No D700x?
A poster at dpReview says that Nikon Austrialia has told him there will not be a D700x:
‘Just talikjng to Nikon in Sydney Australia, (I think that’s where they are, its a 1300 number..), and the technical guy said “We’ve just heard, there will be no D700x!”.
Oh well..
Can you trust this report from RandomInternetGuy(tm)? No, but I think it would be surprising for Nikon to launch a D700x when I’m sure the D3x is selling at around expectations.
Nikon D300s/D3000 Roadmap Rumor Roundup
Lots of rumor about tomorrow and future dates. I’ve been called out for not placing my bets on legitimacy, which I disagree with, but I’ll place my bets. I absolutely guarantee at least a 0% accuracy rating:
D300s: Engadget, Nikon Rumors, et al are reporting (with images) a possible Nikon D300s. Changes? Possibly an SD card and some histogram changes?
D3000: Similar reports of a Nikon D3000.
New 18-200: They sell a lot of this just ok lens- but what’d you expect in a zoom range that extreme. Amateurs love the huge range, no reason not to update it- they’ll sell a ton.
Coolpix’s with a project built-in?
I’ve seen this rumor reported a bajillion places and I’m calling bullshit. The chance that the hermit camera kingdom has a corner and decided to get all “open and transparent” is about as likely as a digital Holga. Also, while some of these project may be planned, there’d be 0 reason to release them in this economy. It also has that whiff of some dork’s (like me) wishlist. What’s more, there’re lots of posts in various places stating that this started out as a foreign language gag post to a list that then was translated and lost the “joke” portion of the post.
But here it is:
2009 Nikon Roadmap (Bodies)
Nikon D3000
12.3MP, 7 AF points, ISO 200-3200 extendable to 6400, 3.5fps, Video ?
Prediction: What’s the point- these specs are way too similar to the D5000. This model may exist at some point, but I don’t see it soon.
Nikon D300s
12.3MP, 7fps, HD video (1080p .mov h.264, 24fps), CF and SD cards slots, 920,000 pixel LCD screen
Prediction: Questionable. Maybe a rev’d D300 will come out, but I’d be very surprised if it did 1080p h.264- that takes a lot of horsepower and I don’t see it happening at this price-point.
D700x
24.5MP, 5fps, HD video (1080p .mov h.264, 24fps)
Prediction: I’d bet my minty D2x that the highest cost item in the D3x body is the sensor due to its probably low yields and I get the feeling that the motivation behind this rumor is that people would love to have a smaller, cheaper D3x body. But what’s in it for Nikon? The D3x is still expensive and likely very profitable, plus if you need it, you can afford it. So- I predict unlikely.
2009 Nikon Roadmap (Lenses)
AF-S Nikkor 24 to 135 mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR: Who knows, who cares? Variable aperture lenses are not on my shopping list- I’ve had it with doorstop lenses- well, maybe they’d be fine on that digital holga…
AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II: This will happen, I doubt it’ll be this year, they’re already selling plenty of lenses and I doubt they’re going to dedicate R&D + production capacity to this. When it comes out, I’m expecting a $200-$300 increase to come with it. If it’s 2009, I’m guessing ~ Christmas release.
AF-S Nikkor 35 mm f/1.4G (FX): This will happen, I’ll be surprised if it’s this year, if it is, I’m guessing Christmas again.
AF-S Nikkor 85 mm f/1.4G (FX): A given, possibly this year, but I’m also doubtful.
2010 (Bodies)
Nikon D4
15.7MP (more sensitive and with less noise), Up to 16fps with “double exposure”, ISO 200-12800 (plus extended range), 61-point AF, 1080p video at 30fps, CLS control (although no flash is mentioned)
Prediction: Quite possibly, I doubt 16fps, and hey, if we’re doing 30fps all full HD 1080p (which I doubt), then wtf do I only get 16dfps? While I’d love to get some more focus points out toward the edge, I wonder if that’ll actually happen.
Nikon D400
13.8MP (more sensitive and with less noise), 8fps, Up to 12fps with “double exposure”, ISO 200-6400 (plus extended range), 61-point AF, 1080p video at 24fps
Prediction: I don’t see 1080p, but maybe. I wouldn’t be surprised to see this before the D4 comes out though.
Nikon D4x
30.2MP, ISO 100 – 6400, 6fps, 1080p video at 30fps
Prediction: Hey, wtf not. Doubt it’ll be 2010 though.
Nikon D5000 / D500 Rumors
The void that surrounded this camera back in the PMA 2009 timeframe is starting to take form.
Engadget has found a shot from a retailer in Japan that was up then taken down.
The primary interesting item is an articulated LCD and possibly enhanced in-camera video editing. Otherwise, seems a bit like a D60 maybe. Price should be ~$600-800?
Also, you hopefully didn’t miss these (presumably?) real product shots of the camera .
I’m still pretty confused about the product name and tempted to say that D5000 may not end actually being the name, but there aren’t any signs that point to any OTHER name so….
Interestingly too- the screen is attached at the bottom of the normal LCD place which means that it swings down instead of to the side like many movie cameras:
Nikon D5000 Leaked Shots
See the rest of DTown.
Rumor: Next Nikon SLR is DX Format- D400? D350?sd
A great NIkon listserv posting by a reputable person who very well could know says that the next Nikon SLR will not be a full-frame body, but will be DX format. If you’re interested in the list, please mail me.
What’re the specs, when, what price? All unknown at this point.
I’m going to place a bet on an upgraded body like the D300 with something inexpensive added on maybe better flash, integrated GPS, better LCD, wifi?
Ken Makes it Up: Nikon MX Forecast
Oh good grief- devoid of any serious information, Ken speculates on the Nikon MX medium-format camera system. I’m going to report it because his pointless speculation is now almost funny:
Nikon may have done what we all want, which is use a real 54 x54mm square sensor with a resolution of 6,380 x 6,380 pixels.
This is fantastic; it’s the same size as a mounted 2-1/4″ transparency.
I would sure love my square medium-format back- I miss shooting that way with my hassie. But let’s get real- maybe some day we’ll see something like this, but I think it would surprise everyone.
Nikon D5000?
PMA is March 1st to the 5th this year and there’s only one rumor. Nikon Rumors is reporting:
…Nikon D5000 is real – it has a swivel display that rotates in all directions; 12.3 Mpx sensor…
Well, let’s just see. Given that we aren’t hearing this from any other source, I’m taking it with a grain of salt- could be another P&S
A swivel display is really nice if you’re taking a self-portrait and while I wanted one on the D3 for live-view, I’m happy to report that the viewing angle on the LCD of the D3 and D3x are still totally usable if you hold the camera at odd angles (like over your head). So it wasn’t as important as I’d thought.
Also, does the fact that it’s number might be 5000 instead of, say, 65 make any difference? Who knows. I’m tempted to bet that if we do see an SLR like this, it won’t be a number higher than 100, but who knows.
Again, I also expect to see lower-priced, less capable cameras being released until we bottom out of the global recession, so I’m not getting my hopes up about anything very interesting being released.
Wanna see some good solid-modeling (3d rendering?)
Fake Nikkor 10-18mm
Wanna see some more?
Fake Nikkor 10-18mm
I’ll let the Chinese guys point out the issues here (translated).
In addition- wtf would Nikon make this lens when they just came out with the 14-24mm? If this was a fish-eye zoom or something, then maybe I could see that- but the “samples” from this lens are clearly not fish-eye.
Let’s stop wasting everyone’s time. This is a far better use of 3d modeling skills.
There are currently no credible reports of an updated Nikon 80-400mm lens.
There are also no credible reports of an updated NIkkor 70-200mm f/2.8 with Nano-coating.
In fact, there are -no- credible reports of any new lenses in the pipeline.
Nikon Price Increases?
Well, we’re seeing a lot of chatter about price increases in February. Specific countries like Australia apparently are getting 15-20% increases soon, the UK has also been mentioned. I haven’t seen anything solid on the US though.
But here’s the thing- the economy’s in toilet right now and it’s not going to climb out any time soon and the Yen’s on the rise. Bad economy means fewer sales, products produced with a strong Yen mean they’re pricier for every other currency, thus higher prices and fewer sales.
Nikon, rightly, expects to do sell less product and do worse than they have during the last few years, so they’ve laid off workers. Laying off workers means they’re combating selling less product. I’d expect to see more layoffs in the future.
But notice that many of their consumer-grade products and lenses are made in China and Thailand. China has a fixed currency exchange rate which keeps it artificially low and Thailand’s Baht has moved down substantially vs the Yen too. So, for the cameras at least, the strength of the Yen should have less an impact than you would expect.
This means they’re combating both a stronger yen and few sales.
So predictions: I would be a bit surprised to see significant price hikes for countries whose currency hasn’t declined a lot vs the Yen (that would exclude Australia), and I’d be just as surprised to see a world-wide increase in the price of the D3x (as I’ve seen a lot of chatter about).
The D3x is already too pricey, and unless it’s been flying off the shelves, there’s no reason I can see to make it more expensive. So I’m betting that the prices (in the US anyway) for the D3x will stay the same.
But you know what they say and predicting the future- you only do it if you want to prove yourself a fool…
Nikon Australia Dealer Price List
I’ve run businesses (small ones) so I do understand the costs associated with providing things for the public to buy, especially when your business is located in Manhattan, and I’m ok with paying reasonable markups. But I think it’s also reasonable to know how much I’m being taken for.
That’s why my little heart filled with a small amount of joy when Tim forwarded me a spreadsheet that he got from Nikon Australia with both the manufacturer’s recommended price and the wholesale dealer prices!
Here’s the full price list (xls) with markup added.
What’s the upshot?
* Coolpixs: You’re paying 19% margin
* Bodies: D3, D3x kits ~14%, consumer-grade bodies like D60 kit ~18%
* Still like film? That’ll cost you. That F6 you were looking at? 16%. FM10 26%!
* Lenses: almost uniformly 22% markup. Some are 18%, exotic pro stuff is 14% except the 300mm f/2.8 which is 22%.
* Flashes are basically 25%. If you lose any of those flash accesories and you’ll pay anywhere from 30 to 100+%!
* Binoculars are ~30%
* Chargers are roughly 50% in most cases
* Batteries range from 30-82% for an en-el8!
* Eyepieces (diopter adjustment, etc) at nearly uniformly 100%
* Filters- 30-60%
* Lens hoods- almost all 100%
Thanks Tim!
We’re seeing more and more rumors flying about a high-res d3x or d4 or whatever other name. Here’s one from some guy who seems particularly sure:
D3x will be launched officially on the local market on december 1st, this year. 24mp, FX (of course). I just had the chance to see and play a bit with it and the camera is awesome ! The detail rendition is incredible.
Hold your breath, it will have a very interesting spec which – now – makes it clear to me why they put on hold the D3 production. I cannot say more, I just promised to the guy (see this thread: ) to keep my mouth shut (I managed to keep it half shut), but you will REALLY love it !
Just wait. This will be a delightful Christmas for us, Nikonians.
I don’t tend to trust random guys on the internet though 
I’m still really happy with my outrageous high ISO capabilities and the FX format, so anything else we get is just gravy. A modular, or upgradeable sensor body is the only thing I’m really hoping for at this point other than new primes.
We’re seeing a lot of nonsense rumors around the D3x and various other potentialy Nikon DSLR’s like the D1000 and D800. I’m skipping most of them because they’re completely implausible- but since this one is so specific, I’m going to pass it along:
“Nikon USA’s PR Dept. [said] D3X is coming…slated for December at the moment. Full Frame, Crop features…24.4 megapixels 9 fps and a host of other features. The price? $6499.99 USD (U.S. Dollars) Its supposed to look identical to the D3, and use many of the same D3 addon’s…but have more megapixels, better noise-reduction software and faster high-speed for sports. …”
That all sounds essentially plausible- I doubt the high ISO performance can be far better than the D2x/s, but I’m sure it can be better, I can’t see it matching the D3’s performance though.
I also very much doubt the 9 frames per second (fps) claim. I really think that’s pointless- I still have yet to use that mode on my D3, but ok, someone will.
