Nikon D610 is absolutely the same gorgeous FX camera as its predecessor D600, but, nevertheless, it has one important fix.

It's a fix, not an improvement. In the D610, the shutter was replaced, which became a little faster, literally by half a frame per second (6 frames / s), but as Nikon themselves say, the problem with spots on the matrix from shutter lubricant has been solved. To be honest, I personally have not observed this problem before, although it may just be lucky. But there are a number of people who see these spots. In any case, regardless of the model, if you have something with a camera, it is better to contact the official service first, and only then build conspiracy theories. More often than not, it's not the camera's fault.

Since the D610 and D600 are otherwise identical, there is no point in comparing them. I will compare with something else, and you will have the opportunity to compare reviews of different authors of almost the same camera to make it more interesting.

In terms of dimensions and capabilities, the D610 is closer to the old Nikon D700, only it is noticeably lighter. But to be more precise, it's more like a D7100 with an FX sensor. Even the autofocus module is similar to the D7100. Only if on the D7100 / D7000, due to the size of the matrix, the autofocus points are more or less distributed over the frame, then on a larger frame there is a feeling that all the points are in a bunch in the center, and there is emptiness at the edges:

There are even theorists who argue, they say, how inconvenient and worthless it is to insert a module from a DX camera into a camera of this level. Personally, I don’t join these comrades, because there are not enough points for photographing sports on the D7100, but for everything else the D610 is more than enough. As far as sports and fast moving kids are concerned, ideally the AF areas should be distributed across the entire screen, similar to mirrorless cameras, only those focus very slowly, but we need to quickly. On the other hand, on the D610 you will have a lot of sharp shots with the subject in the center ;-) But the D610 has no problems with focusing speed, even in moderate lighting.

However, it seemed to me that when it is completely dark, the autofocus on the D610 simply goes blind and you can’t do without autofocus illumination. I don’t remember that the D700 had similar problems in the same situations. In other words, when it's time to use the flash, the autofocus on the D610 will need help too.

As for the flash, it is there and it's very good. In this regard, the D610 is great for travel, if you are not confused by the size and weight of FX lenses. I would not want to take a camera without a built-in flash with me on a trip, since I would definitely have to carry some other junk on myself. A flash in everyday life is needed much more often than it seems to some, even built-in. Here, for example, the option without flash:

And this is the same, but with built-in flash, find 10 differences:

Of course, you will not do serious portraits, as I did in haste, but take special lighting equipment and then at least do the toning. But to understand why the built-in flash is important, this example is enough.

At the same time, the maximum flash sync speed decreased slightly compared to the D700 - only 1/200 and 1/250 in FP-sync mode. For those who like to click with a flash in clear weather, you will have to get a neutral filter and experience some inconvenience. In general, in clear weather without a polarizing filter, do not even think about going out. By the way, a polarizing filter can be used as a weak neutral, as it reduces the exposure by 2-3 stops, depending on the model.

The built-in flash of the D610 has one very unpleasant moment - during recharging, you cannot take pictures at all, you have to wait 3-4 seconds. On older models, you take a picture anyway, even if the flash is not ready. Better a shot without a flash than sitting cuckooing for a few seconds in a row.

The built-in flash of the D610 can also be used in command mode, as on all other serious cameras, making it possible to use i-TTL and remotely control the power of external flashes by group.

What else I liked:

User settings

Very convenient modes U1 and U2 are right on the wheel on the left, like on the D600 and D7000 / D7100. All camera settings, including autofocus and metering settings, can be saved to these modes and recalled instantly. I prefer to save settings for landscapes in U1, as I shoot them most often, and U2 - portraits. In other modes P, S, A, M, I do all sorts of experiments. I would also like to have U3 and U4 instead of stupid Auto and Scene. Scene, I don’t understand for whom at all, and the green Auto mode is the same P, only the flash automatically jumps out. If you give the camera to a beginner, the P mode does a great job, and the beginner will take wonderful shots even in difficult conditions. Personally, I mostly shoot in P.

HDR

The Nikon D610 has a fantastic HDR mode (high dynamic range, although in fact the camera narrows it, such a paradox). Once you try this mode, you will never shoot without HDR again, trust me, I don’t shoot without HDR in the evening anymore. This mode takes 2 shots with different exposures and stitches them into one, keeping very bright and very dark areas as much as possible. HDR only works when shooting in JPEG. In RAW, you will do everything yourself, spending a lot of time, and the result will hardly be better.

Here's how without HDR:

And this is with HDR:

Not a great example, but that's only because I don't really shoot without HDR, it was some kind of mistake. So you can be sure that all the evening landscapes taken on the D610 were with the HDR function. Of course, this trick will not work if something moves in the frame - the image will double.

virtual horizon

The gyroscope on the D610 works in two planes. A very handy thing when you need to quickly click on the landscape so that the horizon is not littered and the perspective is not distorted.

The function button can be assigned to turn on the gyroscope so that it is displayed in the viewfinder, then it will be in place of the exposure scale. To adjust the tilt forward / backward, you will have to turn on the large screen, only in this mode there will be such an opportunity.

Two slots for memory cards

A very useful thing. Firstly, I really like the SD card format. You will not have any problems with such cards, they are small and you can work with them on any modern laptop without having to carry a reader with wires. Secondly, you can configure different behavior to your taste: record photos in parallel on two cards for reliability, or sequentially to increase the available memory.

There are only a couple of nuances. The most important thing is to buy the fastest possible memory cards. You need to look not only at the class (10 is the minimum for you), but also at the throughput, it is desirable that UHS (Ultra High Speed) is written on the card, this is 300x and higher. Otherwise, you will have the feeling that the camera is faulty. With slow class 6 cards, the camera may freeze altogether. You definitely didn't spend that much money to slow down your high-speed camera because of some small card. It is better to save on the volume of the card, but take it quickly.

By the way, due to the fact that the matrix on the D610 is 24 megapixels, which is a lot, it seems to me, some common 8Gb card will fill up catastrophically quickly if you shoot in JPEG. I generally keep quiet about NEF. And leave hope that you can use the already available cards from the old technology. You will have to buy new high-speed high-volume.

The second important aspect is that I do not advise you to switch the fill mode of the maps during the shooting process, otherwise you may have ghosts, especially when you think that the frame has been deleted. The camera is not too smart to understand what you were shooting in which fill mode. There is a risk not only of unkillable frames, which is not terrible, but also of losing an important frame when you thought you had a backup. It is better to set this thing up once and not touch it again.

Auto ISO

I almost never turn off Auto ISO, even when I take pictures in the evening with a long exposure - I just twist the shutter speed to the maximum until the exposure starts to go positive, and I know for sure that I have a minimum ISO. But these are old habits.

On the D610, if you press the ISO button and turn the rear wheel, the minimum ISO value will switch, but if you turn the front wheel, the Auto ISO mode will switch to manual mode and back - very convenient!

In addition, Auto ISO recognizes the focal length and makes the shutter speed shorter for telephoto cameras, but on the contrary, you can improve the quality with longer shutter speeds and low ISO. For more flexible settings, there is an ISO correction, if, for example, you don’t drink, and your hands don’t shake much, then you can shift the balance towards slower shutter speeds. To do this, in the Shooting Menu, where ISO is set, in the Minimum Shutter Speed ​​item, where there is Auto mode, you need to press the right arrow on Auto, there will be a correction. So far, this is the most flexible and most convenient ISO setting I've seen.

As for the ISO itself, I am quite comfortable shooting even at ISO 6400. Of course, the noise is already visible, but not too much. At least this allows you to take a pretty decent handheld shot from the shaking Brooklyn Bridge in New York, there is nothing to do with a tripod:

Another detail is the presence of an infrared port for

Nikon D610 is a forced update of the previous model (D600). The predecessor camera had a serious drawback: shutter particles and oil fell on the matrix. Marriage has become so massive, what? according to the company? if this defect is found, the camera will be repaired free of charge even if the warranty for it has come to an end. Despite the marriage, the Nikon D600 is still on sale.

It would be a mistake to think that the shortcoming described above has been corrected in the D600 models currently being sold. On the D600 forums, information constantly pops up from new owners who bought a camera not so long ago and were faced with oil getting on the matrix. Actually, that's why they choose the Nikon D610 - she didn't have any problems.

Specifications Nikon D610

Let's briefly go over the characteristics of the camera in question.

• Matrix - CMOS Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm), 24.3 MP
• Crop factor - 1
• Matrix sensitivity - 100-6400 ISO
• Built-in flash yes
• Stabilizer – no*
• Shooting speed - 6 frames per second
• The maximum series of shots is 100 in JPEG and 26 in RAW (51 and 14 in maximum quality, respectively)
• Mount support - Nikon F
• Viewfinder - reflex (pentaprism)
• Viewfinder field of view - 100%
• LCD screen - 3.15 inches, 921000 dots
• Shutter speed options - 30 - 1/4000 s
• Screwdriver - yes
• AF illuminator yes
• Memory cards - SD, SDHC, SDXC
• Interfaces - USB 2.0, HDMI, remote control jack, external microphone jack, audio
• Battery - 1900 mAh, 1000 photos
• Battery Pack Model - MB-D14
• Video recording - 1920x1080 at 25/30 fps, MOV format
• Start of sales - 10/18/2013
• Size - 141x113x82 mm
• Weight - 850 g.

Camera Positioning

Photo examples

Below you can see some photos taken with this camera. You can also find photos that were taken with this camera on the pages:

Shooting video on Nikon D610

As for shooting video, then everything is at the same level for Nikon. The positive point is more convenient control compared to the same D7000. As for autofocus during video shooting, everything is just as lousy as before. Otherwise, the quality is typical for DSLRs - a large blur zone at open aperture values, which often interferes with normal video shooting. Of course, due to the large matrix, the video is of excellent quality with well-drawn details. But, anyway, it is better to use a video camera for video shooting: not only because of the greater depth of field, but also because of ergonomics.

Below you can see a small test video made using the D610 and a Nikon 85mm f/1.8G lens. Due to the long focal length and the lack of built-in image stabilization, the lens exhibits slight frame shake. The shooting was carried out using a monopod.

Competitors Nikon D610

Given the price of the D610, the camera has enough competitors. These are “classmates” and cameras of a completely different type. Let's talk about each of these cameras a little bit.

Canon 6D is a direct competitor of D610. The camera is sold at the same price as the 610th. Its main advantages: it is lighter by almost 100 grams and its video capabilities are still better. Otherwise, in my humble opinion, 6D is inferior to Nikon. It loses in terms of the matrix (sharpness, DD, noise), and hence the technical quality of the photos. Autofocus during photography is worse than Nikon's. The "canonists" themselves constantly complain about the only working center point, although, as for me, this is still an exaggeration - the side points also work quite well. Again, Canon has enough focus for amateur purposes.

Nikon D600 - Paradoxically, this is one of the main competitors of the D610. After all, if you think about it, the D600 is cheaper by 5-10 thousand than its successor, but at the same time it is in no way inferior to it, because, in fact, the D600 and D610 are the same camera. I already wrote about this at the beginning.

Nikon D750 is another internal competitor of the camera under consideration today. The D750 is a new professional camera that looks more like the improved D610 than the updated D700. Nevertheless, the camera is classified by the company as a professional one. It is more expensive, it costs about 90-95 thousand rubles today.

Nikon D800 - but this is a professional camera without any reservations. The price of D800 starts from 90-100 thousand rubles. 36 megapixels, a chic matrix in all respects. If you want to get this handsome man - pay 30 thousand more than for the 610th and it is yours. Do you need it? Not sure.

Nikon D7100 (D7200) - it would seem that this camera costs two times cheaper than its competitor. But at the same time, as it was already written earlier, the only serious difference between this camera and the D610 is the presence of a full-frame matrix in the latter. If you are choosing your first camera and don't know if you need a full frame, then you don't need it - get the D7100. So you save a lot of money. First on the camera, then on the lenses.

Sony Alpha A7R - and this is a completely different type of camera. This is mirrorless. But not simple, but with a full-frame sensor of 36 megapixels and a cost of 75 thousand rubles. Its compactness and photo and video capabilities are its main advantages. But compared to “DSLRs”, it is slow, less easy to manage and has a “strange” autofocus (the owners of these cameras have a lot of complaints about it - this is a fact).

Olympus OM-D E-M1 - why not remember about this camera. It is cheaper than 10 thousand. Olympus OM-D E-M1 is a mirrorless double crop. That is, the matrix size of this camera is 17.3 x 13.0 mm. "What's the catch?" - you ask. In fact, this system is very popular today among amateur photographers who are not embarrassed by the slightly smaller size of the sensor. But such cameras (and their optics) are more compact and have a number of other advantages, which, among others, include the original appearance .

Conclusion

Nikon D610 is a great camera. Today, perhaps, this is the best amateur "SLR" among all systems. Uncomfortable to shoot video? So this is a camera. Want a better focusing system? Buy professional equipment. All these missing feature issues are artificially created somewhere in Nikon's marketing department. Otherwise, this camera is a great choice for photography lovers.

Other materials:
Video review Nikon D610
Nikon D7000 review
Top 10 Nikon Lenses

Description

Nikon D610 Body full-frame DSLR for high-quality stills and videos

With a full frame 24.3 megapixel CMOS sensor and EXPEED 3 processor, Nikon's D610 DSLR captures high-resolution photos and Full HD 1080p video with excellent detail and low-light sensitivity up to ISO 25600. The combination of an advanced sensor and a fast processor ensures high image quality with wide dynamic range and high signal-to-noise ratio for smooth color and tonal gradations with low noise and improved overall image clarity. The fast autofocus system works great both when shooting still images of moving subjects and when shooting video in focus tracking mode. D610 from Nikon is suitable for both beginners and experienced users.

24.3 megapixel full frame sensor and EXPEED 3 processor

The FX format matrix in combination with a powerful processor allows you to get a high-quality image with good detail, dynamic range, color accuracy and native ISO up to 6400, software-expandable up to ISO 25600. The processor also provides overall high system speed, support for Full HD video, serial shooting at full resolution at up to 6 fps and continuous shooting at 3 fps in silent mode without raising/lowering the mirror. You can also shoot in DX format - the camera automatically switches to this format when used with DX lenses.

Focus Sensor Multi-CAM 4800

The AF system with 39 AF points quickly focuses in a wide range of lighting conditions from -1 to +19 EV. The Intelligent Scene Detection System, commonly used for exposure metering, also improves focusing efficiency by analyzing and identifying subjects according to the shooting style. Choose from 9, 21, or 39 arrays depending on the situation, and the seven center AF points are compatible with f/8 and faster lenses, enhancing the AF capabilities of long lenses when combined with teleconverters. When using phase detection, various AF methods are available, including 3D tracking and dynamic AF area. When used in live view for both stills and video, the contrast autofocus system ensures precise focusing and can operate in continuous tracking mode suitable for moving subjects.

Full HD video

The camera supports Full HD shooting (1920 x 1080) with a frame rate of 30, 25 and 24 fps, as well as HD 720p, in MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 formats. During recording, manual adjustment of exposure, shutter speed and aperture is available, as well as full-time autofocus with face detection and subject tracking.

An external microphone port can be used to improve sound quality, and a headphone jack is also available. There is an HDMI port that allows you to record uncompressed HD video to an external recorder.

Regardless of the lens used, while shooting video, you can choose between the FX and DX areas of the sensor, to change the composition and advanced control of the depth of field.

Ergonomic design, optical viewfinder and LCD display

Despite the full-frame sensor, the camera body remains relatively compact (141 x 113 x 82 mm) and light (850 grams). The camera uses an optical viewfinder with 100% frame coverage and 0.7x magnification, as well as a 3.2-inch 921k-dot LCD.

Other features Nikon D610

• One charge of the lithium-ion battery is enough for 900 shots.
• RAW support without compression, as well as with 12 and 14-bit compression.
• Active D-Lighting allows you to preserve details in shadows and highlights when working in high-contrast scenes, such as backlit scenes.
• Ability to shoot time-lapses.
• The body of the camera is protected from dust and moisture.
• Built-in flash (up to 12 m at ISO 100).
• Dual card slot supports SD/SDHC/SDXC formats.
• Wi-Fi and GPS modules are available as additional accessories

Today we are testing a very interesting camera - Nikon D610. On the one hand, this is an advanced full-frame SLR camera for serious work, on the other hand, this is the most affordable model from Nikon's full-frame line, and it will be of interest primarily to those amateur photographers who decide to switch to full frame from simpler models. The camera also has many automatic modes that will be useful for beginners, there are also purely professional functions that will help you create photos and videos of excellent quality. Who will be interested in Nikon D610? Our test will try to answer this question.

It's a bleak winter, slowly turning into spring. Gray low sky, slush underfoot, incessant nasty runny nose, wet feet. I really don't want to shoot anything in this weather. I want to crawl under a warm blanket and sit in front of the fireplace on long dark evenings with an interesting book, without going out at all. What kind of photography is there, what full and incomplete shots ... However, as soon as the bright sun looks out, and even on a day off, all the people rush out of town, to parks, museums, ski resorts and just into the forest, away from the dusty metropolis, and almost each has a large black SLR with a huge lens around their neck, or a smaller mirrorless camera, and many simply shoot with a smartphone and enjoy a good mood.

Video film - our program "Photo Fire!"

In our video, we briefly reviewed the ergonomics of the Nikon D610 camera, the principles of setting the main modes, gave examples of shooting photos and videos, as well as two examples of Time Lapse time . The film was shot by the authors and is an appendix to this article.

Test Methodology

All photos taken with Nikon D610 (firmware 1.00) equipped with AF-S NIKKOR 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED VR lens, all shots in RAW format (14-bit, lossless compression), SDHC UHS-I memory card Transcend SDHC 32GB 300x Class 10, developed in Adobe Lightroom 5.7, all photos are without artistic processing, as they were taken on camera, the necessary retouching was carried out for portraits.

Comparison of the main characteristics of Nikon D610 and Canon EOS 6D

Ergonomics Nikon D610

What did you like

1. Reliable grip , comfortable body, control as in the latest models of DSLRs - D7100, D750, everything is familiar and everything is in its place. It makes no sense to list the basic principles of the settings - everyone who shot with Nikon cameras will instantly understand, for beginners it is enough to remember the main point: we press the control button of one or another parameter (for example, ISO) and change the value of this parameter with the wheel. We monitor on the top or main screen. Everything is simple and logical.
2. Control wheels with fixation of parameters - the set mode will never accidentally go astray. We hold the camera with the right hand, press the button with the index finger of the left hand, turn the upper wheel with the thumb; in the case of the lower wheel, it is more convenient to press the button with the thumb, turn it with the index finger.
3. A large additional screen on the top side - it is convenient to read the values, besides, you can save battery power if you constantly use the top screen without using the main screen for setting purposes.
4. The protective cover on the screen is a moot point. It is rather useful, as it protects the screen from damage and does not interfere at all when shooting. If it seems to someone that it spoils the appearance, the cover can be removed.
5. Two SD memory cards are very convenient! Frankly, we are used to the fact that modern Nikon DSLRs have two memory cards, and it is no longer comfortable to use other cameras with one card.

What did not like

1. Shooting options and Live View. One of the most significant disadvantages is that when using Live View in photographing mode, when changing the aperture and shutter speed, the digital values ​​on the screen, although they change, visually, these changes do not affect the picture on the screen, which misleads the user. There is no live histogram in Live View mode, which is not so critical compared to the result of changing parameters that is not displayed.

2. Aperture in video shooting mode. In Live View mode, when shooting a video, you cannot change the aperture, you can change the shutter speed, ISO, white balance and some other parameters, but changing the aperture is not available. Directly when shooting a video, the aperture change, if necessary, is smooth, without jumps, as on more professional models (for example, the Nikon D750 can smoothly change the aperture). A discrete change in aperture will inevitably lead to jumps in brightness, although in some cases it is better to have a jump in brightness than to continue shooting with incorrect settings.

3. OK button when viewing. Pressing the OK button while viewing a photo does not magnify the photo on the screen as with older models. To enlarge a fragment of the frame, you need to click on the magnifying glass with a plus sign several times.

4.Built-in mono microphone. The camera records video well, but the built-in microphone is monophonic. Saves the connector for an external stereo microphone, only in this way it will be possible to record stereo sound.

Shooting a portrait

The aperture at the long end is 4.5 ... this is, of course, not 1.4 or 2.8, as on fast fixes, however, it is quite possible to blur the background with this lens.

50mm f/4.5	85mm f/8

85mm f/4.5	50mm f/4.2

70mm, f/5.6	80mm, f/5

Shooting landscapes

Thanks to a versatile lens and a chic sensor, the camera allows you to capture great landscapes, especially when traveling. You can safely take this camera on a trip - it is simply created for travel reporting. The focal length of the whale lens - 24 mm - will allow you to shoot wide sea or mountain landscapes, and if you wish, you can set 85 mm and zoom in on the subject or take a series of excellent portraits. In the evening, it is not necessary to take a tripod with you - you can safely raise the ISO to 6400 and shoot urban scenes with your hands, and there is a built-in flash for evening portraits.

Panorama of 5 horizontal, focal length 24mm, 1/60 at f/5.6, ISO 100:

Indoors, with mixed light, auto white balance does a great job:

autofocus

AF-A - auto-focus tracking: the camera automatically selects single-servo AF if the subject is stationary, and continuous-servo AF if the subject is moving.

AF-S - single-servo focusing: for shooting still objects. Focus is locked when the shutter button is pressed halfway. At default settings, a picture can only be taken when the in-focus indicator is displayed

AF-C - continuous focus tracking: for shooting moving subjects. The camera focuses continuously while the shutter button is pressed halfway; if the subject is moving, the camera will engage predictive focus tracking to predict the final distance to the subject and adjust focus. At default settings, the frame can be taken whether the subject is in focus or not.

You can select focus points:

Single-point AF: Used for stationary subjects.

Dynamic AF: In AF-A and AF-C modes, the camera will focus based on information from surrounding focus points if the subject moves out of the selected point for a while. The number of focus points depends on the selected mode:

• Dynamic, 9 points
• Dynamic, 21 points
• Dynamic, 39 points

3D tracking: In AF-A and AF-C modes, the camera will track subjects that have left the selected focus point and select new focus points as needed.

Auto-area AF : The camera automatically detects the subject and selects the focus point. When a type G, E, or D lens is used, the camera can distinguish human faces from the background to improve subject detection.

In Live View mode, the camera can focus:

AF-S - single-servo focusing: for shooting still subjects - focusing is locked when the shutter button is pressed halfway.

AF-F - continuous focus tracking: for subjects that move - the camera focuses continuously while the shutter button is pressed; focus is locked when it is pressed halfway.

In live view, the following AF area modes can be selected:

• Face-priority autofocus for portraits.
• Wide autofocus area - for shooting landscapes and other objects handheld.
• Normal autofocus area - for precise focusing at a selected point in the frame.
• AF Subject Tracking - The focus point will follow the selected subject as it moves through the frame.

Lens included

The camera came to us for testing with an AF-S NIKKOR 24-85mm f / 3.5-4.5G ED VR kit lens - this lens is well known to everyone who shoots on Nikon cameras - an affordable kit lens that comes with full-frame cameras. In the case of this optic, whale - does not mean "simple" - the lens provides excellent optical performance and covers the most popular focal lengths - from a wide angle of 24 mm with a minimum aperture of 3.5 for landscapes and urban scenes to classic 85 mm portraits with aperture of 4.5.

The lens has a built-in ultrasonic autofocus motor, thanks to which it focuses instantly and almost silently, equipped with image stabilization 2nd generation (VR II). The lens produces good sharpness in the center of the frame, but the resolution at the edges and corners is much worse.

Test: focal length 24mm, ISO 100, F11

Test: focal length 50mm, ISO 100, F11

Test: focal length 85mm, ISO 100, F11

The disadvantages of the lens are noticeable barrel, vignetting and chromatic aberrations, these parameters can be compensated both by the camera itself (for shooting in JPEG), this is turned on in the menu, and using software , for example, in Lightroom 5.7 in the case of RAW. The average price of this lens according to Yandex Market for February 2015 was 21,800 rubles.

Alternatively, consider the even more versatile Nikon 24-120mm f/4G ED VR AF-S Nikkor lens - a constant f/4 aperture at all focal lengths and 120mm at telephoto would be clear advantages, but such a lens is more expensive by about 10,000 rubles.

Using DX Lenses

The D610 can be fitted with any DX lens that is specifically designed for Nikon crop factor cameras. Of course, such lenses are equipped with exactly the same mount, so they will be installed without problems, the only problem is strong vignetting at the edges at a wide angle.

To reduce the effect of vignetting when installing DX lenses, you need to specify the frame size in the menu not FX, but DX (see screenshot below), the camera uses only part of the matrix and there will be no vignetting effect. In our opinion, if a full-frame sensor is already installed in the camera, it is better to use its full potential, and do such a trick only when necessary. The only plus is that the coverage area of ​​the autofocus points will get very close to the edges of the frame, and we will be able to focus almost anywhere in the frame.

Nikon D610 with DX NIKKOR 18-55mm 1: 3.5-5.6 G VR lens

At a focal length of 18 mm, the strongest vignetting is noticeable	Now you need to enable DX in the menu
The viewfinder will display a full frame, but a crop frame will be drawn in the center, this is how the frame will be shot	In Live View mode, the camera immediately crops the frame to DX size

ISO sensitivity test

At this point in the review, I would like to make a small digression. , we first encountered Nikon's full-frame DSLRs, before that we only tested models with a crop factor. And the amazing quality that the matrix in the Nikon DF camera produced at almost all ISOs, up to 51200, seemed to us in the order of things. We were glad and decided that this is the norm for all Nikon full-frame DSLRs.

Friends, this is not true. See how much Nikon DF costs. This is despite the fact that the camera does not shoot video, there is no battery handle for it, it has an outdated processor, the screen is not rotatable, the battery is rather weak, the battery compartment lids are frail ... The Nikon DF camera has one indisputable advantage that easily and naturally puts on both blades any DSLR on the market, excluding only the top-end Nikon D4S (there is exactly the same matrix) and Canon 1D (of course, we do not take into account medium format cameras and the just announced Canon 5DSR). This advantage is its chic matrix.

We invite you to look at the ISO test that we shot on the Nikon D610. Shooting options: aperture priority F / 8, NEF format, all processing like noise reduction at slow shutter speeds and high ISOs are turned off. Click on the photo - increase 1:1. The quality of the Nikon D610 is quite suitable for work, so do not watch the Nikon DF test, and do not compare, you do not need to be upset.

50	64	80
100	125	160
200	250	320
400	500	640
800	1000	1250
1600	2000	2500
3200	4000	5000
6400	8000	10000
12800	25600

Extended dynamic range

Classic HDR with exposure bracketing

We put a lot of emphasis on HDR shooting in every report, and there are many reasons for this. Firstly, even the coolest modern matrices are unable to convey the range of brightness that we see with our own eyes at the shooting location, and secondly, this style allows you to turn on the fantasy and creatively process the frame, making it more dramatic.

In the Nikon D610 camera, AE bracketing can be selected:

• 2 frames: one of which will be shot with a normal exposure, the second either in plus or minus to choose from.
• classic 3 frames with fork 0.3, 0.7, 1, 2 or 3 steps.

The Nikon D610 camera allows you to shoot only three exposures in a series, so all that remains is to choose the fork on the spot. We most often make two series - with a 2 or 3 plug, as it is sometimes difficult to decide which brightness spread is suitable for a particular scene. A narrower fork than 2EV, in our opinion, is meaningless - such a result is easier to achieve by processing one RAW than messing around with a series and subsequent gluing.

Plug 2 example

-2EV	0EV	+2EV

Fork example 3

-3EV	0EV	+3EV

A few more HDR shots with different processing:

Setting options in the menu

In-camera HDR

The camera also has an automatic HDR stitching mode, it is included in the menu and works only when shooting in JPEG - the camera itself will take a series of two frames and glue the finished file. In order for the camera to remember the fact that this mode is turned on, you need to set the “series”, otherwise, before each next shot in the HDR style, this function will have to be reactivated in the menu.

You can adjust the fork (in the menu it is called “Exposure Diff”) and the hardness of the processing (for some reason it is called “Softening”). As practice shows, special miracles from shooting in this mode should not be expected. For the example below, we made a landscape in all modes and compared the result with the classic HDR, which was shot at the same time from the same point. Comments, as they say in such cases, are superfluous.

HDR Off	HDR Auto, Normal	HDR 1EV Normal
HDR 2EV Normal	HDR 3EV Normal	HDR 1EV

Classic HDR with three exposures, shot in RAW from this point and assembled in a graphics editor:

-2EV	0EV	+2EV

Active D-Lighting

This is a feature of all Nikon DSLRs, we test this mode every time we work on camera reviews. And every time the work of this function causes bewilderment - why? There is not much difference in the photo, and when processing RAW in a graphics editor, you can easily achieve more interesting results. And another strange moment: this function does not affect the raw file, only JPEG. Or rather, not quite so: when you open NEF in Nikon's program, Capture NX-D, information about Active D-Lighting will be read, and the file will be displayed according to the settings for this parameter. If you work with this NEF in any other editor, there is no point in using this function, rather, it makes sense to turn it off so as not to waste energy.

An example of how Active D-Lighting works

ADL AUTO	ADL moderate	ADL normal
ADL reinforced	ADL Super Reinforced	ADL Off

In this example, the photo with ADL turned off looks much cleaner and more interesting, while the super boosted mode adds a gray veil to the photo.

Setting options in the menu

Shooting in JPEG	Setting Active D-Lighting	HDR setting

Shooting video

The main video parameters are configured in the menu before shooting: quality and frame rate (we shot 1920 × 1080 24p), memory card number. Many settings can be adjusted when switching to video mode before recording has started. And some parameters can be changed right during the recording of the video.

If you set creative mode to M and switch to movie mode, but do not start recording yet , you can adjust many recording options. A picture will appear on the screen, already cropped to a 16:9 format, which is good, and then:

What can be customized:

• excerpt
• white balance
• Brightness
• Microphone level
• picture control
• Autofocus mode and move the autofocus area

What can't be configured:

• Aperture - turning the wheel does not change the aperture value and does not affect the picture in any way
• Exposure compensation - changing exposure compensation is visually displayed on the screen, but it does not affect the picture in any way

If you start recording video , then right during the shooting of the video you can change:

• excerpt
• white balance
• Brightness
• Autofocus mode and move the autofocus area

The built-in microphone is monophonic, the sound in the video will be flat, which does not decorate the video at all. But the most difficult thing is to adjust the aperture, because no matter how you turn the front control wheels, there is zero sense. And in the field, when you urgently need to shoot, you start to turn different wheels in a hurry and press all the buttons in a row, eventually setting the parameters at random. Well, if you guessed it.

Examples of shooting video on the Nikon D610 are shown in our video

Interval shooting - Time Lapse

The camera can shoot the classic version of interval shooting - frames after a period of time specified by the photographer. In this case, we get a series of files as output, which will need to be assembled into a video clip on a computer in an editing program, such as Adobe Premiere or Adobe After Effects.

Time-lapse video shooting is the same, only the camera will glue the final video on its own, and the resolution and frame rate will be copied from the video recording settings.

Important points when shooting Time Lapse

1. When shooting Time Lapse, be sure to turn off autofocus ! If this is not done, the camera will focus again when shooting a new frame, which will inevitably lead to focus jumps in the video. If, when shooting a photo or even a video, this is not noticeable to the eye, then in the case of Time Lapse, this fact will completely ruin the video. And besides, the battery power will be wasted. An example of an unsuccessful shooting is given in our video - shooting the evening MIBC Moscow City, we forgot to turn off autofocus. The second example in the video turned out to be more successful, where we turned off all the automation altogether.
2. Choosing the shutter priority mode or program P will be a mistake - the camera, when shooting each next frame, will re-evaluate the exposure and select some kind of aperture, which will inevitably lead to a change in brightness from frame to frame, which in turn will lead to flickering in the frame. Aperture must be clearly set.
3. It is better to refuse automatic ISO selection , you must select and set the desired value.
4. Set the desired white balance , but not automatic. On a cloudy day it can be a cloud, on a clear day it can be the sun. Otherwise, the white balance can also “walk” from frame to frame, which will inevitably lead to color jumps in the video.
5. floating exposure. If you choose aperture priority, say f/8, then the camera will reselect the shutter speed every next frame, lengthening it as it gets dark in the evening, and shortening it at dawn. When shooting on a bright day, this can again harm the video if the sun hides behind a cloud, after which it looks out again and so on - brightness jumps are inevitable. Or a passerby will accidentally appear in the frame - for the picture this will only add dynamics, but we are provided with a jump in brightness.

Multiple exposure

Like most modern Nikon DSLRs, the D610 can shoot multiple exposure style shots. Overlay 2 or 3 frames is available, while you can shoot in RAW. By default, the maximum time between exposures is 30 seconds, this time can be extended using Custom Setting c2 (Standby timer). As with HDR, the menu can be set to On. (series) or On (single shot) - in the first case, the camera will take one multiple exposure, and you can start shooting the next, while in the second case, after shooting one multiple exposure, the camera will automatically switch this setting to Off.

There is also such a parameter as "Auto Gain". This setting should be adjusted to your taste, the manual does not give any specific recommendations in this regard, except that it suggests disabling auto-gain if the background is dark.

Shooting in multiple exposure style is not an easy creative task. If in the case of HDR you can at least roughly imagine what the future frame will look like (for example, mentally darken the sky and brighten the shadows on the ground), when shooting Time Lapse, you can again mentally speed up the movement of clouds in the sky or the course of any events, then in the case of multiple exposure, it is incredibly difficult to imagine the future frame.

Anyone interested in multiple exposure can be recommended to study the works of the masters, and you can start with the works