The £3,400 Nikon D3 is set to go on sale in the UK from November and its maker is claiming it represents 'a new benchmark in professional photography'.
The Nikon D3 is a 12.1Mp resolution camera capable of capturing 9fps (frames per second) in FX format (by which we understand Nikon to mean full-frame mode) or 11fps in the more standard DX 'crop' (ie non-full frame) mode.
Nikon says the D3 will also be the first of its digital SLR cameras to feature a second ‘crop' mode that takes photos with a 5:4 aspect ratio. The D3 will have a shutter release lag of just 41 milliseconds and will have a vast ISO range of 200 to 6,400. The 3in LCD screen offers Live View that autofocuses as the onscreen image changes, enabling accurate image composition. Nikon claims this feature is so far unique to its two new digital SLRs, the D3 and the D300, also announced today.
According to Nikon's professional products brand manager Robert Cristina: "The incredible speed, resolution and flexibility of the D3 will enable photographers to capture images under conditions previously thought impossible."
Chief among these attributes is the Nikon D3's EXPEED image-processing system which Nikon says enables the D3 to perform 14bit analogue to 16bit digital image conversions and thereby produce rich, accurate colour, smooth skin gradations and exceptional detail.
Resulting images can be stored on one of two CompactFlash card slots built into the camera body. Rather than boosting storage capacity for the Nikon D3, it seems the intention here is that users simultaneously shoot an image in two formats, Jpeg and NEF (Nikon's own RAW image format).
When it launches in September, the Nikon D3 is expected to compete with rival cameras such as the Canon EOS 1DS Mark III and the second generation version of Sony's Alpha digital SLR camera.
In common with the cameras Canon announced earlier this week, the Nikon D3 and D300 will be able to beam photos wirelessly using a dedicated Wireless Transmitter WT-4. In this way, images can be sent directly from, say, a Premiership football match, to the newsdesk via a wireless network server.
This setup also means the recipient can browse photos the photographer has taken and select any they want to receive. Nikon says this won't affect the photographer, who can continue shooting even as photo editors are pulling shots from the D3's memory.
The Nikon D3 has a guide price of £3,400 for the body only. Nikon says full list pricing for camera and lens bundles as well as compatible accessories will be announced in September.
Comments
Rosemary Haworth said: Thanks for pointing out where this story was wide of the mark Weve looked into this a bit more and have amended the story as required
DannyT said: It is a first having two CF - however Press release obviously written by some PR airhead
JimC said: I see you changed the subtitle to this from camera to D-SLRFirst ever D-SLR with two memory card slotsThats still wrong Other DSLR models have been equipped with more than one memory card slot Take a look at some of the Olympus offerings like the E-330 a DSLR for examples it has both an Xd Picturecard slot and a CompactFlash card slot and its not the only one eitherAnother example of a DSLR with two memory card slots is the Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II Its got both a CompactFlash Card and a Secure Digital Card slotYoure mininterpreting the Nikon press release Its the first DSLR with two CompactFlash card slots Its not the first digital camera with two memory card slots as you said to begin with Its also not the first DSLR with two memory card slots your changeIt might be the first DSLR with two CompactFlash Card slots But thats not what you say and your subtitle is still wrong
JimC said: Just as I thought The title or rather subtitle is totally wrong since many cameras have been equipped with more than one card slotBut the text of the article is also wrong first in the world to have two CompactFlash memory card slots First what in the world Nikon D3 with two slots lolIt didnt take me but a minute to find the Canon Powershot Pro 70 introduced at the end of 1998 with two CompactFlash Card slots Its probably not the only one either
JimC said: The title of this article is wrong and misleadingMany digital cameras have more than one memory card slot and the title of the article is thisFirst ever camera with two memory card slotsThats absolutely false Heck even a little pocket camera I have Konica KD-510z has two memory card slots The first camera I can remember owning with two memory card slots was the Olympus C-2500L introduced back in 1999 and there have been many other models with more than one card slot since thenNow your article did say in its text first in the world to have two CompactFlash memory card slots and that might be true as the models Ive used with two card slots were designed to support two different kinds of memory cards in the same cameraBut your title sure is wrong and Id need to do some research to find out if the text is even accurate Im not so sure its even the first to have two CompactFlash card slots
Jason said: The Live View unique factor is not true Olympus already has it as do several others including um Canons new 40D