Nikon D90: updated “in the near future”, firmware update not possible

By [NR] admin | Published: April 11, 2010

Another interview with a Nikon executive (Nabuaki Sasagaki, General Manager, Marketing Department of Nikon Imaging Japan) by Focus-Numerique. His answer on the Nikon D90 replacement (Google translated):

“Before the D90 there was no demand for a video recording feature on DSLR. Since it became a standard and we receive many requests for improvements. It is therefore very likely that such an update to intervene in the near future. And a simple firmware update may not be possible … The white balance also will be part of the improvements.”

His response on a new EVIL camera from Nikon:

“Of course, we study these new concepts. But we can not disclose any of our choices for the moment.”

And finally his answer on whether Nikon will release “more affordable” lenses soon:

“Yes, you can count on it!”

Posted in Nikon 1, Nikon Lenses| 87 Comments

Weekly Nikon related news/links

By [NR] admin | Published: April 10, 2010
  • Nikon returns to black in second half of fiscal 09/10: sales of DSLR cameras are up more than 10% (total units: above 1.9 million). Nikon still has an operating loss for the full fiscal year ended March 31st.
  • Some stats: Nikon and Canon together have 90% of the DSLR market in the US (source: Joint Photoimaging Enterprise Association International newsletter).
  • Nikon SB-600 flash on clearance in some Target stores in the US: final price 174.98 + tax (source with receipt scan).
  • Hoodman found a new way to attach the HoodLoupe to a DSLR camera – it’s called the HoodCrane and it uses the camera’s hot shoe for added support.
Posted in Weekly Nikon News Flash| 6 Comments

Nikon Rumors giveaway #8

By [NR] admin | Published: April 9, 2010

Update: the giveaway is now closed. The winners will be picked on the forum and I will announce them later on the blog.

In this giveaway you can win a Nikon D700 or a Nikon D3s/D3x book by David Busch (bibliography). The rules are again simple – just leave a comment to this blog post indicating which book are you interested in. One entry per person, one book selection per person (if you have both cameras, I assume you don’t need a book). I will close all comments next week and one of the NR forum moderators will randomly pick the winners. I still don’t believe in “US only” giveaways and will ship this book anywhere in the world. Make sure you enter a valid email address.

Fine print: The contest is void where prohibited by law. All taxes are the responsibility of the winner. NikonRumors.com is not responsible for anything.

Posted in Other Nikon stuff| Tagged | Comments closed

Nikon patents of the week

By [NR] admin | Published: April 8, 2010

Patents gives us a glance on what’s on the mind of Nikon’s engineers, nothing more. In the past, Nikon has filed patents for new products before their announcement (example: the 85mm f/3.5 DX Micro lens). I will continue to monitor all new patent applications with the hope to discover signs of a new product. Here are my findings for this week:

Patent application 20100086296 – fuel cell as a camera power source and a way to get oxygen to the fuel cell:

“In a camera, air orifices for linking the space inside a cell compartment with the outside of a casing are disposed in a position other than the grip portion which is held by a user, in the vicinity of the center of the front surface of the casing, that is, in the vicinity of a lens-barrel. A concave-convex portion serving as an air orifice guard is formed at the side opposite to that where the lens-barrel is disposed with respect to the air orifices. As a result, even when the user takes a picture of an object by holding the camera with his/her own hand, the air orifices are prevented from being closed by the user’s hand. Oxygen (air) can be constantly supplied to the fuel cell accommodated inside the cell compartment, and the fuel cell can continuously generate a sufficient quantity of electricity.”

Patent Application 20100086293 – focus detecting apparatus:

“Disclosed is a focus detecting apparatus detecting an image offset of an optical system. The apparatus comprises a micro lens array arranged with a plurality of micro lenses, a photo-detector having a plurality of detecting elements provided so as to correspond to each of the plurality of micro lenses and receiving an optical beam from the optical system via the micro lenses, and a calculator that selects a pair of detecting elements from the plurality of detecting elements in accordance with a plurality of aperture values of the optical system and calculates an image offset of the optical system based on outputs from the pair of detecting elements. The pair of detecting elements receive respectively a pair of optical beams passing through different areas of the optical system.”

Read More »

Posted in Nikon Patents| 72 Comments

Nikon instant rebates updated @ Adorama (including all possible combinations)

By [NR] admin | Published: April 7, 2010

The initial rebate list had some items that were listed with the wrong prices (Adorama was closed for over a week). I just got an update from Adorama: those are all possible combination for the new Nikon instant rebates. All prices should be updated:

CombinationD300s bodyD300s w/18-200D700 bodyD700 w/24-120
70-200 ($400)availableN/Aavailable N/A
24-70 ($300)availableN/Aavailable N/A
24-120 ($200)available N/AavailableN/A
18-200 ($250)N/AavailableN/AN/A
10-24 ($300)availableavailableN/AN/A
16-35 ($300)availableavailableavailableavailable
SB-900 ($100)availableavailableavailableavailable
24-70/70-200 ($700)availableN/AavailableN/A
24-70/SB900 ($400)availableN/AavailableN/A
70-200/SB900 ($500)availableN/AavailableN/A
24-120/SB900 ($300)availableN/Asee D700 KitN/A
24-70/70-200/SB900 ($800)availableN/AavailableN/A
70-300 ($200)availableavailableavailableavailable

$200 rebate on the 70-300mm lens is also available with the D5000 & D90 bodies:

And some “special” combos:

You may have to “add to cart” to see the final price. Those rebates will expire on May 1st, 2010.

Nikon instant rebates at Amazon:

Nikon instant rebates at B&H: click on each of the models from the list below and then navigate to the “available kits” link for all the possible options:

Posted in Deals| 43 Comments

No Nikon D700 replacement in 2010?

By [NR] admin | Published: April 6, 2010

Quesabesde (in English) posted an article today stating that there will be no Nikon D700 replacement in 2010 based on “unofficial sources close to the company”. I have received similar rumors in the past and I have not found a good reason to believe them or post them online. Let’s put it this way – if this is true, what will Nikon show on Photokina this year? Nikon D90 emplacement only?

Posted in Nikon D800| 323 Comments

Low stores inventory

By [NR] admin | Published: April 6, 2010

Multiple reports from small and big stores in the US about low inventory on many products (new and old models). No reason to panic, this is probably due to the current ongoing instant rebate program combined with Nikon’s yearly inventory count that suspended all product deliveries to dealers for 10 days. Expect most of the missing products to be restocked by the end of the month.

Posted in Other Nikon stuff| 20 Comments