Nikon Corporation is pleased to announce the introduction of the new D2Xs professional digital SLR camera. A camera that not only maintains the same stellar position and performance of the D2X, the D2Xs also offers an impressive range of refinements that improve overall camera performance and enhance the user experience.

D2Xs shares many performance and design innovations with the D2X. It also offers Nikon's acclaimed DX-format CMOS image sensor capturing 12.4 million effective pixels per image, producing 4,288 x 2,848-pixel images with the high resolution and sharp detail needed for demanding professional assignments. The D2Xs, however, also introduces a range of revised features that make operation significantly more responsive – including refined viewfinder performance that makes for easier composition when shooting in Nikon's exclusive High-Speed Crop mode, a new 2.5 inch LCD with a 170-degree wide viewing angle calibrated at the factory to ensure consistent color fidelity, significantly increased battery life and a wide range of firmware enhancements.

Delivering familiar versatility, the D2Xs employs the Nikon DX-Format sensor and legendary Nikon F lens mount design shared by all Nikon SLR cameras for seamless compatibility with all AF Nikkor lenses as well as the expanding family of high-quality DX Nikkor lenses.

Professional high speed performance is realized through the D2Xs's ability to capture 12.4 megapixel JPEG images or RAW images at a rate of up to 5 frames per second in continuous shooting mode, while continuous shooting at a rate of up to 8 frames per second is made possible through use of the High-Speed Crop mode that captures a more specific, central area of the frame at 6.8 megapixel resolution.

Professional photographers will also appreciate the ability to select Adobe RGB in any of the three color modes – making it possible to work with a wider range of colors to match highly diverse assignments and workflow environments, while ideally complementing the NEF file. What's more, in-camera creative possibilities are extended even further through the addition of a new Black & White (sRGB) color mode.

RAW and JPEG images taken using the D2Xs can be trimmed within the camera to produce images of reduced display sizes ranging from 640 x 480 to 2,560 x 1,920 pixels. The smaller files that result can help improve workflow efficiency by eliminating the time required to download and perform software editing within a computer.

With a combination of powerful image-processing technologies and 1,005 pixel 3D-Color Matrix Metering II, the D2Xs makes it possible to capture beautiful 12.4-megapixel images that will satisfy photographers' needs for larger files that are rich in detail, color and smooth tonal range. The D2Xs has also been refined so demanding photographers can take advantage of 3D-Color Matrix Metering II even in the High-speed Crop mode.

Manageability and convenience have been improved upon in the D2Xs through developments such as refinement to the viewfinder featuring an automatic viewfinder mask within the High-Speed Crop mode for faster and easier and more confident composition, the use of a new color scheme for menu displays for easier viewing, and new custom settings options and refinements, to name but a few. And many of the capabilities that made the D2X such a success have been retained, such as outstanding high-speed shooting performance, rapid start-up, the world's fastest shutter release time lag of just 37ms, a viewfinder blackout time of just 105 milliseconds, and the 11-area autofocus system – all of which enable the user to concentrate on shooting.

By allowing photographers to dispense with many of the time-consuming distractions of seeking out the most suitable settings for the best possible results, the D2Xs becomes an even more valuable tool for discerning professionals. Subject acquisition and tracking capability are improved for the D2Xs, while new options for controlling the timing of the focus tracking lock-on make it easier to adjust for shooting different types of scenes and action.

Sensitivity can be manually set between ISO-equivalent 100 and 800 in increments of 1/3 EV, or boosted using HI-0.3, HI-0.5, HI-0.7, HI-1 or HI-2 settings when high sensitivity is a priority. The 3 settings between 800 and HI-1 are newly added to give the D2Xs finer control over sensitivity. An updated AUTO ISO feature provides improved functionality for photographers who work under changing lighting conditions such as weddings.

AUTO ISO helps achieve optimum exposure while freeing the photographer to concentrate on composition. Offering greater control over the range within which AUTO ISO operates, the D2Xs provides settings to specify the maximum value to which the function can increase sensitivity and the minimum shutter speed at which AUTO ISO will operate.

As part of the Nikon Total Imaging System, the D2Xs is compatible with Nikon's DX Nikkor lenses, engineered exclusively for use with Nikon DX-format D-SLRs, as well as Nikon's famous AF Nikkor lenses, designed for use with Nikon 35mm and /D-SLRs. The D2Xs also maximizes the potential of Nikon's Creative Lighting System when used with the SB-800, SB-600 or the Wireless Close-Up Speedlight Systems, featuring the SB-R200 Speedlights, delivering the utmost in high-precision flash performance and versatility.

The newly developed high-energy EN-EL4a rechargeable lithium-ion battery with significantly increased capacity delivers enough power to support the shooting of up to 3,800 images* on a single charge. It can be recharged at any time and it also features a remarkable fuel gauge system display that shows remaining charge by percentage, number of shots since last charge and overall battery status.

Compatibility with Nikon's Wireless Transmitter WT-2/2A provides fast image transmission with improved security and compatibility with the latest protocols, while wireless LAN remote D2Xs control can be achieved through the use of a computer with Camera Control Pro (optional) software installed.

Rounding out D2Xs is Nikon's highly versatile, elegantly simple photo editing solution, Capture NX, featuring a new interface that provides easier access to powerful and visually intuitive enhancement tools. Nikon's Capture NX software helps photographers to tap the full potential of D2Xs's NEF images. And, its powerful photo image processing and editing tools can also be applied to JPEG and TIFF files to satisfy a broader range of photofinishing needs and applications.

Nikon's ongoing attention to excellence extends to ergonomic good looks. Featuring exterior styling adopted from a design created by famed industrial designer, Giorgetto Giugiaro, the D2Xs is instantly recognizable as a new-generation Nikon camera.

June 1, 2006