Nikon D3s live blogging at NikonRumors

This post will be updated multiple times, check back again.

If the server starts smoking, I will move the updates to twitter.

11:22 pm - first NikonD3s picture

8:13 pm - Nikon USA is down: "We've encountered an error. We are working to fix the problem."

6:47 pm - everything points to a single body (D3s) release tonight - no lenses, no compact camera, unless Nikon announces something directly from their labs with availability few months from now (highly unlikely). The next possible body announcement will be earliest in December (most probably first quarter of 2010) - Nikon will make sure they sell enough D3s before they announce another full frame DSLR. I guess lenses announcements can happened at any time.

6:26 pm - Nikon UK -> Press Room -> Images page has been removed: "The page you are looking for might have been removed, had its name changed, or is temporarily unavailable."

5:36 pm - I guess we still do not know for sure what is the second lens mounted on that D3s - the picture is from the D3s leak in Bacelona. Is it the 24-70 f/2.8?

5:28 pm - clarification about the countdown timer on top (since several readers have asked me): based on past releases, I think Nikon will update all of their websites at midnight tonight (US Eastern time). Once they did it @ 11pm. The updates around the words may vary, but this is the general time line. Of course I could be wrong. All of the events in Europe will happen after the websites are updated.

3:53 pm - BJP again! Did they forget to sign their NDAs this time? Quotes:

"The D3s is expected to be supplied to UK stores in early December, priced around £4200 for the body only.

"Movies are captured in HD quality 1280x720 pixel resolution at 24fps that can be trim edited in-camera, but most significantly, most of the camera's still shooting functions - including ultra-high ISO settings - are available in the video mode, and single frames can be saved on the fly as JPEGs. Although these frames are of low resolution, they are sufficient for multimedia presentations, says Nikon, and could be used for newspaper print."

"...results shot at ISO12,800 were particularly impressive..."

Everything else is "as expected". Confirmed vibrating image sensor cleaner, improvements on correcting lateral chromatic aberrations, 14-bit A/D conversion, 16-bit image-processing, improved viewfinder... Thanks Uldo!

1:36 pm (US Eastern Time): British Journal of Photography speels the beans. Hurry up, this one won't stay online for long (the article is dated with tomorrow's date):

"Last week I travelled to St Andrews for the pre-launch of the Nikon D3s, a camera that can see what the eye cannot, by virtue of its extraordinary sensitivity to even the most low lit environments, boasting 'standard' ISO settings up to 12,800, and a boost mode up to 102,400 - something that would have been unfathomable to film photographers 20 years ago."

Thanks for that one D!

Related posts:

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  2. New Nikon instant rebates now live on Amazon
  3. NikonRumors is 99% sure that there will be p&s cameras announcement this Wednesday (Updated)
  4. Live View
  5. iamcomings.com is now live
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221 Comments

  1. NikoDoby
    Posted October 13, 2009 at 6:36 pm | Permalink

    What’s the record number of comments in a single story? I think we’re going to set a new record tonight.

    • Posted October 13, 2009 at 9:13 pm | Permalink

      I think the biggest one was the giveaway – over 400 comments, otherwise I think the most comments in a single post was about 250.

  2. Gordon
    Posted October 13, 2009 at 6:40 pm | Permalink

    So from the looks of it there are no lens announcements, can we expect further announcements in early December now possibly?

    • john
      Posted October 13, 2009 at 6:44 pm | Permalink

      maybe

  3. alvix
    Posted October 13, 2009 at 6:44 pm | Permalink

    BJP wrote…”plus an improved viewfinder”..so..150% ? eheh…

    • Ronan
      Posted October 13, 2009 at 7:55 pm | Permalink

      Actually you can now see into the future so you can adjust for movement BEFORE it happens :D

  4. 芽依
    Posted October 13, 2009 at 6:47 pm | Permalink
  5. Ray
    Posted October 13, 2009 at 6:49 pm | Permalink

    has anyone ever thought that there will be a firmware upgrade for d3s/d700 like how the d2x has a firmware upgrade that made it identical to the d2x except the viewfinder and one minute thing?

    I am just wondering if the higher iso performance resulted from better noise reduction algorithmic in the firmware versus a new processor hardware

    i would love to get a firmware update that makes iso 128000 more useable on my d700 ;) after all, i dont see why not.. but then again i am not an engineer.. yet.

    i am going to assume the video required better cooling hardware so this can be left out of the d3/d700 firmware update?

    why not??? why nott????

    • Ray
      Posted October 13, 2009 at 6:52 pm | Permalink

      friggen.. d3/d700 and d2x to d2xs…

      • WoutK89
        Posted October 13, 2009 at 7:03 pm | Permalink

        12800 :-P

    • Astrophotographer
      Posted October 13, 2009 at 7:33 pm | Permalink

      Sorry, high ISO starts at the A/D conversion. Only thing firmware could do is at post processing.

  6. john
    Posted October 13, 2009 at 7:17 pm | Permalink

    let the BOOs commence.

  7. Cache
    Posted October 13, 2009 at 7:18 pm | Permalink

    No NEW af-s 16~35 f4 VR??

    I just sold my 18~35 f3.5~4.5 to clear out room for this new lens. Now I do not have any wide angle lens, …lol……

    • Gordon
      Posted October 13, 2009 at 11:19 pm | Permalink

      ROFL….guess you have to get the 17-35mm f/2.8 lens now

  8. GlobalGuy
    Posted October 13, 2009 at 7:21 pm | Permalink

    THIS IS REVOLUTIONARY FOR NIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY.

    The 12 mp are WORTH IT — if this thing can see in the dark as a “standard”!

    This can change the whole game for a whole lot of photographers! We have TONS of f/2.8 lenses………… but we need f/1.4 to see in the dark.

    If the camera can do it — then we suddenly have night vision HANDHELD.

    AWESOME!

    • GlobalGuy
      Posted October 13, 2009 at 7:22 pm | Permalink

      That is the 24-70/2.8 by my accounts, btw.

    • WoutK89
      Posted October 13, 2009 at 7:24 pm | Permalink

      or… they bring low light capable ISO 102400 so they have an excuse to not bring an update to the 1.4 primes anytime soon

    • Man
      Posted October 13, 2009 at 7:32 pm | Permalink

      Yes, that’s very cool. I like to shoot in the evening and in the night. But I can’t buy so expensive camera. Hope in future there will be cheaper camera with the same possibilities. I don’t care about MP. For me 12 MP more than enough. I care about clean ISO, excellent details (without noise reduction artefacts), clean colours and good Dynamic Range.

  9. WoutK89
    Posted October 13, 2009 at 7:21 pm | Permalink

    D3s will be just as the D3x on dec 1st of 2008 a lonesome announcement. What I think is a pity considering what could have been…

  10. nubz
    Posted October 13, 2009 at 7:30 pm | Permalink

    Where is my 7mm F 1.4 I was longing for?

  11. john
    Posted October 13, 2009 at 7:35 pm | Permalink

    where is the NOCT revival? Oh man just think of the sweetness…. NOCT + this nightvision D3…. DROOL!!!

  12. Limecat
    Posted October 13, 2009 at 7:36 pm | Permalink

    Actually, I’m interested in high ISO improvements/developments since it opens the door for better high ISO lower noise photos which I would use since I’m getting into astrophotography. Can’t afford FX yet though.

  13. Anonymous
    Posted October 13, 2009 at 7:47 pm | Permalink

    I find it hard to believe a D3s will be released when I don’t even believe a D3 exists.

    • john
      Posted October 13, 2009 at 7:48 pm | Permalink

      LOL you sir are funny. LOL

  14. Anonymous
    Posted October 13, 2009 at 8:06 pm | Permalink

    The Nikon USA site is now ofline.

    • nubz
      Posted October 13, 2009 at 8:13 pm | Permalink

      Mine still works

      • Anonymous
        Posted October 13, 2009 at 8:25 pm | Permalink

        It is down, it’s probably saved in your cookies. Reset your browser, delete cookies and then try it.

        • nubz
          Posted October 13, 2009 at 8:32 pm | Permalink

          Okay, hey that worked. You guys are smart.

      • Alex
        Posted October 13, 2009 at 8:25 pm | Permalink

        Mine also, but no D700x only the D3s is advertised :o (

  15. Ubiquitous
    Posted October 13, 2009 at 8:25 pm | Permalink

    Admin:

    Excellent job, as usual.

  16. NikoDoby
    Posted October 13, 2009 at 8:30 pm | Permalink

    Interesting specs from BJP but they also said there was going to be a surprise Leica R10 announced with the M9 and that didn’t happen, so maybe there is still some hope that this isn’t like last years D3X announcement all over again.

    Hey but I’m still happy :)

  17. iHateCanon
    Posted October 13, 2009 at 8:39 pm | Permalink

    The Nikon USA site is back up and running….

  18. Gordon
    Posted October 13, 2009 at 9:18 pm | Permalink

    Pretty poor effort by Nikon this year for no additional lens announcements, only 4 were made this year where the previous couple there has been 7. Things must be really tough at Nikon.

  19. Anonymous
    Posted October 13, 2009 at 9:22 pm | Permalink

    Yes, the nikon website is up and running but NO changes made….

  20. Quash
    Posted October 13, 2009 at 9:52 pm | Permalink

    NRAdmin, for what it’s worth, your site looks dead via RSS. Because you’re only updating this single thread (which makes sense from a website point of view), it makes it like there are no updates to the site via RSS. Maybe a new post with every update of this thread with a mirrored update, closed comments on that new thread and a simple pointer to this thread?

  21. Quash
    Posted October 13, 2009 at 9:55 pm | Permalink

    By the way, great job on this roll out, once again.

  22. nubz
    Posted October 13, 2009 at 10:31 pm | Permalink

    No news is good news……?

  23. NikoDoby
    Posted October 13, 2009 at 10:46 pm | Permalink

    Traffic here has kinda died down a bit, no? I guess the haters went home?

  24. F-Phoenix
    Posted October 13, 2009 at 10:50 pm | Permalink

    Nikon needs to step up to a cinema cam. They have the technology & the market. Is it really that hard…. Personally I use many nikon lenses on 3rd party adapters… What a pain in the xxx. Just make a cinema dslr. Unlock artistic vision for the new generation. Hope someone is listening… Heads up nikon- simple 1080 24p – canon 7D…. Not to diss nikon… Nikon is my preference, but it looks like all have to take my $ 2,000.00 to canon. ( Nikon Cinema DSLR)…

  25. grumps
    Posted October 13, 2009 at 11:14 pm | Permalink

    Did somone say silent shutter, Nikon ? :)

  26. mark
    Posted October 13, 2009 at 11:26 pm | Permalink
    • mark
      Posted October 13, 2009 at 11:35 pm | Permalink

      sorry….I made a mistake, it’s D300s, not D3s.

  27. mark
    Posted October 13, 2009 at 11:31 pm | Permalink

    Same MSRP @USD1799.95 for both D300s and D300

    • mark
      Posted October 13, 2009 at 11:40 pm | Permalink

      pls forget this post……

  28. mark
    Posted October 13, 2009 at 11:39 pm | Permalink

    pls forget this post……

  29. nubz
    Posted October 13, 2009 at 11:41 pm | Permalink

    it must be late…LOL

  30. Vince
    Posted October 13, 2009 at 11:45 pm | Permalink

    Wow is everyone reloading the Nikon USA site? It’s become kinda slow over the last hour-ish. I obviously am guilty. haha

  31. nubz
    Posted October 14, 2009 at 12:01 am | Permalink

    …..and?

  32. Jim
    Posted October 14, 2009 at 12:01 am | Permalink

    it’s on dpreview

  33. d3boy
    Posted October 14, 2009 at 12:02 am | Permalink

    it’s 00:00.
    anything happen? :D

  34. Anonymous
    Posted October 14, 2009 at 12:02 am | Permalink

    D5000 no long listed as “NEW” 9:02pm

  35. Francis
    Posted October 14, 2009 at 12:03 am | Permalink

    D3s appears on Nikon USA site

  36. Vince
    Posted October 14, 2009 at 12:03 am | Permalink
  37. nubz
    Posted October 14, 2009 at 12:04 am | Permalink

    Well it shows up on Nikon USA now

  38. Anonymous
    Posted October 14, 2009 at 12:15 am | Permalink

    Annonced in Norway and Sweden

  39. Posted October 14, 2009 at 12:19 am | Permalink
  40. Posted October 14, 2009 at 5:00 am | Permalink

    http://www.nikonusa.com/Assets/Digital-SLR/25466-Nikon-D3S/Views/353_25466_D3S_24_70_front_l.jpg
    What a beauty! Ah well, time to save up again and wave my D1 goodbye :P

  41. Simon
    Posted October 14, 2009 at 5:14 am | Permalink

    Nikon missed the boat; 720p at 24fps? How embarrassing.. More sales for Canon.

  42. Posted October 14, 2009 at 12:01 pm | Permalink

    seems ok.. i can`t wait to get it.. so i can give it a test :)