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D3 - First impressions
1st December 2007
Nikon D3 - First Impressions
On unpacking the D3 from the box you get an immediate and pleasant surprise: the battery charger has two slots, meaning you can charge two batteries simultaneously, which is something on remote assingnments I’ll find a great help .
In looks the camera is much like the D2X, although the prism is slightly taller. Build quality is up to Nikon’s usual excellent standard and I’ll have no hesitation taking the D3 into the hostile environments I’ll be visiting next year for the Animals on the Edge project. There’s even a cover for the hot-shoe, to keep it free from dust and dirt when not in use. All the buttons are in their usual place so, in terms of handling, I feel confident in taking the camera into the field knowing fully what to expect.
A neat addition is the inclusion of two CF card slots. The second card can be used as a straight overflow card, or as a back up to the primary card (useful if you’re of a paranoid disposition). Alternatively it can be used to segment storage of RAW and JPEG images when shooting in RAW+JPEG file mode. The D3 isn’t the first camera to introduce a second memory card slot but its inclusion in this camera has been very well thought out.
The biggest physical change in the camera is the size of the LCD monitor, which is huge. To be fair, I rarely refer to the monitor for anything other than compositional feedback. Even so, this screen is impressive. The D3 also incorporates live preview - common on digital compact cameras but rare on a DSLR. I can’t see me using this option with the camera in hand, however, it does lead to some interesting opportunities for remote photography, when the D3 is connected to a remote preview monitor, something I will definitely be looking into further. Another unusual offering is the artificial horizon (AH). This looks just like the AH you’d find in an aircraft and, as I have wonky eyesight (according to my optition), it’s something I will definitely use when photographing landscapes to ensure level horizons.
Physical attribbutes aside, it’s under the bonnet where most of the D3’s enhancements occur.
The most obvious difference from previous Nikon DSLR’s is the 36x24MM full-frame sensor. I have yet to put the quality of the sensor to the test but one immediate advantage is the size of the viewfinder, which is much larger than the pokey viewfinders of Nikon’s previous DX-format DSLR’s.
Sticking to 12MP (12.1 to be precise) means that the dynamic range of the D3 should be better than previous cameras (due to the increased size of the photosites), although I have yet to test this theory in practice. Coupled with the new Active D-Lighting menu option, which maximises sensor dynamic range prior to capture (rather than as a post-capture enhancement), this could prove interesting for users who often shoot in contrast-rich conditions (e.g. the bright savannahs of Africa). It will be interesting to see how the dynamic range of the D3 compares to any future (mid-2008?) high-resolution version of the this new generation of Nikon cameras.
Another major internal change is to be found in the processing engine affecting, in particular, noise management, an area in which the D3’s predecessor, the D2X, fails miserably. The ISO range of the D3 is a whopping 100 - 25,000+. With simple testing, even at ISO 3200 noise is negligable, which is amazing considering I am reluctant to shoot above ISO 200 on the D2X. I’ll test image quality and noise levels to a greater extent over the next few days. However, if it lives up to its early promise then shooting in even very low light conditions, such as the floor of a rainforest, may be possible as never before.
The focus system also has had a major upgrade. Replacing the 11-point AF of the D2-series cameras is a new 51-point system, which promises even better AF capability, particularly when photographing fast and erratically moving subjects, something common to my work with wildlife. First impressions of the new system are good and more testing will follow but, combined with the faster 9-fps frame rate, the theory again promises great potential.
There are some excellent new additions to the custom functions on the camera. The customisable Function-button remains and is joined by the ability to customise too the Depth of Field preview button, for those users that never use this feature. I do, so I’ve left it as is. There is now a new Custom Menu option, that enables the user to build his/her own set of commonly-used menu options into a single menu list, which saves having to wade through hundreds of options to find the one you want. It’s this level of detail that makes Nikon a winner with me every time.
Although I always shoot in RAW mode, for users who prefer the JPEG file format there are some fantastic developments in the Image Optimisation menu. For the first time, images can be optimised in-camera, post-capture. There are also some great filter effects, such as “warming” filters and, in Monotone mode, a set of coloured filters (red, orange, yellow & green) for enhancing B&W images. Basically, the camera is capable of doing much more processing in-house than previous Nikons, which will appeal to those who want to spend as little time as possible in front of a PC.
In summary: in a recent interview I gave to Nikon Owner magazine I was asked what developments I’d like to see from Nikon. I answered, improved noise management, better dynamic range and a faster, more accurate AF system. Well, I don’t know if Nikon was listening but, with the D3, at first glance, my wishes appear to have been granted! Of course, the proof of the pudding is in the eating, so a more thorough review of how image quality stands up from the D3 will follow in due course.
Chris Weston
1st December, 2007