Overview
The Nikon D3 was flown by NASA astronauts across 29 identified missions, in NASA service 2008–2017, contributing 15,574 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 7,061 identifiable frames across 16 missions including ISS020, ISS022, ISS030. 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 400.0 mm f/2.8, 300.0-800.0 mm f/5.6, and 80.0-400.0 mm f/4.5-5.6. The full lens roster appears in the sidebar.
Exemplar photographs
Additional representative frames captured by the Nikon D3 bodies in orbit. Full resolution is available at the linked NASA archives.
Sunset over Indian Ocean from the ISS
Commercial availability
Nikon D3 on the used market
The bodies documented in this registry 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 flown.
Bodies identified
Each identifiable body of the Nikon D3 that appears in NASA's public astronaut photography archive, sorted by frame count.
21 ground-use bodies (not verified in space)
NASA photographs document these Nikon D3 bodies in use on the ground. None of their photographs in this registry was taken in space.