Nikon D800 - Second Test with Sample Image (Studio Shoot)

This is the post for my second test with the D800 and while the first one was outdoors, the second one was shot in studio using a grey background. I kept the lighting simple and non-distractive, a Profoto D1 1000 (click here) with a Mola Demi (click here) and of course my already dear Nikon D800 (click here) with the Nikon 85mm f/1.8G (click here). Since a few people have been complaining that it takes them a while to get the D800 to work, I put that to the test. The objective was to get two headshots out of a 15 minute session (including lighting adjustments and not using an assistant). That's about the time you get when you do headshots of corporate executives. My personal best was 80 headshots in four hours including setup and tear down using one assistant.

The picture has some minimal retouching done, such as cropping, spotting, contrast adjustment and black-and-white conversion.

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Nikon D800 - First Test with Sample Images

I just got my Nikon D800 (click here) and what a better way to test it than in a real life shoot. I was booked for a model portfolio and I decided to see what the D800 is capable of. I know it would be a step up, but instead of a step, it was a leap. The autofocus is extremely accurate and really fast. The only thing that bothers me a bit is that in very contrasty scenes (with the focus directly on the contrast), it tends to jump for a fraction of a second. I have shot with dozens of different cameras over the years including Nikon, Canon, Pentax, Hasselblad and this one is my new go to camera. The dynamic range is astounding; we had 108 degrees Fahrenheit when I took those pictures, the sun was high up and the camera was able to capture shadows and highlights without losing detail in any. The resolution does not leave much to desire either. The close-up picture was taken with a Nikon 85mm f/1.8 (click here) with the sun behind the model and fill light provided by a Profoto D1 1000 (click here) with a Mola Demi (click here).

The other picture was taken in direct sunlight using a Nikon 50mm f/1.8 (click here). I used the D version of this lens, since I do not think the G version warrants double the price. I wish I had a folding ladder with me to get more height and a better angle, but I had to make do with a small chair.

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Meet Author Ken Ballen

Portrait of Author Ken Ballen in his Study

When Ken Ballen called me, he said that he needed a portrait for a book that he wrote on Terrorism. He told me a little about the background and I was glad that he invited me into his house to take the pictures, since that's where he unwinds from dealing with terrorism and organized crime. The title of the book is Terrorists in Love and can be pre-ordered from Amazon (click here) (Launch Date: October 07, 2011). The book itself is an interesting read because it shows radicals and terrorists from a more personal side and nothing is as black and white as the media portrays it.

This is my favorite picture of Ken, but the publisher chose a different one that you can see here.