Nikon Rumors

Nikkor AF-S 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6 lens could be released next

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

Several readers asked me about the replacement of the current Nikon 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6D ED VR lens. I searched trough my old emails and I found this list of lenses that was sent to me back in October of 2009. I did not publish this online, but it seems that everything was spot on, except the AF-S 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6:

AF-S 24mm f/1.4
AF-S 35mm f/1.4
AF-S 85mm f/1.4
AF-S 16-35mm f/4.0
AF-S 24-120mm f/4.0
AF-S 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6
AF-S 200-400mm f/4

Based on this list, I can speculate that a new Nikkor AF-S 80-400 f/4.5-5.6 will be the next lens to be announced by Nikon.

Few months ago, Nikon filed for a patent on a new 80-400m f/4.5-5.6 lens:

FYI: Nikon already announced a record number of lenses this year: nine, compared to six lenses per year from 2007- 2009.

Posted in Nikon Lenses| Tagged Nikon AF-S 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6| 142 Comments

The publisher of the Nikon D800 book insists on a March 2011 release date

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

A French speaking reader contacted Dunod, the publishing company that listed the Nikon D800 book, and they insist that the book will be released in March of 2011 – here is their answer, for whatever it’s worth:

“Bonjour,
Il s’agit d’un livre qui va normalement paraître en mars 2011. Voir le lien ci-après: http://www.dunod.com/loisirs-essais-bien-etre/loisirs-scientifiques-techniques/audio-photo-video/photographie/obtenez-le-maximum-du-nikon-d80“

which translates to something like:

“Hello,
This is a book that will normally be available in March 2011. See link below: link“

In an even more bizarre development, the Amazon UK listing is now also updated with a publishing date of March 9, 2011 (it was February 9th, 2011 yesterday):

Posted in Nikon D800| Tagged Nikon books| 80 Comments

Nikon D800 and D4 rumors

By [NR] admin | Published: October 5, 2010

The Nikon D800 book triggered a series of new tips and leads. Those are the most reliable rumors I received so far (please note that because a potential announcement is months away, some of the specs and/or release dates may change):

The Nikon D700 replacement will be called D800, it will come with a new 24 MP sensor, new AF system, full HD, same noise (ISO) performance like the D700. The announcement should be in Summer of 2011 (which is later then what the D800 book suggested). This camera is aimed to be a direct competitor of the Canon 5D MarkII.

The successor of the D3s will be called D4 and it will have 16 MP, 11 fps, full HD, new AF system and the same noise (ISO) performance like the D3s. The Nikon D4 should be announced in Spring of 2011. The D4x will follow with a 34MP sensor.

If true, this line up will indicate that Nikon will move away from the D3/mini D3 (D700) DSLR lines and create two more distinguished camera products. The D700 probably did cannibalize some of the D3 sales which (I guess) triggered that decision (otherwise they could continue to use the D3s/4 sensor in a D700 body).

No word on a D300s replacement yet.

Posted in Nikon D4, Nikon D800| 326 Comments

Nikon D800 with 24MP in February 2011? UPDATED

By [NR] admin | Published: October 5, 2010

Amazon UK listed a new book called “Obtenez le maximum du Nikon D800” (translates to “Getting the most from the Nikon D800”):

The book is set to be published on February 9th, 2011.

The same book is also listed on Amazon France and on decitre.fr:

Posted in Nikon D800| Tagged Nikon books| 170 Comments

The new Nikon instant rebates (US) UPDATED

By [NR] admin | Published: October 4, 2010

$1000 savings on this D700 kit

The new Nikon instant rebates are pretty much unchanged from last month:

Nikon D300s rebates:

70-300mm VR lens kit: $200 instant rebate
18-200mm VR lens kit: $250 instant rebate
16-35mm lens kit: $300 instant rebate
24-70mm lens kit: $300 instant rebate
14-24mm lens kit: $400 instant rebate
70-200mm VR II lens kit: $400 instant rebate
18-200mm VR lens + 70-300mm VR lens kit: $450 instant rebate
24-70mm lens + 70-200mm VR II lens kit: $700 instant rebate
14-24mm lens + 24-70mm lens kit: $700 instant rebate

Nikon D700 rebates:

70-300mm VR lens kit: $200 instant rebate
16-35mm lens kit: $300 instant rebate
24-70mm lens kit: $300 instant rebate
70-200mm VR II lens kit: $400 instant rebate
16-35mm lens + 70-200mm VR II lens kit: $700 instant rebate
24-70mm lens + 70-200mm VR II lens kit: $700 instant rebate
16-35mm lens + 24-70mm lens + 70-200mm lens kit: $1000 instant rebate

Updates – few more rebate options:

Nikon D90 body only or the 18-105 VR lens kit: $50 instant rebate.
Nikon D90 with Nikon 18-105 VR & 55-200 G lenses: $150 instant rebate.
Nikon D90 with Nikon 18-105 VR & 55-200 lenses: $150 instant rebate.
Nikon D90 with Nikon 18-105 VR & 70-300 VR lenses: $150 instant rebate.

Nikon D3000 with 18-55 VR lens: $50 instant rebate.
Nikon D3000 with 18-55 VR & 55-200 G kit: $150 instant rebate.
Nikon D3000 with 18-55 VR & 55-200 VR kit: $150 instant rebate.

Nikon D5000 with 18-55 VR lens: $50 instant rebate.
Nikon D5000 with 18-55 VR & 55-200 lenses: $150 instant rebate.
Nikon D5000 with 18-55 VR & 55-200 VR lenses: $150 instant rebate.
Nikon D5000 with 18-55 VR & 70-300 VR lenses: $250 instant rebate.

Nikon D3100 with 18-55 VR & 55-200 G lenses: $100 instant rebate.
Nikon D3100 with 18-55 & 55-200 VR lenses: $100 instant rebate.
Nikon D3100 with 18-55 & 70-300 VR lenses: $200 instant rebate.

Those are all instant rebates – no need to fill or send anything. You’ll have to add the items to the cart to see the final price after the instant rebate.

Posted in Deals| Tagged Nikon Rebates| 38 Comments

Catching up on the latest Nikon patents

By [NR] admin | Published: October 4, 2010

Japanese patent application 2010-128374 is for a new Speedlight with video illumination and specifically a way to cool off the flash efficiently by adding a “heat radiating member”:

“Problem to be solved: To efficiently cool an illumination device including a flash light source and a continuous light source.
Solution: The illumination device includes: a housing; a flash light source which is supported by the housing and generates flash light; the continuous light source which is supported by the housing and generates continuous light; and a heat radiating member which is supported by the housing, thermally coupled to both light sources in common and radiates heat generated due to the generation of the flash light from the flash light source and the generation of the continuous light from the continuous light source to the outside of the housing. The continuous light source can be supported by the housing, so as to be disposed in a direction where the continuous light illuminates the lower part of the housing, when the flash light source faces an object to be illuminated.”

Nikon filed patent applications in Japan for two new macro lenses for their mirrorless camera – 40mm f/2.8 and 60mm f/3.8:

The patent application for the two lenses is 2010-204621 and it was filled on 02/03/2009. Note that the image circle is again 17mm, but as previously reported, Nikon could be obfuscating their lens design in some of the patents. The details:

Posted in Nikon Patents| 31 Comments

Weekly Nikon related news/links #78 (part 2)

By [NR] admin | Published: October 3, 2010

Nikon is promoting refurbished products in the their new online outlet store. For example: refurbished Nikon D90 sells for $719.96 compared to $779.95 at Adorama:

The current Nikon instant rebates program expires today.
Panasonic will unveil a Lumix phone camera next week. Few months ago Nikon was looking for cooperation with online and mobile device companies and they did file some cell phone related patents in the past. Just saying.
FYI: Sony sensors can overheat in some cases only after 6 min of video recording. Sony is also going to outsource some production of their image sensors to Fujitsu.
Two new iPhone apps for Nikon lenses: the first one is called Nikon Lenses (iTunes link) and provides a list of lenses with links to reviews and some basic product descriptions:

The second iPhone app is called Nikon (by Hands Communication, iTunes link), it has a much better interface but unfortunately it is not available in English. The app has a DSLR, Coolpix, Nikkor, Lens Guide and My Camera sections:

Posted in Weekly Nikon News Flash| Tagged Nikon iPhone app| 42 Comments

Weekly Nikon related news/links #78 (part 1)

By [NR] admin | Published: October 2, 2010

Too much to cover this weekend. I will have two parts of the weekly Nikon related news/links – here is part 1:

Wireless direct geotagging via Bluetooth to any GPS receiver is now available for Nikon D3100, D5000, D7000 and D90. I assume this will work with a phone as a GPS receiver. The price is 149.00€ including tax:

New Voigtlander adapter will allow you to use Nikon lenses on a Sony NEX camera. Availability: September 23th, price: 19,800 yen (around $230):

New EVFs for HDSLRs:

Ok, this is now too much – the Nikon coffee mug is now available as a real zoom: “you can now rotate the mug to extend the cup, as if you were zooming with the lens” – see more at 100milligrams (via PhotographyBay). Update: yes, there is already a review of the new Nikon coffee mug.

Four videos illustrating the Nikon D3100 AF during video recording:

Posted in Weekly Nikon News Flash| 82 Comments

Nikon D7000 expected to ship between October 17-22

By [NR] admin | Published: October 1, 2010

According to BestBuy, the Nikon D7000 will start shipping between October 17-22 (estimated US arrival dates):

See all Nikon D7000 pre-order options here.

Posted in Nikon D7000| 116 Comments

Nikkors on a train

By [NR] admin | Published: September 30, 2010

Next time you take a train in Switzerland and go through a tunnel, you can rest assured that the inside walls are in perfect shape thanks to…. five fisheye Nikkor lenses:

This piece of fascinating technology is the front of the diagnostic vehicle for rail infrastructure of the Swiss Federal Railways, which was part of the Innotrans – the international trade fair for rail transportation that took place last week in Berlin, Germany:

Posted in Nikon Lenses, Weird| 74 Comments

where there’s smoke there’s fire