This 10 Year Old DSLR Is Better than Modern Cameras (Nikon D810 Review in 2024)

[@CarlyWaarly]

"You kiddin right?", we still use our D3's (12MP) and 4's, (16MP) no cameras are obsolete, don't be fooled my marketing, if it worked for professional photographers back then, then it works now, nothing has changed. We love our D800's and D850, no reason to change to anything else, despite some trying to flog the mirrorless systems. It is not the kit, it is not the kit, it is about the user! Nikon felt good in the hand compared to others so we invested in that system.

[@MattJacobs]

I get your point if you’re just a photographer, but I’m also a professional videographer. Those cameras ARE obsolete for that.

[@seaeagles6025]

You are so right Carly, I recently upgraded my Nikon D3100 to the Nikon D7500. It's a great camera. When my Niece got married, the professional photographer said that he could do the wedding with a camera like my D7500. And he is a professional photographer, and I am a hobbyist. 😊

[@Frippin-MTBD80]

I just bought a D200 and D300s since they were so cheap and love them. I also have D80, D7100, Zfc, and Z6 I. Love the D80/D200 sensor!

[@seaeagles6025]

@@Frippin-MTBD80 You are so right. I've still got my Nikon d3100, and I recently bought the last of the Nikon D7500. I didn't want to go Mirrorless yet, as I have a few DSLR lenses. I'm impressed that Pentax is still making DSLRS.

[@paghilumdihauy]

@@MattJacobs seems like you were raised on the generation of mirrorless camera.. your explanation doesn't make sense TBH.. Feels like your irritated with how DSLR works versus your mirrorless.. Thanks for wasting our time!

[@stevenbamford5245]

There's also a strange perception with clients, I started using an X-T5 on a shoot and when I pulled out my D850 they were like, oh good he's brought the real camera 😂

[@dzulk9]

Lol I felt that. I was using Sony a5000, and I was ignored, I pulled a Digital Rebel, they gave me the look that you described lol 🤣

[@williamblackwell9558]

Your clients were correct....lol

[@dnikonman2345]

That's so true! when I take my D810 with the Nikon 16-35mm 2.8 out of the bag, everyone goes silent and then, that's a nice camera!

[@jtes1442]

I have D810, Z7, ZF, and Fuji XT5 cameras, but the D810 is still my favorite all-time camera and the first camera I ever made money with.

[@miguelvicente3996]

What's your opinion on the z7? I was considering getting one.

[@jtes1442]

The Z7 offers excellent value. The size of the Z7 coupled with 45 MP makes it a great travel camera and backup as well.

[@outfield1988]

@@jtes1442 Thats awesome. Love my 810.

[@lensboi1229]

the video footage is noticeably much better than the Fujifilm

[@MattJacobs]

The Nikon has great colors in the video which happened to be probably more flattering in the example haha. Plus the added compression of a 35mm vs a 23mm on Fuji even though they’re “equivalent focal lengths” But besides that the Nikon is 1080p only but looks equally as sharp as the Fuji video because it’s really over-sharpened. Plus unfortunately no good video features (articulating screen, log format, good video codecs, even no af)

[@williamblackwell9558]

@@MattJacobsIt has auto-focus it's just bad. 1080p is just fine for KZbin. I am the same way I always want the highest resolution but in reality, no one will ever complain much less notice the difference.

[@mrmotonut2465]

Yeah I was laughing too at that. He said the video is not what he would consider and then it looked better than what he was using originally 😂

[@dude157]

on the D810, you can set the multiselector button to zoom in out. I press once to zoom in to 100% and again once to reset. it will centre the zoom wherever you put your focus point. No need to endlessly press the zoom in and out buttons. I literally never use those. You can set the button to zoom to 200% if you really want to punch all the way in and out.

[@c_e_t_h1622]

Simple settings that this dude just skipped on.

[@winfcad]

I have used the D810 for months and the file is incredible up until today. Thank you for a review!

[@stopthink9000]

4:00 the colors on your video test are amazing! It makes your standard camera video look washed out and flat. The sound is quiter but still decent. Im sure an external mic would help.

[@Ryuji_danma]

8:56 as someone who primarly only shoots on sigma ART lenses for the past 5 years on the OG D800 i can tell you that there is a bit of a learning curve to using those lenses on a D800, without fail every new lens I've owned id have focusing issues for the first couple of shoots I do but eventually after adjusting some focusing settings they do eventually work as intended. this was especially true for the 24-35 f2 which i thought had front focusing issues but after a while i learnt how to use it and it worked perfectly fine if not a touch bit slow because i had to make sure its definitely focusing.

[@stevendriver1399]

@6:00 It has a Compact Flash (CF) card slot. It is not CFExpress anything (A or B). CF has been around a LONG time. IBM made a 340MB "microdrive" CF card that was huge in the late 90's. The D5 was the last CF-able Nikon camera. It came in (2) flavors (XQD and CF). XQD is basically CFExpress type B. I bought a D750 as a backup to my D500 primary camera, but should have gotten a D810, since the button and menu layout is the same as the D300/500 series.

[@MattJacobs]

Thanks for the correction!

[@MM.]

Incidentally, I recently bought a D100 because I wanted the 55-200 VR that came with it and it actually had an original 340 MB microdrive inside! It must've been older than the body itself, as CF cards had considerably increased in capacity by 2002. Unsurprisingly, it wasn't working properly anymore, but it did turn on and seemed to store pictures at least on some attempts, before reporting as empty again. A mechanical marvel for its time for sure, very quiet too!

[@Lennymcgra]

I’ve used a D810 last 5 years, beast of a camera used correctly, built to last and a workhorse of a camera. Don’t be fooled by the sales pitch of newer cameras and sensors it’s mostly the person using it that matters

[@kennethmills5470]

Well Stated

[@astcell]

I just bought a D810 two days ago. BRAND NEW for $649.50 out the door, from an authorized dealer as well. Great deals on mirror DSLR all over the place!

[@borislava-borisova]

where on earth do they sell new Nikons 810? :D Been looking for one for ages

[@astcell]

New old stock. I got lucky!

[@laynetravis]

Very lucky... enjoy..im sure u I love already

[@ZTR117]

Dude, d810 is crazy sharp paired with sigma art.

[@laynetravis]

@ZTR117 for stills is still top

[@TRC_PNW]

On the d810, you can map the middle button of the control dial to zoom to say 1:1 with the press of a button, and then press it again to zoom back out.

[@ropeyarn]

With such a high resolution it is possible to find the exact point of focus even in scenic photos by enlarging them. I had to send in my used D810 to get the focus aligned perfectly. Nikon also provides a fine focus tuning override for each lens you own. This is not a problem for mirrorless.

[@RobertMagnussen]

The flash is for trigger the Nikon system of flashe's, try it and you love it.

[@Frippin-MTBD80]

Bro I love the video out of my Z6 I and Zfc w/ flat profile. The Z6 III takes it up a notch.

[@lilmichael212]

Thank you for this! Upgrading from a D7100 I’ve had for the last 8 years, ready to go full frame!

[@luispnrf]

This Sony 36mpix sensor is one of the best sensors ever made. A great balance between resolution and low noise in higher ISO. In a Pentax K-1 you even get IBIS.

[@AmedeeBoulette]

Same sensor/color/image resolution?

[@luispnrf]

@@AmedeeBoulette Same sensor and naturally same resolution. Every brand has its own color profiles.

[@RichardServello]

If you want to reset zoom you can press the "OK" button in the middle of the jog wheel. You can snap the photo in zoom mode and it will shoot a normal image since it doesn't use the screen for image capture.

[@TomRaneyMaker]

I love my D810. Never checked the shutter count until now but I'm on 27,864! I've done a few KZbin videos with it - all manual focus but I just hook up an old computer monitor to it and I can see exactly what's happening. Color balance is tricky.

[@climmer7]

The D810 is the best camera I have ever owned. It will always be my go to for studio photography.

[@tafpictur6206]

What is your setup in studio flash

[@williamblackwell9558]

As far as image quality and dynamic range it is still in the top 3 just behind the D850 and a Sony. The new stacked sensors' dynamic range took a hit for more speed.

[@krisceuppens5273]

I've been using one since almost 10 years, got it when it was just new. Still use it a lot, to this day. Lenses I use a lot these days are 85 1.4, 35 F2 (super small and light, perfect to carry with me), 24-120 as an all purpose zoom. Still love the IQ it produces, love it a lot. Better in my opinion to my fuji xpro3...

[@emmdod]

I bought the D810 and paired it with a Voigtlander 58mm F1.4 and wow, it's a unique experience.

[@gavinhell4597]

Very nice set up 👍

[@brianpack5479]

With a flash like the SB-900, you can use its SU-4 optical slave mode, and have it as a remote triggered by the camera's pop-up flash.I'm doing this with my D600.

[@skittou]

Bought my D810 back in 2015 and never saw any reason to buy anything else (except a smaller X100F which I love too). I think you may have missed an important aspect of the older lenses that you can stick to the D810: it gives a really nice vintage look to your images, with some vignetting and sometimes imperfect focusing... which is much more charming than what you get with the almost perfect modern lenses. The D810 is definitely a keeper, I will never sell mine ! Thanks for your video. You should try the old and cheap 50mm 1.8 D lens on it!

[@hubert-williams3379]

Well done man, I think you were made for this .. nice talk flow.. everything to the point...

[@Marko-od7eb]

Just a small info : The screwdrive focus is very accurate. The problem is you did not calibrated the lens for your camera body. Also the D series lenses have much better quality compared to new G series lens. The G lenses are sharper, but the colors, micro contrasting and the build quality are inferrior.

[@4mooncheese]

As an owner of the D3, D750 and Df, I would love to try out D800 series Nikon. I just came back from using a Df which I find to be a lot of fun, and the colours and dynamic range in these cameras are quite excellent. I use mirrorless quite a bit and as much as I love them, I will always hold on to my DSLRs.

[@Stop-All-War]

Forget the D800 & expeed 3. D810 & expeed 4 are best.

[@MichaelLaing71]

The D800 was a great camera, but had a few issues. The D810 pretty much fixed all of those issues, and the 850 is the best DSLR ever made, in my humble opinion.

[@4mooncheese]

@@MichaelLaing71 I'd love a D850, and missed out on an eBay auction that was very cheap with a low shutter count. Maybe some day.

[@EdwardMartinsPhotography]

If image quality has improved in the past 10 years, it's hard to see. I shoot with a 2018 Pentax K1 Mark II (same sensor as the D810) and the images I get from it always seem to please me more than the images I get from my much more recent mirrorless cameras.

[@danieltilley]

I was surprised how enjoyable it was to walk around town with my big heavy D800 and a small prime (50mm f1.4D) around my neck. I always used my Sony a6000 in the past for tourism and street photography because I figured compact was king. But, there is something to be said about that optical viewfinder in the DSLR. You see something beautiful, you bring the camera to your eye, and it’s still beautiful. An EVS’s digital reproduction of the scene doesn’t steal your vision. Then, you can try to get close to that later on at the editing desk.

[@Pallab-b4s]

Hi. You can program the selector button to punch in zoom, fine tune focus and get back to 100% quick

[@neomadrasi]

As a long time user of D810, I can tell you that using that camera for video shooting is like using an Abrams tank for grocery shopping. That camera is for stills - especially action shots such as birds in flight, sports, fast moving vehicles and indeed, air shows! It must be paired with Nikkor prime lenses for the best results. With its focus tracking feature, particularly if you have activated the back focus button (do a web search for that fascinating feature which only high end Nikon DSLRs offer), tracking two raptors dog-fighting 200 meters away would be a cinch. What many users of mirrorless cameras consider a disadvantage (the weight of the body), wildlife photographers see as an asset. The extra weight gives the body the much needed stability. Also, no mirrorless can replicate with its digital display the speed of a physical viewfinder. This camera (and the 850) will be in demand long after their production has ended.

[@deBiezel]

Sometimes I wish a had an Abraham tank for grocery shopping. It’s much easyer to create a parkingspot.

[@jaypeesee3333]

nice! looking for a D800 family models here...

[@princearthur4946]

Excellent presentation! I own the D810 and it is my favorite camera among in my set of Sonys and Nikons!

[@itsnotmeme9765]

the thing with this studio cameras is, that if you buy the right one you can safe on money big time. I bought an eos 5 d mk3 and saved 300 bucks and got en bearly use backup camera with only a 30`000 shutter count that was bought as an back up for an 5d mk2 and it was supposed to replace it at one point but the old user just bought the mk 4 then and used it as backup.

[@Eyeofdajjal]

I use my D810 with battery grip, Sigma Sports 70-200 plus a Godox V1 for event photography. Heavy AF, but you get used to it. The weight also acts as an additional stabiliser. I would not really want a lighter weight camera. Just something better to do more than occasional video clips. Btw the Sigma dock plus Datacolor focus Checker take a while to get in tune, whereas the Nikon 85mm 1,8 is tack sharp from the getgo. I switched to Nikon from Canon BV and had to change quite a bit of studio great, flash triggers, lenses of course. But boy, did that make a difference

[@pwrshots]

having a D300, D5600,D7000,D7200,D810, newly purchased D850. ($900 off a brand new D850). No EVF for me. I shoot my videos with my trusty Canon Vixia. I'm good. Nice review BTW.

[@MichaelLaing71]

The Nikon D810 was an evolution of the D800, which in many ways was a game changing camera, but had a few issues, which were rather frustrating, and the D810 fixed most of those issues. In regard to autofocus, there really shouldn't be a big issue with the focus, and a lot comes down to how you set up the autofocus (It does take some playing around in the AF mode to get the best out of it, but when it does work it is great). The D810 does have AF fine-tune, which should help with focusing with the Nikkor 24mm. Nikon used to have their Creative lighting system. With the built-in flash, it's main use for professional photography was as a trigger for Nikon flashes like the SB-900. You can set the camera up, so the built-in flash would work in commander mode to triggering the slave flash but will not be noticeable in the final image. It isn't as practical as a radio trigger, and it needs line of sight, but I used it for years and it does work. In regard's to video. Nikon despite being the first company to release a DSLR with video (D90), was not known for their video capabilities, when compared to Canon. But there are a few things that most people didn't realise. With the release of the Nikon D800, you could shoot video externally to an Atomos external recorder, which was a rather practical (Canon did eventually add this to the Canon 5Dmk3, but it couldn't do it upon release). Of course, the AF in Nikon DSLR's was not great (but again, the 5Dmk3 didn't even have video AF). The ergonomics were great for the camera, as with the D800 before (I used that for 10 years). Yes, the camera is big compared to the X-T5, but the X-T5 is big compared to a X-S20. Everyone has cameras they like. I personally have always preferred larger bodies, because I have bigger hands. A friend of mine who is a former Fujifilm ambassador prefers smaller bodies, it is down to the individual. Saying that though, I do get back issues using my GFX100s, Panasonic s1R and Nikon D850, which I don't get with my X-H2. With the 36mp sensor. I always felt that 36mp was ideal, it allowed for a decent amount of cropping but was still manageable (The 100mp sensor of the GFX can make editing a pain). With f-mount lenses. Nikon had some absolutely wonderful lenses, and there were some amazing lenses made for the system from 3rd party manufacturers. Personally, I have owned several Sigma lenses (pre-art lenses) and I was never a fan. They are geared to sharpness, and some are better than others. 3rd party lenses I would recommend Tamron has some great lenes, with the 35 and 45mm f/1.8, and they did a 35mm f/1.4 which is an excellent lens. They also have some amazing zooms. Zeiss, had some amazing lenses, which were really expensive at the time but have massively come down in price. The ZF-2 lenses with f-mount are more expensive than the ZE lenses designed for Canon EF mount, as they have an aperture ring, which makes them more practical for using with mirrorless cameras. I built a complete Zeiss lens system going from 21mm to 35mm, with a second hand Panasonic S1R for less than £6000. Which is expensive but compared to £10,000+ brand new, without the Panasonic S1R. As for Nikkor lenses. Lens quality is generally very good with their f/1.4 primes, though the 50mm f/1.4G is not the best, and I found the 85mm f/1.4G to be boring, the 105mm f/1.4 is amazing but the Nikkor 105mm f/2.5 AI-S is one of the legendary Nikon lenses. The Nikkor 58mm f/1.4 is soft wide upon, but stopped down to F/2 starts to become a great lens (But I love my Voitlander 58mm f1.4 Nokton). The 20mm, 24, 35mm are all very good. When it comes to Zooms, Nikon has always made excellent zooms. The 14-24mm is legendary, though is rather old. I have the 16-35mm f/4, is excellent, Nikon 24-70mm was never my favourite, but many loved it. Nikkor 70-200mm is again legendary with the E being the best. I would also say the Nikkor 200-500mm f/5.6 is a excellent lens, which you can pick up relatively cheap.

[@BladSpot]

I had my heart set on a YSL Hobo but this has changed my opinion and I am now sure this is my next Cassandra purchase kislux

[@hotflashfoto]

The D500 can record 4K video. It's a very capable APS-C camera! To zoom back out in Live View, click the center of the 4-way button (right side of monitor). It has a little button in the center that restores the zoom.

[@MattJacobs]

thanks! Unfortunately Nikon’s video af in their DSLRs is just not very good in comparison to other brands, modern or from the same period.

[@dude157]

my d810 has a shutter count of 640k and ive seen much higher. So i wouldn't worry.

[@billj5645]

I have a D810 and I really like it, it's like an industrial strength version of a standard DSLR. It can be a little heavy but it gives excellent results by any standard. One of the false promises of mirrorless was focus accuracy. On still subjects my D810 focuses more accurately and more reliably than my mirrorless camera.

[@HELL-BENT74]

Why would you use autofocus for shooting still subjects? 🤣

[@billj5645]

@@HELL-BENT74 Most of this photography involves a still subject but I'm standing there prefocusing before the subject begins its action so there is very little time to focus. I might have a chance of getting the focus right with an old SLR with split image finder but modern cameras where you are essentially going back and forth like my cellphone used to do there isn't time for that.

[@tekavia]

So reassuring to read the comments here. I bought my D810 from new and have agonised many times about changing to full frame mirrorless but just couldn’t bring myself to part with this gorgeous camera. I love seeing the real world through the viewfinder and I love also the sound of that shutter! Instead, I bought a Fuji system for mirrorless as the major weight saving is in smaller lenses. Full frame zoom lenses are so heavy, so if I need weight saving then I go for the Fuji system, but when I want serious photography it’s the D810 every time!

[@MrRoosterx]

Never heard of focusing problems with the Art lenses on a D810. The focusing might work worse in live though compared to through viewfinder (on all lenses).

[@williambuford6136]

Check the Lens and Camera firmware updates for focusing issues.

[@NeighborBones]

Part of that is incorrect., While using the viewfinder zoomed- in, You can snap a photo . I do this all the time while using my 105 nikkor manual lens and i get amazingly sharp photos because it does this.

[@filipbueno]

Excellent camera. It took me some time to crack the PP routines for colours - it is gimmick but it is beauty. One thing to mention: be very careful. Nikon used polycarbonates in order to “refine” the lineup of the cameras like d750, d780, d500 probably other as well. This means that lens mount is sitting around the plastic mirror box and when camera falls and hits the ground with the lens, the mirror box is most likely obliterated. My d810 had it twice..

[@edwardphilipmarianafzger9800]

hi i have the D800 from the beginning almost 2013 June using it every day ! so still DSLR shooter not yet Z Mirrorless .Just subscribed to help you !

[@Raptorman0909]

I picked up a D800E and 6 months later I picked up a second one. And to clarify, the D810 was NOT the fist 36MP camera Nikon made as the D800 and D800E both had 36MP sensors. The real limitation was not the still images but the video capability which was limited to HD -- this is the area where modern cameras, mostly mirrorless, stand above the DSLR's. I switched to Sony a few years ago and currently have the A7-IV which has about the same resolution for stills but is 4K60 capable while newer mirrorless cameras from Sony, Nikon and Canon have upped the stills resolution to 40-60MP and offer video at 4K120. Most modern still photographers also shoot video so they can upload to YT et al.

[@arghamukherjee8306]

I used Nikon D700 my first full frame. Had a dream about D810 but couldn't . Now I use D850 and I am not a videographer. I respect my D850. No mirrorless can beat that

[@dw6410]

so I was a bit confused on your lens selection what lenses would like to have or like to use can you list them please just picked up some used nikons a d700 / a d90/ and now a d810 would like to know what lenses you like to use .... thank you

[@Matt_McFaul]

Hmmm, I have tried the zoom focus shoot on my 810, but on my 7500 I don't have to back out to take the shot...maybe a firmware update?

[@fabipuello]

I love how the video on the D810 looks. I guess we can succeed if we all emphasize our craft rather than our gear.

[@peterslagmolen]

you can see trough the viewfinder with manuel lenses en look for the dot-and-arrows to focus!

[@markburton3306]

I recently got a Z8 and I’m keeping the D810. The D810 has far better battery life and I really like the ability to grab it and look the view finder without having to wake it up. However, Z8 is fantastic for sports.

[@barmalini]

There wasn't much progress in sensors during the last decade, while in autofocus, in shutter speed, in video capture the progress is mindblowing. If great colour and dynamic range is all you're interested in, go for D810 and be happy. But if you also value precise and fast autofocus, smaller body and weight, the mirrorless is the way to go. Besides, new mirrorless lenses are so much better that for me there's simply no returning. Even the modest 24-70 F/4 blows away anything from AF-S series, leave alone more sophisticated glass

[@williambuford6136]

Love the how clean the Z lens are in the area of CA and LA. Also you and uses Z lens wide open without the penalty of have to stop down to get sharp like you do on Fmount.

[@buckleyrobinson7415]

nikon picture profiles will allow changing the nikon colors out of camera. I use it all the time with my D700 and D90. Not quite as versatile as fuji's implementation, but it works well.

[@infinytower3317]

I still have and use D810 with the 200mm AF-D f/4 macro lens as a body cap. Sometimes I put up an old AIS micro MF 105mm f/2.8. I also have Fuji X-H2 mainly with 80mm f2.8 Macro lens. These two cameras are both fantastic and of superb IQ. Thanks for sharing.

[@TwizyMan]

The old 105mm AiS lens is superb, I use mine on DSLR bodies too!

[@justAnotherMike82]

I've recently got a d750, after having a d7000 for a while and a d7200 more recently. One note, Nikon doesn't make a dedicated 50mm for apsc sensors only a full frame. with every so many switching to mirrorless lenses are super cheap if you're willing to buy used.

[@nelsono4315]

right on ! Along with my Canon 7D and 6D I also have the Sony A7iii and a Nikon D810. I purchased it from a friend. I love the D810. I have been a longtime Canon guy but have no problem using other brands. For me a camera is just a tool. But yeah, the D810 is a very good camera ! Thanks for the video.

[@LMoProVisualComm]

I still own mine as well as a D3s with only 11k on the shutter.. total BADASS!!

[@andredavy1806]

A camera you never sell.

[@EdAb]

Fwiw, my old D series Nikons (D700, D810, D850, two of each) all exceeded 350,000 actuations (over 500,000 on the D700s), so there should still be a lot of life left in that D810. Cheers

[@thebackyardbrewer5611]

The flash is there to trigger Nikons optical flash system, there flashes are remotely triggered by another flash, hence why it has a small flash unit

[@stefan_becker]

But unless you use live view you also don't really see, if the image is in focus. Yes, you should see it by looking at the focus indicator or by using autofocus, but there are several issues that can cause your images to be soft anyway (especially if you use fast lenses like for example an 85mm f1.4): 1) Focus shift. DSLRs have this issue when using certain lenses (like for example the Nikon 58mm f1.4 AF-S G). When the camera changes the aperture before exposing the image, the focus point can shift to the back or to the front. 2) Backfocus/front focus (can happen because of mechanical issues of the lens like screwdriver af or because the lens is not calibrated correctly, calibration may be impossible for all aperture values for focus shift). It can also happen when using manual focus. If the mirror is not in its correct position, you'll see a sharp image in the view finder, but the resulting image will be soft. The only reliable fix for these issues is to use live view which turns a dslr more or less into a mirrorless camera.

[@Sigfofosauer]

Hi Matt! I really enjoyed your review. I just to have a D800, I sold it ( shortly after I regretted ). I'm thinking about buying back another one, but I'm debating between a D800 or D810.

[@sagnikroy2478]

I have 2 of them and the files at iso 64 are wonderful. I also have the fuji X100v but Nikon NEFs are way better than the fuji.

[@Realist-m9c]

I still use a D800e alongside a D850 for freelance work. Clients wouldn’t know the difference which camera an image is captured with. I don’t see a reason to upgrade either camera.

[@laynetravis]

I have d810...the times need to make video too.... what do u suggest?i want please from experience... professionals.... gimbal?for focus Manually?or really need to upgrade to mirroless or even camcorder?but my budget isnt very high.. please help

[@k3i0]

Contax rangefinder lenses also go the same way on the camera like nikon. or to be more precise nikon lenses go the same way like contax rangefinder lenses .... as nikon produced cameras with contax mount before they introduced the F Mount and they kept the direction from that lens mount

[@thevictorwednesday]

I'm looking to jump in the photography game and checking out videos on different cameras to get an idea of what my next camera should be, presuming I can gain some traction. You talked about video, and not using a DSLR. I like the DF given the lightweight feel (and retro) and was wondering how much of a shot it'd be to versatility if the camera lacks that feature. Curious to hear what you shoot video with, if you're not using a mirrorless or DSLR?

[@MrFilipcee]

I sold my mirrorless set and got a D780 and no regrets. Like You said, the dynamic range is crazy good.

[@haroldcarlson2775]

Went from a Z7 to a D810 and don't regret it. The D810 feels just right for landscapes. For wildlife it's just ok but if you don't shoot wildlife that much it's perfectly serviceable.

[@MattJacobs]

What lenses do you use? I think that was my main mistake with the D810 Also do you find the D810 to have more dynamic range?

[@haroldcarlson2775]

@@MattJacobs Nikon 24-120mm f4g ed vr is what I use the most and it is a great lens. And then I use the af-p 70-300mm fx lens for my short telephoto. I don't use much wide angle but for now I use the Nikon 18-35mm f3.5-4.5. Dynamic range seems the same as the Z7 and in fact, I looked at DXO and the D810 has just a hair more DR than the Z7.

[@barmalini]

@@MattJacobs I can't compare D810 to Z7 as I don't own the latter, but the rule of thumb is the lower pixel pitch- the better the sensor. D810 is great in low-iso dynamic range. If you care also about high-iso performance, not just the ISO 100 dynamic range, camera like D750, D5 or Z6 would prove more versatile. Or even better, the yet to be surpassed D850. It has a very special sensor and is the best camera in it's own class.

[@joeprete7424]

The Flash functions as a Commander for the Nikon CLS. …trying to picture this guy 10 years ago, when this camera was very popular!

[@mamumonkan]

Hi Matt , Just wondering if you came across a setting where the flash pops up automatically when reaching a minimum shutter speed ???

[@n1k1george]

Got my D810 when it first came out in 2013. It still spits out absolutely gorgeous images and I have no desire to switch to anything newer. It just works for me!

[@edwardphilipmarianafzger9800]

Oh i use the Sigma 20mm and 105mm F1.4 art series and also used the 120-300mm f2.8 OS lens for ten yrs for sports and aviation and Speedlight SB910 for years !

[@on_wheels_80]

I had the D810 for 6 years and it was always great as a body. Its downfall has always been the F-mount lenses and the inherent AF inaccuracies of a system that so heavily depends on mechanical alignments and calibrations. Went to a Z6 and somewhat missed the D810's files, especially the ability to go to ISO 64 - but the Z lenses and the AF had instantly proven to be in just in another league. Now with the Z8 I don't miss anything at all anymore. Absolutely everything is a whole lot better than it was back then.

[@reganalbertson3210]

Find yourself an independent camera tech, really a mechanic (probably an old guy)n, and you can get a shutter changed relatively cheap, depending on the market. If the body and sensor are in great shape, it'll probably be worth it if there's a failure. The body AF is slower, but is usually as accurate as your focus point selection is. I'm going on 10 years with my D810. Oh, and that Nikon designed sensor is great, made at a Sony plant using Nikon built manufacturing equipment.

[@kennygo8300]

I still use my D800 and D700 more than I use my Z series camera. It's those incredible old lenses, like the Nikkor AF 180mm 2.8 ---- it's the most incredible portrait lens I've ever used. Not to mention all the old "D" lenses I own from the film days. I find it easier to create my art from the old DSLRs. Not that the Z series isn't "all that", but I find the process better with the older cameras. I shoot Panasonic for video, so... that's not an issue for me.

[@aarondavidlopezdegante7884]

you dont actually dislike nikon mirrorless, you should check out the zf, the z30 is their entry and its quite good for basic video , the zf its the best camera in my opinion.

[@MattJacobs]

I’d love to have the Zf it’s just out of the budget at the moment 😅

[@helgividar]

You need to calibrate the lenses to the body with the AF fine tune feature.

[@miguelvicente3996]

I own a Nikon D810 and I mostly use it for landscape photography. Since I'm new to photography, I don't know much about cameras (I only had a Nikon D300 before the D810), but it seems to me that my phone, both in raw mode, does a better job of capturing more accurate colors and smaller details in photo, such as a delicate and subtle haze. I am using high quality, professional grade lenses on the Nikon D810, which then makes me wonder: is it the fact that it is an older processor? Do newer processors do a better job of capturing color? (Again, I am talking only Raw mode here) Whatever, the case, I would greatly appreciate any feedback. Thanks

[@matthieuzglurg6015]

don't confuse CF Express type A with the good ol' regular CF cards lol CF Express Type A are modern cards only used in Sony cameras. Way different to the old Compact Flash format that has been in use since the dawn of time when it comes to DSLRs... my 1999 Nikon D1 has a CF port ! Also, about the zooming in on Nikon cameras : you can set a button up to punch in and punch out, I set the top record button in photo mode to do that, works great. Never had to touche the zoom in and out buttons again

[@Ruben-kc8hy]

Still using my Nikon D700 with any issue and I don’t need the last model in the market, my point is if people use film cameras in 2024 I believe my d700 is fine.

[@framerate3x3]

This camera and Nikon cameras in general are the best kept secret. The second hand value of the d810 is unreal.

[@keef69]

Mine died after ... 333 000 photos. Bought in 2017. But it also received a big shock, frontal, two years ago. my 14/24 mm lens took it yet it's still alive and it could focus properly suddenly after a year and a half. the cage of the D810 got a crack, it certainly didn't help. Maybe without it it could have done a few more hundred thousands photos. It's a beast, i love it, and i took another D810 a few days ago, 700 euros for a 35 000 shutter count. i'll attempt to repair my old one with replacement parts. it's worth it, a treasure to keep. i could try a D850 that i rented for the day when my D810 died, and it's an incredible beast, i wish i had one too.

[@TheDonnaCrosby]

The D850 is still my main camera. Had the D800 converted to full spectrum. Still happy.

[@rodrigo4379]

I daily use my D810 for realstate photography, daily I take around 800 images sometimes more (cuz of bracketing too). The camera has 650k shutter acts and never gave me any issue! I bought thus camera used 5 years ago too. Images are super super clean with loads of detail. I wont upgrade until this one dies and I might get another D810 used :D

[@curtiswiensresume]

Love my d810, video is even not that bad.

[@abisography]

Have you tried z8?

[@MattJacobs]

I have a Z7. Z8 is not in the budget currently, my main system is Fuji X mount

[@HR-wd6cw]

Of the now 10 year old DSLRs, I'd say the D750 is still the top. It was affordable, and offered very good low-light noise performance even against its bigger siblings the D800-series. The D800 series might have had more megapixels, and maybe the D850 now can dethrone the D750 in terms of overall performance of IQ, but I'd say in the D800/D810 era (so 2014) the D750 was the king.

[@Stop-All-War]

I have both, mint condition D810 & D750, ● both for sale.. D750 only 7k shutter used. I'm wanting D850, or Z7 maybe D800 was Expeed 3 processor D810 Expeed 4.. 4' onwards are best Nikons. D750 Expeed 4. D850 Expeed 5 only. Z7 Expeed 6

[@joespag26]

Still Have My Pentax K-1 ,Great Camera Great Images !

[@meatbyproducts]

I was shooting a d800 just today. It is still a great camera. I mean a D850 is a beast to this day.

[@nikonman48]

I still have, and use, my Nikon D810. As a matter of fact, I’m doing some Astrophotography with it right now 😊

[@tomsun3159]

The shutter should last at least 300K (at Least the Higher Pentax Lines do and i assume i similar level of quality and endurance) Resolution, if you do not plan to do Double A0 Printouts reguarly, or your workflow usually is to extract chips of the picture and to drag them to A0 size 36 MP is really more than enough. If this is your workflow you probably have to switch to an 100MP Medium Format System Fuji or Hasselblad. Theses models D800, D810, D850, K1, K1-II are not very well suited for highspeed sports, or things where you need features like eyefocus or high speed burst rates. But an optical View finder is always a better experience than a EVF

[@ggstylz]

Awesome camera. I use the Sigma 35mm 1.4 lens on it as well and focusing is no issue. Other than trying to nail subjects at f1.4.

[@MattJacobs]

Learned after making this video my camera had a faulty focusing mirror. Explains why it would nail focus in live view but almost always miss when composing with the viewfinder

[@williambuford6136]

@@MattJacobs I hope you can get it fixed!

[@anupew3276]

interesting, I have D7200 (my Sony DSLR died and I couldnt find another one. And I refuse to live without proper DSLR :) ) and I was thinking about Sigma 50-150 for it, but I might reconcider it if that problem with Sigma focusing is true. maybe even going for 810 (it costs almost as much as 7200 anyway, even with reasonable shutter count under 50k and those most interesting Nikon lenses are for FF anyway). Might that be an issue with 3rd party lenses on Nikon in general? I have Tamron 17-50 and sometimes its soft, as if not fully focused. I have never had any problem with any Sigma lenses on Sony, most of my lenses for Sony-A mount are Sigma, they work great and are actually my prefered choice.

[@zetacrucis681]

Confirmed my weight and bulk concerns about the D810, a hefty 1 kg camera. I'll stick with my D600, and two of its smaller DX siblings (D3300 and D90).

[@northofbrandon]

d800 etc. series shutter clap is legendary. Noisy as hell, but legendary.

[@MattJacobs]

Hahah for sure. Had to be sure to record it to add in the video when the photos popped up

[@LIAMBEDE]

D810 shutter is so quiet though?

[@northofbrandon]

​@@LIAMBEDE It's not quiet lol

[@LIAMBEDE]

@@northofbrandon have you shot the D810? I would consider it very quiet/discreet compared to the earlier two 800 series or most other digital cameras for that matter.

[@northofbrandon]

@@LIAMBEDE nah but there's vids here on YT demonstrating both side by side and they both seem kinda loud.

[@jakilahmoulien9070]

As from the z6ii you can do some nice videos

[@thomastuorto9929]

Yup, the af on this camera leaves a little to be desired as far as accuracy is concerned, even for when it was released. But depending on the type of photos one takes, it might not be a big deal. You can fine tune Nikon lenses in camera. Don’t know about the older Nikon or third party lenses. I own it for a little over 8 years now. Probably use it till it won’t function anymore. Probably get a new D850 or Z8 not take the loss on my F-mount lenses but would like to try the Sony & Canon line-up being their AF seems to be a little more accurate & easier to use, judging by reviewers. Happy shooting. PS; I have the pv button set for image preview which steps down the Aperture to what ever it set for plus, live view gives a decent idea of the exposure & can have a histogram display & highlight warnings.

[@peterreich8565]

I think when you want so zoom out at the live view, you can hit the "OK" button

[@peterreich8565]

The middel one in the cneter of the "jostick"

[@MattJacobs]

I keep trying that, another comment suggested the same thing but it doesn’t do anything on my camera

[@peterreich8565]

Hm ok... That it's stupid 🙄😂

[@Φιδάκι]

yep you can assign it to punch straight in to 100% or even 200% and then straight out

[@narsplace]

Holding the OK button can breen it back to fullsceen.