This is my MAIN body! What does that mean? It’s the body I turn to for most of my photography. You might be asking, “You rely on a body that shoots 1.8fps for wildlife?” Yea, I do. There are a number of reasons for this but the number one is the file quality the D3x produces. The next would be going for quality and not quantity. And lastly, it’s because I use techniques like Peak of Action to make the shot when it presents itself.
Some quick stat: D3x – ain’t cheap! D3x – 14bit, uncompressed Nef = 26MB: Tiff from said file (above) processed by NX2=143MB! 16GB card holds 426 Raw+ Jpeg, counter says 213 when card is first loaded. Cannot load D3 setting into D3x using card load option. Frames Per Second shooting 14bit, uncompressed at CH My goal is not to convince you that you need to buy a D3x or justify its price. I just want you to see the detail I see. Here are a couple of side by side photos taken with the D3x and D3 using the 70-180macro. The orchard images were taken at f/38 and the stamps at f/11, manually focused, 14bit raw. The files are straight from the cameras other than the Zoomify which have to be switched to 8bit (all are now Jpegs, conversions by the programs).
You make the call, but you might not see the difference in the narrow band the web offers (not sure I can now that it’s posted). And the reality is the vast majority of you are not likely to be a future D3x owner. You can find a whole lot more about the D3x on the site by checking out this link.
This will be the last in my Zoomify series on the D3x. I’ve done birds, 12bit, D3/D3x comparison, even ISO and now we have people. Folks are probably one of the best uses for the D3x, we all have mental references in which to look at the images, makes judgments and decide for yourself.
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Both of these images were taken with the 200f2VR handheld. Both images were taken at f/8. The focus point on the tattooback was the necklace tie. On the focus point on thegal was of course the eyes. The top photo lit by the sun, the bottom photo lit with a single flash shooting through a Lastolite trigrip.
After shooting for a month with the D3x, I have no doubt that it’s worth the price for my photography. This might not be the case for yours so think about it carefully. I’ve learned a lot about the camera and more about the direction I want to take my photography now. These are all good things, they help you avoid the Darwin Theory of Photography, “Evolve or Perish.”
Photos captured by D3x, 200VR on Lexar UDMA digital film
The DLWS staff headed to a luau last night, ate really good and saw a great show. I took the opportunity for something I don’t normally do, crank up the ISO. I took the D3x up to iso1600 (highest before hitting the HI) and shot. Here’s the results. Personally, I’m pretty amazed. Oh yeah, I was shooting in 14bit.
Photo captured by D3x, 24-70AFS on Lexar UDMA digital film
The D3 or the D3x, is that the question? It really shouldn’t be. The D3x is a serious camera producing very serious files. How serious is your file needs, how seriously do you need all that detail? Can you photography (and computer) handle all the seriousness?
My first impressions of the D3x were wrong. I wasn’t wrong about image quality, oh no, it’s stunning. Rather, I was wrong about the tool. Shooting now for a couple of weeks with the D3x (Thanks Mike!) and pushing it hard, really hard, I have learned alot (and about my own photography) which is good. It started with our first day of shooting in FL with the Snowy Egret and I saw the detail in and around the eye. Since then I’ve been trying to bring to life this mega detail (hereand here) on this miniature stage. My goal is not to convince you that you need to buy a D3x or justify its price. I just want you to see the detail I see.
Here are a couple of side by side photos taken with the D3x and D3 using the 70-180macro. The orchard images were taken at f/38 and the stamps at f/11, manually focused, 14bit raw. The files are straight from the cameras other than the Zoomify which have to be switched to 8bit (all are now Jpegs, conversions by the programs).
You make the call, but you might not see the difference in the narrow band the web offers (not sure I can now that it’s posted). And the reality is the vast majority of you are not likely to be a future D3x owner. Am I? Yeap! Though the original client desiring the files of the D3x has had to pull back with current events, I love where the D3x has pushed me and my photography. It’s a good thing for me. Want to understand what that is, well, it just so happens to be in the upcoming BT Journal. Because I am now convinced a web based review of the D3x just doesn’t work, only print will show the detail.
Take what you have, camera, computer and passion and push it to their limits. Like Cheryl Crow says, “It’s not having what you want, it’s wanting what you have.”
Photo capture by D3x, 14-243AFS on Lexar UDMA digital film
I shot all day with the D3x in 12bit so I would have 5fps performance. I have to say, the quality is pretty darn impressive. I’ve already got a couple of 14bit/12bit images to print when I get back to the office back I think I already know the answer, it’s damn sweet at 12bit and a possible answer to my using the D3x question. The focus point is the eye, f/8. This is an image straight from the camera, a 143MB file that was run through Zoomify, check ‘er out.
Photo captured by D3x, 600VR on Lexar UDMA digital film
Some poor soul is in Mammoth being paid handsomely to move the snow off the drive as we’re here in FL soaking up the sun. The long 15hr flight to FL gave me a couple moments to think. With the help of my web guru friend RC, I decided to try a somewhat new yet hardly used web technology to permit folks to see the quality of the D3x file without crashing my server.
What you’ll see when you click here is a file that has to be changed from 16bit to 8bit and then the file zapped in a way I don’t understand to make this thing work. The files that I uploaded to make it work don’t add up to 2MB. With Zoomify, a free Export script in Photoshop CS3/CS4, you just click on a portion of the image and you can zoom right in. What you see here is a pretty darn good example to the quality I see on my monitor. I hope it helps.
One last piece of data. I focused right on the eye of the Snowy Egret. I shot with a 600VR with a TC-14e at f/11. The DOF is a narrow band as I was only 17′ away from the egret when I took the photo. The tip of the bill is out of focus, so are parts of the body because of this narrow band of focus. As I find more subjects to demonstrate the D3x quality, I’ll post. My thoughts on the camera are gelling, I’ll share more, later.
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Photos captured by D3x, 600VR w/TC-14e on Lexar UDAM digital film
It was a late night, had a pile of stuff to get through so the thought process was, well, a little slow. Here’s what I’ve processed in my own mind about the D3x so far.
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The D3x is not a knock around camera, not meant to just be slung on your shoulder and take grab shots here and there. It’s a serious machine! I’m still incredibly blown away by the detail I’m seeing on my monitors, detail you ain’t seeing here on the blog or in other images I’ve seen posted on the web.
In my way of thinking, if you’re going to have this machine, you’re wanting big ass files, if you want big ass files then you’re shooting at 14bit. You’re shooting at 14bit, you’re at 1.8fps. End of story. Now, what if you need 5fps and can get by with not as big ass files so you switch to 12bit? What I need to determine for myself is, does D3x 12bit blow away in a $8k way the 14bit D3 file? I don’t know that answer yet. I’m heading to FL tomorrow for Base Camp. I will find out that answer this next week. Stay tuned.
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My testing is just that, my own testing. It’s done real world, just what I normally shoot and how I shoot it. Nikon is infamous for not reporting everything that makes a camera special which is why I never do a review via published specs, I’ve been burnt doing that. So last night I ripped off 300 images and in the process of doing that (which you can see in the Moose Cam), I shot the incoming storm. I big part of this camera that I have to decide it, is the back end worth it all as well. The new m4400 did a great job pushing all the files through, using theLexar UDMA reader to Capture NX2 and finally Photoshop CS4. I had both notebooks running, the m4400 on stills, the m6400 on video. Why, if I’m in our office am I working on the notebooks? Testing, I’ll be gone for 10 days working on the road. I must know all this works before I get on the plane. A lot more testing to do, thinking to think and images to view.
Here’s the Moose Cam for the rest of the evening.
Photos captured by D3x 24-70AFS / 70-300VR on Lexar UDMA digital film
Moose Cam captured by HF10 on Lexar UDMA digital film
Oh man, I’m in heaven! I’m out in the snow where it’s nice and cold, it’s gorgeous and I’m with family! Life just doesn’t get any better.
Saturday was a great day of shooting. You’ve already seen the run we had with the Bobcat, but that was just frosting on the cake. We had the gorgeous landscape unfold before us. Here is a closeup at Black Sand. One thing that really attracts me at the hot springs are the “areal” photo you can find by just bending over (sticking that ass in the sky) and looking straight down, you can take a photo of the entire world with a three foot span.
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These images are not officially from DLWS, but from the staff’s Saturday scouting. These images were taken with the D3x and by no means are good representations of the amazing, just amazing detail these big ass files present. The photos I took of the hoar frost and the detail in them, I just can’t wait to print really large because YOU will see that minute detail that is so cool about hoar frost. I’m really looking forward to having more time with the D3x, basic shooting, side by side and 12 vs 14bit testing. Once I have the info, I’ll bring it to you. I do appreciate the out pouring from folks for just the basic of basic info I’ve been able to post so far.
Photos captured by D3x, 14-24AFS . 70-300VR on Lexar UDMA digital film
The DLWS staff spent a killer day out in Yellowstone Nat’l Park this day and the photogods were, very, very, good to us! We had some great opportunities, none finer to funner that our time with this gorgeous Bobcat! Na, the light wasn’t great. Na, it wasn’t that close…wait you say, that’s not close?! It’s only close when you look and this mega crop of the original.
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What you’re seeing above is a crop in post of a D3x file taken with a 200-400VR handheld at ISO 100 at 1/60 (why it’s not tack sharp, cold, wind, slow). To repeat because this quality is blowing me away, the photo was taken with a production D3x file taken with a 200-400VR handheld at ISO 100 at 1/60! OMG! The head shot was taken from this file taken at these settings. Anyone who says the D3x is overpriced, well, they just doesn’t get it. This is a camera that produces quality revealing at the very least $20k medium format backs that can’t accept the biggest and grandest arsenal of lenses medium format can only dream of. Those who know me know I don’t crop images, not even when you have this kind of quality. Others are going to say something stupid like, “That example ain’t that great” or “If it’s so good, why doesn’t he make the whole file available for download?” But those of you who understand photography and digital will instantly be amazed by the quality of this infinitesimal section this file.
Some quick stat: D3x – ain’t cheap! D3x – 14bit, uncompressed Nef = 26MB: Tiff from said file (above) processed by NX2=143MB! 16GB card holds 426 Raw+ Jpeg, counter says 213 when card is first loaded. Cannot load D3 setting into D3x using card load option. Frames Per Second shooting 14bit, uncompressed at CH…well…..
Final images from the D3x…freakin stunning!!!! D3x is not for everyone…NOT freakin even! Does Moose love it? Final file, hell yeah! Firing rate, crayons are faster and I can’t draw. More to come….
Photo capture D3x, 200-400VR on Lexar UDMA digital film
The emails are flying in, “Are you getting a D3x?” Hey, I’m Moose Peterson, I can’t help myself, silly question! Like I already mentioned, just being able to do my Ultra Wide Panos with the D3x kept me up last night planning locations I want to visit and revisit this winter. Making it easier for me is the fact the decision was actually made for me. A client wants what the D3x has to offer and is going to pay to have it. But what about you?
To me it’s real obvious just like deciding between the D3 and D700. Approaching it strictly from a business point of view, if you can’t make money on the expendature, why even consider it? If you’re not going to see a 200-300% gain in your photography, just don’t go there. As has been correctly pointed out, the D3, D700 & D300 are great bodies. If you already have them and they are paid for or been thinking about adding them to your bag, then go make merry and don’t get caught up in the new kid on the block. And if that doesn’t work, here’s another thought on the matter if it helps.
Nikon has made it official, the D3x is now a reality.
NIKON UNVEILS A DIGITAL MASTERPIECE: THE D3X DIGITAL SLR
With Extreme 24.5-Megapixel Resolution, Processed Image Files Exceeding 138 MB, Five Frame-per-Second Burst Speed and Nikon Core Technologies, the D3X Ushers in a New Level of Image Quality
You can read the rest of the official press release from Nikon USA here. Nikon USA D3x page is here. This photo though pretty much sums up why I can’t wait until a D3x gets in my hands. Putting the 24 PC-E on the D3x to create Ultra Wide Panos of enormous size really excites me. I’m even more excited with some mega pixel image ideas I want to explore and hopefully share with you (if they pan out).
As the clock rolls around the globe, more official info is being posted. Here is the D3/D3x microsite. More Nikon Japan D3x info is here. You can download the 28pg PDF here. Check out this wallpaper Nikon has just posted. With no personal first hand info to report, what you read is all I have to present, at this time. As I know more, I’ll pass it along.
But new tools open new doors to the open minded and creative hearts. Let the imaginations fly!
Nikon has made it official, the D3x is now a reality.
NIKON UNVEILS A DIGITAL MASTERPIECE: THE D3X DIGITAL SLR
With Extreme 24.5-Megapixel Resolution, Processed Image Files Exceeding 138 MB, Five Frame-per-Second Burst Speed and Nikon Core Technologies, the D3X Ushers in a New Level of Image Quality
You can read the rest of the official press release from Nikon USA here. Nikon USA D3x page is here. This photo though pretty much sums up why I can’t wait until a D3x gets in my hands. Putting the 24 PC-E on the D3x to create Ultra Wide Panos of enormous size really excites me. I’m even more excited with some mega pixel image ideas I want to explore and hopefully share with you (if they pan out).
As the clock rolls around the globe, more official info is being posted. Here is the D3/D3x microsite. More Nikon Japan D3x info is here. You can download the 28pg PDF here. Check out this wallpaper Nikon has just posted. With no personal first hand info to report, what you read is all I have to present, at this time. As I know more, I’ll pass it along.
But new tools open new doors to the open minded and creative hearts. Let the imaginations fly!
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Nikon has made it official, the D3x is now a reality.
