Testing the Nikon D4: High ISO

This shot of two Ring-tailed Lemurs was captured in low light at ISO 12,800. The linked image is a 100% crop jpg. Processing is standard Lightroom 4 input sharpening and no noise reduction or output sharpening. Nikkor 300/f4 with TCII14 = 420mm, 1/80 @ f/5.6, 12,800 ISO

Tufted Puffin

To celebrate Valentine's Day, Jan and I had an excellent brunch at the Coronado. Afterwards we headed to the zoo and I found myself in an unusual situation: at the zoo without long lens or flash. So in Penguin/Puffin Cove I ran the 24-70mm out to 70mm, cranked the ISO to 3200, and shot at 1/50th at f/2.8 - and hoped for the best.

This young puffin took an interest in me. I'm not sure if it was the lens or the shutter sound, but the bird was intrigued and came very close, sometimes too close to focus.

I had to increase exposure by a stop in lightroom, but the ISO noise is really not bad.

Nikon D3, Nikon 24-70mm, 1/50 @ f/2.8, ISO 3200, Handheld

Malayan Sun Bear

Shot with the new Nikon 80-200 f/2.8. I'm really liking this lens - very useful focal length range and nice rendition of color and out of focus elements. It's heavy but has a good solid feel and nice balance. Don't know how I did without a mid-long zoom for so long...

Nikon D3, Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8 @ 200mm, 1/160 sec @ f/2.8, ISO 400, tripod.

Young Lion

This male lion is around two years old.  Nikon D2x, ISO 200, 1/125 at f4, Nikon 300mm f/4, lens, Gitzo carbon fiber tripod w/RRS head.  I'm also using an RRS replacement tripod ring - the original Nikon ring is notoriously unstable.  

Mrs Peebles

Mrs Peeples is a Brown Pelican, a rehab bird who lives at the zoo. One of the first shots with the D3 - ISO 640, 180mm f/2.8 @ 1/640. The high ISO performance seems to be as good as advertised - I'll post some higher ISO pics soon.