WOW!!! I have a D800e and, at the time, had the D610. I sold the D610 in order to help the cost of the D4S and I'm sooooooo glad that I did. The D800e is an awesome camera that can hold its own, but when compared to the D4S, it feels like a toy. For one, the fact the D800e really only shoots well up to ISO 6400 feels "limiting" now that the D4S shoots up to ISO 16,000 comfortably. I sort of miss the megapixels going down from 36 to 16 (for cropping), but the far far superior quality of the photos from the D4S wipes that away. It also forces me to get a little better at composition in-camera.
In landscape mode, the grip and feel of the D4S is awesome. Meaty and great to feel. In portrait mode, the grip, for me, doesn't feel as good as the D800e with the Nikon grip (MB-D12). I don't have huge or small hands...just medium hands. The MB-D12 has more of a squared off feel and it really fits into my hand well. The portrait grip on the D4S feels a little thin to me. I don't feel like it'll fall out of my hands but this thinner grip doesn't just fall into my hands like the MB-D12. As a result, I need to take a second to search for the shutter button. It's not a dealbreaker but I know they redesigned the ergonomics and this is one area I found to be different.
The 11fps is freakin AWESOME!!!!!! I'm a prosumer so I do formal weddings, portraits, some sports, pets, etc. but even as a "regular" user, the 11fps is great. We have a Great Dane and the burst mode comes in very handy when we're playing with her. It just goes and goes and goes. The group autofocus is also great. I always use single point focus on my D800e but I'm a group autofocus guy on the D4S. Still center-based but having the slightly larger AF area is really nice. Great feature. My parents had their 50th anniversary recently and they did a cake cutting like in a wedding. I had my SB-910 speedlight and SD-9 battery pack in place while shooting in continuos high mode. I was able to rapid fire and catch the entire sequence which lasted about 12 seconds. All shot in 14-bit RAW and the camera didn't stutter at all. Group autofocus caught everything in focus!
Finally, I'll list just a few other items that I find useful instead of replicating all of the reviews online.
Backlighting: big feature for me! It's a cool teal/blue color but I've shot timelapse sequences at night with the D4S and the backlighting has been great.
Small display on the back: before I had the D4S, I didn't think it was useful. It IS useful. All of your information is right there.
Battery door: this has a push button release that flings the door open as opposed to the manually sliding door on the D800e. It feels better and of higher quality.
Memory Cards: The D4S uses XQD and CF cards. Does it suck that the XQD costs a lot more? Sure. But this is a pro camera and it is FAST. In the end, it's worth it. I usually shoot with the camera writing to both cards and when I import photos into Lightroom, I always use the XQD card as my reference.
No built-in flash: I have two SB-910 speedlights and one SB-700 speedlight. On my D800e I usually use the pop-up flash to wirelessly trigger my speedlights so it's a little bit of a bummer that the D4S doesn't have the built-in flash for convenience. However. I'm fortunate to have 3 flashes so I can "waste" one for triggering the other two flashes. I have PocketWizards (MiniTT and FlexTT5 models) but they aren't currently compatible with the D4S (although a new PocketWizard beta software is on the way)
Built-in viewfinder door: this is a really nice feature. A built-in door to close light off from the viewfinder. It can also protect the viewfinder window and keep dust out.
Overall, this is a wonderful camera and, sadly, my D800e hasn't been used much since I got the D4S. Instill need a 2nd body the D4s is simply a joy to use and makes photography so much fun. It's the camera that has all capabilities in the world so I feel like I can do anything with it and not be limited. If you're on the fence about the D4S, don't be. Just get it because you won't be disappointed. And Amazon offers 30-day returns! Give it a shot!!
Final thought...there are many opinions out there as the D4S being not worth the upgrade. Sure, if you have a D4, the D4S is probably not worth the upgrade. Just like the new D810 that was just announced. I have the D800e and the D810 is absolutely not worth the upgrade. If you're not into a pro-level now, the D4S will be an awesome purchase!
Nikon D4S 16.2 MP CMOS FX Digital SLR with Full 1080p HD Video (Body Only)
4.2 | 44 ratings
Price: 4799.95
Last update: 08-21-2024
About this item
16.2 megapixel FX-format CMOS sensor
30% faster EXPEED 4 image processing engine
51-point AF system and 3D Color Matrix metering III with a 91,000-pixel RGB sensor
Noise-free shooting from ISO 100 to 25,600
Professional video and audio capabilities
30% faster EXPEED 4 image processing engine
51-point AF system and 3D Color Matrix metering III with a 91,000-pixel RGB sensor
Noise-free shooting from ISO 100 to 25,600
Professional video and audio capabilities
Product information
Top reviews from the United States
JJS
Simply the best. You will NOT be disappointed!!
Reviewed in the United States on July 5, 2014REF
D4s Review
Reviewed in the United States on September 12, 2015Bonnie
Excellent low light performance
Reviewed in the United States on November 15, 2017jaycee
Good camera, overpriced.
Reviewed in the United States on August 15, 2017
Johnathan
Blazing Fast Shots and just all around WOW!!!
Reviewed in the United States on December 8, 2019