D300s Successor-D400, what and when

Photobug

Been out of touch for 3 days and lots of stuff has been posted. I hope Mansurov is right regarding the D400:
It's very logical about the delays and if Nikon is trying to ensure there are no quality issues, you let the Engineers and Operations determine when to release a product...not the sales/marketing departments.

Quote: Read Mansurov's article, and I do respect his work. I'm still in the "I'll believe it when I see it" camp on D400,

I said it earlier, if there is no rumors there is no D400....now we have hope. I bet Nikon has clamped down on leaks too.

Nikonhotep

Any one know of any one jumping ship or buying a Canon?

I bought a D7100 and I am still contemplating switching to Canon. If Nikon doesn't announce a "D400" within, say, six months of Canon's announcement of the 7dII, if the latter has the features/quality that I need at the time (which will depend on whether I am still heavily into wildlife photography, which in turn depends on certain personal circumstances only tangentially related to photography), I will not hesitate to jump ship.

It's this mix of uncertainties that holds me back from investing in Nikon's new 80-400, too.

PB_PM

On the subject of customer service, what are your FIRST HAND experiences of dealing with Nikon?

I have visited a Nikon repair depot a number of times, one is 45 minutes from my home and it's cheaper to drive there than pay postage, in the last 5 years.

Generally speaking, the experience has been positive. Sensor cleaning is fast, a week or less. Other stuff the service has been mixed. The next part makes Nikon sound a lot worse than I really think that it is.

Several times I've waited a month for basic repairs, like the lens I took in to have the focus realigned. I had one lens out for five months, "waiting for parts from Japan." The day after I called about it, the lens was somehow fixed. Less than a year after that repair, I needed to take the lens in again, focus motor failed. The squealing started, intermittently, right after the repair. And my recently purchased D800 (found a deal that I couldn't turn down, so no more waiting for D400), and it has the left/right focus alignment problem. I'll take it in to be fixed, at some point.

sevencrossing

Less than a year after that repair, I needed to take the lens in again, focus motor failed. The squealing started, intermittently, right after the repair.

yes I know we are going off topic again but did you buy this lens new ?

sevencrossing

I will not hesitate to jump ship.
It's this mix of uncertainties that holds me back from investing in Nikon's new 80-400, too.

I have the new 80 -400, a friend has the canon 100 - 400
the new Nikon 80 -400 focuses much much faster and is optically far superior

Yes IF canon do bring out a 7dII, that cuts the mustard, is sensibly priced and there is no sight of the D400 may be people, might jump ship

Msmoto

Whether Nikon gives us the D400 with the capabilities of good ISO, large buffer, 8 or 9 FPS, D800 focus or they give us a higher priced D7100 and call it a D400, it will only send me to another Nikon body like the D800E. My lenses do not fit on Canon bodies.......LOL.

Or, we might see a revised D600 or D800 (s).

Apparently the folks who leak the info are not at Nikon currently....more LOL

PB_PM

Less than a year after that repair, I needed to take the lens in again, focus motor failed. The squealing started, intermittently, right after the repair.

yes I know we are going off topic again but did you buy this lens new ?

Yes, the AF-S 300mm F4 was bought new in 2009. The only used lens I have is 70-300mm VR.

Photobug

MSmoto said:
Whether Nikon gives us the D400 with the capabilities of good ISO, large buffer, 8 or 9 FPS, D800 focus or they give us a higher priced D7100 and call it a D400, it will only send me to another Nikon body like the D800E. My lenses do not fit on Canon bodies.......LOL.

Thanks for the last comment about Nikon lens not fitting on Canon bodies. I needed a good laugh.

Don't forget that many of us want that larger body than a D7100. I don't have big hands but a D7100 just doesn't feel right. The D4 and D800 are much better. I still want that AF button on the back too.

Nikonhotep

Oh, I hope not a larger body! My D300--smaller than the D7100--was near perfect for me.

Re MSmoto's comment,

(I'm not so heavily invested in Nikon, though, that I can't switch without too much pain.)

sevencrossing

PitchBlack had been waiting for a D400 but went instead with a pair of D800s.

This is exactly why there may be no D400. Why would Nikon bring out low price profession camera, when people like Pitch are buying a brace of D800s

Photobug

Comment to Sevencrossing....but I don't have the $$$$ Pitch has and can't afford two D800's but could afford one pro type D400 if it's in the $1,800 to $2,300 price point.

TriShooter

I have bought enough interim DX bodies from Nikon to pay for the D400 when, or if, it happens. The pictures I take on a daily basis of bif with the D300 on the 300mm af-s are consistently very good. I like the D300 so much I came close to purchasing a new one several weeks ago. Almost all of my flash shots are done with the D300 flash remotes, and the combination takes gine pictures.

My super telephoto lenses are all ais manual focus. Sony supports my ais lenses much better than Nikon with their visual contrast focusing so I am using Alpha SLT 57s bodies on all of them. I convert the Sony color palette inside the CS6 Camera Raw to the D2x color palette with the PSKiss Converter which takes a couple of extra clicks. The D400 will not be able to replace the SLTs because its lower fps, and lack of visual contrast focusing.

The D5100s are just for family pictures using wide-angle, and 18-200/300 mm lenses and works fine for doing this kind shooting. The D7100 uses the Tammy 200-500mm most of the time. D400 without a swivel screen is not going to replace 5100, or perform significantly better. The D400 might enable the Tammy 200-500mm to find focus faster, and the higher fps, and better buffer a definite advantage.

My conclusion is that I waited so long for the D400, without hearing a word from Nikon about their plans, my excitement about it has come and gone, especially when I discovered the Sony works better with my old AIS super telephoto lenses. I can shoot a higher frame rate, and focus faster with the Sony SLTs than with the new D400 on the 400mm, 500mm, 800mm lenses. Realistically I will only see a noticeable advantage with two, of my lenses for bif so now have less incentive to buy a D400 because of being forced by Nikon to look for alternative solutions. Some of the alternative solutions are better, and cost less.

ricochet

Oh, I hope not a larger body! My D300--smaller than the D7100--was near perfect for me

The D300 is bigger than the D7100, and since I've been shooting several D300's since 2007, if the D400 were to be the same size and the buttons and dials match up, it would make the transition seamless. That would be perfect for me, its my dream and I'm sticking to it.
Not sure how anyone can judge the capabilities of the D400 when its very existence is questionable and its specifications are unknown (by us).
We need to face facts, this entire thread (and its long-winded predecessor on the old forum) is all about hopes, dreams, and speculations. No one here knows anything about the D400.

Paperman

I just got some news from a close friend of mine that works at Nikon factory in Japan.

The D400 is coming with dual sensors - one APS-C and one FF so everyone will be happy . The body also has a "cloak" mode - allowing shooting discreetly ... ( No word yet if cloak mode will work on the old Nikon lenses or not )

PB_PM

That's about as believable as Nikon releasing a 600mm F2.8G VR.

The non-FX Dxxx bodies have always been made in Thailand, so if you are going to make fake rumor, at least try to make it believable. :P

heartyfisher

"Fake" rumor ? How much truth is that in a "Real" rumor? LOL !

Msmoto

@Paperman

You forgot the cost of $27.95 which includes a free pro lens......LOL

PB_PM

"Fake" rumor ? How much truth is that in a "Real" rumor? LOL !

A rumour, by definition, is simply information without a known source, there is no implication of truth, or falsehood, involved with the word.

TriShooter

PB_PM made an excellent point in his post about rumors, as did heartyfisher.

While we have every right to give reasons on why we think a rumor may true, or false it is off track to make fun of a rumor, and especially the guy who is just passing it on. Doing so may cause people to not share a rumor, or piece of information, that might be useful to someone here.

Nikon Rumors, to me, is meant to share all the rumors we hear without deciding on our own which rumors may be true, or false, although we are free to be skeptical of it, or say it makes sense. The purpose being to use all the rumors we hear to see if patterns are developing. Sometimes these seeming disjointed rumors give us an edge when buying and selling our equipment. Let's encourage all rumors, and critique them based on "what we know," or more accurately on "what we think we know." LOL.

donaldejose

I would say this thread consists of speculation and desire, not even rumor. None of us has said we know someone at Nikon who has given us a "leak" of information on the D400. So we speculate and desire. Nothing wrong with that. If you don't like it don't read this thread. When something rises to the level of rumor it will be on the main blog of Nikon Rumors. Items and ideas which have not been repeated on the main blog have no support as of this time. I think we will see it appear this fall so some solid rumor may start to appear then also. The most accurate speculation we can make at this time is that it will be as it has been: a D300s size body and robust parts with the latest sensor, focusing, and processing technology. Exactly what that latest technology will be when the D400 is released is unknown at this time. Only time will tell. Maybe one stop better than the D7100 in dynamic range and clean high ISO? Or 1/2 a stop better?

TaoTeJared

The little number by this thread said "95" so I thought it was time to check it out.

Yep - just as I thought, the first 5 pages were rehashed 8 times over.

Photobug

Earlier some one said the D7100 was bigger than the D300/D300s and that did not sound correct to me. Someone else challenged it and I decided to check it out. Source: NIKON USA web site:

D800
EN-EL15 Lithium-ion Battery
5.7 in. (144.78 mm) x 4.8 in. (121.92 mm) x 3.2 in. (81.28 mm)
31.7 oz. (900 g)

D300S
EN-EL3e Lithium-ion Battery
5.8 in. (147 mm) x 4.5 in. (114 mm) x 2.9 in. (74 mm)
30 oz. (840 g)

D7100
EN-EL15 Lithium-ion Battery
5.3 in. (135.5 mm) x 4.2 in. (106.5 mm) x 3.0 in. (76 mm)
23.8 oz. (675 g)

That grip on the D7100 is just to thin. I much prefer the D300 and D800 grip feel. As I said a few days ago, hope Nikon goes with the larger grip for the D400.

scoobysmak

@Nikonhotep : I was seriously invested in Canon and took an enormous hit switching. I had been waiting for a D400 but went instead with a pair of D800s. I lost thousands but it was the best decision I've ever made... not just because of the cameras, but because I ended up meeting the cutest little Nikon Girl </p>

Someone else quoted this and said this is why the D400 won't happen. I see the point, why make a D400 when you can sell a D800 for more. Here are my thoughts, but everyone has different needs, different gear they own currently, and different price points to make it worth it for them (so nobody is wrong here).

I guess I am waiting (more like dreaming) for a few things to happen. I really would like a D4x depending on the features. If I could get 36MP or higher, 6fps or faster, and a stop or 2 better ISO than the D800 I would be thrilled (of course this is keeping the F8 focus points as well, doubt this would change though). This would be mainly for landscapes and still subjects but in a pinch I could get a few action shots.

If the D400 never happens I would probably just keep my D7000, the D7100 is nice but not enough of an upgrade for me to switch. The DX camera would mainly be for sports and wildlife (mostly BIF). This is the reason for me to want a DX crop. A 400mm lens just became a 600mm lens in less than 20 seconds. Unfortunately, I would want the best of both worlds for the DX camera that just won't happen. I would love more MP so I can print at least 20X30 poster size shots but this will cost me in the ISO department. For high school football and soccer games at night that usually have poor lighting this would hurt, the only real solution to that problem is the D4 or a D4s if that happens. That situation does not come up enough for me to justify the cost of another camera body, the D700 would probably be my best option.

To be portable I have thought about the V1/V2 system but for what ever reason I like to be able to bracket my shots, from my understanding neither camera has that feature. If I can find a V2 for a deal with the FT-1 adapter (think that is the name, allows you to mount your F-mount lenses to it) I might go for it anyway.

I guess for now I will sit by and see what Nikon offers up next. I see no point in buying something I really don't want since my current D700 and D7000 has not let me down, "knock on wood" (I just wish my D7000 had the same size and layout of my D700).

[Deleted User]

The user and all related content has been deleted.

sevencrossing

scoobysmak If I could get 36MP or higher, 6fps or faster, and a stop or 2 better ISO than the D800 I would be thrilled (of course this is keeping the F8 focus points as well

If Nikon could produce a camera with this specification, for the price most people think a D400 might cost, it would be a real Canon slayer

re cropping, for wild life, I often post crop my FX shots to DX or less, but I rarely can use the center of the frame, more often just one corner .