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Nikon really intends to make a 4k dslr in a while, for now they are simply following their usual shedule of updating their already released cameras as they did since D100, D1 until now. Usually for nikon you have the new camera and its "s" or .100 or .300 or .10 etc, and then you get the real new deal after. Working with a D800 and a Hacked gh2 has been really fun for me and it produces absolut mint images when you know how to use them in shooting and in post production. I don't feel the urge, with such a good camera to switch to the newer or the last 4k. My clients are always blown away by everything produced on this camera. And for stills, I can say that it has been a real breakthrough that allowed me not to deal anymore with hasselblad for fashion shoots and its been a real relief in terms of investments. Furthermore, the 24mb/s codec provided on the d800 amazed me as I could produce as good images as my hacked gh2 in 90mb/s //100mb/s and they allow me to go far more deep in color corrections than gh2 and 5DmkII allowed me (Hacked and magic lanterned - not talking about raw). Needless to say that the last nikon hack of 60mb/s for the D800 really does the trick and allows to avoid all ninja external recorders and is a really light solution for heavy shooting, I have been processing some tests and edit that really makes a good 1080P camera. My advice is, after you've done your edit cut, encode your video files on DNXHD 350 and then post prod them as you want you'll really have something quite heavy looking to deal with that will compare easilly to more "professionnal" video solutions. For example, a trailer for a photo shoot I did for ELLE: Vimeo compression makes it a bit blocky, but it does the same with every good quality pictures lately (gh4, 5dMIII raw, BMP), like if there were too much quality to handle for the compression. For moire, the video filter to put inside that corrects it really works like magic, it is expensive (around 300€), but brings you an image so beautifull and a flawless free - of - moire picture that I find it essential to deal with, while preserving the mind blowing quality of this 24mb/s h264 video files. Putting it to shoot video really allows me to separate the video from photo situations for my clients as they understand that while shooting video the camera has been changed so they can't ask for one little photo while making videos. And yet, I never felt the need to psuh forward details in post prod on this camera. Not so many can say that. ;-) So, yes, if you are a professional and have no d800, d600, no 5DMkIII yet, this D810 can really be a great deal for you on both stills and video.

I shot the blue half of this video with that combo. It's my favorite combo.

I agree that some of the shots' focus isn't optimal. Like I say in the description everything is shot "blind" with only the focus peaking to guide my focusing. Since I havn't had that before it took some experimenting and only in post did I see what was working and what didn't. As for the NR I guess I as much as everyone else is still in the process of experimenting with different settings. I find that I really like the "noise structure" that I get leaving NR at 0 in the Cinelike D when capturing in 4k and cropping it down to 1080p. I think it leaves some camera-noise that mimics filmgrain. Thats also the reason I don't use Neat in this video because I want the look it has now. Thats the look of this video but not necessary the next one. It's an interesting camera no doubt! Cheers :-)

This killed me

  Given the 5D Mark III was soft 2 years ago, and can go the extra mile with raw where the D810 can't, this is hardly high praise.   "My VHS tape is nearly as good as betamax!"

thx for sharing your work! some of the very best out of a nikon yet! so it is possible

It's hard to tell what it would look like without youtube's compression, but there are some issues: 1. Moire at 54s. 2. Rolling shutter at 8m18s. 3. It's basically your fault if you don't succeed even if the economic system is rigged to direct more wealth to the wealthiest at 2m39s.

I have a feeling they'll do what they always do. Wait about a year or two on everyone else... then make the best one ;)

If you're not rendering on the laptop, then I think the 13" is perfectly fine. I mean, there's no point in buying the 15" if you're going to loathe carrying it, however powerful it might be. The main advantage for me would be the screen on the 13" rMBP. It's so much better than the screens on the Airs. The denser resolution helps in photo editing too. The new CPUs aren't much faster however. A 2012 is an Ivy Bridge model, right? The current models use the Haswell CPUs, which offer little performance gain, but increased battery life (20-30% increase). The main increase in speed will be from the improved integrated GPU, which helps when editing.

I edit photos and videos on an 11" machine when on the road. It's all about being what you're comfortable with, and my eyes can perfectly take the load from my shoulders in this regard. You didn't mention the 15" with the nVidia option, so I did forget about that - whereas the difference between the integrated Intels aren't much, the nVidia is a different animal. Does your iMac have a switchable integrated graphics solution? If so you can switch to the integrated one and see how your favourite editing programs perform. EDIT: Didn't notice you had an Air. Hmm. If you find that slow, then maybe you don't have much of a choice. 15" it is for you! Personally, I'd just go with the 13" rMBP. Can't stand 15" laptops, though I'm willing to concede that this might be a cultural thing as well.

You really only need to say Nikon, no optical low pass filter and 36.3mp to sell it as a stills camera. After that even saying the word photograph seems redundant. I want someone to drop me off in the woods with one of these, a 21mm Zeiss prime, a mule carrying two big jugs of water and a backpack containing a shovel, toilet paper and fifty clif bars. Good luck to anyone who buys this camera just because it says video all over it.

After reading and watching the PR material I think the marketing director has "Dreamer Eyes." "This one's for you Nana!" Seriously, check out the D810promo. So many odd beats in the thing. It's a good illustration of how making cinematic narrative is REALLY hard --and it's not the gear or the budget that allow it to succeed.

Hey Andrew... this sounds PERFECT timing actually. Not sure if you've watched the Middle East official GH3 launch video I shot last year: This year Panasonic Middle East commissioned me to shoot another film for the GH4. I shot it, edited it and the only thing missing now is the music composition. I thought it'd be a great idea to use your composer to score the music for it. His work sounds great from the video teaser you posted earlier and I'm sure he might be able to do something good with it. What do you think? Looking froward to your reply Cheers Sherif

This is the only Nikon D810 film I can find. Dynamic range looks abysmal. Aliasing etc don't seem so bad but it's hard to tell. The acting is just.... well have a look ;) It all looks very old school DSLR video here. But then these promos always suck.

Dude, really good job with the color. At first I thought your original post said you were using raw, and I was thinking "cool, I like the flat grading"...then I saw that it's just cinestyle and I was even more impressed. This looks better than a lot of the "graded" raw footage I see out there that is way too flat and lifeless.

I think unlike other people, we've been conditioned to know what bad stabilization looks like and we can't see it as a cool effect like everyone else on youtube might. It's hard to make that disconnect sometimes, especially when you know what's behind it.

There is some dodgy stabilisation going on (presumably all part of the charm) but it isn't rolling shutter you're seeing.   Creatively I think the video succeeds. Give the pixel peeping a rest on this one guys.