The Dark Side Strikes Back - New Nikon D3 & D300

[BerserkerCatSplat]

I have stayed up all night waiting for the Nikon press conference, and here she is, the new D3 in all her glory!




http://www.robgalbraith.com/bins/content_p...cid=7-8742-9083

Key features, from Rob's site:

-A CMOS sensor that has a capture area of 23.9mm x 36mm (which is effectively identical to the size of a frame of 35mm film) and records 12.05 million pixel photos when the entire sensor area is active. Nikon calls this FX Format mode, plus a HSC mode
-All-new processing circuitry that features 14-bit analog-to-digital conversions and a 16-bit processing path.
-An ISO range of 200-6400 in 1/3 step increments, plus L1 (100), H1 (ISO 12,800) and H2 (ISO 25,600)
-The best viewfinder to grace a Nikon digital SLR.
-51-area autofocus system called Multi-CAM 3500, featuring 15 cross-type AF areas positioned around the centre
-Dual CompactFlash card slots
-LiveView with autofocus
-Virtual Horizon Adjustment
-New wireless transmitter
-An AF fine tune option for compensating for autofocus miscalibration
-Slated to ship in November 2007 at an expected street price of US$4999 in the U.S.


Sources peg that lens as a 14-24 f/2.8.




D300

http://www.robgalbraith.com/bins/con...id=7-8742-9084

Amazingly, the D300 has almost the exact same features as the D3, minus the FF sensor and things like dual card slots. It's also compatible with the same wireless transmitter. However, the real kicker is this - with the attached battery pack, it'll shoot at 8FPS.


New lenses are the VR versions of the 400/2.8, 500/4 and 600/4, plus two new zooms, the 14-24 f/2.8 and 24-70 f/2.8.

[Mitsu3000gt]

This is the greatest thing I have ever seen, absolutely nothing can upset me tonight.

[BerserkerCatSplat]

Oh, man. Tuition, or D300. Tuition, or D300. Maybe I'll get a student loan and use it to buy a camera.

Also: 14-24 f/2.8 on FF is the most awesome thing evar.

[ourdon]

D3.....Oh dear - I want!!!

Some of the features bring tears to my eyes, but then again the price tag does also. I suspect that I'm going to have to aim a little lower than the D3 for my first DSLR.

Ahhh, there's the pics' of the D300. Purrrty. If there is a significant difference, perhaps. If no huge difference there may be some bargains available on the D200 as the "gotta have the new one" crowd upgrade.

Thanks for the info

[BerserkerCatSplat]

Originally posted by ourdon
Oh dear - I want!!!

Some of the features bring tears to my eyes, but then again the price tag does also. I suspect that I'm going to have to aim a little lower for my first DSLR. Maybe the price of the D200's will drop in the near future.

Thanks for the info

The D300 will not directly replace the D200, Nikon will continue to make and sell the D200 at a lower price.

[D'z Nutz]

Wow, what a very impressive announcement from Nikon! The price for the D3 is very nice. A 1Ds level camera at a 1D price. This should make those fuckers in Canon's marketing department stain themselves. Bravo Nikon! Hopefully this means we'll be seeing more full framed bodies within the next few years. And the fact that it's a CMOS sensor, it'll handle noise considerably better than CCD sensors.

Any word on whether or not Sony developed their CMOS sensor? Who, on a related note, released news that they are now commercially selling 12.47MP CMOS sensors this week:
http://www.sony.net/SonyInfo/News/Pr...72E/index.html

Now if Fuji can put out a full framed body with the dynamic range of the S5....

[mb3k]

Originally posted by BerserkerCatSplat
Oh, man. Tuition, or D300. Tuition, or D300. Maybe I'll get a student loan and use it to buy a camera.

Also: 14-24 f/2.8 on FF is the most awesome thing evar.

Oh man, the 14-24 f/2.8 sounds awesomeeeee!
And that 51! area AF system, sweeeet.

[ourdon]

In theory the D300 may not be a direct replacement but unless there is a significant price differential between it and the D200 it will effectively replace the 200.

While I want to get into digital "right freaking now" the rational part of my brain (very small) counsels waiting.

The less I spend on a camera, the more I can spend on glass.

[BerserkerCatSplat]

Originally posted by D'z Nutz


Any word on whether or not Sony developed their CMOS sensor? Who, on a related note, released news that they are now commercially selling 12.47MP CMOS sensors this week:
http://www.sony.net/SonyInfo/News/Pr...72E/index.html

Now if Fuji can put out a full framed body with the dynamic range of the S5....

Sensor for the D3 is all-Nikon, D300 sensor is a Sony unit.

Nikon claims a 300% increase in dynamic range using the Active D-Lighting system on both cameras, we'll see how that turns out. It seems to be a realtime exposure adjustment on a per-pixel basis, keeping bright areas on the sensor from overexposing. It's actually a concept I postulated about many months ago, but I considered it too far-fetched to be put into a camera.

This should make those fuckers in Canon's marketing department stain themselves.

Your love/hate relationship with Canon never ceases to amuse me.

[seer_claw]

Great News! I wanted a D200 but damn the D300 looks like quite the camera.

And the D3, I just can't justify, but damn it would be a sweet camera.

Decisions, decisions...D200 or D300.

[Mitsu3000gt]

I'm pretty sure all I'll be doing all day is reading about how good these cameras are haha.

Apparently the D300 sensor is a Nikon design, sony produced, and the D3 sensor is a Nikon design with an undisclosed partner for production.

Another thing I've missed until just now is the VR on the 400/500/600mm primes. Canon must be livid at all this news.

[blam]

these are indeed insane releases!!!!!

Nikon once again trumps Canon's releases....

can't wait to see some real reviews on IQ and noise control for all the new releases from both companies.


very interested in seeing the noise at ISO 25 600

[seer_claw]

Originally posted by blam
these are indeed insane releases!!!!!

Nikon once again trumps Canon's releases....

can't wait to see some real reviews on IQ and noise control for all the new releases from both companies.


very interested in seeing the noise at ISO 25 600

Of the sites that I've gone thru so far, the rumors are saying that the ISO performance is unbelievable. And throw in the fact that the sensor will adjust for different light conditions in a scene is just too cool. Is unintended overexposure a thing of the past?

[Mitsu3000gt]

Originally posted by seer_claw


Of the sites that I've gone thru so far, the rumors are saying that the ISO performance is unbelievable. And throw in the fact that the sensor will adjust for different light conditions in a scene is just too cool. Is unintended overexposure a thing of the past?

Yeah I've read the same things on some forums with people who were apparently at the release. Apparently D3 ISO 3200 pictures are something you have to see to believe, and ISO 25,600 is unbelieveably good as well. Unfortunately I can't find anything on the D300's high-ISO performance.

[turboMiata]

9FPS FF body???? LOVE IT!!! Finally, those canon shitheads can have a taste of what it's like to be behind the pack.

Nikon took their time and came up with a cheaper and better featured product. Tables are turned. This is a decisive victory for Nikon. I think this is an even more exciting announcement than the 1Ds3.

Now let's see if they can actually ship this stuff. ROFL!

[Mitsu3000gt]

Here are some hands-on impressions with the D3 and D300
http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/live-from...ful-292552.php

[AccentAE86]

even as a canon shooter, I have to say I'm quite impressed with the feature list on these cameras.

I'm eager to see the results of some real-world image quality. Can nikon finally shed themselves of the low-light-loser stigma?

Originally posted by BerserkerCatSplat


Nikon claims a 300% increase in dynamic range using the Active D-Lighting system on both cameras, we'll see how that turns out. It seems to be a realtime exposure adjustment on a per-pixel basis, keeping bright areas on the sensor from overexposing. It's actually a concept I postulated about many months ago, but I considered it too far-fetched to be put into a camera.

This is also available in the 1D3, 1Ds3, and the 40D. It's called Highlight Tone Priority in the canon world. Sorry, it is not new.

Originally posted by turboMiata
9FPS FF body???? LOVE IT!!! Finally, those canon shitheads can have a taste of what it's like to be behind the pack.

Nikon took their time and came up with a cheaper and better featured product. Tables are turned. This is a decisive victory for Nikon. I think this is an even more exciting announcement than the 1Ds3.

Now let's see if they can actually ship this stuff. ROFL!

This isn't even supposed to really compete with the 1Ds3, is it? Yeah it's got a FF sensor, but it's 9mp less than the 1Ds3, which means it's processing a helluva lot LESS data too. 5fps @ 21MP is much more impressive to me than 9fps @ 12MP. The 1Ds3 is supposed to compete with Hasselblad.

The part I'm wondering about the most is the D300 and it's 8fps... but ONLY with the battery grip! I'm totally confused. What the hell does a battery grip have to do with FPS? It's not like the old film days where the high speed motor drives were contained in optional grips. Does the D300 grip contain another image processor or something that allows it to reach 8fps? It just seems really weird...

[BerserkerCatSplat]

Originally posted by AccentAE86


This is also available in the 1D3, 1Ds3, and the 40D. It's called Highlight Tone Priority in the canon world. Sorry, it is not new.

Nikon has had the D-lighting system for a while as well, it's the implementation that interests me.

[blam]

like accent said...I don't think any of the models that just got released are directly in compeition with one another...

the D300 is said to have a sale point of 600usd more than the 40D

that's a whole hell of a lot of money that could go to good glass.

[Mitsu3000gt]

The D300 is pretty much in a class of it's own, but I think it's a bargain considering all it's D3 features.

The D3 was apparently a D2x replacement but because of it's frame rates in both FF and crop as well as new CAM 3500 AF, it quite nicely also replaces the D2H at the same time in my opinion. They still might release a 18+ MP FF camera next year or something - not sure if they are going to play that game or not but people are talking about it.

PS anyone know if the D300 sensor is the old D2Xs sensor? Or is it new?