D2x, is it worth it?

Dominantly · Sep 20, 2009

So I went to a local electronics shop to show a friend some stuff, and I happened to notice the D90 they had there was on sale for $1100 w/ lens. I asked the guy how long the sale was gonna be good for an he said 3 weeks. He then went on to say that there was going to be an insane deal coming up for the D2x's they have in stock. He is just awaiting an email from Management before he puts the sale tag on there. The sticker on them is over $4K; the sale is suppose to bring them down to $920.

Is this really a good deal? Would it be worth it to purchase it, and maybe even sell it? Hell, a $50 profit would still be a profit.....

fiveoboy01 · Sep 21, 2009

D2x bodies on ebay seem to go for 900-1100 bucks. There is a brand new one on there for 1100 or so. Nikon doesn't make it anymore, and I think your salesman is overblowing the "deal" as his price is about the market value for one.

That said, it's the predecessor to the D3 and a great camera.

Derrel · Sep 21, 2009

If it is a new D2x or D2Xs for $920, with a warranty, I think that *is* a pretty good deal,at least in terms of what the camera can do,and how well-made and responsive the camera is. It's got exceptional quality at the base ISO speed--better than other 12MP cameras like the D300 or D90. The autofocusing system of the D2x also has a very sophisticated wide-area, four-mode AF system that's excellent for action photography and has exceptional corner and off-center AF abilities. I own a D2x and have since May of 2005.

The battery performance is incredible, in terms of shots per charge, as well as life; the original battery I have is still doing well. The camera also offers the normal 1.5x FOV crop on all lenses mounted, but also has the option of High Speed Crop with the press of a button, switching to a 2.0 FOV crop shown in brackets that lights up at the corners, with the press of a button,and jacks the frame rate from 5 FPS at 12.2 MP to 8.2 FPS. The D2x was the absolute best camera Nikon could make for a couple of years, and was the highest-spec'd crop-body camera ever made by any manufacturer. Its Achilles heel is the sensor's High-ISO limitations; by ISO 640, you will need to run noise reduction on images shot in poor light, or if you underexpose. On the other hand, the D2 series is the "focus anywhere Nikon"...you can select basically ANY focusing point and the AF system can lock focus, even way off center,and the shutter and mirror lag times make the camera really fast in action. It's a professional body. The viewfinder the D2x has is exceptionally sharp and bright--better than any crop-body I've ever seen, and I've looked at dozens of different bodies.

Whether $920 for a new camera is a good deal for you is hard for me to say; if you need or want the many benefits of a flagship-level body,or are anxious to get away from the limitations of consumer-level or pro-sumer level autofocus, it might be worth the $920.

inTempus · Sep 21, 2009

If you don't have a need for super high ISO, the D2x is an amazing camera. Personally, I would rather have it over a D90 as long as I had... well, a D90 for high ISO.

I shoot in low light a lot these days and I find myself in the 1600 and 3200 ISO range often. While the D2x can hit 3200 the results are not pretty.

But not everyone needs such high ISO capabilities. In that case, the D2x is a beast in terms of focusing and speed for the money. The street price for a new one right now is in the $900-$1000 range as already mentioned. It's a fair price at $920 assuming you don't live in city like Chicago with a 10.25% sales tax.

Dominantly · Sep 21, 2009

Thanks for the replies and the information.
I see a couple problems with purchasing the D2x. I guess for one, it is BIG and it would be my primary camera, so that would be a problem. It also is body only, with no built in flash (I'll pick up a SB-600 anyways in the spring, but still), and the technology in it doesn't seem to drastically surpass the newer, cheaper models.

I was just taken back by the price difference, but I guess 3-4 years in the photo technology world, is a life time; and prices reflect that.

Phranquey · Sep 21, 2009

Dominantly said:
Thanks for the replies and the information.
I see a couple problems with purchasing the D2x. I guess for one, it is BIG and it would be my primary camera, so that would be a problem. It also is body only, with no built in flash (I'll pick up a SB-600 anyways in the spring, but still), and the technology in it doesn't seem to drastically surpass the newer, cheaper models.

I was just taken back by the price difference, but I guess 3-4 years in the photo technology world, is a life time; and prices reflect that.

$920 is a good deal if it is new, a decent market value for used.

Yes...it is big & heavy. I have the D2Xs, and it is built like a tank, which was the purpose. Even when the D2x line came out, it wasn't the greatest thing out there, but it was built to take a Mike Tyson beating without flinching.

I personally like the weight & heft since I have very large hands....any other camera without either a verticle grip, battery grip, or motor drive always felt (and looked) like a toy in my hands.