In summary
Positioned at the top of Nikon’s ‘pro-sumer’ line-up, the D810 offers many of the functions provided in the fully-professional Nikon D4s in a slightly smaller, lighter and less expensive body.
It’s more robustly built than the D750, which sits below it in Nikon’s line-up, and its shutter is rated for 200,000 cycles, compared with 150,000 cycles for the D750. The D810’s top shutter speed is double that of the D750, which otherwise offers a number of similar features.
Professional photographers looking for a second-string camera to pair with a D4s will need to think carefully about adapting to differently-configured camera controls. Those who can will find the D810 a useful addition to their kit.
Full review
The Nikon D810 was announced on June 26, 2014 replacing the D800 and D800E models. Its release followed on-going reports of focus alignment problems with the D800/D800E, which emerged within a couple of months of their release. We didn’t experience these problems with the D800 we reviewed in July 2012, probably because they had been eliminated from cameras produced by this time. But the adverse publicity was enough to justify the D810 upgrade. (Nikon offered free assessment and repairs to owners of affected cameras.)
The Nikon D810 shown with the AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.8G lens. (Source: Nikon.)
The review camera was supplied with two lenses: the AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.8G and AF-S Nikkor 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED, both of which we have reviewed previously. We used the 50mm f/1.8G for our Imatest tests as it was a better performer but test shots were taken with both lenses.
Who’s it for?
Price-wise, size-wise, complexity-wise and performance-wise, the D810 is designed for professional photographers and serious enthusiasts with relatively deep pockets who enjoy shooting with larger cameras and lenses. Positioned at the top of Nikon’s ‘pro-sumer’ line-up, it offers many of the functions provided in the fully-professional Nikon D4s in a slightly smaller, lighter and less expensive body.
It’s more robustly built than the D750, which sits below it in Nikon’s line-up, and its shutter is rated for 200,000 cycles, compared with 150,000 cycles for the D750. The D810’s top shutter speed is double that of the D750, which otherwise offers a number of similar features.
What’s new?
Overall, the D810 is a relatively modest update to its predecessors. The most visible changes are the up-sizing of the monitor to a larger (3.2-inch) and higher-resolution (1,228,800 dot) screen and some tweaking to the camera body design that have resulted in a 20 gram reduction in weight and a few small changes to body styling.
Front, top and back views of the D810 body with no lens fitted. (Source: Nikon.)
The resolution of the LCD monitor screen has been increased from 921,000 dots to 1,228,800 dots. The auto brightness sensor, which sets screen brightness according to ambient light levels in auto mode, is not provided in the D810.
The grip has been refined but whether users will find it more or less comfortable than the previous models’ is a highly subjective matter. It’s still relatively large and probably won’t suit users with short fingers (but other cameras of this size would be equally difficult for such users to operate).
Changes have also been made to the camera’s control layout. The metering lever switch around the AE-L/AF-L button has been removed and replaced with a button on the cluster sitting above the left side drive dial. The bracketing (BKT) button has been relocated to the upper left hand side of the front panel just beside the D810 logo.
Whether these changes are beneficial is debatable. Shifting the metering lever will make the AE-L/AF-L button easier to operate. But photographers who use a D800 as a backup to a D810 could find it annoying. The addition of a second Info button between the multi and live view selectors should be less disruptive, although users will need to remember the upper button is used for accessing frequently-used settings while the lower one displays shooting information on the monitor screen and doesn’t work in live view mode.
Other changes are internal and include:
1. Despite having the same effective resolution, the sensor in the D810 is completely new and has no optical low-pass filter, unlike the D800 and D800E, both of which had filters in the optical path. (The D800E’s filter had its anti-aliasing filter disabled, to make pixel-level sharpness better than with normal AA filters.)
2. The new EXPEED 4 processor supports a wider native sensitivity range from 64-12800 (compared with 100-6400 in the D800 models). Expansion is available to ISO 32 and ISO 51200 at each end of the scale. The new processor also provides better moirø© control and adds a small (RAW S) raw file option that produces images that are roughly half the size of large raw (RAW L) files. RAW S files are always recorded in uncompressed 12-bit format and they can’t be retouched in-camera.
3. The maximum frame rates for continuous shooting have been increased to 5 frames/second (fps) with the full FX format and 5:4 crop, 6 fps with the DX and 1.2x crops and 7 fps for the DX crop when the MB-D12 multi-power battery pack is used with the EN-EL18 or AA batteries. These frame rates may be reduced with slow shutter speeds, very small apertures, when VR stabilisation is enabled, with auto ISO sensitivity and when the battery is low. Nikon has removed the 100-shot limit for JPEG bursts, enabling users to shoot to card capacity. The buffer memory can accommodate 17 RAW files or 56 JPEGs with the maximum quality settings.
4. The mirror mechanism gains a new balancing unit that reduces vibration and enables photographers to use an electronic first curtain shutter in Live View (mirror lock-up) mode. Instead of starting the exposure with the first shutter curtain opening, the exposure is initiated electronically. This should eliminate any shutter shock formerly produced by the first curtain impact. The shutter should also be quieter than the D800’s.
5. The Group-area autofocus pattern has been ported across from the D4s. It focuses with a group of AF points, which can be selected by the photographer in order to keep focus on the subject and reduce the chance of it shifting to the background. IN the AF-S mode, face-priority AF will over-ride the group-area settings and prioritise portrait subjects.
6. The new highlight-weighted metering mode assigns a heavier weighting to highlights in order to preserve details in subjects where they might be lost. Examples include spotlit performers on a stage and similar bright-toned subjects in dark surroundings.
7. A new Flat Picture Control has been added, along with a new parameter, Clarity. The Flat setting is designed to preserve the full range of tones the sensor can record and should be used when you want to reproduce subtle gradations and texture differences in dark areas. The new Clarity parameter adjusts contrast in the midtones of the image, enhancing details without over-sharpening. It’s not available in movie mode. Nikon has also increased the number of incremental changes that can be applied within most Picture Control parameters.
8. The D810 provides much better Live View magnification to make accurate focusing easier because the sensor no longer skips horizontal lines in magnified view. In addition, a new split screen display zoom magnifies areas on the left and right sides of the screen simultaneously, enabling users to judge whether horizontal lines in scenes are straight and assisting with depth of field assessments.
9. As well as increasing the monitor’s resolution, Nikon has also provided colour adjustments for the monitor screen. Users can tune adjustments to a pre-saved image or display an empty frame with a grey border and adjust to it. Changes apply only to menus, playback and the Live View display; not to the captured image.
10. Spot metering and white balance adjustments are also available in Live View mode.
11. Video capabilities have been expanded to include 50 fps and 60 fps settings for Full HD (1080p) movies. Users can choose from the following settings:
|
Movie setting |
Maximum bit rate (Mbps) |
Maximum clip length |
|
1920 x 1080 60p |
42/24 |
10 minutes/20 minutes |
|
1920 x 1080 50p |
||
|
1920 x 1080 30p |
24/12 |
20 minutes/29 min. 59 sec. |
|
1920 x 1080 25p |
||
|
1920 x 1080 24p |
||
|
1280 x 720 60p |
||
|
1280 x 720 50p |
12. Zebra striping has been added to the display options, enabling users to see over-exposed areas in real time and apply necessary corrections.
13. HDMI video can now be output in an uncompressed stream to an external recorder at the same time as compressed video is recorded in the camera. This provides and in-camera backing up facility.
14. An exposure smoothing function has been added to the interval timer and time-lapse functions. It’s only available in the P, S and A shooting modes or with auto ISO selected for the M mode. This function adjusts exposures on a frame-by-frame basis to maintain consistency. Up to 9999 frames can be recorded in time-lapse mode.
Unchanged Features
Although the D810 sports a new sensor and processor, its resolution is the same as the D800‘s; as are the image area settings (sensor crops). All cropped image areas are visually masked in the viewfinder.
Users can choose between three image sizes and two levels of compression for JPEGs and 12- and 14-bit compression for NEF.RAW files as well as having the option to record uncompressed NEF.RAW files. The D810 also includes the same TIFF capture option as its predecessor, producing files that are over 108MB in size, compared with 74.4MB for uncompressed raw files. Typical file sizes are provided in our review of the D800.
Other unchanged features include the shutter speed range, self-timer, bracketing options, AF sensor module, metering sensor and Advanced Scene Recognition System. The front Fn and Depth of Field Preview buttons retain their former applications and the Advanced D-Lighting (dynamic range optimisation) and HDR are the same as the D800’s.
The D810 provides the same bracketing and white balance controls as its predecessor. Dust reduction and sensor cleaning options are also unchanged. Finally, the software bundle includes Nikon’s Capture NX-D, which Nikon Guru, Thom Hogan describes as ‘a free, not-quite-what-we-want raw converter’ (we can only agree). You can read his thoughts and obtain some worthwhile advice on Nikon products at http://www.dslrbodies.com/.
What’s Missing?
There are a few features some photographers were expecting in the D800/D800E upgrade that haven’t appeared in the D810 ““ for one reason or another. Many photographers expected the new camera to support 4K video, particularly since this function is being increasingly included in less expensive cameras, such as the Panasonic’s GH4, FZ1000 and LX100, the Samsung NX1 and Sony A7s, not to mention an increasing number of action cameras and mobile devices.
Some will complain about the fixed monitor screen, although this is standard for all professional cameras. Nevertheless, many photographers appreciate the convenience of being able to shoot with the camera held above their head or swivelled to the side in tricky situations.
Finally, unlike other manufacturers who provide one or two user-programmable memory banks on the mode dials of their professional cameras, Nikon doesn’t provide a mode dial and the four customisable user memory banks are buried deep in the menu system. This forces users to dive back into the menu each time they want to access stored settings.
Aside from this handicap, the D810 is highly customisable with both dial controls and most buttons able to be set for user-selected functions. But this isn’t the same as having readily-accessible, pre-programmed custom buttons at your fingertips.
Performance
Our Imatest tests on the D810 were carried out with the AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.8G lens, which we reviewed in March 2013 (INSERT LINK). This lens produced excellent results with resolution of over 4000 line widths/picture height at low ISO settings. At the highest ISO setting (equivalent to ISO 51200), resolution was effectively halved for JPEGs but reduced by about 25% for converted raw files, as shown in the graph of our test results below.
Subjective assessment of test shots captured in JPEG format showed them to have a slightly warm colour bias. However, this wasn’t evident in our Imatest results for JPEGs which showed high levels of colour accuracy. (Colour adjustments are easily made when converting raw files into editable JPEG and TIFF formats so even though NEF.RAW files converted in Adobe Camera Raw showed similar results to direct-from-the-camera JPEGs, slight casts are largely irrelevant.)
The dynamic range in JPEG shots taken at low ISO settings was also very good, both with the Active D-Lighting set on Auto and when it was switched off. The in-camera HDR processing was also able to recover detail well into the shadows in JPEG files and NEF.RAW files at low ISO settings had enough depth to handle subjects with wide brightness ranges effectively. The D810’s new highlight-weighted metering mode can significantly reduce the risk of highlight clipping in very contrasty lighting.
Long exposures at night confirmed our Imatest results. Noise was negligible in JPEGs at ISO settings up to 1600 and barely visible at ISO 3200, increasing slightly at ISO 6400. Between ISO 12800 and the Hi.2 setting (equivalent to ISO 51200) the visibility of noise patterns increased and shots taken with the highest setting were noticeably noise affected.
Flash shots were evenly exposed throughout the test camera’s sensitivity range and showed no evidence of noise until about ISO 6400. Beyond this point they became slightly flatter in tone and softer. By the Hi.2 setting, some coloured blotches had begun to appear and shots were noticeably softer and flatter.
We were led to conclude that the two highest sensitivity settings were useful to have in case of emergencies but best avoided when you want noise-free pictures. At the opposite end of the ISO scale, the Lo.1 setting (which Photoshop shows to be ISO 31 equivalent) provides a wealth of detail from the brightest to the darkest tones and is well worth using when conditions permit, particularly if you’re planning to make large prints from your shots.
Auto white balance performance was slightly better than other Nikon cameras we’ve reviewed recently. Shots taken under incandescent lighting retained a very slight warm colour cast, while fluorescent and flash lighting were almost completely corrected. With plenty of in-camera adjustments plus post-capture colour balance adjustments, colour control is not an issue for this camera.
When the viewfinder was used for shooting, autofocusing was as fast and accurate as we expected, based on our assessments of the D800. Using Live View mode slowed autofocusing by roughly half a second, thereby increasing average capture lag.
In both cases, using single-point AF mode with focus locked on the centre of the frame proved slightly faster than any of the dynamic area (multi-point) options. Single-servo mode was also about 20% faster than the continuous-servo AF mode.
Our assessments of video performance are based on clips shot recorded on memory cards, where the camera has a lot of sub-sampling to do to compress the 32MP sensor output to deliver 1920 x 1080-pixel frames. The quality of these clips was similar to clips shot with the D800 (which has the same resolution and sub-sampling issues to contend with).
Autofocusing in movie mode was also similar to the D800’s and the AF system occasionally struggled to keep pace with moving subjects or when the camera was panned or the lens was zoomed to follow subject motion. There were also a few glitches (seen as false colour frames) near the beginning or end of a couple of clips recorded with the fastest frame rates (50p). Soundtracks were similar to those recorded with the D800.
Our timing tests were carried out with the same 8GB Lexar Professional UDMA-1300x CF card and 32GB SanDisk Extreme Pro SDHC U1 card as we used for our tests on the D800. Regardless of which card was used, the review camera powered-up ready for shooting within roughly half a second.
Capture lag was negligible when the viewfinder was used for shot composition but extended to an average of 1.2 seconds in Live View mode. A large percentage of this delay was due to autofocusing lag as the camera tended to hunt for focus in moderately low light levels.
Shot-to-shot times for viewfinder shooting were marginally faster than the D800, averaging 0.24 seconds without flash. With flash, the intervals were the same as the D800’s, averaging 2.4 seconds. Processing times for single shots have improved markedly, with Large/Fine JPEGs taking 0.6 seconds on average, NEF.RAW frames taking 0.65 seconds and RAW+JPEG pairs 0.72 seconds.
Continuous shooting speeds have also improved, with the review camera matching the 5 frames/second specified for FX frames. But capture rates slowed with the cards we were using after 58 Large/Fine JPEGs, 23 lossless compressed 14-bit raw files, 28 compressed 12-bit raw files, 18 RAW+JPEG (compressed) pairs or 15 TIFF files. It took between 11 and 16 seconds to process these bursts and clear the buffer memory.
Conclusion
Most of the comments we made when summing up the D800 apply to its successor. The new camera steps into the flagship position in Nikon’s ‘pro-sumer’ line-up and makes an already capable camera just a little better. Whether the enhancements are worth spending money on will depend on the status, needs and existing equipment of the potential buyer.
If you already have a D800 or D800E that is providing everything you require, we see no need to upgrade. If you’re looking for a better camera than a D600, the D810 will provide you with both better performance and a more powerful imaging tool.
The same might be true for photographers upgrading from a Nikon DX camera to an FX model. These buyers will benefit from a wider range of dedicated lenses but they’ll have to carry heavier gear (which will cost more).
Professional photographers looking for a second-string camera to pair with a D4s will need to think carefully about adapting to differently-configured camera controls. Those who can will find the D810 a useful addition to their kit.
We wouldn’t recommend buying the D810 purely for recording video as that marketplace is still evolving, largely in favour of higher-definition capture. In addition, no DSLR with an optical viewfinder is easily usable for shooting video in bright outdoor lighting, even with a high-resolution LCD screen. You really need an EVF to shoot movies with any degree of accuracy and comfort.
SPECS
Image sensor: 35.9 x 24.0 mm CMOS sensor with 37.09 million photosites (36.3 megapixels effective); no optical low-pass filter
Image processor: EXPEED 4
A/D processing: 12 or 14 bit
Lens mount: Nikon F (with AF coupling and contacts)
Focal length crop factor: 1x (with options for 1.5x, 1.2x and 5:4 crops)
Image formats: Stills ““ NEF.RAW, JPEG (DCF V. 2.0, Exif V. 2.3), RAW+JPEG, TIFF; Movies ““ MOV with H.264/MPEG-4 Advanced Video Coding, Linear PCM stereo audio
Image Sizes: Stills ““ FX (36 x 24) image area: 7360 x 4912, 5520 x 3680, 3680 x 2456; 1.2X (30 x 20) image area: 6144 x 4080, 4608 x 3056, 3072 x 2040; DX (24 x 16) image area: 4800 x 3200, 3600 x 2400, 2400 x 1600; 5:4 (30 x 24) image area : 6144 x 4912, 4608 x 3680, 3072 x 2456; FX-format photographs taken in movie live view: 6720 x 3776, 5040 x 2832, 3360 x 1888; DX-format photographs taken in movie live view: 4800 x 2704, 3600 x 2024, 2400 x 1352; Movies: 1920 x 1080; 60p, 50p, 30p, 25p, 24p 1280 x 720; 60p, 50p
Image Stabilisation: Lens based
Dust removal: Image sensor cleaning, Image Dust Off reference data (Capture NX-D software required)
Shutter speed range: 1/8000 to 30 seconds plus Bulb and Time; x-synch at 1/250 second
Exposure Compensation: +/- 5EV in 1/3-, 1/2- or 1EV steps
Exposure bracketing: 2 ““ 9 frames, in steps of1/3, 1/2, 2/3, or 1EV; 2″“5 frames in steps of 2 or 3 EV
Other bracketing options: Active D-Lighting (2 frames using selected value for one frame or 3″“5 frames using preset values for all frames); Flash (2 ““ 9 frames in steps of 1/3, 1/2, 2/3 or 1 EV, ; 2″“5 frames in steps of 2 or 3 EV); WB (2 ““ 9 exposures in steps of 1, 2 or 3)
Self-timer: Delays of 2 s, 5 s, 10 s, 20 s plus 1″“9 exposures at intervals of 0.5, 1, 2 or 3 seconds
Focus system: Advanced Multi-CAM 3500FX autofocus sensor module with TTL phase detection, fine-tuning, 51 focus points (including 15 cross-type sensors; f/8 supported by 11 sensors), and AF-assist illuminator; 51 or 11 focus points selectable
Focus modes: Single-servo AF (AF-S), Continuous-servo AF (AF-C), ; predictive focus tracking automatically activated according to subject status, Manual focus (M):, Electronic rangefinder can be used
Exposure metering: TTL exposure metering using RGB sensor with approximately 91K (91,000) pixels; 3D colour matrix metering III (type G, E, and D lenses); colour matrix metering III (other CPU lenses); centre-weighted average (75% in 12 mm circle in centre of frame), spot (4 mm circle centered on selected focus point)
Shooting modes: Programmed auto with flexible program (P); shutter-priority auto (S); aperture-priority auto (A); manual (M)
Picture Controls: Standard, Neutral, Vivid, Monochrome, Portrait, Landscape, Flat; selected Picture Control can be modified; storage for custom Picture Controls
Other in-camera exposure controls: Active D-Lighting (5 settings plus off), HDR (with Auto & up to 3EV differential settings plus 3 smoothing levels)
ISO range: Auto,ISO 64 to ISO 12800 in steps of1/3, 1/2, or 1EV; extensions to approx. 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, or 1 EV (ISO 32 equivalent) below ISO 64 or approx. 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, 1, or 2 EV (ISO 51200 equivalent) above ISO 12800
White balance: Auto (2 types), incandescent, fluorescent (7 types), direct sunlight, flash, cloudy, shade, preset manual (up to 6 values can be stored, spot white balance measurement available during live view), colour temperature (2500 K”“10000 K), all with fine-tuning
Colour space: sRGB and Adobe RGB
Flash: Manual pop-up flash GN 12 with i-TTL flash control using RGB sensor with approximately 91,000 pixels
Flash modes: Front curtain sync, slow sync, rear-curtain sync, red-eye reduction, red-eye reduction with slow sync, slow rear-curtain sync, off; Auto FP High-Speed Sync supported
Sequence shooting: Max. approx. 7 shots/sec. with DX image area; 5 fps with FX image area
Buffer memory depth (tested): 58 Large/Fine JPEGs, 23 lossless compressed 14-bit raw files, 28 compressed 12-bit raw files, 18 RAW+JPEG (compressed) pairs, 15 TIFF files
Storage Media: Dual card slots for CompactFlash Type 1 and SD/SDHC/SDXC memory cards; UHS-1 compliant
Viewfinder: Eye-level pentaprism with Type B BriteView Clear Matte Mark VIII screen with AF area brackets (framing grid can be displayed); 100% FOV coverage (FX format), approx.0.7x magnification, 17 mm eyepoint, -3 to +1m dioptre adjustment
LCD monitor: 3.2-inch TFT monitor with 170 ° viewing angle, 1,228,800 dots
Live View shooting: Yes, contrast-detect AF anywhere in frame, Face-priority AF, Wide-area AF, Normal-area AF, Subject-tracking AF available; TTL exposure metering using main image sensor with matrix, centre-weighted and highlight-weighted modes
Playback functions: Full-frame and thumbnail (4, 9, or 72 images) playback with playback zoom, movie playback, photo and/or movie slide shows, histogram display, highlights, photo information, location data display, and auto image rotation
Interface terminals: USB 3.0, Type C HDMI, 3.5mm stereo mini-pin jacks for audio in/out, 10-pin terminal for optional WR-R10 or WR-1 remote controller, GP-1/GP-1A GPS unit
Wi-Fi function: Via optional adapter
Power supply: EN-EL15 rechargeable lithium-ion battery; CIPA rated for approx. 1200 shots/charge
Dimensions (wxhxd): Approx. 146 x 123 x 81.5 mm
Weight: Approx. 880 grams (body only)
TESTS
Based on JPEG files
.
Based on losslessly-compressed 14-bit NEF.RAW files converted with Adobe Camera Raw.
SAMPLES
Auto white balance with incandescent lighting.
Auto white balance with fluorescent lighting.
Auto white balance with flash illumination.
30-second exposure at f/2.2, 50mm focal length, ISO Lo.1.
25-second exposure at f/3.2, 50mm focal length, ISO 100.
10-second exposure at f/8, 50mm focal length, ISO 1600.
6-second exposure at f/13, 50mm focal length, ISO 6400.
5-second exposure at f/16, 50mm focal length, ISO 12800.
2.5-second exposure at f/16, 50mm focal length, ISO Hi.1.
1.6-second exposure at f/16, 50mm focal length, ISO Hi.2.
Flash exposure at ISO Lo.1; 85mm focal length, 1/60 second at f/4.5.
Flash exposure at ISO 100; 85mm focal length, 1/60 second at f/4.5.
Flash exposure at ISO 1600; 85mm focal length, 1/60 second at f/5.6.
Flash exposure at ISO 6400; 85mm focal length, 1/60 second at f/8.
Flash exposure at ISO 12800; 85mm focal length, 1/60 second at f/10.
Flash exposure at ISO Hi.1; 85mm focal length, 1/60 second at f/11.
Flash exposure at ISO Hi.2; 85mm focal length, 1/60 second at f/14.
50mm focal length, ISO 100, 1/200 second at f/4.
50mm focal length, ISO 100, 1/800 second at f/2.5.
50mm focal length, ISO 800, 1/200 second at f/7.1.
Active D-Lighting in Auto mode; 24mm focal length, ISO 800, 1/250 second at f/9.
44mm focal length, ISO 200, 1/200 second at f/8.
The same scene photographed with the HDR function in Auto mode; 44mm focal length, ISO 200, 1/125 second at f/6.3.
85mm focal length, ISO 1600, 1/100 second at f/5.
38mm focal length, ISO 6400, 1/200 second at f/7.1.
38mm focal length, ISO Hi.2 (512,000 equivalent), 1/500 second at f/11.
50mm focal length, ISO 100, 1/100 second at f/10.
50mm focal length, ISO 100, 1/320 second at f/9.
50mm focal length, ISO 800, 1/3200 second at f/16.
50mm focal length, ISO 100, 1/15 second at f/10.
50mm focal length, ISO 100, 1/1250 second at f/5.
50mm focal length, ISO 400, 1/200 second at f/8.
50mm focal length, ISO 100, 1/250 second at f/8.
Still frame from movie clip shot with the Full HD 1080/50p setting.
Still frame from movie clip shot with the Full HD 1080/30p setting.
Still frame from movie clip shot with the Full HD 1080/25p setting.
Still frame from movie clip shot with the Full HD 1080/24p setting.
Still frame from movie clip shot with the HD 720/50p setting.
Rating
RRP: n/a ARP: AU$3699; US$3299.95 (from Nikon US website)
- Build: 9.0
- Ease of use: 8.5
- Autofocusing: 9.0
- Still image quality JPEG: 9.0
- Still image quality RAW: 9.5
- Video quality: 8.8
