With so much excitement and unprecidented anticipation, could we be witnessing the release of the perfect portrait camera? We all agree the images released by Nikon are astounding, yet going by 'concerns' over facial blemishes, can a camera be too good for its own good? From my short experience with top-end equipment, it makes me wonder what sort of product we will have in our hands in say ten years time. Will every camera be equipped to produce the same quality? At least no camera on earth will ever make our decisions on what we take and how we take it. This is why photography excites us. The eyes only do half the work. Our brain takes us to higher levels of visual excellence. Richard

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I shot a snap of a woman of a "certain age" using a 105 macro on an N80. I was told that if the photo ever saw the light of day again, I would live in severe pain. I have news for you. It's not the D800.

"The law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well as the poor, to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets and to steal bread." Anatole France

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There are multiple criteria for "visual excellence" and the one these forums and hobbyist discussions focus on are photographer oriented technical details such as resolution, pixel level performance, frames per sec, high ISO noise etc. This new camera creates lots of interest for those people who judge photography in those terms.

The vast majority of people could not care less about any of that. They see a photo, printed or displayed at human scale and either like, don't or are indifferent. Why they like a photo or why they feel some emotion when viewing it has nothing at all do with technical characteristics of the creation of the image itself, only the content.
Compelling, interesting photo images have been attainable for 16 decades so I suppose the perfect cameras have been around that long. Same with paintings. New brush materials or pigments are discussed in detail by painters but their audiences have not cared for 1500 years and have very different criteria for what moves them.
If photographers spent more time in art and photo galleries they would be a little less concerned with some of the technical points and more about the content. For example, I am never tempted to use a magnifying glass to evaluate a painting despite seeing great paintings, great masters, every week several times and see very little difference in ancient versus modern technology in art hardware. The exact same things that make a painting worth seeing and being moved by, are present in photos that are worth seeing. In both cases technology is for the insiders to discuss, not the viewers. But the viewers are the ones who really determine the value or significance of a work.

So yes, the perfect hardware has been here for a very very long time....
Stan
St Petersburg Russia

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Perfect that I read this as my first thread this morning.

Very true, very funny. And goes back to my mantra....

Spin the dial, push the button, make the magic.

------
Webpage: http://www.ptfphoto.com

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We'll have to see if the D800 is the perfect camera for that can only be assessed in hindsight IMHO.

I have had many cameras and some of them have been perfect:

- Nikon FE - perfect in 1979 - rugged, easily controlled, reliable
- Bronica ETRS - not perfect for me - heavy, slow, no meter
- Nikon n8008s - perfect for 1993 - auto focus at last
- Nikon D100 - perfect - finally a dSLR I could (almost) afford
- Nikon D300 - a great step forward, but not perfect for me
- Nikon D700 - perfect - better than Kodachrome in every way, high ISO

So, the way I see it perfect is based on continually changing expectations. I expect the D800 will be perfect for many for the time being but don't plan on it to be perfect forever.

For now, I have my latest perfect camera and will continue to push my abilities so that I can approach it's power to record images to its potential.

It's easy to loose track of but in the end the perfect camera is the one in your hands with your finger on the shutter release button not the one behind glass at the camera shop.

Matt Hutchinson
D700, D300, 18-35, 28-70, 80-200, 24, 50, 85, TC-14eII, SB-800's, SB-600's

I see the opposite at times .Someone using a D3 in jpeg small , black & white shooting
Blurred images of animals running at I/30 s . Not caring about focus or color .

Art is in the mind , paint or a camera are only the tools . Perhaps overkill in camera
Selection is only an issue for those who care .

Hans K.

My Gallery

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The Perfect Response Stan! Bottom line; the camera is only as perfect as it's operator - and when that shutter is hit. This is what makes photography the perfect challenge.

Steel on target Stan! The never ending discussion about non-existing cameras (D400) vs. cameras nobody can get yet (D800 and D4) is humorous. All I know for sure is that my D700s enabled me to handle three newspaper assignments this weekend and are capable of images none of my nearby competitors can get due to the high ISO capability. But... some of the most exciting images in my web site, which all have been shot since my introduction to digital photography in 2003, were shot with a Nikon D1X and they still excite me. To paraphrase a politician -- which I hate to do -- "It's the pictures, dummy!"

Alan
Waterloo, IL, USA
www.proimagingmidamerica.com

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>Steel on target Stan! The never ending discussion about
>non-existing cameras (D400) vs. cameras nobody can get yet
>(D800 and D4) is humorous. All I know for sure is that my
>D700s enabled me to handle three newspaper assignments this
>weekend and are capable of images none of my nearby
>competitors can get due to the high ISO capability. But...
>some of the most exciting images in my web site, which all
>have been shot since my introduction to digital photography in
>2003, were shot with a Nikon D1X and they still excite me. To
>paraphrase a politician -- which I hate to do -- "It's
>the pictures, dummy!"

Hi Alan:

I agree with most of your comments, but one. D700s? Did I miss something?

Best regards,

Hektor

My Blog: Hektors Blog
My Photo Album: Hektors Photos

How many lenses do you need? - Just one more!

In this case, "D700s" = "more than one D700", I think

Brian
Welsh Nikonian
Check out the Nikonians Team pages

Brian -- CORRECT - I have two of them. Both are wonderful. Is there a convention for pluralizing "D700?" I tried to follow English and add an "s" to form the plural, but I see how I created angst. Alan

Alan
Waterloo, IL, USA
www.proimagingmidamerica.com

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I normally put in an apostrophe - "D3s's" to suggest the plural, but I fear it's not gramatically correct

Brian
Welsh Nikonian
Check out the Nikonians Team pages

I always feel the second D3 camera that was released should have the "S" capitalized as in D3S not D3s.

If there were more than one D3S then apostrophe and capitalization can provide cues - D3S's.

If there were more than one D3 apostrophe and capitalization can provide cues - D3's.

Best regards, SteveK

'A camera is an instrument that teaches people how to see without a camera.' -- Dorothea Lange
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Given all of the angst that the D800 and D4 have created, it is clearly apparent that they will not come even close to satisfying a large segment of the technically-oriented photographers.

_____
Brian... a bicoastal Nikonian and Team Member

My gallery is online. Comments and critique welcomed any time!

>In this case, "D700s" = "more than one D700", I think

Hi Brian:

Thanks. That makes more sense. There are rumors of a D700x and D700s. Maybe he got hold of one or is testing one. Perhaps a Freudian slip? Before anyone gets excited, these are unsubstantiated rumors that I would not put any validity to them.

Best regards,

Hektor

My Blog: Hektors Blog
My Photo Album: Hektors Photos

How many lenses do you need? - Just one more!

Hi:

IMHO, the D800/D800E are great, if not fantastic, cameras. However, they are far from being perfect like any camera. If they were “perfect” there would be no need to upgrade them, in the future. Many people have found them to be lacking in one area or another, already. I am more than sure that their successor would be an even better and more impressive camera, like it always is.

Best regards,

Hektor

My Blog: Hektors Blog
My Photo Album: Hektors Photos

How many lenses do you need? - Just one more!

For now, D800 is perfect me. I said the same when I bought D300 few years before iI retired. Then I said it would be perfect if I had D3s as my retirement gift for myself. Funny thing is I still use my D80 most on tour. But I believe D800 is going to change all that. It can do fx, fx, video, all in one body. Thanks, Nikon, until next upgrade!

The perfect camera hasn't yet arrived - for me it would be a small, full frame digital camera with between 16 and 24 megapixels. The D7000 comes close, but the lack of wide angle primes is frustrating. How about a 20mm AF-S G f/2.8 that would be the equivalent of 35mm on a DX body? Will it ever come!?

Street photography is my favourite type of shooting, and I'm doubting the D800 will be good for that: it's big, and with it's huge pixel count, it will be very demanding of technique, and probably not good for quick street captures - we'll have to wait for the reviews.

So, in the meantime, I'll use a D7000+35mm f/1.8 and a FujiFilm X100 (35mm equivalent) for street shooting.

Phil
A Canadian Nikonian
My portfolio: www.pjr99.500px.com

>The perfect camera hasn't yet arrived - for me it would be a
>small, full frame digital camera with between 16 and 24
>megapixels. The D7000 comes close, but the lack of wide angle
>primes is frustrating. How about a 20mm AF-S G f/2.8 that
>would be the equivalent of 35mm on a DX body? Will it ever
>come!?
>
Hi Phil:

What about the Nikon AI-s 20mm f/2.8 manual focus lens:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/36905-USA/Nikon_1415_Super_Wide_Angle_20mm.html/BI/4775/KBID/5289/

It weights ~ .6 lbs, it is the equivalent of 30mm in a DX body, and it is probably my next lens if I get another one. The alternative is the Zeiss ZF.2:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/662714-REG/Zeiss_1767_823_Distagon_T_21mm_F_2_8.html/BI/4775/KBID/5289/

IMHO, it is abetter lens, but it weights ~ 1.3 lbs and costs ~ $1,850 with an 82mm filter size.

I just got the AI-s 28mm f/2, used from eBay. I paid $350 and it is almost better than brand new - just gorgeous. The following are my test photos with the 28mm and the D7000:

http://www.hektorsphotos.com/Test-Photos/AI-s-28mm-New/21732377_qPBpqr

Best regards,

Hektor

My Blog: Hektors Blog
My Photo Album: Hektors Photos

How many lenses do you need? - Just one more!

Thanks for the suggestion, Hektor.

I have the Nikkor AF 20mm f/2.8D, equivalent to 30mm on DX. It's alright, but fairly soft wide open, and with noticeable chromatic aberration. I've read that it's optimized for film, not digital.

Cheers,

Phil
A Canadian Nikonian
My portfolio: www.pjr99.500px.com

Nice series Hektor. You're doing some very nice post there.

And $350 sounds like a great bargain! I used to own that lens back in the day. Loved shooting my wide-angles using the DOF hash marks giving me hyperfocal "autofocus".

Best regards, SteveK

'A camera is an instrument that teaches people how to see without a camera.' -- Dorothea Lange
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As far as I'm concerned, the D700 is already the perfect camera. Really, what else do we need. Yes I'll be getting the D800, but only because I like to have a new toy.

Tom
Bay Area Nikonian

http://www.tkphoto.me/

Judging by the thread of responses, the perfect camera remains ('scuse the pun!) in the eye of the beholder. I am more than satisfied with my D3S for motion pics, and still yet to utilise its full potential. It is pointless me purchasing a D800, or D4 for that matter, if I haven't yet mastered what I already have.

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I am very excited about the D800 and yes I feel it is approaching the perfect camera:

- professional video, uncompressed or compressed as needed.
- crazy high res. That bride shot and the D800E landscape examples floor me. Amazing.
- and to top it off on downsizing its ISO performance meets (or exceeds) the D3/D700! Not too shabby (and more or less completely unexpected).

The 4fps is perhaps the D800's main limitation. But I can say for the past year and a bit I dropped down from 8fps (D300+grip) to 6fps (D7000) for wildlife and I definitely do notice that difference but I willingly pay the price in that scenario because the D7000 sensor results are better. So one can make a sacrifice on fps, I know from experience.

The other thing is that the D800 is not a D4 in terms of probable carefree high ISO. But careful high ISO is looking promising. To digress a bit from the OP the perfect 1-2 combo is a D4 and D800 (or maybe D4/D800E)

Best regards, SteveK

'A camera is an instrument that teaches people how to see without a camera.' -- Dorothea Lange
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