At the heart of the D800 is a brand new Nikon-developed sensor that boasts 36.8 million pixels in total, with a maximum effective output of 36.3MP. Its ISO span is 100-6400 natively, expandable to a range of 50 ('Lo1') to 25,600 ('Hi2') equivalent. Nikon's highest resolution DSLR to date, the D800 more than doubles the pixel count of the flagship D4. The D800 is potentially very attractive to studio and landscape professionals, but should pique the interest of a great many enthusiast Nikon users too - many of whom may have been 'stuck' at 12MP for years, with a D300, D300s or D700.
The D800's 36.3MP CMOS sensor has by far the greatest pixel count of any non medium-format DSLR currently on the market. The ISO span is slightly wider than that of its predecessor the D700, at 100-6400, expandable down to ISO 50 and up to ISO 25,600 (equivalent).
Of course, the D800 faces a competitive field that has made significant gains as well. Arch-rival Canon has recently updated its best-selling full-frame model to the 22.3MP EOS 5D Mark III. That the D800 has to prove itself a compelling upgrade for current Nikon shooters is a given. Yet a glance at the specifications indicates that Nikon has clearly been paying attention to the success of the Canon EOS 5D Mark II, and its video performance in particular. The hope among the Nikon faithful is that the D800 matches or exceeds the impressive high ISO performance of recent Nikon DSLRs while providing the resolution benefits of a much higher pixel count.
To Nikon's credit, the D800 does not, at first glance appear to be a camera intended to protect sales of its big brother, the D4. Truth be told, apart from their sensors, the D800 and D4 share many identical specifications. Although the D800 offers a much slower maximum frame rate at full resolution (4fps, compared to 11fps in the D4) and lacks some of the pro-oriented 'frills' like built-in Ethernet connectivity, it shares the same revamped 51-point AF system which is effective down to -2EV, the same processing engine and almost exactly the same highly advanced video mode.
Broad appeal
Whereas the D4 is intended as a specialist tool for professionals that need to capture images quickly in all types of weather and light conditions, the D800 has been designed to appeal to a much broader user base. For most of us, D4-only features such as ultra-high ISO shooting, very fast frame rates, QXD card compatibility, 2000+ image battery life and built-in Ethernet, are simply not that high on the list of must-haves. The same goes for many pros who earn their livings with their camera.
Wedding, event and studio photographers, for example are likely to be far more concerned with resolution at low ISO sensitivities than shooting at 11 fps at ISO 204,000. To them, a camera with the D800's feature set, priced at less than half the cost of a D4 is an exciting prospect indeed.
And let's not forget videographers. The D4 is Nikon's most advanced video-enabled DSLR. And the D800 offers almost exactly the same video specification in a smaller, lighter, and significantly less expensive body, making it potentially much more attractive as either a primary or 'B' video camera on a low-budget shoot.
Compared to D700: Specification highlights
- 36.3MP CMOS sensor (compared to 12.1MP)
- 15.3MP DX-format capture mode (compared to 5MP)
- 25MP 1.2x Crop mode
- 51-point AF system with 15 cross-type sensors, rated to -2EV* (compared to -1EV)
- ISO 100-6400 extendable to ISO 25,600 equiv (same as D700)
- 1080p video at 30, 25 or 24 frames per second, up to 24Mbps, with uncompressed HDMI output and audio monitoring options*
- 3.2", 921,000 dot LCD with anti-fog layer* (compared to 3in, 921k-dot)
- Maximum 4fps continuous shooting in FX mode** (compared to 8fps in FX mode)
- Advanced Scene Recognition System with 91,000 pixel metering sensor* (compared to 1005-pixel)
- 'Expeed 3' Image Processing*
- Dual-axis Virtual Horizon (on LCD screen/viewfinder)* (compared to single-axis)
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