Nikon D2Xs SLR Digital Camera (Camera Body)

Comments about Nikon D2Xs SLR Digital Camera (Camera Body):

OK so I don't rate the D2Xs as perfect, it isn't but you aren't going to get much closer to perfection without selling you soul.

Everything about it just seems right from the moment you pick it up.

Comments about Nikon D2Xs SLR Digital Camera (Camera Body):

Pay attention! This is a great pro digital camera. I guessyou can say it's expensive but it's a pro camera..In all honesty its really not expensive considering itwill probably last you the rest of your life and pay foritself with time saved not doing touch ups and getting morework just because you can say I shoot with a D2X!. It doesn't make sense that pro photographers would saythat this camera is not easy to use...I mean come on it'sdigital! You can see what you shoot instantly and makeadjustments! Also, autofocus does not get fooled ...either yourdiopter is not set properly, your focus area is not setproperly or simply human error came into play...trust meit's more than likely you and not the camera. It seems a few people who shot film prior to using thiscamera have an issue with grainy images when shooting at iso800 or higher...ummm I'm sorry no comment! Ok now canon v. nikon...to each his own both arereally quality manufactures. To be honest I mainly shootwith nikon because the service center is closer to my housethan canon...lol. Really I just prefer nikon glass. Finally, it seems most of the reviews have come fromguys that do multiple types of photography. For those thatdo events with variable lighting situations and typicallylow light...you should be shooting with the fastest AF lensyou can get which is the silentwave dslr series that willlet you shoot at F2.8 consistently. You must remember andgot back to photography 101...if you shoot wide open you'regonna have a shallow depth of field i.e. its more like yourshots might be soft focused or even out of focus. This isbecause your field depth is only about 6. Basically there should be no complaints about theabilities of this camera meeting and exceedingexpectations...What else do you want it to do... bake bread?

Expertise: 7yrs + Film degree

Previous Equivalent Item Owned: 2 D1x bodies & all silentwave lenses

Items I Recommend: any of the silentwave f2.8 dslr lenses...especially the super wide if you do weddings

Comments about Nikon D2Xs SLR Digital Camera (Camera Body):

This camera exceeds all expectations. A joy to use and never let's you down. If you're charging top dollar for your work, stop using anything less than a pro model Nikon/Canon. The differencesare instantly noticable. The camera is important and the glass is important. Go into debt if you have to.

Expertise: PRO

Previous Equivalent Item Owned: S3 Fuji, RZPRO MAMIYA 4-LENSES

Items I Recommend: SB-800-- 17-55mm-- 200mmF2

Comments about Nikon D2Xs SLR Digital Camera (Camera Body):

I have owned 2 earlier and less expensive DSLRs. I do photography for my full-time real estate work, as well as professional portrait photography and landscape shooting.My purchase of the D2Xs was motivated primarily by a desire for speed and accuracy. As I started shooting more critical jobs, especially weddings, I became frustrated with the slowness and focusing inaccuracy of the Fuji S2 Pro and the D70. Many would think of the ultra-fast focusing mechanism as being useful primarily for sports shooting, but the exceptional speed also makes a huge difference in the ability to capture a high percentage of keepers in virtually any setting where subjects are not static.The D2Xs met my high expectations. I would not say that it has exceeded them, as the auto-focus system can still be fooled occasionally. Even this camera cannot offer mind reading capabilities to focus on what the operator has in mind 100% of the time. But this camera focusing system both speed and accuracy are exceptional and have made a major difference in my ability to capture important images.The combination of a top-quality viewfinder and LCD screen make a noticeable functional difference over my earlier cameras. When I can see better (and with the viewfinder offering true 100% coverage), I am much more likely to get precisely the composition and framing that I intended. And a high quality back panel LCD helps me more accurately figure out if I achieved correct exposure, focus, and composition. With my real estate work, this has significantly reduced the amount of time I must spend in Photoshop after each shoot. Before the D2Xs, I was not seeing 100% of the image frame. When shooting architectural subjects, it is critically important to be able to see horizontal and vertical lines near the edge of the frame. With my older DSLRs, I would finish shooting a property, and then realize when reviewing images in Photoshop that many images needed to be rotated by a few degrees or corrected for unwanted perspective distortion and then cropped to compensate for issues that I simply could not see in the inferior viewfinders.The continuous shooting mode works beautifully as advertised. As is the case in so many other respects, this camera offers great flexibility with continuous shooting options. There are two continuous shooting speeds, selectable from the main shooting mode knob on the top of the camera. But through the cameras menus, many more options are available, allowing the user to specify speeds ranging from 1 frame per second to 8 frames per second.Image quality is generally excellent. The cameras auto-white balance is often spot-on. I frequently shoot under mixed lighting conditions when I shoot home interiors, dealing with a combination of daylight, flash, incandescent and fluorescent lighting all in a single image. I always shoot in RAW mode with auto white balance, leaving myself the ability to tweak white balance later in Photoshop if needed. But the images frequently come right off the camera with white balance perfect, even in complicated situations.As one would expect, noise is a non-issue at ISO 100 or 200, and just barely so at ISO 400. ISO 800 has some noticeable grain, but is still very pleasing. I recently shot an image at ISO 800 that was subsequently printed at 48 x 48, and it looked spectacular. I avoid ISO 1600 and 3200 whenever possible, but I do not hesitate to use 1600 if doing so lets me get the shutter speed fast enough to ensure that motion blur will not be an issue. Avoiding a grainy image is pointless if the image is blurry from a slow shutter speed.Battery life is simply spectacular. I easily made it through a 1,200 image wedding day without depleting the battery.

Expertise: Serious enthusiast, occasional professional

Problems Encountered: Virtually none. High-ISO images show somewhat more noise than Canon image samples that I have reviewed.

Previous Equivalent Item Owned: None. It has operated flawlessly.

Items I Recommend: Nikon SB-800 flash (or several of them, since the camera supports multiple flashes)

Comments about Nikon D2Xs SLR Digital Camera (Camera Body):

I have been using this camera professionally for nearly 3 years. I have over 67,000 actuations on the shutter and the camera is still going strong. The menu is easy to use with a little experience and the feel of the camera is amazing. You can't let go. It is solid and feels like an extension of your hand. I don't believe it can be topped. I have created custom curves with Nikon software and I use them for commercial and wedding work. With some minor adjustments it has low noise capability. The color that comes out of it is fantastic. Very true to life. The buttons are right at your finger tips for quick access. I even shot in the pouring rain (not recomended) but the gaskets kept the water out. Truly an outstanding camera!!!!!!!!!

Expertise: Professional

Previous Equivalent Item Owned: Hasselblad, Nikon f5, D200, F3, Leica m6

Items I Recommend: Lexar professional 133x 2G or 4G

Comments about Nikon D2Xs SLR Digital Camera (Camera Body):

As my expertise has increased, so has my collection of cameras. My point and shoot digital that I basically use for snapshot photography was dying after almost 1 million photos. I started looking in to DSLR as I wanted something a little better, but did not necessarily want to go with top of the line. I am a film person, shoot B&W, high contrast, low light, and have my own darkroom. For me, digital was more to capture my own life experiences rather than to create my art and share with others.I looked in to the D80, and wanted to try it out so that I could see if DSLR was something I could subscribe to. Most of the times I shoot, for myself at least, I am tooling around on my motorcycle in areas where cars would not be able to pull off the road to photograph. I wanted something small, but yet halfway decent. Comparing the D20 with the D80, I did not need the extras that the D200 offered. Itching to try a DSLR, I tried contacting Nikon to point me in a direction where I could rent one and shoot in my normal circumstances (which range from low light portrait to landscape and nature photography.)In discussing this with a relative, and wanting to test the D80 and talking about the D200 as well.. he suggested trying his out. Little did I know that his was a D2X. I have played around a bit with it before reading the manual. I spent a few hours reading through almost all of the manual and proceeded to take a few shots trying out all settings and seeing how intense everything is. I love the camera so far, and for anybody that has knowledge of digital photography, and is looking for something that will do just about anything you want from it, I can say that I really feel this camera is capable of doing it all, and providing the best possible results.

Expertise: Serious amateur (not pro because I do not do this for a living)

Problems Encountered: Still under test

Previous Equivalent Item Owned: F5, Hasselblad 553ELX, Rolleiflex 5500...many others

Items I Recommend: the best lenses you can afford

Comments about Nikon D2Xs SLR Digital Camera (Camera Body):

Ive always been a fan of Nikon since working at Ehrenreich Photo Optical Industries (EPOI) when I was a student in college a long time ago. Over 35 years of photography, Ive used a number of camera including Konica-Minolta, Yashika, Canon, Olympus and, of course, Nikon. My switch from film to digital was from Canon to Nikon. I recently upgraded from a D70s to the D2Xs. The D2Xs is just an awesome piece of professional gear. I do a lot of low light shooting and rarely get bothered with noise even at very high ISO. My favorite lens is the 18-200mm Nikkor VRII. Although its not the fastest lens, the VRII works extremely well and I can get 2 to 4 stops improvement with this lens. The D2Xs is built very solidly and its ergonomic design makes it very easy to handle. I find it easier to get to the most critical settings than my D70s, and far easier than my Canon EOS 850 (which was very limited). The autofocus is very fast, regardless if Im shooting with my 500mm Sigma or my most used 18-200 zoom. I almost never touch the auto white balance and my shots are perfect. I used to use custom white balance a lot, but just dont need it much any more. With Apple Aperture I almost never use Photoshop CS2 to make exposure, saturation or shadow-highlight and longer, and I dont bother with any of the Nikon software (e.g., Capture) at all. This is truly a professional photographers dream tool, and the D2Xs deserves all the great reviews it gets. Expertise: Very advanced amateurProblems Encountered: You will need some big and fast CF cards, especially if you always shoot RAW (NEF) like me. Don't bother with an extra battery, this camera goes forever between charges. Previous Equivalent Item Owned: Nikon D70s, Canon EOS 850, Olympus C3030, Konica, many othersItems I Recommend: High speed compact flash (CF) cards

Comments about Nikon D2Xs SLR Digital Camera (Camera Body):

The Nikon D2Xs is a pro body that allows you great tweaking in-camera of your pictures, or snapshot-like photos without the worry. The 3 banks of settings are a godsend for photographers who shoot in multiple conditions (portrait, scenery, etc.). The controls are logically placed on the D2Xs and are very sturdy. The camera itself feels (and is) rugged and exudes a sense of robustness. The D2Xs' price is relatively high, but that old adage applies here - you get what you pay for.

Problems Encountered: I have no problems at this time.

Previous Equivalent Items Owned: D2x, D100 ,D70,F5,Pentax 6x7,F100

Items I Recommend: SB800 SPEED LIGHT,VR ZOOM 70-200,50MM 1.4,

Comments about Nikon D2Xs SLR Digital Camera (Camera Body):

I tend to keep photo gear a long, long time. I want to choose equipment carefully and then get the full value from it over the long-haul. the Nikon D2Xs meets my criteria for a long-term investment.Believe it or not, I have been using a D100 for digital work for the past 6+ years. Add to that the fact I've been using Nikon lenses and cameras since the F2, you can see why I wouldn't be interested in deviating from Nikon unless really necessary. I didn't buy the D1X, nor the D2X. But, finally, a necessary upgrade in resolution for 16x20 portrait prints drove me to get the D2Xs.The autofocus blew me away right out of the box. The D100 got fooled a lot on my shoots; I do a lot of wildlife. The D2Xs seems to be unflappable in this arena. I sometimes spend time trying to force it to goof a focal point just to see if I can!The product is solid, well-constructed, with a balance and heft I like for handheld shots. As for the DX sensor, I'm pretty darn glad they didn't go to a full-size CMOS. I need telephotos in a lot of my work, and personally I am grateful to get 600mm worth of focal length out of a 400mm lens with no sacrifice in stops. On the occasions I need a wide-field of view, the 12-24G works just fine.I found the controls to be fairly intuitive after the D100 and the camera is becoming second-nature in its handling after only a couple weeks of practice.The color engine and the smooth tonal gradations from this sensor are amazing. And, to be honest, once you're past 12MP... how much more do you really need? I appreciate the refinements in the processing Nikon's built into this baby. Okay, maybe I'll buy the D5X when B & H starts selling it in 2013. For the meantime, I simply need a second body for backup.

Problems Encountered: Made all my CF cards obsolescent and the memory in my laptop inadequate. Big deal.

Previous Equivalent Items Owned: Nikons F, F2A, F100, F5 and D100. Hassy 500CM, Sinar 4x5, Pentax 67

Items I Recommend: Nikon NX software. I think its actually BETTER than Photoshop in certain respects.

Comments about Nikon D2Xs SLR Digital Camera (Camera Body):

I have had this camera for about two months and the pictures are fantastic. The auto focus is tact sharp. The renditions for flesh tones are fantastic. I do not have to do many adjustments in Photoshop. I considered getting the Canon, but it was too expensive. I am glad that I opted for the D2Xs because I can use all of my Nikon lenses.

Problems Encountered: The only problem that I encountered is that you really need an excellent quality compact flash card. I had the camera freeze during one session in which I inadvertently used a cheaper compact flash card. I would recommend that you purchase the Sandisk Extreme III or IV and purchase the 4 mb variety.

Previous Equivalent Items Owned: D1X and the F100 film camera

Items I Recommend: Get the 70-200, the 28-70; the 17-35 lenses and the SB 800 flash.

Comments about Nikon D2Xs SLR Digital Camera (Camera Body):

Like many, after considering D200, with a hard heart i choose the D2Xs, and although i had to take a bank loan for a year to do so, i understand where the extra money went!!Speed, quality, the feel, the look, the multiple choice options are what a professional camera should be.Although unfortunate, that Nikon does not wish to provide us with a full size sensor, and Canon does have the advantage in that sense, still being a Nikon fan, i choose the D2Xs and have no regrets

Problems Encountered: well, the only thing that i would say, is that the side button must be locked unless u are shooting and using it, cause when i look through the pics, my right palm, holding the camera, depresses it a bit every time, and the screen goes black, since the camera starts to focus.i would probably prefer that Nikon would drown the buttons a bit.

Previous Equivalent Items Owned: D70s, Mark II

Items I Recommend: Good Lens

Comments about Nikon D2Xs SLR Digital Camera (Camera Body):

I have been a professional photographer for over 35 years starting out as a combat photographer in the USMC back in 69 I used a Nikon Nikkormat FT in 1964 when I was first published and I still rely on Nikon today in my travels shooting Fashion in over 96 countries around the world. The Nikon D2Xs is just another example of its true reliability to the professional in this demanding industry.I own 2 - Nikon DX2s which is now my main gear and being back-up all the way to my film cameras including the F6 and F3HP.SalvatorieSalvatorie Studios, Intl.

Problems Encountered: None yet... and shoot nearly 5 days a week which includes my traveling

Previous Equivalent Items Owned: all back to the Nikkormat FT

Items I Recommend: Depends on your shooting schedule

Comments about Nikon D2Xs SLR Digital Camera (Camera Body):

This is an excellent camera; I was along time Minolta man, from the X370 to X700 to the Maxxum 7. I needed a good DSLR to speed up my workflow, not to mention saving money on film. Its an expensive piece of equipment, but if you use it; it should pay off in no time. I personally think that its a better camera than the Cannon Mark II s even with 12.4 MP. It feels like a dream in your hands, I highly recommend this camera for Advance and Pros. And please for the love of god DO NOT BUY IT GREY MARKET.

Problems Encountered: None as of yet.

Items I Recommend: 85mm f/1.8 105mm f/2.0

Comments about Nikon D2Xs SLR Digital Camera (Camera Body):

Hi There,I use both cameras, the D200 and the D2xs, both brilliant cameras, two major pluses for D200 is that the light can be totally controlled from camera, you need unit with D2xs. Second point is the size and weight is great.The D2xs seems to be a little noisier than the D200, but it has brilliant af which never fails, just shot a wedding here in Holland, and the D2xs was tack sharp on all shots, the D200 was trailing big time, I remember one shot, one of the party stuck her head out of the bus she was in, a millesecond, pointed and got her tack sharp!!! Brilliant!The D2xs is fast for sports and action and very very good in low light, I have been testing in less than candle light a vague bit of light and you have focus!! Great camera! I guess the D200 is well priced but the D2xs is also a great price. If you have the extra money get the D2xs......................You will never regret it.

Problems Encountered: lights are a bit less than D200 because of the great control but everything else is fine

Previous Equivalent Items Owned: D7 Nikon, Nikon all pre-digitals

Items I Recommend: good glass

Comments about Nikon D2Xs SLR Digital Camera (Camera Body):

Recently I started shooting high school and some college sports again. A new newspaper opened in the area and wanted me to do all of their work for them. I knew it was time to upgrade my D100 to something with a larger buffer and with faster focusing, but I was unsure if I wanted to step all the way to the D2Xs (3x the money) or just jump to a D200.The D200 had been getting great reviews, but where I live we do not have store close enough to go compare the two. I spent hours searching the web and getting other people opinions, but in the end I spent the extra for the D2Xs. The extra resolution was a bonus, but I really wanted something durable enough to bounce across the state a few times a week. As soon as I open the box I knew it was the right decision. This camera is built like a tank, focuses very quick, and is very fast. When coupled with my 80-200, F2.8 this combination catches the action. I was concerned about noise, since these are usually low light games. I had read this was a weak point, but ignore those postings and just take the shot. Running as ISO800, fixed shutter at 250 and zoomed all the way, I still haven't gotten 10% of the noise my D100 had.This is not intended as a dig on the D200, but I recently got to play with one for a little while. I can seriously say I am glad that I went with the D2Xs. I am sure that the D200 is a great camera, but this one fits and feels better. The focusing speed of the D2Xs is much faster and the camera appears to react faster in general. I did not get to test the focus tracking, but on the D2Xs, it has never let me down. After shooting with a F100, the D100 was a disappointment in construction and feel. I can finally say I have surpassed the feel of the F100 with the D2Xs, which I cannot say about the D200.If it is in your budget and you are deciding between the D200 and D2Xs, go for the D2Xs, you will not be disappointed.Yes it is complicated, so plan on playing with it and reading through the book numerous times, but that is part of the fun. I also purchased a SB-800 with the camera. Together they are spot on and the color cannot be beat.

Problems Encountered: Nothing major. I am still learning. At first it appeared to shift colors between shots, but most of this was because it was set to automatic in many modes. especially color balance.

Previous Equivalent Items Owned: Minolta SRT101, Nikon F100, Nikon D100

Items I Recommend: SB-800 and a nice, fast Nikon lens

Comments about Nikon D2Xs SLR Digital Camera (Camera Body):

I bought this camera and since day 1 I have loved every minute of working with it. Not only do I get better picture quality due to high resolution, but it is easy to use and understand. I prefer Nikon cameras over all others and this camera makes me glad . It still is rated one of the best digital cameras by popular photography magazine. I have small hands and have lots of trouble holding certain cameras and even though this is a large camera I can still hold it with ease due to the features being close to one another.

Comments about Nikon D2Xs SLR Digital Camera (Camera Body):

I am a visual artist (painter), graphic designer and anamateur (soon to be professional) photographer. I just gotthis baby July 3rd with a NIKON 50mm f1.4 (and soon to get12-24mm Tokina, 24-70mm Sigma and 70-200mm Sigma)....With so little time spent on it, I got about 200 shots ofmostly portraits with natural lighting from my living roomwindow. As much as a testament to this great PRIME LENS of50mm with beautiful bokeh and clarity....this Nikon D2Xs isan art in itself!So much technicalities to read, learn and practice andpowerful! I can't wait to learn and have a good foundationto build upon but I have been researching online on it'stechnical prowess and a bit from the traditional photographyfrom...oh, way back then....but despite thistechnological wonder, it still have the feel of the good'ole 35mm film camera which I used to take for my ownportfolio on my fine arts paintings!The body, the feel, the layout of the buttons....all great!Tested a bit on the high ISO between 400-800 and found thatit isn't as bad as what most people say about this one. At least for the short time that I have had so far. I thinkthat most photographers rely too much on the ISO and thesubjective issue of noise is the main thing....but for me,it is just perfect.I have an 8GB RISTEK RIDATA CF 150X and it is fast! Thiscamera doesn't even hiccup on those High-Crop mode though Ihaven't totally explored that just yet.I tried putting on an old 35-70mm NIKKOR AF F3.3 from my 25year old FG-20 and still works!!!!This is a highly recommended camera and glad that I didn'tbuy the Canon Mark II 1Ds! Even online, there are manysites that compare the 2 and obviously the MARK II have morepixels....but this one has more depth, dynamic range,clarity and depth!!!Though it isn't the camera that makes a good photographer, Ifeel that this baby is providing me with the most I wouldever need to express my art.The only gripe I have about NIKON is the exclusivity ofbuying the NIKON CAPTURE that SHOULD BE INCLUDED with thisexpensive camera. The Picture Project 1.6 is an insult toone's intelligence and capability that came along with thisgreat camera.I wouldn't hesitate to use Photoshop on this one but gosh....But aside from this one, this is the best thing that I haveever had and feeling the power of having a great camera toaid my own art.

Problems Encountered: So far....none.

Previous Equivalent Items Owned: Canon 10D and Nikon FG-20 film 35mm

Items I Recommend: Get good glass! This camera will magnify any lenses' weaknesses. Big Apertures, Fast CPU and less distortions are the way to go obviously!