D800 vs. D800E comparisons?

[2WheelPhoto]

Interesting comparison here: Nikon D800 Review: Digital Photography Review

But still I don't see $300 worth of "better", am I off?

 

[Sw1tchFX]

If I bought a D800, it'd be the E. I resize everything for clients down to 6MP anyway, and when I want to print huge, I'd really like the detail to be there.

However, I'll most likely be getting the D600 instead to replace my busted D700. I like the smaller body and 24MP seems like good enough resolution. If I need a D800 or Medium Format digital, it's easy access anyway.

 

[2WheelPhoto]

According to the pics and article, the only improvement the E sees is in an "aperture" sweet spot. Then they showed how to match the E in post.

I'm not sure about that extra "$buckage" for the E.

 

[Garbz]

The way people in general talk about a D800E makes you wonder how they were ever happy with any camera let alone a 36mpxl camera before this beast existed. Seriously a 36megapixl sensor is such a leap from the 12-17megapixels we're used to, and suddenly the 36million pixels aren't quite sharp enough... baffles the mind.

 

[Enticingimagery]

It's not all about the megapixels, I wish people would quit harping on about that. The D800 standard is a cracker, the images it produces are amazing for such an over-loaded sensor. Not all of us bought into the 36mp thing. I bought one because I wanted a D700 for years, could never afford it, sadly. And now that i have the funds, may as well get the newer version, which is better in every way. I got the E because I love sharpness, why not have a little more? When I look up comparisons, I do see the difference. The E makes the standard version look a tad soft at 100%. If you don't care about that, get the regular. You'll be happy either way. For me it was - "well, if I get the regular, I'll always think, the E might have been a little better" - worth the bit extra to cross that one off.

 

[2WheelPhoto]

It's not all about the megapixels, I wish people would quit harping on about that. The D800 standard is a cracker, the images it produces are amazing for such an over-loaded sensor. Not all of us bought into the 36mp thing. I bought one because I wanted a D700 for years, could never afford it, sadly. And now that i have the funds, may as well get the newer version, which is better in every way. I got the E because I love sharpness, why not have a little more? When I look up comparisons, I do see the difference. The E makes the standard version look a tad soft at 100%. If you don't care about that, get the regular. You'll be happy either way. For me it was - "well, if I get the regular, I'll always think, the E might have been a little better" - worth the bit extra to cross that one off.

Congrats! I'm telling myself I don't need one being a D700 owner and its not that practical already owning the D700 and such but will probably purchase one sooner than later.

 

[JDFlood]

I have a D700 and a D800. Good to have a backup! JD

 

[amolitor]

Dumping the anti-aliasing filter has always struck me as a gimmick.

Digital sampling technology doesn't work right without a low-pass filter (an anti-aliasing filter), it's as simple as that. You get weird artifacts without one. An ideal low-pass filter will only throw away information the sensor cannot correctly record ANYWAYS. Presumably the AA filter on the sensor isn't ideal, but it's probably quite close. Diffusion will tend to dominate with most sensors available in DSLRs over arounf f/5.6 I think, anyways.

So, you're buying at most a very small improvement in performance, and that performance is only going to be visible in details right around the limit of what the anti-aliased version of the sensor could see, which is by no co-incidence whatsoever, exactly the area where you're likely to run into aliasing problems (moire patterns and the like).