Nikon D750 Review

Nikon-D750-Review-by-Roberto-Panciatici-Photography

Since I’m a full time professional photographer, the question I’ll try to answer in this review is: can the Nikon D750 be used for professional wedding photography? It’s not an easy question to answer, because there are numerous factors to consider, and the first factor is obviously the photographer’s particular style of shooting. I’ll try to respond based on my own actual experiences and real needs in the course of a day’s work, comparing the Nikon D750 with the camera I currently use (check out my ShotKit to see what’s in my backpack), and thus not limiting myself to evaluating solely technical aspects.

 

General Features

 

  • Sensor: CMOS (35.9×24.0mm), 24.3 Million
  • Sensor Pixel Size: 5.9µ
  • Image Size: 6,016 x 4,016
  • Native ISO Sensitivity: ISO 100-12,800
  • Image Processor: EXPEED 4
  • Storage Media: 2x SD
  • Continuous Shooting Speed: 6.5 FPS
  • Max Shutter Speed: 1/4000 to 30 sec
  • Exposure Metering Sensor: 91,000-pixel RGB sensor 3D Color Matrix Metering III
  • Autofocus System: Advanced Multi-CAM 3500FX II
  • Number of AF Points: 51 AF points, 15 cross-type
  • Detection Range: -3 to +19 EV (ISO 100, 68°F/20°C)
  • Wi-Fi Functionality: Built-in
  • Battery Life: 1,230 shots (CIPA)
  • Weight (Body Only): 750g
  • Dimensions: 140.5 x 113 x 78mm
  •  

    The Camera – First look & Hands on

    Nikon-D750-Roberto-Panciatici-Photography

    At first glance, in terms of size and appearance, the Nikon D750 doesn’t seem at all to have a PRO body, in fact it looks just like an entry level full frame camera, like the Nikon D610. The multi-function dial at the top is identical, in terms of its conception, to that on all non-professional-level Nikons, as well as all PRO Canons, like the Canon 5D MK III. I don’t really understand why Nikon made this choice in designing the Nikon D750! The dials we professionals expect and are used to from Nikon are unquestionably well designed and constructed, and above all are easy to use in work sessions, which is their most important trait. The camera body is fairly small, and might lead one to think that it won’t offer proper balancing when using heavy and/or large lenses like the Nikon 70-200 f 2.8 – I won’t get into this aspect, because I don’t like to use those types of lenses. In the hand, one immediately notes the Nikon D750’s fantastic ergonomics. It’s easy to hold firmly, and lighter in weight compared to my Nikon D810 (747 gr vs 880 gr – according to my scale – and those grams make all the difference). The Fn button, which I customize on all of my cameras, is in a different position than on all other Nikon PRO bodies (Nikon D800, D810, D4 and D4s), and this gave me a few problems the first time I used the camera, since I put it to a lot of use. The tiltable LCD monitor is extremely intuitive and easy to use, really well designed! The double slot SD is absolutely indispensable for work, at least for me, as I’m all for in-camera backup.

     

    IN ACTION

     

    Before noting my impressions in this post, I shot a total of 5 weddings and one engagement with the Nikon D750, and I have to admit that the first time I tried it in the field, the experience was a combination of , “hmm, I would have hoped for something better” at the start of the day and “Whoa!” in the second half of the day! The camera responds really quickly to commands and passes swiftly into and out of Live View mode, which is something I check with every new camera because I use it often during my work – at the moment, the best Nikon in terms of flow and reactivity is without a doubt the Nikon D4s. The multi-function dial isn’t really that inconvenient, although it’s a step behind others, but it’s more an aesthetic issue than a real hindrance while I’m working. The only shortcoming I noted with regard to handiness had to do with the customization of the Fn button, but I compensated by adapting my shooting style and customizing the Pv button, which is in more or less the same position as on other Nikon PRO cameras.

     

    Shutter speed

    The 1/4000 shutter speed was the first hassle I had to deal with. I’d set out with the idea that having 1/8000 and 200 ISO – like the beloved old Nikon D700 – was the same as having 1/4000 and 100 ISO, so I didn’t think there was any need to shut the diaphragm to get the exposure I wanted, but unfortunately that wasn’t the case. When you use only fixed lenses and favor full aperture shots as I do, not having the 1/8000 speed available becomes annoying, especially if you’re a photographer who tends to underexpose (like me). Here’s a little example:

     

    Shot data: 1/4000, Iso100 f1.4
    Nikon-D750-Shutter-Speed-Test
    edited:
    Nikon-D750-Shutter-Speed-Test

    The files produced by the Nikon D750 are excellent, and this allows us to “patch up” situations where we don’t want to shut the diaphragm, recuperating all we can from high lights. Personally, since I prefer to save high lights directly in the shooting phase and not in post-production, I tried to use ISO up to L1.0, and I have to say the results aren’t bad at all. I would have much preferred to have faster shutter speed available, but by nature I tend to see the glass half full, so I won’t make a big deal out of it.

     

    Auto Focus System

    Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! When I switched from the Nikon D800 to the Nikon D810 I was amazed by the capacities of the new AF, and I have to say that the exact same thing happened switching from the Nikon D810 to the Nikon D750! From the very first wedding I shot with this camera – granted, it was the new toy -, I set aside the Nikon D810 at a certain point, preferring the Nikon D750 as my first camera. Not only is the auto focus fast, it’s also really accurate, and this undeniably gives a greater sense of security during shooting and makes everything easier. This is a truly crucial point for me, and it take the camera to a level I never thought it could achieve. The sensation of trustworthiness I get from this camera’s AF system is incomparable, better than with any other Nikon I’ve used, including the latest Nikon D810, as well as the top of the range, the Nikon D4s. Here we’re frankly at another level. Good going, Nikon! For the record, I should say that the AF points area is slightly narrower – about 10% less – than that of the Nikon D810, thus guaranteeing lesser breadth of focus in angles. Personally, I don’t consider this a problem, but if you’re one of those photographers who doesn’t usually recompose the image after focusing, then I’d suggest you keep this in mind.

     

    Roberto-Panciatici-Photography

    The tilt-able LCD monitor is this camera’s other big innovation, and I have to say I’m crazy about it! Having it available radically changes the way you work; it helps the photographer find new angles without having to turn into an acrobat or a jester, i.e. lying on the ground and such. The way it’s designed makes it extremely practical and fast to use, and I couldn’t find any defects in it. The only area for improvement that comes to mind would be to make it rotatable so as to have better vision during vertical shots, especially if the camera is against the ground or a wall, etc.

     

    Battery life

    The battery life is good, but having a second battery in your bag is by now a given, especially if you use the live view as much as I do. I tend to get through ¾ of the day with one batter, and use the second one for the last part of the service, or I recharge the first one during quiet periods like the dinner.

     

    Buffer

    At first I considered it one of the little flaws of the camera, then I changed my mind after I made a little adjustment: the memory cards I initially tested the Nikon D750 with were SD Lexar Pro 64 GB 600x, and I must say the buffer reload was pretty slow; later I saw some colleagues’ tests and subsequently switched to SD SanDisk Extreme Pro 64 GB Class 10 UHS-I 95 Mb/s. Using these cards radically changes the writing speed, and consequently the buffer’s emptying capacity increases, making the camera quicker and more reactive. Certainly, we’re not talking about performance like that of the Nikon D4s, but this little tip will give you a camera with an excellent high-speed burst, superior in terms of speed to that of the Nikon D810, and a buffer that reloads quite quickly, thus allowing you to work under optimal conditions.

     

     

    Nikon-D750-Review-High-ISO-Performance-Mini-Rob-Roberto-Panciatici-Photography

    Nikon D750 files, compared to those of the della Nikon D810 I normally use, are clearly better at high ISOs. I find that the file noise produced by the Nikon D750 is really minimal, which makes it even more appealing and usable in any setting.

     
    Nikon-D750-Review-High-ISO-6400

    Nikon-D750-Review-High-ISO-12800

    Nikon-D750-Review-High-ISO-25600

    Nikon-D750-Review-High-ISO-51200

    However, the Nikon D810 is better at low ISOs, where the excellence of the Nikon D810 sensor really comes to the fore. In my opinion, this is not a crucial aspect as far as Wedding Photography is concerned, but it is if we’re talking about portraiture, still life etc, where the Nikon D810 is unequaled.

     

    Dynamic Range

    The dynamic range is great and you can really push with this files. The example image is pushed a full 5 stops and everything is really perfect!

     

    Original
    Nikon-D750-Dynamic-Range-Test-Original

    Edited
    Nikon-D750-Dynamic-Range-Test-Edited

     

    Final considerations

    When it came on the market, I was a bit biased, so I never would have thought I’d come to write these words: I like this camera. I like it a lot! I find that is had excellent strengths, AF first and foremost. It’s really precise and quick, and it gives me a nice sense of trustworthiness and confidence, something that makes me much more relaxed and focused when I’m working, to the benefit of end result. For me, the Autofocus had always been one of Nikon’s weak spots, especially when I think of my old Nikon D800! Here we’re at a completely different level in terms of speed and precision, and I’m pleased to note that, because now I can look at future Nikon models with an even more open mind. Finally we’re on the right track! The second aspect I like, and one that sets a new standard as far as I’m concerned, is the limited file noise. Much cleaner compared to my Nikon D810, although the excellence of the latter’s files at low ISOs is truly matchless. And to conclude, the camera’s great manageability and light weight, another fundamental aspect for me. When you do more than 50 weddings etc. a year, often working consecutive days with no down time in between, a lightweight camera body can make the difference between having a stiff, aching back and being more energetic and reactive. For the way I work, considering my workload and body type (I’m a lightweight myself!), it would be impossible to think of working with two Nikon D4s, even though I consider it a fantastic camera. Additionally, I find the Nikon D750 fun and easy to use, and thanks to the tiltable monitor, it allows me to give my creativity free rein, without having to put myself in ridiculous positions, lying on the floor etc.

     

    Roberto-Panciatici-Photography-194

    Roberto-Panciatici-Photography-196

    Roberto-Panciatici-Photography-88

    The-Lazy-Olive-Wedding-in-Tuscany-Roberto-Panciatici-Photography

    Roberto-Panciatici-Photography-171

    Mini-Rob---Conclusion

    Can the Nikon D750 be used in professional wedding photography? Yes, absolutely! I find this camera to be the most suitable currently on the market, at least for the way I work, for wedding photography, or at least an excellent second camera for those who prefer to have a flagship model as their main camera. I think the best use for the Nikon D810, which I used for wedding photography until a short time ago, is for portraiture, or whenever optimal quality is required as low ISOs.

     

    Where to buy? Buy at Amazon

     

    If you enjoyed this post, why not SUBSCRIBE to my blog? Thanks you!

    COMMENTS
    EXPAND

    I see you don’t monetize your site, don’t waste your traffic, you can earn additional
    cash every month because you’ve got high quality content.
    If you want to know how to make extra bucks,
    search for: Mrdalekjd methods for $$$

    гостиная Роза
    http://pronews24.ru/

    ———-

    Great review. One of the best I’ve read.
    Sweet images as well

    Salve bellissima recensione,volevo un informazione sono indeciso tra l’acquisto di una d610 o una d750 considerando che sto passando da Canon quindi devo acquistare sia il. corpo che l’ottica..Grazie

    Hello, Roberto! Again me)
    Can you please tell me the name of your camera belt on the first shot? the red one. Do you like it?
    If the link for it is not very far, could you give it to me, please?

    Hola,,, muy interesante todo lo que comentas,,, tengo una pequeña duda y espero que me puedan ayudar,,, me dedico actualmente a la fotografia de moda y bodas,,, esta cámara seria perfecta para el medio en el que trabajo? Espero su pronta atención,,, Saludos

    Is there any difference in exposures or skin tones between the D810 and the D750. My D810 underexposes alot for some reason.

    The Sandisk Extreme Pro 95 MB/s U3 will give you even better write and buffer clearing speed: https://youtu.be/fyrZ0rj2BNk

    Questa recensione è stata illuminante!! Grazie mille, una dispensa utilissima per chi ha intenzione di affidarsi ad una D750!
    DOMANI LA COMPRO! GIURO! :))))

    I agree with the conclusions of your D750. I bought the D750 when it first came out. I was shooting the D4 and D610 as backup. I was mildly disappointed with the 610 mostly for AF reasons as I shoot a lot of night time sports events. (I love the D4) but could not justify another 6k outlay. When the D750 was released the import specs looked better to me than the D810. As an added bonus is it was cheaper. Now when shooting both the D4 and D750, I end up with great photos from both. I also do studio work, where I’m sure the D810 would reign supreme, but I’m completely satisfied with the D750. I do take my time to frame shots so that that I don’t crop away mega pixels unnecessarily. I didn’t buy the D750 for video but will likely begin experimenting more for some personal projects. Lastly, with my set up, I tend to go with the 70-200 on the D4 but don’t find it ridiculously unbalanced when mounted on the D750. I’ve had no problem recommending to others looking for an upgrade.

    Ciao Roberto sono Luciano un appassionato di foto. Volevo un consiglio riguardo alla nikon d750,ho ho letto la tua recensione riguardo questa macchina che per i matrimoni va benissimo, ma per altri tipo di foto come eventi,sfilate di moda ritratti,paesaggi, comunioni e anche foto sportive come calcio e rugby che ottiche potrei usare?ovviamente sempre nikon.
    Mi porgo questa domanda perché attualmente ho una canon 20d con obiettivo 17-55 senza possedere nessun altro obiettivo, infatti non so se andare ancora su canon tipo 7d mark2, oppure canon 6d con obiettivi serie L sono in po confuso. Cosa mi consiglieresti? Vorrei una macchina tutto fare con prezzi buoni e non molto costosi,perché non sono un fotografo professionista ma solo un appassionato cmq ti ringrazio e aspetto una risposta grazie Luciano

    Ciao Luciano,
    questa macchina è completa ed è il giusto compromesso fra tanti diversi settori, ed è ottima anche per le vacanze, anche se la migliore è la DF in quel caso, costo a parte perché è veramente un po’ troppo alto. Credo che potrebbe fare al caso tuo!
    La 6D comunque, lasciando i discorsi sui marchi, è un’ottima macchina, no?

    […] Roberto Panciatici is an Italian full time professional portrait and wedding photographer based in Tuscany, Siena. He works throughout Italy and he’s available for destination wedding photography and worldwide travel. He photographs commercial portraiture and over 40 weddings a year. You can also follow his work on Facebook. This review was originally posted here.” You can see more of his work on his website. This review was originally posted here. […]

    Ottima recensione completa ed esaustiva! Dovendo acquistare un prodotto nuovo, si cerca sempre di afferrarne qualità e demeriti in anticipo, dall’esperienza sul campo di persone competenti, ma non è facile trovarne di valide. La sua, Roberto, mi è stata utile, grazie per averla postata.

    Hi man! Yes, I saw the video but I’ve not this problem. I don’t use the lens that the guy in the video uses (very cheap lenses) and it’s absolutely not true that the live view mode has a slow AF compared to the others Nikon Pro camera. Check my blog during next days and continue to follow my page and you could see a lot of photographic services without this kind of problem.

    Hi Roberto,

    First of all thank you for your amazing review. I really love this camera and much more after your review.

    Lately I´ve read in a lot of forums that this camera have some kind of rare reflection that could ruin some pictures. Did you experience this problem in any of your pictures? (here you can find some examples: http://www.nikonistas.com/digital/foro/index.php?showtopic=346541&page=39).

    People are worried about the possibility of we are facing a similar situation that we suffered with the Nikon D600 that were replaced with the Nikon D610.

    Thanks in advanced.

    Hi! No, I’ve no idea about it and I’ve never experienced it. You can see the pictures I’ve taken with this camera and if you follow my blog, you’ll see more photographic service with the Nikon D750. Thanks for reading :)

    Hi again Roberto,

    here is a video of a profesional photographer in Spain in which reproduce the problem easily.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LynWn0DvdO0

    Regards. Jesús.

    Thanks for your response Roberto.
    I forgot to mention that only D750 seems to have this issue.
    Do you usually use your D750 for your wedding work? I’m planning to buy the D750, but I want to be sure that this issue will not be a problem for me.
    Regards. Jesus.

    Hi,
    This is a very good Review.

    I like the fact that you showed the advantages of modern sensors. (Shadow detail)

    I have a question: what camera strap did you use in the header picture?

    Best regards
    Markus

    Hi Markus, thank you! The camera strap is the Artisan & Artist and I’m going to review it on The Nerd Corner. Stay tuned :)

    […] This review was originally posted on Roberto’s website. […]

    […]  This review was originally posted here. […]

    […]  This review was originally posted here. […]

    ADD A COMMENT

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.