I am not really much of an equipment geek when it comes to photography. While there are many people who are constantly in search of a new camera, a new lens, a better tripod, etc., believing that that is what will make them a finer photographer, I have never really followed that path. I buy a piece of equipment that I like, then use it to death or until I am convinced that something has come along that is significantly superior to what has gone before. For about 5 years or so, I have used the Nikon D800E or D810 faithfully, been happy with the results, and have not wanted to go elsewhere for any reason. The image quality that came from those cameras was second to none, and the cameras performed flawlessly for me, exposing well over 150000 frames with not a single hitch along the way. But about a year ago, rumors of the replacement for the Nikon D810 began to surface and they looked really interesting, if in fact, they were true. Finally, the Nikon D850 was released a few weeks ago and it sounded too good to be true: faster speeds, sensor illumination, 46 megapixels, auto focus stacking, and so on. I could not wait to get one and so I ordered it. And yesterday was the initial trial.
I went out shooting in the Catskill Mountains. It was slightly early for peak Fall color leaf change, but beautiful nonetheless. Driving along mountain roads with beautiful scenery and no traffic whatsoever was marvelously peaceful and energizing. There are few pleasures for a photographer than to drive and hike in search of images, with all of the turmoil in the world and one's life tucked well into the background. And the Nikon D850 made the day that much more pleasurable. It was simply a remarkable tool to use. All the little features that I had wished were in the D810 were now there in the D850. The images that emerged from the camera were simply astonishing--smooth textures, incredible detail, and phenomenal dynamic range. It was a terrific day with a fantastic camera. Next week, I will be headed to Maine and am very much looking forward to really seeing what this camera can do. Hopefully, my initial impressions will be confirmed
