View Full Version : Nikon unveils full-frame D3 digital SLR
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/images/nikon_d3.gifIt's here, after perhaps the longest period of speculation ever Nikon has today lifted the covers on their first full-frame digital SLR, the new 12.1 megapixel D3. The D3 is all about speed and sensitivity, twelve megapixels on a big CMOS chip means large photosites (8.45 µm pitch to be precise) and that adds up to base sensitivity of ISO 200 to 6400 with an additional two stop boost over that (up to ISO 25600). The other side of the speed story (apart from blistering AF and shutter lag) is that the D3 can shoot at nine frames per second with AF tracking or eleven frames per second without. Other headline features are a newly branded EXPEED image processor, a new 51-point AF sensor, color AF tracking, dual CF compartments (with UDMA support), an amazing 3.0" 922,000 pixel LCD monitor with Live View (including contrast detect auto-focus), HDMI video output and even a virtual horizon function which can tell you when you're holding the camera perfectly level. There's too much to fit here so we crammed as much as we can into a preview. The D3 will be available in November, no pricing yet.
From DPReview : More... (http://www.dpreview.com/news/0708/07082312nikond3.asp)
Venomator
23-08-2007, 06:48
O ... M ... G ... :eek:
This is very unreasonable of Nikon I must say ... :suspect: ... just before Christmas and all ... :D
http://www.xrtheme.com/content/emoticons/Avatars/08.gif
i like the idea of the horizon level, would be nice for a rule of thirds style overlay to
chuckles
23-08-2007, 07:02
I just knew I'd started off on the wrong thread..... so many wonderful things!
Marianne
23-08-2007, 07:02
such a lovely shop!
chuckles
23-08-2007, 07:04
You're right! :clap:
Venomator
23-08-2007, 07:15
I just knew I'd started off on the wrong thread..... so many wonderful things!
Is that why it took you so long to go FUTT Baz ... :suspect:
http://www.xrtheme.com/content/emoticons/Avatars/08.gif
chuckles
23-08-2007, 07:18
I was the first one to look at them..... up too early! Can't sleep..... certainly can't sleep now! (was 5:40 am..... B I G Yawn!)
Hmmm.... how many of these do we need Marianne?
chuckles
23-08-2007, 07:20
Tell a lie..... Admin was up before me!
Venomator
23-08-2007, 07:22
Hmmm.... how many of these do we need Marianne?
Never settle for less than a full set m8 ... :naughty:
http://www.xrtheme.com/content/emoticons/Avatars/08.gif
chuckles
23-08-2007, 07:32
What - a Leica as well? Marianne will never agree to that surely?
Venomator
23-08-2007, 07:45
What - a Leica as well? Marianne will never agree to that surely?
Well ... you did propose dint you ... :thinking:
:shrug:
:p
Messiah Khan
23-08-2007, 08:08
Summary of D3 specs;
Full frame 36 x 23.9 mm CMOS sensor (12.1mp) (Includes DX and 5:4 crop modes)
51 focus points (15 cross-type sensors)
3.0 " TFT LCD (With liveview)
HDMI video out
Dual Compact Flash Type I or II
ISO: Default: ISO 200 - 6400 in 1/3, 1/2 or 1.0 EV steps (Boost: 100 - 12800 in 1/3, 1/2 or 1.0 EV steps, HI2 = ISO 25600)
9 fps (9 - 11 fps with DX format)
:thumbs:
madmitch
23-08-2007, 08:14
Now now MK, the bank manager is still *issed with you over that new lens.:D
Messiah Khan
23-08-2007, 08:18
Now now MK, the bank manager is still *issed with you over that new lens.:D
Its ok, ive received an email by a gentleman in Nigeria that says he will give me the money to get one. he just needs my ban kdetails to transfer the money into, and the camera might have to be delivered to Nigeria first. Very nice of him though.:thumbs:
madmitch
23-08-2007, 08:19
What a very nice man.:suspect:
Its ok, ive received an email by a gentleman in Nigeria that says he will give me the money to get one. he just needs my ban kdetails to transfer the money into, and the camera might have to be delivered to Nigeria first. Very nice of him though.:thumbs:
64,000 ugandan monies?
How much is that in £ stirling?
£17.40
http://www.channel4.com/entertainment/tv/microsites/F/fonejacker/pf/images/characters/george_2_200x150.jpg
At a press conference today in Tokyo, Nikon took the wraps off the D3, a new digital SLR that has at its heart a Nikon-designed full-frame 12.05 million image pixel CMOS sensor that can capture photos at up to 9 fps at full resolution (called FX Format mode), or up to 11 fps (with some restrictions) when the camera is set to capture 5.14 million image pixels in DX Format mode (where the camera utilizes only a smaller central part of the image sensor).
From RobGalbraith : More... (http://www.robgalbraith.com/bins/content_page.asp?cid=7-8742-9083)
Messiah Khan
23-08-2007, 09:05
Nikon promises a dynamic range bump of 300%
:eek::clap:
Fantastic! I think Nikon had to offer their users a full frame option, so this is long overdue. :thumbs:
chuckles
23-08-2007, 09:41
I agree ..... but don't do what you historically have done with Nikons Cedric..... :nono:
:lol:
LOL Will I never live that down? :lol:
chuckles
23-08-2007, 09:44
Well, it's a bit special innit! ;)
madmitch
23-08-2007, 09:45
:suspect: is there a story
I once removed the focusing screen from a brand new Nikon F4 and attempted to blow a hair off the screen (knowing full well it was a dumb thing to do) and managed to deposit a huge gob of spit on the matte side of the screen which dried in a horrible gooey mess. I couldn't live with it and took it to my repair guy fully expecting to have to fork out for a new screen. He disappeared into the back of the shop and five minutes later returned with the screen as clean as new. He never charged me either, but for months afterwards, I had to endure... "Gobbed in any good Nikons lately Cedric?" whenever I saw him. :D
:suspect: is there a story
Yes, Cedric gobs in Nikons :nono:
Messiah Khan
23-08-2007, 09:57
I once removed the focusing screen from a brand new Nikon F4 and attempted to blow a hair off the screen (knowing full well it was a dumb thing to do) and managed to deposit a huge gob of spit on the matte side of the screen which dried in a horrible gooey mess. I couldn't live with it and took it to my repair guy fully expecting to have to fork out for a new screen. He disappeared into the back of the shop and five minutes later returned with the screen as clean as new. He never charged me either, but for months afterwards, I had to endure... "Gobbed in any good Nikons lately Cedric?" whenever I saw him. :D
Haha, you heathen! :lol:
madmitch
23-08-2007, 10:26
Had to put coffee down then CT :lol:
Yes, Cedric gobs in Nikons
:clap: Well done :canon:
Not fair. Can't afford one of them :suspect: :bat:
Well the mystery of why Nikon haven't launched a stablised really long lens until now is resolved anway. Despite all their denials of ever being interested in full frame sensors, they've obviously held off and made sure that the new 600VR will still produce the goods on a 1:1 sensor, which absolutely makes sense. The lack of long VR lenses must have been responsible for more defectors from Nikon than any other single factor.
It's great to see Nikon getting back on the ball, and exciting stuff for you Nikon users. :)
Messiah Khan
23-08-2007, 10:47
Well said CT. Its also interesting to see that Nikon are firmly aiming at sports/reporters with the D3, rather than the studio market that cameras such as the 1Ds MK3 are. I wonder if they simply see this as a much bigger market, or if they are planning on a high res full frame sensor in the future. Its also interesting to note that the sensor used in the D3 is a Nikon sensor, not a sony one. Looks like Nikon is still going from strength to strength.:)
Whatever the future holds, the competition from these two brands will be good for all of us on the price front. ;)
FranchiseJuan
23-08-2007, 11:21
Is it my imagination, or are the Nikon long primes more expensive then the Canon equivalents? This is just by doing a quick check. The camera seems good, and the price is not too bad, but the retail still being more then a 1D3 (assuming the focus problem gets fixed in the 1D3), is not good news.
Just wating for Canon to answer with the 5D2 with the new focus system from the 1 series and 5 FPS, at about half the price of the D3.
King_Boru
23-08-2007, 11:30
I've gone wobbly,...
I once removed the focusing screen from a brand new Nikon F4 and attempted to blow a hair off the screen (knowing full well it was a dumb thing to do) and managed to deposit a huge gob of spit on the matte side of the screen which dried in a horrible gooey mess. I couldn't live with it and took it to my repair guy fully expecting to have to fork out for a new screen. He disappeared into the back of the shop and five minutes later returned with the screen as clean as new. He never charged me either, but for months afterwards, I had to endure... "Gobbed in any good Nikons lately Cedric?" whenever I saw him. :D
AHA! And now I understand! lol. When I first saw your title as Gobs in/on Nikons, I thought it was because you were a canon man! LOL! :D
chuckles
23-08-2007, 11:48
AHA! And now I understand! lol. When I first saw your title as Gobs in/on Nikons, I thought it was because you were a canon man! LOL! :D
Shhhh! Don't tell him that.... he'll start believing it! :lol:
Iain MacIntosh
23-08-2007, 11:58
Oh god I want one...but £3400.... a pair of D300's would seem a better choice comparing specs....better than my current D2x & D200 setup...some serious thinking to be done
There goes the CC balance again....
lol at Ross ^^^:lol:
The D3 looks like a great bit of kit, but despite the full frame sensor and other nice features, I can't justify that kind of money at the moment.:'( Will have to struggle along with the D2x for a while longer!;):lol:
King_Boru
23-08-2007, 12:27
Is it me or does it look smaller and more managable than the D2X?
King.
I thought that as well to be honest.
Oh and Ian, If the D2x is getting you down, I'll be happy to take it off your hands ;) :D
Venomator
23-08-2007, 12:36
At a press conference today in Tokyo, Nikon took the wraps off the D3, a new digital SLR that has at its heart a Nikon-designed full-frame 12.05 million image pixel CMOS sensor that can capture photos at up to 9 fps at full resolution (called FX Format mode), or up to 11 fps (with some restrictions) when the camera is set to capture 5.14 million image pixels in DX Format mode (where the camera utilizes only a smaller central part of the image sensor).
From RobGalbraith : More... (http://www.robgalbraith.com/bins/content_page.asp?cid=7-8742-9083)
Any chance we can combine the two D3 threads Admin ... :suspect: ... most Darksiders can probably cope but I am struggling to keep up with all these new toys and could do without the additional choice of nearly duplicate threads ... :gag:
FANGYOO so much ... :D
:p
Messiah Khan
23-08-2007, 12:38
FANGYOO so much ... :D
:lol:
Is it me or does it look smaller and more managable than the D2X?
King.
Its actually ever so slightly larger than the D2x, and a fair bit heavier too.
D2X - Size: 158mmx150mmx86mm. Weight: (no batt) 1070g
D3 - Size: 160mmx157mmx88mm. Weight: (no batt) 1240g
I'm glad its not any smaller tbh, as I find the D2x very comfy to hold. Not sure I'd want it to be heavier though...
Woodsy2x - A very kind offer, thanks, but I'm coping with it for now!;)
Any chance we can combine the two D3 threads Admin ... :suspect: ... most Darksiders can probably cope but I am struggling to keep up with all these new toys and could do without the additional choice of nearly duplicate threads ... :gag:
FANGYOO so much ... :D
:p
Tis done! :)
Venomator
23-08-2007, 13:21
Ooh thanx Cedric ... :thumbs: ... brilliant service as ever ... :clap:
:p
No probs - have a Darksiders convention in here to your hearts content. What time's the stripper on? :naughty:
Venomator
23-08-2007, 13:27
What time's the stripper on? :naughty:
Not sure you'd be welcome ... :suspect: ... they've heard rumours about your dirty habits ... :naughty:
:p
FranchiseJuan
23-08-2007, 13:30
Is anybody else a little concirned about the location of the AF points? I mean I can think of quite a number of sports where the AF points are not far enough to the edge.
Some commentary from Thom Hogan on the new models.
http://www.bythom.com/D3comments1.htm
Good link Druid, thanks. :thumbs:
This paragraph in particular caught my eye:
Overall, take a D200, which is a very nice handling camera, and stuff some key new components into it and you have something that's as fast as a D2x, has as many pixels as a D2x, has a better focus system than a D2x, writes to cards faster than a D2x, has cleaner high ISO results than a D2x, and, oh yes, sells for US$3200 less (at list prices, at street prices the difference is hundreds of dollars less). What's not to like about that?
Yeah, I liked that para too! D300 > D2x it seems. Guess what m next camera is likely to be!? Assuming the reviews are favourable of course, especially with regard to the autofocus.
Venomator
27-08-2007, 08:52
Guess what my next camera is likely to be!?
And to think I very nearly bought a second D200 as a back up ... :eek:
:D
Suppose this will do the job nearly as well ... :shrug:
http://www.xrtheme.com/content/emoticons/Avatars/08.gif
paul cull-pearce
27-08-2007, 14:29
Cant wait to test the Nikon D3 out it looks a great camera.
But, the Nikon D300 seems a very nice camera too like the ideas of 6fps (up to 8 fps with optional Multi Power Battery Pack) with two EN-EL3e batteries or a powerful EN-EL4a battery, self-cleaning sensor unit, the 3-inch VGA LCD screen and the 51-Point autofocus.
Paul
inophoto
27-08-2007, 15:06
Had to put coffee down then CT :lol:
Glad I didn't have one. I'd have lost it. He he. :eek: :clap:
boozybill
27-08-2007, 15:15
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/images/nikon_d3.gifIt's here, after perhaps the longest period of speculation ever Nikon has today lifted the covers on their first full-frame digital SLR, the new 12.1 megapixel D3. The D3 is all about speed and sensitivity, twelve megapixels on a big CMOS chip means large photosites (8.45 µm pitch to be precise) and that adds up to base sensitivity of ISO 200 to 6400 with an additional two stop boost over that (up to ISO 25600). The other side of the speed story (apart from blistering AF and shutter lag) is that the D3 can shoot at nine frames per second with AF tracking or eleven frames per second without. Other headline features are a newly branded EXPEED image processor, a new 51-point AF sensor, color AF tracking, dual CF compartments (with UDMA support), an amazing 3.0" 922,000 pixel LCD monitor with Live View (including contrast detect auto-focus), HDMI video output and even a virtual horizon function which can tell you when you're holding the camera perfectly level. There's too much to fit here so we crammed as much as we can into a preview. The D3 will be available in November, no pricing yet.
From DPReview : More... (http://www.dpreview.com/news/0708/07082312nikond3.asp)
ooohh i think im in love drool :love: i love nikon
Some more comment (http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1021&message=24725655) from a Norwegian nature photographer who has had a chance to play with the new cameras and lenses.
Venomator
07-09-2007, 19:40
Some more comment (http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1021&message=24725655) from a Norwegian nature photographer who has had a chance to play with the new cameras and lenses.
Shot another D3 today with the AFS 600/4 VR and 24-80/2.8 AFS
:love: ... Now that has got to be my new dream combo for crissakes ... :eek:
:p
Very nice, like the look of the D300 myself, just a shame Nikon have said for years they would never do full frame so lots of people now have DX lenses so would be spending £3000+ on a 5mp camera. Nice way to get people to buy more lenses though i suppose.
I suppose if you're a wide-angle fanatic and have £2k sunk into the 10.5, 12-24 and 17-55 you'll be a bit annoyed, but if you're able to afford a D3 in the first place you probably aren't too bothered about the 18-70 or other consumer zooms, which is what most of the DX lenses are apart from the three I mentioned above.
I'm pretty sure that Nikon plan to keep the DX format going too, so it's not as if there won't still be a market for 17-55's and so on. Indeed, it may mean that it'll put them into the hands of amateur photographers who couldn't otherwise afford them as the pros and rich amateurs sell off their high-end DX lenses at a slight discount over the current used prices.
It's also worth bearing in mind that while Nikon have released a couple of new pro zooms to go with the D3 there are lots of fine wide-angle Nikkors left over from the film days that are available for a reasonable price used (e.g. the very good 20-35/2.8 goes for about £350 mint) and which are suddenly proper wide-angles again if you've got a D3.
Here's another very positive early impression (http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1021&message=24736304) of the D3. I'm going to be interested to see the reviews of this beastie when it's out of embargo.
12.1 megapixal is what canon should have done with their 1d mk111 rather than concentrating on the speed, that the AF doesn't seem to be able to catch up with. Rumours are that reuters have told canon to sort out the problem or they will switch to the Nikon d3. I personaly hope as a canon user and someone that needs to get a second body, that canon sort the mk111 out. Maybe this new nikon will make them pull up their socks a bit sharpish.
We'll be able to rib the Canon boys about their noise soon
I dunno, I sort of like a certain amount of fine noise.
zeroeseight
16-09-2007, 01:27
Some sample images from D3:
http://nikonimaging.com/global/products/digitalcamera/slr/d3/sample.htm
The high iso looks nice.
King_Boru
16-09-2007, 08:05
Still not have had the opportunity to run comparisons directly, but my impression is that 6400 on D3 is cleaner than 800 on the D2X, and 25600 looks more or less as 1600.
Niiice.
I think also, the lower pixel density would imply that you could stop down further without running into diffraction.
That might make it appealing to macro and landscape fans if the difference was significant, say more than 2 stops.
James Greed
16-09-2007, 17:37
Looks Rubbish to me. But then i despise Nikons.
paul cull-pearce
16-09-2007, 18:15
What a camera ! Like one, but have to win the Lotto first.
Hope there is afew second-hand Nikon D2x's around in the camera shops.
Paul
More rather tasty D3 samples (http://cliffmautner.typepad.com/my_weblog/2007/09/ok-its-after-1a.html).
icecavern
28-09-2007, 08:53
Personally I'd rather see comparisions between a D2xs and a D3 that comparing it against any Canon... Im not switching to Canon, so care nothing for how the D3 compares to any of them. What I really want is to see how much better the D3 is against my D2x...
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