Nikon D1x Review

For the opportunity to review the Nikon D1x body camera, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to Boris (Central Committee of the Komsomol).

Nikon D1x Review

The Nikon D1x is a very old, flagship professional camera. You can see how it ranks among all Nikon digital zoom cameras in my table . Its performance is among the lowest in Nikon's entire digital zoom lineup, as you can see in the Nikon camera performance section.

Nikon D1x - Back View

The Nikon D1x was released back in 2001, along with another flagship camera, the Nikon D1H . Note that the Nikon D1, D1h , and D1x are completely identical in appearance (except for the camera nameplate) and are built on the same body, so it's difficult to discern any differences in controls and ergonomics.

Photo at Nikon D1x

The D1x uses a highly unusual CCD sensor with 5.33 million effective pixels. This allows it to produce photos measuring 3008 x 1960 pixels, or 5.9 MP . The sensor's unique physical dimensions are 4028 x 1324 pixels (5.33 MP, with an approximate aspect ratio of 1:4, not 2:3 ). The number of horizontally arranged pixels remains the same as in the Nikon D1 and D1h (1324 pixels), but the width of the pixels has doubled, to 4028 pixels. The physical dimensions of the Nikon D1, D1h , and D1x sensors are identical. This highly unusual sensor design means that for the camera to produce a normal image with an aspect ratio of 2:3, it must use a special interpolation algorithm that decompresses the image. Considering the sensor already has a Bayer subpixel structure, Nikon took some risks in reducing image detail with this sensor design. In fact, this type of sensor isn't noticeable at all when shooting. For those who find 5.33MP too low, I recommend my article " Battle of the Megapixels ." The Nikon D1x is the only camera with this sensor. It's a shame the technology hasn't been modernized; it would have been interesting to shoot with an 18MP sensor with this pixel structure.

Note: Cameras with the new firmware can save images with a resolution of 4011 by 2613 pixels , which equals 10.5 MP . This mode is available in both JPEG and RAW formats. The unique pattern of the Bayer RGB subsensors allows for this 10.5 MP resolution to be extracted from the 5.33 MP sensor's actual pixels.

Photo taken at Nikon D1x. Skinton at high ISO and AWB

The camera supports ISO 125-800 , expandable to 3200 in Hi-2 mode. It's funny that the D1x hasn't yet reached ISO 100. The D1x's unique feature is its extremely fast minimum shutter speed , 1/16.000 sec . This allows the camera to capture less light than even modern cameras capable of ISO 100 and 1/8000 sec. Such a fast shutter speed makes it wonderfully suited for freezing motion. The minimum flash sync speed is also unusual, at 1/500 sec . The camera doesn't support fast flash sync, but I've seen reports that with the new firmware, the camera can operate in FP mode with shutter speeds up to 1/8800 sec using a Nikon SB-28DX or similar flash . Yes, the D1x does not have a built-in flash and can only work with external flashes.

Photo taken at Nikon D1x. Pay attention to ISO and shutter speed

The Nikon D1x has a built-in focus motor and can work with AF optics (with lenses without a focus motor). This helps you save money by using older lenses. For the test shots in this review, I used an older Nikon 85mm F/1.8D AF Nikkor film lens.

Sample photo on Nikon D1x

The camera has excellent ergonomics : two control wheels, a multi-selector, and two monochrome displays. The camera doesn't require a booster, and comes with a combo landscape and portrait orientation. Additional menu buttons are hidden behind a metal shutter that closes magnetically. Unfortunately, the shutter hides the white balance control button and the programmable button. Incidentally, I configured the programmable button to select image quality.

Sample photo on Nikon D1x

The camera's display is very small , with very limited viewing angles. Reviewing captured footage is very difficult. The display primarily serves as a menu guide, and you can also view a histogram of the captured image. The camera menu is not available in Russian.

Sample photo on Nikon D1x

The battery of the camera of the old type Ni-MH withstands up to 200 operations. This is a strong flaw in the camera. I have 3 batteries in the kit, which, from old age, can squeeze out 400 frames combined.

The Nikon D1x has only 5 focus points , managed by the Multi-CAM1300. For some tasks, 5 focus points is too few. Exposure metering is performed by a 1,005-pixel sensor.

Sample photo on Nikon D1x

The continuous shooting speed is only 3 frames per second . Cameras like the Nikon D70 , D70s , D60 , D3000 , and D80 have the same maximum speed . This is quite low. The frame buffer can accommodate 12 RAW files with any compression level, or 19 JPEG files of any quality. This is neither a lot nor a small amount; for example, the tiny Nikon D3100 has 13 RAW files in its buffer. The buffer and shooting speed directly affect the camera's performance. The Nikon D1x can shoot continuously for 4 seconds in RAW format. RAW format is always 12-bit and has a compression level setting: compressed/uncompressed RAW.

Attention: there is a firmware update for Nikon D1x which allows

• increase frame buffer up to 14 RAW files and up to 21 JPEG File
• You can set the compression level of RAW
• Software can convert 12 bit RAW in pictures with 16-bit color depth
• You can save pictures with 10.5MP
• New firmware costs over 200 cu

Example photo on Nikon D1x

Please note: The D1x only supports CF cards up to 2GB. My 4GB CF card, much less a 32GB one, was too large for the D1x. The camera can only hold 256 RAW images. A single RAW file is approximately 8MB in size.

Example photo on Nikon D1x

Features of automatic white balance

The automatic white balance in the Nikon D1h and D1x cameras can skew significantly toward cool tones. This has earned Nikon the label "Nikon blues." However, if you switch the white balance to a different mode, such as "cloudy" or "shade," everything returns to normal. I've shown an example of "blueness" in the photo below – the WB Shadow rendered the colors almost perfectly as they appear in real life.

Automatic white balance blue

Personal experience:

A truly professional-grade camera. The Nikon D1x represents a huge leap in camera design, from the 2.6 MP of the Nikon D1 and D1h to the 5.33 MP of the Nikon D1x. I was considering the Nikon D1x to replace my Nikon D200 , but the D1x's battery life is really disappointing, as is its lack of support for large memory cards, its lack of a flash (not so much a flash as a command mode), and its very small display, making it difficult to show anything to a client. The Nikon D1x also lacks matrix metering with manual lenses, and its focus points are limited. For a professional flagship camera, the viewfinder is quite small and doesn't cover 100% of the field of view. In short, by today's standards, the Nikon D1x isn't suitable for professional use. I liked the color rendition in the photos taken with the Nikon D1x.

Example photo on Nikon D1x

Gossip

• Rumor has it that gum stretches on all Nikon cameras from old age. Nikon D1x does not apply to such cameras, its gum is still in place.
• Rumor has it that from age Nikon D1x loses its ability to work on shutter speed in 1 \ 16000s. This is not so, my copy in the manual camera control mode shows a different histogram for the same picture taken at 1 \ 8000s and 1 \ 16000s.
• Rumor has it that different Nikon cameras have different focusing motors. Using Nikon D1x, I was convinced of this. The focusing motor is very strong, turns the 'screwdriver' very quickly, in comparison with other cameras it stands out for its aggressiveness and strength.
• The Nikon D1x is rumored to be blue - yes it is. An example of not quite correct BB shown above.
• There are rumors that updated firmware allows you to take pictures with 16 bit color depth, it’s not, the camera continues to shoot with 12-bit RAW, and the updated Nikon Capture software can take 16-bit pictures from snapshots.
• Rumor has it that updated firmware allows you to shoot 9 frames per second in JPEG or TIFF and 6 frames per second in RAW (NEF)... I did not check this, but my opinion is that the camera processor physically could not squeeze 9 fps, it can barely cope with this Nikon D3.

Example photo on Nikon D1x

Sample photos on Nikon D1x

All sample photos in this D1x review are unprocessed; they've only been resized and EXIF ​​data imprinted . Regarding sensor noise, here's the original image at ISO 3200.

Conclusions

Nikon D1x - a very unusual old camera that can still please with excellent image quality. Can be used for photo experiments. It is very morally outdated at the present time.

An Accurate List of All Nikon DX Nikkor Lenses for DSLR Cameras

Fixes

1. Nikon DX AF Fisheye Nikkor 10.5 mm 1: 2.8G ED GOLD [AMAZON]
2. Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 35 mm 1:1.8G SWM Aspherical [AMAZON]
3. Nikon DXAF-S Microphone Nikkor 40 mm 1:2.8G SWM Micro 1:1 [AMAZON]
4. Nikon DXAF-S Microphone Nikkor 85 mm 1: 3.5G ED VR SWM IF Micro 1:1 [AMAZON]

Wide angle

1. Nikon DX AF-P Nikkor 10-20mm 1: 4.5-5.6G VR [AMAZON]
2. Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 10-24mm 1: 3.5-4.5G ED SWM IF Aspherical [AMAZON]
3. Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 12-24mm 1:4G ED SWM IF Aspherical GOLD [AMAZON]

Universal

1. Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 16-80mm 1:2.8-4E N ED VR SWM IF Aspherical GOLD [AMAZON]
2. Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 16-85mm 1: 3.5-5.6G ED SWM VR IF Aspherical [AMAZON]
3. Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 17-55mm 1:2.8G ED SWM IF Aspherical GOLD [AMAZON]
4. Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 18-55mm 1:3.5-5.6G ED SWM Aspherical [AMAZON]
5. Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 18-55mm 1:3.5-5.6GII ED SWM Aspherical [AMAZON]
6. Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 18-55mm 1: 3.5-5.6G SWM VR aspherical [AMAZON]
7. Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 18-55mm 1: 3.5-5.6GII VR II [AMAZON]
8. Nikon DX AF-P Nikkor 18-55mm 1: 3.5-5.6G [AMAZON]
9. Nikon DX AF-P Nikkor 18-55mm 1: 3.5-5.6G VR [AMAZON]
10. Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 18-70mm 1: 3.5-4.5G ED SWM IF Aspherical [AMAZON]
11. Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 18-105mm 1: 3.5-5.6G ED SWM VR IF Aspherical [AMAZON]
12. Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 18-135mm 1: 3.5-5.6G ED SWM IF Aspherical [AMAZON]
13. Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 18-140mm 1: 3.5-5.6G ED SWM VR IF Aspherical [AMAZON]
14. Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 18-200mm 1: 3.5-5.6G ED SWM VR IF Aspherical [AMAZON]
15. Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 18-200mm 1: 3.5-5.6GII ED SWM VR IF Aspherical [AMAZON]
16. Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 18-300mm 1: 3.5-5.6G ED SWM VR IF Aspherical [AMAZON]
17. Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 18-300mm 1: 3.5-6.3GED SWM VR IF Aspherical [AMAZON]

Televisions

1. Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 55-200mm 1: 4-5.6G ED SWM [AMAZON]
2. Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 55-200mm 1: 4-5.6G ED VR IF SWM [AMAZON]
3. Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 55-200mm 1: 4-5.6GII ED VR II [AMAZON]
4. Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 55-300mm 1: 4.5-5.6G ED VR SWM HRI [AMAZON]
5. Nikon DX AF-P Nikkor 70-300mm 1: 4.5-6.3G ed [AMAZON]
6. Nikon DX AF-P Nikkor 70-300mm 1: 4.5-6.3G ed VR [AMAZON]

Exact list of all Nikon F DX cameras:

• D1, D1h, D1x, D2h, D2x, D2hs, D2xs
• D100, D200, D300, D300s, D500
• D70, D70s D80, D90
• D7000, D7100, D7200, D7500
• D50, D40, D40x, D60
• D3000, D3100, D3200, D3300, D3400, D3500
• D5000, D5100, D5200, D5300, D5500, D5600
• + Fujifilm FinePix S1 Pro, S2 Pro, S3 Pro/S3 Pro UVIR, S5 Pro/IS Pro

1. Basic information on the Nikon system (lenses, cameras, compatibility, a lot of information).
2. Nikon camera selection (models, recommendations, discussion)
3. All Nikon digital cameras with interchangeable lenses. Their types and dates of announcements. Camera designations s, h, x, e, a.
4. Methods and modules for metering Nikon cameras.
5. Processors of Nikon cameras. Performance.
6. Focusing systems for Nikon cameras.
7. Sensors of Nikon cameras (who produces, which models are used)
8. Which external flash to choose for Nikon cameras?
9. Other articles on Nikon / Nikkor cameras and lenses.

This material was prepared by Arkady Shapoval . The greatest support for the site is if you use links on this site, such as Amazon , when purchasing anything . It costs you nothing, but for this site, and therefore for my family, it's the main source of support.