second camera d1x or fuji s3

[jace2004]

hi! please can some one help i want to get a second camera but do not want
to pay £1200 for nikon d200 or 2000+ for d2x.

I have a d70s and was thinking about a new fuji s3pro £600 or a
good second hand d1x £650 but the d1x is 2-3 years old now and coud
be slow and show its age or would it still be up to the job.

any help greatly appreciated

"thanks"

[Leif]

I am far from an expert, but I would have thought that it depends on the intended use. The S3 Pro strengths are resolution (8-10 MP equivalent), low noise, and dynamic range. But it has a slow shooting rate, and is based on an F80, so I would be suspicious of the build. The D1x is probably built like a tank, and is a pro grade camera. But with lower image quality.

I upgraded from a D70 to a D200, and for my purposes the key strengths of the D200 are:

1) Higher resolution.
2) Brighter view finder
3) Mirror lock up mode.
4) Less highlight clipping.
5) More accurate histograms.
6) Metering with AIS lenses.

I'm not saying these are the only advantages, but that's all that appeals to me.

Hopefully someone can be more informative than me.

You will find a nice S3 Pro review at www.ByThom.com. Also check out www.NikonLinks.com.

Leif

[yossi]

maybe it's a good idea to wait a while for the D70 replacement? It's due quite shortly.
The D1X is 5 1/2 years old. Nowadays, it's like old history.
I also agree with Leif's suggestions.

[jace2004]

i was going to use it for bird and wildlife

[yossi]

i was going to use it for bird and wildlife

Then you need a very fast and accurate focus. Neither the D1X or the Fuji will deliver this in full. The D2x or the D200 will do.

[Gramayr]

The D1x looks like a great camera, wouldn't mind one myself but the battery life is supposed to be very poor. There is a new D2Xs coming out so all the others should be coming down in price. Never fancied a camera based on the F80 though. (think you can get decent batteries from another source that are better iirc)

[jules.b]

The D1x is a great camera - i used one for work from when it was introduced until the D2x came out.....but it is large and extremely heavy. The image quality is good.

[juninho]

I use an S3 extensively for nature photography alongside a D2X.The reason I use it is dynamic range-it is simply excellent for avoiding blown highlights on birds with white feathers.I also love Fuji colour rendition.At £629 it is a real bargain at the moment-but to use it without being driven insane by its slow shooting rate you have to get the buffer upgrade from Fuji UK which costs £240.The D2X is much superior in terms of resolution and camera performance-autofocus,white balance accuracy,build quality,etc. and I would always use it for flight shots and action.Fuji's software for raw conversion is also slow and unwieldy-if you shoot raw then Adobe Camera Raw is a must for processing lots of shots(but the S3 produces just about the best out of camera jpegs of any camera I've tried).I really like mine and almost wish I could think of a reason to take advantage of the current price and get a second one! I recently borrowed a D70s when I broke my D2X in Florida and I can tell you that the Fuji is a much better camera in terms of image quality.
Best wishes,Pete

[greypoint]

I bought an S3 a few weeks ago to use alongside my D50. I was attracted by the extra dynamic range, picture quality etc. - at a now bargain price. The big downside is the slowness. It makes the D50 seem like a speed machine. The main thing that drove me mad was trying to view pictures on the lcd - it takes forever. For occasions when speed is not essential it is a lovely camera to use but in the end I found I was always picking up the supposedly inferior D50. For portraits, landscapes and the sort of nature shots where you can take your time then it's a great camera but i personally found the AF a bit slow and a bit hit and miss compared to the D50. In the end i really did'nt find enough improvement over the D50 results and re-sold it - for the sort of occasions when a bird suddenly appears and you want a snatch shot the D50 is so much better - and after all the D50 is an entry level camera so I assume the higher spec models would blow it away.

[jace2004]

thanks for the info i think i may go for a d1x as i have just been offed one for £520

[jace2004]

i had a look at the d1x its a good camera but i think i will wait a while for a D70 replacement as yossi says It's due quite shortly.

thanks for the suggestions.