Does this new D800 spell death for the D3x ? There has been an onslaught of D3x ads for really low prices over the last few days.
I can see how this might be, given the capabilities of the new camera. The D3x was never up to the D3 or D3s in low light capability, and neither is the D800 it seems. But it was a great landscape and studio camera.
Can anyone see an advantage the D3x has on the D800 ??

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>Can anyone see an advantage the D3x has on the D800 ??
>
>Quote

Build and speed.
The 24MP files will be easier to deal with too.

If I have enough money when my D4 arrives, I will take delivery.
Otherwise, I will have to wait for the D800.
16MP is more than enough for me and I sure could use a clean ISO 25,600.

The D800 will probably replace both the D700 and D3x.
I don't see an upgrade coming for either for at least two years.

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>The D800 will probably replace both the D700 and D3x.
>I don't see an upgrade coming for either for at least two years.

Historically the upgrades have been at 4-yearly intervals (give or take a few months). That would mean a D4x (if there is one) would be announced in December 2012 and available in 2013.

> There has been an onslaught of D3x ads for really low prices over the last few days.

Where have you seen these ads? I haven't found many.

Look here on Nikonians. There are 3 alone on one page !!

>Look here on Nikonians. There are 3 alone on one page !!


I can only find two in the Nikonians classifieds and the owner of one of those has decided to keep it. This is the link: http://www.nikonians.org/forums/dcboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=137&topic_id=101138&mesg_id=101138&page=

Here's the other one for sale: http://www.nikonians.org/forums/dcboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=137&topic_id=101126&mesg_id=101126&page=

Are there any others I've missed?

I think the D3X owners all lost about $2,000 in resale value last week. Speed and dual CF is the only real plus to the d3x now. Build, for the vast majority, is a non issue - sensors get outdated way before the camera body of a D700 type camera will fail.

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The D3x was an over priced camera from the start .... its still selling new for $8000, why anybody would pay more than $4000 right now for that camera is beyond me !

The latest rumor has the Japanese plant making only the D4, D800, and D3x.

http://nikonrumors.com/2012/02/10/nikon-sendai-to-produce-30000-d800-and-5000-d4-cameras-per-month.aspx/

Sounds like Nikon expects to sell more D800 bodies in a month than D3x in their best year.
I imagine that as soon as all the D3x parts are assembled the line will be discontinued.

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The D800 sounds like a good upgrade from my D90. I have to take small steps here.

I had a great price ($1,600) on a D800 from an online vendor. When I called they tried to get me to buy extra stuff which I expected. Then they claimed the camera was a Japanese version with the manual and all menus in Japanese and that the in camera menus could not be switched to English.

Have you ever heard of a Japanese only version of a modern Nikon camera?

Its hard for me to believe they were doing a bait and switch because it was so aggravating, I can't imagine anyone actually going for the switch which leaves them with nothing.

Thanks,
Jerry

It's a very common scam.

Rick Walker

My photos:
GeoVista Photography

Download from our library of Image Doctor podcasts here

If it seems too good to be true - probably is!! $1600 for a $3000 camera?

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Jaques,

>The D3x was an over priced camera from the start...<

Is that so? The Nikon D4 currently sells for $6000. What do you suppose the D4x, Nikons flagship model, will sell for when it is released? The same? Less?

The D4x is likely to have the pixel density of the D5200 over its FX chip area, returning a resolution of 56.4MP. A 50MP back for Hasselblad is a paltry $17,000. A 45MP Phase One back can be yours for the bargain basement price of $23,000. Don't forget to purchase the camera body while you're at it.

Overpriced? Nikon can ask almost any price they wish for a D4x and it'll still be a bargain compared to the cost of comparable MP backs for Medium Format bodies - and you get a free body too.

When the D3x was released its 24MP resolution was within the realm of Medium Format digital (25MP backs) so the above comparison is valid and differs only in that it represents a modern (future, actually) day equivalent.

Overpriced is relative. Compared to a MF digital back of the same period, the D3x could conceivably be considered an absolute steal.

Rob
www.robbuckle.co.uk

The "good" deals I'm seeing on the D3x are still over $4k...

Don't really see how it can compete at that price point. They'll probably continue to drop to $3K or so. That would be my guess.

D700 l N90s l AF-S 16-35 f4 l AF-S 24-85 f3.5-f4.5G VR l AF-S 70-200 f2.8G VRII l AF-S 50 f1.8G l AF-S 300 f4 l TC-14EII l 2x SB600 l Autometer IIIF.
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http://www.eyesonboulder.com
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An advantage not mentioned is the EN-EL4 and 4a batteries. They can be shared with the D300/700, D2 and D3. I plan to stay with my D700 and pick up a D3s in the future.

mVs
D2H, D2x, D300s, D700 & D800

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Playing around with the D800 high ISO images that have been put out there I think that it is performing better at high ISO's than my D700 is, especially when you take a D800 full FX shot and down-sample it to 12MP.

I think what some people are doing is zooming in to 100% on these D800 ISO 6400+ shots and directly comparing them to a 100% zoom of D700 ISO 6400+ shots. That's not a valid comparison because if you print both to a 16x20, or down-sample the D800 to the same MP, the noise pattern from D800 will be much tighter due to the higher initial starting resolution.

Luis Gonzalez
Everlasting Photography, Inc.

Rick,

>Can anyone see an advantage the D3x has on the D800<

1. The D3x battery life slaughters the D800's
2. The D3x grip does not cramp one's fingers (for certain photographers) unlike the D800
3. The pentaprism housing on the D3x does not interfere with the Nikon tilt/shift lenses, unlike the D800
4. The D3x has two CF card slots instead of two mixed card slots

>The D3x was never up to the D3 or D3s in low light capability, and neither is the D800 it seems.<

It may seem that way, but the reality is different. Downsampled to the same resolution for a like for like comparison, the higher resolution cameras tend to win.

Comparing an older generation camera against a state of the art camera seems an odd thing to do to me. All technology is superseded in time. The D800 is no more immune to this truth than the D3x before it.

>But it was a great landscape and studio camera.<

Was? The D3x remains a truly outstanding camera. Period.

Rob
www.robbuckle.co.uk

The chief advantage my D3x has over the D800E I've purchased is that the big camera fits in my Aquatica housing! For that reason, it's a keeper for me. The D800E will be my go-to camera for above water work but the D3x isn't going anywhere.

Wendy

http://www.wendythurman.com