To D4 or Not to D4

Over at the Strobist, David Hobby has his take on the new Nikon D4 … and why he won’t be getting one.

As I am no longer a Nikon shooter, it’s a bit silly for me to weigh in on this. But why should I let this stop me?

It’s a great camera and, if you need a new camera of this class, go get it. But if you don’t need a new camera in this class, if you have a camera in this class already that is working just fine, think about what else you could do with $6,000. That could fund a really nice project for a good long time.

I am as much of a gear head as you could want, but I think I can still separate out the needs of my craft from the lustful wants. If I were to walk away from my current Canon system tomorrow, I’d be on the phone ordering one of these in a heartbeat. Maybe.

Or I might get on the phone to some other gear heads, encouraging them to get one … and to sell me their previous generation cameras at a good price.

Mark E. Johnson

3 Responses

  1. Any idea when you would use that insanely high ISO? I can’t comprehend what situation would need it, shooting in a cave?

  2. Night sports would be one place. Stake-out work would be another.

    I remember when the D700 or D3 came out (not sure which), folks at the Atlanta PJ Seminar were crawling under the Nikon table, pulling down the table cloth and photographing each other just because they could.

    Weird.

    Oh, and Marian HS in Mass – basketball court, one light centered in the gym. ISO 6400, f/1.8, 1/30th. At center court, fell off fast …

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