Specifications
all the same as the D3 specifications, except:
Sensor
FX (24x36mm) CMOS, slightly less than 24.4 MP (not 24.5MP as claimed; do the math yourself).
I'm being generous with 24.4 MP. If you count megas the same way hard drive makers do (1k = 1,024), then the D3X really oly has 23.26MP.
Sensor Cleaner
None, just like the D3.
Formats and Resolution (exactly like D3, just more pixels):
What's new is that the pixel counts are exactly 3:2. Previous Nikons never hit 3:2 exactly, so when I'm editing and rescaling at the pixel level in Photoshop, I had to whip out a calculator more often with the older cameras.
FX (24 x 36mm): 6,048 x 4,032 (L), 4,544 x 3,024 (M) and 3,024 x 2,016 (S).
Pro 5:4 FX Crop (24 x 30mm): 5,056 x 4,032 (L), 3,792 x 3,024 (M), 2,528 x 2,016 (S).
Wimpy DX format (16 x 24mm): 3,968 x 2,640 (L), 2,976 x 1,976 (M), 1,984 x 1,320 (S).
Nikon is gouging on the MP rating. 6,048 x 4,032 pixels = 24,385,536 pixels, or less than 24.4MP, nowhere near the claimed 24.5MP.
Claiming 24.5MP, which is leaving 114,464 pixels missing, is an important psychological ploy. 24.4 sounds like 24, which it is. 24.5 sounds like 25MP, which feels like a lot more pixels than 24MP. I'm serious: where did Nikon get the 24.5MP number? They're lying.
ISO
ISO 100 ~ 1,600 in third, half and full stops.
Also ISO 50 ~ 3,200 in third, half and full stops in trick modes.
One noisy ISO 6,400 setting, in a trick mode.
Auto ISO, too.
Live View:
Yes, just like my point and shoot and the D3. Whoopee; I've never used it on my D3.
Finder
Huge, bright 100% view of the full, fat FX frame. 0.7x magnification with 50mm lens.
AF System
Same AF system as the D3.
Frame Rates
Specified:
5FPS in FX and 5:4 modes. Since Nikon only claims "approximately 5 FPS," that means "somewhat less than 5 FPS."
7 FPS in DX crop.
Measured:
5.02 FPS with still target, 4.74 FPS in AF-C tracking a slowly moving target in release-priority (not always in focus) mode.
Flash Sync
Only 1/250, same as D3. (The D40 is twice as good, at 1/500, for less than one-tenth the price, ha ha.)
Shutter Death
"Tested to exceed 300,000 cycles." No big deal, the warranty doesn't specify mileage, and even if you can kill a D3X shutter after the warranty dies, it's not that expensive to replace one as a service part.
Picture Controls
Same as D300 and D3, etc.
ADR (Automatic Dynamic Range)
Same as D700, which means it adds an excellent AUTO setting not in the D3. The settings are Auto, Extra High, High, Normal, Low and Off.
Storage
Dual CF slots, same as D3.
Lens Compatibility
Same as D3, which means any manual or autofocus lens made since 1977 works great. Of course you'll have to focus the manual lenses yourself, and you'll only have A and M modes, but you'll have full EXIF data and color matrix metering.
Older lenses made from 1959-1976 work just as well, so long as they've been updated to AI.
More at Nikon Lens Compatibility.
Lateral Chromatic Aberration Correction
Yes, same as D3. This does an excellent job of eliminating lateral color fringes from just about any lens you can put on the D3X, automatically. It's always on; you can't turn it off. This is superior to Canon, who haven't copied this yet, and on whose cameras you still can see lateral color fringes with many lenses.
Vignette Control
Can be turned on to lessen darkened corners due to lens problems.
LCD
Same excellent 3" 640x480 LCD as other Nikons like the D90 and D3.
Power
EN-EL4a battery, same as D3.
Size
Rated 6.3 x 6.2 x 3.4" (159.5 x 157 x 87.5 mm), exactly the same as the D3.
Weight
Rated 2 pounds, 11 ounces (1.22 kg or 2.7 pounds), completely stripped
This is 20g (0.7 oz.) less than the D3, which usually means that something that used to be made of metal is now plastic.
Environmental
Rated only for operation at between 0~40ºC (32~104ºF), which seems lame since all my Nikons work great in far colder temperatures.
If the D3X really doesn't work below freezing, I'd be surprised.
RH less than 85%.
