After the last price increase, Nikon UK is now running a new summer cashback program (see details at WEX, Jessops, and Park Cameras). The cashback program is also available in several other European countries (Germany for example) – check your local Nikon website for more details.
The current Nikon US rebates can be found here.
More photography deals can be found here (also on Facebook & Twitter).
ChipMod took a Nikon D850 camera apart and came to the conclusion that the sensor inside is made by Sony (Google translation):
We had another Nikon D850 sensor teardown last year, but we could not see the actual numbers on the back of the sensor since they were covered by a metal frame. This time ChipMod provided a picture of the back of the sensor where we can clearly see IMX309AQJ and 1183456:
A quick Google search shows us that IMX309AQJ is indeed a Sony made sensor:
Nikon officially announced the development of the previously rumored AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR lens (see patent). The new lens will be compact and lightweight like the latest 300mm f/4 thanks to the use of Phase Fresnel (PF) lens element (the current 500mm f/4 lens weights 6.81lb/3.09kg and costs $10,296.95) We don’t have a price or a picture, just a press release:
Time seems to stand still at Nikon. When the Nikkor 180-400mm f/4E TC 1.4 FL ED VR lens was announced, Nikon promised (in the press release) to release a firmware update for the D5, D850 and D500 that will make the outer row of AF points activated as cross-type sensors to significantly enhance the AF coverage throughout the frame. Nikon USA says on their website that the new firmware is expected in March 2018 (click for a larger view):
Last year Nikon sued ASML and Carl Zeiss over patented semiconductor lithography technology. The court in The Hague dealing with intellectual property has ruled that ASML and Zeiss have not violated any Nikon patents:
Nikon released the second batch of firmware update fixes for the timezone issue (see the first batch here):
The SETUP MENU > Time zone and date > Time zone display now shows only the names of major cities in the currently selected zone. (DSLR)
The display when Home time zone or Travel destination is selected in the Set up > Time zone and date > Time zone sub-menu now shows only the names of major cities in the currently selected zone. (compacts)
Direct download links:
After the last price increase in the UK, Nikon will also increase their prices in the rest of Europe.
I received multiple reports about it, but I am not sure if the price increase already happened or if it’s about to happen.
Check the latest Nikon EU prices at Amazon DE | Amazon FR | Amazon ES | Amazon IT.
Some readers are probably not aware that photographer David Douglas Duncan (1916-2018) made the Nikon and Nikkor brand names known all over the world when he was covering the Korean war in 1950:
“Mr. Duncan shot in black and white, with lightweight Leica cameras and Nikkor lenses, made by the Japanese company Nikon, that he helped popularize in the West. He focused on the eyes and inner anguish of such Marines as Capt. Ike Fenton, whose men ran out of ammunition during one engagement with the enemy, and Cpl. Leonard Hayworth, a machine-gunner reduced to tears.” (Washington Post)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUvHAa1M7D4
“In 1950, an encounter took place that immensely changed the fate of Nikon and NIKKOR lenses. At the beginning of June that year, David Douglas Duncan, who was a LIFE magazine photographer, Horace Bristol, a Fortune magazine photographer and Japanese photographer Jun Miki visited the Ohi Plant of Nikon Corporation (Nippon Kogaku K.K. at that time). What had prompted their visit was Mr. Duncan’s portrait taken by Jun Miki, who was then the only Japanese LIFE photographer with a NIKKOR P.C 8.5cm f/2 lens. Mr. Duncan was so surprised by its sharpness that he suggested visiting Nikon Corporation, arranging it with a single phone call that would ultimately have great consequences.
At the plant, Nikon personnel showed them a lens performance comparison between the Leitz and ZEISS lenses, which were carried by Mr. Duncan and Mr. Bristol at that time, and NIKKOR lenses, by using a test projector. Directly after they saw the outstanding performance of NIKKOR lenses, they purchased them for Leica on the spot. Then, carrying the lenses with him, Mr. Duncan traveled to the battlefront of the Korean War on June 25th. His magnificent photographs created a major impact among American journalists, who were asking “Why is this image so sharp? Did he carry a large-format camera?” Then The New York Times reported Nikon’s excellence with the headline “Japanese camera”. This drew the world’s attention to Nikon and NIKKOR lenses, which provided a unique opportunity for the Japanese optical business to greatly expand its horizons.
Mr. Duncan continued using Nikon cameras and NIKKOR lenses, took photographs all over the world, and created many memorable masterpieces. In 2016, Mr. Duncan celebrated his 100th year, as did Nikon in 2017. Their long relationship continues still.” (Nikon)
→ New eBay coupon code: get 10% off select purchases of $25+ with coupon code “PERFECT10” (ends: Sunday, June 10th at 11:59 PM PST).
→ Still no news on the Lexar XQD memory cards – the new batch was supposed to ship in June (Lexar XQD listings removed from Adorama, listed as discontinued at B&H).
→ Nikon India to contribute 5% of global sales: “Last year, the Indian DSLR market stood at around 5 lakh units and this year, it is expected to be around 5.25 lakh units by registering 5 percent growth.”
Photographing Japanese food with a Nikon D750 by Vincent from cecj2.com:
I’m Vincent from Paris, France and I created the website cecj2.com in 2008 about Japanese restaurants. As a semi-professional food blogger, I have read many books and articles on how to take food pictures. A tripod, a long distance lens (85mm at least) and a light diffuser were used, but none of these are possible when you are in a fancy Japanese restaurant in Tokyo or in a dive bar.
