The line between professional and amateur photographic equipment is unsteady and fluid, just like the line between a professional and an amateur. Niches are clearly visible only at their extremes. And if professional cameras Today they are developing mainly in two directions - medium format with highest quality pictures and reporters at maximum speed (in every sense, both focusing and frame rate, recording and transmission rate), then amateur ones represent a vast sea with many trends. And, nevertheless, with all the available variety, it is rare that an amateur does not look from time to time towards more serious equipment.

Testing the Nikon D610 full-frame DSLR: step in big photo?

Which one specifically? Of course, full-length. Of course, you can dream about a medium format camera, like a car enthusiast dreams about a Bentley, but unlike an expensive car, many people have recently been able to afford a full-format camera.

Nikon D610

But why, after all, does an amateur who does not earn his living from photography need a full-format camera, that is, with a sensor size of 24 x 36 mm? It is expensive, heavy, bulky and also requires even more expensive, heavy and bulky optics. However, there may be many situations where you cannot do without it. Some may want to take an interesting portrait with beautiful bokeh. Or a landscape, say, with morning fog. Or the surface of the water. Or flowering trees. Or jewelry on velvet. Frankly, it's impossible to photograph all of this properly with a small sensor. Of course, some photos can be taken with any camera - and they are quite suitable for the Internet. But on the print, the difference between the images from the large and small matrices is very often striking. For example, bokeh, simply due to the laws of geometric optics, appears better and stronger the larger the physical size of the frame. The textures of surfaces, such as fur, human skin, and even just water, require not only high resolution and sharpness, but also extremely low noise levels for adequate transmission. Which, in turn, directly depend on the size of the matrix.

A full-frame semi-professional camera entered the market in the fall of 2013. It differs from its predecessor Nikon D600, which appeared a year earlier, by a more reliable shutter and the appearance of the so-called “silent mode”, in which the shutter sound is muffled compared to the norm.

The camera combines, as one would expect from its position on the market, features of professional and amateur devices. It has a deliberately professional, brutal appearance with many buttons and handles with locks. All of them are not easy to master, but when used properly, such controls provide extraordinary convenience. Traditionally for the brand, the camera retains a mechanical autofocus drive (“screwdriver”) and a mechanical aperture drive - therefore it can work with all generations of Nikon optics, right down to the earliest ones. Unfortunately, there is no support for mechanical cable releases.

Rather, the built-in flash, a variety of scene programs and creative photo processing styles look amateurish. Well, and of course, a relatively inexpensive case - without hermetic gaskets, but not so heavy. Another sign of inexpensive amateur equipment is a small number of autofocus points, which, moreover, are located mainly around the center of the frame.

The camera came to us for testing with its standard zoom - 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED VR AF-S Nikkor. Let us briefly recall what all these letters mean. ED - The lens uses low dispersion elements to reduce aberrations. VR - (Vibration Reduction) - image stabilizer is built into the lens. AF-S (AF-Silent Wave Motor) is the second generation of lenses with an autofocus motor; such lenses do not require a “screwdriver” in the camera. G - the lens does not have an aperture control ring.

It should be noted that this is a rather unusual lens among standard zooms. Many manufacturers equip cameras with frankly cheap lenses in order to reduce the price of the initial kit. Nikon did not take this path of least resistance.

The lens is not too cheap (individually it costs about 14 thousand rubles), has an unusually wide range of focal lengths - and, most importantly, it is very sharp and contrasting, over the entire range of focal lengths and apertures. In fact, all that distinguishes it from much more expensive professional lenses is its aperture ratio. They are unlikely to be able to take a portrait with beautiful bokeh, but it’s easy to take a tree with every twig and every leaf.

24 mm F6.3 1/250 ISO 160

The lens is quite massive - which is not surprising, since it is made mainly of metal. Mechanically strong, rigid, with a strong lid that will not fall off in the case. Excellent resistance to oncoming sun.

24 mm F10 1/640 ISO 125

Clicking on a thumbnail will open a full-size image.

But the main thing, of course, is excellent sharpness, which can hardly be compared in this price range. It would probably seem strange to have such a budget glass on a camera costing more than 60 thousand rubles. But the lens is so good that it seems to us that the buyer will not start looking for a replacement for it very soon.

The camera takes pictures quite quickly for its class, the autofocus is tenacious and fast. Convenience and thoughtfulness of controls are beyond praise. Perhaps the autofocus illumination in the viewfinder is not bright enough - during the day it is practically invisible. The functionality of the camera is completely standard, which has developed in recent years - modes P, A, S, M. At the same time, you can enable ISO AUTO if desired. Subject and creative programs, among which, in addition to the traditional ones, HDR should be noted (alas, the output, as always, is only JPG - although, it would seem, what’s stopping you from giving the frame itself in HDR format at the same time?); time-lapse photography; time-lapse photography (almost the same as time-lapse, but the frames are combined into a video clip). Of course, there is exposure and white balance bracketing, as well as multiple exposures, preliminary mirror lifting, the proprietary “Active D-Lightning” exposure optimization system, and much, much more.

It's easier to say what's not in the camera. There is no WiFi in the camera (although if you buy a memory card with EyeFi, you will be able to take full advantage of it). There is no built-in GPS - although it is supported in principle - when connecting an external device purchased separately. There is no “dust subtraction” function - but there is, of course, a sensor cleaning function.

There is LiveView and video shooting. The maximum frame rate at 1080p resolution is 30 frames per second.

However, all or almost all of this is available in cameras with small sensors. What is it strong point full-format matrix? First of all, in the dynamic range. Let's take a look at this frame - it contains blinding spots of the sun on the snow and black gaps in tree trunks in deep shadow.

24 mm F8 1/400 ISO 160

Clicking on a thumbnail will open a full-size image.

The interval between the brightest and darkest places in the photo is extremely large here - and, of course, in the in-camera JPG we see dips, a lack of detail in both highlights and shadows. Simply because an eight-bit image cannot convey such a wide range of brightness. The camera, however, was actually able to discern and preserve all the details of the scene, both in the shadows and in the highlights. To see this, let's take the original RAW file and straighten it slightly in Lightroom:

24 mm F8 1/400 ISO 160

Clicking on a thumbnail will open a full-size image.

As you can see, all areas are perfectly developed and do not even contain clearly visible noise.

Upon further filming, however, one peculiarity became clear. The white balance of two adjacent frames can differ radically depending on the nuances of lighting. It's hard to say to what extent this was done deliberately, but in cameras of other brands these jumps are not so dramatic. Compare:

80 mm F4.5 1/40 ISO 320

Clicking on a thumbnail will open a full-size image.

85 mm F4.5 1/50 ISO 140

Clicking on a thumbnail will open a full-size image.

At the same time, we note the finest elaboration of the texture of the skin, which literally breathes in the picture.

Another one typical situation, where a very low noise level is needed - these are large areas painted with bright colors. If the sensor quality is insufficient, then such areas risk being filled with a uniform color tone without details. The color red is especially prone to such errors. Here, look - what a wealth of shades, allowing you to distinguish fresher berries from less fresh ones even in the photo!

85 mm F4.5 1/50 ISO 250

Clicking on a thumbnail will open a full-size image.

At high sensitivity values, noise continues to be quite acceptable.

85 mm F8 1/50 ISO 2000

Clicking on a thumbnail will open a full-size image.

This photo was taken at ISO 2000. The format of this material does not imply a detailed comparison of different cameras, but subjectively we can say unequivocally that small matrices cannot have such low noise at this sensitivity.

A few more photos.

24 mm F10 1/320 ISO 160

Clicking on a thumbnail will open a full-size image.

24 mm F8 1/400 ISO 125

Clicking on a thumbnail will open a full-size image.

24 mm F7.1 1/200 ISO 100

Clicking on a thumbnail will open a full-size image.

We see how purely the color of the sky is conveyed. The texture of water and snow is shown in such a way that it appears voluminous. But specks on the sensor, however, are visible, despite self-cleaning.

To summarize, we can say that it is an excellent, almost professional-class camera with stunning pictures and a very attractive price.

Pros:

• full-format matrix with a very wide dynamic range;
• excellent standard zoom;
• convenient and durable design;
• ability to write in parallel on two memory cards
• systematic - wide choice accessories and optics.

Minuses:

• lack of WiFi, GPS;
• a small number of focusing points;
• no “dust subtraction”
• relatively heavy weight.

Today there are only three full-frame cameras on the market in the price range up to two thousand dollars. Each of them has its own purpose, slightly different from its neighbors. Therefore, it is hardly possible to say that any of them is better or worse. One focuses on weight and dimensions, another on minimizing noise, and the third on continuous shooting speed. Each is excellent in its own way.

* in our tests, the A7 camera showed maximum speed 30 fps, but the manufacturer’s description states that it should be 60. Perhaps it’s a crude firmware issue.

Articles on the topic

• Canon EOS RP Camera Review: Affordable Full Frame The laws of the market are such that buyers want to get the highest quality device for the lowest price, and manufacturers want to inflate it as much as possible. Canon has done the impossible by releasing an affordable full-frame mirrorless camera...
• Sony DSC-RX10 II camera review: a luxury all-rounder The market for universal prosumer cameras, half-forgotten during the boom of mirrorless system cameras, has recently clearly seen a revival. Following Panasonic and Canon new version The company presented its photo station wagon...
• Canon PowerShot G3X Review: A Versatile Travel Companion Nowadays, smartphones have almost completely replaced point-and-shoot cameras (consumer cameras, compact cameras) from the market. But still, the latter have one trump card left on their side - optical zoom. We only saw a couple of phones (and...
• Sony World Photo Awards: Russians among best photographers peace The other day in London there was an award ceremony for the winners of an international photography competition, the general sponsor of which is Sony company. As part of the exhibition, the works of the contestants are presented as professional photographs...
• Nikon J4 mirrorless camera review: down with mobilography Nikon and Canon got on this train much later than other competitors. To this day, Olympus, Sony, Panasonic and Fujifilm have mirrorless flagships, but brands widely known for their SLR cameras “delight” users, mildly...
• Review of the Nikon D750 full-frame camera. The camera you've been waiting for Much is often expected of children of geniuses. They haven’t really learned to speak yet, but everyone expects a miracle from them. Read on ZOOM - “Nikon D750 from Nikon D700 doesn’t fall far.”
• Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III: the perfect camera for self-expression? Two years ago, Sony shook up the photo market by releasing a product with a never-before-seen combination: compact camera with a large sensor of a new form factor - 1 inch. The shake-up for other photo producers was palpable: they picked up...
• The first test in Russia of the flagship DSLR Nikon D4s for 250,000 rubles It's very difficult to review cameras like the D4s. Essentially, this is an exclusively professional tool, very highly specialized, tailored to solve very specific problems. A circle of people who really need...
• Dream camera. Review of the most unusual DSLR of the year Nikon Df Key Feature The Nikon Df, and this becomes clear almost immediately, is not one of its characteristics. In essence, they could be anything. Only the price of the camera would change, but its main idea would remain the same. AND...
• First test in Russia: flagship compact camera Canon G1 X Mark II The second generation Canon G1-X camera (Mark II) was announced two years after the release of the first, in February 2014. The developers have done serious work and made many improvements, making the new camera significantly...
• Review of the Sony Alpha NEX-5T mirrorless camera: what is hidden behind the new letter? The Sony NEX-5T camera entered the market last fall. She is a further development of the family Sony cameras NEX-5, the first of which, without a letter index, appeared in 2010. In 2011, the N modification was released in this family...

19555

Product mentions 3

The choice of a “system” for a photographer, from amateurs to professionals with a huge fleet of equipment, is often determined by chance - or, as many of us joke, by religious preferences. I immediately realized that for me “Nikon is forever” in the mid-2000s: in the editorial office of a small town there was only one “DSLR” - the editor-in-chief. It was the Nikon D70, which immediately amazed me (compared to my rather simple compact at that time) with its unprecedented speed - both in focusing and the furiously clicking shutter. In general, it was then that I decided on my system. Of course, it took me a long time to reach such “coolness” (and at that time, being seventy years old seemed like the ultimate dream!). First I got a Nikon D40, then it was replaced by a D3000, and then the older brother of my dreams, the D90, fell into my hands. I ran with it for quite a long time until I discovered that the dream had changed... And it had the code name “I want a fullframe!”

So I smoothly move on to the subject of my review - Nikon D610 full frame DSLR camera. For now, so that you don’t get bored of my memories, here’s a Kamchatka fox - my best photo ever, taken with its help.

A curious little fox against the backdrop of the Koryak volcano. Avacha plateau, Kamchatka. October 2015

I continue to feel nostalgic... So, I even remember the moment when I wanted full frame camera. Considering that I’ve come across opinions on the DNS forum that “FF is just a reason to amuse the emergency situation,” I think it’s worth dwelling on why change the camera to a full-frame one, forking out not only for it itself, but also to replace all the accumulated ones during the “crop” "glasses in the arsenal.

It was a Mumiy Troll concert. Night club, the traditionally disgusting light and Ilya Lagutenko meows joyfully in the spotlight. The concert was amazing, I took photographs with great pleasure. I came home and... leafing through the pictures, I started swearing loudly. Skipping the indefinite articles, it was: "Noise! ​​Smear! Noise! ​​Noise!" Having somehow created a reporting post with four and a half not the most disgusting pictures, I turned to the dear MRZD, they say, make sure that I finally change the camera to a full frame... I won some competition or someone gave it... Or something else...

Lyrical digression: “Be careful what you wish for” (c) Route 60

Dear MRZD loves to joke. And it pushes people to fulfill their desires in a very extraordinary way. Literally a month later, I sank my trusty D90 on an exotic beach. From the word absolutely. IN service center they said: “You’re a fool, you’re completely burned out, it’s easier to buy a new one...” The new one was the Nikon D610 Kit, which I incredibly successfully purchased from DNS (after six months of suffering without a camera, by the way - greetings from the dear MRZD!) . The luck was that just then Nikon, together with DNS, held a promotion, returning 10% of the purchase price - they were enough for me to buy another lens and an external hard drive quickly filled with photos;)

UNBOXING WITH ENTRESOLS

I, of course, wildly apologize for the crumpled box - it’s still not often that you review a gadget two years after purchase;) What’s surprising is that it has survived at all. In general, I, as an experienced Nikonist, have seen this box many times - their packaging is classic, the design is identical to most SLR cameras - only the photos of the cameras and their names change, and each time the box got bigger and bigger :)

Inside, in addition to a thick book, there is a user manual (by the way, a rare case when you need to read the manual not when you have already broken the gadget, but preventively - to find out all the possibilities, get even some tips on photography) and the warranty card there are two smaller boxes. In one of the “matryoshka” dolls there is the camera itself with a charger and wires, in the other there is a lens. I took the kit version - with a standard Nikkor 24-85. The version with a stabilizer and the maximum possible aperture opening of 3.5-4.5 at different ends suited me quite well in the kit. Although I planned later to take a piece of glass with a similar focal length - but a little lighter, but I haven’t gotten around to it in two years, which means I don’t really need it.

APPEARANCE: HANDSOME

The metal case, covered with textured plastic, with modern dust and moisture protection, with dimensions of 14x11x8 centimeters cannot be light. The camera itself weighs 850 grams with the battery installed. Plus a lens - depending on the strength of your arms and desire to carry heavy things maximum aperture :)

Actually, weight is practically the only drawback of all professional and semi-professional SLR cameras. And for me too. The D610 has been my favorite for two years now, but often, when preparing to go on a trip, I am tormented by doubts: a couple of extra clothes or a telephoto camera, a huge photo backpack or a bag with a mirrorless camera? I choose depending on my priorities - I don’t take it on a short trip without large photo plans, but I can’t go to different seas - Baikal - Kamchatka without it!

The body is equipped with rubberized inserts. Both on the body itself and on the included lens, over two years of active use they have not become loose at all, and they also fit tightly.

A lyrical digression: why is it good to review something that has been used for a long time, as opposed to a new item that you have just turned in your hands or used for a month - such details are also checked. However, I’ll say more about wear resistance below.

There are two “rockers” on the left side of the lens - switching the focus mode from automatic to manual and turning the stabilizer on and off.

The autofocus switch is also on the camera itself - below, under the lens release button. It is used in cases where the lens - without a "motor" - with a so-called screwdriver :) In addition to this, on the left side of the body there are two more buttons - flash and bracketing.

Top view - the controls are also classic for Nikon SLRs: on the right is a monochrome display, a power lever, in the extreme position there is still a backlit display, buttons for exposure metering (in viewing - formatting mode), exposure compensation - and video shooting. The latter is very convenient, by the way, by the fact that it is placed separately. True, by touch I sometimes confuse it with one of the “exposure” ones, but this is not a drawback of the camera, but of Anya’s absent-minded fingers;)

The built-in flash (which I use very rarely - but it's nice to have) and a hot shoe for off-camera flash and other accessories are also on top.

Pay special attention to the left corner - there is a shooting mode wheel. “Green zone”, PASM, separate flashless (I don’t understand why, if you have P) preset SCENE options and two custom ones. During the time I owned the camera, I’ll be honest, I didn’t use any others besides PASM.

Under the wheel is a dial for selecting shooting types - single frames, bursts, delayed, and so on.

Let's go to the rear of the camera - there is a rubber eyecup attached to the viewfinder. The viewfinder is a mirror one, of course. The 3.2-inch color display is non-touch. non-rotating I only regret the last one - and even then rarely. There is protection for the display, I took it off for the photo.

A classic set of controls, of which I would focus only on two lever-buttons: LiveView mode for photos and videos (it’s a pity that they are separate, sometimes I get confused, plus I regret that you can’t shoot video with the screen off, only through the viewfinder) and The multi selector with the main control dial is a four-way button with OK in the middle.

You can also display basic shooting settings on the screen if you don’t want to wander through the general menu.

The D610 has two slots for memory cards - and who would know how often this came to my rescue when I forgot the first flash drive (regular SD, by the way) in the laptop and ran off to shoot, or one of my friends needed to give a spare card. By the way, the camera eats cards up to 64 GB, I recommend using at least 32-16. It’s just that the files (even jeeps) are quite “heavy” and eight gigabytes will contain about a hundred pictures... For a photo-loving blogger, this, as you understand, is “nothing at all”.

All connectors for external connections- from a microphone and headphones to HDMI in a mini version and USB are hidden under rubber pads on the left side of the camera.

At the bottom there is a battery compartment cover, a rubberized insert covering the contacts of an additional battery and a standard tripod socket.

Nikon has its own battery - lithium-ion EN-EL-15, with a capacity of 1900 mAh. Honestly, I never measured how many frames it lasted for me, because there were only a couple of cases when the battery died in the middle of shooting (if I didn’t forget to charge it first, of course). And sometimes I took 2000-3000 photos a day. The only thing is that now I’m still planning to buy a spare battery - I’m planning long-term shooting in the cold in February :)

The battery takes two hours to charge from completely discharged to fully charged. I usually leave it on at night and don’t worry, fortunately there is a charge limiter.

Finishing the topic of appearance... My camera and I have been everywhere! Of course, I tried not to drop him, but still he was already “beaten” by life. And how did this affect his appearance? It just got a little dusty and frayed in the corners.

GLAZER'S SET

My collection of “glasses” is very modest - only the essentials, as they say. During these two years I shot with three lenses:

Whale 24-85

Televik 80-200 2.8

Fifty kopecks - 50 1.8 (by the way, this is what I bought at the time on sale and the exact same one is now being given away in a review competition, I highly recommend it to colleagues and future winners)

I also tried the universal Tamron 17-200 (in the hope of forgetting about changing glasses while traveling and, as a result, wasting time and dust on the matrix) but it didn’t work out - the picture from it seemed too soapy and flat to me. In general, I sold it to those for whom compactness and versatility are more valuable than “ringing sharpness.”

Speaking of the latter, it is, of course, mainly given in all its glory by a telephoto lens. I still have an old version of it, without a stabilizer. The new one actually works wonders. The truth is it costs as much as a car...

AND NOW - SLIDES!

Remember the old joke - a lecture about love? So we finally got to the slides and they will also be about love. Love of nature and photography, events and travel, looking at bugs and writing reviews. My Nikon helps me with all this (however, I’m not monogamous, I also have a couple of mirrorless cameras, but that’s a topic for another review;).

First - nature. Landscape shots in good lighting can look great on both a phone and a point-and-shoot camera, but mobile shots still don’t always provide a special texture or prominence to the image. Well, I dare to hope so ;)

Mutnovskaya geothermal zone. A geyser floats in the distance. Kamchatka, October 2015.

Ice caves on Mutnovsky volcano - Kamchatka, October 2015.

Naturally, I shoot all the frames in NEF (Nikon’s raw file format) and then process them in Lightroom, but the very possibility for processing, a large dynamic range that allows me to avoid falling shadows and knocking out highlights, is provided by the camera. For example, I took the photo above in the twilight of a cave, and I managed to preserve both the bright color of the sky and the landscape outside, and the texture of the stones, melted snow vaults and the running stream inside.

Or - concerts. It’s not for nothing that I started my post with memories of how I processed concert photos, almost crying... So, now processing photos from different performances is a pleasure. Yes, there are still a lot of defects now (here the camera is not very lucky with the photographer, one must assume;), but the number of photographs that are not a shame not only to show, but also to sell on stock has increased significantly. The same Roxette concert is very popular with me.

Per Gessle, Roxette group in Khabarovsk. Autumn 2014

Diana Arbenina, group "Night Snipers" in Khabarovsk - November 2015

Master class on shibari as part of the Far Eastern tattoo-piercing convention, 2014

Orchestra Festival "Amur Waves", May 2015

Returning to nature - I constantly went “out in the open air” with a camera, I can say that the manufacturer’s words about moisture protection and protection from dust have been verified by me very thoroughly - for example, the “Three Brothers” kekuras in the photo below were photographed during quite rough seas - at the exit from the bay, our yacht was rocking, splashes were flying everywhere... And once a brave photographer (spoiler: not me, but my husband) was drenched from head to toe by one particularly brazen wave - along with his camera. So what? He went into the cabin, got a scolding from me and went on filming. We wiped the camera, not a drop got inside.

Kekurs "Three Brothers" at the entrance to Avacha Bay, Kamchatka, October 2015

Tropical fish in the Moscow Zoo, April 2014 (This is not underwater photography, don’t think about it! Filmed through glass in an aquarium)

Far Eastern Komarov lotuses at sunset - shot against the sun. Khabarovsk, August 2015

The same speed that once amazed me during my first acquaintance with Nikon DSLRs still remains with representatives of their line. Shooting sports or animals is a wild pleasure for me now. Of course, I promised not to post cats in this review, but tigers are something completely different, right? :) At the same time, I’ll boast - the photo below recently won first place at All-Russian competition"Nature and animals Far East" in the category "Amur Tiger".

Young tigers are playing. Tiger Park, Harbin, October 2014

BMX - demonstration performances in freestyle motocross. Khabarovsk, summer 2014

Full-fledged macro photography should still be carried out with lenses intended for it, or at least with macro rings (they have been on my wishlist for a long time, but still nothing :), but more or less close-up shots of flowers or snakes promised in the last review can be done with kit lens.

One of the Red Book primroses of Russia is Lumbago or, as it is called in the west of the country, Dream-grass. Nizhny Novgorod Region, April 2014

Flowers of "Khabarovsk sakura" - strictly speaking, this is not sakura - but one of the plum species with inedible fruits - three-lobed almonds. Khabarovsk, June 2015

The Amur snake (also known as Schrenk's snake) is a Red Book beauty snake from the Far East. Her name is Severina and she lives at my house. August 2014.

By the way, I didn’t mention it before, but one of the features of the camera is the presence of a wi-fi module that allows you to use eye-fi cards. But I expressed my opinion about them in the last Nikon review and this is what I regret: there is no full-fledged ability to control the camera from a smartphone and upload photos to it immediately after the “stock version”. It would be incredibly cool, so here's another drawback of the camera if you think the review is too richly flavored with molasses :) But this is the last drawback :)

In general, the only time I didn’t dare take a camera with me was when I “flew” over a sea bay on a parachute attached to a yacht. And I was afraid that I would drop it, and because of the weight and volume, I didn’t. But I went with him under the clouds in the basket of a balloon.

Balloonists fill the balloon with hot air. Khabarovsk, May 2015.

Balloon against the background of the Amur. Khabarovsk, May 2015

"These are all examples of photographs in good conditions for shooting" - a meticulous reader will say, and he will be almost right (concerts = difficult lighting, but we are not talking only about them) I tested how the Nikon D610 behaves in difficult light or low light conditions, as a rule, on production blog tours - no one will put up lighting fixtures in the workshops specifically for guests, and no one will open the windows wide open.

And here’s what’s good - you can raise the ISO on a full frame, if not to the maximum in the settings 25600, then safely to 6400 - the noise will be minimal. I didn’t do boring tests with different ISOs, there are plenty of them on our Internet - anyone can find them, I prefer to show how useful this all was to me in life. When shooting reportage, I set the same ISO to automatic, with a limit of up to 6400, and I simply don’t think about it. I know that I have enough quality for a blog and publications in the media.

Cleaning the car after overturning coal in the car turner. Khabarovsk CHPP-3, November 2014.

A worker at the construction of the second stage of the Blagoveshchenskaya Thermal Power Plant, June 2015.

Portrait photography is something that I practically do not need, but it is an important aspect for those who switch to full frame, making money with studio and event photography to order - from weddings and corporate events to girl photos. I don’t shoot in the studio; strobism is a dark forest for me, I admit right away. But often portraits are published at events or on blog tours. Despite the fact that, unlike staged photography, there is not much time to “work” with this or that model, the result is excellent.

Ildar Maratovich Bagautdinov is an employee of the Sayano-Shushenskaya hydroelectric power station, who organized people on the fateful day of the accident and, together with them, reached the top of the dam in a matter of minutes - and manually opened the water pipeline gates. By this he prevented an even greater disaster then and reduced the number of victims. SSHHPP, April 2014.

Participant in the Holi festival of colors. Khabarovsk, June 2015

Participant of the Monstration, Khabarovsk, May 2015.

A whistle seller at a bazaar in Kotor. Montenegro, August 2014

The D610 has an active D-Lighting function and the ability to do HDR (preferably on a tripod), as well as in-camera processing capabilities - from using preset filters to changing one or another image characteristic on a scale - sharpness, contrast, lightness, saturation.

But if in the case of the soap box I said that this would not be in demand by those who simply “take photos automatically”, then reviewing the full frame, I will say differently: I just don’t understand WHY this is needed. target audience this camera, which... against. shoots in manual or semi-automatic modes and polishes the images with post-processing on a computer. In general, I have a joke in my head: “professionals_don’t_use the space bar” and yes, this is photosnobbery.

View of the bay and old town in Kotor. Montenegro, August 2014.

Winter Sea of ​​Japan, Zolotari Bay. Nakhodka, January 2015.

It would seem that when shooting from a tripod and at a long shutter speed, when the aperture is “clamped” and the ISO is reduced to minimum values, the main advantages of full-frame SLR cameras compared to their “cropped” younger sisters come to naught. And many will confirm this by demonstrating the unreal beauty of the photo. But it still seems to me that the pictures come out clearer. Well, or I’m justifying this to myself for the drowned previous camera and the expensive current one :)

Smolny Cathedral through the doors of the opened Bolsheokhtinsky Bridge (Peter the Great). St. Petersburg, September 2014. By the way, it was not filmed on a tripod - handheld and on a moving boat. This is about the speed and quality of photos.

Fountains on the main square of the city, Khabarovsk, July 2015.

Coal terminal of the port of Nakhodka with one of the city's observation points. Nakhodka, August 2015.

Locks on observation deck in front of the Sayano-Shushenskaya hydroelectric power station dam. SSHHPP, April 2014.

I literally hear voices in my head (no, not schizophrenia:) saying that everything depends on the photographer. Yes, it depends and you need to at least know the basic camera settings, but I won’t say that the camera doesn’t affect the result. I don’t consider myself a good photographer at all, I’m just a button pusher, a blogger who records reality. Professionals, undoubtedly, have pictures from both a matchbox and D4s (involuntary salivation, here we go... :) general seal genius :) In the case when a person does not have enough stars in the sky, but tries to take photographs, the quality and capabilities of the device have a very strong influence.

And as proof, I’ll show you two photographs taken by my husband, who rarely picks up a camera and doesn’t understand shooting modes and other settings at all. In one case, he simply shot in P-mode, and in the second, he consulted me on the phone about “how to do it at a long shutter speed.”

A fragment of the ice sculpture “Alice in Wonderland” by Dmitry Boytsov and Alexander Kuznetsov, which took 1st place at the Amur Crystal 2014 competition. Khabarovsk, December, 2014

Evening skyline of Heihe - a Chinese city located directly opposite Blagoveshchensk. Blagoveshchensk, June 2015.

A little about the additional capabilities of the camera. Right “inside” you can set up time-lapse shooting, for example. Moreover, both separately images and with the formation of video at once. The only thing is that last year I was able to shoot long time-lapses, but this year - due to lack of practice - I got confused in the settings and only made a second video.

Stars over Koryaksky volcano. Kamchatka, October 2015.

As for the video itself - while using all Nikon DSLRs that have a video function, I highlight two disadvantages for me when using the camera as a video camera:

1. Autofocus does not adapt to changes in the frame, as it was set before shooting, it continues to do so. You can “tighten” it during the process by pressing the shutter button halfway. In this case, the sharpness “turns” several times and focuses on a new point.

2. By default, the internal microphone is very sensitive - at concerts (and more often than not I record videos there), its sensitivity must be greatly reduced, otherwise it will produce noise.

An example of a video is below (filmed handheld, with a heavy telephoto camera, a slight shake in the picture from there)

Concert of Vadim Samoilov, group "Agatha Christie". Khabarovsk, December 2015.

We are slowly creeping towards the end of the review (“Hurray!” rejoiced the husband, who was on duty in the kitchen and feeding Olivier to your humble servant, who was not looking up from the computer in the process of writing the post) and a couple more examples are already directly related to the participants of the “DNS Club” - photos for reviews I work mainly on the D610, so its capabilities, coupled with my curvature;) - can be judged by them.

Photos for the review of the alarm clock lamp were taken in a lightbox, on a black background - without a flash, with two light bulbs on the sides.

You can talk about the camera for a long time (“Oh God, no!” said the husband), remembering the focus points, the Live View mode, the quiet shutter mode... And so on, and so on... But this review has already exceeded all reasonable volumes, and New Year very close... Therefore, here are two more cards for you, as an example of his work and my conclusion - and I went to cut and eat salads in anticipation of Putin’s five minutes.

Leopard in the zoo. Novosibirsk, April 2014.

Bureya Reservoir. Amur region, June 2015.

CONCLUSION: YASHMYASH, NIKON IS OUR!

In short: this is my camera. She is beautiful inside and out. Heavy, does not send pictures to Instagram by click, but allows you to create wonderful photos.

Yes, if Santa Claus suddenly brings me a D750 or 810... why waste time on trifles, Medvedev’s D4s - I won’t refuse and will be very happy. But I definitely won’t specifically change the camera or grow “even higher” in terms of technology. Do you hear, dear MRZD, DON’T TOUCH ANYTHING! I have not yet even studied all the capabilities of this camera, let alone matured enough to fully use them. Therefore, I’d better wish for myself in the new year some kind of ultra-wide lens, a light standard lens, a new tripod (the last one died in Kamchatka...) and a mountain of other little things...

And I congratulate you all on the New Year and wish your dreams come true , and also remember that if you teach a child to take photographs from childhood, he will never have money for drugs! Happiness and great moments to you - no matter whether they are captured in the photo or not!

2 years ago

The availability of lenses is always, everywhere and not as expensive as for Pentax.

2 years ago

Full frame Continuous shooting speed Fast autofocus Wide dynamic range Flexible auto ISO settings

2 years ago

I would like to draw the attention of Yandex Market to the incorrect presentation of the description of the Nikon D610 camera. It is labeled as professional, which is not true. See information from the manufacturer http://www.nikon.ru/ru_RU/products/category_pages/digital_cameras/category_SLR.page? This is not the only error, I won’t dig around and look for it, I’ve encountered other similar errors and, as a rule, the camera increases in status, not decreases. Don't mislead people! Get information from the manufacturers' websites!

2 years ago

Comfortable. At ISO 3200 he shoots in complete darkness in the light of the moon, handheld at 1/125 - from a distance of 1.5 -2 meters he reads text 2 millimeters high, noise is easily corrected in FS. The battery actually lasts for 1000 frames, if you don’t admire the result every 5 minutes. Truly dust and moisture resistant housing. Tested in the rain and at the festival of colors. In combination with a collection of fixes it is very good. Don't listen to those who use bottle glass))

2 years ago

A very good FF for the money. Why is everyone so obsessed with 1/4000?

2 years ago

The advantages of all are described in the same way - I agree with almost all of them.

2 years ago

Affordable price Excellent build quality. Strength and reliability I fell several times, once with the tripod on stones in the water - there was a crack in the battery compartment, but EVERYTHING works fine. Ergonomic button layout Noise from 1600 User-friendly interface Timelapse mode Human Live View, unlike 700 Many settings and options that allow you to realize any shooting ideas Huge DD - 14.4 stops (film has a maximum of 12) 6 frames/s Two card slots Decent video

2 years ago

Good quality pictures and videos. Convenient for portrait photography, because full frame. Large memory buffer, compared to the D7100, which only held 6 frames. The camera itself is faster in terms of image processing. The quality at ISO 6400 is pleasing. Like previous models, the control interface is very convenient, there are many settings. Several programmable buttons, convenient for reportage shooting, when you shoot with one hand. The already familiar two slots for memory cards. There are many more advantages that can be described, but this is already the norm for Nikon cameras.

2 years ago

Compared to the D7000: 1. Fast autofocus (again, compared to the D7000). 2. Detailing. 3. White balance has become better 4. Lenses have revealed their potential. 5. Battery - a day's work is easy. 6. No oil. 7. Ease of control (well, this is Nikon). 8. Comfortable grip. 9 Light weight.

2 years ago

Resolution, working high ISO, image detail is very good, wide dynamic range, fairly fast AF

2 years ago

Very low build quality, fragile materials in structurally important parts of the camera and the same problems with dirt on the matrix, which cannot be cleaned with a blower, as in the Nikon D600, frankly weak autofocus in terms of tenacity and accuracy, inconvenient control and grip even with a battery manually, the batteries run out quickly, there is no way to reprogram the video button, which remains completely useless in the end. The reliability of dust and moisture protection is questionable.

2 years ago

Minimum shutter speed 1/4000s
No exposure scale on secondary display

2 years ago

Focus points crowded in the center. For those who suffer due to 1/4000 shutter speed, I advise you to screw on a polarizer or protective gray glass.

2 years ago

dust on the matrix is ​​still the same as on the 600th((((

2 years ago

I switched to Nikon D610 from Canon 6D. And most importantly, my huge disappointment is the ergonomics, namely:
1. There is no infrared sensor that controls the main screen; to view camera parameters you need to press the Info button, which is also very inconveniently located.
2. On the small screen there is no information about exposure compensation (the icon doesn’t count - you need to know exactly where the compensation is now set) - it can be seen either through the lens or on the main screen, but you need to press Info before that - horror.
3. I don’t understand how the menu controls are either, it’s hard to explain exactly, but believe me, it’s not convenient.
4. An incredible number of buttons scattered chaotically throughout the camera - while there is no easy way to control exposure correction and ISO at the same time with one touch -

2 years ago

Not the most convenient viewfinder, 700 and 800 are better.
So I advise you to buy a large round sun eyecup

2 years ago

It stains the matrix. Nikon stated that the problem has been fixed in this model, but after 5000 frames the sensor must be cleaned. The spots are quite large. My colleague has the same problem with the d610.
The ISO button has changed position. Very inconvenient after five years of using other models. I have 4 different Nikon models for specific purposes and all the control buttons are located differently, but the ISO button has always been in the same place.
The focusing area is very small. It’s suitable for calm shooting of portraits or landscapes, but not enough for reporting.
There is no way to enlarge the image using the OK button when viewing.
Minimum shutter speed 1/4000. After the D7100, I really miss this step when shooting portraits.
You cannot change the aperture in video mode. It is necessary to turn off LiveView and change.
P

2 years ago

1. Narrow autofocus area (quickly got used to it) 2. White balance is still not perfect. 3. I didn’t finish checking one dead pixel - well, that’s my fault, of course, and, of course, this little guy, in principle, doesn’t interfere with anything.

2 years ago

shutter speed 1/4000, the screen in my opinion is lying or the RAW camera display is yellowish, in editors and programs it looks as expected

2 years ago

Oil on the sensor after 1,356 frames. at Aperture 10 and above. WHICH was VERY upsetting.

Today we are testing a very interesting camera - Nikon D610. On the one hand, this is an advanced full-frame SLR camera for serious work, on the other hand, it is the most affordable model from Nikon’s full-frame line, and it will be of interest primarily to those amateur photographers who have decided to switch to full frame from simpler models. The camera also has many automatic modes that will be useful for beginners; there are also special professional features, which will help you create excellent quality photos and videos. Who will be interested in the Nikon D610? We will try to answer this question with our test.

It's a dull winter, gradually turning into spring. Gray low sky, slush underfoot, incessant nasty runny nose, wet feet. I don’t really want to shoot anything in this weather. I want to crawl under a warm blanket and sit in front of the fireplace on long dark evenings with an interesting book, without going outside at all. What kind of photography is there, what complete and incomplete frames... However, as soon as the bright sun looks out, and even on a day off, all the people rush out of town, to parks, museums, ski resorts and just into the forest, away from the dusty metropolis, and almost Everyone has a large black DSLR with a huge lens on their neck, or a smaller mirrorless camera, and many simply take pictures with a smartphone and enjoy a good mood.

Video - our program “Photo Fire!”

In our video, we briefly looked at the ergonomics of the Nikon D610 camera, the principles of setting the main modes, gave examples of shooting photos and videos, as well as two examples of Time Lapse time-lapse photography. The film was made by the authors and is an appendix to this article.

Testing methodology

All photos were taken on a Nikon D610 camera (firmware 1.00) complete with an AF-S NIKKOR 24-85 mm f/3.5-4.5G ED VR lens, all frames were shot in RAW format (14 bit, lossless compression), SDHC memory card UHS-I Transcend SDHC 32GB 300x Class 10, developed in the program Adobe Lightroom 5.7, all photos are shown without artistic treatment, as they were filmed, the necessary retouching was carried out for the portraits.

Comparison of the main characteristics of Nikon D610 and Canon EOS 6D

Ergonomics Nikon D610

What I liked

1. Secure grip, convenient body, controls as in the latest models of DSLRs - D7100, D750, everything is familiar and everything is in its place. There is no point in listing the basic principles of settings - everyone who has shot on Nikon cameras will instantly figure it out; for beginners, it is enough to remember the main point: press the control button of one or another parameter (for example ISO) and use the wheel to change the value of this parameter. We monitor on the top or main screen. Everything is simple and logical.
2. Control wheels with parameter locking- the established mode will never accidentally go wrong. We hold the camera with our right hand, press the button with the index finger of our left hand, and turn the top wheel with our thumb; in the case of the lower wheel, it is more convenient to press the button with your thumb and turn it with your index finger.
3. Large additional screen on the top edge- it’s convenient to read the values, and you can also save battery power if you constantly use the top screen without using the main screen for setup purposes.
4. Protective cover for screen- the point is controversial. It is rather useful, as it protects the screen from damage and does not interfere at all when shooting. If anyone thinks that she is spoiling appearance, the cover can be removed.
5. Two SD memory cards are very convenient! Frankly, we are accustomed to the fact that modern Nikon DSLRs have two memory cards, and using other cameras with one card is no longer comfortable.

What I didn't like

1. Shooting options and Live View. One of the most significant disadvantages is that when using Live View in photography mode, when changing the aperture and shutter speed, the digital values ​​​​on the screen change, but these changes do not visually affect the picture on the screen, which misleads the user. There is no live histogram in Live View mode, which is not so critical compared to the non-displayed result of changing parameters.

2. Aperture in video shooting mode. In Live View mode, when shooting video, you cannot change the aperture; you can change shutter speed, ISO, white balance and some other parameters, but changing the aperture is not available. Directly when shooting a video, if there was a need to change the aperture, it would be smooth, without jumps, as on more professional models (for example, the Nikon D750 can smoothly change the aperture). Changing the aperture discretely will inevitably lead to jumps in brightness, although in some cases it is better to have a jump in brightness than to continue shooting with the wrong settings.

3. OK button when viewing. Pressing the OK button when viewing a photo does not enlarge it on the screen, as in older models. To enlarge a fragment of the frame, you need to click on the magnifying glass with the plus sign several times.

4. Built-in mono microphone. The camera records video well, but the built-in microphone is monaural. The connector for an external stereo microphone saves the day; this is the only way to record stereo sound.

Taking a portrait

The aperture at the long end is 4.5... this, of course, is not 1.4 or 2.8, as on fast primes, but it is quite possible to blur the background with this lens.

50mm f/4.5	85 mm f/8

85mm f/4.5	50mm f/4.2

70 mm, f/5.6	80 mm, f/5

Landscape photography

Thanks to its versatile lens and excellent sensor, the camera allows you to shoot excellent landscapes, especially when traveling. You can safely take this camera on a trip - it is simply created for travel reporting. The focal length of the kit lens - 24 mm - will allow you to shoot wide sea or mountain landscapes, and if you wish, you can set it to 85 mm and bring the subject closer or shoot a series of excellent portraits. In the evening, you don’t have to take a tripod with you - you can safely raise the ISO to 6400 and shoot city scenes handheld, and for evening portraits there is a built-in flash.

Panorama of 5 horizontal, focal length 24 mm, 1/60 at f/5.6, ISO 100:

Indoors, with mixed light, auto white balance does an excellent job:

Autofocus

AF-A- automatic tracking focusing: the camera itself selects single-servo AF if the subject is stationary, and continuous tracking AF if the subject is moving.

AF-S- single-frame tracking focusing: for shooting stationary objects. Focus locks when the shutter button is pressed halfway. At default settings, a shot can only be taken when the focus indicator is displayed

AF-C- continuous tracking focus: for shooting moving objects. The camera focuses continuously while the shutter button is pressed halfway; if the subject moves, the camera will engage predictive focus tracking to predict the final distance to the subject and adjust focus. With default settings, the shot can be taken regardless of whether the subject is in focus or not.

Focus points can be selected:

Single point autofocus: used for stationary objects.

Dynamic autofocus: In AF-A and AF-C modes, the camera will focus based on information received from surrounding focus points if the subject moves away from the selected point for a while. The number of focus points depends on the selected mode:

• Dynamic, 9 points
• Dynamic, 21 points
• Dynamic, 39 points

3D tracking: In AF-A and AF-C modes, the camera will track subjects that have left the selected focus point and select new focus points if necessary.

Automatic AF area selection: The camera automatically detects the subject and selects the focus point. When using a G, E, or D lens, the camera can distinguish human faces from the background to improve subject identification.

In Live View mode, the camera can focus:

AF-S- single-servo focus: for shooting stationary subjects - focus is locked when the shutter button is pressed halfway.

AF-F- constant tracking focus: for objects that move - the camera focuses constantly while the shutter button is pressed; Focus is locked when pressed halfway.

In Live view, you can select the following AF area modes:

• Face priority autofocus- for shooting portraits.
• Wide autofocus area- for shooting landscapes and other objects handheld.
• Normal AF area- for precise focusing at a selected point in the frame.
• Autofocus subject tracking- the focus point will follow the selected object as it moves in the frame.

Lens included

The camera came to us for testing with the AF-S NIKKOR 24-85 mm f/3.5-4.5G ED VR kit lens - this lens is well known to everyone who shoots on Nikon cameras - an affordable kit lens that comes with full-frame cameras. In the case of this optics, whale - does not mean "simple" - the lens provides excellent optical characteristics and covers the most popular focal lengths - from a wide angle of 24 mm with a minimum aperture of 3.5 for landscapes and urban scenes to classic portraits of 85 mm with an aperture of 4.5.

The lens has a built-in ultrasonic autofocus motor, thanks to which it focuses instantly and almost silently, and is equipped with 2nd generation image stabilization (VR II). The lens provides good sharpness in the center of the frame, but the resolution at the edges and corners is much worse.

Test: focal length 24mm, ISO 100, F11

Test: focal length 50mm, ISO 100, F11

Test: focal length 85mm, ISO 100, F11

The disadvantages of the lens are noticeable barrel, vignetting and chromatic aberration, these parameters can be compensated both by the camera itself (for shooting in JPEG), this is included in the menu, and using software when processing, for example in Lightroom 5.7 in the case of RAW. The average price of this lens, according to Yandex Market data, as of February 2015 was 21,800 rubles.

As an alternative, you can consider the even more versatile Nikon 24-120mm f/4G ED VR AF-S Nikkor lens - constant f/4 aperture at all focal lengths and 120 mm at telephoto will be clear advantages, but such a lens costs about 10,000 more rubles

Using DX Lenses

The D610 can be equipped with any DX lens that is designed specifically for Nikon crop factor cameras. Of course, such lenses are equipped with exactly the same mount, so they will install without problems, the only problem is strong vignetting at the edges at wide angles.

To reduce the vignetting effect when installing DX lenses, you need to specify the frame size in the menu not FX, but DX (see screenshot below), the camera uses only part of the matrix and there will be no vignetting effect. In our opinion, if the camera already has a full-frame sensor, it is better to use its full potential, and do such a trick only when necessary. The only plus is that the coverage area of ​​the autofocus points will be very close to the edges of the frame, and we will be able to focus almost anywhere in the frame.

Nikon D610 with DX NIKKOR 18-55mm 1:3.5-5.6 G VR lens

At a focal length of 18 mm, the strongest vignetting is noticeable	Now you need to enable DX in the menu
The viewfinder will display the full frame, but the crop frame will be drawn in the center, this is how the frame will be taken	In Live View mode, the camera immediately crops the frame to DX size

ISO sensitivity test

At this point in the review I would like to make a small digression. , this is the first time we have encountered full-frame DSLRs from the Nikon line; before that, we only tested models with a crop factor. And the amazing quality that the matrix produced in the Nikon DF camera at almost all ISOs, up to 51200, seemed to us to be in the order of things. We were happy and decided that this was the norm for all Nikon full-frame DSLRs.

Friends, this is not true. See how much Nikon DF costs. This is despite the fact that the camera does not shoot video, it does not have a battery grip, it has an outdated processor, the screen does not rotate, the battery is rather weak, the hinges of the battery compartment lid are weak... The Nikon DF camera has one thing: undeniable advantage, which easily and naturally puts any DSLR on the market on both shoulders, excluding only the top-end Nikon D4S (it has the exact same matrix) and Canon 1D (of course, we do not take into account medium format devices and the just announced Canon 5DSR). This advantage is its chic matrix.

We invite you to watch the ISO test we shot on the Nikon D610. Shooting parameters: aperture priority F/8, NEF format, all processing such as noise reduction long exposures and high ISO are turned off. Click on photo - magnification 1:1. The quality of the Nikon D610 is quite suitable for work, so don’t look at the Nikon DF test and don’t compare, don’t be upset.

50	64	80
100	125	160
200	250	320
400	500	640
800	1000	1250
1600	2000	2500
3200	4000	5000
6400	8000	10000
12800	25600

High dynamic range

Classic HDR with Exposure Bracketing

We pay great attention to HDR shooting in every report, and there are many reasons for this. Firstly, even the coolest modern matrices are unable to convey the range of brightness that we see with our own eyes at the shooting location, and secondly, this style allows you to turn on your imagination and creatively process the frame, making it more dramatic.

In the Nikon D610 camera, AE bracketing can be selected:

• 2 frames: one of which will be shot with normal exposure, the second with either plus or minus to choose from.
• classic 3 frames with 0.3, 0.7, 1, 2 or 3 steps fork.

The Nikon D610 camera allows you to take only three exposures in a series, so all that remains is to select a bracket on the spot. We most often make two series - with plug 2 or 3, since it is sometimes difficult to decide which brightness range is suitable for a particular plot. A narrower fork than 2EV, in our opinion, makes no sense - such a result is easier to achieve by processing one RAW than fiddling with a series and subsequent gluing.

Example with fork 2

-2EV	0EV	+2EV

Example with fork 3

-3EV	0EV	+3EV

Some more HDR shots with different processing:

Setting parameters in the menu

In-camera HDR

The camera also has an automatic HDR stitching mode, it is included in the menu and only works when shooting in JPEG - the camera itself will take a series of two frames and stitch the finished file. In order for the camera to remember the fact that this mode is turned on, you need to set it to “series”, otherwise before each next HDR-style shot, this function will have to be re-activated in the menu.

You can adjust the bracketing (in the menu it’s called “Exposure Differential”) and the processing hardness (for some reason it’s called “Softening”). As practice shows, you shouldn’t expect any special miracles from shooting in this mode. For the example below, we took a landscape in all modes and compared the result with classic HDR, which was shot at the same time from the same point. Comments, as they say in such cases, are unnecessary.

HDR Off	HDR Auto, Normal	HDR 1EV, Normal
HDR 2EV, Normal	HDR 3EV, Normal	HDR 1EV, High

Classic HDR with three exposures, shot in RAW from this point and assembled in a graphics editor:

-2EV	0EV	+2EV

Active D-Lighting

This is a feature of all Nikon DSLRs; we test this mode every time we work on camera reviews. And every time the operation of this function causes bewilderment - why? You can’t see much of a difference in the photo, but when processing RAW in a graphics editor, you can easily achieve more interesting results. And another strange point: this function has no effect on the raw file, only on JPEG. Or rather, not quite like that: when you open NEF in the Nikon program, Capture NX-D, information about Active D-Lighting will be read and the file will be displayed according to the specified settings for this parameter. If you work with this NEF in any other editor, there is no point in using this function; rather, it makes sense to disable it so as not to waste energy.

Example of Active D-Lighting

ADL AUTO	ADL moderate	ADL normal
ADL reinforced	ADL super reinforced	ADL Off

IN in this example A photo with ADL turned off looks much cleaner and interesting, while the super-boosted mode adds a gray veil to the photo.

Setting parameters in the menu

We shoot in JPEG	Settings Active D-Lighting	Setting up HDR

Shooting video

The main video parameters are configured in the menu before shooting: quality and frame rate (we shot 1920x1080 24p), memory card number. Many parameters can be adjusted when switching to video mode before recording has started. And some parameters can be changed directly while recording a video.

If you set the creative mode to M and switch to video shooting mode, but do not start recording yet, you can configure many recording parameters. A picture will appear on the screen, already cropped to 16:9 format, which is good, and then:

What can be configured:

• Exposure
• White balance
• Brightness
• Microphone level
• Picture Control
• Autofocus mode and move autofocus area

What cannot be configured:

• Aperture - turning the wheel does not change the aperture number and does not affect the picture in any way
• Exposure compensation - changing the exposure compensation is visually displayed on the screen, but does not affect the picture in any way

If you start recording video, then right while shooting the video you can change:

• Exposure
• White balance
• Brightness
• Autofocus mode and move the autofocus area

The built-in microphone is monaural, the sound in the video will be flat, which does not make watching the video any better. But the most difficult thing is to adjust the diaphragm, because no matter how you turn the front steering wheel, there is no point. And in the field, when you urgently need to shoot, you start hastily turning different wheels and pressing all the buttons in a row, eventually setting the parameters at random. It's good if you guessed right.

Examples of shooting video on Nikon D610 are given in our video

Interval photography - Time Lapse

The camera can shoot the classic version time-lapse photography- frames over a period of time specified by the photographer. In this case, the output is a series of files that will need to be assembled into a video clip on a computer in an editing program, for example Adobe Premiere or Adobe After Effects.

Time-lapse video shooting- everything is the same, only the camera will independently stitch together the final video, and the resolution and frame rate will be copied from the video recording settings.

Important points when shooting Time Lapse

1. When shooting Time Lapse Be sure to disable autofocus! If this is not done, the camera will focus anew each time it takes a new frame, which will inevitably lead to focus jumps in the video. If when shooting a photo or even a video this is not noticeable to the eye, then in the case of Time Lapse this fact will completely ruin the video. And besides, the battery power will be wasted. An example of unsuccessful shooting is given in our video - while filming the Moscow City International Business Center in the evening, we forgot to turn off autofocus. The second example in the video turned out to be more successful, where we turned off all automation altogether.
2. The mistake would be choosing shutter priority mode or software P - the camera, when shooting each next frame, will re-evaluate the exposure and select some kind of aperture, which will inevitably lead to a change in brightness from frame to frame, which in turn will lead to flickering in the frame. The aperture must be clearly set.
3. It is better to refuse automatic ISO selection, you must select and set the desired value.
4. Set the desired white balance, just not automatic. On a cloudy day it can be a cloud, on a clear day it can be sunny. Otherwise, the white balance may also “walk” from frame to frame, which will inevitably lead to jumps in the color tone in the video.
5. Floating shutter speed. If you choose aperture priority, say, f/8, then the camera will re-select the shutter speed for each subsequent frame, lengthening it as it gets dark in the evening, and shortening it at dawn. When shooting on a bright day, this can again harm the video if the sun hides behind a cloud, then comes out again, and so on - brightness jumps are inevitable. Or a passer-by will accidentally appear in the frame - this will only add dynamics to the picture, but we are guaranteed a jump in brightness.

Multiple exposure

Like most modern Nikon DSLRs, the D610 can shoot multiple exposure style shots. Overlay of 2 or 3 frames is available, and you can shoot in RAW. The default maximum time between exposures is 30 seconds, which can be extended using Custom Setting c2 (Standby timer). Just like for HDR, you can set it to On in the menu. (series) or On (single shot) - in the first case, the camera will take one multiple exposure, and you can start shooting the next one, while in the second case, after shooting one multiple exposure, the camera itself will switch this setting to Off mode.

There is also such a parameter as “Auto Gain”. This setting needs to be adjusted to your taste; the instructions do not give any specific recommendations in this regard, except that it suggests turning off auto gain if the background is dark.

Shooting multiple exposures is a challenging creative endeavor. If in the case of HDR you can at least roughly imagine what the future frame will look like (for example, mentally darken the sky and lighten the shadows on the ground), when shooting Time Lapse you can again mentally accelerate the movement of clouds in the sky or the course of any events, then In the case of multiple exposure, it is incredibly difficult to imagine the future frame.

Anyone interested in multiple exposures can be recommended to study the works of the masters, and you can start with the works

and kit lens
Nikon 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED-IF AF-S Zoom-Nikkor

Recently this post appeared on the forum: “With regards to the D7000, this camera has a crappy autofocus module installed (the same one was installed in the D600-610), it has crooked operating algorithms and therefore often misses where the D300-D700 works perfectly. The D7100-7200 has a module from the D300-700 installed, but I don’t know what operating algorithm it has because I haven’t checked it personally".

To be honest, this statement bothered me. D610 was in our laboratory, we carried out the test, it seems, in April last year. But the article never appeared (you can always find a hundred reasons to postpone unfinished work). So we didn’t process the autofocus test, we didn’t look at the footage for the “gallery” (it gives a good indication of how accurately the AF works), but from my experience with the camera I didn’t have any aftertaste from the “crooked” autofocus.

And even before that, several letters appeared in the “personal” with the following subject: "Why wasn't there Nikon review D610, if the camera was in your hands? Indeed, the D610 was featured in the article “”. In short, the stars aligned and ordered us to take test materials and finish the pending work. Still, entry-level full-frame DSLRs are not such a common occurrence that they should be neglected. So, let's get acquainted: Nikon D610, the heroine of our test:

Of course, the Nikon D610 is an entry-level full-frame DSLR, and in many respects it corresponds to the entry-level. There are shutter capabilities, a relatively weak processor, and relatively modest video capabilities. And, of course, a relatively weak AF module - Nikon Multi-CAM 4800FX (almost the same, Nikon Multi-CAM 4800DX, is installed in Nikon 5000 series crop DSLRs). But calling it a “crappy module with crooked algorithms” is an impolite overkill. Let me remind you, according to our tests, the autofocus rating is:

• Nikon D7200 - 8.7 points.
• Nikon D7100 - 7.1 points.
• Nikon D5500 - 6.3 points.

Of course, the Multi-CAM 4800DX does not perform as efficiently as the Advanced Multi-Cam 3500 and Advanced Multi-Cam 3500 II. But still, it’s not “bad”, let’s be at least a little objective. By the way, let's see what rating the Nikon D610 gets in the autofocus test. I don’t think that everything is determined by the AF module and only by it. We'll see a little later, but for now let's take a look at the camera's exterior.

Construction, design, management

Externally, the Nikon D610 is a “Nikon classic” with two control disks. Of course, it can be compared with its “big sister” D810 and despite the general similarity, noticeable differences can be found. The “non-professional” dial for selecting shooting modes is like that of “crop models”. Lack of connectors for synchronizing the flash system. But we must not forget that the D610 represents the entry-level of full-frame DSLRs; it should not be judged by professional standards (the highly advanced D810 costs exactly twice as much as the heroine of our test).

	Externally, the Nikon D610 is a “Nikon classic” with two control disks. On the front panel to the left of the lens we see: Autofocus illumination. Aperture repeater (preview button). Programmable Fn button.
	Here you can clearly see: the profile of the handle, the auxiliary control dial and the surroundings of the shutter button with three positions: camera off, camera on, backlight of the top LCD panel.
	It’s undignified for a full-frame DSLR to have less than two slots for memory cards. Moreover, the price of this option is low. But in general, the camera is not oversaturated with controls: on a large body they seem small. In this case, you can notice that some controls are assembled into blocks.
	We see the first such block to the right of the screen - a 4-position joystick (multi-selector), surrounded by an AF area locking ring. Just below: the Live View button, surrounded by a “Photo - Video” switch ring. Below them is the Info button, which controls the display of information on the screen.
	To the left of the screen we see the Menu button and below it there are four dual and triple function buttons: First: Picture Contril in shooting mode and “Processing” in playback mode. Second (triple purpose): if the camera is ready to give a hint (the “?” icon lights up on the screen), pressing this button will trigger a hint. In shooting mode, this button sets the white balance; in viewing mode, it protects the frame from accidental deletion. Third: in shooting mode, sets the quality of the pictures, in viewing mode, enlarges the frame. Fourth (triple purpose): in shooting mode, sets the quality to the ISO value, in viewing mode, reduces the enlarged frame or goes to frame previews.
	A complex system of covers is organized for the connectors. On top it covers the audio input and audio output (both stereo, 3.5 mm mini-jack). In the middle section - mini-USB and mini-HDMI (type D). In the lower section there is a connector for (GPS GP-1, Nikon MC-DC2 Remote Cord cable and others).
	And finally, to the right of the lens we see: Flash eject button, which also controls the flash power. Just below is the bracketing settings button. Next is the lens release button. At the bottom is a manual and automatic focus switch. In the center of the switch is the AF mode selection button.
	In general, a classic is just that: a classic. The top panel doesn’t show us anything surprising, but the few buttons are clear and provide the necessary set: exposure compensation, exposure metering mode and turning on video. And also a built-in flash, which is not so common in full-format DSLRs. But here Nikon has met the “middle class” of photographers who sometimes want to highlight something, but are not ready to always carry a large flash with them.
	The mode dials in the D610 are also quite traditional. The top dial allows you to select Auto, Auto without flash, SCENE (scene programs), PASM and two custom modes. Hidden under the upper dial is the lower one - selecting the “drive” mode, which offers: single-frame shooting, continuous low-speed, continuous high-speed, single-frame “silent shutter” continuous shooting “quiet shutter”, self-timer, remote control, mirror lifting.
	The bottom panel traditionally shows us the handle profile (perhaps this is the most important thing), the battery compartment and the connector for the battery grip (under the rubber plug).

After external examination This suggests the conclusion that the D610 is a hybrid of a classic full-format DSLR (for example, Nikon D810) and a classic “cropped” one (for example, D7100). The result is a functionally developed camera with two control dials, a top LCD panel, and several programmable buttons.

But at the same time - with an “amateur” mode dial. And the camera shutter has become completely “unprofessional” - at the level of entry-level DSLRs. And the processor is relatively weak (but we must remember here that the D610 entered the market two years ago). Now we will not draw conclusions about how the brand of processor will affect the quality of pictures; it is better to find out in tests. Overall, considering the reasonable price, the D610's capabilities seem quite attractive. Although, let's now take a look at the menu to get a complete picture of the camera's functionality:

Now, after examining the menu, it is clear that the functionality of the D610 is noticeably reduced compared to, say, the D810. For example, it still has autofocus tracking settings, but there is no way to combine AF points into groups. In general, the D610's settings can be called advanced, but not professional. Which, in fact, was expected. The D610 is a camera for enthusiasts, advanced amateur photographers, but not professionals.

*Extended ISO range.

** Built-in GPS module is not included in Russian version cameras.

The “Competitors” table contains models of approximately the same class as the model being tested. About the same price category. Of course, the higher the price, the greater the spread of prices in the group. The situation is that a person will figure out: “Buy a relatively inexpensive D610 for 83 thousand or a relatively advanced D750 for 110 thousand?” - quite probable.

In the table we see that Nikon full-frame DSLRs compare favorably with their competitors by having a built-in flash. And in general, despite its age, the D610 looks very decent; three years is not a long time for a full-frame DSLR. The same Canon 5D Mark II was released back in 2008. And although it is no longer listed in the current Canon line, this camera continues to be sold, bought, and is generally considered a very worthy full-frame DSLR.

Image quality - resolution and noise

As usual, in the “noise - resolution” section we immediately display the final scores, and then show in comparison with the results of other cameras how high these scores are or, conversely, low. And, of course, the main object of comparison for the Nikon D610 will be the main competitor of this camera - the budget full-frame DSLR Canon EOS 6D (who would have thought, let’s say, in the year 2005, that such a phrase “full-frame budget DSLR” would ever be born) .

Nikon D610, RAW	Nikon D610, JPG

If you read ours, it will immediately become clear to you that the quality of Nikon D610 images is high. And by the standards of our “Digital Photo” section, it is very high, since we mainly focus on the interests of amateur photographers, not professionals. Sure Signs High Quality: The resolution curves are quite high on the graphs, and the noise lines are quite low. And, as a result, the distance between the resolution and noise lines is significant; even at ISO 12800 the lines do not meet. The distance between the lines can be considered an indirect indicator of quality. For clarity, we indicate on the graphs the distance in a bright scene at ISO 800 (Q L index, 800) and the distance in a dark scene at ISO 3200 (Q D index, 3200).

This is the general picture and general words. Now let's move on to private estimates:

In terms of resolution, the 24-megapixel Nikon D610 is ahead of the 20-megapixel Canon 6D. Between ISO 100 and 6400, both cameras retain about 75 percent of their pixels visible, with the Nikon D610 holding at 18.67 megapixels in bright scenes and the Canon 6D at 15.50.

But at the same time, the Canon 6D is a little less noisy. Its noise score in a light scene is 1.55 points, and in a dark scene it is 2.49 points. While the Nikon D610 gives 1.6 points in a bright scene, and 3.40 in a dark scene (the noise rises to almost 3.5 points).

The final ratings for the two cameras are almost identical: 7.23 for the Nikon D610 and 7.4 for the Canon 6D. Given that our calculations and measurements are not perfect, we can consider this to be one level of quality. Although, we repeat, the Nikon D610 gains it due to its higher resolution, and the Canon 6D due to its lower noise.

Let's see if our estimates can be visually confirmed.

	Nikon D610 RAW, noise filter off. light scene R=20.14 - N=1.40 - RN=14.40	Canon EOS 6D RAW, noise filter off. light scene R=16.50 - N=1.37 - RN=12.06
ISO 100
ISO 800
ISO 1600
ISO 3200
ISO 6400
ISO 12 800

If it weren't for the characteristic coloring (Canon's tones are warmer), one could confuse which photo was taken with a Canon EOS 6D camera and which one with a Nikon D610. The noise level of two competing DSLRs is very close - about 1.4 points. At least in this series (RAW, light scene, noise filter turned off), no differences are visible in the noise picture. Let's see if they can show up in a darkened scene?

	Nikon D610 RAW, noise filter off. dark scene R=19.06 - N=2.89 - RN=6.60	Canon EOS 6D RAW, noise filter off. dark scene R=15.96 - N=2.06 - RN=7.74
ISO 100
ISO 800
ISO 1600
ISO 3200
ISO 6400
ISO 12 800

In a darkened scene, the advantage of the Canon 6D is still felt. Our program rated the noise level in the range ISO 100 - 6400 at 2.06 points, and the noise level of the Nikon D610 at 2.89 points. This is a noticeable difference, noticeable even to the eye. And, most likely, Nikon loses due to its higher resolution (smaller pixel area).

Now let's see how the noise reduction of two cameras copes with noise, first in a bright scene.

	Nikon D610 JPG, noise filter on. light scene R=17.20 - N=1.81 - RN=9.53	Canon EOS 6D JPG, noise filter incl. light scene R=14.50 - N=1.73 - RN=8.40
ISO 100
ISO 800
ISO 1600
ISO 3200
ISO 6400
ISO 12 800

According to estimates, we saw that here (in a light scene, JPG, noise filter on), the Nikon D610 loses to Canon slightly in terms of noise level - Nikon noise level is 1.81 versus 1.73 for Canon. If the discrepancy between the scores seemed smaller to you than the samples show, keep in mind that the score is calculated for the ISO range of 100 - 6400, and we see the greatest visual differences at ISO 12,800. Here, in a bright scene, due to the resolution, the Nikon D610 even scored more high rating. But the situation may change in a darkened scene, where the Nikon noise level will be much higher than in the light.

	Nikon D610 JPG, noise filter on. dark scene R=15.89 - N=3.90 - RN=4.07	Canon EOS 6D JPG, noise filter incl. dark scene R=12.85 - N=2.92 - RN=4.40
ISO 100
ISO 800
ISO 1600
ISO 3200
ISO 6400
ISO 12 800

Yes, the situation has changed. The noise of the Nikon D6100 - already visible to the eye - is much higher than that of the Canon EOS 6D. For the Nikon D610 they reach almost 4 points; here the D610 “overtakes” its direct competitor by almost 1 point. This is reflected in both the really lower noise of the Canon EOS 6D and the poor quality of the Nikon D610 noise reduction.

The fact that the Nikon D610 is inferior in terms of noise has led to the fact that the “resolution - noise” rating of the heroine of our test is lower than that of the Canon 6D (although the resolution is higher). At the end of this test, we bring to your attention fragments of the test bench, photographed under different conditions:

Nikon D610 noise test fragments of pictures of the test bench
RAW filter off light scene	JPG filter on light scene	RAW filter off dark scene	JPG filter on dark scene
Clicking on each fragment will open a window where it will be presented in 6 options: in the top row - with sensitivity 100 - 800 - 1600 ISO in the bottom row - with sensitivity 3200 - 6400 - 12,800 ISO

So, the main thing we found in this test is that the noise level of the Nikon D610 is much lower than that of any full-frame DSLR. The camera resolution is quite high - in the range of ISO 100 - 6400, the camera retains about 80% of visible pixels in a bright scene, and about 73% in a dark scene (this is a high percentage).

But in comparison with its closest competitor - the Canon EOS 6D - the achievements of the Nikon D610 no longer seem brilliant; Nikon loses in terms of noise. Most likely, if we continue the comparison - compare “budget” full-frame cameras with more advanced ones, it will turn out that they are significantly inferior to the advanced ones in terms of noise level. In about a month, the Canon EOS 5D Mark III will be in our laboratory - let's see how correct this forecast will be.

Optics - Nikon 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED-IF AF-S Zoom-Nikkor

It is this lens that, together with the Nikon D610, forms a ready-made set - a “whale”. In terms of a full frame, the price of the lens cannot be called high. By Full Frame standards, the Nikon AF-S Nikkor 24–85 mm F/3.5–4.5 G ED VR is a standard workhorse. And it almost certainly has strengths and weaknesses. Let's take a look at them.

FR = EGF = 24 mm

At short focus we observe a noticeable “vertical barrel”. The vertical distortion is very large (−3.79), the horizontal distortion is noticeably less (−1.54). For landscapes and architectural photography this is not so bad, but it is better not to shoot portraits at the minimum “focus”; the distortion of the skull of the subject will be serious (or vice versa - comic). True, the Nikon D610 can correct distortion automatically (when you select the appropriate option in the menu), and even when developing RAW, this procedure does not take much time.

Permission		Chromatic aberrations
Center of frame	Frame edge	Center of frame	Frame edge
In all screenshots: top row: f/3.5 - f/5.6 - f/9.0, bottom row: f/11 - f/14 - f/22

But the resolution at “minimum focus” remains at “high” and “very high” even at the widest aperture. And even at the narrowest it drops to only 0.6 lines per pixel. The resolution at the edge of the frame is only slightly behind the resolution in the center.

But a pretty good picture here is spoiled by very noticeable chromatic aberrations. At the edge of the frame they sometimes go off scale (rising above 20%), and even in the center at wide apertures they stay at 5-7 percent.

FR = EGF = 50 mm

At “medium focus” we expected a decrease in distortion. After all, this is a “portrait” focal length, where geometric distortions are undesirable. But it turned out that here the negative distortion (barrel) managed to turn into positive (cushion). Moreover, it is also very noticeable: 2.97 vertically and 1.38 horizontally.

We have already said that distortion is not a terrible evil (it is relatively easy to “treat”). But for a focal length of 50 mm it is too strong for the Nikon AF-S Nikkor 24–85 mm.

Permission		Chromatic aberrations
Center of frame	Frame edge	Center of frame	Frame edge
In all screenshots: top row: f/4.2 - f/6.3 - f/8.0, bottom row: f/13 - f/20 - f/29

The resolution remains high - it drops to 0.6 lines per pixel only with an aperture of f/20. And “chromaticity” remains noticeable only at wide apertures, and then, as the aperture closes, it gradually decreases to 2 percent. In this case, the intensity (brightness) of blue aberrations in the center of the frame becomes higher than at the edge (a unique case).

And here (at “medium focus”) we encounter another problem - at the widest aperture the picture noticeably loses contrast even in the center of the frame.

FR = EGF = 85 mm

And finally, at “long focus” we also see “cushion” and high resolution. The “pillow” is again very elongated vertically (Dver = 3.09) and slightly horizontal (Dhor = 1.36). And the resolution drops below 0.6 lines per pixel only at an aperture of f/22 and narrower.

Permission		Chromatic aberrations
Center of frame	Frame edge	Center of frame	Frame edge
In all screenshots: top row: f/4.5 - f/7.1 - f/11.0, bottom row: f/14 - f/22 - f/29

Chromatic aberrations are noticeable here at wide apertures at the edge of the frame. At medium and narrow apertures they become unnoticeable, both at the edge of the frame and in the center, about 2–4 percent.

And, unfortunately, the loss of contrast at the widest aperture is also noticeable here.

Stabilizer

Everything here turned out to be simple and predictable. The manufacturer promised efficiency above 4 EV stages. And in our test we got about 4.12EV.

Now you can sort out the pros and cons of the “workhorse” Nikkor 24–85 mm F/3.5–4.5. Let's start with the pros:

• The lens has a very high resolution, which will not hinder the camera's capabilities.
• We know that the lens mount will not allow moisture into the camera.
• The efficiency of the stabilizer is high - exceeds 4 EV steps.
• The lens is relatively inexpensive (relative to the cost of full-frame DSLRs for which it is designed).

And now the cons:

• The lens does not suffer from ideal “geometry”. Those who shoot in JPG will quite often need to enable the " Automatic control distortions." Those who shoot in RAW will often have to correct distortion during development.
• Chromatic aberrations at short focus are high. At medium and long “focus” they are acceptable noticeable.
• At medium and long “focus” at the maximum open aperture, the contrast of the frame drops noticeably.
• And one more minus “arrived” from a later test - video filming. In tracking mode (autofocus adjustment), the optics squeak a little and spoil the soundtrack.

So, our “workhorse” indeed has pros and cons. In general, they are balanced just opposite 20 thousand rubles. Nikkor 24–85 mm F/3.5–4.5 is a good “whale” for an entry-level full-frame DSLR.

Features Nikon D610

Autofocus

Now is the time to remember the beginning of the article - how one of the forum visitors did not like the autofocus of the Nikon D610. At the beginning of the article, we did not have any arguments to confirm or refute the opinion that autofocus is “crappy.” Now it is. Despite the imperfections of the methodology, it provides data on which you can rely. And the results of this test (accuracy in points), as a rule, directly correlate with the number of usable (focused) images that accumulate during the preparation of the Gallery.

Let's figure out how bad or good the D610's phase autofocus is. It's about the same autofocus speed as the D5500 - matching the entry-level DSLR mark. And this is understandable - everything is determined by the capabilities of the Nikon Multi-CAM 4800 module, which works in both cameras.

In terms of phase detection autofocus accuracy, our tests showed the D610 to be more accurate compared to the D5500's results. This is most easily explained by the capabilities of the Nikon AF-S Nikkor 24–85 mm F/3.5–4.5 G ED VR lens. It can also be assumed that the phase module data undergoes additional processor processing before being converted into commands for the focusing drive. Here you can guess and guess for a long time, but you still have to state that the autofocus efficiency of the D610 is at the level of cameras such as Nikon D7100 and Pentax K-3. It's not the highest class, but it doesn't suck either.

Next, we move on to contrast AF. Its accuracy is quite high, even in low light -2EV autofocus scores 250 points out of a possible 300. And the speed is in the middle between the speed of Nikon D5500 and Nikon D7200. Again, it's not top class, but it's not terrible either. Nikon D610 is an entry-level DSLR equipped with a full-frame sensor. This is its main feature. And the rest of the characteristics - yes, they correspond to the initial level or slightly exceed them.

And finally, based on the “accuracy” and “speed” (time spent) data, we determine the effectiveness of autofocus. The phase AF of the Nikon D610 was on par with the AF of the Nikon D7100 and Pentax K-3. Contrast autofocus is almost at the same level as the Nikon D7200 and Pentax K-3 AF.

Let's voice the main conclusion: the autofocus of the Nikon D610, of course, does not correspond to a professional level. It is at the “advanced DSLR” mark, and does not reach the “highly advanced DSLR” mark (like the Nikon D7200). Those who think that this level sucks - for God's sake, stick to your opinion. But a lot of people all over the world simply shoot with advanced DSLRs and do not share your position. You have to understand that you have to pay for every detail, and if the Nikon D610 was equipped with an expensive autofocus, it would cease to be a budget full-frame DSLR.

Burst speed

The Nikon D610's specifications indicate a continuous shooting speed of up to 6 frames per second. Unfortunately, we did not see such speed; The maximum in our test was the high-speed mode when shooting RAW - 5.25 fps. We always stipulate the rules of the game that filming is carried out at the highest possible quality. So if the Nikon D610 reaches a speed of more than 5.25 fps in any mode, then this is a “weakened” quality or resolution. For example, 12-bit RAW or DX frame format.

Let us remind you that Nikon DSLRs shoot in series of hundreds of frames. You can install series of less than a hundred, this will have little effect. When shooting JPG, the camera snaps a hundred frames evenly and is ready to snap a hundred more literally in a second (just release and press the start button again). When shooting RAW and RAW+JPG, we observe a fast series (before the memory buffer is filled), and then a slow series (after the memory buffer is filled). In low-speed mode (Low), the speed of a slow burst is approximately 1 fps less than the speed of a fast burst.

In high-speed mode (High), JPG shooting of maximum quality occurs at a speed close to 5 fps. When shooting RAW and RAW+JPG, we observe a higher speed, more than 5 fps. The buffer can hold 16 frames, and after it is full, the speed drops to about 2 fps.

And one more mode that the Nikon D610 can boast of is silent shooting. Here, of course, the emphasis is on minimum volume, not maximum speed. The camera shoots RAW and RAW+JPG a little faster than JPG, but a large number of frames are placed in the buffer - more than 30. Most likely, at such a shooting speed, the buffer manages to partially become empty before it is completely filled, and therefore it can hold so many frames in a quick series.

Overall, the Nikon D610 demonstrates not outstanding, but very good continuous shooting performance. And the speed is quite high, and quite a lot of frames fit into the buffer.

We measured the speed of continuous shooting with a Nikon AF-S Nikkor 24–85 mm F/3.5–4.5 G ED VR lens and a SanDisk Extreme Pro SDHC UHS-I 16 GB memory card (write speed up to 95 MB/s). The shutter speed in this test is set to 1/500 of a second.

Video

If you can still twist your nose about how autofocus works in photo mode, twisting it in video mode is useless. Autofocus works very well. From the accumulated scenes, we specifically chose one that not every camera could cope with. Here, autofocus is actively interfered with by the glass of the display cases where the shooting objects are located. However, see for yourself:

Considering that the shooting was done in an ordinary room, quite bright, opposite a window, but without additional lighting, the picture turned out very good, almost wonderful. It’s interesting to watch the autofocus work as it gets “lost” from time to time, interfered with by the glass of the display case and reflections of external objects. But the “lost” autofocus can be helped - if you half-press the shutter button, the AF switches to continuous mode and quite quickly understands the picture, cutting off false “targets”. True, when the focus is adjusted, the phonogram deteriorates a little, the AF of the lens creaks. But this is not a stone towards the camera, but towards the kit lens (we have already noted this drawback).

Shooting at high sensitivity (ISO 25,600)

For high sensitivity, we do not calculate the noise level. In principle, this is possible, but there is no particular point in it. So far, we have created a universal method for assessing the noise level for the ISO range 100 - 6400. For some cameras this range is working, for some it is “almost working”. And what lies beyond is, let’s say, photographic exotica.

	Nikon D610	Canon EOS 6D
ISO 25600 RAW filter noise off light scene
ISO 25600 JPG filter noise on light scene
ISO 25600 RAW filter noise off dark scene
ISO 25600 JPG filter noise on dark scene

Nikon's Exotic D610 shows us that in bright scenes you can count on real shots. There are two important points here:

• A "light scene" is essentially a short exposure. That is, a situation where we want to catch a dynamic shot in low light conditions. If the frame is not dynamic, it is better to increase the shutter speed and reduce the ISO.
• If we find ourselves in such a situation, we will have to shoot in RAW, and then “conjure” for a while to draw out the frame in a photo editor. The shots that the Nikon D610 takes at ISO 25,600 are not hopeless; they can be brought to perfection. Not every crop DSLR will provide such quality at ISO 12,800.

Results

Nikon D610 is that rare case when it is difficult to single out individual pros and cons. The biggest plus is the full-frame sensor. But this is a really, really big plus. And when you start to catch the disadvantages, you come across a wall: “If you bring the characteristics of the Nikon D610 to more high level, it will no longer be an inexpensive full-frame DSLR.” It turns out that the Nikon D610 is the ideal camera for its niche. Or almost perfect. So we will merge the results into one list:

• Nikon D610 is a very good entry-level full-frame DSLR. In terms of noise and noise reduction quality, it is inferior to its closest competitor, the Canon EOS 6D, but it does have a built-in flash (not a superfluous tool that can provide a little backlight and, accordingly, go to a lower ISO level).
• Nikon D610 is not a new camera. But it belongs to a class where new products rarely appear. And its characteristics are such that it is difficult for them to become outdated. Except that today video is supposed to be shot in Full HD 60p resolution. But this is a separate conversation - I’m not sure that 60 progressive scan frames are really necessary even for those who professionally shoot video. Perhaps in some special way - filming sports competitions, in general, filming something very fast.
• Many characteristics of the Nikon D610 correspond to the level of a “slightly advanced DSLR” - these are the shutter and autofocus capabilities. But we have already emphasized that Nikon sought to make an inexpensive full-frame DSLR. And this task was brilliantly solved. Nikon D610 allows you to take excellent photos and videos; it has all the advantages of a non-professional full-frame camera. And professional full-frame is a completely different price category.

Who is Nikon D610 made for? For everyone who wants to try full frame and not be disappointed. There's nothing really disappointing about this camera. On the contrary, there is a lot that can charm.

Gallery

Another topic raised on the forum concerns the selection of photographs for the Gallery. I once again apologize to the inhabitants of the forum for the fact that, with very rare exceptions, I do not enter into discussions. And I explain it simply: there is not enough time. But I carefully look through the forum messages, and if I find something practical and useful, I try to find a use for it.

As far as I remember, for Last year two wishes were expressed: to include in the collection night landscape(particularly a view of the night sky) and just some photos taken outside. Another bewilderment was expressed: why are there so many children's portraits in the gallery?

I'll try to answer briefly. For about 15 years I have been hearing different opinions about which photographs are best suited for the Gallery. This was especially heatedly discussed when paper photo journals had not yet become extinct. Now, as far as I know, only Foto&Video remains on display - but this is a unique magazine, partly because Vladimir Neskoromny and his team are doing the impossible, something like a perpetual motion machine. At what cost - I'm even afraid to guess. Full respect!

So, I've heard a lot of opinions about which test photos are the best. The general conclusion from many debates is that these are photographs showing recognizable texture (foliage, flowers, human skin, hair, fur, wood, fabrics, etc.). How better camera, the more alive the textures seem to us, the more details we see. Details we don't like can always be removed during RAW development and processing. And the most difficult texture for the camera (for photorealism) is human face. Well, hands are also the second mirror of the soul.

That's why I prefer to put ten large portraits in the Gallery than, say, ten landscapes. Because I’m sure: portraits (the texture of human skin) will say much more about the camera’s capabilities. But, of course, there should be other shots in the set that demonstrate color quality, dynamic range, detail, and so on. If you have anything to recommend, if you have ready-made recipes, please share, preferably with examples (photos) and comments ( What exactly allows you to identify a particular image or fragment of an image). Everyone practical advice I'll use it. Thank you in advance.

Gallery

As for the images presented in the Gallery, they unfortunately show that the Nikon D610 sometimes turns human skin into an orange tint. This “bug” can be corrected during development, but it is still unclear why the powerful Nikon company did not eliminate it in the bud? Nikon's "orange defect" has been known for years.

The first frame in the bottom row was taken with the Vivid setting (one of the Picture Control presets), which is why the colors are so wild. Of course, they can be muted in the Picture Control settings, but this is fine tuning of the camera to suit your tastes. In general, the Gallery is a selection of raw frames; according to the rules of the game, they cannot be processed. Although each of them can be made three times better.

home » Earn money online » Nikon 610 photos from it. Nikon D610 – full frame for everyone. Silent Shutter Burst Mode