Nikon D850 Review: Really, the Greatest of All Time?
November 2026, Carl Garrard
Nikon D850 Review: Why I bought the Nikon D850
All 8,347 words of this review are based on my third long term purchase of a D850.
Buy the tool to match the job and you end all debates (both the internal and external ones). I cannot stress to fellow photographers just how important that first sentence is to live by. When it comes to camera shopping, it's as simple as first prioritize and find the need, and then buy the best tool to best handle those needs.
This has always been the best recipe to become satisfied with your gear purchases. If you don't know better, it's very tempting to just buy something popular that is being recommended everywhere. Yet that thinking, however logical it may seem, is often not a guarantee for satisfaction. This review is a fair analysis from a photographer who has owned and reviewed more gear than a small city of people.
I wanted to pen a fair and open minded review on one of the most popular cameras of all time, film or digital, the D850 truly has a massive following and reputation. But why?
Nikon D850 Review: My Third (and Final) Purchase
As I stated in the opener, this isn't my first go with the Nikon D850. My first D850 purchase was an impulsive buy, a less than intelligent emotional decision that was only about satisfying curiosity and not filling a need. Hey we all do it, even me.
At that time I already had two D800's. I hadn't yet even purchased the D810 (which I currently still do own). I guess I just wanted to see what all hype was about and if that camera could fold into the type of photography I was doing most of the time. At least, that's the stupid less than intelligent reason I used at the time of purchase- back then it was full price too, no discounts!
My D800's were already doing everything I needed, and I enjoyed shooting with both of them immensely. So to make a long story short, I returned that initial D850 pretty quickly after the honeymoon wore off. At the time I could not find a way to justify that massive expense. But, of course I would revisit it some time later as my needs for gear changed as I started doing or reviving new photography projects.
Fast forward to today, and I'm on my third and final copy of a D850 over a year and a half old now. I have other cameras that I rotate through jobs, reviews, and liaison (most prevalent these days) photography. So, with complete and utter transparency I must say that it doesn't get all of the attention. But, none of my cameras do, so I treat it just as I treat all of my other gear. When it's time to use the D850 I use it.
The D850 is an excellent solution, like many mirrorless cameras, for any kind of time lapse work or focus stacking work as can be set to eliminate all vibrations and doesn't wear down the mechanical parts because it has a full electronic shutter. In a way, it's very much like having two cameras in one, a traditional optical finder camera up to the eye and a mirrorless camera in live view set to silent shooting (full e shutter).
So yeah, currently the D850 fills a few specific gaps in my photography that other DSLR's aren't ideally suited for. For instance, I get on occasional kicks doing time lapse photography, but I don't like how much wear it puts on a DSLR shutter and mirror. With the silent live view electronic shutter mode, the D850 can do 8K time lapse video's all day long and put very few physical shutter cycles on it (only lifts and closes the mechanical shutter when you turn live view on and off).
Just a quick sample of cooking frozen veggies.
Another task is macro photography- and when I get on this kick, it can last for quite some time. This is another area the D850 is nearly perfectly suited. Using the silent live view photography in Mode 1 opens up full electronic shutter mode as well as focus peaking. Further, it also has an auto focus stacking mode option that allows stacking of images in your preferred software (I wish it would do this in camera like some Pentax DSLR's do...).
Mode 1 in live view and focus stacking can also play double duty for still subjects/landscapes. Of course if any part of the scene is moving you have to take into account motion blur in-between frames. I don't use it often for those tasks but it is nice to have in the event I need it.
And yet another task is that of astrophotography, wherein silent live view photography mode 1 especially comes in handy. Stacking images electronically in post after using a tripod and star tracker ball head is really the way to go. This has opened up more ideal options for astro work than I have had in the past. Long exposures and stacking can create the most beautiful astro work without the mechanical shutter taking an unnecessary hit.
I always wanted a fully electronic shutter for my DSLR's because there are specific circumstances in which it works more effectively and efficiently than a mechanical shutter. Finally the D850 opened up that option for me, and because of that it really stands out in the lineup of cameras I own and makes for a great argument to sell off my high resolution Canon 5DSR.
Nikon D850 Review: Features list, it's loaded with helpful tools.
In this section I'm going to talk about some features that I find particularly useful and/or helpful that the D850 has inside, and especially the settings or modes that hardly anyone gives attention to. Apologies in advance if some of this section is redundant, but lists are helpful to readers who don't want to take the time to digest a long form review.
As an active photographer, I never understood why so many reviewers emphasized or parroted marketing material in a review. Fine if you want to suck up to companies in other kinds of articles if you please, but a true camera review should be honest first and foremost. It should reflect real experiences without being partial to handouts, relationships, and free trips and hotel stay around the world. And most of all, if you haven't paid for the camera yourself- it's not a completely honest review and it never can be.
So with that said, I'm going to list features or settings or modes I like that really matter in the field to me in no particular order. Features I paid for with my own hard earned money (and I will leave it at that).
- Viewfinder masking in crop mode: This is available in the PSM under "image area". In there you have the option to set viewfinder masking to on/off. Set to on, it greys out the cropped area you choose in the "choose image area" section of the menu. You can customize which crop sections you wish to cycle through too, but only when you assign this to a custom control (I have it assigned to the video record button for quick access). 1.2x, 1.5x(dx), 5:4, 1:1 are all available.
- Electronic First Curtain Shutter and Full Electronic Shutter: EFCS's main advantage is reducing shutter shock during the exposure. There are a list of disadvantages too, but if your subject is relatively still this gives you a little more bite to your pixel peeped images. I don't find the D850 has an issue with shutter shock, but the option of extra assurance is nice. In live view mode, you can set the camera to use full E shutter in the silent shooting mode available in the live view settings in the menu. This opens up massive benefits to time-lapse photography as it does not put mechanical wear on the shutter, and these benefits extend to stacking images in astro, focus bracketing, macro, etc.
- Highlight Weighted Metering: My favorite metering mode in any kind of camera or brand that I've talked about on Nikon reviews previously. It works perfectly pairing it with low ISO shooting and "ISOless" modern sensor technology (helping to preserve as much dynamic range as possible). As long as you don't mind doing some post processing work, of course. Every photographer should though, in my opinion. What good is a music score if you don't perform it?
- .75X Magnification Optical Viewfinder: The view on the D850 is excellent. There's no need for a magnifier unless you shoot manual focus a lot or need the central portion of the image magnified for specific tasks. The OLED LCD overlay gives plenty of information- grid, dual axis level gauge, crop masking, illuminated af points, and much more. The clarity is excellent overall and the big view is magnificent. This comes at a cost of a 17mm eye relief, it's respectable considering the magnification of the finder, but if you wear glasses take heed of that as you may end up taking them off to see the entire view.
- Pinpoint AF in Live View: This can be handy when you must focus on the smallest area of your subject and I find that it works well overall in most circumstances.
- Split Screen Focus Aid: Another live view feature that is pretty unique to Nikon that can be handy in the right circumstances, especially for landscapes, for any manual focusing task really.
- In Camera Time Lapse Video: For making up to 8k time-lapses in camera without having to use 3rd party software. Use the full E shutter mode and you can make video after video with ease. Brilliant and a huge selling point for the D850.
- 9FPS Drive With MB-D18 Grip and EN-EL18a/b Battery/adapter: The accessories will cost you dearly, but if you want a speed machine, that's your price of entry. It's just nice to have the option, and third party purchases can take some of the sting out of the investment.
- Quick Crop/Trimming: This is a fast one press crop capability when viewing images and I found it especially useful in the field when using full resolution and leveraging the touch screen makes it really easy and quick.
- High Resolution Tilting/Touch Screen: Very handy for reviewing images in general, but almost a necessity for certain work due to the fact that Nikon didn't put an anti-reflective layer on the glass (face palm Nikon!).
- Smaller Raw File sizes/Resolution options: Raws are less resolution in these settings and very handy when you don't need 47mp. Example, Sony's A7R II only has reduced sized Jpeg options, raws aren't affected- no thanks!
- Negative Digitizer: Available in color or black and white modes. Not only great for scanning film negatives but can be a fun/creative "medium" if you were so inclined.
Nikon D850 Review: Autofocus and Crop/Size Modes:
Recent edit notes: Just did some recent re-testing with the 100-400mm C Sigma. Near the same results I have on the D500 which ties with the 1DX Mark II as the highest standard action cameras I've ever tested. D850 required a +4 focus adjustment in camera just like the D500 (oddly enough), but instantaneously locked on subjects and can keep up with the fastest action with no issue at all.
I love the 1.2x crop mode too, especially with that lens. Still churning out a massive 32mp (almost) but gets you close to 500mm equivalent. If I want to be as close as the D500, its 1.5x and close to 20mp (19.5 mp vs 21mp), which is plenty honestly. That crop puts the AF point spread on the entire crop section too.
However, It's not as easy to see the 1.5 crop view at eye level as the native optical view on the D500 is. This point accounts for some claiming the D850 isn't quite as good as the D500 for autofocusing on action subjects. I happen to agree with that. The crop makes it just a little harder to see your subject and is thus a little harder to keep pinpoint focusing on a particular area of your moving subject. It's not a deal breaker but having owned and used both cameras for action, it's something to take note of.
D500 still wins the best experience and results for action stuff. And if you add the DK-17M, you can really get close to your subjects optically. I recommend it on the D850 if you do action work.
Nikon D850 Review: Build, Handling, and Ergonomics
Build Quality
I found this tear down post on Nikon Rumors after all of my observations and impressions were already written in this review. It was encouraging enough to share, and to find that their results matched my experiences. It's not the best built in all areas, but enough areas were improved that it should be worth noting.
Overall I am satisfied with the build quality, although it must be said that the feel of the D800/E is more dense and reassuringly solid. I think the thickness of the magnesium shell and the fact that the front/top/back/internal structure are all magnesium plays a role in that feeling. Nothing beats the build of my D3X/S cameras, but the D800/E models are closer to that pinnacle of build quality than the D850 in most respects- if you are judging by materials alone.
The D850 has proven to be very durable, it had none of cracked internal frame issues- so there's that (although that was largely overblown about the D800/E models).
I'll be honest and say that for the money, I'd prefer a metal front plate on the D850- there's something to be said for the feel of cold metal and when you pay that much for a camera- you expect top notch build. I can forgive it on the D500 considering its price, but not on the D850. It's a nitpick sure, but regardless I'm immovable with that opinion so don't even try to persuade me otherwise.
Otherwise I have no other issues with the D850 build wise. Its buttons, dials, rubber, doors- all feel premium and leagues better than anything in the Z mount this side of the Z9. Yes even better than the Z8, sorry Z8 owners! Truth is the truth.
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| Areas in yellow have seals or engineering grade |
The weather sealing on the D850 has been noted to be really good by other photographers and with my own experiences. I don't have the same confidence in the rain or dust as I do some of my other bodies, but I do feel comfortable enough knowing it will survive a light rain or a short downpour. There are few cameras that I feel totally confident with in the most difficult conditions. It's better than my Canon 6D and 5D III I think, but not quite as good as the Canon 7D Mark II which has legendary sealing.
Handling/Ergonomics
Nikon must have spent a long time perfecting the grip of the D850. It is one of the most comfortable grips I have used this side of the integrated grip pro cameras, and I'd say a tie to the D810, both are fantastic. I find this to be especially true with larger lenses- it seems the bigger/heavier the lens you put on it, the more you appreciate how comfortable and well balanced it feels in the hand.
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| The shape of the D850 grip is pretty similar to the D810, which I find to be the most comfortable grips this side of a 1D series or D# series pro body. The 5D Mark III ain't bad either (lol). |
I can tell it was thoroughly tested by a wide variety of individuals and with many different lenses on it. Handling all starts with the grip for me, so this is an aspect of its design alone makes me want to pick up the D850 randomly just to fire away a few shots. A camera that is comfortable to hold all day is a huge, huge selling point for me. Hand fatigue is not only annoying, it's distracting from the image making process, and in extreme circumstances it can be so distracting it could interfere with making an image.
This matters more than most specifications matter on some spreadsheet by a large margin. I often shoot for hours on end, and I never use a camera strap- so keep that context in mind. Very few mirrorless cameras have really good grips like this. Canon and Nikon are better than Sony and Fujifilm by far (on average), and the Panasonic S1 (the original series) are also really good, but none of them are as comfortable as the larger DSLR's for me.
I don't have big hands either, medium at best, so it's not a size issue it is a design issue. DSLR's, especially the D850, are just more comfortable to shoot with.
Control wise, I'm happy with the placement, quality of feel, and assignment of almost all of the controls, as well as how configurable most of them are. It's very much an "800" series body in that respect, which is something of a high standard. That said, there is one or two caveats.
I would prefer there to be an "easy ISO" option in the menu, despite the fact that is has an ISO button. This is something I wish for quite often and honestly it is a bummer. I change ISO much more often than exposure compensation, so for me the fact that Nikon prioritized "easy exposure" over "easy ISO" is backwards. Having ISO relegated to a command/control dial is nearly commonplace in most cameras and I miss the ability to have that convenience on the D850.
Adding an ISO button to the top deck was a good addition overall, but, to replace this feature that I have on the older D800/E for example, well that is a short sighted design decision. I should add that I prefer not to use auto ISO unless I'm shooting action, and I don't usually use the D850 primarily for that purpose. So no, for me at least, this is not a workaround I accept. Easy ISO is awesome and I miss it.
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| Mostly well laid out on the backside. Playback and delete buttons are perfectly placed, but the info/I buttons are superfluous and unintuitive next to each other. |
I also miss the metering dial switch around the AEL button, along with having separate buttons for AEL and AFL. Since I use highlight weight metering almost exclusively on the D850, and almost never use back button focusing, this is not a deal breaker for me in either case. However having those would have made the D850 more versatile for those who want more choices.
Seems those changes were cost cutting decisions, and for a $3,200 camera body, no corners should have been cut as far as I am concerned.
All that said, not having easy ISO is my main gripe, it's just less ideal than I think the D850 should be. All it would take is a firmware addition/update to include it as well. Are you listening Nikon? You still sell the D850 so do it! In all fairness, I have the same criticism of the D500 as well- both bodies would have benefitted from those additions.
Nikon D850 Review: General Notes
I need to make special note of just how good the "AUTOo" white balance setting is right out of the box. Image after image I was constantly impressed on how good the white balance was, and this saves me quite some time in post-it's better than other 800 series Nikon's and one of the best I've ever used.
This is something worthy of note because few cameras really seem to just totally nail it. I'm very impressed with it. This helps save a little time post processing in that it's one less adjustment I have to spend time on getting just right.
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| White balance and color on the D850 are so good, this one was perfect. ISO 5,000 as well. Hardly any noise. (right click open in new window) |
Nikon D850 Review: Image Quality and Image Sizes
Shooting at base ISO and with a sharp prime or zoom, the results are nearly but not identical to the 50mp medium format sensor I used in my Fujifilm GFX 50R/S cameras. Absolutely stunning available dynamic range and detail in the raw files for a full frame sensor. Even your mediocre zooms will feel like they are breathing new life by attaching them to the D850.
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| The D850 handles the red/yellow/blue spectrum of sunrises and sunsets much better than my D800E. (right click open in new window) |
I think the D850 has the best overall raw files compared to the D810 and D800 cameras at base ISO, but, keep in mind I'm not claiming a massive jump here. Only that after you add up all the plus and minus columns does the D850 comes in first. Base DR is similar, but the amount of detail and especially color depth/range is improved upon those cameras. This is without introducing more noise. In fact, it's got better noise control at all ISO levels too.
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| ISO 16,000, click for full size (right click open in new window), for still subjects, this is fine with some noise removal but pushing the D850 above this requires image resizing to become acceptable (for my needs) noise wise. Also anything above this setting dynamic range starts to get more restrictive quickly. |
I wouldn't ramp up the D850 beyond ISO 5,000 for bird in flight work, but for indoor sports or concerts, I see no reason not to use it up to ISO 12,800. That said, image quality is highly subjective. Some people make fantastic images with tons of noise and very low dynamic/color range. It's really up to you. But the D850 is the leader by a nose over the D810 and D800 cameras, it's just newer BSI sensor tech and processing helping it along here.
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| Make Acorn Woodpecker, ISO 1,100, almost no image degredation. |
Auto white balance and color are some of the best I've ever seen. Both are right on par with the D500 and D780 cameras from my experiences- all three of which finally brought these performance attributes closer to Canon than Nikon have ever been in the past. Color rendition is also a highly subjective attribute, but I look for consistency and pleasing values. Canon have always been so good at color its something I never had to worry about in post. With Nikon it has.
Until now.
Nikon D850 Review: Post Production Behavior- Working With the Raw Files
Most reviews don't discuss the post processing aspects of a camera, but it is a huge part of judging a camera if you shoot raw exclusively like I do. For transparency sake, readers need to know that I use PS Elements 2020 for all of my raw processing, and lately I've added Light Craft (a nose snub to Adobe's subscription only b.s.). Elements 2020's speed is unmatched by any other raw file converter. It saves me so much time working my raw files.
It's a simplified ACR experience, giving me all the basic tools I need to bring in 14 bit files into the final stage of work flow. It has plenty of tools to satisfy most hardcore dedicated raw file shooters who are all about preserving a natural looking image. I know LR and others have so many other tools but I don't need any of those.
Nor will I ever buy a monthly subscription to use any software. I like simple tools that do the job, like hammers and screwdrivers for example. So since my needs are pretty basic, this is the raw converter I chose. Enough said, now onto my evaluation.
Okay so, I am happy to report that color and white balance have improved with the D850. It is much like working with most Canon files or my D500 files in post- only it takes a little longer for my computer to digest those 47mp raw files. For landscapes, the D850 is quite adept. One of the best cameras out there, not my top favorite (I know, how can it not be), but definitely up in the top 10.
Detail of course is great, color is better than previous Nikon DSLR's for me, the images just don't grab me like Canon or Minolta colors do. Yes I am splitting hairs, but I am being honest. I always have to work longer and harder on Nikon files to get the color/look/rendering I want, but the D850 is better than many of them.
For the highest ISO work, I give the nod to the D500 actually pixel for pixel, both only with the D850 files cropped to the same resolution. Pixels are slightly smaller (4.22 microns vs 4.35) on the D500 which is interesting to me. The difference isn't huge, but I'd use the D500 at least a half-stop higher in the ISO range over the D850.
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| Egyptian Goose, ISO 8000, not bad but a bit too far of a push for me, ISO 5,000 is about the limit for me. (right click open in new window) |
Mainly this has to do with how good the raw conversions look on the D500 after stressing them with pushing and pulling. They retain the most lovely grain and quality of color, and are some of the best I've ever seen from any camera or sensor size. DXOMark, you got it wrong with that camera big time. No other APS-C sensor looks as good (Nikon use it on the D7500/Z50/II too, which the same just about applies).
Now the other side of the coin- computer lag. That's the downside to such large jpeg and raw files. 20mp is plenty of resolution for all of the photography that I do, and 10mp is my minimum. 47mp files take twice to three times the amount of time to load up on thumbnails or in post processing. It gets pretty tiring pretty fast compared to my other files.
I found myself using the M setting for Jpegs and raw files. Nikon finally got on board with the D850, similar to the Canon raw file settings. The M setting is 25 megapixels give or take, which is plenty of resolution. However, that means I am shooting subjects leaving detail to the wind. I'm fine with that most of the time, so if I need higher resolution, I have changed a custom function button and "my menu" to quickly change the file size back.
47mp is just overkill for so much work, I really don't get all fascination people have with full frame cameras wanting more and more resolution- and it's not like I am limited in my photography subjects, I shoot everything.
I would prefer the D850 to have a more balanced resolution for the sensor. Since it is a jack of all trades, a more modern 24mp sensor would have been ideal for me. Low light would be better, speed would be better, and it would seem to match the design of the D850 more. I'm probably going to get flack for saying that, but I'm good with it. I think Nikon would have been better off with a special version of the D850, like a D850R (resolution) like Canon's 5DS R, with a main body at 24mp or so.
Nikon D850 Review: The Draw Factor/Long Term Satisfaction
What do I mean by the draw factor?
That's a term I use which basically refers to how much I enjoy using something, i.e. how much or little I want to go back and use it. I told you I'd get to this part of the review, thanks for being patient.
Note: A draw factor is not something you can measure on some unscientific-trying-to-be-scientific chart you'll see on the internet. It is very personal. But when you see a majority of opinions of a camera siding either way, you get a general impression of the success or failure of a design.
We all know it's palpable. Some cameras have it more than others. I've got enough experience to tell, and with such a wide variety of cameras to know how real this phenomenon truly is.
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| It's a beast, but I like that. Stability, comfort, toughness, reliability- that's how a camera should be designed for the working photographer. More often than not though, 47mp is just too much for my needs. |
It's true that sometimes cameras will have more or less draw factor depending on the state of mind you are in, or, what you are trying to do with it. Time can change your mind a bit as well, but generally speaking I find that a camera has the right stuff or it just doesn't.
All this really means is how fun a camera is to use. How well it gets out of your way. How well it performs under duress. How comfortable it is and how well all the controls are placed and operate in a pleasing fashion to one degree or another.
I don't see this topic discussed nearly enough on the internet, especially in camera reviews, and yet, it is one of the most important attributes that determine how long you will own the camera.
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Over the course of the half-life of general digital camera design, I've noticed that companies have put more and more emphasis on camera design as a hybrid video/stills device. This fact is most obvious with modern mirrorless cameras, and to be quite frank, I don't like that trend at all because I am a stills photographer. Those compromises in build, size, ergonomics- have no practical application to me on a daily basis.
Notably, Nikon's D850 was introduced in July of 2017, before the trend of mirrorless really kicked in. It was designed prior to Nikon's Z mount cameras and lenses, and although there was quite a push back then to make DSLR's more and more video friendly, the D850 seems to hold on to a fair amount of integrity- primarily designed as a still shooters' camera without too much compromise.
Good job Nikon. Unlike many of your newer mirrorless efforts (bar the Z8 perhaps).
For the last few years I've done a lot of thinking about this subject. I want to enjoy using a camera. I crave that experience.
First and foremost a camera must be compellingly comfortable to use, controls need to be in logical locations that are easily memorized by touch, a physical connection must be established and it should be as pleasurable as possible (this is where haptics can be the cherry on top).
A camera must be wholly reliable too, not just a device that doesn't break down, but one that punches above expectations when you need it to be most. A camera that keeps up with the photographer and delivers in crucial split-second moments time after time again. Those positive experiences add up too memories that ultimately affect how much you will come to bond to a camera over time.
Reliably and consistently. This is a crucial point.
Since I bought the D850 the third time, I've always wondered why I generally enjoyed shooting with the D800/E series cameras for casual photography. It's not just because Italdesign played a role in the overall design either; of course there is some influence there that makes it special, but I don't think that is the only reason.
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| 800 ISO, Common Merganser, extremely rare here in southern California, the D850 didn't let me down. |
The more I think about it, the more I'm convinced that the main reasons are because of the era of its design. In the years of 2008-2012, let's face it, video just wasn't as much of a priority in DSLR design as it became in later years. Camera makers were much more in tune with pleasing still shooters. There is an obvious lingering effect of the haptic and analog design priorities that are alive and well in many of the pro camera designs.
The sound, and feel of some of the cameras of that era are just different. No older or unrefined mind you, but purposely designed to appeal in that way. I'm absolutely convinced of that. To me it's obvious.
More meat and potatoes, and much less gravy or trimmings. Like older cars- simpler and better designed at what they were meant to do. Nikon were on fire in that era.
Enter the D850 in 2017.
A camera that prioritizes some of its design more on video than the other 800 series cameras, but the majority of its design still wholly remains a still shooters camera. However, with its extra capabilities come some additional complexities, and comparatively speaking, it has less polish on the sound and feel of its design. Fortunately, it's not so complicated as to ruin the still shooting experience. In fact, the more I use the D850, the more I enjoy shooting with it.
Features... how do they play into this? Well, I'm a pragmatist. So that means that features don't impress me unless they have been designed with a real life practical use. They also must, and I repeat must be implemented seamlessly and intuitive as possible, but mainly accomplish the goal they claim they can accomplish.
Today there are way too many cameras that have useless features that bloat up the camera so much as to make it a giant distracting pain in the ass to use. Just because camera companies can conjure up these "marketing monstrosities", doesn't mean they need to necessarily implement them. As a working photographer they get in your way- to anyone that wants to tell me ignore them, you can pound sand. If it were that easy I would have done it already.
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| The D850 is quiet enough to get you get close to wildlife. I was about 15 feet away from this beautiful crow. A bit underexposed here, but plenty of room to adjust in post from the raw file. |
My job is not to be an apologist, but tell it like I experience it.
Image quality on the other hand, is very important. Although image quality in cameras has been amazing really since around 2009 or so. And I'm not talking about jpeg quality either, sure that's important to some, but I'm a raw shooter and I scrutinize cameras heavily based on how the raw files hold up during post processing. How they look after processing. And mostly, how well they look on prints.
Like I said I'm a stills photographer. Printing is vital part of that definition.
Other intangibles that add to the draw factor, shutter sound, the feel and clicks of buttons and dials, how configurable the camera was designed to be, and to be completely transparent, how good the design looks (form following function designs are my absolute favorite).
So.... if you are still with me (wake up...) with all that context out of the way, how does the D850 score on my draw factor scale?
The first thing that comes to mind before I pick up the D850 is capability. It's a camera that I know with full confidence that has no fear of doing any kind of photography, and doing so at a level that holds up to the most scrutinous... professional expectations. It's a metaphorical giant rolling tool box for the photographer.
Thus, no matter what kind of photography I want to do, I don't ever feel like I'm making a bad choice when I grab it and go out the door (or indoors for that matter). Part of its draw and appeal is the fact that you can do so much with it. Exploring the menus and features are a temptation that is hard to resist. I mean, this camera can do it all, and some tasks that other cameras don't even have. So it gets a high score for the "fiddle factor".
Those features are well implemented too. As if the engineers are photographers who actually use the features that they were designed to do. All of the live view options and features are brilliant, some carried over from the D800/810 cameras, but have been refined and improved. A full e-shutter for example, totally brilliant! That opens up so many options for the kind of photography where every little vibration counts. It also saves so many shutter actuations on the camera. Time-lapse, astro, and macro photography benefit from this feature especially. To be honest, it's one of the main reasons I bought it again.
When I think D850, I think all of the above. It's not particularly "classic" in a sense the D800 or D700 cameras are. It's allure drifts a bit from the heart of analog, to a mindset of it's "potentiality". It's a more cerebral experience than the D800 for example. Because I know the D850 is more capable, I find that my mind races a bit more about what I can do with it while I'm out the field.
In comparison, the D800 is more limited in capability, and of course that means my choices are too, but it's more of a simple hammer than it is a swiss army knife, if that makes sense. I don't have to do much heavy lifting in the mind, because I can't be tempted too.
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| A camera that is quick on the draw, the D850 can grab quick opportunities if you are caught napping. I was able to grab this crow carrying a seed pod quickly even though the camera was at my side when I saw him initially. To the eye, and one shot, perfectly in focus. It's a quick camera, no mirrorless lag! |
For the D850, I have a hard time doing that. In other words, it is at times hard to resist the temptation of thinking about all that it is capable of doing, vs. picking up and just using it as a hammer. It never gets in my way though, as many of the most modern cameras do, so that is its saving grace in terms of how pleasurable it is to use.
Sometimes I pick it up just to feel how damn good that grip feels, and peer through its massively large optical finder. What a treat! The camera is built just as good as the original D800/810 cameras, lots of cold metal that feels really good on the hands until you get into the mountain/cold temps. It's large enough to wear big gloves and still operate it confidently in the field with them on. That's a huge plus and something I love about all the 800 series Nikon's vs. the 5 series Canon's. The 850 is of no exception, it's a beast and that is a huge bonus in the field.
D850 Review: Bang for the Buck Value
Let's talk about the D850's value proposition. It is an important enough point that readers ought to stop to highly consider.
Monetarily speaking, if you value the traits the D850 has, and need a single camera body for "everything", and you shoot a wide variety of photography, then the D850 pays for itself rather quickly. Since the body won't rack up so many shutter actuations for video or timelapse work- it won't need replacement nearly as fast as other cameras, so from that respect, it is a good investment so long as you need what it offers.
The value of the D850 goes beyond all of that too. I found that over time it's also an excellent well rounded camera that can do just about any task you ask of it- and it can do so competently, reliably, and consistently. Those are the three holy grail traits that demanding photographers really look for.
I'd sprinkle in versatility as important too, just not as important.
Although I do have a lot of gear and I don't need just one camera to do it all, it's rather nice knowing that I can grab the D850 for a vacation or any job and know that with the right lens selection I can produce professional results that can match (or even exceed in some cases) any other camera in my stable of gear- with very few or no compromises. I can see why many pro photographers are singing praise for it- in that respect, Nikon deserves the aplomb... to a degree.
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| Someone will grab that like new one with 88 actuations for sure. |
Overall, the D850 is pretty expensive on the used market, when compared to say a 5D Mark III, a D800 or D810, quite a bit more actually. It's not the best bang for the buck unless you need every single feature it offers. For most work I think the D810/800 cameras give you more per dollar, even the 5D Mark III, since all three can be had for about a third of the D850's price.
That said, prices are slowly coming down on D850's in some regions. You can expect to pay $900 for a well used one, or up to $1,700 for a like new/mint body.
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| With a shutter life only rated to 200K, you are really taking a risk buying the lower priced D850 bodies. Get an extended warranty and/or know that Nikon does still service them if you do. |
Nikon D850 Review: Conclusion
I understand why giving the D850 the moniker of greatest of all time is highly tempting and an easy choice to make, especially when basing an opinion on specs or reading about it alone. But I don't do that. I use the cameras for quite some time in the real world where pro's and con's of real life use stand out much more than browsing on the internet ever would.
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| Nikon did go all out on the D850 at the 100th anniversary, but why didn't they make a special edition version like they did for the D5 and D500? |
The answer to the question of whether or not the D850 is the greatest of all time isn't as clear cut as most people make it out to be. There are a lot of excellent full frame DSLR's out there, including at least four by Nikon that are clear cut competitors (D800E/810/D750/D780). Canon's 1DX Mark II/III cameras are also extremely good, the 5D Mark III is a steal, and you can't rule out the 5D Mark IV either (even though I have...).
However the horse race is much closer in the full frame category for me because of some of the changes/omissions that were made to the D850 design, especially on the controls/features side that could be very important for some (I know they are for me).
Frankly, I'm torn between the D800E/D810/D850 because all three bring unique advantages to the table. The D850 clearly wins in the features category, but you can't overlook the fact that the physical metering dial has been removed, there aren't separate buttons for AEL/AFL, popup flash as a slave and emergency flash option and AF assist lamp have all been removed... along with the inability to engage "easy ISO" as a control dial function in the menu.
Had those omissions not existed, the D850 would have a better argument for being the "goat".
Those are some of reasons I refuse to sell off my D800E, but I'd be a little more willing to let go of my D810 if I have too. I enjoy using the D800E so much. There's a real intangible and simultaneous practical quality about it that doesn't translate to the use of the D850 as much. But for pure capability, the D850 has more features and refinements that address many of the weaknesses of the D800E (and D810), which is why I have them and will continue to well into the future.
I guess what I'm saying is that for the price the D850 just feels a little unnecessarily neutered in that respect. I use easy ISO, the metering dial, and the af assist lamp on my D800 quite a lot actually, so I do miss those no matter how good the D850 is otherwise. Pop up flash, well not as much, so I'm okay with that omission I suppose but many others are mixed on that. It's autofocus is more sensitive in lower light than the other 800 series cameras, so that does help mitigate the missing AF assist lamp, but not always!
So, with all that having been said, for me it's kind of a three way tie (with a caveat at the end of this conclusion), all for different reasons, but more down to the D800E and D850 if I'm forced to pick two. The 5D Mark III would be my choice in Canon territory. But like I said, it is very very close.
And let's not forget the D500 as a GOAT contender either, which absolutely deserves to be mentioned in the same company here. If you don't need an obscene amount of resolution- I might be naming it the best Nikon has ever designed. Price wise, I'd give the D500 an extremely close 2nd place to the D850 because its design omitted many of the same items the D850 did.
I can forgive it more for its lower price than the D850 however.
Nikon D850 Review: Should Nikon Make a Successor?
My gripe list may be short, but those items make a big difference at times, and in comparison to the other cameras I miss them all. This got me to thinking that Nikon has plenty of room to make a D870 and I'm sure that many photographers would agree with me.
If Nikon kept the same basic body and features of the D850, and included/changed the design based on on this list, I'd slap down my credit card on the counter the day it went to sale. Including these items would take the 850 design into the stratosphere.
- Built in AF assist lamp
- Built in pop-up flash (maybe)
- Separate AEL/AF ON buttons
- Metering dial surrounding the AEL or AF ON button that includes highlight weighted metering
- U1/2/3 modes with the press of the mode button (instead of the shooting menu banks)
- Front magnesium body panel added
- Easy ISO option on command dials added in the menu
- Updated BSI sensor with PDAF and contrast detection for much faster live view (like the D780)
- A flush mounted flip and twist LCD panel
- Standard high speed drive at 9fps (no grip required)
- D6's autofocus system
So yes, Nikon, dust off your DSLR chops and make one for crying out loud!
It's not a lot to ask! The demand is clearly there for an updated body, hell it's been 9 years since you announced the D850. I won't give up on DSLR's and I know there are millions of other photographers who feel the same way. All the data you need is out there. Take another look at the market with closer scrutiny and open eyes, and you'll see it.
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| A Nikon D870 mockup. Notice the addition of an AF assist lamp next to the logo badge. Red light, not white! |
So let's wrap this up.
Whether or not the D850 is the "G.O.A.T", well that is frankly up to you in this case. I know this much, Canon or Pentax doesn't have a DSLR in this class that can match the specifications of the D850. If you don't need the specialties that the 5D Mark IV or K1 series cameras offer then the D850 shines brighter amongst those cameras. The D850 is a complete "well rounded" DSLR, but it's not the best at everything.
And for me, from that perspective, it is not an easy crown to give. But then I'm left with the thought, okay, so which other DSLR is as good as the D850 is at so many things? There are 24mp models that I would pit against the D850, but if resolution is your priority, then there really are none.
From a pure overall capability standpoint, and, considering everything the D850 can and does do so well, I guess it is probably the single best designed camera of all time. But with a caveat. I'd say it is the full frame DSLR G.O.A.T, but, most certainly not always.
:)
Stay focused.
-Carl
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