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D3x vs D3s?


13 years 2 months ago - 13 years 2 months ago #30583 by Maverick V
Can someone please explain which is a better camera? There seems to be a sizable price difference between them. The D3s seems to be the better camera minus the 24MP D3x. The D3s shoots at 9fps vs 5 fps of the D3x, plus the D3s will shoot 720dpi video.

So why would you want the D3x?
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13 years 2 months ago - 13 years 2 months ago #30594 by Stealthy Ninja

Maverick V wrote: Can someone please explain which is a better camera? There seems to be a sizable price difference between them. The D3s seems to be the better camera minus the 24MP D3x. The D3s shoots at 9fps vs 5 fps of the D3x, plus the D3s will shoot 720dpi video.

So why would you want the D3x?


If someone was shooting portraits in a studio or landscapes exclusively, then the D3x is better.

It has more MP (24), better dynamic range. and great low iso capabilities (and fairly good high iso capabilities). At base iso it uses pretty much the full range of a 14bit shot (I'm talking colour) so the colours it produces are smooth and look great.

It's the sorta camera where if you can afford it, you probably know why you need it. ;)

In the DxO tests:
D3x beats most medium format cameras when it comes to colour depth (it comes second)
D3x comes third in dynamic range (13.7 stops) behind the D7000 (13.9) and Pentax K-5 (14.1) The D3s has 12.2 stops of dynamic range.
D3s beats all when it comes to low light isos (the D3x is 4th behind the D700, D3 and D3s).
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www.aevansphoto.com
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13 years 2 months ago #30596 by arkady001
I own D3 and D3x - I intitially bought two D3x bodies as I thought they'd do for the sort of stuff i cover.
Far from it - the high iso capability (I count that as anything over 400iso, but with this camera it's anything over about 320iso where visible noise starts creeping in) is about on a par with the old D1x.
I don't care what the 'tests' say - I use it and find it to be awful at anything other than 100-200iso.

D3x is a dedicated studio, landscape and portrait tool and that's about it. Anything where you might need the extra flexibility of faster shutter speeds (by upping the iso) - forget about it.
That said, the quality is amazing - easily as good as medium-format film ever was and with much care maybe even 5x4 half-plate. Where in the past you would have used a medium-format camera - you would now use a D3x.
I use it exclusively for studio and portrait work as well as large group shots.

However as a general-purpose tool, it's a bit rubbish, so I sold one D3x body and purchased two D3 bodies.
D3 (and D3s now that it's been superceded) is a superb all-round photographer's tool: action; press; sports; social documentary and portrait. Anything where you do not need to enlarge your images to the size of a house, in fact.
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13 years 2 months ago #30626 by Maverick V
Thank you both for the answers. To address one thing "if you can afford it, you probably know why you need it". A statement I couldn't agree more with. I have a D300 right now, but just sold some of my stocks and I would like to roll a portion of this back into my hobby of photography. However i would like to make a investment into a camera that is considered "up there". The D3x and D3s seem to be upper end of the food chain for Nikon.

Now with that out of the way, the rest of your input was also greatly appreciated. I don't do a lot of portrait work, and do enjoy getting out in the field. So I'm leaning towards the D3s. Again this is a investment for me, one that I'll also be able to have some fun with at the same time!

BTW how much difference would you say there is between D3s and D700? I was thinking about getting rid of my D300 and having a D700 as my 2nd camera body?
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13 years 2 months ago #30736 by arkady001
The D700 has the same sensor as the D3 (not the D3s) - we all expect a 'D700s' or something like it to be announced shortly...

D3s will do pretty much everything you want including HD video.
D700 will do pretty much everything you want apart from HD video.

D3s has a better ultra-high iso capability than the D700, so if you think you need to be shooting in the dark and aren't that bothered about the noise (there is some, but it's acceptable), then you need a D3s...
If you think you'll be shooting in more 'normal' conditions, then the D700 will be more than adequate.
I know a lot of wedding and portrait pro's who shoot on D700 as it's lighter and less obtrusive than the D3.
When you need the extra battery life or simply 'must-have' the extra shutter release button, there's a bolt-on battery-grip.

Also bear in mind that the cost of a 'gripped' D700 isn't that much less than a D3s nowadays - so if you're thinking about going gripped on a permanent basis, spend the extra and get the D3s.

D700 has a pop-up flash which will act as a commander unit for off-camera flash in iTTL mode- you don't need to buy an extra SB900 or SU800 commander unit...
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13 years 2 months ago #30765 by Maverick V
What changes are rumored to be in the new D700? Would it be worth the wait? So will adding that grip to the D700 increase the fps it shoots at?
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13 years 2 months ago #30806 by Joves

Maverick V wrote: What changes are rumored to be in the new D700? Would it be worth the wait? So will adding that grip to the D700 increase the fps it shoots at?

Some say the D700s/D800 will have the same High ISO capabilities of the D3s and the improved video. The D700 has a native ISO of 200-6400 as where the D3s is 200-12,800 so you can shoot pretty much in dark situations better with the D3s. If you dont shoot much at night such as street scenes or in clubs then the D700 would work. Also the D700 uses the same grip if you have one and the same batteries as the D300 so the extras are interchangable, that is if you plan on keeping the D300. When I go to FX I plan on keeping my D300 for the crop factor, I like the idea of having the best of both worlds.
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13 years 2 months ago - 13 years 2 months ago #30904 by Stealthy Ninja

arkady001 wrote: D3s will do pretty much everything you want including HD video.
D700 will do pretty much everything you want apart from HD video.


Well if you call 720p "HD video" that is. :whistle:

I agree with ya arkady001 on the tests not meaning much. DxO tests IMHO need to be taken with a grain of salt. Still, gives an overview I suppose.

If you say the high (over 400) iso sucks, then I trust ya. :cheers:

Being mainly a video guy, I'm actually looking at getting a Canon XF100 soon (according to my friend who works for Canon it'll be available in the next couple of days). I'm not into the shallow DOF type shooting so much at the moment (doing mainly weddings and corporate junk).

That said, I'd love it if the D800 had the same options as the 5DII for recording video (full HD and various frame rates). Occasionally I do interview type shots and for that a little background blur would look nice.
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www.aevansphoto.com
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13 years 2 months ago #30930 by arkady001
Nikon have told us thier main effort will be 'true' HD on all new Pro-spec and Prosumer models released after this Summer - so of course we're all looking hard at the D700s-or-whatever when it arrives.
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13 years 2 months ago #31205 by Stealthy Ninja

arkady001 wrote: Nikon have told us thier main effort will be 'true' HD on all new Pro-spec and Prosumer models released after this Summer - so of course we're all looking hard at the D700s-or-whatever when it arrives.


Yeh they'll have 1080p at 24fps. Which is fine. BUt I want 25fps, 30fps, 50fps, 60fps too.
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www.aevansphoto.com
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13 years 2 months ago #31287 by Maverick V
D800?? When is that suppose to be coming out?
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13 years 2 months ago #31321 by arkady001

Maverick V wrote: D800?? When is that suppose to be coming out?


Your guess is as good as everyone else's...lol
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13 years 2 months ago #31355 by Maverick V

arkady001 wrote:

Maverick V wrote: D800?? When is that suppose to be coming out?


Your guess is as good as everyone else's...lol


Couldn't hurt to ask! :toocrazy:
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13 years 2 months ago #31850 by Stealthy Ninja

Maverick V wrote: D800?? When is that suppose to be coming out?


Some say March, some say September. LOL
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www.aevansphoto.com
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13 years 2 months ago #32459 by FunnyGuy
I would love to get a D3s, but funds are a little tight right now for something in that price range. :(
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