D300s Successor-D400, what and when

Sports

if we assume that we will never get a D400.. what are the options for equivalent functionality ?
for me I have looked at the following

Yet another entry on this class seems to be the new Sony a6000.
Yes, it's a f... NEX iteration, and I'm not saying it's "better" than this or that, but they're innovating, and they're building something better than what they made yesterday ... at a reasonable price.
While Nikon ... is preparing yet another crappy entry level model.
I really hope Nikon is keeping something big secret, and I'm not talking about D4S that only a few people will ever get a chance to own.

heartyfisher

(LOL I am 2 weeks late) Just noticed that we may be having a D7200 in sep.. really sounds like the end of the D400. .. with a generational improvement over the D7100.. there wont be much more we (d400 piners) would need .. :-) .. well maybe a few but nothing to gripe over ..

that sony a6000 looks good ;-) nice features .. i am sure the D7200 will have some of those. esp wifi.

rbrylawski

Thought this was interesting. Supposedly, Panasonic compared the specs of its new camera against camera's to include the 7D successor. It's things like this that if Canon unwraps a 7D Mark II, will kind of force Nikon to have a D300 successor.

http://www.photographybay.com/2014/02/13/did-panasonic-leak-canons-7d-mark-ii-specs/?awt_l=K.yJY&awt_m=JFXKbqfMYf62xu

Ironheart

The buffer wouldn't be able to handle more FPS, so that wouldn't be very helpful.

The buffer is a problem with every Nikon DSLR introduced since 24 mp + became the norm
Nikon are gong to have to introduce some new wizardry to solve this . We might get it on a D400 but I think the first camera to crack the fps vs high mp problem will be the D900
which like the D800 will be a ground braking camera
sorry it will cost more than the D300s, even allowing for inflation

Expeed 4 is rated for 12fps with 24mp. They just have to crank it up. Prolly the D7200 will be faster, but I bet they are saving the 12fps for a D4x or a D400 :-)

spraynpray

Good point Ironheart - if they aren't going to do a D400, then why doesn't my D7100 do more fps than it does?

snakebunk

Good point Ironheart - if they aren't going to do a D400, then why doesn't my D7100 do more fps than it does?

Maybe high fps requires a more expensive shutter mechanism?

12fps and 24mp sounds perfect for the D400. I still think the D400 is missing, it is like a hole in the linup.

Ironheart

If Nikon releases a 24mp DX body with 10fps they can charge whatever they want for it and I will buy. Well, realistically it has to be cheaper than a D4, but if they bump it to 12fps? They can take my money like a bank robber stuffing a pillowcase :-)

Kyyo24

Even 8fps, I'm plenty happy with that in my d300s. 10 or 12 just means more images I have to go through lol

spraynpray

Good point Ironheart - if they aren't going to do a D400, then why doesn't my D7100 do more fps than it does?

Maybe high fps requires a more expensive shutter mechanism?

12fps and 24mp sounds perfect for the D400. I still think the D400 is missing, it is like a hole in the linup.

My point was if there is a decision to not make the D400, they ought to increase buffer size and fps in the 7XXX series but as they haven't, logic tells me the D400 is just over the horizon

Ironheart

+1 spray, exactly. Mystery of the D400 delay solved. They were waiting for Expeed 4.

Sports

... logic tells me the ...

Yes, unless there's absolutely no market for it. And we know there is:-)
I agree it's not logical from Nikon to get people to buy D7100 which is a much cheaper body (but still an excellent one). It would make more sense to build something a few notches BETTER than the expected AND then make it more expensive, to make customers spend MORE money. Not less.
(And by "better", I mean "with the same capabilities and more". Not just a different, good body like D800.)

Msmoto

I am certain I can get Nikon to introduce the D400……all I have to do is buy a D7100, D800E or another pro body. )

Toecutter

... logic tells me the ...

Yes, unless there's absolutely no market for it. And we know there is:-)
I agree it's not logical from Nikon to get people to buy D7100 which is a much cheaper body (but still an excellent one). It would make more sense to build something a few notches BETTER than the expected AND then make it more expensive, to make customers spend MORE money. Not less.
(And by "better", I mean "with the same capabilities and more". Not just a different, good body like D800.)

There is a camera a few notches better,the D4.Nikon have pushed brand loyalty to its limit.I've been surprised by the number of D4's I've seen on my travels,usually in the hands of the more mature birder,no mortgage,lots of disposable income.For those who cant or wont afford the D4,there was always the D7***.Seems to me,people have tired of waiting and bought one or the other.Seems to me,they have judged this perfectly.Nikon have played a blinder.

Nikonhotep

I am certain I can get Nikon to introduce the D400……all I have to do is buy a D7100, D800E or another pro body. )

That's exactly what I thought last spring! Alas, it didn't happen... unless, of course, the universe also requires that I buy the new 80-400, in which case there might be hope yet!

sevencrossing

Toecutter . Seems to me, they have judged this perfectly. Nikon have played a blinder

lets be honest, Nikon will have far better knowledge of what people will and will not pay, than the anyone here

manhattanboy

Quotes from Nikon executives regarding the D300S replacement:

Will you make a replacement for the D300S?

Our official comment about this question is that we are not able to make any comment on future products. But we always consider every possibility to meet users’ needs and market trends. We are of course considering all such requests!

From:
http://www.dpreview.com/articles/3890662077/cp-2014-nikon-interview-our-cameras-need-to-evolve

snakebunk

@manhattanboy: It's a good thing they are not saying there is a replacement.

proudgeek

Our official comment is that we have no official comment (to paraphrase). Gotta love corporate-speak.

If I were Nikon, I might not release this body. Here's why: I believe that a majority of those waiting for it (at least on this forum) want a pro body with the "extra reach" of DX. Why? For the most part it's so we can save money on lenses, as shooting with the crop factor allows you to get away with a (relatively) lower-cost lens. On my D800 my 300 is a 300, but on a D400 it would be a 450. So why should Nikon make it easier for me get away with buying a less expensive lens. I'm sure they figure that those committed to those focal lengths will spring for the higher cost/long focal length lenses if they're forced to. Sure hope I'm wrong.

manhattanboy

Our official comment is that we have no official comment

LOL. But you are right, the reason why anyone would like DX is for the extra reach. If I could get there with low cost teles on my full frame I would already! I said some time back that telephotos are going to be the only thing left for DSLRs after the cellphone revolution demolishes the lower end. With large apertures and high resolution making it into cell phones, the only thing left for camera companies to compete in the consumer space on is telephotos.

proudgeek

Well, I would say reach isn't the ONLY reason to want DX. But others, like low cost, can be achieved through cameras like the 5300. I would say that the primary reason to want a Pro-style DX body would be to cheat the focal length math. Think birders who think they can get away with a D300 a TC and the crop factor. If my D800 could grab 24mpx images in DX mode I'd be perfectly satisfied with a second one. I'm of the opinion that a D400, should it be released with the specs being thrown about here, will have a price tag somewhere between a D600 and a D800.

spraynpray

... logic tells me the ...

Yes, unless there's absolutely no market for it. And we know there is:-)
I agree it's not logical from Nikon to get people to buy D7100 which is a much cheaper body (but still an excellent one). It would make more sense to build something a few notches BETTER than the expected AND then make it more expensive, to make customers spend MORE money. Not less.
(And by "better", I mean "with the same capabilities and more". Not just a different, good body like D800.)

There is a camera a few notches better,the D4.Nikon have pushed brand loyalty to its limit.I've been surprised by the number of D4's I've seen on my travels,usually in the hands of the more mature birder,no mortgage,lots of disposable income.For those who cant or wont afford the D4,there was always the D7***.Seems to me,people have tired of waiting and bought one or the other.Seems to me,they have judged this perfectly.Nikon have played a blinder.

I'm not so sure they do really have the inside track. I wonder how many D610 sales they lost because they didn't put better AF on it? Mine for sure - I bought the D7100 instead which has great AF.

sevencrossing

spraynpray
I wonder how many D610 sales they lost because they didn't put better AF on it? Mine for sure - I bought the D7100 instead which has great AF.

but you did buy a new Nikon DSLR
others have bought a D800 and few a D4
and when the D400 does come out, the D7XXX owners will be prime sales targets for yet another new Nikon DSLR

Toecutter

... logic tells me the ...

Yes, unless there's absolutely no market for it. And we know there is:-)
I agree it's not logical from Nikon to get people to buy D7100 which is a much cheaper body (but still an excellent one). It would make more sense to build something a few notches BETTER than the expected AND then make it more expensive, to make customers spend MORE money. Not less.
(And by "better", I mean "with the same capabilities and more". Not just a different, good body like D800.)

There is a camera a few notches better,the D4.Nikon have pushed brand loyalty to its limit.I've been surprised by the number of D4's I've seen on my travels,usually in the hands of the more mature birder,no mortgage,lots of disposable income.For those who cant or wont afford the D4,there was always the D7***.Seems to me,people have tired of waiting and bought one or the other.Seems to me,they have judged this perfectly.Nikon have played a blinder.

I'm not so sure they do really have the inside track. I wonder how many D610 sales they lost because they didn't put better AF on it? Mine for sure - I bought the D7100 instead which has great AF.

Time will tell of course,but as Sevencrossing points out,many of the D7*** buyers will be ready for an upgrade when the D400 finally puts in an appearance.

heartyfisher

In my list of D400 substitutes I did not have the Fuji X-T1 .. Looks like that X-T1 is just about the perfect D400 !

Sports

... many of the D7*** buyers will be ready for an upgrade when the D400 finally puts in an appearance.

That's actually a "clever" way out for Nikon, now that some of us have been worried about how stupid Nikon were :-)
Their idea is to generate more "upgraders" by letting lots of people buy D7xxx. After a few years, they are ready for the next step. Nikon will then NOT realease D7200, which would attract most of the upgraders. No, Nikon will bring the much more expensive D400. "Ouch", the upgraders will say when they see the price, but after some months of thinking, they'll buy.
And we'll all live happily ever after.