Digital Photography Equipment Review—Nikon D3X DSLR Camera

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nikon d3x review image It shouldn’t be surprising that as digital photography pros develop their skills and clientele, they are apt to specialize in specific photography niches: news, sports, studio and landscape, for example. With that advancement and specialization, there are fewer high-end DSLR camera bodies available in the marketplace. In fact, for those pros who demand the best camera to shoot fashion, portraits and/or products in a studio and landscapes, there are only two cameras to choose: the Nikon D3X DSLR or the Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III. Their specs, features and prices compare favorably. Read review of Nikon D3300 by PhotographyTalk.com.

The Nikon D3X is the high-resolution younger brother of the Nikon D3. It produces digital photos of lower resolution, but is able to shoot faster in continuous shooting mode. With that higher resolution, the D3X gives fashion and landscape pros the exact DSLR they need for their photography niches.

There is very little discernable difference between the D3X and D3: the body, controls, user interface and much of the electronics and mechanics are identical. You have to go to the core of the D3X to recognize the important differences. It features a 36 x 23.9mm CMOS

sensor, with a resolution of 24.5 megapixels. This is an enormous improvement over the D3. That “super” sensor, however, includes some drawbacks. The D3X has a narrower ISO range (100 to 1,600, extendable to ISO 50 to 6,400) and only five frames per second (7 fps in DX mode), which is slower in continuous shooting mode.

The pros that need as much resolution as possible look to the 20+ megapixels of the Nikon D3X and the Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III. The D3X, however, is a more recent model, so it has two years of additional technological development that the Canon model does not. Those “outdated” features include, but are not limited to, slightly less sensor resolution, a narrower ISO range, a lower resolution screen and no HDMI output. When compared to the EOS-1DS Mark III and other DSLR with some comparable features (Sony DSLR-A900 and Canon EOS 5D Mark II), the Nikon D3X has many more positives than negatives.

Positive Comparisons

Auto DX crop mode with 7ps top speed (compatible with DX lenses).
Dual CF card slots.
12-bit and 14-bit RAW modes (plus compression options).
Both passive (mirror-down) and contrast-detect auto-focus in Live View.
Full 1:1 magnified view in Live View.
51-point AF (auto-focus) with wide range of selection/grouping options and intelligent tracking.
Probably, the best metering (1005 pixel RGB sensor).
Fully flexible Auto-ISO function (maximum ISO and minimum shutter speed configurable).
In-camera RAW developing.
Intervalometer.
High-definition HDMI video output.
Built-in speaker for playback of audio notes.

Negative Comparisons

No sensor-based anti-shake (vs. Sony A900).
Price

Nikon D3X Features

24.5 megapixel Full-Frame (36 x 24 mm) sensor.
ISO 100–1600 (ISO 50–6400 in Boost mode).
Supports DX lenses; viewfinder automatically masks (10.5 megapixels with DX lens).
14-bit A/D conversion, 12 channel readout.
Gapless micro-lens array and on-chip noise reduction.
Nikon EXPEED image processor (Capture NX processing and NR algorithms, optimized for D3X, lower power).
Super-fast operation (power-up 12 ms, shutter lag 41 ms, black-out 74 ms).
Kevlar/carbon fiber composite shutter, with 300,000-exposure durability.
Multi-CAM3500FX Auto-Focus sensor (51-point, 15 cross-type, more vertical coverage).
Auto-focus tracking by color (using information from 1005-pixel AE sensor).
Auto-focus calibration (fine-tuning) available (fixed body or as many as 20 separate lens settings).
Scene Recognition System (uses AE sensor, AF sensor).
Seven frames per second in continuous and DX modes.
Dual Compact Flash card slots (overflow, back-up, RAW on 1/JPEG on 2, copy).
Compact Flash UDMA support.
3.0" 922,000-pixel LCD monitor.
Live View with either phase-detect (mirror up/down) or contrast-detect Auto-Focus.
Virtual horizon indicates if camera is level.
HDMI HD video output.
“Active D-Lighting” with “Extra-High” setting (adjusts metering as well as applying D-Lighting curve).
Detailed “control panel”-type display on LCD monitor; changes color in darkness.

The Nikon D3X is a fantastic piece of digital photography equipment, but, obviously, at approximately $9,000 (body only), it is only for the very serious and accomplished pro who can justify the investment or a wealthy hobbyist with the money to spend. Plus, the price is also approximately $1,500 more than the Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III. It’s also important to remember that the D3X won’t perform to its specifications without equivalent lenses, which will also be priced equivalently. You may also have to upgrade your computer system to accommodate the massive files the D3X will produce.

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