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|| SportsShooter.com: Member Message Board
Nikon finally released REAL D3 samples
Lee Love, Photographer
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Herndon | VA | US | Posted: 6:07 AM on 09.12.07 |
->> Well it looks like Nikon officially released some decent samples from the D3 instead of those unknowns that have been floating around the net. What is nice is they give you the ability to zoom into to see the detail of the image.
I have to say they look pretty impressive.
http://nikonimaging.com/global/products/digitalcamera/slr/d3/sample.htm |
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Nigel Kinrade, Photographer
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Alpharetta | GA | USA | Posted: 7:43 AM on 09.12.07 |
| ->> There were 3 D3's being used at the NASCAR event at Richmond International Raceway last weekend. The photogs who used the D3 were all very impressed with the high ISO images, it's only when they tried the 25,000 ISO that they got significant noise. |
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Andrew Malana, Photographer
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San Diego/Tokyo | CA | USA | Posted: 8:07 AM on 09.12.07 |
| ->> I agree with Nigel. ISO25600 looks like a D2h at ISO800-1000. The new focusing algorithm with the 51 points 3D tracking worked rather well. Watching the focus points 'following' action after initial focus was refreshing to see as well. The two CF slots with overflow option is cool too... |
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Andy Mead, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Durham | NC | USA | Posted: 8:21 AM on 09.12.07 |
->> ISO 25 "thousand"?
Yowza |
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Andrew Brosig, Photographer
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Pittsburg | KS | United States | Posted: 8:51 AM on 09.12.07 |
| ->> Has anyone heard a price point on the D3/D300 bodies yet? |
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Daniel Brayack, Photographer
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Fayetteville | WV | USA | Posted: 9:08 AM on 09.12.07 |
->> D300 - $1800
D3 - $5000 |
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Geoff Miller, Photographer
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Portage | MI | USA | Posted: 9:40 AM on 09.12.07 |
->> 'Well it looks like Nikon officially released some decent samples from the D3 instead of those unknowns that have been floating around the net.'
It must be that they've finally decided on the v1.0 firmware and now have "production" images to release.
'ISO 25 "thousand"?' Yep, you heard that right... ~25,600 actually. |
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David M. Russell, Photographer
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New York | NY | USA | Posted: 11:10 AM on 09.12.07 |
| ->> Damn. |
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Paul Anderson, Photographer
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Münster | Germany | Germany | Posted: 11:56 AM on 09.12.07 |
->> I'm happy to see these files, but...
no sports action pics?
no pics with the new long lenses?
no pics with a 14mm lens?
no NEF files?
no studio lit portraits?
But I'm not complaining because the ISO 400 looks like ISO 200 with my D2x.
I think ISO 100 on the D2xs will continue to be superior to the D3.
I don't think the D3 is not a replacement for the D2xs but it is a replacement for the D2hs.
And the ISO 3200 and ISO 6400 looks like ISO 500 & ISO 640 from my D200.
I think that not so long from now Nikon will pull a rabbit out of their hat to compete with the FF Canon. A full frame, Hi Res, ISO 50-320 camera.
And by the way, where are the D300 samples?
I would like to buy a D3, but I do not think it is the camera for me.
If the D300 will produce images at ISO 1600 that are equal the D3 at ISO 3200, and focus for 8fps, then the D300 will be good enough for my wallet.
The only hall sport I shoot is hockey and I do it with a 200 f2.
Paul |
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Grant Blankenship, Photographer
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Macon | GA | USA | Posted: 12:21 PM on 09.12.07 |
| ->> High ISO images taken in controlled lighting don't prove much. I'll be picky, too, since we are talking about $5000 machine, and point out the vertical banding in the 6400 ISO image. I'd love to see some of the images from the NASCAR race, but I'm sure they are embargoed. |
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Walter Calahan, Photographer
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Westminster | MD | USA | Posted: 12:41 PM on 09.12.07 |
| ->> Your results my vary. |
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Daniel Brayack, Photographer
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Fayetteville | WV | USA | Posted: 1:03 PM on 09.12.07 |
->> Paul,
When I was looking a the specs for the D3, my initial impression was "A replacement for the D2h" as well. I'd like to see Nikon pull a 20+ MP full frame (but slower) rabbit out of that hat.
I mainly shoot rock climbing photography, which tends to necessitate higher ISO values (often dark compositions). I'm hoping Nikon continues their high ISO performance trend and comes out with a D3x.
On a lighter note, one of my favorite "tourist" questions is: "Does that thing take video" (refering to my D200)...which the answer was "nope!"...tourist: "Well mine does..." With the new live view feature, we can now all pretend like we CAN take video.
Or another favorite: (handing the camera to someone to take pics) "How do I get the back screen to turn on?" =)
-Dan |
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Paul Anderson, Photographer
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Münster | Germany | Germany | Posted: 1:06 PM on 09.12.07 |
->> Where are the real D300 samples?
These are a joke?
Paul |
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Lee Love, Photographer
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Herndon | VA | US | Posted: 2:39 PM on 09.12.07 |
->> Paul you and I must be looking at completely different cameras and spec sheets. From what I can tell the D3 is a replacement for my D2x's in almost every category. Color, fps, metering, high ISO noise, focusing speed and features.
Also sorry but there is no way the D2x ISO 100 will compete with the sensor technology in the D3. Even the initial reports from respected pros (Nikon & Canon shooters) are blown away by the quality of the images on the pre-production cameras.
So while the D3 is certainly not intended for everyone I think its a little short sighted to start saying the D200 and D2x make the same images as the D3.
Don't get me wrong I love my D2x's and they still make great images that I certainly could live with. But the D3 appears to be in a whole new class camera in just about every way.
One last thing, this megapixel war is stupid. Even Intel figured out that they can not continue to sell processors based on cpu speed. The same thing will happen with mp, its the quality of the images not the total megapixels. MP is only ONE criteria necessary for making great images. |
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Robert Benson, Photographer
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San Diego | CA | USA | Posted: 2:46 PM on 09.12.07 |
->> Last week I was shooting an IAAF World track meet in Osaka Japan. Nikon was there with about 40 D3s for any of the photographers to use. Just about every photographer used the D3 there at one point or another. Do search for "Osaka Track and field" and a large percentage - or at least some - of the images you find on the web from various news organizations were shot with a D3.
I played with the thing in the media room for a while, shot at ISO 6400 just for kicks, and the files were CLEAN. I'm a Canon shooter.... The crop factor was 1.1 (nearly full frame) on the D3 and it was about 9 FPS or more. Maybe Nikon finally gets it.
Point is, the photogs I talked to out there who were using the D3 seemed to be very happy with it. |
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Nigel Kinrade, Photographer
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Alpharetta | GA | USA | Posted: 2:52 PM on 09.12.07 |
->> There is a D3 image in this week SI, shot by Brian Czobat its the 2 page spread of the 12 chase contenders, it was shot as a jpeg and looks real good.
I have a couple posted on our website.
email me and I can give you the password etc.
Nigel. |
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Bob Croslin, Photographer
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St. Petersburg | FL | USA | Posted: 3:13 PM on 09.12.07 |
->> I was talking to someone today who suggested that using the older AIS lenses with the D3 or a larger megapixel camera might not be a good idea. He seemed to think the older glass might not hold up in the corners. Anyone care to comment on that?
I've been down this road before with people talking about the full frame Canons and the glass not resolving in the corners as well and I've never thought it was as big a deal as some have made it. The Nikon AIS primes are the sharpest 35mm lenses I've ever used and if anything I thought would be better than the newer AF stuff.
Am I wrong? |
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Paul Anderson, Photographer
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Münster | Germany | Germany | Posted: 5:07 PM on 09.12.07 |
->> Hello Lee,
Please re-read my post. If you are still confused, please tell me and I will try to help you understand what I have written.
As for Bob's question about the older lenses, I really do not know what to think. Mine are all gone. I sold my last MF lens, a 24 f2, last summer. I also sold my 17-55 and replaced it with a 14mm and a 17-35. I never liked the 17-55.
I like the 14mm. It works well on my DX format cameras. I hope it works on the D3, but I do not think it will.
Paul |
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Andrew Malana, Photographer
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San Diego/Tokyo | CA | USA | Posted: 7:06 PM on 09.12.07 |
->> Paul, I am sure your 14mm will 'work' on the new D3. There is a custom function menu setting in the Shooting Menu that can auto crop DX lens use. BTW, it is a default setting. Also, his setting allows you to set the image area. I am thinking you can set the edges to allow some vignetting on the corners if your photo creativity desires. I really dont think Nikon would 'abandon' DX lens use for their newest flagship camera.
As Robert mentioned above, a lot of us got to use the camera during the IAAF Worlds. Many images were moved from the D3's as Nikon debut the camera there. Also Canon released their firmware upgrade for the MarkIII's as well.
In all, Nikon users reported favorably to the new D3 as I was talking to the staff there. Either Nikon or Canon, least to say, images from the D3 and MarkIII, even the MarkIIn will give amazing results in least desirable lighting conditions. |
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David Templeton, Photographer, Assistant
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Cambridge | MA | USA | Posted: 7:27 PM on 09.12.07 |
| ->> Patrick and Paul, I have a feeling those aren't all of the D300 samples we're going to see... those two of the Harleys aren't cutting it! |
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Hal Smith, Photographer
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Sedalia | MO | USA | Posted: 11:19 PM on 09.12.07 |
->> Bob,
I think Nikon's new sensor technology should take care of the problems with wide angle diffusion flare that was and is a problem with many digital camera systems.
The lense elements in the older AIS glass are the same as most newer glass currently on the market. Any problems I tend to see with loss of corner sharpness tend to be from third party lense manufacturers like Tamron, Sigma, and Tokina and only with extreme wide angle zoom lenses or ultra wide prime lenses.
If you have corner sharpness problems try using a polarizing filter.
Hal Smith |
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Ron Scheffler, Photographer
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Hamilton (Toronto area) | Ontario | Canada | Posted: 11:42 PM on 09.12.07 |
| ->> The files look pretty good. To me it appears the ISO 3200 & 6400 files have had noise reduction applied - more so to counter chroma noise. Nothing wrong with that, but there's no info listed to verify this. Compared to my experience with "raw" Mark III ISO 3200 files, the D3 sample also appears to have some luminance reduction. The "grain" is kind of semi-blocky looking and not as pinpoint as when no NR is used. It would be nice to see an untouched file without NR. |
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Paul Anderson, Photographer
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Münster | Germany | Germany | Posted: 1:08 AM on 09.13.07 |
->> Hello Ron,
I think you are correct.
BTW Andrew, My 14mm lens is FF.
Paul |
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