Nikon digital rangefinder: “prototypes have been seen around Tokyo”


TomA (why is every knowledgeable and well respected person in photography called Tom or Thom?) wrote this comment in rangefinderforum.com regarding our Nikon digital rangefinder post:

Prototypes have been seen around Tokyo, so something is afoot!

This comment becomes even more interesting after the “BIG” Rangefinder magazine ad.

Some more speculations: 
  • The first Nikon rangefinder was produced from March of 1948 to August of 1949 (source), which means that the 60 years anniversary is this year (or next year if you consider the end of production).
  • Nikon F was introduced in 1959 (source).
  • Also, a reminder that Nikon produced a limited edition rangefinder in 2005 (source) which was reproduction of the original 1957 Nikon SP (except for minor details). Nikon rangefinders (in general) go for few thousand dollars on ebay:

Nikon Rangefinders on ebay


Posted in Other Nikon stuff| Tagged | 4 Comments

Nikon D90, 12.3MP w/18-105mm @ Target




Some details:

  • Estimated Ship Dimensions : 10.7 inches length x 8.5 inches width x 7.9 inches height
  • Estimated Ship weight: 7.05 pounds
  • Catalog # : 10987976 ASIN: B001ENOZY4 DPCI: 241-18-0017

Thank you JS!

Posted in Nikon D90| 15 Comments

Nikon win EISA awards

Nikon scoops two prestigious EISA awards – Double honours for Nikon at the European Imaging and Sound Association awards.

Press Release:

Nikon swept the boards at the prestigious European Imaging and Sound Association (EISA) awards, picking up accolades for three of its professional products.

Each year the member audio, video and photo magazines from across 19 European countries nominate the best equipment from different categories of audiovisual products released in Europe during the preceding 12 months.

This year, Nikon picked up the European Professional Camera 2008-2009 award with its Nikon D3 D-SLR and European Professional Lens 2008-2009 with its two NIKKOR lenses: the AF-S 14-24mm f/2.8G ED and the AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8G ED. The awards further underpin Nikon’s leadership position in high-end photography and recognise the company’s continued pursuit of excellence.

Robert Cristina, Professional Products and NPS Manager at Nikon Europe comments: “We are delighted that our engineering efforts have been recognised so comprehensively again, as they were for the TIPA awards earlier this year. These two awards affirm our commitment to providing the best imaging and optical technologies in the photography business.

European Professional Camera 2008-2009: Nikon D3

Award citation of the EISA jury: “The Nikon D3 is the first full-frame Nikon, offering amazing image quality due to the fact that the pixels on the 12-million-pixel CMOS-sensor are much larger than usual. These large pixels help to produce very low levels of noise, even at high ISO settings. The high-speed operation and focusing, combined with the nine images per second continuous shooting mode, make it a good camera for action and sports photography, as well as the ideal DSLR for all-round professional photographers.”

European Professional Lens 2008-2009: NIKKOR AF-S 14-24mm f/2.8G ED and NIKKOR AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8G ED
Award citation of the EISA jury: “This pair of NIKKOR zooms represents the ideal optical partnership to equip Nikon’s professional full-frame cameras. Covering a brad focal length at f/2.8, and delivering very high optical quality, these zooms help to project Nikon’s FX D-SLR system to the forefront of the market. With its amazing frontal lens and only the small handicap of a quite significant size and weight, the AF-S 14-24mm establishes a new record in the short focal-length zoom category compatible with full-frame sensors. Its quality compares extremely well to that of fixed-length focal lenses. The new AF-S 24-70mm is a superb lens, with an advanced optical and mechanical design that marks it out in the NIKKOR wide-standard zoom line-up. Its minimum focusing distance of 0.38m makes it an excellent general-purpose zoom.

Nikon continues to develop excellent products in its ambition to be the manufacturer and partner of choice for photographers at all levels.

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“It’s gonna be BIG! Something SO BIG we can’t even tell you what it is” (updated)

The above scan is from page 148 of the latest Rangefinder Magazine.
I wonder what will be so BIG about this event.
WPPI stands for Wedding & Portrait Photographer International. The next show will be in February 2009 in Las Vegas. In the event schedule they have listed a “surprise welcome party”.
Posted in Nikon D3x| Tagged , | 60 Comments

Training video for Nikon D90

Apparently elitevideo.com is now advertising training videos for Nikon D90. See the screenshot here.
I will call them up tomorrow to purchase one. The problems is that it will probably arrive after the D90 announcement.
Source: Page 95 of Popular Photography for September 2008 (we will have our own screenshot tomorrow).
Update: I called them today and they did not have the Nikon D90 training video.
Posted in Nikon D90| 6 Comments

Canon & Leica will have press conferences too

Canon: August 25th
Nikon: August 27th
Leica: September 15th
Posted in Other Nikon stuff| 2 Comments

Nikon DSLR weekly price watch matrix (updated)

Price movements sometimes indicate if a new model is coming soon. Here is our weekly Nikon DSLR price watch matrix:

  Amazon price trendB&H price trend Adorama price trend 
D3 $ 4,518.98 up$ 4,539.95 same$ 4,539.95 same
D700$ 2,998.00 down by $1$ 2,999.95 same$ 2,999.00 same
D300$ 1,624.88 same$ 1,624.95 same$ 1,624.95 same
D200$ 999.88 down$ 999.95 same$ 999.95 same
D80$ 724.99 down$ 724.95  same$ 724.95 same
D60$ 602.50* down by 1c$ 619.95* same$ 619.95*  same
D40x$ 648.95 samediscontinued same$ 369.95 (refurb)  same
D40 $ 467.26* down$ 469.95* same$ 469.95* same

* indicates lens kit

Posted in Deals| 31 Comments