Nikon D4 Review

Main Features

16MP - Full frame CMOS Sensor

ISO 100 - 12800( expands to 50-204800)

3.2" Fixed Type Screen

Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder

11 fps continuous shooting

1920 x 1080 video resolution

1340g. 160 x 157 x 91 mm

Weather Sealed Body

Replaced Nikon D3S

Replaced by Nikon D4s

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Nikon D4 Overview

First introduced in January 2012 , Nikon D4 is a 16.0MP Pro DSLR camera with a Full frame (36 x 23.9 mm ) sized CMOS sensor. Nikon replaced the older Nikon D3S with this model and later D4 was replaced with Nikon D4s. Follow the links to compare these cameras in detail:
Compare Nikon D4 vs Nikon D3S
Compare Nikon D4 vs Nikon D4s
or try our multi-camera comparison:
Compare Nikon D4 vs D3S vs D4s

Nikon D4 is a member of Nikon's Dx series of cameras. Below you can see the latest models in this series and how their main specs have changed with each new version.

Nikon Dx Series History

Model	Release Date	Sensor	Max FPS	Dimensions	Weight
Nikon D4s	2014	16.0MP - Full frame	11.0 fps	160 x 157 x 91mm	1350g
Nikon D4	2012	16.0MP - Full frame	11.0 fps	160 x 157 x 91mm	1340g
Nikon D3S	2010	12.0MP - Full frame	11.0 fps	160 x 157 x 88mm	1240g
Nikon D3X	2009	25.0MP - Full frame	5.0 fps	160 x 157 x 88mm	1260g
Nikon D3	2008	12.0MP - Full frame	11.0 fps	160 x 157 x 88mm	1300g

Check the link below to compare specs of the latest cameras in this series:
Nikon D4s vs D4 vs D3S vs D3X vs D3

Nikon D4 has an Overall Score of 74/100 and ranked #40 out of 202 in DSLR cameras (Top 10 DSLR), and ranked #95 out of 1185 in all Cameras (Top 10 Overall).

Nikon D4 Type Scores

Imaging

Features

Value for Money

Portability

Overall Score

Check our Smart Finder Tool to filter, sort and compare all digital cameras

Nikon D4 Compared to other DSLR Cameras

Now let's get in to more details of our Nikon D4 review by analysing its specs and features and listing out its pros and cons compared to average competitor cameras in its class.

PROs

1920 x 1080 Max Video Resolution

Optical Built-in Viewfinder

12.800 Max ISO

51 Focus Points

Large 3.2" Screen

921k dots LCD Resolution

1/8000s High Shutter Speed

Autofocus at f8 using 11 focus points

11.0fps Fast Continuous Shooting

Long Battery Life (2600 shots)

External Microphone Port

External Headphone Port

Environmental Sealing

Timelapse Recording

Good Low Light ISO - 2965

15 Cross Type Focus Points

2 Storage Slots

Top LCD Display

Flash Sync Port

AF Micro Adjustment (Fine Tune)

High Shutter Life Expectancy - 400000 cycles

Illuminated Buttons

Dual-axis Electronic Level

EV -2 Focus Sensitivity

Magnesium alloy body elements

Buy Nikon D4 from AMAZON or B&H PHOTO

CONs

No Wireless Connection

No Image Stabilization

No Articulating Screen

No Touch Screen

No Face Detection Focusing

Heavy Body: 1340g

Nikon D4 Lens Mount and Lenses

Nikon D4 has a Nikon F lens mount and currently there are 302 native lenses available for this mount. Besides providing one of the largest selection of lenses, Nikon F mount also has backward compatibility which means that you can use F mount lenses even dating from 1960s. It is also well supported by the lenses form third-party manufacturers.

Nikon D4 doesn't have a sensor based image stabilization system but 55 of these lenses already comes with Optical Image Stabilization. There are also 66 lenses with weather sealing for D4 that you can couple with its weather sealed body.

Here are some of the most popular Nikon D4 Lenses on Camera Decision:

Popular Nikon D4 Lenses

	Focal Length on D4	Max Aperture	Weight	Focusing	Street Price
Nikon AF Nikkor 70-300mm f4-5.6G	70-300mm	F4.0 - F5.6	425gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 50mm f1.4G	50mm	F1.4	290gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Nikon AF Nikkor 80-400mm f4.5-5.6D ED VR	80-400mm	F4.5 - F5.6	1340gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Tamron SP 150-600mm F5-6.3 Di VC USD	150-600mm	F5.0 - F6.3	1951gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Nikon AF-S Nikkor 50mm f1.8G	50mm	F1.8	185gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo

Check our Nikon D4 Lenses page or use our Smart Lens Finder tool for more detailed lens search.

Nikon D4 Sensor and Photography Features

Nikon D4 has a 16.0MP Full frame (36 x 23.9 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Expeed 3 processor. You can shoot at maximum resolution of 4928 x 3280 pixels with aspect ratios of 5:4 and 3:2. D4 has a native ISO range of 100 - 12800 which can be boosted to 50-204800 and it can save files in RAW format which gives you a wider room for post processing.

Nikon D4 is not the highest resolution Full frame camera. Sony A7R IV with its 61.0MP sensor is leading in this class. Check the comparison of Nikon D4 vs Sony A7R IV or take a look at Highest resolution DSLR cameras list.

Nikon D4 DxOMark Sensor Scores

DxOMark is a benchmark that scientifically assesses image quality of camera sensors. Nikon D4 sensor has been tested by DxO Mark and got an overall score of 89 for its image quality. You can find the details of their analysis of Nikon D4 here.

Let's look at how the size of the Nikon D4's Full frame sensor compares with other standard sensor sizes.

Nikon D4 Physical Specs

Nikon D4 weighs 1340 g (2.95 lb / 47.27 oz) and has external dimensions of 160 x 157 x 91 mm (6.3 x 6.18 x 3.58″). Considering that the average weight of DSLR type cameras is 769g, Nikon D4 is a significantly heavy camera for its class. With a thickness of 91mm, it has an average thickness.

Weight Comparison

DSLR Cameras

Nikon D4

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

DSLR Cameras

Nikon D4

Min

Average

Max

Here is the front and top view image of Nikon D4 with the dimensions:

In order to give you a better idea about the real life size of Nikon D4, we have added an image of how it looks next to a credit card and an AA type battery.

Now lets compare the weight and thickness of Nikon D4 with its main competitors:

Nikon D4 Size Compared to Main Competitors

Model	Sensor	Weight	vs D4	Thickness	vs D4
Nikon D750	24.0MP - Full frame	840g	500g lighter	78mm	13mm thinner
Nikon D4s	16.0MP - Full frame	1350g	10g heavier	91mm	equal thickness
Nikon D810	36.0MP - Full frame	980g	360g lighter	82mm	9mm thinner
Nikon D3S	12.0MP - Full frame	1240g	100g lighter	88mm	3mm thinner
Nikon D5	21.0MP - Full frame	1415g	75g heavier	92mm	1mm thicker
Nikon D500	21.0MP - APS-C	860g	480g lighter	81mm	10mm thinner
Nikon D3	12.0MP - Full frame	1300g	40g lighter	88mm	3mm thinner
Nikon D3X	25.0MP - Full frame	1260g	80g lighter	88mm	3mm thinner

Weather Sealing

Nikon D4 has environmental sealings on its body which makes it a weather resistant camera, providing resistance against the water and dust getting in to the camera. If you like outdoors photography and want to be able to use your camera in extreme conditions, Nikon D4 will serve you well. If you attach one of these Nikon D4 weather Sealed lenses to your camera, you will have a great all weather kit.

One of our favourite features on Nikon D4 is its illuminated buttons which makes it easier to find and press the right buttons under dark conditions.

Nikon D4 Other Features

LCD and Viewfinder

Nikon D4 has a Fixed Type 3.2" LCD screen with a resolution of 921k dots. The Nikon D4's 3.2" screen is larger than average and its resolution is up to the class standarts.

D4 has a built-in Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder. The viewfinder has a coverage of 100% and a magnification ratio of 0.7x. 100% coverage ensures that what you see in the viewfinder while shooting matches exactly what you will get later in your image, helping accurate framing your shots and minimizes the need for cropping images later.

Max Shutter speed

Nikon D4 can shoot continuously at max speed of 11 fps and has max shutter speed of 1/8000 sec.

Flash

Unfortunately D4 doesn't have a built-in flash but it has a flash shoe for mounting external flashes.

Focusing

Nikon D4 features a Phase Detection autofocusing system. The AF system has 51 focus points and 15 of these sensors are of Cross-type. Cross-type sensors locks focus faster and more accurate compared to single type sensors.

Video Features

With Nikon D4, you can record your videos at a highest resolution of 1920 x 1080 at 30,25,24 fps and save in MPEG-4 and H.264 formats. Full HD resolution of Nikon D4 will be adequate in most of the situations. But if you are after the highest resolution videos available, see our list of Top Cameras with 4K (Ultra-HD) Video.

D4 has a built-in Mono microphone and a Mono speaker. Nikon D4 also has a port for an external microphone and a headphone port for connecting external headphones which make Nikon D4 a very suitable camera high quality videography.

Connectivity and Storage

You can connect D4 to compatible devices via its HDMI port or USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) port.

Battery

Nikon D4 is powered by battery which provides a shooting life of 2600 according to CIPA standards. Considering that the average battery life of DSLR type cameras is 886 shots, Nikon D4 has a good battery life for its class.

Battery Life Comparison in Pro DSLR Cameras

Nikon D4

Min

Average

Max

Nikon D3X with its 4400shots is the model with longest battery life among Pro DSLR cameras. Check the comparison of Nikon D4 vs Nikon D3X or take a look at Longest Battery Life DSLR cameras list.

Nikon D4 Features Compared to Main Competitors

Model	Max Video	Battery Life	Wi-fi	Bluetooth	NFC
Nikon D750 >>Compare to D4	1920 x 1080	1230shots	Yes	No	No
Nikon D4s >>Compare to D4	1920 x 1080	3020shots	No	No	No
Nikon D810 >>Compare to D4	1920 x 1080	1200shots	No	No	No
Nikon D3S >>Compare to D4	1280 x 720	4200shots	No	No	No
Nikon D5 >>Compare to D4	3840 x 2160	3780shots	No	No	No
Nikon D500 >>Compare to D4	3840 x 2160	1240shots	Yes	Yes	Yes
Nikon D3 >>Compare to D4	None	4300shots	No	No	No
Nikon D3X >>Compare to D4	None	4400shots	No	No	No

User Manual
You can download Nikon D4's User Manual here

What type of Photography is Nikon D4 Good for?

In this section, we review and score Nikon D4 in 5 different photography areas. This first spider web graph shows how the D4 compares with the average DSLR camera.
Hover your mouse over the points to see the score details for each photography type.

Nikon D4 for Portrait Photography

Nikon D4 has a score of 61 for Portrait Photography which makes it a GOOD candidate for this type of photography. If you are looking for a camera that is better suited to Portrait Photography, we recommend you to check our Top 10 DSLR Cameras for Portrait Photography list.

Large Full frame (36 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling

Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
No Image Stabilization

Read the details of how we scored Nikon D4 for Portrait Photography

Nikon D4 for Street Photography

Nikon D4 has a score of 57 for Street Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Street is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top DSLR Cameras for Street Photography list.

Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Large Full frame (36 x 23.9 mm) sensor

No Image Stabilization
Large Body

Read the details of how we scored Nikon D4 for Street Photography

Nikon D4 for Sports Photography

Nikon D4 has a score of 96 for Sports Photography which makes it an EXCELLENT candidate for this type of photography.

Fast Continuous Shooting: 11.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
15 Cross Type Focus sensors
51 Focus Points

Good Battery Life: 2600 shots
Good Low Light ISO
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
No Image Stabilization

Read the details of how we scored Nikon D4 for Sports Photography

Nikon D4 for Daily Photography

Nikon D4 has a score of 72 for Daily Photography which makes it a GOOD candidate for this type of photography. If you are looking for a camera that is better suited to Daily Photography, we recommend you to check our Top 10 DSLR Cameras for Daily Photography list.

Environmental Sealings
Large Full frame (36 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Large Body

1340g
Body Thickness 91mm

Read the details of how we scored Nikon D4 for Daily Photography

Nikon D4 for Landscape Photography

Nikon D4 has a score of 46 for Landscape Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Landscape is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top DSLR Cameras for Landscape Photography list.

Live-view
Large Full frame (36 x 23.9 mm) sensor

Environmental Sealings
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP

Read the details of how we scored Nikon D4 for Landscape Photography

Nikon D4 Alternatives

In this section, we analyse how Nikon D4 compares with other DSLR cameras within a similar price range. In the Bubble chart below, you can see Overall Score vs Price comparison of D4 and the top 10 contenders in the same range. Hover your mouse on the bubbles to see the details of the cameras.

Read a more detailed analysis of Nikon D4 alternatives.

Popular Comparisons of Nikon D4

Here is the eight most popular comparisons of Nikon D4 amongst Camera Decision readers.

Nikon D750

Compare

Nikon D4s

Compare

Nikon D810

Compare

Nikon D3S

Compare

Nikon D5

Compare

Nikon D500

Compare

Nikon D3

Compare

Nikon D3X

Compare

Nikon D4 Alternatives in Mirrorless Cameras

It would also be interesting to compare Nikon D4 with Mirrorless Cameras. Below we have listed 4 highest ranked Mirrorless cameras in Nikon D4's price range.

Sony A7R IV

Compare

Panasonic S1R

Compare

Nikon Z7

Compare

Sony A7R III

Compare

Nikon Z6

Compare

Panasonic S1

Compare

Sony A7R II

Compare

Canon R

Compare

Frequently Asked Questions about Nikon D4

Does the Nikon D4 have Image Stabilization?
Does the Nikon D4 have RAW support?
Does the Nikon D4 have Weather Sealing?
Does the Nikon D4 have built-in GPS?
What is the Max ISO of Nikon D4?
What is the Sensor Size of Nikon D4?
is the Nikon D4 a Full Frame (FF) camera?
Does the Nikon D4 have Touch Screen?
Does the Nikon D4 have built-in Wireless?
What is the Max Continuous Shooting Speed (fps) of Nikon D4?

Nikon D4 Detailed Specifications

General
Brand	Nikon
Model	Nikon D4
Announced	2012-01-06
Body Type	Large SLR"
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	Nikon F
Number of Lenses	302
Focal Length Multiplier	1×
Macro Focus Range	n/a
Screen
Screen Type	Fixed Type
Screen Technology	TFT color LCD with brightness control
Screen Size	3.2"
Screen Resolution	921k dots
Live View
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder Resolution	no electronic viewfinder
Viewfinder Coverage	100%
Viewfinder Magnification	0.7
Photography Features
Min Shutter Speed	30s
Max Shutter Speed	1/8000s
Continuous Shooting	11.0 fps
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Exposure Compensation	Yes
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	no built-in flash
Max Flash Sync	1/250s
Flash Modes	Auto, On, Off, Front curtain, Rear curtain, Red-Eye, Slow Sync, High Speed Sync
External Flash
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Exposure Modes
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	89
DxO Color Depth	24.7
DxO Dynamic Range	13.1
DxO Low Light ISO	2965
	Report a correction

Sensor
Sensor Type	CMOS
Sensor Size	Full frame
Sensor Dimensions	36 x 23.9 mm
Sensor Area	860.40mm²
Sensor Resolution	16 megapixels
Max Image Resolution	4928 x 3280
Max Native ISO	12,800
Max Boosted ISO	204800
Min Native ISO	100
Min Boosted ISO	50
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points	51
Number of Cross Focus Points	15
Video Features
Video Resolutions	1920 x 1080 (30, 25, 24 fps), 1280 x 720 (60, 50, 30, 25 fps), 640 x 424 (30, 25 fps)
Max Video Resolution	1920 x 1080
Video Formats	MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	Optional
HDMI
USB	USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Water Proof
Dust Proof
Shock Proof
Crush Proof
Freeze Proof
Weight	1340g
Physical Dimensions	160 x 157 x 91mm
Battery Life	2600 shots
Battery Type	Battery Pack
Battery Model	EN-EL18
Other Features
Self Timer	Yes (2-20 seconds, 1-9 exposures at intervals of 0.5, 1, 2, or 3 seconds)
Timelapse Recording
GPS	Optional
Storage Type	CompactFlash, XQD
Storage Slots	2

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