Patrick, I mean, uh, um, “Deep Bokeh” reports on an amazing and previously unheard-of new Nikon body with some rather amazing (”Revolutionary”?) new features (emphasis is mine):

Hi Matt,
I have been chagrined to see wildly inaccurate rumors on your site about the upcoming Nikon announcement. So, I have decided to share my brief hands-on experience with the new model to dispel some of the sillier ideas being floated on the web. This information is accurate but brief as I only had a few minutes to evaluate a prototype that was handed to me under a stall in the mens’ room at Nikon headquarters. I barely had time to set up a light tent on the toilet, take a few shots, and jot down some notes. Here it is:

First of all, the D35jr is a new entry-level model, not a pro rig. It is designed to compete in the competitive market below the midrange D40/D40X.By far, the most noteworthy feature is the inclusion of in-camera vibration reduction, called “VR iv.” The “iv” is not the roman numeral four, but rather an abbreviation of “intravenous.” When the shutter button is pressed, a hypodermic needle in the button injects a powerful muscle paralyzer into the photographer’s finger. After the exposure, another needle injects an antidote while an electric charge restarts the heart. Nikon engineers rate it’s effectiveness between VR II and a tripod, good for up to 30 second exposures. “Bulb” setting is NOT recommended.

The D35jr also has dual white assist lamps. The second lamp only fires in Red Eye Reduction mode. When this mode is selected, the lamps alternate their flashes into each eye. Although highly annoying, the effect is said to be useful for repelling charging animals up to the size of a mountain lion.

Other new features include an AF assist fog lamp and a strange pulsating red light in the hand grip whose function is not known.

Responding to the criticism over the D40/D40X’s inability to focus with non-AF-S lenses, the new Nikon will focus with all AF glass. However it won’t meter with anything. For metering, a D35jr user will need the new AF-Sb lens, the 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G III DX.

Owners will need to consider their lens choice very carefully due to the new “Nikon Dust Reduction System.” Once any lens is mounted, small explosive charges fire, permanently fusing the lens to the body. Asked why in the hell it would do that, the Nikon engineer shrugged and said there were always trade offs in a camera priced as aggressively as this.

That’s about it. The engineer mumbled something about an 18 megapixel full-frame sensor and ISO 8000, but I think I got all the important stuff.

hope this helps,

“Deep Bokeh”

FINALLY Nikon is doing something about dust on the sensor. However, I’m disappointed that no cool black-light was included alongside the dual white-balance assist lamps.

This entry was posted on Friday, August 17th, 2007 at 11:11 and is filed under Rumors. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.