Pictures for the pros

With built-in wi-fi, a superb auto-focus system, high ISO performance, impressive image quality and overall good performance, the Nikon D750 is a full-frame digital SLR camera that will catch the eye of professionals and other advanced users.

It has a 24.3-megapixel, FX format image sensor – the full-frame 35.9x24 CMOS. And it’s powered by an Expeed 4 Image Processing Engine similar to the pro-level D810 and D4S. The engine contributes to the overall image excellence with noise reduction and together with the image sensor ensures a broad ISO range, from 100 to 12,800, expandable from (Lo-1) 50 to (Hi-2) 51,200.

The camera is 140.5x113x78mm and 750 grams (body only), which is quite compact and light for a full-frame D-SLR, but obviously still not a lightweight travelling companion.

The same 51-point auto-focus technology found in Nikon’s high-end D-SLRs – the Advanced Multi-Cam 3500-FX II AF focus system – can track fast-moving animals or athletes in high-speed bursts of 6.5 frames per second at full resolution. Fifteen cross-type AF sensors enhance the accuracy, with 11 of them fully functional up to f/8.

The metering and exposure-control system is equivalent to that of the D4S and D810. The 91,000-pixel 3D Color Matrix Meter III enables advanced scene recognition and Highlight-Weighted Metering, which ideal for stage performances, preventing blown-out highlights.

The D750 also handles low-light conditions well with the improved AF system. It will lock onto subjects in as little as minus-3 EV illumination.

You get the latest generation of Nikon’s Advanced Picture Control settings, with “Clarity” boosting mid-tones and bringing out the details. The “Flat” control is used for a broad tonal range, great for applications. Picture controls are also customisable in .25 increments for maximum versatility.

This is Nikon’s first full frame SLR to have wi-fi built in, so you can share images and capture them remotely. You need the free Wireless Mobile Utility App installed on your smartphone or tablet. 

Then you just tap the screen 

to fire the shutter, which is terrific in places where your access is 

limited. 

The D750 is durable and strong thanks to “monocoque” structural skin – carbon fibre up front and magnesium alloy in the rear and on top. The structure is sealed and gasketed to keep out dust and moisture. Nikon says the shutter has been tested to 150,000 cycles.

The tilting Vari-Angle LCD 3.2-inch screen is joined to the camera on a rugged, three-axis metal mount. The bright viewfinder covers the entire frame with shooting info displayed using “organic” EL illumination.

With the D750 you have the same level of advanced video functionality as in the Nikon D810, an HD-SLR used in professional studios and film sets. You can capture video in Full HD 1920x1080-resolution at 60/30/24p.

Nikon Thailand has two types of D750 on offer. One is camera body only for Bt72,900, the other the body with an AF-S Nikkor 24-120mm f/4G ED VR lens, for Bt89,900.

I tested the camera with Nikkor’s 58mm f/1.4G lens and 24-70mm f/2.8 ED and was impressed in both cases. The camera performs quite well, taking less than 0.2 seconds to power up for the first shot. The focus is an extremely fast 0.4 seconds.

For an advanced camera, this one’s very easy to use. The mode dial – with a lock against accidentally switching modes – has Programmed Auto, Shutter Priority, Aperture Priority, Manual, Scenes, Effects, Full Auto, Full Auto with flash off and two user settings.

Under that is the dial for shutter-release modes – single frame, continuous low and high speed, quiet shutter-release, quiet continuous shutter-release, Self-timer and mirror up.

Then there are buttons for changing the settings on ISO, white balance, picture quality and metering. The “i” button is very useful, providing quick access to frequently used settings in both playback and shooting mode for both stills and video.

Advanced users will love the controls in the P, A, S and M modes. Rookies can start shooting high-quality images in either full auto mode or select Scenes or Effects. The Scene modes are portrait, landscape, child, sports, close up, night portrait and landscape, party/indoor, beach/snow, sunset, dusk/dawn, pet portrait, candlelight, blossom, autumn colours and food. The effects are night vision, colour sketch, miniature effect, selective colour and silhouette.

Among the picture effects, you have Standard, Neutral, Vivid, Monochrome, Portrait, Landscape and Flat. I was delighted with the colour enhancement using the Vivid option.

The 58mm f/1.4G lens captured beautiful portraits with dissolved backgrounds and my shots taken with the 24-70mm f/2.8 ED were equally striking at both 24mm and 70mm focal length.

There are two SD-card memory slots, so you’ll never run out of storage space. Pictures are automatically stored on the second card when the first is full.

And you get good battery life. The 1,900 mAh Li-ion battery will take more than 1,000 shots on a full charge.

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