The D2X has landed, and with it come the hopes of a generation of Nikon devotees keen to see their company match arch-rival Canon.

Unfortunately for users of Nikon, the company has perpetually been a step behind its competitor in the race for sensor development. Since early 2003, Canon users have had the 11MP EOS 1DS, and Nikon users just 5.9MP with the flagship D1X (first introduced in 2001).

While the D2X can't match the new 16.7MP EOS 1DS Mark II in terms of pixel resolution, knowledge of the post-capture process has now taught pro and amateurs alike that megapixels aren't everything. A decent 12MP sensor is sufficient for most applications, but a high-quality 12MP camera can be pushed further than its pixels might suggest - even to the same ceiling as the EOS 1DS II.

The most revolutionary and unprecedented aspect of the D2X is its High Speed Cropped mode. This gives users the ability to switch from five frames per second shooting and 12.2-megapixels, to a smaller crop of 6.9-megapixels with a burst rate to match the D2H (8fps), even if the buffer's slightly reduced from that camera. The D2H can hold 50 full-quality JPEGs/40 RAW, while the D2X manages only 35 JPEGs/29 RAW. Bearing in mind that Canon's 8.5fps EOS 1D II hits just 40 JPEGs/20 RAW, this isn't too much of a handicap, and may well make the D2H redundant for those photographers who've got the cash.

Where the D2X loses out slightly in terms of resolution to the 1D II in High Speed Cropped, it makes gains with focal length multiplication. This becomes 2x rather than 1.5x, and should prevent the need for slower, bulkier lenses, or even the use of teleconverters (a 300mm lens becomes 600mm). No user, professional or otherwise, can baulk at the chance to get essentially two cameras in one - a high-res unit for portraits, landscapes, architecture and still life, as well as a lightning fast midres unit for sports, press, wildlife and action shots.