Update #3: On this image, the label clearly looks like a D3, on the next few frames it looks like a D4 (see other pictures below). Here is a hi-res version.
Update #2: I am not that far in the video yet, but a reader already took this screenshot from the 29:21 mark - hard to tell if this is D4 or D3:
Same image sharpened in PS:
click on image for larger view
Thanks Nick, Daniel and everybody else.
Update #1: here is the link to the video online (you will need to install Silverlight in order to watch it):
A dpreview reader writes:
"There was a documentary about the Australian photographer of architecture John Gollings who was working in the field with a Nikon D4. I only saw it for a short moment but there was clearly a 4 on it instead of a 3. The only significant thing I saw was the bigger top of the camera. I mean the prism on top of the camera."
Has anyone seen this?
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212 Comments
we’re wasting our time viewing a blind man (or woman)’s camera info page
there is nothing “hard to tell if this is D4 or D3″ cos it is a DThree
this is fake and hype.
if you do need hires, get a D3x, beats anything in FX.
it is definitly a D4, my fav nikon dealer, who brother is working for … nikon, told me that nothing will come out in the press before septembre
Sorry, i was doing something else when i wrote this, I meant it is a D3.
It’s a D4, It’s a D4, It’s a D4, It’s a D4, It’s a D4, It’s a D4, It’s a D4, It’s a D4, It’s a D4, It’s a D4, (as long I win the camera bag, I’ll say whatever you guys whant me to say)
If you WANT to see “D4″, you’ll do so. The image is over-sharpened, and for me it’s clearly a D3.
Ceiling Cat is watching this Docu at the Barbican next weekend (27th) and will let you all know what it really says.
I’ll bet a bumper pack of Sheba that it says D3.
As some others pointed out, if it was a 4 , the 4 would have to overlap the D. If there is enough space to put D3s or D3x on a D3 type body (Which this clearly is…) then there’s plenty of space to properly space a ‘D4′ logo on there and make it look normal.
I’ll let you know next weekend what it looked like on the big screen.
I’d say it will look lik a BIG D3
Just wonder why I’m the only one who actually noticed that the FX badge actually reads MX on this camera?
Nah, just kidding
Keep in mind Leica put the M9 in an M8 body shell.
Have you actually viewed the video?? I have and look carefully it’s a D3x!!
Someone must have touched-up the images sent here!!
Should check your “rumors” more carefully, this is becoming boring!!!
Hope your joking otherwise your a idiot.
Admin is doing a great job at getting rumors for us to look over during the slow times. This is just one such instance. Thanks admin for getting the lower chance of being true rumors so we have “something” to be reading>
It’s clearly a “3″, not a “4″
You wish 
without spects and with it´s clearly a 3 ceep dreaming a bit longer people just wait it is going to begin soon feel the force Admin and let it guide you and all of us
The paint came off my D90, now it seem to be a Nikon D9 !
Put it on ebay as “potentially” a pre-release version version of either an older camera or one that will be released in the future. If it goes for over 1K$, I want 10% for the idea.
I don’t think people understand that when you apply a destructive filter (like sharpening) on approximately 10 pixels, it’s not going to work that well. A 3 could very well end up looking like a 4. We don’t have CSI-level “enhance” technology yet.
Try it yourself. Go into Photoshop, make a 2 point size 3 (white text on black) and apply the sharpening filter and see what you get.
Its a D3. Similar Hi ISO shots look exactly the same color temp as a 6400 ISO on the D3 would look. BTW, I’m not so sure Nikon Corp will name their next line D4,D4x and S since ’4′ is considered a very unlucky number to some. Detour…;) If it is in Wikipedia. IT MUST BE TRUE! LOL! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetraphobia
Yeah, no D4 just as there was never a F4 or D40 either. And 4GB cards cannot be used either. And aperture f/4 is disabled. The EN-EL4 batteries all exploded. And what an disaster a 14-24 proved to be… hey there are 2 fours in that.
In the future the US version of D13 will be labeled D14. Ouch, another four. Must be D15 then.
Yes I know, I probably shot myself in the foot with that one but this is in fact a rumor site and not a proclaiming one. Rather than sharing some depth maybe some insight to my comments on the 6400 basis, you really had to pinpoint out every single item that has a ’4′ in it? frustrated much?
It’s D3, in all shots. The “4″ is formed by the vertical right part of D and the two ends of 3, top and bottom, just as in the first shot.
Anyone ever thought about the possibility of the video dealing with a theme such as Nikon from D3 to D3x then to D4?
Also, remember this – unless you have looked at the video on a FRAME by FRAME basis, your eye might not have discerned what camera was being shown at any given time.
LOOK at the stills or individual frames.
Some see D3, D3x and then D4.
From the PAST to the FUTURE.
Just a thought.
I think seeing a d4 badge in these stills is just wishfull thinking
I created a layered image and scaled D3 image on top of a screenshot from the video. The number after D is way too symmetrical to be 4, 3 is much more symmetrical, as seen on video.
Since this video is old, I’d even guess that he could be using a prototype named D4, which turned to be D3S in its official release.
Maybe he was shooting a d800 and they put a d4 sticker on just to get us off their scent. I like this idea and I want the camera:-)
uhm why is he holding the camera like a dork?
because he’s using a PC-Nikkor. Apart from that, It’s obvious that it is a D3, and that the “D4-effect” is due to video compression artefacts.
I know some guys at NPS (Nikon Pro Services) Australia & was emailing them on some matters last week, & included a link to this post. They had a good laugh, as they personally know John Gollings and he doesn’t have a D4.
Here’s the exact response:
“I do have a look every now and then at the rumors site. I totally missed this one, how funny. I know John and he will be having a chuckle, especially as it is so easy to see that it is a D3.
Maybe before too long before someone releases a range of stickers to “update” their cameras. How about a D9 for today? Too funny.
I love the fact that people are so into their cameras that anything like this clip goes like wildfire.”
I just watched the show on dutch tv, It is definitly NOT a D4!! Its a D3.
On hd-tv you can see it much better than on that website.
I’ve ordered the DVD!!! I hope it will come in the next few days, then I can share screenshots.
—- IT IS A D3 —-
PROOF: http://img249.imageshack.us/img249/5991/vlcsnap2010032315h04m19.png
rumor – BUSTED!!!!
I can’t believe I’m even posting this. To argue over this is ridiculous. Look at the first picture. That is a D and a 3. No doubt about it. The descender on of the 3 is in plain sight. A 4′s descender is straight and wouldn’t been in view. Not to mention the median of the number doesn’t connect with the ascender on it. Hands down, that is not a D4 but a D3 in the image. The other ones are far too blurry or pixelated to be of use. No sharpening, no enhancing, no nothing. Simple character recognition.