Nikon D2Xs vs Olympus E-600

The Nikon D2Xs and the Olympus E-600 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in June 2006 and August 2009. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are based on an APS-C (D2Xs) and a Four Thirds (E-600) sensor. Both cameras offer a resolution of 12.2 megapixels.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Nikon D2Xs		Olympus E-600
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Nikon F mount lenses		Four Thirds lenses
12.2 MP – APS-C sensor		12.2 MP – Four Thirds sensor
no Video		no Video
ISO 100-800 (800 - 3,200)		ISO 100-3,200
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
2.5" LCD – 230k dots		2.7" LCD – 230k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive)
5 shutter flaps per second		4 shutter flaps per second
Lens stabilization only		In-body stabilization
Weathersealed body		not weather sealed
3800 shots per battery charge		500 shots per battery charge
158 x 150 x 86 mm, 1252 g		130 x 94 x 60 mm, 535 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Nikon D2Xs and the Olympus E-600? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Nikon D2Xs and the Olympus E-600. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Olympus E-600 is considerably smaller (48 percent) than the Nikon D2Xs. Moreover, the E-600 is substantially lighter (57 percent) than the D2Xs. It is worth mentioning in this context that the D2Xs is splash and dust resistant, while the E-600 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. A larger imaging sensor will tend to go along with bigger and heavier lenses, although exceptions exist. You can compare the optics available for the two cameras in the Nikon Lens Catalog (D2Xs) and the Four Thirds Lens Catalog (E-600).

Concerning battery life, the D2Xs gets 3800 shots out of its Nikon EN-EL4a battery, while the E-600 can take 500 images on a single charge of its Olympus BLS-1 power pack. As can be seen in the images above, the D2Xs has a battery grip built in. This facilitates image-taking in portrait orientation and gives it additional battery power. In order to provide similar functionality for the E-600, Olympus provides the HLD-5 vertical grip as an optional accessory (see here on ebay).

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.

Body Specifications

#		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Nikon D2Xs	158 mm	150 mm	86 mm	1252 g	3800	Y	Jun 2006	4,699	ebay.com
2.		Olympus E-600	130 mm	94 mm	60 mm	535 g	500	n	Aug 2009	449	ebay.com
3.		Canon 1D Mark III	156 mm	157 mm	80 mm	1155 g	2200	Y	Feb 2007	4,499	ebay.com
4.		Nikon D300S	147 mm	115 mm	81 mm	938 g	950	Y	Jul 2009	1,799	ebay.com
5.		Nikon D3	160 mm	157 mm	88 mm	1300 g	4300	Y	Aug 2007	4,999	ebay.com
6.		Nikon D40X	124 mm	94 mm	64 mm	522 g	520	n	Mar 2007	729	ebay.com
7.		Nikon D300	147 mm	114 mm	74 mm	925 g	1000	Y	Aug 2007	1,799	ebay.com
8.		Nikon D80	132 mm	103 mm	77 mm	668 g	600	n	Aug 2006	999	ebay.com
9.		Nikon D200	147 mm	113 mm	74 mm	920 g	400	Y	Nov 2005	1,699	ebay.com
10.		Nikon D2X	158 mm	150 mm	86 mm	1252 g	3800	Y	Sep 2004	4,999	ebay.com
11.		Nikon D1H	157 mm	153 mm	85 mm	1100 g	1200	Y	Feb 2001	4,499	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D1	157 mm	153 mm	85 mm	1100 g	..	Y	Jun 1999	5,499	ebay.com
13.		Olympus E-450	130 mm	91 mm	53 mm	440 g	500	n	Mar 2009	499	ebay.com
14.		Olympus E-620	130 mm	94 mm	60 mm	521 g	500	n	Feb 2009	699	ebay.com
15.		Olympus E-420	130 mm	91 mm	53 mm	440 g	500	n	Mar 2008	599	ebay.com
16.		Olympus E-520	136 mm	92 mm	68 mm	535 g	750	n	May 2008	699	ebay.com
17.		Olympus E-510	136 mm	92 mm	68 mm	538 g	750	n	Mar 2007	799	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The E-600 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 90 percent) than the D2Xs, which puts it into a different market segment. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Nikon D2Xs features an APS-C sensor and the Olympus E-600 a Four Thirds sensor. The sensor area in the E-600 is 40 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.5 and 2.0. The sensor in the D2Xs has a native 3:2 aspect ratio, while the one in the E-600 offers a 4:3 aspect.

Even though the D2Xs has a larger sensor, both cameras offer the same resolution of 12.2 megapixels. This implies that the D2Xs has a lower pixel density and larger individual pixels (with a pixel pitch of 5.52μm versus 4.29μm for the E-600), which gives it a potential advantage in terms of light gathering capacity. It should, however, be noted that the E-600 is much more recent (by 3 years and 2 months) than the D2Xs, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that at least partly compensate for the smaller pixel size.

The Nikon D2Xs has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 800, which can be extended to ISO 800-3200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Olympus E-600 are ISO 100 to ISO 3200 (no boost).

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). Of the two cameras under review, the D2Xs has a notably higher overall DXO score than the E-600 (overall score 4 points higher), which gives it an advantage in terms of imaging quality. This advantage is based on 0.7 bits higher color depth, 0.6 EV in additional dynamic range, and 0.1 stops of reduced low light sensitivity. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

#		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Nikon D2Xs	APS-C	12.2	4288	2848	none	22.2	10.9	489	59
2.		Olympus E-600	Four Thirds	12.2	4032	3024	none	21.5	10.3	541	55
3.		Canon 1D Mark III	APS-H	10.1	3888	2592	none	22.7	11.7	1078	71
4.		Nikon D300S	APS-C	12.2	4288	2848	720/24p	22.5	12.2	787	70
5.		Nikon D3	Full Frame	12.1	4256	2832	none	23.5	12.2	2290	81
6.		Nikon D40X	APS-C	10.0	3872	2592	none	22.4	11.4	516	63
7.		Nikon D300	APS-C	12.2	4288	2848	none	22.1	12.0	679	67
8.		Nikon D80	APS-C	10.0	3872	2592	none	22.1	11.2	524	61
9.		Nikon D200	APS-C	10.0	3872	2592	none	22.3	11.5	583	64
10.		Nikon D2X	APS-C	12.2	4288	2848	none	22.1	10.9	476	59
11.		Nikon D1H	APS-C	2.6	2000	1312	none	..	..	..	..
12.		Nikon D1	APS-C	2.6	2000	1312	none	..	..	..	..
13.		Olympus E-450	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.5	10.5	512	56
14.		Olympus E-620	Four Thirds	12.2	4032	3024	none	21.3	10.3	536	55
15.		Olympus E-420	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.5	10.4	527	56
16.		Olympus E-520	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.4	10.4	548	55
17.		Olympus E-510	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.2	10.0	442	52

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The D2Xs and the E-600 are similar in the sense that both have an optical viewfinder. The latter is useful for getting a clear image for framing even in brightly lit environments. The viewfinder in the D2Xs offers a wider field of view (100%) than the one in the E-600 (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. In addition, the viewfinder of the D2Xs has a higher magnification (0.57x vs 0.48x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Nikon D2Xs, the Olympus E-600, and comparable cameras.

Core Features

#		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Nikon D2Xs	optical	Y	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
2.		Olympus E-600	optical	n	2.7 / 230	swivel	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon 1D Mark III	optical	Y	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	n
4.		Nikon D300S	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	n
5.		Nikon D3	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/8000s	11.0/s	n	n
6.		Nikon D40X	optical	n	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
7.		Nikon D300	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	Y	n
8.		Nikon D80	optical	n	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
9.		Nikon D200	optical	Y	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	Y	n
10.		Nikon D2X	optical	Y	2.5 / 235	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
11.		Nikon D1H	optical	Y	2.0 / 120	fixed	n	1/16000s	5.0/s	n	n
12.		Nikon D1	optical	Y	2.0 / 120	fixed	n	1/16000s	4.5/s	n	n
13.		Olympus E-450	optical	n	2.7 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.5/s	Y	n
14.		Olympus E-620	optical	n	2.7 / 230	swivel	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Olympus E-420	optical	n	2.7 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.5/s	Y	n
16.		Olympus E-520	optical	n	2.7 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.5/s	Y	Y
17.		Olympus E-510	optical	n	2.5 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that is present on the D2Xs, but is missing on the E-600 is a top-level LCD. While being, of course, smaller than the rear screen, the control panel conveys some of the essential shooting information and can be convenient for quick and easy settings verification.

The D2Xs writes its imaging data to Compact Flash cards, while the E-600 uses Compact Flash or xD Picture cards. The E-600 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the D2Xs only has one slot.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Nikon D2Xs and Olympus E-600 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

#		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Nikon D2Xs	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Olympus E-600	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon 1D Mark III	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Nikon D300S	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Nikon D3	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Nikon D40X	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Nikon D300	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Nikon D80	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Nikon D200	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Nikon D2X	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Nikon D1H	Y	- / -	-	-	-	FW	-	-	-
12.		Nikon D1	Y	- / -	-	-	-	FW	-	-	-
13.		Olympus E-450	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Olympus E-620	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Olympus E-420	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Olympus E-520	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Olympus E-510	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Nikon D2Xs (unlike the E-600) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the D2Xs and the E-600 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The D2Xs was replaced by the Nikon D3X, while the E-600 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the D2Xs and E-600 can be found, respectively, in the Nikon D2Xs Manual (free pdf) or the online Olympus E-600 Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is the Nikon D2Xs better than the Olympus E-600 or vice versa? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Arguments in favor of the Nikon D2Xs:

• Better image quality: Scores markedly higher (4 points) in the DXO overall assessment.
• More dynamic range: Captures a larger spectrum of light and dark details (0.6 EV of extra DR).
• More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (100% vs 95%).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.57x vs 0.48x).
• Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (5 vs 4 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More portrait friendly: Features an integrated vertical grip for easier portrait shooting.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (3800 versus 500) on a single battery charge.
• Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
• Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in June 2006).

Reasons to prefer the Olympus E-600:

• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (2.7" vs 2.5") for image review and settings control.
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• More compact: Is smaller (130x94mm vs 158x150mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 717g or 57 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• Easier fill-in: Has a small integrated flash to brighten shadows of backlit subjects.
• Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (90 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 3 years and 2 months of technical progress since the D2Xs launch.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the D2Xs emerges as the winner of the contest (12 : 10 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Nikon D2Xs and the Olympus E-600 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the D2Xs or the E-600 perform in practice. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

#		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Nikon D2Xs	..	..	..	..	..	..	Jun 2006	4,699	ebay.com
2.		Olympus E-600	..	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	Aug 2009	449	ebay.com
3.		Canon 1D Mark III	..	..	..	..	..	..	Feb 2007	4,499	ebay.com
4.		Nikon D300S	5/5	+ +	..	82/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jul 2009	1,799	ebay.com
5.		Nikon D3	..	..	..	+ +	5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2007	4,999	ebay.com
6.		Nikon D40X	..	79/100	..	+ +	4/5	4/5	Mar 2007	729	ebay.com
7.		Nikon D300	..	+ +	..	+ +	5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2007	1,799	ebay.com
8.		Nikon D80	..	+	..	+ +	o	4.5/5	Aug 2006	999	ebay.com
9.		Nikon D200	..	+ +	..	+ +	o	..	Nov 2005	1,699	ebay.com
10.		Nikon D2X	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Sep 2004	4,999	ebay.com
11.		Nikon D1H	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Feb 2001	4,499	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D1	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Jun 1999	5,499	ebay.com
13.		Olympus E-450	..	..	..	..	4/5	4/5	Mar 2009	499	ebay.com
14.		Olympus E-620	3/5	88/100	..	72/100	4.5/5	5/5	Feb 2009	699	ebay.com
15.		Olympus E-420	..	85/100	..	+ +	4/5	4.5/5	Mar 2008	599	ebay.com
16.		Olympus E-520	..	87/100	..	+ +	4.5/5	4.5/5	May 2008	699	ebay.com
17.		Olympus E-510	..	89/100	..	+ +	3.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2007	799	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

Check D2Xs offers at
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Check E-600 offers at
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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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