Nikon D850: Video Features
Related: 4K and 5K display, computer display, Nikon, Nikon D850, Nikon DSLR, noise
See my Nikon wish list and get Nikon D850 at B&H Photo.
I’m not a video shooter, but the new feature set looks awfully appealing.
Nikon has clearly put a ton of effort into upgrading the video and time lapse capabilities of the Nikon D850.
Dynamic wide-angle movies, in high resolution — Nikon’s first full-frame, 4K UHD video
The D850 lets you film magnificent 4K UHD/30p videos in full frame. You can capture more dramatic scenes by combining this with wide-angle NIKKOR lenses, which demonstrate high resolving power even around the periphery of the frame.
It is also possible to simultaneously record uncompressed, broadcast quality 4:2:2 8-bit 4K UHD files on an external HDMI device. 4K UHD videos are also available in the DX-based movie format — equivalent to super 35mm size — while recording in MP4 format is possible in addition to the conventional MOV option.
Easily turn moments into drama — ×4 and ×5 slow-motion movie in Full HD
The D850 helps create dramatic Full HD movies with its new in-camera slow-motion video*. It can generate both ×4 slow-motion videos (films at 120/100p and records at 30/25p) and ×5 slow-motion videos (films at 120p and records at 24p) entirely in-camera — great for creating drama out of moments. * Image quality is fixed at normal and image area is fixed at DX regardless of settings. AF-area modes are limited to normal-area and wide-area AF. No audio recording.
Take beautifully clean 4K UHD videos even in dark situations — Superior low-noise performance at high ISO settings
Even in dark scenes, you can rely on the D850 for consistently sharp video with low noise. Despite the great leap in effective pixel count from the D810, the camera achieves a wider standard sensitivity range of ISO 64-25600 for both stills and movies. This is thanks to the greater light-gathering efficiency of the new backside illumination CMOS structure, and the EXPEED 5 image-processing engine’s ability to effectively reduce noise while maintaining details. You can also widen the possibilities for your shooting by extending sensitivity up to Hi 2 (ISO 102400 equivalent). The D850 encourages videographers to explore their creativity in a variety of scenes.
Automatic adjustment to brightness changes — Auto ISO control for fixed aperture/shutter speed in M mode
Imagine filming a scene where the brightness changes significantly, such as following a subject from a dark corridor into the noonday sun, within one take. The Auto ISO function in M mode ensures the camera automatically adjusts its ISO settings to changes in brightness, while maintaining a specific depth of field and shutter speed. This helps achieve appropriate exposure throughout the scene.
Rich image information for easy post-production editing — Flat Picture Control
If you plan a video creation workflow that includes image enhancement in post-production, shooting in Flat Picture Control gives you the room you need to manipulate the original footage and achieve your preferred look. This option features a near-straight tone curve, which allows you to acquire as much information as possible — including subject colors, brightness and texture. It enables effective color grading using simple adjustments of the tone curve, without requiring technical knowledge of video log. Even if you are new to video, Flat Picture Control will amaze you with its creative potential and ease of use.
Minimize highlight clipping for grading — Highlight-weighted metering
While brightness control can be applied in post-production, it cannot compensate for blown-out highlights. The D850’s highlight-weighted metering is an invaluable tool for video shooting, helping to minimize overexposure. This setting delivers a richer tonality in images by giving priority to the brightest portions of a scene and avoiding white clipping. Used together with Flat Picture Control, you can acquire footage with even richer tones and less over-exposed highlights.
Customizable highlight confirmation with even greater ease — Improved highlight display
Highlight display using zebra patterns helps you confirm overblown highlights, and the D850 has improved this function to assist you further. It now lets you adjust the level of brightness, to be indicated between 180-255 depending on your needs. What’s more, the zebra patterns come in two varieties, selectable according to the patterns and textures of your subjects.
Quickly switch between still-photo and movie shooting — Independent movie-shooting menu
The D850 is designed for multimedia shooters who consider stills and movies equally important. With that in mind, this camera sees Nikon introduce a dedicated movie-shooting menu in addition to the one for still photography. You can register different settings for video without changing those for stills, which makes it easier to switch between the two shooting modes. For example, shooting stills in Auto Picture Control is possible even immediately after filming in Flat. What’s more, pressing the P button during movie recording gives you direct access to the movie-shooting settings, providing both convenience and efficiency during your shoot.
Accurate manual focus confirmation — Focus peaking display
Many professional videographers use manual focus for accurate focusing. The D850’s focus peaking display* makes it easier to confirm manual focus. The camera detects the scene’s highest contrast edges — meaning they are in focus — and highlights them in a designated color. You can choose to display highlights in red, white, yellow or blue, according to your subject’s own coloration, and adjust between three levels of detection sensitivity. For users’ convenience, this peaking information will not be recorded on the external device when connected via HDMI. * Available with Full HD and HD.
Confident hand-held video shooting — Electronic vibration reduction
When shooting movies hand-held in Full HD or HD, the D850’s electronic vibration reduction function* reduces the effects of camera shake in the horizontal, vertical and rotational directions (centering on the lens). This is invaluable when limitations of time and location make it difficult to set up a tripod. Used in combination with NIKKOR’s optical VR technology, the benefits are even more apparent.
* Image area will be slightly smaller in Full HD.
Preserve details in highlights and shadows — Active D-Lighting
The EXPEED 5 image-processing engine makes it possible to apply Active D-Lighting to Full HD and HD movies. This popular function in still-photo shooting preserves details in highlights and shadows when recording high-contrast scenes, giving your footage richer tonal gradation and a more natural brightness. This comes in handy when you need to use footage straight out of the camera without post-production editing.
