Nikon D750 review - initial thoughts and real-world footage - ladies and gentleman we have a contender!

[Oliver Daniel]

I was gobsmacked at the quality of the fishing video with the D810, very talented stuff - but show the latest Nikons are very capable. 

 

I'm still shooting most my work on the GH3, and being very patient in upgrading to another model - clients are still happy and paying :)

 

Still prefer the A7S from what I've seen. Nice colours on that Nikon though, would like to try it out! Vimeo videos are never enough for a buying decision  :D

[Andrew Reid]

Just noticed I can't set slow shutter speeds on the D750 like I can on A7S, like 1/8th for blurry movement. I was using both cameras for a dance piece. A7S came in handy there. Overall though both performed well... such a clean, smooth noise free codec on that Nikon!!

[Danyyyel]

 

I think youtube is killing the sharpness and some of the noise, but the D750 seems to hold very well until ISO 12 800. If you consider that this is about the general level of sharpness of the Canon 5D3, at about equal level of sharpness it will be at least 1 or even more stop. It is just speculation until we see some side by side test.

[Andrew Reid]

Yes it's a very clean camera. I find noise in the shadows starts to become an issue at ISO 6400 when using the flat picture profile, but if you're crushing your blacks in the grade as you should do, then raising the bottom of the curve to give the illusion of higher black levels, most of that vanishes.

 

It's not as clean as the A7S above that though in low light.

[Danyyyel]

No lasers, just fast sensors, fast processors, good software and good motors inside the lens and you're done.

 

When you think about it, autofocus like in the canon 70d are perhaps the most advance and revolutionary for large sensor camera. In the space of 5 years we come from zero autofocus to the 70D. The next step for the likes of Nikon will be on sensor PDAF. It will be good for Sport, action, news, event and parents filming their children. But for cinematic purposes I think manual focus or assisted one will be the norm. The day the camera will be able to do it, them there will be no need for the camera man, because the electronic will be so advance that the camera will be able to do everything, and it is not even a joke LOL

[Danyyyel]

I am new to the d750. When shooting action video, what is the best way to get focus? I've seen reference to "1:1 focus assist" but haven't been able to find out how to enact it. I am able to zoom in/out using the two buttons, but is there a more direct way to zoom to 1:1 for focus, then release it when in live view video mode?

 

So far I am quite impressed with the usability of video mode compared to my soon to be sold d600.

 

I don't know if a full frame vista vision is the best camera for live action except if you are prepared to stop down your lens a lot to increase your DOF. I think the best would be to get a small rig and one of the good external EVF with the D750 and practice.

[Andrew Reid]

When you think about it, autofocus like in the canon 70d are perhaps the most advance and revolutionary for large sensor camera. In the space of 5 years we come from zero autofocus to the 70D.

 

It's hardly usable though is it.

 

My idea of a revolution is that you get something usable out of it! Otherwise it isn't worth spilling blood for!

 

It's just not reliable enough. I challenge anyone to use the 70D or 7D 2 or C300 dual-pixel AF in place of manual focus and keep all their shots intact and have it do what you want it to do throughout the shoot.

 

The last thing I want to have to contend with is reshooting again and again because the camera is too stupid to focus on the right thing.

[dafreaking]

That's the reason you have a smartphone while shooting. There are thousands of ways this could be done and a good software would let you progran it in an easy way (control points, instant feedback,etc...)

 

Or maybe use a few of these tags and program the cameras to focus on them. 

[7 Lakes]

Dear Andrew.

 

It would be interesting and useful, if you tested a crop mode of Nikon D750 with Sigma 18-35 f1.8

 

I guess, there are more of us, who are curious about how D750 performs in crop mode, is it the same quality, worse or maybe better?

 

Thank you.

[Guest Ebrahim Saadawi]

 

It's hardly usable though is it.

 

it's actually very very usable, but especially on the 70D, not the C100 or C300 for the lack of touchscreen and AF coverage is solely in the center or even 7D mk II for the lack of touch screen too, though it might be implemented well through the touchpad on that camera, haven't tried it.

I shot an entire event on the 70d only focusing by touching the subjects, not a single fault, and it looked organic, almost magic!. The image is not very good though soft with lots of aliasing, 
 

 

I guess, there are more of us, who are curious about how D750 performs in crop mode, is it the same quality, worse or maybe better?

 

Thank you.

 

I would really love to know how the s35 mode looks too. 

[Andrew Reid]

The S35 mode (DX) isn't as good. It's by no means bad but I am noticing more softness and moire in DX than in FX mode.

 

This is with the Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 which is a very sharp lens.

 

You're better off with a Nikon 24-70mm F2.8 in FX mode.

[Nikkor]

Or a nikkor 28-70 2.8 with broken AF, if you don't need AF and VR this might be the cheapest option (beside the nikkor 35-70 2.8).

But there was a rumor floating around that sigma might release a 24-70 f2 or something crazy like that.

[thatPhilGuy]

I second (or is it third?) the interest in crop mode quality.

 

But for me, the real action is in the skin tones. Particularly skin tones in the shadows. I would love to see tests similar to Shane Hurlbut's.  Well lit, with declining fill ratios.  Back lit bright skies would be bonus. 

 

http://www.hurlbutvisuals.com/blog/2013/10/arri-alexa-vs-canon-c500/

 

 I compare digital camera sensors to film emulsions. The reason a cinematographer selects a specific camera for their film is the look and feel of the sensor and their lenses...

 

From Rodger Deakins:

 

 ...if you can photograph the human face you can photograph anything, because that is the most difficult and most interesting thing to photograph. If you can light and photograph the human face to bring out what's within that human face you can do anything.

 

While the GH4 is amazing, the color just doesn't engage me in the least.  C300 and D750 much more so.  Maybe the profile purveyors will ease the effort required to make the A7s work.

 

If I worked at JD Powers, I would invent the category Accessible Color, which I think the D750 would dominate. :-)

 

Andrew, truly appreciate your work, testing cameras that we can't afford to demo in a timely fashion.  Helps us narrow the list.

 

Also, I was about to point to this great 2GB original upload of the D750 Making of UNCHAINED.

 

[lafilm]

Andrew is correct. DX mode is noticeably softer on the D750. Not worth it if you want crop sensor.

 

Full frame is the only reason to purchase the D750 for video. Colors are fantastic. And I saw it under the most horrible video lights imaginable. 

 

If you want APS-C video, (talking DSLR's here) get the new Canon 7D2. Much better than the original 7D.

 

However, still not as sharp or cinematic as the D750.

[Andrew Reid]

A7S and D5300 are far better for APS-C mode shooting than the 7D2 in my view.

 

The A7S is the one to get if you need to swap between full frame and APS-C.

 

The GH4 with Speed Booster is a nice option too.

 

The D750 I am enjoying in full frame with Leica R lenses adapted to Nikon.

[BasiliskFilm]

Shame about APS-C mode. Handy to have digital zoom if you are shooting with a limited range of primes. Can't add the option with speed booster on a DLSR either

[Andrew Reid]

Right tool for the job my friend! If it is digital zoom you want, shoot 4K and crop in post. Sorted.

[Danyyyel]

A7S and D5300 are far better for APS-C mode shooting than the 7D2 in my view.

 

The A7S is the one to get if you need to swap between full frame and APS-C.

 

The GH4 with Speed Booster is a nice option too.

 

The D750 I am enjoying in full frame with Leica R lenses adapted to Nikon.

 

It is a bit annoying from Nikon, what I mean in terms of consistency. Sharpness varies from camera to camera and now I saw it in a video where the D750 is noticeably softer in Dx, while the D810 is as sharp (Fstoppers video on D810 on youtube).

 

The irony is that at least it is better to have very good video in full frame Nikon because it is much easier to get all type of lens dating 1/2 a century on full frame format.

[Guest Ebrahim Saadawi]

Shame about the s35 mode. Still pretty interested in the camera. Just hoping to find some native/raw ungraded files to play with soon...

[BasiliskFilm]

Right tool for the job my friend! If it is digital zoom you want, shoot 4K and crop in post. Sorted.

True, though if they can get a decent image HD image out of a 24 MP sensor, it should be possible in theory to get a good one out of a 12 MP crop from the same sensor. In fact a 2/3 crop gives you ~4k horizontal resolution. Ideal for producing a ~2K video image you would have thought?