On the small, narrow sub-screen question. It’s fine for seeing & setting ISO, but for White Bal & Qual setting, it’s hopelessly inadequate (as the tiny pictograms are near invisible for anyone with less than perfect 20/20 eyesight. No Problem – there’s an easy workaround. Just put White Bal (& Qual if you need it regularly) as the top items on My Menu and then link My Menu to the lower custom button to quickly access those settings on the main rear screen.
Tim Wheeler
November 27, 2021 5:31 am
I’ve just bought a D3S (128K actuations) in Nov 2021. I love it. A modern multi-thousand £/$ mirrorless might do a better job, but shooting a D3S is a pleasure, it focuses brilliantly, and its image outlook looks terrific. You get all that for £500 these days. I also have a £650 D3X for studio & strobe and that’s great too. Can’t complain – both D3 S & X are great. I also have a D810 (which cost me £850 used.) It’s good – but I don’t feel the same love when I pic it up and shoot it as I do with my D3 series flagships. It’s not all about spec sheets: if you enjoy a camera, you’ll use it. Tim (Southampton U.K.)
Stephen Weir
June 16, 2019 3:14 pm
I absolutely love my D3s! Such a great camera. I just wish Nikon would implement a Firmware upgrade to allow the exposure compensation button on the D3s to be re-assigned to ISO. The ISO button on the D3s is not conveniently located to change ISO manually, especially if there is a heavy lens mounted. It puts too much stress on the lens mount and it’s really a two handed operation; for the type of photography I do it’s crucial, and obviously all the recent Nikon cameras (D5, D500, D850, Z6, Z7) have a dedicated ISO button for a reason. One additional comment on the Z6 I just bought: I would suggest in future design that button could be raised a little. At the moment it’s too flush with the camera body and I notice I was selecting the video record button instead oa regular basis. Having those two buttons on a slightly different elevation would enable their identification by touch, like a person reading Braille.
Brian Devlin
October 8, 2018 6:32 am
Hi Nasim, do you have a settings cheat sheet for the D3?
wei
December 8, 2017 4:34 pm
i got a d3s dew month back
i know it a old camera
but i got a very good condition and low shutter count
i love it
Gerald Rowles, PhD
November 4, 2017 9:38 am
Hi Nasim, Your talents and energy are remarkable. My late comment, actually question, at this late date is posted here because it falls within the D3 series. I have been shooting landscapes professionally with two D3Xs for nine years and have been extremely happy with the IQ (resolution (detail, sharpness) and color. ( And I still use the D700 for wildlife.) I’ve also avoided jumping on the D800 series bandwagons given the quality of images from the D3X. So I’m curious why you didn’t review this great body. Thanks, tho, for your extreme range of interests.
Jakes
September 4, 2015 5:29 am
I just bought a D3s with very low shutter count. I am not a full time photographer but my hobby is wildlife, Nature and landscapes. I currently have the D810, Df and now the D3s. I have used a D4 on a few wildlife trips and the camera is great for fast action with fast auto focus and produce great results. However, for the price and the amount of time I use it, does not justify the “investment’. For the price I paid for the D3s, I would save a lot of rental money on a D4/D4s. My main camera on the 300 f2.8 vrii is the D810 and I use the converters. my Df I use on a 18-35 or 24-120F4 for wider and landscape images. The D3s will be used on my 70-200f4 with a TC1.4 or on the 300 depending on range and what I photograph. I am still astounded by the IQ of all 3 these camera’s. The D3s remain one of the Nikon icons. I see according to DxO that the Df tested on the same lenses as the D4 and D4s resolve more detail. Why would that be?,
Df has the same sensor ad the D4 but with a more updated processor etc.
Rex Gigout
August 29, 2015 12:47 pm
Thanks for writing this review, and posting the comparison images. I am also appreciative of your (more recent) D4-v.-D3s article and images. I was contemplating buying a lens at a local camera store, and saw a very nicely-preserved pre-owned D3s, with a quite low shutter count. It had been quite a while since I had read a review of the D3s, so I took a leap of faith and bought this very clean D3s, instead of the lens. I am now satisfied that I made a valid decision, seeing a bit better low-light high-ISO performance than with my D700 cameras, and not missing too much, at high ISO, compared to a D4/Df. Before I set-up my own experiment, I found your images and articles. (My wife has a Df; she is not the junior partner in photography, but the mentor who introduced me to SLR shooting, so it seemed right for her to get the most up-to-date camera when I had a bit of extra cash in early 2015. She prefers D7000/Df-sized bodies, and loves the old-school controls of the Df.)
I will, of course, shoot my own comparison, but I am confident the results will not differ from yours. My D3s is intended to complement my D700 cameras, not displace them. (I may well add a higher-resolution FX camera in the future; no hurry.)
James
February 12, 2014 7:08 am
I Have the D3s and D800 and do nature and wildlife. I bought most of my equipment used from a great reseller and enjoyed the big discount on great products. The D3s is my low light fast speed camera on safari here in Southern Africa, The images are very clean and the handling is fantastic. I use the D800 for landscapes but also for birds. I have a Nikon 300mm f2.8 that I use with TC 1.4 and 1.7. the D800 with high resolution and different shooting modes of FX,1.2 and 1.5 Dx act as an extension to my relative “short” wildlife lens. I often shoot in FX and then crop and often I use the 1.2 crop mode that still gives me +/- 22 mp with fantastic ISO performance and high resolution plus the additional 20% “reach” on the sensor. For me this is the perfect combination and I love both Camera’s. I love the 300 f2.8 with TC’s it is very flexible and easy to handle in a car compared to the 500 f4 or 600 f4. I might compromise slightly on the IQ at 600mm but unless I fill a good size of the sensor I dont even bother with the shot. I also don’t see the benefit of spending all the $$$ to upgrade to the D4 as I gain not enough to justify the cost as a NON Pro photographer. I have used a D4 and it is magic but as a combination, there is little that can beat what I have. I would like to spend some money to buy the new 80-400 lens as it would give me great second combination and flexibility. I cannot justify the 200-400 in cost.
Geoff kirby
August 26, 2013 3:09 pm
Hi Nasim, Love you website and photography espcially Lola’s wedding images Are you any closer to reviewing the D4? Cheers Geoff
On the small, narrow sub-screen question. It’s fine for seeing & setting ISO, but for White Bal & Qual setting, it’s hopelessly inadequate (as the tiny pictograms are near invisible for anyone with less than perfect 20/20 eyesight. No Problem – there’s an easy workaround. Just put White Bal (& Qual if you need it regularly) as the top items on My Menu and then link My Menu to the lower custom button to quickly access those settings on the main rear screen.
I’ve just bought a D3S (128K actuations) in Nov 2021. I love it. A modern multi-thousand £/$ mirrorless might do a better job, but shooting a D3S is a pleasure, it focuses brilliantly, and its image outlook looks terrific. You get all that for £500 these days. I also have a £650 D3X for studio & strobe and that’s great too. Can’t complain – both D3 S & X are great. I also have a D810 (which cost me £850 used.) It’s good – but I don’t feel the same love when I pic it up and shoot it as I do with my D3 series flagships. It’s not all about spec sheets: if you enjoy a camera, you’ll use it. Tim (Southampton U.K.)
I absolutely love my D3s! Such a great camera. I just wish Nikon would implement a Firmware upgrade to allow the exposure compensation button on the D3s to be re-assigned to ISO. The ISO button on the D3s is not conveniently located to change ISO manually, especially if there is a heavy lens mounted. It puts too much stress on the lens mount and it’s really a two handed operation; for the type of photography I do it’s crucial, and obviously all the recent Nikon cameras (D5, D500, D850, Z6, Z7) have a dedicated ISO button for a reason. One additional comment on the Z6 I just bought: I would suggest in future design that button could be raised a little. At the moment it’s too flush with the camera body and I notice I was selecting the video record button instead oa regular basis. Having those two buttons on a slightly different elevation would enable their identification by touch, like a person reading Braille.
Hi Nasim, do you have a settings cheat sheet for the D3?
i got a d3s dew month back
i know it a old camera
but i got a very good condition and low shutter count
i love it
Hi Nasim,
Your talents and energy are remarkable.
My late comment, actually question, at this late date is posted here because it falls within the D3 series. I have been shooting landscapes professionally with two D3Xs for nine years and have been extremely happy with the IQ (resolution (detail, sharpness) and color. ( And I still use the D700 for wildlife.) I’ve also avoided jumping on the D800 series bandwagons given the quality of images from the D3X. So I’m curious why you didn’t review this great body.
Thanks, tho, for your extreme range of interests.
I just bought a D3s with very low shutter count. I am not a full time photographer but my hobby is wildlife, Nature and landscapes. I currently have the D810, Df and now the D3s. I have used a D4 on a few wildlife trips and the camera is great for fast action with fast auto focus and produce great results. However, for the price and the amount of time I use it, does not justify the “investment’. For the price I paid for the D3s, I would save a lot of rental money on a D4/D4s. My main camera on the 300 f2.8 vrii is the D810 and I use the converters. my Df I use on a 18-35 or 24-120F4 for wider and landscape images. The D3s will be used on my 70-200f4 with a TC1.4 or on the 300 depending on range and what I photograph. I am still astounded by the IQ of all 3 these camera’s. The D3s remain one of the Nikon icons. I see according to DxO that the Df tested on the same lenses as the D4 and D4s resolve more detail. Why would that be?,
Df has the same sensor ad the D4 but with a more updated processor etc.
Thanks for writing this review, and posting the comparison images. I am also appreciative of your (more recent) D4-v.-D3s article and images. I was contemplating buying a lens at a local camera store, and saw a very nicely-preserved pre-owned D3s, with a quite low shutter count. It had been quite a while since I had read a review of the D3s, so I took a leap of faith and bought this very clean D3s, instead of the lens. I am now satisfied that I made a valid decision, seeing a bit better low-light high-ISO performance than with my D700 cameras, and not missing too much, at high ISO, compared to a D4/Df. Before I set-up my own experiment, I found your images and articles. (My wife has a Df; she is not the junior partner in photography, but the mentor who introduced me to SLR shooting, so it seemed right for her to get the most up-to-date camera when I had a bit of extra cash in early 2015. She prefers D7000/Df-sized bodies, and loves the old-school controls of the Df.)
I will, of course, shoot my own comparison, but I am confident the results will not differ from yours. My D3s is intended to complement my D700 cameras, not displace them. (I may well add a higher-resolution FX camera in the future; no hurry.)
I Have the D3s and D800 and do nature and wildlife. I bought most of my equipment used from a great reseller and enjoyed the big discount on great products. The D3s is my low light fast speed camera on safari here in Southern Africa, The images are very clean and the handling is fantastic. I use the D800 for landscapes but also for birds. I have a Nikon 300mm f2.8 that I use with TC 1.4 and 1.7. the D800 with high resolution and different shooting modes of FX,1.2 and 1.5 Dx act as an extension to my relative “short” wildlife lens. I often shoot in FX and then crop and often I use the 1.2 crop mode that still gives me +/- 22 mp with fantastic ISO performance and high resolution plus the additional 20% “reach” on the sensor. For me this is the perfect combination and I love both Camera’s. I love the 300 f2.8 with TC’s it is very flexible and easy to handle in a car compared to the 500 f4 or 600 f4. I might compromise slightly on the IQ at 600mm but unless I fill a good size of the sensor I dont even bother with the shot. I also don’t see the benefit of spending all the $$$ to upgrade to the D4 as I gain not enough to justify the cost as a NON Pro photographer. I have used a D4 and it is magic but as a combination, there is little that can beat what I have. I would like to spend some money to buy the new 80-400 lens as it would give me great second combination and flexibility. I cannot justify the 200-400 in cost.
Hi Nasim,
Love you website and photography espcially Lola’s wedding images
Are you any closer to reviewing the D4?
Cheers
Geoff