Nikon D2Xs Announced

June 1, 2006: Maxwell Optical Industries has released details of the new Nikon D2Xs professional digital SLR camera, which sports a 12.4 effective megapixel DX-format CMOS image sensor and a wide range of refinements that improve overall camera performance and enhance the user experience.

Many features in the new camera are carry-overs from the D2X, which it replaces. The image sensor and 1005-pixel RGB meter, which measures both ambient and Speedlight flash output, are essentially unchanged. So are the shutter, which is rated for 150,000 cycles, and the reflex mirror mechanism. Most of the image processing system is also unchanged so pictures captured with the D2Xs should look the same as those from the D2X when shot under identical conditions. However, a new Black & White (sRGB) colour mode has been added to expand photographers’ options.

Viewfinder performance has been significantly improved with the addition of a mask that makes it easier to compose shots using Nikon’s High-Speed Crop mode. This mask, which replaces the blinking lines in the D2X, uses liquid crystal polymer network technology that causes it to disappear in the full resolution shooting mode. The D2Xs has also been fitted with the same 2.5 inch LCD as the D200, which provides a 170-degree wide viewing angle. This monitor is calibrated at the factory to ensure consistent colour fidelity and the fonts and colours used in the camera menus have been adjusted for improved readability.

The D2Xs will be powered by the higher-capacity EN-EL4a battery, which is rated for 3800 frames. It also boasts a wide range of firmware enhancements. Burst capture has also been improved and the D2xs can record 12.4 megapixel JPEG images or RAW images at a rate of up to 5 frames per second or 8 fps in High-Speed Crop mode, which captures the centre of the frame at a resolution of 6.8 megapixels. Continuous burst depth has also been increased to 60 frames, even with Long Exposure Noise Reduction enabled. Professional photographers will also appreciate the ability to select Adobe RGB in any of the three colour modes. Up to three custom tone curves can now be loaded.

The D2Xs builds on the functionality of its predecessor, the D2X, offering the same rapid start-up and 37 ms shutter release lag and a viewfinder blackout time of just 105 milliseconds. It also includes the same 11-area Multi-CAM2000 autofocus system. Subject acquisition and tracking capability are improved in the D2Xs. The ability to engage or disable Focus Tracking with Lock-On delay via a Custom Function makes it easier to ensure accurate focusing for different scenes and action shots and reduces the incidence of ‘hunting’ with long lenses in dim lighting. Sensitivity in the new model can be manually set between ISO-equivalent 100 and 800 in increments of 1/3 EV, or boosted using HI-0.3, HI-0.5, HI-0.7, HI-1 or HI-2 settings when high sensitivity is a priority. The three new settings between 800 and HI-1 give the D2Xs finer control over sensitivity. An updated AUTO ISO feature provides improved functionality for photographers who work under changing lighting conditions such as weddings.

The new camera is fully compatible with Nikon’s DX Nikkor lenses and the Nikon Creative Lighting System as well as Nikon’s Wireless Transmitter WT-2/2A. It is also compatible with GPS data recording, although the new model now adds heading information (compass bearing) data to the altitude, latitude and longitude data inserted into the image metadata files by the D2X. The D2Xs is due for local release in July. Pricing has yet to be determined. For more information visit www.nikon.com.au.