Two comments.

R&D costs are an interesting subject for discussion. Getting the volume up is important to amortize these costs across more units which can lead to both greater profits and greater market penetration. There are several technology areas which, in my view, have received inadequate attention in the digital photography market. Most important among them is digital signal processing. A digital cameral is, after all, “just” a specialized computer. The technology need not be developed from scratch by Nikon/Canon/Sony & the rest. There is plenty of talent out there which would happily develop what is needed based on what they already have available.

I do wonder (although I do not have “inside information”) just how much modern technology is being employed in the manufacture of lenses. Sure, computer aided design is a great aid, but what have the manufacturers done to use modern technology in the actual manufacturing process? I get the feeling that they could easily produce lenses which would be the equal (or better) of what is currently available at much lower price points for many of the lenses we see. (Even taking into account that some of the recent price increases are a consequence of the dollar being in the toilet.)

Most of the customers wanting the high res sensors are landscape people. Their needs are different from those of the Sports/Action crowd. They do not need a camera with maximum frames per second and so on the way the PJs and Sports people do.

Cheers

For the most part the electrical components that go into the D3x say Vs the D300 are very similar. I mean the sensor is different, the electrical boards are a different size but when it boils down to it Nikon puts a lot more research and development dollars into making a top level pro camera and they need to re-coup that money.

Now in the case of Canon I am quite positive the 5D Mark II was nothing more than a lame attempt at regaining some of the lost market share that Nikon has taken on them. Depending on what financial reports you read Nikon easily has 5%-10% more market share than Canon. The 5D Mark II in all fairness is not a good camera at all. I mean they take a wonderful sensor stick it in a camera and then leave integral parts of the camera like the metering and autofocus which are 5-6 years old.

Canon realized after the release of the camera it wasn’t getting any Nikon shooters to switch and the effect it had on the 1Ds Mark III was catastrophic. I am quite sure we will not see Nikon do the same and there is 90% chance we see the D3s sensor in the D700/800/900 or whatever it is going to be.

It does not make sensor to put a larger sensor in this camera than what the D3s has. In reality it as to be either 12mp or 24.5mp and there is a greater probability that it will be 12mp. It is most likely we see the D4 arrive late this year with a 16-18mp sensor which will likely have identical ISO capabilities of the D3s. I’m quite certain we will see the D4x in the 32-36mp range with usable ISO 3200. Oh wait ISO 3200 is already usable in the D3x lol.

I’m currently shooting with a D3x and a D3s. I needed two cameras for my business and these two compliment each other so wonderfully. I’m so happy with the two cameras and their specific usages that I could just kiss the president of Nikon. I am quite confident I I won’t have the need to purchase a new camera for 5-7 years and this alone has me very happy.

I hate to say it but right now the only advantage canon can offer people is better lenses for extreme zoom such as a the 600mm range and such. Nikon has them trumped in lower level zooms, camera body quality, the flash system is light years better than Canons and well it appears Nikon actually tends to listen to their cliental.

If Nikon could pull off something (as a D400, a D700 successor or whatever) that is the equal of the M9′s IQ and resolution I would find that product very tempting indeed.

we’ll see what happens within the next weeks and nikon hopefully blows us all away with the new dslr.

The only people who want 20+ megapixels are those who truly don’t need it which is what I find funny. It seriously doesn’t make any sense how this camera would have 18mp if the D3s has 12mp. If they produce this camera with 18mp then we should be expecting a D4 later this year with a 24megapixel sensor and a D4x with a 48mp sensor?

Seriously it’s getting silly. Even canon coming out with a 32 megapixel 1Ds Mark IV seems awfully silly. Most people out there don’t even have a good enough computer to be able to properly utilize the photos in photoshop due to the huge memory constraints these large files have.

Just D700s at PMA, as said? Oh, no! But good reason to go Canon forever. Nikon can’t commit suicide with another 12mp being their latest & only offer. People will laugh at least if they won’t protest. Patience, this Feb. is my last resort…

I belong to the group that wants MP. I love Nikon and they need to battle Canon and Sony in the full frame (FX) cameras better. The cameras they make are great but they need more in the more affordable part of the the FX line.

We all know that in 5-8yrs this will be reality.

You can push the argument a million different ways but at the end of the day not many photographers have the need. Ive been using my D3x very rarely as the D3s is quite simply an amazing piece of camera equipment.

If you don’t own genuine fractals than I seriously suggest the investment as the program is worth its weight in gold. Even I need to enlarge D3x photos with it for some of my clients prints. Either way you spin it the ability to enlarge photos with on distortion is more important than how many megapixels your camera has.

Since buying a D3s I’ve used my D3x very little. Sure the pictures are 1/2 the size but when I do enlargements using genuine fractals it’s honestly nearly impossible to tell the difference. The fact is simple, people don’t need that 24mp sensor only for very few applications is at actually 100% necessary.

That being said Nikon will push another 12mp sensor out. It makes the most sense that they would use the D3s sensor in this camera.