First truly representative Nikon D800 video footage. DXOMark says sensor is 'best ever'.

[Andrew Reid]

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[img]http://www.eoshd.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/nikon-d800-2.jpg[/img]

Above: frame grab from Longshan’s Temple shot on the Nikon D800 in Taiwan. [url="http://vimeo.com/38912704"]Click here[/url] to go to the Vimeo page and to download the original.

These findings have rather taken me aback.

Not only is the Nikon D800′s video quality far better than the Nikon D4 and more detailed than the 5D Mark III, the low light performance of the raw sensor data is nip and tuck with the Nikon D4 despite having double the megapixel count.

Even more surprising is that the D800 just scored the number 1 position overall on DXOMark… out-performing a PhaseONE digital back!

Needless to say this camera is now on my radar.

[url="http://www.eoshd.com/content/7590/first-truly-representative-nikon-d800-video-footage-dxomark-says-sensor-is-best-ever/"]Read full article[/url]

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[Simco123]

To be honest that D800 sample is no sharper or detailed than the samples from Canon's website? I belive there is either something with your workflow or a firmware issue.

I haven't got a 5DIII but someone said their RAW still image when processed with latest DPP it automatically turns moire reduction on making his image looks mushy. I'm curious have you got moire reduction enabled in your video editor? It could even be turned on by the 5DIII files or that the softness is susceptable to moire reduction enabled?

[5DGH]

Here I am explaining it again for those who don't follow my and EosHD's twitter.

When measuring sensor performance, DxOMark 'normalizes' the RAW data. That means they, regardless of different MP count, make a 300dpi 8x12 actual print to test. The result you see is based on that result unless you click on the 'screen' button which measure 100% screen mode (native pixel) performance.

That makes perfect sense for stills. After all, we're bound to resize the image for printing and web posting purposes.

It doesn't work that way for video due to line-skipping mechanism. For video, what matters is native pixel performance.

Now, click on that 'screen' button to see how D800 performs compare to D7000. Pretty much the same. Yes, the ultra strengths of D800 comes from FF sensor that can support such high megapixel count. As for per pixel performance, it's as good/bad as D7000 which means it's nothing to write home about.

[Maxine]

I've seen the same "pixilated edges" artifacts on my Sony NEX-5N as well. HX9v is free of this problem probably due to a better scaling.

[bg2b]

[quote author=5DGH link=topic=455.msg2870#msg2870 date=1332530050]
It doesn't work that way for video due to line-skipping mechanism. For video, what matters is native pixel performance.
[/quote]
Do all cameras do line-skipping?  I would agree that much of what matters is the "effective" sensor area, which for a line-skipping camera might be only a fraction of the stills area.  And of course the downsampling algorithm matters too.

[sandro]

The video quality of D800 definitely DESTROYS THE CANON 5D!
I don't think it's like the FS100/GH2 but it comes very close

[tungah]

I called it, people!  :P
Canon is DONE.
Now lower the price of the 5D3, BEOTCHES!

[Alex Mand]

[quote author=sandro link=topic=455.msg2874#msg2874 date=1332531439]
The video quality of D800 definitely DESTROYS THE CANON 5D!
I don't think it's like the FS100/GH2 but it comes very close
[/quote]

I don't think it destroys MKIII images. I'm in love with my MKIII! But for pictures. For video it is really mushy. On IPB mode it works very good but it's a problem to compare it to FS100 resolution wise. I've rented one for a project and I was just waiting to MKIII to make the choice... Now I got both... lol

I sold my MKII and also bought an used FS100 for 4k. Just waiting to try it with my external recorder. also order my metabones adapter. I have a full set of canon primes and zooms. It would be really hard to buy a D800.

And as previous Sony owner I trust a lot on their equipment and quality. I still miss my old EX1. Great cam.

[jcs]

It appears sharper out of the camera but has aliasing and moire- the 5D3 doesn't have aliasing and moire but looks softer. Makes sense. From your GH2 compare with post-sharpened 5D3 footage, they looked about the same sharpness, though the 5D3 had less noise and still looked more anti-aliased and filmic. Sharpening in post with PPro is basically free, and highly tweakable- don't see it as a problem. Some material will need extra help with aliasing and moire- if the camera can't handle it, the shot must be adjusted/wardrobe change etc. I dig high resolution, but prefer image quality first (little or no aliasing or moire). We can always remove anti-aliasing in post in exchange for more perceived resolution via a convolution sharpen filter. To get the filmic look, we must remove aliasing and moire, then we can add back in a pleasing noise grain to enhance perceived texture sharpness.

[Hessler]

Andrew, have you seen this video:  [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXx9qOHXBLg#ws]Nikon D800 first Hands on Morié effect RAW clip 720p[/url]

the moire is really bad here

[moebius22]

Anyone using this camera with an external recorder yet? What's the hold up?

[eosjames]

[quote author=moebius22 link=topic=455.msg2882#msg2882 date=1332544102]
Anyone using this camera with an external recorder yet? What's the hold up?
[/quote]

I would give it another week. They just started shipping the pre-orders so we will hopefully
see more real-world tests from unaffiliated shooters. Even with this latest gen of cams, i still think
its probably better to have dedicated cams for stills and video.

[Hessler]

Here is another video you might wanna take a look at, this video has no moire, but I can see aliasing in the grill of a car passing by, but the image looks great:

https://vimeo.com/39073054

[Andrew Reid]

[quote author=Hessler link=topic=455.msg2881#msg2881 date=1332540999]
Andrew, have you seen this video:  [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXx9qOHXBLg#ws]Nikon D800 first Hands on Morié effect RAW clip 720p[/url]

the moire is really bad here
[/quote]

Not sure I trust that is 1080p mode on camera. 720p on YouTube. But it is pretty bad. Far worse than any other D800 clip I've seen so far for moire.

[Hessler]

[quote author=Andrew Reid - EOSHD link=topic=455.msg2890#msg2890 date=1332551125]
[quote author=Hessler link=topic=455.msg2881#msg2881 date=1332540999]
Andrew, have you seen this video:  [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXx9qOHXBLg#ws]Nikon D800 first Hands on Morié effect RAW clip 720p[/url]

the moire is really bad here
[/quote]

Not sure I trust that is 1080p mode on camera. 720p on YouTube. But it is pretty bad. Far worse than any other D800 clip I've seen so far for moire.
[/quote]

I just hope this is a hoax or something, the clip you posted and this one [url=https://vimeo.com/39073054]https://vimeo.com/39073054[/url] are getting me exited, I just wanna see more testing and Mark from the Vimeo video is gonna do some more testing :-)

[Andrew Reid]

[quote author=Hessler link=topic=455.msg2884#msg2884 date=1332544940]
Here is another video you might wanna take a look at, this video has no moire, but I can see aliasing in the grill of a car passing by, but the image looks great:

https://vimeo.com/39073054
[/quote]

That is better. Issues with horizontal lines but apart from that it is beautiful.

[FastFisher]

https://vimeo.com/39081477

[Simco123]

[quote author=FastFisher link=topic=455.msg2895#msg2895 date=1332555911]
https://vimeo.com/39081477
[/quote]

Not a great deal of different between D800 internal and HDMI out and 5D2, all suffers from moire, a touch worse from the Nikon. Some of the sharp samples people are seeing is down  to workflow.

[MatthewP]

I expect that in a few years Nikon will have some excellent video capabilities on their DSLRs - they have no video division to protect, so they'll not hold back! No point speculating on what they might come up with, but if they just sort out their downscaling, and maybe provide a better codec/resolution, they're in for a lot of sales. They just currently don't have the expertise available - that's their limiter (whereas Canon's limiter is the marketing department, making them slow developments down on purpose).

[Simco123]

[quote author=MatthewP link=topic=455.msg2904#msg2904 date=1332581963]
I expect that in a few years Nikon will have some excellent video capabilities on their DSLRs - they have no video division to protect, so they'll not hold back! No point speculating on what they might come up with, but if they just sort out their downscaling, and maybe provide a better codec/resolution, they're in for a lot of sales. They just currently don't have the expertise available - that's their limiter (whereas Canon's limiter is the marketing department, making them slow developments down on purpose).
[/quote]

Except protectionism and conformatism is a Japanese thing. Nikon had to toe the line like everyone else regardless. The only exception is unless there is a new standard in sensor size or technology that hadnt been explored by others they can breakout on their own, ie 2.7 crop.