One note: We noticed that there was a slight but consistent variation in the Nikon D3X's NEF file sizes at high ISOs that tracked the high-ISO noise reduction setting: Files shot with high-ISO turned off were larger than those shot with it turned on, and the higher the NR setting, the (very slightly) smaller the file size. The difference is very slight, only about 3% of file size from NR Off to NR High at ISO 6,400, but it strongly suggests that there's at least a little NR being applied to high-ISO NEF files. On a cursory examination, we couldn't see any differences in Nikon D3X images rendered from these files (dcraw can open them), but you might be able to. We've thus uploaded NEF files for all four NR options (off, low, normal, high) at ISO 1,600 (highest "standard" ISO) and 6,400 (highest overall ISO, in HI2 mode). Other ISOs have only a single NEF for each posted, shot with the NR set to "Normal."

For those who thought Canon would walk away with the ballgame with their EOS 5D Mark II, these initial shots from the D3X show that Nikon is still in the game. These shots also lend credence to the sensor in the Nikon D3X being different from the one in the Sony Alpha A900: It's hard to imagine that the differences in image quality between these two cameras are all the result of differences in image processing.

Stay tuned for image analysis of the Nikon D3X and the Canon EOS-5D Mark II, hopefully both coming before Christmas. (5DmkII is almost done, but we'll be scrambling to put the story together on the D3X next week.)