I received that tip anonymously several days ago. The name Nikon D300s is not really what we all expected, but everything makes sense (at least to me): same as the D300 plus HD movie mode, built-in mic and stereo audio input, dual SD and CF slots (differences are in red):
Nikon D300s
Type Single-lens reflex digital camera
Lens mount Nikon F mount (with AF coupling and AF contacts)
Effective picture angle Approx. 1.5 x conversion factor (Nikon DX format)Effective pixels
Effective pixels 12.3 millionImage sensor
Image sensor 23.6 x 15.8 mm CMOS sensor
Total pixels 13.1 million
Dust-reduction system Image Sensor Cleaning, Image Dust Off reference data (requires optional Capture NX 2 software)Storage
Image size (pixels) 4,288 x 2,848 [L], 3,216 x 2,136 [M], 2,144 x 1,424 [S]
File format NEF (RAW): 12 or 14 bit, lossless compressed, compressed, or uncompressed
TIFF (RGB)
JPEG: JPEG-Baseline compliant with fine (approx. 1:4), normal (approx. 1:8) or basic (approx. 1:16) compression (Size priority); Optimal quality compression available
NEF (RAW) + JPEG: Single photograph recorded in both NEF (RAW) and JPEG formats
Picture Control System Can be selected from Standard, Neutral, Vivid, Monochrome; storage for up to nine custom Picture Controls
Media Type I CompactFlash memory cards (UDMA compliant); SD memory cards, SDHC compliant
Dual card slots Either card can be used as the primary card; secondary card can be used for overflow or backup storage, or for separate storage of NEF (RAW) and JPEG images; images can be copied between cards
File system DCF (Design Rule for Camera File System) 2.0, DPOF (Digital Print Order Format), Exif 2.21 (Exchangeable Image File Format for Digital Still Cameras), PictBridgeViewfinder
Viewfinder Eye-level pentaprism single-lens reflex viewfinder
Frame coverage Approx. 100% horizontal and 100% vertical
Magnification Approx. 0.94 x (50mm f/1.4 lens at infinity; -1.0 m-1)
Eyepoint 19.5 mm (-1.0 m-1)
Diopter adjustment -2 to +1 m-1
Focusing screen Type B BriteView Clear Matte screen Mark II screen with AF area brackets (framing grid can be displayed)
Reflex mirror Quick return
Depth-of-field preview When depth-of-field preview button is pressed, lens aperture is stopped down to value selected by user (A and M modes) or by camera (P and S modes)
Lens aperture Instant return, electronically controlledLens
Compatible lenses DX NIKKOR: All functions supported
Type G or D AF NIKKOR: All functions supported (PC Micro-NIKKOR does not support some functions); IX NIKKOR lenses not supported
Other AF NIKKOR: All functions supported except 3D color matrix metering II; lenses for F3AF not supported
AI-P NIKKOR: All functions supported except 3D color matrix metering II
Non-CPU: Can be used in exposure modes A and M; color matrix metering and aperture value display supported if user provides lens data (AI lenses only)
Electronic rangefinder can be used if maximum aperture is f/5.6 or fasterShutter
Type Electronically-controlled vertical-travel focal-plane shutter
Speed 1/8,000 to 30 s in steps of 1/3, 1/2 or 1 EV, bulb, X250
Flash sync speed X = 1/250 s; synchronizes with shutter at 1/320 s or slower (flash range drops at speeds between 1/250 and 1/320 s)Release
Release mode S (single frame), CL (continuous low speed), CH (continuous high speed), Q (quiet shutter-release), mark (self-timer), MUP (mirror up)
Frame advance rate With Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL3e: Approx. 1 to 7 fps (CL), Approx. 7 fps (CH)
With optional Multi-Power Battery Pack MB-D10 and Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL4a: Approx. 1 to 7 (CL), Approx. 8 fps (CH)*
Self-timer Can be selected from 2, 5, 10 and 20 s durationExposure
Metering TTL exposure metering using 1,005-pixel RGB sensor
Metering method Matrix: 3D color matrix metering II (type G and D lenses); color matrix metering II (other CPU lenses); color matrix metering available with non-CPU lenses if user provides lens data
Center-weighted: Weight of 75% given to 8-mm circle in center of frame. Diameter of circle can be changed to 6, 10 or 13-mm, or weighting can be based on average of entire frame (fixed at 8 mm when non-CPU lens is used)
Spot: Meters 3-mm circle (about 2% of frame) centered on selected focus point (on center focus point when non-CPU lens is used)
Range (ISO 100 equivalent, f/1.4 lens, 20°C/68°F)
Matrix or center-weighted metering: 0-20 EV
Spot metering: 2-20 EV
Exposure meter coupling Combined CPU and AI
Exposure modes Programmed auto with flexible program (P); shutter-priority auto (S); aperture priority auto (A); manual (M)
Exposure compensation -5 to +5 EV in increments of 1/3, 1/2 or 1 EV
Exposure bracketing 2 to 9 frames in steps of 1/3, 1/2, 2/3 or 1 EV
Exposure lock Luminosity locked at detected value with AE-L/AF-L button
ISO sensitivity (Recommended Exposure Index)
ISO 200 to 3200 in steps of 1/3, 1/2 or 1 EV; can also be set to approx. 0.3, 0.5, 0.7 or 1 EV (ISO 100 equivalent) below ISO 200 or to approx. 0.3, 0.5, 0.7 or 1 EV (ISO 6400 equivalent) above ISO 3200
Active D-Lighting Can be selected from auto, extra high, high, normal, low or off
ADL bracketing 2 to 5 frames with strength levels varying according to number of frames chosen; for 2 frames, off and a chosen level are appliedFocus
Autofocus Nikon Multi-CAM 3500DX autofocus sensor module with TTL phase detection, fine-tuning, 51 focus points (including 15 cross-type sensors) and AF-assist illuminator (range approx. 0.5 to 3 m/1 ft. 8 in. to 9 ft. 10 in.)
Detection range -1 to +19 EV (ISO 100 equivalent, 20°C /68°F)
Lens servo Autofocus: Single-servo AF (S); continuous-servo AF (C); predictive focus tracking automatically activated according to subject status in single- and continuous-servo AF
Manual (M): Electronic rangefinder supported
Focus point Can be selected from 51 or 11 focus points
AF-area mode Single-point AF, dynamic-area AF, auto-area AF
Focus lock Focus can be locked by pressing shutter-release button halfway (Single-servo AF) or by pressing AE-L/AF-L buttonFlash
Built-in flash Manual pop-up with button release and a Guide Number of 17/56 (m/ft., ISO 200, 20 °C/68 °F; GN at ISO 100 equivalent is 12/39)
Flash control TTL: i-TTL balanced fill-flash and standard i-TTL flash for digital SLR using 1,005-pixel RGB sensor are available with built-in flash, Speedlight SB-900, SB-800, SB-600 or SB-400
Auto aperture: Available with Speedlight SB-900 or SB-800 and CPU lens
Non-TTL auto: Supported flash units include Speedlight SB-900, SB-800, SB-28, SB-27 and SB-22S
Range-priority manual: Available with Speedlight SB-900 and SB-800
Flash modes Front curtain sync, slow sync, rear-curtain sync, red-eye reduction, red-eye reduction with slow sync
Flash compensation -3 to +1 EV in increments of 1/3, 1/2 or 1 EV
Flash bracketing 2 to 9 frames in steps of 1/3, 1/2, 2/3 or 1 EV
Flash-ready indicator Lights when built-in flash or flash unit such as Speedlight SB-900, SB-800, SB-600, SB-400, SB-80DX, SB-28DX or SB-50DX is fully charged; blinks after flash is fired at full output
Accessory shoe ISO 518 hot-shoe with sync and data contacts and safety lock
Nikon Creative Lighting System (CLS)
Advanced Wireless Lighting supported with built-in flash, Speedlight SB-900, SB-800 or SU-800 as commander and SB-900, SB-800, SB-600 or SB-R200 as remotes; Auto FP High-Speed Sync and modeling illumination supported with all CLS-compatible flash units except SB-400; Flash Color Information Communication and FV lock supported with all CLS-compatible flash units
Sync terminal ISO 519 sync terminal with locking threadWhite balance
White balance Auto (TTL white-balance with main image sensor and 1,005-pixel RGB sensor), Incandescent, Fluorescent (7 options), Direct Sunlight, Flash, Cloudy, Shade, preset manual (able to store up to 5 values) and color temperature setting (2,500K to 10,000K); fine-tuning available for all options
White balance bracketing 2 to 9 frames in steps of 1, 2 or 3Live View
Modes Tripod, Hand-held,
Autofocus Tripod: Contrast-detect AF anywhere in frame
Hand-held: Phase-detection AF with 51 focus points (including 15 cross-type sensors)
Movie
Frame size (pixels) 1,280 x 720/24 fps, 640 x 424/24 fps, 320 x 216/24 fps
File format AVI
Compression format Motion-JPEG
Autofocus Contrast-detect AF on a desired point within a frame is possible (Tripod mode)
Audio Sound can be recorded via built-in or optional external microphone; sensitivity can be adjusted
Maximum length 5 min (1,280 x 720 pixels), 20 min (640 x 424, 320 x 216 pixels)Monitor
LCD monitor 3-in., approx. 920k-dot (VGA), low-temperature polysilicon TFT LCD with 170° viewing angle, approx. 100% frame coverage, and brightness adjustmentPlayback
Playback function Full-frame and thumbnail (4, 9 or 72 images) playback with playback zoom, movie playback, slide show, histogram display, highlights, auto image rotation, and image comment (up to 36 characters)Interface
USB Hi-Speed USB
Audio video output Can be selected from NTSC and PAL
HDMI output Type C HDMI connector; camera monitor turns off when HDMI cable is connected
Audio input Stereo mini-pin jack (3.5mm diameter)
10-pin remote terminal Can be used to connect optional remote control, GPS Unit GP-1 or GPS device compliant with NMEA0183 version 2.01 or 3.01 (requires optional GPS Cable MC-35 and cable with D-sub 9-pin connector)Supported languages
Supported languages Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, SwedishPower source
Battery One Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL3e
Battery pack Optional Multi-Power Battery Pack MB-D10 with one Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL3e, EN-EL4a/EN-EL4 or eight R6/AA-size alkaline, Ni-MH, lithium or nickel-manganese batteries; Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL4a/EN-EL4 and R6/AA-size batteries available separately; Battery Chamber Cover BL-3 (available separately) required when using Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL4a/EN-EL4
AC adapter AC Adapter EH-5a/EH-5 (available separately)Tripod socket
Tripod socket 1/4 in. (ISO 1222)Dimensions/Weight
Dimensions (W x H x D) Approx. 147 x 114 x 74 mm/5.8 x 4.5 x 2.9 in.
Weight Approx. 840 g/1 lb. 14 oz. without battery, memory card, body cap or monitor coverOperating environment
Temperature 0-40°C/32-104°F
Humidity Less than 85% (no condensation)Accessories
Supplied accessories (may differ by country or area)
Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL3e, Quick Charger MH-18a, Eyepiece Cap DK-5, Rubber Eyecup DK-23, USB Cable UC-E4, Audio Video Cable EG-D2, Camera Strap AN-DC4, LCD Monitor Cover BM-8, Body Cap BF-1A, Accessory Shoe Cover BS-1, Software Suite CD-ROM* With a battery other than Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL4a, the continuous shooting speed may be slower than 8 fps in continuous high speed mode.
NR rating system: 85%
Related posts:
228 Comments
please say it’s fake please
If movie mode is all they are adding, not worth it!!!
SD and CL speed aren’t bold
I didn’t notice those
The truth is in details.
Maybe in fact ‘bold’ isn’t clear enough to make the changes stand out. How about making that text red or something? I had trouble finding the changes at all.
And although this is definitely a good Nikon rumour as such, a D300s doesn’t thrill me much..
This :
“* With a battery other than Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL4a, the continuous shooting speed may be slower than 8 fps in continuous high speed mode.”
implies that 8FPS is possible with the standard battery. The D300 spec is 6FPS or 8FPS via EN-EL4(a) or external AC power.
SD & CF? Nah. Don’t buy it.
yep, FPS is different – what else did I miss?
oh – Sony also added SD cards in their last 3 DSLR models:
http://photorumors.com/2009/05/16/sony-official-announcement/
Stupid if true. Nikon seems to not understand that you just can’t slap HD on it cause it has LV. The technology needs to be there so they can avoid the masive jello cam and aliasing etc. Nikon could be a big hit, however reality is, it’s Canons game to win as it so far appears.. I would like to have hope for Nikon, however it’s hope I can put somewhere else…
Canon’s game to win? Do you mean in regards to dSLR video? Because, in my opinion, Nikon’s killing Canon overall (not to start a Nikon vs. Canon debate as both are good).
I suppose they have been or will be able to strongly enhance speed of reading out the CMOS chips. It’s only that so far there was no need. When introducing movie in the D90 they obviously missed to realize there was a limit. I don’t think they would introduce another camera with jello effect, especially not a pro cam like the D300s/D400.
Cheers,
Martin
It leaves more questions than it answers. EXPEED II processor? Improved image quality over the D90? If it is a true advance beyond what the specs show it may be worth it …. gotta wait for reviews and samples.
BTW .. frame rate says 7fps w/o the MB-D10 … 8fps w/ the MB-D10 …oooo… makes me want to spring for the grip.
Both the D300 and the D700 can already do 8 frames per second… Without the grip. But only for 9 frames. Great for hand held HDR (which I hate) in bracket “burst” mode. Set it in your menus…
And with Flash set to bracket but left shut then you can have 8fps without bracketing…
But dont update to the latest firware because they noticed and “fixed” the loophole to make us buy the battery grip/D3 etc…
You just have to set bracke burst to 3, 5 7 or 9 AND SET TO s (SINGLE SHOT) and hold the function button at any time to get 8fps.
My d300 has the latest firmware and it still does the 8fps trick. However I wanted the grip anyway so it was pointless for me.
Just abysmal if it’s true. Awful.
Same compression, no manual control, no 1080p, same jello.
Who would buy this thing?
I would get this, since most likely the higher ISO’s will be less noisy than the D300. Noise cleanup is getting better and better. 1080p video is over rated. Actually, I don’t care for video on a DSLR anyway. Besides, the cameras that have 1080p video are not the full 30fps or 24fps. Canon’s is 20fps, which makes their 1080p just a gimmick.
The Canon 5D MKii shoots 1080p at 30p and is rumored to be getting 24p as well. I think the D300s is aimed more at the 5D than the Canon consumer line that is the T1i.
I would get it, since it would fit in my current underwater housing (many times the cost of the camera itself) and would allow me to shoot video instead of hauling my other rig out with me. It would also leave me with a D300 backup body.
It’s not what I was hoping for (D400 or D800), but I’d still get it.
Seriously folks, do you think Nikon and Canon can keep up the pace with new bodies every 18-24 months. In my opinion, even adding HD Video to a dSLR is just grasping at straws. Camera and sensor technologies cannot progress based on engineering alone. At some point new materials need to be developed. This is the speciality of the basic sciences such as physics et.al. Things take time. Until then both Nikon and Canon will continue to add bells and whistles to their cameras without ever enhancing the quality of the image.
Take a breather, buy and enjoy one of the great cameras Nikon already makes and wait a few years until there really is something with buying.
Moore’s law is the ultimate dictator. Yes they can develop newer and better technology every 18 months. No, that doesn’t mean the sensor will get better, but maybe the processor will be faster. Maybe read/write times will improve. Maybe the onboard memory speed will get faster and bigger. Frankly, I think they should go look into some of the 2D graphics chips nVidia puts out. Put a big horsepower processor in the camera with a full Gig of DDR3 RAM, It would handle shooting raw continuously.
The nvidia chips are not designed for that kind of image manipulation, Cell is better for that. Nikon could definitely take advantage of SOI and some of the other technogies that have appeared relatively recently in the processor industry. That would allow them to shrink die size and speed up clock cycles without doing a complete redesign of the processor. We’re tearing our hair out these days trying to make processors faster, but memory keeps getting bigger and cheapr. So you are right on about the memory. I expect we’ll see a D3s or D4 with a monster buffer before we see it in the Dxxx range.
I would say the 2D portion of nVidia’s proc would work well. All you are doing is throwing an algo at an array of pixels. Anyway, what I don’t get is why memory isn’t self upgradable. Mounting memory is easy. I know they want control over it, but I want to be able to upgrade to 4 gigs if I want to. I don’t suppose it’s 64bit so that would be the biggest it could be.
Anyway, I see it as kind of like a laptop. Yeah a lot of things aren’t upgradable, but the memory should be completely self upgradable.
Memory in embedded devices (cameras, cell phones, microwaves, etc…) isn’t user-upgradable because is is generally surface-mount and soldered onto the circuit board. User-upgradability requires access points (since they’re not going to let you take apart your camera) and contacts, both of which add considerable size. Notice how laptop processors (generally) are not user-replaceable? They, too, are soldered onto the board to save space.
omg this sucks, i think im going canon!! *trick*
Quiet shutter release option is a nice addition too. I would assume it includes D90/D5000 sensor improvements over the original D300.
Looks like an update in the model to to keep up with the Jones and relevant in today’s feature rich environment so that they don’t lose potential D300 customers to Canon, but I’m not seeing it as an update that would send any current D300 users out to replace their current D300 with a D300s.
Exactly. Looks like a quiet improvement to even up the score w/ Canon, but otherwise not enough of a jump in tech to equate having the D400 name. Makes sense to me.
How does this even the score with Canon? 50D is direct competitor to D300 and offers 15.1MP at $1200. 50% more pixes for 2/3 the price?
My bad… 30% more pixels for 2/3 the price.
If you measure cameras by pixel you should be buying point and shoot. The 50D has 15 MP that provide insignificant resolution advantages (both by numbers and by tests, see DPreview raw comparison…), has a lesser viewfinder, lesser metering, vastly lesser AF, significantly lesser build and sealing, lesser frame rate, no built-in flash commander. Many of these things cost money to produce, all might (or might not) be worth money for you. The 50D is a fine camera, but the plain reason why it costs less is that it is an inferior camera. Which is, for example, the reason why a D60 costs less than a 50D. I would say that if you look at the 50D and D300 and don’t see the difference, you are looking at cameras that are not for you.
L.
You can have the megapixels. In fact, cut a few off the current total and the sensible people would probably not be alarmed.
I’d actually consider a large jump in MP a reason *not* to buy an “upgraded” camera. So for some of us, more megapixels is *not* cause for celebration.
I wasn’t hoping for a huge jump in MP, just a modest one. As it stands, and until I see some test results on high ISO for the D300s, the only significant difference for me between the D90 and D300s seems to be fps. Yes there are several other differences in build and bracketing and other features, but that is the only difference that is important to me. Not sure I can justify spending double the cost of the D90 to double my frame rate.
But I guess until Nikon actually announces a camera and it’s specs, I’m not going to worry about it.
Is it possible this rumor is just Nikon marketing research to see what kind of response they’d get to a D300s?
The dx0 mark for the D90 is 13th and the same for the D300 is 17th. Currently the D90 is $797.95 cheaper. The D300 is 2007 generation technology. The D90 is 2008 tech. This D300s is a marriage of already outdated imaging and 2008 video for more money than the 2008 imaging and 2008 video package. Technology improvement does not support this kind of product trend. I hope it is fake.
How do you know it won’t incorporate new processing tech to have better high ISO performance than the D90 and D5000?
D90 sensor is a development of D300 sensor and D300s sensor will be a development of D90 sensor. So it will have at least D90’s high iso performance and it will have gotten rid of the jello effect.
Very believable, but like many I am disappointed. Nikon has a history of releasing “s” versions of their cameras — the D2Xs and the D2Hs are the most memorable. They are essentially the same exact camera as before, but with a handful of bonus features and little fixes that make the newer model the final super version of this camera before Nikon moves on to their next model.
But it will be disappointing if there is no big D400 this year. If the D300s is true, a D400 is very unlikely.
Dual Slot Memory? Count me in once I upgrade from my trusted D80, either to this one or it’s probable FX sister (brother? cousin? whatever). An EyeFi SD-card would arrive with the same order.
The video could have an upgraded processing, too, that wouldn’t really show in the specs. Like getting rid of the “rolling shutter” issue.
If this is true, it would be a huge mistake for Nikon. Right now I can’t justify the added cost of a D300 over a D90. Frankly interface issues don’t bother me and the body quality is a mute point. I like a plastic body. Wait, what did I say. Yes I like a plastic body, It’s lighter and from my experience a little stronger. Yeah, they may add video mode, but that still doesn’t justify the expense over a D90.
I call it fake.
I really hope this is not true. Would be a huge mistake. Nikon is sleeping right now, they should be competing with the Mark II and A900.
Why? The grass is always greener on the other side. 5D2 and A900 users wish they had the AF, speed and high ISO performance of the D700 (yes the 5D2 is good but above 3200 the D700 leaves it in the dust).
Certainly doesn’t. The 5DII has remarkable high-ISO performance right through the range, especially given the disparity in resolution with the D700. After a little post-processing, the Canon maintains better fine detail as well.
opinions, opinions
I think its the one guys; they can’t get a D X higher than the D 700 ; I m a lil disapointed but we need to see what its really going to be ; I think that a D 700 still better than a 5 D Mrk II so I m juss waitin for that new dude to come out ;I m sure Its going to be great anyway!
…and then they re goin to work on that big fx full frame that will film and blow out that piece of old 3.9 s doooooh!! that Canon is goin to be a piece of crap in one year someone want bet???????????????????????
ahhhh…..ummmm……….WHAT?
You know nikon also do sniper view!!!! Canon doent lol!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It is definitely not true, i know the Author from Markt & Technik an he said that the Nikon D400 puplishing is comming in Summer 2009. These Specs are an fake.
He did not reply to my email and the publisher said that it was a mistake. Did he really tell you that?
Nice follow-up, NR Admin.
here is the link: http://nikonrumors.com/2009/05/08/the-end-of-nikon-d400-book-story.aspx
fake. not even nikon would be stupid enuf to release this paltry upgrade.
If and I say If this is true – I rather spend my money on a D700 than on a D300s.
The “D300s” Is not worth the money for those few upgrades – in my opinion anyway.
I hope so II !! cause I dont need a D 300 with a D 90 like video mode I got both!!!!!!!! and a D 700 s with video mode that will film full hd is more needed like I said before I think we re goin to have to wait the new sony that will film and ,I think will be the best slr since a long time!
Looks a little ho-hum to me.
Maybe I missed it when skimming through, but I really would have expected an upgrade in both sensor and Expeed Engine to make it more in line with the D90.
Looks like it is still a relatively low ISO performer. I’d Stick to the D90 if this was true.
Are you serious? Poor ISO performance? The ONLY DX camera that can match the D300 is the D90 (and D5000 by association). And it’s not like the difference between the two is noticeable–I bet you couldn’t tell the difference between a D90 and a D300 image both at 3200 ISO.
As everyone above me has said these features hardly justifies buying a 2,300 dollar SLR and yes I think they will charge that much I mean look at the D3x. From what I know the cross section of which the sensor is formatted on hasn’t changed the SRS system seems to be the same. I have to say shame on you Nikon I was looking for a reason to complement my D90, but knowing and hoping this is fake I call shenanigans .
If you only have the D 90 I can tell you that the D 300 is already 10 times at least better than the D 90 even without the video and high iso capacity, and a 51 AF points topp all Camera on the market anyway even the 1D mrk III so dont judge what you dont have cause the D 300 D 700 and D3 D3X are just the best camera that humans never made.
well I never claimed that the D90 was better I said to complement not to supplement and if Nikon where to come out with the D300s it’s not much of a upgrade considering the canon 50D has about 15 megapixels to the D300’s 12.1. honestly it’s all about what you prefer .If you like having more AF points then fine but there are a lot of people who compare by megapixels and don’t see the advantage of having a SLR camera with less megapixels and paying more for it.
…..and less Dynamic ,why people dont understand pixels,.??
I love Nikon but there is no question that the 1D Mark III has the best AF system on the market. Number of points means nothing–most D300/D700/D3 users put it in a group mode anyway. But the 1D3 is faster and more accurate than any of them… when it works.
I think you just discounted your own claim.
And have you used s D3 next to a 1dmkII or mkiii? I’d take the D3 over any 1D model any day.
So would I, because the D3 is better at high ISOs and is overall a much more flexible camera (FF > 1.3 crop). But if you’re talking sports the D3 is only second-best.
Come again? How is the d3 in any way inferior at sports? Again, is this something you’ve compared? The D3 tracks ridiculously fast in my experience and the 1dmkii lost the target too much for my liking. Say what you will, but 50 AF points does a better job, and the D2 and D3 series focus insanely fast with most of the glass you’d be using for sports.
If you want a good focus wrong ,all Canons shoot are almost unfoccus and you can get lower AF points If you want to choose it faster ,personally ,I use continuous AF with 51 pts ,for portrait no Canons can make as good portrait and please especially with 9 Af POINTS dohhhhhhhhhhhh!!
I guess its the necessary low production crisis times costs !!!!!
remember nikon just fired 1000 workers!!!!!!!!
Pretty lame update. Only thing new that sounds cool is the Dual SD & CF slot. HD on a DSLR I could care less about and would probably never use it. I would use a HD camcorder for real video recording if I wanted to.
Perhaps Nikon isn’t ready to introduce a D400 that is light & day different from the D300 the way the D300 was to the D200.
The 50D hasn’t really been eating up the D300’s market share so no pressure there, and I’d much rather see a D700 successor which could enable Nikon to sell the D700 at the D300’s current price level.
Agree wit yu!!! thats Nikon philosophy: givin the chance to new consumers to test the new technology of his brand one year later for cheaper;which, I think its better than the ;you can If you got lot o money lol!!!!
thats why I dont buy Canon and Apple they are fancy brand to me,that means non pro just expensive technology for cocky people ;peace I m out ttyl!!!!
Nikon lenses are a lot more expensive than Canon lenses…
I’m a pro and I would never be without my Mac.. Most pro photographers prefer Macs. Period.
I shoot with Canon at work (1D Mark II and 5D Mark II) and Nikons at home. My perference? Nikon.
“Eric” wrote:
“Most pro photographers prefer Macs. Period.”
How many pro photographer exactly are there in the world? And how many of them prefer Macs?
There are probably quite a few. Most of the ones I know use a mac. Most PC’s just aren’t reliable (based on experience). I have never had a stability issue with my mac.
What makes you pro? shooting weddings? P-L-E-A-S-E
earning 51% or more of your income through photography and being a self supporting indivdual. He’s right though. All the pro’s I know, be they Canon, Nikon, Mamiya, etc… (real people, not bloggers) all use macs
Wrong ,Im not talking about Graphist semi pros I m talkin about pro and scientifics ;is Canon doing microscopes????I think not!!Is Canon doing ,and where is the GPS ??????
@ Admin:
I knew you had secrets to tell!
I bought the D 90 and the D 300 at the same time almost with a 35 mm 1.8
+ 18 200 MM vr+ 70 300 vr plus remote and grips for the same price than a 5D mrk whatever;;;and one F4 barill look like lens.and I m lovin it!!!!!!some people just want to look cool,but dont comprehend that takin pictures needs at least 3 or 4 lens a 5 D is nothing if you dont have 3 lenses wich means more that 5000 dollars!!!!!
I don’t know if it’s fake or not, but I think most are looking at this from the wrong perspective. This is not “should I upgrade to this from a D300″. It’s “we have the capability to add incremental features, plus video, to a D300, so let’s do so for those who want the camera but haven’t purchased it yet.” If this added substantial new technology, it wouldn’t be a D300s, it would be a D400 or something else.
I don’t know how anyone can see this as a negative unless it removed features from the D300.
As to whether the release of such a model means the D400 won’t be coming out soon is anyone’s guess. Without the crashing economy, I wasn’t expecting the D400 before October 2009. With the bad economy, I could see it deferred until 2010, but that depends upon whether Nikon’s strategy is to defer investment or the opposite: to move up new models to generate cash flow.
I think we’re becoming a bit spoiled and impatient when it comes to new models. The Nikon F original model was in the market for 14 years: from June 1959 to September 1973.
The D70 was released in March 2004. The D70s was released in April 05. The D80 was released in September 06. The D90 was released in September 08. Based on that, it’s possible the D300s is imminent and the D400 is end of year, but as the market is still changing, anything is possible.
totally agree.
If Nikon release a D300s there’s no way a D400 is coming this year and I can’t believe anyone thinks otherwise.
As for this spec, what more are people expecting? The AF, speed, build and basic spec are all solidon the D300 with nowhere to really go at the moment. Video is needed for marketing purposes as we’re now seeing the market perception of video-less bodies being ‘old’, despite the fact most people realise the idea of Dslr video isgreater than the actuality.
Other than these tweaks, what else do people feel the D300 needs?
proof: who was expectin the D 700 it came out like that!!
they are finishing DX you didnt know??
it will be the last one!!!!!!!!!!!!!
would you stop triple or 4x chained replies to your own stuff. Learn how to use the enter key to start a new line.
Change your name into fony it ll be cool Nikon haters you are afraid of nikon s new releases are you????
I agree. This is what I want. The D300 with movie mode and SD to use the 8GB cards I already have from my D40. Better programmability to experiment with. If I can afford it, this is the body for me.
One of the only sensible people around here. Don’t see what ev’one else is crying about. Guess they’re all looking for 15fps & 100MP for $50 all in a cute little bow-tied package.
What is it about the D300 that doesn’t cut it right now? Are any of the people complaining about the D300s pushing the limits of a D300 right now? Are these people complaining so up against the wall by the D300’s limitations that they cannot possibly wait for a better machine? If so, then perhaps it’s time for them to step up into the D700 world. Or shut up. Either or, but definitely the latter preferably.
That amount of whining crybabies in here absolutely ASTOUNDS me.
Xpeed needs to improve so 14-bit shooting doesn’t slow to 2fp. I’d be VERY surprised if that wasn’t fixed, especially since even the Rebel XSi does better.
It has nothing to do with expeed. It is the sensor readout system using on-board per line ADC. Apart from the etail that I have still to see any number telling me these sensors benefit from 14 bit… but basically, unless they changed the sensor, the 14 bit slowdown will be there.
L.
look at the 16 bit leica M8 its 2 fps the 5 D Mrk II is 3.9 The D 3 X is 5 , What you re askin fo is impossible yet sowwy ;we ll have to wait like all serious people and serious camera makers!
the important thing for nikon ,I guess ,is to keep the reactivity and speed of the cameras they make, thats what I ask to a camera also , So stop tryin to reach the stars with a boat please!!
pixels and bits are secondary ,thanks nikon they understand pros!!!!!!!!!!!!
come’on nikon. even panasonic now offers 1080p using h264. what’s with the POS codec from the 90s on a pro-enthusiast level body.
well I also have 2 panasonics they are good for evrything exept for real pictures treck and adventure but they are very good cameras and they are making very good moovies ;the F Z >50 is filming with AF unlimited time in XVGA 16 9 since 3 Years they all copy that from them even CANON.
And guys lesson well the next SONY and NIKON will be the best ever made !!!!
ps:the Nikon video mode is the best you can ask for a APSC yet possible :
25 Images / second
Dynamic untopped because of the size of photosites……………thank you!!
I agree it is the best at something:
making every texture look soft and washed out. Unlike the crisp sharp output of the 5DMII / 500D. All that wonderful sensor data gets scrambled into a soft lackluster sub-standard quality video.
colors are realistic !!!!and if you want a more contrast or colors change the settings If you CAN LLLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
why 720p that’s HD lite… Everybody that will buy a camera for video wants 1080p.
Indeed. while 720p is a nice option, the last time I saw a display that could display 1080i/p was back in the days when HD was considered a novelty. welcome to 2005 nikon!
It makes complete sense to me. There will probably be a 1/3 to 1/2 stop improvement in high ISO noise. I really do not think Nikon would release a D300 successor with more MP than the D3/D700 while those are current models (unlike Canon).
yep!
Talking about Canon – you guys noticed the new manual exposure control for the video of Canon 5D Mark II:
http://photorumors.com/2009/05/26/canon-5d-mark-ii-manual-exposure-control-for-video/
I saw that. canon really is taking it seriously. I’m surprised the didn’t include 24fps (yet). in the mean time, nikon is stuck doing idiotic 5 minute time limits with poor decade old codecs in 720p resolution nobody cares since like 5 years ago. As much as I dislike it, nikon was first, canon did it right.
just wrong,the Dynamic is poor like a VGA CAMERA the lumix GH1 will blow it away in 1 month!
and sell like…10 copies. while canon takes the rest of the market by storm….unless nikon wakes up and fixes their poor approach to this new dimension on cameras..
Before the 5 D mrk II Canon wasnt salin much;they had their year ;next year is Nikons sowwwy!!!
yup it made me laugh!!!!! Its already the second upgrade they should finish theyre Camera before sallin it lolllllllll!!!!!!!!!!!!!! no dissin ADMIN you doin a real great job keep on !!
….and did you guy noticed ;that the nikon video mode is a spy mode !!you can film in one moove in live view mode,without turning a wheel on top.Its so great in studio when a model is undressin or changing pause!!!!!!!
Nikon is really thinking about pro shooters and pictures lovers,I would never trade it for Lumix or other video toys in studio , the stollen moments are too precious ; in photos and videos; it should be this way on all pros camera!!
your guys are undressin your wifes or what lolzz!!!
Its also very usefull for undercover reports !!
Nikon is just so pro!!
ditto kkkkk! PLEASE! PLEASE! PLEASE!!! PLEASE SAT THAT THIS IS FAKE! If this is real, NEVER WORTH THE WAIT!
wait a lil more, trust mee!!!!
If I want quality I just buy a Cinemascope* camera !!!
…or a canon
canon is not pro in Fim makin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!SONY and PANASONIC are ;;;bye!!
not for long….
Dual slot is certainly a good thing for a pro camera and the D300 is still a good camera in 2009. I don’t quite know what kind of features people are expecting in a D400. There will hardly be AF improvements, the D300 viewfinder is great, its LCD is good enough, it has lots of FPS so a D400 can only differ in the sensor… something which I doubt has already changed so much.
A moderately priced D300s would be great. If its high priced that would be a bummer, but they probably can’t go too close to the D700 anyway.
you wright!
hum hum and the 100 % view is kind o cool 2 !
If Nikon still doing this……….
Look like they will lose the market.
Other brand have reach unless 15MP on their entry level.
D300s is consider DX high end camera. How come still stick will this type of sensor.
I hope Nikon can launch atleast 15MP not 12MP.
MP is not something DX people are going to get much benefit from in an already crammed hopeless sensor size. They should instead concentrate on noise levels and range. maybe 14mp would be a nice final upgrade, but that’s it.
for Nikon Dynamic is a must, for pro shooters 2.Thats why they don’t go higher ,all tests say that the new 500 D is bad for that ;and the 20 imgs ,by the way 10 or 5 min is about the same ,did you ever seen a moovie with scene of 30 min it would be a 3 scene moovie or a one scene documentary so stop talkin about things like pixels and times because It doesnt mean anything.
haha..and everyone already sold his/hers d300 for $900 just to buy d300s at $2000 msrp with video recording which may / may not be needed…
Uh, if someone has a D900 for sale for $900, I’ll take it.
haha..sometimes you can find on ebay at $900for just body, charger, and battery with 5k shutter count..but gotta act fast..
If this is true, it sounds like Nikon was not within the target of a fall 2009 release for the D400 and now needs to rush an update to market to compete with the upcoming Canon’s 60D. They would also need to do the same with the D700 to compete with the 5D Mk11. Nikon can’t sit on their hands and let Canon release these products and not compete head to head with them immediately. So, time is of the essence.
If it has dual card slots, that sounds like they may be releasing what would be ready for a D400 release ahead of schedule but leaving the new features that aren’t ready off the table (sensor; processor).
But, 720p???? you can’t be serious. That would be lame. Means that they don’t have a new processor ready to go. Why not just put in two of the current processors and work with that. If they don’t release 1080p they’ll get nailed in reviews, especially if there are no real picture IQ improvements. I would just buy a 5000D and wait it out a couple of years.
Canon, on the other hand, is moving hard and fast on this. They realize that video sells dslrs and with the economy the way it is right now, the name of the game is simply holding on to your market share and riding out the storm. I can’t wait until this whole video thing settles down in a couple of years and they can get back to the real meat and potatoes: taking great pictures.
Nice going, NR Admin. By the way, we need to come up with a better name for you.
Why don’t you pick some new names for yourself, solicit suggestions from others and then run a poll. 
Wrong Canon is stucked with the APSc also ,see the 20 imgs and mono;the only point you have is that the new 50 D or succesor will be probably great and for sure greater than the 5 D ;Im probably goin to get it as an Urban shooter !!!!because I also like Canon when they are not makin to much money out of existing technology they still from others.
I like my name
WTFFFFF? so is this what I’ve been waiting for for half a year after the release of 5D mark II ?! Not even 1080p?! If this piece of equipment sells more than 1.5k, I’ll either switch to Canon or just stick with my D90, which does the same thing, just $600 cheaper in a crappier housing.
No ; D 300s would be under level off course waitt the next FX in September maybe or >November better!You think that sony is not preparing a magic sensor that film like Pros sony film Camera;you wrong .Wait mister and you will have a Camera that will last 5 years at least before any brand on the market topped it. the Canon s are “obsolette” in 3 month that means 1 year for 3000 + bucks its robery exept if you re a real pro and you dont pay Cameras!!
D 90 is better than the 5 D men did you ever try to shoot with a 5 D looks like an Antiks lol!!!
My only choice is the 1 D or the 50 d last year!!!but its out of pros demand now exept for paparazzi and studios , you dont shoot batts or birds flying with the 5D and don:t tell me that you seen one on a F1 race;thank you.
…or in the public !!
…or in the bag !!! for After the Race .
And for studios at the same price ;you got a midle format like haselblad or leaf or Mamya ;and soon in september,I hope Leica S2 35 mpx!!!!!! new pentax also not the K7 the midle format etc…its the begining of a new generation guys its goin to be great!!!! trust me!!!
used off course!!! but still better for the use!!
no sign of improvement over the Liveview.. disappointed.
I agree with that that s why I have a Lumix 2 for macro shooting in grass or eazy spy shots!!!
Live view is a trick its so difficult to get a good one , for me the first between Nikon and Canon that will get a really good live view,better than the D 5000 please,will be the Champ!!
Someone delete Nik oN’s posts already. He’s a troll with poor grammar and nothing to contribute.
And you are the Ghost of Cartier bresson ,If you know him lol!!
Yes, I just deleted 3 posts. This is first strike Nik oN – two more and you are out. No reason for offensive language here.
OK ;but I think before my F word some people came to diss the best brand in the world and try to say that I m a trooll §§I m an Elf and I speak 4 languages so ,and If you dont like what I m sayin I m leavin myself!!!
Yeah eh!
Maybe the next E3, but I hope they get out of the 4_3 for a next pro SLR cause like APSC its gettin smaller and smaller and its not good Nikon is the only Brand that is Honest with that point instead of leting people dream with numbers!!!!
No way Nikon is going to humiliate themselves with 720p HD. If they do that, Canon will win over a lot of shooters.
I won’t trust it, CF and SD is not the same, and nikon will not make their D3/D3x have no market, although many things that I don’t trust really have =.=
i vote fake for this one because –
1) 20 minutes movie isn’t possible because that’s like doing a 20 minutes exposure = sensor gets hot = noisy movies
2) no difference in body measurements when adding SD card
3) no room for SD card on the side because that’s where the battery is
4) 7 FPS without additional power isn’t possible (do we know any DSLR’s without built-in grip or battery pack attachment that can do 7 FPS? nope)
5) improved noise performance? my ass, i can work with ISO 3200 and 6400 and still make great print enlargements with nice and realistic grain… noise performance is what everybody is after and 98% of “everybody” never make prints… just for flickr and pixelpeeling
Well, the D300 + D700 can do roughly 7-8 FPS without the grip
damn right!!!
Interesting how 27 readers don’t want me to post this again – this is the best rumor I got this month…
I think so 2!!
You may be encountering the issue of people voting it down not because they think it is incorrect, but because they do not like the content of the post and what it means. Just because one does not like something does not make it untrue.
is it democratic ??
I m sure people like ,polemics about cameras wars thats why this posts are so popular!! I think.
This is a great rumor. I may not like what it says, but you are correct it is one of the better rumors lately.
Keep them coming!
I think Canonist start to understand lol!!!
exactly what I would not consider to buy. Expected much more!!!!!!!!
why people always want enemys instead of friends? go out and shoot ,you re wasting your eyes bubye!!ful;ls!!!
Way to phone it in, Nikon…
Apparently (if this is true) they have decided to drop out of the race, no sensor update, lame HD video, no swivel screen, no wow! feature updates…
“the wow “is not Nikon philosophy , gettin new products without loosing any features in their cameras, that the Nikon philosophy, that means that no way Nikon is going to come out with a SLR, even in midle range,that looses some reactivity or speed that what pros are askin for ,why havin 24 mpx and video capabilitys with a lost of quickness and capabilities. It willl topp any 500 D or 50 D succesor because of that, you can not denied that!!!!!!wait the next FX again to compare with the 5 D that is so slow and expensive ;I love nikon for that and will always do!
Doesn’t sound vey likely to me – it would be a very incremental improvement only.
Hi,
I like these specs. I always prefer updated versions of cameras. Now, if Nikon comes up with the AFS 300/f4 VR or AFS 80-400/VR, i’ll be very happy.
you dont like the 300 mm vr f 2.8 ????
Yes, i do, but i’m looking for a lighter walk-a-round lens
70 -300 vr 3,5/ 5,6
Having a D300 already, I’m not that interested in a D300s, unless it has a noticable improvement in IQ and/or high ISO functionality over the current D300. What I am mostly hoping for are new lenses that may appear at the same time as the D300s. the two you name are high on my list!
If it is true I will not need one. In a way I hope it is true so I can skip a generation. I currently own a D300 and have no interest in video. I would like to have dual memory card ability, but I do not really have to have that.
I will try and wait for the next generation and hope it is a full frame at a reasonable price. I can hope anyway.
Ahh one intelligent guy, why buyin a high level DX when FX is going to replace it in 2 or 3 years ;they re finishing this sensor guys!!!!!!!!!!
Why not just call it the Nikon D301? I don’t like the “S” nomenclature. Confuses people when your typing about more than one D300, not a single D300s. If true then I like the dual memory slots but just a D300 with movie mode doesn’t convince me. Looks like my poor D70 will have to keep working for another year and a half. 150,000 shutter clicks here I come!
You prefer a D70 over a D300? You’re missing out.
dislike and do not post again is 2 different things …
I dislike the news (coz I was expecting something better)
don’t post again … why would u even have this option since its a rumor website and anything (that u think is possible) is valid
We had a long discussion on this topic – I just want to get a general feedback on the quality of the posts, this is why I combined “like” with “post again”. If the button is labeled only “like”, readers may grade the actual news/rumor and not the helpfulness of the post.
fair enf will ‘like’ all of thm now : )
Its not like u have 100 posts per day traffic and some of it is really cr/\p
keep it up
The post corresponds to the kind of info that should appear in your site. Congrats! Don’t worry too much about the negative feedbacks. There is always some background/noise in a poll and you can estimate it from the negative feedbacks to this and similar posts. For the rest, D300s follows the Nikon trend… well, well, well.. It was a refurbished D300 after all!!! A pity.
I think this is fake. Reason being, the D90 has a different sensor to the D300; it has video readout, anti-dust, slightly smaller viewfinder coverage. So I would have expected changes in viewfinder coverage, and mention of dust removal feature.
Changing sensor in the D300 while keeping the resolution the same, would mean using the D90 sensor (which might make sense and help trim costs) but, if going to the effort and expense of doing that, I would have expected more of a change. Something that improves visual quality as well as adding video. In other words, something that gives existing D300 owners some reason to upgrade.
Please for the love of everything sacred don’t let this be it.
This just smells of a marketing decision. That or they are having difficulty overcoming some issues with a higher MP sensor. Perhaps they just can’t squeeze the noise out of the higher ISOs on the Sony 14.2 MP sensor like they did on the D300 and D90. So, they make a few minor changes to the body of the D300, close down the production line, do a little retooling and voila!, new camera!
A lot of folks who were on the fence between the D90 and what follows the D300 have just opted for the D90.
And by marketing decision, I mean someone in marketing says, “oh wait, if we announce the D400 now, we won’t have anything for the beginning of next year. So lets do the D300s thing to milk money out of them now and then the D400 later to milk even more money out of them.”
Meanwhile, Canon and Sony have won the MP race and Nikon can only hang it’s hat on high ISO performance.
heeuuuu!!Do you know there is the D3X ,it is the first Reflex to goes 24 mpx after Sony Canon is third sorry!!
Correct, I should have added that I was talking about the $1k to $2k market segment. Touting Nikon’s $8k D3X for MP, while technically true, is like the Russian Tourism board highlighting trips to the International Space Station as a unique destination you might want to try. Sure they offer it, but both are prohibitively expensive for those of us who are considering the follow-on to the D300 as their next purchase.
Well, as a Canon shooter I was really disappointed with the 50D, precisely because of the too high MP count, which made it worse than the 40D in high ISO and DR respect. The only real reason to upgrade from the 40D for me would be micro-lens AF adjustment. If they offered a 40Ds, adding just that feature (OK, maybe also the new LCD screen), I am sure that Canon could sell such a camera for more (and many more units) than the current 50D. So I would not blame at all Nikon for staying in the 12 MP zone, and would hope that they improve DR and high-ISO performance. That would hopefully make Canon re-think their own strategy and I would benefit from that
We need to post your comments at the top so all of the MP freaks can (hopefully) absorb some of your words.
This is the final straw for me, canon here I come!
are you plainin havin one or 2 lenses lol,lol lol lol lol lol ;and you are changing evry 6 month your camera you must be really rich or really dumb!!!!
Good bye! Just means more lenses for us
It does make sense to me for Nikon to release a D300s especially to keep R&D cost low.
14bit vs 12bit without dropping fps – Their D700 already does that.
Maybe include a larger buffer.
How about a even bigger viewfinder(or with higher magnification).
Give us 6 more cross type AF points – probably not
More touch up options just like D90
Video mode
Maybe Expeed 2 for better noise.
and hopefully they provide a firmware upgrade for current D300 for a way to quickly turn AUTO ISO on/off.
If this is it, I’m really DISSAPOINTED!!. I wouldn’t even upgrade from a D200 for this marginal “improvement”, let alone a D300. Guess I’ll wait a little longer or just get the D700…
Thats what I m going to do the D 700 just make love to any Canon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This spec makes sense for the D300s. You guys expect too much from the already outstanding Nikon D300 camera.
The dual card slots is an excellent feature that has many useful applications.
The image quality, the new EXPEED, etc. should show an even better handling of image quality and usage.
The improvements added (video especially) will attract many new buyers. The new Pentax K7 shows that if Nikon would avoid adding video, they would lose many sales to competitors.
Nikon should surely put on their best models (D300, D700, D3, even D3X) at least the following: 720p and 1080p at different frame rates: 24 fps, 30 fps and 60 fps.
On the other lower models, they should put 720p at at least two different frame rates: 24 fps and 30 fps.
So, I say to those who complain, stop complaining when Nikon improves an already outstanding camera!!!
Hoping to see many improvements of this kind coming for the D700 update.
All hail the sensible ones! Glad to see there are a few out there.
Someone sure spent a lot of time and effort typing the description/specs on the RUMORS page for there not to be some validity to it.
folks, Nikon would never allow a DX camera to be better than their top-of-line FX sensor cameras (D700 and D3 at 12 something MP’s). They want you to migrate to FX if you’re a pro or enthusiast. In my opinion, it makes sense but leaves me discouraged. Will keep my D90 and go for Leica S2 or a Hassi (same price tag as D3x). Farewell Nikon, but will still love my Bentley F4 and buy some Zeiss lenses for it.
I say the D300s is just like how Nikon has been branding their other models.
Seriously in spite of the megapixels, not everyone prints their photos in this big file size. But nevertheless if this is really is true, the part where they have SD card slots is really cool for those upgrading from D40(x)/D60 to a D300s
Sounds very plausible to me, because this is the only explanation, why sweden does not sell the D300 any more. If a D400 would be announced with a bunch of totally new features there would be no reason not to sell the D300 for a couple of month in parallel!
Ok, that leaves one question and that is when will it be announced????.
This rumor is BS.
1. If it was true, “x” would be a more likely the “s”.
2. 7fps… sounds a lot… Not sure Nikon will have this feature to compete with the D700 (and yes I know the D700 is full frame), and plus I would think Nikon would like to sell more of the ultra extensive MBD10, so adding this feature will reduce sales of teh grip.
3. In my opinion, this could be a very smart move for Nikon, if it is true… and could be Nikon is buying time to finalise or spend more time developing the super-D400, until the recession is over… So, far most of the existing technology is available, and adding just a video feature to keep most customers happy, sounds very logical. And they have done this in the past, by releasing an inbetween nmodel, so why not this time… considering that sales slowed down and revising a semi-upgrade, will help it get the ball rolling again…
T
At first It thought … rubbish!.
But .. this would explain the drying up of the D300 supplies.
It does sound like what Nikon would do.
and sigh … bad news for us guys waiting for D400. oh well .. I get to save up a little longer .. or spend on some nice glass..
see this old post: http://nikonrumors.com/2008/12/10/nikon-d400-specs.aspx
seems to me much more likely specs. and having read all these threads/rumors/comments about a future D400, i think nikon needs this camera and not a D300plus (whatsoever). if they are going to launch this D300s, they would become completely crazy. new business needs innovation, not 2005’s tech plus a poorly designed gimmick.
I think this is a smart move for nikon, it’s a subtle upgrade, this will drop prices of the D300 (in the used market), and it could, like the D90 did, offer a subtle revision to the sensor so that we have better higher ISO performance. . . .the dual slots are a plus as well, and if they sell it for $1699 and drop the price of the D300 to $1299, this will be AWESOME!!
I agree. I would buy this camera (I’m a D300 user now and I would like a second body).
I might consider buying this one since I always LOVED the D300, but when the video feature came out I was interested in that too only as a spur-of-the-moment ability for the camera when stills don’t do it justice. I still would probably buy the D90 over this, though as an upgrade over D40. If you are only a hobbyist, this D300s is more than you would ever need, especially if the video function isn’t any better. I don’t think most professionals would care about the video add-on. If I had the choice, and I was doing it only for professional work, I’d probably stick with the D300 only. This might not be a big seller. I’m sort of disappointed. Are you sure they won’t still be releasing a D400 (or some other name) sometime in the future?
This is bullocks.
If the D300s is priced to fit into the D200 slot in the line up and a D400 comes in to fill the space of the current D300, it sounds good.
If this turn out to be true and we will see d300s I will be really happy. Why? Because it will probably come with some sensor improvements,
they will probably correct all the little problems with AF and some other stuff spotted over the last 1.5 carrier of d300. On top of that there will me
a movie option which I think is a good thing for people who will use their d300s to document their travels ( like me ).
I would be more the happy to buy it…. BUT unfortunately I’m a bit worried that they will come up with a stupid price ( more then d300
less then d700 – instead of selling out d300 and putting its price tag onto d300s ).
Besides why do you complain. D70s came out to substitute D70 – Was it a major improvement? NO! But I was a bit better then D70 – a already quite good camera at that time. People welcomed the upgrade with a big smile on their face.
I think all of you should chill out a bit. This tech-rush is not making our pictures better!
one more thing – PLEASE NIKON don’t put more then 12 MPX in a DX camera – PLEAAAASE – I will consider giving a foot massage to all the managers for that!
NR Admin, how did you determine the 65% rating? How was that determined?
not 65% -> 85% – based on a special, secret, patented formula
Actually I am ready to raise the rating. This will be it folks! Now, I will not be surprised if Nikon pulls the same trick with the D700 and we see a D700s this year… or maybe together with the D300s? Anyway I started receiving some unconfirmed tips about a possible release in June (for the D300s).
This is awesome actually! I am a photojournalist who also shoots video for a lot of my stories. Currently, I shoot with a 24-70mm Nikkor on my D300 and a 70-200mm Nikkor on my D200. I have been looking to replace the D200 with the D400 and was hoping for video capability that would supplement my Panasonic HMC-150 when I opt for decreased DOF for artistic effect. The HMC-150 would be used for all interviews which run longer than 20 minutes often, using the D400 for dramatic b-roll. I was not, however, looking forward to a D400 with 14-16 megapixels which would reduce high ISO performance and increase processing time in Capture NX2. You don’t get a free lunch with megapixels and newspaper/Web photojournalists don’t need that many megapixels. Keeping the D300s at 12 megapixels would be great. 720P is also great as that is normally what I shoot in my HMC150 as it is easier to scale for web playback, which is what I need. The dual card facility would be a boon, allowing me to use the Class 6 16GB SDHC cards I use with my HMC150.
If I were king for a day, Nikon would make a D300H, using an 8 megapixel sensor shooting at 9 fps with a 720 30/24p facility. With 8 micron pixel sites, this would be THE tool for photojournalists who need to shoot video, with high ISO performance comparable to a D3/D700 while having that nice crop factor that gives my 70-200mm a deeper reach.
Is this guy up here for real, or is this Nikon viral advertising?
I am for real. I am a photojournalist in Alaska who doesn’t buy the marketing hype of Sony and Canon who tells us they need to perpetually cram more pixels on a finite sized chip.
The fact of the matter is, I love my D300, hate my D200, and want a replacement for the D200 that a. doesn’t lose low-light sensitivity over the D300 and b. doesn’t take up more room on my CF cards or require longer times to process in Capture NX2.
If Nikon comes out with a Nikon D400 with 16-18 megapixels, count me out, NIkon would be no different than the rest of the marketing driven companies. I would buy another D300 before they are sold out.
I drive a Subaru because I like Subaru.
I use a Mac because I like Macs.
I shoot Nikon because I like Nikon.
It’s not rocket science.
you need to mark the Q (quiet shutter-release) as red also. That is a new feature for the D300.
The Auto setting for D-Lighting is also new for the D300 (D90 already had it).
does anyone else hat Nik On for spamming in a 3 year old voice with heavily opinionated and not well substantiated crap?
When will they announce it?. At the Australian PMA next month?. If they do, i hope they also announce the AFS 300/f4 VR.
I strongly hope for Nikon that this is fake because it is not going to work. People won’t upgrade and a lot who were waiting for a real D400 for its video feature might just switch over to canon and get their hands on that so appealing and cheap 5d mk2.
Calling it D300s might be a good idea thought.
Just had another thought … We all know that Fuji is pressuring Nikon for a body for their new Sx Pro dslr. The new D300s Body with their EXR sensor would make an excellent wedding photographers kit with the security of the 2 CF/SD memory cards!
Yeah it would be nice. But in reading about the EXR Sensor, it basically splits the pixel in half to take High Dynamic/High ISO pictures in those Modes. Its the same as the previous Super CCD but all the pixels are the same size and the color array different. It would have its normal mode for say 12mp but to switch to High Dynamic or High ISO Low Noise it would be 6mp. So the EXR Pro Camera should be at least Full Frame with 20.2mp to have a 10.1mp High Dynamic/ISO range. And it would be outstanding picture quality that should surpass any DSLR in those ranges.
Would this mean the D400 will be out next year by June? And with the D4 or D800?? Nikon is some what lagging behind if they come out with the D300s instead of D400. 1 year an 11 months from the D300. Isn’t the D300 on a 2 year product cycle or 3? If it is 3 then it would make sense, but whatever just go out and shoot!!!!!
Hi ! When could we buy it ?
I’m sooooo disappointed…. after a 2 year wait this is what they’re giving?? And to know that there will be no update to D700 really pissed me off – as per admin’s post.
As an owner of a D300 for 1 and half a year plus, I’ve been looking forward to a DX update or an FX with higher resolution which is “more affordable” like those offered by Sony A-900 & Canon 5D mk-2. But Nikon is really going off the track now..
Yes for two card slots but only for the same cards, CF cards especially.
It would be bad to have the cripple solution of being able to use only 1 CF card slot and a second card slot that could not be a second CF card.
So, if you read this, Nikon, make sure you put 2 card slots for CF cards only.
Do the same for the update to the D700, adding 2 card slots too.
OK, you the whiners, what on earth would satisfy you in the specs of a D300?
A D3X in a D300 body at a D300 price?!!!!! Wake up, dreamers, the D300 was already the best camera in its particular sensor size so what do you expect more?!!! A D3X at the price of a D300!!! Sorry to break it to you but it will not happen.
You are pathetic in your expectations, many of you whiners!!
With HD video added and a few other improvements, that is as much as Nikon can do for this type of camera in the market segment it is in and considering the already outstanding camera the D300 is!!
If you want a D3X, be ready to pay for it, pathetic misers!!!!
Totally agreed. Canon’s 50D gets lower FPS burst over the 40D, because Canon followed the marketing. My D300 rocks, a few more tweaks, video being a big one, would really sweeten the deal.
As for two CF slots vs. 1 CF and one SDHC, give me the latter. 16 and 32 GB SDHC cards can be bought for a song. Can’t say the same for CF. That capacity is going to be needed for video and Class 6 SDHC cards are fast.
Remember the D70s? That was pretty successful after it replaced the D70.
I was wondering what they could do to make a D400, and all I could think of was a new sensor. It didn’t sound like it would have been a compelling upgrade over the D300. This is even a less compelling upgrade over the D300, but it’s not supposed to be. It’s just as well, since the D300 still doesn’t have any real competition 2 years on.