Roger Hicks
Mentor
nikon_sam
Shooter of Film...
By the time I jumped into a DSLR I was looking at a used FujiFilm FinePix S3 Pro...which I have and still love to use...the D1x would have never been on my list...
I do remember an article in, funny enough, RangeFinder Magazine about a new Nikon body the D3x...that article was printed in June 2009...I finally got one last September...
I jumped over the D2 series only because at this point I was wanting a full frame DSLR...
Today, I would give the D2 series a second look or maybe a D3...owning a D1x is like paying good money for an Olympus Camedia camera...why would you do that...???
As a side note, I recently found, at a thrift store, a Canon ELPH 100HS (12.1 mp) that I love using and it only cost $11...
I do remember an article in, funny enough, RangeFinder Magazine about a new Nikon body the D3x...that article was printed in June 2009...I finally got one last September...
I jumped over the D2 series only because at this point I was wanting a full frame DSLR...
Today, I would give the D2 series a second look or maybe a D3...owning a D1x is like paying good money for an Olympus Camedia camera...why would you do that...???
As a side note, I recently found, at a thrift store, a Canon ELPH 100HS (12.1 mp) that I love using and it only cost $11...
B-9
Devin Bro
I've owned atleast 5 D1 bodies (D1 and D1h) but never a D1x.
I'm planning to buy all three eventually. I love the way the files look (I have a pretty sizeable archive I browse annually)
Especially now that I'm rebuilding my Nikon kits of old and unloading the Leica bits.
Killer problem with the D1 series is card errors, those pins get bent and break pretty easy. In fact every body I have owned died this way. Cheaper to sell it and regroup.
I'm planning to buy all three eventually. I love the way the files look (I have a pretty sizeable archive I browse annually)
Especially now that I'm rebuilding my Nikon kits of old and unloading the Leica bits.
Killer problem with the D1 series is card errors, those pins get bent and break pretty easy. In fact every body I have owned died this way. Cheaper to sell it and regroup.
Rick Waldroup
Well-known
Roger, I shot a couple of these professionally several years ago. I loved the cameras. In fact, I just moved back to the Nikon system after shooting micro 4/3 for a while and I purchased a mint condition D1x to back up my newly acquired Df. To me, the biggest issue with the D1x is the battery, as you so aptly discuss in your article. They were huge and had a very low shot count. You learn to live with it and simply buy several batteries, but overall, the D1x is still one of my favorite cameras.
Deklari
Well-known
I have used D1x for 6 years now, I like it better then my D200. Don't ask why. It is everything. 5MP.. but they has rectangular shape (Photoshop can brake them to square) Only problem with battery, I have buy it every year on ebay (not original) for 20-30$.
Ko.Fe.
Lenses 35/21 Gears 46/20
Here is also Canon 1DS. 11.1MP. FF. 200-400 USD. Same steampunk, mad max style.
Fraser
Well-known
Not a X but a D1,
8fbpicMarthaBrushD2 by f4saregreat!, on Flickr
I've had all the D1 and d2 series and still have a D1 that I've kept for fun, interesting cameras and so expensive. I remember when I first tried a D1 it was amazing it really did feel like the future. When they first arrived in the UK they cost around £8000 the last one i bought on ebay for less than £20. Like the Canon 1d the nikon d1 doesn't have a zoom for the lcd the companies obviously thought no professional would need that!
Luckily it was added to the d1x and d1h.
8fbpicMarthaBrushD2 by f4saregreat!, on FlickrI've had all the D1 and d2 series and still have a D1 that I've kept for fun, interesting cameras and so expensive. I remember when I first tried a D1 it was amazing it really did feel like the future. When they first arrived in the UK they cost around £8000 the last one i bought on ebay for less than £20. Like the Canon 1d the nikon d1 doesn't have a zoom for the lcd the companies obviously thought no professional would need that!
Luckily it was added to the d1x and d1h.
emraphoto
Mentor
Very familiar with the d1x. Battery was the Achilles heel.
wjlapier
Well-known
D1h in my closet. WB is finicky but the files are very nice on a bright sunny day. Super clean at higher ISO's. Some say film-like.
I haven't used the camera for a long time. Batteries are not dependable so I might have to buy another if I plan on shooting the camera some day.
I haven't used the camera for a long time. Batteries are not dependable so I might have to buy another if I plan on shooting the camera some day.
Fraser
Well-known
Do you not mean super clean at lower iso's.
The WB is really weird on the D1 it works best on the flash setting!
There used to be a really good website/forum years ago called Rob Galbraith which was full of info for the early dslrs, it was the go to place.
lonemantis
Well-known
I picked up the original vanilla D1 last year for a measly $25 - the seller thought it was broken, but a $25 3rd-party battery brought it right back to life.
Even though the files are low-res and dynamic range is practically nil, I'm still amazed by how quick and fluid it is to shoot. It puts many modern mirrorless cameras to shame with its instant startup time (and AF tracking...), thought this can likely be attributed to its F5 heritage.
Fun fact about the D1 sensor: it actually had a 10 megapixel CCD, but was downsampled in-camera 2.7mp to reduce noise and artifacts. This would explain why the camera is so usable at its max ISO of 1600!
Even though the files are low-res and dynamic range is practically nil, I'm still amazed by how quick and fluid it is to shoot. It puts many modern mirrorless cameras to shame with its instant startup time (and AF tracking...), thought this can likely be attributed to its F5 heritage.
Fun fact about the D1 sensor: it actually had a 10 megapixel CCD, but was downsampled in-camera 2.7mp to reduce noise and artifacts. This would explain why the camera is so usable at its max ISO of 1600!
wjlapier
Well-known
Super clean at low ISO's, but for it's age it had clean noise at higher ISOs.
Timmyjoe
Mentor
Was covering motorsports in the late 1990's and early 2000's. I remember how jealous we all were of the guys who could afford the Nikon D1. The images weren't as good as what we were getting with scans of Ektapress and Ektachrome, but they could get their images in faster.
Best,
-Tim
Best,
-Tim