Play with the D3

[Antsl]

Hi all
I got my hands onto the Nikon D3 last night and I have to say that its pretty amazing. The camera I played with was a pre production camera but the results off it looked promising. At 25,600 ISO the image quality was rather naf.... I expected that.....but at the 1600 to 3200 range the image quality is really exciting. I was not able to do anything too clinical but I definitely felt the images are a huge improvement on anything else Nikon had delivered. The colours were good in mixed light and the blacks were clean and solid. The camera was lovely to handle too. While most of the bods there got to play with the cameras on a tripod mounted 600mm f4 lens one the Nikon guys managed to pull out the new 24-70mm f2.8 lens out and drop it onto the D3 for me.... very nice. Again... it was the wrong time and place to be doing thorough testing but it was good...... not as bulky as the 28-70 either. They had the Nikon D300 there as well and that looks to be a lot better than the D200 in low light.... not sure about the live view thing yet.... more to follow.

[PiroStitch]

Hi old buddy old pal old buddy

Did you take it home with you?

Sounds like a promising camera. Was waiting for someone to comment on the whole 20k ISO image quality. I can imagine it'd be useful for the trash that goes into New Idea, etc

[Antsl]

Hi Wayne

I think that 25,600 ISO setting is as good as or even better than you would get out of the Nikon D2Xs at 3200 ISO.... it's not to shoot fine art with but at the same time there are going to be people out there who find it useful.... it is there for the sake of documenting / recording near impossible situations. Expect law enforcement agencies and the military to be queuing to use this setting.
Some of the photos I made with the camera at 25,600 were passable. Where the camera did become very acceptable was at 3200.... I really can find that setting very useful. Sadly there were no CF cards on hand (not permitted) and so all the images were simple one shot captures that could only be reviewed while they were on the LCD before vanishing in an invisible puff.
The event was actually the Nikon Roadshow for retail.... most of the gang from Teds, Camera Action, Michaels etc were there for a look at the D3, D300 and the new Coolpix range (the new 8-megapixel P50 with 28mm wide setting and new Expeed processor has a RRP of $429.... good buying for an interesting camera!). I got an invite along to get a look at the cameras now because when they do actually get released I am going to be busy with other things!
I also had a look at the D300 and again, while it was a cursory look it was very interesting.... the results at 1600 ISO are definitely a lot better than the D200..... There were a few dickheads there that were grumbling at the fact that it was noisy at 6400 ISO....
As for the 24-70 2.8.... I definitely want one although I don't think I will be able to afford it at the moment... the only thing that puts me off it is a rather intimidating lens hood.... given that it has all these new coatings designed to elmimate aberations, ghosting etc I would have thought it could have been a little smaller (the hood that is!).
The only sad thing about last night was that they weren't giving away free samples and my own attempts to bolt for the door with D3 and 24-70 2.8 were hindered by security.... hopefully my shoulder will come right again within the next few days!!!

Talk soon!

[PiroStitch]

Great to hear Antsl. Can't wait to see your review of it.

Here's an idea...maybe you can stick the D3 onto your wedding registry

[Antsl]

Nice thought! Will let you know if I get something to play with!

[moggy]

Good review, all we need now are some firm prices.

[Antsl]

Good review, all we need now are some firm prices.

There was no hint on prices for the D3 and D300 at the show and tell last night... the only thing that was confirmed was that the D200 and the D2Xs were still in play with the prices being $2499(?) and $6499 respectively.

[methd]

If it's $6.5k I would be so happy! A few places are currently taking orders @ up to $7.3k for them.

[Reschsmooth]

Good review, all we need now are some firm prices.

There was no hint on prices for the D3 and D300 at the show and tell last night... the only thing that was confirmed was that the D200 and the D2Xs were still in play with the prices being $2499(?) and $6499 respectively.

Interesting side note - Borges has the D300 at $80 more than the D200, based on approximate pricing. The D3 is actually $140 less than the D2xs on their pricing (obviously this will change in due course).

[chrisk]

I also had a look at the D300 and again, while it was a cursory look it was very interesting.... the results at 1600 ISO are definitely a lot better than the D200.

one would hope so. the d200 at 1600 was terrible. i wonder how its going to compare to the 40d where the iso1600 is very good indeed.

[olrac]

Not allot of info but at least some different images from the D3

http://www.moosepeterson.com/moosenews/index.php

[Antsl]

I have been struggling to get onto that Moose Peterson site... I have the feeling it is one of the most popular sites on the net at the moment....

[NJ]

in respect to pricing, the people at the nikon shindig that i spoke to on tuesday night were hinting at the RRP for the D3 is going to be around 10-11k, i was shocked...i had a play too, 11 fps is awesome haha. and D300 noise looked pretty good to me at 3200!

[gstark]

in respect to pricing, the people at the nikon shindig that i spoke to on tuesday night were hinting at the RRP for the D3 is going to be around 10-11k, i was shocked...

And they were either wrong, or misleading you.

Expect PP7.5K

[Ivanerrol]

Adorama is taking orders for the D3 now (delivery??) at US$ 4.999.95.

If Nikon Aus wants to charge $ 10 -11k there will be a lot of grey market units in Australia. Even AU$ 7.5 is pushing their luck a little bit compared to Adorama prices.

Wonder what Poon will charge we he gets them?

[DVEous]

... Obsolete ...

[NJ]

had a feeling they were gary, i was in no way stating that would be the price, just figures being thrown at me.

[Nnnnsic]

in respect to pricing, the people at the nikon shindig that i spoke to on tuesday night were hinting at the RRP for the D3 is going to be around 10-11k, i was shocked

You should be. The people at Nikon Australia's launch those weeks ago when I went told me to expect something lower than that.

[olrac]

That pricing (10-11k) would make sense if it was buddied with the 24-70 as a kit lens.

Just a thought

[Alpha_7]

That is some kit lens Perhaps if it came with both of the new lenses in a "twin kit" lens setup 10-11k might not be so bad.

[Antsl]

That is some kit lens Perhaps if it came with both of the new lenses in a "twin kit" lens setup 10-11k might not be so bad.

Yes..... you buy the D3 as a kit with the 14-24/2.8 and the 24-70/2.8 for 11K..... that sounds really reasonable!
(They were going to throw into the kit the 70-300/f4-5.6 kit lens but research showed the PJs were'nt interested!)

[Reschsmooth]

I would have thought the 400 2.8 VR would have made a nice kit lens for $11k

[olrac]

d3 $7500 (or there abouts)
24 - 70 $2500 (or there abouts)

10,000

That is the sum I was doing in my head anyway.

[Spooky]

I notice on the B&H site the D3 is $4999USD but when I checked the shipping cost and put in Australia it gave me a message saying due to manufacturer restrictions this item is not able to be shipped overseas?

Bummer.

Poon, oh Poon


At $7500 that is about $1000 more than you would pay from the US (assuming you find someone that will ship it). We will soon see how much Nikon Australia want to shaft us and whether they are serious about looking after the local market or force people to source overseas.

[MHD]

I've been laying low for a little while so the D3 is all news to me...

I like this feature for owners of DX lenses who dont want to crop:

Also supports DX lenses, viewfinder automatically masks (5.1 megapixels with DX lens)

But can it be turned off?????

[Heath Bennett]

I've been laying low for a little while so the D3 is all news to me...

I like this feature for owners of DX lenses who dont want to crop:

Also supports DX lenses, viewfinder automatically masks (5.1 megapixels with DX lens)

But can it be turned off?????

I would really like to know if it can be turned off. Be cool to use the 12-24 at 18 or whatever is the widest that would cover Ff.

Sent from my iPhone

[PiroStitch]

Why would you want to turn it off? The DX lenses are for cameras with DX sensors only and those sensors are smaller than FF. If it still used the full sensor size, then you'd have a nice ring around all your images, so having it auto-cropped and auto-adjusted in the viewfinder makes sense from a usability point of view.

[Heath Bennett]

Actually Piro I've read somewhere a test of the 12-24 DX on a film body - it works without a dark ring from a certain focal length onwards - say 18mm meaning it would be as wide on a FX as it was on DX! The quality wouldnt quite be on par with, say, the 17-35 though...

[PiroStitch]

Ahh true. Just read the review by Thom Hogan that the 12-24 can be used on a FF but from 18mm onwards. Still sort of defeats the purpose though unless you wanted a cheaper, workaround to have an ultra wide lens.

[gooseberry]

The automatic DX crop for DX lenses can be turned off. And yeah, you can use the 12-24 DX lens from about 17-18mm up to 24mm without any vignetting - you'll be suprised that in this range (17-24) the 12-24DX is very sharp.

[Heath Bennett]

Maybe there is some life in the old (12-24) dog yet

I know that on a DX it is sharp from 18mm upwards, but I'm not sure if this would translate to the FF as it would be using the cropped out bits that weren't as sharp?!

[Pehpsi]

Well i'm putting my D200 plans on hold. My next cam shall be a D300.