7100 taking d300s flagship status, NO say Nikon Europe.

I have been waiting for an announcement for a true and worthy D300 replacement for what seems like ages ,and never lost the faith that it would indeed happen .

today,s announcement for the D7100 was not unexpected ,but i became a little alarmed at the claims by some websites and stores the the new camera was to be the new "FLAGSHIP" DX model .  by definition "flagship" is top of the range , and it would appear to doom the D300 series to history without a swansong .

however i asked Nikon (Europe) if the claims were indeed true .and got a pretty catagoric "NO" also in their reply they advise watching out for future announcements ,and although the person composing the letter was careful not to give anything concrete away ,there are several hints , that give hope at least for a real D300s successor in the not too distant future.



Good to know. And surprising that they would even bother answering you. Good for them. I would hate to think that this is what they would settle for as their "flagship DX".

Thanks for posting that email.

Probably has to be a d400 to combat the forthcoming Canon 7d MK II and the D7100 is covering the forthcoming 70d.

Wished Nikon would have announced a lens today - 300 F4 Afs VR / 80-400 Afs VR but not to copy Sony's over the top price, e.g., £1800 for the 70-400 lens.

This is the first time a Nikon rep has been so direct about this issue, one that has been around for many years now, since the advent of the D7000 at least.

I believe it. A flagship cannot run at 6fps and have a small buffer, compared to what one already had almost 6 years ago (d300).

So, come Summer, D400 will be here.

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Renato. http://www.flickr.com/photos/rhlpedrosa/ OnExposure member http://www.onexposure.net/ Good shooting and good luck (after Ed Murrow)

Thanks for posting, didn't think they would abandon high-end dx

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www.raincoastphoto.com

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Marabou Muddler
http://MMuddler.smugmug.com/Sports

I agree. Too small of a buffer and too low fps to be a flagship in the DX line. The D7100 rocks, but the D400 may be a monster DX machine.

-Kelly

I could not be happier to hear that there's still a glimmer of hope.  In reading the 7100 specs, I was really worried that I was going to have to consider replacing my workhorse 300s with something so "prosumer-ish"... I don't want anything with scene modes for cripes sake and I couldn't care less about video... and plastic, really?...

I need a dx format camera with screaming fps and solid ISO flexibility for cripes sake (animal sports photographer) without having to go full frame to a 3, and buy all new long lenses...

Bottom line, I desperately need an upgrade to the 300s!

Yes I was impressed, I got the reply from Nikon in about 2 hours , a record for them ,i notice lots of miss information and oppinion pushing regarding the D7100 , i just looked at several video previews for it on NR and one said it was a new line , and aimed at enthusiasts  while being seperate from the D7000 (more , a smaller brother for the D600) , the very next video said it was following on from the D7000 and with pro extras making it the flagship . with so many people who should know better singing different tunes and not taking any notice of the official Nikon hymn sheet , it making for a lot of confusion .

Nikon Europe (and Japan)say its an enthusiast DSLR and sits comfortably next to the D600 .

yet other nikon websites are talking flagship (misleadingly) the facts are ,that although it clearly outperforms the D300 series overall,at this moment in time, having improvements like 51pt AF (d300 had that over 5 years ago) etc , it has poor Raw buffer and although it has all weather sealing ,its clearly not (pro ) biuld, and does not have the button layout of the Pro models . as good as it is , And I think its a super camera for the Price , and will trounce my D300 in most departments ,A true D300 series successor will have more in common with the D4  as far as controls and speed is concerned ,and its that, that appeals to the hardened D300/s brigade . not the "PRO" handle ,but the combination of ergonomics/buttonlayout and speed , that made the D300 series so great .

Very nicely put and I too am pleasantly surprised Nikon would be so candid about the situation. I suppose either the staff member was a little put of bounds or momentum is building for that release too. Either way he did the right thing and I'd agree that claiming this enthusiast camera with it's admittedly excellent specs in it's class is a true D300(s) successor is mis-information, just as much as claiming that for the original D7000, or D600. The nearest 'upgrade' is the D800, but that's got a shockingly low frame-rate and of course is much more expensive. D300 users can clearly see the gap in the lineup.

I'm very happy to hear there'll most probably be a true replacement for the D300 to use all my often excellent Nikon glass with. I'd go for this model, but it really only offers a better sensor and video modes compared to what I have, taking away the speed. I'd hope a new flagship would offer more new features, perhaps touchscreen, 10fps with grip, a new AF module and even better sensor, even if it has slightly lower resolution.

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https://www.facebook.com/GideonDavidsonPhotography

Very well put, and it makes me even more excited for what the D400 might be.  I wouldn't be surprised to see XQD/CF card combo with huge throughput.  Could be the beast we have all (serious D300 users)  been waiting for.

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www.raincoastphoto.com

If all that want a D400 would write Nikon asking for it, I'd bet they'd listen. It's a important population of owners, actually the true Nikon loyalists, which have been with Nikon since the D100 days.

Someone should start a movement (btw, I'm not in that boat, I have used lower DX bodies).

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Renato. http://www.flickr.com/photos/rhlpedrosa/ OnExposure member http://www.onexposure.net/ Good shooting and good luck (after Ed Murrow)

Thanks for sharing that email.

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Dez
http://dezsantana.com

I will continue to wait on the D400.

With a D7100/D400 and D4/D800/E Nikon might get back in this thing yet. I like it!

Good luck with your photography.

Maybe its because i've written too many customer responses before... but i don't see anything in that letter that says "here comes the D400".

When i read it... i see:

"We are sorry you are unhappy with our products.  Maybe we will have something soon you'll enjoy.  Please dont buy the 7Dmk2.

Regards,

Nikon"

Take it to the bank, there will be a D400 announced in the next 2-3 months.

I doubt that.

I agree.. They would have come out with the D400 first, then a lower model later (like they did with the D800 to D600).

Its better business to get people to buy more camera  then they need now and have them regret not getting a cheaper model later (again.. D800 vs. D600), then selling a cheaper model first and hope people don't settle for it and not buy the more expensive camera later.

But who knows... You place your bets and take your chances...

But the D600 was an entirely new FX camera, not an upgrade of an earlier model.  With the upgrades of the existing DX cameras, they started with the D3100, then D5100, and now the D7000.  But time will tell.

Well, I think someone has to consider a different possibility. What if D400 indeed arrives but is to D300 what D800 is to D700, i.e. what if Nikon decides to go for pixel count rather than speed?..

I still recall that everyone thought of D700 update as a D700 body with the D3s sensor. Obviously this is not what happened...