The Nikon D3x astounds even the most seasoned of camera users as it boasts of perhaps the largest resolution among the Digital SLR units currently in stores. With its massive 24.8 megapixel capacity, there is no predicting how far this little piece of work can go as far twiddly photographer hands can muster. The resolution is mostly attributed to the Nikon D3x’s full-frame FX format and CMOS sensor.
While critics might easily compare it to its predecessor, the Nikon D3, the Nikon D3x extricates itself from the stereotype with a reduced ISO range of 50-6400 and a relatively slower continuous shooting speed at 5fps. The rest of the Nikon D3x is generally the same as the D3, with the 51 point AF system, the 16-bit image processing capacity and 14-bit A/D conversion of the EXPEED engine and, of course, Live View.
This technical talk might sound alien to the novice DSLR user, who might find delight in knowing that what the D3x really delivers overall is a crisper picture quality and an added ability to experiment with the camera more. If tinkering is not a high point of camera use, beginners might do well to go for something they can handle, bank account-wise.
The Nikon D3x comes at a much higher price tag and normally retails for $8000, leading many users to wonder if the price is well worth the features. When compared, the D3x’s closest competitors, the Canon EOS 5D Mark II and the Sony A900 actually sell for half the price. So the grand question is: does the Nikon D3x deliver? Apparently, its difference from the D3 is not so far off.
It’s All About Resolution
What the Nikon D3x can lay claim to fame to is the incredible 24.5 million pixels delivered by its specially crafted FX CMOS sensor. Its older brother the D3 had 12.1 MP on its back, so it’s needless to say resolution freaks would find the D3x very much interesting to own. It almost gets on the level of the Sony A900, which brags of a 24.6 megapixel resolution. For the serious professionals of the craft, the Nikon D3x is a sight to behold and one piece of work that is definitely nice and useful to have.
Sporting enthusiasts might find its relatively slower capture speed a little hard to work with, however, especially if they’re used to the 11 fps speeds offered by other similar units, like the D3. The Nikon D3x is more conservative with this feature as it only offers around 5 to 7 fps. But, again, if the issue is all about the crisp image quality and resolution, the D3x wins over its older sibling by a mile — if the price tag is not a concern, that is.
The Design
The Nikon D3x’s make is a lot similar to the D3 in terms of handling and ergonomic feel. Stubby photographer fingers will find delight in knowing that the D3x has large buttons that prove to respond very quickly to activity. Its menu selection system is also easy to understand and follow, much to the delight of beginning photographers who want to jump into the professional’s sandbox at first dip. The Live View facility allows the user to easy adjust angles without having to peer through a viewer, while an LCD window makes menu navigation all the more convenient. For the wiggly hands, the Nikon D3x also comes with a vibration reduction feature so it becomes next to impossible to take fuzzy images.
There is really nothing much to be said about the Nikon D3x’s aesthetic and placement that hasn’t already been talked about with its predecessor, the D3. Users familiar with the unit might find at first glance a clone, until, of course, they start twiddling with the D3x and find out that it provides a lot crisper photo quality and navigability.
The Power
Battery power for the Nikon D3x is supplied by a lithium ion EN-EL4a battery pack, which generally comes with the entire package when you buy the unit, although some users would recommend still buying a spare battery, because one is bound to get trigger happy with the D3x’s exciting features. The unit provides images in Raw or JPEG format, which can be used for shooting singly or in tandem. Images captured can go as high as 50 MB 14-bits, which the user can then process into a smaller version using Nikon’s capture software. Other key elements of the Nikon D3x include the EXPEED processing engine exclusive only to the brand, a 51-point auto focus function, plus Nikon exclusive active D-lighting contrast adjustment ability.
Conclusion
Owners of the D3 will appreciate that nothing much has changed with the Nikon D3x’s design and will definitely enjoy the relatively straightforward navigation features of the unit. One might at first glance think that the D3x on the table is actually a D3, unless its features are revealed and jaws start dropping — when it comes to the resolution capacity, of course. Critics of the D3 marvel at the fact that the D3x retained its chunky design, but makers of the Nikon D3x claim that the features more than make up for the aesthetic.
The Nikon D3x is, all over, a hand friendly DSLR that caters to both the professional and the novice. If you’re new to the world of photography and want something that will shock and awe your fellows, the Nikon D3x will not fail to do the job nicely. A good word of advice, though, if you’re willing to settle for a less action-packed unit for half the price, you might want to start with the D3 or, like said, the Sony A900. These two cameras do the job of taking really good images and, for the novice, this is really all that matters, right? With a D3x, you can actually get yourself two D3s, so think about it really hard.
But, if price is not an issue (and you’re planning to go seriously pro in the future), by all means, the Nikon D3x delivers.