Photographer and author, LaNola Stone, shares with us thoughts on being behind the lens while photographing children with this celebration of mothers of all kinds.
The Nikon D3 is a digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) camera introduced
on August 23, 2007, following the D2 series as Nikon's top-of-the-line
professional grade camera. Unlike its two predecessors, at least
initially, the D3 does not have separate H and X variations, such as
the D1H/D1X and D2H/D2X, which are optimized for action photography
(H) and high-resolution applications (X), respectively. However, based
on its specifications such as 9 frames per second (fps), a new
state-of-the-art Multi-CAM 3500 AF module, and a relatively modest
12MP resolution, it is clear that the D3 is optimized for sports,
news, and wildlife photography. Additionally, since the D3 has
excellent high-ISO performance for indoor existing-light conditions,
it should also be a great wedding camera.
Shun Cheung
Another important distinction for the D3 is that it is Nikon's
first DSLR that uses a 23.9x36mm sensor, which Nikon now refers to as
the FX format. For all practical purposes, it is the same size as the
traditional 35mm film frame (24x36mm). Therefore, Nikon F-mount lenses
will produce the same angle of view on the D3 as they do on 35mm film
SLRs, and there is no more digital "crop factor."
As the same time Nikon announced the D3, they also announced the
Nikon D300 (review), which remains at the DX
format (16x24mm) as all previous Nikon DSLRs. The two cameras share
some components such as the AF module.
Where to Buy
You may be able to find a used Nikon D3 on Photo.net's Classified Ads Section or KEH. Otherwise, check out a few of Nikon's
newer full-frame sensor cameras:
Designed for action photography, the D3 is highly
responsive. Powering it up takes a mere 120 milliseconds and its
shutter lag is a short 37ms. The D3 can capture 9 frames per second
with a RAW buffer around 17 frames, depending on the exact
setting. Similar to the D2X/D2Xs, the D3 has a high-speed crop
mode. In that mode, the D3 captures a smaller DX-format frame
(16x24mm), at a frame rate that can optionally go up to 11 frames/sec,
at the expense of no AF re-adjust between frames during the burst. In
other words, at 11 fps, the D3 will auto focus only before the first
frame; if the subject moves, the subsequent frames will likely be out
of focus.
When set at the Continuous High (Ch) 9 frames/sec mode, the D3
will frequently capture two consecutive frames with a quick press on
its shutter release button. That behavior is very similar to the D300.
For an action camera, the D3's RAW buffer is on the small side,
approximately 16 to 17 frames depending on the exact setting. For
example, if Active D Lighting or high ISO above 1600 is turned on, the
buffer size will decrease. In comparison, the D2Hs has a 40-frame RAW
buffer but at only 4MP per frame. One major improvement Nikon has made
to the D3 (and D300) is write speed to memory cards. With the latest
UDMA compact flash cards, the D3 can write approximately one frame
onto the card per second. Therefore, even though the RAW buffer is not
huge, buffer space becomes available again quickly.
Shun Cheung
Controls
The D3 has the very traditional Nikon AF-style controls since the
introduction of the F5 in 1996. The shutter release button is on the
top right side with the on/off switch around it. I am very glad that
Nikon has eliminated the lock on the on/off switch since the F5, as
the lock was annoying when needing to switch the camera on
immediately.
The main and sub-command dials are behind and in front of the
shutter release button respectively, for controlling the shutter speed
and aperture as well as various menu selections. AF point selection is
controlled by a multi-selection pad on the back. Pressing on the
center of the pad will reset the selection to the center AF
point. There is a lock ring around that pad and when the lock is set
to
the L position, it disables the pad to prevent the user from
unintentionally changing the selection. Sometimes people find the
selection pad "not working," and that is the reason.
There are four exposure modes: M (manual), A (aperture priority),
S (shutter priority) and P (program). Metering options are matrix,
center-weighted and spot. Shutter release modes are S (single), CL
(continuous low), and CH (continuous high). Anyone who is familiar
with Nikon AF SLRs from the last 10 years should be able to use those
without any adjustment.
The D3's control layout is almost identical to that of the
D2X. On the back of the camera, all the buttons are in the same
locations except for three minor differences:
AF-mode control: On the D3, the Group Dynamic AF option is removed
and Dynamic Area AF with Closest Subject Priority is replaced by Auto
Area AF with human face detection.
On the D2X, the AF-ON and AE-L/AF-L buttons are right next to each
other. On the D3, they are about 1 cm apart so that it is much harder
to press on the wrong one.
For the vertical (portrait) controls, the locations for the AF-ON
button and the main command dial are swapped. On the D3, the AF-ON
button is closer to the corner of the camera while the main command
dial is a bit lower. I prefer the D3's layout because it is easier to
use the tip of your thumb to press on the AF-ON button and the lower
part of your thumb to rotate the dial. However, since I rarely use
AF-ON, this minor improvement makes little difference to me.
Shun Cheung
Therefore, for someone who is already familiar with the D2X, it is
very easy to pick up the D3 and start using it. However, for those who
use both the D3 and D300, Nikon has changed the way to enlarge a
portion of a captured image during image review on the D300, where
there are separate enlarge and reduction push buttons. That change
only applies to the D300. On the D3, as on previous Nikon DSLRs, hold
down the thumbnail/playback zoom button on the back of the camera and
rotate the main command dial to enlarge and reduce the
magnification. The inconsistency of this feature between the D3 and
D300 is a bit annoying.
Auto Focus
The D3 uses a new AF module, the Multi-CAM 3500, that is also used
on the D300. It has a total of 51 AF points and among them 15 are
cross-type that are sensitive to both horizontal and vertical
patterns. If you hold the camera horizontally, the 15 cross-type AF
points are the ones in the center three columns, five to each
column. Under dim light, typically the cross-type AF points perform
much better.
On the D3, the Multi-CAM 3500 can track moving subjects at 9
fps. My testing of the D3 and D300 cameras indicates that the new AF
module can track flying birds and moving surfers with ease. I would
rate it a step better than the auto-focus on the D2X that uses the
previous generation of Nikon's AF module, the Multi-CAM 2000. With the
D2X, roughly 80 to 90% of my surfing images are in focus. With the D3,
it is quite close to 100%.
For photographing still subjects, one can select any single AF
point of the 51 from the Multi-Selector pad on the back of the camera
and use that to directly cover the subject in the viewfinder. Using
the pad to move the selection one AF point at a time is
slow. Therefore, there is an option to make only 11 AF points (out of
the 51) available for selection (Custom Setting a8). Additionally, if
one presses on the center of the Multi-Selection pad, it resets to the
center AF point.
While the 51 AF points from the Multi-CAM 3500 cover a good portion
on the D300's DX frame, on the D3's FX frame, which has over twice the
area, the 51 AF points only cover the center 25% of the
frame. Therefore, some old-fashioned AF, lock focus, and recompose may
once again be necessary. In particular, if the camera is held in the
portrait (vertical) orientation, there is no cross-type AF point in
the top 1/3 of the frame, where the subject typically is. It can be a
problem under dim light.
For photographing moving subjects, the D3 has the Dynamic AF Area
option (Custom Setting a3) to choose a cluster of 9, 21 or all 51 AF
points to track the subject, with the center of the cluster in any one
of the 51 AF points. A cluster of 9 simply represents a center AF
point with a layer of 8 surrounding it to form a square. A cluster of
21 has a second layer surrounding the 9 inside.
The general rule of thumb is that the fewer AF points that are
involved in deciding the focus, the faster the AF will be. However,
using only 9 AF points, it is rather easy for the D3 to lock onto the
background when the subject briefly moves off the covered area,
causing the common "back focus" problem. My experience is that using
21 AF points seems to be a better compromise. If one selects all 51 AF
points, there is a further option to engage 3D tracking, where the
Multi-CAM 3500 takes additional information from the 1005-pixel
metering CCD inside the viewfinder into consideration. Since the
metering CCD is sensitive to color, 3D tracking is designed to keep
track of a subject's movement provided that it has a different color
and/or a lot of contrast from the background. My experience with this
option is mixed. For smaller subjects that are covered by one or two
AF points, the Multi-CAM 3500 can track the subject for a short while,
but after a few AF point hops, it tends to lose track of it and
latches onto something else instead. For larger subjects that can
occupy 10 or 20 AF points, tracking works a lot better.
Unlike the D2X and D200 that have a Closest Subject Priority AF
mode, the D3 replaces with Auto-Area AF where it will automatically
detect the subject. If the lens used is a D lens (including all AF-S
and G lenses) that can relay focusing distance information to the
camera body, the D3 has the ability to detect human faces
automatically. For the new 3D tracking and face detection features, I
would say there is still plenty of room for future improvement.
LCD Monitor
Shun Cheung
The center of the back side of the Nikon D3 is a 3-inch,
922,000-pixel (640x480, multiplied by three colors) LCD screen. The
large LCD is very convenient for reviewing images and magnified
details. The display can be scrolled to review exposure information
(time stamp, shutter speed, aperture, ISO sensitivity, white balance,
etc.), histograms, and blinking highlights. The D3 does not come with
an LCD cover; it is already protected by tempered glass that is
scratch resistant.
The exposure and auto focus information on the top monochrome LCD
can be duplicated onto the back LCD by pressing the "info" button,
which is also the "key lock" button on the back of the D3. Since the
back LCD has much higher resolution, it can provide additional details
such as which AF point is currently active, which group of AF points
is used in Dynamic AF, and the current frame rate.
Similar to most new DSLRs introduced in the last year or so, the
D3 has the live view option. Instead of using the traditional optical
viewfinder, the photographer can compose with a live image on the back
LCD. This option is very convenient for photographing from either a
high angle such as raising the camera above everybody's head
among a crowd, a low angle for macro work, as well as
precise focus tuning.
The D3 also has a new Virtual Horizon feature. It works the same
way as a bubble level for photography or construction work. The D3
will display a circle on the back LCD, and a horizontal line indicates
by how much the camera is tilted. I have mounted a conventional,
low-tech bubble level on the D3's hot shoe and compare the two levels,
and they track each other very well.
Viewfinder
The D3 has a large and bright viewfinder that shows 100% of the
image. For those who were familiar with the larger viewfinders from
the 35mm-film era and have been complaining about the smaller
DX-format viewfinder, the good news is that the D3's viewfinder is
back to the old format. Personally, I am already quite happy with the
viewfinders on the D2X, D200 and D300. While the D3's viewfinder may
be even better, it is not that important to me.
Across the bottom of the viewfinder area is a list of essential
information including focus confirmation, metering mode, exposure
mode, shutter speed, aperture, sensitivity ISO setting and frame
counter. One unusual change on the D3 is that the scale that displays
over and under-exposure for the M mode and exposure compensation is
moved from the bottom to the right margin inside the viewfinder. It
has the entire margin to itself so that it can display from +3 to -3
stops in 1/3-stop increments. On other models such as the D2X and
D300, the scale inside the viewfinder is limited to a range from +2 to
-2.
Naphtali Visser
High-ISO Performance in Low Light
Simply put, the D3's low-light performance is wonderful. For
years, that was an area Nikon DSLRs were lagging behind the
competition, until the D3 and D300. I have been using the D300 since
it became available in November, 2007 and am glad that in terms of
high-ISO performance, it is approximately two stops better than the
D2X and one stop better than the D200. Essentially, the D300 provides
very good ISO 1600 images and usable ISO 3200 images. At least for
wedding and event photography, the D3 is better yet by about a stop
and half. I have made a number of 8.5x11 inch prints with no
additional noise reduction processing; I would say ISO 3200 captures
look excellent but there is some noise at 6400.
To verify its low-light performance, I tested the D3 at a church
wedding indoors, photographing PJ (photojournalist) style. During the
rehearsal, I purposely captured a lot of candid images at ISO 3200 and
6400, without using the flash. While technically I got a lot of
almost-noise-free images, a major side benefit is that the subjects
were not nearly as conscious about the camera because there was no
flash constantly going off. As a result, the subjects appear to be far
more natural and relaxed in the images.
During the wedding ceremony, I stayed mostly on the balcony. I had
a 200-400mm/f4 VR lens on a sturdy tripod. Because of the dimly lit
environment, at f4 I needed mostly ISO 6400 to get a shutter speed
around 1/60 second, but that was sufficient to freeze all subject
movements and camera vibration even at 400mm. On a camera that maxes
out at ISO 800 or even 1600, it would have been very difficult to
achieve the same results.
12-bit vs. 14-bit Capture and RAW Compression
14-bit capture is a new option for the D3 and D300. I have studied
a number of otherwise identical images at both 12 and 14 bits under
indoor and outdoor conditions. Other than the fact that the 14-bit
image file is larger, the difference is subtle. I have a difficult
time telling them apart. Under high-ISO, low light conditions, 14 bits
might provide a little more details in the shadows.
On the D300, the problem is that in the 14-bit mode, it becomes a
2.5 fps camera. There is no speed penalty for the D3, which
remains at 9 fps in either 12 or 14 bit. The image files will be
somewhat larger. Keep in mind that JPEG files are always 8
bits.
The RAW compression option has been available on Nikon DSLRs for
several generations. Previously, it has always been lossy
compression. Nikon has some algorithm to compress the highlight data
such that the difference is not easily detectable by human vision. I
have also compared a number of compressed vs. uncompressed RAW files,
and I cannot observe any difference. On the D3 and D300, there is now
a lossless compression option, which lets you save some memory space
without any loss of details.
Since memory card and disk drive prices have decreased
significantly in the last few years, for D3 users, you might as well
retain as much information from the camera as possible. I would stay
with 14-bit captures and lossless RAW compression (or uncompressed
RAW), but practically there is little difference from 12-bit captures
with lossy compression.
Shun Cheung
In-Camera Retouch
The D3 has a number of basic in-camera retouch features such as
red-eye reduction, trim (cropping), monochrome, filter effects,
etc. Personally, I prefer to edit images during post-processing on a
computer that has more precise controls. However, there is a lot of
interest in Active D-Lighting, which is new to the D3 (and D300), and
it is similar to PhotoShop's shadow/highlight adjustment but is
performed automatically on the camera. For high-contrast scenes with
dark shadows, Active D-Lighting can automatically brighten up the
shadow areas and tone down the highlights. For news and sports
photographers who capture JPEGs for immediate web publication, this
feature can be quite helpful.
Flash
Similar to all professional-grade Nikon SLRs, the D3 does not have
a pop-up flash. Among Nikon external flashes, the best ones are the
Nikon SB-800 AF Speedlight, (compare prices) (review), and
Nikon SB-600 Speedlight, (compare prices) (review). Both of them have swivel heads that
can be tilted upward for bounce flash in both the horizontal
(landscape) and vertical (portrait) orientations. The SB-800 has more
power and can serve as the master in a Nikon Creative Lighting System
(CLS) set up. It can also accept an optional 5th AA battery and an
external high-voltage power pack for faster recycle time, which is
critical for event photography such as weddings.
The D3 is the first Nikon DSLR that can accept more than just one
memory card. However, unlike the high-end Canon EOS 1D/1Ds series
cameras that can accept one Compact Flash (CF) card and one Secure
Digital (SD) card, the D3 can accept one or two Type I or Type II CF
memory cards or microdrives. The D3 is UDMA (Ultra Direct Memory
Access) compatible so that it can take full advantage of the high
write speeds in some of the latest CF cards, such as Sandisk Extreme
IV and Lexar 300x UDMA.
If two CF cards are inserted into the D3, you can select one of
these three options:
Shun Cheung
Overflow: The D3 will write image files onto the CF card in
slot 1. When that card is full, it will continue to the card in slot
2
Backup: The D3 will write image files onto both CF cards
simultaneously so that there will be two identical copies, similar to
disk mirroring for computer systems
RAW + JPEG: The D3 writes
RAW (NEF) files onto card 1 and JPEG files onto card 2
While memory card failures are fairly rare, some photographers
have concerns about them during important photo sessions, such
as weddings or news events, where there is no second chance. Having
the ability to write to two memory cards simultaneously effectively
eliminates all such worries. (In over five years of using DSLRs, I
have
had only one CF card malfunction, and that happened immediately out
of the box. In other words, I have yet to lose any digital image due
to memory card failures.)
Batteries
The D3 requires one 2500mAh EN-EL4a Lithium-ion battery. The older
version EN-EL4 (1900mAh) originally designed for the D2H, D2X, and F6
is also compatible. Other than the capacity difference, those two
batteries are identical. The EN-EL4a requires a battery chamber cover
BL-4 to hold the battery inside the camera. One annoying fact is that
while the BL-1 battery chamber cover for the D2 series looks almost
identical to the BL-4, they have slightly different sizes and are not
compatible.
Mechanical Construction
Similar to all recent top-of-the-line Nikon SLRs, the D3 has an
all-metal chassis, a rubberized outer shell and weather sealing on
button and switches. The vertical grip with its own shutter release
and command dials is built into the camera as an integral piece. The
advantage is a very solid build at the expense of size and weight. The
D3's shutter is rated at a very high 300,000 actuations.
Choosing a Lens
As a high-end camera, the D3 is available as body only; there
is no kit option. Nikon has a series of
high-quality, constant f/2.8 AF-S zooms with an all-metal
construction. In the last few years, that series included the
17-35mm/f2.8 AF-S, 28-70mm/f2.8 AF-S and 70-200mm/f2.8 AF-S G VR. The
first two have a traditional aperture ring on the lens. The 70-200mm
zoom is a G lens that has no aperture ring. There is also an older
35-70mm/f2.8 AF-D that has no built-in AF motor and has a more limited
zoom range.
At the same time Nikon introduced the D3, they also announced two
additional f2.8 zooms, the 14-24mm/f2.8 AF-S G and 24-70mm/f2.8 AF-S G
as well as 400mm/f2.8, 500mm/f4 and 600mm/f4 AF-S super telephotos
with vibration reduction (VR). All five new lenses have Nikon's latest
nano crystal coating. Combining the 14-24, 24-70 and 70-200, this set
of lenses covers from 14mm ultra-wide to 200mm tele at f/2.8 with no
gaps in the zoom ranges except at the boundaries.
All new high-end (i.e. constant f/2.8) AF-S G lenses now have a
rubber gasket around the lens mount for extra sealing against
moisture.
Shun Cheung
The Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8G ED AF-S, (compare prices), is a super-wide zoom that has
a rather
limited zoom range. This lens has a very convex front element with a
non-removable built-in hood to protect it. There
is no filter thread in front and no filter slot in the
back. Distortion and flare are both very well controlled. This is a
wonderful lens for those who prefer the extreme wide effect. For
landscape photography, I find 14mm to be too wide; one needs to find
some large foreground to have a good composition. However, it is
wonderful for building interior images, especially in tight
corners. The convex front is a bit of vulnerability for this lens. I
have accidentally touched it a couple of times and needed to clean off
my own fingerprint.
The Nikon 17-35mm f/2.8D ED-IF AF-S, (compare prices), has a more traditional zoom
range from super wide to moderately wide. It was originally sold with
the
D1 in 1999 to compensate for the smaller DX sensor, which was still a
new concept at that time. It continues to perform very well on the
D3. The 17-35 accepts 77mm front filters. For those who don't need to
photograph at the very extreme wide angles, this is a more
conventional and very convenient choice.
The Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8G ED AF-S, (compare prices), a moderate wide to short
telephoto. This is a very convenient zoom lens for everyday use as
well as for event photography such as news, weddings, and parties.
The 24-70 is an upgrade from the older film lens 28-70mm, and has the
advantage of an extra 4mm on the wide end, which is significant. The
24-70 is also slimmer but a bit longer than the 28-70, making the
24-70 easier to hand hold. The 24-70 is a G lens with no aperture
ring. I have observed a moderate amount of barrel distortion and
fairly serious vignetting at 24mm, f2.8. It would have been a problem
on film. In this digital age, those optical flaws can be corrected
with post-processing software such as Nikon Capture NX and
PhotoShop. The vignetting is very obvious at 24mm, f/2.8 if the
subject is a uniform blue sky or white wall. However, in real-life
situations, one rarely uses f/2.8 outdoors under sun light, and this
type of vignetting is not easily observable in typical indoor
images. The vignetting lessens at f/4 and disappears by f/5.6.
The Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR, (compare prices), covers a slightly wider range
than the Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8D ED AF Zoom Nikkor, (compare prices) (review), which has been a favorite
since the late 1980's. Nikon introduced no fewer than four different
versions between 1988 and 1998. In 2002, Nikon introduced the current
version, extending the short end to 70mm and added vibration reduction
(VR) to AF-S. VR makes it easier to hand hold in low light
conditions. This is an excellent lens for news, sports,
events/wedding, fashion and landscape photography. Wide open at f/2.8,
it also has a bit of vignetting; if it is stopped down to f/4,
sharpness improves significantly.
Shun Cheung
The D3 has an optional automatic DX crop capability that can be
selected from the Shooting Menu. With this feature on, if a DX lens
that has a small image circle for DX-sensor Nikon DSLRs is mounted,
the D3 will automatically switch to the DX format (16x24mm) at 5MP
instead of 12. Therefore, DX Nikon lenses such as the
Nikon 10.5mm f/2.8G ED AF DX Fisheye, (compare prices), and Nikon 12-24mm f/4G ED IF Autofocus DX, (compare prices) (review), and
Nikon 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED-IF AF-S VR DX, (compare prices), can also be used on the D3 without
vignetting. On larger prints, the image quality is compromised a
little because of the 5MP capture. One issue to keep in mind is that
some third-party DX-equivalent lenses might not have completely
reverse-engineered Nikon's electronic signal such that auto DX crop
does not function properly. In that case the DX crop can be manually
switched on and off.
Compatibility with Older lenses
Nikon has never changed the basic F mount since the original Nikon
F from 1959. The D3 is fully compatible with almost all F mount
lenses, both manual focus and auto focus, since Nikon introduced auto
indexing (AI) in 1977, with a few rare exceptions (such as the two AF
lenses specially designed for the F3, AF version). Pre-AI lenses from
1959 to 1977 must be AI converted before they can be mounted onto most
modern DSLRs. Some of the early fisheye and super-wide lenses that
protrude into the mirror box and require a mechanical mirror lock up
also cannot be used.
Similar to the D1, D2, D200 and D300 family DSLRs, the D3 has the
traditional mechanical aperture setting linkage so that it can meter
with manual-focus lenses that have no built-in CPU, for both center
weighted and spot metering. Additionally, the D3 has a mini lens
database inside. If the information for manual-focus lenses is
pre-programmed into the database so that the D3 body knows what the
maximum aperture is, matrix metering is also available.
Compared to the Nikon D2X/D2Xs and D300
While the D2X/D2Xs, D300 and D3 are all 12MP DSLRs, the
similarities end there. The D2X is now over three years old; it is
limited to 5 fps and its high-ISO performance from 800 and up is
considered poor by today's standards. The D2X's Multi-CAM 2000 AF
module is still excellent, though. While it only has 11 AF points, I
like the fact that those AF points are more spread out inside the
frame, and the "corner" ones are at locations where subjects are
typically positioned.
The D300 shares the same AF capabilities with the D3 and has a
similar frame rate (8 fps with the MB-D10 grip vs. 9 fps for the
D3). Its smaller DX sensor means the pixels are a lot denser. It is
great for wildlife photographers who need the reach for their
telephoto lenses. However, there are fewer options for wide angle
lenses, especially at f/2.8 and faster. The larger sensor and
photosites give the D3 much superior high-ISO performance, by
approximately 1.5 stops; that is one of the main advantages for the
D3.
While the D300 is also well built, it is not quite at the same
level as the D3. For example, the D3's shutter is rated for 300,000
actuations, twice as many as that for the D300. With the MB-D10
vertical grip attached, the D300 is about the same size and weight as
the D3. However, the D300 becomes much smaller without the grip.
Shun Cheung
Compared to the Canon EOS 5D, 1D Mark III and 1Ds Mark III
People like to compare the D3 against Canon's 1Ds Mark III and 5D
because currently (March 2008), they are the only three
full-35mm-frame DSLRs in production. However, functionally, the D3 is
closer to Canon's 1D Mark III, which is also a fast AF, high
frame-rate DSLR with excellent low-light performance suitable for news
and sports photography. They are priced similarly (initially
$4500 for the 1D Mark III and $5000 for the D3). The difference is
that the 1D Mark III has a smaller, 28.1x18.7mm (1.3x crop) sensor,
10MP, can capture up to 10 fps, and has an ISO range that tops at 3200
(extended to 6400). Overall, their specifications are quite similar
and therefore they are direct competitors.
The 1Ds Mark III is currently the top-of-the-line Canon DSLR at
21MP and 5 fps. It is more a studio and landscape camera. The 5D was
introduced in late 2005 and is a somewhat older design. It is
also 12MP still with very good image quality and high-ISO
performance. However, it is only 3 fps with a dated AF module that has
9 AF points, with one of them cross type. Moreover, it has no weather
sealing. It is a smaller, lighter DSLR compared to the
professional Canon and Nikon models. Its price has also dropped to
just
over $2000 depending on rebates, less than half as much as the D3.
Key D3 Features
12.1MP 4256x2832 pixels
23.9x36mm CMOS sensor, Nikon FX format (almost identical to the
conventional 35mm-film frame), with optional DX (24x16mm) and 5:4
(30x24mm) crops.
12-bit or 14-bit capture options
New Multi-CAM 3500 FX AF module with 51 AF points, 15 of them
cross type
9 fps capture, with 11 fps option in the DX crop mode
Sensor sensitivity from ISO 200 to 6400, with an extended range
from Low 1 (roughly ISO 100) to High 2 (roughly ISO 25600)
Dual Compact Flash (CF) memory card storage
USB 2.0 interface, HDMI high-definition video output
(PAL/NTSC)
Active D-Lighting and in-Camera Retouch Options
AF fine tune
Live view option
Virtual horizon (built in electronic "bubble level")
Conclusion
Shun Cheung
The D3 is Nikon's first installment to full-35mm-frame FX-sensor
DSLRs, and they chose to introduce a sports and news DSLR that has
excellent low-light performance. Those were precisely the major
weaknesses previously in Nikon's DSLR line up. For those who would
like
a DSLR optimized for sports, news, and wedding photography, the D3 is
probably the top choice. Since the D3 can handle ISO 3200 easily and
provides
very acceptable 6400 results, it changes the approach to indoor and
low-light photography.
At the time of the D3 announcement, Nikon has also made it very
clear that they will introduce additional FX-sensor DSLRs but provided
few specifics. Merely three days before the D3 was announced, Canon
had introduced a new 21MP, 5 fps, full-35mm-frame (full frame) EOS 1Ds
Mark III DSLR, and during PMA (January) 2008, Sony announced a 24.8MP,
full frame sensor that can go up to 6.3 fps but with only 12-bit
capture. Clearly, there is a market for high-pixel-density,
full frame DSLRs that Nikon will likely also enter. Meanwhile,
there is the prosumer full frame DSLR market segment with DSLRs
such as the Canon EOS 5D with fewer high-end features at a more modest
cost. If one of those types of full frame DSLRs (i.e. high pixel count
and prosumer) may better meet your photographic needs, it probably
pays to wait until later in 2008 and 2009 to see what other FX-format
DSLRs Nikon will introduce to compliment the D3.
At the same time Nikon introduced the D3, they also announced the
Nikon D300, (compare prices) (review), which is a DX-sensor DSLR to
demonstrate that Nikon will continue to support both formats. The D300
shares the same AF module as the D3 but is a step behind as far as
ruggedness and high-ISO performance. However, at about one-third of
the cost of a D3, the D300 is very much a viable alternative and
provides better value for the money. In particular, for those
long-lens users who prefer more reach, the D300's DX format is a plus.
Where to Buy
You may be able to find a used Nikon D3 on Photo.net's Classified Ads Section or KEH. Otherwise, check out a few of Nikon's
newer full-frame sensor cameras:
Nikon 200-400mm f/4G IF-ED AF-S VR II, set at 400mm,
aperture priority mode at f/4, 1/3200s, ISO 250. The surfing images
were captured at a well known surfing spot: Steamer Lane in Santa
Cruz, California, next to the lighthouse. From my camera position, the
surfers were coming in from the right side of the frame moving towards
the left. I use Dynamic Area AF with 21 AF points. The center of the
group is the AF point one column to the right of the center to place
the subject slightly on the right side of the frame, thus leaving some
room in front of him (or her) to move into. The 15 cross-type AF
points among the 51 total AF points are the ones in the center three
columns (in the horizontal/landscape orientation), five in each
column. I keep the center AF point in a cross-type point for best
performance.
Naphtali Visser
Nikon 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED-IF AF, set at 85mm, JPEG
capture with "vivid" mode, aperture priority mode at f/4.5, 1/25s, ISO
6400. Photographing in a dark crowded club with lighting conditions
being less than optimal, the D3 was able to capture the band Cart
Blanch in action with very little noise, although set at ISO 6400.
Shun Cheung
Nikon 200-400mm f/4G IF-ED AF-S VR II, set at 400mm, f/4,
1/25s, ISO 3200. I attended the rehearsal two days prior to the
wedding and confirmed that I could photograph from the balcony,
usually my favorite location for wedding photography. I also tested
the D3 at ISO 3200 and 6400 at that location; after checking the
results, I was confident to use those high ISOs during the actual
wedding. I brought a long zoom so that I could focus on a small group
as well as a larger group of people at the altar without changing
lenses. The D3's performance at ISO 3200 is simply amazing.
Great Review Shun , I appreciate all your hard work with a well presented review. I do have many AI-S MF lenses,especially long telephotos that would be difficult and expensive to replace.My question is this, how is the ability of the viewfinder to show when the image is in focus by looking at the screen. I know you can use the in-focus sensor to help focus MF lenses ,but I was wondering how easy it was to focus on the Ground glass screen, just using your eye? Thanks again for doing this.
Michael, I am probably not the person to answer that question, as I sold my 500mm/f4 P 10 years ago and currently only own two manual-focus AI/AI-S lenses. Two years ago, I had great difficulty manually focusing a Zeiss 50mm/f1.4 ZF on the D2X, as the electronic rangefinder is not that accurate for an f1.4 lens. The larger full FX frame viewfinder on the D3 should help (compared to DX-format viewfinders).
The best solution is probably to find a split-image focusing screen for the D3.
I think you will need to test how easy it is to manual focus with the matte screen yourself, using your eyes. In my personal opinion, it's short of the best film SLR viewfinders (e.g. F6), but not by much. You can manual focus using it, but you'll get more precise focus by using the live view and zooming in to manual focus. I don't know if anyone makes a split-image screen for the D3 though.
-- I don't think the D3 should be thought of as just a sports, news, or wedding camera. It has 12 MP which is more than enough for most photography, except for very large prints. The improvement between 6 and 12 MP in DX size sensors is indeed noticeable in prints, but this is the better part of the lenses - the center. When you increase the pixel density of the D3 to 24 MP - what you might find is unhappiness as the difference between center and edge sharpness becomes more obvious than ever before. Time to buy yet another set of lenses, I'm afraid.
i agree with ellis, haven't seen much on live view for either the d3 or d300. i suspect it will take a dedicated macro-phile to get the best out of this feature, probably the least used (so far) on either of the new nikon bodies.
I have used liveview only twice on the D3 and D300, once at that wedding and once in a party. In other words, there are likely plenty of people who value that feature a lot more than I do.
As far as battery life goes, I can only say the EN-EL4/EN-EL4a is excellent. I have captured close to 1000 images in a day with the D3, and the battery indicator might have lost just 1 bar. When the D2X was my main camera, I typically switch batteries in the middle of the day, so I have never been close to running out.
I regularly use the D3's Live view (in tripod mode and manually focusing) for archtiectural (including cityscapes) and still life shots. The ability to really zoom in and very precisely focus makes the D3 a very powerful tool in those types of situations.
I've been using LiveView on the D3 a lot more than I expected. It's handy for composing over-the-head crowd shots, focusing for still-life/macro stuff, and it was a god-send when I was doing some product photography for my wife. We could compose the shot on the live-view to both of our satisfaction. It's also nice for composing sunrise/set pictures that include the sun. "Do not look into sun with remaining eye".
I am a sharpness freak with a lot of old manual focus lenses. They are easy to focus on the D3, and unlike my D200 the focus indicator is accurate. Something most reviewers miss is that the D3 has built in magic to eliminate chromatic aberration from almost any lens. Old lenses perform really well on the D3 because it has a large sensor with relatively few pixels, and no chromatic aberration. The D3x may require new lenses for top quality in the future. The D3 does not. Check this photo with a 15mm F5.6 from 1977. This will print great at 12*18". http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2390/2321712692_7900981fae_o.jpg
Shun very well done and well presented - thank you.
I just would like to add that despite the major strong points for action photography you mentioned I value the D3 very highly for general application. For me the larger format and this implementation offers the quality of the viewfinder that I need to manual focus older but excellent AI lenses or current AF lenses if the situation calls for it. The large format alone with the intended coverage of the FF lenses is a benefit on its own. A D300 with a set of new lenses is in the same price range as a D3 added to an already existing set of lenses for an F5 or F6. The excellent dynamic range and the unprecedented low light capabilities comes in handy at almost all application. The impressive low light capabilities do not only originate from low noise but impressive color and detail rendering. Noise looks more pleasing than with my D200 - so even if there is visible noise at say 6400 ISO it often looks more acceptable.
Another thing I noticed was the high quality of BW images I was able to get out of this camera (during PS workflow)compared with the D200. I do not know exactly the reason but the image quality lets me rethink my preference for silver based film.
Certainly much more camera than what I "need" as a non professional - nevertheless it carries a remarkable fun factor. So it does not only "deliver" but also gives you the feel to be in control - even though the D200 or the D300 already offer so much.
Nice review of this great camera. I purchased mine however for $4995 which seems to be the going rate at most reputable camera stores. As research would indicate, it sometimes pays to shop around. Amazon does not always have the lowest prices around. B&H, Midwest Photo, Samy's and Adorama are good places to start and they also have the product knowledge to help answer questions you might have.
OK Review, but like many others misses some important points when comparing to the Canons. I do have the Canon 1Ds and 1D and Nikon film cameras. I have friends with the D3. The D3 is a great compromise between the 2 Canons for the price but is not either one. Important things left out of the D3 comparison to the 1D...
1. Frame rate compared, but not number of captured frames in burst! And do you get what they claim.
2. D3 has low temperature issues
3. Battery life
4. Professional support programs
5. Noise should never be compared without fine detail. Anyone can completely remove noise with processing, but it's how much detail you lose that's important.
6. Higher ISO in camera is nice, but RAW files can get higher ISO's by changing exposure settings during conversion if not available in camera. At ISO's that high, I would hope you would be doing some post production noise removal anyway, so in camera higher ISO level adjustments not so important.
This review is very good in my opinion and your focus of interest and application is a different one to mine (my review is at http://www.gnyman.com/NikonD3vsNikonD2xs.htm ), but both of us came to similar conclusions. What I do not understand is that Nikon allows so much vignetting at their new 24-70mm prime lens, at 24mm it is very noticeable and disturbing - and that lens is not cheap at all! I love the D3 and yes, as you pointed out, there is a large improvement made over the D2x(s)..
Thanks for this interesting review!
Georg N.Nyman, Vienna/Austria
Before the D3 and D300 came on the scene, my main camera was the D2X, which has a 17-frame RAW buffer and a max rate of 5fps (I don't like the D2X's high-speed crop mode and don't use it). When there is a lot of wildlife or sports action so that I need to capture one burst of 3, 4, 5 frames after another, I have occasionally filled up the D2X's RAW buffer and of course when that happens, the camera is effectively disabled for 10, 20 seconds until sufficient buffer is freed up.
Therefore, when I first saw the specification that the D3 also has a 17-frame RAW buffer (again, the exact size varies depending on settings), I was quite disappointed. In particular, at 9fps, it would seem to be much easier to fill up the D3's buffer. However, as it turns out, with UDMA-compatible compact flash memory cards, the D3 and D300's can write about 5 times as fast as the D2X can. Instead of taking 4, 5 seconds to write a RAW file into the memory card, it is about 1 second for the D3 and D300. That makes a huge difference for action photography. For example, if there is a 5-second pause in the action, the D3 can free up sufficient buffer space for another burst of 5 frames while the D2X can free up about 1 frame. Now, I have been using the D300 and then the D3 since November, 2007, and I have yet to run out of buffer space once during actual action photography.
So, don't just read the specs about the size of the RAW buffer. How fast the camera can write to flash memory makes a big difference in real life action photography.
As far as battery life goes, again, I have captured over 1000 images on the D3 within a day with a lot of chimping, and there was more than 50% of the charge left. I can see that it is a concern if you are camping at a remote location for two weeks without any opportunity to recharge. Otherwise, as long as you can charge your battery every night, this is a complete non issue. I typically carry a spare EN-EL4(a), and even that is really unnecessary.
The 24-70mm/f2.8 AF-S lens has been discussed quite a few times in the Nikon Forum discussion. The vignetting at 24mm, f2.8 is serious enough that we got in touch with Nikon USA to get a second sample for further evaluation. I also checked a freind's copy. Unless your subject is something like a uniform blue sky or white wall outdoors, vignetting is not that obvious in more real-life, indoor images when one tends to use this lens at 24mm, f2.8. The vignetting goes away by f5.6 so that it is typically a non issue outdoors, and it can be corrected easily in post processing. However, I would say I am somewhat disappointed that such a high-end lens from Nikon shows so much vigentting, although I am planning to buy a 24-70 myself later on.
For those who would like to see some details at high ISO, I am attaching a pixel-level crop (see above) from the very first image in this article, which was captured at ISO 3200. I have printed a lot of ISO 3200 and 6400 images from that wedding to 8.5x11", and I am very happy with the results and so is the bride. (Compared to 3200, ISO 6400 does have more noise and less contrast/saturdation.) For those who are interested in pixel-level high-ISO comparisons, Georg Nikolaus Nyman's review has a number of them.
Great review and for the record, I love my D3 and it is clear to me that Nikon have designed this camera to be used as an SLR was originally intended and has always been used for; a sports, pj and event camera. if i want to shoot landscape or studio shots, I'll use my Hasselblad. I really hope Nikon do not get sucked into this high MP race and sacrifice their beautiful image quality they have with the D3 and those big fat pixels.
Regarding the option of a split screen: Brightscreen.com has one available. It is a dream come true to use old manual focus lenses and also the newer Zeiss ZF lenses to their full potential. Although useful, the in-focus light in the viewfinder is not ideal and this screen is the real thing.
"Nikon have designed this camera to be used as an SLR was originally intended and has always been used for; a sports, pj and event camera. If I want to shoot landscape or studio shots, I'll use my Hasselblad."
If one is after the very best landscape photos, then the Hassy is not going to be good enough, either: better break out the 8x10 view cameras. For the rest of us, a decent DSLR is probably going to work just fine. For most persons, it is not going to matter too much whether the sensor has twelve, sixteen, or twenty-two megapixels. Although I currently shoot Canon, the D3 sounds like an excellent camera to consider if one is going to have only one high-end camera for a variety of applications.
This sounds like one very versatile camera that is truly superb for action shots, but it certainly is not likely to do a shabby job in other applications as well. The D3 does seem to have raised the bar where digital versatility is concerned. I won't be selling my Canon gear anytime soon, but I certainly would counsel those who have yet to invest in lenses to be very careful which DSLR body to buy at this point. I like my full-frame Canons (5D and 1Ds II) but I still miss the aperture ring on Nikon lenses. I really think, though, that I could be happy with either brand at this point, and the next round of models is only going to mean even better results. We can all be happy enough to lay the Ford-Chevy debate to rest, can't we? There will always be something better, but full-frame DSLRs are so good now that I don't think that most of us are going to be unhappy either way we go. I'm happy.
Almost 1 year after it was introduced, dpreview finally got a sample & showed its picture quality was identical to the EOS 5D. Considering the reduced pixel count & the tendancy of dpreview to bump up specs for newer products, they're identical. Being the same output & twice the price of the 5D makes Nikon's move mostly an inflation play.
With that in mind, internet posts do affect revenue & we don't want to hurt a stock price by being negative. Nikon added a lot of software & speed with that higher tag & they wouldn't do it unless it was really important for us consumers to have it, so you won't catch us saying the extra 2.5g for the Nikon isn't worth it.
Jack, I don't hear people who've bought the D3 complaining. I'd probably buy a second one for backup if I didn't expect a prosumer body with a similar sensor to come out in 2009. And yes, I considered the 5D but it didn't allow me to see the viewfinder image in one look with my glasses on so it was not useable to me, not to mention all the stories of mirrors falling out not giving much confidence on the quality of the product. Live view is also missing in the 5D, as is the possibility of using Zeiss glass with automatic aperture. The D3 actually allows you to take several pictures before the camera becomes unresponsive because its flushing its RAW buffer. Judging from the dpreview samples the D3 high ISO image quality with ACR seems to be about 1-1.5 stops ahead of the 5D, and if we use Capture NX, the difference grows since Nikon's tailor-made algorithms give a better result at high ISO than other RAW converters on this camera (documented in several raw converter comparisons on the net), at a cost of some increase in conversion time.
Worth every penny. Can't imagine photography without it, I think it's a 10-year leap in technology.
Don't forget that a large part of the attraction of this camera is that it's the first Nikon full-frame DSLR. It allows the utilization of numerous older Nikon lenses to their fullest quality, for the first time with digital capture (the Kodak was an interesting attempt but with bad ergonomics and other issues which prevented its widespread utilization). Since the Nikon D3 has compatibility with manual focus lenses, including matrix metering and automatic aperture, one can use inexpensive high quality optics which are built to last.
"Can't imagine photography without it, I think it's a 10-year leap in technology."
For six months, max.
Yes, great camera, but you're beginning to sound like a paid endorser. I've shot the 5D and never had the problems you allude to. Maybe a bit less anecdotal "evidence" and a bit more hard data?
This is a great camera, but let's put it in perspective. It is one in a string of breakthroughs, all of which have been quite remarkable in retrospect. I wonder what kind of competition it will be running up against in, say, six months, or six years--my frame of reference, since I have been shooting digital now almost exactly six years. The Nikon D100 came out not too long after I bought my Olympus E-20 back in January, 2002. The D100 was also a big leap in noise reduction for that era, especially at low light.
I wonder, in any case, what the next six years are going to bring. This is a very wonderful camera. That is clear. It might represent the true maturation of digital, since it is fast and full-frame and very low noise, with quite a healthy number of megapixels--quite a remarkable combination when one thinks about it.
Nikon hit a home run with this one. They needed it, and they got it. We are all richer for it, regardless of which brand we shoot. I hope that it keeps Canon honest on prices.
Jack, you cannot compare the 5D to the D3. They are different cameras targeted at diffent people. I did not purchase a D3 for improved image quality at normal ISO. I wasn't complaining about my D200 in that departement.
Landrum, I like the Hassy for landscapes because it's a great compromise between portablility, ease of use, and cost effectiveness for me however I do agree that a Large camera is an improvement.
Hi,
With respect to buffer depth for shooting 12-Bit RAW files, this is only 1.9sec worth of continous shooting. As pointed out D3 may clear the buffer fast but then again, it may just stop at the "moment" you wished to snap. I usually like at least 3sec of non-stop continous shooting. I want to know what would the max number of frames in a burst if you lower the shooting speed to say 5-6 fps. Is it possible to get more shots in a sequence?
Nice camera, great handling,but too costly.I have used Canon 5D and Nikon D40X extensively.Recently I borrowed Nikon D3 from my friend
and used it for a week but sorry to say a serious professional like me
will not spend 5000 $ for this camera.I even found better shots from
my 5D.When I see at actual pixel in Photoshop, D3 comes with more noise specially in low light photography.So......
Nice camera, great handling,but too costly.I have used Canon 5D and Nikon D40X extensively.Recently I borrowed Nikon D3 from my friend and used it for a week but sorry to say a serious professional like me will not spend 5000 $ for this camera.I even found better shots from my 5D.When I see at actual pixel in Photoshop, D3 comes with more noise specially in low light photography.So......
------------------------------
What? So let me get this straight. Countless people praise the D3 and its clean image at high ISO and you claim that it "comes with more noise especially in low light photography." So everyone else is off and you're the one on point?
Sure you can find better images from your 5D and your D40...I can find better images from my 3 MP point and shoot digital than my D3...I took a great shot of the beach house with the point and shoot which had great contrast and color! I compared it to a picture I took of my cat last night hiding under the kitchen table...Boy, that D3 really looks grainy and lacks a lot of color.
Point is, on average, I would bet that the D3 consistantly puts out a better quality image 99.5% of the time when compared to a D40 and 75% of the time when compared to a 5D. It wont win every battle, but it will win more often than both of those two cameras you mentioned.
I love my Nikon D200 with the 18-200 mm lens as it satisfies about 98%+ of my shooting requirements (about 1000 photos per week). Just for the heck of it I purchased a D3 (my wife loved my decision......ha, ha). Wow! I was stunned by the low light performance. After shooting several photos at ISO 6400 and reviewing them on my computer I was sure that there was something wrong with the information detail attached to the photo and that I was really shotting at something like ISO 640 (if there is such a value). But, the information was correct and I was simply getting beautiful results at ISO 6400. Since then I have been taking adventage of every indoor and low light photo opportunity that I can get and have been getting wonderful results. It is changing the way that I approach and enjoy photography. Although I will continue to keep my D200 within arms reach I am keeping my D3 a bit closer as it will allow me to expand my photography adventures. Keep up the great work, Nikon! P.S. ...... After seeing many of my stunning D3 photos my wife is very pleased that I treated myself to a really cool piece of equipment.
I work primarily in travel/cultural/event photography in Asia and the D3 is the best thing since a bowl of rice. Besides its many wonderful features I particularly enjoy its divine tonal quality, which seems to be even more pronounced in high ISO, dim light conditions, which I find myself in a lot of the time.
This now sits alongside my trusty D2xs although I now find myself reaching for the D3 first and foremost. The D3 has opened up a whole new world of photographic opportunities that were never presented before in my field.
A relatively low-resolution (12mp, by today's standards anyway) camera with no crop factor is not "clearly optimized for wildlife." Far from it. The Canon 50D by comparison, with 3 more mp and a significant crop factor, is a far better choice, even with the 6 fps vs. 9. Far more reach, you're only using the sharper part of the lens, and it costs only about 25% of what the D3 does.
And what's with saying
"The Nikon D3, $4100, can be purchased overnight from Adorama."
Yes, and it can also be purchased from a thousand other places
Been using the D3 for some time now - about 12 months. I'm not a pro - just an enthusiastic amateur - and I have now paired it with a D700. I usually take two bodies and two lenses on a shoot with possibly a third or fourth in vest pockets. (This is a hang over from my film days when I always had one loaded with colour and the other loaded with B&W). Dependent on what I'm expecting I use a 14-24 or 24-70 with 70-200 on other body, may have 24 PC-E or 105 Micro in vest. My main love is architecture, landscape and seascape together with Photoshop abstracts. I love the bright viewfinders of the FX bodies but have swopped the D3 focus screen to the grid version. For some shoots I use a 500mm f4 and a 1000mm reflex f11 - both MF Nikkors and for those I find that "Live View" is the best form of focus. I am so pleased with the FX that I have got rid of all my DX stuff - D2X, D300 and D200 plus all the DX lenses that went with them. D3X? If I want a camera akin to a Medium Format, I'll get a dedicated one. Thanks for an excellent initial review.
, March 14, 2008; 03:26 P.M. 
