D2X or D2Xs?

[niccoury]

Does the D2Xs produce much better image quality over the D2X?

 

I'm probably going to get one or the other since they're down to $1200-ish and get another lens too. I have about

$1800 to spend before a wedding I have soon.

 

I'm going to get another D2-series bodies b/c of the computability with my D2H: same controls, same body style,

same batteries, etc. I'm also a full-time PJ, so two of the same pro bodies would be preferred.

 

Thanks in advance,

 

~ n

[User_276104]

They're 99% the same camera. A D2x with the firmware update has almost every feature of the D2xs.

 

One feature the D2xs has over the D2x is that the edges of the viewfinder darken when using High Speed Crop, in case that matters.

 

As far as shopping used, I wouldn't consider a D2xs worth much, if any, more - other than you'd know it was made after about March or April 2006.

[User_276104]

"I wouldn't consider a D2xs worth much, if any, more..."

 

Well, apparently that's just me. I took a look at KEH and a Like New D2xs is priced ~$800 more than regular D2x bodies.

[ShunCheung]

Since all D2Xs are newer than D2X, most likely the $800 difference merely reflects that the D2Xs has not been

abused nearly as much.

 

When I first bought my D2X in 2005, I used it in two weddings and was very happy with the results, well, compared to

the horrible ISO 800 results from print film and the D100. Today, I wouldn't use a D2X for weddings any more; it has

been greatly superseded by the D300 and of course D3/D700 in terms of high ISO results.

If you have a $1800 budget, do yourself a favor and go with a D300 for weddings. The D700 would be even better but

way above that budget.

[lightsmith1]

Neither camera is a good choice for use at weddings. I suffered through 2 years with the D2x and its ISO 640 ceiling before getting Canon Mark III's with their ISO 6400 (cleaner files than wit D2x at ISO 800). Now using the D3 at ISO 6400 and the D300 at ISO 2500.

 

With your budget the D300 fits nicely and gives you low light capabilities you cannot get with any D2 generation camera. I often shoot at ISO 1600 at 1/60th and f2.8~f4. At ISO 640 that translates into heavy use of flash and primes (and Nikon has little to offer so I would use the Nikon 50mm f1.4 or the Sigma 30mm f1.4) and still have shutter speeds so slow there would be significant subject motion blur.

 

I would not hesitate to shoot a wedding with a Canon 30D if the choice was between that camera and a D2x.

[jclaice]

Either camera will yield excellent results when in the hands of a professional photographer.

[John Crowe]

I just bought a used D2x and love it and the cost savings. All of my images are at ISO 100 so I cannot comment on it's high ISO capabilities. It's a solid, heavy body that fits very well in my large hands. Awesome viewfinder and extremely fast processing.