Nikon D4s at ISO 409,600: good for more than just proof of Sasquatch?

One of the big changes with the introduction of the new Nikon D4s is that the maximum ISO has been bumped to an almost ludicrous level, now topping out at ISO 409,600. Unfortunately, we haven't had a chance to get our hands on the D4s yet and push its sensitivity all the way up—but these shots from a group called ClubSNAP should give you a feel for how those huge ISOs will look.

Photographers Albert Lim and Alex Ortega were on hand for the I Am Speed Nikon event, and were able to pit the Nikon D4s against the Nikon D4. They managed to cover a lot of ground, handling the camera and checking out its speed. But to us, the most interesting part is the high ISO noise performance, which they shot head to head between the two cameras. You can see the whole set here, and while it's clear you wouldn't push the ISO all the way to 409,600 unless you absolutely had to, it's still a recognizable image.

Also, these photos are JPEGs, direct from camera. Shooting RAW, and with some more powerful editing tools (say, DxO Optics Pro), you might be able to get quite a bit more clarity from the high ISO shots.

Once we get the Nikon D4s into our labs, we'll get our own set of test images up as soon as possible, and give you even more of a look at how this camera will handle.

(via Nikon Rumors)