The Nikon D3s

02.15.2010

The D3s is a beautiful camera and there is no way once you heat that shutter slam 8fps you can’t fall for it. Does it produce a better file then the D3, that’s the question most ask. Yeah, it does but you probably won’t see that improvement if you don’t take your images above 11×14 in size. Where will you see an improvement? The one biggie I feel is improvement over the D3 that’s not been documented nor that’s been in the press. And that’s the AF, the D3s is all new and it works just sweet!

Since you can’t see through the viewfinder when in Live View which is required for filming with the D3s, the grid of the E Screen isn’t available nor is the Virtual Horizon. Nikon thought this through. So when in Live View and you depress the Info button, you have a number of options you can see on the Monitor and one of them just happens to Virtual Horizon as you see here. Now what if you want to see the subject at the same time? I think that’s a work in progress but you simply hit the Info button to turn it off.

The D3s high ISO is just simply amazing! Shooting at ISO 1600 to the outrageous 10,465,877 or whatever the hell the top end is produces results I simply didn’t believe. The images I posted last night taken of dark subjects in low light with -1.5 dialed in had NO noise that would bother you in a 24×30 print. That’s just damn impressive!

The big news about the D3s is its video capability. The D3s is not a video camera, it produces beautiful video clips because it can only shoot a 5min clip. Its 720p while numerically sounds not top notch, in connection with Nikon optics, the results are damn stunning. It’s a great start to a system you know will grow in time.

The D3s is my “2nd” body so typically is on a strap on my shoulder.

You will find my D3 settings here. While not 100% applicable to the D3s, they will more then get you in the ballpark. Better yet would be watching the video that I produced with Kelby Training on the D3s.

Yeap, I Have The D3s… And More!

Yeap, that’s right and not really that unexpected, I have the D3s and 70-200VR II and man, I wish I didn’t. I mean X-mas is just a month away and I’ve gone and spent all my gift money, now what do I do?

I will post more over the next week about the D3s and 70-200VR II as well as have a full review in the upcoming BT Journal but wanted to give you some early impressions. The D3s high ISO is just simply amazing! Shooting at ISO 1600 to the outrageous 10,465,877 or whatever the hell the top end is produces results I simply didn’t believe. The images I posted last night taken of dark subjects in low light with -1.5 dialed in had NO noise that would bother you in a 24×30 print. That’s just damn impressive!

Now the 70-200VR II, now we’re talking a wicked sharp lens! Yeah, it’s going to give the 200VR a freakin run for its money. It has been designed that with the Vignetting set to Normal in the camera to produce NO vignetting and after photographing a bunch of white walsl with and without flash at every f/stop, I can say it delivers.

Over the weekend I’ll post some images from serious shooting tomorrow so you can see for yourself.

And the video, video in a DSLR just doesn’t excite me. With that said, I have thought of a way that might make it interesting in creating new educational content which I’ll be working on at the end of the month. mk

The D3s Has Been Announced

Yeap, the D3s has been announced. Cutting to the chase, it has higher, better ISO performance and 1280×720 HD Motion-Jpeg video. Using a new CCD that includes vibration cleaning, the new D3s still retains the same pixel count as the D3. I’ve received plenty of email already asking my thoughts on video in the DSLR. To me, it makes no sense and diverts engineers from giving us really cool things that still photographers could really run with. You can read more right here. Here is the micro site.

Here are the main features:

• ISO performance: ISO 12800 as standard, expandable to ISO equivalent of 102400 (Hi 3)
• Nikon FX-format CMOS image sensor with 12.1 effective megapixels
• Improved D-Movie function including High-Sensitivity Movie mode and flicker reduction function
• Nikon’s Integrated Dust Reduction System including Image Sensor Cleaning function
• Incorporates Nikon’s original EXPEED digital image processing
• Active D-Lighting with bracketing for up to 5 frames
• Picture Control: Standard, Vivid, Neutral and Monochrome (Landscape and Portrait can be downloaded from Nikon website)
• Quick response with approx. 0.12 seconds start-up time and approx. 0.04 seconds shutter-release time lag
• 9-frames-per-second shooting rate in FX format, 11 fps in DX crop (CIPA Guidelines)
• Nikon’s original Scene Recognition System, utilizing 1,005-pixel RGB sensor, for more accurate autofocus, auto exposure, i-TTL flash control and auto white balance
• Multi-CAM 3500FX AF sensor module featuring 51 AF points
• Viewfinder with approx. 100% frame coverage and approx. 0.7x magnification in FX format
• Durable shutter unit proven by 300,000 cycles of testing on fully assembled camera
• Intelligent power management that lets you shoot up to approx. 4,200 frames per charge (based on CIPA Standards)
• Easy-to-access Live View modes with dedicated button
• Quiet Shutter-release mode for nonintrusive shooting
• High-definition (approx. 921k-dot), 170˚ viewing angle, 3-in. VGA LCD monitor with tempered glass

New 85f3.5VR AFS Micro also introduced.

• Medium-telephoto 85mm Micro lens (picture angle is equivalent to a focal length of 127.5mm in FX/35mm format)
• Closest focusing distance of 0.286 m/0.9 ft. (1:1 life size)
• The optical system featuring an ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass element is optimized for DX-format digital SLRs
• Vibration Reduction (VR II) enables sharper pictures while shooting at shutter speeds up to four stops slower than would otherwise be possible
• Silent Wave Motor (SWM) ensures fast, quiet AF operation
• Two focus modes available — M/A and M
• IF (Internal Focusing) enables focusing without changing the length of lens barrel
• The nine-blade rounded diaphragm opening gives out-of-focus elements a more natural appearance

You might be saying I don’t seem that excited about this new D3s (street price $5200?). Video in the camera just doesn’t solve any problems I have, neither does high ISO, 1.2 crop or new buttons on the back. The D3 / D3x already in my bag rock and since I’ve not seen nor shot with the D3s, just going by specs, I’m not wowed by the news. Now the 85micro, that does have my attention.  I WANT new glass and not video! I do hope though that now the rumor mungors who have been so far off the mark will have even less credibility and I’ll have to spend less time saying I have no comment.