Nikon has also announced a new Top Flash Unit and a couple of new perspective control lenses
•SB-900 Speedlight – With an unmatched zoom range of 17-200 feet, and Nikon’s popular wireless capabilities, the intelligent and versatile SB-900 Speedlight takes its place as the new Speedlight flagship. Available in August for an estimated selling price of $499.95.
•PC-E Micro NIKKOR® 45mm f/2.8D ED and PC-E Micro NIKKOR 85mm f/2.8D – Nikon’s newest PC-E lenses give photographers control over tilt and shift to adjust perspective and adjust linear distortion, while providing excellent depth of field control, which makes them idea for shooting buildings or product photography. These two new lenses join the NIKKOR 24mm PC-E lens to give photographers perspective control from wide to medium telephoto. Available in August the new 45mm and 85mm PC-E lenses will have an estimated selling price of $1,799.95 and $1,739.95, respectively.
17-200 feet? According to DPReview, it is 17-200mm, i.e. the flash zooms its pattern to cover the field of view of those focal lengths (plus automatic adjustment for DX or FX format).
This was a copy and paste from the Nikon Press release sent to us. However in the detailed description at the Press site the zoom range is quoted as 17 to 200mm. Based on the detailed info 17 to 200mm is correct.
He sums up what I first thought when I read about the 700. Either get the DX D300 and a decent lens. Or get the FX D3.
I love my 300, and the only upgrade that would make any sense would be the D3. I know the 700 has a few different features compared to the D300, other than just the FX sensor. But it's still a fairly lateral move.
After reading Ken's preview, not sure I entirely agree with him... and he usually is dead on. Let's see what the consensus says when they start shipping. Ken did make a good point about the apparent lack of CF card lock on the D700 due to the info button now being there. Having dropped my D300 from the top of a baby stroller without any damage, the integrity of a "sealed" design works well.
With the body at 3k and a piece of glass that you will buy anyway for a D3, you will still wind up spending less money than buying a D3 body by itself. Granted, you will not get the dual memory card slots, faster fps, or 100% FoV, but the smaller form factor is the perfect size.
It all comes down to what the intention of the camera is for. As I put in my DT post, the D700 would have been greatly appreciated on my recent family trip to Disney due to the native 6400 iso and (assumed) much faster AF than D300. After vacation, the FX sensor would be at home for the indoor/outdoor architectural side work I do, but still be manageable in size for my wife to feel comfortable using it for family shots as well.
Tard and any other D300 users... had a scare on vacation for a bit. During a family action period of pictures around 7pm, noticed "Err" on the display screen flashing along with "Auto-ISO." The body had about 5,500 shutter releass at the time and the manual just refered it to a camera error that if continued to send back to Nikon, but with no real explanation. Has anyone else come across this? Restarted the camera twice with no luck, but pulling out battery and reseating CF card worked.
I can see your point. I think I would need to try this body out for a couple of months and see how it does. Without having the opportunity to do that (my wife would kill me if I bought a D700, as I bought the 300 right after getting the 200), I'd still lean towards the D3 instead. But that's more of a preference in this case I think. It's true, for the price of the D3 you can get the D700 and a decent lens.
I keep forgetting to look, what do you get MP wise, when you put a DX lens on the 700?
The only time I've had err come up is if I adjust the f stop on one of my old manual lenses. I haven't seen it any other time. I think I'd be a little worried if I did see that come up for no apparent reason.
One other thing I'm curious about, has there been any hint of a bump to 1/16,000? 1/8000 is nice, but I think I could find a use for 1/16,000
I was expecting a middle-tier FX camera but not that soon. Now I have a dilema to stay with slides and my wonderfull F100 or save some money for the D700.
I suppose even Nikon Press Releases are not immune to mistakes. I do agree the correct statement should be extremely HIGH signal-to-nois ratio. This is the definition of LOW noise, which is what Nikon is trying to communicate.
The D700 will need to use the same battery as the D3 (EN-EL4a) in order to shoot at 8fps. It appears it can't be done using two EN-EL3e in the MB-D10 grip. So a D700 buyer woul also need to purchase at least one EN-EL4a, an MH-21 charger from the D2's, the MB-D10 grip of course, and a BL-3 grip cap for the battery, adding around $500 to the D700's price in order to shoot at 8fps. That would still be $1300 cheaper than a D3 though. If I could I would add a D700 to my repertoire... it's a lighter camera than my D2xs, and a better match to my D3 as a second body. Hope Nikon keeps cranking up great stuff like this. ;^)
You are correct in the needed parts, which is why I mentioned "up to" 8 fps with the MB-D10 grip. If you insist on Nikon parts from your local dealer you can easily spend $500 for the 3 needed parts.
However, I just did a little shopping on eBay and found you can get a Nikon MH-21 charger from several sources delivered for about $120. A Nikon BL-3 battery cap can be delivered for a total $45, and a compatible generic EN-EL4a battery delivered is about $30. That's a grand total of $195, which is a considerable improvement over the $500. You can probably do even better than the $195 if you shop a bit more.
It is always safest to go with the manufacturer's parts, but 2 of the 3 are genuine Nikon and only the battery pack is generic. A Nikon battery would be around $120 which still keeps an all Nikon solution below $300.
I hope you meant nimh batteries. I got stuck one time with a depleted EN-EL3a and ended up using alkalines with my D300. I liked the 6fps speed, but the batteries only lasted about 40 shots or so. I tried it again with nimh and I got about 300 shots instead.
You multiple times mention comparisons of the D3 to the 1Ds Mk III, but that is not the appropriate camera to compare it to. The D3 analog in Canon is the 1D Mk III. They are both high speed sports/photojournalism shooters, with similar resolution at ISOs upto 1600. The D3 excels at extremely high ISO shooting, nothing comes close.
The 1Ds Mk III is competition to medium format digital backs and has a 21Mp resolution, that captures way more detail than any other 35mm digital SLR.
For lack of any better comparisons, the D3 compares to both the 1DIII and 1DsIII. In resolution and speed it is closer to the 1DIII, but like the 1DsIII it is full frame and top dog in the lineup. Until Nikon releases a "D3x" and relabels the D3 the "D3h", the D3 will be compared to both Canons.
So Nikon uses flashes of light to control their wireless flashes as well? Does Pocket Wizard have a patent on better control methods? Would be nice to have the flexibility to not need the wireless flashes to be able to see the camera.
Page 1: "The D700 also uses the same MB-D10 Battery Grip used by the current D300..."
Page 2: "The MB-D10 Battery Grip, which fits both the D300 and D700..."
Page 3: "The MB-D10 Multi-Power Battery Grip that was introduced with the D300 also fits the D700."
You mention 3 times in as many pages that the MB-D10 battery grip fits both the D300 and the D700. I think I got it the first time, thanks.
Also, "This is in stark contrast to Nikon EF-S lenses for their APS-C models which will not even mount on the Canon 5D or 1Ds models." -- should be Canon EF-S lenses, not Nikon.
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Wesley Fink - Thursday, July 3, 2008 - link
Nikon has also announced a new Top Flash Unit and a couple of new perspective control lenses•SB-900 Speedlight – With an unmatched zoom range of 17-200 feet, and Nikon’s popular wireless capabilities, the intelligent and versatile SB-900 Speedlight takes its place as the new Speedlight flagship. Available in August for an estimated selling price of $499.95.
•PC-E Micro NIKKOR® 45mm f/2.8D ED and PC-E Micro NIKKOR 85mm f/2.8D – Nikon’s newest PC-E lenses give photographers control over tilt and shift to adjust perspective and adjust linear distortion, while providing excellent depth of field control, which makes them idea for shooting buildings or product photography. These two new lenses join the NIKKOR 24mm PC-E lens to give photographers perspective control from wide to medium telephoto. Available in August the new 45mm and 85mm PC-E lenses will have an estimated selling price of $1,799.95 and $1,739.95, respectively.
strikeback03 - Thursday, July 3, 2008 - link
17-200 feet? According to DPReview, it is 17-200mm, i.e. the flash zooms its pattern to cover the field of view of those focal lengths (plus automatic adjustment for DX or FX format).Wesley Fink - Thursday, July 3, 2008 - link
This was a copy and paste from the Nikon Press release sent to us. However in the detailed description at the Press site the zoom range is quoted as 17 to 200mm. Based on the detailed info 17 to 200mm is correct.FreeTard - Friday, July 4, 2008 - link
This was over on Daily Tech as well. I posted the following link there:http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/d700.htm">http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/d700.htm
He sums up what I first thought when I read about the 700. Either get the DX D300 and a decent lens. Or get the FX D3.
I love my 300, and the only upgrade that would make any sense would be the D3. I know the 700 has a few different features compared to the D300, other than just the FX sensor. But it's still a fairly lateral move.
Lord 666 - Friday, July 4, 2008 - link
After reading Ken's preview, not sure I entirely agree with him... and he usually is dead on. Let's see what the consensus says when they start shipping. Ken did make a good point about the apparent lack of CF card lock on the D700 due to the info button now being there. Having dropped my D300 from the top of a baby stroller without any damage, the integrity of a "sealed" design works well.With the body at 3k and a piece of glass that you will buy anyway for a D3, you will still wind up spending less money than buying a D3 body by itself. Granted, you will not get the dual memory card slots, faster fps, or 100% FoV, but the smaller form factor is the perfect size.
It all comes down to what the intention of the camera is for. As I put in my DT post, the D700 would have been greatly appreciated on my recent family trip to Disney due to the native 6400 iso and (assumed) much faster AF than D300. After vacation, the FX sensor would be at home for the indoor/outdoor architectural side work I do, but still be manageable in size for my wife to feel comfortable using it for family shots as well.
Tard and any other D300 users... had a scare on vacation for a bit. During a family action period of pictures around 7pm, noticed "Err" on the display screen flashing along with "Auto-ISO." The body had about 5,500 shutter releass at the time and the manual just refered it to a camera error that if continued to send back to Nikon, but with no real explanation. Has anyone else come across this? Restarted the camera twice with no luck, but pulling out battery and reseating CF card worked.
FreeTard - Friday, July 4, 2008 - link
I can see your point. I think I would need to try this body out for a couple of months and see how it does. Without having the opportunity to do that (my wife would kill me if I bought a D700, as I bought the 300 right after getting the 200), I'd still lean towards the D3 instead. But that's more of a preference in this case I think. It's true, for the price of the D3 you can get the D700 and a decent lens.I keep forgetting to look, what do you get MP wise, when you put a DX lens on the 700?
The only time I've had err come up is if I adjust the f stop on one of my old manual lenses. I haven't seen it any other time. I think I'd be a little worried if I did see that come up for no apparent reason.
One other thing I'm curious about, has there been any hint of a bump to 1/16,000? 1/8000 is nice, but I think I could find a use for 1/16,000
haplo602 - Thursday, July 3, 2008 - link
Now this one is very surprising.I was expecting a middle-tier FX camera but not that soon. Now I have a dilema to stay with slides and my wonderfull F100 or save some money for the D700.
Oh well ... difficult decision ...
Calin - Thursday, July 3, 2008 - link
"A large pixel size of 8.45 µm allows for an extremely low signal-to-noise ratio"Maybe extremely high signal to noise ratio?
Wesley Fink - Thursday, July 3, 2008 - link
I suppose even Nikon Press Releases are not immune to mistakes. I do agree the correct statement should be extremely HIGH signal-to-nois ratio. This is the definition of LOW noise, which is what Nikon is trying to communicate.marokero - Wednesday, July 2, 2008 - link
The D700 will need to use the same battery as the D3 (EN-EL4a) in order to shoot at 8fps. It appears it can't be done using two EN-EL3e in the MB-D10 grip. So a D700 buyer woul also need to purchase at least one EN-EL4a, an MH-21 charger from the D2's, the MB-D10 grip of course, and a BL-3 grip cap for the battery, adding around $500 to the D700's price in order to shoot at 8fps. That would still be $1300 cheaper than a D3 though. If I could I would add a D700 to my repertoire... it's a lighter camera than my D2xs, and a better match to my D3 as a second body. Hope Nikon keeps cranking up great stuff like this. ;^)Wesley Fink - Wednesday, July 2, 2008 - link
You are correct in the needed parts, which is why I mentioned "up to" 8 fps with the MB-D10 grip. If you insist on Nikon parts from your local dealer you can easily spend $500 for the 3 needed parts.However, I just did a little shopping on eBay and found you can get a Nikon MH-21 charger from several sources delivered for about $120. A Nikon BL-3 battery cap can be delivered for a total $45, and a compatible generic EN-EL4a battery delivered is about $30. That's a grand total of $195, which is a considerable improvement over the $500. You can probably do even better than the $195 if you shop a bit more.
It is always safest to go with the manufacturer's parts, but 2 of the 3 are genuine Nikon and only the battery pack is generic. A Nikon battery would be around $120 which still keeps an all Nikon solution below $300.
Lord 666 - Wednesday, July 2, 2008 - link
Or just buy 8 AA batteries for the times you need 8fps over stock 5fps (6fps in D300)Pneumothorax - Thursday, July 3, 2008 - link
I hope you meant nimh batteries. I got stuck one time with a depleted EN-EL3a and ended up using alkalines with my D300. I liked the 6fps speed, but the batteries only lasted about 40 shots or so. I tried it again with nimh and I got about 300 shots instead.chibimike - Wednesday, July 2, 2008 - link
You multiple times mention comparisons of the D3 to the 1Ds Mk III, but that is not the appropriate camera to compare it to. The D3 analog in Canon is the 1D Mk III. They are both high speed sports/photojournalism shooters, with similar resolution at ISOs upto 1600. The D3 excels at extremely high ISO shooting, nothing comes close.The 1Ds Mk III is competition to medium format digital backs and has a 21Mp resolution, that captures way more detail than any other 35mm digital SLR.
strikeback03 - Wednesday, July 2, 2008 - link
For lack of any better comparisons, the D3 compares to both the 1DIII and 1DsIII. In resolution and speed it is closer to the 1DIII, but like the 1DsIII it is full frame and top dog in the lineup. Until Nikon releases a "D3x" and relabels the D3 the "D3h", the D3 will be compared to both Canons.So Nikon uses flashes of light to control their wireless flashes as well? Does Pocket Wizard have a patent on better control methods? Would be nice to have the flexibility to not need the wireless flashes to be able to see the camera.
slashbinslashbash - Wednesday, July 2, 2008 - link
Page 1: "The D700 also uses the same MB-D10 Battery Grip used by the current D300..."Page 2: "The MB-D10 Battery Grip, which fits both the D300 and D700..."
Page 3: "The MB-D10 Multi-Power Battery Grip that was introduced with the D300 also fits the D700."
You mention 3 times in as many pages that the MB-D10 battery grip fits both the D300 and the D700. I think I got it the first time, thanks.
Also, "This is in stark contrast to Nikon EF-S lenses for their APS-C models which will not even mount on the Canon 5D or 1Ds models." -- should be Canon EF-S lenses, not Nikon.
Wesley Fink - Wednesday, July 2, 2008 - link
This is what happens when the Web Editor is sick and you have to self-edit and self-post :)Reference on page 2 was eliminated, so the two remaining are less redundant.
The incorrect Nikon moniker on p.3 has been morphed to Canon. Thanks for bringing these to our attention.
Lord 666 - Wednesday, July 2, 2008 - link
Since when does 3Com make digital cameras?haplo602 - Thursday, July 3, 2008 - link
Wesley, correct the article header:Date: July 2nd, 2008
Topic: Digital Camera
Manufacturer: 3Com/U.S. Robotics
Author: Wesley Fink
I doubt 3Com is the manufacturer ...
Wesley Fink - Thursday, July 3, 2008 - link
Corrected to Nikon.