Just got back from Lembeh Strait with my D2X

[ssra30]

fantastic shots!

the problem you mention with the flash is listed as the main con/shortfall of the D2X, and reviews have said that Nikon did it on the cheap and could have used the mechanical/electronic shutter from the D1 and D70 then it would have been the dogs whatsits.

Thanks for the compliment.
I am not sure if this is a real shortcoming for most D2X user or for that matter other dSLR user.
Sync speed is a bit iffy. Most dSLRs will sync with TTL flash to abou 1/250s, some faster, some less. D70 will sync to 1/500s but only has minimum ISO of 200 so basically the same as D2X at ISO 100, 1/250s.
I am not sure what percentage of people who use dSLR actually use manual strobes much (beside underwater photographers). Canon is no better and if I remember correctly Fuji S2 will only sync in TTL to 1/125s or something like that.
D70 has the advantage of using electronic shutter so with manual strobe, as long as not all 5 pins are connected, you can shoot at the camera fastest shutterspeed if you want.
For practical purpose, D2X will manual strobe will do 1/320s and 1/400s ok but definitely not 1/500s without the black bar.
If you shoot with SB800, Nikon found a way around the mechanical shutter thing and you can shoot at higher speed ( I don't understand exactly how but it has something to do with multiple flashes that will light up different parts of the sensor at slightly different time or some other mumbo jumbo-but it does work).
It just make underwater photography a bit more annoying especially when you want to use really big aparture for narrow depth of field or doing sunburst shot.