D1X versus D1 advantages

lloyd chambers14736 · May 9, 2001

I started this new post because the other one has digressed to the point of being to awkward to read.

I'd like to discuss the apparent advantages of the D1X over the D1. I don't want to compare it to competitors; just whether it's worthwhile to upgrade for useability reasons.

Here's my take on it:

1. More pixels are always nice. I hope it's just good enough to drop film entirely. Even a modest increase in detail may make 13 X 19 viable for many photos just not quite there with the current D1.

2. Color space management-I see it as quite significant that JPEG files can have either sRGB or AdobeRGB color space with them. The existing JPEG files often translate poorly when I do a Photoshop "Assign Color Space" operation. Better color accuracy would be great too.

3. Better LCD--this is a big deal as I rely heavily on the LCD to figure out if my intent was rendered, both in terms of seeing the full image, but also in terms of overall framing and "look". I also assume it's easier to view under bright lighting conditions, since it has a white LED to illuminate it.

4. Official support for the 1GB MicoDrive. I've been very frustrated with the 340mb model.

5. Reduced noise at same ISO/more useable higher ISO performance/more random noise. This remains to be seen, but if I can get random noise instead of banded noise, that's significant. Also, if I can shoot at ISO 400 with the same noise as the D1 currently has at ISO 200, that's a big deal.

6. More accurate metering. The current D1 sucks in many situations; it blows out highlights even with significant compensation. Any improvement in this area would increase useability significantly.

There's more, but all of this, if true, adds up to a dream version of the D1, which I already am relatively happy with. And on top of that, there's compatibility-I like the fact that all my existing accessories are interchangeable.

Lloyd

sportspix · May 9, 2001

Hi Lloyd!

I'm keeping my fingers crossed this stays on topic as well!

lloyd chambers14736 said:
just whether it's
worthwhile to upgrade for useability reasons.

I think a lot will depend on what kind of photography one does. I'll share my take on it as well:

lloyd chambers14736 said:
1. More pixels are always nice. I hope it's just good enough to
drop film entirely. Even a modest increase in detail may make 13 X
19 viable for many photos just not quite there with the current D1.

I agree with this. Whether the D1x offers genuine 6mp or not, it should have SOME kind of improvement over the D1. I actually think carefully shot, with some/most subjects, the D1 can actually give stunning full frame 13x19 images with excellent tonality and lack of grain. More detail would of course be nice.

My main reason for upgrading will be for the times when I need to crop. I shoot a lot of sport, where using a slightly shorter lens than full frame means it's easier to follow the action. Furthermore, long fast lenses are always fixed focal length, which means an amount of cropping to cut out the extraneous details is always desireable. The D1x, I hope, will give me the freedom to do this better than the D1, especially when the clubs I shoot for start looking for poster material!

lloyd chambers14736 said:
2. Color space management-I see it as quite significant that JPEG
files can have either sRGB or AdobeRGB color space with them. The
existing JPEG files often translate poorly when I do a Photoshop
"Assign Color Space" operation. Better color accuracy would be
great too.

Yes. Although to a limited extent you can circumvent the problem with the existing D1 by shooting straight through Nikon Capture; there you can control the colour space as well. But with it built in, in the D1x, would be a bonus indeed.

lloyd chambers14736 said:
3. Better LCD--this is a big deal as I rely heavily on the LCD to
figure out if my intent was rendered, both in terms of seeing the
full image, but also in terms of overall framing and "look". I
also assume it's easier to view under bright lighting conditions,
since it has a white LED to illuminate it.

Well, I'm not that fussed, although the 100% LCD is a nice touch, but more importantly for me the ability to zoom in to check for sharpness. Helps my workflow no end because in the sports arena, the current situation is that I know if I've got a specific action shot, but I've no idea if that shot is in (good) focus.

lloyd chambers14736 said:
4. Official support for the 1GB MicoDrive. I've been very
frustrated with the 340mb model.

My 340Mb died, and I have my doubts that it's a D1 problem. Personally, I think with my upgrade, I'm going to switch to all-Lexar along the way as well.

lloyd chambers14736 said:
5. Reduced noise at same ISO/more useable higher ISO
performance/more random noise. This remains to be seen, but if I
can get random noise instead of banded noise, that's significant.

I agree wholeheartedly. Someone posted a link to a German magazine in the Nikon SLR talk forum, which had a sample of an ISO 3200 image from the D1x. Everybody was slagging it off. I have to say, I was absolutely delighted with the image. Even pixel for pixel, the sample image outperformed the DCS620x images that I shot on test (I've just re-compared them a few hours ago). By the time you factor in the greater number of pixels from the D1x, the overall effect is very impressive indeed.

I'll make my evaluation when I have the camera in my hands, and then make the Press 800/D1x decision, but at the very least, at least the noise looks more like grain now!

lloyd chambers14736 said:
Also, if I can shoot at ISO 400 with the same noise as the D1
currently has at ISO 200, that's a big deal.

Keeping fingers crossed! I'm happy the minimum ISO drops down to 125 as well; my ageing EL500 Elinchrom monoblocs only drop down to 1/4 power, which can be very trying with a minimum EI of 200.

lloyd chambers14736 said:
6. More accurate metering. The current D1 sucks in many
situations; it blows out highlights even with significant
compensation. Any improvement in this area would increase
useability significantly.

That's interesting. What settings are you using? I'm generally not having this problem at all, curiously enough -- except maybe for sky/foreground kind of shots which would have film gasping as well. Touch wood.

lloyd chambers14736 said:
There's more, but all of this, if true, adds up to a dream version
of the D1, which I already am relatively happy with. And on top of
that, there's compatibility-I like the fact that all my existing
accessories are interchangeable.

Well, for me it is going to be a very exciting camera. How much of an improvement remains to be seen. The issue I think is that I'm going to have to pay a few thousand dollars to upgrade... my one big wish which Nikon have quashed would have been the ability to retain the 4.5fps/21 frames when shooting at the 2000x1312 resolution. Ah well...

Dan Massey · May 9, 2001

lloyd chambers said:
I started this new post because the other one has digressed to the
point of being to awkward to read.

I'd like to discuss the apparent advantages of the D1X over the D1.
I don't want to compare it to competitors; just whether it's
worthwhile to upgrade for useability reasons.

Here's my take on it:
1. More pixels are always nice. I hope it's just good enough to
drop film entirely. Even a modest increase in detail may make 13 X
19 viable for many photos just not quite there with the current D1.

2. Color space management-I see it as quite significant that JPEG
files can have either sRGB or AdobeRGB color space with them. The
existing JPEG files often translate poorly when I do a Photoshop
"Assign Color Space" operation. Better color accuracy would be
great too.

3. Better LCD--this is a big deal as I rely heavily on the LCD to
figure out if my intent was rendered, both in terms of seeing the
full image, but also in terms of overall framing and "look". I
also assume it's easier to view under bright lighting conditions,
since it has a white LED to illuminate it.

4. Official support for the 1GB MicoDrive. I've been very
frustrated with the 340mb model.

5. Reduced noise at same ISO/more useable higher ISO
performance/more random noise. This remains to be seen, but if I
can get random noise instead of banded noise, that's significant.
Also, if I can shoot at ISO 400 with the same noise as the D1
currently has at ISO 200, that's a big deal.

6. More accurate metering. The current D1 sucks in many
situations; it blows out highlights even with significant
compensation. Any improvement in this area would increase
useability significantly.

There's more, but all of this, if true, adds up to a dream version
of the D1, which I already am relatively happy with. And on top of
that, there's compatibility-I like the fact that all my existing
accessories are interchangeable.

Lloyd

Stephen Livick · May 10, 2001

Hello Lloyd

Nikon is addressing most of what you mention in the D1x, I for one am giving them the benifit of the doubt on this. I feel they will have everyone crying foul if they don't come up with significent improvements in the D1X

Time will tell however, I am expecting to have one in about eight to ten more days. So I have just been told by my dealer.

Stephen

http://www.livick.com

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D1X versus D1 advantages

lloyd chambers14736

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sportspix

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Dan Massey

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Stephen Livick

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