- Conclusion Get the lowdown
- Features How they compare
- Performance Real world benchmarks
- Differences Technical showdown
- Reviews Word on the street
- Competition Others to consider
- Discussion Answers and opinions
Compare with...
- Nikon D600
- Nikon D4
- Nikon D800
- Nikon D7000
- Canon EOS 5D Mark III
Rated 100% by by David-Saffir (Jan, 2009)Battery life is so good I sometimes forget to charge them up.
Rated 90% by by TrustedReviews (Sep, 2012)Just as impressive is the way the 1D X’s sensor manages to resolve detail at high ISOs, particularly up to ISO 25,600.
Conclusion Which is better for you?
Features Key features of the Nikon D3 compared to the Canon EOS 1D X
MP12.1
Full frame
Rated 80% by by San-Diego-Photo-Enthusiast--Steve (Aug, 2008)It's anything but a lightweight, but I've been carrying large Nikons around for many years, so that is not a disincentive for me.
17.9 MP
Full frame
Rated 90% by by TrustedReviews (Sep, 2012)From the blazing processing speeds of the dual DIGIC 5 processors to the class-leading 12fps Continuous shooting speed and exceptional high ISO performance the EOS-1D X really is everything Canon claims it to be.
megapixels
| 0 MP | 17.9 MP   | 20 MP |
D3 by c|net (Jul, 2008)If you're willing to step down to 5 megapixels, Nikon says that the D3 can achieve 11fps in DX crop mode (we only test at full resolution).
EOS 1D X by Primus (Dec, 2012)I used the 5D2 alongside the 1D4 in Jasper and found the 1D4 images were crisper, had better color and were overall more pleasing even though the megapixels are less.
sensor size
D3 by DPReview (Apr, 2008)But of course you get a lot more than that too; this is a full frame camera that offers D2X resolution with a larger, far better sensor.
EOS 1D X by Gary-W.-Meyer (Oct, 2012)focus system the best ever from Canon IQ is the best i have seen easy menu system great build on the bodyvery happy with the camera use for wildlife shooting and with the full frame for landscape also...I can see this would be a fantastic camera for weddings also.
viewfinder size
D3 by LKN4WAR--CRUCE-SIGNATI (Feb, 2012)The large viewfinder and 5:4 professional crop is especially nice.
EOS 1D X by TrustedReviews (Sep, 2012)Thankfully, the 1D X’s viewfinder is superb with a big, bright window providing 100% frame coverage, a 0.76x magnification and the usual diopter correction controls.
body size
160 x 157 x 88 mm
158 x 164 x 83 mm
D3 by DPReview (Apr, 2008)The air is very thin at the top of the SLR tree, and essentially the D3 has no directly comparable competitors.
EOS 1D X by TrustedReviews (Sep, 2012)While seasoned pros should be used to the size and weight, well-heeled enthusiasts looking for the best camera money can buy may well find it a bit cumbersome.
focus points
| 0 | 61 | 70 |
D3 by c|net (Jul, 2008)The D3's 51-point autofocus with 15 cross-type sensors delivers a major upgrade over the D2Xs's 11-point AF system.
EOS 1D X by TrustedReviews (Sep, 2012)The 1D X’s AF system is almost identical to the one used by the EOS-5D Mk III and benefits from a total of 61 AF-points, 41 of which are cross-type sensors for faster and more accurate focusing regardless of whether the camera is being held in portrait of landscape orientation.
Performance Real world tests of Nikon D3 vs Canon EOS 1D X
DxOMark image quality
D3 by DPReview (Apr, 2008)At lower ISO settings the image quality isn't significantly different to most other 12 megapixel models, though Nikon's fairly conservative approach to image processing - not too much sharpening, not too much saturation, not too much contrast - means that JPEGs are a little flatter 'out of camera' than most.
EOS 1D X by Stephen-M.-Lerch (Aug, 2012)Not sure how well that would work on subjects moving in the dark, as it might mess up your night vision (though red is the color least likely to break your night vision).
DxOMark low light performance
D3 by S.-D.-Perry (Jan, 2008)I know everyone praises the low light abilities and they are outstanding.
continuous shooting
D3 by c|net (Jul, 2008)In continuous shooting mode, we were able to capture 37 frames in 3.3 seconds for an average of 8.6 frames per second at full resolution.
EOS 1D X by TrustedReviews (Sep, 2012)Used in Case 3 and firing off a burst of shots just as the subject entered the frame we managed to attain an exceptionally high hit-rate of pin-sharp images.
battery life
4,300 photos
1,500 photos
D3 by G.-Patrick-Byers--Show-and-Tell (Jun, 2008)If you can charge a battery, and read the quick start section, this camera can take good pictures almost by itself.
EOS 1D X by lankynibbs (Apr, 2013)Battery life is less than optimal, so count on bringing a second battery to your typical model shoot... you get a little over 1100 pics per fully charged battery pack.
Differences What are the advantages of each
Advantages compared to the Canon EOS 1D X
| Many more photos per charge | 4,300 | vs | 1,500 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2800 more shots; Longer battery life | |||
| Much more highly reviewed by consumers | 92.93% | vs | 88.57% |
| Almost the same | |||
| Better dynamic range | 12.2 ev | vs | 11.8 ev |
| Almost the same | |||
| Lighter | 1,300 g | vs | 1,530 g |
| Around 20% lighter | |||
Advantages compared to the Nikon D3
| Marginally more recently announced | Oct, 2011 | vs | Aug, 2007 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Announced date over 4 years later | |||
| Much larger screen | 3.2" | vs | 3" |
| Around 10% larger screen | |||
| Shoots video | HD video | vs | None |
| Most cameras shoot video | |||
| Much higher light sensitivity | 204,800 ISO | vs | 25,600 ISO |
| 8x higher light sensitivity; Avoid blur in low light situations | |||
| Significantly higher resolution screen | 1,040 k dots | vs | 922 k dots |
| More than 10% higher resolution screen | |||
| Significantly faster rapid fire | 14 fps | vs | 9 fps |
| Around 60% faster continuous shooting; Take photos in rapid succession to capture motion | |||
| Significantly more cross-type focus points | 41 | vs | 15 |
| 26 more cross type focus points; Easier and faster focusing in low light | |||
| Self cleaning sensor | Yes | vs | No |
| Somewhat common; Prevents dust showing up in your photos | |||
| Significantly bigger viewfinder | 0.76x | vs | 0.7x |
| Around 10% bigger viewfinder size | |||
| Supports HDR | Yes | vs | No |
| Somewhat common; Combines multiple photos together to capture both bright and dark areas | |||
| Higher resolution | 17.9 MP | vs | 12.1 MP |
| Around 50% higher resolution; Capture more detail, good for large prints | |||
| Less noise at high ISO | 2,786 ISO | vs | 2,290 ISO |
| More than 20% higher low light performance | |||
| More color depth | 23.8 bits | vs | 23.5 bits |
| Almost the same | |||
| More phase-detection focus points | 61 | vs | 51 |
| 10 more phase detection focus points; Faster autofocus in reasonably lit settings | |||
| Thinner | 83 mm | vs | 88 mm |
| Around 10% thinner | |||
Reviews Word on the street
Nikon D3 | Canon EOS 1D X | ||
 |   Rated by 39 users at amazon.com Rated 100% by by FrontPage (May, 2009) Rated 100% by by Cecil-Fox (Feb, 2008) Rated 100% by by Dom-Miliano | Rated by 23 users at amazon.com Rated 100% by by T.-Cayton--photographer (Aug, 2012) Rated 80% by by Barry-F.-Shaffer--Photogeek21 (Aug, 2012) Rated 100% by by Stephen-M.-Lerch (Aug, 2012) | |
|---|---|---|---|
sensor
Nikon D3 | Rated 60% by by Myra-C.-Mayo--Business-girl (Sep, 2009)And if you want to see just how bad D3 is at high ISO, use 50mm/1.4, 24-70mm/2.8 or another high quality lens, and those lenses will expose weaknesses of the sensor in terms of image quality.
Nikon D3 | by DPReview (Apr, 2008)That said there is a huge $3000 price differential between them and so the D3 is more likely to be compared to the ten megapixel EOS-1D Mark III which has a 1.3x crop (29 x 19 mm) sensor.
Nikon D3 | by DPReview (Apr, 2008)The EOS-1D Mark III and the D3 have little to choose between them at lower ISO settings, but once you get above ISO 800 the D3 pulls ahead thanks to its slightly lower pixel density.
resolution
Nikon D3 | by DPReview (Apr, 2008)if you need 21 megapixels for your high end studio work you're going to buy an EOS-1Ds Mark III.
Nikon D3 | Rated 93% by by c|net (Jul, 2008)Lenses are labeled the same way and if you should choose to mount a DX lens on the D3 (something you can't do with Canon's sub-full-frame EF-S lenses on that company's 1D or 1Ds cameras), this Nikon can automatically adjust for the smaller circle of light shining onto the sensor and crop the image to 5 megapixels.
size
Nikon D3 | Rated 100% by by ThomasN (Jan, 2008)Anyhow, the D3's 9-fps at full frame, impressive high ISO, and a wealth of other features on it were enough to lure me and my wallet back to the Nikon camp.
Nikon D3 | by DPReview (Apr, 2008)As mentioned on the last page for the studio comparisons we've opted to put the D3 up against Canon's two full frame offerings, the EOS-1Ds Mark III and EOS 5D.
Nikon D3 | by DPReview (Apr, 2008)For our studio comparisons we've stuck with full frame cameras and have included both Canon's top of the range models (the EOS-1Ds Mark III and EOS-1D Mark III) and for those wondering how much better the D3 is than baby brother, we've included the D300 too.
iso
Nikon D3 | Rated 60% by by Myra-C.-Mayo--Business-girl (Sep, 2009)Even though D3 can take photos up to 25,000 ISO, they are not really usable.
Nikon D3 | Rated 93% by by c|net (Jul, 2008)Of course, it's also about $3,000 more than the D3 and tops out at an equivalent of ISO 3,200.
Nikon D3 | by DPReview (Apr, 2008)And it can't match the resolution of the EOS-1Ds Mark III at lower ISO settings, ruling it out for the most demanding studio photographers.
photography
Nikon D3 | by DPReview (Apr, 2008)The EOS-1D Mark III is perhaps the camera most likely to be seen as a competitor for the D3 by sports photographers (it too is built for speed).
Nikon D3 | by DPReview (Apr, 2008)Of course it's not all a bed of roses; the D3 is a lot pricier than the D2H ever was, and for many sports shooters it's a lot to ask for what is essentially a 5.1MP alternative to the EOS-1D Mk3 (if you shoot using the DX crop).
Nikon D3 | Rated 100% by by Matt (Mar, 2013)However, beware of certain sellers like Wall Street Photo who have marked the D3 up to a ridiculous $9,999.00.
Competition What else you should consider
 | 1 | Nikon D600 Least noise at high ISO |
 | 2 | Nikon D4 2-way tie: Highest ISO |
 | 3 | Nikon D800 Best image quality as rated by DXOMark |
 | 4 | Nikon D7000 Smallest |
 | 5 | Canon EOS 5D Mark III 2-way tie: Many many cross-type focus points |
 | 6 | Sony SLT-A99 Highest resolution screen |
 | 7 | Canon EOS 7D Thinnest |
 | 8 | Canon EOS-1Ds Many more contrast-detection focus points |
