Nikon ended a years-long wait Tuesday by unveiling the D800. Its sequel to the D700 claims a record-setting 36.3-megapixel, full-frame CMOS sensor. The camera not only competes with medium format cameras in resolution (though not sensor size) but can boost the focal range by 50 percent while still keeping a 15.3-megapixel image.
The Nikon D800 has had much of its mystery taken away after a leak of details and photos through Brazil. The full-frame DSLR will shoot at 36.3 megapixels, ZTOP saw, and will take a very different approach than the 16-megapixel D4. In return for more than double the resolution, it would have a smaller normal ISO sensitivity range of ISO 100 to 6,400 and a lower maximum ISO as a result, most likely the 25,600 of the D700.
Digital camera maker Nikon has posted its third-quarter earnings on Friday, revealing the company took a one-time 10.9 billion yen loss (about $143 million) due to the flooding of its factories in Thailand. For the quarter ending December 31, Nikon called the loss extraordinary, though it did include the 500 million yen ($6.6 million) insurance payment as a result of the property damage. Any further insurance payments will be received as extraordinary gains when the amounts are fixed.
Apple on Wednesday afternoon posted Mac OS X 10.7.3 (release notes). The Lion upgrade adds several languages, including Catalan for Spaniards as well as Croatian, Greek, Hebrew, Romanian, Slovak, Thai, and Ukrainian. RAW photo compatibility has expanded to several new cameras, including the Nikon J1 and V1, Olympus' current PEN cameras, and current Sony Alpha and NEX cameras, such as the NEX-5N.
One more set of Coolpix updates from Nikon on Tuesday has focused on the budget end but included a new category of camera for the company. The S30 is one of the least expensive rugged cameras yet and can take going underwater, down to 9.8 feet, or drops of up to 2.6 feet. Its lens shoots at just 3X but is self-contained to minimize the impact.
Nikon's Coolpix upgrades continued Tuesday with four S-series camera upgrades. The S3300, S4300, S6300, and S9300 all have 16-megapixel sensors. The S6300 and S9300 have backside-illuminated CMOS sensors that give them much better low-light performance.
Nikon led a slew of Coolpix camera launches Tuesday night with two models straddling the line between pro and amateur shooting. The P510 has one of the longest zooms ever on a non-removable lens camera and can shoot at 42X (24-1,000mm equivalent) with a purportedly more aggressive image stabilization engine. A 16.1-megapixel, backside-illuminated CMOS sensor helps combat shake along with helping in low light and improving autofocus speed.
CEO of camera and lens maker Sigma, sadly, has passed away. The 78-year-old Michihiro Yamaki succumbed in Tokyo, Japan on January 18 after a fight with liver cancer. Yamaki founded the company in 1961 and was heading up the company up to 2011, on its 50th anniversary.
Nikon's long-expected D800 full-frame DSLR may have a firmer ship date from a collation of tips. The pro camera is now believed with confidence by Nikon Rumors to be unveiled on February 6, with numerous events scheduled on February 7. The timing would be a deliberate prelude to the CP+ camera show starting February 9 in Japan.
Two Japanese camera lens manufacturers have signed onto the Micro Four Thirds standard pioneered by Olympus and Panasonic. They include Kenko Tokina and Tamron, while a third Japanese company, Astrodesign, has also jumped onboard, though it makes video measuring equipment and not lenses. This should give those how have bought into the new type of camera, which allows for interchangeable lenses on digital camera bodies that are smaller than DSLRs, more options for lenses.
Nikon appears to be in the process of discontinuing its D300s and D700 cameras, which have been added to the "old products" listing on the company's Japanese website. The discontinuations are viewed as an indication that Nikon may be ready to finally release the D400 and D800 models that have appeared in several leaks.
Nikon Germany's camera page briefly posted (since edited) an image confirming the existence of the D800. The shot showed what was clearly a smaller FX-mount camera with the sloped shutter controls of the D4. A telltale angled logo on the right side lined up with a previous leak of a side photo.
Sony has officially launched the first XQD flash memory card , a new high-speed format designed to replace CompactFlash cards. The new format is primarily aimed at high-end SLR cameras and uses the PCI Express serial communications link interface from computers to achieve transfer rates as high as 125MB/s initially.
Nikon late Thursday confirmed the D4. The new full-frame flagship DSLR moves up cautiously to a 16.2-megapixel sensor but is a major leap in image quality over both the D3 and D3s. It doubles the maximum sensitivity to ISO 204,800 and shoots as low as ISO 50 (normally 100 to 102,400). An upgraded 51-point autofocusing system can focus at f8 (up from f5.6) with face recognition an option, and a new color matrix metering system samples from 91,000 pixels.
A premature Wells Fargo wire release has unwittingly leaked the full details of the Nikon D4. The new full-frame flagship DSLR moves up cautiously to a 16.2-megapixel sensor but is a major leap in image quality over both the D3 and D3s. It doubles the maximum sensitivity to ISO 204,800 and shoots as low as ISO 50 (normally 100 to 102,400). An upgraded 51-point autofocusing system can focus at f8 (up from f5.6) with face recognition an option, and a new color matrix metering system samples from 91,000 pixels.
A slew of invitations worldwide have given away Nikon's plans to unveil what will likely be the D4. Sometimes teasing it as "the image you are waiting for," the launches and demos are all pegged for January 6, with Nikon Rumors understanding that the US gets a midnight press release January 5. Along with the full-frame pro DSLR, an 85mm f1.8 AF-S prime lens is expected to show.
The Nikon 1 mirrorless compact camera range will get its anticipated F-mount adapter next week in Japan. The F-mount adapter will allow users of DSLR cameras who have collected standard lenses over the years use them in conjunction with the new CX-format camera. The FT1 adapter will go on sale on December 22 for the equivalent of $300.
New rumors from historically accurate sources may have narrowed down the details of Nikon's long-expected D4 full-frame camera. The DSLR would only see a modest resolution upgrade to 16.2 megapixels, but Nikon Rumors heard it could be the first camera with the new XQD card format. Combined with a regular CompactFlash slot, it could have support for very high speed storage without shedding legacy support.
Ricoh will soon add a new lens module to its GXR camera, the company's Japanese website and roadmap revealed. It will be based on an APS-C sized CMOS sensor and use a 24-85mm equivalent zoom lens. The sensor is likely to use a Sony 16-megapixel chip for the module like that in the NEX-C3.
A press release for the NIkon Speedlight SB-910 camera has slipped on to the net, only to be pulled. The new flagship DSLR camera uses the latest implementation of Nikon's creative lighting system (CLS) and marries it to an upgraded and easier to use to GUI. The Speedlight SB-910 will ship with a wide zoom lens that will incorporate FX/DX-format identification that optimizes zoom settings based on the camera body.
Nikon's upcoming D800 has been seen in the field for the first time through a new leak Saturday night. The full-frame camera should be smaller and lighter than the D700 but, as Nikon Rumors heard earlier, will have the highest-ever resolution for a Nikon DSLR. At 36 megapixels, the 7360x4912 shots (confirmed by EXIF data) will compete with those from even modern medium format cameras for sheer image size.
Nikon has released an updated version of its iP-PJ Transfer app (free, App Store). With it, an iPad or iPhone user who has access to a Coolpix S1200pj camera can use that device to project a broader range of content than previously possible. In the past, users were limited to just slideshows and YouTube videos.
Kodak is hoping to sell its Kodak Gallery online photo service to stay afloat, according to leaks. The camera pioneer was said by the Wall Street Journal to be talking to other photo hosting services, retail stores, private equity groups, and even rival camera makers to interest them in a sale. Advisors from FTI Consulting, which led to the sale of the image sensor group, was supposedly involved in this sale as well as part of an attempt to find buyers for as many non-essential divisions as possible
Nikon is faced with a new supply shortage due to the popularity of its 1 series cameras. While the company has faced production shortfalls for its DSLRs and lenses as a result of the recent flooding in Thailand, the new mirrorless interchangeable hasn't been affected at all and has been at full capacity. Interest has been so high that the supply hasn't kept up with the demand, Nikon said.
Apple has posted a new Digital Camera RAW Compatibility Update, v3.9. The patch extends support for different RAW formats within Aperture 3 and iPhoto '11. Newly supported camera lines include Nikon's 1 J1, 1 V1, and CoolPix P7100, as well as Sony's NEX-5N, Alpha SLT-A65, and Alpha SLT-A77, and Olympus' PEN E-PL1s, PEN E-PL3, and PEN E-PM1.
Seagate and Western Digital both warned late this week that continued flooding in Thailand was worsening shortages. Western Digital has been the worst affected and anticipated a major hit to supply of its hard drives made in the country. Seagate's main plants were unaffected so far, but many of the smaller companies supplying parts were temporarily shut down, the company said.
Nikon's new 1 System-based mirrorless cameras, the V1 and J1 are now available for pre-order, with a ship date of November 15 at Amazon. This is slightly behind schedule, as they were promised to be available on October 20, but may have been affected by the supply shortage due to the factory flood in Thailand. The J1 is priced at $649 while the V1 costs $899.
As a result of the flooding of its factory in Thailand's Ayutthaya Province over the weekend, Nikon has stopped operation until October 6. The update, shared by Nikon Rumors, has the first floor of all buildings currently submerged. The factory manufactures digital single-lens reflex cameras and interchangeable lenses for these DSLRs.
The Nikon 1 range has been listed for pre-order on Amazon. Prices start at $649 for the J1 and top out at $1,149 for the V1 depending on model and specification chosen. The launch of the Nikon marks a rare start to a new camera format with its CX-format.
Some more unofficial specs on the upcoming Nikon D800 have been revealed by Nikon Rumors. The D700 replacement should retain that camera's ISO sensitvity range, or at least be very close, with a 100-6,400 spread and respective low and high options of ISO 50 and ISO 25,600. It might also launch alongside two other products, likely to be lenses.
The long awaited replacement for the Nikon D700 may actually be closing in on reality. Digital Camera info claims that the high-end 36.3-megapixel camera may be officially announced on October 26. The DSLR may be available in late November, still in time for holiday shopping.
Adobe has posted the final editions of the Lightroom 3.5 and Camera Raw 6.5 updates. In both circumstances the software adds support for over 20 cameras. Consumer-level additions include the Fuji FinePix F600EXR, Nikon Coolpix P7100, Pentax Q, and Ricoh GXR Mount A12, as well as Olympus' E-P3, E-PL3 and E-PM1, Panasonic's DMC-FZ150, DMC-G3 and DMC-GF3, and Sony's NEX-C3, NEX-5N, SLT-A35, SLT-A65 and SLT-A77.
Nikon on Wednesday marked the rare start to a new camera format in launching the 1 System. Starting off with the J1 and V1, the two use a new CX-format, 2.7X crop factor 10.1-megapixel CMOS sensor and mirrorless interchangeable lens system that's below Micro Four Thirds but still larger and richer than in compact cameras. They also become the first with the dual-core Expeed 3 processor and are key to getting a fast 73-point, phase-based autofocusing system that Nikon claims is even faster than on newer Olympus PEN cameras.
Nikon appears to be the company behind a marketing campaign labeled "The Big Hands." Individuals in Europe have begun receiving postcards referencing The Big Hands and showing people holding their hands as if they are taking a picture with a camera, however the camera itself is absent from the images.
Nikon on Tuesday slipped out a teaser page giving a strong clue as to its mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras. While just saying "I am coming," the page has a countdown that ends on Wednesday, coinciding neatly with the rumored launch date. The camera maker rarely ever builds up the public for a launch, either for its regular compacts or its DSLRs, supporting the notion that it's a genuinely new platform and not just a sequel.
The upcoming mirrorless cameras from Nikon will indeed get 10.1-megapixel image sensors and the ability to record 1080p video, according to two sites citing the unofficial information. Furthermore, a technical drawing that is said to represent the V1 camera was leaked to PhotographyBay. The cameras will use what is called Nikon's CX format, which sports a 2.7X cropped sensor smaller than Micro Four Thirds.
Nikon's rapidly approaching mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras may be split into two models but carry some significant limitations that might rule them out versus Micro Four Thirds or DSLRs. Called the J1 and V1 (possibly 1J and 1V), both would shoot at 10 megapixels but use CCD sensors, Nikon Rumors said. The J1 would have a built-in flash while the V1 would go with a multi-purpose port for an external flash, but neither would have a real hot-shoe, blocking them from Speedlights and other standard camera gear.
Nikon's long rumored mirrorless interchangeable lens camera received not just a vowed release this year but also a tentative price. A report [sub. required] in Japan's Nikkei pointed to sources who understood the camera would cost the equivalent of between $900 and $1,300. At the cost level, the camera would be equivalent to higher-end mirrorless cameras like the Olympus E-P3 or Sony NEX-7, although Japanese pricing usually includes tax and tends to be higher.
Nikon is updating its D3100 with a new designer color. The company will begin offering its entry-level DSLR, first introduced last August, in a red option. Nikon will start shipping the new color on September 22.
The leaked mirrorless camera due from Nikon is likely to be unveiled at an upcoming Nikon in White event, Nikon Rumors reported on Monday. The happening is scheduled for September 21 in Vienna, Austria, and its name is believed to be derived from the camera's available colors, one of which is white. Two different mirrorless bodies, codenamed X810, are said to be unveiled, with one being physically smaller and with less functions.
Nikon's camera launches continued Wednesday with four S series Coolpix models. Topping these for uniqueness is the S1200pj, its next-generation projection camera. It now has a brighter 20-lumen pico projector and supports iPads, iPhones, and iPods to show both imagery at sizes as well as raw content and PC material, all up to 60 inches across.
Nikon rolled out a sweeping change to its Coolpix range Wednesday. The AW100 is a first for Nikon as a ruggedized, modern camera. The 16-megapixel camera can stay underwater at up to 33 feet, can survive temperatures as cold as 14F, and will take drops from up to five feet.
Some early technical details of the Nikon Coolpix P7100 expected to be officially unveiled on Wednesday have been leaked thanks to Nikon Rumors. The P7100 will sport a 10-megapixel sensor and a 7X zoom, equivalent to a 28-200mm lens. Previews should come from a three-inch, 921,000-dot tilting display out back, and the sensitivity will range from ISO 100 to 3,200, with a 6,400 special setting.
Nikon's long-rumored mirrorless interchangeable lens camera could show at the company's planned August 24 unveilings. New, confident slips suggest the camera, codenamed X810, could be the only news for the late August event. If right, Nikon Rumors' contacts would have it ship with four lenses optimized for the smaller mount system, one of which would be a pancake for close and wide shots and another a superzoom as a catch-all for general purpose shooting.
Nikon is planning its customary late summer introduction for August 24, multiple sources said. Press events are due in multiple countries on August 24. Nikon Rumors lacked a full schedule but expected that the D3s and D700 sequels would show that day with Coolpix cameras a week earlier.
Nikon regularly releases new members of its Coolpix point-and-shoot camera line every August. Nikon Rumors reports that there will be several significant announcements. Included will be a ruggedized model, an underwater model and a new model with built-in projector.
A leaked image is claimed to show the sensor and mount for an unannounced Nikon camera, referred to as the "X810." Details surrounding the image are slim, however the camera does appear to utilize a relatively small sensor. The picture, which was posted on the Chinese forum Xitek, reportedly represents a prototype camera.
DSLR buyers are reportedly mostly satisfied with cameras' image quality, though some users are left desiring improvements to shutter speed and durability, according to the JD Power and Associates 2011 DSLR survey. The report measures five groups of factors: picture quality; durability and reliability, including battery life; features, such as zoom and image stabilization; ease of operation; and shutter speed/lag time.
An e-mail from a reader of NikonRumors maintains that a Nikon rep at an event promised two new FX (full-frame) bodies will be announced in August. The pair, expected to replace the D3 and D700, will ship in the fall, the rep also said. He gave no clues as to details.
Nikon has introduced a fast 40mm f2.8 macro lens for crop-frame DSLRs. The AF-S DX Micro NIKKOR 40mm f2.8G lens is designed to offer Nikon DX-format shooters macro capabilities at a reasonable price point. It has a minimum focusing distance of just 0.53 feet (6.4 inches) to allow users to capture extreme close-up photographs and 1080p video with a life-size 1:1 reproduction ratio.
