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Nikon D3 12.1MP FX Digital SLR Camera (Body Only) | 
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| Brand: Nikon
Category: Photography
Buy New: See price in cart
New (9)
Rating:  23 reviews
Sales Rank: 371
Media: Electronics
Optical Zoom: 1
Display Size: 3
Maximum Resolution: 12
Shipping Weight (lbs): 2.7
Dimensions (in): 6.3 x 6.2 x 3.4
MPN: 25434
Model: 25434
UPC: 018208254347
EAN: 0018208254347
ASIN: B000VRV6LY
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Features:
| • | 12.1-megapixel FX-format (23.9 x 36mm) CMOS sensor | | • | 3.0-inch, super density 920,000-dot VGA color monitor; 170-degree wide-angle viewing and tempered-glass protection | | • | Continuous shooting at up to 9 frames-per-second at full FX resolution | | • | Fast, accurate 51-point AF with 3D Focus Tracking | | • | Capture images to CF I/II cards |
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Product Description
Lens is not included / 3" VGA LCD Screen / 51 Point Auto Focus / LiveView Shooting Modes / CompactFlash storage / USB / HDMI / Video Output Auto and manual exposure modes with 3D matrix metering Two LiveView shooting modes, Hand-held or Tripod, are perfect when shooting in a studio, remote situations or from challenging angles Nikon's Self-diagnostic shutter system, tested to 300,000 cycles Picture Control settings give photographers dramatically advanced color control with 4 preset options - Standard, Neutral, Vivid and Monochrome, as well as 9 customizable settings Storage Media - CompactFlash (Type I/II, compliant with UDMA); Microdrives Video Output - NTSC or PAL; simultaneous playback from both the video output and on the LCD monitor available HDMI output for wide screen TV Exposure Modes - 1) Programmed Auto (P) with flexible program, 2) Shutter-Priority Auto (S), 3) Aperture-Priority Auto (A), 4) Manual (M) Shutter - Electronically controlled vertical-travel focal-plane shutter; 1/8,000 to 30 s in steps of 1/3, 1/2 or 1 EV; Bulb 5 Flash Sync Modes Compatible Lenses - Type G or D AF Nikkor - All functions supported; DX AF Nikkor - All functions supported except FX-format (36x24)/5 - 4 (30x24) image size Unit Dimensions (W x H x D) - 6.3 x 6.2 x 3.4 in. Approx. (159.5 x 157 x 87.5 mm); Weight - Approx. 2.7 lb. (1,240 g) without battery Power Source - One EN-EL4a/EL4 Rechargeable Li-ion Battery
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| Customer Reviews: Read 18 more reviews...
amazing DSLR October 1, 2008
outlaw164 (Florida)
Used my D3 for 8 months now and couldn't be happier. This camera is an amazing piece of technology.
Bought my first film camera, Canon F-1 in 1985, shot thousands of pics on film and slide. Four years ago I bought my first DSLR, Fuji S7000, shot thousands of pics with it. Then I made the giant leap to Nikon D3. WOW! This camera is in a league all its own.
Performs even better than expected. The array of custom settings boggles the mind. After shooting over a thousand images I'm still learning about its potential.
Perhaps the most useful function to me is the ability to shoot in low ambient light without flash by setting the ISO to 6400. Unbelievable images with little perceptable noise. Full-frame composition is also important to me. White balance control, especially the preset function, is a godsend.
All the controls are well placed and within easy reach, even for a person like me with medium-sized hands. The body with any fast f/2.8 lens attached has presence and heft. Ergonomics are very comfortable. I can shoot all day without stress or fatigue. A neoprene neck strap vs the supplied strap helps alot.
The software is useful, and mine came with Corel Paint Pro 9, a very good image editor.
I could go on and on about all the marvelous attributes this DSLR has to offer, but let me just say this... until Nikon produces another DSLR with any significant improvements over the D3 this is probably my last camera purchase. If you can afford the body, a couple fast prime lenses and a zoom, then you'll thank yourself over and over, well after the CC is paid off. Nuff said.
Not about the camera - It's the glass that counts September 13, 2008
T. Gabriel (Raleigh, NC USA)
5 out of 6 found this review helpful
We (my wife and I) have been using Nikon cameras and glass since the early '70s. Over the years we have accumulated a good collection of glass and while we recognized we would have to migrate from film eventually, we hesitated (actually resisted) because of the value of our glass. You who understand such things can emphathize.
When the FX D3 was announced we rented one for a week and shot about 1800 shots using our legacy AI and AI-S lenses (16mm, 28mm, 35mm, 50mm, 85mm, 105mm, 135mm, 180mm, 200mm and 300mm, and 80-200 Zoom, all with f1.2 to f2.8 maximum openings) to verify the compatibility.
Using Aperture metering for most of our shots as we have done with our FE, FA, F4, and F5, manual metering as we did with our F, FM, and F3 to really test the camera's ability to give us what we are used to seeing with Kodachrome film (asa 25, 64, 100, 200) we came away from the week completely satisfied. We shot in low light, night light, bright light, into the sun, into the moon, in fog, in rain, indoors, in offices, in museums, and at Camden Yards watching our beloved Oryuls get beat again (sigh). We both feel the camera and lenses ought to be completely transparent to what we are trying to do. If you know how to take photographs, the camera really doesn't matter as long as it can physically interpret what your eye is seeing. Our film Nikons with Kodachrome did that. Our fear was that there would not be a digital camera that could perform to the Kodachrome standard.
We have found our mother lode. We have purchased the D3 and a backup D700 for our final cameras. We will gladly go into our retirement knowing we can still do the shooting that gives us pleasure and not be hamstrung with $30 per roll costs for film.
We would not have considered digital until the FX cameras emerged. Now we know our most cherished pastime will continue to entertain us and Nikon wins again.
A word of caution: This camera is not for the faint of heart. It is not a novice photographer's camera. It requires a reasonably steep learning curve. You will not like the D300, D700, or D3 if you do not know HOW to take pictures with an SLR Camera.
Awesome !!!!!!! September 5, 2008
L. Varghese (Sterling Heights, MICHIGAN USA)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I won't post any techincal details on this camera, since others have done so. I purchased my D3 along with a D700. So far both performs exceptionally well and one compliments each other as a perfect pair. I had a Mark III and 5D as a pair before and decided to make the jump to Nikon after testing a D3 earlier this year. Don't get me wrong 5D is still one of my favorite cameras. But its long overdue for some updates.
Only suggestion to Nikon is to have a self cleaning sensor to the camera. D700 is a newer camers so it comes with it. I am sure the next generation D3's will address this issue. But the camera is weather sealed from elements and is durable. If you change lens more often outdoors, you may see some dust formation.
But all in all I am in agreement with other reviewers here.
 The camera we knew Nikon could build August 24, 2008
San Diego Photo Enthusiast (San Diego, CA, USA)
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
Nikon D3 12.1MP FX Digital SLR Camera (Body Only)
This is the Nikon I had been waiting (and waiting, and waiting) for -- a full-frame DSLR. Sure, Canon has had full-frame DSLRs for many years, but I have a significant investment in Nikon lenses for my Nikon bodies (including the F4s, F6, D100, and D200, among others).
Now, it is true that I began my SLR days in the Canon line; but when the 35mm SLR world began to go autofocus and Canon chose to create a platform that would not use the existing manual-focus Canon lenses, I realized that I was going to have to buy new lenses either way. As it turned out, I elected to move over to Nikon (keeping just one or two of my manual-focus Canons).
What took Nikon so long to come out with its "FX" (full-frame) cameras? I don't know, but from what I have read, there has been a shake-up at Nikon, reflecting a certain amount of angst at having waited so long and giving away sales to Canon. I recall reading one website in which the author suggested that Nikon was "doing the right thing" by not making full-frame cameras, since it isn't really possible to do so, anyway. Huh? No kidding -- the author worked very hard to create a case that the physics of light do not permit camera manufacturers to create a camera with a full-frame (24x36mm) sensor, and that Nikon had somehow taken the moral high ground by refusing to bow to full-frame hysteria......one of the (unintentionally) funniest things I've ever read. Since Canon already had been making full-frame cameras for some time -- and I guess we all just knew it was a matter of time before Nikon got its head on straight -- I couldn't help but think of the old quote that goes something like this: "Never tell the man who is busy doing something that it is impossible."
Now, I've never held the high-end Canon (the EOS 1Ds Mark III), which goes for over $7,000, but I HAVE held the 5D and I like it very much. Like many others, I might have retraced my steps back to Canonland if Nikon had tarried much longer. But as much as I liked the 5D (which I obviously could have purchased using the D3 funds -- with a lens or two or three -- and still had change left over), the D3 is a much better camera. Both the Product Details on this site and the reviews by the other D3 owners will provide you with many of the technical reasons for this.
I guess I don't want to repeat those technical reasons here. Most any decent DSLR can produce good and useable images. What it comes down to is how the camera FEELS in your hands as you use it....and the D3 just feels good. It doesn't look or feel like cheap extruded plastic (which, I am afraid, is a problem with the Canons). The D3 feels solid, substantial, and has clearly benefited from the attention of the folks in the ergonomics labs. It's anything but a lightweight, but I've been carrying large Nikons around for many years, so that is not a disincentive for me.
At this point I've only owned the camera for a short time and have only had the opportunity to take a relatively small number of exposures -- perhaps the equivalent of two or three rolls of film (sorry, old habits die hard). I still have many things to learn about it in order to more fully exploit its capabilities....but I am very impressed with what I've seen so far. I have one CF Card set to record NEF (raw), the other to record high-res JPG. One thing I miss is the built-in architectural viewfinder gridlines that were standard with several of my previous Nikons. Yes, I know that one can buy a "Type E" replacement focusing screen or set the "FUNC." button for a (funky) capability that Nikon refers to as the "Virtual Horizon," but why did Nikon choose not to include the gridlines as a standard feature/capability? Also, Nikon really should package the camera with a decent eyecup.
All-in-all, a wonderful camera. Thanks, Nikon.
Nikon D3 simply amazing June 9, 2008
G. Patrick Byers (Colorado)
4 out of 5 found this review helpful
Nikon D3 FX 12.1MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only) - includes Mack 3-Year Diamond Warranty The D3 is a solid built, on the heavy side, intuitive camera. I prefer the heavy feel, I disliked the light plastic, cheap feel of so many of the cheaper SLR's. I owned the Minolta 7D before which is a very good camera, but can't compare to the D3. I was told the D3 was such a complex camera from a friend that read a review, that you couldn't just take it out of the box and take pictures. I disagree. If you can charge a battery, and read the quick start section, this camera can take good pictures almost by itself. Your only task is to read the quick start, which makes sure some of the buttons, default, have not been moved. You point and push a button, if all the buttons, and little switches have not been moved you take a good shot. I know my experience with the Minolta helped but I was taking pictures within 10 to 15 minutes. A complete novice would have to take more time. I understood many of the control dials and settings and loved the positioning and feel of the controls. To take what I hope is great shots, will take more time and effort, this camera can do so many things. I couldn't believe that when using an ISO setting of 3200 you could see the object and as clear as you can see it. The shutter lag to me compared to my film camera is none existent, could'nt tell the difference. Couple this camera with the famous renouned Nikon lenses and you have in my opinion an unbeatable combination. I know Nikon will probably come out in a few years with a camera of same caliper with more pixel count. My only wish is that the D3 had a few more pixel count but I don't know why. I think I have been brian washed with pixels, because when I print the pictures on my wide EpsonEpson Stylus Pro 4800 Color Inkjet Printer the results are amazing. I would highly recommend this camera to those that are Pro's or like me a serious want to be Pro who has been taking pictures for almost 50 of my 58 years.
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