Purchasing D850 - Tell my your experience.

Moab Man

Senior Member
This is not a NEED purchase, but entirely a want. I would love to hear from those with the camera of any surprises, challenges, or quirks they didn't expect.

Thank you.
 

Chucktin

Senior Member
Bought mine Spring of last year - retirement award from me to me.
Guess what? You are in for a learning curve . How deep is your pocket?
If you do purchase you'll maybe want/need new FX glass? - the holy trio, WA Zoom, Mid-Range Zoom, and Telephoto Zoom. That's 3, stay with Primes and you can easily double that number.
Also how's your back? Unless you've got a pocket mule (wives don't count, ask them!) somebody (you, see comment above) has to schlep this stuff around. (Hey at one time I came equipped with a 6x6 Square Bronica, 3 lenses, filters, extra backs, a strobe and much extra film).
Get the fastest SD and QXD cards you can find. And ... You might want to up date your electronic darkroom to a honking big desktop.
I'd put the camera on a tripod and study it while watching all the D850 videos you can stomach on a tablet for starters.
But just do it, you won't be disappointed.
 

mikew_RIP

Senior Member
Stange, a photographer that buys a want rather than a need

images.jpg
 

Blade Canyon

Senior Member
I went D600, D800, then D850. Purely want, not need. Then decided that the best sensor and processor needs the sharpest glass by all reviews, so I bought the Sigma 135mm ART lens.

It has been fun, but honestly for how I use photographs (as a hobby), the D600 would still be enough camera to do most of what I shoot, and the D800 would cover the rest. (Bigger sensor was helpful in shooting surfers at a distance.) Still, for portraits with artificial lighting, seeing that extreme detail is fun from a hobbyist/techno standpoint, but it's too much detail for most subjects. Women do not like to see their facial hair!

Here's a detail from a couple shot:

hair.jpg

The crop is from a file already reduced, so doesn't show how extreme the detail can be.
 
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Dawg Pics

Senior Member
I went D600, D800, then D850. Purely want, not need. Then decided that the best sensor and processor needs the sharpest glass by all reviews, so I bought the Sigma 135mm ART lens.

It has been fun, but honestly for how I use photographs (as a hobby), the D600 would still be enough camera to do most of what I shoot, and the D800 would cover the rest. (Bigger sensor was helpful in shooting surfers at a distance.) Still, for portraits with artificial lighting, seeing that extreme detail is fun from a hobbyist/techno standpoint, but it's too much detail for most subjects. Women do not like to see their facial hair!

Here's a detail from a couple shot:

View attachment 300773

The crop is from a file already reduced, so doesn't show how extreme the detail can be.

Right on. Use a D850 with your awesome Sigma Art lens and then put a soft focus filter on it. :shame:
 

Dawg Pics

Senior Member
[MENTION=11881]Moab Man[/MENTION], What inspired you to look at the D850?
No doubt you would take awesome images with it.
 

Danno

Senior Member
[MENTION=11881]Moab Man[/MENTION], did you see that Nikon has D850 Refurbished bodies for $2699. Not bad if you do not mind Refurbished.
 

Moab Man

Senior Member
I went D600, D800, then D850. Purely want, not need. Then decided that the best sensor and processor needs the sharpest glass by all reviews, so I bought the Sigma 135mm ART lens.

It has been fun, but honestly for how I use photographs (as a hobby), the D600 would still be enough camera to do most of what I shoot, and the D800 would cover the rest. (Bigger sensor was helpful in shooting surfers at a distance.) Still, for portraits with artificial lighting, seeing that extreme detail is fun from a hobbyist/techno standpoint, but it's too much detail for most subjects. Women do not like to see their facial hair!

Here's a detail from a couple shot:

View attachment 300773

The crop is from a file already reduced, so doesn't show how extreme the detail can be.

I always use a body with an AA filter for this exact reason. :)
 

Photowyzard

Senior Member
I purchased my D850 last November. Be prepared to give up a vital organ. Along with the camera I purchased the grip, batteries and charger. I don't even want to tally it up.

So, after I recovered from the sticker shock .... the images are ... simply incredible. Not much else I can add to that. Best camera I have ever had, seen or held. I just love it.

The step focusing feature on it is just incredible. Do you like taking portraits? The detail in portraits is simply amazing. My only regret .... I didn't know the Z7 was coming, I would have very much have liked to make hat comparison before I dropped $5 on the D850 and all the do-dads. As good as the D850 truly is, the Z7 and Z mount is the future. I am wondering if I should have gone that route. R&D efforts moving forward will all happen for that line.

However, I do not regret one minute with the D850. It is simply a pleasure to use.
 
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