Photokina Crystal ball

I own a D300 with plenty of glass and I am looking hard at the FF D700. But what is bothering me is probably what's bothering alot of potential D700 buyers. What's coming in Photokina 2008 from Nikon. I don't want guessing. I would like some honest input into whether it's worth while to grab the D700 or wait.
The big question is what ever comes from nikon whats the price tag gonna be?

I have read alot lately about 24mp and modular sensor swapping. How much would a SLR with those feathues cost.

I know I am asking impossible questions but I really would hate to fork out 3 grand today to see a sweeter camera come out in a few months for not much more than the D700'

Please just honest input from Nikon minds not guesses would be appreciated. I am quite sure there are loads of nikon junkies that would love to hear what might be coming.
Thanks

but you're going to have to wait until something is announced. Plenty of rumors about a higher-MP model, but those in the know cannot speak and those who are "sort of" in the know have had a bad track record of predicting the future this year. So you'll just have to wait!

In all honesty, the high MP model will probably cost over $5000 and might be a larger pro body like the D3.

Ask yourself what you're looking for in your next purchase and buy what's available now if it suits your needs. If you're really dying for a 24mp camera, nothing out there now will make you happy and you should wait!

I'm sure Nikon wants to sell D3 and D700's now, not have people wait for the fall. I think any Nikon employee who spoke up would get fired and possibly sued if he were caught speaking out.

Technology always advances, so I'm sure Nikon will have something at Photokina. That said, the D700 takes fantastic pictures and I am more than pleased with the quality leap over my D300. For me, I can't imagine 20MP+ coming without some penalty in noise, and I bought the D700 for its high ISO performance. Also, I don't really need higher than 12MP resolution since I don't print poster-sized pictures. Thus, a super high-rez camera in a D3 or even a D700 sized body at Photokina won't give me buyers remorse. Hopefully, Nikon comes out with some news primes.

I was thinking the same thing as you. But I had just bought the D300 in the middle of last month before they announced the D700. I just went today and exchanged my d300 for the 700.

I don't think they'll announce something in my price range at Photokina. So I'll keep my D700 for the next couple years, maybe invest in some new glass, then upgrade in about 2 or 3 models to the newest and greatest.

I just may need a midrange for glass now. I was using the DX 17-55mm kit lens. Have an old sigma 28-80mm 3.5 that I got with my D100 for the mean time. Probly just keep my 50mm 1.8 on for my people pictures and switch to my 15-30mm (yay wide angle will work now) for landscapes.

NClens wrote:

Hopefully, Nikon
comes out with some news primes.

Most of the primes are screw driven, which means slower and noisier focus. I love the picture quality and build quality of my 85mm f/1.4, so I'm willing to live with its screw drive. I also like my 35mm f/2 in terms of sharpness but don't like the weird angular shape it gives to bokeh.

Nikon will announce some lower consumer camera like a replacement for the D80. That and a bunch of new P&S cams.
--
-Steve

treagan wrote:

I own a D300 with plenty of glass and I am looking hard at the FF
D700.

Well, let's start there. You own an arguably fine camera. What the heck is wrong with it that you trade it in for another 12mp camera?

I don't want guessing.

Then you'll have to find someone at Nikon willing to spill the beans and be fired ; ).

But what is bothering me is probably what's bothering alot of
potential D700 buyers. What's coming in Photokina 2008 from Nikon.

Again, you haven't told us why you need to upgrade from an already good camera.

The big question is what ever comes from nikon whats the price tag
gonna be?

I'm betting that we'll between now and the end of the year we'll see a consumer-priced DX camera, and perhaps two very high priced FX cameras.

I really would hate to
fork out 3 grand today to see a sweeter camera come out in a few
months for not much more than the D700'

Then wait. What do you have to shoot in the next two months that makes you so fast to switch? If you can't wait two months, then don't.

Thom Hogan wrote:

treagan wrote:

I own a D300 with plenty of glass and I am looking hard at the FF
D700.

Well, let's start there. You own an arguably fine camera. What the
heck is wrong with it that you trade it in for another 12mp camera?

I don't want guessing.

Then you'll have to find someone at Nikon willing to spill the beans
and be fired ; ).

But what is bothering me is probably what's bothering alot of
potential D700 buyers. What's coming in Photokina 2008 from Nikon.

Again, you haven't told us why you need to upgrade from an already
good camera.

The big question is what ever comes from nikon whats the price tag
gonna be?

I'm betting that we'll between now and the end of the year we'll see
a consumer-priced DX camera, and perhaps two very high priced FX
cameras.

I really would hate to
fork out 3 grand today to see a sweeter camera come out in a few
months for not much more than the D700'

Then wait. What do you have to shoot in the next two months that
makes you so fast to switch? If you can't wait two months, then don't.

My crystal ball tells me that Nikon is still Nikon, and will stay that way for a while. So, Nikon will release FX bodies with 20+ MP, expensive pro level models first. Then later, for instance next summer, a prosumer body which to some, like landscape and studio photographers, may surely look sweeter than the D700. Unless Canon outclasses the D700 with new offerings, Nikon will probably feel no pressure to release the prosumer high-res body quickly. Like with the announcement of the D700: Resulting in very short time from announcement to marketing.

I think everyone who has got a D300 or something similar, and wonders if he needs the D700 - he doesn't really need it. And is best off waiting, eventually researching the issue.

My crystal ball also shows me a 24/1.4 to die for... maybe it's just my wishes manifesting though. But for quite a few aficionados, that lens might provide the answer to the question whether they need the D700..

I think you're going to see a prime or two designed to take on Canon's 35mm 1.4 and 24mm 1.4 lenses.

I'm also hoping for a revised 80-400 with AFS.

If I could make Nikon manufacture anything, it would be an autofocusing array of pancake lenses, all about f2 or so.

this has been said many a time before but after announcement D3 was only available in January of the following year ( unless you were part of Nikon Pro and had loaner). This is esp true for higher end cameras that are manufactured in Japan. One factory cranking out D700,D3 + new camera.

You are going to wait for almost 6 months for a new camera. If you make money out of the photos then I guess you won't wait. If you are chasing technology you probably will and should.

I have just shot with the D700 with "legacy" primes and an 80-200 F2.8. These optics included the 20 F2.8 50 F1.4 and 85 F1.8.

Nice dealer, thank you!! Anyway my conclusions..shot RAW/NX2 and Jpeg (Fine).

Astonishing performance with all the lenses, including the 20mm F2.8..sharp to the corners and no signs of vignetting. Some clever internal software then and clever sensor. The 20mm is pretty useless on aps dslrs.

Very clean files and no CA's at all. Great results as predicted up to and beyond 3200asa....

On the minus side...still not sure about the colour and yes, it can clips highlights like all other 9 F stop cameras when compared to the Fuji S5's 12 F stop DR. They are not recoverable in NX2. I know I could watch the histogram and under expose and bring up the shadows in D-lighting, but lets be honest it would be nice if you didn't have to!

So is it special..yes, probably. It changes the way you take photographs, in any light and it works superbly with any lens I chucked at it and this is because it has 12 million large well spaced pixels with dual micro lenses and clever software.

Now you might like to wait for a 24mp camera, probably equipped with a Sony sensor but it will be noisy and it won't work with lenses the way the present one does, so it's your decision!!! They have not yet been able to defy the laws of physics only improve within them...

If you want a low iso only machine that will print to A0 you had better wait but if you want clean sharp detailed files at virtually any iso optimised to perform in the real world with present and past glass and only want to print to say 30 x 20!, the solution is here now.

If only they could sort the DR..and please don't tell me "it's enough if you know what you are doing"..I do and have been pro for 24 years (including weddings) and taught the damn stuff for 7...and that NX2...why are some manufacturers only able to create clunky slow software!!

I agree with Thom. To my mind, with a D300 in hand - a very good, well regarded camera, used by pros (see the more public ones: Dave Black, R Hanashiro, Moose P, for example - they don't necessarily endorse, I just noticed in their postings that they use the D300 on assignments), it doesn't pay to aggravate over what's coming up in the near future. Yes, the D3/700 sensor is very good - so look at your work; will anyone know the difference? If it's only you that would, then focus on working, making photos. The D300 will make excellent photos for a very long time - it's a well made camera with very good IQ. Perhaps the one reason I would recommend upgrading from the D300 is if you shoot in low light ALL the time (I shoot with D3's and a D300 and like them both. For outdoor sports and wildlife they both excel, for indoor sports in dark arenas I'm glad I have the D3). For inspiration about what the D300 can do, visit any number of great sites made by photographers with D300s. If you find yourself wishing you could do that, well, you can (or attempt it), you own the camera already. I do this whenever I look at my poor old D2h and wonder what I should do with it, many photographers have taken great photos with it and when I see them I'm reminded of all the work I'm still capable of or can work toward. At least this is how I try to keep my mind off the "What's next" race. When you're busy working, it's easier to wait for the right camera to come along - you'll know it when you need it.

Thom Hogan wrote:

I'm betting that we'll between now and the end of the year see
a consumer-priced DX camera, and perhaps two very high priced FX
cameras.

Thom Hogan
author, Complete Guides to Nikon bodies (18 and counting)
http://www.bythom.com

Thom, I also expect a DX cam and one FX cam (the 24MP machine), but what could a second FX body possibly be?
--
http://www.pbase.com/Troye413
http://www.troyemoorephotography.com

Capricorny wrote:

My crystal ball tells me that Nikon is still Nikon, and will stay
that way for a while. So, Nikon will release FX bodies with 20+ MP,
expensive pro level models first. Then later, for instance next
summer, a prosumer body which to some, like landscape and studio
photographers, may surely look sweeter than the D700.

I would be one of those landscape photographers.

Unless Canon
outclasses the D700 with new offerings, Nikon will probably feel no
pressure to release the prosumer high-res body quickly.

It's my opinion that when Canon releases it's 5DII, it will be at least 16MP, maybe 18.

Like with the
announcement of the D700: Resulting in very short time from
announcement to marketing.
I think everyone who has got a D300 or something similar, and wonders
if he needs the D700 - he doesn't really need it. And is best off
waiting, eventually researching the issue.

My crystal ball also shows me a 24/1.4 to die for... maybe it's just
my wishes manifesting though. But for quite a few aficionados, that
lens might provide the answer to the question whether they need the
D700..

It sure would lower the ridiculous price of the discontinued 28 1.4, I think.

I tell you this .
If Nikon das not come up with new prime lenses
AFS 50mm f 1.2 or f/1.4
AFS 85mm f/1.2 or f/1.4
AFS 135mm f/2.0
all with new coating
D3X 20 some MP
All this very soon
I AM GONE
I am tired of Nikon being late with everything
I never used Canon in my 20 years carrier
For how long for instance Canon has 85mm f/1.2 ?
Enough is enough