Low light photography - d600 or D800 - any advice?

[shrinikon]

I do lot of low light photography and event photography like Plays / dance shows etc - with no flash allowed...any way I hate using flash during shows.

any advice on will d600 match d800's high ISO ( I know it is not out yet..but any guesses based on leaked specs?)

 

[Raul]

--

"There is not a thin line between love and hate. There is - in fact - a Great Wall of China with armed sentries posted every 20 feet between love and hate." (House)

 

[Robin Casady]

I do lot of low light photography and event photography like Plays / dance shows etc - with no flash allowed...any way I hate using flash during shows.

any advice on will d600 match d800's high ISO ( I know it is not out yet..but any guesses based on leaked specs?)

I think it is a good bet that the AF system in the D600 will not be as capable as that of the D800.
--
Robin Casady
http://www.robincasady.com/Photo/index.html

 

[shrinikon]

why silly? isn't d600 almost guaranteed to be available soon? I would like to know whether to wait for d600 or just go for d800....

I do not take any question as silly - everyone's level is different... I am not a pro - or semi-pro but looking for some answers from pros... hoping they would respect my love for photography...

Any way... I didn't get the answer... thanks for your comment.

 

[djsphynx]

It's not just ISO you have to be worried about, but the AF system's ability to lock focus in low light.

why silly? isn't d600 almost guaranteed to be available soon? I would like to know whether to wait for d600 or just go for d800....

I do not take any question as silly - everyone's level is different... I am not a pro - or semi-pro but looking for some answers from pros... hoping they would respect my love for photography...

Any way... I didn't get the answer... thanks for your comment.

--
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[AllOtherNamesTaken]

The D800 can AF in almost complete darkness, and the D600 is rumored to have an AF system building off the one in the D7000 rather than the D800. It would be reasonable to expect the D800 to have better AF with it's -2.0EV sensitivity and F8 certification.

As for ISO performance, max native ISO on the D800 is higher, suggesting better performance. The D600 will have fewer pixels and a (slightly) newer sensor, so I think best case scenario is to expect them to be roughly equal at 100%, but the D800 would be better when downsized to 24MP.

As you know though, this all speculation until we see actual controlled RAW comparisons. It's unlikely Nikon will allow this camera to have better ISO performance than their $3000 or $6000 cameras, although they do usually put their best/latest stuff even in lower end cameras (D3200).

Mark

 

[Red G8R]

I suspect you will have an answer by tomorrow. Not only will the D600 be announced but previews will be out and cameras available within weeks.

I think the D600 will be better for your listed use.
--
Peter
Ontario, Canada

 

[Bill Fagan]

Definitely the D600. No question. None of us has any idea what the performance will be. ???

 

[beshannon]

isn't d600 almost guaranteed to be available soon?

Since it has not been officially announced as of this thread date and time, how could anyone know when it would be available?

Perhaps call Nikon and ask, then you can report back here?

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[u007]

If the d600 is the same (or slightly better performance) as the Sony a99, I would personally get the d800.

The a99 shots at ISO6400 I've seen are ok, but the d800 is slightly better and the image is larger which means they'll look even better downsized.

--
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[shrinikon]

Thanks Mark for detailed answer..I think I have my answer..

I will look at AF performance along with the high ISO - to make my final decision..

Eagerly waiting for D600 now....

 

[shrinikon]

: -) I know ...I know..

But based on experience and being in high end instrument manufacturering business....such rumor is almost certainly "leaked information" rather than just a guess.... those kind of completely random rumors can easily be recognized as such...

So, I think the Nikon booth is getting set as we speak to go live with d600..is my guess...

 

[shrinikon]

Thank you all or your comments

AF perf. + high ISO image quality , are my criteria to make a final decision...

 

[jfriend00]

I do lot of low light photography and event photography like Plays / dance shows etc - with no flash allowed...any way I hate using flash during shows.

any advice on will d600 match d800's high ISO ( I know it is not out yet..but any guesses based on leaked specs?)

If you're actually trying to make a purchase decision, why not wait a few more days until the D600 is actually announced and you have real factual data rather than rumors to go on?

--
John
Gallery: http://jfriend.smugmug.com

 

[shrinikon]

Good question jfriend...

The concern I had was whether to go for d800 before new cameras are announced - because D800 has many special deals like on amazon - as I am trying to get a 24-70 lens as well. Wondering if the deals will disappear if a new model comes out - and they move these deals to the new ones to boost sales.

So, I was trying to find out if it is worth waiting for....

But now I have more clarity - if they fear cannibalizing d800 with d600 - they will still keep the deals going on 800. so, I think I am safe - and will wait till 600 gets some testing on it to decide between those...

thanks,
Shri.

 

[tomboy]

in canon form they say the canon way better in low light photography
canon form says the camera will out performd d800 at iso 6400

 

[Astrophotographer 10]

I agree with that assessment. The fact that the highest ISO the D600 is rumoured to go shows that its likely to be slightly less.

However it appears the sensor is another Sony Exmor and the same as used in the A99 that was just announced.

I haven't seen any sample images from that camera though but it may be a rough guide.

D800's low light performance is astonishingly good.

Greg.

 

[Astrophotographer 10]

I agree plus there is the issue of supply. 95% of the threads in this forum for the first several months were about where to get a D800.

If Nikon handles the D600 the same way you'd be better off preordering once its released and you've seen sample images.

Greg.

 

[inasir1971]

The D800 and the D600 both use Exmor sensors, the D4 doesn't.

At high ISO's you need to downsample - maximum output size decreases with ISO (more complex than that but all else equal...). For that more pixels gives you more room to downsample and nicer finer grained noise.

The D800 is very good at high ISO's, right up to the point where the amp glow (magenta cast) kicks in. This is probably an inherent and necessary limitation of the Exmor technology (I believe some additional components are on sensor rather than off).

Contrary to what some may say, the D4's better high ISO performance doesn't have anything to do with pixel size per say but rather the different sensor technology used in it and the off chip location of some components that it allows.

Since the D600 is an Exmor design, it will probably be similar in behavior to the D800 but have less to downsample with meaning that the D800 will probably generate better images right up to the amp glow.

You should disregard manufacturer ISO settings. They've long since realized that customers can be easily be fooled into believing that allowing higher ISO settings or more available in the standard range as opposed to Hi settings makes their cameras more capable.