The author of this article would like to acknowledge Ng Chong Seng's contribution to this article.

Nikon's Top Dog Arrives

In February 2001, Nikon introduced to the world the D1X – a six-megapixel, three FPS, nine-frame buffer digital SLR. For the next three and a half years or so, it has remained the top professional body in Nikon’s DSLR offerings. Even when the competition released DSLRs that brought the megapixel-count past the single digit threshold, Nikon remains unmoved. Sure, in late November 2002, Nikon offered a memory module upgrade for the D1X to increase image-buffering performances (from nine JPEG Large images to 21 and six NEF images to 14), but shooting speed remained the same. Rumors of a D1X successor have been floating ever since 2002, but nothing ever materialized.

Zoom closer to the present timeline in September 2004, Nikon finally announced the long anticipated heir to the throne that D1X has been occupying for so long. The aptly named D2X is Nikon's first digital camera to go past the 10-megapixel count. As a professional body, you wouldn't think that Nikon is satisfied with offering users a mere megapixel bump. A new sensor, improved technologies, and some rather interesting features and implementations place the D2X on a podium like no other. Finally on 24th February 2005, it is launched officially in Singapore amidst much fanfare. Join us as we bring you on a tour de force on this latest star of the digital SLR arena.

This review is based on a production unit with firmware version A 1.00 and B 1.00

Standard Package Content

Before we move on with the detailed aspects of the camera, we list the standard Nikon D2X package contents: -

What you get in the standard retail package

Nikon D2X Digital SLR body

Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL4

Quick Charger MH-21

Body Cap

Camera Strap AN-D2X

Audio Video Cable EG-D2

USB Cable UC-E4

LCD Monitor Cover BM-3

Battery Chamber Cover BL-1

Type-B Focusing Screen

PictureProject software CD-ROM

Instruction Manual


Optional Accessories

A list of some dedicated accessories available for the Nikon D2X package: -

Wireless Transmitter WT-2/2A/WT-1/1A

Extended Range Antenna WA-E1

AC Adaptor EH-6

Type-E Focusing Screen

Antifog Finder Eyepiece DK-17A

Eyepiece Correction Lens DK-17C series

Speedlight SB-800/SB-600

Nikon Capture 4 (ver. 4.2) software

CompactFlash™ card