Nikon D850 Review

Last Updated on December 1, 2023 by Sharon Advik

Pros
  • Full-frame 45.7MP image sensor.
  • 153-point autofocus system.
  • 7fps burst shooting.
  • Wide ISO range.
  • 4K video.
  • Large optical viewfinder.
  • Tilting touch LCD.
  • Dual card slots.
  • Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.
Cons
  • Live View focus uses contrast detection only.
  • No built-in flash.

Nikon D850 Review:

I have been serving in a production house for a few years.

We were searching for a professional DSLR camera for the perfect action photos with an excellent battery to shoot for a long time.

Then, in 2017, there was evidence of the launch of the most incredible photography tool, the Nikon D850.

It can be called a sports camera because of its high resolution.

It can focus on the subject accurately.

When I had the camera in my hands, I felt overwhelmed to get the results.

I tested it for the action shots and was amazed by its 7 FPS.

The great ISO settings can achieve dark scenes.

It is a camera suitable for traveling because of its weather seal.

I found perfection in every aspect of the photos and videos.

Let’s see more about it.

Overview:

The Nikon D850 has several different types of winning Awards cameras that meet the maximum performance in the world’s best photography and videography.

The Nikon D850 is a top Technical and high-resolution DSLR camera that allows for capturing images at a faster speed with great versatility.

It can continuously shoot speed with remarkable advancements.

The 45.7 megapixels CMOS sensor has brilliant image quality and light-gathering efficiency.

The sensor design and autofocusing are good enough to produce impressive performance.

It provides faster data readout with accurate colors. It is great for long exposure due to its vibration-free shutter mode.

The highest performance sensor enhanced the image quality of this camera.

The dynamic range of ISO increases the quality of shooting.

The speed of continuous shooting matches your vision, and you can capture the perfect moments in movie action or sports action professionally.

The Nikon D850 allows you to focus manually with different sensitivities.

The powerful battery can take frequent shots for a full day without any charge, even in extreme conditions.

The silent photography feature allows you to take shots silently without mechanical vibrations.

Tech Specification:

45.7 MP CMOS sensor

1 x Optical Zoom

0.75x optical viewfinder

Joystick to select focus points (153)

Shoot RAW images in Large (45.4 MP), Medium (25.6 MP), or Small (11.4 MP) format

35.9mm x 23.9mm Sensor size

3.2 Inches fully functional Screen Size

FX-format image sensor

Illuminated buttons

7 fps continuous shooting

64 – 25600 ISO range

4 K UHD

Expeed 5 image processor

Full Frame

16:9 UK ultra

3.2 inches Screen size

Autofocusing

Item weight 2.31 Lbs

2160p Video capture resolution

Viewer finder type optical

4K and 8K Time-Lapse

120 fps Slow-Motion

180k-Pixel RGB Sensor, Focus Shift Mode

SnapBridge Bluetooth and Wi-Fi

Nikon D850 Camera Body:

The camera’s body is light to carry. The perfect grip can be achieved due to its rugged design.

Nikon has manufactured this camera with a dustproof and waterproof covering.

The buttons of the camera illuminate in the dark.

The ergonomic grip of the camera is fantastic to keep in your hands.

The tilting touchscreen is most suitable for the use of this camera.

There are different card slots on the camera.

The AF button can be used to customize the AF scenes instantly.

The camera has a large opening to fix the lenses.

45.7 MP BSI CMOS Sensor: 

The Nikon 45.7 MP CMOS sensor allows high-resolution shooting; the camera has a sizeable FX-format CMOS sensor sized 35.9 x 23.9 m.

Its BSI Sensor improves the image quality when shooting in low light.

I get the benefits of its high-resolution quality and faster video speed.

The camera offers me lowlight shooting and time-lapse recording, too.

The camera can incredibly shoot the far and smallest part of the scene.

Expeed 5 image:

The Expeed 5 image processor engine quickly processes all data for lower noise with high-speed continuous shooting at approximately 9 fps.

I can get full-frame 4k UHD video recording wrestling faster, richer, and sharper.

Dynamic Range ISO 64 – 25600:

The camera has a dynamic range of ISO 64 to 25,600, allowing you to capture stunning results in low-light situations.

It is a good option for lowlight scenes and also the best for astrophotography.

The -4 EV AF of the camera works for capturing the dark environment.

Plus, the illuminated buttons of the camera add more comfort to shooting in the dark.

The large viewfinder is more functional with the perfect ISO settings.

The camera also gets flickering light in the view.

The camera’s Autofocus system works the same in the dark.

7 fps continuous shooting:

FPS shooting decides how fast your camera is.

I get a 1.5 fps faster speed than the Nikon D850 camera.

Professional photographers use it without any hesitation.

The frame rate can be boosted up to 9 Fps using an MB-D18 battery grip with an EN-EL 18a/b battery.

I can get better quality images for wildlife and sports photos. Video capturing is also convenient to do with the Nikon D850.

153 Points AF System:

AF points are considered for the area of the images, especially for sports and wildlife shootings.

The more AF points, the more accurately you can focus on the subject.

Every action of the moving subject can be considered in the photos with that.

I use the burst mode of the D850 for sports and action shots.

The camera has a single autofocus lock.

I use it to lock still images like landscape photos, nature photos, etc there is also the option of AF continuous.

I use this repeated predictive focus over and over.

When I hold the AF selector button and rotate the font control wheel, I get the AF squares by looking through the camera’s Viewfinder.

Single-square shooting is suitable for table photography.

I can focus on a small area by the square and move its position.

I use D72 focus mode for capturing flying birds.

Full Frame 4 K UHD:

Nikon D850 delivers a wide scope of shooting.

I shoot 4K videos with 16:9 width.

The full frame setup of the camera also captures a marvelous field of view.

This camera does anything in the field of photography.

There are two card slots, one SD card slot, and one XQD card slot for better data storage.

For shooting 4K videos, you can personalize the settings easily by using the Movie shooting menu.

Set image area settings to FX. Change the ISO, too.

You can get a higher ISO with less noise.

You get complete control over the depth of field.

The full frame 4K applies no cropping to your lenses.

You can use a full focal length range.

You can continuously shoot for 60 min.

Changing the battery can give you 3 hours of shooting time.

Extreme Resolution:

Nikon D850 is a very nice camera for multimedia creators.

There is no limit to the shooting skills with this camera.

You can go a lot more in-depth about the shooting.

It is a powerpack camera with dream features.

There is an excellent dynamic range in the camera.

I shot the images with blurry resolution.

It is a high-resolution camera for action shots like sports and wildlife.

Nikon D850 Connectivity:

Nikon camera can be easily connected with SnapBridge.

First, download the app on your smartphone.

Scroll down to the setup menu in the camera.

Select the option of connecting to the smart device.

Start the pairing process between the camera and the smartphone.

Press OK on the phone and the camera.

You can turn the auto link on for instant connectivity.

Now, you can shoot with your camera while clicking on your smartphone.

You can also switch on the WiFi by clicking on the menu option.

How to Customize Settings on Nikon D850:

Here, we will explain some procedures to change the camera’s settings.

How to Set Back Button Focus:

Open up the playback menu on the screen.

Now select Custom Setting Menu.

Choosing Autofocus will give you AF activation.

Please change it to a focus setting.

It enables the back button to focus on your camera.

Now go down to the Controls of the camera.

Click on Custom Control assignments.

Scroll down to AF and select the back button to be enabled.

How to Change Image Quality:

Go into the Photo shooting menu.

Scroll down into image quality.

Change it as I want.

You can choose both RAW and JPEG or just one of them.

How to Change Focus Selectors in AF area mode:

You can change it with the front button.

There is an AF and an M button here.

If you want to change the menu or focus, swipe it down.

Scroll down the wheel at the front of the camera.

Look through the viewfinder and see the different settings in the amounts.

How to Change the Video Quality and the Frame Rate:

Choose Movie Shooting Menu.

Select frame size and frame rate.

You will have different sizes there.

Pick the best one for you.

The highest frame rate is 3820x 2160, 30p, and the lowest is 1920x 1080, 24p x5. Movie quality settings can also be changed to high quality or normal.

Choose the movie file type as MOV or MP4.

How to Adjust AF Settings in Live Videos:

Use the left AF button again and press it down.

You can widen up the AF frame here.

Change its FS. Change different area modes for Live shooting.

You will get wide area, face priority, average area, subject tracking, focus on portraits, and more.

Types of Photography:

Sports Photography:

Nikon D850 is an excellent camera for commercial sports photography.

Every shoot is challenging, so I ensure my sports photos are good.

Before this camera, I chose between speed or high quality, but not with the D850.

It allows me both the versatility of photography.

D850 impressed me because I set up many situations, including underwater scenes.

I can shoot action and set the images quickly with this camera.

Many details and sharpness have been discovered, mainly when I use 45 megapixels.

When I use the pictures to the zoom level, I get excited to know how far I can see in the photos.

My style of photography is to capture speed, so I need that in the camera.

I have a fast reaction from the camera, allowing me to shoot 9 frames per second and catch the right moment at the right time.

Nikon D850 is a kind of revolution in commercial sports photography.

It gets creative and gives me the innovation to capture technically perfect action shots.

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Wildlife Photography:

Nikon D850 is one of the best DSLRs on the market.

It gives a long exposure specifically to wildlife photography.

The camera gets automatic autofocus, and it gives advanced rate possibility.

It has multicultural features that can be locked to my settings.

I can take wildlife pictures with its perfect cropping.

With the perfect ISO settings, I can get creative with frames with their slow-motion quality for wildlife.

I can lock the viewfinder settings and the autofocus to simplify wildlife capturing.

It takes a beautiful out-of-focus background.

The camera layout is perfect for taking wildlife photos with complete control over settings.

I always take pictures of a familiar environment full of the beauty of wildlife.

It is another thing that I have to wait for hours to take my good scene in the photos.

The camera makes excellent efforts to take wildlife photos.

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Wedding Photography:

I had an incredible time working with Nikon D850 through its paces in a realistic wedding environment.

It is a perfect combination of high resolution and the ability to change the RAW file sizes.

I can see the results on the touchscreen while shooting wedding photos.

I have more ready-to-focus points than my predecessors.

Nikon d850 has almost 10 more megapixels, and I go to 15 to 99 more crop senses.

When zooming in on the shots, I can see incredible details everywhere in the pictures.

The touch screen also allows silent shooting mode.

It is perfect for wedding photoshoots because people want to have silent photos while capturing the portraits.

A wedding photographer calls this camera an artist, not a tool for photography.

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Fashion Portraiture Photography:

Fashion photography is a sensibility, feeling, and a cinematic and theatrical culture.

It needs dramatic views.

I get all the textures and the movement of the fashion photoshoots with the Nikon d850 camera.

This camera gives me entertainment shooting fashion portraits.

I can get the freedom to be created with my fashion show.

It takes perfect colors and textures.

I get perfectly sharp details for fashion shoots with this camera.

I feel an effortless communication between the camera body and the lens.

It gave me great results in fashion portraiture photography.

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Landscape Photography:

Nikon D850 works best for rainforests, coastal cliffs, and wild oceans.

It can deal with wind, rain, and different lighting conditions.

The details are unique to capture in the camera, which is the best part of landscape photography.

The camera captures the correct details to the edges.

I get the natural colors and a lot of depth of field.

There are different variations of red, green, and yellow.

I can see the differentiation between the colors and contrast.

The final image has a 3-dimensional appearance.

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Still Life Photography:

It is an entirely versatile camera that captures still life incredibly.

The camera captures highly balanced photos within the umbrella of photography.

It gets a stunning dynamic range for the still photos.

It allows every photographer to customize their settings and change the file size.

Still, images get more description due to their 153 points of focus.

The camera automatically takes up to 300 pictures while moving the focus position from the initial point to infinity.

Once finished with this, you can transfer the photos to other devices.

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Macro Photography:

When it finishes raining, it is time to get some macro photos with a Nikon D850 camera.

The tree leaves and flowers looked charming at that time.

Stunning images can be obtained with the Nikon D850 camera as it captures descriptions in the shots.

You can use a tripod or lie on the ground to take straight-away macro shots.

The settings need to be changed a bit for the macro shots.

You will get no noise in the images, so get the shots of the tiny insects and bees freely.

You can also take food into the view of this camera while using a macro lens.

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Reasons to buy Nikon D850

  • Outstanding battery power performance with long duration makes you comfortable using the camera during traveling and events.
  • It can accurately focus on wildlife. The optical viewfinder of the camera creates enjoyable scenes in the photos.
  • The image sensor with BSI CMOS 45 MP delivers the finest image quality when using the D850 camera.
  • The camera gives large credibility to the F-mount lenses. They are suitable for all types of photography with the Nikon D850.
  • The camera’s price range is comparatively less than that of modern cameras. It provides almost the exact specifications.

Lenses for Nikon D850:

Almost all types of photography can be done with this camera, so it has wide lens compatibility.

Prime lenses are good with the Nikon d850.

You can use Nikon AF-S Nikkor 24mm f/1.8 lens and Tamron SP 35mm f/1.8 lens.

Sigma 24mm f/1.4 lens is also compatible with the camera.

Sigma 50mm f 1.4 lenses can capture the best portraits with the camera.

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.4 lens is a great standard lens for the D850.

Sigma 85mm f/ 1.4 lens is the choice of short telephoto lens for it.

You can also use Nikon Af -S Nikkor 105mm f/1.4 for the macro shots.

The telephoto lenses are Nikon Af-S Nikkor 300mm f/2.8 lens and a 400mm lens for this camera.

When talking about zoom lenses, the Nikon d850 goes with the Nikon Af-S Nikkor 18-35mm f/3.5- 4.5 G lens.

It can also zoom with Tokina AT-X 16-28mm f/2.8 lens.

Tele xoom category contains Nikon AF-S nikkor 70- 200mm f/ 4G lens.

Sigma APO 120-300mm f/2.8 lens is also in this category.

Accessories for Nikon D850:

Here is a list of the accessories for the Nikon D850 camera.

  • Wireless timer and shutter release can be used with Nikon D850. You can trigger with self and long exposure settings. There are many options for this.
  • An external Speedlight flash can be added to the camera to keep more light in view. You can also use softbox diffusers and a flash cord.
  • Nikon D850 can go with tripods for still shots. You can use the tripod’s rotation for a favorable shooting angle.
  • Wide and comfortable camera straps will make your shooting more luxurious during traveling.
  • Nikon also recommends using a wireless remote for the camera control. You can find this on Nikon’s and Amazon’s websites.
  • Moreover, anti-fog eyepieces, battery chamber covers, all types of cases, and accessory cables are available for the Nikon D850.

Advantages:

  • Full frame recording
  • Hybrid shooting powerhouse for photos and videos
  • 45 MP images with high resolution
  • Reasonable price range
  • Clear and crisp images with vast details
  • Cropping images will not shorten the details
  • Best pick for top professional photographers
  • Phenomenal Autofocus system with customized settings
  • 7 fps burst mode and 9 fps with battery grip
  • Robust magnesium alloy body with weather seal
  • Captures 4K videos
  • No lag shutter
  • Large optical viewfinder
  • Long-lasting battery for more time
  • Illuminated buttons help in the dark
  • External ports for microphone and audio
  • 8K time-lapse videos
  • WiFi and Bluetooth Connectivity
  • Superb dynamic range
  • Instant startup with features control
  • High ISO with great details
  • Familiar ergonomic design

Disadvantages:

  • No built-in flash
  • 98% coverage of the viewfinder
  • No low pass filter
  • AF is a bit slow for Live videos

Conclusion:

Nikon D850 is a versatile camera that captures the scene’s stunning details from corner to corner.

It works with the F-mount lenses.

Professional photographers love this camera for weddings, action, wildlife, and fashion shooting.

It can record a 70-minute video with its long battery life.

The -4 EV sensitivity functions well for lowlight scenes.

It is a protective camera that can quickly handle dust, water splashes, and moisture.

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