With the latest announcements of the Nikon D800 and the Canon 5DmIII, the photo world has been buzzing with reviews and comparisons trying to figure out which camera is better, and why. The problem with the plethora of reviews out there right now, is that the vast majority of them seem to cater towards the video aspects of both these camera’s, and as a portrait photographer, I could really care less about the video quality of either of them.
So, with that in mind, The Camera Store invited me to come out and test these two camera’s by using them during an actual creative shoot. Both camera’s were shot from the same angles, using the same focal lengths, and the same shutter / aperture, in an attempt to find out which camera would come out on top. The video below is our documentation of the entire process:
And here are a few of the finalized images:
My Thoughts:
- FILES: As I stated in the video above, I think the D800 has a ‘slight’ advantage over the 5DmIII, simply because it is producing larger files at what appears to be no loss in performance in terms of dynamic range, noise control, or detail. That being said, the 22mp resolution of the 5DmIII is very likely more than enough resolution for the vast majority of 35mm photographers out there, and in terms of the actual quality of file produced, these cameras are literally neck and neck.
- FOCUS: The speed of focus does definitely go to the Canon in the situations I used it in, but in terms of low light combined with fast moving subjects, I have no idea. If I was asked to guess, I’d say that Canon would be the winner of that too, and that they finally have a sure fire player in this category. I’m actually happy to see this as an ex-canon shooter, because focus has been the rabid monkey on their back for years. As a Nikon shooter, not so much. The only area that Nikon wins in this category is the auto-focus assist light, which we used to take the photos of Gina on the tree because it was pitch black out. Without the use of a flashlight, I could have never taken that shot with the Canon.
*Quick note about the focus of the D800: After reading a lot of reviews on my review, I get that people seem to think that I thought there was a focusing issue with the D800. I just want to add that the D800 does have a good focusing system, but it seemed the tiny bit slower than my D700, and if you pick up a 5d mkIII and try them side by side, the Canon is faster, which is what I commented on. That being said, it’s not slow enough to be an issue, at least not for my style of photography, but it did feel slower than what I’m used to.
- FEEL: Overall feel goes to the D800. I just simply prefer the layout of the buttons, and the actual grip off the D800 is amazing. I typically hate holding any camera that doesn’t have either a built in grip, or the optional battery grip, but they’ve changed the feel of this camera from the D700, making the grip deeper and easier to hold on to. In my hands, it just felt way better than the Canon, which felt kind of chunky to me. Also, with the Canon I had to push a focus select button prior to being able to move my focus point around in my viewfinder, and this annoyed the hell out of me. There may be a custom function to bypass this, but I didn’t have enough time with the camera to mess around and find out.
- ISO: So many photographers are pixel peeping the shit out of the high ISO files from both of these camera’s, and I am just going to say it right now, “THEY ARE BOTH AWESOME, SO STOP”. My initial thoughts when Nikon announced the D800 was that they were going to totally screw their high ISO performance, but they didn’t, it’s still awesome, and actually seems to hold more detail than the Canon at 1600 and up. Canon has improved their high ISO from the mII, and putting them side by side, aside from slightly better detail on the D800, there is hardly any difference in terms of actual noise produced. Go over 6400 and it looks like a steaming hot mess on both cameras. On the opposite end of the scale, I am super happy to see Nikon put out the D800 with a native resolution of ISO 100. As a location guy who often overpowers the ambient with studio lighting, having that extra stop is a blessing.
Conclusion:
There is no real winner in terms of portrait photography. Yes, the D800 does produce larger files, but if I were a Canon shooter that wouldn’t be enough to make me want to switch. On that same note, yes the Canon does focus slightly faster, but again as a Nikon shooter I’m not looking to sell any of my Nikon gear. Owning either camera should make any photographer extremely happy with their purchase.
In terms of upgrading, if you’re a Canon shooter, there really is no question about whether or not you should upgrade. The focusing system alone makes it a no-brainer, and the improved high ISO for wedding photographers is always a welcome addition. As for those of us shooting Nikon, I do plan on adding the D800 to my arsenal for portrait and commercial work, but I don’t think it will be replacing either of my D700 bodies at this point. This is mainly due to the fact that you can’t downsize the RAW file in the Nikon without adding a crop factor, and for events or weddings, shooting 36mp RAW files just doesn’t make sense. If Nikon eventually releases a firmware update that would allow me to group the pixels to something like a 16mp file, I’d replace both my D700 bodies in a heartbeat.
If you’ve made it this far, thanks for reading. If you have any questions, sound off in zee comments and I will answer them to the best of my abilities. Cheers.
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Maji - “This is mainly due to the fact that you can’t downsize the RAW file in the Nikon without adding a crop factor, and for events or weddings, shooting 36mp RAW files just doesn’t make sense.”
I do not agree with your statement above. You are assuming that most wedding photographers are the spray and pray type. I don’t think so. However, why do you want an equivalent of mraw or sraw, when those are not real RAWs? Nikon in my opinion, offers you 14/12 bit, lossless/lossy uncompressed/compressed alternatives. Byte for byte, you get a better bang for the back if you use a 12 bit lossy format to save instead of throwing out all the details. How do you know that the bride won’t decide to enlarge the photo where she plants a peck on her dad’s cheek, and the image was captured at just 9 MP? Why lose those details?
Both the cameras are great tools and in the right hands will help make killer images. Well, that said, the Medium Format Film shooters, even as late as 2004, doing wedding shoots, shot about 150 to 200 images for the event, and still managed to capture great memories and masterpiece moments.
Nathan Elson Photography - Hey Maji. Take a look at my site, I shoot weddings as well, and I hardly spray and pray, nor did I even come close to making mention of that.
Also, I said I wanted to group it to 16mp, never was there a mention of 9mp. Call it a personal preference for file size with that kind of work. Don’t make it into something it’s not. Cheers.
Stephane Hachey - Thank you for the great review Nathan. I like how you kept it short, simple and relevant. Tired of sorting through 10 page reviews about pixels and video modes. Very nice portraits BTW.
Sean Phillips - Thanks for the great balanced review. I love to hear that both cameras are great (especially without any of the C vs. N crap spewing out everywhere else). I also love to hear that Canon has finally made a significant improvement in the AF department. I’m looking forward to seeing that trickle out to the rest of the camera lineup.
Matt | Iso 1200 Magazine - Amazing video, real instructive.
Kevin Lloyd - Nice review, thanks.
I’m just wondering, what are the actual file sizes at max quality (and maybe 12 bit), for the comparative studio shots you took?
C.W. McGowen - Maji is correct in his choice of 9MP for pixel binning on the D800. To do real raw pixel binning while maintaining aspect ratio, the camera would need to average the values of 2 pixels horizontally and 2 pixels vertically. This means that every 2×2 set of 4 pixels would become one pixel in the final image and that would create a 9MP image. The output of this file could be considered a raw image as the 2×2 square would be interpreted as a single pixel. It would be nice to see a true 9MP pixel binned raw file option on the D800.
If you tried to get to a 16MP image as suggested, this would require grouping roughly every 2.25 pixels together or to maintain the aspect ratio a 1.5×1.5 pixel set. For the camera to do this it would need to interpolate between pixels and would need to consider such things as the color and brightness of adjoining pixels, essentially much the same processing as goes into creating a jpeg image. Although this is very useful for many photographers and a good camera feature, it cannot be considered a raw image. The good news is this is a camera feature of the D800 as it can produce the following full frame image sizes (L-36.3MP) 7,360 x 4,912, (M-20.3MP) 5,520 x 3,680, (S-9MP) 3,680 x 2,456.
Though all of this can be handled in post processing starting with a 36MP image it would be nice to have an option for a 9MP raw file within the camera.
I very much enjoyed the article and appreciate your thoughts.
Nathan Elson Photography - Ahhh, good info C.W. and thanks for doing the math!
Cheers
Maji - Nate,
Thank you for your response. You have a good portfolio and you did a balanced review. I wish you all the best. Another poster, McGowen, did clarify why I mentioned 9 MP.
Given your preference for 16 mp, you seem to be moving towards D4. You seem to have a successful business, so price shouldn’t be a problem (well, easy for me to say, but I am sure every business needs to watch where and how they spend their dollars). Even the Canon 5Dii and iii have more pixels there.
Personally, I just get ticked when people start talking about the plethora of pixels as if it is drawback. With the low cost of storage and processing power available, it does not sit well with me. Every one has their nits to pick, so do not worry.
Darek - Nate, in my humble opinion this is by far the best comparison of these two cameras available so far, one can tell that you put an extra amount of work into it. Amazing, and so very kind of you, thanks a lot. Great beauty shots by the way!
I am interested in your opinion on dynamic range of Nikon D800, do you feel that there is a noticeable difference, not only in shadows but in highlights as well? I have looked at what’s available on the web, and to my moderately trained eye there seems to be a small, but noticeable difference in favor of Nikon D800. Could you kindly share your thoughts on that?
All the best,
Darek
Nathan Elson Photography - Maji: No worries my friend, I totally understand where you are coming from.
Darek: Thank you, but in all honesty to get a true feel for the improvements in dynamic range I will have to shoot both cameras in a much higher contrast situation. I do plan on doing this, and I will report back here on my blog when I have some better results for ya, promise.
Paul - Thank you for this review. Probably the best one I’ve seen in terms of showing these cameras at work, which is, after all, what really matters. They both look great. Glad that the D800 holds up so well with its high megapixel count. A fantastic achievement. Also glad to hear that the 5D series finally has pro autofocus.
Darek - Nate, it would be really very kind of you if you could let us know your thoughts on the dynamic range once you had an opportunity to test both cameras more thoroughly. No pressure though
, you have done a lot of valuable work already! Once again, thank you so much!
Andre - Grat review Nate,
Can you tell me what exposure you were using for the last image with teh city lights in the bg? How long was the shutter speed?
Nathan Elson Photography - Andre: Settings were f/8 with a 2 second exposure at ISO 800 with the AF-S 24-70 f/2.8G lens.
Jared - Great review…. clear, unbiased and exactly what I wanted to hear. Glad Canon has addressed everything I hate about the 5D2. The only thing I have left to do is explain to my wife where that missing 8K is!
Cheers
JVO
Canon 5D MK III vs Nikon D800 with Nathan Elson ( via TheCameraStoreTV ) « 12.3 MégaPixels - [...] To More inspiration read Nathan Elson´s blog: here [...]
Andre - Thanks again Nate
Stephen Shankland - For those such as myself who are stuck in the past, saddled with a doggy old 5D Mark II, you can change the autofocus point relatively fast with C.Fn III -3. I have it set to 1 and like it.
The official explanation:
http://cpn.canon-europe.com/content/education/technical/eos_5d_custom_functions_explained.do
C.Fn III -3 – AF point selection method
This Custom Function allows you to choose how you select your AF points. The default setting, 0, requires you to press the AF point selection button then use the Main and Quick Control Dial to navigate around the AF points.
Setting 1 – Multi-controller direct, this will speed up the process. Instead of pressing the AF point selection button, you simply use the multi-controller on the back of the camera like a joystick to move around. Pressing straight in will choose the centre point. If you want to use Auto point selection, simply press the AF point selection button.
Setting 2 – Quick Control Dial direct, this allows you to just use the Quick Control Dial directly without having to press the AF point selection button first. Usually the Quick Control Dial is used for exposure compensation. If you still want to use exposure compensation, you need to press the AF point selection button and then use the quick command dial.
A useful guide for those who need convincing:
http://digital-photography-school.com/focusing-quick-tip-single-point-af-methods
Nathan Elson Photography - Thanks Stephen. I figured there had to be a setting to change it, I just didn’t have enough time (or a manual) to play around a lot with the settings.
Thomas - Nathan: Very helpful review, particularly for folks on the fence (like me). It appears that the biggest difference worth discussing is the pixel count. You mentioned that 36mp “doesn’t make sense” for someone in your shoes. It’s a comment I’ve seen in other reviews. I assume you mean the sheer volume of data that you would have to deal with? Does this also affect the manageability of files once in post, i.e. if you’ve got of RAW files to edit, does this present a significant workflow issue compared to the (somewhat) smaller files of the Mark III? On the many samples now available on the ‘net, the D800 is producing JPEG files that are averaging 2 to 3 times the size of the Canon files. It’s a little hard to fathom the file sizes that will be coming from RAW shoots.
Thanks!
Nathan Elson Photography - Hey Thomas,
I don’t think that 36mp doesn’t make sense in all situations, such as my portrait and commercial work. I will definitely be adding the D800 to my kit for that kind of photography.
That being said, I don’t need 36mp for things like events, weddings (although yes I do see the benefit for weddings, I’ve yet to wish I had more megapixels when creating products for any my clients), or just bumming around with my wife and kids on a pleasant afternoon. Given the option to group the pixels to a smaller raw file, I would use that option when it made sense in these (or other) instances.
If that option ever becomes available, then I could look at the D800 as a replacement to the D700, but without that option, I’ll be keeping my D700 bodies for the reasons stated above.
In terms of workflow, I have a really fast system, so it’s not a big concern to me, but yes in terms of data storage, when you shoot as much as I do, you hammer through drives quickly, and its a pain in the ass. I know that storage is relatively cheap now, but when you make 3 backups of every file, that means 3 separate drives, and the files are now 3x larger than they used to be, in a lot of instances when I don’t need them to be. That turns into me having to build larger storage capacities even quicker than I already do. It’s RAID hell
Cheers
Andre - Interesting argument Nathan,
I agree with your argument about file size and I too will be keeping my D700 as a backup/genral purpose body.
So what file do you consider to be too big for weddings and the like? Or more to the point, what file size (in mpx) do you regard as ideal?
Cheers,
Andre
Nathan Elson Photography - Hey Andre,
I think 16mp is ideal, so people will automatically think I should be looking at the D4, but that is really all that camera has that I would want over the D800, because I don’t need 10 frames/sec, don’t care about video, and the slightly better high ISO performance doesn’t appeal to me. Especially when all of that costs an additional $3000. That and I have use for the 36mp sensor of the D800 with commercial work.
I get that after doing the math, grouping a 36mp sensor to 16mp doesn’t compute, but I’m simply speaking to what I think is ideal
Thomas - Nathan: One other quick question about the 36mp and then I’ll go get a life
. In a comment on another blog someone noted, “The FX mode of D800 you can shoot 36.3mp, 20.3mp and 9mp. DX max is around 15.6mp.” So, if you can down-size the NEF files with compression settings, does that make the overall file experience a bit better? It seems like a good fix for the big-file-size issue discussed above… or is it? Wouldn’t shooting at 20.3mp create file sizes about the same as the Mark III?
Nathan Elson Photography - No worries Thomas
The changes in file size in the FX mode relate only to jpg, not to RAW.
The issue with using the DX crop mode is that it actually changes the focal length of your lens, so as an example a 50mm lens (which I love) becomes the equivalent of an 85mm lens (which I don’t love). Therefore, not really a usable fix to the problem, for the way that I shoot anyways.
Cheers
Todd - Nate,
Great video and review. I am the owner of a boutique advertising and design firm, and we are planning to purchase a new camera for our client projects.
Our clients are high-end, luxury companies in the hospitality and retail industry, so budget is not an issue. We plan on using the camera for fashion photography, brand campaigns and videos. All of our shoots will be in a controlled environment with lighting.
From the reviews I have read/seen online, I understand that both cameras are “neck and neck” in copmarison, and that I “can’t go wrong with either one”. However, I believe that there has to be photography/video scenarios where one camera would be more advantageous than the other. For example, a fashion studio shoot vs. sports action photography.
Before we invest in a camera and lenses, I would love to hear your thoughts on your recommendation.
Thanks!
Thomas - So the “lossless compressed” and “compressed” options for NEF files (p. 86 of the manual) don’t do anything to file sizes?
Sorry to make you jump up and down, but hey, you stuck your neck out there and I don’t have the camera in hand yet
Nathan Elson Photography - Hey Thomas,
To be fair I don’t have one in my hand yet either
I do believe it is just compressing the RAW file, but its simply a compressed 36mp RAW file, not actually changing the amount of megapixels.
If I’m incorrect, someone please jump in and correct me, but that is my understanding of it. I also don’t have the manual and have to head out soon, but I can download one and look into it more this evening when I have more time.
Nathan Elson Photography - Todd: my first recommendation is that you hire me for all of your photo needs.
My second recommendation if you’re starting from scratch would be to go with the Nikon D800. It’s awesome, and it’s built for the kind of photography you are doing. The extra resolution will come in handy for retouching, and the dynamic range is reported to be better than the 5DmkIII in high contrast situations, but I have yet to see it with my own eyes.
Plus, Nikon glass is a thing of beauty.
Todd - Nate, Thanks for the advice. We’ll be sure to keep you in mind! Look forward to watching more videos. Keep up the fantastic work!
Thomas - Ah, ok, I thought you were already a proud owner! FWIW, here’s the D800 manual description, which goes to the crux of the question on P. 86:
NEF Recording > Type:
“Lossless compressed: NEF images are compressed using a reversible algorithm, reducing file size by about 20-40% with no effect on image quality.”
“Compressed: NEF Images are compressed using a non-reversible algorithm, reducing file size by about 35-55% with no effect on image quality.”
Nikon D800 vs Canon 5D Mark III Studio Comparison Video | Nikon D800 - [...] See More on Nathan Elson’s Blog [...]
Michel Sauret - Personally I’m not so concerned about which camera is better between the Nikon D800 and the Canon 5D MIII. I know both products are excellent. I’ve been a Nikon fanboy for 3 years now and I see no legitimate reason to switch.
By biggest concern was wether my new Nikon D800 should REPLACE the D700.
In the end, I know I’m keeping both.
The 36MP was definitely overwhelming for me, especially when I realized that each RAW image would come out to be 45+ MB in size. I do shoot a lot, especially at weddings, so I felt sick to my stomach when I realized how much memory I was going to burn through.
But when I saw the quality (first hand) that this camera produces, I immediately found justification for buying more memory cards.
Afterall, when you upgrade your car from a trusty and reliable 4 cylinder to a V-8 muscle car, you can’t exactly complain about paying more for gas.
I posted more thoughts on this on my blog:
http://onewaystreetproduction.net/2012/04/05/initial-thoughts-the-donut-that-made-me-fall-in-love-with-the-nikon-d800/
Canon 5D Mark III nails focus with Zeiss ZE lenses » Tea With Calvin - [...] a comparison between the Canon 5D Mk III and Nikon D800, Calgary-based fashion and portrait photographer Nathan Elson said that AF focus on the Canon was [...]
Max - Hello Nathan
I am deciding to purchase my first camera, I am thinking of either the D800 or Mrk iii. Could you advise on which one i should get?
Thanks
Max
Max - Just to clarify i will use the camera for all round photography.
greg thurtle - Great post Nathan – as a Canon shooter moving over to Nikon nice to see both are a great choice
Nathan Elson Photography - Max: I can’t really tell you what to get, because both camera’s will do well in ‘all around’ photography. My advice would be to go down to your local camera store, take an hour and play around with them. Fire some frames, get a feel for both, then decide which one feels better in your hands. Some people prefer the button layout of Nikon, others Canon, so go with what feels right for you.
Cheers
Max - Thanks
Nathan
thomas L - hello dear nathan, to be honnest i just discovered you threw this review on youtube (congrats for your work in genral btw) and i must say that the way you analyse both cameras is very convincing… and honnest. i saw 2 others reviews on youtube, one pro-nikon from crisilab (http://www.crisislab.com/index.php?section=1) and the second from the asian guy of digitalrev who seems to be pro-canon (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jKspoynL0o) which make a hard choice! and i’m obviously looking for one of those, but my question(s) are mostly about the D800 (eventually a D800E? yef pwease santa claus bring me that for christmas <3).
i was nikon with D3000 then D90, and i switch for the resolution of the 5Dii, which is useless to talk about and disappointed me a lot about everything except quality of files..blabla so i'm considering an ultimate switch over nikon and stick to that since the ergonomy is certainly better from my eyes and for my hands. but like i said the review of the new canon is still very convincing!! so..
first of all i'm a photoshop addict and i was wondering if the quality and size of raws from the nikon permit a bit more work and excentricity than 5Diii files?
second is, if the quality of lens of nikon could suffer or be a bit "just" with the quality that requires the 36.3mpix sensor?
third, in any case i feel i wouldn't be disapointed by any of those AF but i'm very pluridisciplinar photographer and at the occasion i don't miss an opportunity of doing some action and sport pictures so the question is simply if the 5Diii seems to have a better one, is it something to point it out on the D800 (still in comparison with the canon)?
A last question about lenses, is that i plan to get it with a 24-70 and i'm used of 50mm (was thinking that the 1.4 canon is also a bit disappointing compared to the last nikon..) for a question of price but i wanted to know if the quality is equivalent? i just don't want both of them to don't have the problem of the same job and for once i'd prefer the range than the light since the iso looks great.
to conclude i'd say that maybe it's not an issue for some but what i could take in count in my choice seems to me important:
i heard that the nikon get the complete AF from the D4 with face recognition whereas the canon will be downgraded from the 1D-X of this function. the second thing is also that the obturator life is 200000 clicks for the nikon vs 150000 for the canon. reselling a camera which count 100000 clicks… or even keeping it until it dies… and also whatever expected people, the nikon might be not sooo better about dynamic range, the very expected thing but still a slight better and mostly better details in high iso. for those canonists who said that 36.3 mpix is a commercial argument, i'd just say what about useless over 104000 iso? or the same who said that the 12mpix of the D700 were to make postcards compared to the 21mpix of the 5dii?
thanks for answering by advance, sorry for english in case of- i'm not english native speaker, and thanks also for the futur test in the field and of the -E version if you plan to do it!
Nathan Elson Photography - Thomas L:
1) The larger file size of the D800 is great for editing, and I’ve definitely noticed just how much better after doing a few more shoots with my D700 and editing its 12mp files. The difference in megapixels isn’t as vast between the D800 and 5DmkIII, but the D800 is still giving you 14mp of extra information over the Canon, so from an editing perspective, I do prefer the D800 files.
2) You will most definitely need good quality glass with the D800. With files that large, it will easily show how good or bad a lens really is.
3) The Camera Store (whom I did this video with) is currently shooting the next part of the comparison with a sports photographer. Once that video is released, you will have a much better idea of the focusing system in those situations. I didn’t shoot either camera in a sports situation, so I’m not qualified to give that answer.
4) Nikon 24-70 is amazing, and beats the Canon in terms of quality. The Nikon 50mm 1.8G is just as good as Nikons 1.4G version, and at 1/2 the price.
Sorry, not sure what you were asking in that last paragraph
Cheers
thomas L - well well thanks for quick answers! i do apreciate a lot.
sorry, i didn’t ask correctly the last question. i meant i am used of working with 50mm but i was thinking to switch for this apparently amazing 24-70. sure i won’t get 1.4-1.8 aperture but the range is very seducing for me as much as i heard a faster AF on the zoom. the question is actually if the image quality is equal with the zoom compared to the 50mm? (especially 4-8 aperture).
can’t wait to see next videos!
about the last paragraph hehe.. dunno if you’re a bit sarcastic but wasn’t asking anything. was just saying… few constructor informations… looks better… maybe also this boring and useful AF illuminator which i forgot… i was thinkin of nikon…
but i mentionned it cause it seems to me very interesting points for durability and the transfert of the best technology from the best model of the brand, and in a way wanted a confirmation if what i read was right.
ok for the sake of canon and from what i briefly saw, they might have an advantage in high iso for video. definitely good! for those who are using it… ah damn i don’t
René - nice report,
okay i shoot before with a Canon 5D Mark II with the 24/50/135L prime lenses. I have sold are i want change to Nikon.
I have order a D800 with a 70-200 VR II and a 50G 1,4.
But i have not a good feeling. I like the L prims from Canon, and i think the 5D Mark III are better for me.
It is a hard change. and it isn’t easy to joy the right system.
what is a better System:
D800 + 85G 1,4
5D Mark III + 85 1,2 II L
And the other is:
I love the 135L from Canon. Nikon must update his 135.
I can not decide
Duwa - Thanks for the great review Nathan.
Btw did you test Nikon D800 left AF focusing issues with 14-24 and 24 1.4G lenses that some people complain about ? I am ordering D800 and that makes me really worry.
Thanks
Nathan Elson Photography - Rene: I can’t tell you what is a better system, because its all relative to the type of photography you are doing. I have no idea what prompted your switch to Nikon, as it sounds like you were happy with Canon, but if you’re looking for the switch to make you a better photographer, you’re barking up the wrong tree my friend.
You can check out my reasons for switching to Nikon a year and a half ago here: http://nathanelsonblog.com/for-photographers/from-canon-to-nikon-the-switch-for-photographers/
If you can share why you decided to switch to Nikon in the first place, I might be able to offer more of an opinion on the matter.
Nathan Elson Photography - Duwa: Glad you liked it. I didn’t actually read any of the reviews of either camera prior to doing my own review, simply because I wanted to go into the review with a clear mind and draw my own conclusions. So with that said, the only lenses that I tested were the 24-70mm, 70-200mm, and 50mm.
In regards to the focus of the D800, I didn’t really find a problem with it, it just didn’t feel like it focused quite as quickly as the D700 which I have been using for the last one and a half years. That being said, the focus is still very good on it, and it didn’t miss focus once when I was using it, so I wouldn’t pay much attention to any of those issues. I ordered a D800 for myself, and I wouldn’t have done so if I thought the camera had any real issues
Nikon D800 News and Information « photography PRESTON PAGE - [...] III Not that I need convincing, but the D800 has some practical advantages demonstrated here: http://nathanelsonblog.com/for-photographers/nikon-d800-vs-canon-5d-miii-a-portrait-photographers-pe… And a Canon fan’s critique podcast that doesn’t make sense: [...]
Madan D - Firstly,thank you for your great review Nathan…I think I am converted as well…I have sold all my gear on eBay and now…Nikon D800 + Nikon 24-70mm + Nikon 50mm / 1.4 + Nikon Speedlite SB-910 is the combo I am saving up for.
In your opinion, will this be a good starting point for me? – I am a self taught amataeur photographer who is graduating to a full frame camera after taking up this hobby 3 years ago.
Some of my work is at http://www.redbubble.com/people/maddog
Cheers
Madan…from Melbourne, Australia
Nathan Elson Photography - Madan D: The 24-70 is a solid all around lens and will be great for landscape work which I see you shoot, and the 50mm 1.8G (not the 1.4G) is the lens I use for a lot of my work and is great for portraits. It’s 1/2 the price and just as sharp as the 1.4G version. Those two lenses are a good a place to start as any.
Gee - Great instructive video. Question about the night shoot with Gina. Did you use slow sync to freeze her movement, and to keep the shutter open for 2 sec. to capture the ambient light of the city?
Thanks.
Keith Fredrickson - Nathan I applied you. I thoroughly enjoyed the video. You to have quite the chemistry. Since the announcement of the D800 I have been on the web scouring for reviews. I came across this one by accident last night. I truly look forward to the next two parts of the video. But mainly I just wanted to say great job, the way you guys would just talk candidly put the camera real world conditions is something that every person who is looking at buying the new camera and just doesn’t have access to hold one, test one on a shoot. Well done my friend.
AJ - Hi Natahan,
thanks for your honest review of both cameras. Ultimately I guess it’ll be difficult to see actual differences on screen or print without pixel peeping.
As regards a comparison of the D700 and D800 would much the same apply at ‘normal’ viewing (screen and print) under ‘general’ viewing circimstances? – not monstrous prints and using ‘fit to screen’ on a monitor?
I’m looking for a new camera to go alongside my D90 and am drawn to the D700 because of it’s low noise at higher ISOs.
When downsampling a D800 file to fit the medium does one really see the differences in resolution as against a D700 or does one have to resort to ‘pixel peeping’ again?
Ideally for my type of photography I’d prefer a low noise DX camera (D300 replacement) but such an animal doesn’t seem to be in Nikons’ priority list at the present time. Even if (when) it does arrive I’m not sure I’d like the (noisy) Sony 24 MP sensor if that’s what happens.
I shoot low volume, mainly nature (animal) photographs and may just go with the D800E unless advised otherwise.
Sadly to say the camera purchase will probably be the last before I retire.
Nathan Elson Photography - Gee: The model was basically in total darkness, so yes, the flash from my strobe exposed her (which froze her pose), then the rest of the 2 second exposure brought the city lights into the background, without effecting the exposure on the model because they were so far in the distance.
Keith: Thank ya
AJ: The D700 is great, but in regards to viewing the hi-res files on screen, the 36mp of the D800 is nicer in terms of the information it provides for fine detail editing. As a portrait guy its awesome, as a wildlife photographer I have no idea
I haven’t had the chance to try the D800E, but its supposed to be awesome, so once I do get a chance to try it I will post about it I’m sure.
AJ - Dear Nathan,
Thanks for taking the time out for replying. Really good of you.
I’ll certainly wait for your D800E review before jumping in.
Cheers!
Grind matthews - A really funny video that may help those on the fence decide over the D800 and 5d3 debate
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bl8mwr3iQZg
Josee - Hi Nathan,
I was wondering if you saw any difference in the colour reproduction of both cameras?
I always felt that Nikon sensors had a tendency to add an overall reddish/orange cast in skin tones.
I’m a Nikon user but I feel that I always have to colour correct my images to get rid of this reddish overcast (and I do colour balance my images in camera and in post). I own the D200 and rent the D700 from time to time. Same problem.
I have the Fuji X100 and the colour reproduction is bang on.
Thanks!
Nathan Elson Photography - Hey Josee,
I didn’t notice any major differences, just that the Canon was a tad warmer than the Nikon straight out of camera.
Items of Interest – 2-Apr-12 to 15-Apr-12 | KARTHIK82.COM - [...] The Nikon D800 vs the Canon 5D Mark III from a Portrait Photographer’s Perspective – Interesting article and you can check out the video too. [...]
Patrick Mimran - Hi
i saw your review with a lot of interest and i agree with you
both cameras are good , i tested myself both and i can say that none of them
is bad enough to give you a good reason to buy the other one .
When comparing the pictures quality, the Nikon have a little edge , but at the condition that when you take the picture you hold your camera very tight and steady , it seems the canon is more forgiving in that regard .
It is only when i compared the pictures taken on a tripod or with high speed that i found that the nikon have a little edge , otherwise it is not so obvious .
i was expecting more differences in quality details between them , but all seems
very close in that regard .
Regarding the Handling both cameras i have a clear preference for the Canon .
The buttons functions are at my test more accessible , and the camera is more balanced than the nikon .
But here again i think it is a matter of taste .
Patrick
nikon d800 blog - Awesome comparison! I’ve been looking for this review for a long time.
thomas L - hi again dear nathan,
just to tell you that i watched your last comparisons of the d800 vs H4D-40 and the pentax 645D (E version). thanks a lot for those very interesting tests! results of the nikon are definitely stunning for the price and i seriously think to order one D800 with a simple 50mm 1.8G to start when i’ll be back from hollidays since the delai is quite long in france. i don’t think the extra 400$ worth it for what i do, and i’m certainly better at sharpening during post processing than removing possible moire.
however, first impressions in france are quite shared, because of moving blur, for sure, but also cause it seems many exemplaries have a bad tendance to front focus so many of them were returned to nikon to calibrate the autofocus…
have you heard about this issue?
ps: some others comparisons are nice to see with the out-of-price leica s2
definitely the best lenses ever it seems… and amazing colors contrasts
Nathan Elson Photography - Hey Thomas,
Firstly, these are videos by The Camera Store, and not myself
They just invited me out to test the Nikon against the Canon to get my thoughts, but I’m not affiliated with The Camera Store in any way.
Secondly, I actually just received my own D800 (the one I used in the video belonged to The Camera Store) and I also have a 50mm 1.8G which I use with it, and the combo is amazing. They work very well together, so it would definitely be a good starting point for you.
Cheers
-Nate
thomas L - well… i got it!
thanks for good and true advices. i’m using it for 2 weeks now:
indeed truly amazing combo… no issues about what i heard, no green screen, no moving blur (still be carreful), no focus problem or whatever.
this 50 1.8 is particularly interesting i must say, this might be not the sharpest ever at best aperture for sharpness (5.6 to 8)and also not the most homogene on the field, but definitely the best wide aperture i got from all i owned! (canon 50 1.4usm and 50 1.4G) the center sharpness, contrast, from 1.8 to 4 is simply outstanding. i will keep it long time i hope and at term just reserve it for low light situations. for the others purpose i’m already considering to get this famous 24-70.. hum.. since my bank account is now still burning and still waiting for fire men, i was considering ta get the new very good cheapo 24-85mm 3.5-4.5 instead. did you get a chance to compare/test it on this sensor?
kind regards
Nathan Elson Photography - Hey Thomas,
Glad you like it, it’s become my favorite 35mm body of all time so far. As for the lens, I’ve never tried the 24-85, as I already own the 24-70. You can check out what I use on my gear list here: http://nathanelsonblog.com/zee-gear-list/
Cheers
-Nate
DanL - Ah, the old issue is alive (& well?) :
[re your Switch To Nikon ]
> … comparing everything against the Canon 5D mII, …
> and if you even mention mega pixels we are no longer friends,
> they don’t matter.
But yet they still seem to (!):
> The difference in megapixels isn’t as vast between the D800
> and 5DmkIII, but the D800 is still giving you 14mp of extra
> information over the Canon, so from an editing perspective,
> I do prefer the D800 files
[not to mention 24mpx > D3/D700 ; the 5D-II was +9 over the D700,
close to double (12/21, 36/22 (36/16 D800/D4) and now there are
D600 @24mp (&Sony A99) & 6D ...]
(-;
andrik - i am struggling in choosing between these two cameras. i really don’t know which one should i purchase. I had a Canon 50 d. The L series lenses i was renting when needed. i still wasn’t satisfied with it at all. I mean that the Nikon d 90 did far better. now i want to upgrade and i really can’t test these cameras in my country… i just have to buy one of them. the price difference is insignificant and i was renting the canon lenses so i can invest now in either one of these two cameras. I would like to hear you advice. to make it easyer for you i shoot weddings the most… forgot to ask you something…. as i can see i think that canon is better when shooting video but is the difference huge? Thank you in advance
Nathan Elson Photography - Andrik:
Honestly, neither camera is going to massively out perform the other. I shoot the D800, and I love it, but I also know a lot of photographers who shoot the 5DmIII and love it as well. If you’ve shot both Canon and Nikon, try and figure out which felt better in your hand in terms of button placement, grip, etc, and go with that one.
As far as video goes, I’m not a video shooter, so I really have no idea if the Canon video is better, and if it is, by how much.
Cheers
-Nate
Rik - Hey Nathan. Recently I just sold my old canon setup which was pretty basic canon body and lenses to get more seriously into fashion/portrait photography. Using one of my friends Nikon D800 I just love the feel of it. However my doubt is that most reviews online state how good the canon 85 1.2 and 50 1.2 are. I rent those two lenses before and absolutely loved them and I was wondering if the equivalent Nikon lenses (well the 1.4 ones) are such as good and reliable for fashion and portrait photography? What are your thoughts? Is the bokeh and sharp quality of the nikons as outstanding as the canon primes or does it fall a bit behind?
Rik - I forgot to say that what I’m considering is 5D Mark III + 50mm 1.2 + 85 1.2 or D800 + 50 1.4 + 85 1.4
Nathan Elson Photography - Hey Rik,
The Canon 50mm 1.2 is a better lens than the Nikon 50mm 1.4G. The Nikon 50mm purple fringes like f@cking crazy when you get into high contrast situations.
On the other hand, I think the Nikon 85mm 1.4G beats the Canon 85 1.2, not so much in image quality, because they are both gorgeous, but the Canon 85mm is the slowest focusing lens on the planet. Drove me nuts. The Nikon 85mm is just beauty all around, and fast to focus.
As for sharpness, both Canon and Nikon make stupid sharp prime lenses. Not really a winner in that regard. You’ll be happy with either system in regards to crispness.
If you like the way the D800 feels, I’d say go for it. I love it.
Cheers
-Nate