Digital Camera Review

Welcome to the Digital Camera Review blog, started to present the latest news, developments and information from the world of digital photography. The site is currently under construction so please bear with us on that, but until it is, what better way to start than taking a look at probably the most exciting news of 2007-8 — the release of the top-end professional Nikon D3.

As a dedicated Nikon shooter, this blog won’t show any brand loyalty, but it has to be said that this camera has positively set the professional D-SLR world alight. Shooting with a Nikon F5 and Nikon D200, the release of the first real high end model to cater for every professional’s need is news indeed. Previously, Nikon offered two options for photographers — the D1x and D2x for photojournalists, and the D1h and D2h for sports photographers who needed speed over resolution.

What many professional shooters wanted, however, was the best of both worlds in one body. Moreover, while the DX-sized sensor of the D1/2/x/s and D100/D200/D300 allowed those shooting with telephotos extra reach because of the sensor’s magnification factor, for those of us favoring wideangles we were faced with having to invest in wider and more expensive lenses to achieve what we could on 35mm bodies. Now, with the new FX sized sensor (almost full frame) we have that.

But where the Nikon D3 really excites professional photographers is in the area of digital noise. Compared to the Nikon D200, Nikon D300, D1 and D2 series, it’s another world entirely. Concert photographer Todd Owyoung backs that general conclusion up with a close look at the camera’s performance.

As a concert photographer, I’m constantly battling available light and using camera settings that never see the light of day for normal use. There’s been a lot of noise about the performance of the Nikon D3 at high ISO, so I thought I’d post some real-world examples from the camera with some 100% crops.

While many photographers may dismiss the hype surrounding advancements in high ISO performance with every latest camera, for concert photographers and other photojournalists working with low light under demanding conditions this is of keen interest.

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Coming from the D2x, this performance from a Nikon DSLR is nothing short of amazing. While the D3 does have its limitations, as a concert photographer, I think the camera ushers in some amazing performance for high ISO work.

Very impressive indeed, and despite it’s $5,000 price tag for the body alone, it’s no wonder that the camera’s release has eclipsed that of the Nikon D300 released at the same time. While a capable camera, it is arguable whether the D300 marked much of an upgrade of the D200 which is still on sale at a few hundred bucks less. Don’t get me wrong, the Nikon D300 looks like a lovely camera, but the Nikon D3 is where all the excitement is.

Check out Todd Owyoung’s blog for samples of the camera’s high ISO performance complete with 100 percent crops. Like I said, it’s really very, very impressive. Unfortunately, I can’t see myself getting one anytime soon, but if and when I can, let me put it like this. I would not think twice about the price. The camera looks amazing and will likely not be updated every two years like the Dx00 series.

Basically, it’s an investment in a very capable professional workhorse. Pretty much I want one, and if you want to see more samples of the camera’s high ISO performance check out Rob Galbraith’s test and samples. There’s also a comparison of the Nikon D3 and Canon EOS 5D on the Photography blog.

Photo © letsgodigital

Related posts:

1. Another New Nikon — D300
2. Digital Photography Review: Nikon D300
3. Nikon D80 Camera: Still A Great DSLR