Nikon D5 - Why so few discussions about it?

[RKnecht]

Yours is the 1st and only opinion I would need to buy a D5 if I needed those kinds of ISOs, thanks Rich

Randy, I resisted the D5 urge for a while. I finally sent a request in to NPS after seeing all the reviews about the high ISO and AF. I must admit, it took me a little bit to tweak the AF to my liking, but when I found a setting that was ideal for what I shoot, I was amazed. Not everyone needs a camera to AF and provide printable images that can go the 16x20. My D4 did a good job, but the places I am going to just get darker and darker. Add to that equation fast moving dogs, and you have a real AF test. Especially with black dogs. This is how I make my living, and the last thing I wanted to do was spend another $6500 on a new body, trust me. I am not seeing the crappy DR a few people are complaining about. Then again, I expose correctly and don't have to push shadows a few stops to make the picture look good. Low ISO? I actually don't care. I have a D810 for my low ISO studio work, so I have that covered. I think the real people that are buying the D5 are people like me. With most of my events, I live at ISO 8000 and above. That allows me to shoot at F2.8 and at least 1/640. Anything less than that and I may as well pack up and go home.

 

[Randy]

Randy, I resisted the D5 urge for a while. I finally sent a request in to NPS after seeing all the reviews about the high ISO and AF. I must admit, it took me a little bit to tweak the AF to my liking, but when I found a setting that was ideal for what I shoot, I was amazed. Not everyone needs a camera to AF and provide printable images that can go the 16x20. My D4 did a good job, but the places I am going to just get darker and darker. Add to that equation fast moving dogs, and you have a real AF test. Especially with black dogs. This is how I make my living, and the last thing I wanted to do was spend another $6500 on a new body, trust me. I am not seeing the crappy DR a few people are complaining about. Then again, I expose correctly and don't have to push shadows a few stops to make the picture look good. Low ISO? I actually don't care. I have a D810 for my low ISO studio work, so I have that covered. I think the real people that are buying the D5 are people like me. With most of my events, I live at ISO 8000 and above. That allows me to shoot at F2.8 and at least 1/640. Anything less than that and I may as well pack up and go home.

If I still shot HS FB I'd get a D5 but I almost never go above 1600 anymore and I use my D500 way more than my D4. I would guess most D5 owners don't need what you need in a body.

 

[Gear Head]

If I still shot HS FB I'd get a D5 but I almost never go above 1600 anymore and I use my D500 way more than my D4. I would guess most D5 owners don't need what you need in a body.

I went to 400 the other day..for one shot..

 

[Butlerkid]

Randy, I resisted the D5 urge for a while. I finally sent a request in to NPS after seeing all the reviews about the high ISO and AF. I must admit, it took me a little bit to tweak the AF to my liking, but when I found a setting that was ideal for what I shoot, I was amazed. Not everyone needs a camera to AF and provide printable images that can go the 16x20. My D4 did a good job, but the places I am going to just get darker and darker. Add to that equation fast moving dogs, and you have a real AF test. Especially with black dogs. This is how I make my living, and the last thing I wanted to do was spend another $6500 on a new body, trust me. I am not seeing the crappy DR a few people are complaining about. Then again, I expose correctly and don't have to push shadows a few stops to make the picture look good. Low ISO? I actually don't care. I have a D810 for my low ISO studio work, so I have that covered. I think the real people that are buying the D5 are people like me. With most of my events, I live at ISO 8000 and above. That allows me to shoot at F2.8 and at least 1/640. Anything less than that and I may as well pack up and go home.

I also purchased a D5 and am loving it!!!! There seems to be something special about the images it produces.

I haven't used it very much, but am blown away by the high ISO images.

Do you mind sharing the AF settings you ended up with? Thanks!

 

[Ann_JS]

Contrary to a lot of complaints in various Forums from people who seem unable to keep the focus-point on their subject, the Dynamic AF range does work in the Nikon D5 if you are dexterous enough to follow the action with the camera.

However, 3D Tracking in the D5 is totally different from, and vastly improved over, the versions of 3D AF in other camera bodies and is my first choice for most fast action photography.

AF 3D Tracking actually TRACKS the object (which you originally selected under your primary focus-point) as that object moves across the whole AF field.

My most frequently-used D5 settings (although I obviously change these for different situations) are listed in this thread:
Dynamic Auto-focus in a Nikon D5

As for ISO:
I will happily use the high ISO speeds if they enable me to use a fast shutter speed to get an image under dim lighting which I would not have been able to capture otherwise.
Luminance Noise in the D5 doesn't worry me: I use strong Masking in the Details Panel and very little Luminance NR because a well-defined crisp result is more important to me than a little noise; and the Luminance NR slider quickly turns detail to mush!

Color Noise is more objectionable and I do reduce, and smooth, Color Noise.

 

[bob friedman]

D5 AF.....

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enuf said.

 

[Ann_JS]

Anyone need more proof than that?!!

 

[bob friedman]

and this was the frame before as the hawk wound up on perch just over my head.. so 12fps is quite handy

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[bob friedman]

clearly if you don't need the full frame AF, frame rate and ISO improvements over the D4s you might as well buy something else since this cam is not inexpensive

 

[frdjohns]

clearly if you don't need the full frame AF, frame rate and ISO improvements over the D4s you might as well buy something else since this cam is not inexpensive

Well - I'm stil happy with my D4 - but if I was going to upgrade to a d5, it would be your images and comments that would convince me Bob.

 

[Fotabug]

My vote was too expensive for me at this point. If I had the money, I would have a D5. To me, the D5 is the biggest advancement since my beloved D3! I feel the AF, speed and ISO capabilities make the D5 the best pro camera on the market, till the next one comes along! That said, this old photographer just can't justify or swing the cost of investment anymore. Since I love bird and other wildlife photography, I did get a D500 (wonderful camera and another under rated camera in my view). The D500 also has some of the D5's most appealing features and makes a top notch wildlife camera.

I do have to comment on the outstanding photos posted here of the airborne hawk. If they don't speak volumes about the capabilities of the D5, nothing will! I do like the other models mentioned as favorites too, and agree that they remain just as good as they ever were! An enjoyable thread!

Vern

 

[Gear Head]

Bob, those last two are unreal. Very nice work!
Gary

 

[agrumpyoldsod]

Unless sideline sports shooting is your main occupation (or you are simply a wealthy dude or dudette for whom price is no object), hard to justify spending that price for a camera body, especially if you happen to own a D4 or D4S. I have no doubt that the D5 is "better" than the D4S, but $6.5k for a body? At some point, I buy into the theory of diminishing returns.

+ and/or Wildlife - particularly big cats in africa.

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D5 400mm/2.8E FL ISO 3600, f/7.1 1/2000th

 

[Cabin]

WOW

Cabin

+ and/or Wildlife - particularly big cats in africa.

View attachment 3645
D5 400mm/2.8E FL ISO 3600, f/7.1 1/2000th

 

[RoyC01]

Yep, WOW about covers it.

 

[Butlerkid]

+ and/or Wildlife - particularly big cats in africa.

View attachment 3645
D5 400mm/2.8E FL ISO 3600, f/7.1 1/2000th

Welcome to NikonCafe!!!!! Love the image! Keep posting these kind of images. I'm going to Kenya in August for the first real workout for my D5!

 

[agrumpyoldsod]

Welcome to NikonCafe!!!!! Love the image! Keep posting these kind of images. I'm going to Kenya in August for the first real workout for my D5!

Thanks ButlerKid -- are you headed off to the Mara for the crossings?

My first Safari trip to Africa started in Feb 2016, after I retired from full time work. We went to Samburu, Nakuru, Bogoria, Masai Mara NR, Amboseli and David Sheldrick's Sanctuary in Nairobi. I went again in September, but just to the Masai Mara NR to see the northern leg of the Serengeti Migration; and of course I was there again in March. The Masai Mara National Reserve is one of my most favourite spots, particularly towards the end of the dry season and during the migration.

I have about a month in South Africa in July/August around Mala Mala and the Kruger and am still hoping to be able to confirm my return trip to the Entim Camp in the MMNR -- I would dearly like to make it 4 weeks this time, but I have too much other work.

If you are interested you can see some of my work - Intro or a lot more at Andy Miller’s albums | Flickr

 

[ahoogerhuis]

Having just upgraded myself from the D4s to D5, and having my first few days with the D5, my first two opinions are:
1. From D4s to FD5 is as big of a gap as when I went from D3 to D4s.
2. I'm very sure I am not in love with the touch screen. Doing my usual "shot-and-inspect" routine I'm used to, its very easy to hold the camera safely with two hands and use one to control the button row left of the screen and right hand to control the wheels and thumb around with the stick. With D5 and getting both thumbs in to the middle of the screen and mess around is not allowing me to hold the camera as steady and safely.

-A

 

[siinjen]

Alot of cash for an amateur, besides my D3 can kill it for daytime sports!

Still have my D3 and still ROCKS!!! clear as crystal....

 

[siinjen]

Got my D3+D500 one hell of a combie!!!!! It takes clear images