I am amazed by the sensors and software technology in the D3100, D5100 and D7000. I am also amazed by the technical quality of Nikon's cheap plastic non-Japanese built DX lenses such as the 18-55mm VR, 40mm Macro and 18-200mm VR. If the D300s replacements sensor and software technology can "take it up a few notches" to give us 24 megapixels for increased sharpness and a stop or two improvement in low light Image Quality then I think a slightly downsized D3 type body would make excellent sense.

Nikon should also design some DX f2.8 (or f4) "pro" lenses to match such as a mid-range zoom and a 70-210 zoom. "Pros" will not wanted to be limited to f3.5-5.6 zooms. Basically, Nikon could produce a professional system which weighs less and costs less than the current FX based system. In the "olden" days metal camera's would easily last more than 10 years. But today digital technology changes so fast that if a camera body is 10 years old you shouldn't be shooting with it anymore because much cheaper "plastic" equipment produces much better Image Quality. For example, a $700 D3100 produces better Image Quality than a $5,000 ten year old D1H.

I suggest a name for this new line of Nikons: Pro Lite
So we would have Nikon Consumer point and shoot cameras, Nikon Semi-Pro or Advanced Amateur, Nikon Pro-Lite and Nikon Pro lines. The replacement for the D700 could be a plastic body in the Nikon Semi-Pro or Advanced Amateur line and the replacement for the Nikon D300s could be in the new Nikon Pro-Lite line.

I hope Nikon does it!

D7000 is a lot of camera. But my hands are TOO BIG. Almost didn't get the D300s and jumped into dogfood and day old bagles and got the D3x. Brighter viewfinder, a real handful. Was traumatized by the price of the D300s even though the last body I had gotten was an F3(no high eye-point shoulda waited but who knew). $1K - $1.5K is likely still a sticking point for a lot of people even for the privilege of owning Nikon glass. I insist on a metal body at that price or above, I don't care if it is lighter, if it is 8 degrees outside and I drop it (heaven forbid) it better not damn well shatter like that last beer mug. NikoDoby, you've scared me a little. Just because the world is downsizing I don't want Nikon to compromise on a tool I use to regain my sanity after a hard work week at the college. I'd actually like to see a D800 with a viewfinder as bright and big as that D3x!

My guess is that there will be D800s working at the upcoming Olympics along with the D4. In fact the D4s are going to be coming in awfully late for even the most pro users to ramp up to using them. The Husband and Wife team that ran media for the 1980 winter games themselves are still using D700s. I do think the D800 will be a great camera for pro media use with a better video mode and great stills for both low light and high ISO. I am waffling on getting a D7000 body or just waiting to see what the D800 will be. Yet that small, light, and packed with power goal is one I totally relate to!!

Thanks DaveyJ, I agree to your opinion on the D800 / D400 expectations too, just wondering what Nikon will do in the "D4"area thinking of the forthcoming Olympics, and their new 800mm tele.. :-)

To DutchNikon: I certainly agree on the Asian preference for "small, light, and packed with power". What this October's announcements will be is I also believe very eagerly awaited. The D800 though will be pretty big. A D400 type camera will hopefully be somewhat more trim.

MMM Do not realy care... I'm happy with my current set-up,
Apart from that could also boil up loads of "What If's" , but i do not think Nikon would switch to Pro-DX without introducing some Pro-DX lenses then..

Here's another "what if"..
What if Nikon continues with the "1" line by adding a "1-DX" , and/or a "1-FX" camera ( possibly rangefinders, competing with Leica..) ??

It will not happen, because Nikon's primary market seems stiil to be the Asian Market , and the Asian's seem to prefer "Small, Light, and packed with power" ....

I agree with Mike Gunter that Nikon should take a few steps with both DX and FX. I really don't see any point in switching the D700 and D300. I own them both and think improvements will be made on both as they are both great cameras that sell well and their respective replacements are very long awaited. However switching the D300 and D700 would be very confusing.....I am pretty sure. I am bordering on just buying a D7000 to give me better DSLR video since I use DSLR video enough and what I have now is NOT up to D7000 quality. But I also am not going to take a quantum leap in what I am willing to pay and I think that is around $2,200. I'll bet there are quite a few Nikon users who would really have to scrape to go above that price point. The D800 I concede will go at $4,000 and that makes me think my next Nikon WILL be DX not FX. When I put an FX still on a big screen (HDTV) it doesn't look much different than a DX image. However a D90 video just doesn't get it compared to a D7000 video and I rate the D3100 video as better than the D90. Sorry to offend those who do not use and maybe even dislike video on DSLR but in our field use for environmental subjects I need both now. I look back on my D90 video and wish they were all taken with the D7000.

i almost thought it was the D4...but then, i realized it wasn't...

"possible d4 and d700 replacements shown on nikon UK website"

Wait! The D4 is being replaced already! Damn! That was fast. When did it come out? I knew the D700 was going to be replaced but the D4? Already? Wow. Where the hell have I been?

Ahh you guys had me all excited for a minute.
even registered on the forum to post...

It's just a D3x unfortunately.
The filename path even gives you a clue that it's old (2009 Spring):
http://europe-nikon.com/imported/images/02.%20Regional%20Marketing%20Centre/BV/01.%20Campaigns/2009_spring/content_loading/catalogue/categories/DSLR-PRO_Banner_698x209.swf

A larger version of the exact photo they used, a D3x with 14-24:
http://cdn.press.nikonusa.com/wp-content/gallery/d3x/d3x_14_24_front.jpg

Also no, there's no D4 directory online yet ;)

Guys, seriously...? This is a whole new form of pixel peeping :)

casperwb said:
Okay people, you drive me mad,

just click on the picture and you will know what camera is displayed.

Just the present lineup, nothing from the future, nothing sinster or hidden.

plus the D3000

sigh..........think I will go and hang out with wendy

boo

We're talking about the Pro SLRs. 6 in the photo, only 4 in the discription.

Okay people, you drive me mad,

just click on the picture and you will know what camera is displayed.

Just the present lineup, nothing from the future, nothing sinster or hidden.

plus the D3000

sigh..........think I will go and hang out with wendy

boo

There are 3 pro bodies and I'm not sure what the 1st from left is. The 10 point pin cover can't be seen properly.

http://nikond3.uniqueglassproducts.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/nikon_D3_front.jpg

dormant said:
The photo of Consumer bodies shows five bodies, but Nikon has 6 listed. So I don't think you can read much into the Pro bodies - looks like three D3's to me.

You can't say much from the pixels where the D? is - could as easily be D3 as D4.

Maybe D3000, D3100, D5000, D5100, D90 and D7000?

I think the cameras are: D3, D3x, D3s, D700, D300 and D300s.

The photo of Consumer bodies shows five bodies, but Nikon has 6 listed. So I don't think you can read much into the Pro bodies - looks like three D3's to me.

You can't say much from the pixels where the D? is - could as easily be D3 as D4.

True which is why is puzzling

maybe the d300 is there, but try to zoom in on the entire image and hover over the pro body on the center.. the silhouette of the pixels look like a 4 to me (d4)..

I'm going to say that is looks similar enough to just be a D3 and D300 however it seems odd they would put it like this. It seems as if the bottom row has a D40 too

hello everyone.. check this link out:

http://www.europe-nikon.com/en_GB/products/category_pages/digital_cameras/category_SLR.page?sParamValueLbl=Digital%20Cameras&sParam1ValueLbl=SLR&ParamValue=Digital%20Cameras&Subnav1Param=SLR&Subnav2Param=0&Subnav3Param=0&RunQuery=0&ID=0

i don't know whether i'm seeing double, but the banner on this page that has the link to the professional dslr page has 6 professional bodies in it.. i couldn't quite make out what the model numbers were on the bodies, but i'm positive that there are 6 professional camera bodies shown here.. are these the d3s and the d700 replacements?

@Stacyrhall13 -

You said you are in school and I'm not clear other than one wedding what else you are going to do with it.

What is your budget?
Are you going to shoot weddings professionally?
Shoot other things professionally?
Need video beyond the wedding?

I ask since many of the things everyone and what additional items to suggest will push you north of $5,000 with Nikon and much more on Canon. A D40x doesn't indicate to me that you already have much equipment.

Need more information.

Nikon vs. Canon:

I think Nikon has the better lens selection; while all of Canon's equivalent lenses tend to be slightly less expensive. The Nikon D7000 is the only Nikon body with both full-manual exposure control over ISO, shutter speed, and aperture in D-Movie mode, and which records in the AVCHD format, which employs a modern, efficient, MPEG-4 based compression algorithm (also referred to as a, "CODEC," which stands for "compression/decompression").

If you need both 1080p24 video and stills in a full-frame body NOW, then the Canon 5D is your only choice.

If only considering Nikon, I would only recommend the D7000 for video right now. The D90's video is very substandard, and suffers from three major video artifacts: "stairstepping," color aliasing (color banding), and 60Hz roll bars. Additionally, the D90 offers zero control over ISO and shutter speed in D-Movie mode, making producing professional video results difficult at best. While the D3s' video is very good, it uses an older compression algorithm, which I wouldn't recommend.

Nikon video-capable bodies:

NIkon D90/D5000: DX-format; 720p24; motion-JPG CODEC; no manual control in D-Movie mode; video artifacting.
Nikon D300s: DX-format; 720p24; motion-JPEG CODEC; (manual control unknown).
Nikon D7000: DX-format; 1080p24; AVCHD CODEC; manual control in D-Movie mode.
Nikon D3100: DX-format; 1080p24; AVCHD CODEC; no manual control in D-Movie mode.
Nikon D3s: FX-format; 720p24; motion-JPEG CODEC; manual control in D-Movie mode.

Don't buy slow zooms (lenses with high, maximum numerical apertures, e.g., f/3.5, f/5.6). Their large light-quantity requirements make them impractical for many professional applications. Buy either fast zooms (f/2.8), or fast fixed lenses (f/1.4-f/2.8).

I never really did weddings (beside friends) but 70-200mm do not seem to be the right general lens, especially for tight rooms and street shots. I think the 24mm 1.4, 85mm 1.4, D7000 and D700 would be a better set. If you need wide: 24mm on D700, if you need reach: 85mm on D7000, if you need portrait: 85mm on D700 or 24mm on D7000. You get both FF and video, perhaps even cheaper than a D700 replacement.

As a bonus, you stay with Nikon and get bodies that can focus.