Everything You Need to Know About

the Nikon D850

Nasim Mansurov102 Comments

Now that the Nikon D850 has been officially announced, it is time to take
a closer look at the cameraʼs features. Nikon has introduced a number of
great features with the D850 that we have never seen on other Nikon
DSLR before, so I thought it would be a good idea to write a separate
article that highlights these in detail. The Nikon D850 combines the
power of a high-speed camera with a high-resolution sensor and in many
ways represents something many Nikon shooters have been asking for –
a true Nikon D700 replacement. Letʼs see what the D850 has to offer and
why you might want to consider moving up to it.

1) Nikon D850 Shoots Up to 9 FPS

Despite its super high resolution 45.7 MP sensor and the resulting
massive RAW images, the Nikon D850 can shoot continuously at 7 fps.
Thatʼs a drastic change from the 5 fps continuous shooting speed of the
Nikon D810. Granted you will have to use a fast UHS-II SD memory card,
or preferably, an XQD memory card to sustain such speeds for longer
periods of time (see the camera buffer section below for more details),
but thatʼs a given, considering how much data the camera will be dealing
with. Action photographers will appreciate the fact that the continuous
shooting speed of the Nikon D850 can be increased to a whopping 9 fps,
once the MB-D18 battery grip with the high power EN-EL18B battery is
connected to the camera. At 9 fps, the D850 might not be as fast as the
Nikon D5, but it is pretty darn close to what the Nikon D500 is capable of.
With such a high resolution sensor, sports and wildlife photographers will
have a lot of megapixels to work with, which gives plenty of additional
room for extreme cropping.

2) No Low-Pass / Antialiasing Filter

Just like the D810, the Nikon D850 has no optical low-pass filter in order
to deliver maximum detail in every shot. With a 45.7 MP sensor, the D850
will deliver superb sharpness and take a full advantage of modern lenses
that can deliver plenty of resolving power for the camera. However, due
to not having a low-pass filter, the Nikon D850 might introduce some
moire when photographing repeating patterns. If you are worried about it,
check out my article on how to avoid moire and you can also check out
my article on reducing moire in Lightroom, as well as in Photoshop.

3) Nikonʼs First BSI CMOS Sensor

Instead of using a Sony-developed sensor, Nikon decided to design the

sensor for the D850 on its own and have it produced by a different
manufacturer, as it has done a number of times in the past in cameras
like Nikon D3 and D700. The 45.7 MP sensor on the D850 is Nikonʼs first
backlight-illuminated (BSI) sensor, which will yield better image quality
than the D810 – Nikon claims up to a full stop of improvement in noise
performance, thanks to this new BSI design. This also explains why the
native ISO range has been extended by a full stop (the native ISO range
of the camera is 64 – 25,600).

Additionally, the Nikon D850 will have as good, if not better dynamic
range than the D810 at base ISO 64, as well as some higher ISOs due to
better sensor efficiency.

4) Same Autofocus System as the Nikon D5

The Nikon D850 has the same robust Multi-Cam 20K autofocus system
as the Nikon D5, with a total of 153 focus points, 99 of which are cross-
type. The 15 focus points around the center of the camera are sensitive
to f/8 maximum aperture, which means that you can attach a 2x
teleconverter to an f/4 lens (which results in f/8 maximum aperture) and
still be able to easily acquire focus on targets. The camera is also
sensitive down to -4 EV, allowing the autofocus system to function even
in extremely low light conditions. It is important to note that the Nikon
D810 was sensitive down to -2 EV, so there are two stops of
improvement on the D850 over its predecessor.

Additionally, the cameraʼs outer focus points will be able to function at -3

EV, which is better than what the Nikon D810 could do in the middle of
the frame!

5) Dedicated AF Engine

The Nikon D850 has a dedicated AF engine, similar to what we have seen
on the D5 and D500 DSLRs, which allows the camera to achieve much
faster and more precise focusing with all 153 focus points. Because of
the dedicated AF engine, the camera is able to perform fast calculations
using all focus points, so if you chose too shoot in auto-area AF mode,
the camera will be able to acquire focus on the moving target and keep it
there, even if you end up changing the framing.

6) Same AF Fine-Tune Features as Nikon D5

Just like the latest generation Nikon DSLRs like D500 and D5, the Nikon
D850 also features auto AF fine-tune feature that allows for easy
calibration of lenses. Although the feature is limited to only one focal
length and distance setting, it is nice that the process of calibrating
lenses is getting easier on DSLR cameras.

7) A Huge Camera Buffer

Considering how big the 45.7 MP RAW files will be, the Nikon D850 has a
very large buffer for the camera. When shooting continuously, the
camera can fit up to 51 14-bit lossless compressed RAW files, which
should allow the camera to shoot continuously for over 7 seconds with
the EN-EL15 / EN-EL15a battery at 7 fps and almost 6 seconds when
shooting at 9 fps with the larger EN-EL18a / EN-EL18b battery. In
comparison, the Nikon D810 can only get up to 28 14-bit lossless
compressed images and thatʼs with a lower resolution sensor. If you are
willing to sacrifice 14-bit for 12-bit RAW, the camera will be able to shoot
up to 170 frames of lossless compressed RAW before the buffer fills up,
which is insane! Thatʼs over 18 seconds of continuous shooting at 9 fps.
Take a look at the below buffer size comparison between the Nikon
D850, D810 and D800 / D800E to see how big of an improvement the
buffer on the D850 presents over its predecessors:

Nikon D800
RAW Type Nikon D850 Nikon D810
/ D800E
NEF (RAW), Lossless
170 47 21
Compressed, 12-bit
NEF (RAW), Lossless
51 28 17
Compressed, 14-bit

This is a very impressive achievement on behalf of Nikon – considering

that the 45.7 MP sensor will only yield larger files when compared to 36
MP, Nikon had to make the buffer on the D850 at least twice the
capacity, probably more. Coupled with a fast XQD card that can quickly
offload all that data from the buffer, it is possible to shoot continuously
for a very long time. And if you choose JPEG as your file format, you can
bet that you will be able to shoot non-stop until the memory card fills up!
This should be very exciting for all sports and wildlife photographers.

8) Nikon D850 Does Not Have a Built-in Flash

Unlike the Nikon D810, the D850 does not have a built-in flash. Nikon
decided to make the D850 as rugged as possible and make it very similar
to the Nikon D500 in terms of button layout and weather sealing (more
on that next). While some photographers might be disappointed with this
change, as the built-in flash can work nicely as either fill flash or a flash
commander for other speedlights, I personally think it is better to trade
the built-in flash for improved weather sealing. Many photographers
never use the built-in flash and those who do are better off getting a
dedicated flash trigger anyway, especially considering how affordable
third party options have gotten over the past few years.

9) Improved Weather Sealing

Just like its predecessor, the Nikon D850 has a full magnesium alloy shell
and it is weather sealed to be able to withstand extreme temperatures
and rough weather conditions. Since Nikon has eliminated the built-in
flash, it was able to improve the weather sealing of the camera even
further, making the D850 a perfect outdoor companion. The camera is
sealed in many spots, including all the buttons, dials and switches from
front to back, as shown below:

10) New Focus Stacking Feature

The D850 is the first Nikon DSLR to feature a built-in focus stacking
feature that allows capturing up to 300 shots at different focus points.
Those shots can later be merged together into a single image using third
party post-processing software, allowing photographers to achieve
maximum depth of field for macro and landscape photography. The
D850 will offer shutter release intervals of 0 to 30 seconds, with 10 levels
of focus steps and continuous shooting at approximately 5 frames per
second. I am personally very excited about this feature, since it eliminates
the headache of trying to focus at different areas of the scene when
shooting in the field.

11) Fast EXPEED 5 Processor

Similar to the Nikon D5 and D500 DSLRs, the Nikon D850 features a
faster EXPEED 5 processor that is capable of not only handling a lot of
image and video throughput, but also accelerating the autofocus
capabilities of the camera. Because of this, the camera is able to achieve
such high continuous shooting rates and able to record 4K video using
the whole sensor, something other Nikon DSLRs could not handle in the
past.
Additionally, a faster processor allows the camera to handle images faster
and more efficiently, which improves on the battery life (next).

12) Older Nikon EN-EL15 Batteries Are Compatible

Although the Nikon D850 will come with the new EN-EL15a batteries, you
can continue to use your older EN-EL15 batteries from your D800 /
D800E / D810 and other cameras with the D850, which is great news,
since you do not have to spend money buying all new batteries again.
This is a huge plus for someone who wants to shoot with two camera
bodies like Nikon D850 and D810, since you can can carry the same
battery charger and share batteries between cameras.

13) Longer Battery Life

Since the built-in flash is eliminated and the camera now utilizes a much
faster EXPEED 5 processor, the camera is able to shoot up to 1,840 still
images from a single charge when using the provided EN-EL15a battery.
Those who will be getting the MB-D18 battery pack, along with the EN-
EL18b battery to increase the continuous shooting speed to 9 fps will be
happy to find out that the battery life will increase significantly with that
setup – one can shoot up to 5,140 images on a single charge!

14) Large 0.75x Viewfinder

The Nikon D850 features a large viewfinder with a 0.75x magnification,

which is larger than any other viewfinder Nikon has made in the past.
Nikon was able to update the optical viewfinder with an aspherical lens
and a new condenser lens to make it very bright and sharp, bringing an
even more realistic viewing and shooting experience. The large and
bright viewfinder should make it easier for photographers to confirm
focus on their subjects, especially when manually focusing their lenses.

15) 180K Pixel RGB Metering Sensor

Similar to the D5 and D500 DSLRs, the Nikon D850 has a 180K Pixel RGB
metering sensor, which is capable of metering down to -3 EV. This
metering sensor has a built-in flicker detection function and its accuracy
has been significantly improved when shooting in such autofocus modes
as Auto-Area AF and 3D-Tracking when compared to the Nikon D810.
Additionally, the Nikon D850 now comes with a new “Highlight-weighted
metering” mode that works much better than Matrix Metering in complex
lighting situations where highlight information might be getting clipped. It
works by prioritizing the brightest portions of the scene and thus fully
retains all the important data in an image.

16) Electronic Front-Curtain Shutter

The Nikon D850 retains the same Electronic Front-Curtain Shutter

(EFCS) mode that is also available on the Nikon D810, which should allow
one to take images without introducing camera shake. While EFCS still
works in Mirror Up mode, Nikon has also extended the EFCS feature to
both quiet and quiet continuous shooting modes, which is great! This
means that when using the silent shooting mode in live view mode,
taking a picture will not trigger the shutter mechanism and cause
vibrations. This was one of my biggest complaints with the D810 and I am
very happy to see that it has been finally addressed by Nikon!

17) Silent Shutter Mode

Nikon has introduced a new “Silent Shutter” mode to the D850, which
allows the camera to take advantage of the electronic shutter when using
the camera in live view mode. Whatʼs great about this mode, is that it not
only completely eliminates any kind of shutter (since the mirror is raised
and the shutter is open), but also allows photographers to stay discreet
when shooting wildlife or when taking pictures during a wedding
ceremony in a church. When shooting continuously, the Nikon D850 can
capture up to 6 fps at full 45.7 MP resolution and if one switches to high
speed mode, it is possible to reach up to 30 fps at 8.8 MP in DX crop.

18) Three RAW Size Options

The Nikon D850 features three RAW size options: full RAW at 45.7 MP,
medium RAW (mRAW) at 25.5 MP and small RAW (sRAW) at 11.3 MP. I am
happy to report that Nikon has completely changed the way mRAW /
sRAW option is implemented on the D850. Instead of dealing with a flat
12-bit losslessly compressed file, we now have images that look like they
utilize true pixel binning, which is a huge upgrade over the D810 and
everything else we have seen from Nikon and other manufacturers so far.
This makes the D850 a truly versatile camera, because it is possible to
recover as much shadow and highlight detail as on full size RAW images!

19) Nikon D850 Can Scan Film with the “ES-2 Digitizing
Adapter”

Film photographers will love the Nikon D850, because it has an optional
accessory that allows one to take high-resolution images of 35mm film.
With the ES-2 Digitizing Adapter accessory, along with a macro lens like
the Nikon 60mm f/2.8G ED you will be able to create negative and
positive scans of 35mm film (slides or negatives). The Nikon D850 will be
able to convert negatives to positives directly in-camera using JPEG file
format, which is amazing! The ES-2 Digitizing Accessory will retail for
$150, which is not a bad price to pay for the convenience.

20) XQD and UHS-II Compatible SD Memory Card Slots

As I have already highlighted in my Understanding Memory Cards article,

CF has no future due to its bus speed limits and XQD is clearly the
memory card format of the future, thanks to its robust architecture and
its PCI Express architecture. Nikon has done a great job with integrating
XQD memory card slots into its latest cameras and the Nikon D850 also
gains one, which is definitely good news, since thatʼs how the camera is
able to sustain such great continuous shooting speeds. It is also great to
see that Nikon was able to put a UHS-II compatible SD card slot into the
camera, since UHS-II memory cards are much faster when compared to
their older UHS-I counterparts. While I am happy to see Nikon switch its
pro cameras from CF to XQD, I personally do not favor two different
memory card slots. Instead of fiddling with both XQD and SD card slots,
Nikon should have just gone with two XQD card slots, as it has done on
the Nikon D5.

21) Nikon D850 Can Shoot 4K and 8K Timelapses

Nikon D850 is the first DSLR that is capable of shooting both 4K and 8K
timelapses. Whatʼs nice about the new timelapse feature, is that the
camera can shoot electronically in live view mode without ever triggering
the shutter mechanism, which reduces the mechanical wear of the
shutter. This “silent interval timer” feature also creates no sound or
vibration when capturing images, which should eliminate any potential for
camera shake. The silent interval timer function will allow shooting up to
9,999 images total. There are two limitations though – when shooting in
program or shutter priority modes, the change of aperture might
introduce some sound and due to the readout of the sensor in electronic
mode, one might encounter rolling shutter issues when there is fast
motion in the scene. Lastly, the Nikon D850 also offers a minimum
interval setting of 0.5 seconds, which will allow photographers to capture
very smooth timelapses.

22) Illuminated Buttons

Just like the Nikon D5 and D500 DSLRs, the Nikon D850 features
illuminated buttons, which are extremely useful when shooting in dark
conditions. By moving the shutter release switch to illumination mode,
one can get both the top LCD and the camera buttons to light up, making
it easy to see them at night. This is a must-have feature for landscape
and timelapse photography and I am very happy to see that Nikon has
decided to incorporate it to the D850.

23) Tilting, Touch-Enabled LCD Screen with 2,359K

dots

While the Nikon D810 has the same size 3.2″ LCD screen, the D850
takes it to a whole new level. First of all, the LCD screen on the D850 is
tilting (finally), which is great when shooting at high or low shooting
positions, as it allows one to look at the camera LCD screen much more
easily. I wish Nikon made the LCD screen a bit more versatile by allowing
it to also swing sideways like we have seen on a number of other modern
cameras, so that the tilting feature would be useful when shooting
vertically, but it is not a critical feature – I will still take a tilt screen any
time over a non-tilting screen, because it makes using the camera in the
field much more convenient.
In addition to this, the LCD screen on the D850 is also touch-enabled,
which makes it easy to review images by swiping through them or
zooming into them, in addition to being able to quickly navigate through
the camera menu. And lastly, the LCD screen on the D850 has far more
resolution with a total of 2,359K dots (the Nikon D810 only has a 1,229k
dot LCD).

24) 4K UHD Video Recording

The D850 is the first Nikon DSLR to feature 4K UHD video recording that
can take advantage of the whole image sensor. This is very important,
because the camera will be able to take a full advantage of the full-frame
sensor to produce beautiful videos with very little noise in them. In
addition, you will be able to use wide-angle lenses as they were intended
to be used on a full-frame sensor, since there is no cropping involved.
Those who want to get a bit closer to the action will be able to switch to
DX mode and shoot 4K video, which will be close to super 35mm size.
Similar to previous generation Nikon DSLRs, the D850 will be able to
output uncompressed 4l2l2 8-bit footage through its HDMI port and
record it via external recorders. In addition to the MOV video format,
Nikon has also added the MP4 video format to the Nikon D850.

25) x4 and x5 Slow Motion Video in Full HD

Those who want to record slow motion video will be able to do so in full
HD format using the new in-camera slow-motion video feature, which
can generate both x4 (120/100p footage at 30/25p) and x5 (120p at 24p)
slow-motion videos. Unfortunately, slow motion video will be limited to
DX crop and AF-area modes will also be limited to normal-area and wide-
area AF. It will also be impossible to record audio in slow-motion videos.

26) Focus Peaking

Nikon has also integrated focus peaking into the Nikon D850, which is
great for those who desire this feature when using live view mode. Focus
peaking will make it easier to focus on subjects, since it will highlight the
areas of contrast using a particular color like red, white, yellow or blue.
This feature should be particularly good to use with manual focus lenses.
However, I wish Nikon offered an EVF option with the D850, since it
would have made focus peaking much more useful when utilizing the
viewfinder, rather than the LCD screen of the camera.

27) Built-in WiFi and Bluetooth

The Nikon D850 comes with a built-in WiFi and Bluetooth chips to drive
Nikonʼs SnapBridge App. While many photographers were not happy with
Nikonʼs SnapBridge implementation, it has gotten a bit better after
firmware and software updates and hopefully by the time the D850 ships,
it will be stable enough to use reliably in the field.
28) Wireless Speedlight Control

The Nikon D850 will be able to control the new SB-5000 speedlight from
its camera menu, but it will require the external WR-A10/R10 transceiver.
While it would have been great for Nikon to integrate a radio chip into the
D850, it could introduce interference and have signal troubles when
sitting behind the magnesium alloy shell. The WR-A10/R10 transceiver is
fairly small and connects directly into the front port of the D850, as
shown in the picture below:
29) Nikon D850 Does Not Have Built-in GPS

One feature where the D850 loses to the Canon 5D Mark IV (and
probably the only one) is built-in GPS. I donʼt know why Nikon has been
forcing its customers to use an external GP-1A GPS adapter, because it is
a horrible solution, as it takes up the flash socket and requires a cable
connection to one of the ports on the front of the camera. I have seen the
GP-1A used in the field once by another photographer and I cannot see
how I could ever rely on such a setup! It does not fit my camera bag and I
know for sure that I would end up damaging the cables and the
connection ends. Why canʼt Nikon integrate a GPS chip into its DSLRs?
Many other manufacturers have done it successfully and Nikon is still
refusing to add such a basic camera feature. GPS is great to have on a
DSLR for travel or landscape photographers, because we can see exactly
where we captured a photograph. I really hope that Nikon adds built-in
GPS to its cameras in the future.

30) Nikon D850 Targets Many Different Types of

Photography

While the Nikon D810 was a specialized camera for landscape,

architecture, macro and studio photographers who prefer resolution over
speed, the Nikon D850 is made to appeal a much wider audience. In fact,
with the D850, Nikon is targeting pretty much all types of photographers,
including landscape, macro, sports, wildlife, fashion, wedding /
portraiture and timelapse. Thatʼs because for the first time, the camera
features both a high-resolution sensor and fast continuous shooting
speed, as explained above. And with the 4K video recording capability,
Nikon is also aiming to attract videographers as well.

31) Nikon D850 Has The Same MSRP as the Nikon D810
at Introduction

Without a doubt, Nikon is pricing the D850 aggressively in the US

Market. With its MSRP of $3,300, the camera is priced at exactly the
same level as the Nikon D810 when it was introduced a few years back.
And if you factor in the inflation, that makes the Nikon D850 cheaper
than the D810! The Nikon D850 will be a very popular camera and if
Nikon has not prepared enough units for shipment, we could have many
months of delays as we had previously experienced with the Nikon D800
when it was introduced. If you want to get a hold of the Nikon D850 when
it becomes available on September 7th, I would highly recommend to
place your pre-order as soon as possible. If you are an NPS member, I
highly recommend that you submit this web form as soon as possible, so
that Nikon prioritizes your order.