Nikon D800......

POAH said:
Unless France have withdrawn from the EU the warranty is perfectly valid in the uk
Click to expand...

Nikon body warranties aren't international, if the body was originally sold by Nikon France then Nikon UK won't honour the warranty, the camera would need to go back to France, via Pixmania.
 
POAH said:
Unless France have withdrawn from the EU the warranty is perfectly valid in the uk
Click to expand...

Not according to Nikon UK when I was getting a D200 from France. (via Pixmania I think)

I phoned Nikon whilst it was on its way to me after reading on a forum that they may not honour the warranty from France and they said they wouldn't, so I returned the camera without opening it. That was a few years ago, and things may have changed, but I'd check first.

I ended up buying my D200 from Hong Kong for a big saving, but it was then with the knowledge that the Warranty wouldn't honoured here by Nikon.
 
flossie said:
Sounds like a firmware issue, waiting or not won't make any difference. Considering the waiting list for these new cameras is measured in months atm, I really wouldn't worry about minor issues...
Click to expand...

Still i would wait :)

They had one in at my local LCE,last week in the window to sell,and it wasnt a cancelled pre order ?
 
Does anyone have any idea of waiting times for D800 orders? I haven't ordered yet but I could really do with getting on asap. I might even be tempted to buy from overseas if anyone has one in stock and just pay the nice people at the HMRC some money. :bonk:
 
EMA747 said:
Does anyone have any idea of waiting times for D800 orders?
Click to expand...

That's the $3000 question. ;)

Nobody seems to know. :shrug: And Nikon don't seem to be giving that information out. :shrug:


Probably be an idea to phone round some reputable dealers, though staff in some shops have been apparently talking bo*****ks about such things because of a lack of solid information. :bonk:
 
That's the problem. I got about £7K waiting for me move over to Nikon but no way of getting any cameras any time soon. :suspect:
 
EMA747 said:
That's the problem. I got about £7K waiting for me move over to Nikon but no way of getting any cameras any time soon. :suspect:
Click to expand...

Think a good D3S would keep you going.
 
EMA747 said:
Does anyone have any idea of waiting times for D800 orders? I haven't ordered yet but I could really do with getting on asap. I might even be tempted to buy from overseas if anyone has one in stock and just pay the nice people at the HMRC some money. :bonk:
Click to expand...

As i said thats the weird thing,my local LCE got 2 in the other week from Nikon,one was a pre-order,the other was to sell.
Yet from what i read,some people were still waiting for their pre orders.

Seem a bit odd :thinking:
 
I got mine from a Jessops store last Friday.

It was a cancelled pre-order and I was just lucky to enquire at the right time, as they seem to have lots on back order in most of their stores and their website is only taking pre-orders at the moment.

I had to make do with a D800 as they didn't have a D700 in stock. :love:
 
simonblue said:
Seem a bit odd :thinking:
Click to expand...

It's not odd but actually quite a good point. When Nikon send out cameras that are oversubscribed, within reason, they will send roughly the same number to every outlet they have from the little independent to WEX and Amazon. We preorder from the bigger shops but the small camera shop doesn't have many people wandering in with nearly £3k to spend every day. And as there's no discounts going on the D800, there's no "disadvantage" to buying from them.

The last sought after camera like this was probably the Fuji X100 and I had no problem getting one from Camera Solutions in Chester. They only had a stock of one but that's all I wanted! :)

Well done David for getting one!! And i'd suggest that its easier to seek out those less-busy Jessops like in Llandudno rather than London :)
 
Last edited:
Dringo said:
Well done David for getting one!! And i'd suggest that its easier to seek out those less-busy Jessops like in Llandudno rather than London :)
Click to expand...

Thanks, Alun, I am absolutely thrilled with the quality - I use a tripod most of the time for any shots that matter, so it suits me well.

I have looked at images at 200% and the quality is still superb, and that represents a picture of about 50" on the long edge. Photos do seem to have a lot more colour depth as well.

I also like the setting where the picture is taken about 3 seconds (settable 1 to 3 seconds) after the mirror has lifted, it is quicker than using mirror lock-up and does the same job.
 
david357 said:
I also like the setting where the picture is taken about 3 seconds (settable 1 to 3 seconds) after the mirror has lifted, it is quicker than using mirror lock-up and does the same job.
Click to expand...

My preferred setting too! I look forward to the pictures from the Dales :)
 
Last edited:
I would say the d700 and lens is a better idea, due to.
1.The d800 being out of stock for an unknow time.

2.d800 will require good glass.Not sure what else you have.
But alot of people recomend getting glass over bodys.

3. There seens to be a few issue at present with the d800 as I expected.I would wait untill these are resolved first.

Also think if you do need 36mp and video..can your computer handle his ,do you have enough memory cards.
The d700 is a great camera and will continue to be even with the release of the d800. You can always get a d800 later when the dust settles.
 
Last edited:
chris westons report on the camera

what are all the people doing who where banging on about waiting for the D700 replacement doing now buying the D700?
 
PLEASE NOTE+this is chris westons report on the camera not mine [as i stated above]




Nikon D800: First Impressions

Before I start this mini-review, it's important to understand where the D800 sits in Nikon's hierarchy. Nikon has always been clever at designing cameras for specific markets and uses: the D2H/D2X, D3/D3X split between the requirement for low light performance (Press) and high resolution (commercial studio). The confusing thing with the D800 is that it doesn't sit wh...ere its name suggests. The D800 is NOT a replacement for the D700. The D700 is the baby brother of the D3/D3s. Despite the timing of its release, the D800 is NOT the baby brother to the D4. In fact, in reality, its more like a replacement of the D3X. It's a camera that's designed to be used in a studio. The fact Nikon are launching a D800E version of the camera backs this up. The removal of the low-pass filter is designed to appeal to large format studio photographers who are used to using cameras without low-pass filters.

Now on to the 800's performance. When used in appropriate circumstances (i.e. in a studio or, in the field, for landscape photography, it is quite simply the BEST 35mm-type DSLR camera on the market today. The level of detail, a result of all that resolution, is PHENOMENAL! The problem here is, I can't really show you because of the limitations of the Internet! Its a bit like trying to show the benefits of HD TV on a non-HD TV! But take my word for it ... it's unbelievable.

Native image size is equally staggering. The D800 produces an image 30.7" x 20.5". That's almost A1! To put that into perspective, the typical size of a magazines double-page spread is less than A3. In other words, only rarely would there be a need to interpolate upwards (enlarge) a D800 file.

There are costs to all this detail and resolution. The first is, the D800 is an unforgiving camera. There simply is no room for even the smallest of errors in settings (e.g. focus) or handling (e.g. camera shake). This is the Formula 1 car of the camera world and to get the best out of the camera you really need to be highly skilled in photographic technique.

The second downside is ISO/Noise performance. To cram 36MP onto a 35mm-size sensor, the physical photo sites have to be tiny. Small photo sites are not conducive to brilliant ISO/Noise performance (this is the reason the D4 is kept to 16MP).

At lower ISO settings (ISO 100 and ISO 200), image quality is retained. At ISO 400, image quality is compromised but not beyond the effects of Noise Reduction software. However, beyond that, at ISO 800 - ISO 1600, noise starts to become a bigger issue. And, at its highest settings, even Noise Reduction software can't overcome the loss of image quality. But that's only a problem if you want to use the D800 as a Press/Field (wildlife) camera. And, as I said in the opening paragraph, the D800 is NOT a Press/Wildlife camera. If that's your genre then the D700/D3/D3s and D4 are the Nikon cameras for you.

There are also a couple of really nice touches to the camera's handling. The most obvious is the change to the AF-S/AF-C lever. Switching between the two is now so much easier and more efficient. I also like the in-viewfinder virtual horizon NIkon has introduced. A great aid to handholding the D800.

One niggle: Adobe aren't providing any support for the D800 NEF file in Photoshop 4 or Lightroom 3. If you're using either of those packages in your workflow, you either need to upgrade to PS5 and LR4 or get hold of Adobe DNG Converter, to convert the NEF files to the open-standard DNG. This adds another layer to your workflow, which is unwelcome. Why Nikon (and Canon) for that matter can't simply switch to in-camera DNG files (like most other manufacturers) is still beyond me.

In conclusion, used in the right environment the D800 is quite simply the BEST 35mm-type DSLR camera on the market today, bar none. But it's not a camera for the feint hearted. All that camera performance demands the very best performance out of the photographer. Match the two, however, and you've got a real winner!
 
Last edited:
straycat said:
The problem here is, I can't really show you because of the limitations of the Internet!
Click to expand...

Other than showing print quality I'm a little confused by this?

Interesting review though and thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts, it's confirming to me that the D800 is not the camera I need. :)
 
I was wavering on the D800 a little. I went from being quite dismissive initially (maybe because I'd just shelled out for a D700!) to being astonished once sample images started coming out and really wanting to get my hands on one. Now I'm still astonished but thinking a bit more rationally about it.

I just can't see how I'd ever truly make use of that sort of resolution. I'm not a pro and the largest size I print is about A2 and the D700 has this comfortably covered already. I suppose if I needed to crop drastically and then print large, then the D800 comes into it's own but only if I'd exercised impeccable technique in the first place otherwise the advantage will have been lost. Impeccable technique and heavy cropping don't sound like they go hand in hand to me as I have images in my head of tripods and remote releases but most of the heavily cropped shots I've ever taken are bird in flight shots where I simply haven't had the time to exercise great technique and have had to rely on a good auto focus system and fast shutter speeds.

I do wonder if I'm missing a trick a little and have missed some of the benefit, I'd be interested to hear what the early adopters intend to use their D800's for and what the resolution will give them. I think for now, I'll keep admiring the images and keep zooming in to the tiniest details with my jaw wide open.
 
stument said:
Right ive been doing some thinking, Should i just grab a D700 for £1100 or payout £2300 for a D800?
Click to expand...
Do you have a choice? Where can you get a D800 from for £2,300, they're out of stock even at £2,600.
 
Flash In The Pan said:
Yes, but Nikon are going to refer you to the retailer to arrange any warranty work and if you Google Pixmania you'll soon discover what a nightmare dealing with them over such issues has been for many,many other people.
Click to expand...

Have to concur that Pixmania can be a pain for returns, I haven't had a camera issue but resolving a faulty printer was like an extended exercise in pulling teeth, even by bringing Amazon into the dispute, what it would have been like without Amazon I dread to think!
 
straycat said:
The second downside is ISO/Noise performance. To cram 36MP onto a 35mm-size sensor, the physical photo sites have to be tiny. Small photo sites are not conducive to brilliant ISO/Noise performance (this is the reason the D4 is kept to 16MP).

At lower ISO settings (ISO 100 and ISO 200), image quality is retained. At ISO 400, image quality is compromised but not beyond the effects of Noise Reduction software. However, beyond that, at ISO 800 - ISO 1600, noise starts to become a bigger issue. And, at its highest settings, even Noise Reduction software can't overcome the loss of image quality. But that's only a problem if you want to use the D800 as a Press/Field (wildlife) camera. And, as I said in the opening paragraph, the D800 is NOT a Press/Wildlife camera. If that's your genre then the D700/D3/D3s and D4 are the Nikon cameras for you.
Click to expand...


nice review ;). Thank you. Just one question though. The mansurovs (http://mansurovs.com/nikon-d800-review) say its not a bad performer at Hi ISOs

to quote them

The Nikon D800 yields very impressive results at all ISO levels, even at boosted ISO 12,800 and 25,600. Given how little noise there is, I would not hesitate to use it at ISO 3,200 and could even push it as high as ISO 6,400.
Click to expand...

and a fair few others have generally said ISO performs about the same level as a D3/D700. I'm wondering why your finding it worse by such a long way, or am I misreading you?
 
straycat said:
The second downside is ISO/Noise performance. To cram 36MP onto a 35mm-size sensor, the physical photo sites have to be tiny. Small photo sites are not conducive to brilliant ISO/Noise performance (this is the reason the D4 is kept to 16MP).
Click to expand...
I respectfully, don't believe you :) I get the feeling that you're looking at 100%, seeing noise and a loss of colour accuracy, and explaining why it's so. But how tiny are the photo sites really? It's all relative, and compared to a compact camera, they're massive. All you can do at the end of the day, is compare the finished output from one camera, with another. If you print from your D800 and print the same shot from a D3/D700, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

boyfalldown said:
The mansurovs (http://mansurovs.com/nikon-d800-review) say its not a bad performer at Hi ISOs

to quote them



and a fair few others have generally said ISO performs about the same level as a D3/D700. I'm wondering why your finding it worse by such a long way, or am I misreading you?
Click to expand...
I think (and I'm prepared to be corrected) he's comparing at pixel level.
 
Triggaaar said:
I respectfully, don't believe you :) I get the feeling that you're looking at 100%, seeing noise and a loss of colour accuracy, and explaining why it's so. But how tiny are the photo sites really? It's all relative, and compared to a compact camera, they're massive. All you can do at the end of the day, is compare the finished output from one camera, with another. If you print from your D800 and print the same shot from a D3/D700, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

I think (and I'm prepared to be corrected) he's comparing at pixel level.
Click to expand...

This is an interesting point that I'd never really considered 100% view will look vastly different at 36mp to 12mp. You're right the only fair assessment is to judge them side by side with the same physical size for the image. I guess this is what has been done in the reviews that suggest decent high iso performance.
 
Digifrog said:
Care to elaborate here?
Click to expand...

well there have been reported focus issues. yes mainly in asia. but also in germany. I wouldnt be suprised if more spring up.

theres also the lock up issue thats not just in one region.
I would be watching this one especialy if using it on a job.
 
Last edited:
gad-westy said:
This is an interesting point that I'd never really considered 100% view will look vastly different at 36mp to 12mp. You're right the only fair assessment is to judge them side by side with the same physical size for the image. I guess this is what has been done in the reviews that suggest decent high iso performance.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure thats the case, there certainly images (100% crops) floating round out there that look very clean at 3,200 and 6,400 and don't really show a lack of detail, or lots of noise.

pmac said:
well there have beeb reported ficus issues. yes mainly in asia. but also in germany. I wouldnt be suprised if more spring up.

theres also the lock up issue thats not just in one region.
I would be watching this one especialy if using it on a job.
Click to expand...


not heard about the lock up issues, but with the focus issues I do wonder if the users aren't always as precise as they need to be at that resolution. Just a thought only
 
The focus issue relates to just the left hand focus points, not a user error but an error with the calibration apparantly.
 
I posted links to both a page or so back.

the focus issue isnt user error. its was tested with nikon staff and was showing the lefthand side sensors were off. on multiple bodys with different lenses.
 
boyfalldown said:
I'm not sure thats the case, there certainly images (100% crops) floating round out there that look very clean at 3,200 and 6,400 and don't really show a lack of detail, or lots of noise.
Click to expand...
I can't imagine a clean image 6400 ISO if viewing at 100%, unless there are no shadows and a forgiving subject.

But as suggested above, the positive reviews are comparing files from each camera after sampling, which I'm convinced is the only sensible way of doing it. Average sized prints from a D800 should compare well at 6400 ISO, due to the fact you'll be down-sampling. Looking at 100% though, and I'm sure you'll see plenty of noise etc (but so what).
 
Well I was all set to get a used D3s and a D800. Now I am thinking I might be better off with a D4 and a used D700 (backup body).

The D800 seems to have some fantastic plus points but they seem to be ones that are more appropriate to areas of photography that I am not really interested in.
The D4 on the other hand seems to have all the plus points in the right place for me. Apart from being a little large to travel with.
 
pmac said:
well there have been reported focus issues. yes mainly in asia. but also in germany. I wouldnt be suprised if more spring up.

theres also the lock up issue thats not just in one region.
I would be watching this one especialy if using it on a job.
Click to expand...

and.....

Nikon-D800-lockup.jpg
 
EMA747 said:
Well I was all set to get a used D3s and a D800. Now I am thinking I might be better off with a D4 and a used D700 (backup body).

The D800 seems to have some fantastic plus points but they seem to be ones that are more appropriate to areas of photography that I am not really interested in.
The D4 on the other hand seems to have all the plus points in the right place for me. Apart from being a little large to travel with.
Click to expand...

I pretty much said that on page 19. The D800 is not (imo) a camera for the average photographer covering such things as sports, events, weddings, press, lifestyle etc.

I'm sure it's great for studio, commercial, landscape etc but if that's not your thing (and EMA747 I don't think it is) then the D4 is likely to be the better bet.

And that said, it appears the biggest advantage of the D4 over the D3s is video, AF at F8 (for TC users) and a few extra pixels. There's some difference of opinion on the "improved" ISO performance and I'm yet to be convinced that the D4 is worth the extra £'s over the D3s - which is still the best SLR on the market for me.
 
There's an awful lot of people using it to produce some great wedding images - from at least one world renowned wedding photographer to a lot of far more modest photographers including a few on here (to be clear, by modest I mean in terms of their renown, not of their ability). To my mind it looks like a fantastic camera for weddings & lifestyle.

I wouldn't use it for press and sports, but thats a very different usage.
 
Last edited:
ryanyboy said:
The D800 is not a camera for the average photographer
Click to expand...

That is what most people will take from what you said though, and the same sentiments others have echoed.

What this is taken as meaning though is that the reader is not an average photographer, but an excellent one, therefore must have one to enable them to be more awesome.

Have to say for all the internet knockers, I've never seen a camera more talked about or desired.... But you are right ;-)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top