The D3 is Nikon’s flagship FX digital camera, if only because it’s Nikon’s sole FX digital camera. But the D3 justifies its standing in the Nikon ranks on much more than mere exclusivity. Unparalleled ISO performance, a 9 fps full resolution shooting rate, exceptional color and image quality, a superb monitor, robust construction, outstanding build quality and a full frame sensor offering wide angle and depth of field lens performance like a 35mm film camera are some of the attributes that makes Nikon’s latest pro model a must-have for serious Nikon shooters.
Designed for sports and photojournalism, I’d suspect the D3 might find an additional following among wedding photographers who prefer to shoot in natural light. The camera’s big sensor results in the lack of a crop factor for lenses, so users who can’t get close to their subjects may well do better with a DX Nikon that maximizes lens length. Otherwise, the D3 is simply a state of the art, high-performance pro camera, and few of us who’ve been fortunate enough to get our hands on one would argue that it isn’t worth every penny of that lofty price tag.
