50 of 52 people found the following review helpful:
This professional level camera is amazing
Update: Images up to ISO 51,200 have very acceptable levels of noise (very little). Worst case, I touched up with Dfine 2.0 (noise reduction software) and they look nearly perfect. I experimented with the movie mode. The camera took some very nice looking videos in extremely low light. I don't know what ISO it used, but it must be hitting ISO 102,400 at times. The...
lost details
I have own a lot of professional cameras bodies. I do portraits and photojournalism. There are many good things about this camera which have been said. What I don't like about it is that some low contrast details are lost on RAW files. The low noise ability of this camera comes with suppression of high frequency details compared to high resolution cameras in the same...
This review is from: Nikon D3S 12.1 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 3-Inch LCD and 24fps 720p HD Video Capability (Body Only) (Electronics)
Update: Images up to ISO 51,200 have very acceptable levels of noise (very little). Worst case, I touched up with Dfine 2.0 (noise reduction software) and they look nearly perfect. I experimented with the movie mode. The camera took some very nice looking videos in extremely low light. I don't know what ISO it used, but it must be hitting ISO 102,400 at times. The video and sound using the internal microphone are really good. I may add an external stereo mic in the future if I shoot video. I should have known, you can't shoot movies in vertical format -- of course -- but I did take some that way before I realized that format doesn't work when you play back on a TV.
I've now got a growing collection of images in various conditions and remain extremely pleased with this camera.
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I received my new Nikon D3S only a couple of days ago, and my early testing of this camera has already proven it to be much more than I expected. I took a few dozen test shots in nearly complete darkness and with relatively little noise the shots look like they were taken in fairly bright lighting. I am very impressed. In fact, I would even say they are unbelievable.
I love the new "info" button. I passed over the written material before the camera arrived thinking: who cares. Well, I find it to be an extremely helpful feature. When you press the "info" button, it shows not only the exposure settings, but gives you immediate access to several of the relevant menu options that you can then immediately access and make changes. I find this to be very quick and useful.
The D3S seems a bit bigger than my Nikon D2Xs and other professional bodies I use, but it feels like it's built absolutely solid. Of course, since the D3S is an FX (full frame) sensor, I have heavier lenses attached and in my bag too. I love the D3S ergonomics and the programmable function and other buttons (programmable AE/AL and Preview button). I hate to fumble with menus in the field (sorry Canon 1ds Mark III and 5D Mark IV and others, but Nikon has you beat here), and the Nikon gives fast access to all the key settings.
I haven't done extensive image tests yet, but my first impression is the images are superb, color is very accurate and auto focus is very fast and accurate, even in what I'd call "no light." I have usable images at ISO 102,400 (an amazing seven full stops better than other pro-bodies I use). At this point, I still can't believe how good images look at ISO 102,400, and images at ISO 51,200 and 25,600 look nearly perfect with either no high ISO NR (noise reduction) or standard NR.
Looking at my images at high magnification and they appear much clearer than even higher megapixel resolution bodies I use. I am now finally convinced beyond any doubt that megapixel is more of a marketing ploy than meaningful for professional photographers and other factors are more important.
As a pro who uses high end digital bodies, this is my first choice (maybe my only choice) for most assignments. I do a fair amount of studio work and thought I might opt for the Nikon D3X or even a Canon body since high ISO is not important, but this camera is so good I may use it for all my photography work in all conditions. If I really need high-end studio shots, I'll perhaps use my Mamiya with a digital back or even rent a Hasselblad.
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This review is from: Nikon D3S 12.1 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 3-Inch LCD and 24fps 720p HD Video Capability (Body Only) (Electronics)
The Nikon D3s is an amazing camera and I love it. The vast majority of people looking at buying this camera are talking about it's ISO and low light abilities. Even though there is alot more to this camera than it's amazing new ISO abilities, lets start with it's most unique feature and major selling point.
How good does it's ISO get? How about 12,800! The ISO can be pushed up to 102,400 using the Hi ISO settings.
My tests - Nikon D3s combined with the Nikkor 24-70 2.8 Lens.
I tested the camera at 400 ISO, 800 ISO, 1,600 ISO, 3,200 ISO, 6,400 ISO, and 12,800 ISO both inside in low light and outside at night. I have also tested the Hi 3 or 102,400 ISO setting
The ISO settings look really great up through the 3,200 mark. After that one can a little notice grain/noise up to the 12,800 ISO point. I would not hesitate at all running this camera at 1,600 or 3,200 ISO. BTW - Pictures taken at 12,800 are usable. They look really good. But there is a little noise as I said. The 102,400 setting creates all sorts of noise/grain, but that should be expected. So far the pictures I've take at the highest setting basically turns this camera into your own "night vision" camera. It can see in very dark surroundings.
More on the D3s
- This camera is rugged. Over the holidays, I had it outside in snow storms, rain, and sub freezing temperatures. It performed flawlessly.
- Info button - New to the D3s and really nice. It displays information such as f-stop, shutter speed, mode, and remaining pictures on monitor/display screen on the back
- Live view - there are 2 setting here. One for a tripod and one for handheld use. Turn this on, and you have a view of what you see through the viewfinder on your back monitor. I personally don't use this alot, but can see why others would.
- Accurate and fast auto focus using the 24-70 2.8 lens and my 14-24 2.8 lens
- HD Video at 720p
- Amazing 9 fps. Yes, I tested this, and I love it. I shoot motorsports and was hampered by the slower D2Xs as well as the smaller buffer on the D2Xs
- Sensor cleaning - done through the menu system on the back monitor.
- Quiet mode (Which isn't that much quieter than the default sound)
- 51 point Auto Focus system
- FX metering system (remember if you use a DX lens on this camera, the FX sensor with crop your photo. It appears like a gray box inside the vewfinder cropping your edges)
My Favorite addition (actually useful and I love it) - The Virtual Horizon. This looks like something you would find in the cockpit of an airplane and not a camera, but here it is in the D3s. It is a line that gives the photographer the correct horizon. Why is this so cool? Imagine anything from nature photography in the mountains (like standing on a slope) to photographing motorsports on a banked oval track (that would be me). Here is the function that allows photos to have proper alignment. I could see this function being used both on a tripod and hand held.
*Update on pictures*
- Having spent more time photographing in low light, the 12,800 ISO setting is mind blowing.
- Pictures outside at night - I took pictures of dark lawns, streets, and some holiday lights. Contrast is good as is saturation. There is some grain/noise, but it is uniform and not that bad.
- Pictures in dimly lit rooms - less noise and the colors and saturation are great. These images were sharp too. I toggled between manual mode and program mode to fool with the depth of field and bokeh. The brighter the room, the less the noise/grain. (Again these are ALL situations that would have required a flash with any other camera)
- Pictures of stars - Yup. Stars in the sky. I was actually able to hand hold this camera, aim it in the sky and snap a picture of stars. The picture didn't look that great, but considering I did it on a whim it was still really neat. (The camera picked up alot of haze in the sky. I think away from the city, the photos would be a lot better)
I've now taken well over 1,000 pictures with the D3s and it is easily the best camera I have owned. I am really impressed
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Update on one D3s issue - DPreview forums have reported numerous instances of D3s with a slow focus problem. They say it is a firmware bug. I have NOT had any issues and I am 2,000+ photos into my D3s. That includes many lowlight shoots.
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This review is from: Nikon D3S 12.1 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 3-Inch LCD and 24fps 720p HD Video Capability (Body Only) (Electronics)
I initially started this comment as a reply to someone who asked why anyone would need a camera that goes higher than 12,000 ISO unless you wanted to take pictures in a closet, especially since you can get a much less expensive consumer-level DSLR with more mega pixels and higher resolution video. I decided to post my response here with the hope than someone else might find it to be useful:
For the past couple of years, I have been using a Nikon D80, which from all the reviews I have read competes fairly well with other cameras in this class. I am not a professional photographer, but I enjoy photography enough that the limitations this consumer-level DSLR seems to have became a source of frustration to me.
I recently upgraded to a D3S, and I am absolutely amazed at the difference between the two cameras. The D3S is ten times the camera--and not because of the marginal difference in mega pixels.
It's not all about being able to take pictures in near darkness either. I take a lot of wildlife pictures with a solid, f 4.5 70-300mm zoom lens (popular because of its good price/performance tradeoff), and with my D80, if I am zoom out much at all, it has to be a bright sunny day to get really good pictures. Cloud cover and even shade results in quite a bit of color noise and a loss of detail, even at ISO settings as low as 400, and I almost always have to shoot with the aperture wide open to mitigate these problems, which, of course, limits my flexibility in terms of depth of field and tends to wash out bright areas. It is also very difficult to stop the motion of things like birds in flight with the low ISO settings that are required to avoid color noise and loss of detail. This is a very frustrating tradeoff to have to make.
With my D80, I have also noticed that the shading gradation of things like fog and shadows in snow is fairly limited--to the point where pictures of things with subtle shading almost always look washed out or have very little detail. The D3S, on the other hand, has an amazing amount of detail no matter what the subject is, no matter how subtle the shading and despite poor lighting conditions. (For the first time ever, I have been able to take pictures of things like fog rolling over a lake and have it show up just the way my eyes see it! No more blending of subtle shades into a single patch of white.)
My D80 also struggles to be consistent with color balance and metering. The D3S is almost always dead on in terms of color balance and metering and is faster and more consistently accurate with its auto focus.
The fact that the D3S's image sensor does such a great job in low light situations has opened up new possibilities for me. I can even stop down my slow f 4.5 300mm zoom lens significantly at any focal length and get outstanding results, even on a cloudy day. Think about the possibilities this opens up in terms of lens choices. As an amateur, I simply cannot afford the 10K-a-pop, fast professional lenses, but now I can get great pictures with slower, less expensive lenses, and I can actually extend the capabilities of the lenses I have with things like teleconverters and still get good results. In this sense, the D3S is a bargain.
I have mostly mentioned the quality of the pictures this camera takes, and I do not intend to go into its rich feature set and build quality (other comments below have already done this), but I did want to tell you about some of the considerable advantages I have found with the D3S and tell you about the outstanding results that I have been getting. I am amazed at the quality of the pictures this camera takes, and I am thrilled with the way this camera performs! This camera is in an entirely different class than the consumer-level DSLRs I have used in the past.
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This review is from: Nikon D3S 12.1 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 3-Inch LCD and 24fps 720p HD Video Capability (Body Only) (Electronics)
I was using a Canon 5D Mark II camera for over a year but became more and more disappointed with it as time went on. The focusing system used on the Canon was poor and the high ISO was good but not great.
Finally tiring of the soft focus of the 5D Mark II, I decided to either upgrade to the 1D Mark IV or the Nikon D3S. The decision was a very painful one to make and I dwelled on the subject for weeks before making a decision.
I finally decided on the Nikon D3S because of its full frame sensor and how its relatively large pixel size would be an advantage in low light situations (i.e., High ISO). Also, it didn't hurt that it was available right away through Amazon and I needed it for my trip to Europe at the end of December.
Now, after having used the Nikon D3S for around 2 months in a variety of situations I can say without hesitation that this is the finest DSLR available. Its ability to shoot sports action in low light is stunning and the focus is very responsive and always spot on! The lenses which I have purchased have all been superior to their Canon equivalent counterparts. Although, the Nikon does have some wholes in their lineup, most notably the the 85mm f/1.2.
While I believe that the filming features of the 1D Mark IV are likely superior it was a mute point for me after a year of experiences with the 5d Mark II. Unless you are very serious you will not get good results filming with any DSLR so I did not consider this when deciding which camera to buy.
In conclusion, I was very nervous about buying the Nikon D3S instead of the Canon 1D Mark IV. However, after using the D3S in a variety of situations I have absolutely fallen in love with this camera.
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This review is from: Nikon D3S 12.1 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 3-Inch LCD and 24fps 720p HD Video Capability (Body Only) (Electronics)
I have had my D3s a week and have already shot over 500 photos. I also have a D3. I do a lot of high school basketball. I used to shoot the D3 at 3200 to 4000. In experimenting with the D3s, I shot some at 8000 and it looks as good as the D3 at 5000. It was a natural extension for me since I have always used Nikon. The extra couple of stops lets me shoot at 500 at f4/f5.6 without problem.
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This review is from: Nikon D3S 12.1 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 3-Inch LCD and 24fps 720p HD Video Capability (Body Only) (Electronics)
Having shot with Canon for the last 15 yrs, moving over to Nikon was not an easy decision. I had a decent collection of lenses and the 1D Mark II was beginning to show its age. The mark III had its issues and the mark IV had shown promise.
Many friends asked why switch now? Simply put, low light is where I shoot most of my jobs. Nikon at the moment has the advantage. Selling my Canon gear was the big question. I ended up selling ALL my gear (1D Mark II, 135L, 28-70L, 70-200L IS, 35L, 85, 100 macro, and 580EX) in 1 week CASH... It covered the D3s, 24-70, and most of the 70-200 VRII.
While I waited for my gear to sell, I rented the D3s for a week along with Nikon's recent additions -- 14-24, 24-70, and 70-200 VR II. The images from the D3s with the aforementioned lenses were quite simply just amazingly sharp with minimal noise.
One can read the many reviews of the D3s out there.
Here's what impressed me about the D3s:
1. Ergonomics -- well designed button placements, easy to nagigate menus, buttons for metering/shooting speed/autofocus.
2. Image quality -- AMAZING images at high ISO. Check out Rob Galbraith's images.
3. 9 fps full sized RAW files/11 fps DX files
4. Screen size (a big change from my 1D Mark II)
5. Autofocus is stellar even in low light. I've not had issues like others have described.
6. I like 2CF cards vs 1 CF and 1 SD. Using Photofast Plus 32GB ($250) and no problems.
7. self cleaning sensor
Other things that impressed me about Nikon:
1. 5 year lens warranty vs Canon's 1 year
2. 24-70 images are sharper than my 28-70 Canon
3. 70-200 VRII images better than my Canon 2.8L IS
Suggestions for improvment:
1. selection of autofocus point with the back button. I think Canon's method appeals to me better.
2. Battery life is not the 4000 shots as advertised. Not sure if these are done with jpeg images, but I gotten ~ 1500 shots with 14 bit RAW images, a fair amount of chimping, and occasional video.
3. Focusing on video mode needs improvement. Its clunky and slow.
4. Video -- meh...great in a pinch, but its not a high priority for me. Others I'm sure feel differently. Canon's got the upper hand for now.
I like the direction that Nikon has choosen. Image quality over megapixels. Its a balanced camera with more than enough features for me. If you do advertising or need high resolution, the D3x is for you. This is a professional camera inside and out. Its worth every penny I've put out for the body and Nikon's lenses. I have no regrets!
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This review is from: Nikon D3S 12.1 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 3-Inch LCD and 24fps 720p HD Video Capability (Body Only) (Electronics)
I have shot with the Nikon D3 since it was released in November of 2007 and have over 150,000 shots on it. I shoot a great deal of Action Sports photography for a local Newspaper as well as H.S. sports magazine. I am not sure there is a better test for the quality of low light photography than a H.S. Football Field on a Friday night or H.S. basketball in a poorly lit gym. The D3 excelled. After reading the early findings of the ISO ability of the D3S I decided to sell my trusty backup (Nikon D700) and add the D3S. I am in total awe. I would never venture into the "HI" ranges of ISO on the D3, but recently shot an entire wrestling event in ISO 25,600 (HI 1.0) with stunning results (I cleaned up with N. Ninja with relatively no loss of detail). Now I am totally comfortable shooting cleanly at 12,800 which allows me to increase my shutter speeds. For years Canon had a lock on the low light high ISO photography, but with the D3 that has changed, and now Nikon has raised the bar even more with the D3S. At this point I have come to realize that if I can not shoot in a particular gym, then it is too dark for the athletes to see the basket:)
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This review is from: Nikon D3S 12.1 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 3-Inch LCD and 24fps 720p HD Video Capability (Body Only) (Electronics)
I debated long and hard between getting the D3s or getting the D700. I am beyond thrilled with my decision to go with the D3s. This camera is like a tank, it's tremendously well built and sealed, is fully customizable, and is so comfortable to hold and use. Many have complained that it's easy to activated/hit the af-on or shutter buttons for the vertical grip, this is true, but it's easy enough to flip a switch and turn them off when not using the vertical grip, problem solved!
The photos produced with this camera are beyond phenomenal with rich colors, great contrast, and wonderful detail. Everything I read was correct, 12 megapixels done right is way more than enough. The autofocus system is the fastest I've ever experienced on a camera, and possibly one of the most accurate. I've enjoyed the in camera editing, and wonderfully laid out histograms. The high ISO capabilities are partially what sold me on the D3s, along with the 100% viewfinder. I could go on and on about the pluses of this camera. The only downsides to this camera are its weight, it's not light, but its ergonomics make up for that, and the lack of included software. It may be just me, but a camera this expensive should have included Capture NX2. I would recommend this camera to anyone who loves photography and wants to produce the finest images possible.
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This review is from: Nikon D3S 12.1 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 3-Inch LCD and 24fps 720p HD Video Capability (Body Only) (Electronics)
I've had my D3s for about 7 months now. Prior to that I had a D2Xs for 3 years and a D1X for 2 years. The improvements between the D2Xs and the D3s are staggering. Most obvious is the jump from the DX to FX sensor, which I absolutely love because I've finally got a big, bright viewfinder and my old Nikon glass works just as it did with my old Nikon film cameras. Nikon also got their white balance settings right... gone are the green cast of the D1X and the yellow cast of the D2Xs when set for sunlight or shade. The D3s's colors are correct right out of the box 95% of the time. And the image quality is simply stunning, although you really should invest in high-caliber glass to get the most out of this camera. I traded my AF-S DX 18-200 f/3.5-5.6 VR zoom lens for two much bigger and heavier lenses: the AF-S 24-70 f2.8G ED and the AF-S NIKKOR 70-200 f/2.8G ED VRII, and there's simply no comparison in terms of color balance, sharpness and low-light performance.
Speaking of low-light performance, it's well known that this camera's sensor has remarkably low noise at extremely high ISO settings. I can take almost any shot, at any light level, without a flash. The results in near-darkness are astonishing; it's like having a night-vision camera. Nevertheless, I've also shot with flash and the results are much better out of the box than they were with my previous two Nikon digital SLR's.
I don't use the video features so I can't comment on them.
The learning curve when switching to this camera from the D2Xs was nil; I was immediately productive because the controls and their locations changed only slightly, and the changes that were made were for the better.
When I bought my previous two Nikon digitals I was always hoping for a full-frame sensor and knew that if one ever came along I'd be ditching my camera. With the D3s that feeling has gone away and I can imagine sticking with this camera for much longer than 2 or 3 years. Very highly recommended.
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This review is from: Nikon D3S 12.1 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 3-Inch LCD and 24fps 720p HD Video Capability (Body Only) (Electronics)
I've waited many years for a camera with the features offered in the Nikon D3s.
My problem with cameras has been the limitation of only shutter speed and aperture to choose from. It was like living in a 2 dimensional world. Many of my photographs were blurred because I didn't have enough available light. Cranking up the ISO on digital cameras produced horrific electronic noise. In the film world, I could push Tri-X to 800 ASA or beyond when I needed speed and, quite frankly I happen to like the grainy quality of real film -- not Photoshop faux grain.
I can now shoot pictures with the D3s that were previously impossible to obtain. I can safely crank the ISO up to 6400 and beyond. With the auto-ISO, I now live in a 3 dimensional world -- I have 3 variables to achieve blur-free photographs.
[Side note: My only complaint with the auto-ISO feature is that it doesn't take the lens focal length into consideration. It would be a significant improvement if the camera could set the minimum shutter speed based upon the focal length. On the 70-200mm zoom lens I can shoot at slower speeds at 70mm then at 200mm. Also, I have to manually change the minimum shutter speed each time I change lenses. However, this criticism is not isolated to the D3s but all the Nikon models with this feature.]
While my ideal camera would have had many more pixels like the D3x so that I could crop without losing significant quality, as well as high ISO quality, these features are not yet available. I chose the D3s because of the higher ISO. I don't shoot in studios.
Why the D3s, as opposed to the D700 (I have that camera too)?
The 90% viewfinder on the D700 drives me nuts. I have to guess how much of the image is actually going to be captured. If the cropped viewfinder doesn't bother you, then the D700 may be a considerably less expensive alternative. In addition, without the battery pack attached, the D700 weighs less. The D700 produces great images at high ISO, the D3s is a stop or two better. And the D700 without the battery pack is less conspicuous as well.
I've added a number of images to the picture gallery. I've included test photos at high to very high ISO speeds -- photographs that previously would have been impossible to shoot.
Rather than add another list of all the reasons why I think the D3s is a fantastic camera that have been endlessly described in so many other reviews, I would like to comment on just some of the moronic negative criticisms that I've read in supposedly professional reviews.
1) Common complaint: The virtual horizon is a gimmick since good tripods have built in levels.
Yes, I have one of those tripods and each time I reposition the legs on uneven surfaces or move the ball head, I have to eyeball the level which is a hassle. I use the virtual horizon within the viewfinder, not the live view mode, and I find the feature very helpful. Don't like the virtual horizon, don't use it.
2) Common complaint: The super high ISO is a gimmick.
Let's think about that for a moment. You see something in low light that you might never see again (e.g. a rare or thought to be extinct animal or a UFO), would you rather have a grainy picture or nothing at all? Don't like the high ISO, don't use it.
3) Common complaint: The movie mode is a gimmick or the quality isn't on par with a dedicated camcorder.
I read a review that tore the movie quality feature to shreds and suggested buying a dedicated camcorder instead. I did a a quick check of professional camcorders and the prices seem to range from about $1,500 to over $30,000. So now I have to buy and shlepp two cameras around? I suspect most people don't buy the D3s for the movie feature. They buy it for the FX, high ISO and build quality. I've tried the movie feature, and while I'm disappointed that it doesn't auto-focus or use the VR in my lens, I'm not going to throw the camera away.
This move quality complaint is like stating that since the trunk of your car can't carry everything you want to transport, you should exchange your car for a moving van. Nothing does everything perfectly. You "professional reviewers" are idiots. The movie feature is simplistic but it's there if I want it.
Don't want or like the movie feature, ignore it.
4) Common complaint: The camera is heavy and/or conspicuous.
The reviewers expect high quality images, long battery life and a durable body and they think that they're going to get those features into the size of a point-and-shoot? Camera too heavy for you? Buy a lesser camera. Camera too conspicuous? First get rid of that ridiculously uncomfortable and blazing yellow neck strap and get a good plain black strap. Second, use electrical tape and cover the 'Nikon' on the viewfinder. I'm not a free walking billboard for Nikon. Camera too heavy? Wait a few years until battery technology improves then buy that camera.
5) Common complaint: The camera is expensive.
So is a Lexus [or insert your favorite high-end vehicle here]. If the camera/car/other-entity was over-priced then no one would buy them and they'd stop making them. Camera too expensive for you? Buy a lesser camera.
6) Common complaint: Canon has some better features.
Yup, that's true. If you make your living with photography, then buy both cameras and use the tool that's most appropriate for the job.
I'll stop my rant here. I think I made my point. Many reviewers are total idiots and write to fill space.
It amazes me how many people don't understand the concept of the Quiet shutter mode. People think that by itself the shutter becomes magically quieter. No it doesn't. What the Quiet mode does is allow you to take a picture and continue to hold DOWN the shutter button and take a picture with extremely little noise. When it's more convenient, you let go of the shutter button. Then the mirror bounces back making a loud sound. This allows you take surreptitiously take a photograph since most people aren't going to recognize the first sound of the mirror going up but the click-CLUNK! sound is very noticeable.
So far, my only real negative criticism of the camera is the memory card doors. For a camera that is supposed to be so rugged (some described it as military-grade quality), those two (2) doors seem awfully flimsy to me. People have criticized the D700 for the door design but the D3s has two doors, and they're just a fragile as all of the other Nikon doors. I Googled the phrase "Nikon broken doors" and found a ton of hits. I don't open the door when there's a possibility that someone might bump into me and I close the door as quickly as possible.
Joy:
The ultra-high ISO with low noise (depending upon how high you set the ISO) can be very handy for utility photographs. Yesterday I had to crawl under the deck to document some defects in the construction. A flash was out of the question (not enough room) and I wasn't about to drag artificial lighting down there. I needed some quick & dirty shots so I could send them to the builder. I jacked up the ISO to 12K and over and uploaded directly to an email. Do you need a $5K camera for this? No, but hey, I already own the camera and I was able to take these quick shots that were utterly impossible before this camera.
Sorrow:
The viewfinder grid display option has been removed. It's available on my D300 and on the D3x but not on the D3s. The virtual horizon is good for outdoors but there are times when I want to align an item (e.g. a picture on a wall that's on a angle) and not have to use a photo editing program to make the corrections. Why, oh why, has this option been removed? At least I can use the D300 for those types of situations when I want the grid and don't need the D3s features.
It's annoyingly conspicuous. (Yes, I know I'm contradicting myself here from a remark I made about the size, but it's getting annoying). I try to take a picture and people will stop and ask me if I'm a professional photographer. If I had a little camera no one would notice or bother me. If you're the type of person where equipment defines you, then you'll be happy with this type of attention. Me? I want to blend into the background. I've put electrical tape over the 'Nikon' on the viewfinder and on the 'D3s' but there's no going around the fact that it's huge. I think I got less attention when I used a 4x5 camera.
In summary:
This is a fantastic, highly responsive camera which yields tremendous PQ images even at incredibly high ISO speeds. Will the D4, D5, D6 be better? Of course. But there's a point of diminishing returns. My vehicle gets over 42MPG on the open road. I'm not going to buy a new car because it gets incrementally better gas mileage.
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