Nikon D850 Silent Live View Photography Mode: Sandwiched between periods of conserving energy and watching old movies, I have been trying to use at least some of the current treasure...

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

Sandwiched between periods of conserving energy and watching old movies, I have been trying to use at least some of the current treasure of time spent at home to learn more about some of the obscure or less-used features of my cameras in order to have additional knowledge and options available when I some day am able to find myself afield again. Today's topic is a shooting mode which was made available on the Nikon D850...Silent Live View Photography. I haven't previously been excessively motivated to learn much about it, even though I do sometimes use Live View. I do not recall seeing much written about it here, certainly nothing about some of the fairly extreme capability it makes available. Please be aware...I do not in any way claim to be an expert yet, but I have explored the capabilities fairly broadly and think it is at least worth mentioning.

First...there are a couple of ways to access this function. One is via the touch screen while Live View is enabled, and the other is through the Shooting Menu, where it is the very last entry. The touch screen is the quickest and easiest way to enable this mode, but because I've had some bad experiences with inadvertent touch screen entries, I prefer to get to it via the menu.

You will find that there are two operating modes, very cleverly called Mode 1 and Mode 2. Mode 1 allows image capture using whatever parameters you have your camera set up to use...raw, JPEG, or both Images are captured and stored how and where you have your D850 ordinarily set up to do it, according to how the exposure dial is set. The only difference is that "Ch" shooting (Continuous High Speed) is at 6 frames per second instead of 7.

Mode 2 offers 30 frames per second in DX format, 2400x3600 pixels (8.8 mp) at 30 frames per second, JPEG only. This is very similar to 4k video at that rate, except that each image is packaged as a standalone image. If I were still working in my manufacturing plan, this would be of great interest to me in creating diagnostic packages for machine analyses or similar activities.

I realize that interest in this function may be very limited among D850 owners on this site. But it might be something worth checking out.

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

Thanks for posting this.
I have several camera bodies targeted for if/when I need to replace my D810.
The 850 is at the top of my list, so I’m always interested in anything I can learn about it.
I’ve not see anyone post about the option to shoot smaller raw files with the 850.
With my 810, I’m always stuck with 36mp raw files and I don’t always need files that big.
Cheers!

rgrenaderphoto Loc: Hollywood, CA

larryepage wrote:

Sandwiched between periods of conserving energy and watching old movies, I have been trying to use at least some of the current treasure of time spent at home to learn more about some of the obscure or less-used features of my cameras in order to have additional knowledge and options available when I some day am able to find myself afield again. Today's topic is a shooting mode which was made available on the Nikon D850...Silent Live View Photography. I haven't previously been excessively motivated to learn much about it, even though I do sometimes use Live View. I do not recall seeing much written about it here, certainly nothing about some of the fairly extreme capability it makes available. Please be aware...I do not in any way claim to be an expert yet, but I have explored the capabilities fairly broadly and think it is at least worth mentioning.

First...there are a couple of ways to access this function. One is via the touch screen while Live View is enabled, and the other is through the Shooting Menu, where it is the very last entry. The touch screen is the quickest and easiest way to enable this mode, but because I've had some bad experiences with inadvertent touch screen entries, I prefer to get to it via the menu.

You will find that there are two operating modes, very cleverly called Mode 1 and Mode 2. Mode 1 allows image capture using whatever parameters you have your camera set up to use...raw, JPEG, or both Images are captured and stored how and where you have your D850 ordinarily set up to do it, according to how the exposure dial is set. The only difference is that "Ch" shooting (Continuous High Speed) is at 6 frames per second instead of 7.

Mode 2 offers 30 frames per second in DX format, 2400x3600 pixels (8.8 mp) at 30 frames per second, JPEG only. This is very similar to 4k video at that rate, except that each image is packaged as a standalone image. If I were still working in my manufacturing plan, this would be of great interest to me in creating diagnostic packages for machine analyses or similar activities.

I realize that interest in this function may be very limited among D850 owners on this site. But it might be something worth checking out.

Sandwiched between periods of conserving energy an... (show quote)

I've used silent shooting on my D850 when doing focus stacking and interval shooting, but otherwise, no. I actually love the sound of the D850 shutter (strange, huh?).

The D850 is an incredible machine, has not failed me in any photographic task. Oh, I take lots of bad images, but the camera never lets me down. From 120 deg down to 20 deg in all kinds of environments.

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

rgrenaderphoto wrote:

I've used silent shooting on my D850 when doing focus stacking and interval shooting, but otherwise, no. I actually love the sound of the D850 shutter (strange, huh?).

Me too, even though it's not nearly as nice as the sound of my "smooth as glass" D810 shutter. But sometimes it's nice not to give away what I'm doing or not to disturb those sitting near me.

Retired CPO Loc: Travel full time in an RV

rgrenaderphoto wrote:

I've used silent shooting on my D850 when doing focus stacking and interval shooting, but otherwise, no. I actually love the sound of the D850 shutter (strange, huh?).

The D850 is an incredible machine, has not failed me in any photographic task. Oh, I take lots of bad images, but the camera never lets me down. From 120 deg down to 20 deg in all kinds of environments.

If you like the shutter sound of the D850, which I do, you should check out the D500. MUCH quieter. That big mirror on the 850 has to make some noise.

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

larryepage wrote:

Sandwiched between periods of conserving energy and watching old movies, I have been trying to use at least some of the current treasure of time spent at home to learn more about some of the obscure or less-used features of my cameras in order to have additional knowledge and options available when I some day am able to find myself afield again. Today's topic is a shooting mode which was made available on the Nikon D850...Silent Live View Photography. I haven't previously been excessively motivated to learn much about it, even though I do sometimes use Live View. I do not recall seeing much written about it here, certainly nothing about some of the fairly extreme capability it makes available. Please be aware...I do not in any way claim to be an expert yet, but I have explored the capabilities fairly broadly and think it is at least worth mentioning.

First...there are a couple of ways to access this function. One is via the touch screen while Live View is enabled, and the other is through the Shooting Menu, where it is the very last entry. The touch screen is the quickest and easiest way to enable this mode, but because I've had some bad experiences with inadvertent touch screen entries, I prefer to get to it via the menu.

You will find that there are two operating modes, very cleverly called Mode 1 and Mode 2. Mode 1 allows image capture using whatever parameters you have your camera set up to use...raw, JPEG, or both Images are captured and stored how and where you have your D850 ordinarily set up to do it, according to how the exposure dial is set. The only difference is that "Ch" shooting (Continuous High Speed) is at 6 frames per second instead of 7.

Mode 2 offers 30 frames per second in DX format, 2400x3600 pixels (8.8 mp) at 30 frames per second, JPEG only. This is very similar to 4k video at that rate, except that each image is packaged as a standalone image. If I were still working in my manufacturing plan, this would be of great interest to me in creating diagnostic packages for machine analyses or similar activities.

I realize that interest in this function may be very limited among D850 owners on this site. But it might be something worth checking out.

Sandwiched between periods of conserving energy an... (show quote)

Love the manly sound of my D850, when I am out shooting with buddies in Florida wetlands and a rare bird flies by, they can tell when I'm shooting, in fact, the entire preserve knows when I'm shooting. My D850 is a man's camera, not a baby wipe like the silent Sony a9. Yes, folks know when billnikon is around.

DAN Phillips Loc: Graysville, GA

billnikon, I agree. The sound of the D750 shutter is music to my ears. Photography has changed so very much over the years. What we used to call 'normal" is now either outdated, obsolete or not in the mainstream. I guess I'm a silly old fart, but I still long for the old days.

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

I first came across Live View Silent mode on my D4. I played with it a bit but wasn't too happy with it. The images are reduced size from the normal raw images and I was never really happy with Live View autofocus, so I got a lot of blurry photos out of it. It also gave me a lot more photos to do triage on when culling.

OTOH, it was really nice when you didn't want to distract anyone during a ceremony.

Retired CPO Loc: Travel full time in an RV

billnikon wrote:

Love the manly sound of my D850, when I am out shooting with buddies in Florida wetlands and a rare bird flies by, they can tell when I'm shooting, in fact, the entire preserve knows when I'm shooting. My D850 is a man's camera, not a baby wipe like the silent Sony a9. Yes, folks know when billnikon is around.

So that was you that I heard out there the other day! I thought the Marines were out there practicing live fire with a 50 cal.

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

Retired CPO wrote:

So that was you that I heard out there the other day! I thought the Marines were out there practicing live fire with a 50 cal.

It was probably me with my Mamiya RB67.

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

Retired CPO wrote:

So that was you that I heard out there the other day! I thought the Marines were out there practicing live fire with a 50 cal.

And I have the D5 battery in mine, so I'm shooting 9 fps at a loud and ugly mirror slap pace.

RoswellNM Loc: SW Indiana

GoofyNewfie,
Does your reference to the Manila bring back memories. A heavy, loud, imposing monster but what wonderful pictures !!!!

RoswellNM Loc: SW Indiana

Mamiya! Damn auto correct !!!!!

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

RoswellNM wrote:

GoofyNewfie,
Does your reference to the Manila bring back memories. A heavy, loud, imposing monster but what wonderful pictures !!!!

RoswellNM wrote:

Mamiya! Damn auto correct !!!!!

I’ve been to Manila several times, so that really confused me!
Yes, the RB is/was my favorite camera of all time.
(Probably more like a howitzer than a 50 cal.)
I have a feeling the D-850 could come close.

FYI: You have about an hour to edit what you write after you post it. See the “Edit” option under what you wrote

Nicholas DeSciose

I wish the White House these photographers would Use silent mode. It’s so annoying With 100 photographers are you going apeshit to get there one unique shot