Nikon's D2X Digital Camera

Workshop at the Ranch
March, 2005 Edition

  Hi and welcome to the March issue of Workshop at the Ranch. This edition will be devoted to examples and my first thoughts regarding Nikon's D2X digital camera. Let me begin by saying that I see my career taking on greater challenges and new clients with the quality and detail of the 12.4 megapixel resolution of the D2X. For sometime now I have wanted my images to enter the fine art print gallery market place and I believe that the Nikon D2X will enable me to do so with confidence. The image quality produced by the D2X is stunning. I have already made prints up to 24 X 36 and I am excited about all aspects of the images that I can capture with this camera. I would have to say that if you need one camera that can do it all...from journalism to commercial to gallery prints, the Nikon D2X is that camera.

  Let's talk about some basic features before we look at some images. Please keep in mind that I am not a technology expert or product guru, rather, I am a photographer looking at how this new camera will best serve me and my clients. Ergonomically the camera is just like a D2H with the exception of the FUNCTION button on the front that activates the High Speed Crop mode, and a larger LCD monitor. The D2X has a 12.4 megapixel resolution, that produces a 14.3in X 9.5in image size at 300 dpi ( 4288pixels X 2848pixels ), a 35MB file when opened in Photoshop at 8 bit. A giant leap from the D2H. A compressed RAW/NEF file will consume approximately 10MB of flash card space, while a JPG fine will consume approximately 4MB of flash card space. I now own four 4GB Lexar Flash Cards and plan to purchase more as I capture both RAW/NEF plus JPG. The JPGs look terrific and hold great edge detail even when enlarged up to 24in X 36in. The High Speed Crop mode can be activated on the fly by pressing the FUNCTION button and turning the COMMAND DIAL. This allows the photographer to capture a 12.4 megapixel resolution image at up to 5 frames/sec or a 6.8 megapixel resolution image at up to 8 frames/sec. and transition back and forth anytime. The High Speed Crop reduces the image area, thus capturing with 6.8 megapixels an image that measures 10.72in X 7.12in ( 3216pixels X 2136pixels ), a 19.7MB file size when opened in Photoshop at 8 bit. The field of view is 1.5X at the 12.4 megapixel mode and 2X at the High Speed Crop mode of 6.8 megapixels. Simply put, a 200mm f 2 lens would capture a field of view of a 400mm f2 when using the High Speed Crop mode and you still have a 19.7MB file. The D2X is using a CMOS chip. Color, saturation, tone etc. have improved again and look wonderful. I love the larger LCD monitor and the battery lasts a LONG, LONG TIME. Nikon has also addressed the noise issue. The D2X uses a CMOS chip with a very refined quality with regard to any noise while the D2H uses the LBCAST chip. Noise is none to minimal with the D2X from ISO 100 to ISO 400. From ISO 400 to ISO 640 there is a slight increase of noise in the shadow areas but easily managed with the in-camera Noise Reduction mode. The noise level of the D2X at ISO 800 is clearly a MORE REFINED QUALITY and LESS PRONOUNCED than any camera prior to the D2X and is only visible in the shadow areas. This is a significant improvement. At an ISO of 800 the noise is a non issue in the well exposed areas and is so refined looking in the shadow areas that I am reminded of a D1X at ISO 320. No color shift, no clumping and no banding in the shadows. Shadow detail in general is greatly improved. At ISO 1600 the D2X has some noise in the well exposed areas. The noise level increases in the shadow areas but has the more refined appearance and is easily reduced with the in-camera Noise Reduction mode in the CUSTOM SETTINGS or a 3rd party noise reduction filter like NIK Define or Noise Ninja that could be applied in Photoshop. I have had the opportunity to compare some high ISO images between the Nikon D2X and Canon 1D MarkII and 1Ds MarkII and would say they are very competitive with regard to the noise issue at high ISO levels. The Nikon D2X has much better edge detail at high ISO ratings than either the Canon 1D or 1Ds and with the D2X High ISO Noise Reduction mode the Nikon D2X captures the preferred image over the Canon 1D and 1Ds. Keep in mind that an underexposed image using any digital camera will increase the noise in the image....no company can be held responsible for photographer error.

  There are plenty of features included in this camera, but my intent here is to bring to light the common photography applications as I see them helping me and the images I make. For those with an appetite for more technology, bells and whistles I suggest you visit Nikon's website that addresses those features. So..........let's look at some images captured with the new Nikon D2X ..........

Image #1 I made a similar image last season and wanted to improve on it. I used the Nikon 10.5 fisheye lens and the Nikon D2X for this image. I strobed the audience with 3 Elinchrom 1200RX sport strobes at 3/4 power and placed blue gels over the reflectors to give the audience an Air Force blue tone. I then used 2 Elinchrom 600RX sport strobes at 3/4 power to light the players at my end of the court. The big difference this year is DETAIL and there is plenty of it. The 35MB file is fantastic. Faces in the audience, the coach, the players uniforms, the court and even the surface of the basketball are full of detail and edge quality. Nikon D2X, ISO320, 1/250 at f5.6Nikon 10.5 Fisheye lens (I did not correct the fisheye but could do so if needed in Nikon Capture, Elinchrom 1200RX and 600RX sport strobes ( as mentioned ), triggered with Pocket Wizard MultiMax Transceivers, Lexar 4G Flash Card, camera was mounted on a Slik Ball Head on a floor plate. I triggered the D2X manually. This image made a beautiful 24 X 36 print.
	Images #2, #3, #4, #5 Remote Nikon D2X, ISO320 ( there is no noise ), 1/250 at f8, Nikon 70-200mm lens, 2 Elinchrom 600RX sport strobes at Full Power ( a 1/2050 flash duration ), triggered with Pocket Wizard MultiMax Transceivers, 2 Bogen Magic Arms and Bogen Super Clamps, Lexar 4G Flash Card. Similar images I have taken in past seasons with some exceptions. The D2X produces a file size and quality that allows me to supply my client with more choices. The first image in this series is the full frame image as it was captured....14.3in X 9.5in...at 300 dpi...a 35MB file when opened in Photoshop at 8 bit. The second image in the series (labeled image #3) is my finished cropped image that the magazine could easily use as a 2 page spread. The next image (labeled image #4) is a horizontal crop of the two players. The quality and resolution is so good that this image could also be used as a 2 page spread. This gives my editor an option. By supplying the editor with so much quality/resolution/pixels choices can now be made to crop perhaps as much as 30% from the frame and run a quality 2 page spread. The 11in X 17in ( 2 page spread ) print enlargement I made is clean and detailed right down to the Nike swoosh on the players headband. The final image (image #5) is an even tighter crop of about 15% of the original image and it still holds up to a quality full page image. The D2X gives my editor more options with the magazine layout and gives me more options with lens choices. I could have used a smaller lens and taken in more players on the court and still cropped into the image for just the two players.
Image #6 Here is the D2X High Speed Crop mode. NO STROBES, just available light....terrible light....3 different kinds of light....typical light of High School and college gyms across our nation. The RED CROP marks LIGHT UP in the view finder and define the High Speed Crop area that can be captured at 8 frames/sec.......a 10.72in X 7.12in at 300 dpi....a 19.7MB file size when opened in Photoshop at 8 bit. This image was captured as a JPG and I am amazed at the edge detail. I can see definition of the players teeth ! The D2X allows me to see the entire 12.4 capture area while shooting the 8 frame/sec. High Speed Crop mode. This is a terrific feature...I can see the action in the view finder as it enters the High Speed crop area allowing me to get on the shutter immediately...I like this feature very much. Remote Nikon D2X, ISO800, High ISO Noise Reduction at the lowest level, Nikon 85mm Lens, 1/500 at 2.8, WB Auto, High Speed Crop mode, Lexar 4G Flash Card, Pocket Wizard MultiMax Transceiver, 2 Bogen Magic Arms with Bogen Super Clamps and safety strap. The Auto WB did a good job with the mix of different lights in the gym. There was a tiny bit of yellow cast so I color corrected in Photoshop. I was very impressed by the Auto WB. This was a very difficult light mix and the color shift was minimal. The High ISO Noise Reduction did a great job of dealing with the small amount of noise in the shadow areas ( it looks as if the 3rd party filter Noise Ninja was used.) The image area within the High Speed Crop area measures 10.72in X 7.12in at 300 dpi, and would make a perfect cover or full page for a magazine or even a 2 page spread. ( NOTE: This is a well exposed image. If I were to underexpose an image, I would see more noise. I must highly recommend capturing all your images with a correct exposure. It is a bad habit of many photographers to underexpose an image and bring it up to a correct exposure in Photoshop. At a High ISO this will increase the noise level when using any digital camera, Nikon or Canon. )
	Image #7 ISO 1600....and acceptable. I used the High ISO Noise Reduction at its highest level for this image. There is more noise in the shadows than there is in the correctly exposed areas. Over all, I find it acceptable and a great improvement over any other digital camera I have used to date at ISO 1600. Nikon D2X, ISO 1600 with High ISO Noise Reduction at the Highest Level, Nikon 200mm f2 G VR lens, 1/1200 at f2, WB Auto ( again the Auto WB did a great job in a mix of lights ), Nikon Pistol Grip, Lexar 4G Flash Card. I seldom encounter situations that require ISO 1600 but I know many of you do. I believe the D2X's noise level was acceptable and that it did a good job of handling the noise that is there. ( NOTE: I must emphases the importance of having a correct exposure at the time of capture. Rescuing an image that has been captured under exposed and especially at a High ISO of 800 or 1600 will result in an increase of noise, especially in the shadows. This occurs with any camera.
Image #8, and #9 Lightpainting is going to be a greater priority for me thanks to the Nikon D2X and its 12.4 megapixel resolution. For sometime now I have wanted my lightpaintings to become competitive in the Fine Art Print Gallery Market Place. Previous cameras could produce a good 16 X 24 print but I felt that 24 X 36 prints or larger with outstanding detail would be required to break into the higher end gallery market. The D2X will provide me with the quality and detail to do this. An ISO rating of 100 is now included with the D2X. The first of these two images is the full frame image. The 2nd image is approximately a 15% crop from the full frame. I have made several prints in various sizes of each. The full frame version is a beautiful 24 X 36 print on Premium Luster paper. The detail is fantastic from her hair to the silk texture of her toe shoes. I was so impressed with the depth of this image that I decided to crop out her toe shoes and roses and make a 16 X 24 print. The detail held up wonderfully. The texture of her cotton socks and silk toe shoes is still there even though this is only 15% of the original image ...suitable for framing. Nikon D2X, ISO100, Nikon 17 - 55mm Lens, 1 minute exposure at f8, Long Exposure Noise Reduction, WB 7000K , Bogen Tripod, Slik Ball Head, Nikon Electronic Cable Release, Sharper Image 5 LED Flash Light.

    I am very excited about future images I will be making. The Nikon D2X will provide my clients with many more options thanks to the 35MB file. Details and the potential of using cropped images for a cover or two page spread will help my editors when selecting images for publication. My career will now enter a new market place with image enlargements of 24 X 36 or larger holding beautiful edge detail and revealing textures as if I were shooting a mid format camera. When 8 frames/sec is needed, I have it with a 19.7MB file size...easily usable for a cover, full page or even 2 page spread. Less noise at all ISO levels, and High ISO Noise Reduction for venues that require an ISO of 800 or higher. Include these additions to all the previous features in the D2H and you have a camera that can accelerate your career. Perfect for any subject from journalism and sports to portraiture, wildlife, landscapes.......and anything in between with quality and detail for newspapers to crop from and the fine print galleries to frame.........the Nikon D2X is the one camera that can do it all.

  Well,..........I hope you have enjoyed this edition of Workshop at the Ranch featuring the Nikon D2X. I realize I have not addressed every function of this new camera but hope I have been able to highlight the applications that many of us use every time we shoot. I am a consumer just like all of you and will be purchasing three D2X cameras. I have used Nikon equipment from day one almost 25 years ago. I believe much of my career success is due to the quality and excellence I get from Nikon gear. Pictures are my business and passion, and the equipment I use to capture them must be the best available. I write these articles for you, the photographer in an effort to help you take better pictures.........plain and simple.

See you next month........................Adios, Dave