DSLRUsers.com

I was fortunate enough to get myself a D2x. What i love best is the handling and instant response!

Most shots are taken in manual mode with a 50mm 1.4mm lens, matrix metering

Rain drops on surface, looks like a macro lens was used, but the D2x captures such a large image that a cropped closeup image gives off the impression of a macro shot. 400/sec f/1.4 ISO100 white balance 47000K
http://www.zeduce.org/images/experimental/d2x1.jpg

79kb 1280x1024 version
http://www.zeduce.org/images/experimental/aqualuna1.jpg



Friday night drinks. The camera handles great freehand, in low light conditions with surprisingly low noise. 50/sec f/1.4, ISO640
http://www.zeduce.org/images/experimental/d2x2.jpg

captures a nice image of action in even lower light conditions 100/sec f/1.4, ISO740
http://www.zeduce.org/images/experimental/d2x3.jpg

Flower - Impression of macro at 50mm f3.2 custom white balance
http://www.zeduce.org/images/experimental/d2x4.jpg

This is a 100% crop of the original image, RAW compressed, post handling by RAW shooter essentials
http://www.zeduce.org/images/experimental/d2x5.jpg

Rain drops - 400/sec f/1.4 white balance 6800Kelvin
http://www.zeduce.org/images/experimental/d2x6.jpg

Raining down at the Maritime Museum - the D2X survives the rain!
30sec f/16 ISO200
http://www.zeduce.org/images/experimental/d2x7.jpg

Opera House - 2 sec f/8 ISO100
http://www.zeduce.org/images/experimental/d2x8.jpg

Opera House - In full automatic mode the D2X yields good results in hard to meter situations.
http://www.zeduce.org/images/experimental/d2x_rawCompression2.jpg
- 1.04MB download

Night Cityscape - 15sec f/16 ISO100, captured in compressed RAW(may notice some artifacts)
http://www.zeduce.org/images/experimental/d2x_rawCompression.jpg - 6MB download

Many thanks goes to Bidddog for supplying the camera!
If anyone is thinking of getting a D2X get it from birddog, the after sales service and support is second to none!

Nothing but drool here at the sound of a D2X with a 50mm 1.4.

Love the raindrops photo! No words required to describe it.

Wendell, love your raindrops and also Opera House. Enjoy the new toy

wendellt,
Now I understand why did you want the D2x
But there's a long way for you to go.

Noooooooooo,

There should be a ban on pics from that body.

great pics though( love Opera house)


MATT

That camera is amazing. The rain drops shot is truly wonderful.

Nice one

And I thought that I had gotten past coveting one

Oneputt,

Oneputt wrote:And I thought that I had gotten past coveting one

Just have to settle for a D200 when released as a second body.

Nice pictures wendel - love both rain drop photos (and how they define the plane of focus so well)

Nice shots Wendel - you lucky boy!

Great shots not only for the quality of the D2X but also the man himself - what a great eye

Wow...I had heard it's good, but that Full Auto INTO THE SUN shot is incredible...is that exactly how it came out? Not filters? No harsh PPing? i can't believe that the foreground details exposed okay!

Wendell,

Love the D2X shots, I have had mine for 3 weeks now and it will be some time before I am ready to lug it around on Friday night drinks.....pretty hard to stick it in the top pocket when you are downing a few schooners!

Cheers

Stuart

WOW !

Simply stunning! I love the rain drops and the opera house and bridge ones. Congrats on your new purchase!!

.......still in awe!!

Thankyou everyone for the comments, it's much appreciated

It's a real stressful camera, can't rest, cant keep up with it. I feel an overwhelming responsibility to think before i shoot, more so compared to shooting on the coolpix 8700

'wacky' full automode 'p programmed auto', the matrix metering helped a great deal, although i think i set the camera with +3 ev exposure compensation.

'smac' is yours insured? i shouldn't have taken it out on friday night drinks, but i thought i was pretty discreet while taking shots and i only had 1 champs with friends.

Sigh, all these new members with D2Xs. Should be some sort of limit on the number of posts before you can purchase one of these babies.

Or perhaps Birddog could give away for every member who hits 5000 posts a new D2X

Ps, I hate you all!


My lineup for new toys is the following:

1. 500MM F/4 AFS
2. 1.4x TC to suit
3. Gitzo/Manfrotto Monopod + head to suit arcaswiss style plates
4. Wimberley Sidekick or Wimberley head
5. D2X
6. 105MM Macro


Not sure if I should sell off my tripod + head to afford these wonderful items, I've considered it many a times. Then I've convinced myself to keep it. Besides, the Wimberley wouldn't be much good without it

Hi this is serious question. Finally I am close to purchasing a d2x. But.......
This is a question that has me nagging......

everything being equal -> would the owners of D2x have got these great photos with a D70? or D1x. (Please note I am talking about the static landscape and artsic shots not action of F1 cars as such though MattK seems to get great racing shots with a D70, I guess no substitute for talent)

I use a D100 and was going to upgrade to a D1x but the difference was not great enough than thought about D70. But D2x is a generation and a half better.

I know that the EYE is important -> I am asking in reference to.... if I had a great eye for framing would D2x be better for me or get a 28-70mm AFS and 70-200 AFS both VR.

I have in my bag
17mm tokina ATX,
Nikkor 24mm AFD,
50mm f1.4,
Sigma 105mm Macro
18-70mm AFS DX (from Mikail),
70-200mm HSM Sigma.

Just recently got rid of 24-70mm f2.8 Sigma ex (too soft).

ipv6ready wrote:everything being equal -> would the owners of D2x have got these great photos with a D70? or D1x. (Please note I am talking about the static landscape and artsic shots not action of F1 cars as such though MattK seems to get great racing shots with a D70, I guess no substitute for talent)
.

Yes, the skill of people behind the viewfinder is the main factor.
No, The D2x is in the difference league of the D70 or D70s or D100, large viewfinder, easy to do DOF preview, more faster and its buffer is larger, double resolution or can using crop factor, you can't compare an apple to an orange.

I know that the EYE is important -> I am asking in reference to.... if I had a great eye for framing would D2x be better for me or get a 28-70mm AFS and 70-200 AFS both VR.

Yes, it's and the 28-70 AF-S is not VR only the 70-200VR

I have in my bag
17mm tokina ATX,
Nikkor 24mm AFD,
50mm f1.4,
Sigma 105mm Macro
18-70mm AFS DX (from Mikail),
70-200mm HSM Sigma.

Just recently got rid of 24-70mm f2.8 Sigma ex (too soft

Glad to hear that you dumped one of your Sigma

ipv6ready wrote:Hi this is serious question. Finally I am close to purchasing a d2x. But.......
This is a question that has me nagging......

everything being equal -> would the owners of D2x have got these great photos with a D70? or D1x. (Please note I am talking about the static landscape and artsic shots not action of F1 cars as such though MattK seems to get great racing shots with a D70, I guess no substitute for talent)

I use a D100 and was going to upgrade to a D1x but the difference was not great enough than thought about D70. But D2x is a generation and a half better.

I know that the EYE is important -> I am asking in reference to.... if I had a great eye for framing would D2x be better for me or get a 28-70mm AFS and 70-200 AFS both VR.

Primarily i purchased the d2x because i wanted a rugged travel camera with instant response, that would withstand european winters and middle eastern dust storms, it served me to get it early so i could learn it before i go away at the end of the year.

It all comes down to talent and technical competence. i know people who shoot brilliant shots just bursting with emotional depth, layered concepts, vivid colours and high contrast with a d70 or other camera.

i guess i was just lucky enough to save up and buy one, before this camera i was using a coolpix 8700 and before that a canon Ixus i was happy with the results just for my own self fulfilment.

For framing i would suggest 1 wide angle lens like the 12-24DX and a medium telephoto 24-120 VR, these two lenses cover a great range. I do not think you need a D2x body just to get good framed shots, the lenses you mentioned would be more use to you.

Personally i could only see myself with a 12-24dx
28-70 AFS and a 80-400VR telephoto lenses help me compose/frame the shot much easier

Wendelt, having said that, I still hate you.

As soon as i get my tax return I need to buy the cheapest international five or six day package to any country ..... Fiji?

Buy the D2x from Birdy, claim TRS on the way out (GST refund) and I get 1/2 price holiday .

That way I will feel better and have a great holiday

Pity I can't take the girlfriend.......but after D2x I can't afford one anyway

ipv6ready wrote:Hi this is serious question. Finally I am close to purchasing a d2x. But.......
This is a question that has me nagging......

everything being equal -> would the owners of D2x have got these great photos with a D70? or D1x.

Yes, absolutely. But there would have been some differences: the D2x seems to handle difficult lighting situations (high subject contrast range, blown highlights) more gracefully, and there's the ability to resolve a better image, plus of course better quality printed output.

[quote] I know that the EYE is important -> I am asking in reference to.... if I had a great eye for framing would D2x be better for me or get a 28-70mm AFS and 70-200 AFS both VR.[quote]

I'm not sure I unbderstand the question. The lenses are body-agnostic, and will work well for you regardless of the (Nikon) body that's attached.

What sort of subjects do you shoot? What body do you feel will best suit that need? What lenses do you feel will best suit that need?

Ask yourself those questions instead; I feel that will give you a better answer.

ipv6ready wrote:As soon as i get my tax return I need to buy the cheapest international five or six day package to any country ..... Fiji?

Probably NZ on Virgin.

Your other choice might be a cheap flight to HK, and then do your shopping there.

kipper wrote:Sigh, all these new members with D2Xs. Should be some sort of limit on the number of posts before you can purchase one of these babies.

Or perhaps Birddog could give away for every member who hits 5000 posts a new D2X

Ps, I hate you all!


My lineup for new toys is the following:

1. 500MM F/4 AFS
2. 1.4x TC to suit
3. Gitzo/Manfrotto Monopod + head to suit arcaswiss style plates
4. Wimberley Sidekick or Wimberley head
5. D2X
6. 105MM Macro


Not sure if I should sell off my tripod + head to afford these wonderful items, I've considered it many a times. Then I've convinced myself to keep it. Besides, the Wimberley wouldn't be much good without it

Kipper,

your time will come when you shall have all these goodies in your bag


All you have to do is go on a water and instant noodle diet like I did and it'll come faster

gstark wrote:Yes, absolutely. But there would have been some differences: the D2x seems to handle difficult lighting situations (high subject contrast range, blown highlights) more gracefully, and there's the ability to resolve a better image, plus of course better quality printed output.

I guess this is the kind of thing that makes a difference more than the higher megapixel count.

Has anyone got any shots which show blooming with the D2x? (most common when shooting at the sun - digital looking highlight distortion)

I hadn't previously thought about this much... It could be one of the best arguments for the D2x. If it actually does cope better in dynamic range, subtlety of blown highlights, blooming etc. it could make me all the more eager to take the plunge...

Heath Bennett wrote:

gstark wrote:Yes, absolutely. But there would have been some differences: the D2x seems to handle difficult lighting situations (high subject contrast range, blown highlights) more gracefully, and there's the ability to resolve a better image, plus of course better quality printed output.

I guess this is the kind of thing that makes a difference more than the higher megapixel count.

Well, for the D2X, the megapixel count is a significant difference, especially when you take into account its dual mode capability. But yes, you're quite correct in highlighting the fact that there are other differences, such as the image processing algorithms, and of course the camera's outright performance capabilities, that make up the total package.

Has anyone got any shots which show blooming with the D2x? (most common when shooting at the sun - digital looking highlight distortion)

Did you look at this image of Wendel's? While it's not quite the situation you're describing, it's not too far off the mark either.

I hadn't previously thought about this much... It could be one of the best arguments for the D2x. If it actually does cope better in dynamic range, subtlety of blown highlights, blooming etc. it could make me all the more eager to take the plunge...

While I've not yet had a chance to play with a D2X for a significant enough time, my impressions are that it does cope very well with a wide dynamic range. It's as though the D70 has a range similar to, say E125, whereas the D2x comes closer to VPF 100 in terms of dynamic range, but with the saturation and resolution of K64. If that's the case (and I don't yet know), then it's really quite a leap forward in digital technology.

Gstark you read my mind.

D2x it is and a heres to a new girlfriend with lesser expensive taste

I cannot seem to juggle two

Has anyone got any shots which show blooming with the D2x? (most common when shooting at the sun - digital looking highlight distortion)

Hi Heath

according to the manual the D2X should never be pointed directly at the sun because it could damage the CCD. to counter this i direct the camera at the sun but compose the shot so there is an element blocking the brightest part of the sun.
The dynamic range of the halo and surrounding ambient light is evident in the following experimental images, all shot on the D2X aperture priority full auto mode and hand held

Subtle tones of blue/grey in the backlit piers, note strong light source, piers still visible. Also note strong highlights appear to be yellow with a tad of green and blue much less warmer than expected, more true to life colour rendering in such a high contrast scene f8, auto white balance, matrix metering.
http://www.zeduce.org/images/experiments/dynamicRange1.jpg

Much smoother vignettes in a high contrast scene, the auto matrix metering mode still allows for subtle tones in the silhouette. Aperture priority F/8
http://www.zeduce.org/images/experiments/dynamicRange2.jpg

custom white balance, matrix metering, notice the blowout in the bottom left - D2X renders colours smoothly, F/8
http://www.zeduce.org/images/experiments/dynamicRange3.jpg

high contrast warm scene, the D2X still maintains subtle tones - i can make out some green, notice the fine detail on the windows regardless of the blowout from the sun. F/8
http://www.zeduce.org/images/experiments/dynamicRange4.jpg