My New Camera, the Nikon D800E
UPDATE Feb 14, 2012: I’m no longer getting the D800E but the regular D800. I have outlined the reasons for doing so in a different post. I’m sure both models will produce great images, if you have any thoughts about one model or the other feel free to leave a message in the comments.
I have been waiting impatiently for a new, affordable, full-frame camera from Nikon for over a year. I have been shooting with a Nikon D90 and it’s a capable camera but I knew I wanted to make the jump to FX. Over the last few years, my lens selections have definitely been with a future FX body in mind. I could have bought the D700, which is certainly a capable camera but the next model was ‘just around the corner’. From what I have read, the new D800 was to be released in the first half of 2011, but mother nature doesn’t always cooperate with corporate schedules. First, the earthquake and ensuing tsunami in Japan disrupted the Nikon plant in Sendai. The plant makes the high end bodies and lenses and that put a quick end to any chance of a D800 release. Nikon was well underway with repairs when the heavy flooding in Thailand hit. Nikon’s plant there was underwater, which stopped production of their very popular D7000 among other bodies and lenses.
Two major disasters would cripple any company, and Nikon did their best to keep production up and repair the damage. Schedules were delayed, products in short supply, but Nikon seems to have handled the situation very well and pulled out of the mess and started 2012 off very strong. First, they released their flagship D4, a camera packed with the latest technology from Nikon. It has received a great welcome, and should be a good performer when it starts shipping in late February or early March. Second, they finally announced their compact full-frame model, the D800. They surprised many with two variations of the same camera: with anti-alias filter (D800) and, for the first time from Nikon, one without the filter (D800E). I have put a deposit on a D800E and hope to have my hands on one in April. It will be a long wait.
I won’t go into the specifications of the D800, there are plenty of good links and preview articles out there (Nikon D800 page, dpreview, Rob Galbraith). I’m excited by the new technology in the camera, 36mp sensor, new autofocus and metering system (same as the D4), top notch video features, and much more. I plan to shoot with this camera for the next few years and continue to learn about this great hobby.
Once I get the thing in my hands, I’ll post some sample images and an update.
Camera Size has the D800 in the database now, see how it compares to the D90 (my current camera), D300S, and D4.
