Nikon D4 Camera Review: A Camera For Professional Shots

Nikon has established its presence in the world of photography.

Over the years, the company has offered a wide range of cameras both for amateurs and professionals.

Nikon D4 offers interesting features which can be handy for professional photographers. Let us find complete details about Nikon D4.

Nikon D4 is treated ergonomically to capture fast moving objects which are ideal to capture sports events and kids at play. D4 replaces Nikon D3S.

Nikon D4 works like a workhorse and you will be second to none in terms of performance of your job as a professional photographer.

Specifications

The body made of magnesium alloy is lighter than D3S. Even though D3S is not difficult to hold, D4 offers convenience to hold in hands and operate the camera

The camera is built to capture snaps in such a way that you will never miss a single event. Professionals who work in time sensitive projects can take advantage of this camera. You can readily capture and transmit to the picture editing desk within a short span of time.

Nikon D4 lets you capture high quality photos using 16.2 MP sensors and you can get ISO levels of 204,800. The camera comes with CMOS optical sensor. The auto Dim sensor is an additional arrangement which will detect the ambient light and will adjust the screen brightness automatically.

You will be able to adjust ISO levels based on focal lengths. It is great to notice the audio levels while you record videos. You can also use ‘El-cheapo ML-L3 Remote’ to control the camera in a remote way. The wireless functionality will help you control the settings present in camera from the browser of your laptop or smartphone.

Joystick and autofocus facilities let you capture photos easily when you shoot in vertical direction. Nikon D4 lets you capture both landscape and portrait orientations. The changes made in the focusing system will let you focus on the subject in a better way.

The shutter release button is positioned conveniently at 35◦ angle. This arrangement also leads to quick front dial movement and shutter release. Instead of the traditional method of controlling zoom activity through dial, button system (similar to D700 model) is implemented in Nikon D4. It is easy to change the AF mode.

You can achieve the same by pressing an AF switch as is used on D7000. You can change the modes without moving your eyes as these modes are displayed in the viewfinder.

Nikon D4 has an LCD display of size 3.2 inches. The new LCD display brings improved view that is closer to reality. Gel lamination between plastic and LCD screen gives improved angle of view and prevents fogging which happens at temperature variations.

You can expand the screen size up to 46 times to get the better of the scene. A new 3D color matrix metering is introduced in Nikon D4. This feature offers improved face detection and image recognition. You will be able to detect even very small faces by using this feature.

The camera allows you to work in the dark as the illuminated buttons on the backside of the camera offer you enough flexibility. You can transfer images at higher speeds using CompactFlash memory and XQD formats of storage of files.

You can crop photos and edit photos using the options provided in the camera. You will be able to record high quality videos at 1080p at 30 and 25 fps. You can also record slow motion videos at 60 fps at 720p.

Good features of Nikon D4

• Exceptional shooting performance
• Dominates professional SLR range of cameras
• Video recording plus manual audio adjustments
• Wide range of connectivity options (especially Ethernet and wireless)
• Ability to capture high quality images even in low light conditions
• Journalists can embrace this camera to expect high productivity
• The thermal shield protects the camera when it is used for extensive outdoor coverage.
• Gel layer between the plastic and LCD prevent fogging (when the camera is exposed to diverse temperature ranges).
• Better focus management in vertical shooting

Drawbacks

• Lack of USB connectivity
• Usage of Ethernet connection leads to fast battery drain
• The positing of ‘Live View’ is not handy for video recording
• Less powered battery (due to restrictions on Lithium-Ion battery usage by Japanese Government)

Conclusion

Nikon D4 fits for all kinds of shooting requirements. It has drastic improvements from the earlier D3S model. The camera offers excellent autofocus features coupled with high performance and video recording features.

This is the most sought after camera by photo journalists. Journalists covering sports events and professional photographers who cover various events like wedding, special family reunions, etc. can find this camera useful.