D800E owners?

[V-Spec]

Hola,

Thinking about moving from Large format 5x4 to a D800E in the next few months before I do a big USA trip,

I was thinking of a MF digital, like a Pentax 645D or a second hand Phase-one, but if the D800E is coupled with a Distagon or other high quality prime, the difference in quality is going to be so close - it makes no sense to spend an extra £2-3k....

Any D800E owners in here? any experiences?

 

[V-Spec]

The Sigma 35mm is far sharper than any Zeiss in the range. Similarly the Nikon 14-24 wipes the floor with Zeiss, Contax and Leica primes at the wide end (not at 24 though).

Hmmm I was already looking at possibly getting the 14-24 for the D800E, it seems like a pretty sweet lens,

But from that Ksanti is saying, that 645z looks amazing.. but I bet it comes with an amazing price-tag.. (I probably have no more than £6k to spend) with that I can get a D800E and a few lenses, but only a 645D and one lens..

I won't be getting anything until July, so hopefully I'll have a chance to see how the 645Z is received, and it's price..


One question I have - sharpness is one thing, but what about things like lens distortion? my large format lenses are absolutely free from things like distortion, I remember shooting my Canon 1D a few years ago and things being all over the place, (think it was a 17-40) if I went with the 14-24, would the image be nice and straight corner to corner?

 

[V-Spec]

ffs

UK pricing released for the 645Z, $8400 in the US but it's £6700 here ($11k) might just pick one up in america, screw paying UK prices, wouldn't mind having it for a bit beforehand mind.. ;_;

 

[V-Spec]

Printing A2 max (I have my own workflow and an Epson 3880)

Yeah, unless the price drops by July - the 645Z is gonna be out of my price range plain and simple.

Looking at the D800E, I could get one, a 14-24 and a 70-200 (I like telephoto landscapes) and still be way within budget, if I went with a standard 645D I'd only be able to afford one lens... and probably not really tell the difference?

DECISIONS DECISIONS...

 

[V-Spec]

lol

I just looked at some sample shots of the Sigma DP2 and they're awful, looks like a watercolour painting, the resolution in terms of image size is obviously there - but the images themselves look like decent phone camera quality to me.

I'll hold out for a few months and see where I end up, the one thing that's bugging me is the aspect ratio of MF - is similar to what I'm already shooting (5x4) which isn't as wide as 35mm, I prefer the squarer format..

 

[V-Spec]

I'm not convinced at all, especially reading people who are complaining that it isn't very good in low light situations, or where a wide exposure latitude is required - which is pretty much 100% the conditions I operate in,

I dare say in some situations, you'd struggle to tell the difference between a D800 and pretty much *any* point and shoot, but I'd argue that in difficult conditions with especially challenging light (especially landscapes) It'd be left wanting,

 

[V-Spec]

At A2 print sizes you would never tell the difference between a D800 and MFD.

Yeah, I think my mind is made tbh... going MFD just doesn't seem to make sense, considering I could also get back to doing wildlife with a D800E,