Overview
The Nikon D3X was flown by NASA astronauts across 30 identified missions, in NASA service 2009–2022, contributing 23,600 identifiable frames to the public astronaut photography archive. Traced by manufacturer serial number, at least 5 physical bodies have been identified in the public archive. The Nikon D3X is a 24.5 MP full-frame CMOS released by Nikon in December 2008.
Body S/N 5033554 is the most heavily documented in the archive, contributing 9,347 identifiable frames across 9 missions including ISS038, ISS043, ISS036. The other 4 identified bodies appear in more targeted mission windows, detailed below.
The Nikon D3X bodies were used with a range of lenses in orbit — the most-used include the 600.0 mm f/4.0, 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 D3X bodies in orbit. Full resolution is available at the linked NASA archives.
Russia Sarychev Peak eruption
Commercial availability
Nikon D3X 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 D3X 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 D3X model used by NASA, not the specific bodies flown.
Bodies identified
Each identifiable body of the Nikon D3X that appears in NASA's public astronaut photography archive, sorted by frame count.
16 ground-use bodies (not verified in space)
NASA photographs document these Nikon D3X bodies in use on the ground. None of their photographs in this registry was taken in space.