Just a quick update on the rumored Nikon Coolpix P500: in addition to the extra wheel on the lens for faster zooming, the camera will have a 22.5-810mm (x36) zoom and a 12MP back-illuminated CMOS sensor (probably made by Sony).
The current P100 model has 10.3MP back-illuminated CMOS sensor and a 26-678mm (x26) zoom.
The Fuji x100 camera will have a flash commander mode – “The Fuji Guys” just confirmed this on twitter:
The rumor coming out of CES is that the Fuji x100 will be compatible with Nikon’s CLS (Creative Lighting System).
Fuji x100 is priced at $1,199.00 at Adorama and they just started taking pre-orders.
After the release of the SB-700 this is not really a surprise, but now it is official – the Nikon SB-600 speedlight is now discontinued at B&H:
and on the official Nikon Japan website:
I know most of you don’t really care about the Coolpix line, but this is all I got for now. After the 24-100mm f/1.8 model, the second camera rumored to be announced in February is the the Coolpix P500 that will have a 30x or 35x zoom with an extra wheel on the lens for faster zooming.
This type of point and shoot camera makes sense if you consider this quote from the last CES interview with Nikon:
“What we’re seeing in the point-and-shoot business is that the next big thing is going to be about zoom range. You know, currently our P100 has a 26x zoom range, and we have our 8100 which has 10x in a very slim package. We’ll continue to develop that long-zoom strategy, and we’ll expand that as new products start to come out.”
Nikon patent application 20110007403 is for a new full frame 200-500mm f/4-5.6 lens:
“The present invention is made in view of the above described problem, and has an object to provide a zoom optical system capable of coping with the problem of variation in aberrations upon zooming and obtaining excellent optical performance, an optical apparatus equipped with the zoom optical system, and a method for manufacturing the zoom optical system.”
Two different lens designs were proposed in the patent:
Nikon will have new product announcements in the next few weeks. February is the time for the Coolpix line to be refreshed with the possibility of other new products to be revealed. Nikon has been consistent in the past with the February release schedule:
One product that will be announced is already known: a new Nikon Coolpix camera with a 24-100mm zoom and fast f/1.8 aperture.
