Friday, September 12, 2014

First impressions of the Nikon D750 camera

Those of us who have used the popular D700 camera (and many still do) have longed for its replacement. The D700 was a professional grade camera in a smaller package, perfect as a backup to a pro system, excellent in its own right, and just what you would want when you want to travel with something lighter that the heavier, top of the line models.

Now the Nikon D750 is here.  It hasn't been billed as a D700 update, but in terms of  how it fits within the Nikon pro lineup, that is what it is.



The D750 has a smaller, weather-sealed body, about the same size and a tad lighter than the D610. It's the kind of camera where you don't just carry one of them, you have two, each with a different lens on the ready. It has a 24.3 MP FX sensor with an impressive ISO range of 100-12800 in 1/3-stop increments, extendable to 50-51200 in 1-stop increments.

The new EXPEED 4 processing engine currently found in the Nikon D4s and D810 is also used in the D750. Other D4s and D810 niceties, like the 51 point AF screen coupled with the new Group AF, have also been included in the D750. These features alone are reason enough to add this camera to your arsenal.

At purported 1230 shots per charge the D750 battery life is about that of the D810 using the same EN-EL15 battery, and it has a new, optional MB-D16 Multi-Power Battery Pack available for it. The maximum frame rate is 6.5 fps, not the 8fps some of us hoped for, but still faster than anything other than the D4s. The real question is: How much will the EXPEED 4 processor improve the burst rate? It is one thing to shoot at 6.5 fps, but if the burst rate is limited, it doesn't help things all that much. The D610 with a similar 24.3MP sensor can deliver 6 fps, but only for 13 shots.

The controls of the D750 are similar to the other pro and semi-pro models, one of the nice things Nikon does. If you've used one Nikon DSLR, you will feel right at home with any of the others. 
With the D750 Nikon has gone back to including an anti-aliasing filter over the sensor.

This is the first pro level Nikon camera with a fully articulating tilt screen that is bi-directional for both low angle and overhead shots.  Add to that a new built-in WiFi feature where the camera can be controlled remotely from a phone or tablet, and you will be able to extend the viewing angle to previously inaccessible areas.



I think that wedding photographers who often  have to carry more than one camera with them all day long are going to appreciate the D750.

Notable Features of the D750:

          •  24.3MP FX-Format CMOS Sensor
          •  EXPEED 4 Image Processor
          •  3.2" 1,229k-Dot RGBW Tilting LCD Monitor
          •  Full HD 1080p Video Recording at 60 fps
          •  Multi-CAM 3500FX 51-Point AF Sensor
          •  Native ISO 12800, Extended to ISO 51200
          •  Continuous Shooting Up to 6.5 fps
          •  91k-Pixel RGB Sensor and Group Area AF
          •  Built-In Wi-Fi Connectivity

Bottom line, the D750 may be the most practical, all-around Nikon camera of all. The 24.3MP sensor is enough resolution for most demanding situations. The 6.5 fps, though not up there with the fastest DSLR's, is plenty fast, and the added niceties of tilting LDC, internal WiFi control, EXPEED 4 processor, along with the best AF of any Nikon camera is probably going to result in this camera flying off  store shelves, particularly when we consider its price of $2299.95.

The D750 will be initially available around September 23 as body only, and later bundled with the AF-S Nikkor 24-120mm F4 VR.

There will be a hands-on review of the D750 on this blog in a few weeks, after I've had time to give it a workout.

If you are planning on buying a D750, you can help support this site at no extra cost to you by clicking the link and purchasing from one of our affiliate sellers listed below -- and thanks for your support.


The Nikon D750 camera body only can be ordered from:  BH-Photo   Amazon
The Nikon D750 bundled with 24-120mm lens can be pre-ordered from:  BH-Photo  Amazon   
Nikon MB-D16 Multi Power Battery Pack for D750 can be pre-ordered from:  BH-Photo 

3 comments :

  1. I don't know, I've been holding off on ordering the D810 but I think I will go ahead now

    . I really like the control set-up of the D700/D8xx and would really miss the lack of the AF-on button, DOF button, and 10 pin port.

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