Which Camera should i buy nowadays for landscape photography?

Rexgig0 said:

A matching control set can be a very big deal, especially if using two cameras, together, during a shoot. Shooting in low light is another important time to be using a very familar control set.

Click to expand...

As someone who commonly shoots with a D810 and D850, it IS annoying to have the mode/iso buttons and a few other differences. But there are only a few buttons moved. Still, better to match. I'm still getting used to changes in the + and - magnification buttons from older to newer cameras. (Used to really bug me with D200/D300 combo).

For landscape work, I can't see this as much of an issue.

Ronan_M said:

Another point to consider for the D850 is that is you shoot panos, those Mp start to add up. If you have panos with 5,6,7 or more shots, you are going to end up with a pretty big file to process. I have a D800 and some of my panos have 10 vertical shots and I have some files that are over 150Mp, which makes it a lot slower to process.

Sometimes I wish there was a D8xx-type build with a 24Mp sensor.

Click to expand...

Hmmm.... not sure how many would pay the price

Ronan_M said:

Another point to consider for the D850 is that is you shoot panos, those Mp start to add up. If you have panos with 5,6,7 or more shots, you are going to end up with a pretty big file to process. I have a D800 and some of my panos have 10 vertical shots and I have some files that are over 150Mp, which makes it a lot slower to process.

Sometimes I wish there was a D8xx-type build with a 24Mp sensor.

Click to expand...

D850 offers m.RAW (25MP) and s.RAW (12MP) output file size. Don't you know?

The D850 with top notch glass like the holy trinity or Fuji X medium format

LenRivers said:

The D850 with top notch glass like the holy trinity or Fuji X medium format

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Wow..really? Medium Format? Why?

If anything, more and more affordable cameras these days are perfectly usable for landscapes. As a matter of fact it would be more relevant to ask which cameras ARENT good for landscapes. Heck if my phone could shoot in raw, I'd use it a lot more.

I'd say that any modern Nikon DSLR (FX or DX) would be stunning for landscapes. All of this at a very modest cost.

Ronan_M said:

LenRivers said:

The D850 with top notch glass like the holy trinity or Fuji X medium format

Click to expand...

Wow..really? Medium Format? Why?

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If you want the biggest prints (over 3 feet long) which you can view from 15 inches without seeing degradation in fine detail then 100 MP medium format is distinctly better, with in turn 50 MP medium format having a slight edge (ignoring lens range) over a D850

Ronan_M said:

If anything, more and more affordable cameras these days are perfectly usable for landscapes.

Click to expand...

A 12 MP smart phone can be good enough for landscape, provided you view prints from a comfortable viewing distance where you do not have to swivel your eyes to see the image corners.

Ronan_M said:

As a matter of fact it would be more relevant to ask which cameras ARENT good for landscapes.

Click to expand...

dof formula is based on comfortable viewing distance - which all modern camera, including many smart phones comfortably achieve.

Ronan_M said:

Heck if my phone could shoot in raw, I'd use it a lot more.

Click to expand...

If you follow smart phone trends 48 MP is due this year ;-)

Some can now take something like 20 short exposures at night, then stitch them all together to get a good night scene without a tripod ;-)

Ronan_M said:

I'd say that any modern Nikon DSLR (FX or DX) would be stunning for landscapes. All of this at a very modest cost.

Click to expand...

You are exactly right - unless somebody chooses to view the finest detail through a magnifying glass.

The thread has got this far with negligible consideration of how the landscape images under discussion will be viewed :-(

Smart phone users, who form the vast majority of photographers, tend not to do this. Whether this is because many smart phone owners are photographers rather than specification collectors is in itself an interesting topic.

Leonard Shepherd said:

Smart phone users, who form the vast majority of photographers, tend not to do this. Whether this is because many smart phone owners are photographers rather than specification collectors is in itself an interesting topic.

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:-D

Bmark said:

I'd certainly be interested in others' opinions, but you choices are exactly opposite of what I would do. I'd rather have a high megapixel camera, like the Z 7 for landscapes and the D500 for wildlife. High megapixels for extreme detail in landscapes and the crop sensor less megapixel sensor for wildlife because of the high frame rate and large buffer.

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Is it *that* big difference for landscape shooting, considering it cost much more?
an'y I get great pictures with the Z6?

TQGroup said:

Bmark said:

I'd certainly be interested in others' opinions, but you choices are exactly opposite of what I would do. I'd rather have a high megapixel camera, like the Z 7 for landscapes and the D500 for wildlife. High megapixels for extreme detail in landscapes and the crop sensor less megapixel sensor for wildlife because of the high frame rate and large buffer.

Click to expand...

I kept my D850 and replaced the D500 with the Z6.

Gripped, the D850 has the frame rate and is the best all-round DSLR currently available including for landscapes and birding.

The Z6 is for video, where it is arguably the best available. It is also better for street, travel and low light.

Together, they cover all bases and the 24-70/4S zoom is a superb bargain.

Cheers

Andrew

Click to expand...

Do you think I should but the Z6 without the 24-70 and then wait for the 24-70f2.8 S?

aviel benya said:

Geomaticsman said:

Since you also mentioned video. Z6 would be my second choice and D850 third.

The only downside is the lack of native lenses, but that's going to change, and fairly quickly.

Click to expand...

I've considered it a lot. read a lot on the internet.
And now, post-CES Nikon declarations, it seems like I'm gonna sell the d500 (and the 16-80 lens) and buy a d850 and a z6 with the 24-70.
So I'll have the d850 for wildlife and the z6 for video and a bit of landscape.
(I'll consider if to buy the 16-35 f mount, or the 14-30 mount for wide angle landscape shots)
But then again, with the Z-lenses road map, I'll have to consider which type of lenses I'm gonna put my money on along the way.

Click to expand...

Aviel, this is in response to your inquiry about whether I think you should buying the 24-70/4S now or wait for the 24-70/2.8S. The answer is of course, it depends!

Prior to buying the Z7 & 24-70/4S I owned the 24-70/2.8E because I wanted the best 24-70 zoom Nikon made for landscapes, and their f4G versions simply didn't measure up IMO. Of course the 24-70/2.8E is also excellent for low light work and close-up sports etc. due to it's shallow DOF and fast AF but I didn't use it for that -- I only wanted a good landscape lens, so trading from the heavier, more expensive 24-70E to the lighter and arguably better (for landscape) 24-70/4S was the right move for me. If I shot sports or did a lot of low light shooting I may have thought differently.

So do you need f2.8? Right now neither the Z6 or Z7 are good sports cameras (I don't care what anyone else says about that...their AF-C performance simply can't keep up with the best Nikon DSLR's). Do you do a lot of low light photography?

By the time the 24-870/2.8S is released, there may very well be a higher-performance Z body available that can make use if it, but I don't see either the Z6 or Z7 as being able to fully capitalize on a high-performance 24-70/2.8S lens, but I could be wrong about that.

The argument for picking up the 24-70/4S now is that it's a very capable lens and is a bargain when purchased with the camera as a kit. But if you don't need/can't use it, then obviously it doesn't matter how cheap it is. You can be sure there will be plenty of cheap used 24-70/4S on the used market in the coming years as people sell off the kit lens so there's the option of waiting and deciding too.

Good luck!

Geomaticsman said:

aviel benya said:

Geomaticsman said:

Since you also mentioned video. Z6 would be my second choice and D850 third.

The only downside is the lack of native lenses, but that's going to change, and fairly quickly.

Click to expand...

I've considered it a lot. read a lot on the internet.
And now, post-CES Nikon declarations, it seems like I'm gonna sell the d500 (and the 16-80 lens) and buy a d850 and a z6 with the 24-70.
So I'll have the d850 for wildlife and the z6 for video and a bit of landscape.
(I'll consider if to buy the 16-35 f mount, or the 14-30 mount for wide angle landscape shots)
But then again, with the Z-lenses road map, I'll have to consider which type of lenses I'm gonna put my money on along the way.

Click to expand...

Aviel, this is in response to your inquiry about whether I think you should buying the 24-70/4S now or wait for the 24-70/2.8S. The answer is of course, it depends!

Prior to buying the Z7 & 24-70/4S I owned the 24-70/2.8E because I wanted the best 24-70 zoom Nikon made for landscapes, and their f4G versions simply didn't measure up IMO. Of course the 24-70/2.8E is also excellent for low light work and close-up sports etc. due to it's shallow DOF and fast AF but I didn't use it for that -- I only wanted a good landscape lens, so trading from the heavier, more expensive 24-70E to the lighter and arguably better (for landscape) 24-70/4S was the right move for me. If I shot sports or did a lot of low light shooting I may have thought differently.

So do you need f2.8? Right now neither the Z6 or Z7 are good sports cameras (I don't care what anyone else says about that...their AF-C performance simply can't keep up with the best Nikon DSLR's). Do you do a lot of low light photography?

By the time the 24-870/2.8S is released, there may very well be a higher-performance Z body available that can make use if it, but I don't see either the Z6 or Z7 as being able to fully capitalize on a high-performance 24-70/2.8S lens, but I could be wrong about that.

The argument for picking up the 24-70/4S now is that it's a very capable lens and is a bargain when purchased with the camera as a kit. But if you don't need/can't use it, then obviously it doesn't matter how cheap it is. You can be sure there will be plenty of cheap used 24-70/4S on the used market in the coming years as people sell off the kit lens so there's the option of waiting and deciding too.

Good luck!

Click to expand...

Thnx for the all the input. I'm gonna use it mostly for landscape photography (not sport) and usually I won't use it in low light situations.
So I guess I'll go with the current f4 lens that comes with the kit. (Though I'm buying the Z6 kit)
Thank you!

You haven't given us a budget or told us if you are happy with the images from your D500. As a landscape camera is unlikely to be used so much that the battery will go flat, I suggest the battery issue to be a non-issue . . . though you never know.

From my experience with the D810, I suggest the D750. It has the tilting screen, like the D850, but it has an AA filter, like your D500. It offers more MP than your D500, so you will not be disappointed with the image quality. It offers the larger size and greater dynamic range too. For shooting the aurora borealis it should be a bit better than the D850, though the new tech in the D850 may make that camera just as good in low-light, high-ISO situations. If you get the D750 you will save a significant amount of money - maybe enough to pay for your flight to Iceland.

In the following image you can see what not having an AA filter can cause:


D810 vs Sigma SD Quattro H - note rainbow affect produced by lack of AA filter on D810

Here is the full-size photo from the D810, which shows the color moiré in a few different places. This is an example I just shot. I never thought I would see it, because it's supposed to be so rare, but I haven't had the camera long, and I haven't been looking for color moiré. Now I will be more conscious of it.



Suffice it to say, if I had shot this with a D750, the color moiré would not be there, so the photo would not need to be "fixed" at all. I have a Sony A7, and I will be testing to see if there is color moiré in a shot of the same building. Since it has an AA filter, I seriously doubt it will. Still, I guess it might be possible. CFA cameras do produce it in many situations where Foveon sensor cameras do not. That's one reason I got my Sigma SD Quattro H after-all.

If you have an unlimited budget, you may want to consider becoming a two-system shooter. I have three systems. The problem with having two systems is you get a bit carried away. I think the D750 should do you just fine, unless you plan to make prints larger than 40" x 60" (and that's a really big print . . . but I went to an art show on Saturday, and a lot of the prints were larger than that).

If you decide to consider getting a second system, I suggest the upcoming Sigma full-frame camera as your landscape camera. Someone may already make an adapter to fit your Nikon lenses to the L mount, which will work with the Sigma camera.

Of course if you get the D750 you can get one now, and you'll have it for your Iceland trip.

At alternative, if your budget can handle it and if you don't like the Sigma camera idea, is to get the upcoming Fuji 100 MP medium format camera, and I believe there is an adapter to mount Nikon lenses on that too. Of course you will want to get a couple of native Fuji medium format lenses too, of course. Fuji has some very good lenses on offer for their medium format system. BTW, if you'd be happy with 50 MP, you might try the Fuji GFX50s that is available today. You could take that with you to Iceland - particularly this one:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1333204-REG/fujifilm_600018567_gf_23mm_f_4_r.html

You can mount the Sigma 40mm f1.4 Art in Canon mount onto the Fuji medium format cameras, and the image quality is spectacular.

I think this was made specifically for you, because it's brand new, all about what camera to use for shooting landscapes, what size you can print from various cameras, etc: https://www.dpreview.com/videos/003...tm_medium=marquee&utm_campaign=traffic_source

Of course I don't know how much better you can get than the Nikon 14-24mm f2.8 G lens. That thing is awesome, and a D750 with that on it would be wonderful to have in Iceland . . . especially at night.

All this said, if you don't care about the tilt screen of the D750, but you want a little more resolution than the D750 offers, may I suggest a used D800 in very good shape? It DOES have an AA filter, and it is an excellent camera. Those cameras are surprisingly affordable now too.

Good luck, and clear skies!

P.S. Just in case you'd like to check out the Sigma SD Quattro H, here is the raw file from the photo that I compared that Nikon photo against:


You'll need Sigma Photo Pro to view it and process it properly. You can learn more about that here: https://www.sigmaphotopro.com

--
Scott Barton Kennelly
http://www.bigprintphotos.com

aviel benya said:

Geomaticsman said:

aviel benya said:

Geomaticsman said:

Since you also mentioned video. Z6 would be my second choice and D850 third.

The only downside is the lack of native lenses, but that's going to change, and fairly quickly.

Click to expand...

I've considered it a lot. read a lot on the internet.
And now, post-CES Nikon declarations, it seems like I'm gonna sell the d500 (and the 16-80 lens) and buy a d850 and a z6 with the 24-70.
So I'll have the d850 for wildlife and the z6 for video and a bit of landscape.
(I'll consider if to buy the 16-35 f mount, or the 14-30 mount for wide angle landscape shots)
But then again, with the Z-lenses road map, I'll have to consider which type of lenses I'm gonna put my money on along the way.

Click to expand...

Aviel, this is in response to your inquiry about whether I think you should buying the 24-70/4S now or wait for the 24-70/2.8S. The answer is of course, it depends!

Prior to buying the Z7 & 24-70/4S I owned the 24-70/2.8E because I wanted the best 24-70 zoom Nikon made for landscapes, and their f4G versions simply didn't measure up IMO. Of course the 24-70/2.8E is also excellent for low light work and close-up sports etc. due to it's shallow DOF and fast AF but I didn't use it for that -- I only wanted a good landscape lens, so trading from the heavier, more expensive 24-70E to the lighter and arguably better (for landscape) 24-70/4S was the right move for me. If I shot sports or did a lot of low light shooting I may have thought differently.

So do you need f2.8? Right now neither the Z6 or Z7 are good sports cameras (I don't care what anyone else says about that...their AF-C performance simply can't keep up with the best Nikon DSLR's). Do you do a lot of low light photography?

By the time the 24-870/2.8S is released, there may very well be a higher-performance Z body available that can make use if it, but I don't see either the Z6 or Z7 as being able to fully capitalize on a high-performance 24-70/2.8S lens, but I could be wrong about that.

The argument for picking up the 24-70/4S now is that it's a very capable lens and is a bargain when purchased with the camera as a kit. But if you don't need/can't use it, then obviously it doesn't matter how cheap it is. You can be sure there will be plenty of cheap used 24-70/4S on the used market in the coming years as people sell off the kit lens so there's the option of waiting and deciding too.

Good luck!

Click to expand...

Thnx for the all the input. I'm gonna use it mostly for landscape photography (not sport) and usually I won't use it in low light situations.
So I guess I'll go with the current f4 lens that comes with the kit. (Though I'm buying the Z6 kit)
Thank you!

Click to expand...

No worries...as long as the Z6 will satisfy your needs, it's hard to imagine you'll be disappointed with that combo.

Scottelly said:

I think this was made specifically for you, because it's brand new, all about what camera to use for shooting landscapes, what size you can print from various cameras, etc: https://www.dpreview.com/videos/003...tm_medium=marquee&utm_campaign=traffic_source

Click to expand...

Really good video. In a nutshell:

- Unless you print over a meter wide, you cant tell the APSC , FX, or MF apart

- Lenses make more difference than megapixel or sensor format

Scottelly said:

Good luck, and clear skies!

Click to expand...

For landscape shooting, that'd be a curse. You want clouds!

Split the difference, if money is kind of an object, get the Fuji GFX50R and the 23mm. Light, high dynamic range, and almost built for purpose.

I've been drifting multi systems for a while... Sony RX10IV amazing mini van of a camera, great for high School level lacrosse photos to social media, without breaking my back for unnecessary IQ

Leica Q, best single lens documentary.

Fuji GFX for studio.

Still holding on the Fuji XT2 in the generalist role.

If BIF or wildlife was in my window, the D500 is King.

YMMV...

Dave

Ronan_M said:

Ronan_M said:

I think this was made specifically for you, because it's brand new, all about what camera to use for shooting landscapes, what size you can print from various cameras, etc: https://www.dpreview.com/videos/003...tm_medium=marquee&utm_campaign=traffic_source

Click to expand...

Really good video. In a nutshell:

- Unless you print over a meter wide, you cant tell the APSC , FX, or MF apart

- Lenses make more difference than megapixel or sensor format

Click to expand...

Even if you do print over a meter wide you can probably only tell if you have the two to compare. That is, if you just looked at one of my big prints, you probably wouldn't be able to tell that it was from a 12 mp APSc camera.

In fact, in good light, a Canon G7 (2/3" sensor) can do well at really large print sizes.

The subject makes a difference too. In the test image in the video he points out the sheep and the bricks on the bridge. If those things weren't in the photo, then there would be even less visible difference in the prints.

Scottelly said:

You haven't given us a budget or told us if you are happy with the images from your D500. As a landscape camera is unlikely to be used so much that the battery will go flat, I suggest the battery issue to be a non-issue . . . though you never know.

From my experience with the D810, I suggest the D750. It has the tilting screen, like the D850, but it has an AA filter, like your D500. It offers more MP than your D500, so you will not be disappointed with the image quality. It offers the larger size and greater dynamic range too. For shooting the aurora borealis it should be a bit better than the D850, though the new tech in the D850 may make that camera just as good in low-light,

Click to expand...

Yup. Double the pixels equals better noise reduction.

Scottelly said:

high-ISO situations. If you get the D750 you will save a significant amount of money - maybe enough to pay for your flight to Iceland.

In the following image you can see what not having an AA filter can cause:


D810 vs Sigma SD Quattro H - note rainbow affect produced by lack of AA filter on D810

Here is the full-size photo from the D810, which shows the color moiré in a few different places. This is an example I just shot. I never thought I would see it, because it's supposed to be so rare, but I haven't had the camera long, and I haven't been looking for color moiré. Now I will be more conscious of it.

Click to expand...

This is about six seconds worth with the moire brush.




LR Moire Brush

This is very tiny area even to be concerned about.

Scottelly said:

Suffice it to say, if I had shot this with a D750, the color moiré would not be there, so the photo would not need to be "fixed" at all.

Click to expand...

Maybe, maybe not:


D750>D850

You'd certainly give up bite on the fine details. Having an AA filter does not eliminate moire. The D750 does a very nice landscape, but it's a touch smoothed over for my liking compared to the D800 series.

Scottelly said:

I have a Sony A7, and I will be testing to see if there is color moiré in a shot of the same building. Since it has an AA filter, I seriously doubt it will.

Click to expand...

DPR has already done it for you:


A7/D850

Scottelly said:

Still, I guess it might be possible. CFA cameras do produce it in many situations where Foveon sensor cameras do not. That's one reason I got my Sigma SD Quattro H after-all.

Click to expand...

Detail is good for once on a Foveon, but far too many disadvantages. Not anywhere near as good in any other respect than a D8XX. Moire is a complete non factor in 99% of landscape pics.

Scottelly said:

If you have an unlimited budget, you may want to consider becoming a two-system shooter.

Click to expand...

Or he could simply get a D850 and do everything superbly from bifs to portraits to scapes.

Scottelly said:

I have three systems. The problem with having two systems is you get a bit carried away. I think the D750 should do you just fine, unless you plan to make prints larger than 40" x 60" (and that's a really big print . . . but I went to an art show on Saturday, and a lot of the prints were larger than that).

Click to expand...

24MP will not fill an 8K screen without upsampling if anyone cares about future monitor/TV display. Many of you apparently don't.

Scottelly said:

If you decide to consider getting a second system, I suggest the upcoming Sigma full-frame camera as your landscape camera. Someone may already make an adapter to fit your Nikon lenses to the L mount, which will work with the Sigma camera.

Of course if you get the D750 you can get one now, and you'll have it for your Iceland trip.

At alternative, if your budget can handle it and if you don't like the Sigma camera idea, is to get the upcoming Fuji 100 MP medium format camera, and I believe there is an adapter to mount Nikon lenses on that too. Of course you will want to get a couple of native Fuji medium format lenses too, of course. Fuji has some very good lenses on offer for their medium format system. BTW, if you'd be happy with 50 MP, you might try the Fuji GFX50s that is available today. You could take that with you to Iceland - particularly this one:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1333204-REG/fujifilm_600018567_gf_23mm_f_4_r.html

You can mount the Sigma 40mm f1.4 Art in Canon mount onto the Fuji medium format cameras, and the image quality is spectacular.

I think this was made specifically for you, because it's brand new, all about what camera to use for shooting landscapes, what size you can print from various cameras, etc: https://www.dpreview.com/videos/003...tm_medium=marquee&utm_campaign=traffic_source

Of course I don't know how much better you can get than the Nikon 14-24mm f2.8 G lens. That thing is awesome, and a D750 with that on it would be wonderful to have in Iceland . . . especially at night.

All this said, if you don't care about the tilt screen of the D750, but you want a little more resolution than the D750 offers, may I suggest a used D800 in very good shape? It DOES have an AA filter, and it is an excellent camera. Those cameras are surprisingly affordable now too.

Click to expand...

D800e with low shutter count is the deal. Or a D810 which has ISO 64.

Scottelly said:

Good luck, and clear skies!

P.S. Just in case you'd like to check out the Sigma SD Quattro H, here is the raw file from the photo that I compared that Nikon photo against:

https://www.sigmaphotopro.com/RAW/SDQH3198.X3F

Click to expand...

I do a fair amount of shooting in and around 1600...


ISO 1600

Of course, with landscape shooting, especially at sunrise or set, we're looking for the ability to cram in as much dynamic range as possible. That ability is about as important as high resolution, if not more so. The D500 has it and so too the D850:


3 stop push

If money is no object, get the D850. Stunning output for all sorts of photography, not just landscape.

I agree and you really want to use the best glass. I used to shoot this camera with Nikon f 1.4 primes and f 2.8 zooms

there is a quality to the image look at least to me vs the F 1.8 primes.

I'm taking my D850 out tomorrow along with my 500/4E to photography ducks in flight (hopefully). We'll see how it goes. I bought the D850 just for landscape, but some like the BIF images from it look better than those from the D500.