Build and Handling
Nikon D810 review – Build and Handling
Constructed from magnesium alloy, the D810 weighs in at a fairly hefty 980g. Its build quality is superb, and with improved weather-sealing it should withstand brutal conditions.
One of the key changes compared to the D800 and D800E is the refinement of button placement, which Nikon says comes as a result of feedback from professional and amateur photographers. The image review and delete buttons are less indented, and a new I button to the right of the LCD allows users to change a range of shooting settings, and access the retouch menu in playback.
The fiddly metering mode switch that surrounded the AE-L/AF-L button has been replaced by a button on the top left. This in turn displaces the bracketing button, which is repositioned on the camera’s side.
The grip has been remodelled, with a larger indentation for the middle finger. Around the back, the thumb grip is more pronounced, and the textured rubber now covers the card slot as well as a larger portion of the back. The differences are subtle, but if anything I found the D810 feels even better in the hand than its predecessors.
On the side of the camera are ports for HDMI, USB, mic and headphones. These are now housed under three weather-sealed flaps, rather than one single cover as before.
For current Nikon users, the D810’s menu system will take little time to work out as it’s very similar to other Nikon DSLRs. For photographers coming from other brands, Nikon menus can initially be confusing as the names of certain settings aren’t obvious, and can take a while to get accustomed to.
