Nikon D800......

This Morning at Ashridge Forest

rry1xrL.jpg
 
Got it into my head that shooting jpeg straight to the iPad would save me a lot of faffing about for 50% of what I shoot so gave Fuji a proper try with some nice lenses.

No doubt in my mind, Fuji is very, very good, but... my trusty D800 is f*cking awesome. One of the main attractions of Fuji was the lauded JPEG’s straight out of camera but a few minutes testing and fiddling got the Nikon popping out jpegs that were everything I was after.

Plan B is a CamRanger2 which dumps images direct to the iPad from the D800 with a rock solid app that works perfectly rather than Fuji’s awful app and connectivity. Very impressed by this bit of kit.

D800 may be old and superseded by the D810 and D850 but it is still an amazing tool and incredible value for money now.
 
paulcamcas said:
D800 may be old and superseded by the D810 and D850 but it is still an amazing tool and incredible value for money now.
Click to expand...

Yep. I agree. Mine still makes me money and judging by what I've seen from 5d4 RAW's it is still streets ahead - sensor wise anyway over Canon's much newer equivalent. I am a big fan of the D810 though - little crisper without the AA filter and finding low count used ones will be easier than the equivalent D800.

Not sold on the D850 - too many issues with them - had a few clients with them and they've all needed repairs to the flippy screen and one even the lens mount. Never heard of a problem on an 810 or 800.
 
Interesting that about the D850, I’ve been tempted but the cost/benefit thing didn’t make sense. Now even happier to keep my hand in my pocket especially as I’m a clumsy oaf and would probably snap the screen off day 1.

I did upgrade my first D800 to a D810 a few years ago and liked it a lot, clearly better than the D800, but I shoot a lot of fabrics and moiré was a mare so I went back to a D800.
 
Hi, my D800 is always on my dining room table (Sigma 150-600 C ; crop), a Great Tit :


D80_1877-s150c.jpg
 
Merry Christmas to all here! I used my D800 only for birds this year. Due to corona, there were no vintage car events ... --- :


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Me and my D800 have now parted ways.

It was a great camera and friend to me. It opened up doors professionally, I really found my landscape Mojo with that camera and it's being replaced with a Pentax 645z.

Here are some highs from my faithful old friend from 2014. A few of these have sold for good money world wide

_DSC1070 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

_DSC0789 - Version 2 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

_DSC1981 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

_DSC2201 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

_DSC2100 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

_DSC2354 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

_DSC2422 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr
 
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The D800 and I really got on well together and I really found my photographic voice with this camera.

Early on in 2015 - this image recently sold and was featured in the Scottish sun

_DSC2849 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

This image off the D800 won me a highly commended award in the BLPA competition and was featured in the Pall Mall Gallery in London

_DSC2967 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

_DSC3053 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

I started to use long lens in my landscape photography with the D800 - a used 70-210 F4 off here for 150 quid or so got me going

_DSC4653 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

It was a camera though that showed up the slightest defects - which in turn saw me move on the Ziess Distagon 21mm. Too soft in the corners. A square crop fixed it

_DSC4557 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

I also learned (well taught myself how to use PCE lenses on the D800)

_DSC4876 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

_DSC4955 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr
 
It also was the D800 I took my most commercial successful image in terms of agency sales/print sales on. The 36mp was a game changer in 2012. It's still good now but I feel like another game changer so hence the 645z

_DSC5516 7x5 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

It was also with this camera I really first discovered Northern Spain

_DSC5188 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

I really started to work locations with this camera

_DSC5831 - Version 3 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

_DSC5857 - Version 2 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

Epic morning in Glencoe

_DSC6519 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

I also really found my love of reflections with this D800

_DSC6497 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

Lochan Urr by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

Stobb Dearg by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr
 
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2016 was a good year for me and the D800 - I added a second one to my stable from here and off loaded the far inferior D610. This was also the year I started running workshops and doing paid work as well as selling prints and stock images.

Even in February I was out with it. I was still in the experimental phase of landscape photography. Not in a month of Sundays would you find me out with a camera in February. Too cold. But still...

_DSC6961 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

_DSC7015 - Version 3 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

_DSC7020 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

_DSC7197 - Version 2 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

_DSC7141 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

The D800 and I also had a great time in Spain in the Spring

_DSC7852 - Version 5 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

_DSC2028 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

_DSC7524 - Version 2 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr
 
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The D800 and I had an amazing summer in 2016 and although there are a few of these I would shoot/compose differently now I was well under way with my landscape photography.

_DSC8562 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

There is a much much better angle to take this from but I didn't really discover it until this year. Too much foreground here for me.

_DSC2673 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

I really started doing this location to death, for me, and for workshop clients in 2016. This is a great angle but I hate the man made walk way on the right. It bothers nobody bar me. And that is where the D800 stands and falls...it see's what you don't. The resolving power of this camera is amazing.

_DSC2710 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

Reflections featured heavily in my D800 life

_DSC8609 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

_DSC8755 - 7x5 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

_DSC9050 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr
 
The autumn of 2016 was stand out good. I kinda wished it had been like this for 2020.

The D800 was the first camera I ever shot with at Loch Cill Chriosd which remains my favourite lake in all of the British Isles

_DSC9479 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

_DSC3338 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

The D800 was incredible on Rannoch Moor and Glencoe

_DSC9754 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

_DSC9746 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

_DSC3580 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

It's a camera to take your time with, work with slowly and surely. A bit like a medium format camera, pretty close to the user experience with live view being the best way to critically manual focus if the AF wouldn't get it right.

_DSC4018 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

Wished I had the 2.8 70-200 I have now back in 2016. It's so much crisper and better than the old 70-210 F4

_DSC9396 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr
 
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2017 came and as I killed a D800 by accident I replaced it with a D810, then another. I still kept a D800 as a spare and it took a share of Gems that year.

Clevedon Pier in the mist

_DSC0180 16x9 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

Elgol at dawn

_DSC0319 - Version 2 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

Old Man of Storr

_DSC0408 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

Abodance Valley

_DSC0828 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

By 2018 it really had become a working spare with the D810's doing my heavy lifting. I took it places I wouldn't risk a newer and more expensive camera, or to use it in a way to avoid lens changes. It was good to have it as a 3rd then 4th body

Still....

Penmon point

_DSC0850 - Version 2 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

Dunure Beach

_DSC0914 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

Lac de Cheserys

_DSC1297 - Version 4 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

Gavarnie

_DSC1431 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr
 
2018 also ended well for the D800

Gavarnie
_DSC1435 - Version 10 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

Midi'Ossau
_DSC1394 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

Chateau Azay le Rideau

_DSC1506 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

For some reason I always felt the D800 pared really well with the 14-24 - as if it was designed for that camera. Never felt the same about the 14-24 on the D810 (which had no AA filter) and felt the 20mm F1.8 was a better match for the D810. Here is 2019 with the D800

The 14-24 was an expensive mistake. Amazing lens but the filters are a drag and bar the odd interior you do not need anything wider than 20mm on a FF body for landscapes. You live and learn.

Sligachan
_DSC1589 - Version 3 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

Still it was a great paring...

River Coe
_DSC1658 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr
Torren Lochan

_DSC1726 - Version 3 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

Ibonet de Batissiels
_DSC1883 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

Embalse de Pineta

_DSC2042 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr
 
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For 2020 life was really winding down for the D800...and for my photography in general because of you know what....still it was perma paired to the 14-24

The summer this year was very kind to me but my D800 never did so little...

_DSC2079 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

_DSC2345 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

_DSC2298 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

It's final trip to the Torren Lochan was a great success...and a reminder 8yrs on that this is a camera that will give terrific results even compared to stuff today. Look at these colours.

_DSC2144 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

_DSC2159 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

This was the last shoot the D800 ever did...

_DSC2408 by Stephen Taylor, on Flickr

The Nikon D800 will always have a special place in my heart and I really hope her next owner get's as much from her as I did. She's off to MPB in a few days, she's not new, she's a bit battle scarred and aging but will still cut a dash in the right hands.
 
The Nikon D800 will always have a special place in my heart and I really hope her next owner get's as much from her as I did. She's off to MPB in a few days, she's not new, she's a bit battle scarred and aging but will still cut a dash in the right hands.
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I have really enjoyed your retrospective look back at the D800 with all of your superb images. I look forward to more of your images with the medium format Pentax. I still use my D800 and my next big change will also be into the medium format possibly with the fuji range. Have a great rest of Christmas and thanks for sharing.
 
todders said:
I have really enjoyed your retrospective look back at the D800 with all of your superb images. I look forward to more of your images with the medium format Pentax. I still use my D800 and my next big change will also be into the medium format possibly with the fuji range. Have a great rest of Christmas and thanks for sharing.
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The only progression worth while from a Nikon D800 is the following (other than the Pentax, Fuji, Phase 1 and Hasselblad offerings) are

Nikon D810 - a slightly better version of the D800. I am still keeping two as I find 36mp really still good for a lot - and the 70-200 Vr2 E far too good to pass on as is the 50mm ART
The D850 or Z7ii - and Z7ii is mirrorless....
Sony A7r2/3 or 4 - but the form factor, layout is an acquired taste but in the right hands a tool of greatness.

That's your whack in full frame world. So after 8 years that is all I would shoot in full frame over a D800. That is a testament to the omnipotence of this mighty camera.

Medium format sensor wise the Pentax 645z gives nothing away to the Fuji system unless you step up to the 100mp system - I couldn't afford too. Additionally I wanted myself another SLR and some sample images from a 645z with the 28-45 sealed it for me.

I found the Nikon a wonderfully tactile thing to use, it really did become a friend and I found the relative heft over the budget APSC system I had before it really great. I thought it felt really great in the hand and the easily body mounted controls rather than have more stuff menu driven like the APSC stuff was awesome. Only the D500 can touch a D800 for feel, but the D800 obliterates it IQ wise.

It felt that the D800 felt like a real camera; a photographers camera built by photographers for photographers because that is exactly what it was and is. Hence the camera really did help my photography. Without it I really doubt I would be where I am now.

I get the same feeling from the 645z - I can tell it's going to be friend to me and I think I will buy a second one after funds recover and a couple of other lenses like the 45-85 and maybe 80-160 or the 120 prime. I'll run that lot for 7-8 years and then probably there will be nothing left to buy that is a DSLR. By then mirror-less systems will be very mature. That's maybe why the D800 has stood the test of time quite so well - DSLR's were a mature proposition even then. Look how little the came has moved on in the last 8 years with full frame DSLRs.

Some advice - a sample image from the Fuji with the 32-64 didn't seem as good in the sides - but there are lots of wonderful choices for the Fuji Mirrorless - a lovely 23 or 25mm - a 45-100 and 100-200 zoom. I'd avoid the 32-64 as the images I saw had very smeary sides beyond the realms of what is fixable in sharpening. These camera's use a 4:3 aspect ratio - I find this very pleasing over the 3:2 of 35mm format camera's so but if the sides are soft at this aspect ratio something is really quite wrong. I found I cropped my D8xx files 4:3, 7:5, 1:1, etc so won't miss the 35mm layout one bit. It was a good way of fixing soft corners which I found the 14-24, 24-70 both suffered with.
 
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SFTPhotography said:
The only progression worth while from a Nikon D800 is the following (other than the Pentax, Fuji, Phase 1 and Hasselblad offerings) are

Nikon D810 - a slightly better version of the D800. I am still keeping two as I find 36mp really still good for a lot - and the 70-200 Vr2 E far too good to pass on as is the 50mm ART
The D850 or Z7ii - and Z7ii is mirrorless....
Sony A7r2/3 or 4 - but the form factor, layout is an acquired taste but in the right hands a tool of greatness.

That's your whack in full frame world. So after 8 years that is all I would shoot in full frame over a D800. That is a testament to the omnipotence of this mighty camera.

Medium format sensor wise the Pentax 645z gives nothing away to the Fuji system unless you step up to the 100mp system - I couldn't afford too. Additionally I wanted myself another SLR and some sample images from a 645z with the 28-45 sealed it for me.

I found the Nikon a wonderfully tactile thing to use, it really did become a friend and I found the relative heft over the budget APSC system I had before it really great. I thought it felt really great in the hand and the easily body mounted controls rather than have more stuff menu driven like the APSC stuff was awesome. Only the D500 can touch a D800 for feel, but the D800 obliterates it IQ wise.

It felt that the D800 felt like a real camera; a photographers camera built by photographers for photographers because that is exactly what it was and is. Hence the camera really did help my photography. Without it I really doubt I would be where I am now.

I get the same feeling from the 645z - I can tell it's going to be friend to me and I think I will buy a second one after funds recover and a couple of other lenses like the 45-85 and maybe 80-160 or the 120 prime. I'll run that lot for 7-8 years and then probably there will be nothing left to buy that is a DSLR. By then mirror-less systems will be very mature. That's maybe why the D800 has stood the test of time quite so well - DSLR's were a mature proposition even then. Look how little the came has moved on in the last 8 years with full frame DSLRs.

Some advice - a sample image from the Fuji with the 32-64 didn't seem as good in the sides - but there are lots of wonderful choices for the Fuji Mirrorless - a lovely 23 or 25mm - a 45-100 and 100-200 zoom. I'd avoid the 32-64 as the images I saw had very smeary sides beyond the realms of what is fixable in sharpening. These camera's use a 4:3 aspect ratio - I find this very pleasing over the 3:2 of 35mm format camera's so but if the sides are soft at this aspect ratio something is really quite wrong. I found I cropped my D8xx files 4:3, 7:5, 1:1, etc so won't miss the 35mm layout one bit. It was a good way of fixing soft corners which I found the 14-24, 24-70 both suffered with.
Click to expand...

Hi Steve some real food for thought here for me. I really appreciate the update and your wise words.
 
todders said:
Hi Steve some real food for thought here for me. I really appreciate the update and your wise words.
Click to expand...

The same goes for me. Experiences of real photographers - and not internet hype-wave surfers - are extremely valuable! (y)

(From my film days I still have two Medium Format cameras, the Fuji GS645 and the ROLLEI 2,8GX. I did not use them very much, then. But film was more fiddly than 35mm cartridges. -
If I were to focus on landscape exclusively, I might go for a "Super-FF", like the Fuji GFX50R. - But I cover my present subject areas quite well by Leica, Nikon and SONY equipment, now.)
 
justpix said:
The same goes for me. Experiences of real photographers - and not internet hype-wave surfers - are extremely valuable! (y)

(From my film days I still have two Medium Format cameras, the Fuji GS645 and the ROLLEI 2,8GX. I did not use them very much, then. But film was more fiddly than 35mm cartridges. -
If I were to focus on landscape exclusively, I might go for a "Super-FF", like the Fuji GFX50R. - But I cover my present subject areas quite well by Leica, Nikon and SONY equipment, now.)
Click to expand...

I have a Mamiya Press Super 23 I will be using as well with a 6x7 back in the new year.
 
rpn said:
Very quiet here nowadays. Are peoples only interest in the latest and the newest cameras?
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Hi, I use mine almost daily. It sits on my (untidy) dining room table:


DSC00360-a7-5-z25ba-c.jpg



Pics I took with it :

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D80_2872-s150c.jpg



D80_2883-s150c.jpg



(The D800 gives me trouble-free service. - When prices for the D850 go down, I may get one, and my wife will take my D800 then.)
 
HAPPY EASTER! My D800 gives me constant, trouble-free service!

With the 4/70-200 :

D80_3984-n70c.jpg



The D800 is highly versatile. It can be used for wildlife, too. A Mustang shot :

D80_4023-n70c.jpg
 
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Nice one Phil, you ok bud? I'm back, like Slim Shady! :D
 
cannockwolf said:
Nice one Phil, you ok bud? I'm back, like Slim Shady! :D
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Hi Dave I'm doing ok just can't wait to get out again to do some shooting once again !
Would be great to catch up sometime and its great to see your back :)
 
Phiggys said:
Hi Dave I'm doing ok just can't wait to get out again to do some shooting once again !
Would be great to catch up sometime and its great to see your back :)
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Yeah I can't wait to get started again myself, I'll definitely be up for a trip
 
I don't get it - the thread is in 'talk equipment', where you might hope to find something out - and I find endless postings of images that could've been sensibly taken with any number of cameras. I don't like to be negative, but it's not really enlightening ...
 
droj said:
I don't get it - the thread is in 'talk equipment', where you might hope to find something out - and I find endless postings of images that could've been sensibly taken with any number of cameras. I don't like to be negative, but it's not really enlightening ...
Click to expand...
It's about as ridiculous as the "Talk" Leica thread. Says a lot about the photographer's eye, but nothing about the equipment.
 
droj said:
I don't get it - the thread is in 'talk equipment', where you might hope to find something out - and I find endless postings of images that could've been sensibly taken with any number of cameras. I don't like to be negative, but it's not really enlightening ...
Click to expand...
The whole 'Talk' section of the forum has been populated with photos as people can't be bothered to check where to post them. :(
 
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