Nikon D1 vs Nikon D2X

      Nikon D1

      Nikon D2X
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      Disclosure: We earn money from the affiliate links to products associated with content in this article.

      Overview

      In this comparison, we will evaluate the Nikon D1 and the Nikon D2X, highlighting the advantages of each over the other, discussing their pros and cons, shared strengths and weaknesses, and providing a rating based on their available features and specifications to assist you in choosing the one that best suits your needs.

      Nikon D1 was introduced in November 2000 and Nikon D2X was introduced in June 2005. Let us first list highlights of the models.

      Nikon D1 Highlights

      • 2.66 MP APS-C CCD Sensor
      • 200 - 1,600 Native ISO
      • 2.0" 130k dot Fixed Screen
      • Optical (pentaprism) Viewfinder
      • 4.5 fps Continuous Shooting
      • Wheather Sealed Body

      Nikon D2X Highlights

      • 12.4 MP APS-C CMOS Sensor
      • 100 - 800 Native ISO
      • 2.5" 235k dot Fixed Screen
      • Optical (pentaprism) Viewfinder
      • 8.0 fps Continuous Shooting
      • Wheather Sealed Body
      Table of Contents
      1. Overview
      2. Pros and Cons
      3. Advantage of Nikon D1
      4. Advantage of Nikon D2X
      5. Common Strengths and Weaknesses
      6. Screen and Viewfinder
      7. Sensor
      8. Photography Features
      9. Connectivity, Battery and Storage
      10. Other Features
      11. Physical Parameters
      12. For Different Types of Photography
      13. Evaluations
      14. Specifications  

      Now that we've looked at the most essential specifications and gained a basic understanding of these cameras, we can delve into more details and see the differences between them.

      Pros and Cons

      In this section we present pros and cons of Nikon D1 and Nikon D2X.

      PROS

      Nikon D1

      Nikon D2X

      •   High Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/16000 sec
      •   High Flash Sync Speed - 1/500 sec
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   High Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/8000 sec
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Orientation Sensor

      CONS

      Nikon D1

      Nikon D2X

      •   No Video Capture
      •   Low Resolution Sensor - 2.66 Megapixel
      •   200 Lowest Native ISO
      •   1,600 Highest Native ISO
      •   Timelapse Recording
      •   No Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Small Screen - 2.0"
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 130k dot
      •   No Live View
      •   No HDMI Output
      •   No Built-in Microphone
      •   No Microphone Input
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth
      •   Heavy - 1200 g (2.65 lb / 42.33 oz)
      •   No Video Capture
      •   Low Resolution Sensor - 12.4 Megapixel
      •   800 Highest Native ISO
      •   No Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 235k dot
      •   No Live View
      •   Low DxO Overall Score - 59
      •   No HDMI Output
      •   No Built-in Microphone
      •   No Microphone Input
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth
      •   Heavy - 1200 g (2.65 lb / 42.33 oz)


      And here are some specifications which fall into average criteria and are neither in PROs nor in CONs category:

      AVERAGE

      Nikon D1

      Nikon D2X

      •   -1 EV Min AF Detection
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 4.5 fps
      •   100 Lowest Native ISO
      •   Screen Size - 2.5"
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 8.0 fps
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/250 sec

      Advantage of Nikon D1

      Nikon D1
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      This section shows those features and specifications which are the reason to choose Nikon D1 over Nikon D2X.

      Nikon D1 vs Nikon D2X
      Higher Native ISO 1,600 vs 800
      Higher Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) 1/16000 sec vs 1/8000 sec
      Higher Flash Sync Speed 1/500 sec vs 1/250 sec

      Check out other cameras which are frequently compared to Nikon D1.

      Nikon D2Xs
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      APS-C

      12.4 MP

      Nikon D2H
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      APS-C

      4.1 MP

      Nikon D3S
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      Full Frame

      12.1 MP

      Nikon D5
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      Full Frame

      20.8 MP

      Nikon D4
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      Full Frame

      16.2 MP

      Nikon D1H
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      APS-C

      2.7 MP

      Nikon D4s
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      Full Frame

      16.2 MP

      Nikon D2Hs
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      APS-C

      4.1 MP

      Nikon D3
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      Full Frame

      12.1 MP

      Nikon D3X
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      Full Frame

      24.5 MP

      Nikon D6
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      Full Frame

      20.8 MP

      Nikon D1X
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      APS-C

      5.3 MP

      Advantage of Nikon D2X

      Nikon D2X
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      This section shows those features and specifications which are the reason to choose Nikon D2X over Nikon D1.

      Nikon D1 vs Nikon D2X
      Higher Sensor Resolution 2.66 Megapixel vs 12.4 Megapixel
      Lower Native ISO 200 vs 100
      Max Image Resolution 2000 x 1312 vs 4288 x 2848
      Timelapse Recording vs
      Larger Screen 2.0" vs 2.5"
      Higher Resolution Screen 130k dot vs 235k dot
      Higher Viewfinder Coverage 96% vs 100%
      Higher Viewfinder Magnification (35mm equivalent) 0.53x vs 0.57x
      Higher Max Continuous Shooting 4.5 fps vs 8.0 fps
      Orientation Sensor vs

      Check out other cameras which are frequently compared to Nikon D2X.

      Nikon D2H
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      APS-C

      4.1 MP

      Nikon D4
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      Full Frame

      16.2 MP

      Nikon D3
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      Full Frame

      12.1 MP

      Nikon D3X
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      Full Frame

      24.5 MP

      Nikon D2Xs
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      APS-C

      12.4 MP

      Nikon D4s
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      Full Frame

      16.2 MP

      Nikon D1H
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      APS-C

      2.7 MP

      Nikon D3S
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      Full Frame

      12.1 MP

      Nikon D6
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      Full Frame

      20.8 MP

      Nikon D1X
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      APS-C

      5.3 MP

      Nikon D5
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      Full Frame

      20.8 MP

      Nikon D2Hs
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      APS-C

      4.1 MP

      Common Strengths and Weaknesses

      We already listed pros and cons of each model. However, you may also find useful to look at their common strengths and weaknesses shown side-by-side.

      STRENGTHS Nikon D1 Nikon D2X
        High Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain)1/16000 sec1/8000 sec
        Environmental Sealing
      WEAKNESSES Nikon D1 Nikon D2X
        No Video Capture
        Low Resolution Sensor2.66 Megapixel12.4 Megapixel
        Low Native ISO1,600800
        No Face Detection
        No Image Stabilization
        Screen TypeFixedFixed
        Low Resolution Screen130k dot235k dot
        No Live View
        No HDMI Output
        No Built-in Microphone
        No Microphone Input
        No Headphone Output
        No Built-in GPS
        No Built-In Wi-Fi
        No Built-In Bluetooth
        Heavy1200 g (2.65 lb / 42.33 oz)1200 g (2.65 lb / 42.33 oz)

      Screen and Viewfinder

      Screen

      Nikon D1 has a 2.0" screen with 130k dot resolution and Nikon D2X has a 2.5" screen with 235k dot resolution. Both have Fixed screens.


      Viewfinder

      Cameras have built-in Optical (pentaprism) viewfinders. Nikon D1 has 96% coverage with 0.80x (0.53x 35mm equivalent) magnification and Nikon D2X has 100% coverage with 0.86x (0.57x 35mm equivalent) magnification.

      Sensor

      Nikon D1 features a 2.66 megapixel APS-C CCD sensor with dimensions of 23.7 x 15.6 mm and a total area of 369.7 mm2. Its native ISO range is 200 - 1,600. Nikon D2X features a 12.4 megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor with dimensions of 23.7 x 15.7 mm and a total area of 246.5 mm2. Its native ISO range is 100 - 800 and expands to 100 - 3,200 in boosted mode.


      Here is a sensor size comparison chart where you can see how different sensors compare with each other:

      Sensor size chart
      Sensor Dimensions Area Aspect Ratio Crop Factor
      Image cannot be displayedMedium Format44 x 33 mm1452 mm24:30.79x
      Image cannot be displayedFull Frame36 x 24 mm864 mm23:21x
      Image cannot be displayedAPS-H27 x 18 mm486 mm23:21.3x
      Image cannot be displayedAPS-C23.6 x 15.6 mm368.2 mm23:21.5x
      Image cannot be displayedAPS-C (Canon)22.3 x 14.9 mm332.3 mm23:21.6x
      Image cannot be displayedMicro Four Thirds17.4 x 13 mm226.2 mm24:32x
      Image cannot be displayed1-inch13.2 x 8.8 mm116.2 mm23:22.7x
      Image cannot be displayed1/1.7-inch7.44 x 5.58 mm41.5 mm24:34.7x
      Image cannot be displayed1/2.3-inch6.17 x 4.55 mm28.1 mm24:35.6x

      Photography Features

      Nikon D1 can take pictures up to 2000 x 1312 resolution. Nikon D2X can take pictures up to 4288 x 2848 resolution. It can also take pictures with lower resolution like 3216 x 2136, 2144 x 1424 with 3:2 aspect ratios.


      Lens Mount

      Cameras have Nikon F lens mount. Due to their APS-C sensor their crop factor (also called lens multiplier) is equal to 1.5x. This means that a 35mm equivalent focal length of the mounted lens will be equal to its actual focal length times 1.5.


      No Image Stabilization

      The cameras do not have image stabilization. On Nikon D1 it means that you need lenses with optical image stabilization for vibration reduction. As for Nikon D2X nothing can be done. On Nikon D2X it means that you need lenses with optical image stabilization for vibration reduction. As for Nikon D1 nothing can be done.

      Connectivity, Battery and Storage

      USB Inputs

      Nikon D2X has a USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) input for data transfer.


      External Storage Slots

      Nikon D1 has a single CompactFlash (Type I/II, compliant with UDMA) card slot. Nikon D2X has a single CompactFlash (Type I/II, compliant with UDMA), MicroDrive card slot.

      Other Features

      Shutter

      Nikon D1 has Combined electronic (CCD) and mechanicall shutter. Nikon D2X has Electronically controlled vertical-travel focal-plane shutter. Shutter speed can go up to 1/16000 sec on Nikon D1, and up to 1/8000 sec on Nikon D2X. Nikon D1 can shoot continuously up to 4.5 fps. Nikon D2X can shoot continuously up to 8.0 fps.


      Focusing

      Nikon D1 has Nikon D2X has . Nikon D1 has detection range from -1 to +19 EV.


      Flash

      Cameras have no built-in flash but an external flash may be connected to both of them. The fastest flash synchronization speed is 1/500 sec on Nikon D1 and 1/250 sec on Nikon D2X.

      Physical Parameters

      Nikon D1 body has dimensions of 157 x 153 x 85 mm (6.18 x 6.02 x 3.35") and Nikon D2X body has dimensions of 158 x 150 x 86 mm (6.22 x 5.91 x 3.39") and they both weigh 1200 g (2.65 lb / 42.33 oz).

      Nikon D1

      Nikon D2X

      157 mm

      153 mm

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      158 mm

      150 mm

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      153 mm

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      150 mm

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      85 mm

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      86 mm

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      Size comparisons of Nikon D1 and Nikon D2X

      Nikon D1 and Nikon D2X for Different Types of Photography

      We give scores to the cameras for six types of photography based on their features and specifications. Let us see how suitable they are for each type of photography.

      Landscape Photography

      Nikon D1

      Nikon D2X

      GOOD
      72
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 130k dot
      •   No Live View
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Environmental Sealing
      GOOD
      76
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 235k dot
      •   No Live View
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Environmental Sealing

      Sports Photography

      Nikon D1

      Nikon D2X

      POOR
      50
      •   1,600 Highest Native ISO
      •   No Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 130k dot
      •   No Live View
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 4.5 fps
      AVERAGE
      57
      •   800 Highest Native ISO
      •   No Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 235k dot
      •   No Live View
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 8.0 fps
      •   Orientation Sensor

      Wildlife Photography

      Nikon D1

      Nikon D2X

      AVERAGE
      55
      •   1,600 Highest Native ISO
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 130k dot
      •   No Live View
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 4.5 fps
      •   Environmental Sealing
      AVERAGE
      60
      •   800 Highest Native ISO
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 235k dot
      •   No Live View
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 8.0 fps
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Orientation Sensor

      Portrait Photography

      Nikon D1

      Nikon D2X

      AVERAGE
      65
      •   No Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Small Screen - 2.0"
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 130k dot
      •   No Live View
      •   High Flash Sync Speed - 1/500 sec
      GOOD
      72
      •   No Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Screen Size - 2.5"
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 235k dot
      •   No Live View
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/250 sec
      •   Orientation Sensor

      Street Photography

      Nikon D1

      Nikon D2X

      AVERAGE
      68
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 130k dot
      •   No Live View
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Heavy - 1200 g (2.65 lb / 42.33 oz)
      GOOD
      71
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 235k dot
      •   No Live View
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Heavy - 1200 g (2.65 lb / 42.33 oz)

      Travel Photography

      Nikon D1

      Nikon D2X

      AVERAGE
      68
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 130k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Heavy - 1200 g (2.65 lb / 42.33 oz)
      AVERAGE
      69
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 235k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Heavy - 1200 g (2.65 lb / 42.33 oz)

      Evaluations

      We evaluate Nikon D1 and Nikon D2X and give them scores of 55 and 59 out of 100 recpectively. We also give separate scores for 7 different categories according to the available features and specifications some of which are listed below. These evaluations are relative and may change each time a new camera is added to the database.


      Nikon D1

      Nikon D2X

      OVERALL
      55
      OVERALL
      59

      Sensor

      Nikon D1

      Nikon D2X

      AVERAGE
      58
      •   Low Resolution Sensor - 2.66 Megapixel
      •   200 Lowest Native ISO
      •   1,600 Highest Native ISO
      AVERAGE
      66
      •   Low Resolution Sensor - 12.4 Megapixel
      •   100 Lowest Native ISO
      •   800 Highest Native ISO
      •   Low DxO Overall Score - 59

      Photo

      Nikon D1

      Nikon D2X

      AVERAGE
      62
      •   Timelapse Recording
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   High Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/16000 sec
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 4.5 fps
      •   High Flash Sync Speed - 1/500 sec
      AVERAGE
      63
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   High Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/8000 sec
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 8.0 fps
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/250 sec

      Video

      Nikon D1

      Nikon D2X

      BAD
      0
      •   No Image Stabilization
      BAD
      0
      •   No Image Stabilization

      Focusing

      Nikon D1

      Nikon D2X

      GOOD
      81
      •   -1 EV Min AF Detection
      •   No Face Detection
      GOOD
      75
      •   No Face Detection

      Screen and Viewfinder

      Nikon D1

      Nikon D2X

      AVERAGE
      65
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Small Screen - 2.0"
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 130k dot
      AVERAGE
      68
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Screen Size - 2.5"
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 235k dot

      Connectivity

      Nikon D1

      Nikon D2X

      BAD
      25
      •   No HDMI Output
      •   No Built-in Microphone
      •   No Microphone Input
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth
      POOR
      40
      •   No HDMI Output
      •   No Built-in Microphone
      •   No Microphone Input
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth

      Battery, Storage and Physical

      Nikon D1

      Nikon D2X

      GOOD
      74
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Heavy - 1200 g (2.65 lb / 42.33 oz)
      GOOD
      74
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Heavy - 1200 g (2.65 lb / 42.33 oz)


      For a full specification list please go to the specifications page:

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