D300s Successor-D400, what and when

sevencrossing

most ( not all) wildlife photographers seem to want more fps and that seems to need more battery and processing power ,so a built in grip would make sense

Will Nikon follow? may be but in the past, they have tended to let canon lead the way

1skully

I think Nikon will be surprised. I for one am willing to pay for the pro build/controls. I still would want a sensor that was an upgrade, not just a d7100 sensor in a newer pro body. If Canon produces that camera for the Canon followers watch them fly off the shelf.

spraynpray

By whose standards Donald? 8-}

catfish252

The next 5-6 months could prove to be very interesting if Canon and Nikon choose to mix it up a bit. In a couple of weeks we'll see how well the Canon 70D counters the D7100. I can't wait to see what shakes out in the long run.

donaldejose

Don't know what you mean "by whose standards." We just have to wait to see what Nikon produces in a D400 and then we can compare it to other "standards." It may be "pro" or "like a D4" in some ways and not so in other ways. If it has most of what someone happens to want they may feel it is a "mini-D4." In contrast, if it doesn't happen to have the particular features someone else wants they may feel it is not at all a "mini-D4." The "standard" for what constitutes a mini-D4 will depend upon the person making the judgment. Personally, I would feel comfortable putting that "mini-D4" label on the D400 if it has almost everything the D4 has (same high native ISO, built in battery grip, 8 or 9 fps, etc) but just in DX-sensor size. It could be called Nikon's DX D4. Of course, the price would be high but if Nikon could produce pretty much a D4 in DX size and sell if for half the price of a D4 there may be a market for such a $3,000 DX body.

TaoTeJared

I don't think there is a market for a $3,000 DX body at all. For that, it would have to beat the D600/D800 on noise and have the networking controls built in like the D4. In essence a DX D4 - exact same D4 everything but the sensor & Usable ISO to 51k.

donaldejose

So what do you think TTJ? $2,000 as the maximum price Nikon can get for a DX D400? Then it is unlikely to have a built in vertical grip/battery holder. Guess I will just be happy if it has some sort of new super sensor advancement and doesn't use the same sensor found in the D7100. Although, chances are strong it will essentially be the D7100 sensor with a more rugged build body and the pro control layout. If that happens a lot of people will be unimpressed and ask "So just why did it take Nikon so long to produce only this?" I suppose the odds are we will be underwhelmed with Nikon's offering.

spraynpray

@Donald: Now Donald, don't you go losing your sense of humour too!

You wrote "Perhaps the "D4-lite" or "mini-D4" ideas were not so crazy after all."

So I wrote "By whose standards Donald 8-} "

donaldejose

spraynpray: Sorry, I didn't get that it was a joke. I would love to see Nikon be able to produce a D400 with a built in vertical/battery grip like the D4 but if the price point has to stay below a D600 I guess they wouldn't be able to do so.

spraynpray

As long as it isn't too much more than the 7DmkII it will be OK. I don't think comparing it to the D600 is comparing eggs with eggs. The D600 is an entry level FX, the D400 is a pro level DX.

donaldejose

Maybe I can still have that built in vertical grip if Cannon puts it on the &DmkII.

SquamishPhoto

Just buy a D4 already.

Kuv

I believe that they could push the price to $2200. $2300 max.

spraynpray

@Squamish: Oh, OK.

@Kuv: You may be right.

Msmoto

Just buy a D4 already.

Squamish...are now shooting a D4?

SquamishPhoto

I was talking to donald. All his talk of mini D4 and such just leaves me puzzled as to why he doesn't just buy a D4. He can clearly afford it and could even sell off some of the many cameras he owns to fund it. Im a big proponent getting what you want when you want it. :]

spraynpray

Donald is starting a Nikon Museum so I expect he will get a D4 sometime soon. :P

donaldejose

I have been looking at D3 bodies on e-bay (and other sites) after Mike inspired me by the one he purchased but I am waiting to see what the D400 brings before I do so. While I would like the size and speed of the D3 body I fear sensor advancements will allow a D400 to achieve a higher DxOMark score than a D3 (the D3 is 81 while the D5200 is 84) and that D400 may have essentially the same 9 fps as the D3. When you remove the AA filter in the D400, add Expeed 3 and the latest sensor advances you may well have better image quality than a D3 up to say an 13x19 or maybe even 24x36 inches print and I will never print larger than that. Maybe my "mini-D4" or "D4 lite" will turn out to be more accurately described as a "mini-D3+." When bodies get into the 2k range I feel I can buy one to "play" with as a hobby. When they are still 6k I feel guilty about spending that money for a hobby when I know it will be half price in about 4-5 years anyway. For most of the photos I am called upon to produce I have to admit a D5100 (or D90 or D7000) with a kit lens is adequate. I don't need a $6,000 body.

Sure, I could sell most of the bodies and lenses I have and replace them with a D4 and a few very expensive lenses but that just wouldn't be as much fun to me. Even though I have a D800 I often still pick up my D5100 to shoot something as you can see from the photos I post on PAD. I just enjoy using different equipment. Some people are more equipment geeks. If I was a professional I would not play around with the "lesser" cameras to see what they can do for my own personal interest. I would just get D4 and D800 bodies, a few pro zoom lenses (and a few specialty lenses such as a macro) and shoot all the time with them. Moose Peterson has the right idea there. But then it would be more work for me and less fun. To each his own.

DaveyJ

I agree with donalddejose's price estimation. HOWEVER look at what just happened to the 80-400VR newly released. Price points are central to almost everything in the open market. I would just get a D4 probably if it weren't for being retired and on a decreasing income. Besides I continue to "invest" in my life work which is to say the least for the faint of heart. I have believed in small family farms all of my life. Traveling in many distant lands and having been exposed to quite a few industries in my life, I will continue to shell out my dollars to keep our working farms (2). I expect the initial price point of the D400 will be quite high compared to such a reasonable estimation. I feel that IF his price estimate is accurate, Nikon will sell a VERY large number of D400s!! Assuming of course it meets expectations. I myself will wait awhile to see the reviews on the D400 before buying.

DaveyJ

Read NOT for the faint of heart.

donaldejose

Farmers rock! They alone produce excess food so all the others in society can pursue other lines of work while keeping a full belly without having to spend all day hunting and gathering food. No advanced society would be possible without a few farmers who can produce enough food to feed many people. Farming is the foundation which supports all the other skills and arts in our modern society.

Photobug

A a prod owner of a Nikon D300 since it was released I have followed this forum over the past 3 months and left a few messages on what I wanted in the D400. I was just looking at the updates on the new D7100 when all of a sudden I had a "bright" idea. Please so nasty comments on my idea.

Rather than a whole new camera, I would be really pleased if Nikon would just take the D800 body, swap the sensor out for the one used in the D7100 add the U1 & U2 controls to the top and use the better AF & processor. That would be a "win-win" for all of us and be economical to produce.

Please Nikon, get on with the finalization of the D400 and get it to market. PLEASE!!!!!

shawnino

Anybody know how much money Photobug's idea would save off the price of a D800? $300? $400?

ChromiumPrime

Rather than a whole new camera, I would be really pleased if Nikon would just take the D800 body, swap the sensor out for the one used in the D7100 add the U1 & U2 controls to the top and use the better AF & processor. That would be a "win-win" for all of us and be economical to produce.

I was under impression the D7100 already has the better AF module (Multi-CAM 3500DX) and processor (expeed 3) so in essence it would be the D7100 in a D800 body and it would suffer the same FPS and buffer (or similar).

I think if Nikon decides to use the same 24mp sensor then we'll also see a new/improved expeed processor to to make up for the FPS and buffer. I also don't see Nikon recycling what's basically the same AF module in the D400 again so, yeah, a new/improved AF module as well.

PB_PM

The D800 has Expeed 3 (most likely a faster clocked one at that), and the higher end AF system, so I'm not sure where you got the idea that the D7100 was more advanced. The D800 has a seemly small buffer because it is dealing with much larger files. It has a larger buffer than the D4.