Musings on D850/Nikon Lenses: Some folks here are saying that a downside of the Nikon D850 is that it is a DSLR and not "Mirrorless." Also, there has been some discussion on what...

cameraf4 Loc: Delaware

Some folks here are saying that a downside of the Nikon D850 is that it is a DSLR and not "Mirrorless." Also, there has been some discussion on what Nikkor lenses should/should not be used with the camera.

My question would be: if the D850 were mirrorless, how would that improve image quality over the way it is now? Using the same lenses, tripod, cable release, mirror lock-up,I don't see how the camera being mirrorless would make a difference. Also, other than improvements in lens coatings, if Nikon made their lenses during the film years to be the best that they could be then, why would they be less likely to produce amazing images with a high MP camera today? Just wondering.

edwardmuzika

Spot on with your musings. Many of Nikon current consumer grade lenses lack the acuity made possible by 36 or 46 meg sensors. But almost all of the 1980s and 1990s higher end consumer grade and professional lenses do have that acuity, and at 1/8th the cost.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

cameraf4 wrote:

Some folks here are saying that a downside of the ... (show quote)

Lots of people see the smaller, lighter mirrorless cameras as the wave of the future, and they see DSLRs as dinosaurs struggling to survive in the modern world. I prefer DSLRs because I grew up with SLRs in the 1960s. I doubt you will find a mirrorless that is superior to the D850. As for the lenses, that's a separate matter. A good lens in 1960 will be a good lens today, although it won't have AF and VR.

mas24 Loc: Southern CA

Sony makes a mirrorless camera in crop sensor and full frame. They have a designation of FE lenses for their mirrorless, and an A-mount for their non mirrorless cameras. You can use adapters, I guess to switch back and forth from mount to mount. But, I would guess that best results would come from using native mount lenses, for each intended Sony mount. In other words, use A-mount lenses on A-mount cameras, and E-mount lenses on E-mount cameras for best results. Sony doesn't make DSLRs anymore, such as the Nikon D850.

Rich1939 Loc: Pike County Penna.

cameraf4 wrote:

Some folks here are saying that a downside of the ... (show quote)

Your basic premise is right on. Lens for lens ,sensor for sensor, processor for processor they will give equal results.
But, with mirror less you drop a little (very little) weight. You also eliminate mirror slap and its attendant vibrations. For me, I will believe that the current, or in the near future, EVFs will give me as good a view as an OVF when I see it.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

cameraf4 wrote:

Some folks here are saying that a downside of the ... (show quote)

You won't have to wait long, the New Nikon Mirror Less camera will have the same guts as the D850, and a WHOLE NEW LINE UP OF LENSES. O BOY.

cameraf4 Loc: Delaware

Bill, why the new lenses? How will they be better optically than what we have now?

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

cameraf4 wrote:

Bill, why the new lenses? How will they be better optically than what we have now?

Like with Sony you will need an adapter for our regular Nikon lenses to fit the new Mirror less bodies. Nikon will come up with a new lens line for the new Mirror less, we might be able to use Nikon 1 lenses however. But I feel they will be coming out with additional lenses.
Yes, it would be nice wouldn't it if all our current lenses would fit the new mirror less Nikon, but I seriously doubt it, Nikon will market it like Sony has, Sony has A mount and E mount lenses, I believe Nikon will do the same.

BebuLamar

cameraf4 wrote:

Bill, why the new lenses? How will they be better optically than what we have now?

Using Nikon F mount lenses can't take full advantage of a Mirrorless System. New mount make the camera smaller and better suited for wide angle lenses.

Fotomacher Loc: Toronto

edwardmuzika wrote:

Spot on with your musings. Many of Nikon current consumer grade lenses lack the acuity made possible by 36 or 46 meg sensors. But almost all of the 1980s and 1990s higher end consumer grade and professional lenses do have that acuity, and at 1/8th the cost.

I have used AI-s manual focus Nikkor lenses with my D810 (and D700 and D300s) with great IQ. I had a 300mm f/4.5 - $225 which I used side-by-side with a AFS 300mm f/4 to compare. IQ was similar however the contrast was better with the newer glass. Probably the modern coatings. Easily adjusted in PP. The only reason that I fell for the newer lens was that it came up on CL and the price was silly (low).

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

cameraf4 wrote:

Some folks here are saying that a downside of the ... (show quote)

To my way of thinking, one of the big benefits of MILC is the EVF, which shows user what the camera is actually seeing. Sometimes I have to switch my DSLR to LiveView, because the scene is too dim for me to adequately frame it using the OVF; holding a camera like that is awkward, though {we're talking about places like museums that don't allow use of tripods, even if I were lugging one along and was willing to spend the time to set it up}; an EVF would so greatly simplify the process.

willbenz_

The thing is, the d850 will win out on IQ over every other mirrorless camera there is. But image quality isn’t everything. The usability features on mirrorless like electronic viewfinders, and and the fact that they are just lighter than dslrs is more than enough to make mirrorless win out over the d850, at least in my opinion. There are more things to a camera then just straight up image quality. But if image quality is what really matters the most, the d850 is the clear winner

Bill_de Loc: US

It would be silly to come out with a line of smaller, lighter cameras without at least some smaller, lighter lenses. But, if it is done at the expense of image quality it better be cheap, very cheap.

I still don't understand all the noise about needing special lenses for the D850. The pixel density on the D850 is almost the same as the D500. Was this same concern voiced when Canon came out with their 50+ MP camera?

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tdekany Loc: Oregon

willbenz_ wrote:

The thing is, the d850 will win out on IQ over every other mirrorless camera there is. But image quality isn’t everything. The usability features on mirrorless like electronic viewfinders, and and the fact that they are just lighter than dslrs is more than enough to make mirrorless win out over the d850, at least in my opinion. There are more things to a camera then just straight up image quality. But if image quality is what really matters the most, the d850 is the clear winner

You do realize that when a camera is tested by someone like DXO, they don’t do it by asking a snapshot shooter to take a few handheld shots real quick? To get the best out of ANY sensor/camera, you need the best lenses and the best tripod etc...

Using the highest rated product don’t automatically produce the highest IQ results.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

willbenz_ wrote:

The thing is, the d850 will win out on IQ over every other mirrorless camera there is. But image quality isn’t everything. The usability features on mirrorless like electronic viewfinders, and and the fact that they are just lighter than dslrs is more than enough to make mirrorless win out over the d850, at least in my opinion. There are more things to a camera then just straight up image quality. But if image quality is what really matters the most, the d850 is the clear winner

The new Sony A7rIII is ounces lighter than the Nikon D500, a couple of ounces. That's not a deal breaker.