Nikon D800, the 5D2 replacement?

I have to say, looking at the short that Nikon released for the D800, the video looks very clean and there's a bit more resolution squeezed out of the D800. What surprised me even more is that Nikon used the D800 for the low light short of Joy Ride and the D4 in the "Why Athletes" video. I would think they'd switch it around but I guess the camera speaks for itself:

http://vimeo.com/36345294

The low light ISO is impressive, especially during the street scene with the hookers and homeless people. I'd say it's cleaner than the 5D2, resolution it looks like 7-750lpi vs the 600+lpi on the 5D2. Dynamic range looks very wide too.

http://vimeo.com/36345629

Looking at the BTS MO, it looks like it was all shot in-camera vs using a recorder via HDMI.

In the MO itself, there's still some rolling shutter wobble and in a few scenes, the AF was searching wildly (even with brightly lit objects!). They were pulling focus manually as well. Overall, it's a great short demonstrating the abilities of the D800. I doubt it'll have the same effect as Reverie did for the 5D2. But the video portion of the D800 is very impressive indeed, and looks to replace the 5D2 as the FF35 champion DSLR for video. And that can only be good news for consumers as this will push Canon to react. The D700 preceded the 5D2 by 6 months. Let's see what Canon will produce with the 5D3.

Does anyone know what ISO this was shot at; looks pretty clean.

The embedded videos don't show for me...

http://vimeo.com/36345294

http://vimeo.com/36345629

Yes, Nikon suddenly blocked it... probably due to demand. Makes no sense to me but it's theirs.

Jeff I'd say judging from the light source (they were using powerful lights as well for most of those scenes but made to look natural!), probably up to 2000ISO @ 1/50 or 1/60 f2.8 and bigger lenses.

It actually looked very clean and if that was the image coming out of the camera with no de-noise filters in post then its pretty nice.

On the negative side I absolutely hated the colour grading on the street scenes - it looked exactly like what you get with a sloppy wb under that type of artificial lighting. Yuk.

Cheers, Simon

Hey Simon,

Hate to say it to you guy, but, on this, I have to disagree. I thought the grading emphasized the 'street' feel of a dark, wet night. Of course, I realize that in the UK you only have townships and the like and not real cities like N.Y., but I thought the film was great.

Steve

Simon, Nikon already has built-in noise reduction in the camera.

No Townships here Steve I think that's SA! We've do have plenty of wee cute little hamlets though. I grew up in one with 3 houses and a church and it was the region's capital! Of course to balance that out we do have that little place called London.....

I guess the colour grading is just down to personal choice. I know I shot something recently under street lighting and messed up the WB and it looked exactly like that, so when I watched the film it just gave me the shudders. Brrrrrrrrrrr its still giving me the eebie geedbies now just thinking about it!!

On a positive note again it looks like a very nice camera for video if the controls are accessible. The ball is in Canon's court once again!

Cheers, Simon

No Townships here Steve I think that's SA! We've do have plenty of wee cute little hamlets though. I grew up in one with 3 houses and a church and it was the region's capital! Of course to balance that out we do have that little place called London.....

LOL very funny!

The camera looks pretty solid in performance, interesting though are Nikon too late to the video party with everyone chucking heaps of cash into Canon glass will people change? I reckon this will up the ante for Canon and it will be interesting to see what the 5D MKIII will produce.

From the video there still looks like a fair bit of rolling shutter though which looks pretty ugly.

Guys, really are you so impressed by this camera for video use?

It's seems to me the same old story and nothing exceptional for a DSRL,

From a quality standpoint I don't think the footage looks that great. Seems like if noise reduction was either cranked in-camera or heavily applied in post.

Nikon D800 price: $2999.95 Nikon D800E price: $3,299.95

At that price I don't expect to see moire on the ground.

Downscaling from 36MP should be a nightmare and at the end you get 1,920 x 1,080/24p - 24 Mbps/12 Mbps (Maximum length for High quality movies is 20 min)

that is what you have with a little Oly EPL-3

And please stop citing 5DMKII as reference. It's 2012!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vendor_lock-in

No Townships here Steve I think that's SA! We've do have plenty of wee cute little hamlets though. I grew up in one with 3 houses and a church and it was the region's capital! Of course to balance that out we do have that little place called London.

ROFL! With electric streetlights even!

I guess the colour grading is just down to personal choice. I know I shot something recently under street lighting and messed up the WB and it looked exactly like that, so when I watched the film it just gave me the shudders. Brrrrrrrrrrr its still giving me the eebie geedbies now just thinking about it!!

They were lighting with a big back or fill for most of the scenes with faces. Just enough to illuminate to not have to use 3200+ISO, I think. The noise of the clip in the alley looked quite clean, but they wb to the existing light, which means the mixed light scene will look confused.

M43

The impressive thing is there is clean HDMI feed, high ISO performance and it's here. The 5D2 reference is apropos since it was the only FF ViDSLR with 1080p.

Until we get to see it actually 'housed and dunked' in different underwater conditions without lighting, tripod, mattebox, and a bleeding 'focus puller' etc etc then who gives a s*#t I thought this was wetpixel not 'young cinematographers monthly'

Dean

Until we get to see it actually 'housed and dunked' in different underwater conditions without lighting, tripod, mattebox, and a bleeding 'focus puller' etc etc then who gives a s*#t I thought this was wetpixel not 'young cinematographers monthly'

 

Dean

I don't think many of us qualify as 'young' cinematographers Deano, but one can dream on both counts I guess! Besides when was the last time you were in the water other than your bath? Got to talk about something!!

M43

The impressive thing is there is clean HDMI feed, high ISO performance and it's here. The 5D2 reference is apropos since it was the only FF ViDSLR with 1080p.

I completely agree on the HDMI, on the ISO performance we will see. On vimeo you can find better video shot with a compact camera. That is a big production, I trust more the video shot from a normal user. I really do not understand all the Ohhhh Ahhhhh in the video comments. Just because it's a new Nikon!

I partecipated in some uw shots in a pool for some movie productions. The HDMI could be used to record directly to the surface. I don't see other use of the clean HDMI underwater. For an ext. monitor you don't need a clean output. Maybe we will see new housings with a nano recorder inside?

On FF, I think that FF for Video it's a PITA. You use all the lens glass so you will see every microscopic flaw in the lens design. FF bodies are huge and you can get the same result with a smaller body/housing which is way more ergonomic.

I'm convinced that the success of these camera it's solely the lock-in. Tons of pro-photographer having nikon and canon camera started to shot video in the blink of an eye!

5DMKII it's really a PITA to use for video, I agree it was the first but years passed and still today you'll find fan boys continuing to compare everything to it.

Bye

I don't think many of us qualify as 'young' cinematographers Deano, but one can dream on both counts I guess! Besides when was the last time you were in the water other than your bath? Got to talk about something!!

Ooo where's my handbag!!! ... Sadly ages ago when I was paid to get wet. Just saying the scenario set up in those wee films doesn't exactly give us a real insight to what this cam does underwater.

You speak for yourself bud... Your only as old as the girl you feel lol

Dean

Perv!

Perv!

Shes 33 this year!? ... Well I suppose thats 10 yrs my junior so slightly perv

Dean

I completely agree on the HDMI, on the ISO performance we will see. On vimeo you can find better video shot with a compact camera. That is a big production, I trust more the video shot from a normal user. I really do not understand all the Ohhhh Ahhhhh in the video comments. Just because it's a new Nikon!

I partecipated in some uw shots in a pool for some movie productions. The HDMI could be used to record directly to the surface. I don't see other use of the clean HDMI underwater. For an ext. monitor you don't need a clean output. Maybe we will see new housings with a nano recorder inside?

 

On FF, I think that FF for Video it's a PITA. You use all the lens glass so you will see every microscopic flaw in the lens design. FF bodies are huge and you can get the same result with a smaller body/housing which is way more ergonomic.

I'm convinced that the success of these camera it's solely the lock-in. Tons of pro-photographer having nikon and canon camera started to shot video in the blink of an eye!

5DMKII it's really a PITA to use for video, I agree it was the first but years passed and still today you'll find fan boys continuing to compare everything to it.

 

Bye

There will be housings for HDMI recorders, which are pretty easy to build.

As for FF, if you can't appreciate the skin tones of FF35 and shallow DOF, there's no need to continue this conversation. Not to mention the ISO performance. For underwater, it's not nearly the best but it is functional for dual purporse recording this side of $3000. The D800 continues this with added benefits. It will be interesting to see how good All-I will look vs HDMI capture.

There will be housings for HDMI recorders, which are pretty easy to build.

 

As for FF, if you can't appreciate the skin tones of FF35 and shallow DOF, there's no need to continue this conversation.

Hummm... a statement like that cut out conversation, really.

Rule #1: When the person one is talking to, put himself on a different plan, the conversation is over.

Shallow DOF & Skin tones underwater, I thought I was on Wetpixel not Dvxuser.

Shes 33 this year!? ... Well I suppose thats 10 yrs my junior so slightly perv

 

Dean

LOL 10 years? That would make you 43? Are you sure??

Cheers, Simon (sorry I'm on a roll - somebody stop me!)