Wholeheartedly agree with everything you’ve said in the review Michael. I received mine the day after they were released and also have the Grip and D5 batteries and adaptors. I’ve used it on corporate events, birds in flight, low light portrait, etc. I’m almost thinking bout selling my D5 and getting a second D850 too.

Excellent in-depth review as always Michael. D850 is king.

…But man that clean Hasselblad shot kind of blew me away!

Best experience

I just wish Nikon would have added the option to shoot natively 7 fps FX and 9 or 10 without the battery grip in DX as the D500 already does. While I like the D850 for a lot of things in theory, somehow I tried a D4/D4s and I felt much more love at first sight despite the “lesser” MP specs. I’m honestly torn cause that continuous 10/12 fps is truly a joy for the ears and terribly reassuring in certain cases. 7 fps – where you can still hear a pause between a click and the next one – less so. If I have to choose a camera for the next 10 yrs I really wonder if a D850 or a D5/D5s (or even D4s FWIW) is the best choice.
What I need most – often shooting also MF lenses – is the camera ability to lock focus with dim light ( I had a lot of problems with the D600 ) and while I know from D750 onwards (more so with D500) focus has gone through a quantum leap, I wonder if a D4s for STILL shooting with mf lenses (and a 300 F/4 or 70-200 F/2.8 for sport and events with decent light) is SO behind compared to D5/D500/D850. I’d really love to hear from you what you think. Basically I shoot a bit of everything, especially portraiture (in whatever light, not only in studio), events (PJ) and sport, this is why I’d rather prefer a faster burst rather and slightly more usability than always being fixed to a tripod because of the too many MP. Thanks in advance.

I have been reading about the demise of the SLR for many years, yet it remains with us. I fell for the SLR way back in 1959 and it has been my favorite ever since. Even though, over the years, I made good use of other types of cameras, including the wonderful Leica rangefinder models and medium format cameras, the SLR remained my goto camera. Now, at 81, I am anxiously waiting for the shipment of my D850.

With big hands and still getting around fine, I find small and light are not solutions for me, but rather a hindrance to a firm and steady hold. No, small and mirrorless is no panecea, but rather a fine addition to what’s available. There will be other trends coming along that will be the next craze. And they will work themselves into what’s available. It is plain that marketing drives the industry and sales people are good at convincing us that they have just what we need. I don’t follow the trends. I get what works, for me! There is room for cameras of all types, including the fine DSLR!

Thank you for this abdolutely awesome real life in-depth review of the Nikon D850. I hope you are able to share your AF settings with me, with us? Obviously AF-C, but then… Release, Focus, Release + Focus or Focus + Release and the settings a3 Focus Tracking with Lock-On and a4 3D Tracking with Face Detection?

Thank you Michael!!!

Well got my bucket list D850 with Tamron 24/70 g2 from Roberts now for one camera one lens one year. Did three day class in Adirondacks kurt Gardner, did Raquette lake 7th Lake and Moss Lake then critique sun pm on big screen, blew him away, he810 and other Canon Students the 5d series and one Sony shooter all said GameOver! Going back for more classes then in July aug do Milkyway and Astro.This unit is unbelieveable! I only used fixed lens Leica X series before, what a trip this and now start savings Sheckles go back to Roberts for another, just confused if I should go with prime or bigger zoom and have to get Tripod and not sure Gimbal or Ball head. Just do landscapes nature architecture , no need battergrip this point don’t do Sports, any feedback on which prime or which tripod and head would be graciously and sincerely appreciated. Thank you!

Excelent Review Michael! Thanks for sharing your experience using your Nikon d850. As you said you have used the Nikon 85mm 1.4G with the Nikon d850, can you give us a little more input of how accurate and responsive is the Nikon d850 focusing at large apertures let say in between f1.4-2.8 range using the Nikon 85mm 1.4 G? I am asking you that since I am considering upgrading from Nikon d800 and this camera and the 85mm 1.4g weren’t exactly what i would called close friends. I know for sure how challenging is focusing at f1.4…but the Nikon d800 wasn’t always that accurate and reliable at 1.4 with fast primes. Other nikons are. Not the case with d800 in my experience. I love the Nikon 1.4G and I use it all the times, not only for portraiture…It will be so precious to me to have input on this matter by a talented photographer that have really push the camera through its paces before upgrading. Thanks in advance for your comments.

Michael, and excellent and comprehensive review, thanks. I received my D850 about a month ago and read Them Hogan’s ebook to get used to the new features and differences with the D810.

I’m primarily a landscape and macro photographer and am loving the focus shift capability for focus stacking flowers and landscapes in Zerene Stacker. Much easer to do than manually with the D810. I haven’t used the focus fine tune yet, so thanks for the PetaPixel link.

One thing you and Thom have in common is a dislike for the Nikon 24-120/f4 on the D850, which was my walk around lens on my D810. You caution against using it, so what would you recommend? I was going to sell my 24-70/f2.8 and get the new version with VR, but am unsure if its acuity is up to the D850’s resolution. Other ideas?

Thanks,
Mike

i just came across this article and i also own a nikon d850 as well as a hasselblad h3dll-22 camera. for your surf images the d850 imho reigns supreme, as well as for most action shots or wildlife photography. when i look at your image of the ropes, the compared images my be technically equal but i see more of a 3D look with the hasselblad. i did a similar test with my hasselblad and 80mm lens against my d850 with my zeiss otus 85mm lens. both were shot wide open. the test subject was my grand daughters doll. the nikon with otus lens blew away, sharpness wise, the hasselblad but the roll off of values particularly on the dolls face gave a much better 3D look with the hasselblad image. everyone i showed the compared images to, picked the hasselblad over the d850 even though the d850 was so much sharper. sometimes i think today that sharpness has become the bar for a good image. i believe we should also be looking at transition of tones and maybe 16 bit vs 14 bit does has value in the transition of tones.

EXCELLENT review. As always, you are a trusted voice of expertise. I have been thinking of upgrading my d810 to a D5 for better focus and iso capabilities. However, after reading this maybe i should Go for the d850! Or MAybe i shkuld wait for the rumored z8 or d850 upgrade? Im shooting sports and kids. Thank you.