Nikon D800 hacked with 50Mbit/s high bitrate video option

[Andrew Reid]

The D800 has re-emerged!

We have the Mosaic Engineering VAF-D800 filter, compact $299 Atomos Ninja star ProRes recorder and now even a hack project based around the camera.

So I've picked up a D800 and plan to see what I get out of it.

Read the full article here

[maxotics]

So I've picked up a D800 and plan to see what I get out of it.

Read the full article here

 

It's an irony to me that the d600/800 has the highest DR of any camera for stills, yet the video looks washed out.  I don't know if it's my imagination, but the d5300 video looks better than my d600.  If that hack could turn the tables, that would make me a little happy :)

 

This is VERY interesting!!!!

[Appleidiot]

@Maxotics,

As far as I'm concerned it's not your imagination, in fact,I think the D5300 looks better than the D800, but that's just to my eye. Although, I will say i've looked at the D800 for a long time as one of the best full frame cameras out there, but the price of it has always turned me away. Also, I've heard, and Andrew would definitely know more about this than I, but the word is with the 36MP sensor, you really need a good piece of glass to reap the resolution benefits from this camera.

[One Fish Two Fish]

I think the D800's externally recorded image is really quite lovely. A couple examples (both can be downloaded):

 

[gethin]

Just don't try to do slow mo.  The moire on 720 is unbelievable

[dafreaking]

Better quality is awesome, but more usability tweaks would be even better. Just think it might be a little too late to the party. 

[giostrante]

Yesss Andrew, give this underrated beast a try!!

You can install the hack safely, I'm using the 64 mbps in the last month without any issue, except the playback problem of course.

I'm in Berlin too, I'm curious to see what will you shoot and what will you say!

[KarimNassar]

great news, the d800 is an amazing stills camera

 

Just think it might be a little too late to the party. 

 

It's true that since affordable 4k cameras are being released at the moment this might be a much needed, yet late, update.

Aside from panasonic, those affordable 4k camera don't seem to deliver yet, slow rolling shutter issues with the sonys, many issues with blackmagic...

But this is a free upgrade to a superb still camera, so it is welcome any time ;-)

[nib187]

"Stills of course are a lot better. 2 stops more dynamic range and 7K / 36MP images vs 5K / 22Mp on the 5D Mark III."

 

Andrew, I'm not trying to defend Canon, but MP count isn't everything (for stills). If you are interested: 

 

http://dtmateojr.wordpress.com/2014/03/25/full-frame-is-not-an-option/

http://dtmateojr.wordpress.com/2013/12/11/resolution-and-sharpness/

(it's not my blog)

[giostrante]

"Stills of course are a lot better. 2 stops more dynamic range and 7K / 36MP images vs 5K / 22Mp on the 5D Mark III."

 

Andrew, I'm not trying to defend Canon, but MP count isn't everything (for stills). If you are interested: 

 

http://dtmateojr.wordpress.com/2014/03/25/full-frame-is-not-an-option/

http://dtmateojr.wordpress.com/2013/12/11/resolution-and-sharpness/

(it's not my blog)

 

Yes, but this is not the case, for stills there's a huge difference, and only one win. Guess who?

 

[MattH]

Doesn't the d800 only need an extra anti aliasing filter because of how it line skips to get video from a 36mp sensor?

 

The A7s is supposed to read every pixel, and presumably has a photography low pass filter optimized for its native resolution.  If this is the case then It probably wont need an extra anti aliasing filter.

 

 

Looking forward to your GH4/ 5d raw shootout btw.

[Nikkor]

Well the 54megabits happened a month and a half ago, now it is 65megabits https://nikonhacker.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1866

The problem is that you are limited by the 4GB file size, this means 8-10minutes max recording time.

Another problem is that you can't replay these files on the camera.

 

The biggest benefit is with footage that has a lot of small details moving around, and the noise in the shadows which turns into nice grain where usually there is a lot of macroblocking at normal bitrates.

 

I like it, but the way the d800 handles highlights in video/jpg is terrible, the transition is not smooth no matter what picture profile you are using. 

 

Overall the footage becomes easier to sharpen and to color correct because of the absensce of macro blocking.

 

Btw, get used to nikon yellow in h264/jpgs...

[maxotics]

I don't want to replicate anything Andrew might do.  I have a d600 and am happy to hack it and do tests.  The stills from the NikonHacker site seem to show real improvements in the video quality.  

 

@araucaria, are you using this hack now and find it worthwhile?  BTW, I love that Jacek Dylag video above of Anna Treter.  I would tell anyone not to waste their time with Nikon video.  His video proves otherwise.  Again, very exciting that Andrew is taking this up.

[/p/]

Who the fuck deleted my post yo?

[dahlfors]

Looking forward to see what you find out regarding the new bitrates Andrew!

 

Been considering replacing the firmware myself, but still feel a bit uneasy about reflashing the firmware. Could be an expensive brick...

[johnnymossville]

it really is a wonderful stills camera, I just can't get that excited about it for video.   I've moved on. 

[Andrew Reid]

Who the fuck deleted my post yo?

 

I did! And mind the language too.

[Nikkor]

I don't want to replicate anything Andrew might do.  I have a d600 and am happy to hack it and do tests.  The stills from the NikonHacker site seem to show real improvements in the video quality.  

 

@araucaria, are you using this hack now and find it worthwhile?  BTW, I love that Jacek Dylag video above of Anna Treter.  I would tell anyone not to waste their time with Nikon video.  His video proves otherwise.  Again, very exciting that Andrew is taking this up.

 

If you already have the d600 the hack will improve video, the latest hack also sets the "normal" quality to the old max quality so you can choose it when you need 20min takes.

 

But you already have a BMPCC so I can't think of any reason to use it unless the tipical 50 1.4 , 85 1.5 shots.

 

I'm leaving video on a hold as long as I don't get stills quality  :rolleyes: , I wish I could have the portra 400 pushed 3 stops look, I guess it's the same look you get as when shooting kodak stock on a real 35mm cinema camera.

[/p/]

I did! And mind the language too.

You used to be cool.

[maxotics]

If you already have the d600 the hack will improve video, the latest hack also sets the "normal" quality to the old max quality so you can choose it when you need 20min takes.

 

But you already have a BMPCC so I can't think of any reason to use it unless the tipical 50 1.4 , 85 1.5 shots.

 

I'm leaving video on a hold as long as I don't get stills quality  :rolleyes: , I wish I could have the portra 400 pushed 3 stops look, I guess it's the same look you get as when shooting kodak stock on a real 35mm cinema camera.

 

Yes, you must be having a good laugh at me coming down from my RAW horse ;)  

 

There are times when I want some quick video, either because the d600 is all I have with me, or to shoot s a video of how I dremeled down my Chinese Focal Reducer to fit on the BMPCC :)  However, I feel the lowly GF3 is easier to use than the d600, and the quality is not that much worse.  So lately I've been looking at getting a g6, gh3, a6000 or gm1, just for h.264.  These cameras would sit between the d600/dp1m and BMPCC.  

 

What's your take?  I understand the Panasonic cameras will always be a bit sharper than the full-frame.  That aside, if you had to shoot h.264 can you see picking the d600/800 over the gh3?  I trust Appleidiot is right (how could one not trust someone who picked that screen name)?  Maybe I should get a d5300 for h.264.