Just picked up a D800 and....

I'm a dual-system user and own a D800. The opinion about the grip isn't an opinion - it's just objectively bad for most hands. It's far too shallow to hold comfortably for any length of time.

As much as I love the performance of the D800 (esp the resolution and DR), I have to agree about the ergonomics.

Even if I had the cash to switch to Nikon, I'm not sure I would do it. Canon feels much better in my hands. The buttons and menu system too.

I was canon user and switched to D800 +24-70mm f2.8 but didnt like nikon ergonomics and menus,
dont know i dont like the feel of camera. so selling it and going to buy 5DMkIII.

seems like the D90 is the last good ergonomics body from Nikon. Hopefully they go back. I had a D3100, great images, but no top display, off-center viewfinder and grip too small. Ditto for the small grip on the D7000.

Now it's Canon with the better ergos, like on the 60D. Just as large as the 30D but somehow better layed out, therefore more comfortable. Less blocky than the 30D I suppose, It's been a while lol.

i Have spent a week with a Nikon D300 (during a trip with a friend who has one) - tying to learn how to use it
The ergo was so uncomfortable and certain things made no sens
many times you need to stretch 2 finger to change a simple setting
many options are buried deep in menus (e.g. saving settings - like the c1..c3 on the Canon)
i made a list of the things i do more often (Changing Iso, changing Exposure comp etc)
Canon was way better (at least for me)

I am a Canon guy but have had to shoot with Nikon cameras for work a few times. Their ergonomics aren't even in the same ballpark as Canon's. They are still great cameras nonetheless and ergonomics alone wouldn't stop me from buying one and/or keeping one. Not questioning the OP, but I'm not really understanding how taking pictures for 45 minutes can cause pain. Do you squeeze your camera like you are trying to destroy it when snapping pictures??

I've been using a D800 for a while now. At first I hated the way it felt as I am used to the 1D feel. It didn't take too long to get used to the ergonomics and it now feels fairly natural to me. I think that if you use a certain type of camera often, it just becomes and extension of your hand and you don't have to think about what your fingers are doing. I still feel as though I am fumbling with the buttons and menus on occasion but I think much of that is just my familiarity with canon. I'm sure it would be just as difficult to go from a D3x to a 5DIII. The D800 is a camera worth getting used to as the images that come out of it are incredibly close to medium format quality with the added bonus of useable images above ISO 800. Try picking up an H4D - talk about ergonomics that are hard to get used to.

Interesting discussion on ergonomics. Having shot both Canon and Nikon over the years (digital and film), I never found issues with either manufacturer that I couldn't overcome. Been shooting the D700 for well over 3 years, and I found the D800 to be a bit awkward at first, but I sensed that I would get use to it over time. But there were other features (or lack thereof) that kept me from making the leap. I guess I was looking for the D700 replacement, and the D800 isn't it.

I've been considering a switch back to Canon for the 5DIII. The extra pixels would be beneficial. The quiet shutter mode on the 5DIII is far more usable than what the D800 has (and the D700 does not have this feature). It's just a pain to switch manufacturers when you own a decent amount of equipment.

Had the D700 for a while and it never felt as good as the canon. Just did not fit my hand. Nice camera though.

jase1125 wrote in post #14667071
Ultimately, I am returning it because of the pain it inflicted upon me. I do not have large hands but man the ergonomics really suck. Maybe I am just use to canon but after shooting 45 minutes my hand is in some serious pain.

I see comments like this often, although they are usually related to the weight of equipment, not necessarily the layout of the controls.

When I read such comments, I really have trouble understanding how a camera can cause actual pain.

So many people, for their 40 hour a week jobs, grab onto a huge jackhammer and wield it against solid concrete all day. Or grab hold of a 30 inch chainsaw and force it to cut thru tree trunks that are laden with knots and resin. Or, some people carry bundles of shingles up scaffolding to get it onto the roof, or carry concrete blocks from one part of a site to another . . .

That is the real world - that is what millions of people do to earn a living. They use their hands to do hard things with heavy, powerful equipment and materials.

Hence, it is difficult for me to understand how someone can be in pain from turning the dials on a camera, holding the camera up, and taking pictures. I am not criticizing you for this, I am just saying that I do not understand - I simply cannot figure out how it is possible.

Could it be that perhaps you only experienced pain because your fingers were not used to the particular movements you had to make to operate the controls? If that is the case, maybe all you need to do is to keep using the Nikon for a few more days, and then your finger muscles will be adept at those movements. It may be worth giving it a chance, rather than returning it so hastily.

Tom Reichner wrote in post #15663125
I see comments like this often, although they are usually related to the weight of equipment, not necessarily the layout of the controls.

When I read such comments, I really have trouble understanding how a camera can cause actual pain.

So many people, for their 40 hour a week jobs, grab onto a huge jackhammer and wield it against solid concrete all day. Or grab hold of a 30 inch chainsaw and force it to cut thru tree trunks that are laden with knots and resin. Or, some people carry bundles of shingles up scaffolding to get it onto the roof, or carry concrete blocks from one part of a site to another . . .

That is the real world - that is what millions of people do to earn a living. They use their hands to do hard things with heavy, powerful equipment and materials.

Hence, it is difficult for me to understand how someone can be in pain from turning the dials on a camera, holding the camera up, and taking pictures. I am not criticizing you for this, I am just saying that I do not understand - I simply cannot figure out how it is possible.

Could it be that perhaps you only experienced pain because your fingers were not used to the particular movements you had to make to operate the controls? If that is the case, maybe all you need to do is to keep using the Nikon for a few more days, and then your finger muscles will be adept at those movements. It may be worth giving it a chance, rather than returning it so hastily.

I don't know if pain is the correct word to use in my case, but when I was deciding on a body for myself I chose between a Canon 60D and a Nikon D7000. I ultimately selected the Canon because it was significantly more comfortable in the hand and I favored the control layout. The D7000 felt very cramped in my hand, by comparison, and I did not care for the control layout and menu system. I certainly could have gotten used to the Nikon if i had to, but the Canon felt like it was designed for me from the outset. It still feels great to hold.

dphorshack wrote in post #14775256
I'm a dual-system user and own a D800. The opinion about the grip isn't an opinion - it's just objectively bad for most hands. It's far too shallow to hold comfortably for any length of time.

Nikon shooter here (d3100) and I can definitely attest to this. Wanted to upgrade to a d7000 and ultimately a d800, but when I pick one up, it feels like it's going to fall right out of my hands. Conversely, the first time I picked up a 7d and 5d2, they felt like they were *made* for my hands. That's when I decided that a brand switch was in order.

too bad, it would've been convenient to stick with Nikon.

joeburke wrote in post #15665778
Nikon shooter here (d3100) and I can definitely attest to this. Wanted to upgrade to a d7000 and ultimately a d800, but when I pick one up, it feels like it's going to fall right out of my hands. Conversely, the first time I picked up a 7d and 5d2, they felt like they were *made* for my hands. That's when I decided that a brand switch was in order.

too bad, it would've been convenient to stick with Nikon.

I felt the same. The D7000 felt awkward and uncomfortable in my hand. The Canon 60D, which I eventually purchased, felt like it was molded to my hand. In fact its so comfortable that I usually use it with a Canon wrist strap instead of a neck strap. I'm literally holding it for a couple of hours at a time and it feels perfect.

I played with a D600 at Best Buy when it came out after hearing all the hype. After 3 or 4 mins I started to feel a cramp in my hand. Not crippling, but that feeling where your body is telling you that what you're holding is causing more struggle than it should. After playing with it for 5 mins, I lost all interest in it no matter what was said or how DXO graded it.
I've had my 60d with 70-300VC on it for entire little league games and didn't feel burdened. It's the deeper grip Canons' have that make the difference. I've been interested in other brands of cameras based on reviews, specs, and sensors, but ergonomics is something I personally consider a "go/no go" quality.

It's perfect in my average sized hands.