Is the Nikon D3500 discontinued? In short, yes. But, whilst this affordable entry-level APS-C sensor DSLR is no longer available to buy new, prices for second-hand models have dropped significantly, making it one of the best Nikon DSLRs for those on a budget. Find out how it performs in our full review.

At a glance:

• 24.2-million-pixel APS-C sensor
• $350 / £379 used (excellent condition) body only
• 11-point AF system
• Nikon DX lens mount
• Wireless functionality
• ISO 100-25,600
• Records up to Full HD (1080p) video at 60fps

The Nikon D3500 is a deservedly famous beginner’s DSLR. Blending portability and usability, it has the capacity to produce images of excellent quality. It’s really everything a beginning photographer could need, and as such is a fixture among students. With the historic Nikon-F lens mount at your disposal, you’ve got enough lenses to realistically last a shooting lifetime, too. But with mirrorless cameras hogging the limelight and technological developments, Nikon’s best beginner DSLR is also likely its last. Is it still worth buying today?

Nikon has officially discontinued the camera, meaning you’ll have a struggle to find one to buy new. However, the D3500 is still widely available on the used market. It keeps hold of a place in our guide to the best cameras for beginners by offering real value for money, especially with prices coming down on the second-hand market. Shop around and you’ll find examples being sold for around £350 in good condition.

However, there are a lot of reasons you may want to choose a newer mirrorless model instead, especially as more new cameras are released. If you want a rundown of the difference between the two formats, check out our comprehensive guide to DSLRs vs mirrorless. But otherwise, let’s get into our Nikon D5300 review…

Rivals and alternatives

The Nikon D3500 arrived in 2018. It replaced the Nikon D3400, an entry-level camera that represented a pretty similar proposition with its 24.2MP APS-C sensor. The D3400 is still available on the second-hand market for around $315 / £240 in excellent used condition. The D3500 is generally a better buy, though. It’s lighter, better ergonomically and has healthier battery stamina. If you want to stick in the Nikon camp but want something even more advanced, then the other direction is the Nikon D5600. You can pick one up used, in excellent condition, for around $400 / £430. With an added tilting LCD screen and an input for a microphone, it’s generally a more sophisticated camera, especially for video users.

The competition

But what about from other manufacturers? Well, if you’re interested in what Canon has to offer, there is the cheaper but simpler EOS 2000D. This offers about the same resolution as the D3500 but has a more rudimentary autofocus system. Canon also released an even cheaper beginner’s DSLR at the same time in the form of the EOS 4000D. Honestly, though, we wouldn’t bother; it cuts the resolution down to 18MP, and just isn’t worth the money. Alternatively, you have the slightly more advanced EOS 250D / Rebel SL3 (around £400 for an excellent used example), which can shoot 4K video.

Mirrorless alternatives

If you want to go mirrorless, there isn’t really a like-for-like comparison, but there are some solid alternatives. Nikon is keen to get photographers and videographers on board with its Nikon Z system. Beginners may want to consider the APS-C all-rounder Nikon Z50 or the vlogger-focused Nikon Z30. Both will set you back less than $575 / £899 with a lens, and benefit from faster AF systems and better video. However, you don’t get that big tactile DSLR handgrip, long lasting battery life, nor the optical viewfinder.

Other manufacturers only really offer mirrorless alternatives. Something like the Sony A6000 will give you just-as-good image quality at a similar price point. Or, if you’ve got a bit more cash to spend, you could try the Fujifilm X-T30 II, or the slightly cheaper but older Fujifilm X-T30. It uses the same-size sensor as the D3500, and delivers images full of character and punchy colours.

These are some good alternatives to keep in mind as we take the Nikon D3500 out for a spin. So, let’s take a closer look at this capable camera…

Nikon D3500 – Features

The D3500 is built around a 24.2MP APS-C CMOS sensor and Nikon’s EXPEED 4 image processor. This pairing has served a number of other Nikon DSLRs extremely well in recent years. While effective resolution is identical to both the D3400 and Nikon D5600, Nikon has said that the D3500 is fitted with an updated sensor. As with many other recent Nikon DSLR releases, the D3500 does without an optical low-pass filter to maximise the sensor’s ability to resolve fine detail.

For those looking to shoot mainly JPEGs, the D3500 comes with the usual range of handy processing tools. This includes Nikon’s proprietary shadow-boosting Active D-Lighting technology, alongside tools for vignette control, distortion control and noise reduction. Furthermore, users can select from a range of seven Picture Controls that adjust things like contrast, saturation and sharpness to give images a specific look and feel. As ever the options are: Standard, Neutral, Vivid, Monochrome, Portrait, Landscape and Flat.

7 Things You Need to Know About the D3500

1. Focal points – Despite its entry-level positioning the D3500 comes with a number of useful features
2. Active D-Lighting – This useful processing tool is designed to lighten shadow areas and preserve highlight detail when faced with high-contrast scenes. The camera allows you to set Active D-Lighting to ‘on’ or ‘off’ settings.
3. Rear display/viewfinder – The D3500 is fitted with a fixed 3-inch, 921k-dot LCD screen that is vivid and sharp, but lacks the touchscreen capabilities of the D5600’s display. The D3500’s pentamirror-type viewfinder provides 95% frame coverage.
4. Built-in flash – The built-in flash isn’t particularly powerful but can be used to illuminate close subjects. It’s also compatible with Nikon’s Creative Lighting System, which allows you to use the pop-up flash to fire compatible flashguns.
5. Quick Menu – Pressing the ‘i’ button on the back of the D3500 brings up a Quick Menu on the rear display that provides direct access to all of the key camera settings. This allows you to see exactly how the camera has been set up and make quick adjustments.
6. Effects filters – Accessed from the Effects setting, there are 10 digital effects filters: Night Vision, Super Vivid, Pop, Photo Illustration, Toy Camera, Miniature, Selective Colour, High Key, Silhouette and Low Key.
7. Retouch menu – Like its predecessor, the D3500 provides an extensive Retouch menu, which includes the ability to convert raw files to JPEGs as well as making a range of adjustments to captured images.

Nikon D3500 – Exposure modes

In terms of exposure modes, the D3500 offers Program, Aperture-priority, Shutter-priority and Manual (PASM) modes for more experienced users, alongside a fully automatic Auto mode for point-and-shoot duties and a Forced Flash Off mode. In addition, there are four individual Scene modes: Portrait, Sports, Close-up and Night Portrait, plus an Effects mode that allows you to apply a range of digital filter effects at the point of capture.

Last but not least is Nikon’s beginner-friendly Guide Mode. Accessed directly from the mode dial, Guide Mode essentially disables the in-camera menu and replaces it with a set of options tailored to specific situations. These aim to explain (in the simplest possible terms) how to use the camera’s key settings to the best effect. As before, users are given a choice of ‘Easy’ and ‘Advanced’ shooting options. The latter helps new users to do things like freeze motion, soften backgrounds and capture flowing water using a long exposure. While more experienced DSLR users can simply avoid Guide Mode altogether, first-time DSLR users may well find it immensely helpful.

Nikon D3500 – Video

Video capability extends to 1080p Full HD video at up to 60fps, which compares favourably with the 1080p/30fps maximum setting of the Canon EOS 2000D. Sound is recorded by a built-in monaural microphone that can be adjusted via the in-camera menu. In keeping with the D3400, though, there’s no input for an external microphone. You’ll want to look at the D5600 for external.

Nikon D3500 – Connectivity

In terms of connectivity, the D3500 comes with Nikon’s proprietary SnapBridge technology. However, as with the D3400, the technology comes at the expense of Wi-Fi, which is not supported. Instead, SnapBridge employs Bluetooth and connects directly to your phone or tablet via Nikon’s Wireless Mobile Utility (WMU) app.

Once installed, you can choose to automatically transfer 2MB images directly to a connected smartphone or tablet, or you can manually export images at their original size. New for the D3500 is the ability to control the camera remotely via the WMU app too. Remote control does come at the expense of the infrared receiver that was located on the front of the D3400, which has been removed from the D3500. Pairing and set up is a straightforward task, and we found SnapBridge worked flawlessly during our time with the D3500.

Nikon D3500 – Body and design

Compared to the D3400, the Nikon D3500 sports a slimmed down and slightly more stylish look. It’s a little smaller (and lighter) overall. This is primarily because it’s housed within a modified D5600 body – billed on release as one of the smallest DSLRs on the market.

The handgrip is actually slightly wider and squarer than it was on the D3400. Combined with the more pronounced thumb-rest on the back, it helps improve the camera’s general handling and makes it feel more balanced when using larger lenses. Nikon has also relocated many of the buttons, moving them from the left-hand side of the camera to the right-hand side and top plate.

The small control wheel found on the back of the D3400 has also been replaced with a prominent wheel on the top plate – as per the D5600. Likewise, the Live View button has been replaced with a small lever to the side of the exposure mode dial. Sadly though, the Fn button has been removed.

Overall, while there was nothing inherently wrong with the design and handling of the D3400, we found that the redesigned body and remapped controls of the D3500 make it a more enjoyable camera to use overall.

In terms of build quality, the D3500 is encased within a polycarbonate shell that’s robust enough to withstand the odd knock, but obviously not up to the same standard as the magnesium alloy casings employed by models higher up the range. Neither is the camera weather-sealed, although to be fair we wouldn’t really expect that given its price and positioning.

Nikon D3500 – Performance

While the D3500 isn’t as powerful as more expensive Nikon DSLRs, it remains a capable little camera in all but the most demanding situations. During timed tests, we recorded 100 full-resolution JPEGs at 5fps before the memory buffer filled. In raw capture, this dropped to around 12 consecutive images, while in raw+JPEG the figure was just six images. All in all, these figures are respectable and certainly on par with what we’d expect of an entry-level DSLR. By way of comparison, the Canon EOS 2000D records just 40 full-res JPEGs before the frame rate drops, although the figures for raw and raw+JPEG are almost identical as the D3500.

Nikon D3500 – Autofocus

Autofocus duties are catered for by the same Nikon Multi-CAM 1000 module employed by the D3400. It provides 11 AF-points arranged in a diamond formation across the viewfinder. Focus lock speeds through the viewfinder are impressively quick, with the AF module locking on the instant you half-press the shutter button.

Switching to Live View, the D3500 remains fast and accurate in all but the dimmest light. It is also faster than Canon’s EOS 2000D, which is painfully slow by comparison.

Nikon D3500 – Battery life

The Nikon EN-EL14a Li-ion battery is good for 1550 shots on a single charge – as opposed to 1200 on the D3400. By way of comparison, the Canon EOS 2000D is rated for around 500 shots per charge, while the D5600 is capable of 820. The D3500 is therefore, and by some margin, a class-leader in this respect.

Nikon D3500 – Resolution

Shooting in raw, the D3500 resolved 3,200l/ph between ISO 100 and ISO 400. At ISO 800, the figure was 3,000l/ph. It’s only at ISO 3200 that resolution dips below 3,000l/ph. At ISO 6400 the D3500 produced a figure of 2,800l/ph followed by 2,500l/ph at ISO 12,800. The highest ISO 25,600 setting recorded 2,300l/ph.

Nikon D3500 – Noise

As with resolution, we achieved better results with manually processed raw files over in-camera JPEGs. At sensitivities under ISO 800, images are clean and sharp. At ISO 3200, image quality does begin to break down more markedly, with elements of luminance noise evident in JPEGs and processed raw files. You still get useable results at ISO 3200, but it’s harder to disguise the effects of noise at ISO 6400 and above.

Nikon D3500 – Verdict

While the D3500 inherits much from its D3400 predecessor, there are some differences which combine to make the D3500 a better camera overall. The redesigned body clearly borrows a lot from the upper entry-level D5600. The enlarged handgrip helps to make the camera feel more comfortable and better balanced when used with larger, heavier lenses. On top of this, the battery life has improved and the images it outputs are very respectable.

On the second-hand market, the D3500 is keenly priced and represents excellent value for money. If you can live without the slightly larger vari-angle touchscreen and more advanced 39-point autofocus system offered by the D5600, then the D3500 is undoubtedly an excellent choice for the first-time DSLR buyer. In all, it’s a reliable little camera that we have absolutely no hesitation in recommending to beginners.

Review by Audley Jarvis, with contributions from Jon Stapley and Michael Topham. 

Further reading:

• Nikon confirms D3500 and D5600 DSLR production ended
• The best Nikon lenses for F-mount
• The best Nikon mirrorless cameras to buy right now
• Nikon D7500 review – a solid all-round DSLR for enthusiasts

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Nikon D850 at a glance:

• 45.7MP full-frame sensor
• Nikon F mount
• Superb image quality
• Traditional pentaprism viewfinder
• Robust, weather-sealed construction
• Supports a wide range of Nikkor lenses
• Excellent autofocus performance

I bought my Nikon D850 in the Autumn of 2022, when it was already clear that the combination of mirrorless systems and the new Z-mount were likely to consign the F series DSLRs to history sooner rather than later. So why did I buy a D850, when a newer technology was available? A good question, but the answer is slightly complex.

I’ve used Nikon products for pretty much the whole of my professional career, beginning with the F3 film SLR, which I still use regularly. During this time, over 30 years I guess, I’ve assembled a collection of lenses and accessories when I have needed something for a special purpose. This ranges from specialised macro lenses and bellows to long focus telephotos and fisheyes – and represents a substantial investment, one I have no wish to set aside without a good reason.

With this in mind, any future purchases needed to allow this set of kit to remain useful. When the first Z-mount cameras were launched, I was interested enough in seeing one up close that I travelled two hours down the coast to Carmarthen Cameras, who had samples for inspection. I had high hopes for adding a Z body to my working kit, and the availability of the FTZ adaptor supported this – until I realised that this mount adaptor was intended for those lenses with an internal autofocus motor, while the original “screw-drive” autofocus lenses were unsupported except in manual mode.

This was a blow, but what clinched it for me was the performance of the electronic viewfinder. After using an optical viewfinder for so many years, I found the digital version lacked the engagement I expected – giving an experience more like a video game than a traditional camera. I was painfully aware that I was relying on the opinions and decisions of a team of software developers who had decided how I should view the image – rather than seeing the play of the light at first hand and determining for myself how I should perceive it.

Nikon D850 – Layout and functionality

One of the benefits of a mature product line such as the Nikon DSLR family is that most of the major changes have already been made, and each model released embodies incremental rather than radical changes. So it is with the Nikon D850, which builds on the success of the popular Nikon D800 which was launched five years earlier in 2012, as well as the later Nikon D810.

When handled for the first time, the D850 gives an immediate account of itself as a serious workhorse of a camera. The materials are robust, the build quality is of a high order and the controls are positive, falling under the fingers where you expect them to be. It is fairly heavy – weighing in at 1149g with a battery and a 50mm f/1.8 D lens. Heavy, yes, but reassuringly so. The camera is built around a robust alloy chassis which gives a very positive sense of a tool which will continue to perform well in challenging circumstances. Naturally, the body of the D850 has integral weather and dust sealing.

The viewfinder of the Nikon D850 is big and bright, as befits a full-frame DSLR. It is based around a traditional pentaprism design and comes with a Type B BriteView fixed matte viewing screen. This has the usual functionality for the display of autofocus points, and a framing grid can be selected – which is a real bonus for technical subjects such as architecture and document copying. At the base of the viewfinder is a useful range of real-time information, including exposure settings, focus confirmation and a “flash ready” indicator. In the full-frame FX mode, the viewfinder coverage is 100% both horizontally and vertically, which gives extra confidence when working at the extremes of the frame. There is a viewfinder shutter to prevent extraneous light confusing the meter when used on a tripod or in Live View.

Behind the mirror is an electronically controlled focal plane shutter, with vertically running shutter curtains. This is timed to run from 1/8000th of a second to 30 seconds, plus “B” and “T” – “brief time/bulb” and “time” – for long manual exposures. This standard arrangement is augmented by an electronic front-curtain shutter which can operate in various of the “quiet” shutter modes plus Live View – and helps reduce vibration blur. Nikon states that the shutter has been tested to 200,000 exposures. 

The shutter protects the heart of the camera, an impressive 45.7MP sensor measuring 35.9 x 23.9mm. This is a backlit CMOS unit without an optical low-pass filter, which gives an extremely high quality output at up to 8256 x 5504 pixels. The ISO sensitivity can be set between 64 and 25,600 – with extended settings available both above and below this range. Performance at the lower end of the ISO range is especially impressive, but even some of the more exotic higher settings will perform well once you learn to trust them. Through the lens (TTL) metering is provided by an RGB sensor of 180 thousand pixels, and the system offers the usual Nikon 3D colour matrix, centre-weighted and spot modes – plus an extremely useful highlight-weighted mode which does a good job of evaluating correct exposure for subjects like a figure in a spotlight on a darkened stage.

Autofocus functionality is provided by a Multi-CAM 20K sensor module which uses TTL phase detection and offers the facility for fine tuning of autofocus lenses. There are a total of 153 focus points available, including 99 cross-type sensors and a handful which will operate down to an aperture of f/8 – which is a boon for the owners of long focus lenses with restricted maximum apertures. The D850 does not have an autofocus illuminator, such is the confidence Nikon have in the performance of the system in low light. Having tested this on many occasions, I can confirm that if you can see it, the D850 can focus on it.

The D850 has two memory card slots – one SD based and one XQD. The UHS-II compliant SD slot supports SDHC and SDXC memory cards and Nikon’s support website has a list of tested cards of various capacities. Personally, I have always stuck with a single product – Sandisk Extreme 128GB cards – which have so far worked flawlessly. The story of the XQD slot is an interesting one, as it speaks to the importance of design decisions. When the D850 was being specified, the XQD standard was being spoken of as the next “big thing” – which was fair enough, as it offered data transfer speeds around an order of magnitude above that of SD technology. 

Sadly, the XQD standard was quickly overtaken, with many manufacturers later opting for the physically similar, but not directly software compatible, CFexpress Type B cards. These became more widely available, and to Nikon’s credit they grasped the opportunity to make CFexpress cards compatible with the D850 – through a firmware upgrade. If your D850 has firmware version C: 1.20 or later then you can use the recommended CF Express cards and gain a substantial performance boost. Firmware upgrades are a fairly user-friendly operation, as long as you read the instructions and keep your wits about you.

For me, an important aspect of the D850 is the retention of the classic Nikon F lens mount. This opens up the camera to an incredible range of lenses – well over 300 types of Nikkor lens alone – which have evolved since the release of the original Nikon F SLR. The mount supports both manual and autofocus lenses, including non-CPU AI (aperture indexing) models. Both the mechanical autofocus systems, and the later internal lens motor autofocus, are supported to maximise compatibility. 

Manual lenses benefit from the electronic rangefinder arrow indications in the viewfinder, and Nikkor non-CPU lenses can be added to the D850’s menu to enable them to meter more effectively and display the correct aperture in the EXIF data. I use this feature regularly with a range of Nikkor prime lenses, whose optical and build quality I could not hope to better – or afford to replace. Only a few “oddball” F-series lenses cannot be used with the D850: A couple of ancient fisheyes which obstruct the mirror, F3AF autofocus lenses and a few of the older perspective control lenses. Pre-AI lenses are best avoided unless you know exactly what you are doing.

Power for the D850 is provided by one EN-EL15 series battery – a widely used type in the Nikon ecosystem, including in the Z range. This battery can be the original EL15 type or an EL15a/b/c version. The current “c” type is rated by Nikon at 2280 mAh, and I have had close to 2000 exposures per charge in real life situations. The original version will deliver somewhat fewer than this. Those who need a greater capacity can add a MB-D18 battery pack, which also gives you a useful extra shutter release which is useful when working in portrait mode. An AC mains adaptor can also be obtained for tethered studio work.

Flash is catered for by Nikon’s i-TTL system and an ISO hot-shoe with dedicated Nikon contacts on the prism housing. Unlike the Nikon D800, the D850 doesn’t have a built in “pop-up” flash. While this means that the area around the pentaprism can be more robust, I occasionally found the D800 flash useful for fill-in when the subject – usually a person – was impacted by deep shadows. To replicate this, I use a diminutive SB-400 external flash, which while it has limited power and versatility, works very well with the D850’s exposure system in the calculation of fill in flash. 

The most valuable role for the D800 flash, however, was its use in Commander Mode for the wireless control of external Nikon flash units. Several options exist to achieve the equivalent functionality with the D850, and most folk will have their own preferred option. Studio flash systems can also be accommodated as the D850 is equipped with a standard coaxial (PC) flash terminal. Nikon note that this can be used with trigger voltages up to 250 volts, which should accommodate all but the oldest and most arcane studio strobes. But, as always, it is advisable to either check carefully or take expert advice on this. Excessive voltage applied to this terminal is almost certain to damage the camera in a non-trivial manner.

Nikon D850 – Connectivity and controls

In terms of connectivity, the D850 is extremely generous. Both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi come as standard, although configured principally as a transport mechanism for the Snapbridge app. This allows you to have limited control over your camera from an Android or Apple smart device in order to fire the shutter, download images, synchronise the camera’s clock to the phone network and download location data from the phone to the EXIF data of the images. I have had mixed experiences with Snapbridge in the past, but the current Android incarnation seems to just work – which suits me fine. 

A USB interface is available in the form of a fast USB 3.0 Micro type B connector, and for video enthusiasts, a Type C HDMI connector is included which offers various options for external recording. Audio input and output are via standard 3.5mm sockets, with the microphone input offering plug-in power for the external microphone. 

To crown it all, the standard 10 pin Nikon remote terminal socket is present on the front panel. This offers a raft of options for remote releases, control cords to synchronise with other cameras and the connection of a GPS device. For those who sometimes have trouble with wireless connectivity, which is probably most of us, this can be a real boon. One jarring note is that Nikon’s NX Tether utility for professional level remote control is not compatible with the D850 – although it will recognise that a D850 is connected via USB. Come on, folks – this is a premium camera, investing in a few lines of code to sort this out would cost little and really help your user base.

The rear screen is articulated, Nikon call it the “tilting monitor”, which I have mixed views about. Yes, it makes it easier to shoot at both high- and low-level handheld – especially for video – but it does add to the vulnerability of the system to accidental damage. The list of warnings about this in the manual tells its own story. Having said that, the rear screen acts as the command centre for many of the more interesting features of the D850. The tilting monitor is touch sensitive, with the usual range of pinch, stretch and swipe commands – and you can set the system to allow menu controls to be activated by touch, although you need to exercise some care.

As well as the usual Live View functionality, and the extra support for shooting video – which works well, but is outside the scope of this review – the tilt monitor hosts a feature which I thought at first was a gimmick but which I have come to rely on. This is a system to scan film transparencies and negatives with a smooth workflow – resulting in high quality images with good colour rendering and excellent detail. Film negatives have their colour information accurately transposed and the background orange colour cast removed, and the handling of different film types is remarkably good. Even the notoriously difficult to scan Kodachrome 64 transparencies are captured accurately, with strong colour information. Black and white film is handled equally well.

Naturally, you need a macro lens capable of shooting at a ratio of 1:1 and a film/slide holder to take advantage of this feature. My standard setup is a set of PB-6 bellows with a matching slide holder, a Micro Nikkor 55mm f2.8 lens, and an LED light source. The resultant quality is easily a match for most dedicated film scanners, and has the huge advantage of being very much faster in operation – perfect for those of us with a large film library to digitise.

Nikon D850 – In the Field

Having been my daily companion for over two years, I feel well placed to talk about the practicalities of the Nikon D850. I’m a freelance photographer and use a variety of cameras, depending on the job at hand. The D850 was chosen to replace my previous “main” tool, a D800 – which while working perfectly well, was getting towards ten years old.

The Nikon D850 has impressed me with its ability as a strong all-rounder. It will give good results with little effort if you are in a hurry; for news gathering, for example. But spend some time on capturing a scene, as you would with a medium or large format camera, and the results can be truly exceptional. Landscapes are a case in point, and at a low ISO with a sturdy tripod and the right lens, the detail of the images is astonishing.

I do a lot of event photography, recording speakers giving talks at conferences and creating the classic formal conference photographs that folk find so appealing as a record of their participation. The resolution in the images of the D850 is so high that I have to warn a carefully posed group of 200 people that they should remove their name badges if they don’t want to be identifiable. This is impressive, to say the least.

The current high level of solar activity has given me the chance to test another aspect of the D850s performance – low-light imaging. Winding the ISO up to 4000 and mounting a wideangle lens, I have successfully captured the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) over my home in west Wales. A dark sky helped a lot, but I was very impressed with the capture of both the auroral colours and the star-field beyond. When working in the dark, you will notice that as well as the LCD top screen being illuminated when the camera is active, most of the rear panel buttons also light up – which shows very welcome attention to detail by the designers.

Nikon D850 – Verdict

The Nikon D850 is the culmination of a line of continuous technical development which began with the Nikon F SLR of 1959. Astonishingly, the majority of the lenses and accessories developed for the F and D ranges since that time will still work seamlessly and effectively, resulting in a truly robust photographic ecosystem.

In my view, the D850 is the most productive and flexible DSLR Nikon have ever produced, and with a little care and good technique it can produce images of truly awesome quality. If you are not yet ready to take the leap into a mirrorless photographic world, then the D850 provides an excellent route to help you maintain and develop your Nikon habit. More than that, the process of viewing the actual scene you are photographing – via the mirror, pentaprism and viewfinder – helps you retain a direct and solid connection with the world you are seeking to capture.

* John Gilbey is a writer and photographer based in west Wales.

Related reading:

• The best lenses for Nikon DSLRs
• The 12 best Nikon DSLR cameras ever

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The Nikon D780 is a high-quality 24MP full-frame DSLR, is still available new, with plenty now in the second-hand market, too. For such a powerful camera with modern features, it is attractively priced in the UK and the USA at the time of writing. As one of the last Nikon DSLRs to be released, could it also rank among the best DSLRs across all brands? Find out in our full review.

Introduction

Nikon remains committed to its DSLR system, despite the D780 being the last F-mount camera it released, in early 2020. In the meantime, they have added no fewer than seven Z-mount models. These include the hugely impressive Z9 that has revitalised the brand’s standing among discerning photographers, reviewers and content creators worldwide. Most recently, Nikon introduced the Z8 and it’s receiving rave reviews. Read what AP’s Andy Westlake thought about it in his extensive review here.

At a glance

• $1,397 / £1,459 new, body only
• $950- $1,400 / £650 – £1,300 used, body only
• 24.5MP full frame CMOS sensor
• Nikon F mount
• ISO 100-12,800 (ISO 50-204,800 extended)
• Hybrid AF system
• 3.2in, 2,360k-dot tilting touchscreen
• 12fps continuous shooting in Live View (7fps via OVF)
• In-camera USB Type-C charging

Whatever Nikon’s longer term plans for its DSLR family, there is no denying that the D780 has proved itself a highly featured camera that’s great value for money, too. For prospective buyers, it also benefits from a massive selection of F-mount lenses available to it.

The D780 arrived as the long-awaited successor to the Nikon D750 – one of Nikon’s most popular and best-selling DSLRs. Said to be the company’s most versatile DSLR ever, it profits from lessons Nikon has learned from mirrorless to make for a better all-rounder. The question was; could the D780 attract passionate enthusiasts and professional photographers in a world populated with smaller, lighter, cheaper full-frame mirrorless cameras? In our view, the D780 is a class act of great potential.

Nikon D780: Features

Whereas the D750 had a 24.3-million-pixel full frame CMOS sensor, the D780 employs a 24.5-million-pixel full frame CMOS chip that’s understood, but not officially confirmed, to be the same as that used in the Nikon Z 6.

The D780 sensor has a low-pass filter to eliminate moiré and backside-illuminated structure. This maximises its light gathering capabilities across an ISO 100-51,200 range (expandable to ISO 50-204,800). It also benefits from no less than 273 on-chip phase detection pixels to enhance its focusing performance in Live View.

Although Hybrid AF systems aren’t new in DSLRs, it’s the first time we’ve seen a Nikon DSLR borrow an AF system for Live View from their mirrorless models. The outcome is all the benefits of a fast, reliable Live View performance, just as with Nikon’s Z 6 and Z 7, with advanced functionality such as Eye-Detection AF – while supporting a 51-point autofocus system when shooting via the optical viewfinder.

The 51-point AF system, which has 15 cross-type points, is the same as the D750’s and performs across a range of -3 to +19EV. Activating Live View sees this range extend to -5EV, or -7EV in low-light AF mode. Keeping on the subject of focusing, the 273-point Hybrid AF system covers 90% of the frame horizontally and vertically, whereas the focus points in the viewfinder remain tightly grouped towards the centre and don’t extend to the boundary of the frame.

There are all the DSLR/mirrorless AF-area modes you’d expect, including single-point, 9, 21 or 51-point dynamic-area AF, 3D tracking, group-area AF and auto-area AF when using the viewfinder. As well as the customary AF-S, AF-C, AF-A and AF-F servo modes, Pinpoint AF for precise focusing in Live View is also available.

There’s much more besides the changes to the sensor and focusing. With Nikon’s latest EXPEED 6 image processor on board the D780 can now shoot up to 7fps via the viewfinder, which can be increased to 8fps (14-bit) or 12fps (12-bit) during silent shooting in Live View.

The shutter speed range improves on the D780 too. It now stretches from 30secs to 1/8000sec with the option to dial in shutter speeds up to 900 seconds (15mins) in manual mode. Exposure metering is left in the capable hands of Nikon’s 180K-pixel RGB sensor, inherited from the D850. As we’ve seen before, it’s this metering sensor that’s used for subject-recognition purposes, which feeds information to the AF system for accurate and precise subject tracking.

Also like the D850, the D780 can be used with Nikon’s ES-2 film digitising adapter to turn negatives or slides shot on 35mm rolls of film into 24MP digital files. Other new features include a greater selection of picture control modes, as well as a focus-stacking mode that can be used with focus peaking to create shots with a large depth of field by manually selecting the distance of each focus step.

In typical Nikon fashion, the D780 presents a useful DX Crop mode. The camera automatically selects this when DX lenses are attached, but it can also be used in combination with FX lenses for those who’d like to gain a bit more reach at the long end. It uses a smaller area of the D780’s sensor, producing images with a 10.3MP resolution and 3936×2624 pixel count. Turning the viewfinder mask display on from the image area options darkens the area outside of the crop boundary to make it easier to visually see what falls within the frame. It can also be used when the image area is set to 1:1 (16.1MP) or 16:9 (20.6MP).

Another advantage the D780 has over the D750 is its ability to record uncropped 4K UHD video that is downsampled from 6K capture. Frame rates for 4K include 30/25/24fps and slow-motion footage can be recorded at up to 120fps at Full HD 1080p resolution.

Videographers will also appreciate the option to record 10-bit footage in N-Log; preserving as wide a dynamic range as possible. With support of hybrid log gamma recording and timecode output via 10-bit HDMI, the D780 is a very serious tool for video. Adding to this is the capacity to shoot 4K UHD time-lapse movies in-camera. I’d recommend turning exposure-smoothing on, which effectively reduces variations between images to create seamless transitions.

At the side of the body, the D780 has three rubber flaps. The 3.5mm microphone and headphone ports are located behind the one at the top, there’s a separate flap in the middle for plugging in a remote release and beneath it you’ll find an HDMI Type C connector and USB Type C port that facilitates in-camera charging with compatible EN-EL15b batteries.

As for wireless connectivity, the D780’s Bluetooth pairing and Wi-Fi options both work seamlessly with Nikon’s free-to-download SnapBridge app for iOS and Android mobile devices.

Nikon D780: Silent shooting

Like the Nikon D850, the D780 presents several different ways of quietening the mechanical shutter. The shutter has a rather satisfying sound to it during day-to-day shooting when using the viewfinder, but it does seem rather loud when there’s not much going on around you.

The Q and Qc modes on the mode dial are the quiet release shooting modes. These dampen the sound of mirror slap slightly. In Qc mode the D780 can shoot continuously at 3fps.

To shoot even more discreetly, Nikon has implemented a zero-vibration electronic shutter that enables users to capture images in total silence when Live View is used. With Silent Live View Photography mode turned on from the photo shooting menu, there’s no noise whatsoever when you press the shutter button.

Set the drive dial to its continuous high (CH) setting with silent live view mode turned on and users can shoot at 12fps without a peep out of the camera – great for wedding and wildlife shooters who want to shoot without disturbing or frightening their subjects. The only caveat to using Silent Live View Photography mode is rolling shutter, which can result in visible distortion of fast-moving objects.

Nikon D780: Build & Handling

Photographers who have used the D750 will be familiar with the feel of the D780 in the hand, whereas those who are maybe looking at it as an upgrade from an entry-level DSLR will immediately sense that it’s significantly larger and heavier. Viewed alongside the Z 6 and Z 7, it looks as if Nikon’s mirrorless cameras have been on a lean diet of fruit and vegetables compared to the D780 that has been putting on the pounds and pumping iron, resulting in a chunkier appearance.

Weighing 840g (body only), the D780 is 165g heavier than the Nikon Z 6 and Z 7. Although this may not seem like much on paper, I found the extra weight of the D780 noticeable when I switched between Nikon’s DSLR and mirrorless systems and had to carry them both for long periods of time.

Extensive weather sealing and tough magnesium alloy body are to be expected from a model of the D780’s calibre and price. It’s an extremely strong and well-constructed camera, with a build quality that feels in the same league as the D850. It’ll allow photographers to continue shooting when the going gets tough or when challenging conditions persist.

The D780’s size should be compatible with larger hands and fingers – or anyone uncomfortable with their handling of smaller mirrorless models. The advantage of the larger body is that there’s more room for buttons, which allows for natural spacing between them.

Like the D750, buttons and dials are large and there’s a line of five buttons arranged vertically down the side of the screen. However, not all of these are the same. In reply to customer feedback, Nikon has shifted the ISO button from the rear and positioned it between the exposure compensation and movie-rec button on the top plate for more intuitive control in combination with the rear dial. What was the ISO button on the D750 is now the metering mode button, which doubles up as a zoom out button in playback.

Other button changes see the Live View Button that’s encircled by the stills/video switch shifted up so it’s in easier reach of the thumb. A new AF-ON button for back-button focusing is added alongside and the AE-L/AF-L button takes the place of where the info button was on the D750. The info button has since shifted down below the four-way controller and with no joystick; the four-way controller is used to shift the AF point during viewfinder shooting. It offers diagonal movement as well as left, right, up and down, but I did knock the lock switch by accident occasionally, which did cause me to wonder why I couldn’t move the AF point at times.

The D780 no longer has a pop-up flash like the D750. However, radio-controlled advanced wireless lighting is supported and the flash compensation button that’s located above the bracketing button allows -3 to +1EV control in P,A,S,M shooting modes. In most other respects it’s similarly laid out to the D750. Users can glance down at a large rectangular top plate LCD, it has an AF button below the lens release to take quick control of AF modes. The preview button and Fn button on the opposite side of the lens mount are both customisable.

Nikon D780: Viewfinder & screen

There’s not a great deal new to report with regard to the viewfinder. It inherits the same pentaprism optical viewfinder from the D750, which has a magnification of 0.7x and offers 100% frame coverage. It’s possible to turn on a framing grid display to aid composition and I found myself assigning the Fn button to viewfinder virtual horizon, which loads a levelling guide on the horizontal and vertical axis to avoid shooting any wonky horizons.

Unlike the D850, there isn’t a switch to block out the viewfinder to prevent any light leak issues during long exposures, however the rubber eyepiece can be removed and replaced with the DK-5 eyepiece cover that’s supplied in the box.

While the rear monitor remains the same size (3.2in) and tilts similarly to the D750’s screen, it improves by offering an improved 2.36-million-dot resolution and adds touchscreen functionality. Nikon’s recent touchscreens are known for their excellent response and accuracy. The D780’s is no different and lets you navigate your way through the main menu and select onscreen icons with the lightest of finger touches.

Double tapping the display in playback mode also loads a 100% view, which is good way of checking focus. One thing the touch screen doesn’t let you do though is move the AF point with your thumb when the viewfinder is raised to your eye.

Nikon D780: Performance

To get a good impression of how the D780 performs as a versatile all-rounder, I packed it as my main camera for a trip away to Iceland for a few days. The harsh conditions and sub zero temperatures it was faced with were up there with some of the most brutal I’ve experienced in my photography career, yet it didn’t flinch once and worked reliably throughout, which is testament to its solid, tank-like build quality.

With no electronic viewfinder draining power from the battery, I found myself shooting around 1500 images a day and still had a couple of bars of battery power to spare for wirelessly transferring my best shots across to my phone back at the hotel bar.

Nikon’s SnapBridge app has come a long, long way from the criticisms it received in its infancy. The Auto link that uses Bluetooth works brilliantly if you want every image you take to be sent to your mobile device. You’ll be prompted to connect via Wi-Fi if you’d rather select images to transfer, or enter remote photography mode. Whereas in previous versions of the app the control was very limited, you can now take control of key exposure settings, white balance, P,A,S,M shooting modes and a self timer.

Getting back to battery life, I didn’t quite reach the 2060 shots per charge that Nikon claims is possible – something I put down to the freezing cold conditions I was working in. However, the ability to shoot all day with no need to recharge on the go, and carry numerous spares, did make for a refreshing change to using a mirrorless camera.

Operating the camera in Live View mode is a completely transformed experience. Autofocus speed and response is much improved. This, combined with touch focusing via the screen, makes it a pleasure to use when you want to work quickly from shooting angles that aren’t best suited to using the viewfinder.

Setting up long exposure landscape shots on a tripod at waist level for example was a breeze. The two AF systems are different, though – you don’t get identical autofocus functionality and performance in Live View as you do when shooting via the viewfinder and vice versa – this takes some time to get one’s head around.

For example, the AF modes you have at your disposal when shooting in AF-C mode via the viewfinder differ to those in Live View. You’ll find AF coverage is much more central when using the viewfinder too, whereas in Live View you can shift the AF target much closer to the edge of the frame. The speed of continuous autofocus (AF-C) in Live View is brisk, but tracking isn’t so quick or easy to setup in Auto-area AF mode. I felt inclined to use the 3D tracking mode via the viewfinder instead for subjects of predictable behaviour.

Sports and action photographers will be tempted to enter Live View to access the D780’s maximum 12fps burst mode. But my testing confirmed a higher hit-rate of sharp shots in a burst at 7fps via the viewfinder using one of the dynamic-area AF modes. The other thing to factor in of course is that you’re at risk of introducing rolling shutter artefacts to shots using the electronic shutter – not the case with the mechanical shutter.

Face and Eye detection behaves similarly to Nikon’s Z 6 and Z 7 cameras’ running the latest firmware. Shooting a series of portraits demonstrated the D780 is extremely responsive at recognising faces and eyes in Live View, both in AF-S, AF-C and AF-A modes. You do, however, need to make sure the AF area mode is set to Auto-area AF.

Users can specify which eye the camera focuses on and tell it who you’d like it to focus on in a group. Eye detection is disabled when using the viewfinder, but Face Detection continues to work well with the 3D tracking and Auto AF area modes. The next step for Nikon will be to make their impressive Face and Eye tracking available during video recording in Live View – something we’ve seen Sony achieve on the A7R IV.

The D780 will appeal to a broad spectrum of users who shoot a variety of different subjects. As such, it’s important that it can process its data quickly and efficiently. One of the advantages of working with a 24-million-pixel sensor is that the processor isn’t overloaded by gigantic file sizes.

Using an SDXC card facilitating 280MB/s read and 250MB/s write speeds revealed that it can happily shoot 100 continuous raw files at 7fps via the viewfinder before the buffer requires breather. The same number of frames were recorded when I switched to shooting Fine JPEG.

With Live View and Silent mode activated I managed to record 54 Raw files at 12fps before the buffer became full. Shooting to a 64GB capacity card in the Raw and Fine JPEG format will give you around 860 shots to play with, whereas shooting in Raw only gets you closer to 1200 frames. Having the option to change the role played by a second card inserted in slot 2 gives the D780 an advantage over Nikon’s mirrorless models such as the Z 6. For a majority of my testing I had it setup to record Raw files to slot 1 and JPEGs to slot 2, but the spare slot can also be used for overflow and backup purposes.

For image output, the D780 produces supremely impressive results from its imaging sensor. In colour, detail and dynamic range, these share a likeness with the Nikon Z 6. There’s great scope for pulling back detail in dark shadowed regions, and noise control in Raw files at high ISO is sublime.

Nikon’s Natural light auto white balance mode produces faithful colour that is neither too cool nor too warm and should be the go-to White Balance mode when working in the great outdoors. JPEG reproduction impresses too. I found colour rendition is excellent, sharpening isn’t overly aggressive and users can dial back high ISO noise reduction if they’d like to create a slightly less processed look than the default ‘Normal’ setting applies.

Nikon D780: Image Quality

The D780 plays a similar role to the Nikon Z 6 in the way it’s out to attract serious amateurs, enthusiasts, semi-pros and professionals who don’t require the same high-resolution output as Nikon’s D850 and Z 7 models that both boast a 45.7MP sensor. Our lab tests confirm that the D780’s sensor behaves identically to the chip found in the Nikon Z 6, offering impressive leverage when you’re required to pull back detail thanks to its wide-dynamic range. With virtually untraceable noise in images up to ISO 1600, users will find they can push high into the ISO range when challenged in low light, with ISO 12,800 and ISO 25,600 producing useable results.

Nikon D780: Resolution

The D780’s sensor puts in a comparable performance to the Nikon Z 6, with its 24.5MP sensor resolving a level of detail that we’d expect from a chip that features an optical low-pass filter to reduce the effects of moiré. At ISO 100, the sensor resolves 3200 l/ph, which drops to 3000 l/ph at ISO 800. The sensor manages to resolve 2800l/ph at ISO 6400, with 2700l/ph being recorded at ISO 12,800 and 2600l/ph at ISO 25,600. Pushing higher sees 2400 l/ph being resolved at ISO 51,200. The level of detail recorded at ISO 102400 (2000 l/ph) and ISO 204800 (1800 l/ph) underlines that these extended settings should be steered clear of.

Nikon D780: Noise

Nikon D780 Review: Verdict

Nikon’s D700-series has been a staple part of the full-frame DSLR market for more than a decade and close rival to Canon’s EOS 5D series since 2008. The D780 arrives a bit late for those who’ve already jumped ship to Nikon’s excellent Z-series, or other full-frame mirrorless system, but this doesn’t take anything away from what is a sensational camera that’s built to a professional standard and is a sheer delight to use. It’ll provide top-level service to photographers who aren’t fully enamoured by the thought of switching to mirrorless, especially those who want to continue using their F-mount lenses without an adapter and still swear by having an optical viewfinder.

Merging two AF systems into one camera to improve the Live View performance has been superbly executed. Saying that, it does take time to familiarise yourself with the pros and cons of both. Sports and action photographers still get reliable AF tracking via the viewfinder, supported by wider AF coverage in Live View and super responsive eye-detection AF. Introducing 4K video, advanced movie functionality, a dedicated focus stacking mode, touchscreen control, in-camera charging, a larger buffer, better connectivity and refined button layout has turned Nikon’s versatile all-rounder into an even better one.

The absence of a pop up flash, joystick and optional battery grip will frustrate a few, but all things considered there’s so much more to like than there is to find fault with. People who demand dual card slot, long battery life and optical finder will find they are well served by the D780 but the mirrorless opportunity is there. For example, the Z6 II costs $1,400 / £1,379 (body only) and has the advantage of being smaller, lighter and offers in-body image stabilisation, which does make the D780 feel a bit on the pricey side.

It’s great to see Nikon continuing to cater for photographers who swear by using DSLRs, especially in a world where all the talk today is about mirrorless systems, which look set to be the future. Nikon’s outlook is all about giving customers’ choice over which route they’d rather take. For those who aren’t ready to convert to mirrorless, the D780 keeps the flag flying high for DSLRs and a mighty fine example it is too.

Find more great DSLRs from Nikon in our guide to the best Nikon DSLRs ever.

Nikon D780: Hands on first look

Nikon D780: At a glance

• $1,597 / £2,029 new, body only
• $1,440-1,800 / £1,099-1,530 used, body only
• 24.5MP full frame CMOS sensor
• $2,800 / £2,409 with Nikkor AF-S 24-120mm f/4 G ED VR lens24.5MP Full Frame CMOS sensor
• Nikon F Mount
• ISO 100-12,800 (ISO 50-204,800 extended)
• Hybrid AF system
• 3.2in, 2,360k-dot tilting touchscreen
• 12fps continuous shooting in Live View (7fps via OVF)
• In-camera USB charging

When Nikon announced the Z 50 at the end of 2019, the manufacturer was keen to stress that their strategy going forward would be to run their DSLR and mirrorless systems in tandem. The reasoning for this is that Nikon firmly believes photographers see advantages of both systems, with DSLRs continuing to be the first choice of those who prefer an optical viewfinder and having longer battery life and mirrorless cameras becoming extremely popular with those who are more conscious of size, weight and portability.

Nikon has backed up what they said by releasing a new DSLR for a new decade that’s designed to have all-round appeal with enthusiasts and professionals. The new camera we’re talking about is the Nikon D780. You could easily be mistaken for thinking this new release could mark the end for the much-loved D750, but Nikon has confirmed the D750 will remain in the lineup and it is still available new in some countries (but not in the UK): with the D780 slotting in-between the D750 and Z 6II in the company’s product lineup. Perhaps most interesting of all is the way Nikon has taken some of its learning’s from mirrorless and applied it into the D780, which is said to be Nikon’s most versatile DSLR ever.

Nikon D780: Features

Although the pixel count is similar to the D750, the D780 introduces a new full frame CMOS sensor with a resolution of 24.5-million-pixels. Like the chip used in the Nikon Z 6, the D780’s sensor features a low-pass filter and benefits from a backside-illuminated structure to maximize its light gathering capabilities.

By effectively implementing the same sensor and on chip phase detection that the Z 6 uses, users get the same 51-point autofocus system with 15 cross-type points as the D750 when focusing via the optical viewfinder and 273-point phase-detection autofocus when it’s used in Live View. This is the first time we’ve seen a Nikon DSLR borrow an AF system for Live View from one of their mirrorless models and suggests the same approach could be repeated with other DSLRs that are due a refresh in the future.

Users can expect focusing in Live View to perform just as it does on the Z 6, with the added benefit of eye-detection AF and the option to select which eye the camera focuses on. Users get all the respective DSLR/mirrorless AF-area modes one could expect and the detection range of the AF system spans all the way down to -6EV in its low-light mode. The 51-point Phase-Detection AF system is sensitive down to -3 EV.

By uniting Nikon’s latest EXPEED 6 image processor with the sensor, the D780 can shoot at 12fps in silent mode with Live View, however this drops to 7fps when it’s used in SLR mode with the optical viewfinder. The buffer is claimed to allow up to 28 Raw files to recorded continuously (or 100 JPEGs) before its limit is reached.

Comparing the D780’s specs to the D750’s also tells us it offers a wider ISO range. Whereas the D750 shoots between ISO 100-12,800 (expandable to 50-51,200), the D780 has a sensitivity range of ISO 100-51,200, expandable to ISO 50-204,800.

Shifting our focus to video, the D780 is now capable of in-camera 4K recording at up to 30fps using the full width of the sensor. Those wishing to experiment with slow motion can do so at Full HD at up to 120fps. Videographers will be pleased to receive helpful aids such as a peaking display for accurate manual focus, and zebra patterns to avoid overexposure, while microphone and headphone sockets are also built in and are located at the side of the body next to the mini HDMI, USB Type C and accessory ports.

In-camera charging via USB, dual SD card slots (both UHS-II compatible) and wirelessly connectivity (Wi-Fi and Bluetooth) round off the D780’s comprehensive set of features that’ll appeal not only to high-end enthusiasts, but also professionals who don’t require the super high resolutions offered by models like the D850 or Z 7.

Nikon D780: Viewfinder and screen

Very few changes are found at the rear of the D780. The button layout is identical with a line of five buttons arranged down the left of the screen, a four-way controller within easy reach of the thumb and a Live View button encircled by a stills/video switch.

It inherits the same 0.7x optical viewfinder from the D750 that offers 100% coverage and the screen remains the same size (3.2in) and is the tilting type. It’s good to see touchscreen functionality added, which the D750 lacked, and the resolution of the screen has also increased from 1.229k-dots to 2.360k-dots.

As for its build quality, the Nikon D780 has a dust and water resistant magnesium alloy body. This makes it just as tough as the D750 and those with eager eyes will notice a facelift to some of the dials and controls on the top plate. In all other respects the Nikon D780 is much of a likeness to the D750 and thanks to its deep handgrip, it feels very well balanced with small, lightweight lenses or larger, heavier telephoto zooms.

Nikon has confirmed that existing D750 users who might own Nikon’s MB-D16 battery grip won’t be able to use it with the Nikon D780 as it’s not compatible. With regard to battery life, we’ve been told Nikon D780 users can expect to shoot approximately 2060 shots on a single charge.

Nikon D780: First impressions

The Nikon D780 is a blend of what we liked about the D750, with innards adopted from the Nikon Z 6 and a few other improvements added for good measure. Having spent some time with the Nikon D780 during a press briefing, we can confirm its focusing in Live View performs exactly as it does on the Z 6, while out of Live View it behaves and focuses just like the D750.

For Nikon users who’ve invested heavily in F-mount lenses, aren’t ready to commit to mirrorless, but need a new, reliable and very capable workhorse, the Nikon D780 should fit the bill nicely. The improvements to focusing in Live View, the addition of touchscreen control and option to charge the battery in-camera address the criticisms we made when we reviewed the D750 back in 2014.

First impressions suggest it has potential to be one of the best all-round DSLRs we’ve ever tested, but we’ll need to wait for our review sample to arrive before we pass final judgement.

New Nikon lenses on the horizon

At the same time as announcing the D780, Nikon released a pair of new zooms. With the latest arrival in the F-mount being the NIKKOR AF-S 120-300mm f/2.8E FL ED SR VR – a pro-spec zoom designed for sports and action photography with high-end DSLRs like the forthcoming Nikon D6.

Its arrival ties in with this year’s Tokyo 2020 Olympic games where many pros shooting Nikon will call for a fast medium telephoto zoom in demanding low-light situations. It features a complex construction of 25 elements in 19 groups and in addition to Extra-low dispersion (ED) glass, special short wavelength spectrum (SR) glass is used to combat blue fringing that traditional lenses typically have a hard time correcting.

Claimed to offer a prime-like lens performance, it’s fully weather sealed, has built-in Vibration Reduction (VR) that’s effective to four stops, a memory recall button, works with all of Nikon’s 1.4x and 2x tele converters and features an integrated tripod foot.

The second lens – the NIKKOR Z 70-200mm f/2.8 S is more of a mainstream optic and has been included in Nikon’s Z lens roadmap for a while. It strengthens Nikon’s lens portfolio for its Z series cameras and is a lens many have been patiently waiting for.

It has a construction of 21 elements in 18 groups and features Nikon’s special short wavelength spectrum (SR) glass in addition to ARNEO and fluorine coatings. Other key features include a weather sealed construction, 9-blade aperture, control ring, Fn button to which 21 different functions can be assigned, and 1m minimum focus distance at full telephoto (0.5m at 70mm).

The NIKKOR Z 70-200mm f/2.8 S accepts filters and adapters via a 77mm thread and it weighs 1360g without the tripod collar, or 1440g when it’s fitted.

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Nikon D780: Specifications

The post Nikon D780 review – the DSLR that still does it appeared first on Amateur Photographer.

If you’re looking for a APS-C Digital SLR with high build-quality, then the Nikon D7500 is about as good as it gets, making it one of the best Nikon DSLRs. Its decent video ability also make it arguably a bona fide stills and video hybrid that belie its age. Find out how this 20MP camera performs in our full review:

Nikon D7500 – At a glance

• 20.9 million-pixel DX CMOS sensor
• $897 / £1,049 new, from around $800 / £600 used (used, excellent condition) body only
• 51-point phase detection AF system
• 4K UHD video up to 60 fps
• ISO 100-51,200 (standard)

What is the Nikon D7500?

The Nikon D7500 is a DSLR designed for enthusiast photographers. With a 20.9MP DX-format sensor and 8fps shooting, it was introduced between the Nikon D5600 and the D500 in Nikon’s range, arriving in April 2017.

It started out at around $1,250 / £1,300 for the body only when it was launched, but is now around $1,000 / £1,049. This is a welcome price drop in a climate that has seen most prices increasing but reflects the fact that the D7500 uses relatively old technology and has been around for a little while.

Judged on its own merits, however, it’s remains a fine camera to this day. At first it suffered in comparison with the 24MP Nikon D7200, which was cheaper and more appealing in some ways, but with the D7200 now discontinued, it leaves the Nikon D7500 as one of the few DSLRs still sold new.

Rivals for the Nikon D7500 include the Canon EOS 90D, which is more expensive but also more advanced, and various Pentax DSLRs including the Pentax KF.

For those with a bigger budget, the mighty full-frame Nikon D850 is still around, too, so while DSLRs might be in decline, there’s still a good deal of choice. See our guide to the best Nikon DSLRs for more models, and also the best Nikon F-mount lenses to go with them.

Features

With Nikon’s Expeed 5 processor, the D7500 offers a standard sensitivity range of ISO 100-51,200, which is expandable up to ISO 1,640,000. As we’ll see, these hugely extended ISOs don’t give great results, but that shouldn’t mask the fact that this sensor delivers excellent high-ISO image quality.

Nikon says the D7500 can shoot at 8fps for 50 raw frames in a burst, which is a significant advance over the D7200’s 27 frames at 6fps. In practice, with a 16GB SanDisk Extreme U3 card rated at 90MB/sec, I measured an even faster rate of 8.2fps, but a slightly smaller buffer of 46 frames using lossless compression. This should still be ample for all but the most trigger-happy of action shooters.

Autofocus

Being a DSLR, the D7500 can track focus at full speed using its 51-point autofocus system, which uses the same phase-detection module as the D7200. Users can also match their specific lenses to their camera, with the Auto AF Fine Tune function to give the best focusing accuracy.

In live view, however, it falls back on contrast AF focusing technology – the Nikon D780 is the only Nikon DSLR to feature a sensor with on-chip phase-detection.

Metering

Metering employs a 180K-pixel RGB sensor – which is also used for face detection and subject recognition – while feeding information into the AF system to help the camera understand how a subject is moving around the frame.

Alongside the usual matrix, centre-weighted and spot modes, the D7500 gains Nikon’s highlight-weighted metering. This aims to avoid clipping bright areas of the image to white, allowing the user to make the most of the sensor’s dynamic range when post-processing raw files.

Perhaps surprisingly, the D7500 has just a single SD card slot, unlike either the D7200 or the D500. Another limitation is that older manual-focus lenses can only be used in manual-exposure mode, without any metering. While these omissions will disappoint Nikon fans, fundamentally, they reflect the fact that the D7000-series is no longer top of the firm’s DX lineup.

Built-in flash

Better news is that the built-in pop-up flash can work with Nikon’s radio-controlled Advanced Wireless Lighting system to operate off-camera speedlights wirelessly for creative lighting control. Nikon says the EN-EL15a battery should provide 950 shots per charge, and while this is down from 1,110 compared to the D7200, it will still be ample for most purposes.

In-camera raw processing allows you to tweak images before sharing them, and to this end, built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth allow connection to a smartphone driven by Nikon’s SnapBridge app. I’ll look at this in more detail later.

Video specs

For video, both 4K and Full HD recording are available. However, while the latter uses the full width of the sensor, 4K reads from a 3840×2160 pixel region in the centre; this imposes a 1.5x field-of-view crop.

In-camera electronic image stabilisation is available to compensate for shake when shooting hand-held. This has the advantage of being able to correct for rotation around the lens axis, which is important for video but something in-lens stabilisation simply can’t do. It also works with every lens, not just optically stabilised ones. But, sadly, it only functions in Full HD mode, not 4K.

Build and handling

For this price you’d expect Nikon to deliver a solid-feeling, ergonomically sound camera, and with the D7500 that’s exactly what you get. It has a deep grip with a thick rubberised coating that feels extremely secure in your hand, and a weather-sealed body that’s compact without being cramped.

The body measures 135.5x104x72.5mm and weighs 720g – a little heavier than the D7200, but noticeably smaller than the D500.

The control setup is based on the D7200’s, but in a welcome change, the ISO button is now much more sensibly placed; it sits immediately behind the shutter release, as on the D500. This comes at the expense of the D7200’s metering mode button, which has relocated to the camera’s back – a much more sensible prioritisation of these two functions.

Almost every important shooting function can be changed using easy-to-access external controls. There’s an exposure-mode dial on the left shoulder and a drive-mode dial beneath, both of which lock in position to prevent accidental changes.

Front and rear electronic dials change the main exposure settings, while the D-pad on the back is used to move the focus area.

Key settings such as metering, white balance, autofocus and flash mode have dedicated buttons on the camera body, while two Fn buttons on the front can be customised to suit the user.

A press of the ‘i’ button on the camera’s back brings up a short menu of other settings, mostly to do with image processing. Personally, I’d have liked to see a user-customisable quick menu here, as with most other cameras at this price point. But, to be honest, the D7500 is so well set up overall that this is a minor complaint.

This review originally featured on Trusted Reviews.

Viewfinder and screen

The D7500 has a reasonably large and bright optical viewfinder, with 0.94x magnification and 100% coverage of the lens’s field of view. A sensor above the eyepiece automatically switches off the rear screen when you’re using the viewfinder.

As well as displaying the most important exposure data in a panel beneath the focusing screen, it’s also possible to overlay gridlines to aid composition or show a dual-axis electronic level – although, oddly, you can’t have both at the same time.

Naturally, you don’t get any of the advantages of electronic viewing when it comes to accurately previewing exposure, white balance or depth of field before shooting – which is a considerable disadvantage of DSLRs compared to mirrorless cameras.

Rear screen

Below the viewfinder is the 3.2in 922k-dot LCD, which is an impressively slim unit that tilts up and down while adding little to the depth of the camera. I’d have preferred a fully articulated design as seen on the Nikon D5600 or Canon EOS 90D, since tilt-only screens are useless when shooting in portrait format.

In Live View the screen gives an accurate depiction of how your shots will come out, with exposure, white balance and depth of field all previewed live. This represents a considerable advantage over older Nikon D7000-series DSLRs like the Nikon D7000 which couldn’t adjust the aperture diaphragm while the cameras was being used in Live View.

Touchscreen limitations

Alongside touch focus and touch shutter release in Live View and video modes, the touchscreen can be used to operate menu selections and browse through images in playback, just like on a smartphone. But overall touch operation still feels tacked on as an afterthought, and the D7500 lacks features common elsewhere – such as touch focus point selection when using the viewfinder, or a customisable touch-sensitive control panel you can configure with your most-used functions.

Autofocus

When it comes to autofocus, it’s very much a tale of two systems. For viewfinder shooting, the D7500 uses a 51-point phase-detection system, with the AF array providing decent coverage by SLR standards – about 75% of the frame width, and 50% of its height.

Autofocus is super-fast and decisive, even in low light; indeed, Nikon says it’s sensitive down to -3EV, or effectively moonlight. The D7500 also gains the group-area AF mode previously seen on the D500, which allows multiple AF points to be used for keeping track of a moving subject, and works very effectively.

Switch to Live View, however, and it’s a very different story. Nikon is still using a rather basic contrast-detection system, and it’s painfully slow compared to mirrorless cameras or Canon’s Dual Pixel AF system. It’s okay for static subjects, but don’t even think about using it for anything that moves – indeed, Nikon doesn’t even bother offering an AF-C mode.

On a more positive note, though, the AF point can be placed anywhere in the scene, and since focusing uses the image sensor itself, it’s consistently accurate – even with fast primes and off-centre subjects.

Seasoned DSLR users will be used to this kind of behaviour, and may well be happy using the two AF systems in a complementary fashion. But the fact remains that the D7500’s modern mirrorless rivals all focus much quicker when you’re shooting with the rear screen and indeed offer the same AF system and choices in both viewfinder and live view shooting.

Video

With the same sensor and processor as the D500, the D7500 can record 4K video, giving impressively detailed footage. However, since it’s captured from a 3840×2160-pixel area at the centre of the sensor, it imposes a 1.5x field-of-view crop. It does not offer the full-width ‘oversampling’ of modern mirrorless alternatives. This can be an advantage if you’re trying to record distant action – sports or wildlife, perhaps – but it’s more problematic if you want to shoot a wideangle view.

It’s also possible to record Full HD video with no crop, although the quality of the footage isn’t anywhere near as good, and you’d get better results downsampling 4K. That said, it isn’t obviously much worse than other DSLRs, and is fine if you just want to record the occasional video.

Built-in electronic image stabilisation

One key new feature is the addition of built-in electronic image stabilisation for Full HD video, which appears to be a similar system to the one Canon introduced in its EOS cameras. It does a pretty good job of reducing the visibility of camera shake while shooting video hand-held, even when you’re using an unstabilised lens. However, it isn’t as effective as the in-body systems found in some competing cameras.

Nikon has included a flat Picture Control mode designed to allow easy colour grading of your footage in post-production, and a zebra pattern display to help you avoid clipping highlight detail.

Tap the screen to focus

You can use the touchscreen to autofocus on a new subject during recording, but this is slow and shows a distinct contrast-detection ‘wobble’ effect in your footage, which means it isn’t very usable in practice.

Sadly, there’s no peaking display to help with manual focusing either. These deficiencies leave the D7500 rather lacking in comparison to cameras such as the Canon EOS 90D or Sony Alpha 6500, so if you’re specifically looking for a camera that’s good for video, this isn’t the best choice.

SnapBridge Connectivity

As with Nikon’s other recent cameras, the D7500 includes Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity. This is designed to establish an always-on connection to a tablet or smartphone via the free SnapBridge app for Android and iOS, and automatically transfer across a 2MP copy of every single image you take for sharing.

Alternatively, you can choose to send across only your favourite images by marking them in playback using the camera’s ‘i’ button. SnapBridge also provides a basic remote control capability with a Live View feed, but with no ability to change any settings remotely, it feels terribly outdated.

It’s possible to pair the camera with multiple devices, so you can alternate between using a smartphone and tablet. However, since there’s no option to set up a Wi-Fi-only connection, you have to manually switch between them each time using the camera’s Bluetooth menu – which isn’t very intuitive or convenient. I found that the best option is to add the Paired Devices sub-setting to the camera’s custom My Menu.

If you’re happy to work how Nikon thinks you should, SnapBridge functions pretty well, transferring your shots to your smart device with minimum fuss. It’s clever enough to pause transmission when the camera battery becomes low to conserve power for shooting, then resume transferring images after recharging.

However, if you prefer to work the other way round, taking advantage of the larger, higher-resolution screen of your phone or tablet to browse through your images then pull your favourites across individually, the process is annoyingly slow and clunky, with thumbnails taking an age to generate every single time.

Performance

In general use, the D7500 is an impressively accomplished performer, more than capable of handling almost any photographic situation you might present it with. Having shot well over a thousand images with the camera across a wide variety of situations, I rarely found it wanting.

Image quality is very good indeed, with the 20.9MP sensor delivering detailed images at low ISO settings and keeping noise under control up to about ISO 6400; it produced usable files even at settings as high as ISO 51,200.

Nikon’s matrix metering does a decent job generally. If anything, it errs on the side of underexposure to protect highlights, which is far more desirable than irrevocably clipping bright highlights.

Shooting in JPEG

JPEG colour rendition is by default bright and punchy, even at high ISO settings where colours might start to fade on other cameras. If you want to pep things up further, then Vivid and Landscape Picture Controls are available, while the Neutral and Portrait settings give more subtle renditions.

Nikon also offers a huge amount of control over the image-processing settings, so it should be possible to tweak colour output to match your taste. However, I did find the auto white balance to be a little erratic, with a clear habit of erring too much towards the cool side on bright, sunny blue-sky days, which makes images look a bit sterile.

In such cases it’s easy enough to switch to a preset, of course. If you’re shooting raw then you can also re-process in-camera with a better white balance setting. Alternatively, most mobile imaging apps will let you quickly warm up the image, too. In most cases, only a slight tweak is needed to give a more attractive result.

Image Quality

Nikon has used the same 20.9MP DX-format sensor as in last year’s D500, and it delivers similarly impressive image quality in the D7500. It’s slightly lower resolution than the 24MP sensors in Nikon’s cheaper DX DSLRs, but this has little practical impact unless you print larger than A3 (16x11in). The resolution of mid-range cameras seems to have hit a plateau since the D7500’s launch, so it’s not been left far behind at all.

In return, its high-ISO performance is very good indeed, despite the fact that the extended settings beyond ISO 51,200 are hugely over-optimistic. As usual, you’ll get the best possible results in terms of fine detail and noise control by carefully processing raw files.

Resolution

In JPEG, the D7500 delivers 3200 lines per picture height (l/ph) in our resolution chart tests. Using carefully processed raw files you’ll achieve rather better results, of around 3600 l/ph. Noise progressively reduces resolution as the sensitivity setting is increased, and by the time we reach ISO 1600, it’s down to around 3200 l/ph in raw.

Move up the scale to ISO 12,800 and the D7500 still registers 3,200 l/ph, but beyond this things deteriorate rapidly. The extended ISOs show very low resolution due to extremely high noise, with any detail on our resolution chart barely discernible by ISO 819,200.

Multiply the numbers on the crops below by 200 for the resolution in l/ph

Dynamic Range

When it comes to dynamic range, the D7500 scores very well in our Image Engineering tests. At ISO 50, we measure over 13EV dynamic range, indicating massive leeway for recovering additional details from raw files – especially in shadow regions. This drops off progressively as the ISO is raised, but values of 8.2EV at ISO 3200 and 6EV at ISO 51,200 still represent a strong showing. However, the precipitous decline in the extended settings again indicates why these have little practical use.  

ISO and Noise

At low ISOs the D7500’s image quality is superb; fine detail is rendered with impressive sharpness and there’s no visible noise. At ISO 800, noise starts to have an impact on image quality, with low-contrast textures starting to blur and shadows losing detail.

ISO 1600 is still eminently usable, but by the time we hit ISO 6400 fine detail and colour saturation are visibly suffering.

Image quality progressively degrades at higher ISOs, and by ISO 51,200 colour rendition has become very broad-brush – although the image is still recognisable.

The first extended sensitivity of ISO 102,400 is still just about okay, but at higher settings it’s increasingly difficult to see the point as the image disappears under an ocean of noise, acquiring a distinct magenta hue at the top two extended ISOs.

Should I buy the Nikon D7500?

With the D7500, Nikon made an extremely capable DSLR that will, I’m sure, satisfy the needs of a lot of serious enthusiast photographers even in today’s mirrorless-dominated market. There are still photographers who prefer the size and handling of DSLRs and the look of their optical viewfinders.

The original conundrum for prospective buyers was whether it was good enough to command a significant premium over its predecessor, the highly-regarded D7200. As Nikon’s former DX flagship, this includes features that have been left out of the D7500 – most notably, dual-card slots and a magnesium-alloy body shell, alongside a slightly higher 24MP resolution.

This is compounded by the fact that many of the D7500’s updates turn out to offer relatively minor benefits over its predecessor in practice. For example, it’s great to have a tilting screen, but the camera’s relatively slow Live View autofocus meant I rarely used it. However, the D7200 has since been discontinued and is now available only on the used market, so the D7500 has the field to itself.

Find more great DSLRs from Nikon in our guide to the best Nikon DSLRs ever.

Further Reading:

• Nikon D7500 vs Canon EOS 7D Mark II
• Nikon D7500 DSLR gets firmware update version 1.11
• Nikon D7500 vs Nikon D500
• Canon EOS 90D review

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The post Nikon D7500 Review – a solid all-round DSLR for enthusiasts appeared first on Amateur Photographer.

The Nikon D500 was Nikon’s fastest APS-C Digital SLR, and could be one of the best DSLRs available anywhere – especially for fast-lane photography – think wildlife, action, sports etc. Find out how it performs in our full review.

Nikon D500 – At a glance

• 20.9 MP DX CMOS sensor
• from $700 – $1,600 / £700 – £850 – used body only
• 153-point phase detection AF System
• Nikon F-mount
• ISO 100- 51,200 (standard)
• Records up to 4K UHD 40fps; Full HD 60fps

What is the Nikon D500?

The Nikon D500 was Nikon’s fastest, most rugged and most powerful APS-C DSLR. It’s almost impossible to find new these days, but plenty of examples exist on the used market, with good examples of moderate use and wear for under $1,000 in the US, £1,000 in the UK. Beware of high shutter counts when shopping for used cameras. The D500 was rated at 200,000, but you can still find models with a relatively low shutter count. But is it still worth buying and spending money on? Read on to find out…

Although officially discontinued, the D500 is still surprisingly effective, at least for stills photography. Many photographers prefer the optical viewfinder of a DSLR over the EVF of a mirrorless camera, especially for sports photography. High-speed shooting, and the D500’s continuous shooting and professional-level raw buffer capacity are still reasons to consider it today. The D500 is also backed up by a huge range of Nikon DX and FX lenses.

History

Back in 2007, Nikon unleashed a pair of DSLRs that revitalised its line-up and re-established the company as being at least on par with its rival Canon. The professional-level Nikon D3 was its first full-frame model, with super-fast shooting and an impressive 51-point AF system.

Meanwhile, the DX-format Nikon D300 was very much a D3-lite, offering many of the flagship’s best features in a smaller body at a fraction of the price. It rapidly won the hearts of a generation of serious enthusiasts and semi-professional photographers, spurring Canon to produce a decent competitor with the Canon EOS 7D.

The D300 underwent a relatively minor refresh with the Nikon D300S in 2009. After that, Nikon seemed insistent that its D7000-series of enthusiast-focused DSLRs met the needs of most enthusiasts. But in 2016 Nikon relented and, just in time for a summer of European Championship football and the Olympic Games, produced a genuine successor in the shape of the D500, alongside the professional Nikon D5, with an astonishing set of specifications that still impress today.

These include an extended top ISO of 1.6 million, alongside a 153-point AF system and 10fps continuous burst shooting. On paper, it’s the best APS-C DSLR so far, and with the end of DSLR production it’s not likely to be surpassed. To find out more, see our guide to the best Nikon DSLRs and also the best Nikon F-mount lenses.

Of course, the D500 is now competing with mirrorless cameras that can shoot faster bursts, better video and higher resolution stills. Examples include the Fujifilm X-H2S, Canon EOS R7 and OM System OM-1. So with this in mind, just how good does the Nikon D500 look today?

Nikon D500 review – Features

A quick glance at the D500’s key specs reveal a remarkably well-featured camera. Its 20.9-million-pixel DX-format sensor affords an impressive standard sensitivity range of ISO 100-51,200, and a frankly staggering extended range of ISO 50-1,640,000. It can shoot at 10fps, and keep going for at least 30 frames in raw format and 90 or more in JPEG mode. That’s with an SD card; place an XQD card in the second slot, and it’ll keep shooting at full speed for 200 frames in raw.

Since the D500’s launch, the XQD format has practically disappeared, but a subsequent firmware update has made the camera compatible with the newer and now widely used (and physically identical) CFexpress Type B format. The most up-to-date firmware update (“C” firmware to version 1.31) is available to download from Nikon.com.

The 20.9-megapixel resolution is a small drop from Nikon’s previous 24-megapixel models, but it’s the same resolution as OM System cameras, most Panasonic Lumix models and even the mighty Canon EOS R6 (Mark 1).

Autofocus uses a 153-point system covering almost the full width of the frame and around half its height, while metering employs a 180,000 pixel RGB sensor that also feeds subject-recognition data to the AF system. Nikon specifies that both systems will work in awfully low light: -3EV for metering, and -4EV for AF. That AF sensitivity, while remarkable for its time and still terrific today, has been improved on by newer mirrorless cameras.

Video

The D500 is also capable of recording 4K video, but with the catch that it uses a 1.5x crop in the centre of the frame, compromising wideangle shooting. Full HD movies can be captured at up to 60fps; this time with a recording area the full width of the sensor. But while it has some nice movie-friendly features, including microphone and headphone sockets, and a flat picture profile, there’s no focus-peaking display and only rudimentary zebra pattern overexposure warning.

This 1.5x crop in particular limits the Nikon’s appeal for filmmakers. Technically it does shoot 4K, but you would probably choose any one of a dozen modern mirrorless cameras in preference to this one for 4K video.

One thing the D500 lacks is a built-in flash, and users will instead have to rely on hotshoe-mounted external units. This will disappoint anyone planning to use Nikon’s excellent wireless flash system, but it reinforces the camera’s positioning as an available light action specialist. Presumably, Nikon believes portrait photographers would be better off with a D750.

SnapBridge

A new feature that Nikon is trumpeting is its SnapBridge connection to smartphones or tablets. Maintaining a permanent connection between the camera and smart device using Bluetooth is designed to get around the limitations of current Wi-Fi implementations. It switches to the more power-hungry Wi-Fi only when required for transferring high-resolution images or remotely controlling the camera. Part of the idea is that the camera can automatically transfer every picture you take to your phone (and then to Nikon’s cloud-sharing service, if you like) without needing the Wi-Fi turned on all the time.

This sounds great, but sadly, at the time of our original review, it didn’t work very well. On Android devices, SnapBridge did function pretty much as advertised, but even a brief play revealed it to be less suited to a high-end camera like the D500. Most obviously, the remote-control app offered no manual settings changes at all – a perplexing oversight at a time when every other brand offers extensive manual control of the camera via Wi-Fi.

The connection between the camera and phone is always active, even when the camera’s power switch is set to off. But contrary to the idea of using Bluetooth, this can result in considerable battery drain on the camera even when it is switched off. This can be fixed by switching the camera to its airplane mode, if you can find it in the menu and remember to turn it on. But then the two devices can often fail to re-establish the connection when you need it.

Build and handling

As we’d expect from a professional sports camera, the D500 gives the impression of being built like a tank. The magnesium-alloy body has a bombproof feel to it, and a well-designed grip means that it fits perfectly in the hand. Almost every square inch of the body is covered by buttons and dials, which give direct access to all the key functions – so much so, that there’s rarely any need to access the menus.

Nikon has used broadly the same control layout as that on recent models, such as the D810, but added a few additional tweaks that 
come straight out of the Canon playbook: at long last there’s a sensibly placed ISO button immediately behind the shutter release, and a joystick for positioning the focus point that sits naturally under the right thumb. Pressing this inwards engages autoexposure lock, and if you prefer using the D-pad to move the focus point, this works, too.

The upshot is that the most important settings can all be changed without taking the camera from your eye while shooting. However, those accessed from the cluster on the left-side top-plate – including drive mode, metering, white balance and exposure mode – still require you to remove your left hand from supporting the lens.

Nikon also offers a decent level of customisation, so you can reassign various buttons to suit your personal shooting. But to be honest, the basic layout is so well worked out that you might not find much need for this.

Unsurprisingly for such a sophisticated camera, the D500’s menus are complex, even for a seasoned user. It’s not so hard to work out what each option does when browsing through them at leisure, but trying to find and change any specific setting in a hurry is a real trial. Because of this, it makes a lot of sense to place your most needed functions in the customisable ‘My Menu’ once you get to know the camera.

It’s worth mentioning one thing that has become apparent with the rise of mirrorless cameras. It’s true that the D500 is bigger and bulkier by comparison, but for sports and wildlife fans using longer lenses, this can actually make it better balanced and easier to handle. Many mirrorless cameras suffer from having a small body married up to big lenses.

Viewfinder and screen

Without doubt, the D500’s optical viewfinder is one of the best we’ve seen on an APS-C DSLR. With a magnification of 1.0x and 100% coverage of the image area, it’s certainly the largest, and not far off full-frame DSLRs or the electronic viewfinders on high-end mirrorless cameras in terms of size. It doesn’t have all the clever viewfinder information overlays that Canon has included on its EOS 7D Mark II, but you do get to see all the core exposure data along with gridlines and a twin-axis electronic level. Unfortunately, this is usually displayed in black, so it can be difficult to discern while shooting.

The 2.36-million-dot rear screen is superb – it’s impressively detailed, while giving accurate colour rendition. Its ability to tilt 90° upwards or downwards can be handy in some situations for shooting from odd angles, although there is no doubt that the D500 is vastly more competent when using the viewfinder compared to shooting in live view.

Nikon has made the screen touch-sensitive, but kept the touch functionality to a minimum. You can select the focus point by touch in live view and movie modes, release the shutter and browse images in playback. But you can’t use the screen to browse menus or change any settings. This isn’t a deal-breaker, but would certainly have been useful, especially for video use.

Autofocus

At the D500’s heart is its 153-point autofocus system, which is very similar to that used in the flagship D5. Indeed, it’s the camera’s raison d’être, with Nikon aiming to give photographers a significant fraction of the D5’s capabilities in a smaller, cheaper package.

The first thing you notice on looking through the viewfinder is the huge spread of those focus points, covering the full width of the frame and a significant fraction of its height. It’s not quite the whole-frame coverage that we’ve become used to from mirrorless cameras, but is significantly greater than what you’ll get from any other DSLR.

Nikon has recognised that navigating so many focus points would be impractical, so it has limited the user-selectable array to 55, with the remainder employed to assist focus tracking on moving subjects. Indeed, these are so densely packed that there’s little chance of your subject drifting into an area that’s not covered.

If the subject is static, then you can shoot with either a single point or a group of points, which can be helpful with some subjects to avoid focusing on the background. For continuous focus on a moving subject, you have a number of extra options to choose from. Dynamic group mode is most effective when you know roughly where the subject will be in the frame; you can instruct the camera to use 25, 72, or all 153 focus points to maintain focus. Alternatively, in 3D tracking mode the camera uses all 153 points to follow the subject as it moves around the frame, with the 180,000-pixel metering sensor feeding information to help the camera keep track of your main subject.

There’s little doubt that the D500, alongside the D5, represents current state-of-the-art autofocus and subject tracking, keeping your subject sharp with uncanny ease, no matter how it moves around. If this is something you need – for sports, wildlife, or simply taking pictures of erratically moving kids – no other camera is likely to do it as well, let alone better.

Switch the camera to live view, though, and its AF speed falls off a cliff. Its contrast-detection system is tolerable for handheld shooting, but is not a patch on the lightning-fast systems on modern mirrorless cameras. The Nikon D780 was the first and only Nikon DSLR to offer on-sensor phase-detect AF, but it looks unlikely that Nikon will release another. However, the D500’s live view does at least benefit from the inherent accuracy of contrast-detection AF, especially when using fast lenses to shoot off-centre subjects.

Performance

As for metering, four patterns are available – matrix, centreweighted, spot and highlight weighted. The default matrix system is very strongly biased towards ‘correct’ exposure of whatever is under the active AF area, regardless of whether this suits the scene as a whole. This approach has it merits, but does have a certain tendency to clip highlights in high-contrast scenes. In such situations I appreciated having the highlight-weighted option which, as its name suggests, aims to maintain highlight detail, allowing you to bring up shadow regions in post-processing.

In this regard, raw files are remarkably malleable at low-ISO sensitivities, and it’s possible to pull vast amounts of detail out of the shadows without it being blighted by excessive noise. JPEG shooters can use Nikon’s Active D-Lighting feature to make similar use of the sensor’s superb dynamic range.

Auto white balance (AWB) tends to give extremely neutral results – indeed, too much for my tastes. For example, it’s prone to removing attractive warm casts from sunlit scenes, and I usually prefer to add back a little warmth to my images in post-processing. But while the AWB setting can be changed in the menu to retain warmth under artificial light, there’s no such option for daylight shooting.

Nikon’s colour rendition is generally very appealing, giving rich, saturated colours without going over the top. The output 
can be adjusted from the Picture Control menu using a range of subject-based settings, all of which can be individually fine-tuned. Sports and action shooters are likely to spend a lot of time using JPEGs, so it’s good to see that Nikon offers high-quality results straight from the camera.

Overall image quality is very good, but then again the same is true of much cheaper Nikon APS-C DSLRs. Indeed, at low ISOs there’s no real advantage in this area compared to the Nikon D7200 or indeed the D5500. But the D500 keeps going longer as the ISO is raised, and so long as you don’t expect miracles, it’s still capable of giving quite usable files at its top standard setting of ISO 51,200, and maybe even a stop higher. However, I can’t help but think that the extended settings exist more for marketing value than practical use.

Dynamic range, resolution and noise

Nikon used a 20.9-million-pixel DX-format sensor in the D500, and it delivers impressive image quality. It’s lower in resolution than Nikon’s cheaper DX DSLRs, which sport 24-million-pixel sensors, but the difference is less than 10% in terms of linear resolution, and I suspect it will be easy to accept this compromise in return for the D500’s other considerable skills. More to the point, high ISO performance is very good indeed, with the top standard sensitivity of ISO 51,200 giving remarkably respectable results. Unfortunately, though, the extended settings do seem to be hugely over-optimistic; anyone expecting usable ISO 1,638,400 from a DX sensor will need to wait a little longer.

Dynamic range

When it comes to dynamic range, the D500 scores remarkably well in our Applied Imaging tests. At ISO 50 we have a dynamic range of over 13EV, indicating massive leeway for recovering additional details from raw files, especially in shadow regions. This drops only slowly up to ISO 800, but beyond this the curve tails off more rapidly. Even so, values of 8.3EV at ISO 6,400 and 6EV at ISO 51,200 represent a remarkably strong showing for this size of sensor. But the precipitous decline in the extended settings indicates why these have limited practical use.

Resolution

The D500 captures as much from our resolution charts as we could realistically expect from its 20.9MP sensor. At low ISOs in raw it resolves around 3,700l/ph before maze-like aliasing comes into play; the JPEG processing tends to suppress such artefacts at the expense of slightly lower resolution. But what’s more impressive is its high ISO capability, with 3,000l/ph still recorded at ISO 6,400. At the highest standard setting of ISO 51,200, it achieves 2,600l/ph, but past this things go downhill quickly. Even at ISO 204,800, we see around 2,000l/ph, but the higher extended settings are too poor to be worth reproducing here.

Noise

Both raw and JPEG images taken from our diorama scene are captured at the full range of ISO settings. The camera is placed in its default setting for JPEG images. Raw images are sharpened and noise reduction applied, to strike the best balance between resolution and noise.

At low ISO sensitivities, the D500’s image quality is superb; fine detail is rendered with impressive sharpness thanks to the lack of an optical low-pass filter, and there’s no visible noise. At ISO 800 a little luminance noise becomes visible, and shadow details start to disappear. ISO 1,600 is still eminently usable, but by the time we hit ISO 6,400 fine detail and colour saturation are visibly suffering. By ISO 51,200, colour rendition becomes very broad-brush, but the image is still entirely recognisable and should be perfectly usable with careful processing from raw; this is pretty impressive coming from an APS-C-format sensor. However, at the extended higher sensitivity settings, it’s increasingly difficult to see the point as the image disappears progressively under an ocean of noise.

Nikon D500 – Verdict

In recent years, photographers looking for a truly high-end APS-C DSLR for sports and action shooting have been more or less limited to Canon’s EOS 7D Mark II and perhaps the later EOS 90D. But with the D500, Nikon returned to this sector in fine style, and its combination of superb autofocus, fast continuous shooting and excellent image quality places it very much at the top of the list.

The D500 is arguably the most accomplished crop-sensor camera yet made. Build and handling are exemplary, aided by some well-judged tweaks to the control layout; I particularly appreciated the repositioned ISO button and the joystick AF point selector. Meanwhile, the viewfinder is excellent, and it’s nice to see a tilting rear screen on a camera of this type, although it’s perhaps less useful here than on a mirrorless camera. The addition of 4K video recording will be the icing on the cake for some users, but make no mistake, the D500 shines brightest when used as a conventional DSLR for shooting fast-moving subjects.

Indeed, in all the time I’ve spent working with the D500, I’ve been hugely impressed by its ability to pull any shot out of the bag, acquiring focus quickly and confidently no matter how erratically moving the subject or how dim the light. Its excellent high ISO capability means it will deliver entirely usable image files in extremely low light, too.

The stumbling block: the original price of the Nikon D500 was more than you would have paid for some excellent full-frame cameras, including Nikon’s own D750, and around $1,000 / £1,000 more than the next DX model down – the highly accomplished Nikon D7200. Indeed, many Nikon users eyeing an upgrade might have been better served by buying a couple of nice Nikkor lenses instead, or upgrading to full frame if they’re looking for improved image quality. For this reason, the D500’s practical appeal was originally limited to those who know for sure that they can make use of its astonishing autofocus system and impressive high ISO image quality, and appreciate the extra effective telephoto reach afforded by the DX sensor.

The fact is, the D500 is not so much an expensive APS-C camera as a pro camera with an APS-C sensor. Looked at in those terms, it makes rather more sense, especially with today’s attractive and appealing prices on the secondhand market.

Find more great DSLRs from Nikon see our guide to the best Nikon DSLRs ever.

Related reading:

• Camera head-to-head: Canon EOS 7D Mark II vs Nikon D500
• Nikon D7500 vs Nikon D500
• Best zoom lenses for Nikon DSLRs

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The post Nikon D500 review: quick fire, quality DSLR appeared first on Amateur Photographer.

On paper, the Nikon D850 has a jaw-dropping spec that’s tailored for almost any subject and situation. It can still be picked up new for around $2,400 / £2,400, while there are also many used examples available second-hand. The D850 is Nikon’s highest resolution full-frame DSLR, with a 45.7MP sensor, and exceptional build quality that make it a DSLR that’s hard to beat; as noted in our compilation of the best DSLRs that money can buy.

Historically, high-speed shooting and an outstanding noise response were accepted compromises for choosing a super-high-resolution DSLR: hence why many professionals carry a model that’s good for shooting at high speed and another that excels at high resolution. There had never been the perfect hybrid. The D850 was Nikon’s attempt at being just that.

Nikon D850 – At a glance

• 45.4million-pixel FX format sensor
• $2,397 / £2,399 new body only
• 55-point AF system
• Nikon F-mount
• Wireless functionality
• ISO 64-102,400
• Records up to 4K video at 60fps
• Nikon D850 at Nikon.co.uk

What is the Nikon D850?

Nikon excited many photographers back in 2017 with news that it was working on a follow-up to its high-resolution full-frame Nikon D810. This became the Nikon D850. A lot has happened since then, so is the Nikon D850 still the ground-breaking camera it was at launch, and how does it fare today?

When released, the D850 provoked similar hype to the company’s high resolution Nikon D800 and D800E twins on their release back in 2012. It was expected that the resolution would exceed the 36 megapixels of the D800/D800E and D810 – but Nikon’s success in radically increasing shooting speed, its sensitivity range, and in adding a host of other improvements exceeded all expectations.

Since then we’ve had a series of mirrorless cameras that achieve a similar blend of features, but the D850 was the first. To read more about Nikon’s mirrorless Z system, head to our Best Nikon Mirrorless Cameras buyers’ guide.

Since the D850’s launch, mirrorless cameras have come to dominate the market; yet this big, sturdy, ultra-high resolution camera still has much to offer, especially for those who prefer optical viewfinders and cameras with a bit of heft. It’s no exaggeration to say that the D850 is approaching cult camera status as the high water mark of DSLR image quality and performance.

DSLRs still have many fans, and you can find out more about the Nikon DSLR ecosystem in our guides to the best Nikon DSLRs and best Nikon F-mount lenses.

Nikon D850 – Features

Inside the Nikon D850 is what was then an all-new 45.7-megapixel full-frame (FX-format) CMOS sensor, which does away with an optical low-pass filter. It packs gapless on-chip micro-lenses, with a backside-illuminated architecture to maximise its light-gathering capabilities. Where the D810 could shoot natively between ISO 64-12,800 (expandable to ISO 32-51,200), the D850 offers a standard sensitivity range of ISO 64-25,600, expandable to ISO 32-102,400.

Nikon has paired this new sensor with the same Expeed 5 image processor seen in its flagship Nikon D5. This helps to bring continuous shooting speed up to a healthy 7fps – and there’s the option to boost this to 9fps with the MB-D18 grip ($399 / £389) and EN-EL18 high-power battery.

At 7fps the D850 has a 51-frame raw buffer, and with an XQD card slot right next to an UHS-II compatible SD card slot, it offers good prospects for sports and action photographers who demand only the fastest read/write speeds.

The XQD format was a pretty short-lived storage medium, but it’s physically identical to the newer and widely used CFexpress Type B format, and a subsequent firmware update has made the D850 CFexpress-compatible.

The D850 also inherits Nikon’s best DSLR autofocus system – again lifted directly from the D5. It sports 153 focus points (of which 55 are user-selectable), including 99 of the more accurate cross-type, and 15 that will work with lens and teleconverter combinations with an aperture of f/8. The centre point is sensitive to -4EV, and the rest to -3EV, allowing the camera to focus quickly in low light.

Autofocus modes include auto area, 3D colour tracking, single point AF and the option to select the number of continuous (AF-C) focus points from a group of 9,25,72 or 153. In Live View, there’s a new pinpoint AF mode that’s designed to ease precise focusing on smaller subjects in the frame, but without on-chip phase detection, Nikon is still relying entirely on contrast detection for autofocus. This is a key point to keep in mind with DSLRs – they effectively have two AF systems; one for viewfinder shooting and another for live view.

Metering is left in the capable hands of the manufacturer’s 180,00-pixel RGB sensor – yet another feature inherited from the D5. As we’ve seen before, it’s this metering sensor that’s used for subject-recognition; including face detection, which feeds information to the AF system for accurate and precise subject tracking.

If you’re worried about how quickly the D850 might clog up storage devices with its huge 8256 x 5504 pixel files, fear not. Nikon has added two reduced image size options when recording in Raw or JPEG. Change the image size from large to medium and the D850 will record 25.6-megapixel files (6192 x 4128 pixels), with the small setting reducing the resolution to 11.4-megapixel files (4128 x 2752 pixels).

Subsequent launches, such as the Panasonic Lumix S1R and Sony A1 and A7R V have made these ultra-high resolutions mainstream, so by now most users will have storage setups and computer hardware that can cope.

In addition, the D850 has a DX Crop mode. This is automatically selected by the camera when a DX lens is attached, but can be used in combination with FX lenses for those who’d like to gain more reach at the telephoto end. It may use a small area of the D850’s sensor, but still produces adequate resolution (19.4 megapixels) with a 5408 x 3600 pixel count. To put this into perspective, the resolution produced in the D850’s DX Crop mode is not far behind the 20.9-megapixel resolution produced by the Nikon D7500 and D500.

As for video, the D850 is capable of in-camera 4K recording at 30fps using the full width of the sensor. 4K time-lapse movies can also be generated in-camera, but strangely, the only feature Nikon chose to reveal early – 8K time-lapse – can’t. This requires the use of third-party software. A more accurate description would have been to say the camera has a built-in intervalometer.

Videographers will also be pleased to receive aids such as focus peaking for accurate manual focus, and zebra patterns to help avoid overexposure. Both microphone and headphone sockets are built in and are located above the USB and Type-C HDMI interfaces. By current mirrorless standards, the D850’s video specifications are pretty ordinary, but it’s still an effective video camera for more considered filming setups (but not vlogging) and shouldn’t be underestimated.

Elsewhere, there’s new in-camera focus bracketing to create extended depth-of-field composites, as well as a new Natural Light Auto White Balance option, which promises optimal results in outdoor lighting. Hopefully, this should tackle Nikon’s favouritism to over-neutralise outdoor shots to give them more warmth.

Other impressive features are found on the rear of the camera. The optical viewfinder is the largest yet seen on a Nikon DSLR, with a 0.75x magnification; below it sits a 2.36m-dot LCD that tilts up and down. It’s similar to the D500’s screen and fully supports touch functionality, allowing you to navigate menus, browse images in playback or set the AF point in Live View.

Nikon’s familiar EN-EL15 battery powers the camera, but what’s particularly impressive here is that it can be used to shoot 1840 shots on a single charge – a big jump from the 1200-shot stamina of the Nikon D810.

As we’ve seen before, the D850 gets Nikon’s SnapBridge connectivity as a means of wirelessly moving images to mobile devices. Images can be transferred as you shoot, and selecting the all-important down-sampling 2-megapixel mode rapidly speeds up transfer times and saves on valuable storage space.

Nikon D850 – Body and design

Professional full-frame DSLRs have to be built like tanks if they’re to be robust enough to put up with the rigours of daily use. The D850 is no exception and Nikon again produced an incredibly strong camera that feels superbly constructed, albeit with a few subtle body changes over the D810.

For its strength and rigidity, the camera is built around a magnesium alloy chassis. It’s fully weather-sealed to prevent moisture, dust and dirt penetrating through the body seams and damaging the internals. Nikon has also taken the decision to remove the pop-up flash – something that was useful on the D810 to trigger off-camera flash, but isn’t found on many of today’s most resilient, professional DSLRs.

From the front, the D850 doesn’t appear all that different from the D810. However, when you get it in your hands you’ll notice that the grip has been reworked and made a fraction deeper. It will accommodate the largest of hands extremely well and your index finger is left to rest comfortably on the shutter button.

Comfort and a good feel are key factors for any serious photographer who will often spend hours at a time with their camera in hand. It’s here that the D850 really excels, to the point I’d say it’s one of the most comfortable pro DSLRs I’ve used over prolonged spells of shooting. This is perhaps one of the areas where an old-school DSLR still has an advantage over newer but smaller mirrorless rivals.

Spin the camera around in your hands to see that every inch of the body is covered in buttons, dials or connector ports, with sufficient dedicated controls to change every key shooting setting without resorting to the menus. There are a few nice touches  button layout. For example, there’s a new joystick that falls naturally under the thumb for shifting the focus point around the frame on the go. It’s quicker than using the four-way controller and its knurled texture distinguishes it from the AF-ON button.

Nikon’s decision to put the ISO button above the drive mode dial on the D810 was always a curious one, so it’s good to see this being exchanged with the mode button. In use, it means sensitivity can now be changed without having to pull your eye away from the viewfinder.

At the rear are the usual menu, lock, playback zoom and OK buttons parallel to the left of the screen; and there’s also a new customisable Fn2 button in the bottom corner that’s brilliant for rating images in playback. It can also be set up to access My Menu and toggle between stills and movie shooting info in Live View. The integrated Live View button and stills/movie switch has shifted down and the info button is useful for viewing key exposure settings on-screen.

Nikon users coming from the D800, D800E or D810 will quickly become familiar with the changes to the body. It should also be said that other Nikon users coming from less advanced APS-C models shouldn’t find the D850 bewildering, and can use their good knowledge of Nikon’s menu system to setup and navigate the camera easily.

If all the above wasn’t enough, the D850 has a few other nice touches. Flicking the on/off switch to its bulb position illuminates the top-plate LCD as well as many of the buttons across the body, which can make all the difference when shooting in the dark. In addition, there’s a clever folding port cover that allows you to keep the headphone socket fully protected from the elements when a microphone is plugged in.

Nikon D850 – Silent shooting

We’ve seen Nikon attempt to quieten its DSLRs in the past by adding shooting modes that effectively dampen the sound of mirror slap. The D850 is equipped with two such modes (one offering 3fps continuous shooting) and both can be found from the drive mode dial on the top corner of the body.

Although these modes do suppress the sound of the shutter a little, the mirror slap is still audible. To go one better, Nikon has introduced a silent, zero-vibration electronic shutter to the D850 that enables users to capture images in complete silence when using Live View.

Users are given two silent Live View modes to choose from in the photo shooting menu. Mode 1 offers silent shooting at 6fps at full resolution including Raw, whereas Mode 2 rattles out 8-megapixel shots at 30fps in the JPEG format only.

This new way of shooting will be well received, particularly by wedding and wildlife photographers who are often at risk of frightening or disturbing their subjects in quiet environments.

I tested both modes at a church wedding, and those around me were completely oblivious to the fact I was capturing images throughout the service. It’s a boon for those times when you want to be discreet and work under the radar.

Now, of course, silent shooting is a staple feature of mirrorless cameras like the Nikon Z7 II and Nikon Z8, but many might be surprised to learn that a DSLR behemoth like the D850 can do it too.

Nikon D850 – Viewfinder and screen

One of the constraints of the Nikon D810 was that it had a fixed screen. After years of waiting it’s good to finally see Nikon embracing a tilting touchscreen on one of its high-resolution pro-spec DSLRs.

The screen is essentially the same 2.36m-dot LCD that you get on the D500. It tilts up and down for waist-level shooting, but isn’t as ingenious as the screen of the Fujifilm X-T2 and later models, in that shooting is constrained to landscape format rather than portrait, too.

The angle of tilt is particularly good for low- and high-angle shooting. It goes one better than the D500’s screen in that the touchscreen can now be used to browse menus and change menu settings. You can’t change exposure variables from the info display or Live View screen, but it’s a big step in the right direction. As for its response, it’s incredibly sensitive and precise to the touch, rivalling the response of Canon’s superb touchscreens.

The viewfinder is equally as impressive as the screen. It doesn’t offer a preview of white balance, exposure or depth of field in the way of an electronic viewfinder, but with its 0.75x magnification and 100% frame coverage it offers a very pleasing view when raised to the eye.

It’s possible to turn on a viewfinder grid display, and I found myself assigning the Fn1 button to the viewfinder virtual horizon, which loads a helpful levelling guide on the horizontal and vertical axis to avoid skewed shots. Being the optical type the viewfinder has zero lag, and incredibly short blackout time, and there’s the option to block out the viewfinder to prevent any light leak problems during long exposures.

Nikon D850 – Autofocus

Nikon’s professional DSLR’s have long had a good reputation for putting in fast and accurate focusing performances. The D850 is no exception, and with the same Multi-CAM 20K autofocus sensor module seen in Nikon’s flagship D5, it can be relied upon to acquire focus faster than you thought possible.

This is most impressive in very poor light conditions. Dimly lit dance floors at wedding venues and low-light wildlife shots are just a couple of examples where I found the capabilities of the D850’s autofocus system excelled beyond my expectations.

I experienced no difficulty at all tracking moving subjects travelling directly towards the camera, even in fading light. A quick fire burst of 18 frames at 7fps set to continuous AF (AF-C) resulted in just three frames of a train travelling towards the camera in excess of 60mph not being perfectly pin-sharp.

The 55 user-selectable points are expanded relative to the D810, but they’re still grouped towards the centre of the frame, meaning there may be the odd occasion when your subject is positioned in an area of the frame where you need to focus first and then recompose.

In similar fashion to other Nikon DSLRs, the AF is changed between single (AF-S) and continuous (AF-C) modes by pressing the AF button located inside the AF/MF switch and turning the rear dial. Holding down the button and turning the front dial controls the number of points in use in AF-C mode and is also used to select 3D AF tracking.

From the Autofocus custom setting menu you can refine AF settings to suit your way of shooting. For example, you can speed up or slow down the blocked shot AF response, and tell the camera whether you’re shooting an erratic or steady-moving subject from the Focus tracking with lock-on settings. Users are given the option to reduce the number of selectable AF points from 55 to 15, and back button focusing is easy enough to setup from the AF activation sub menu.

Nikon D850 – Performance

Being such a versatile camera, I found myself shooting a wide range of subjects in many different environments to find out how the D850 performs. First, I used the camera to shoot a series of landscapes and quickly found myself blown away by the astonishing detail the sensor resolves.

The marriage of high resolution, fast focus speed and tilt-angle screen allowed me to capture shots bursting with detail from low-angles – far easier than any previous high resolution DSLR Nikon has produced.

The crystal-clear rear display, with its responsive touch control and accurate colour rendition, is excellent for monitoring results. I regularly used the double-tap function combined with the rear dial to quickly zoom into 100% and check focus between shots. Even if you’re not overly keen on the idea of using a touchscreen on a DSLR, the D850’s is so good you’re likely to use it more than you think, especially to navigate the menu.

Testing the D850 at a wedding produced a pleasing set of results with two of my favourite lenses – the Sigma 24-35mm f/2 DG HSM Art and Sigma 135mm f/1.8 DG HSM. The true test was its silent Live View mode, where I opted for Mode 1 ahead of Mode 2 to prioritise resolution ahead of speed.

While it’s great that the D850 can capture shots without trace of a sound, you’re still totally reliant on contrast-detection for autofocus in Live View, both when shooting stills and video. I did find myself missing a few key shots where the D850 struggled to lock on fast enough, at which point I reverted to phase-detection focusing and composing via the viewfinder at the cost of louder operation.

The D850 can’t quite reach the heights of Canon’s EOS 5D Mark IV, which benefits from on-chip phase detection in Live View thanks to its Dual Pixel AF technology. However, the disadvantage of the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV is that it doesn’t offer a completely silent shooting mode in Live View like the D850.

To test the D850’s speed capabilities I used it on a car shoot – hanging out the back of a car to get a series of action shots. Without the MB-D18 grip and EN-EL18 high-power battery I was limited to shooting at 7fps, but the AF system proved more than capable of tracking the car, delivering pin-sharp results frame after frame.

However, I did notice that shooting in Raw and Fine JPEG formats at full resolution only gave me around 400 shots or so to play with using a SanDisk Extreme Pro 64GB card. In order to shoot at the highest quality at the highest speed on the D850 then you’ll need a few high-capacity cards; and the best quality cards too.

I managed to shoot 20 continuous frames (Raw and Fine JPEG) at full resolution at 7fps to my card before the buffer was reached. To get anywhere close to the promised 51-frame raw buffer – and reach the full potential of the D850’s speed capabilities – you’ll be required to use the finest UHS-II SD cards or XQD cards.

Just as my time with the camera came to an end, I managed to source a Sony 64GB XQD card. In real-world use I found I was recording around 40 (14-bit lossless compressed) Raw files at 7fps before its buffer was reached. This is an impressive number considering the vast volume of data it was being asked to process and write. Formatting the card and switching to 12-bit lossless compressed Raw saw the number of continuously recorded frames increase to 107 at 7fps.

As for Nikon’s wireless connectivity, I found the camera would automatically pair and connect to my iPhone via Bluetooth without issue. However, it wouldn’t always send my latest shots to my mobile device straight away when the auto-link within the app was clearly switched on. It seemed completely random as to when new photos would be transferred from the camera.

To overcome this I ended up using the Download Selected Pictures option, which initiates a Wi-Fi connection with the camera. Then, I manually selected the images I wanted to wirelessly transfer to my camera roll before sharing. Having the option to select the shots you’d like to import at 2MB or full resolution is great in this part of the app, but overall I was left with the impression that SnapBridge could be made more intuitive to use.

The fact it doesn’t offer the option to change exposure settings live in Remote Shooting mode also puts it way behind other apps from rival manufacturers.

Nikon D850 – Video

The D850 is capable of producing excellent movie footage in the hands of a videographer. It’s capable of in-camera 4K recording (3840 x 2160) at 30fps and Full HD (1920 x 1080) at up to 60fps for a maximum record time of 29mins 59secs.

For more tips and advice on how to record and edit video with a DSLR like the Nikon D850, don’t miss our detailed guide to Making a video with your camera.

For cinematographers, the feature that sets the D850 apart from other DSLRs is its 4K and 8K time-lapse capabilities. The time-lapse movie and intervalometer settings are easy enough to get your head around, offering advanced options such as being able to turn on silent shooting and exposure smoothing.

Once you’ve setup the interval and shooting time, you get a visual of how much space the time-lapse is going to take up on your SD or XQD card, as well as the indicated length of the time-lapse once complete. It’s simply a matter of hitting start to commence a 4K time-lapse. However, it’s worth noting that those who’d like to generate an 8K time-lapse will need to shoot in Raw and run the files through a third-party program since this can’t be done in-camera.

Creating high-resolution time-lapse footage is rather draining on the battery, so the MB-D18 grip and EN-EL18 high-power battery are recommended if you’re going to use this functionality regularly.

Nikon D850 – Image quality

The increase to 45.7 megapixels sees the D850 yield a slightly higher resolution than 42.4-megapixel Exmor R CMOS sensor found in the Sony A7R II and A7R III but it isn’t quite as high as the 50.6-megapixel resolution of Canon’s EOS 5DS and EOS 5DS R twins. With its lack of optical low-pass filter, the sensor produces a sensational level of detail, with great scope for cropping and maintaining high resolution when required.

Since the D850’s launch, the Sony A1 and A7R IV and A7R V have offered higher resolutions still, but the increases are incremental, and the D850 still belongs to the ‘ultra-high resolution’ club.

Despite the sensor being densely packed with pixels, it offers wide dynamic range leverage and allows users to return a high level of shadow detail to Raw files with minimal noise. Pushing the D850’s sensitivity to its extremes reveals that ISO 6400 is usable, and the same can be said for ISO 12,800 with some vigilant noise reduction applied in post.

Resolution

The D850 resolves such a high level of detail that it was necessary to shoot our resolution chart from double the distance to determine our results. The sensor resolves 4800l/ph at ISO 100 – a sensational figure that it manages to maintain up to ISO 400. Beyond this point it drops a little to a very respectable 4400l/ph at ISO 800 and 4000l/ph at ISO 1600.

The sensor showed no problem resolving 3600l/ph at ISO 6400, with a slightly lower 3200l/ph figure being recorded at both ISO 12,800 and ISO 25,600. Detail starts to tail off more beyond this point as noise becomes ever more prevalent at higher sensitivity settings.

Noise

To produce the best results at high ISO, you’ll want to shoot in Raw. However, I was left impressed by the in-camera processing that’s applied to the D850’s JPEG images, with fine detail being well preserved up to ISO 12,800.

A close examination of raw files revealed noise-free results between ISO 100-800, with trace luminance noise starting to creep in at ISO 1600. ISO 3200 and ISO 6400 are perfectly usable, and I wouldn’t fear pushing to ISO 12,800 – just beware that shots taken at this setting will require some noise reduction applied during processing.

I noticed a drop in saturation beginning at ISO 25,600, and noise becomes so imposing at ISO 51,200 and ISO 102,400 that you’ll want to avoid these settings at all costs. Whereas ISO 3200-6400 was the limit at which I’d want to shoot at with the D810, I wouldn’t be too fearful of pushing to ISO 12,800 on the D850 if there’s no other option.

Verdict: Should I buy the Nikon D850?

Nikon users had a long three-year wait for a replacement to the mighty D810, but the great news is that the D850 doesn’t disappoint in the slightest, delivering impressive features by the truckload.

Professionals, semi-professionals and serious enthusiasts who buy the Nikon D850 will be thunderstruck, even now, by the performance of the new 45.7-million-pixel full-frame (FX-format) CMOS sensor, particularly its low-light capabilities at high ISO. Nikon is well aware that a professional DSLR needs more than a high resolution and excellent noise response to satisfy serious photographers, and by successfully marrying high resolution with high speed they’ve made the D850 one of the most versatile DSLRs around.

For anyone who carries a D810 for high-resolution shooting and a D500 for fast action work, for example, the D850 is capable of replacing both in a single body. The only thing to factor in here is that you will require the MB-D18 battery grip and EN-EL18b battery to shoot at 9fps, which adds considerably to the body-only price.

It’s not just the speed and the way the D850 is capable of processing such high volumes of data so quickly that impresses, either, as the AF response is as good as you get on the flagship Nikon D5. It’s insanely accurate and responsive, even when challenged with the fastest subjects and poorest of lighting conditions.

Other attractive features are it’s tilting touchscreen and impressive video capabilities; although I do feel that both of these could have been made better with touch control of key exposure variables, and a faster live view focusing system. The only other disappointment was SnapBridge connectivity, which didn’t perform faultlessly and wasn’t always reliable at transmitting images to my mobile device as they were taken.

There’s no question that the D850 deserves to be taken seriously even now, because its appeal is so broad: action, sports and wildlife photographers to landscape, portrait, wedding, architectural and still-life photographers will all love it. Not everyone enjoys the handling of mirrorless cameras or the electronic viewing experience – for those who still prefer the DSLR design, the D850 is an extremely compelling alternative, especially at today’s prices. If DSLRs like the D850 are a dying breed, then you should get one while you can!

Find more great DSLRs from Nikon in our guide to the best Nikon DSLRs ever.

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The Canon EOS 90D came out in 2019, and now looks like one of the last of Canon’s DSLRs as it shifts focus to mirrorless cameras. But with a high-resolution 32.5MP APS-C sensor and a broad range of features, the EOS 90D remains one of the best Canon DSLRs today, and still stands up next to modern mirrorless models; especially for wildlife, sports and other fast-moving subjects.

At a glance:

• $1,000 / £1,299 body only, $1,399 / £1,699 with 18-135mm IS USM lens
• Used $899 / £945 body only, $1,249 / £1,300 with 18-135mm IS USM lens
• 32.5-million-pixel APS-C CMOS sensor
• DIGIC 8 image processor
• ISO 100-25,600 (expandable to ISO 51,200)
• 10fps continuous shooting
• 220k pixel RGB+IR metering sensor
• Dual Pixel CMOS AF with Eye Detection AF
• Microphone and headphone input
• 1300-shot battery life

We were intrigued to see Canon release a new APS-C DSLR in 2019, just as it was evolving its mirrorless systems. Back then, it evinced Canon’s intent on strengthening its EOS DSLR line up alongside that of its EOS M and EOS mirrorless range. The situation has shifted considerably since.

Yet the Canon EOS DSLR range continues, and our guide to the best Canon DSLRs shows the top choices available today. All have access to a larger number of Canon-made and third-party lenses: our guide to the best Canon EF lenses picks out some of the best.

Who’s it for?

The EOS 90D arrived three years after Canon last refreshed its double-digit series of DSLRs. It’s the successor to the popular EOS 80D. A versatile workhorse for all genres, it appeals to enthusiast photographers as well as advanced amateurs who have outgrown their entry-level DSLR and are ready to advance their photography.

Many of us still prefer DSLR handling and viewing systems to those of mirrorless cameras, so the EOS 90D is likely to find a willing audience, even today. See our guide to DSLR vs mirrorless cameras for a detailed breakdown of the differences.

Features

The EOS 90D brought an all-new 32.5-million-pixel CMOS chip, which is also used inside Canon’s latest EOS M series camera the EOS M6 Mark II and the newer RF-mount EOS R7. Whereas the older EOS 80D offered an ISO range of ISO 100-16,000 (expandable to ISO 25,600), the EOS 90D’s sensor goes one better in the way it shoots between ISO 100-25,600, expandable to ISO 51,200.

Healthy continuous shooting speed

The sensor works alongside Canon’s DIGIC 8 image processor, which contributes to faster data processing and a healthy increase in continuous shooting speed. Whereas the EOS 70D and EOS 80D let you shoot a continuous burst at up to 7fps, this IS augmented to 10fps with autofocus tracking when using the viewfinder, and 11fps when using Live View with fixed AF. To put this into context, it can now keep up with the EOS 7D Mark II, albeit with a smaller buffer. Canon claims it can sustain 58 JPEGs or 25 raw files at 10fps before its limit is reached. That 10fps shooting speed is certainly impressive, but the EOS 90D can’t maintain that rate for more than a short burst.

Dual Pixel CMOS AF

Those who remember the EOS 70D will recall it being Canon’s first DSLR to feature Dual Pixel CMOS AF. This revolutionary technology was lauded such a success, no time was wasted introducing it in other models across the EOS line up. In a nutshell, Dual Pixel CMOS AF supports sensor-based, phase detection autofocus. The system works by splitting all the effective pixels across the sensor into two individual photodiodes – one for left and one for right. This means the EOS 90D can perform on-sensor phase detection focusing both in Live View and during video recording; overcoming the sluggish Live View focusing performance associated with Canon DSLRs that predate 2013.

On the subject of autofocus, the EOS 90D adopts the same AF system from the EOS 80D. Out of the 45 all cross-type AF points on offer, 27 are f/8 compatible, with the centre point being sensitive down to f/2.8. The working range of the autofocus hasn’t changed either, and continues to operate across a -3EV-18EV range.

Metering

Whereas the EOS 80D inherited Canon’s Canon’s 7,560-pixel RGB+IR metering sensor from the EOS 750D and EOS 760D, the EOS 90D presents a 220,000-pixel RGB+IR exposure sensor. This should see it dissect and analyse scenes even more effectively for consistent and accurate exposure metering. Evaluative metering is linked to all AF points, with partial and spot metering covering approximately 6.5% and 2% of the viewfinder respectively. Exposure compensation is controlled across a range of +/- 5EV in 1/3 or 1/2 stop increments.

Canon doesn’t officially quote shutter actuation figures for the EOS 90D, however if the electronically controlled focal-plane shutter is similar to the EOS 80D’s, you can expect a shutter lifespan of around 100,000 shots. If you’d like to exceed the 1/8000sec maximum shutter speed, such as when wanting to shoot with a fast aperture in sunny conditions, you can do so at up to 1/16000sec by entering Live View and activating the electronic shutter. Coming out of Live View after shooting at 1/16000sec automatically sees the mechanical shutter reset back to 1/8000sec.

Wireless control

Those who regularly use long exposures can set the camera to bulb mode and trigger it with a hard-wired remote controller like the Canon TC80N3 with RA-E3 adapter, or use a wireless remote controller like the BR-E1. Alternatively, users may wish to take advantage of Canon’s Camera Connect app for iOS and Android for free and use it to start/stop the exposure whilst referring to a useful in-built timer.

Video

Compared to the Canon EOS 70D and Canon EOS 80D, which have only ever offered the ability to shoot movies at Full HD (1920×1080) resolution, the EOS 90D is the first double-digit EOS DSLR to feature 4K video recording. Most importantly it uses the full width of the sensor with no crop. Videographers can shoot 4K video at 30/25p and Full HD video at up to 120fps. Those who’d like to monitor audio levels will be pleased to read that both headphone and microphone inputs are supported, which are located at the side behind the same rubber flap. This is a decent enough set of specs even today, and pretty unique amongst DSLR designs.

It’s also a lot better than the Canon EOS 850D, which boasts 4K video amongst its specifications, but with a substantial crop factor and without Dual Pixel CMOS AF.

But only a single card slot

Other points of interest include a single card slot at the side that accepts UHS-II SD cards, which seems somewhat mean since many recent rivals have two, and the acceptance of Canon’s high stamina LP-E6N battery. Battery economy has improved too – up from 960 shots on the EOS 80D to 1300 shots based on CIPA testing. This is one respect where the EOS 90D still has a clear advantage over the newer EOS R7. Users who’d like to extend battery life still further can also load two batteries via the BG-E14 battery grip, which is the same that the EOS 70D and EOS 80D use.

Connectivity

Wi-Fi connectivity is built into the EOS 90D, offering photographers the freedom to control the camera wirelessly from a smartphone or tablet that’s running Canon’s excellent Camera Connect app. There’s also Bluetooth connectivity to form a permanent connection to a smartphone – a feature seen on previous EOS models like the EOS 800D and EOS 77D. It allows your phone to be used as a remote control at any time, without having to mess around setting up a Wi-Fi connection between devices.

The Bluetooth connection can also instruct the camera to fire up its Wi-Fi for when you want to copy images across to your phone, or use full remote control with live view. The auto transfer option, which automatically downloads images taken with the camera to a smartphone connected via Wi-fi works well and you’re given the option to select a reduced image size (1620×1080 pixels) to prevent large size files filling your smartphone too quickly.

Compared to some cameras, the EOS 90D’s connectivity is straightforward and quick to setup. You get an easy connection guide from the home page of the Camera Connect app that walks you through the steps involved.

Build & Handling

Canon’s double digit DSLR’s have shared much of a likeness for many years. The 70D wasn’t vastly different to the 60D and the 80D, which introduced a slightly enlarged thumb rest, had much the same look as the 70D. A glance at the 90D from the front and you’ immediately start questioning’d wonder if any changes have been made at all. On closer inspection you’ll notice the button to raise the pop-up flash protrudes slightly more and there aren’t as many holes for the in-built microphone.

Turning our attention to the top plate, the rather plasticky top plate dial has been replaced by one that has a better-knurled texture, but in most other respects it’s identical to the 80D. The buttons to take control of AF mode, drive mode, ISO and metering are all laid out the same, with the small button that’s between the top plate dial and shutter button well placed to quickly cycle through the AF area modes.

Custom controls

In total there are nine custom controls. However, the AF area button isn’t one you can reassign to a different function. On the left shoulder of the body you’ll find the mode dial with lock button within to prevent it being moved accidentally. The On/Off switch is positioned below the mode dial again like so many of Canon’s DSLRs. Though it’s not as natural to use as an On/Off switch that encircles the shutter button, you do quickly get used to flicking it with your left thumb.

The most significant change to the 90D’s body is found at the rear. After many years of no multi-controller joystick at the rear of a double-digit EOS DSLR, it’s great to see one again here. A joystick did feature on the EOS 20D, 30D, 40D and 50D, but was then removed from the EOS 60D, 70D and 80D, forcing those who wanted one to look at more advanced EOS models.

Joystick positioning

The joystick is where the Quick menu button used to be on the 80D, so this is now a little lower to the right. The playback button that was positioned above the multi control dial has now been moved below it, which in turn sees the lock switch move slightly to the right. The purpose of the lock switch is to prevent unintentional changes to exposure compensation and exposure settings by moving the multi control dial. It doesn’t physically lock (the wheel will still turn) but it does turns off the function.

Enthusiasts who’d like to intuitively shift the AF point around the frame will really appreciate having the multi-controller joystick on the EOS 90D. Going back to using the 80D and having to tap the directional buttons to get the AF point where you want it to be highlights how much faster and more intuitive focus point positioning is on the 90D. The other benefit of the joystick is that it makes for a great way of quickly navigating the menu. To confirm menu settings, or reposition the AF point back to the centre of the frame, simply push the joystick inwards.

The feel in the hand

The body is constructed from a blend of aluminium alloy and polycarbonate resin with glass fiber. There’s no sign of creaking or squeaking when it’s gripped tightly and though it’s not as solid as pro-spec EOS models, it feels well put together and robust enough for those it’s designed for. As a camera that’s likely to fall into the hands of countless wildlife, sports and outdoors photographers who might get caught out in wet weather, it was vital for Canon to ensure the body is weather sealed.

Canon doesn’t provide any information about exactly how many weather seals feature in the construction, but most importantly they do a good job. Using the 90D outdoors in persistent drizzle for more than two hours caused no harm and I was pleasantly surprised to find that the touchscreen is just as responsive to use when it’s covered in water droplets as when it’s dry, which can’t be said for all cameras.

Light for its size

Another thing that’ll appeal is how easy it is for existing Canon users to pick up the 90D and immediately feel at home with it. It won’t feel intimidating for anyone upgrading from an entry-level EOS model and neither does it feel too big a step down from an advanced EOS DSLR like the EOS 7D Mark II. There isn’t a huge difference in weight between the 90D (701g) and 80D (730g), but a saving in weight is better than no saving at all. It’s one of the lightest double-digit EOS DSLRs to be made, second to that of the EOS 30D (700g).

Viewfinder and Screen

The optical viewfinder, like the 80D, offers 100% frame coverage with 0.95x magnification and -3 to +1 m-1 dioptre correction. Exposure variables are clearly displayed along the bottom and if you head into the viewfinder display options in the menu you can choose to display an electronic level, grid display as well as a Flicker detection warning. Unlike many electronic viewfinders found on mirrorless cameras though, it doesn’t rotate this information when you shoot in the portrait format.

Benefits of a tilting screen

As for the screen, it’s the same 3in, 1040k-dot vari-angle touchscreen we’ve seen on many Canon DSLRs before. It displays a good, clean feed to assist composition and video recording in Live View. Images are well displayed in playback mode too. Colours are faithful and you get four thumbnail views to quickly search through hundreds of images on the memory card. Having the option of pulling the screen out and tilting it to your preferred angle gives it a distinct advantage over a fixed screen when attempting to shoot from low or high angles. Those with sharp eyes will also notice the cut out that helps users pull the screen out when it’s folded back into the camera is now positioned at the top corner rather than at the side.

Touch screen performance

As we’ve become used to on Canon’s most recent DSLRs, the touch screen is very responsive and reacts to the lightest of touches when it’s used to navigate the menus, select different settings or zoom and swipe through images in playback mode. There is the option to increase the sensitivity from standard to sensitive, but it’s hard to decipher a difference between them. If you find the touchscreen more of a hindrance than it is helpful, it can be disabled from the touch control settings.

Performance

The 90D’s layout of 45 autofocus points is grouped quite tightly in the viewfinder. The central gathering of AF points are arranged in a 3×5 grid with the top and bottom line sitting a fraction higher than the two groups of 15 AF points either side. You’re required to press the AF selection button first before you’re able to shift the AF point around the frame. If you’d prefer to move the AF point instantly with the joystick you’ll need to enter the CnFn III Operation/Others option in the menu, head to the Custom Controls and change the function of the Multi-controllers from off to direct AF point selection. I’m surprised it’s not setup this way by default; most users would expect it to operate this way straight out of the box.

Focusing in live view

In situations where you’d like to focus close to the edge of the frame where there isn’t an AF point you’ll either need to focus and recompose or switch over to shooting in Live View. In the latter you’re provided with much wider 100×88% vertical and horizontal frame coverage with as many as 5481 AF positions to choose from. As well as spot AF, 1-point AF and Zone AF, there’s also tracking AF in Live View, with the option to turn face and eye detection on from a touch of the the Info button.

Real-world testing revealed the 90D can identify and track faces effectively, even at long distances. Eye detection becomes active within approximately 2m of a person, with the smaller of two white squares indicating which eye the camera has locked onto. You can tell the camera which eye you’d prefer it to focus on by flicking the joystick left and right, but you will notice that Eye detection becomes less effective when the person you’re photographing turns and isn’t facing the camera straight on.

Tracking sensitivity

I was particularly impressed by the success rate of sharp shots I managed to achieve in low light when shooting indoor go-karts approaching head-on using the viewfinder. Sports and wildlife users will appreciate the advanced autofocus settings on offer too such as the option to refine the responsiveness of the tracking sensitivity, although being able to choose from various AF case sensitivities for different subjects is a feature that remains exclusive to higher-end EOS models.

Reliable metering is another of the 90D’s strengths. You can trust the camera to deliver well-exposed images in evaluative metering mode and I rarely found myself having to dial in more than -1EV to prevent highlights being clipped in the brightest areas. For scenes where evaluative metering isn’t the best option, there’s also partial, spot and centre weighted to choose from. If you happen to underexpose an image a little too far for the highlights, the 90D’s wide dynamic range gives you the scope to pull detail back at the editing stage without introducing unbearable levels of noise.

Battery stamina

It goes without saying the number of shots that one can get out of the battery pack depends on various factors, such as the temperature of the environment, and how often power-sapping functions like Wi-fi are turned on.

Checking the battery info when the battery icon began to blink told me you can get close to the estimated 1300 shots per charge if you use the viewfinder for a majority of your shooting. While this battery life is impressive and surpasses many smaller mirrorless cameras, it’s let down slightly by the fact a newer USB Type-C interface for in-camera charging, like you get on Canon’s EOS R models, isn’t supported.

Canon also provides a good amount of control over image processing settings. The default Auto picture style determines what it thinks is the best processing and rendering settings for any given scene and there are seven other picture styles to choose from that can be tweaked to your liking. If you’d like your shots to reflect the scene naturally as you see it with your eyes, faithful or neutral are a great place to start. Hit the Quick menu button in playback mode and you’ll be presented by a number of icons on either side of the screen, processing raw files in-camera and ranking multiple images with a one to five star rating being two such examples.

Buffer performance

Loading the 90D with a UHS-II card and testing its speed performance resulted in 25 raw files being captured at 10fps using the viewfinder before its buffer was reached. Switching the file format over to Canon’s C-Raw format saw this number rise to 40 frames. Firing off a burst of large JPEGs resulted in 52 images being recorded to our card before the buffer required a breather.

For the sport, action and wildlife photographers Canon is aiming the camera at, this buffer performance is a little underwhelming, though we must remember we’re looking at an enthusiast camera here, not a pro-spec model. Ultimately, users will need to judge when to start shooting a burst carefully to ensure the buffer limit isn’t reached partway through an action sequence.

Image quality

At launch, the EOS 90D offered the highest resolution of any APS-C camera on the market, a resolution it shares with the Canon EOS M6 Mark II and EOS R7, with the move from 24.2-million-pixels to 32.5-million-pixels being quite a jump. However, Fujifilm has now stolen its crown, with the 40MP Fujifilm X-T5 and Fujifilm X-H2.

Canon has once again opted to overlay the sensor with an optical low-pass filter to help keep moire and false colour artefacts under control. While this does come at the expense of some finer image detail, users will be enthralled by the quality of the 90D’s images when they’re inspected at high magnification. Sports and wildlife photographers will be especially grateful for the increased pixel count when they need to crop tightly. There’s excellent latitude when you’d like to return detail too. Raw files let you to pull back a lot of information from deep shadowed regions, which is great for times when you’d like to underexpose for high contrast scenes in order to prevent highlight detail blowing out and being lost.

Resolution

A close inspection of our resolution chart tells us the EOS 90D’s new sensor resolves a very creditable 3,700l/ph at its base sensitivity of ISO 100. Detail remains high at low sensitivity settings; with resolution figures of 3,600l/ph and 3,400l/ph recorded at ISO 200 and ISO 400 respectively. Push higher into the ISO range and you’ll start to observe fine detail being affected by noise. We recorded 3,100l/ph at ISO 3200 and 2,900l/ph at ISO 6400. The sensor can resolve 2,600l/ph at ISO 12,800 and 2,400l/ph at ISO 25,600 before expansion, with detail dropping right off at ISO 51,000 (2,100l/ph).

From the crops below, multiply the number below the lines by 200 to calculate the resolution of lines per picture height.

Noise

A greater number of pixels on the same sensor surface area risks more noise at pixel level, yet the EOS 90D controls noise well up to ISO 3200 and ISO 6400, putting in a respectable performance. For optimum results you’ll want to shoot in Raw and work between ISO 100 and ISO 400 where you’ll be presented with clean images that are noise free.

Luminance noise can be observed at ISO 800 and ISO 1600, but detail isn’t affected too heavily at these settings so you can use them confidently. ISO 3200 is perfectly useable too provided some noise reduction applied during post processing. I’d say this is the upper limit of where I’d want to push to on a regular basis though as fine detail does take more of a hit at ISO 6400 and ISO 8000. Increased noise at ISO 12,800 impinges fine detail and although vibrancy and saturation holds up well at ISO 25,600 and ISO 51,200, both these settings should be avoided.

Canon EOS 90D Review: Verdict

The Canon EOS 90D is a versatile and reliable DSLR, capable of producing excellent images in a multitude of different shooting situations. Although launched back in 2019, its specifications, features and performance are still relevant today, especially for Canon fans who prefer the DSLR design to mirrorless. A lot of talk is centred on the sensor, which resolves a level of detail exceeding anything recorded from an Canon APS-C camera previously. The increase in resolution will be of great benefit to sports, action and wildlife photographers who crop into their images, however to get the best out of the sensor and do it justice you’ll really want to pair it with higher quality lenses than the kit zooms Canon sells it with, including the EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM.

Great for casual videography

Uncropped 4K video has been long overdue on Canon’s double-digit DSLRs, so it’s good to see it making an appearance, albeit without a 24p setting or a Log gamma option for colour grading. The EOS 90D will be fine for vlogging and casual use, but it lags behind modern mirrorless rivals for serious filmmaking capabilities.

I’d have liked to see Canon add a USB Type C interface with support for USB charging like its EOS R mirrorless range, but unfortunately it goes without. Its saving grace is its large LP-E6N battery, which with its 1300-shot stamina, won’t have you rushing to find mains power to recharge it.

Vs the Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Being able to shoot a continuous burst at 10fps is great to have, however the older Canon EOS 7D Mark II still has the edge when it comes to buffer performance, plus it offers dual card slots whereas the 90D only has one. The 90D’s optical viewfinder is big and bright, but the AF system is starting to show its age. To benefit from wider AF coverage, better focus accuracy and focus aids such as Face and Eye Detection, you’ll find yourself engaging Live View and using the rear screen more than you thought you might.

Ergonomically, the 90D feels great. The large handgrip lets you wrap your hand around it to get a secure hold when it’s used with large telephoto lenses and its weather resistance gives you confidence to keep shooting when the weather takes a turn for the worse. In addition, the newly added joystick complements the intuitive layout of controls and dials across the body, making it quick to setup and shoot with when there’s no time to waste.

A dead end for the M-series?

Those who are after a camera that’s more compact may be inclined to look at the Canon EOS M6 Mark II, which shares the same sensor/processor combination as the 90D and shoots even faster, though with the arrival of the RF-mount EOS R10 and R7, it looks like Canon’s M-series cameras are headed for an evolutionary dead-end. Photographers who’ve built up a selection of EF lenses, fancy having a more extensive lens lineup available to them, and still prefer using an optical viewfinder as opposed to an EVF, will be be well served by the 90D.

Perhaps the biggest rival to the EOS 90D comes from Canon’s own range. The newer EOS R7 is like a spiritual successor to the EOS 90D but with newer mirrorless technologies and support for Canon’s RF lens mount, which is clearly the future for the Canon brand. However, what the EOS R7 does not have right now is a range of dedicated APS-C optimized lenses, which the EOS 90D has in abundance – so Canon’s DSLR range still has plenty of life and value left in it.

Final thoughts

In today’s world of mirrorless it makes a refreshing change to see a DSLR still competing with them on pretty much equal terms. For advancing amateurs and keen enthusiasts alike, the Canon EOS 90D makes a sound choice. Is it the best APS-C enthusiast DSLR Canon has made? Yes it is, but it might also be one of the last if Canon decides to pull the plug on manufacturing DSLRs and shifts its focus to mirrorless and mirrorless only – and with the R10 and R7 the signs are that this may already have happened.

Find more great Canon DSLRs in our guide to the best Canon EOS DSLRs you can buy!

Related reading:

• Our best lenses for wildlife photography
• If I had $1000/£1000 I’d buy these DSLR’s
• Canon EOS 80D review
• Canon EOS 5D Mark III review – full-frame bargain DSLR

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The post Canon EOS 90D review – DSLR that still dazzles appeared first on Amateur Photographer.

The Canon Rebel SL3 / EOS 250D was quite possibly Canon’s last DSLR for beginners – though is an ideal first DSLR for beginners. A compact but stylish design, 24MP sensor and 4K video recording means it still competes with newer cameras. We count it as one of the best Canon DSLRs. Find out why in our detailed review.

At a glance:

• 24.1MP APS-C sensor
• 9-point AF system
• Wireless functionality
• ISO 100-25,600 (51,200 expanded)
• Records up to 4K video at 60fps
• $649 / from £430 body only
• $749 / £500 with 18-55mm IS lens

As Canon continues to invest in its EOS R mirrorless system, it seems that DSLRs are on their way out. The introduction of fairly inexpensive beginner cameras such as the Canon EOS R50 gives a further hint at this direction. If this proves to be true, then they finished on a high with the EOS 250D / Rebel SL3.

Look around a photography beginner’s college course and you’ll likely spot a few EOS 250D cameras – or others that look like it. It’s one of the most popular and best cameras for photography students. That’s due to its helpful guide modes, access to the enormous Canon EF lens range and ability to make fantastic images. All without costing the earth.

Back in 2018, Canon released the EOS 250D as part of a trio with the EOS 2000D and EOS 4000D, giving novice users a choice of DSLRs to start their photography journey. The EOS 250D was the most advanced of the three and, frankly, has held up the best. (The 2000D and 4000D were somewhat over-simplified. You can acquire a used DSLR with a similar spec, like the EOS 1300D, for the same price).

With 4K video, a well-sized APS-C sensor and tactile DSLR handling, the EOS 250D holds up on paper as a respectable beginner-to-intermediate camera. But does it merit consideration for serious photographers in 2025? We delve deeper in our Canon EOS 250D / Rebel SL3 review.

Features

The 250D is built around a 24.1MP APS-C CMOS sensor and Canon’s DIGIC 8 image processor – the same combination Canon used inside the M50 mirrorless camera from 2018. By way of comparison, the 200D uses a 24.2MP sensor and the slightly older DIGIC 7 processor.

The main benefit of the 250D’s newer processor is the ability to record 4K video footage at 25fps. Meanwhile, the 200D’s video capabilities only extend as far as 1080p Full HD capture at 60fps.

Aside from the introduction of 4K video and some minor cosmetic and operational changes, there isn’t a lot else that separates the 200D from the 250D / Rebel SL3. The only other major difference is in the number of available focus points when using live view mode – more on that shortly…

Sensitivity remains unchanged from the 200D with a native range of ISO 100-25,600 plus an expanded setting that’s equivalent to ISO 51,200.

Shutter speed ranges from 30sec-1/4000sec plus a bulb setting for self-timed long exposures. The 250D comes with the standard PASM quartet exposure modes for more-advanced users. It also has a Scene Intelligent Auto mode for basic point-and-shoot duties.

In addition, there’s 14 individual scene-specific modes along with a range of 10 digital filter effects. You can apply these at the point of capture or to JPEGs afterwards via the image-editing tools in the Playback menu.

The 250D is well served by a wide range of on-board JPEG processing options. You get eight Picture Style presets – Auto, Standard, Portrait, Landscape, Fine Detail, Neutral, Faithful, Monochrome – plus three custom settings. You may prefer images looking exactly as you want directly from the camera. In that case, you can use sliders to refine the Sharpness, Saturation and Colour Tone settings for each Picture Style preset.

The 250D also comes equipped with Canon’s Auto Lighting Optimizer, which is designed to boost shadow detail in darker areas of an image. There are three settings – Low, Standard and High – to choose from, along with the option to turn it off altogether.

Canon’s Highlight Tone Priority tool, which is designed to preserve highlight detail, comes with two strength settings: Enable (D+) and Enhanced (D+2), although you can switch it off.

In addition, the 250D also provides Long Exposure NR for exposures of over one second. Plus there’s High ISO noise reduction in three strength settings: Low, Standard and High.

A built-in Lens Aberration Correction tool corrects vignetting and distortion. Finally, a Digital Lens Optimizer tool helps to increase image sharpness.

6 key features you need to know

• Bluetooth and Wi-Fi: Using the Canon Camera Connect app, you can transfer images automatically to a paired smartphone or browse the camera and select specific ones yourself. Images can be transferred at either their original size or a reduced size.
• In-camera image editing: A generous set of in-camera processing tools allow you to edit your images without the need for a computer. You can adjust contrast and saturation, crop, apply Creative Filters to captured JPEGs and convert raw files in-camera.
• Vari-angle touchscreen display: The 3in, 1.04-million-dot touchscreen display is hinged at the side of the camera, which allows it to be pulled out by 180°. It also rotates through 270°, meaning you can easily position it to shoot at extreme angles or take selfies with.
• Built-in pop-up flash: With a guide number of 9.8m at ISO 100, the 250D’s pop-up flash can be called upon to illuminate nearby subjects in poor light. A hotshoe allows you to attach more powerful flashguns, too.
• Creative filters: The 250D provides 10 Creative Filter effects that can be used to jazz up your images. We found the HDR Art Vivid filter to be quite good for capturing sunsets.
• Optical viewfinder: The pentamirror viewfinder provides 95% coverage at 0.87x magnification. It’s bright and clear and displays key shooting settings but is small compared to those on more expensive DSLRs.
   

Body and design

The EOS 250D / Rebel SL3 is almost identical to its predecessor in size and weight; having shed a few grams.

Given that the 200D was already the smallest DSLR on the market at the time of its launch, Canon would have been hard-pressed to make the 250D any smaller.

Take away the 250D’s optical viewfinder and pop-up flash housing, and you’re left with something that’s comparable in size and weight to many mirrorless cameras.

For those looking for an entry-level DSLR and for whom portability is a priority, the 250D certainly ticks all the right boxes.

Build quality is very much on a par with other DSLRs at the price. The polycarbonate outer shell isn’t as robust as the magnesium-alloy construction found on more expensive Canon DSLRs, but feels solid enough to withstand minor knocks.

However, the 250D lacks any form of weather-sealing, so users need to be vigilant for rain and spills.

As with most entry-level DSLRs, there’s minimum physical buttons and controls, with a single control dial located just behind the shutter button on the top-plate.

The button placement is all but identical to the 200D, although Canon have removed the Forced Flash Off and Creative Auto positions from the exposure-mode dial altogether.

It’s still possible to use Creative Auto on the 250D, but it now resides within the Scene Intelligent Auto mode, with a panel on the right-hand side of the touchscreen providing access to its various guided features. Should you want to force the flash on or off you can still do so, but you’ll need to enter the in-camera menu.

As with the 200D, the 250D is equipped with a 3in, 1.04-million-dot touchscreen display on the back. It’s a high-quality screen that renders captured images in good detail, with an option to zoom in and check image sharpness via a simple pinch-to-zoom gesture.

Touchscreen control also makes the camera more intuitive to operate, especially with the aid of the physical ‘Q’ button on the back of the camera, which brings up a neatly arranged graphical menu providing direct access to the camera’s key settings from a single screen.

As with the 200D, the 250D’s display can be set to either Guided or Standard mode. The former aims to help newcomers to DSLR photography by providing a more intuitive graphical interface that includes descriptions of the various tools, modes and functions and how these can be used to affect the look of captured images.

Performance

The 250D provides nine individual AF points arranged in a diamond shape across the central portion of the viewfinder. The central AF point is of the cross-type variety, the rest being linear.

Frame coverage isn’t the most comprehensive, and the 250D’s viewfinder AF system does feel a bit dated, especially when compared to the Nikon D5600’s more advanced 39-point AF system.

While this won’t be too much of an issue when faced with static subjects, the large gaps between individual AF points mean that the 250D can struggle with moving ones, especially if some distance away or moving erratically. This isn’t the case when the camera is used in live view mode.

As with the 200D, the 250D inherits Canon’s excellent Dual Pixel AF technology, which uses phase-detection pixels on the sensor to improve AF performance in live-view mode. The result is that focus acquisition in live view is speedy and precise.

Better still, Canon has upped the number of these phase-detection pixels from 40 to 3,975 points, which improves accuracy greatly. When faced with moving subjects, we found the 250D to perform much more consistently and accurately when set to Tracking AF in live view.

If anything, the 250D’s stellar AF performance in live view only exacerbates how dated the 9-point viewfinder AF system feels.

The 250D’s maximum continuous shooting speed is a useful 5fps – exactly the same as the Nikon D5600. The camera also provides a Silent shutter option, and while this is slightly quieter than the regular shutter, it’s far from silent.

In testing, there was no upper limit to the number of Fine JPEGs we were able to capture at the maximum 5fps; we were able to shoot for well over 10 seconds with no slowdown.

Switching to raw capture, we managed approximately 12 consecutive images before the frame rate dropped, while in JPEG+raw capture this dropped to around eight consecutive images before the buffer filled and the frame rate slowed.

Battery performance has also been much improved over the 200D, with the 250D capable of around 1,000 images per charge, compared to around 650 images on the 200D.

Resolution

Set to ISO 100 in raw, the 250D is able to resolve 3,700l/ph. This drops as the sensitivity is raised, but at ISO 1600 it still achieves 3,000l/ph. Thereafter, resolution drops fall off more rapidly, with ISO 6400 registering 2,600l/ph. The highest native ISO 25,600 setting gives 2,400l/ph, while ISO 51,200 gave just 1,900l/ph.

Noise

Canon’s JPEG processing provides excellent results at low ISO, with no visible noise. Images captured at ISO 1600 remain pretty good when viewed at regular sizes, but the softening effects of noise reduction become much more pronounced by ISO 6400. ISO 12,800 can be considered the tipping point above which image quality quickly deteriorates, with the higher ISO settings being ‘emergency use only’.

Canon EOS 250D / Rebel SL3 – Verdict

The Canon EOS 250D / Rebel SL3 is a generously featured, easy-to use entry-level DSLR that has plenty going for it. Overall image quality is very good, delivering vibrant colour images and enough fine detail to make large prints.

The 250D is equipped with a range of novice-friendly features including its built-in Guided Mode, and beyond this there’s plenty for more advanced photography.

Our only real gripe is the camera’s 9-point AF system: perfectly functional but feels a bit dated. This is somewhat offset by the 250D’s excellent AF performance when used in live-view mode.

With the older 200D no longer available new, the 250D now becomes the de facto choice for a compact Canon DSLR, especially if you value 4K movie recording, and the 250D’s enhanced live view AF and improved battery performance. Therefore, if you have the budget, we’d recommend choosing the 250D over the 200D.

Find more Canon cameras in our guide to the best Canon DSLRs or have a look for your next lens with our guide to the best Canon EF-mount lenses.

Rivals and alternatives

In the US, you can currently get the Canon Rebel SL3 with an 18-55mm lens for around $750. In the UK, you can pick up the Canon EOS 250D with an 18-55mm – different names, same camera, same lens – for about £500.

If you’re considering mirrorless, there are plenty of options at a similar price point. We’ve already mentioned the Canon EOS R50, which is currently the cheapest route into the EOS R mirrorless system. It has an APS-C sensor just like the EOS 250D, but benefits from up-to-date computational features such as subject-detect autofocus. These have come down in price recently, and currently go for around $700 / £900 with a lens.

Review by Audley Jarvis, with contributions from Jon Stapley.

Specifications

The post Canon EOS 250D / Rebel SL3 Review – last hurrah for DSLRs appeared first on Amateur Photographer.

Canon EOS 2000D / Rebel T7 at a glance:

• 24.1MP APS-C sensor
• 9-point AF system
• Wi-Fi built-in
• ISO 100-6400 (12,800 expanded)
• Records up to Full HD (1080p) video at 30fps

In an attempt to diversify the firm’s entry-level offering, the trio consisted of the ultra-cheap, stripped-down Canon EOS 4000D or Rebel T100, which had a rather lowball 18MP resolution. On the other end was the 4K-capable Canon EOS 250D or Rebel SL3, an upper-entry-level DSLR whose reputation holds firm today. And sitting in the middle was the Canon EOS 2000D / Rebel T7.

Well, sort of in the middle. Truthfully, the EOS 2000D is closer in spirit to the Canon EOS 4000D. It’s basically the same proposition in terms of its 9-point AF system, its 100-600 native ISO range and its Full HD 30p video limit. The real internal difference is in the resolution; as opposed to the meagre 18MP on the EOS 4000D, the EOS 2000D sports a rather more generous 24.1MP, giving users a lot more latitude for printing and cropping into images.

These days the EOS 2000D / Rebel T7 costs roughly the same as the EOS 4000D. Meanwhile, you’d pay around $450 / £400, body only, for a Canon EOS 250D / Rebel SL3.

Everyone loves a middle option, but is the EOS 2000D worth its asking price? Is it one of the best value DSLRs you can buy, or is that cut price too good to be true? We investigate the capabilities of this small DSLR in our Canon EOS 2000D / Rebel T7 review…

Alternatives and Rivals

We’ll return to alternatives to the Canon EOS 2000D in the Canon stable in due course. For now, how does the EOS 2000D measure up on the wider market?

An obvious comparison is in the Nikon DSLR line, Canon’s main direct rival. This trio from Canon can be directly compared to the 24MP Nikon D3500, which currently runs up to around $400 / £470 with a lens on the second-hand market. It’s an excellent DSLR that makes for a pleasant learning experience, and beats the EOS 2000D on a number of factors: including its 11-point AF system rather than the EOS 2000D’s 9-point one.

Look into the world of mirrorless and you can find a number of well-priced cameras that make for tempting beginner options. The Sony A6000 is an apt example, generally costing around $450 / £360  second-hand, and delivering a few markedly better features than the cheaper EOS 2000D: including an 11fps burst rate.

Something like the Panasonic LUMIX DMC-G7 could also fit the bill; it can currently be picked up new with a 14-42mm lens for around $740 / £500, though is much more video-focused than the EOS 2000D.

Features

In its key hardware components and headline specifications, the 2000D is almost identical to the Canon EOS 1300D that it succeeded from 2016. The main difference between them is that the 2000D comes with a 24.1MP APS-C CMOS sensor compared to the 1300D’s 18MP chip.

Elsewhere, there is little to separate the 2000D and 1300D. For example, the 2000D comes with the same DIGIC 4+ image processor found inside the 1300D: the upshot of which is that its performance is not significantly enhanced.

Sensitivity also remains unchanged, with the 2000D providing a native range of ISO 100-6400 plus an extended setting equivalent to ISO 12,800. By way of comparison, the older Canon 200D can be extended to the equivalent of ISO 51,200, while the aforementioned Nikon D3500 offers a maximum setting of ISO 25,600.

Video recording abilities also remain at 1080p Full HD capture at 30fps, backed up by 720p HD capture at 60fps and VGA capture at 30fps. This puts the 2000D slightly behind both the Nikon D3500 and Canon 200D, both of which can record Full HD video at up to 60fps.

Focal Points

• Picture styles: These JPEG-processing effects can be used to give your images a certain look. There are six to choose from: Auto, Standard, Portrait, Landscape, Neutral and Faithful. In addition, you can tweak the sharpness, contrast, saturation and colour tone settings.
• Wi-Fi/NFC connectivity: In addition to built-in Wi-Fi, the 2000D also provides NFC connectivity. The Canon Camera Connect app is free to iOS and Android users and allows you to transfer images as well as control the camera remotely from your smart device.
• Creative filters: The 2000D has five creative filter effects: grainy B&W, soft focus, toy camera, miniature effect and fisheye. They aren’t used at the point of capture, but applied when the camera is in Playback mode.
• Auto Lighting Optimizer: Found inside the main menu, this processing tool is designed to lighten shadow areas when the camera is faced with backlit subjects or high-contrast situations.
• Built-in flash: With a guide number of 9.2m at ISO 100, the 2000D’s pop-up flash can be called upon to illuminate close-by subjects in poor light. There’s a hotshoe on top of the pop-up flash, which allows you to use more-powerful flashguns.
• Creative Auto mode: Located on the exposure-mode dial, Creative Auto provides an easy way of controlling depth-of-field settings through the use of simplified slider controls.

On the back, the 2000D has a 3in 920k-dot LCD display that is vastly superior to the 2.7in/230k-dot display of the 4000D. Unlike the 200D and 250D, however, it is fixed in place and lacks any touch functionality.

Above this sits a pentamirror viewfinder that provides 95% coverage. While it’s bright and clear, it is small compared to those found on higher-end DSLRs, at 0.5x equivalent magnification.

In addition to the standard quartet of PASM exposure modes, the 2000D provides a fully automatic Scene Intelligent Auto mode for point-and-shoot duties, alongside a Creative Auto mode for simplified depth-of-field control.

The exposure-mode dial is rounded off by a Forced Flash Off mode and six individual Scene positions: Portrait, Landscape, Close-up, Sports, Food and Night Portrait.

For JPEG image-processing options, the 2000D offers Canon’s shadow-boosting Auto Lighting Optimizer, plus the usual array of Picture Styles that can be used to adjust contrast, saturation and sharpness.

Body and design

In size, weight and general appearance, the 2000D is all but identical to the 1300D. Encased within a polycarbonate shell, it’s relatively well protected from the kind of occasional bumps most cameras sustain over time, on top of which it also benefits from a metal lens mount.

As we’d expect of an entry-level DSLR at this price point, the 2000D isn’t weather-proofed, so care in wet weather is required.

Aesthetically, the 2000D stays true to Canon’s principle of functional design, with its curved edges and matt-black finish giving it a relatively clean and modern look. As with its predecessor, it feels quite plasticky, though.

Thanks to its textured grip and sculpted thumb rest, the 2000D sits nicely in the hand, and feels well balanced with the 18-55mm IS II kit lens attached.

Compared to the 4000D, the 2000D boasts a relatively generous array of buttons, all of which are well spaced, relatively large and clearly labelled.

The four buttons that comprise the d-pad provide direct access to ISO, Autofocus, White Balance and Drive Mode settings. To the left of these is a useful Quick Menu button (marked ‘Q’), which can be used to call up an intuitive menu that’s tailored to the camera’s current exposure mode.

While it lacks any user-assignable function buttons, you do get an AE-Lock button, which is a nice touch for an entry-level camera. Canon has chosen to remove the graphical user interface found on the 200D altogether, which seems an odd decision given the 2000D’s entry-level positioning.

It does, however, come with a feature guide that offers simplified explanations of what the camera’s various modes and features do as you switch between them.

Performance

Given that the 2000D increases resolution to 24MP but employs the same DIGIC 4+ processor as the 1300D, it’s no great surprise to discover that the camera isn’t speedy. Continuous shooting, for example, maxes out at 3fps which is slower than the Canon 200D, 250D and Nikon D3500, both of which can shoot at 5fps.

At 3fps we were able to capture around 40 consecutive full-size JPEGs before the buffer filled and the speed dropped, while in raw this fell to around 10 consecutive images.

In raw + JPEG, we were only able to capture around six or seven consecutive frames before the camera began to stutter.

Autofocus through the viewfinder is taken care of via the same 9-point phase-detect module used by the 1300D (and also the 4000D/200D). While perfectly functional, this now feels rather dated.

Despite relatively limited coverage, focus acquisition is both fast and accurate, especially when shooting static subjects. In live-view mode, it’s a different story altogether, with the 2000D’s contrast-detect system being painfully slow to acquire focus even in good light. In this respect, Canon’s decision not to bestow the 2000D with the Dual Pixel on-sensor phase-detection technology offered by the 200D and 250D strikes us as a missed opportunity.

With the supplied 18-55mm IS II kit lens attached, focusing is also rather noisy, which is something to bear in mind when shooting video, especially given the 2000D’s lack of an external microphone input.

As we’d expect, the 2000D’s APS-C sensor delivers very good image quality, producing clean and attractive JPEGs, especially at lower sensitivities.

The additional resolution that the 2000D enjoys over the 1300D and 4000D is also useful for those looking to make larger prints or crop more aggressively into images without sacrificing overall image quality.

Metering from the 63-zone metering module is generally reliable, while automatic white balance metering is consistently on point, producing accurate and lifelike colour.

Resolution

At ISO 100 and shooting in raw, the 2000D’s 24.2MP APS-C sensor is able to resolve 3,200l/ph. Raising the sensitivity to ISO 800 produces a figure of 2,800l/ph.

At higher ISO settings, sharpness falls off more rapidly, with ISO 6400 producing a figure of 2,400l/ph and ISO 12,800 resolving 2,200l/ph.

ISO and Noise performance

In-camera JPEG processing gives excellent results between ISO 100 and ISO 200, with no traces of noise even when viewing images at 100%. By ISO 400 and 800, some minor artefacts are visible in shadow areas at 100%.

By ISO 1600, softening is slightly more pronounced, but images remain good overall. At IS0 3200 the softening effects of noise become more noticeable, increasing further by ISO 6400.

Canon EOS 2000D / Rebel T7 – Verdict

There’s no doubt that the Canon EOS 2000D / Rebel T7 is a solid enough entry-level camera, yet there’s little about it that really stirs the senses. While it is an affordable entry point into the Canon EOS DSLR system, it provides only an incremental upgrade over the 1300D. In terms of the competition, the Nikon D3500 is superior to it in many ways.

The main issue, however, isn’t so much competition from rival DSLR manufacturers or indeed from the mirrorless segment but rather from one of Canon’s own other entry-level models.

While the 2000D is a solid enough camera in its own right, the 200D/250D is much better value for money if you can extend your budget, especially when the 250D offers 4K video.

The 200D is from 2017, yet the resolution and image quality between it and the 2000D are all but indistinguishable; on top of which it is a much more refined and feature-rich camera.

If your budget simply won’t stretch that far, and you’re determined to buy into the Canon DSLR system, then the Canon EOS 2000D / Rebel T7 remains a solid if unspectacular alternative.

For more options have a look at the Best Canon DSLR cameras, and the best Canon EF mount lenses. 

Related reading:

• Canon EOS 90D review
• Canon EOS 5D Mark III review – full-frame bargain DSLR
• Best cameras under $500

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Review by Audley Jarvis, with contributions from Jon Stapley.

The post Canon EOS 2000D / Rebel T7 Review – three star DSLR appeared first on Amateur Photographer.

NB. It’s also known as the Canon EOS 3000D in some markets.

Canon EOS 4000D / Rebel T100: At a glance

• $379 with 18-55mm lens / £210 approx. used
• 9-point AF system
• Wireless functionality
• ISO 100-6400 (12,800 expanded)
• Records up to Full HD (1080p) video at 30fps

The Canon EOS 4000D / Rebel T100 was designed to be cheap – from its use of a plastic lens mount, just a single colour for the buttons, to its ageing 18MP sensor and extremely basic specifications. It’s still Canon’s cheapest DSLR today – where you can find it. We assess its credentials as a budget buy.

The camera originally arrived in 2018 with the EOS 2000D and EOS 250D, both of which had higher-resolution sensors and more features, at accordingly higher prices. The EOS 4000D / Rebel T100 was intended as the ultimate entry-level camera, giving an on-board option for those who wanted to shoot with a DSLR on an ultra-slim budget. Now, with the benefit of hindsight, we can assess how this strategy played out.

Not so well, truth be told. The EOS 4000D didn’t last long, and while it’s still on sale at some resellers, is becoming scarce. But while there’s no equivalent ultra-cheap rival in the Nikon Z mirrorless line, it seems that Canon hasn’t given up on the ultra-cheap entry-level proposition, as the latest Canon EOS R100 mirrorless model uses the same principle of old/cheap tech in a low-cost camera; this time mirrorless.

The Canon EOS 4000D cost savings bring pretty fundamental compromises. Its 18MP sensor is below the standard resolution for even beginner cameras, and its 9-point AF system looked dated even when it was launched in 2018. The EOS 4000D also wasn’t all that big a jump from the camera it partly replaced, the EOS 1300D, which you could (and can) pick up second-hand for slightly less.

Without getting carried away, the Canon EOS 4000D is still a competent APS-C shooter. But is it worth buying in 2025? Let’s dig into the features, specs and shooting experience and find out in our full Canon EOS 4000D / Canon Rebel T100 review.

Canon EOS 4000D / Rebel T100: Features

The Canon EOS 4000D is built around the same 18MP APS-C CMOS sensor and Canon DIGIC 4+ image processor used by the two-year-older 1300D. While we can appreciate that Canon’s chief priority with the 4000D is to keep costs to a minimum, the decision to stick with such a relatively low-resolution sensor is a bit disappointing, as is the decision to pair it with the now very dated DIGIC 4+ processor.

Native sensitivity ranges from ISO 100-6400 plus an extended setting equivalent to ISO 12,800. This is identical to both the EOS 1300D and the EOS 2000D, although the EOS 250D can be extended to the equivalent of ISO 51,200 while the Nikon D3400/D3500 offers a maximum setting of ISO 25,600. As per the EOS 1300D and EOS 2000D, the EOS 4000D’s video recording abilities max out at 1080p Full HD capture at 30fps. This puts it behind both the EOS 200D and the Nikon D3400, both of which can record Full HD video at 60fps, and the EOS 250D with 4K video.

On the back the EOS 4000D is fitted with a fixed 2.7inch, 230k-dot rear LCD display, which represents a significant downgrade on the EOS 1300D’s 3inch, 920k-dot display. Of all the compromises Canon has made with the EOS 4000D, we have to report that this has by far the most detrimental effect on the camera’s overall usability.

While it remains perfectly functional for reviewing captured images or operating the camera in live view mode, display quality really isn’t great when compared side-by-side with the 3in, 920k-dot displays of the EOS 1300D, EOS 2000D and EOS 200D.

It’s not just the lack of screen resolution that lets it down; colour and contrast are both missing. There’s no touchscreen functionality either.

Above the display the EOS 4000D is fitted with a pentamirror optical viewfinder that provides 95% coverage at 0.50x equivalent magnification – the same as the 2000D. While this is bright and clear, it is very small compared to those found on more expensive Canon DSLRs. Unlike the EOS 1300D, EOS 2000D and EOS 250D there’s no dioptre adjustment wheel, which could be an issue for users who wear glasses.

In addition to PASM exposure modes, the EOS 4000D provides a fully automatic Scene Intelligent Auto mode for point-and-shoot duties alongside a Creative Auto mode for simplified depth-of-field control. The mode dial also provides a Forced Flash Off mode and six individual Scene positions: Portrait, Landscape, Close-up, Sports, Food, and Night Portrait. In terms of shooting and processing features, the EOS 2000D offers Canon’s Auto Lighting Optimizer, along with the usual array of Picture Styles.

Key Features

• Picture Styles – These JPEG processing settings are used to give your images a certain look. There are six to choose from: Auto, Standard, Portrait, Landscape, Neutral and Faithful. You can also adjust the sharpness, contrast, saturation and colour tone settings.
• Auto Lighting Optimizer – This processing tool is designed to lighten shadow areas when the camera is faced with backlit subjects or high-contrast situations. As ever, there are four strength levels to choose from: Off, Low, Standard and High.
• Creative Filters – The EOS 4000D provides five Creative Filter effects: Grainy B/W, Soft focus, Toy camera, Miniature effect, and Fish-eye. However, they can only be applied to images while the camera is in Playback mode.
• Wi-Fi Connectivity – Allows you to connect the camera to a smartphone and transfer images as well as control the camera remotely.
• Scene Intelligent Auto mode – This fully automatic mode is programmed to recognise the type of scene in front of the camera, automatically adjusting the settings so as to gain the best possible image.
• Built-in flash – With a guide number of nine metres at ISO 100, the EOS 4000D’s pop-up flash can be used to illuminate nearby subjects in poor light. The 4000D also gets a hotshoe, which allows you to attach more-powerful flashguns.

Canon EOS 4000D / Rebel T100: Body and design

As with Canon’s other entry-level DSLRs the Canon EOS 4000D is housed within a shiny polycarbonate shell. While this provides some degree of protection it does leave the 4000D looking and feeling a bit plasticky.

Compared side-by-side with the 2000D and 1300D you can see where Canon has cut corners. The lens mount is plastic, whereas the EOS 2000D / 1300D get a more durable metal one. Likewise, the mode dial looks to have been fashioned from a cheaper plastic and doesn’t have the knurled finish of the EOS 2000D / 1300D, while the thumb rest on the back lacks the textured finish of the other two models. As we’d expect, there’s no weather proofing either.

In addition to its lower-resolution sensor, downgraded rear display and cheaper finish, another thing that sets the 4000D apart from the 2000D/1300D models is the removal of some physical buttons on the top plate. Whereas those cameras provide a dedicated on/off switch along with a button to activate the pop-up flash, the 4000D incorporates the ‘off’ switch into the mode dial and removes the flash button altogether; if you want to use the camera’s built-in GN9 flash you’ll need to raise it manually.

Elsewhere, the EOS 4000D sports the same button configuration as the EOS 2000D and EOS 1300D, with the only difference being that there’s a little more space between the buttons.

Build quality issues aside, the EOS 4000D does sit quite nicely in the hand thanks to its relatively deep handgrip and sculpted thumb-rest. With the 18-55mm kit zoom attached the camera also feels well balanced and easy to operate.

The in-camera menu system has been stripped right back, so first-time users should be able to scroll through and find what they need without any issues.

Canon EOS 4000D / Rebel T100: Performance

Autofocus through the viewfinder is taken care of via the same nine-point phase-detect AF module employed by the EOS 2000D and EOS 200D. This has been lifted straight from the EOS 1300D and while it’s functional enough, it does feel a bit basic next to some of the Hybrid AF systems employed by many mirrorless cameras.

The nine AF points are arranged in diamond formation across a large portion of the viewfinder, and while focus is quick and accurate in good light, performance does take a hit when light levels drop, especially when trying to use one of the eight non cross-type AF points to lock-on to your subject.

In live view the 4000D’s contrast-detect AF system is painfully slow even when light is plentiful. So slow, in fact, that it actively discourages you from using it. Canon’s clever Dual Pixel technology resolves these issues and significantly improves overall focus performance in live view, however the cheapest Canon DSLR to offer it is the EOS 200D.

Image quality is something of a mixed bag, with the bottom line being that while the 4000D’s 18MP APS-C sensor is capable of delivering very good image quality in the right conditions, the 24MP APS-C sensors inside the EOS 2000D and EOS 200D/250D are capable of better.

The supplied EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS III kit zoom is also highly susceptible to fringing on high-contrast borders. That said, first-time DSLR buyers upgrading directly from a mobile phone or small-sensor compact are unlikely to be disappointed by the EOS 4000D and will undoubtedly benefit from a noticeable step-up in image quality.

Indeed, for anyone who’s looking to primarily shoot JPEGs in one of the camera’s many point-and-shoot modes, the EOS 4000D routinely delivers the same punchy image quality associated with more-expensive Canon DSLRs higher up the line. Colour is certainly hard to fault, and can of course be tweaked as you like via Canon’s various Picture Style settings.

Resolution

Set to ISO 100 and shooting raw format, the EOS 4000D can resolve 3,200l/ph with careful processing. At its higher sensitivity settings, sharpness falls off rapidly, with ISO 3200 recording 2,400l/ph. The highest extended setting of ISO 12,800 resolves just 2,200l/ph. For JPEGs the results are generally around 200l/ph lower.

Noise

The EOS 4000D provides clean results at low ISO settings, although a little noise creeps into shadow areas at ISO 800. By ISO 1600 fine detail starts to soften and at IS0 3200 image quality degrades much more noticeably accompanied by a muting of colour. At ISO 6400 this is more pronounced, while the top setting of ISO 12,800 produces soft, mushy images and is best avoided altogether if at all possible.

Connect your Canon to your phone

Canon Camera Connect, is the app that you need, in order to connect your Canon camera to your smartphone or tablet. It lets you view and transfer images on your camera, use remote live view shooting, as well as use location information from your smartphone to Geotag your images. There’s also an option to set up auto-transfer or use the smartphone as a Bluetooth remote control. Using Bluetooth rather than Wi-Fi and live view will help save precious battery life. What’s more, you can also update the firmware, but this function is only available for newer releases like the Canon EOS R5, Canon EOS R6 and R3 models, and products announced after 2022.

For more information and other features when using the app read our guide for the Canon Camera Connect app.

Canon EOS 4000D / Rebel T100: Alternatives and Rivals

As mentioned, there isn’t really a contemporary analogue to the Canon EOS 4000D, as the mirrorless market doesn’t really go in for ultra-cheap entry-level cameras. The 4000D’s stablemates, the EOS 2000D (or Rebel T7) and EOS 250D (Rebel SL3), are still available second-hand and even new in some places; time has been kinder to them. The EOS 250D in particular has gained a reputation as one of the best beginner DSLRs ever made, with a solidly fast processor, a decent amount of resolution, the ability to record 4K at 25p. It’s quite a bit pricier than the EOS 4000D, but is streets ahead.

How about from other manufacturers? The closest Nikon equivalent is certainly the Nikon D3500, an absolutely stellar entry-level DSLR that is still well-regarded in the photographic community despite having been discontinued. This is now only available on the used market.

Canon EOS 4000D / Rebel T100: Verdict

The Canon EOS 4000D provides a no-frills entry-point to Canon’s DSLR ecosystem for those on the tight budgets. Whilst now discontinued, like the EOS 1300D, this is one of the cheaper DSLRs on the second-hand market. In its favour the EOS 4000D is very easy to use and capable of good image quality. That said, both the EOS 2000D and especially the EOS 250D provide better image quality and more growing space for first-time DSLR buyers to develop their skills, and are also available second-hand making them an obviously better choice.

The other issue still facing the EOS 4000D is the older EOS 1300D model, which is even cheaper second-hand. For more money the EOS 4000D offers no discernible image quality or performance benefits over the EOS 1300D. We’d therefore be inclined to recommend the EOS 1300D, or any other Canon DLSR available second-hand, such as the EOS 2000D, EOS 200D, or EOS 250D. For those with a little more to spend the Canon EOS 2000D is undoubtedly a better camera, and only a little bit more second-hand, while the slightly more expensive EOS 250D remains the stand-out option within Canon’s trio of entry-level DSLRs.

Find more options in our guide to the best Canon DSLR cameras, or have a look at the best Canon EF-mount lenses.

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Review by Audley Jarvis, with textual contributions from Jon Stapley.

Canon EOS 4000D / Rebel T100: Specifications

The post Canon EOS 4000D / Rebel T100 review – no frills nor thrills appeared first on Amateur Photographer.