This is the 22nd post in a series of Nikon D850 tests. The series starts here.
I’ve always loved the way the photographer can control the mirror on the Hasselblad V-series cameras. I was very pleased when they carried that over to the H-series. If you haven’t had the pleasure, it works like this. When you want the mirror up, you press a button on the right side of the camera. It stays up while you make as many exposures as you want. Then, when you want the mirror down again, say, to use the OVF, you press the button again. Simple. Intuitive. Fast. Easy.
I’ve always wished the Nikon D-series cameras had something similar.
It turns out that the D850 does!
When I was making captures for what will probably be the next post here, I needed to focus using the OVF, but wanted the most vibration-free capture mode, which is live view electronic shutter. So I focused, pressed the LV button, waited a few seconds, and tripped the shutter using a remote release. I could have fired off as many shots as I wanted. When I wanted to go back to the OVF, I just pressed the LV button again. The LV button on the D850 worked just like the mirror up button on the Hasselblads. This new behavior is a byproduct of Nikon’s getting rid of the brain-dead, double-push, Mup mode that the D810 used, even in live view.
Knowing this, I can’t imagine ever using the Mup position on the D850’s shutter-mode wheel.
AndrewZ says
Don’t all Canon’s (well anything above a rebel) behave this way as well? I notice you don’t test any Canons. Was that from bad experience or is it more a case of life being too short to test everything?
JimK says
More the latter. I did have a brief, $30K fling with Canon gear in the oughts. I went back to Nikon (never sold the Nikon lenses, luckily) when the D3 came out.