If you're after choice when it comes to buying a full frame digital SLR, nothing quite beats Nikon - especially now that it has added a third new model to the range in the form of the D750. Announced a week before the Photokina show, we had to wait until we got to Cologne to put one through its paces. It was worth the wait, however, as it could be Nikon's most well-rounded full-frame to date.
In terms of build, size and handling, the D750 shares much in common with the "entry-level" full-frame D610. It's a few millimetres smaller and weighs 10 grams less (750g to the D610's 760g without a lens attached) thanks to a lightweight monocoque construction using a combination of magnesium alloy and carbon fibre thermoplastic. As you would hope for a high-end DSLR, it feels firm in the hand and comfortable to grip.
It carries the dual SD card slots over from the D610, rather than the SD and Compact Flash setup seen in the D810, which makes sense given that it isn't supposed to be a truly professional camera. You can set it up so that RAW files go to one card and JPEGs go to the other, or use the second card as overspill to double up on storage.
Almost all of the buttons on the rear are the same, meaning existing Nikon owners should feel right at home. The main exception is the "i" button, which has shifted to the left of the body to make room for one of the biggest new additions: a tilting LCD display.
It's surprising that tilting LCD screens aren't already commonplace on high-end digital SLRs, considering they are widely available on CSCs and even some compact cameras, but it's great to see Nikon adding one here. It tilts 90-degrees upwards and 75-degrees down, which will be appreciated by videographers as well as photographers; the D750 will shoot at 1080p60, up from 30fps in the D610, and lets you adjust the aperture as you record.
Nkon has also added built-in Wi-Fi for the first time, letting you connect the D750 to a smartphone or tablet for direct picture transfer. This is another rarity in high-end digital SLRs, for some reason, so is a very welcome addition.
The D750 shares the same 24-megapixel full-frame sensor as the D610, but the similarities end there. With regards to performance, it has more in common with the flagship D810, including the top-end 51 AF point, 15 cross-type autofocus system and EXPEED 4 image processor. Nikon has carefully balanced the D750 so it doesn't overlap too heavily with the D810, meaning a smaller native ISO range (100-12,800 vs 64-12,800 in the D810) and slower shutter speed (1/4000 vs 1/8000 in the D810).
We weren't able to give it a proper test on the Photokina show floor, so will have to wait for a full review in order to give a final verdict on image quality, but it should easily be on par with the D610.
Despite packing some very welcome improvements, the D750 was never meant to challenge the D810, the current king of Nikon full-frame digital SLRs, but it does neatly supercede the D610 to find a comfortable place in the middle of the line-up. Nikon expects the D750 to launch in the UK on the 23rd of September, at £1799.99 for the body only, £2249.99 with a 24-85mm, f/3.5-4.5 lens, or £2349.99 with 24-120mm, f/4 lens. Even without a lens that's a significant premium over the year-old D610, so we'll have to wait for the full review to see if it's worth the extra.
