Nikon D3x

Buttons & Dials

Nikon’s higher-end cameras, like the D3x and D700, have slightly different control schemes than their less expensive SLRs. Rather than a mode dial, they have a mode button, which is controlled using the rear and front control dials. There’s also a dedicated dial for ‘release mode’ which sets single, burst, Live View, self-timer or mirror up modes. Three of the more commonly altered settings (ISO, quality and white balance) have their own small, dedicated LCD on the rear of the camera with small buttons to control each beneath the display.

Unsurprisingly, the controls are highly customizable. During playback, the button at the center of the joystick can be set to bring up thumbnail view, a histogram or magnified view. In Live View you can use it to select the focus point or magnify the view.

The function button on the front of the camera can be set to depth of field preview, flash value lock, AE/AF lock, AE lock only, AE lock until pressed again or a photo is taken, AE lock until pressed again, AF lock only, Flash off, bracketing, Matrix, Center-weighted or Spot metering, Virtual horizon, Playback or else access the top item in My Menu. If you hold down the Function button and use the rear dial, you can choose the image area (FX, DX or 5:4), invoke a 1 EV change in speed or aperture as appropriate, choose the lens number for non-CPU lenses, select focus point, select a shooting menu bank or the area for dynamic AF. While the depth of field preview button defaults to its stated function, it can be programmed in the same way as the function button, except you can’t use it to change focus point selection. The AE/AF lock button can also be set to handle the vast majority of these functions, expect focus point select or the 1 EV change.

The virtual horizon tool shows a simulated level, to help with aligning your camera. It displays on the LCD, as shown below, and through the viewfinder using using the exposure compensation axis. While it’s a nice touch, it’s not very precise, and goes away as soon as you half press the shutter button.

Picture Styles

The D3x is unsurprisingly slim on the picture effects. It has a selection of four Nikon Picture Controls: Standard, Neutral, Vivid and Monochrome. These can then be adjusted for sharpening and contrast. The non-monochrome modes let you change saturation and hue, and monochrome can add virtual filters (yellow, orange, red and green) and tones (sepia, cyanotype, red, yellow, green, blue-green, blue, purple-blue and red-purple).

In-Camera Editing

While these aren’t the worlds most elaborate editing tools, they’re pretty broad, especially considering that this camera is designed for professional users who will undoubtedly have access to other software. When retouching a photo with the D3x’s editing controls, a second copy is always made, so it’s impossible to damage your original.

The retouching options are D-Lighting (dynamic range optimization), red eye correction, trim, monochrome (black and white, sepia or cyanotype), and skylight or warm tone filter effects. You can also color balance an image along either the green/magenta or blue/amber axes.

There’s also an image overlay function, which will combine two RAW files, with the gain on each set from 0.1 to 2.

Once you’re done editing an image, you can use the side by side display tool to compare the original and retouched photo at the same magnification level.

Menu

If you’ve used a Nikon SLR before, you’ll feel at home with this camera’s menu system. It’s very similar to the others, just astonishingly detailed at points. There are five primary menus (Playback, Shooting, Custom Setting, Setup, and Retouch), each with multiple options, and then the customizable My Menu.

There are two ‘Bank’ systems of settings. The Shooting Menu bank lets you store all your Shooting Menu settings in one of four banks, which can be named to your specific needs. This lets you have an ‘indoor weddings’ shooting bank, for example, or a ‘studio lights’ bank, and switch between them easily. The Custom Setting menu has the same option, with four banks of settings that can be easily alternated.

Instruction Manual

The D3x has an excellent manual, though it’s approximately the same size as a Tom Clancy novel. Clocking in at over 475 pages, it contains detailed descriptions of every one of the multitude of options and settings in the camera. The table of contents and index are both exhaustive and well laid out. For the most part, the writing explains complex tools and settings well, and in unambiguous language, with well chosen supporting diagrams.