You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
Testbench IN THE FIELD<br />
Timing is everything when you<br />
shoot a wedding. The D5’s 12fps<br />
continuous burst was used to<br />
capture this spray of confetti<br />
Nikon<br />
D5<br />
Professional wedding photographer<br />
Ed Godden puts the Nikon D5 to the<br />
test to find out if it’s a worthy stand-in<br />
substitute for his pair of D750 DSLRs<br />
At a glance<br />
● 20.8-million-pixel, FX-format<br />
CMOS sensor<br />
● ISO 100-102,400 (expandable to<br />
ISO 50-3,280,000)<br />
● 12fps burst (up to 14fps with mirror up)<br />
● 153-point autofocus system with<br />
3D tracking<br />
● Dual XQD or CompactFlash (CF) slots<br />
● 200 NEF (raw) buffer<br />
● 4K video (30p/25p/24p)<br />
● £5,199 (body only)<br />
Ihave been a photographer<br />
for 20 years, 19 of them<br />
spent using Nikon<br />
equipment. A brief fl ing<br />
with Canon at the start of my<br />
career was quickly brought to an<br />
end when someone introduced me<br />
to a Nikon F90 fi lm camera. A few<br />
heavier fi lm cameras later and the<br />
digital world came calling. First, the<br />
Nikon D1, then the D100, D2,<br />
D200, D2HS – and then I hit a<br />
wall. As a press and sports<br />
photographer, I found that using a<br />
bulky camera with a 300mm lens<br />
on a daily basis was killing my back.<br />
Today, I shoot weddings. These can<br />
take up to 14 hours. I’m constantly<br />
on my feet, forever lugging my<br />
kit around.<br />
That’s why, a few years ago, I<br />
started using the Nikon D600.<br />
Size and weight-wise, with a<br />
full-frame sensor and great image<br />
quality, this camera was perfect for<br />
me. Upgrades to the D610 and<br />
D750 soon followed. I’m currently<br />
shooting all my weddings with two<br />
D750 bodies and a D610 body as<br />
a spare/back-up that always stays<br />
in the car on wedding days.<br />
I love my Nikon D750 cameras,<br />
but recently they were subjected<br />
to the dreaded Nikon recall. Both<br />
required new shutter units. This<br />
was annoying, since I had been<br />
through this before when my<br />
D600 bodies were recalled for<br />
dust and oil-spot issues on their<br />
sensors. It made me wonder<br />
whether I shouldn’t splash out<br />
on a D3 or D4 – and then I<br />
heard that the D5 was due to be<br />
launched. I decided to look into<br />
this beast of a camera.<br />
Initial impressions<br />
I was pretty shocked at the weight<br />
and size of the D5. Even without a<br />
lens, it felt heavier than my two<br />
D750 bodies combined. With the<br />
24-70mm f/2.8 lens attached,<br />
I slung the camera around my<br />
neck and, in an instant, thought<br />
there was no way I could shoot<br />
a 10-hour wedding with it. If you<br />
drop a D750 on your foot it may<br />
hurt a bit, but if you drop a D5 on<br />
your foot chances are you’ll be<br />
off to hospital.<br />
I’d clearly been spoiled by the<br />
light and compact D750 and the<br />
previous DSLRs I’d owned, but<br />
not being the type to rely on fi rst<br />
impressions, I decided to explore<br />
it further by taking a few test<br />
photos of my brother’s dog.<br />
Setting up the camera was very<br />
easy and a similar experience to my<br />
D750. I loved the new touchscreen<br />
feature, which I found surprisingly<br />
responsive. In fact, I used it quite a<br />
bit during my few weeks with the<br />
camera. From sliding my fi nger<br />
across to review images, to<br />
42 14 May 2016 I www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I subscribe 0330 333 1113
Change language