Some Questions and Thoughts on the D4

In the first few hours after the D4 was announced I was flooded with questions, and I thought some were very good ones!  So I thought I would attempt to address some of them, but first, this is why I’m excited about the image quality, Below are a full frame image and a 100% enlargement of a small portion of the file, I think you will be impressed!

O.K. I will let the images speak for themselves, now to your questions:

Question 1.  Is the D4 enough better than the D7000 to pay $5,999.95 for one?

Answer; I’m not trying to be evasive but that is an impossible questions to answer.  What I mean is for some photographers it’s worth every penny, for others it will definitely be over kill.   If you are a professional sports photographer or photojournalist, I would say I don’t see how you could live without one.  If you are a serious amateur and have and unlimited budget, once again, it’s well worth the price.  If your budget for equipment would be stretched to the limit to just buy the body alone, I would say a D7000 and few very good lenses might be the best answer for you.  Comparing the D4 to a D7000 is like comparing a Toyota Camry to a S Class Mercedes.  They both do the same things but at a very different level.  Both will get you from point A to Point B, but the trip is going to be very different!!!

Question 2.  How much better do think the D4 is than the D3s?  

Answer:  In terms of video, it is revolutionary, in terms of still photography I would say it is very evolved and significantly improved!  I say that while still believing the D3s was one of the greatest cameras of all time!   You have to keep in mind that the professional top model from Nikon is very specifically designed for a certain kind of photographer, and in that respect those shooters should be very, very pleased indeed! I would say that if extremely high resolution like the D3x is not necessary for what you do, the D4 just might be in your future.

Question 3.  How do you think it will compare to the New Canon X pro camera?  

Answer:  I have not seen the Canon camera, or used it, so making a comparison would be impossible, I’m sure their camera will be a fine machine, but working for Nikon I don’t spend to much time shooting with Canons!

Question 4.  If you compared the D4 to a D3s, or D700,or even a D7000, how much better will the images be?

Answer:  It is hard to address that because except for the D3s you’re comparing apples and oranges.  First, the D4 is going to be better than any of the camera you mentioned.  In terms of video there is no comparison.  For still work if images are not blow up very large, or not shot at extremely high ISOs (like 6400 and up)  I think the comparisons would be closer than you might think, however, at very high ISO and very large print sizes, the D4 is going to really shine by comparison.  The D700 is virtually equal to a D3, now two generations old, and the D7000 is a different animal altogether, the D7000 is a screaming bargain a 1/5 the cost of a D4 , but definitely made for different uses!

Question 5.  What has impressed you the most about the D4 in your first month of shooting it?

Answer:  That’s a great question!!  I love the solid no nonsense design and the way it operates, smooth, quick and very responsive.  I love the fact that it offers all the controls in a familiar way but with a lot of enhanced capabilities, like the much expanded bracketing options.  I love the viewfinder, and the image quality, even when blown up huge is very impressive.  In the film era the Nikon F5 was once called a mean picture making machine!  Among pro DSLRs I would have to say this is this generations Mean picture making machine!

Question 6.  Do you use the D3x much, and do you like the D4 better even though it has less megapixels?

Answer:  My work does not require the level of megapixels that the D3x offers, many people do want, and need that kind of resolution, I’m just not one of them.  I love the D3x, I just don’t find I need that extreme resolution that often.  If I did studio or fashion work and huge prints I would use one far more often.

Question 7.  When you retire from Nikon, someday,  do you think you will buy a D4 to keep?

Answer: I think there is very little doubt about that!

Hope those were helpful!

In Him,

the pilgrim

* PS:  Thanks to Ken Rockwell for the studio shot of the D4!