Nikon D3x

I am quite impressed, I keep receiving more and more reviews for the Full Frame SLR cameras of this winter. It seems that the interest is very high. Currently:

• Nikon D3x: 15 reviews
• Canon EOS 5D Mk II: 21 reviews
• Sony Alpha 900: 21 reviews
• Nikon D700: 16 reviews

A lot of reading for those who are either ready to shell several grands on a Full Frame SLR camera or are still waiting to get a new camera in a few years from now.

According to DXO-labs and their DXOmark ranking of the quality of digital sensors, the Nikon D3x is now officially the best digital camera available in the world.

With the arrival of all these new digital photo cameras with a large sensor (Full Frame) in 2008, like the Sony Alpha 900 or the Canon EOS 5D MkII, it became difficult to find your own path. The more because their main advantage of these is photo cameras is to offer images of ultra-high quality at very high sensitivity. But how do you want to know this? The best is probably to compare. Many web sites published such comparisons, let’s try to find the best ones:

Master Chong presents a direct comparison of these two recent cameras, with 100% cropped images.

dPhotoExpert makes something similar, but much simpler, with a single comparison at 1600 ISO.

Unfortunately, there is no information about which software/firmware version is used (I expect that the results may change with future upgrades).

As you already know, I list the tests and reviews of recent photo cameras in the database that I use to describe them (in the menu on the left). These last days, this is a deluge of new reviews that we received and listed for:

• Nikon D3x
• Canon EOS 5D MkII
• Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1

OK, it’s a bit silly, but it’s all the rage on the Internet today. What a surprise for a pro dSLR camera.

Did you notice that there is a real deluge of information around one of the most expensive digital SLR camera, the Nikon D3x? I was ready to close the subject, but I could not avoid giving you a few pointers to some of the most interesting articles.

Nikon D3x

• DigitalRev speaks about the D3x sensor resolution: Did you notice that this camera pushes Nikon’s maximum resolution from 11 MP to more than 24 MP?
• Nikon has set a new record in terms of price. Why will it still sell?
• This is such a surprise that Scott Kelby decided to write a FAQ about the Nikon D3x price.
• Despite being different from the Sony Alpha 900 sensor, the Nikon digital sensor shares more than a few things with its Sony rival: same resolution, same pixel size, but it’s a Nikon design manufactured by Sony.

Finally, Some of the D3x active D-lighting capacity will be turned on the Nikon D3, through a firmware update, in the coming days.

OK, there was nearly nothing left to discover about it except the price. The Nikon D3x (full description updated) is now officially launched in the USA. The available information is now confirmed.

But, the price will clearly reserve it for pros. Or you should have hit the Jackpot in Vegas: $7,999.95, you’ll have to think twice.

Nikon D3x

• Nikon D3x mini site
• Nikon D3x brochure
• Downloads

(more…)

A PBase user decided to have fun creating a 3D CAD model of a pro SLR camera that should have the future Nikon D3x.

Nikon D3x -

All the pictures of the Nikon D3x created by nrg_alpha.

As is said in one of the comments, I’d laugh seeing some people believing that this could actually be a leak from a Nikon insider…

The UK Nikon Pro magazine [1] just disclosed the feature set of the Nikon D3x:

• 35mm Full Frame FX sensor
• 24.5 MP sensor
• 16-bit processing (Expeed)
• Sensitivity: 100-1600 ISO (ext. 50-6400 ISO)
• Continuous shooting at 5 fps
• Autofocus: 51-point MultiCAM3500FX
• Scene recognition system, 1005-RGB pixel sensor
• New Extra High Active D-Lighting setting for overly constrasted scenes
• Alternative crop modes: 5:4 and DX (with continuous shooting of 10MP images at 7 fps)
• LiveView mode
• 3″ LCD screen (920,000 pixels)
• Weather-resistant / Magnesium body
• USB 2.0, and WiFi with WT-4 extension
• HDMI, AV/Out output connections
• Memory slots: double Compact Flash, simultaneous writing
• Battery: EN-EL4a (as on the Nikon D3)
• Weight unknown

(as described in our data sheet).

Interestingly, there are some notable things missing:

• No dust cleaning on the sensor
• No video mode (useless for pros?)
• Nothing is said of the exact origin of the sensor (Sony or not)

Nikon Rumours seems to have spotted the right information: Some Nikon dude working on the web site pages for a new camera named Nikon D3x. It has been showing images during half an hour. Not much, but a serious confirmation of the name of the new pro camera at Nikon: Nikon D3x.

Here are the photos:

Nikon D3x (face)

But nobody has precise features to describe (apart from the obvious 35mm Full Frame sensor).

Nikon D3x (back)

Most probable publication date for the announcement: 1st or 2nd of December 2008.

At least, that is what can be understood from his post on DPreview forums:

Actually, the current speculation is that Nikon will announce both a D3x and a D400 (APS, 16mp).

Nikon D3

Let’s make a summary of the current status of the information that is available (for real or as rumours) about the next SLR camera from Nikon.

Plenty of people actually expect it to be the replacement of the Nikon D3 camera. I have to admit that there is a lot of rumours and convergent thinking that leads to the launch of such a pro SLR camera in the beginning of 2009 (probably just before the PMA fair).

Actually, nobody (out of Nikon; and even there…) really knows the future name of this camera. Most experts (including Thom Hogan) think that it should be Nikon D3x, some people say that it will definitely be named differently, and I even see a convergence of Nikon D900. But this last one seems totally weird since it would lead Nikon to breaking the marketing message dropping the pro-SLR camera family into the prosumer D200/D300/D700 family.

Nikon rumours repeatedly pushed rumours telling us that this would be happening in the beginning of next year, in the end of 2008, in 2009, or on.. November 20th, then December 6-7th, or December 1st. Let’s say that they don’t know anything at all.

But there is definitely something coming before the end of 2008. I would suggest that some people should start looking at the low end of the market.

Nikon is preparing a replacement for the Nikon D60 (currently covered by some cash-back offers). And there are only two possibilities:

• Either it will be launched before Christmas 2008
• Or it will be ready only in Spring 2009

But I don’t think that the Nikon D3x (or Nikon D900 ) will not be arriving in December.

This is all over the Internet rumours now. People think that Nikon is going to unveil a new 35mm Full Frame SLR camera at around 24MP. Let’s summarized what has been popping everywhere:

• The Nikon D3 is getting more difficult to find (this would be a signal that its replacement is coming)
• Announcement is scheduled for November 20th (but nobody seems to have any details and is just repeating the same tired old news).
• People speak about a Nikon D3x or a Nikon D400 (the latest fad), but nobody really knows its name, though. Even, the guy who sent poor photos to Nikon Rumours earlier this month.
• A German Nikon web site has been seen using a D3_2 name for a folder to store firmwares (could mean anything).
• But most interestingly, the Sony sensor guys revealed that they no longer intend to sell their 24MP sensor to outsiders. This is a major change compared to the previous deals between Nikon and Sony that led successfull cameras like the Nikon D200. That probably removes most of the fuel from the previous rumours of 24MP sensor size. Nikon would be ready to use any size as far as it is larger than the one from the Nikon D700.

Did I say BIG?

I would not be much surprised if I saw a really large pixel count… Stay tuned.

I think that this camera prepared by Nikon to replace the magnificent (but intolerably expensive) Nikon D3 will stay reserved to a technical and financial elite (if there is still one after the current crisis). But rumours are running wild during those days:

• DPreview told us that it will come in December with the following characteristics:
  • 24.4 mega-pixels
  • 9 fps
  • $6499.99 USD
• Nikon Rumours rather says “availability in February 2009″ (with a new 70-200mm zoom).

And there are some even wilder things…

Thom Hogan seems to be the only one who is seriously refering to this possible camera. But, as he really is a reference in the Nikon world, we must take this into account. For him, there will be no Nikon D4 ‘or nikon D3x), but Nikon is going for some kind of intermediate named Nikon D900. Whatever the name, it’s supposed to be the replacement of the Nikon D3 (not really old) and to use the 24.6 mega-pixel Full Frame sensor borrowed from Sony.