Overview
The Nikon D3 was flown by NASA astronauts across 29 identified missions from 2008–2016, contributing 291 identifiable frames to the public astronaut photography archive. Traced by manufacturer serial number, at least 3 physical bodies have been identified in the public archive. The Nikon D3 is a 12.1 MP full-frame CMOS released by Nikon in November 2007.
Body S/N 2055552 is the most heavily documented in the archive, contributing 130 identifiable frames across 13 missions including ISS020, ISS022, ISS023. The other 2 identified bodies appear in more targeted mission windows, detailed below.
The Nikon D3 bodies were used with a range of lenses in orbit — the most-used include the 24.0-70.0 mm f/2.8, 70.0-200.0 mm f/2.8, and 14.0-24.0 mm f/2.8. The full lens roster appears in the sidebar.
Bodies identified
Each identifiable body of the Nikon D3 that appears in NASA's public astronaut photography archive, sorted by frame count.
- 2055552
- 2054926
- 2063181
Commercial availability
Nikon D3 on the used market
The bodies documented above are the specific units NASA sent to orbit. The commercial market carries the same Nikon D3 model at accessible prices for collectors, photographers, and researchers. Listings shown are the same model, not the specific bodies flown.
CARES LLC participates in the eBay Partner Network. Purchases via this link may generate commission at no additional cost to you. The listings shown are the same Nikon D3 model used by NASA, not the specific bodies documented above.