Nikon D810 or Sony A7 dilemma

For the price of a D810 body plus $50, you can get a D750 (price just dropped $400) and a Panasonic G7 with the excellent 14-42mm kit lens, the best buy on the planet for video (except for heavy professional use). Add a dumb Nikon adapter and a Speed Booster, and you have full access to the Nikon lens system. And, of course, for planned shooting, you can get that fabulous Nikon color for video as well. You know and love Nikon lenses. That is valuable knowledge which you already possess. What happens if you switch to Sony (an excellent choice for someone with no background in another system) and find that you just don't like it? Then you have to start over again, or live with a system that you don't like, which no one should do.
 
Curtis Mack said:
For the price of a D810 body plus $50, you can get a D750 (price just dropped $400) and a Panasonic G7 with the excellent 14-42mm kit lens, the best buy on the planet for video (except for heavy professional use). Add a dumb Nikon adapter and a Speed Booster, and you have full access to the Nikon lens system. And, of course, for planned shooting, you can get that fabulous Nikon color for video as well. You know and love Nikon lenses. That is valuable knowledge which you already possess. What happens if you switch to Sony (an excellent choice for someone with no background in another system) and find that you just don't like it? Then you have to start over again, or live with a system that you don't like, which no one should do.
Click to expand...

I think you got the point. I know and love Nikon Lenses and Nikon in general. What if I don't like sony which I never used? Yeah. The thing you're saying about the G7 is interesting and I didn't even consider to get two bodies but it would make a lot of sense.
I think that I'm gonna go with Nikon, but D750 or D810? What y'all say? Thanks, I'm clearing up my mind. :)
 
@GregVelo



If you are considering the Nikon D750 & either the BMPCC or Panasonic G7. The G7 has a built in evf, swivel lcd and doubles as a stills camera, since still imaging is important to you the G7 would seem to be the better choice IMO. The BMPCC is strictly for video. At the very least you would have some kinda backup stills camera in the event that something happens to your main camera. In regards to video quality the D810 supposedly has the edge over the D750 but the D750 is no slouch either. Another thing to consider is the crop factor the BMPCC vs G7 and also the fact that the G7 shoots 4K footage so you can basically crop in post and get 2 different shots from one camera.
 
Last edited:
Da Media Man said:
@GregVelo



If you are considering the Nikon D750 & either the BMPCC or Panasonic G7. The G7 has a built in evf, swivel lcd and doubles as a stills camera, since still imaging is important to you the G7 would seem to be the better choice IMO. The BMPCC is strictly for video. At the very least you would have some kinda backup stills camera in the event that something happens to your main camera. In regards to video quality the D810 supposedly has the edge over the D750 but the D750 is no slouch either. Another thing to consider is the crop factor the BMPCC vs G7 and also the fact that the G7 shoots 4K footage so you can basically crop in post and get 2 different shots from one camera.
Click to expand...

Thank you for the answer. Yeah, it makes sense. But what I like about the BMPCC is the raw video. For the kind of work that I do, it's more important to me to have great flexibility in post rather than having good video straight out of the camera and I'm not that interested in 4K. Surely I wouldn't have a backup for stills, but there's a point where choices have to be made :) what do you think about the BMPCC with the Speedbooster? Though, I think I'm gonna buy the Nikon and lenses first and after that, with time, I'll get the BMPCC.
 
I have both the G7 and D750 now but will swap the G7 for a BMPCC. Already have a Nikon-BMPCC speedbooster so it will be a good pair.
The G7 is bit sterile to match th D750 imo.
 
Cameras are so good now that it's a matter of taste, not of which is best. I don't like the panasonics because even if sharpness is out-of-this-world, DR is absolutely awful, and I care more about DR than about sharpness. In fact, short of the a7S II, the pocket is still the best option if you want as much DR as you can get. Painful to shoot with, though, with the bad screen and the batteries that last 20 minutes...

And also, apart from taste... glass! Sony has a decent range right now: a7R II with Batis 25mm f/2, FE 55mm f/1.8 and Batis 85mm f/1.8 would be absolutely perfect for 99% of prime shooters 99% of the time. Then again, you had the option of going 14mm f/2.8, and 135mm f/2.8, and you can't do that with FE lenses right now. Would you settle for the 14-35 f/4 instead of the Batis 25mm f/2? And for 85mm f/1.8 instead of 135mm f/2.8?

The pocket is even more problematic in that sense... And the D750, D810, a7/a7II, and a7R II, all have much better video than your old D600: I don't see the need for a second body, I'd save those extra bucks, or spend them on glass.
 
I would go for the D750, a solid hybrid with better lowlight and no crop in video compared to D810, and cheaper. Save the extra cash for the new 24-70 with VR, it should be execellent and a very good start. Then get the 35 1.8, 50 1.8 and 85 1.8 :)
 
FStoppers have a "shootout" between A7RII, D810 and ... (Canon 5Dsr?). It's on their YouTube channel. Conclusions are personal but one might gleam some pertinent info from their vid.
 
Samuel H said:
In fact, short of the a7S II, the pocket is still the best option if you want as much DR as you can get.
Click to expand...

Have you seen any footage indicating the a7sii having a wide DR?
It was such a shame when the 15stops of the original A7s turned out to be more like 11.5 in daylight.
Maybe they have got it right this time. Would make it an awesome camera.
 
To OP: If you keep hearing camera models from all sides it never ends. Lets me list you just a percentage of the available cameras on the market that will work for you: Nikon D750, D810, D7200, A7s, A7RII. A7sII, 5DIII, 7DII, 5DS/R, GH4, G7, NX1, BMPC, I can go on!

You are used to the Nikon System, I'd just take that as the deciding factor as all these cameras are pretty similar, they deliver your photos and videos (You found the D600 photos and videos great).

So just get a D750 or D810 as budget allows.

The D750 has a much better video image than the D600 (no aliasing/moire & sharper + much better lowlight) plus slightly better stills and a better body (Tiltling LCD, UI). You should get that.

The D810 loses the tilt screen, has the same good video, but adds resolution to stills. You see for yourself if 24mp vs 36mp is worth the difference in cost (I don't think it is, especially since you'll be buying lenses from scratch)

I'd start with a D750 and an all rounder lens, something in the 24-70mm/24-105mm range from Nikon/Tamron/Sigma again depending on budget and needs.

Just these two allow great video and photographs for almost all situations.
 
I edited together some clips from the first time using the D750 last night. I must say that the quality/mbit is pretty rad.

I bought it on my way to visit family so I could only steal shots here and there. Couldnt always use a tripod so there is a shake or two.
Missed some focus also (new lens as well = no muscle memory).
All shot with the Nikon 50mm f1.8.

 
Lobbamobba said:
Have you seen any footage indicating the a7sii having a wide DR?
It was such a shame when the 15stops of the original A7s turned out to be more like 11.5 in daylight.
Maybe they have got it right this time. Would make it an awesome camera.
Click to expand...

(sorry for the off-topic)
I haven't but I'm very optimistic, because slog3 is a wider curve and they lowered the base ISO, and I believe what they're delivering now is the absolute best that the sensor is capable of (link). Which means: almost a couple of stops better than the original a7S (one and a third because the curve allows more range in the highlights, the rest because shadows are likely to be less noisy).
 
sorry for not answering, I've been pretty busy.
So, I'm going for the D750. I did some resarch and I found some good deals. I'm considering the Nikon 28-300 lens as an all-around lens, and probably a 50mm 1.8 prime lens. With time I'll re-buy the 14-24, but I can wait for that.
For video, what would you say about a ninja atamos or a blackmagic video assist? Instead of having two bodies, I'd have just the Nikon with one of those. What are your thoughts about this solution?
Thank you all for the help you have given me.
 
GregVelo said:
sorry for not answering, I've been pretty busy.
So, I'm going for the D750. I did some resarch and I found some good deals. I'm considering the Nikon 28-300 lens as an all-around lens, and probably a 50mm 1.8 prime lens. With time I'll re-buy the 14-24, but I can wait for that.
For video, what would you say about a ninja atamos or a blackmagic video assist? Instead of having two bodies, I'd have just the Nikon with one of those. What are your thoughts about this solution?
Thank you all for the help you have given me.
Click to expand...

Good choice. I would wait with the recorder until you see the footage out of it.
As for lenses the 50/1.8 is nice.
I also bought the kit 24-120/4 and like it.

 
GregVelo said:
Now I'll put something else into discussion: what if I get the D750 and a BMPCC?
Click to expand...

A much better option than locking yourself into one body to do everything IMO, the 10-bit 4:2:2, and 12-bit raw recording on the BMPCC are vastly superior recording formats to the 8-bit options the stills cameras give you. And the D750 is a terrific stills camera.
 
GregVelo said:
sorry for not answering, I've been pretty busy.
So, I'm going for the D750. I did some resarch and I found some good deals. I'm considering the Nikon 28-300 lens as an all-around lens, and probably a 50mm 1.8 prime lens. With time I'll re-buy the 14-24, but I can wait for that.
For video, what would you say about a ninja atamos or a blackmagic video assist? Instead of having two bodies, I'd have just the Nikon with one of those. What are your thoughts about this solution?
Thank you all for the help you have given me.
Click to expand...

I would pass on the 28-300 and purchase either the Nikon 24-120 or the Sigma 24-105 as an all around lens if you are trying to keep the cost down. The Tamron 24-70 2.8 is also very sharp and has VR as well so this is another consideration to keep in mind. If you have the cash though Nikon 24-70 F/2.8 all the way. The constant aperture of F/4 or F/2.8 comes in handy and you will have better image quality for both stills and video throughout the frame.

Most people only pay attention to center sharpness and for a portrait with one person thats fine. However if you have 2-5 people in the frame then suddenly the borders and extreme borders become important for video and stills. So my advice spend a little more money and stay away from the all in one. Please keep in mind that I am a pixel peeper to a certain degree and shoot resolution charts for any lens that I purchase to decide if it will meet my critiera for what I deem a keeper.

Here are some links that show border sharpness.

http://www.photozone.de/nikon_ff/578-nikkorafs28300vrff?start=1

http://www.photozone.de/nikon_ff/456-nikkor_afs_2470_28_ff?start=1
 
I own both an A7S as well as a Nikon D810. Both are very different, both can produce excellent video using the in-camera codec. With the Nikon I would recommend an external monitor, though you're splitting hairs to record to an eternal recorder. The A7S benefits more from an external recorder because it, of course, is a native 4k sensor.

I love the image out of the D810, though it is notably softer than the A7S (not nearly as bad as the 5D Mark III.) In spite of this, I find myself often reaching for the D810 when I need to bring a B-Camera with me on shoots.

I've used the Tamron SP 2.8 24-70 extensively on the A7S (Sony mount on LEA4 adaptor) and it is an amazing piece of kit for the money. Highly recommended (though I prefer the look out of my Nikon lenses... they're way, way more expensive.)

This piece was shot with the Tamron 24-70 and 70-200 f/2.8 SP lenses and the A7S:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SwWoTYJp9A

This one was shot with the Nikon D810 and Nikon lenses (16-35 f/4, 70-200 f/2.8VC):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16sfTSFoi_o
 
Last edited:
The Sony A7-series all the way. When your camera setup can be super small and light yet powerful such as the A7S, you will find yourself being more creative.

My suggestion comes with four caveats. I never liked the A7 series until four other things were invented:
1) SmallRIG Cage (1633 model)
2) SmallHD 501 monitor
3) LockPort HDMI
4) Zeiss Batis 25 F2 Lens (enables me to use ClearImage Zoom to simulate other focal lengths, works best with the A7S / A7S II due to the clean ISO image).

#1 and #2 were the most critical caveats because the A7S' LCD screen is horrible to judge focus and the SmallHD 501 allowed me to mount it to the A7S without any weight and footprint penalty allowing me to have a nice big 5" 1080p screen for me to see composition and focus.

The SmallRIG DSLR 1633 cage allowed me to keep my footprint small but enable me to mount the 501 in the most low-profile way. The 501 is mounted just above the rear LCD screen. This allows me to maintain line of sight to the native rear lcd screen to see all of my menu overlays.

What also enabled this to work is the fact that the A7S maintains clean HDMI throughout the entire operation meaning when you go into the menu system it does not lose the HDMI-out signal (unlike Canon). No matter what the A7S (or any A7 camera) maintains the HDMI out signal.

The LockPort HDMI also goes without saying because it ensures that my HDMI connection is always solidly connected. It allows me to not have to worry about the micro-HDMI breaking.

C0040.MP4.Still001.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top