Adamz, we talked about this before- I like the metal feeling of a camera. Plastic just isn't the same. :D

I don't need the D300s, but I want something higher than a D90. Thus the conflict- there's nothing in between. I can always dream, right?

And besides, the low end DSLRs are crowded in the Nikon lineup. The D90 needs to move up- what the heck is Nikon going to call the next one?

NikoDoby, the reason why the D700 isn't below $2000 is because it's such a good camera it doesn't deserve to be priced any lower. :D

That's assuming you can find a D3 in stock when the D4/D3H is announced. I want the 1Dmk4 to be announced first because that would mean Nikon is confident in trumping it with a D4 which would be announced after. This is how Nikon and canon play the announcement game. Who ever reveals first has the inferior product.

Hence the 50D and 1Dmk3 came before the D3/D300. And the D300S came before the 7D.

canon's next "planned" announcement is in Jan/Feb 2010.

Yes, but Nikon has to respond the the 1D Mark IV as well, and can't afford to wait too long after this one is released (if they don't try to get is out before that is). Nevertheless, as you say, the wait could be long and one option could be to get a D300s instead now, which also would suit my 70-200 better. Then I would get the videofeature as well, and after the D4 is released I would be able to get the D3 for a lower price. Maybe the total for the D3 and D300s with this strategy would be near the same as for just the D3 today...?

That's why I'm saying a "D500" full frame at a D300 price! A new model that sold along with the current D300S and D700(s)/(x). Sony's a850 proves it can be done!

None of this would be anywhere near D300s price, not even D700 replacement ...

Yes mb but not the D300s price!

D700 already has D300 body so there you have it.
D3s slim chance, we already have D3x and D3xs have more chance to be the next year camera, D3h may happen even sooner if Nikon manages to find someone who will make high sensitivity sensor with a bit more Mpix then D3 for them.
Though we should see D700 replacement by the end of this year, mark my words ...

Well than there's no harm in waiting. But if a D4 isn't announced this fall you'll be waiting until Feb or March 2010 for the next possible announcement. Or June, July. Or August September. Or October, November. But Nikon will announce the D4 by December 2010 for sure. Though it won't become available until Jan 2011 and then in limited quantities and everyone's gonna want one so they'll sell out quick and.......

Sure, give me your address :D. No, the D2H is still going strong, and is going to serve as an IR-body (maybe without the filter as well) after I get a new body. My reason for waiting is not to get the next bigger and better camera. If I could have afforded the D3 a year ago, when it ironically was considerably cheaper than now, I would have gotten it then. Now, when I can afford it, a new model is probably right around the corner, and paying full price right before a refresh would just annoy me so much I won't appreciate the camera as much as I would if I got it at a lower price (or the next model for the same price).

NSX I mean a full frame for under $2000USD but with the D300 features. Yes basically a D700, but then why hasn't Nikon priced the D700 below $2000?
A "D500" would be more like a D700 but priced as a D300S. Or like Sony's a850. A D700X could take over the D700 price with 24 or 32 megapixels!

qdos, I know what you mean about the D2H build and handling. I think you'll get use to the D700 if you where to buy it. But wait until after christmas and see what's around then. I don't think you'd go wrong in buying a D3. There's always going to be something bigger and better coming along. You'll just keep waiting if you don't buy the current stuff. :^)

But if your in no hurry then just keep enjoying the D2H. Or better yet send it to me and I'll put it to good use while your waiting :^)

Niko - You set a fire, but a small one ;)

NSXType-R - what do You need a metal d90 for?

generally I also think that there's gonna be at least one more release this year, and I will lean towards d3s and d700x - although I wouldn't expect to see movie functions in next D3s or whatever it will be called

NikoDoby: You're quite right that if I needed a new camera for pro (paid) work, I would have bought the camera I needed a long time ago. I don't really NEED the D3 - I'm sure the D700 would have been good enough technically. The reasons I want a D3 instead of the D700 are mostly handling.

Having used a D2H for years now (you can see why a new body is far overdue), I have gotten accustomed to the controls, response time, vertical grip and not having to worry about cracks in the body. I don't like the idea of not having a 100% viewfinder (I like to see excactly what I shoot), mounting a grip that makes the camera become even bigger than a D(x)-body, and the flash (which I'm not going to use anyway) making the body more vulnerable.

I know the D700 is a great camera, and that both the D3 and the D700 probably would produce excactly the same results. However, when I had the chance to get my hands on both cameras, the D700 did not just feel right having used a D2H for years.

I'm fully aware that any non-discontinued Nikon bodies probably would produce better results than my D2H, so any body would be an upgrade right now. However, since I've stuck to it for such a long time, and because I probably will stick to my next body for another 5 years, I will wait to make sure I'm satisfied both with the handling as well as the technical specifications. In addition I want to prevent getting an ulcer from having bought the previous model the week before a refresh and a pricedrop :)

Wouldn't your full frame D300 be the D700...?

At the risk of hijacking this thread and starting the DX is better than FX debate all over again, I'll just say why I would want a full frame "D300". First is low light image quality. The D700 is unmatched by this. Second is the wide angle is truely a wide angle. And Third I come from film so a full frame gives me the "complete" picture. But of course the biggest reason would be price. A full frame "D300" would sell incredible well.

Birders never complained about 35mm cameras not giving them good enough pictures before digital. To me the DX has better reach argument is a weak one. If reach is all they care about then birders would only be using Olympus gear with it's 2X crop factor.

Oh damn, I just set a fire didn't I :^(

Do you think missing out on a DX pro body is a bad thing? I mean, to me it's no big deal, but the birders swear on DX.

Then again, the D300s does do 7 to 8 frames in jpg, so that's nearly enough, right?

I honestly think the next D400 or DXXX series camera will be full frame. A D300 body with D700 image quality. The D300S will stick around for the DX faithful. But what do I know :^)

Thom Hogan wrote about the cheaper FX again yesterday.

Personally, I'm waiting for a metal bodied D90 because I have two DX lenses anyway.

Don't read too much into the D3 story, yet qdos. If your looking to do "pro" work and need the rugged body of a D3 then you might consider getting one as soon as you see it in stock. But you haven't given us your background or told us why you don't want a D700? So I'm not sure what your hurry is?

Probably a D3s. . .makes sense after the D300s. . .D300/D3 were released same year, same time frame back in 2007. . .my predictions:
D3 will have same MPx,
Video
Sensor vibration
Possibly addition of extra SD slot (for videos)?

Not sure what "else" they could add that would qualify as a "minor" update. . .the D300 had enough to catch up with, D3 is at pinnacle. . .

From the current article on the frontpage it seems as the D3 might be discontinued. Wouldn't this hint of a D3-refresh rather than a small body refresh?

If it's a consumer body the strategy has been to have it available for the holidays. Pro bodies are sometimes released in anticipation of an event - s.a. the Olympics.

I wouldn't hold your breath, unless you have a lot of time.

I'd be surprised if we get a new SLR body this year. I would be a revision to P&S for the holidays would be about it. We'll be lucky if we get a revised P6000.

At this point qdos your guess is as good as anyone elses. October or November announcement with December or January avaliablility, maybe. That's been the "usual" timeline Nikon has used in the past, but who knows.

Welcome to the forum qdos.

Thanks! When is the most probable press release for a body that should ship by November?

Back in July Thom Hogan (bythom.com) wrote in his blog that he was assured a small, hi-res FX body would ship by November 2009. That's the best date I've seen. Could be a D700X with 24mp, could be a D500 with 16-18mp, who knows.

I've been lurking the forums for quite some time now, and this is my first post :) I've been waiting for an FX-body refresh/release for a "looong time" now. The D3 costs approx. 50% more today than 12 month ago, guess this is because of the currency (live in Norway) and the demand, and I can't get myself to spend that much more on a camera that probably is about the get a refresh any day now.

Of course, it is still a great camera, but when a refresh/release comes, we should be able to get the new for about the same price, and the D3 would also drop in price. If I knew that it still would be a long time until the next refresh, I would probably get myself a D300(s) right now (I know it's DX). But I would hate getting a new body now, and reading a press release for the next FX the week after.

Does anyone have an idea about the next potential refresh/release date? It would be nice to have sort of a countdown function on NR for planned Nikon press conferences or conventions where such events often take place.