eing^ a^ NPSBmember^ has^ advantages,

es‐
pecially^ when^ new^ camera^ bodies

and^

fromcome^ out^ lenses^ Nikon.^ One^ can

ask^

trya^ loaner^ to^ for^ and^ test^ out,^ before

mak‐

ing^ a^ significant^ financial^ commitment

for^ a^

(^) orbody (^) camera lens.^ certain When I was invited by the^ 1st^ Squadron
of^
Belgian^ Air^ Forcethefor^ a^ base^ visit,
I^ fig‐
athis^ would^ be^ ured^ great^ time^ to^ test
out^
fromlatest^ D850^ the^ Nikon.^ Nikon^ Canada
tokind^ enough^ was^ provide^ the^ body
with^ a^
fast^ 35mmsuperf1.4^ wide^ angle
lens^
came^ inwhichhandy^ for^ photographing
the^
‐as16,^ as^ well^ F^ other^ aircraft^ at^ the
Brus‐
andAir^ Museum^ sels^ at^ additional^
muse‐
in^ Germanyumsand^ Hungary.^ During
my^
I've^ used^ thevisitD850^ with^ a^ variety
of^
that^ I^ ownlensesfrom^ the^14 ‐24mmf2.8,
‐^ 200mmf2.8^ to 70 the^200 ‐500mmf5.6
andwith^ as^ well^ the^ loaner^ 35mmf1.4.
all,^ I've^ found^ theveryD‐^850 to^ be^ Over
responsive,focusing,^ quick^ and^ easy^
ifset^ up^ especially^ to^ you^ are^ a^
Butseries^ user.^ D800^ with^ 45MB^ images
sharp^ lenses^ are^ a must^ and^ to^ make
sure^ there^ is no^ hand^ shake.^
speedsat^ higher^ Even^ a^ slight^ amount
of^ handshake^ will not^ produce^ sharp^
images^ when^ looked^ at^ 100%.^
fantastic,^ colours^ are^ accurate.^ and^ very^ The
I^ tend^ to^ shoot^ jpg at^ large^ and^ fine^ setting
whichme^ saves^ a^ lot^
‐processing^ with^85 post90%^ of^ the^ images
can^ be^ used^ as shot.^ Love^ the^ excellent
ISO^ capabilities,^ which^
in^ very^ handycameat^ the^ museums^
places^ do^ not(mostallow^ flash)^ or^ in
darker^ aircraft^ hangars.^ Battery^
is^ very^ good,lifeimproved^ over^ the^ D800,
about^ 15%^ more images^ per^ charge.^
me^ D‐^850 won^ would^ over,^ and^ I^ The
recommendsuperb^ this^ camera^ for^
aviation^ photography^ for^ several^
reasons^ apart^ from^ the^ aforementioned
capabilities:^ one^ of the^ main^ reasons
isof^ of^ course^ the^ 45MB^ im‐
resulting^ inages8256x5504^ pixel^ size
at^300 ppi^ full frame^ format.^ You^ do^
necessarily^ need^ anotlong^ lens^ in^
range,500mm^ plus^ the^ because^ you^ can
crop^ easily^ to^ 5100x3300 at^300 ppi^ range
which^ is^ used in^ The^ Avia‐
Magazine,^ with^ ation^200 to^ 300mm^
upand^ still^ end^ lens,^ with^ a^ decent^ sized
image^ of^ the aircraft^ or^ simply^
overcan^ just^ switch^ you^ to^ a^ DX^ format,
that^ gives^ you^ the 1.5X^ crop^ factor.^ Of
courseend^ if^ you^ up^ using^ a^
lens^ you^ willlongget^ superb^ close^
onimages^ (depending^ up^ the^ haze^ factor,
whichis^ sometimes^ a^ killer^
(^) tocomes (^) it sharpness).^ when While no camera is^ perfect,^ the^ Nikon
Dclose‐^850 comes^ as^ as^ one^ can^ get,
as^ long^ as^ one is^ willing^ to^ pay^
Canadian^ $4,399.95theor^ US^ $3,299.95

MSR.^

(^)
  1918  an^ originalFromHanriot^ H‐D1^ WWI
fighter,^ at^ the Brussels^ Air^ Museum.
Nikonwith^ D850^ the^ 35mmf1.4^
ISO1/100^ f/6.3^ lens^ 1000,^ above.^ An
Ilyushin^28 'Beagle' bomber^ made^ in^
atUSSR^ in^ 1955,^ the^ the^ junkyard^ of^
Szolnok^ AirtheBase,^ Hungary,^ Nikon
D850^200 with^ the^ ‐500mm^ f5.6^ lens^
500mm^ 1/1000^ f5.6atISO^ 160,^ be‐
of(10%^ crop^ low^ the^ original).^