Nikon D2X SLR Review

Camera Controls (cont.)

As with all of the digital SLRs, the back is the heart of the digital half of this camera. The D2X features a large 2.5-inch color LCD display with 232,000 pixels that makes accessing menus and reviewing images a pleasure. The surface is scratch-resistant and Nikon supplies a clip-on transparent LCD protector.

In the upper left is the Playback button for image review and the Delete button to erase images. To the left of the color LCD is the MENU button to call up or dismiss the menu system. The THUMBNAIL button displays 4 or 9 images per screen, press and hold while rotating command dial. The PROTECT button is used to mark images to prevent erasure. The ENTER/Zoom button is used to accept menu selections or to magnify the image when in playback mode. Press and hold while turning command dial to zoom-in or zoom-out.

To the right of the data LCD is the MICROPHONE button for recording audio memos that are attached to the current image when in playback mode. Press and hold the MIC button and record up to a 60-second memo.

The MULTI-SELECTOR has 8 positions (up, down, left, right and diagonally for selecting AF areas). It is used for menu navigation, selecting the focus area, selecting images for playback and the mode of playback display, selecting thumbnail images and more. The Multi-selector can also be pushed straight in to perform another function - which is programmable.

The outer ring is for locking the Multi-Selector in capture mode to prevent accidentally changing the selected AF area.

The FOCUS MODE selector switch lets you change between Single-area AF, Dynamic-area AF, Group dynamic-AF and Dynamic-area AF with closest subject priority.

The rear data LCD and the three buttons (ISO, QUAL and WB) below it allow you to quickly change the ISO sensitivity, Image quality or White balance settings. Shown here is the data LCD with all possible icons displayed. In normal shooting mode this LCD displays the number of shots remaining, image size and quality and the white balance setting.

I/O Interfaces

On the left side are the data I/O connectors:

On top is the A-V jack for Video Out (NTSC or PAL selectable) and mono audio.

In the center is the DC IN connector for the optional AC power supply.

On the bottom is the USB 2.0 data port for connection to the host computer or the optional WT-1/WT-2 wireless transmitter. There are also other WT-1/WT-2 specific connectors on the bottom of the camera.






On the front you'll find the standard flash PC sync port.

And a 10-pin remote terminal for connecting the MC-20 remote cord, MC-21 extension cord, MC-22 remote cord, MC-23 connecting cord, MC-25 adapter cord, MC-30 remote cord, ML-2 or ML-3 Modulite infrared remote control set.

Image Storage

The D2X is equipped with a CompactFlash Type II card slot, it can accomodate solid state CF flash memory cards or IBM/Hitachi Microdrives. Nikon has approved CF cards from SanDisk and Lexar Media.

The D2X is compliant with both FAT-16 and FAT-32 file systems so there will be no problem using the new CF cards and Microdrives with capacities above 2GB. The D2X also fully supports Lexar's Write Acceleration (WA) technology used in their Pro Series CF cards.

Storage Capacity of 1GB CF Card

Image Data Security

Lexar Media's LockTight^TM CompactFlash memory cards incorporate a high level of flash memory card security, while maintaining digital camera performance. Nikon's D2X is the first camera to incorporate this new technology and address the security need of its customers.

Lexar's LockTight CompactFlash utilizes 160 bit encryption technology, using the SHA-1 (Secure Hash Algorithm), a standard approved by the NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) and among the most effective and widely accepted security solutions available. Central to the LockTight system is an easy-to-use software tool for establishing security settings on the memory card and corresponding digital camera. Digital content stored on the memory card can only be accessed via the digital camera(s) with the corresponding encryption key or via a PC with a valid username and password. This unique security system utilizing and synchronizing the memory card and the camera offers users a secure digital imaging solution.