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Nikon D3 Comparison Review

The Nikon D3 is a DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) camera that was announced in August 2007 and is equipped with a full frame sensor. It offers a resolution of 12.1 megapixel.

camera

Is the Nikon D3 a good camera? The D3 has a Camera Elo of 1660. This rating puts the D3 below average of all digital single lens reflex cameras. In terms of its sensor size category (full frame cameras), the D3 also ranks below average. Based on its within category standings, the camera earns a 2.5-star performance rating. – Well, the Nikon D3 is more than 16 years old, and there have been many other good digital cameras released since 2007.

Headline Specifications
Nikon D3
Digital single lens reflex
Nikon F mount lenses
12.1 MP, Full Frame Sensor
no Video
ISO 200 - 6 400 (100 - 25 600)
Optical viewfinder
3.0 LCD, 922k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
11 shutter flaps per second
Weathersealed body
4300 shots per battery charge
160 x 157 x 88 mm, 1 300 g

Read on to find out more about the camera's size, sensor, features, reception by expert reviewers, and how it compares to other digital cameras.

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Body comparison with a credit card

The physical dimensions of the Nikon D3 relative to a credit card are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

Nikon D3 vs credit card front
D3 versus credit card top view
D3 and credit card rear side

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the Nikon D3 alongside a set of similar cameras. If you want to review a particular camera pair side-by-side, just move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible comparisons there.

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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 D3 160 mm 157 mm 88 mm 1300 g 4300 Y Aug 2007 4,999ebay.com
2.
 
Canon 1D Mark III 156 mm 157 mm 80 mm 1155 g 2200 Y Feb 2007 4,499ebay.com
3.
 
Nikon D5 160 mm 159 mm 92 mm 1415 g 3780 Y Jan 2016 6,499ebay.com
4.
 
Nikon D4S 160 mm 157 mm 91 mm 1350 g 3020 Y Feb 2014 6,499ebay.com
5.
 
Nikon D4 160 mm 157 mm 91 mm 1340 g 2600 Y Jan 2012 5,999ebay.com
6.
 
Nikon D3S 160 mm 157 mm 88 mm 1240 g 4200 Y Oct 2009 5,199ebay.com
7.
 
Nikon D3X 160 mm 157 mm 88 mm 1260 g 4400 Y Dec 2008 7,999ebay.com
8.
 
Nikon D700 147 mm 123 mm 77 mm 1074 g 1000 Y Jul 2008 2,999ebay.com
9.
 
Nikon D300 147 mm 114 mm 74 mm 925 g 1000 Y Aug 2007 1,799ebay.com
10.
 
Nikon D2Xs 158 mm 150 mm 86 mm 1252 g 3800 Y Jun 2006 4,699ebay.com
11.
 
Nikon D2X 158 mm 150 mm 86 mm 1252 g 3800 Y Sep 2004 4,999ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
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The listed prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The Nikon D3 was launched in the US market at a price of $4,999. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. 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. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

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Check D3 offers at
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Sensor comparison with a 35mm slide

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants 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. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tent to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

The Nikon D3 features a full frame sensor and has a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 1.0. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the Nikon D3 among the large-sensor cameras that aim for top notch image quality.

Nikon D3 sensor measures

For most cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. 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"). The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of alternative cameras.

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Sensor Characteristics
#   Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall
1.
 
Nikon D3 Full Frame 12.1 4256 2832none23.512.2229081
2.
 
Canon 1D Mark III APS-H 10.1 3888 2592none22.711.7107871
3.
 
Nikon D5 Full Frame 20.7 5588 37124K/30p25.112.3234388
4.
 
Nikon D4S Full Frame 16.2 4928 32801080/60p24.413.3307489
5.
 
Nikon D4 Full Frame 16.2 4928 32801080/30p24.713.1296589
6.
 
Nikon D3S Full Frame 12.1 4256 2832720/24p23.512.0325382
7.
 
Nikon D3X Full Frame 24.4 6048 4032none24.713.7199288
8.
 
Nikon D700 Full Frame 12.1 4256 2832none23.512.2230380
9.
 
Nikon D300 APS-C 12.2 4288 2848none22.112.067967
10.
 
Nikon D2Xs APS-C 12.2 4288 2848none22.210.948959
11.
 
Nikon D2X APS-C 12.2 4288 2848none22.110.947659
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It should be noted that unlike many modern cameras, the D3 does not provide the possibility to capture videos.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the D3 has an optical viewfinder that provides a field of view of 100% and a magnification of 0.70x. The following tables report on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Nikon D3 and comparable cameras.

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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 D3optical Y3.0 / 922 fixed n 1/8000s 11.0/s n n
2.
 
Canon 1D Mark IIIoptical Y3.0 / 230 fixed n 1/8000s 10.0/s n n
3.
 
Nikon D5optical Y3.2 / 2359 fixed Y 1/8000s 14.0/s n n
4.
 
Nikon D4Soptical Y3.2 / 921 fixed n 1/8000s 11.0/s n n
5.
 
Nikon D4optical Y3.2 / 921 fixed n 1/8000s 11.0/s n n
6.
 
Nikon D3Soptical Y3.0 / 921 fixed n 1/8000s 11.0/s n n
7.
 
Nikon D3Xoptical Y3.0 / 922 fixed n 1/8000s 5.0/s n n
8.
 
Nikon D700optical Y3.0 / 922 fixed n 1/8000s 8.0/s Y n
9.
 
Nikon D300optical Y3.0 / 922 fixed n 1/8000s 6.0/s Y n
10.
 
Nikon D2Xsoptical Y2.5 / 230 fixed n 1/8000s 5.0/s n n
11.
 
Nikon D2Xoptical Y2.5 / 235 fixed n 1/8000s 5.0/s n n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.
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One useful feature of the D3 is a presence of 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.

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Connection 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 D3 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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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 D3Y- / ---mini2.0---
2.
 
Canon 1D Mark IIIY- / ----2.0---
3.
 
Nikon D5Ystereo / monoYYmini3.0---
4.
 
Nikon D4SYmono / monoYYmini2.0---
5.
 
Nikon D4Ymono / monoYYmicro2.0---
6.
 
Nikon D3SYstereo / ---mini2.0---
7.
 
Nikon D3XY- / ---mini2.0---
8.
 
Nikon D700Y- / ---mini2.0---
9.
 
Nikon D300Y- / ---mini2.0---
10.
 
Nikon D2XsY- / ----2.0---
11.
 
Nikon D2XY- / ----2.0---
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Further information on the features and operation of the D3 can be found in the free online Nikon D3 Manual or on the Nikon support site.

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Expert reviews

While the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the handling experience and imaging performance when actually working with the D3. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased. This is why expert reviews are important. The table below summarizes the assessments of some of the best known camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]).

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Review Scores
#    Camera 
 Model 
 AP 
 score 
 CL 
 score 
 DCW 
 score 
 DPR 
 score 
 EPZ 
 score 
 PB 
 score 
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Nikon D3......+ +5/54.5/5 Aug 2007 4,999ebay.com
2.
 
Canon 1D Mark III............ Feb 2007 4,499ebay.com
3.
 
Nikon D5....4/589/1004.5/55/5 Jan 2016 6,499ebay.com
4.
 
Nikon D4S5/5......4.5/54.5/5 Feb 2014 6,499ebay.com
5.
 
Nikon D4........4.5/54.5/5 Jan 2012 5,999ebay.com
6.
 
Nikon D3S5/5....89/1004.5/55/5 Oct 2009 5,199ebay.com
7.
 
Nikon D3X......86/1004/55/5 Dec 2008 7,999ebay.com
8.
 
Nikon D700..89/100..+ +4.5/54.5/5 Jul 2008 2,999ebay.com
9.
 
Nikon D300..+ +..+ +5/54.5/5 Aug 2007 1,799ebay.com
10.
 
Nikon D2Xs............ Jun 2006 4,699ebay.com
11.
 
Nikon D2X......+ +.... Sep 2004 4,999ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.
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The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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Nikon D3 FAQ

Below are some additional questions and answers concerning some particular features of the D3.

What technology is the imaging sensor in the Nikon D3 based on?

The camera has a CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensor at its core.

Which image processing chip is used in the Nikon D3 to convert the raw signal into an image file and perform noise reduction and image sharpening?

Nikon equipped the D3 with the EXPEED image processor.

What is the ISO sensitivity range of the Nikon D3?

The camera has a native sensitivity range from ISO 200 to ISO 6400, which can be extended to ISO 100-25600.

What is the life expectancy of the shutter in the Nikon D3?

Nikon mentions a shutter rating of 300 000 actuations for the D3. This number represents a Mean Time before Failure, that is an average value. The shutter might fail earlier, or it might last longer. Anyway, in order to exhaust the expected shutter life of the D3 over, say, three years, one would have to take about 300 pictures each and every day.

How do I find the shutter count on my Nikon D3?

Nikon embeds the number of shutter actuations in image metadata. You can check the number of shots that your D3 has taken up to now by uploading a recent image to the free online shutter count finder app.

Do I need to purchase an external camera trigger to shoot time-lapse sequences with the Nikon D3?

No, the Nikon D3 has an intervalometer built-in, so that low frequency shooting (for example, flower blooming, sunset, moon rise) can be undertaken without the need to purchase a separate external intervalometer and related software.

What is the fastest shutter speed that can be used with the Nikon D3 for flash photography?

The D3's flash sync speed is 1/250 sec.

Which battery does the Nikon D3 use?

The camera gets its power from the EN-EL4a (here at amazon), which is a rechargeable Lithium-Ion power pack.

Camera to camera comparisons

In case you are interested in seeing how this camera compares to another one, just use the search menu below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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    Specifications Summary
    Camera Model Nikon D3
    Camera Type Digital single lens reflex
    Camera Lens Nikon F mount lenses
    Launch Date August 2007
    Launch Price USD 4 999
    Sensor Specs
    Sensor Technology CMOS
    Sensor Format Full Frame Sensor
    Sensor Size 36.0 x 23.9 mm
    Sensor Area 860 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 43.2 mm
    Crop Factor 1.0x
    Sensor Resolution 12.1 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 4 256 x 2 832 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 8.43 μm
    Pixel Density 1.40 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter
    Movie Capability no Video
    ISO Setting 200 - 6 400 ISO
    ISO Boost 100 - 25 600 ISO
    Image Processor EXPEED
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 81
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 23.5
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 12.2
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 2290
    Screen Specs
    Viewfinder Type Optical viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 100%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.70x
    Top-Level Screen Control Panel
    LCD Framing Live View
    LCD Size 3.0 inch
    LCD Resolution 922k dots
    LCD Attachment Fixed screen
    Touch Input No touchscreen
    Shooting Specs
    Focus System Phase-detect AF
    Manual Focusing Aidno Peaking Feature
    Maximum Shutter Speed 1/8000s
    Continuous Shooting 11 shutter flaps/s
    Shutter Life Expectancy300 000 actuations
    Silent Shootingno E-Shutter
    Time Lapse PhotographyIntervalometer Built-in
    Fill Flash no On-Board Flash
    Storage Medium CF cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Dual card slots
    Connectivity Specs
    External Flash Hotshoe
    Studio Flash PC Sync socket
    USB Connector USB 2.0
    HDMI Port mini HDMI
    Wifi Support no Wifi
    Body Specs
    Environmental SealingWeathersealed body
    Battery Type EN-EL4a power pack
    Battery Life (CIPA)4300 shots per charge
    Body Dimensions 160 x 157 x 88 mm
    (6.3 x 6.2 x 3.5 in)
    Camera Weight 1 300 g (45.9 oz)

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