Summary
As the successor to the Nikon D3s, D4 is made around a brand new sixteen megapixel sensing element, a primary step for those that complain concerning the D3s has "only" a 12-megapixel sensing element. At constant time, a surge of megapixels isn't therefore radical that seriously impact the performance of high-ISO camera.
Some of the additional necessary enhancements as well as hyperbolic ISO sensitivity, that is expandable to 204,800, the direct movies and full HD 1080p video. A stereo electro-acoustic transducer jack has been further and, just like the Nikon D800, compressed video will be output via the HDMI port. a rather larger digital display and options a formidable 2-shot HDR, that shoots and combines duet exposures up to + / - 3EV bracketing, XQD slot and wired local area network port is among the few major changes. different enhancements starting from the layout slightly redesigned controls, lit controls and under-the-hood update performance.
Build and style
DESIGN
Non-technophiles might not be able to distinguish D4 of the D3S initially blush, and even avid users might have over a passing look to tell apart. though there ar delicate changes throughout the body, D4 remains a monster. In different words, they're hoping to as if by magic shrink the scale of the technology this can be terribly frustrated. This has to be acknowledged, however, that Nikon has clean-shaven a pair of.1 ounces of weight, that is simply enough to be seen for the primary time you're taking it (coming from somebody UN agency has been touched D3S each virtually daily for over 2 years, anyway).
Bumpers add a thumb on very cheap, that is deep-seated so as to supply a higher grip once employing a vertically D4, could be a helpful addition. Referring back to the D4 tendency for shooting the film, there's additionally a electro-acoustic transducer input is incredibly welcome (as well as a constitutional mic to capture amateur). maybe the foremost violent jarring changes is that the constitutional LAN jack. we've lined a broader purpose, however to US as one thing that may profit a awfully little range of shooters. Not that we tend to had a tangle with serving a distinct segment, however we tend to assume this is often one {in all|one amongst|one in every of} the items that further undue price to the package - one thing that we'll discuss additional in a bit.
One different fascinating amendment here is that the removal of twin CompactFlash slots as shown within the D3S. Instead, users ar given with one CF slot with XQD slot. some years from currently, perhaps XQD can look like a better selection, however it appears terribly awkward presence. The move can virtually definitely force the shooter currently carry around 2 card readers - you may suppose it's no huge deal, however one additional factor to recollect skilled can virtually definitely rub dashing the incorrect method. it's additionally potential to shop for one XQD cards up to 32GB currently, whereas SanDisk CompactFlash card is being hawked with 128GB of house. Of course, the transfer speed will hit 125MB / s (compared to 100MB / s on SanDisk ExtremePro it), however it's still exhausting to ascertain the logic here. On the intense aspect, a minimum of Nikon doesn't push a try of XQD slot here and force existing users to burn their CF cards in an exceedingly style of dark ritual, filled with emotion.
"QUIET" MODE
We break it out chiefly attributable to however fantastic feature on Canon's own flagship, the Greek deity 5D Mark III. There, "Shooting Silence" will be used even in high speed shooting, effectively silencing bursts of shooting in Associate in Nursing area wherever you may be issued if the shooting with, a awfully distinctive sounding "click." In D4, you actually got to move on the far side the mode button Low Speed and High Speed continuous, the special mode "Quiet". Here, you'll be able to solely hearth single shots per shutter unleash, and every click of the shutter delay was enough. Introducing even simple fraction of a second to nighttime shots will manufacture blur enough to ruin the instant, and even worse, this "quiet" mode is admittedly something however.
In fact, it's most likely eighty p.c of the clicking sound as commonplace, however a drawn-out for what seems like forever. Click over and through with commonplace directly, click Quiet loud sloshing sounds additional sort of a confiscate 2 or thrice longer to finally silence. below no circumstances would we tend to advocate turning into quiet mode, you lose valuable time shutter speed, virtually no noise reduction and take a type that's seemingly to become additional visible to the observer just because of however annoying the sound is. These days, the general public in an exceedingly place that may simply eliminate sound acquainted - a baby crying, or coughing clicking camera man - however this sloshing sound is not possible to ignore. we tend to hate to mention it, however Canon has Nikon beat six ways that from Sunday on this one, and it is a shame, there ar infinite situations wherever skilled Nikon shooters will use silent mode effective.
DISPLAY
Longing for a better resolution panel throughout D3S? Fuhgetaboutit. In fact, make preparations for a panel with a element density is even worse. The D4 uses constant range of pixels (91 000) within the D3S, however includes a larger screen zero.2-inch-(3.2-inch 3.0-inch compared to the D3). it's sharp and crisp, however it had been not Associate in Nursing upgrade. We'll admit that up to 46X zooming to form the preview shots on-the-fly to a small degree easier, however the rise within the range of megapixels implies that you may want you had additional points on the rear of it.
Built for camp use, the Nikon D4 metal alloy body isn't solely physically sturdy however weather sealed for cover against the weather additionally as magnetism interference. At 41.6 ounces (body only), the D4 could be a very little lighter than the D3s however not a lot of. it's pretty hefty in weight and size (6.3 x 6.2 x 3.6 inches) however balanced, particularly once paired with another piece of glass sort of a 70-200mm f/2.8 lens Nikon.
The handle has been repaired and is currently even larger, giving a additional solid grip. For those people whose hands ar slightly smaller, there's a further little bit of stretching concerned once reaching bound controls however still convenient to work D4. In portrait (vertical) orientation, thumb rest could be a welcome addition for a higher grip.
Such as the D3s, the D4 is supplied with a twin card slot. Users will verify what functions play a second card, for instance, overflow, back-up, etc. not like the D3s, however, D4 includes a CompactFlash slot and a XQD slot. The latter could be a new sort of nonvolatile storage with quick browse and write speed and transfer rate is anticipated to 168MB / s. I tested the D4 with XQD card, transfer the image to the XQD card reader and, yes, the transfer rate is incredibly quick. Nikon is also before the curve by victimisation XQD and, within the future, this format is also additional wide accepted. However, up to now solely the D4 could be a camera victimisation this sort of card and solely Sony XQD card brands on the market, with a most capability of 64GB and a heart-stopping tag of nearly $ five hundred. Earlier in 2012, Lexar proclaimed support for XQD and aforesaid it'll unleash a version in Q3 2012. So far, there are no signs of XQD Lexar-branded cards. (And don't expect any of the SanDisk unless one thing radical happens as they are saying, from the start, that they might not raise their line of XQD nonvolatile storage.)
Last we tend to checked, B & H offers a bundle with free XQD cards, among different accessories, therefore you'd be comfortable with this sort of deal. Frankly, I hope the D4 has twin CompactFlash slots. though it's not perpetually a deal breaker, the provision and worth of XQD cards ought to be thought-about.
Lexar three2GB and 64GB ** prime XQD cards in conjunction with USB 3.0 XQD reader at CES this January with MSRPs of $ three hundred (32GB), $ 580 (64GB) and $ forty five (dedicated card reader). Cards and readers ought to be on the market this month in Lexar.com and varied retailers.
Ergonomics and Controls
Overall, D4 well-designed for quick operations however attributable to their smaller size, hands photographers might have to form minor changes to realize some management. and therefore the D3s users ought to build note of some changes of some key positions.
One of the foremost necessary addition is that the dedicated moving picture button directly on top of D4 handle it. whereas some positions the camera button on the rear panel, I happen to love having the moving picture below my forefinger as a result of it's easier to carry the camera steady whereas pressing the management.
As somebody UN agency shot big apple Fashion Week, wherever it had been virtually utterly dark within the pit of photographers, has lit controls rear panel could be a welcome addition. each AF-button has been repositioned therefore it's accessible once shooting vertically - another welcome amendment, particularly to be used with smaller hands. 2 new programmable joystick (or subselectors) ar on the market, every positioned to be accessible once shooting horizontally or vertically. It will be wont to move subselectors manually hand-picked AF purpose, whereas the center button will be programmed additionally. Basically, all the controls ar positioned for simple access to virtually everything you wish.
Menu and Mode
As expected, the D4 offers Program, Manual, Aperture-priority and Shutter-priority exposure modes. instead of dial mode, D4 has a mode button, together with the rear thumbwheel, cycle through every possibility. A separate button on the left shoulder provides access to one, continuous, quiet, self timer and mirror-up possibility, with access to bracketing mode, flash and metering.
The menu system could appear intimidating initially, however it is also set within the playback, shooting, custom setting,, retouching, and custom user settings section titled My Menu. There ar some pages with multiple tabs menu, therefore make sure to look to seek out all the choices.
Custom Settings Menu doubtless the foremost confusing of all attributable to the varied ways that the camera will be fine-tuned. however this is often one amongst the sturdy points D4, therefore why not cash in of of these cameras provide. Custom Setting menu is softened into seven sections: optical device, Metering / exposure, Timers / AE lock, Bracketing / flash, Control, and Film. Autofocus, for instance, has 10 sub-sections however value exploring, as ar all custom menus.
Display / finder
Eye-level finder is huge and bright pentaprism is fun to use. once shooting fully frame, it provides 100% coverage, each vertically and horizontally. you may lose somewhat once shooting in different formats - DX format crop, for instance, cut the coverage to ninety seven. A unit of measurement permits you to regulate the finder for individual vision though to a small degree exhausting to tug out the dial to form changes. Focusing screen, however, can't be changed.
At 3.2 inches, the digital display monitor is slightly larger than the D3s' however still high 921,000 dot resolution of its precursor. digital display works well below the majority conditions and mechanically adjusts the brightness reckoning on the lighting. alittle activate very cheap right ratchets between still and video for Live read, however you have got to press the middle button to totally activate the cardinal.
Dual-axis virtual horizon level camera appearance smart within the finder and on the digital display in Live read, creating it simple to assist align the straight edge.
Achievement
As expected, the performance of the D4 could be a star. From start-up to require an image, the camera is sort of fast response. there's nearly no shutter lag and D4 build virtually each different camera appeared somewhat sluggish. Okay, it's redundant and Canon Greek deity 1DX could be a powerhouse, too, however i believe you get my drift.
Shooting Performance
In continuous shooting mode, the D4 isn't a lot of quicker than the D3s - 10fps versus nine Federal Protective Service - however providing D4 pushing additional pixels than its precursor, the rise in speed is sort of spectacular and will, in part, as a result of the D4 updated EXPEED processor three. whereas up to 10fps (JPEG, NEF / RAW, TIFF) will be captured with full optical device and autoexposure is enabled, D4 can even capture up to 11fps, although with focus and exposure fast at the primary shot.
Camera Time (seconds)
Canon 5D Mark III 12:10
Sony Alpha SLT-A55V zero.16
Nikon D4 12:18
Pentax K-7 zero.29
Continuous shooting
Frames camera framerate
Sony Alpha SLT-A55V seventeen ten.8 fps
Nikon D4 ten.4 fps ∞
Canon 5D Mark III ∞ vi.1 fps
Pentax K-7 nineteen three.5 fps
lcd:
peak brightness of 456 nits
dark 0.49
930:1 distinction magnitude relation overall
The camera is supplied with a ninety one,000-meter element 3D color matrix and therefore the new revamped optical device system. Since D4 maintain AF points, 51 of D3s, you will not see a amendment within the optical device is responsive and correct. however there was a rise in however AF is slow to retort once victimisation the lens since the implementation of the cross-type sensors are not any longer confined to the lens of f/5.6 or quicker. whereas you continue to would like f/5.6 or quicker lenses to require advantage of all fifteen cross-type sensors, nine of those sensors ar on the market with lenses and converters up to f / eight.
Video Quality
Nikon created plenty of enhancements D4's video operate. Not solely is that the camera once recording video fully HD 1920 x 1080 at 30/24fps (the D3s maxed out at 720p), however just like the D800, provide uncompressed output via HDMI with coincidental viewing on Associate in Nursing external monitor and Live read. A local area network port for connecting Associate in Nursing coax and therefore the camera is compatible with the WT-5A for wireless. there's additionally a HTTP mode wherever you'll be able to operate the camera (and the beginning / stop video capture) from your iPhone or iPad, among different choices.
While the camera records mono sound, stereo electro-acoustic transducer jack ar on the market up to twenty levels of sensitivity. A stereo electro-acoustic transducer jack has been further to observe audio levels with output adjustable in thirty steps.
Nikon, as way as we all know, the sole manufacturer to systematically give interval timer operate on the camera. Now, with the D4, photos soft on the constitutional intervalometer will be mechanically combined into a 1080 stop motion video in-camera.
Video quality is superb, particularly when put next to the 720p output of the D3s'. Full manual controls, autofocus, the power to use a high ISO camera and therefore the new options mentioned on top of shows dedication for Nikon DSLR video.
Image Quality
Still image quality is incredibly smart and whereas I can't say that it had been their trump D4 pictures from D3s (for the foremost half, they're quite similar), however the jump from twelve megapixels to sixteen megapixels might charm to the broadest a part of the user D3s.
While some might complain that they like twenty one megapixels however given the exceptional low light-weight camera / high ISO capabilities, which may currently be distended to a coffee ISO fifty and a most of 204 800 equivalent, sixteen megapixels appears to be a solid compromise. I tend to admit the RAW files and post-processing in Adobe Camera Raw, particularly for higher ISO and that i suppose it's very helpful. If I tend to stay the in-camera noise reduction switch to off or low to yield the most effective JPEG. however a comparatively clean take a look at pictures to around twelve,800 with solely a small softening and may come on to concerning twenty five,600 while not losses in quality. However, however way you push the ISO reckoning on conditions and, additional significantly, the output. this is often not a tangle for shooting in virtually dark however sure there'll be a degree on the far side that you will not wish to compromise image quality.
The D4 has only 1 CF card slot, CF slot and replace the second rather than XQD slot. I assume this was vainly, however since i exploit my second slot is simply for backup and that i D4 comes with a free 16GB Sony all at once and readers, i'd decision it fascinating. (Other friends additionally got a free card and that i suppose they're just for the primary batch of D4s, however as a result of they were a freebee, no, I can't guarantee that you simply can get one thing without charge with none notice to the D4.)
The Nikon D4 offers slightly higher frame rate, slightly higher resolution, new AF system that works higher with teleconverters, Kelvin white balance settings bit by bit 10K, virtual horizon that finally works well with each roll and pitch, and ISO on top of the D3 and D3s, and video.
Censorship
Adorama pays prime dollar for your used gear.
16 MP FX (24 x 36mm) CMOS.
4928 x 3280 pixels (16 MP) original huge.
3696 x 2456 (9 MP) MEDIUM.
2464 x 1640 (4 MP) little.
Also crop of one.2x (20 x 30mm), 1.5x DX (16 x 24mm) and skilled 5:4 (24 x 30mm) from the highest.
ISO
ISO 100-12800 fully, 0.5 or third stop.
ISO fifty to ISO 204 800 is offered in an exceedingly stupid fashion.
White Balance
Auto (2 types), incandescent, fluorescent (7 types), direct daylight, flash, cloudy, shade, planned manual (up to four totally different settings will be keep and recalled), 2,500 K 10,000 K in intervals of 10K, all fine-tuning!
Frame Rates
10 Federal Protective Service with full metering and optical device for every frame.
(11 Federal Protective Service with focus and exposure locked).
AF
CAM3500FX sensing element.
51 AF points (15 cross-type sensors).
Working with auto-focus and manual-f/5.6 and quicker lenses.
11 of those sensors can work with lenses as slow as f / eight.
AF vary rated to LV-2 with any lens. (AF SLR system ne'er used the lens at full speed, they see through the equivalent of concerning anulii f / eight notwithstanding the speed of the lens.)
Inventor
100% coverage.
0.7 x magnification (50mm at infinity).
Eyepoint 18mm.
-3 To +1 diopters.
Live-View digital display.
Meter
Nikon finding Matrix Meter, meter and meter color 3D, that is what very matters.
For the primary time, Nikon wasting their time by upping the sensing element resolution meter for promoting functions for ninety one,000 element RGB.
It additionally measures the flash at this resolution.
Nikon D4. enlarge.
Shutter
Kevlar / carbon-fiber composites, assessed four hundred,000 shots.
1/8, 000 - thirty seconds fully, 0.5 or third stops.
Bulb.
X 250 flash synchronise.
"Silent" mode.
Flash
1/250 flash synchronise.
i-TTL flash management victimisation ninety one,000 element RGB sensing element with SB-910, SB-900, SB-800, SB-700, SB-600 and SB-400.
It will not flash meter with different flash guns.
Lens Compatibility
Built-in motor and clutch AI bit, therefore all AF lenses work, additionally as classical AI, AI-s and AI-P manual-focus lenses, and that they did all the work on all Nikon DSLR higher.
File Format
JPG.
NEF twelve or fourteen bit, compressed, or lossy or lossless compressed.
NEF + JPG.
TIFF.
Video: H.264/MPEG4 keep in MOV file ..
Storage and knowledge
The CF slot (UDMA 7), and one XQD slot. (NOT 2 CF slots).
XQD cards were faux - Lexar doesn't build them, and that i don't fathom SanDisk. Therefore, most of XQD slot useless. i'd solely use Lexar and SanDisk cards. Got XQD reader? I don't suppose therefore.
USB.
HDMI (mini-C).
RJ-45 LAN.
Wireless
WT-4 or WT-5A/B/C/D.
Video
All these variations have 2 totally different file size (quality) options:
1,920 × 1,080 (full or truncated) at twenty nine.97p, 25p and 23.976p.
1280 × 720 at fifty nine.94p,, 50p and 25p twenty nine.97p.
640 × 424 at twenty nine.97p and 25p.
H.264/MPEG4 keep in MOV file ..
24 to 36.000 x time-lapse mode.
Audio
Internal mono mic.
3.5mm jack for external stereo mic, with power.
Auto and manual level management.
Linear PCM recording.
3.5mm stereo output jack.
LCD
3.2 "(8cm) digital display.
921,000 points.
Auto brightness management.
Live View.
Power
EN-EL18 battery.
MH-26 charger.
Optional EH-6b AC adapter and EP-6 connecter.
CR1616 atomic number 3 coin cell for hours, rated a pair of years. this is often new for Nikon, Nikon wont to use the dearer internal, reversible battery that ne'er has to be for good altered.
Size
6.3 × 6.2 × 3.6 inches.
160 × 156.5 × 90.5 mm.
Weight
47.165 oz. (1,337.2 g), that is measured by the battery and card and lugs, however no strap or lens.
Nikon specify forty seven.3 oz (1340 g or a pair of kilogram, 15.3 oz.) With battery and XQD memory card.
Nikon specify forty one.6 ounces (1,180 g or a pair of kilogram, 9.6 oz.), Stripped.
Serial range
Laser-engraved on the plate below.
USA Version
Described by Nikon USA yellow sticker within the battery compartment.
Environment
0 ~ forty º C (32 ~ 104 º F), operation.
85% RH or less condensation, non.
Including
D4 body
Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL18
Battery Charger MH-26
USB Cable UC-E15
Camera Strap AN-DC7
Body Cap BF-1B
Accessory shoe cowl BS-2
Lens DK-17
Battery Chamber cowl BL-6
USB Cable Clip
ViewNX a pair of read-only storage
Price, USA
Box, Nikon D4.
January 2012 (preliminary): $ vi,000.
Announced
January 6, 2012.
Available
Promised for the tip of February 2012.
The D4s initial shipped in March 2012.
In might 2012, they're still deep backorder.
conclusion
Full-frame DSLR market is very competitive with a solid choice from many makers, as well as Nikon, Canon and Sony. And whereas Canon has had on their understanding of the DSLR video shooting since the introduction of the 5D Mark II, Nikon has definitely emotional forward with the D4's video feature.
But this powerhouse camera isn't only for video shooting. Regular still pictures, a feature set that's too long and sophisticated to hide in one review, and wonderful performance over justifies the worth tag (which, ultimately count, concerning $ 800 cheaper than the Canon 1DX, its main competitor).
