. Much like the D800E was. I have made a good chunk back selling off my old gear and from assorted jobs too, but as I said, I'm no Pro. If I got the D4 on top, I would more readily accept jobs I have been turning down, maybe, weddings and the like. But it wouldn't be an investment with the aim of profiting from it.

Gig photography is never going to get that kind of money back, that's more an enjoyment thing for me. I love music, and love photography. I've made friends just through photographing the odd gig or show.
 
Everyone is different, so take this recommendation in that light. I bought a D4 last fall, and have never, ever, felt as though I'd made a mistake. It's a beautiful camera. Hugely capable...

The price tag is staggering, too. It was, however, the right choice for me. No regrets.
 
I have both. They are different tools and excel at different things. Unless you need very high frame rate, or very high ISO's, the D800 is often the better tool. The D800 is not a high ISO camera IMO.

I do a lot of wildlife/sports and I like to use the D800 in DX mode with a grip @ 6 fps. With the Sigma 120-300 +2x in DX I'm at an effective 900mm in a comfortably hand-holdable configuration (but I also *handhold* the 400mm f/2.8 + TC's on the D4...no, I'm not a big guy).

If you can only have one, stay with the D800 and be happy. Maybe add a grip. If you're thinking of adding to the D800, I actually think the D4 is overpriced. I would not have bought one except the insurance paid for it after I drowned my D3s... I would have stayed with the D3s. And if it were "my money," I'd buy 2 used D3s's over a D4....Or 1 D3s and.....

There are times I feel like the D3/s actually performed better than the D4 does (AF...maybe it's just wistfulness) and I hate the loss of trap focus and the stupid back button only focus behavior of the D4/800.
 
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Aye, I think the more sensible thing to do, if I really want to add another body, would be to find a nice priced D3s or another D800E, and a sexy new lens with the rest :)

Thanks again for suggestions.

Nice to see some D4 owners speak up though, you don't see much talk of it on here. And I don't see why not.
 
Cagey75 said:
Nice to see some D4 owners speak up though, you don't see much talk of it on here. And I don't see why not.
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About the only time I talk about either the D4 or the D800 I use is to point out their shortcomings... Too many people spend a ton of money on "the best" and then rave stupidly about how great it is.... In the end, it's still just a camera or a lens.

I'm lucky, I can afford/justify the best gear...but I don't need it and it doesn't make my photography any better (but it does make it easier sometimes).
 
Phil Young said:
You know what I'd spend the money on...

Holiday to Maldives... :-)
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Heading to Turkey in June as is - all booked and paid for. I hate the sun ... it's for herself & the kids really. I prefer to blow money on gadgets :D they last longer!

sk66, it's a photography forum, this is the equipment section of that, if people didn't talk about the gear they use ... well, there'd be little point to it even existing. I don't get the notion that it's cooler to not talk about stuff you own ... :/ You can talk gear without bragging or thinking it helps you get better. I certainly didn't buy a D800 thinking it would suddenly make my photography heaps better. I just like solid, trust-worthy, quality gear that I know will last a long time. Before that I used a D90 - took similar pictures, but was afraid to take it out in the rain ... or push it past ISO 1000 :D

And if it matters so little, you can always remove "D4" from your 'Camera' line under your avatar ... ;)
 
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Cagey75 said:
And if it matters so little, you can always remove "D4" from your 'Camera' line under your avatar ... ;)
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I think you misunderstood me.... If someone asks about it, I'll respond. If I think the D4/D800 etc is the answer for someone's needs I'll say so. But there's no need for me to create threads about (talk about) what I'm using.

*Usually* there are plenty of people to say how great something is and adding to it doesn't make much difference...
 
Yeah I get ya. Just don't see why some, as another poster hinted at earlier, see it as a bad thing that people talk about their gear openly.
 
The D4 does everything I need and more and it's built like a brick thingy. I mostly shoot weddings and landscapes. The high ISO is very impressive as well as the dynamic range. It recently had an absolute soaking from a huge rogue wave which hasn't done it any harm at all. Would the D800 have survived that? Can't be sure but I doubt it.

If you can afford it, go for it. You won't be disappointed. I know we all say it's not the camera it's the person behind etc but I can see noticeable improvements on the D3s. Especially in the dynamic range and slightly in the high ISO.
 
I am still happily shooting away with my D3 (x2) that arenow 5 years old at least - got the first one before the FOCUS launch. I got it on the Weds before the official launch - it is still making me the same amount of money ass if I had "down graded" to a D3s or D4. The difference being, I would have filled my confuser faster!

The truth is few clients actually use all the file size of the D3, so they would only be throwing away even more file size. I have only ever used a film speed gtreater than 400 once, so the ability to go to 12,500 is arbitrary. I have 6000 something or other now and never use it. It is rare I go above 200.
 
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