CactusD
ἀρχός οἰωνῶν
Registered: July 2007
Location: Ideally, half way up a mountain in Greece. Otherwise, Banbury
Posts: 1202
|
|
Review Date: Thu March 31, 2011
|
Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Price you paid?: None indicated
| Rating: 10
|
|
Pros:
|
noise, build quality, AF, handling, dual card slots, did I say anything about noise?
|
|
Cons:
|
cost, full-frame shooting will shorten reach for long-lens work compared with DX body
|
|
Surprised there isn't a review of this on here yet, so I'll post my comments
.
In short, this is probably the most capable camera body I'll ever own. With full-frame sensor, it's an update to the already outstanding D3, but with the addition of a new sensor with even better noise control, movie mode, and dust-removal system (though this appears less successful on full frame than on DX bodies).
This is an outstanding body enabling wildlife photographers to achieve previously impossible shots. Not only does this allow shooters to start earlier and finish later, it also allows for far higher shutter speeds than before at crazy ISOs. It also allows you, for example, to take high-speed birds-in-flight shots in murky conditions, with noise well under control. The noise on a D300 at ISO 400-800 is about the same on the D3S at between ISO 2000-5000.
This also makes it amazing for hand-held macro work, enabling virtually noise-free handheld shots at between f16 and f32 at shutter speeds of between 1/200 and 1/320 on a 200mm macro lens in overcast conditions, completely freeing you up from having to use a tripod, and thus maximizing shooting opportunities and compositions.
The D3S also takes teleconverters extremely well, though those used to the added reach of Nikon DX bodies have effective focal length reduced by 1.5x (though you can, if you wish, shoot in DX mode).
As might be expected from a pro body, handling and build quality are amazing. Dual compact flash slots allow me to shoot 600 raw files without changing an 8gb card. Battery capacity is also very impressive, even after the already very good D300.
The movie mode seems a bit gimmicky, but some may find this works for them. Very useful, however, is the voice memo feature, allowing you to record a memo e.g. of the bird or plant species you're photographing. I'm pretty sure it would also be good for recording and identifying a burst of birdsong.
Altogether an outstanding camera body, for those wanting cutting-edge technology and willing to pay for it.
------------------------------
My Bird Photo Life-list
My Macro Favourites
My New Nature Photography Blog
Latest bird lifer: 326 (Roller)
|
|
Welcome to BirdForum.
