This will be a sticky post with the latest updates, scroll down for the rest of the stories. Similar to last time, I will update this post and create a separate entry for the indirect blog readers.
10:48 pm – It has begun! http://press.nikonusa.com/ is down. Announcement probably @ 11:00 pm, not midnight.
7:31 pm – Bob Krist clarified the lenses he used to take the pictures on his blog – 18-70mm kit lens from the old D70 and the 16-85mm. You can read his comments at the end of this thread. And make sure you visit his website tomorrow tomorrow for some interesting news 🙂 (not, the news is not Sony/Zeiss related).
5:05 pm – Those are the full names of the two lenses for tonight: Nikkor AF-S 24 mm f/1.4 and Nikkor AF-S 16-35 mm f/4.0G ED VR. Nothing else will be released.
2:09 pm – this lens, spotted last night at the Super Bowl is definitely NOT one of the new lenses.
1:45 pm -Take a look at this photo from Bob Krist’s blog. The EXIF data is 35mm @ f/6.7 and Maximum Lens Aperture of f/4.1.
What lens could have 35mm focal length and max aperture of f/4? I don’t think such a lens exists (up till tonight that is). Please correct me if I am missing a mode (unless he is not shooting with a different brand name – Sigma, Tamron, etc).
Almost all other pictures on his blog from the past few weeks were taken with focal lengths between 16-35mm (there is only one picture shot @ 36mm). The weird thing was that they were all shot with DX bodies. My understanding is that the expected 16-35 f/4 VR is a FX lens.
I also would like to remind you about this post. Coincidence?
Bob, we know what you got there. Looking forward to seeing your pictures on Nikon’s website tonight. Why didn’t you use an FX body for those shots?
8:40 am – The Japanese site dc.watch published an interview with Mr. Nobuaki Sasagaki, marketing chief for Nikon Imaging (English translation).
On the question about upcoming products:
“明るい単焦点レンズと高性能な小型ズームレンズを投入”
“We will have several large aperture prime lenses and light compact zoom lens this year”
7:50 am – Some Nikon events are scheduled in some countries for tomorrow. As you probably know this means announcement tonight at around 11pm or midnight US Eastern time. One of the sources is a known “Nikon” person in a public forum which I will not mention here. I also have two other, independent confirmations. That must be it!