Nikon D4

Lens Mount & Sensor

The Nikon D4 uses the same “F” lens mount that Nikon has been using since 1959, allowing users access to a vast library of lenses. Compatibility will be limited somewhat when using older, non-CPU lenses, but the full-frame sensor will closely replicate the viewing angle of 35mm film on most older lenses. The lens mount is as sturdy as you would expect from a professional camera like this, and looks built to withstand plenty of lens swapping and heavy use.

The sensor in the D4 is a full-frame 16.2-megapixel CMOS imager, with an impressive pixel pitch of 7.3-microns. That gives it one of the lowest pixel densities of any full-frame camera on the market and it could give Nikon a big boost in low light capability over the competition. The sensor’s native ISO range extends from 100-12800, with the much-ballyhooed 204,800 ISO corresponding to Nikon’s “Hi-4” setting (they usually only go to Hi-2, so there may be a “keeping up with the Joneses” element there). The D4’s native ISO range puts it at a full stop on the low end over the previous D3s, which should improve dynamic range with the camera due to having a “true” ISO 100 rating.

LCD & Viewfinder

The D4 gets a small upgrade in terms of LCD size, moving to a 3.2-inch screen with a 921k-dot resolution. The LCD does not flip away from the body, but the camera does allow for uncompressed HD signal output to an external monitor. Though this function is clearly aimed at videographers who are used to using external LCD screens with their rigs, it will function in all shooting modes on the D4, which should be a boon to some workflows.

The LCD itself is clear and sharp, with excellent color representation as far as we could tell in our time with the camera. Focus adjustments are easy if you’re shooting in live view with the rear monitor, though that will inhibit some of the camera’s functions like phase-detection autofocus, so standard optical viewfinder shooting is preferred.

The Nikon D4 inherits the viewfinder from the Nikon D3s, sporting a fixed eye-level pentaprism with 100% coverage and a magnification of 0.70×. The coverage drops to 97% when shooting with a DX-format lens on a cropped sensor. The viewfinder has an 18mm (-1.0m¯¹) eyepoint, with a diopter adjustment of -3 to +1 m¯¹. The viewfinder is as bright and clear as we’ve come to expect on D-series Nikons, with almost no noticeable light loss compared to viewing the scene with just your own eyes.

Flash

When using a flash with the D4, flash exposure is measured through the lens using the 91k-pixel RGB sensor only when using the SB-910, SB-900, SB-800, SB-700, SB-600, or SB-400 Nikon speedlights. Users can set flash compensation between 3 and +1 EV in full, 1/3, and 1/2-stop increments. Flash bracketing is also available with options for two to nine shots, again in full, 1/3-, and 1/2-stop increments. The D4 has both an accessory hot shoe and a flash sync terminal and offers sync control modes that include: auto high-speed sync (max flash sync is 1/250 of a second), front- and rear-curtain sync, red-eye reduction, red-eye reduction with slow sync, slow rear-curtain sync, and slow sync. Basically, short of wireless flash control if your flash can do it, the D4 can accommodate it.

Jacks, Ports & Plugs

The Nikon D4 comes packed with many of the latest touches designed to appeal to professionals looking for an enhanced digital workflow. The inclusion of an ethernet port matches Canon 1D X’s and should be useful for wire service photographers who need to wirelessly (with accessories) transmit photos or those who need to dump a large amount of data quickly. As with everything, it will depend on how well Nikon implements this feature on the software side of things, but it’s an interesting touch both Canon and Nikon now share in their flagship pro DSLRs.

Nikon has certainly listened to their audience in choosing which ports to include on the D4, as they now include both a stereo microphone and a stereo headphone jack, which will help videographers more accurately judge the audio quality of their recordings. The D4 will also include a mini-HDMI port that allows for a clean, uncompressed HD signal output to either a recording device or an external LCD monitor. Those two concessions alone could make the D4 the new favorite of videographers on the go.

Battery

Compared to most DSLRs, the EN-EL18 battery on the D4 is a workhorse, designed to hold a charge through multiple days of a professional’s workflow. The batteries should take around 90 minutes to go from empty to a full charge, with a CIPA rating of around 2,600 shots. Unfortunately, that’s far below the 4,000+ shots the EN-EL4/EN-EL4a batteries on the D3s and D3x are capable of.

Of course, 2,600 shots is a lot on its own, but it’s a big step down from the previous rating and it renders obsolete any EL4 batteries owned by those upgrading from the D3s. The reason Nikon gave us to explain the change in battery is stricter controls in Japan over battery voltage and capacity, meaning previous battery models were not a viable option. This is sure to be a fairly big frustration to those looking to upgrade from the D3s to the D4, especially if they’ve invested in a number of extra batteries already.

We should note that the CIPA testing parameters involve powering the camera on and off every few shots, a usage scenario that is different from the workflow of most professional sports and action photographers. Nikon claims that the EN-EL18 battery actually offers improved performance over the EN-EL4/4a when being used to snap pictures in bursts without constantly powering the camera off and on (as CIPA testing calls for), as well as better performance in cold weather. We’ll know for sure when we test the camera ourselves, but for some photographers who don’t snap hundreds of photos in a short period of time (wildlife photographers, for instance), know that the D4 does struggle when compared to older DSLRs when allowed to power down frequently.

Memory

The D4 includes two memory card slots, one for newly-designed XQD memory cards and one compatible with UDMA Type-1 Compact Flash cards. These are different size slots and thus not cross-compatible, though there are copying and file management options that help get around this. XQD cards are designed to speed up professional workflows and offer faster transfer speeds than traditional CF cards.

The first line of XQD cards has been announced by Sony and will feature read/write speeds of up to 1Gbps/125Mbps. Sony claims that with the Nikon D4, their cards are capable of recording up to 100 RAW frames continuously. The two card slots are located on the the right of the back of the body behind a compartment that is opened by a small plastic switch.