Nikon Launches The D3S DSLR in India

Nikon India has announced the launch of D3S, built upon the widely acclaimed Nikon D3.

Hidehiko Tanaka, Managing Director, Nikon India said, “The D3S rewrites the rules for professional photography. It has the capability to click brilliant images in extreme low light photography, enabling photographers to take control of ambient light. This is also the world’s first FX format camera to have a D-movie function. The D3S offers photographers the best possible image quality every time they push the button as this is the camera that responds precisely, quickly and consistently. With this impeccable instrument, Nikon engineers have contributed in making the best even better.”

The Nikon D3S is especially meant for news, wildlife and sports where speed and precision is of essence.

The D3S features a completely re-designed 12.1 effective megapixel image sensor. The large pixel pitch, with a completely modified inner structure, means that the D3S can capture images under light conditions which were previously not possible. The seven stop ISO range of 200 – 12,800 enables image and movie capture in extremely low ambient light conditions.

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It also offers three additional ISO boost levels, up to Hi-3, (ISO equivalent of 102,400).

The D3S delivers a new look and feel to the emerging trend of D-SLR movie capture and exploits the creative depth-of-field effects offered by the large FX-format sensor and the benefits of wide aperture NIKKOR lenses.
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Movies are captured at 720p/ 24fps in motion JPEG with stereo sound using the input jack. The file format enables a unique ‘Save Selected’ frame option that enables the user to shoot video freely, while a still image of a key moment can be transmitted as well.

The D3S implements a new image sensor cleaning function that generates vibrations at four different frequencies to reduce the impact of static dust collection on the optical low pass filter of the image sensor. This has been implemented without impacting on the 100% viewfinder coverage. It offers three alternative crop modes, all masked automatically in the viewfinder. The photographer can now choose from 5:4 (30x24); 1.2x (30x20); and DX (24x16). The new crop mode is designed to offer a practical combination of lens magnification and slightly reduced file size.

The D3S features a new Quiet shutter release mode that enables the photographer to mitigate the sound caused by the mirror return. Suitable for wildlife photography and other situations where shutter noise might distract the subject, this innovation again reflects and responds to practical feedback from photographers using Nikon’s D3 series cameras. It also offers five options for Active D-Lighting when shooting high contrast or high key subject matter. Alongside a new Auto setting, users now have four manual control levels; Extra High ; High, Normal and Low.

The camera also features new RAW processing options in the Retouch menu. The following image settings can be applied to RAW (NEF) files in the camera on-the-fly - JPEG compression, Size, White Balance, Exposure Compensation, Picture Control, Noise Reduction, Colour space and Vignette Control settings. These options accelerate post production workflow for the busy photographer on the road, by reducing the need to use a PC and Capture NX2 software. The weather-sealed durable magnesium construction is built to withstand extreme temperatures and humidity.

The D3S will be available in 800 Nikon retail points across India from December 2009 at an MRP of Rs. 2, 89,950.