Hi Y'all,

After a 4 month wait I finally received Nikon's new bad boy the D4. I've taken around 2,500 captures with it so far, enough to draw a few conclusions.

The D4 is an incremental improvement over the D3/D3s. The two big improvements for me have been the improved AF and the ability to AF at f8. My 2.0 and 1.7 TCs work much better on the D4 than the D3s. The ability to attach the 2.0 TC on the 300mm f/4 and end up with a hand holdable 600mm lens is rather cool. Being able to effectively use the 500 f/4 with the 2.0 TC for a reach of 1000mm on a FF frame body is fantastic.

The D4 equals it not edges out the D3s for high ISO shooting. The resolution and DR are also a tad better. My only nit is the new battery but due to Japanese law Nikon didn't have much choice there. The D4 is lighter but the D3s still feels more comfortable to hold.

I haven't tried out the video yet but I do have some stills to inflcit upon y'all.

For high ISO here's an immature red shouldered hawk at ISO 12800 with the 500mm f/4 and 1.7 TC. Except for some minor cropping I have done no post work on this image


100% crop


least bittern ISO 1250 500mm f/5 and 2.0 TC


can the AF catch action with a 2.0 TC on f/4 lens? ISO 1000 500mm f/4 and 2.0 TC


Black crowned Night Heron doing the frog flip ISO 500 with the 200-400 f/4 and 1.7 TC


limpkin - IS0 640 200-400 f/4 and 1.7 TC

Awesome captures Harry. Thanks so much for this mini-review.

The D4 did get my attention also, but my budget don't allow it as yet.
I don't know how much PP went into the captures, but it seems that it perform very well at the higher ISO numbers.
A TC 1.5 and TC 2.0 are also on my wish-list.

Originally Posted by Dick on Aruba Awesome captures Harry. Thanks so much for this mini-review. The D4 did get my attention also, but my budget don't allow it as yet. I don't know how much PP went into the captures, but it seems that it perform very well at the higher ISO numbers. A TC 1.5 and TC 2.0 are also on my wish-list.

Thanks Dick, the hawk captures have not been processed at all yet. The high ISO performance seems to be a tad better than the D3s. I'm also finding that the D4 images need less sharpening.

Those high ISO photos are amazing, Harry! You have to be happy with the D4, I would think. Of course I love the frog flip! I hope Canon eventually releases the 1dx, and that it performs like your D4! Best, Pam

Originally Posted by PGM Those high ISO photos are amazing, Harry! You have to be happy with the D4, I would think. Of course I love the frog flip! I hope Canon eventually releases the 1dx, and that it performs like your D4! Best, Pam

I never shot at ISO 11,800 before and I wasn;t expecting much but the results were rather surprising.

I'm betting that the 1DX is going to be an amazing camera. I waited 4 months for the D4 and I'm still waiting for my D800E. Patience is always required to get the capture or to get the darn camera.

Pretty darn good results Harry, they sure are a sweet camera and they are getting better with each version.

Originally Posted by Dennis Kaczor Pretty darn good results Harry, they sure are a sweet camera and they are getting better with each version.

Thanks Dennis. I think back a few years and its amazing how the capabilities of the cameras have progessed. If only my own skills had kept pace with the cameras' progress.