Nutshell Summary: As a professional field camera, the D3x combines superb best-of-class image quality, professional action-focus abilities, and a robust design. All that's left to scream about is the price.
Although I once had a D1x, long, long, ago, Ive been shooting Canon and and MF of late, and I've been very pleasantly surprised by the no-fuss handling of the D3x: Focus is excellent, images are consistently sharp., although the AF system will sometimes seize on a high-contrast detail behind the main subject.
Exposure is also consistently very good, with occasional slight over-exposures. As a result, Jpeg images are very usable, a recourse to exposure correction by means of the NEF Raw files is usually not necessary. In fact, the excellent usability of Jpeg as a kind of "Digital Slide Emulsion" has surprised me.
I consistently shoot at ISO 1600 in the street. I wouldn't go higher, but this seems to be the appropriate sensitivity for this camera in the field, minimizing camera shake that would destroy the benefit of the high-rez sensor.
Batteries last forever. The finder is very good, the back screen sufficient for judging composition and exposure. The center button on the joystick can be conveniently mapped to 100% enlargement during preview. The camera ergonomics are good but not perfect —a fast settings bank selector would be one obvious improvement.
So far, I haven't been able to find a fault with anything this camera can do — although some things it cannot do, eg. video. However many reviewers have focused on the price as the weak point of this product. But there's a solution to that too: The D3 offers a substantially cheaper yet very capable alternative to the "x" as well as reasonably priced backup. The D3 may be the better choice for many pros who need fast focus and superlative high-ISO capture.
I will write more about the D3x. Just not today.
Although I once had a D1x, long, long, ago, Ive been shooting Canon and and MF of late, and I've been very pleasantly surprised by the no-fuss handling of the D3x: Focus is excellent, images are consistently sharp., although the AF system will sometimes seize on a high-contrast detail behind the main subject.
Exposure is also consistently very good, with occasional slight over-exposures. As a result, Jpeg images are very usable, a recourse to exposure correction by means of the NEF Raw files is usually not necessary. In fact, the excellent usability of Jpeg as a kind of "Digital Slide Emulsion" has surprised me.
I consistently shoot at ISO 1600 in the street. I wouldn't go higher, but this seems to be the appropriate sensitivity for this camera in the field, minimizing camera shake that would destroy the benefit of the high-rez sensor.
Batteries last forever. The finder is very good, the back screen sufficient for judging composition and exposure. The center button on the joystick can be conveniently mapped to 100% enlargement during preview. The camera ergonomics are good but not perfect —a fast settings bank selector would be one obvious improvement.
So far, I haven't been able to find a fault with anything this camera can do — although some things it cannot do, eg. video. However many reviewers have focused on the price as the weak point of this product. But there's a solution to that too: The D3 offers a substantially cheaper yet very capable alternative to the "x" as well as reasonably priced backup. The D3 may be the better choice for many pros who need fast focus and superlative high-ISO capture.
I will write more about the D3x. Just not today.
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