NIkon D4S: Hi guys, IM thinking of buying a Nikon D4S. I mostly do weddings. So far my primary camera is a D800 with 24-70 & 70-200 Nikon. My main purpose of the D4s is low light...

charly6060 Loc: Sri Lanka

Hi guys, IM thinking of buying a Nikon D4S. I mostly do weddings. So far my primary camera is a D800 with 24-70 & 70-200 Nikon. My main purpose of the D4s is low light capability and not to miss the moments of the wedding due to focus hunting which D800 has sometimes. So pls give me ur guys comments. Appreciate much.

Cdouthitt Loc: Traverse City, MI

If you've got the coin and the skills, go for it...it's a hellva body.

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

charly6060 wrote:

Hi guys, IM thinking of buying a Nikon D4S. I mostly do weddings. So far my primary camera is a D800 with 24-70 & 70-200 Nikon. My main purpose of the D4s is low light capability and not to miss the moments of the wedding due to focus hunting which D800 has sometimes. So pls give me ur guys comments. Appreciate much.

Charly, welcome to the Hog.
I don't think it would help you any. I would look for a faster prime lens, it would make a much bigger diff. Of course, you loose the versatility of the zoom. If you just want it, it's OK to just get it, but you are dropping your ability to do detailed enlargements in half. ;-)
SS

charly6060 Loc: Sri Lanka

Well i already have 800 for my big shots. I will be using this mostly with the 70-200 and shooting unseen while my assistant will be doing the main shots at the function. I really don't need a larger enlargement on that. What i was doing previously is putting the 70-200 on a D7100. But sometimes i miss the wide 70 on full frame. Also my other requirement is not to use a light at all. Soo all im taking is natural light. I have even shot ISO 6400 in D7100, pics are not that great but the couple love the feelings in those pics. Ad i don't think any prime would give me the 70-200 range. & im talking here is sometimes not even seconds. Even a second delay i might miss the great shot.

skiman Loc: Ventura, CA

charly6060 wrote:

Hi guys, IM thinking of buying a Nikon D4S. I mostly do weddings. So far my primary camera is a D800 with 24-70 & 70-200 Nikon. My main purpose of the D4s is low light capability and not to miss the moments of the wedding due to focus hunting which D800 has sometimes. So pls give me ur guys comments. Appreciate much.

Does he D4s really have better low light than the D800? I thought the big difference was that 12fps and pro level construction. I would think a faster lens would be the key.

Cdouthitt Loc: Traverse City, MI

skiman wrote:

Does he D4s really have better low light than the D800? I thought the big difference was that 12fps and pro level construction. I would think a faster lens would be the key.

According to DXO it's better, but then again, they say the Df is the best.

charly6060 Loc: Sri Lanka

In D800 ISO 3200 easily u can do anything, but with 6400 sometimes its hard to get a 12" high quality print. Grain visible. All im expecting from D4S is the capability of going for ISO 12400 or even higher if needed and the mili second focus

D800, ISO-3200, S-60, F-4, 70-200mm in a 12 X 24 print little grain visible

Same as above

charly6060 Loc: Sri Lanka

Df is not for heavy use. I don't even feel it in my hand.

lukan Loc: Chicago, IL

Cdouthitt wrote:

According to DXO it's better, but then again, they say the Df is the best.

The D4 and the Df use the same sensor. It's GREAT in low light, but the D800 is not too shabby either. I'd opt for a fast prime lens and keep it on the D800 rather than spend $6000 on a D4S. That camera is primarily best for action/ sports photography, not necessarily weddings. If you want that sensor, get a Df and save yourself $3,200. Then you'd have enough left over to buy two fast primes, of different focal lengths! :D ;-)

Gobuster Loc: South Florida

charly6060 wrote:

Df is not for heavy use. I don't even feel it in my hand.

The Df has the same sensor as the D4 and is less than half the price. It is also a low light top performer so, for the occasional use you need it for, might well be worthy of consideration. Whilst not as "robust" as a D4s it is not frail at all.

amehta Loc: Boston

The Df has the same sensor as the D4, but not the same sensor as the D4S. The Df has the AF system of the D610, not the AF system of the D800. Or the better D4 AF system. Or the D4S AF system. And is not fast to operate, which seems important in shooting candids at a wedding.

For the three goals:
1. low light to ISO 12,800
2. fast focus
3. 8x12" prints (9mp @ 300ppi)

yes, the D4S is the camera which meets all three goals best. I don't think it's really a contest.

Racmanaz Loc: Sunny Tucson!

Do you clients ever complain about the noise in the pics you take of them? Sometimes we get carried about about these things more than we should because 99% of the population will not even notice what a Photographer will. Hey, but if you really want it and have the funds, by all means get it.

Racmanaz Loc: Sunny Tucson!

charly6060 wrote:

In D800 ISO 3200 easily u can do anything, but with 6400 sometimes its hard to get a 12" high quality print. Grain visible. All im expecting from D4S is the capability of going for ISO 12400 or even higher if needed and the mili second focus

Boy would love to get married in a place as beautiful as those in these pics.

DaveHam Loc: Reading UK

Had some experience using a D4S and a D800 at a wedding in May. The D4S was much better in low light, and as the day was dull and intermittently raining it proved it's worth outside as well.

One major advantage was the faster frame rate and the significantly bigger buffer. The D800 frequently stalled while the buffer cleared, the D4S did not falter.

We use the D800 on a tripod for the formal images with the D4S as the hand held for interior of the church (no tripod allowed) and for the reception.

However if it was my money I would probably look for a good used D3S or D4 as the body and spend the rest of the money on low light primes.

joer Loc: Colorado/Illinois

charly6060 wrote:

Hi guys, IM thinking of buying a Nikon D4S. I mostly do weddings. So far my primary camera is a D800 with 24-70 & 70-200 Nikon. My main purpose of the D4s is low light capability and not to miss the moments of the wedding due to focus hunting which D800 has sometimes. So pls give me ur guys comments. Appreciate much.

You are thinking correctly. The D4S is much better for weddings than your current cameras.

Its low light capability, large buffer, fast and accurate focusing can't by matched by any other Nikon at this time.