Anything out on the grapevine regarding the D90?

[dug777]

D300 sensor & screen please Nikon :thumbsup:

Basically just stuff the D300 innards into a plastic body (the D80 body will do fine)

Any more substantial info?

Nikon is no doubt bleeding in this sector, everyone else has some or all of the sensor cleaning/live view/shiny new sensors package out on the market in that price bracket

 

[ElFenix]

D300 was the fifth best selling SLR in the US in january, so i doubt they're doing that badly.

of course, there could just be a big drop off between the 40D (4th) and it.

 

[soydios]

there's a gaping hole in the Nikon lineup between the D300 and D60. granted that the D80 is still a fine camera, but the D300 brought a lot of updates to the table. this is what I want in a D90:
- D300's 12MP sensor
- 14-bit A/D conversion
- 5 fps continuous drive shooting
- D300's 3.0" VGA screen
- live view
- D200 AF system

 

[jpeyton]

Photokina

I'll bet Nikon, at minimum, adds a 12MP sensor, dust removal, 3" VGA screen, 14-bit RAW, Live View, and updated AF. They need to if they want to stay competitive with the XSi.

 

[jmagg]

I would expect "fine tune lens adjustments" in most, if not all models going forward

 

[Heidfirst]

Originally posted by: jpeyton
I'll bet Nikon, at minimum, adds a 12MP sensor, dust removal, 3" VGA screen, 14-bit RAW, Live View, and updated AF. They need to if they want to stay competitive with the XSi.

it's interesting seeing different people's pov - I don't see the XSi as the D80/90s main competitor but the 40D/A700 etc. (imo it's the differences in the body rather than the actual internal technology).

 

[dug777]

Originally posted by: Heidfirst

Originally posted by: jpeyton
I'll bet Nikon, at minimum, adds a 12MP sensor, dust removal, 3" VGA screen, 14-bit RAW, Live View, and updated AF. They need to if they want to stay competitive with the XSi.

it's interesting seeing different people's pov - I don't see the XSi as the D80/90s main competitor but the 40D/A700 etc. (imo it's the differences in the body rather than the actual internal technology).

I would agree. I don't see the D90 competing with the 450D, but rather slotting in somewhere like the D80 did against the 400D and 30D, but perhaps closer to the 40D. Better body and viewfinder, price premium over the 450D you'd expect, but not the magnesium body of the 40D...

2c

 

[soydios]

yeah, Nikon and Canon tend to bracket each other below $2k, instead of competing directly at the same price point. the D80 and D40x bracketed the 400D, like the D300 and D90 will bracket the 40D and D90 and D60 will bracket the 450D. that's assuming that Nikon behaves predictably.

I'm really hoping that Nikon introduces a D90 and Canon introduces a 5DmkII at Photokina this year. That way I can get a D90 in six months, and a D400x in three years. A lot of Nikon users think that Nikon will release a D300x to compete with a 5DmkII once they catch up on D3 and D3X shipments. On a related note, I'm very curious to see what a D3H would have in store, assuming that Nikon follows the same trend as the D1/D1H/D1X did.

I'm guessing that D3X pre-production models will see use during the Olympics, much as the D3 did at the Osaka games. As for resolution, the D2X(s) and D300 still have the densest pixels of anything on the market from Canon or Nikon. Simply take the D300 sensor and scale it up to full-frame, and you end up at a little more than 27 megapixels, IIRC. Holy smokes, that's double the linear resolution of my D50's sensor...imagine!

 

[soydios]

well, about the D400: http://kenrockwell.com/nikon/d400.htm
I call it a D300x (maybe D3#0?), he calls it a D400. he assumes that a D4 will be released before it will, IMO.

I disagree on most everything. IMHO,
- sensor: 24MP FX, ~10MP DX (probably soon to be found in an A900: http://www.dpreview.com/news/0...ony35mmcmossensor.asp)
- rear LCD: same 3.0" VGA as the D300. 3.5" is too big for a D200-sized body, and touch-screens do not work on pro DSLRs (ever tried using a touchscreen wearing gloves?).
- data communication: WiFi?, Bluetooth? the extra chips take up precious space inside the body, burn extra power without the dedicated transmitter's battery, require jumping through lots of regulatory hoops, and are quickly outdated. still, it might happen.
- price: sorry Ken, try closer to $3k. this has to compete against a 5DmkII.
- introduction/availability: again, sorry Ken. Nikon is stressed for manufacturing capacity right now, and adding a line of full-frame sensors does not help that problem.

 

[ElFenix]

scuttlebutt about a camera that probably won't see the light of day for another couple of years



wrt OP: other than the fact that the D80 is a year and a half old (OMG IT"S ANCIANT!) at this point, it's still one of the most compelling cameras in nikon's lineup, imho. take the same basic thing, add on a 3" LCD (how much does sony want for the 640x480 one? i think it'll be left out), live view, improved 10 MP sensor, 4.5 fps, and partial seals ala 40D, and then slot it in right about $1000.

or they could do 2.7" tilting LCD like the A300/350. that'd probably be more compelling than a 3" fixed. that'd really make it stand out from the D60 to the guy in best buy.

 

[dug777]

Originally posted by: ElFenix
scuttlebutt about a camera that probably won't see the light of day for another couple of years

wrt OP: other than the fact that the D80 is a year and a half old (OMG IT"S ANCIANT!) at this point, it's still one of the most compelling cameras in nikon's lineup, imho. take the same basic thing, add on a 3" LCD (how much does sony want for the 640x480 one? i think it'll be left out), live view, improved 10 MP sensor, 4.5 fps, and partial seals ala 40D, and then slot it in right about $1000.

or they could do 2.7" tilting LCD like the A300/350. that'd probably be more compelling than a 3" fixed. that'd really make it stand out from the D60 to the guy in best buy.

Well, I'm a huge fan of the D80, as dpreview and quite a few other reviews note, it's in using it that you realise how excellent it is :thumbsup:

I'd be very happy to see them retain the body, and add whatever they think they need to add on to be really competitive at that price point.

I haven't had any issues with the AF, but there's plenty of gripes about the matrix metering out there that Nikon should put to rest it its replacement. Spot & centre weighted are great, and dialing in -.7EV addresses matrix for me, but ymmv I guess

 

[Heidfirst]

Originally posted by: soydios A lot of Nikon users think that Nikon will release a D300x to compete with a 5DmkII once they catch up on D3 and D3X shipments. On a related note, I'm very curious to see what a D3H would have in store, assuming that Nikon follows the same trend as the D1/D1H/D1X did.

You don't have to be a Nikon user to expect Nikon to release something to compete with the 5D or it's replacement (especially as that's where Sony's FF is expected to pitch - although if you look you'll see that Sony & Nikon DSLRs don't really go head to head either)