where there’s smoke there’s fire

The most difficult part of my job is to distinguish the real/plausible rumors and filter out the urban legends. This is even more difficult when the source is anonymous. For example, 2-3 weeks before the official release  of the Nikkor 35mm 1.8 DX lens (back in February) I received a tip about this lens. Of course my reaction was “BS” – a prime DX lens, this will never happen. A week latter I started to receive tips from other sources about the same lens and them I pulled the trigger and posted it online. Few days later the lens was officially released. I am still banging my head against the wall – why didn’t I post this rumor the first time I got it…

In order to prevent future head banging, I will post some unconfirmed rumors I have been getting in the past few days/weeks. At that point I cannot establish any patterns or draw any conclusions – those are just rumors and this is what this whole site is about (messages are not edited):

“Next Nikon DSLR will be SDXC compatible + other assorted info. From my perspective as a Nikon Optical Engineer, It seems to be that Nikon will make it’s next DSLR SDXC compatible. It seems to have both 1 CF, and 1 SDXC slot, and share the sensor with the Sony Alpha 350. Also, it will NOT be able to Autofocus with AF-only lenses, just like the d40/d40x/d60… which is how all Nikon bodies from this point forward will be.
Lenses:
– The 10-18mm FX lens is impractical for now
– There might be an AF-S Micro-Nikkor 200mm f/3.5G IF-ED VR out by September. If it does pass tests, it will be 100% weather-sealed, with an MSRP of $1999.99
-The 55-200mm VR will get a metal mount, dust seal at mount, and instant manual focus override.”

“new nikon lenses
I’m a huge client of one of the best photo stores in **** and the owner told me there will be a nikon 24×120 4.0 with is next month
after that a 
24 1.4
new 35 2.0
new 70×200”

“Primes and new technology. Today, I talked to my Nikon rep. He has told me great news:

1) The D40 is gone
2) The D60 is gone after summer
3) 28 1.4 and 85 1.4 have been in the works for the past 8 months and are eminent and extremely plausible before fall. There are other Primes coming but doesn’t have any specifics. 
4) Nikon Is refocusing (no pun intended) to recapture the pro Nikon market and told us to plan on seeing lenses to fight Canon, which I am hoping will mean Nikon versions of most of them. His main talking points was lenses lenses lenses.
5) Nikon has been looking into technologies that will bring back super fast glass such as a 1.2 and was even suggesting that they are looking into lenses like the Canon 0.95 but with accurate autofocusing.  (It would be a big feat in his opinion) He did not have any info on the D300 or D700 replacements.”

“2009 releases:

Had heavy discussions with reps from Nikon (was at recent d5000 launch). I put forward my belief that a new DX (possibly D400) would be out June/July. The response was a wry smile and a feint nod of the head. I then stated that I believed the ‘hi-res’ mini (D700x for want of a better name) would be out in October. His response – “closer to November” Other rep just smiled knowingly. May be nothing to it, but seems to fit with predictive timelines.”