Nikon D4 Review

Nikon D4 Review

When you will decide to buy the Nikon D4, a lot of things into consideration, why Nikon D4 camera is worth for you to have. Nikon D4 review becomes the topic to be interesting because this camera offers a mainstay feature worth having a professional photographer.

The design of the camera body to the technology features found in the Nikon D4 can be the mainstay of your work. But the best reviews are honest reviews from customers who have purchased. They have felt the first of you, then there is a good idea to read reviews of customers who have purchased below.

Nikon D4 Review - Nikon D4 Camera Sets New Benchmark

Nikon D4 sets new benchmark - By R. Adams

Ordering from Amazon - As soon as I saw the news on nikon rumors that amazon had opened up the website for D4 orders, I placed mine. Thank you nikon rumors! This was January 6th. Since then, Amazon sent their usual emails informing me that the product was backordered and such. The only problem was amazon kept listing March 20th as the release date and March 21st as my "Estimated Shipping Date". Of course this didn't happen. In fact, at least for those that watch dpreview.com, this happened to all amazon D4 orders. The only bummer about the whole ordering experience was that the Amazon customer service was pretty much useless and uninformed. In the future, amazon should be quicker to correct their release dates. At least I got the camera..moving on...

Camera shipping from Amazon - In the past I have been contacted by Amazon concierge to make sure my order was going smoothly. DIdn't happen with the D4. Not a big deal. Camera shipped next day UPS Saver on March 28 and arrived March 29th just past 5pm. Shipped was free due to the release date screw ups. Camera was boxed OK..and it did the job. I would have packed it better..but it arrived ok. Signature required.

D4 contents - Good news here! The D4 came with the Sony XQS Card Reader and one 16 gig Sony XQS card. Very cool - considering my 32 gig order is still pending. The Card reader and card were in a white envelope placed on top of the camera contents.

Additional contents

  • 1x EN-EL18 battery
  • MH-26 Battery charger (charges 2 batteries)
  • Instructions in both Spanish & English
  • Warranty Programs
  • Nikon ViewNX2
  • Strap
  • USB cable
  • Caps - body, hotshot
  • Clips - USB & body
  • UF1 & UF2 connectors

D4 Specs (and compared to the D3s)

  • Weight - 41.6 oz (D3s 43.7 oz) (Weight difference is noticeable!)
  • Pixels - 16.2 million (D3s 12.1)
  • FPS - 10/11 (D3s 9 FPS)
  • ISO - 100 - 12,800 with lo-1 as 50, HI-4 as 204,800 (D3s 200 - 12,800, Lo-1 100, HI-3 102,400)
  • Video - Full 1080 HD up to 30 FPS (D3s 720 at 24 FPS)
  • Monitor size - 3.2 inches (D3s 3.0)
  • Viewfinder - 100%
  • Integrated network port

D4 camera (first impressions)

  • Ergonomics & Buttons - WOW a lot has changed here. If you are coming from a D3s like me, all sorts of little changes mean some big adjustments. Here is my list of just what I've found so far
  • Metering selector is gone!!! It used to be on the prism and adjusted with your right thumb. Not any more! It is now replacing the "Lock" button and press with your left hand - and adjusted INSIDE the viewfinder.
  • Focus Mode Selector - Gone too! The button to toggle between manual and autofocus is still there, but to toggle between C & S is now inside the view finder
  • Hand grip is different for both portrait and landscape photos - including a small black piece of rubber attached near the camera bottom
  • The camera back - Just looking at the back of the camera has sent me back to the full manual to learn this camera from the beginning. This includes changes to the thumbnails, picture control, and playback buttons and removal of the Area AF mode selector button.
  • Overall I like the changes, and love the ability to see changes inside the viewfinder. Might be a while to get my fingers to adapt. Overall it's good.

New D4 Network capabilities - New to the D4, the camera can do FTP photo and movie uploads, control camera functions from a laptop using an optional software package (Caera Control Pro 2), and take pictures using an iPhone and remote browser. You can also control multiple cameras and do synchronized releases using the WT-5.

New D4 Chips & Batteries - The battery and XQS memory chips are new to the D4. This means having to spend more money to buy new stuff - as opposed to those that upgraded from the D3 to D3s. Sure it is good for the long term, but is a bit of a pain right now. If you shoot any other camera as well, then you will need to lug about two battery charges. If you don't have a backup camera, you will still need two sets of chips.

Shooting the D4

  • Quiet shutter option. There is a new shutter setting for a quiet shutter. This is on the command dial next to the high speed shutter release.
  • a bump up in FPS is subtle, but nice. I have yet to fully test this, but for shooting motor sports, I like it
  • Viewfinder is now 100% and nothing to dislike about this!
  • The virtual horizon is now inside the viewfinder! I constantly have to correct my pictures and love this feature. This is used by setting the Fn button in the menu to use the virtual horizon feature. The horizon only works when holding the camera normally - not vertical. Still...great feature and I love it.

ISO - The D4 takes pushing up the ISO beyond the D3s. But the difference is minimal as far as I can tell.

Overall (so far) - D4 is every bit as good as the D3s and then some. The upgrades to the buttons are annoying, but I think will really be more useful in the field than the D3s version. The new chips and batteries are just progress in my mind. Not a big deal, just a little more money that has to be spent. I've only had this camera one day (and one night) and plan to add to this as I hit up some car races and concours..., read more customer reviews Click here.