10 Reasons Why the Nikon D850 is a Great Camera in 2024: Timeless Features and Performance
- Fundamental Aspects of the Nikon D850
- Performance and Speed
- Built for Professionals
- Versatility in Photography
- Video and Live View Features
- Comparative Analysis
- Additional Considerations
- Investment Perspective and Resale Value
- High-resolution images: The D850's 45.7-megapixel sensor delivers stunning details with an edge over standard DSLRs.
- Dynamic range: Its remarkable dynamic range ensures that your shots capture the perfect balance of shadows, highlights, and mid-tones.
- Low-light performance: With an impressive ISO sensitivity, the D850 allows you to click clear photos even in dimly lit environments.
- Resolution: The D850's 45.7 million pixels provide a significant increase from the D810's 36.3 million pixels, resulting in more detailed and higher-quality images.
- Continuous shooting: The D850 boasts a maximum continuous shooting speed of 9fps, allowing you to capture fast-moving subjects with ease, while the D810 only offers a 5fps maximum.
- Autofocus: The D850 incorporates a more advanced 153-point autofocus system, compared to the D810's 51-point autofocus system.
- Video capabilities: The D850 becomes Nikon's first DSLR to capture 4K video from the full width of its sensor, offering 30, 25, or 24p at a bitrate of around 144 Mbps[^3^]. The D810, on the other hand, can only shoot 1080p video at up to 60fps.
- Product photography and macro: The 45.7-megapixel sensor and exceptional dynamic range allow for capturing intricate details with remarkable precision.
- Architecture and wide-angle: The high-resolution sensor and compatibility with various wide-angle lenses help you capture stunning architectural shots.
- Telephoto and weddings: Its 9fps continuous shooting speed and buffer capacity of 51 uncompressed 14-bit RAW files enable you to capture every crucial moment in events like weddings.
- Still photography: Whether it's for portraits or landscapes, the Nikon D850 delivers top-tier image quality across all domains.
- Memory cards: Opt for fast and reliable memory cards to ensure optimal performance, especially when shooting in continuous mode or capturing 4K video.
- Lenses: The D850 works with the entire range of Nikon F-mount lenses, giving you added flexibility to cater to your photographic needs.
- Battery grip: Extend your shooting time and improve ergonomics with a battery grip designed specifically for the D850.
- External flash: Enhance your lighting conditions, particularly in wedding and event photography, by adding an external flash compatible with the Nikon CLS (Creative Lighting System).
- Longevity: The D850's robust build quality and impressive feature set make it a lasting investment for both enthusiasts and professional photographers.
- Market Demand: As a high-performing DSLR in 2024, the D850 still holds a strong position in the digital camera world. This demand can positively impact resale value.
- Technology Developments: Since new camera models are consistently released, the D850's value may be affected by evolving technology. However, its exceptional image quality and versatility should help maintain its worth.
- Resale score: Based on these factors, the Nikon D850 has a strong resale score. To further preserve its value, maintain its condition and retain all original accessories and packaging.
The Nikon D850 has been on the market for over six years, yet it remains a popular choice among photography enthusiasts in 2024. With the rapid advancements in camera technology, one might wonder why this particular model continues to be so sought after. In this article, we will explore ten reasons why the Nikon D850 maintains its status as a great camera to consider even in 2024.
One of the factors that contribute to the D850's ongoing popularity is its exceptional image quality. The camera offers a wide ISO range of 64-25600, expandable to 32-102400. The EXPEED 5 processor aids in noise control, providing remarkable performance up to around 12800 ISO. This feature makes the D850 an excellent choice for night photography, capturing starry skies or urban landscapes with ease.
In the world of ever-evolving technology, it's impressive to see a camera like the Nikon D850 still being manufactured by Nikon, a testament to its enduring quality and value. Whether you're an experienced photographer or an enthusiast looking for a reliable, full-frame digital SLR, the D850 remains a viable option even in today's competitive market.
This is especially true if you buy a quality used D850 from a trusted online platform like MPB. I’ve bought gear, sold gear, and traded gear in on MPB on a number of occasions over the years, and have always been impressed with the experience.
Not only does MPB have a huge selection of used cameras, lenses, and other photography gear, but that selection is organized, thoroughly described and rated, and easy to navigate. It’s nice that MPB offers six-month warranties on most items and a seven-day return window, too.
As we dive further into the reasons why this camera is still relevant in 2024, you'll gain a better understanding of the D850’s impressive feature set and enduring appeal, and you’ll also learn about used pricing that can help you save some bucks!
Table of Contents
Fundamental Aspects of the Nikon D850
Image Quality Excellence
Nikon D850 at 20mm, f/16, 1 sec shutter, ISO 64
Even in 2024, the Nikon D850 continues to be a great camera for professional photographers and enthusiasts alike. Its impressive image quality is mainly due to its 45.7-megapixel full-frame BSI sensor, capturing an outstanding level of detail with excellent sharpness and color accuracy. The camera's high ISO capabilities provide versatile low-light performance, ensuring crisp images even in challenging conditions.
While technology has moved forward, the Nikon D850's enduring excellence for image quality, in comparison to newer models, makes it an excellent choice for those looking for high-quality images without breaking the bank.
Remarkable Resolution Power
A significant aspect of the Nikon D850 that sets it apart from its predecessor, the D810, and other full-frame DSLRs is its remarkable resolution power. The aforementioned 45.7 megapixel sensor means the D850 captures extremely high-resolution images. This level of resolution is especially useful for professional photographers working on large-scale prints, intricate retouching, or those who heavily crop their images.
With its combination of image quality and resolution power, the Nikon D850 remains a compelling choice for photographers in 2024, providing unparalleled performance in both aspects.
Performance and Speed
Autofocus and Continuous Shooting
As a photographer, capturing sharp and well-timed images is crucial. With the Nikon D850, you'll benefit from a reliable and efficient autofocus system, which boasts 153 autofocus points. This extensive focus system allows you to accurately track your subjects, ensuring consistently sharp images. Check out these and other specs in the video above by Nikon USA.
The D850's continuous shooting speed of 7fps (frames per second) enables you to capture fast-paced action with ease. Additionally, with its large buffer capacity, you won't miss crucial moments while waiting for your camera to write images to the memory card.
Low-Light Capabilities and ISO Range
Nikon D850 at 14mm, f/6.3, 2.5 sec shutter, ISO 500
Low-light photography can be challenging, but the Nikon D850 takes it in stride. As noted earlier, its impressive ISO range starts at 64 and extends up to 25,600, which can be further expanded to 32-102,400. This wide ISO range allows you to capture stunning images in various lighting conditions without losing detail or introducing excessive noise. Coupled with the camera's excellent dynamic range and EXPEED 5 processor, the D850 consistently delivers top-notch low-light performance.
Built for Professionals
Durable Design and Build Quality
As a professional photographer or an enthusiast, you'll appreciate the Nikon D850's durable design and build quality. With its rugged build and weather-sealed construction, this camera is made to withstand the rigors of professional use. Its robust camera body ensures durability, allowing you to confidently use it in various environments and challenging conditions.
One noteworthy aspect is the D850's battery life, which is essential for long shooting sessions and remote locations. The extended battery life lets you keep capturing stunning images without the worry of constantly changing batteries.
Ergonomic and Intuitive Use
In addition to the remarkable build quality, the Nikon D850 offers ergonomic and intuitive controls tailored for professionals. The well-designed camera body and smart button layout make it easy to access frequently used settings and functions at your fingertips.
The D850's bright and sharp viewfinder ensures a comfortable and accurate preview of your shot, while the flexible options for display and controls customization let you adapt the camera to your personal preferences and shooting style.
Learn More:
Versatility in Photography
The Nikon D850 is a powerful tool for photographers of all types, and one of its key strengths is its versatility in different photographic genres. In this section, we will take a look at how the D850 excels in landscape and portrait photography, as well as its capabilities in sports and wildlife photography.
Landscape and Portrait Adaptability
Nikon D850 at 15mm, f/10, 4 sec shutter, ISO 64
Whether you're capturing the grandeur of a beautiful landscape or the intricate details of a portrait, the D850 has got you covered. Its 45.7-megapixel sensor delivers stunning detail and dynamic range which allow you to capture a wide variety of scenes with exceptional image quality. The high-resolution sensor also provides great flexibility when it comes to cropping your images or producing large prints.
For landscape photography, the D850's dynamic range ensures you capture rich details in both shadows and highlights, giving your photos a true-to-life appearance. The camera's full-frame sensor also allows for wide-angle perspectives, enabling you to create breathtaking panoramic shots.
In the realm of portrait photography, the D850's sensor, combined with its accurate autofocus system, results in impressive sharpness and clarity in your subject's features. Skin tones remain natural and true-to-life, while the shallow depth of field offered by the full-frame sensor helps create beautiful background bokeh.
Sport and Wildlife Photography
Sport and wildlife photography often demand both speed and precision, and the Nikon D850 boasts a combination of features that make it well-suited to these genres (as Tony & Chelsea Northrup explain in the video above).
With its 153-point autofocus system, the D850 can accurately track fast-moving subjects, ensuring you capture the perfect moment. The camera's 7 frames per second (fps) continuous shooting mode (or up to 9 fps with the optional battery grip) allows you to capture rapid sequences of action-packed moments.
During low-light conditions, which are often encountered in wildlife and sports photography, the D850 remains a reliable choice. Its impressive low-light performance means that you can continue to shoot in these challenging environments without worrying about grainy or noisy images.
For wildlife photographers, the combination of the D850's high-resolution sensor, fast autofocus, and low-light capabilities ensures that you capture even the slightest details in your subjects' fur, feathers, or scales. This makes the Nikon D850 a versatile choice for both professional photographers and enthusiasts alike.
Video and Live View Features
4K UHD Video Capabilities
The Nikon D850 is well-equipped in the video department with 4K UHD video recording capabilities. Although not the top tier of cameras specifically designed for videography, such as the Panasonic GH6 or Sony a1, it remains a solid choice for those interested in producing high-quality video content in 2024.
When it was released in 2017, 4K video recording was considered the cutting edge. While the industry has progressed to 8K shooting, the 4K resolution option on the D850 is still relevant and produces excellent results.
The D850's video features are perfect for outdoor shots, short films, and adventure photography. You'll appreciate the flexibility of being able to record in both Full HD and 4K UHD formats, depending on your needs. It enables you to have beautiful, sharp footage to include in your projects or to share with audiences.
Enhanced Live View Experience
Another great feature of the Nikon D850 when it comes to video is its enhanced Live View experience. The camera has a dedicated button and lever to instantly switch between still photography and video modes, making it easy to transition between the two during your shooting sessions.
One thing to note is that the D850 uses regular contrast autofocus during Live View mode. While it isn't quite as fast as Canon's Dual Pixel CMOS AF or Sony's hybrid AF systems, the D850's AF performance has improved compared to its predecessors. To optimize your focus during video recording, consider manually focusing or using focus peaking.
Connectivity and Power Management
In the era of ever-evolving technology, the Nikon D850 proves to be a reliable tool for professional photographers. Equipped with built-in Bluetooth and Wi-Fi capabilities, you can effortlessly transfer your photos to a compatible device. This seamless connectivity ensures that you can post high-quality images on your social media or share them with your clients immediately.
Moreover, the D850's efficient power management system allows you to enjoy an extended battery life compared to its predecessors and mirrorless counterparts. This is especially beneficial when you are on long assignments or shooting in remote locations where charging options may be limited. The D850's excellent battery life helps you focus more on capturing the perfect shots, rather than stressing over power concerns.
Cutting-edge Image Processing
The Nikon D850's prowess in image processing can be attributed to several key factors. Its EXPEED 5 processor ensures speedy performance, enabling quick file handling and allowing you to effortlessly capture multiple shots in succession. In addition, this top-of-the-line processor guarantees excellent ISO performance, providing optimal low-light conditions shooting experiences.
Focus Stacking Capabilities:
Another amazing feature of the Nikon D850 is its focus stacking capability. This technique automatically takes multiple shots at varying focal distances, which can be combined in post-processing to create incredible depth and sharpness. Ideal for macro photography or landscape shots, focus stacking is a powerful tool for ensuring that your images stand out.
Comparative Analysis
Nikon D850 vs Nikon D810
When comparing the Nikon D850 to its predecessor, the Nikon D810, several key improvements become apparent, as discussed by Matt Irwin Photography in the video above. Improvements include the following:
Both cameras continue to receive positive reviews and support, but it's evident that the D850 outshines the D810 in several aspects.
Additional Considerations
Price and Value
In 2024, the Nikon D850 remains a great value, especially for enthusiasts and professionals. You can find used D850s in excellent condition on sites like MPB for less than $1,700. Camera deals like this enable you to invest in a high-quality DSLR that delivers exceptional results across various photography genres.
Photography Genres and Camera Suitability
The Nikon D850 is highly versatile and suitable for a wide range of photography genres:
Accessories and Extensions
To maximize your experience with the Nikon D850, consider investing in some essential accessories and extensions:
Investment Perspective and Resale Value
Considering the Nikon D850 as an investment, it's crucial to weigh its long-term value and resale potential.
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