Nikon D4 Review

As far as professional DSLR cameras go, the brands that are ruling the roost are none other than Canon and Nikon. Over the past few years, Canon managed to dominate the highest strata of professional cameras, as they offered DSLR cameras with above average video recording capabilities. This was most notable in Canon 5D Mark II, where the camera was well-acclaimed and became a standard option for professional photographers the world over. Though it can be argued that video recording in DSLR cameras is somewhat of an add-on, this feature is quickly gaining popularity and is now being recognized as one of the must have features in a professional DSLR.

The ergonomics of the Nikon D4 is really good

Facing stiff competition from Canon, Nikon upped their ante to an incredible extent and recently launched the Nikon D4, a top-of-the-line professional camera that addresses the needs of those interested in videography off a DSLR. This flagship camera from Nikon boasts of many new features over its predecessor, the D3S, besides Full HD video recording capabilities. Check out the video below to see a hands on of the D4 with Mexy Xavier, the head of photography at the Infomedia 18 group.

Mexy Xavier takes the Nikon D4 for a spin

Design and Build Quality
When it comes to the build quality of the Nikon D4, at first glance, one will be quite astonished at its size, as it is a lot larger than most DSLR cameras available in the market. Though the camera is larger than most others available in the market, it is smaller in comparison to the D4’s predecessor, the Nikon D3S. Though it is large, Nikon have put a lot into the design of the D4 in the process giving it great ergonomics. The size to weight ratio is really good here and one may not feel a significant amount of strain, while shooting for long periods of time. Like their previous generation models, the Nikon D4 comes with a vertical grip, allowing one to shoot portraits easily without any hassle. The brand has shifted the shutter release button slightly over here and it becomes easier to click images quickly. Another handy addition here are the thumb controllers that assist a user while shooting in either landscape or profile mode.

Nikon have added a 3.2-inch screen on the body at the rear for previewing or reviewing images. One can expect to have near perfect clarity from the screen, as it features a resolution of 921,000 dots. The rear also comprises the various buttons and dials necessary for adjusting the different settings and each of these buttons are well placed allowing you to tweak the settings without hassle. Another great thing, which we liked about the camera is that it supports two storage types, which are XQD and a compactflash card. Though we liked the fact that Nikon is embracing this new type of storage, XQD, many users would rather opt for a CF card as it has been available in the market for a long period of time and a user would not want to unnecessarily purchase a new medium, especially if they already have multiple CF cards at hand.

Controls found at the top of the Nikon D4

The connectivity options featured here are aplenty and they include a full-sized Ethernet port, an HDMI port that can stream uncompressed data, a mini USB port, Headphone Connector and stereo microphone input. By attaching the WT-5A Wi-Fi adapter to this port, you can easily connect the camera to Wi-Fi and pair it with devices, such as a PC, Mac, or an iOS device.

A neat feature about the Nikon D4 is that it is made using a magnesium alloy that is weather sealed. This allows one to shoot in those weather conditions in which other cameras would not be able to venture into without a housing to protect it.