Comments on: New Nikon announcement on August 27th? (updated)

By: Renato

Renato — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 04:30:08 +0000

It would have to be F-mount, no way Nikon would introduce a new mount. The original S series had a different mount.

Canon, Contax, many other makers had RF, only Leica and Zeiss kept it going (there's still a Zeiss film RF being made).

Still think it'll be an EVIL, not optical RF system, and only after testing waters with a fixed lens line, which will sure be here soon, from many brands.

By: MarkDphotoguy

MarkDphotoguy — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 03:07:44 +0000

I’m not so sure about Nikon. There have been rumors of a prototype out there over the last year or so.
Nikon also has a strong interchangeable lens rangefinder lineage (unlike other companies) and Nikon is prone to doing things that other companies wouldn’t do.
I’m hopeful that the prototype makes it into manufacturing even as a limited production nostalgia unit, it would sell, Nikon knows such a thing would sell.
Fingers crossed.

By: Renato

Renato — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 02:10:03 +0000

I really doubt Nikon will introduce an OVF RF camera. In fact, neither will Oly or Panny. The way to go is to start with an APS-C compact with a good fixed lens, develop the AF and EVF systems along the way and then replace the entry level dslrs with an EVIL when AF/EVF systems get good enough. Later most dslrs will get replaced by EVILs, maybe only the very fast professional models will remain optical/mirror for much longer.

By: Renato

Renato — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 02:04:42 +0000

And it seems it's already in Circuit City's inventory, at 1,299USD with 18-105 VR kit lens:

http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/11/d90-outed-by-inventory-screen-at-1-300-asking-price/

By: Renato

Renato — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 02:01:43 +0000

Thom Hogan has said same thing:

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1034&message=28933299

By: MarkDphotoguy

MarkDphotoguy — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 00:57:36 +0000

Hopefully the M8 will have competition from Nikon when PMA 2009 rolls around next spring.

By: nobody

nobody — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 23:11:38 +0000

Nikon may well surprise us. I, too, would be most pleased. And I do think that there is a high-resolution full-frame FX body waiting in the wings. And it is certainly possible that both the N90, a high-res FX and a rangefinder (more likely, a high-end P&S based on the DX format sensor) could ALL be announced on the 27th. But all jeff-c said was that SOMETHING would be announced then — not what. As good a source as jeff-c is, we should not be putting words in his mouth.

By: Craig

Craig — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 22:59:27 +0000

A rangefinder camera is a compact camera, sometimes with interchangeable lenses, with a special viewfinder which allows for very fast and accurate manual focusing. Leica's M series is the best-known line of rangefinder cameras (the M8 being the only digital rangefinder in the Leica line so far).

Here is the wikipedia article on it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rangefinder_camera

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 22:43:48 +0000

It was some guy putting Jeff-C and rangefinder in one sentence. But that doesn’t mean that according to Jeff-C, there will be a digital rangefinder. The original wording of the text here on nikonrumors has been altered, so I don’t know what it said exactly, but at the time I posted the previous comment, it was suggesting Jeff-C said something he didn’t say.

By: Jimmy

Jimmy — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 22:21:02 +0000

This is going to sound stupid, but what is a rangefinder camera good for? (I don’t know what it is, so even less how it will make people make better pictures).

By: Craig

Craig — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 20:23:38 +0000

Good stuff. Thanks for updating. I know this is a rumour blog, so just about anything goes, but it’s good to keep things straight, IMO.

By: jyb

jyb — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 20:05:45 +0000

I’d realy be happy if a camera manufacturer like Nikon reaylly outcom a range finder camera. But, in my opinion, there is only few chance. Maybe an expert Point and Shoot with a range finder like body (as Canon did with G7 and G9) ?

By: Blog Admin

Blog Admin — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 19:34:25 +0000

fixed already

By: Blog Admin

Blog Admin — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 19:32:22 +0000

Did not make it up – read the second link on the post.

By: Blog Admin

Blog Admin — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 19:31:36 +0000

Second post talks about rangefinder. This is what we reported. Corrected already.

By: MarkDphotoguy

MarkDphotoguy — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 19:27:18 +0000

You are correct in that the D90 is waiting in the wings and is very very close but at the same time Thom Hogan was hinting that we could see from Nikon 3 more D-SLR’s before the end of the year. With Canon’s rumored announcement (most likely a 5D replacement) on the 26th it would be brilliant of Nikon to fire back the next day with an appropriate competing product.

By: nobody

nobody — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 18:44:16 +0000

PLEASE: Don't play games with jeff-c's rep!

jeff-c did NOT even mention that it would be FX. He has said in an earlier post in another thread that was about the D90 that he once his official invitation came, he was effectively under NDS and could say nothing.

Therefore, I interpret his "magic date" post to indicate an official Nikon announcement date of something important. The ONE thing we know is coming down the pike is the D90. Therefore, it is most probably the D90 announcement.

If the D3x were to be announced, I would have expected it to be announced in conjunction with the Olympics -- not the end of August. Nikon has used major sports events to showcase new flagships in the past.

By: MarkDphotoguy

MarkDphotoguy — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 18:10:57 +0000

If the range finder happens, I'll take two please.
Unfortunately its not going to happen except at a trade show like Photokina or PMA.
Nikon (and everyone for that matter) usually wait for the trade shows (actually a week or so before) to announce their bigger deal wow type gear. The rangefinder would be so HUGE in terms of press coverage it would be announced at a show most likely and available several months later.
If I were a betting man (and I am) I'd say that Canon is about to pull out their shinny new 5D MkII (or maybe 7D?) on August 26th and Nikon knows this and is planning to burst their bubble on the 27th with the D800.
The 5D replacement will probably be around 16Mp which may make some people, who believe that the number of pixels measures the quality of a camera, think that the D700 is inferior somehow. Then Nikon the next day come out with the 24Mp FX D800 and squashes the 5D replacement by being similarly priced and better featured plus higher Mp for those who care about such things (read pixel peepers and lazy nature photographers).

By: Allen George

Allen George — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 17:46:11 +0000

I’ve honestly no idea how you guys discerned that a digital rangefinder was to be announced on the 27th. Jeff-C says nothing of the sort. In fact, the only info he gives is the date: August 27. Moreover, the parent post was in reference to a new full-frame body.

Both the post title and content are misleading.

By: Craig

Craig — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 17:43:29 +0000

Please. There is no need to make jeff-c look bad by putting words in his mouth. All he has said right now is that there will be announcements made on the 27th and nothing else.

A rangefinder would be great, but I don’t believe jeff-c has said anything about such a camera.