Thom Hogan has some BIG D800 news!

[bluenoser]

The widely respected camera guru Thom Hogan, has posted a rather shocking entry today on his blog "bythom".

After further review, today Thom has changed his July 5 review rating of the Nikon D800 from a "recommended" to "NOT recommended"!

This startling change in recommendation is a direct result of the left-side focus problems that have now been recognized as a serious design flaw for the first batch of cameras with the more serious problem being Nikon's failure to publicly acknowledge it while at the same time quietly issuing a fix to their local service shops.

Here is part of his column today:

Unintended Consequences
July 23 (commentary)--With Nikon basically still in traditional Japanese denial mode on the left autofocus sensor programming problem, the fallout has begun.

First up, me. After thinking about this (again, there's not much to do sitting on the tarmac for two-and-a-half hours and in a terminal for another six), I've realized that I've made a mistake. My D800 Review currently says Recommended. It should not. I've got enough data now to know the left sensor issue is not a problem with just a couple of cameras, but is reasonably widespread. I also have enough feedback from Nikon users that getting Nikon's attention is a giant game of Gatekeeper: some people are getting past the gatekeeper more easily than others. It seems that it isn't quite as simple as calling them and reporting that your camera has a focus problem. According to some emails I've been receiving, Nikon seems to want to make at least some of you leap over some unknown hurdle first. Plus, here in the US Nikon is not picking up shipping to them, not even retroactively when they discover that your camera did indeed have the manufacturing error they know about and are fixing.

Thus, because of the apparent widespread nature of the problem and Nikon's response to it, I'm going to have to change my review to Not Recommended, and it will stay that way until such time as it becomes clear to me that all new cameras coming into the US are free of the left AF sensor programming problem. That might be a day, a week, a month, or more. One problem will be that Nikon almost certainly won't send me a message saying "all new cameras are fine," which is a relative of the "we won't acknowledge any problems with our cameras" position they've been taking. So I'll have to figure out for myself when it appears that the pipeline is free of this demon, and that might take me longer than it should. Not a consequence Nikon wants, I believe, but one they now deserve given their stance.

The rest of this column can be found on his site HERE however if you are viewing this thread a few days after it's been posted, you'll notice it will have fallen off his main page so you'll have to search his site for it.

Here are a couple of threads I posted earlier this month on the much discussed D800 left side focus issue:

http://www.canadian-photographer.ca/...ad.php?t=18949

http://www.canadian-photographer.ca/...ad.php?t=18954

Looks like Nikon is running out of fingers to plug in the dyke and better come clean with the public about this issue.

[gqtuazon]

It is unfortunate that some or most early adapters of this camera has this issue. I hope this will help out to get Nikon's attention and face the issue.

[bobmielke]

I have no respect for Thom Hogan. He thinks his excrement doesn't stink. He knows nothing and makes a living trashing respected photographers and reviewers, IMHO. I've owned my D800 since May 12, 2012. I have had no issues with this wonderful camera. I let my photos speak for themselves. Now, if Thom Hogan could actually shoot a decent photo himself he might have some credibility.

If you want a real review of the D800 check out the photos posted by Laurie Excell on her blog. http://laurieexcell.com/ or Moose Peterson on his blog. http://www.moosepeterson.com/blog/ab...es-camera-bag/ Cliff Mautner at http://scottkelby.com/2012/cliff-mau...he-nikon-d800/. Joe McNally at http://richardtwright.blogspot.com/2...-released.html

[sambr]

That's why I never buy a "First Model" of a product that's been released. And especially such a drastic upgrade such as the D800. Not saying I wouldn't buy - i just wouldn't buy one now.

[Truckpilot]

That's why I never buy a "First Model" of a product that's been released. And especially such a drastic upgrade such as the D800. Not saying I wouldn't buy - i just wouldn't buy one now.

Well said Sam, you and me both...

[infiniteblue]

Heh, I still have to save up for one if I intend on buying one, so I figure by the time I've got the money, Nikon will have hammered out the manufacturing problems by then.

[Calgary 617]

I have no respect for Thom Hogan. He thinks his excrement doesn't stink. He knows nothing and makes a living trashing respected photographers and reviewers, IMHO.

And you come to that conclusion because?

I've owned my D800 since May 12, 2012. I have had no issues with this wonderful camera. I let my photos speak for themselves.
Now, if Thom Hogan could actually shoot a decent photo himself he might have some credibility.

So because you got one of those models that doesn't have the AF issue or you can't see it, TH is wrong? Every major dslr board has users that show images of the issue, even here you can find one (I think it was yaamon), I have a friend in Germany who had to send his D800 to NPS twice already, which saved him the shipping, but still didn't give him a body he could use for his job.

And in all fairness, saying he can't produce a decent image and instead referring to your ISO3200 in full daylight shots is as arrogant as you see him

Did you see the last paragraph where he gives a reason for his change of mind which actually has nothing to do with the camera itself but the lack of quality control and denial of nikon?

Thus, because of the apparent widespread nature of the problem and Nikon's response to it, I'm going to have to change my review to Not Recommended, and it will stay that way until such time as it becomes clear to me that all new cameras coming into the US are free of the left AF sensor programming problem.

If you want a real review of the D800

He actually did a review besides the text that James quoted which said "Personally, the D800 and D800E are near perfect for me and the types of things I shoot (nature, wildlife, landscapes). It's the first time I've felt 100% back to where I was with an F100 (film body). Indeed, I'm ahead of the game."

See, even Thom likes it, just not the way nikon treats their customers

[bobmielke]

I put my money where my mouth is and base my beliefs on facts I know to be true. I've run my own tests and the camera passes with flying colors. None of the top professional photographers I follow & respect have reported a single issue. They include Scott Kelby, RC Concepcion, Matt Kloskowski, Jeremy Cowart, Moose Petersen, Bill Fortney, Joe McNally and more,.

[lordkifar]

Well...glad that I do not have to worry about is problem...too poor to currently afford the D800

[Dojobear]

I put my money where my mouth is and base my beliefs on facts I know to be true. I've run my own tests and the camera passes with flying colors. None of the top professional photographers I follow & respect have reported a single issue. They include Scott Kelby, RC Concepcion, Matt Kloskowski, Jeremy Cowart, Moose Petersen, Bill Fortney, Joe McNally and more,.

The problem with all the photographers you listed: They reach a very, very wide audience on a regular basis (in fact, most if not all of them fall under the Kelby Media umbrella). Consequently, unless the camera is on the verge of spontaneously exploding, they're not going to say anything that would cast doubt for people to buy the camera - they have to play it political after all, since Nikon is watching. I mean, seriously - if Scott Kelby said "I wouldn't recommend the D800", a lot of photographers - I'm willing to bet you included - would be second guessing their purchasing one. I've read a handful of reviews, and pretty much all of them sing praise for the D800's performance - Thom included. As mentioned previously: were it not for Nikon's little quality control SNAFU, Thom would be recommending it as well.

I respect and enjoy Thom's writing, because he has the testicular fortitude to actually call out the camera companies for their screw-ups. I would also argue that while his reviews may lack a few pictures here and there, they are certainly very thorough and explicit. I've seldom read anything as detailed or informative as what Thom writes, save for on dpreview or Photozone.

I don't have a problem with people having their own opinions on photographer's work and such, but I think it'd be nice if you actually made an informed judgement next time.