The Nikon D780 is a two-trick pony: it combines the great DSLR experience of Nikon's D750 with some of the great mirrorless features found on the Z6. Does it manage to do both well? Chris and Jordan seem to think so.
Just watching the guy handle the camera without a strap scares the carp out of me. Sorry, but I guess when its your own camera and not a loaner, you tend to want to take better care of it.
Of course I'm going back to my days taking pictures on the sidelines during a football game and end up getting piled on during a tackle. (Thank god I had a good hold on my camera and I tucked it in like a fumbled ball. )
"The Nikon D780 is a two-trick pony: it combines the great DSLR experience of Nikon's D750 with some of the great mirrorless features found on the Z6."
So you can see where this is going, can't you? DSLRs will continue alongside "current mirrorless" until technology reaches the point where we can have an OVF and an EVF in harmony. The option to turn off the EVF and use the OVF will negate the major advantage of superior DSLR battery consumption and satisfy the Pros who aren't switching because they don't like the EVF.
The prediction that the DSLR will disappear may have been right all along but what the "mirrorless fans" probably didn't expect is that their current mirrorless cameras may vanish along with them.
You worry too much, help is on the way on a form of a Nycon hybrid super F mount DSLR and you should continue shoot with you Exotics. Like Mirror less never happen.
There is a lot of very good, very cheap Nikon lenses out there. My entire kit is built on secondhand lenses and the savings far far outweigh the cost of going for a Z6 for video. Seems the perfect companion to my D810, enabling the use of all my current glass on a very respectable camera. Personally, for us with Nikon DSLRs who need to upgrade for better video Nikon have hit it just about right.
Yes, if you only do video go with Z6. If you were watching the entire video, you will notice that the D780 totally outperforms a mirrorless Z6 when shooting low light photography for fast autofocus with optical and phase detect. The mirrorless Z6 is shown hunting for focus in very low light in live view for locking focus for photos, while D780 just fires away fast in low light through phase detect and non-live-view. That plus the D780 has dual card slots, longer battery life, works with existing FX lenses, larger comfortable grip and you can do occasional 4k video when you need to, and is a professionals tool. Better for hybrid shooting for weddings in low light when you do both photo and video.
Camera seems quite good but should have been released alongside D850 in 2017 as cheaper D850 version with less MP. It's unbelievable that it took Nikon 3 years to come with D780. No wonder Nikon is in financial troubles. They are simply way too slow. Yes. D780 shares some goodies from Z6 but still it's way too late on market.
On the other hand, had the D780 been released before the Z6, the latter would have been deemed a total failure by the gearheads, since it wouldn't have offered anything truly new compared to a DSLR, which is supposedly "old tech".
So, which is best from a marketing standpoint, releasing a DSLR that contains some "goodies" from the mirrorless model, or releasing a mirrorless camera that is just a DSLR without the mirror, but not much more than that?
How does Nikon release a camera with the Z6 live view before the Z6 is produced? I am often amazed at how people know what Nikon can do. All I know is if I want the camera I will buy it. If not, I won't. The advancements are quite appealing to me.
I think the OP was suggesting that the live view technology used in the Z6 was already available to Nikon in 2017. We don't know that, of course, but even if true, I think it was smarter marketing-wise to release the Z6 first.
We don't know that to be true. In fact, there is no reason to believe it is true and I don't think that member has any knowledge to say otherwise. An unsubstantiated and most probably incorrect assertion is no basis for an argument.
@Brev00 I did not say anything about live view. My point was D780 should have been released 3 years ago alongside D850 as it's smaller MP cheaper version. Nikon is way too late with D780 now. Exactly as review suggested: it has very tough competition now and even from its own siblings Z6 not to mention other brands.
I really don't why you have this hard on pop flashes...almost unuseful, weak sealing spot, costly if you think of the final price. Fuji gets a small unit with the kit and it's good for the dirty job... My hope is to get robust and well sealed cameras. All those things (Gps, flash) could be delivered with the pack...and, I think, it's not such a graeatly costly pack, just a matter for a bunch of pros... We uman (photographers) only need realiable gear, ready to upgrade and spend when it's worth it. That said, by a Canon user, Nik 780 looks like a great piece of camera...
@TheRaelYeats, could you name the camera & lens used in those photos if there were 6 different cameras used without EXIF? Some costing 1/4 others costing twice?
Each of these cameras has good points and each has bad points. Each offers a completely different shooting experience. You pay your money and you make your choice.
Personally, if I was a Nikon user, I wouldn't buy either - if I wanted the best-specified stills DSLR on the market, I'd get the D850, which sells for the same price as the D780.
If I wanted a Nikon MILC, I'd wait a few months for the Z8/9 announcement, as although the Z6/7 are great cameras, they lack certain features and capabilities that I need.
But we all have different needs and different priorities....
I sold my Z6 too. And still consider it a better camera than this. People have different preferences about what features are more important in their camera model of his choice. The 780 is lacking things I consider important or convinient. And the F-mount argument is the dumbest of them all. They work absolutely fine on the Z body. I had 3 of them - no difference whatsoever.
Thoughts - Yes, since last checking the price of the D850 is now slightly higher, but there's not much between them. D750: £930 D870: £1770 D850: £1840 Panamoz prices, 23 Feb.
The cost savings on not having to buy Z lenses and keep using your FX lenses for a price difference of about $800 for D780 over Z6 I think is worth it. $800 more over D750, is not too much to ask for adding 4K and great autofocus in liveview for video use, while saving on all those z lenses you might have had to buy. But wait about 4 to 6 months or summertime for sales and price could come down $300 and certainly by next Dec. sales. At that point, lots of D780 will be bought by professionals Nikon users, who need or want them.
That's for controlling the flash exposure compensation. The D750 button, as far as I remember, used the button for double duty; to pop up the flash and do flash exposure compensation.
well they took off the flash comp button on the z6 (grant I programed f2 to do that), it also control red eye, rear flash or front, no flash. Some speedlight have the flash comp but some cheaper basic one don't.
Certainly a nice camera, but I share Chris Niccoll's concern about the cost-cutting removal of the built-in flash. I don't use Nikon, but one of the major plusses of the system to me, is that the pop-up flash could be used to wirelessly trigger the Nikon macro flashes. A far better arrangement than the clumsy controller and wires used by Canon for their macro flashes.
Was it cost cutting when they removed it from the D850 and the D500, or cost cutting by not including it on the D3, D4, D5 and soon to be D6? No, it allows Nikon to make the camera better weather sealed and better built (full magnesium alloy) as all know that the flash was the Achilles heel of weather sealing. Also, that pop up flash was useless for anything further than 5 feet. Sheesh, a great camera with the beat features of a DSLR and a Mirrorless and that is what you came away with?
I don't know how large the D780 viewfinder is but D750's is really unimpressive so by cutting out the flash results in a bigger view, it's worth the price
NexLupus - Yes there is some truth to that - a built-in flash is a minor risk to weather-sealing, but it was extremely useful as a means of triggering the R1 macro flash, which is a lot cheaper than the R1C1 with it's commander unit.
A built-in flash is also extremely useful as a fill-in for those who don't want to carry an umbrella everywhere (although the latter will of course provide better fill-in).
And as you are so concerned about weather-sealing, presumably you are also concerned about durabilty, yet you seem quite happy to have another "Achilles heel", namely a tilting rear screen...
So "sheesh" dude, do you only ever think about your own particular usage and never consider what others need or want?? (as it happens, I *don't* use a built-in flash, for various reasons, but at least I'm not blind to the needs/wants of others).
What in the world does your above post have to do with your statement about "cost-cutting removal of the built in flash".
You made a statement and I commented on that statement showing you "historical evidence" that Nikon has done that across the board with ALL of their upgraded cameras and specifically with their higher end cameras.
So my POINT was/is that the removal of the flash is not a cost cutting move, but a move that brings this camera in line with the other high end full magnesium, fully weather sealed cameras in Nikon's DSLR line up.
Stop coming up with straw man arguments to try and refute my points to your original post.
NexLupus - My reply addressed the opinions you expressed.
You believe that Nikon's motive was to increase the durability of the camera by removing the "Achilles heel" of a pop-up flash. I pointed out that you were quite content that NIkon retained a different Achilles heel, namely the flappy rear screen.
I believe that Nikon's primary reason for removing the flash, AND removing the option to attach a vertical grip, AND failing to fit a proper AF joystick, are commercial (i.e. cost-cutting) decisions.
I don't blame Nikon for doing this, they need to reduce costs to keep the D780 a viable economic option in a market where their own Z6 undercuts it. In the past Nikon have always crammed as many usable features and as high a specification as possible into their DSLRs.
What disappoints me about the D780 (still a fine camera) is that they seem to be changing direction, by *removing* valuable features such as integral flash and battery grip compatibility, in order to cover the cost of introducing other features, that for some users, are less desirable.
@NexLupus is right: all of the upper end Nikon bodies do not have built in flash. This is simply moving the D780 into the same upper league category.
And who knew that built in flash was such a coveted feature? Funny thing is that before someone needed a way to criticize this camera for that, built in flash was considered a lower end amateur feature on lower end cameras. Funny how the pro's make do without it on models like the D850, D5, the upcoming D6, etc.
Let's face it: people want to find some way to gripe about this camera, and one way is that it took away the built in flash feature, but simply because the model has been upgraded into a higher category.
"Never thought the D780 would get less DPR-points than the D750"
That just shows you how far the industry has advanced. DPreview points are not absolute but relative to time and price. So the D780 would have received more points in 2018 and more points if it would only cost 1799$. The fact that a camera better in virtually every way gets fewer points just shows how far expectations have advanced
Traditionally, the pro-grade models from CaNikon never had a built-in flash, presumably because it's seen by them as a consumer feature. But when you remove a feature from a camera line that previously had it, it's very likely a cost-cutting move, especially when there is no clear marketing message suggesting that the model has been repositioned in the lineup. Nikon is targeting the D780 at the same level of user as the D750.
Thoughts - NexLupus is correct in as much as Nikon don't fit built-in flashes to pro models, but the D780 isn't a pro model, it's an enthusiast model, i.e. aimed at the same market as the D750, as pointed out by Revenant.
What I'm criticising is the fact that very useful features have been removed from an existing model (D750) i.e. the bult-in flash, and the ability to accept a vertical battery grip. Both are retrograde steps, in a camera that is supposedly an "upgrade"...
Nikon of course aren't the only company who do this. Sony were heavily criticised for similarly removing features from one of the a6xxx cameras. And if Canon did the same thing, some people here would be crucifying them for "crippling" the camera.
And that's exactly what Nikon have done to the D780 - they've "crippled" an excellent stills camera, by removing the flash and the grip option, in order to keep costs down and reposition the camera as a stills/video hybrid.
Capi - "You dont need the built in flash to remotely trigger a Nikon flash"
That depends on what model of flash you are using.
Also, as I pointed out, it's a lot more expensive to buy a radio controlled unit, or an infra-red controlled unit such as the R1C1 macro, than it is to buy the otherwise identical R1, which is triggered by the built-in flash. The latter unit is also more compact, lighter and less top-heavy.
Had they added IBIS, pop-up flash and option for vertical battery grip, there would have been compelling reasons to stay with this, but I strongly suspect Nikon is purposely trying to kill their enthusiast DSLRs and get everyone to switch over to their Z line. Not smart in my opinion, since their MLC is still behind both Fuji and Sony, so anyone starting out with MLC won't likely choose Nikon.
“The death of the DSLR”. Can you even be more dramatic? Most people still use DSLR’s over ML’s and some have a couple or more lenses and would be happy to upgrade. Don’t confuse your needs with that of everyone else’s.
Yes, mirrorless will eventually overtake our outperform DSLR’s. Doesn’t make them obsolete. I use both and would not fully switch to ML at the moment.
raztec - IBIS is pretty useless on a DSLR because while the sensor can be stabilised, the view through the OVF can't.
I agree entirely about the pop-up flash, but that I assume is a cost-cutting measure (as is the unavailability of a vertical grip).
Nikon clearly recognise the fact that the DSLR market is shrinking rapidly, and they know that there is little that can be done to improve an already mature product-type, so it's vital to their long-term surviavl to get people into their Z system as quickly as possible.
Personally I like the Z cameras a lot, although I much prefer the upcoming Canon R5. I think Nikon will be able to grab a big enough slice of the MILC market to keep them profitable. If they relied only on DSLRs, sadly they'd be out of business in 5 years.
entoman "raztec - IBIS is pretty useless on a DSLR because while the sensor can be stabilised, the view through the OVF can't."
Why does that matter? Please explain your thinking. Ibis just counteracts minimal movements when you press the shutter. By definition those movements are to small or to quick for you to do anything about it. You're not in any way helped by seeing the corrected view in the viewfinder as you can't react to the information quickly or precisely enough. If you could you wouldn't need ibis in the first place...
Lessiter - I disagree that you are "not in any way helped by seeing the corrected view in the viewfinder".
If you can *see* the effect of stabilisation, it gives you the confidence to know that the stabilisation is working well enough to make it worthwhile pressing the shutter button.
On the other hand, if you're using a telephoto or macro, and when you look through the viewfinder you see a wobbly image, it takes away that confidence. Further, it tends to increase the time you spend trying to steady the camera before taking the shot. Leading to missed shots.
It is also a great deal more difficult to locate and follow a subject, such as a bird in flight, if the viewfinder image is shaky.
There is a market for DSLRs and this will serve it. I am sure its not high volume thus the price but its there. I would know how many mirrorless offerings survive the next few years. Investments need to by high and the market is shrinking.
entoman: "IBIS is pretty useless on a DSLR because while the sensor can be stabilised, the view through the OVF can't".
Hmm. I thought the main purpose of IBIS was to help get sharper images. If it does that, then it's hardly useless. Pentax have put IBIS in every DSLR for years. Having a stablized viewfinder can be helpful too, but it's not the primary function.
entoman your description of judging correct shutter speed from viewfinder shake sounds very advanced. I never new of anyone with such amazing skill before.
Your point about seeing stabilization is interesting. It seems to tally with people who really like the viewfinder focus animations. Seeing the boxes track makes them feel as if they'll get the shot. As we know though the having evf animations doesn't mean having all shots in focus because real life moves faster than the animations and to some extent even your ability to perceive.
@entoman: I've used a Minolta 7D, with build in IBIS. It had a set of bars in the OVF that showed how much your camera was shaking. That indicator was a great help to steady the camera more and make better pictures with the IBIS. For modern cameras with video, your argument is completely stupid, as you can't use the OVF and you get the stabilized picture direct on your LCD screen. The same goes for life view.
gfrensesn - It pays to think before opening your mouth.
Before so ignorantly suggesting that my argument is "completely stupid", perhaps you might like to consider the fact that Canon has actually patented more than one design in which the live feed from the (potentialy stabilised) sensor is redirected to an EVF screen that is viewed through the OVF ocular.
The idea is that you press a button, causing the mirror to flip up and lock in position. Instead of sending the sensor feed to the rear screen, instead it sends the sensor feed to the viewfinder, via a set of small prisms. So you get a stabilised live view through the OVF ocular. Get it?
I owned a Minolta 7D myself, for a brief period, and although the set of bars did indeed give a good representation of the degree of shake being corrected, and helped a lot when bracing the camera, it didn't automatically stabilise the viewfinder image, unlike the Canon patent.
entoman, The lesser work image stabilisation (in lens or in body) has to do the better it is. So in the end it is better to stabilize your camera yourself then letting the system do it for you. Seeing your unstabilized view can help you bracing your camera more and so making better pictures. And for that wonderful Canon patents you talk about, in what camera are they build in? What is the price of that camera? Where can I buy it? You must know, just as I do, that many patents never make it to a real product. So we must wait and see if Canon will bring this technology to us or not. It is very well possible that they will focus more on mirrorless and forget this technology completely.
Thanks for the great video review guys! I loved my D750 (and still love my D850) but Z-mirrorless is the future for me. Did some corporate video work with my Z50 yesterday and it really fits the bill. I'm guessing you only had one D780 body, otherwise I would have enjoyed seeing this episode filmed on the D780 (similarities to Z6 notwithstanding.) I also like when you compare still images between bodies at 100% like you did here. More helpful to see the differences. Also when doing your awesome lens reviews - 100% or even 200% magnification is helpful. Love the channel!
The value proposition of AF-D lenses and the inevitable price drops will probably make this camera quite popular. You can even get a new D750 for 1150 euros in Belgium (which has a very high VAT).
That being true just Some food for thought: I bought the second best but best value camera time and again And later upgraded (better low light AF etc. there was always something.). In the end I payed twice. Just think about it.
What's with the buzzing in the video review section? The much larger lens inventory available to a D780 compared to the native z mount lens inventory (even including adapted af-s lenses) affects the discussion of value and price. How much for me to replace my older lenses with z mount equivalents? And, in many cases there are no z mount equivalents made today or in the timeline for f mount lenses I own. To get a Z camera is to buy into a whole other system. Yes, for someone starting out, sure, the price comparison makes sense.
You are probably right about the value comparison in such reviews being directed at newbies. But, don't know if you have seen anything like this, but folks here are frequently telling me to switch to a z camera either citing the lower price as one reason or just disregarding my budget entirely. Just for one example, I use an old 28-105 for my mid-range zoom needs. I would need to get a lens with another zoom range at much more than the $100 I spent on this lens. Without the cool semi macro capability. Going for Sony or Fuji would make almost as much sense financially for me as going Z. I am not blind to the fact that I may choose mirrorless at some point down the line. Getting the D780 later in the year for around $1500 by waiting for a good sale and selling my D610 makes a lot more sense money and photography wise for me right now.
Switching is always expensive if you have many lenses in your existing mount. For new buyers, it is worth discussing. But then, Nikon gives 2 options: Buy D780 of you want to continue/use DSLR, buy Z6 if you want more portability and have access to better lenses. Win-win for Nikon.
Nikon are in an unfortunate position regarding mounts. Canon users can easily adapt our lenses to Panasonic or to Sony, with almost no loss of AF functionality/performance. We can also of course use them on the RF mount bodies, with zero loss of functionality/performance, as compared to using them on our DSLRs.
It's highly unlikely that anyone will switch from Canon, Sony or Panasonic, to Nikon, simply because their existing lenses can't be adapted successfully, so Nikon can basically only sell their Z cameras to existing Nikon DSLR users, or to people just starting out in photography.
A shame, because the Z mount Nikons are very well designed, and no doubt the Z8/9 will be even better.
Entoman, thanks to shortest flange distance almost all camera lenses in existence can be adapted to Z mount (in theory). Medium format, Canon EF, Canon RF, even m43 lenses :) There already is an adapter with which you can adapt Canon EF lenses in Nikon Z cameras with AF, IS etc.. and it works fine.
In a perfect world long time photographers will own both a DSLR and a FF mirrorless, and of course, many do. Buying a mirrorless does not mean you will stop using your DSLRs. Just a time and place for either one.
For capturing fast action in very low light the phase detect while in optical view/photo mode works much faster than the live view of the Z6 as this video shows.
I know that my D750 far outperformed (in photo mode autofocus phase detect) a Sony A9 user at an outdoor photo workshop as she had trouble locking focus in very low light (early dusk around 8pm ) with a ballerina while I did not have any with my D750 phase detect which fired quickly.
Nikon was smart to release the camera at $2299. That will give them plenty of time to build up inventory for when people start buying lots of them next year at $1399.
No evidence that will happen at all. Sure maybe $300 to $500 off in a year, but that is about all I would predict, not a firesale. Around $2K for body by next Dec. sales. You are basically getting a camera similar to D750 but with the fantastic video abilities of Z6 with great autofocus in liveview and 4K recording. What is not to like! ... and you can keep using your FX lenses if you have them, without having to buy expensive Z lenses.
I think it is a very good camera especially for wedding photo and videographers. You get a great 4K video and also can use amazing F lenses without FTZ.
If you don't why would you invest in F-mount for this? Why not choose a system that allows you to have stabilization for video on all lenses, and allows you to use the viewfinder while filming?
In my opinion, the D780 is one possible upgrade path for Nikon users. But by no means a reason to join the system
@stonejack: But Nikon told us that great lenses are only possible with the Z-mount, not with the F-mount, because the F-mount is to small to make great lenses possible... :)
Gfrensen, Nikon and Canon said new mounts gives lens designers more freedom and we see the results in both systems. Especially in Z system new lenses are so much better than F lenses.
@panther fan Wedding shooters nowadays have to shoot as much video as photographs or even more. If you got F lenses but want good video, you can't get good video from a DSLR (I know cause I have one) due to lens hunting typical for Nikon DSLR, but with Z on the contrary you will get excellent video. But for that you have to have Z body. D780 gives a unique opportunity to shoot both photos and videos of high quality with F lenses.
@StoneJack I really don’t want to get caught in this discussion, especially because I don’t do video. But I think the Panasonic GH4 was for a long time the king of video, despite its weak AF(?) It was because videographers used MF I believe.
So saying you can’t get good video out of a Nikon DSLR because of the AF is only half-true imho.
@starbase Yes, you are right. Pro videographers use MF. One can get good video out of NIkon DSLR by using MF. However, I don't believe wedding shooters are shooting on manual focus (requires focus puller, training), usually they would do it on AF. And in Nikon world, best AF in video (live view) was only on Z cameras, and now on D780. I hope I am clear now. Thats why I think this camera is perfect for Nikon wedding shooters.
"Gfrensen, Nikon and Canon said new mounts gives lens designers more freedom and we see the results in both systems. Especially in Z system new lenses are so much better than F lenses."
Yeah, those damned F mount Zeiss Otus lenses are just useless!!! And those recent Sigma fast primes, well, they suck!
Seriously, MOST great lenses are available for F mount.
Slideshow Bob, your Otus examples prove Nikon's point. Z 50mm f1.8S is tiny and waaay less expensive compared to Otus 50mm yet it has 99% of its performance.
Not really, ozturert. The Z 50mm f/1.8 S costs more than twice as much as the F mount 50mm f/1.8. Nikon never made a 50mm prime that expensive for F mount, so we don't know how good they might have been able to make it. But keep in mind that the F mount Sigma 40mm f/1.4 Art is better than the Z 50mm f/1.8.
The Z mount might simplify lens design, particularly for wide angle optics. But that's not the only reason some Z lenses are better than some F mount lenses. The Z lenses are also far more expensive than the direct F mount equivalents.
If the F mount throat diameter was the limiting factor, lenses like the Zeiss and Sigma primes wouldn't be possible. Maybe Nikon just spent more to develop better quality optics for the Z?
Slideshow Bob, you don't understand. Those Sigma and Otus lenses are huge and incredibly heavy. You can design good lenses for F mount but they will be big and heavy. That F mount Nikon 50mm f1.8 is nothing compared to the Z mount 50mm. Z mount is infinitely better.
"That F mount Nikon 50mm f1.8 is nothing compared to the Z mount 50mm. Z mount is infinitely better."
That's my point. The F mount lens cost $197. The Z mount lens cost $597. Do you not think that the huge difference in cost MIGHT have something to do with how good the lens is? You're putting the entire qualitative difference down to the mount, and totally ignoring the cost. Would you not expect a $600 lens to perform better than a $200 lens?
You need to separate here between short flange distance and wide mount.
Does short flange distance help with optical design? Yes, especially for lenses wider than 35mm
Does the wide mount help with optical design? Maybe, in some edge cases, but definitely not in the case of the Z 50mm F1.8 as this lens doesn't even utilize the whole mount diameter
So the improvements in the Z 50mm largely come down to, 10 years of technology advancment, higher price, larger size and maybe a tiny bit the flange distance but 50mm isn't really limited by a DSLR mirrorbox
A lot of things have changed recently. The fact that Nikon have released what WOULD have been a "nifty fifty" that actually costs close to $600 (I can't call a $600 lens "nifty"!) isn't much of a reflection on what is optically possible. It's got much more to do with what they think people are prepared to pay. How good would a new Nikon F mount 50mm f/1.8 lens be if it cost $600? We'll almost certainly never know.
A closer comparison would be the Tamron 45mm f/1.8 VC vs. the Nikon Z 50mm f/1.8. Not much difference in size (Tamron is *slightly* larger). Not much difference in weight (Tamron is about 100g heavier, but has VC built in), and optically, there's not a big difference. Oh, and the Tamron costs about $200 less.
I don't doubt that there are advantages to the Z mount. But the actual physical mount is not the only thing that makes a difference.
The best hybrid Nikon photo video camera right now is the D780 not the Z6, as dpreview has a video showing the Z6 struggling with focus in low light for shooting photo mode (not video mode) while the D780 just locks focus and fires away. So if you are primarily a photo shooter for wedding and want some occasional video then D780 is best choice. If you are primarily only a video shooter than Z6 with IBIS makes sense. Both have their place.
Been with Nikon since 1983 ... so not a troll. I would have bought this in a heartbeat but ... I would have preferred they keep the flash. I think this was a huge mistake. As I posted elsewhere the flash synch speed is oh so 1982. Video killed the Radio Star? Yeh, that bugs me.
seriously, does anyone ever use inbuilt flash even on a compact camera...I forgot about inbuilt flash ever since P310 times...even more so on DSLR? if you are so damn serious about flash, how about using a real flash, you can easily mount on the hot shoe
Yes, they shouldn't have eliminated the flash, but the alternative Z6 doesn't have one either.
From reading the tea leaves (including interviews with Nikon executives), it's obvious that for most people, especially those without a good number of expensive F-mount lenses, the Z series is the upgrade (or starting out) path. I'm waiting to see what the next generation of Z cameras will bring to the table.
I really like those inbuild flashes that can be tilted upwards that can be found in some mirrorless and compact cameras without viewfinder hump. They are not powerful but they are definity quite useful and sufficient in many situations for indirect lighting.
I've used the flash on my D300 and D800 for many years as a controller for my off-camera external flash(es) in both studio and wedding settings. Just great. In fact I never used any flash units otherwise. I never use on-camera flash - ugly light
@ SToneJack Built-in flash is VERY useful, especially on those Nikon DSLRs that can control external flashes (ever heard of CLS?), and also to provide fill flash under harsh sunlight or "drag the shutter" at night. It's such a shame Nikon omitted it on D780 :-(
I don't know about Nikon, but Canon has/had a small 90EX flash that allows to control and trigger other Speedlites and uses its own power source (2xAAA). But now everyone is using radio triggers. So, what's the problem really?
I was about to buy a new Corvette but the cup holder was 2.5mm too far to the right. Unforgivable! What were they thinking!! Back to the drawing board morons and get it right next time!!!
Wouldn't the more obvious complaint be that camera manufacturers still not integrate their wireless triggers into the camera body, than complaining that an ancient optical slave system is missing?
I don't care about whether the slave system is optical, radio or whatever. Fact is my Nikons always had a system that worked great but now the new camera's don't have any built-in system anymore.
Now that we've completed our final review of the D780, we're going to take a look at how it stacks up for some common types of photography. From street shooting to sports shooting and everything in-between, is the D780 right for you?
In a wide-ranging conversation, Keiji Oishi gave us an insight into Nikon's strategy at all levels of its business, and shared some details of the new D6.
The Nikon D780 is proving to be a great all-arounder, regardless of subject matter or lighting conditions. Don't believe us? Take a stroll through our updated sample gallery – now with Raw conversions – and see for yourself.
We've been putting the new Nikon D780 to the test in places both near and far – here in the snowy/rainy streets of Seattle, out at a professional rugby match and in the sun-drenched streets of Old San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Considered in isolation, the D780 is a tremendously well-rounded camera. But that's also true of the D750 and the Z6, which may make it a hard sell for many photographers.
It says Olympus on the front, but the OM System OM-1 is about the future, not the past. It may still produce 20MP files, but a quad-pixel AF Stacked CMOS sensor, 50 fps shooting with full AF and genuine, IP rated, weather sealing show OM Digital Solutions' ambition. See what we thought.
DJI's Mini series has always been a great entry-level option for beginners, hobbyists, or those willing to sacrifice features for size. But with its newest model, the Mini 3 Pro, DJI promises to bring pro features to its most compact model. Does it succeed?
Sony has just announced its updated 24-70mm F2.8 GM II and there are a host of impressive upgrades. We took this new lens around a very soggy downtown Calgary to see how it performs.
The Nikon Z9 is one of the best cameras we've ever tested. But is it the best of the best? Chris and Jordan have been testing the Z9 with the new 2.0 firmware for a while, and they have the answers.
What's the best camera for shooting landscapes? High resolution, weather-sealed bodies and wide dynamic range are all important. In this buying guide we've rounded-up several great cameras for shooting landscapes, and recommended the best.
What’s the best camera for around $2000? These capable cameras should be solid and well-built, have both speed and focus for capturing fast action and offer professional-level image quality. In this buying guide we’ve rounded up all the current interchangeable lens cameras costing around $2000 and recommended the best.
Most modern cameras will shoot video to one degree or another, but these are the ones we’d look at if you plan to shoot some video alongside your photos. We’ve chosen cameras that can take great photos and make it easy to get great looking video, rather than being the ones you’d choose as a committed videographer.
Although a lot of people only upload images to Instagram from their smartphones, the app is much more than just a mobile photography platform. In this guide we've chosen a selection of cameras that make it easy to shoot compelling lifestyle images, ideal for sharing on social media.
The WG-80 remains largely unchanged from the WG-70, but it now has a front LED ring light that's twice as bright as its predecessor. Aside from that, the 16MP CMOS sensor and 28-140mm full-frame equivalent lens stays the same.
Astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti is aboard the International Space Station for a six-month mission. She and the other astronauts aboard the ISS witnessed the recent full lunar eclipse, and Cristoforetti captured amazing photos of the spectacular event.
Vivo has announced the global launch of its flagship X80 Pro device, which features an impressive quadruple-camera array on the rear, headlined by a main 50MP custom Samsung GNV sensor.
ON1 has announced the newest update to its ON1 Photo RAW 2022 all-in-one photo editor. Version 2022.5 integrates Resize AI into the editor, plus it includes improved noise reduction and Sky Swap AI. The update also includes new camera support.
Many cameras have a distinct sound. MIOPS partnered with German sound artist Kuntay Seferoglu to harness the diversity of camera shutter sounds and create the MIOPS Camera Symphony.
Panasonic's new 9mm F1.7 lens promises to deliver top performance in a pint-sized package. Does it raise the bar for ultra-wide angle lenses in the Micro Four Thirds system? Check out our sample gallery to find out.
Despite most units still not shipping for a few weeks, DJI has released a firmware update for its DJI Fly app that allows for activation of its new Mini 3 Pro drone, which will unlock the full feature set for the first ‘Pro’ sub-250g drone from the company.
It says Olympus on the front, but the OM System OM-1 is about the future, not the past. It may still produce 20MP files, but a quad-pixel AF Stacked CMOS sensor, 50 fps shooting with full AF and genuine, IP rated, weather sealing show OM Digital Solutions' ambition. See what we thought.
The app is developed by cinematographer and colorist Zak Ray, who's brought together over 1,000 lenses and 150 cameras into a comprehensive and interactive database app for planning out your shoots.
The leaked renderings and information suggests this new FPV drone will come in at around 500g (1.1lbs) and feature a CineWhoop-style design with protected propellers for safely flying in tight spaces.
The lens, which was previously avaialble for Sony E-mount, is fully manual, but chipped to provide support for focus confirmation and in-body image stabilization with compatible Nikon Z-mount camera systems. Cosina says the lens is set to go on sale next month, June 2022.
The total lunar eclipse will start tonight in most hemispheres and extend through midnight into early Monday morning. Here are some tips on where to view it and capture this rare event.
Is the GH6 the best hybrid camera there is? Jordan has been shooting DPReview TV with the Panasonic GH6 for months, so he has plenty of experience to back up his strong opinions.
The Sony a7 IV includes a new screen reader assistive feature that makes the camera more accessible for the many people who struggle with vision impairment and loss. It's a great first step in making photography and digital cameras more accessible.
Markus Hofstätter Is no stranger to massive DIY photo projects, but his latest one took three months to complete and resulted in bringing back to life a massive scanner that he now uses to scan his ultra-large format photographs.
Representation matters. Google is working to improve skin tone representation within its products and services and improve its AI technology to better understand images of people of all skin tones.
As we work towards our GH6 review, we've taken a closer look at some of the video options by shooting clips to highlight some of the compression options, picture profiles, image stabilization modes, the dynamic range boost mode, and low light performance.
By leveraging hardware acceleration, Adobe has managed to speed up 10-bit 4:2:0 HEVC video export times by 10x on macOS computers and Windows computers running AMD GPUs. Adobe has also sped up smart rendering, added HDR proxies and more.
Sony's new Xperia 1 IV smartphone promises to be a true flagship phone for content creators thanks to a true optical zoom, 4K/120p video and new livestreaming capabilities.
Adobe has finally brought Content-Aware Fill to Photoshop for iPad. Other new and improved features include Remove Background, Select Subject, Auto adjustments and more.
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope team recently tested the onboard instrument, MIRI, by imaging a portion of the Large Magellanic Cloud. The new image is incredibly sharp and points toward exciting possibilities when Webb begins scientific operations this summer.
We've taken Nikon's Nikkor 50mm F1.2 S prime lens around the state of Washington to see how it performs wide open, both inside and outdoors. Check out our gallery to see what sort of images it's capable of capturing.
Western Digital has announced new products in its SanDisk Professional series, including the Pro-Blade modular SSD ecosystem and faster SanDisk Extreme Pro SD and microSD cards.
SpinLaunch's kinetic space launch system uses a centrifuge-like design to launch payloads into orbit using significantly less fuel and at a much lower cost than traditional rocket-based approaches. A recent SpinLaunch Suborbital Accelerator test included an onboard camera.
DJI's Mini series has always been a great entry-level option for beginners, hobbyists, or those willing to sacrifice features for size. But with its newest model, the Mini 3 Pro, DJI promises to bring pro features to its most compact model. Does it succeed?
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