Nikon digital SLR plans?

[FlyinLo]

Has anyone heard anything about Nikon's digital SLR plans? They have been looking like a distant second to Canon in many of the recent camera technologies from IS/VR to USM/AF-S to pixel count and speed. It has been over three years since the D2X was announced, an eternity in this market. You figure that they have to have been working on something in all that time besides the D2H and D70, but if they don't annouce soon, all the die hard Nikon guys like Wayne and myself will be increasingly looking at Canon.

The local pro retailer said that Nikon is building a modular D-SLR with interchangeable sensors so that as higher density sensors come out you don't need to throw away the whole camera to upgrade. Any truth to this? I haven't seen anything on sites like dpreview.com. Anyone have any Nikon news?

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: Nikon digital SLR plans?

Has anyone heard anything about Nikon's digital SLR plans? They have been looking like a distant second to Canon in many of the recent camera technologies from IS/VR to USM/AF-S to pixel count and speed. It has been over three years since the D2X was announced, an eternity in this market. You figure that they have to have been working on something in all that time besides the D2H and D70, but if they don't annouce soon, all the die hard Nikon guys like Wayne and myself will be increasingly looking at Canon.

The local pro retailer said that Nikon is building a modular D-SLR with interchangeable sensors so that as higher density sensors come out you don't need to throw away the whole camera to upgrade. Any truth to this? I haven't seen anything on sites like dpreview.com. Anyone have any Nikon news?

Jeff, as a fellow Nikon shooter, I share your pain!

I was very disappointed at the reaction by some of the people who bought the Nikon D2H and by some of the sample photos I saw from it, particularly, with the high ISO noise. I've also seen some messages by people who seem pretty pleased with the camera. It's certainly a dilema for me!

Someday, I need to update my D1, but with what? If I were able to get a DSLR comparable to what it looks like the Canon 1DmkII will be in a Nikon body, for a reasonable price, it'd be a no brainer to do it since I'd not have to trade out all my glass, could keep the D1 as a backup, etc, etc, etc....

That being said, it *looks* like the 1DmkII will be of a quality that should be adequate for a few years. You can only go so high in image size and quality before you have a camera that should be good enough for years to come.

Certainly, for the net, the D1 will do fine for many years to come but what if you need/want to either sell prints (which the D1 does fine with) or sell to magazines (which it will do well with also but convincing the editors is something else.. *sigh* at times anyway)....

Now, if Nikon would come up with a modular system, where you could upgrade only the components necessary to have the best output, that would be a marketing ploy bordering on genius.. Will they do it? Will they do it in time to keep the loyal Nikon shooters with them?

BIG question!

I'm stuck with what I've got for the forseeable future, but someday........

Wayne

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: Nikon digital SLR plans?

Hey Jeff, as an add on to the original message. Have you seen any of the sample images from the Nikon D-70?

Have not had one in my hands but the reviews seem to say it's a very good camera.

I don't think it would be what the average guy wanting the best tool for shooting airplanes would want (slower, cam 9000 AF system) but given that the D-100 had that same AF system, for about a grand, a guy can get into a new Digital SLR body..

I know, given my budget, had something like this been around in 2000, I'd likely have gone for it.

If they could make something like this with the faster Cam 1300 AF system or better.. they'd sure have a "prosumer" winner.

Still dreaming about the Canon 1dmkII though...

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: Nikon digital SLR plans?

Jeff.. just really looked at your avitar.. you got some really nice toys!

[FlyinLo]

Re: Nikon digital SLR plans?

Jeff.. just really looked at your avitar.. you got some really nice toys!

Life's too short to not have nice toys!