One shot, 2 cameras: D810 & D850

[Butlerkid]

1 is a bit sharper when I look at sections so I would say that is the D850, assuming all other factors (operator) are equal. But tests like this will show nothing.

I would be more interested in a D850 compared to a D500 when both need to be cropped to show a bird in a nice composition. Can the D850 hold up to a D500?

I don't know. But Steve Perry did that comparison with the D5 (I think) and the D500 and the answer was no....large crops didn't do as well as using the D500.......

 

[Pa]

I think you used the same camera for both and you're just stringing us along.

 

[fishbio]

1 is a bit sharper when I look at sections so I would say that is the D850, assuming all other factors (operator) are equal. But tests like this will show nothing.

I would be more interested in a D850 compared to a D500 when both need to be cropped to show a bird in a nice composition. Can the D850 hold up to a D500?

Of course it shows something, that when shooting landscapes the 2 cameras are very close. I don't shoot birds regularly so the comparison you want is of absolutely no interest to me; someone else can do it. Given the specs. of the D500 and D850 I doubt there's much difference in image quality between those two though. The edge should go to the D850 except for a trivial resolution deficit.

Larry

 

[Valret]

Easy to tell...#1 is the D8X0

 

[SRHEdD]

Can I see shots comparing the iPhone X to the D850?

 

[fishbio]

Can I see shots comparing the iPhone X to the D850?

not from me even if one were available. I don't have a cell phone of any kind.

Larry

 

[SRHEdD]

...and I just thought you blocked my calls.

 

[Palouse]

Can I see shots comparing the iPhone X to the D850?

 

[Beagledog]

In this situation it is very hard to tell which is which. I think this expected as the D810 is a very good camera. Want to see a difference? Go out and shoot wildlife in low light and see which camera has the highest keeper rate and which can be cropped the most. I got the D500 because of the better focus and longer reach as it has smaller pixels than the D810. Now, I can gave one camera for both. I am excited by the possibilities. As for which is which, I am not sure. Like everyone else I will keep waiting and guessing.

Cheers,
alexis and Georgie Beagle

"mom, when is my D850 arriving? I want to take pictures of cats..." - Georgie Beagle

 

[fishbio]

I don't pretend that what I did is any more than a sujective test with one landscape scene at ISO 64 which I did for my own edification. I picked a static, fairly high dynamic range scene because I normally shoot as low an ISO as is practical and almost always use manual focus and often when the light is harsh. I decided to share. If this isn't a test that helps you, that's too bad and I don't need to hear that it's useless because it doesn't test camera X against the D850 or doesn't mimic the conditions you shoot under; you can do your own tests. You get much more out of testing by doing it yourself and you can vary parameters any way you want.

Larry

 

[Pa]

I don't pretend that what I did is any more than a sujective test with one landscape scene at ISO 64 which I did for my own edification. I picked a static, fairly high dynamic range scene because I normally shoot as low an ISO as is practical and almost always use manual focus and often when the light is harsh. I decided to share. If this isn't a test that helps you, that's too bad and I don't need to hear that it's useless because it doesn't test camera X against the D850 or doesn't mimic the conditions you shoot under; you can do your own tests. You get much more out of testing by doing it yourself and you can vary parameters any way you want.

Larry

Don't beat yourself up over the comments, Larry. I've had the same experience. Any time you post comparison photos between two cameras, or two lenses, you're going to get lots of people jumping on you for not doing it as they think you should. I think your pictures are a good illustration of how little difference there is between two recent state-of-the-art cameras.

 

[Beagledog]

Don't beat yourself up over the comments, Larry. I've had the same experience. Any time you post comparison photos between two cameras, or two lenses, you're going to get lots of people jumping on you for not doing it as they think you should. I think your pictures are good illustration of how little difference there is between two recent state-of-the-art cameras.

I agree with Jim, don't take the comments seriously, I think people were just trying to be funny. As Jim says the images really a good illustration on how good the new "state of the art" cameras are.

Cheers,
alexis and Georgie Beagle

" Larry, your shots make me want the new D850 more, cause your shots show it is that good" - Georgie Beagle

 

[fishbio]

Don't beat yourself up over the comments, Larry. I've had the same experience. Any time you post comparison photos between two cameras, or two lenses, you're going to get lots of people jumping on you for not doing it as they think you should. I think your pictures are good illustration of how little difference there is between two recent state-of-the-art cameras.

Thanks Jim. I'm not beating myself up, I'm bitching at the naysayers in a civil manner . More people have appreciated the single data point than complained about it.
Larry

 

[SRHEdD]

I think this is an awesome post! I wish we had more like it. I can make my own conclusions, and like the fodder for discussion.

 

[Naptown]

#1, highlights better for me

 

[atlanta_man]

What point are you trying to make?

Larry

Unless your computer screen is 4 ft wide you are not going to see any difference.

 

[fishbio]

Unless your computer screen is 4 ft wide you are not going to see any difference.

I can send you the coordinates for the location so you can shoot the scene with a D200 and show me.

Larry

 

[skidoo]

I went from a D700 to a D810 for a 200% increase in pixels. This was a significant increase in crop ability, with a noticeable difference at full size, and for me, was well worth the upgrade, although it forced me to scrutinize my lenses more. I still use both, but some lenses won't go on the D810 but are still ok with the D700. As I understand it, the D850 sensor is essentially a full size version of the D500 sensor. So, if the D850 were cropped to DX, it would effectively be the same resolution as the D500. So, the D500 has no "reach" ability of any significance over the D850.

That said, the D850 is only a 27% increase in pixels (equivalent to only about a 13% longer lens or crop factor. This may be barely detectable, and in my opinion, not a significant enough of a difference for an upgrade. The OP's test was great! He eliminated the variables of different lenses, and different subjects, and different lighting. His results demonstrate that there is little significant difference related to resolution, and there is certainly value in that. For ISO differences, that would warrant a different test.

 

[Palouse]

That all assumes that resolution is all that matters. Humpf!

 

[atlanta_man]

and next year we can pixel peep and compare even more models...
It would be great if we could find a good reason for all this

I'm off to see the charts that show the 1/2 stop better DR between the two, now that is lots more important than resolution