Nikon D800 vs. D3s and D7000 by Cary Jordan (Web | Flickr | Personal FB page |The Jordan Collective’s FB Page | Twitter)

There is no question the Nikon D800/E is a spectacular camera. But just how well does the D800 stack-up against the venerable Nikon D3s? What about in DX crop mode; how well does it fare against the D7000? We now know the new Nikon D800 has a bad case of multiple personality disorder. The D800 is several different cameras, rolled-up into one very sleek and attractive body.

Let's examine just how well the D800 performs when down-sampled to 12.1 megapixels to match the un-defeated high-ISO king, the Nikon D3s. In addition to this comparison, we're also going to put the Nikon D800 against the current APS-C DX crop champion, the Nikon D7000.

Nikon D800 vs. Nikon D3s

The D800/E is capable of achieving amazing amounts of detail at its native resolution of 36.3 million pixels. This is great for studio and landscape work or anything that warrants this kind of resolution. However, the final output doesn't always need to be the native resolution of 36.3 MP. What we've found is the D800 has excellent Dynamic Range combined with excellent high-ISO noise characteristics, giving us the ability to down-sample when need-be, while retaining all of the high-frequency detail captured by the high-resolution sensor. We know that down-sampling an image helps to reduce noise (especially luminance noise), so we reap the benefits of lower noise and better detail, while retaining the D800's excellent Dynamic Range (DR) when down-sampling. A down-sampled image that has more high-frequency detail is a better candidate for noise-reduction via software (Lightroom 4, Topaz DeNoise...etc) and can handle more aggressive noise reduction, while still retaining high-frequency detail that's usually lost during aggressive noise-reduction.

For this comparison, we shot both cameras at the same respective exposure, ISO, aperture and white balance and set both cameras to the "STANDARD" Picture Control with no additional capture sharpening, contrast, brightness, saturation or hue. Both cameras were shot in RAW(NEF) format and developed into a high-quality 8 bit JPEG format using Capture NX2 with zero High-ISO Noise Reduction.  The D800 shots were then opened in Photoshop and down-sampled using Photoshop's "Bicubic Sharper" algorithm to 4256 x 2840 px to match the D3s' native resolution. No other sharpening was performed (click on any image to enlarge it).

D3s vs D800 12mp ISO1600 Crop 1

D3s vs D800 12mp ISO3200 Crop 1

D3s vs D800 12mp ISO6400 Crop 1

D3s vs D800 12mp ISO12800 Crop 1

D3s vs D800 12mp ISO25600 Crop 1

As you can clearly discern, the D800 image retains much more high-frequency detail throughout the ISO range. The D3s does beat the D800 in luminance noise by about a third-stop, with chrominance noise being significantly worse in the D800's files above ISO-12800. As stated above, the D800's file can handle much more aggressive noise reduction, while retaining much of its detail, which will result in a better overall file than the D3s until about ISO-25,600. At this point, the D800's files are riddled with amp noise which is destroying most of the high-frequency detail advantage it had over the D3s, making the D3s a better option from ISO-25,600 and up (The only way the D800 can go above ISO-25600 is by "pushing" in post).

While the D800's DR is supremely impressive at base ISO (ISO-100) to about ISO-800 (about 14.3EV @ ISO-100), it falls off at higher ISOs. This is where the D3s shines; the D3s has less DR fall-off at upper ISOs, but several stops less DR at base ISO as compared to the D800.

While the D800 doesn't quite beat the D3s in high-ISO noise handling when down-sampled to 12.1 MP (without noise reduction), the D800 will clearly out-perform the D3/D700 sensor in noise, sharpness, detail and DR, at every ISO, when down-sampled to the same resolution of 12.1 MP.

Let's look at a different set of D800 vs. D3s crops, this time focusing on the high-frequency detail in the books on the bottom shelf.

D3s vs D800 12mp ISO1600 Crop 2

D3s vs D800 12mp ISO3200 Crop 2

D3s vs D800 12mp ISO6400 Crop 2

D3s vs D800 12mp ISO12800 Crop 2

D3s vs D800 12mp ISO25600 Crop 2

Once again, you can clearly see the high-frequency detail advantage the D800 has over the D3s, when down-sampled to 12.1 million pixels. Look at the dark brown book on the left side of each crop; the D800 clearly renders the detailed fabric cross-hatching @ ISO-12800 and can just barely be seen @ ISO-25600. The D800 files are sharper and retain more high-frequency details at every ISO.

Nikon D800 vs. Nikon D7000

While the D800/E is 36.3 MP in FX mode, the D800/E has a DX (1.5x crop) mode, which is 15.4 MP. The Nikon D7000 is a 16.2 MP APS-C DX format camera that currently sits atop the APS-C camera heap, having the best performing APS-C sensor in the world, based on the Sony Exmor 16.2 MP sensor (this 16.2 Sony Exmor sensor is used in several other cameras on the market). Since the D800 has a DX crop mode that's roughly the same resolution as the D7000's sensor, we wanted to see how the D800 performed in comparison to the D7000. Please keep in-mind, the D7000 does have a slightly higher resolution, although not by much.

The D800 has a pixel pitch of 4.88µm, while the D7000 has a pixel pitch of 4.78µm, the .10µm is almost insignificant, which means the pixel pitch is roughly the same in both cameras, with the D800 having a slightly larger pixel pitch. This also helps us come to the conclusion that the D800/E sensor is based on a Sony Exmor design, although this is still yet to be confirmed, but is widely rumored to be true.

As with the D800 vs. D3s comparison, we shot both cameras at the same respective exposure, ISO, aperture and white balance and set both cameras to the "STANDARD" Picture Control with no additional capture sharpening, contrast, brightness, saturation or hue. Both cameras were shot in RAW(NEF) format and developed into a high-quality 8 bit JPEG format using Capture NX2 with zero High-ISO Noise Reduction. No other sharpening or post-production was performed.

Let's examine the D800 vs. D7000 image comparisons (click on any image to enlarge it):

D800 vs D7K ISO1600 Crop

D800 vs D7K ISO3200 Crop

D800 vs D7K ISO6400 Crop

D800 vs D7K ISO12800 Crop

D800 vs D7K ISO25600 Crop

As you can see, the D800 does out-perform the D7000 at every ISO, although in luminance noise, they are closer at lower ISOs. Where the D800 shines is sharpness, micro-contrast and chrominance noise. Even with the D7000 having slightly better resolution, the D800 has much better effective resolution, which shows as a sharper image and better high-frequency detail. Not only does the D800 out-perform the D7000 in detail, micro-contrast and luminance noise, the D800 has significantly less chrominance noise. This is exaggerated as the ISO rises. An example of this can be seen below.

The D800's sharper image and more high-frequency detail might point to a weaker OLPF (Optical Low-Pass Filter a.k.a. AA-Filter) on the D800. The D800E would reveal even more sharpness, micro-contrast and high-frequency detail as compared to the D7000, due to its Anti-Aliasing characteristics being canceled-out in the D800E's OLPF filter stack.

Example of D800 vs. D7000 chrominance noise at ISO-25600:

Nikon D800 vs. D7000 ISO-25600

I've made the full-resolution images available at the bottom of this article, I highly suggest the images to be downloaded and compared full-size, for full-effect. Looking especially at the more finely detailed writing on the book ends.

Conclusion

The D800 is an extremely versatile camera that can provide amazing 36.3 MP files in full-frame FX mode, whilst containing the ability to moon-light as the best APS-C DX format camera on the market. The D800/E has several other crop modes as well as the DX crop mode discussed here, which helps to make the D800/E one of the most versatile cameras on the market today.

A full review of the D800/D800E and D4 is coming soon as well as comparisons between the D800, D800E, D4 and D3s.

The D800 used in this particular test was sourced from Robert's Camera.

Full size Nikon D800 vs. D3s images:

Full size Nikon D800 vs. D7000 images:

Related posts:

1. Nikon D800 vs. Nikon D700 high ISO comparison
2. Another Nikon D700 vs. Nikon D800 high ISO comparison
3. Nikon D800 vs. D700 body and grip comparison plus a poll

This could be a mistake, but Nikon USA removed the D3s camera from the DSLR section of their website. The Nikon D90, D3000, D300s, D700, D3x are still listed. Adorama currently has the D3s in stock.

Update: it's not a mistake - the D3s is listed in the "Archived Digital SLR Cameras" on the same Nikon USA website.

Back in December, there were some rumors that Nikon D3s is already out of production.

The D3s is also listed as discontinued on the official Nikon Japan website (this was not the case a month ago):

Related posts:

1. Nikon AF Micro 200mm f/4D IF-ED also discontinued?
2. Nikon D3x also discontinued?
3. Another Nikon SB-600 being discontinued story

Here is a quick comparison between the Nikon D4 and Nikon D3s based on the specifications listed on Nikon's website:

Battery, Battery chargers, Remotes (note that the Nikon D4 has a shorter battery life compared to the D3s)

Nikon EN-EL18 battery for Nikon D4 ($169.95)  |  Nikon EN-EL4a for Nikon D3s ($109.95)

Nikon MH-26 for Nikon D4 ($349.95)  |  Nikon MH-22 for Nikon D3s ($209.95)

Nikon D4 also supports the infrared ML-L3 remote control ($14.95):

Related posts:

1. Nikon D800 vs. D4 specs comparison
2. Nikon D4 vs. Canon EOS 1Dx specs comparison
3. Nikon D800 vs. D700 specs comparison

Those are some Nikon D4/Nikon D3s comparisons sent in by readers (thanks broxibear and durasnti):

and with the Nikon D800 (thanks anon):

Related posts:

1. Nikon D800 vs. D700 size comparison
2. Full size Nikon D800 sample images
3. Nikon D800 in February?

The above video is an interview with astronaut Mike Fossum about the images he took on board of the ISS with a Nikon D3 camera. Here is the actual timelapse video:

Via Gizmodo

Related posts:

1. We were one of the first to report on the Nikon D10 pictures
2. Nikon firmware decrypted
3. RED ready to release a DLSR with video?

The Nikon D3s is listed as "out of production" on this Romanian store. My understanding is that F64 is a reputable authorized Nikon dealer and the the biggest photography equipment retailer in Romania.

Related posts:

1. Nikon Authorized DealerNet Xpress program canceled
2. Nikon Norway latest press releases listed twice
3. Nikon SB-900 speedlight listed as “deleted” at BestBuy

Nikon USA just raised the prices for some of their refurbished DSLR cameras (I am not sure about lenses). Some examples:

• Nikon D3s refurbished price went up from $4,159.96 to $4,679.96 (new D3s costs $5,199.95)
• Nikon D3x refurbished price went up from $6,399,96 to $7,199.96 (new D3x costs $7,999.00)
• Nikon D700 refurbished price went up from $2,150 to $2,429.96 (new D700 costs $2,699.95)

You can see some of the September Nikon refurbished prices in this thread.

Lately I have not seen a lot of refurbished pro level equipment at B&H and Adorama. Right now B&H has a refurbished Nikon 24mm f/1.4 lens for $1,839.95 (new 24/1.4 costs $1,999).

Related posts:

1. Nikon prices going up (down under)
2. Yep, Nikon prices did go up in the UK today. Is Norway next?
3. Nikon UK also to increase prices in January 2009?

The Nikon D3 buffer upgrade was introduced back in July of 2008. Today Nikon announced that the service will be discontinued on July 20th, 2011. If you own a D3, you have another month to perform the upgrade:

"Please be aware that the D3 Buffer Memory Expansion service introduced as a payable upgrade option to Nikon D3 owners on 30th July 2008, is now being discontinued.  This upgrade option will end on 20th July 2011 and not be available after this date."

More details on the D3 buffer upgrade can be found here (EU link)

Related posts:

1. Nikon D90 buffer upgrade for 1080 HD video
2. Nikon D3 buffer upgraded?
3. Distortion control data upgrade for D90 and D5000 released

The next few weeks will be slow on rumors and I have scheduled some new guest posts and giveaways. In the mean time enjoy this:

This "muddy" Nikon D3 picture was published on flickr. I contacted the photographer and this is his story:

"That was from one of my avian photography sorties. I use a floating blind to take photos of water birds but the water level that day was very low so I had to crawl it out in the mud to get the photos that I want. I was constantly pouring water on the LCD to take away the mud so I can view my photos. The lens installed on the body is a Nikkor 500 f/4 VR. After the shoot I cleaned the camera and placed it in my dry cabinet. It still works flawlessly: all seals worked, not a single grime inside the camera. Here are the shots from that day"

Image credit: JP Carino

Related posts:

1. Is RED working with Nikon?
2. Anyone working for B&H? We need a price check for SB-900 please (eyewitness report)
3. Nikon working on a carbon fibre SLR body?

Shahrizan Jeffri Aziz dropped his Nikon D3s with a 300mm f/2.8 lens from a motorcycle while shooting the Le Tour Langkawi in Malaysia. Only the battery door and the burst mode were broken. With the help of some duct tape, the camera continued to work. Later in the race, the D3s was also exposed to rain for 4 hours but the photographer was able to successfully complete his assignment. You can hear the whole story in this video:

Related posts:

1. Nikon mirrorless camera talk continues
2. Nikon D800 coverage continues…
3. Nikon D4 behind the scene studio shoot live right now

Nikon D3100 sensor

In addition to the Nikon D7000 sensor which is made by Sony, here is some more information from Chipworks on the different sensors in Nikon DSLR bodies:

• Nikon D3/D700 sensor NC81338L: made by Nikon
• Nikon D3s sensor NC81361A: made by Nikon
• Nikon D3100 sensor NC81362A: made by Nikon
• Nikon D90 sensor IMX038: made by Sony

Update: another interesting article on Chipworks:

"Nikon have announced that they designed the sensor. Nikon has no wafer fabrication capability so they outsource the sensor production, but they are keeping the foundry close to their chests, so close that we must speculate to identify the source. The obvious choice would be Sony, who build the sensor used in the Nikon D2X, however there are no Sony markings on the device, and the device structure is markedly different from the other Sony CIS we have analyzed. We considered Matsushita/Panasonic the device structure has similarities to the Panasonic CIS we have seen, but it is sufficiently different that we have doubts that it is theirs. Thus we are speculating who else could be the manufacturing source. I believe Nikon would stick with a Japanese foundry. An interesting possibility is Renesas, they have close ties with Nikon, supplying several imager processor chipsets, they have a patent portfolio in image sensors indicating they have active r+d in this field, and they have the fab capabilities."

Related posts:

1. Nikon now producing their own sensors?
2. Nikon D3x sensor – made by Sony, designed by Nikon (part 2)
3. Nikon D4 with 32MP, D400 with 24MP sensors from Sony?

Nikon D3S is the best professional camera and Nikkor 300mm f/2.8G ED VR II is the best professional lens according to 2010-2011 EISA awards.

Reasons for selection after the break:

"The Nikon D3S is so sensitive that it can focus and shoot in conditions in which even the human eye has difficulty seeing. Although high ISO settings are a feature of most modern D-SLR cameras, the quality achieved with D3S high ISO settings is unsurpassed in terms of low noise levels and richness of detail. Together with its extremely fast EXPEED image processing, excellent battery life and high-quality construction, the D3S is the perfect D-SLR for professional sports, action and low-light photography."

"Nikon's AF-S NIKKOR 300mm f/2.8G ED VR II gives photographers a guarantee of excellent image quality, even in the most difficult lighting conditions. The fast f/2.8 maximum aperture allows photographers to work in a wide variety of situations, offering the ability to shoot with faster shutter speeds and to have smooth backgrounds with attractive bokeh. The lens has three ED glass elements to eliminate chromatic aberration and Nikon's Nano Crystal Coat reduces internal reflection. The AF-S NIKKOR is equipped with Nikon’s VR II vibration reduction system, making it a natural choice for photographers specialising in nature, wildlife and fast-action sports."

Source

Related posts:

1. Nikon win EISA awards
2. Announced: Nikon D3100 and Nikkor 85mm, 24-120mm, 28-300mm, 55-300mm lenses
3. Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 18-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR lens leaks in Europe

You can see the rest of the images here (credit: NASA).

The full press release after the break:

MELVILLE, NY (July 7, 2010) – The images exhibited were captured with equipment, including Nikon D3S digital-SLR cameras, NIKKOR lenses, Speedlights and other accessories, kept aboard the ISS. To date, NASA has captured more than 700,000 images with Nikon equipment carried into space. Among these many images, those rare and precious photos that can only be captured from space, as well as those captured under the extremely low-light conditions of space that exhibit the superior image quality of D3S noise suppression features are introduced.

Nikon has spent many years contributing to NASA's study of space through the development and manufacture of advanced and extremely durable cameras and NIKKOR lenses. Production of NIKKOR lenses, which make the most of Nikon’s optical technologies, reached fifty million units last September. Nikon’s history with NASA began with the Nikon Photomic FTN?, a modified Nikon F camera that was used aboard the Apollo 15 in 1971. Nikon’s relationship with NASA continued even with the transition to digital when NASA placed orders for Nikon D2XS digital-SLR cameras in 2008. These cameras are still being used in space today. In 2009, NASA ordered eleven D3S cameras and seven AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED lenses for use in recording activities aboard the Space Shuttle and International Space Station. The D3S cameras were the same products available to consumers with no special modifications, and they were delivered to the ISS via the Space Shuttle Discovery launched on April 5, 2010.

Nikon products kept aboard the ISS

• 1 Nikon D3S digital-SLR camera: Delivered to the ISS via the Discovery with Space Shuttle mission STS-131, which returned on April 20, 2010. Images are primarily those of the surface of the earth and nighttime scenes. Standard consumer product (no modifications).
• 8 Nikon D2XS digital-SLR cameras: Modified according to NASA specifications for recording extravehicular activities (EVA)
• 36 NIKKOR lenses (including three teleconverters)
• 7 SB-800 Speedlights
• 4 D2XS eyepieces: Eyepieces made exclusively for NASA Special eyepiece viewfinders that enable image framing and verification through a space helmet with extravehicular activities.
• Miscellaneous (filters, cables, etc.)

Primary images captured by Nikon products

Image of extravehicular activities on the STS-131 mission. View of astronauts, as they work to tie down an Ammonia Tank Assembly on the International Space Station during STS-131 spacewalk.

Nikon's history with NASA

• 1971: Nikon Photomic FTN* (NASA specifications) was used on Apollo 15
• 1980: The “Small Camera”, based on the Nikon F3 and equipped with a motor drive, and the F3 "Big Camera", which utilized long film, were delivered to NASA. The “Small Camera” was used aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia launched the following year.
• 1991: The Nikon F4 and F4S were delivered to NASA
• 1999: The Nikon F5 and AI AF Nikkor lens were carried aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery to photograph extravehicular activities (EVA)
• 2008: D2XS digital-SLR cameras were delivered to NASA. Eight D2XS cameras are still used in space to document activities such as inspections and maintenance operations.
• In addition, approximately 15 types of lenses, more than 35 all together, are kept aboard the International Space Station for intra- and extravehicular photography that supports NASA’s space activities.

Related posts:

1. Nikon in space: new NightPod intelligent tripod compensates for motion when taking images from space
2. The “Lord of Darkness” goes to space (Nikon D3s)
3. New sample images taken with the Nikon AF-S 50mm f/1.8G lens

UPDATE: all gone - Amazon now says "In stock on May 31, 2010".

Amazon UK still has it in stock.

Amazon has 4 left in stock - this will not last long:

Related posts:

1. Nikon D3s, 70-200 2.8 in stock now!
2. Nikon 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G ED AF-S DX lens in stock
3. Nikon D3000 in stock @ Amazon, Ritz

Today even Engadget chimed in on the lack of Nikon D3s stock in various stores and this the official word they got from a Nikon spokesman:

"A company spokesperson has told us this week that there's nothing more to blame than extraordinary demand, seeing how a single factory produces units for the entire world"

The rumor mill says otherwise: the first rumor I heard was that the delay (at least in Europe) was caused by that volcano with the weird name in Iceland. The second tip I received recently is even crazier:

"I was talking to the Nikon rep at the *** today and he told me that one reason for the shortage of various Nikon items in Europe at the moment is the 'loss' (possible theft) of a shipping container full of Nikon equipment whilst in transit from the Far East."

Maybe pirates? They was another tip few weeks ago (from a different source) that a container with Nikon SB-600 flashes got damage during transport.

Related posts:

1. Firmware updates coming in December according to Nikon Europe
2. What will happen on October 15th according to Nikon France? (Nikon D3s)
3. Don’t forget the “G11 killer”

What was fixed:

- Movie recording specifications have been modified as follows and an issue that, in some rare cases, caused movie playback to appear to have stopped has been resolved.
- When exposure preview is enabled in live view tripod mode, information + histogram display is possible, but the histogram is no longer displayed while movies are recorded.
- When the live view button is pressed with the Audio Video Cable EG-D2 connected, the image is displayed in both the television and camera monitor, but the camera monitor now turns off during movie recording.
The camera monitor turns on again when the Audio Video Cable EG-D2 is disconnected from the camera.
- Some simplified Chinese menus and help displays have been revised.
- When some memory cards were inserted in the camera, “CHA” was displayed in the top control panel and images could not be captured.  This issue has been resolved.

Download link Mac

Download link Windows

Related posts:

1. Nikon D3100 firmware update v1.01 is out
2. Nikon D7000 firmware update 1.02 is now official
3. Nikon Coolpix P7000 firmware update v1.1

Update: you can see some more shots of the making of the video here.

Remember this report from Barcelona before the Nikon D3s announcement. Yes, this was a D3s. Take a look at the last picture - the model with the black dress. Now, watch the video:

The video was produced by the German Nikon Professional Services team. Shot in one day. Edited in one night.

I swear I saw those four guys in black jackets waiting in a black car in front of my house the other night

Related posts:

1. Possible Nikon D3s sighting in Barcelona
2. Black Silicon discovery could change digital photography
3. Nikon video firmware with AF through the sensor in development (Nikon video)

A week ago NR reported about NASA buying new Nikon D3s cameras (aka "The Lord of Darkness") and some lenses (Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8G ED).

Today Nikon made it all official:

"The D3S digital SLR cameras and AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED lenses ordered by NASA will be carried on the Space Shuttle and used to photograph activities at the International Space Station (ISS) in the future.
No special modifications will be made to these products. They will be the same products available to end-users, confirming the incredible versatility of the D3S. This equipment will be used along with the Nikon D2XS digital SLR cameras, NIKKOR lenses, and Nikon Speedlights already in use at the International Space Station."

The love affair between NASA and Nikon goes back to the early 70's.

Here is the email I received from a reader (thanks Lucky) based on my previous question about the camera housing used in space:

Here is a close-up picture of the camera housing (continue to read after the break):

Update: a cool video of astronaut losing camera in space (thanks NikoDoby):

Since you had shown some recent interest in how NASA has used Nikons on board the International Space Station and had a question about the housing they use for spacewalks (EVA's) in yesterdays rumor discussion, I thought I'd follow up with a few things you might enjoy.

As far as I can remember, the housing is just some heavy white fabric to reduce heating and cooling from moving in and out of the sunlight. Sunlight is about 30% more intense in space than on the ground, and without air to insulate the camera or conduct excess heat away from the black bodies, those temperature extremes can be potentially damaging. I think the shutter button might also be extended slightly for easier use in those bulky gloves. You can see one of these cameras (with possibly a 12-24mm) in spacewalker Chris Cassidy's left hand here:

image source

You can see such a D2XS here naked and labeled "EVA camera" with velcro on it for attaching insulation. It's got an AF-I 400mm F/2.8 and a TC-20 mounted on it. This 800mm combo is used to photograph the space shuttle as it approaches to dock, so engineers on the ground can examine it for launch damage.

image source

Lastly, here's a mouthwatering collection of Nikons velcroed to the walls of the ISS while not in use. I count 6 bodies, 3 flashes, and 14 lenses! The Exif data says one more D2Xs, flash, and lens were used to take the picture.

image source

If you feel like browsing around more, NASA has thousands of photos online. The images above were from Expedition 20.

Full press release:

MELVILLE, N.Y. (Dec. 21, 2009) – Nikon Corporation (Michio Kariya, President) is pleased to announce that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has placed an order for eleven D3S digital SLR cameras and seven AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED lenses to be used for photographic documentation.

The D3S digital SLR cameras and AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED lenses ordered by NASA will be carried on the Space Shuttle and used to photograph activities at the International Space Station (ISS) in the future. No special modifications will be made to these products. They will be the same products available to end-users, confirming the incredible versatility of the D3S. This equipment will be used along with the Nikon D2XS digital SLR cameras, NIKKOR lenses, and Nikon Speedlights already in use at the International Space Station.

Nikon has spent many years contributing to NASA's study of space through the development and manufacture of advanced and extremely durable cameras as well as of NIKKOR lenses that make the most of Nikon’s optical technologies, and of which production has recently reached fifty million units. To date, NASA has captured more than 700,000 images using Nikon equipment carried into space. Space, however, is not the only extreme environment in which Nikon equipment is used. Nikon also provides official observation equipment used in exploring the Arctic. Nikon equipment contributes to observation and research of these little explored regions with durability, reliability and technical capabilities that stand up to even the most severe environments

Nikon’s history with NASA

• 1971: Nikon Photomic FTN* (NASA specifications) was used on Apollo 15

• 1980: The “Small Camera”, based on the Nikon F3 and equipped with a motor drive, and the F3 "Big Camera", which utilized long film, were delivered to NASA. The “Small Camera” was used aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia launched the following year.

• 1991: The Nikon F4 and F4S were delivered to NASA

• 1999: The Nikon F5 and AF Nikkor lens were carried aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery to photograph extravehicular activities (EVA)

• 2008: D2XS digital SLR cameras were delivered to NASA. Six D2XS cameras are used in space to document activities such as inspection and maintenance

• In addition, approximately about 15 types of NIKKOR lenses (more than 35 lenses all together) are kept aboard the International Space Station for intravehicular and extravehicular photography to provide continued support for NASA’s space activities

*Nikon F equipped with Photomic FTN viewfinder that supports TTL center-weighted metering.

The D3S was released in November 2009 as the latest flagship model for Nikon FX-format digital SLR cameras. This camera is equipped with a new CMOS sensor (36.0 × 23.9 mm) developed by Nikon and supports standard ISO sensitivity settings of 200 to 12,800. Sensitivity can also be set as high as Hi 3 (ISO 102,400 equivalent) or as low as Lo 1 (ISO 100 equivalent). Image-degrading noise has been minimized to enable shooting at high sensitivities under even extremely dim lighting. In addition, the D3S is equipped with the D-Movie function, enabling HD video capture and includes high-sensitivity movie mode and movie editing functions for trimming start and ending footage or saving selected frames as JPEG stills. Naturally, the camera itself is representative of an all-round flagship model offering basic performance and operation that meet the strict demands (fast, support for high sensitivities, superior image quality) of professional and advanced amateur photographers in a number of fields, including the press, sports and nature photography.

The AF-S NIKKOR 14-24mm f/2.8G ED is the world’s first ultra wide-angle zoom lens to offer a focal length of 14mm with a maximum aperture of f/2.8. The performance of this lens has been extremely well received by the camera industry, and recognized by Europe’s Technical Image Press Association (TIPA), which awarded it The Best Professional Lens in Europe 2008, and the European Imaging and Sound Association (EISA), which awarded it European Professional Lens 2008-2009.

Related posts:

1. New images from space captured with Nikon D3S
2. Nikon in space: new NightPod intelligent tripod compensates for motion when taking images from space
3. The real king of darkness: Nikon D700 with special night vision system

Just got that - related to my previous D3s manual video control post. Not sure if the Electronic Analog Exposure display is already available in the D3s (click on image for larger view).

Related posts:

1. Nikon D3s with manual video control
2. Correction: you can use manual control for video recording with the Nikon D5100
3. Manual D-Movie mode control update for Nikon D90 (and D5000)?

Update #3: another post from a reader on this topic from 3 weeks ago.

Update #2: Another reader reported that slashcam.com got an official confirmation from Nikon Professional Services on the D3s manual video control:

“As soon as the live-view mode in the shooting menu is set to “tripod” and the camera to manual mode (M), it is possible to manually set and adjust aperture, shutter speed and ISO-value manually, before and during videorecording.
Automatic focussing is possible using the AF-ON button (even while recording).
Additionally, for optimal exposure of the video, an exposure scale is available for you at the right edge of the Image on the Camera screen.”

Update #1: A reader just submitted this video where James Banfield (Nikon UK support an training manager) clearly says there is no manual control in video mode (5:59 mark). Anyone from Nikon care to clarify this for us? Thanks.

Multiple readers have asked me about the manual video control of the Nikon D3s. The camera has a full manual video mode (ISO, shutter, aperture)... and this is not in the manual - on page 66 of the manual it says "The camera adjust shutter speed and ISO sensitivity automatically", but if you put the camera in manual mode and hit the OK button you can manual adjust at will. I am not sure why Nikon did not advertise this clearly from the very beginning and why they did not make it clear in the manual (I admit, I have not read the whole manual, maybe I am missing it - please correct me if I am wrong), but it is a fact that many people were confused on this topic.

This video shows manual shutter speed and ISO changes:

d3s shutter speed test from 3space on Vimeo.

Some more interesting D3s videos from the same author after the break (click on the link to continue reading) - Red One & Nikon D3s comparison @ 720p:

Red One & Nikon D3s @ 720p from 3space on Vimeo.

Canon 5D mk2 vs Nikon D3s low light comparison:

5D/3s lowlight test from 3space on Vimeo.

Related posts:

1. Nikon D3s manual video control explained again
2. Correction: you can use manual control for video recording with the Nikon D5100
3. Manual D-Movie mode control update for Nikon D90 (and D5000)?