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Considering Upgrade

SciurusNigerSciurusNiger Registered Users Posts: 256 Major grins
edited July 2, 2014 in Cameras
I love my Nikon D2Xs; yes, I do. And I have good Nikkor glass to go with it so quality images are not a problem. What I'm feeling is the need for the higher ISO improvements of the newer models. While I still primarily shoot wildlife, I've learned that I can only push my D2Xs to 400 ISO before the results do not please me.

Now that Nikon has come out with the D4s, I'm thinking of upgrading to a D3 since I still have to budget carefully; plus, the improvements in the D3s seem minimal.

FWIW, I'm not interested in a prosumer model since I shoot very regularly in all weather conditions so I'm pretty hard on my equipment and pro hardiness makes it worth the price for me.

Thoughts would be appreciated!

Thanks,
PJ.
Garnered Images Photography

"Where beauty moves and wit delights and signs of kindness bind me; there, oh there, whe'er I go I leave my heart behind me." (Thomas Ford, 1607)

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    ziggy53ziggy53 Super Moderators Posts: 23,798 moderator
    edited June 30, 2014
    The Nikon D3 bodies are extremely capable.

    I suspect that you would feel the loss of the DX 1.5x crop factor from the D2Xs bodies. Adding a Nikkor AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E II/AF-S Teleconverter TC-14E III, with compatible lenses, is a common partial solution, but you loose a stop of light efficiency.

    If your budget could stretch, you might also consider a used Nikon D3X, which still has very good higher ISO performance (especially compared to the D2Xs) as well as a somewhat better ability to crop without loosing too much detail, versus the D3.
    ziggy53
    Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
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    jonh68jonh68 Registered Users Posts: 2,711 Major grins
    edited June 30, 2014
    I shoot in all kinds of conditions from beaches to kayaking and my D300/D700 hold up well in those conditions. You say the D3s isn't a significant upgrade to the D3 and I guess that would be a depends. I have the D700 which uses the D3 sensor and I find it is one stop better ISO wise and some people like the sensor cleaner in the D3s which the D3 doesn't have. For me I would rather have the D3s over the D3 because of the ISO. Not only is the D3s one stop better but the images are a bit cleaner down the range.
    www.jonimages.com
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    NikonsandVstromsNikonsandVstroms Registered Users Posts: 990 Major grins
    edited July 2, 2014
    Is the FPS of the D2x important to you? If not the D810 might be a good option as long as it doesn't have any issues (if there are any they should pop up quickly around the web). You'll get much better high ISO plus an amazing amount of detail for about the price of a used D3s. The big thing about that camera is that you'll have 15+ MP images in your DX crops.
    http://www.jonathanbeckley.com/
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