Nikon D3X review

When we reviewed the Nikon D3 in April last year we said that it was 'possibly the most compelling, capable and well-rounded professional digital SLR ever made' and that an (at the time non-existent) D3X 'would have quite a job to do to better the D3'. The D3X eventually became reality in December. We've had one for just over a month now and after thousands of sample shots both in the studio and out in the wild you would think we should be able to confidently answer the question if the 'X' variant is capable of bettering the original D3.

However, it will be clear to anyone with some knowledge of camera technology that it's impossible to come up with a definitive answer to this question. A large proportion of the D3X design is shared with the D3, so it does not come as a surprise that in many areas the two cameras perform identically. Nevertheless whilst in some areas the new model is undoubtedly better than the D3, in some areas it's worse.

The superb 51-point AF system and the 1005 pixel metering sensor have been carried over directly and work as well on the D3X as they do on the D3. The build quality and ergonomics are equally excellent too, but where the D3X really excels and beats the D3 by a mile (or two) is image detail at low sensitivities. The image output at base ISO (and with high quality glass in front of the sensor) can only be described as stunning. The D3X's high resolution sensor, combined with a relatively weak AA filter and a superb JPEG engine delivers a level of sharp detail that beats even the strongest competitors including the previous number one in this area, the Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III. It's simply amazing how you can keep zooming into the huge image files and discover more and more detail. There is no doubt, if image detail is on top of your priority list (as it would be for many high-end studio photographers) the D3X has to be your number one option.

The class-leading image detail comes at a price though. A 14-bit RAW+JPEG image occupies 30MB + on your memory card and this inevitably has an impact on in-camera processing, buffering and continuous shooting. Having said that the D3X's five frames per second (12-bit RAW and JPEG) in continuous shooting will still suffice for most applications, and if they don't you can always switch to DX mode to speed things up and shoot 10.5 megapixel images at seven frames per second. It's not quite D3 speed but still impressively fast.


Lars Rehm

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