Owning The Nikon D3X in 2021 - The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly.

In Jan 2019 I got a cheap Nikon D3X as an impulse buy and then decided to keep it. Why the poor reputation & so few reviews? I chat about the D3x and make some brief comparisons with the D3, D4, D700, and D810. My Instagram / timmee_mr (mostly shot on D3X)
Video: Hitler Rants About Nikon D3X 🤣 • Hitler rants about D3x
If Adolf Hitler hates your camera, can it be ALL BAD?

[@reinholdthomas1187]

For me, the Nikon D3x is still one of the best cameras Nikon has ever built in 2021, my Nikon D5 was sold again quickly Expensive, not a really great dynamic range. AF really great. Nikon D4 top quality with impressive dynamic range. Nikon D3x absolute dream camera up to ISO 400, best image quality ever. Anyone who believes that the Nikon D3x is no longer up-to-date is greatly mistaken.

[@douglasfurlong1]

people that talk dont own a d3x cause if they did they would not be bashing it...let them talk..that way i can pick up another one for cheap lol

Even in 2023, I will continue to use my Nikon D3, D3x and D800E to my satisfaction. Quality machines for classic work.

[@romansivers]

Hi Timmy, I rewatched the video again. Thank you for producing it. As mentioned in the Facebook group, I bought a D3x in large part because of your videos. Thanks for doing a great work!

[@Cotictimmy]

Very flattering to receive those compliments - Thank You. I don't claim any deep expertise: I just like to try stuff for myself and produce my own take on it. The D3X is a great studio camera. I have have just bought myself a cheap Canon 70D for its live view dual pixel focusing, so hopefully I'll be making a video with that in the near future.

[@mxhives]

For twenty years I used a Hasselblad 500cm. A few months ago, I bit the bullet and bought my first digital camera. A second-hand D3X. I started off with a 24-85 3.5-4.5 VR lens but quickly upgraded to 50 1.8g, 85 1.8g and 105 2dc. The most important thing about a camera is do you enjoy using it, because if you do then your images will benefit, and I absolutely love this camera. The 50 1.8 g is as sharp as a 50mm hasselblad lens I use (I bought a converter to enable me to use my old hasselblad lenses, expecting them to be better than the Nikon plastic things, but I was wrong) The 105 2DC is amazing: the only hasselblad lens I have which beats it is my 150 f4. And comparing scanned Provia 100 from the hasselblad with the raw output of the D3X, the Nikon wins. All in all, I am amazed by this camera. Especially now that I have tweaked the autofocus for each of the lenses; this is done in one of the menus, and is easy to do. I bought one with a very low shutter count (only 1700) as I wanted a good example. I’m pleased I did. I bought a D3 a few weeks ago as a back up for the D3X with 75000 actuations. The autofocus on this D3 is rubbish, and completely random so I can’t fine adjust the problem away. And the D3 pixelates even at modest blow ups. In summary, the D3X is amazing, and so much better than the D3. At least in the opinion of someone new to digital photography.

[@Cotictimmy]

Delighted to hear you feel the same way I do about your D3x as I do about mine. I think you may have been unlucky with your particular D3 sample as my 80K D3 seems to work very well and its RAW files look good IMO. If you do Facebook then you might like post your experience on the Nikon D3X Users & Fans group. I am the admin so, if you apply, you'll definitely be admitted. Tim. 😀

[@mxhives]

@@Cotictimmy Thanks Tim. I just requested membership of the group.

[@romansivers]

This comment is a year old, so, I doubt you’ll read it. I’ll leave a response anyway. I have a D3x and a D3 (and a D3s and a bunch of others). I disagree with you on AF of a D3. My guess is that you have a bad copy.

[@TheCondoInRedondo]

I bought a used copy in 2015 for landscapes. Had it about 18 months before switching to a D810. The D3x was my first experience with a flagship body. Got to feel how the other half lives. No regrets. Was a fun camera. Had charachter . Good to see that others have enjoyed it, too.

[@AgentPepsi1]

I have a D3x as well. I use it for landscape and nature photography primarily. It is such an amazing camera. I got an absolute steal when I got my camera. I paid right at $800, but it only had 4300 shutter activations. The D3x is exceptional in every aspect. The only "negative" I have with it, and it isn't really a negative, is its size and weight (especially with big telephoto lenses like my Nikkor 80-200 f2.8). I'm a rather small girl, and that weight makes it somewhat difficult for me.

[@Cotictimmy]

Wow - 4300 shutter count - what an amazing find. My own D3x has 175K. My brother's D3x has a 30K count (which I considered to be very low - until I heard of your 4.3K) . 😊

[@AgentPepsi1]

@@Cotictimmy ☺ What I really enjoy is taking pictures of my roses when there are bees pollinating them (I have a fairly large yard, and here in the deep South roses bloom 10 months out of the year). The D3x's auto-focus is exceptionally fast and precise with my Tamron 90mm macro lens. Sometimes, however, it does seems to hunt a bit. I have tried reducing the focusing points, but that didn't seem to help all that much. The camera itself, when I got it, looked to be in mint condition, with the exception of three little scrapes in the finish. I have been more than happy with it! 😁 Your D3x, even with 175000 activations, is only roughly through half of its intended lifespan. These cameras are some of the very best produced... I just love them!

[@Audimann]

​​@@AgentPepsi1you are right about that. The D3x comes from an era when cameras where build like thanks. This also goes for the D700 and D4. The D3x recieved quite a bit of critism back then but had mainly to do with 8K price tag. Mine got 8000 clicks when I got it last year. The sensor has some stuck or hot pixels though but Lightroom takes care of that automatically so no problem when you shoot only in RAW. How is your sensor holding up? All pixels alive?

[@Shiunbird]

I’ve always wanted to get one. I like the idea of a pro full body high resolution camera. After 10 years with a D7000 and, just like you, doing non-pro studio flash portraits, I decided to get a D850 and really wish for a full body. The D850 made my 135 DC shine. My D7000 never managed to focus it right and the D850 is (almost) always spot-on. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

[@Cotictimmy]

I could never get on with the D7000. I always felt its focus didn't work properly. At the time I shot JPEG (not RAW) and I was not impressed with the JPEG either. At the time I thought 'well maybe digital cameras just can't do it as well as film.' It was only when I got a used D700 in 2016 that I was at last happy with a digital DSLR.

[@Shiunbird]

@@Cotictimmy My experience with the D7000 was very satisfactory, although it only ever focused ok-ish with AF-S lenses. I thought both my 50mm AF-D and my 135mm DC were not that great until I got the D850. One of the reasons I never got a Df (I love the control layout) was because I know it shares the same AF engine as the D7000. But, at the end of the day, when I was 20 I used to go for competitions with the D40 and made to the finals of a fashion photography contest with the 50mm AF-D manually focused. Of course, now that I have a camera that focuses so well, I came to appreciate it. =)

[@artwestphal4633]

Love your videos! I have a D3s that I’ll never part with. I’m considering a D3x and wonder how you feel it would compare at low ISO to the D800? Any ways that you would say it excels over the D800 other than build quality? (I confess to a love of older Nikons….my F series of cameras still get attention!)

[@Cotictimmy]

I’m afraid my only experience of the D800 is trying one from my local camera shop and discovering a focusing issue with it. To be fair, the price was much lower than I would have expected for an example with that low shutter count and nice condition. I know 2 pro photographers who use & love their D800. As you say, the build quality is not up to the D3 series, but I hear it is better than the D810 (which I do have.) I think the 24MP resolution is a good one (I’m happy with 12MP portraits from D3S & D700.) My feeling with the D810 images is that they are have lots of detail and a sort of smooth look (which is nice), but they somehow lack the punch and colour of the D3 series bodies. Clearly the D800 is a good choice on paper, but with most modern cameras able to produce a good image, it’s all down to personal preference and whether you like one user experience and RAW file look over another. The D3X RAW files do not have flexibly to recover over exposed highlights so you need to be careful about exposure - which is why it’s a great choice for studio (where you can control the lighting.) IMO you should probably not let the ISO of the D3X drift over 400 but some people disagree and like to go higher.

[@Cotictimmy]

Shout Out to my new 'Celebrity Subscriber' Frederik Boving (whose excellent KZbin channel discusses Nikon DSLRs & lenses.) If you love chat about affordable old Nikon stuff then you will enjoy his channel and his calm, sensible approach. Compare and contrast with 'The Usual Suspects' who are posting a crazy video almost every day in response to the NIkon 'Teaser adverts' for the new Z9 camera. Frederik doesn't go in for that kind of nonsense. To find Frederik, click on the link kzbin.info/door/TyZFM8ekplP9-jhONFm-Cw

[@MMB.__]

Yes, no 8.000$ camera becomes a bad tool because of 10 years. It's not so much time anyway. Still today it is ranked at 88 in dxomark. That shows it is a top option. Many people might say it's no good because of the weight, yet that build quality is no more available.

[@Cotictimmy]

I've never looked at dxomark. I just new it was good when I picked up, shot with it and saw the images that came out of it. 😀

[@davidgifford8112]

I can see the D3x excellent choice for you type of photography. A great example of “what is your use case”

[@EventH]

How much is the d3x (2nd hand) going for in 2022. Saw one going for usd475 with 89k on the shutter.

[@Cotictimmy]

Assuming the condition overall is good, then that sounds like a GREAT deal. I bought mine nearly 4 years ago with 155K count for £650 U.K. (which was a brillant deal at the time.) I've just looked on U.K Ebay and D3X prices and they look almost the same as what they were 4 years ago (£500 - £1000) with a few very high-priced outliers. Back in Jan 2019 when I got mine, I had the option to get a £900 copy with a shutter count of 8,000. My 155k copy is still just fine (now at 180k actuations), but I kind of wish I'd spent the extra £250 at the time and gone for the mint, boxed 8K actuations body.

[@EventH]

@@Cotictimmy Thanks for the info. Will look into it.

[@vitorguimaraes6443]

I bought a D3X in 2022, although I have the D850 and a D610 and I use it to photograph products the other cameras have been left out. This camera was made for photographers and delivers everything a photographer needs, I think the negative reviews made at the time were due to its exorbitant price. After we got the color temperature right as it tends to put a lot of heat on the photographs the rendering of the files is very good and I love the jpgs coming straight from the camera.

[@Cotictimmy]

If you have Facebook, you are welcome to join the D3X Users & Fans group. I have just posted some images that my brother and I shot of a local motorcycle club member.

[@kevinconnery1974]

There are a lot of great cameras out there that were once top of the heap but can be found for pennies on the dollar. They can be great choices for a lot of photographers, and it sounds like you found a good match!

[@Cotictimmy]

Thanks Kevin (recognised the name from PP forums.) That's my take the question - by ignoring the fashionable and trendy, I can pick up the serious pro equipment which was previously completely unaffordable. As a poor amateur I get shoot with something that feels monumental with a great big gorgeous viewfinder and all designed for ruggedness and quality tested with a 'quality first - price is no object' mindset. These beasts were producing images images for the top pros in very recent history so they are certainly good enough for little old me.

[@kevinconnery1974]

@@Cotictimmy Absolutely! I cheerfully shot over 40,000 images on my 2004 8.5 megapixel Canon 1D Mark II, and it sells used now for under $200.. (New it cost $4500). A great sports camera, it's still an amazing camera--10.5 real fps, with great autofocus. Not optimum for what I shoot now (mostly studio work, where fps isn't important, but more pixels are), but it's much better than modern entry-level gear that costs (new) 4-5 times as much. Too many people overlook the "old" flagship cameras; I'm glad yours found a good home.

[@MinhajMalik]

Thanks for making this video. Loved it.

[@Cotictimmy]

Good to hear. Thanks 😀

[@davelawler695]

Excellent, thanks for posting. I didn't want or need one when I bought mine on a whim back in January. Like any circa 2008 camera it can be totally unforgiving (and there's some noise when I muck up the exposure) but it's great fun to shoot with. I've been using it more and more. Besides, 24MP hits a sweet spot with me.

[@Cotictimmy]

Yes you express it more succinctly that I did. The D700 output generally requires a little less post processing work but it is half the resolution - so lack its images the crop-ability of the 24MP D3X images. I do think the D3X acquires focus more snappily than the D700 too.

[@davelawler695]

@@Cotictimmy Interesting, I hadn't considered comparing the autofocus. Supposedly the D700 shares its AF system with the D3 & D3x. If that includes the motor it would be underpowered by the D700's en-el3 (7.4 volts, I think) battery. Using the battery grip with an en-el4 (11.1 volts) should improve AF performance. Having all that stuff I should do a side-by-side comparison at some point, maybe with a lens on the big side, like the 80-200 f2.8D. Sorry for the insanely late reply; busy with the kids on summer vacation :)

[@Cotictimmy]

@@davelawler695 No apologies necessary: this is, after all, a blog about a 2008 camera which I bought used in Jan 2019 (so you could argue that I was nearly 11 years late myself.) 😉 These are all my personal impressions from using these cameras in the studio and I DON'T claim to be an expert. My take is that the 'Flagship' bodies are definitely better at autofocusing D-Type screw drive lenses. As you say they have better batteries and autofocus motors. Those bodies were build to be the best, so the best components and quality testing was lavished on them. I think the D4/4s/5 even have a separate autofocus processor chip that the D810 & D850 don't have. The D3 was released in 2007, the D3X, in 2008, & the D700 in 2009. I can believe the engineers tweaked the D3X autofocus and slightly improved it over the original D3 (they were charging $2000 extra for it.) The D700 was a mini D3 with many cost savings so it's also possible to believe the 2008 D3X focuses marginally better than the 2009 D700. When I had a plain D3 for a while, I was looking to see it it focused better than my D700 but I couldn't really detect it. I do still think the D3X is slightly better but that's just my impression. What I am certain of is that the 2009 D3S focuses better than the other three.

[@Audimann]

This camera got quite a bit of critism but had only to do with high pricetag back then. 8K which is 12K in todays money. And do not go to high with the ISO but that goes fot every camera.

[@DidierMOULINPhotography]

I always though this D3X was the best Fun Frame Nikon has ever made with its 24 Mix in a Pro UniBody. It has to be paired with the D3S and you're good to go anywhere!

[@Cotictimmy]

Hey Didier, I'm a fan of your D3S videos and I really regret selling my D3S (I do currently have a cheap D3 - which is also great.) It would be an honour to have a cool French Pro Nikon Shooter as a member of the Nikon D3X Users & Fans Facebook group. As, I'm the admin, I can guarantee you'll be accepted if you apply LOL. 😀

[@DidierMOULINPhotography]

@@Cotictimmy Hi for sure I’m a fan of the D3X maybe even more than the D3S !!! I have had 2 which I regret having sold… But hey I’m an L mount alliance shooter also now! I’ lol find your face book group

[@TheCondoInRedondo]

I had a D3x for about 18 months. As you, the word I use with it is “fun”. D810 ended up being more practical for me in the long run. But operating the D3x was satisfying in the same manner as driving a stick shift. I would find excuses to shoot with it just for the pleasure of holding it and fiddling with the controls.

[@vitorguimaraes6443]

By the way, I inform you that the "info" button is the same that saves photos and that it has the symbol of a key

[@andrewgulland3925]

Launched as most pros were reluctantly switching from film to digital, this camera (and the Canon 1ds mk2) made many studio and corporate photographers give up their Mamiyas and Hasselblads. Only amateurs cared about the £7000 price tag, I was dropping £15-17k a year on film and processing! The D3x is an excellent camera if you are shooting corporate, portrait, architecture, studio, food, etc photography. 1600asa is good enough for most subjects and the files are just gorgeous. But I don’t take it on holiday, then I use my Nikon F4 but that’s another story!

[@Cotictimmy]

I think we should hear the story of the D4. 😀

[@andrewgulland3925]

@@Cotictimmy F4? I pretend I am a National Geographic photographer from the late 80s !

[@rpcheesman]

I have a love/hate relationship with my D3x. I love the format, and I guess like you I bought my old D2x on the aesthetics over performance. My D2x served me well (I'd love to buy another one again). So I changed up to the D3x and was blown away by the images to start. Unfortunately most of my lenses were DX only, but at least my 50mm f1.8 and my 70-300 weren't. But I have a hard time getting the darn thing to focus or be sharp. I'm not sure if it's a trick I'm missing at shooting, or processing. I did some looking into AF tuning, got my 50mm working super nice, went out to do some landscape/architecture shots and they're just a bit fuzzy. I love the camera, the colours, the functionality of it, but I've never managed to get the results I want from it yet. I've had it two years and never figured it out. But I won't change it yet. I still like it too much :)

[@Cotictimmy]

Hey Richard, I've approved your request to join the D3X, and chatted about how my brother and I tune our lenses. Both our D3x bodies will deliver consistent & accurate focus. As a not about DX: even when I had DX bodies I didn't use DX lenses for portraits. I really like the D7100 output, but when I got the D3X - I preferred the images immediately when I uploaded and examined them. Best Wishes, Tim

[@Cotictimmy]

IMO, for general photography, an original D3 or D3S will be more versatile and a better bet, but the D3X shines in the studio at low ISO settings and controlled lighting.

[@suzKawasaki]

I use my D3X for shooting dog-sports lol.. it is tack sharp. It’s my favourite camera! I mostly use the 85g 1.8 and today I bought a 70-200 ED FL to go with it!! So excited. Note, I tried out a D850 and it was not as sharp with the same lenses under the same conditions with single point.

[@Cotictimmy]

@@suzKawasaki That's really interesting. Being a portrait shooter, I knew the D3X was really good at that. I have used it for shooting 'on-the-go' portraits at events with fill-in flash from my SB-800, but your experience suggests it's even more versatile. I had not imagined it could beat a D850 at anything. I guess the very high pixel count of the D850 makes hand-holding more difficult.

[@robertalexander3067]

@@Cotictimmy what’s your thoughts on D3x vs. D7200?

[@brianreed9955]

I have just bought one of these d3x .after the lens mount in my d810 pulled out .be aware the d810 m lens mount screws into PLASTIC OF THE BODY NOT THE MAGNESIUM ALLOY.

[@CircuitBurger]

Great video pal. I on the edge of trading in a D810 for a mint version of one of these. I already shoot with a D4 and D800, but not really enjoying the D810. It doesn't feel as toughly made as the D800 and I've noticed the autofocus motor is similar to the the one I had once in a D600, which is very noisy when using D-lenses. I didn't realise the D810 was made in Thailand, and can definitely notice the lesser, substantial feel compared to the D800. I really miss the solid build, big body feel of the D3/D3s I owned in the past too. The lower ISO threshold doesn't really bother me too much either as I have many, fast prime lenses to compensate. What do you think mate?

[@Cotictimmy]

I had a dodgy D800 for a few days, but returned it to the shop after fruitless attempts to get to to focus consistently. If YOUR D800 works as well as your 810, and feels better to handle, then I guess you don't really need the D810. Normally I wouldn't advise someone to dump a D810 for a 2008 D3X. In technology and camera specs that would be thought mad by most people. However, you have lots of Nikons and in the end it's all about personal taste (once you know your cameras and your own likes and dislikes.)

[@Funktrainer]

I thought the same when comparing the “feel” of a D810 to the D800. The D800 is definitely the more substantial camera which feels a lot less plasticy as the D810. I also liked the ergonomics of the D800 better. Coming from F5 digital bodies and a D3 I am quite happy with the D4 I currently use which has better colour reproduction and dynamic range as the original D3. Nevertheless the colours out of my Hasselblad H3DII-31 and Leica M8/M9-P are second to none compared to the D4.

[@Cotictimmy]

@@Funktrainer I am NOT tempted to buy Hasselblads and Leics - (the mortgage is paid off and I don't want to take out a new one.) I will, however, get a D4 when I find the right bargain some time. I had a D4s for a few months, but decided that it was too much money tied up in one camera body so I sold it on (I actually made a small profit.) The RAW files I kept from testing it are fabulous for colour & overall look & feel.

[@Funktrainer]

@@Cotictimmy I didn’t pay much more for the Leica and Hasselblad bodies than for a Nikon so it was definitely a worthwhile investment. All cameras belong to an infrastructure to keep for a long time.

[@Funktrainer]

@@Cotictimmy It is difficult to judge color rendition and accuracy if you haven’t worked personally with raw files from other manufacturers.

[@reinholdthomas1187]

Auch heute 2024 noch im Low ISO Bereich bis ISO 400 ein Traum mit dem 105 1.4E malen mit Licht! Da kommt kein Z System und auch Die Nikon D6 nicht ran Farbe Brillantz Hauttöne Hammer.

[@jeepjoseph9036]

I am 16 and had to "settle" for a d3s after running into some issues with my d4 since i couldn't afford a d5. Suprisngly the d3s is in some ways better both, mainly due to build and low light performance

[@Cotictimmy]

What an interesting comment Jeep. I recently came close to buying a bargain D4 (with no battery.) I changed my mind when I saw the price of D4 batteries and of XQD cards. On the other hand, I sold a D3s to fund the purchase of a used D810 last year and I regret it. I am thinking of getting another D3s. For bargain hunters used original D3 bodies are currently selling here in the U.K. for the same price as used D700 bodies in the same condition & with the similar shutter counts. That seems like a crazy anomaly to me as I don't think the sensor ouputs look that different and the D3 has 2 card slots, better high ISO, more powerful autofocus motor and a shutter with twice the lifespan of the D700's shutter.

[@unclefart5527]

You need to realize that camera today would cost (with tax and in Can. dollars) over $12,200. All I can say about the people purchasing one back then is that they were likely using other people's money. Nikon got what they deserved on that one.

[@Cotictimmy]

Yes it was seen as a very expensive white elephant back in 2008 (hence the comedy Adoff Hitler video trashing it.) 🤣 It's been used and given different subtitles to mock many more things than the Nikon D3X LOL.

[@vangstr]

I bought a D3 but should have got the D3X instead!

[@Cotictimmy]

D3X for studio and low ISO - but the D3 is a more versatile natural light camera.

[@brianreed9955]

It does have an info btton!!!!!!

[@Cotictimmy]

You're quite right it does have an info button.....BUT D3X Info button does not offer a quick and easy way to get White Balance setting onto the rear screen.

[@Cyriljayant]

I hate to see a camera without a lens !!

[@Cotictimmy]

I do find that I take better pictures WITH a lens on it.

[@DennisBloodnokPhotographyVideo]

The Nikon D3X is a great camera !! Good video !!

[@Cotictimmy]

Thank You Dennis - I reckon your stills are getting better & better lately.