KR got a tip for a Nikon D3x sighting at the JC Penney (Mall of Louisiana in Baton Rouge). This is a joke, but I still called the portrait studio (yes, I am a sucker) and they had an interesting message on their voicemail - "we are now using a revolutionary new method of taking pictures with a handheld camera...blah blah" Call them up: 1-225-766-4410 and press option 7 - the person on the phone was able only to confirm that they are using Nikon and then she hang up on me before she could tell me the model number...lol
Related posts:
- A bunch of new patent applications from Nikon
- Nikon is being sued for alledgedly infringing four patents related to digital camera technology
- Continuous AF in video mode/live view patent (used in the upcoming Nikon D3100)
- Interesting Nikon patents (curved image sensor and more)
- New Nikon patents (US update)
23 Comments
wtf?
hahaha!
-peter
hm?
I really really liked your response, it cracked me up, nothing person.
-peter
thom hogan, go get some sleep, you’re getting cranky.
D400 seems too soon since the 300′s only a year old. However, w/ current tech, it wouldn’t be a stretch to see them throw in 1080 vid + a touch screen + GPS connector (I’m assuming it’d be too much to ask to have it built-in
). With the 50D and 5D mkII having just come out, it would give Nikon a nicely bracketed shot over Canon’s bow- one that they wouldn’t be able to answer for some time.
Since the rumor game seems to be turning into something everyone can play, here’s my plunge. Let’s see, based on previous tea-leaf readings, it has to be something: (a) “big”; (b) studio-oriented (since alleged previews are taking place in studio settings; and (c) that will “revolutionize shooting with a hand-held camera” (or whatever that J.C. Penney portrait studio person said.)
So, in addition to whatever camera line refreshes are due, I predict the big surprise thing will be…
… an AC-powered monolight system (with auxiliary battery option) that integrates with CLS.
Okay, actually it probably won’t. But it should. The reason I think that is that I spent last evening watching my new Nikon School DVD about the CLS system (excellent DVD, by the way) and it amused me the extent to which they had to mess around with a whole gaggle of battery packs, stands, booms, light modifiers, gaffer tape, Velcro, etc., to be able to light some of those shots with a flock of SB800s.
I couldn’t help thinking that just using two or three big AC units with enough power to light the whole setup would have been simpler AND more compact to haul AND probably cheaper (even if they had to rent a generator for the boat shoot.) The disadvantage would be that it wouldn’t have the convenience of CLS. Ergo, an AC-powered, CLS-compatible system.
It seems that a lot of people are using CLS strictly as an off-camera “portable studio” system anyway. So why not make a unit or two that’s actually DESIGNED for off-camera use, and doesn’t need a bunch of cheesy brackets and adapters to get it on an lightstand and attach a soft box to it?
Okay, that’s my rant. Now back to camera rumors…
Seriously, what could we REALLY use in a D300 replacement? Stuff they probably WON’T do….
1.) I could use un-clustered cross-type AF points. REALLY badly. 9 “support” points get the job done, but nothing works like a cross-type AF point! Come on Nikon, re-arrange the cross-type points more like Canon’s 45 point AF!!!
2.) I want more improved high ISO performance WAY more than I want a stinkin’ 16 megapixel APS-C… I am fully ready for DX to STOP at 12 megapixels. If i need more resolution, that’s what FX is for. 16 megapixels on DX is just too small of a pixel pitch. I bet it TRIPPLES the hand-hold-able shutter speed rule! People don’t think about these things, do they?
3.) There are TONS of minor changes we could use to the existing body design, before we start thinking about silly stuff such as touch-screen, video, etc. How about switching the grip rubber to something that doesn’t fall off every 6 months? How about any number of small functionality tweaks, like full auto-ISO access in the “my menu”, or better yet let the sub-command dial turn on auto-ISO via a custom function or something?
I have little faith that what the D400 will probably be can tempt me more than the D700 already does… In fact AF point re-arrangement is THE requirement for me to buy any camera OTHER than a 2nd D300 or D700… If they simply add HD video, more megapixels, and/or a bigger / touch LCD, I won’t even blink…
=Matt=
Agreed on the MP business. Problem is making sure the customers understand that the amt of MPs does not necessarily = Better. Nikon needs to talk to AMD. They had to deal w/ the Ghz issue in CPUs. Not sure they did a good job of separating from it, but at least they tried.
fully agree with Matt, we don’t need at all Nikon to follow Canon on megapixels war.
12 Mpx are enough for the great part of my works. Now we need better ISO performances on DX sensors, more AFS N lenses on FX…
… and, as Thom Hogan, used to say: we need f/4 f/4 f/4 f/4 f/4 zoom lenses.
Thom now says of the D400 rumour:
“As I’ve said elsewhere, I do not believe this rumor. Other than the Chinese forum on which this speculation first appeared, I have seen nor heard anything that would indicate such a model was imminent.”
Nikon is about to release 3 new large-sensor compact cameras. These can be used on their own, or used as digital backs in the new F7. I would have mentioned this earlier, but I didn’t think it was that interesting. Personally it pisses me off so I’m going back to film.
??? I say impossible. Where did you get your info?
Why would that be impossible?
Where do you get yours?
Nikon D400
MSRP $1,999.00
Key Features
New 14.8 megapixel DX format CMOS sensor effective 14.3 megapixel
Self-cleaning sensor unit (low-pass filter vibration)
ISO 100 – 6400 (with boost up to ISO 25600 and down to ISO 50)
14-bit A/D conversion
Movie capture at up to 1080p 24 fps with stereo sound
Nikon EXPEED Plus image processor 30% faster than previous EXPEED image processor
Super fast operation (power-up 13 ms, shutter lag 40 ms, black-out 90 ms)
Kevlar / carbon fibre composite shutter with 200,000 exposure durability
Multi-CAM3500DX Auto Focus sensor (51-point, 15 cross-type, more vertical coverage)
Auto-focus tracking by color (using information from 1005-pixel AE sensor)
Auto-focus calibration (fine-tuning) now available (fixed body or up to 20 separate lens settings)
Vignetting control in-camera
Automatic chromatic aberration correction
Custom image parameters now support brightness as well as contrast
Seven frames per second continuous shooting (nine frames per second with battery pack)
3.0″ 922,000 pixel LCD monitor
Live View with either phase detect (mirror up/down) or contrast-detect AF, face detection
‘Active D-Lighting’ (adjusts metering as well as applying D-Lighting curve)
Detailed ‘Control Panel’ type display on LCD monitor, changes color in darkness
Buttons sealed against moisture
Same ultra-fast startup and shutter lag as D700
Scene Recognition System (uses AE sensor, AF sensor)
Picture Control image parameter presets
UDMA compatible single CF card slot
Virtual horizon indicates if camera is level (like an aircraft cockpit display)
Extensive in-camera retouching
HDMI HD video output
Magnesium alloy body with connections and buttons sealed against moisture
?????????????????????
Is this a wish list or you have some inside info? Please let me know – I will keep your name private.
if this is a wish list, then the poster must be laughing….
I could post my own if Nikon is willing to listen to suggestions
I have a list of many features that would be nice to have implemented. Some of them inexpensive and easy to do, and some of them are really needed and demanded by Pros and serious amateurs (already checked them)…
One thing… 5D MarkII
I’m annoyed from waiting for Nikon to give me a something affordable in the FX sensors, better than my D300 in all specs. D700 = PFFF. I won’t wait another year and will regret my great 24-70
re: D400
Great IF true. When are we supposed to see hardware? PMA?
F7? I HAVE to be very skeptical about that! Not with film surely! Unless that is the “MX ” camera with +/- 40MP, which would kinda(or more than kinda)cannibalize D3X sales. But anyway, we shall see whether this stuff is real or bogus within the next 2-3 months. If so, Nikon must be optimistic that despite the lousy economy, enough serious amateurs will still want new high MP DSLRs.
I’m skeptical once again. Just like 2 weeks ago. I was proven wrong then when the D3X was announced the following week. Hopefully I’ll be proven wrong again before long.
One other thing? What’s the pixel pitch of the “D400″? How would it compare to Canon 50D which I hear has serious noise problems at high ISOs?
15.8 total 15.1 effective DX format sensor
ISO 6400 + Hi1 & Hi2
body similar to d700- d200 cross
Now in beta testing in Canada, Japan, and Germany. 550 units total.
720p24 video, with frame smoother.
CompactFlash Type I & II
Dust reduction.
15 AF points, autofocuses during video mode
A/V, HDMI, USB 2.0 jacks.
Battery same as in d700
dust/ weather sealing & 90% metal body.
Viewfinder 91% Coverage.
In body VR
Live View.
Tilt able in body flash
Live View
Expected Price- $1,899,99
Expected release- 01-may-09
Again, is this your own opinion?
Just as an FYI – I went by the local JC Penney Studio yesterday (minnesota) and guess what – They are shooting with the D3x. Rockwell may be a joker some of the time, but he appears to have been dead on on this one.
Dave
Thanks for sharing – this is why I report every rumor out there…
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