Effect of D850 on used D4/D4s prices?

editorial_use_only

Senior Member
I'm curious what anyone else thinks about how the D850 will affect used D4 and D4s prices. I am not trying to start a camera model bashing thread.

With grip and EN-EL18 battery, the D850 will do 9 fps in full FX, 46 MP. Amazing. The D850 will have the D5's top shelf AF.

I don't know how many people are using the D4/D4s primarily for high ISO performance. My D3s primarily serves two purposes for me, two roles. When I need to shoot high ISOs and/or high fps (with a good buffer). Sporting events and low light venues. The D610, D750, D810 or okay for those gigs, not great, not ideal. The D3s covers both well.
So would a D4. And with my D3s starting to turn high mileage, I had started keeping my eye on used D4's.

But now, for about the price as a good condition used D4s (or less!), now I can get a new D850 instead. With the D850's AF and significant MP advantages, and none of the hassles and risk buying used gear -- a new camera with a 1 year mfg service warranty. The D850 covers my high fps needs. Sure, no one has done a full test of the D850 and I don't really know yet how it performs, how it will perform for my gigs. I have some questions, how good the small RAW is for example, how good the D850 is at ISO 8000. But since the announcement of the D850, I have completely dropped out of the used D4 market. That's my point.

So I wondered if anyone else was thinking the same. And would be glad to hear other opinions. With the D850 out now, what's going to happen to used D4/s prices? Will they take a significant hit?
 

jay_dean

Senior Member
A significant hit? certainly not in the short term would be my guess. Looking at what happened historically to the used prices of the D3S, D4, and D4S the prices come down, but at a very slow rate. A low mileage D3S will still command prices well over £1000 for a camera released in 2009.
 

Chris@sabor

Senior Member
All other camera systems at this price point will take a significant hit. If the D500 is any indication (I own it) the D850, assuming no troubling issues, will be the top choice of pros and enthusiasts that can afford it. I have learned that these upper level cameras are a camera system, meaning it's not just the sensor or MP count it's how the system performs overall. Like the D500, the sensor "is only 21 MP" and "slightly better than D7200", however in reality the D500 camera system blows the D7200 (I also own it) out of the water in all aspects. I haven't even turned on my D7200 since I got the D500 and don't plan to! By all account the D810 is arguably one of the best cameras Nikon had made and if the specs and performance of the D850 are well implemented and I think they will be, it will be THE Nikon camera to own as it is the most well rounded camera on the market.
 
Top