Nikon
D3X
© 2008 KenRockwell.com. All rights reserved.
Is this an early camouflaged prototype D3X spotted testing around San Diego, or just another hoax?
I personally buy from Ritz, Adorama and Amazon. I can't vouch for any other ads.
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Introduction
History shows us is that Nikon, in the case of the D1, D2 and D3, first introduces a fast, low-resolution camera for news, sports and action.
Nikon follows-up with the -x version, with double the resolution of the original, but slower frame rate, some time later.
Specifications
Resolution: Firmware suggests 6,048 x 4,032 (24.4 MP) and 5:4 at 5,056 x 4,032.
Frame Rate: Extrapolation tells us a D3X will be 5FPS; 8 FPS in DX crop.
Nikon's botched v1.10 firmware for the D3 of 15 April 2008 confirms the D3X as 24.4MP, so I'm right on. I wouldn't be surprised if the D3X makes it as fast as 6.5 FPS in FX.
Forecast
Looking at announce, not ship dates:
D1: June 1999. D1X and D1H: Feb 2001. That's 1.5 years.
D2H (there was never a D2): July 2003. D2X: September 2004. That's 1.2 years.
D3: August 2007.
That sets a D3X for announcement sometime between 20 August 2008 (the usual late-summer announce date) and 03 March 2009 (PMA 2009). 20 August 2008 would be faster than previous models, but seeing how the world keeps spinning faster, it wouldn't surprise me.
Price: The high-resolution -x models has usually cost $1,000 more than the standard-resolution sports and press models, so figure the D3X at $5,000 - $6,500. Nikon's top DSLR has always been priced between $5,000 - 5,500 at introduction.
Recommendations
Big deal, even if something were announced in August 2008 we couldn't get it until December 2008, even if we ordered the same day as the announcement.
Nikon's hot new high-end stuff is never available off-the shelf for usually a year or two after announcement. Remember the 18-200mm VR? It was two years before you could get them easily. The D3? Announced August 2007, and it wasn't in stock anywhere until Spring the next year.
Got something to shoot today? Then use a camera you can get today.
Real pros all realize that the 13MP of today's D3 is more than they need for anything, including billboards. Get a D3, and you'll love it as everyone else does.