Yellowboard
Well-known member
The image depends on the photographer...not the gear...
Feeling nostalgic for the D850
- Thread starter Stephen Berger
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O
Well-known member
The D850 is a culmination of several generations of refinement and is the master piece derived from the D800 series.
The refinements and image quality is a clear example of that.
Its uncomplicated and easy to use.
The D850 is simply a do everything just brilliantly, the one camera does it all kind of thing, amazing sensor and image files.
For me the last amazing AHA moment was the D3X in its time, it was hailed as the best DSLR in the world when everyone else was using mainly 12mp cameras.
I feel the transition of the D850 sensor size and attributes to mirror less was shown in the Z7 series, then later they added some steroids and testosterone and released the z9 video camera, the real first generation of a fast pro mirror less camera for Nikon, and in my opinion the Z9 is not a D6 slayer, nor is the Z7 a D850 slayer.
The D850 i have and still use often along with the Z9.
The D850 is as competitive as anything out there for the all orund do everything well camera, its by far not obsolete.
Only an opinion
The refinements and image quality is a clear example of that.
Its uncomplicated and easy to use.
The D850 is simply a do everything just brilliantly, the one camera does it all kind of thing, amazing sensor and image files.
For me the last amazing AHA moment was the D3X in its time, it was hailed as the best DSLR in the world when everyone else was using mainly 12mp cameras.
I feel the transition of the D850 sensor size and attributes to mirror less was shown in the Z7 series, then later they added some steroids and testosterone and released the z9 video camera, the real first generation of a fast pro mirror less camera for Nikon, and in my opinion the Z9 is not a D6 slayer, nor is the Z7 a D850 slayer.
The D850 i have and still use often along with the Z9.
The D850 is as competitive as anything out there for the all orund do everything well camera, its by far not obsolete.
Only an opinion
I am 180 degrees the other way. Even if I shoot 1500 images in a morning I have to sort through and process them all and may process 150 of them and then decide later which of the 10 processed pics of that one woodpecker I want to share. Then if I go back later it's to see if I have some love for the ones I didn't process or to apply something I may have learned about Lightroom, etc. (and I do also enjoy the trip down memory lane) One nice thing about going back to my Nikon images is there are way fewer of them as even on the D850 I never shot in burst mode. All that said I can definitely appreciate (maybe even envy a bit) your approach and most certainly enjoy your images!
Doug Herr
Well-known member
I suggest that both play a role. BIF with a 4x5 Graflex? It probably can be done but there are more effective tools. I find that Bird Eye AF is a valuable component of my toolbox, which does not negate the need to evaluate lighting & backgrounds, and to get close enough to the bird in the first place. Not to mention knowing when and when not to push the button.
The right tool(s) for the job applies to many things!
Doug Herr
Well-known member
And for many, that's the problem. It will never have Bird Eye AF, will never do 20/30 FPS, will never have a silent shutter with no rolling shutter effect, will never be able to use the outstanding Z-mount S lenses, will never be free of AF micro-adjustment, will never AF over virtually the entire image at smaller apertures, and will never have real-time exposure preview in the viewfinder. If the D850 as it is suits your every photographic need there's no reason to look further but for myself Bird Eye AF is a game changer, silent shutter with no rolling shutter effect is another game changer, 20 frames/sec (I haven't used 30/sec yet) is another game changer, and real-time exposure preview is another game-changer. More accurate AF is handy too.
O
Well-known member
Absolutely agree with you, the advanced benefits in technology that meet the needs for many people, the new glass is also impressive.
All these features are excellent tools and seems like the future.
Myself ......
I like the Z9 i have
i love the D850
I love the D6
I love my Rolleiflex 2.8 E at $4 per shot
Each has something different to offer
Only an opinion
Because I dont think there will ever be another version of the d850 or any other Nikon dslr and 5 years is ancient in tech. Mirrorless is the future, whether we like it or not.
Doug Herr
Well-known member
It might be helpful to point out that selling photographs involves selling skills as much or more than photographic skills. There are many outstanding wildlife photographers whose selling skills are abysmal.
And Tom is one of them. He has people who handle the sales end.
When I bought my Z7 I kept the D850. I still use it a lot. For me it is better for BIF, the AF just locks on easily and stays there well. Maybe it's just me, but the Z7 doesn't do it as well.
Doug Herr
Well-known member
Whether Tom does the selling or has a team selling them, the selling is as important as the making.
I've also sold wildlife photos made with manual-focus film cameras. Does that mean I ought to continue using them?
The Nikon F and Leicaflex SL I used were the best tools available at the time, but times have changed and with technological changes come changes in the market.
Also consider Mangelsen's choice of subjects, much of it charismatic megafauna and wildlife scenics. Not a lot of flighty passerines. If duplicating what Mangelsen has done in the past is good enough then the D5 & D850 are good enough; they were the best tools available for their time, but times have changed and personally I'm not interested in duplicating anyone else's work no matter how accomplished.
Using the best tools now available allows me to make photos that I couldn't dream of a few years ago, and IMHO a DSLR is no longer the best tool available.
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Well now, you really got me there. Best of luck making (and selling) stellar images with your new and improved equipment!
Doug Herr
Well-known member
I'm not too concerned about the selling. This is something I do for myself.
EDIT: my point in this discussion about selling is that someone else's success at selling photographs doesn't mean that his (in this case, Tom Mangelsen) equipment choice is right for me or for anyone else, for that matter. First, because selling photographs is as much about selling and marketing as it is about the photographs, and second because my goals for my photographs might not be the same as Mangelsen's. For myself and for numerous reasons the utility of DSLR technology has been eclipsed by the current crop of flagship mirrorless cameras. At one time the best DSLRs were the best tools for the job, but IMHO a better tool is now available.
I have no problem with other people using DSLR or film SLR cameras if that's what meets their needs. There are still people using rangefinder cameras too, because this camera type meets their needs.
BTW I don't jump on every shiny new camera announcement as though it's the best yet. When I was using the Sony a7rIII my response to the a9 and a7rIV was 'meh'. The a9's AF and responsiveness was appealing but I wanted the higher resolution of the a7r-series cameras. The a7rIV's increased resolution was somewhat interesting but without the a9's speed and responsiveness the increased resolution wasn't enough to pique my interest or separate me from my dollars. The a1 changed the game.
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O
Well-known member
I think there is nothing wrong with recognizing new technology and its benefits...........
Embracing it is for many the challenge either technically or financially, for others not an issue and simply exciting.
I feel that so many great photo's are made by the user not just the equipment.
Embracing it is for many the challenge either technically or financially, for others not an issue and simply exciting.
I feel that so many great photo's are made by the user not just the equipment.