Will there Be a Professional DX Body From Nikon?

WestEndFoto

I shoot objects that are usually not moving, or at least not moving much.

Therefore, my biggest concern is to control depth of field and I shoot in A mode. If I was shooting moving objects, I would likely want to control time and would therefore want to shoot in S mode.

The only control I surrender to my camera is auto-iso, set to ISO 3,200 usually. If I am using a tripod, I set the ISO to 100.

I do use m mode quite a bit. One circumstance is when I use studio lighting with sophisticated power packs and I am trying to achieve some desired ratio. Another circumstance is when I use ND filters greater than 3 stops or so. And then I shoot a filterless test shot and set the white balance to that shot. I then set ISO to 100, set the aperture, usually to the diffraction limited aperture of the lens and let the shutter speed vary (except for water, where I might set the shutter first and let the aperture and ISO vary (ISO never above about 800 no matter what).

sevencrossing

Like WestEndFoto I mostly use A, ISO 100 or auto ISO
for moving things, M auto ISO
for Studio, M ISO 100
I never use P

AUTO would be nice when having a senior moment on holiday

snakebunk

I am almost always on manual with auto ISO. I sometimes switch to full manual. I want to control shutter speed and aperture myself but auto ISO is handy.

I think most have been said by now about why a pro dx camera has a demand. Coastalconn exemplified it in a great way as did the earlier linked review on pixel density. One way to formulate the problem is to say that if you want a Nikon DSLR capable of 10 fps you have only one option and that is a very expensive camera with low pixel density. I believe it is a problem that Nikon should consider.

I very much like the D8XX series though and I hope Nikon continues to come out with more models for a long time. For me it is a great alround camera with high pixel density, a large sensor and a speed that is getting better for each new model. Maybe the D850 will have 10 fps and 54 mp and we can say that there is a really good substitute for a pro dx camera .

Now is a great time for shooting birds by the way. All the migrants are back and the trees have a wonderful fresh green color.

Sports

Maybe the D850 will have 10 fps and 54 mp and we can say that there is a really good substitute for a pro dx camera .

And at the same time a pretty good substitue for a D4 :-)
... which is why it won't happen. I think Nikon is happy with keeping their high-res model slow-ish. And happy with keeping their high-speed monster low-res-ish.

haroldp

Maybe the D850 will have 10 fps and 54 mp and we can say that there is a really good substitute for a pro dx camera .

And at the same time a pretty good substitue for a D4 :-)
... which is why it won't happen. I think Nikon is happy with keeping their high-res model slow-ish. And happy with keeping their high-speed monster low-res-ish.

I hope you are wrong.
Worrying about their products competing with each other is what companies do just before they die.

Their competitor rarely respect these boundaries.

.... H

WestEndFoto

I think Sports is wrong (sorry Sports). I think that their D# line will always have the maximum resolution that the processor given the frame rate will permit. As processors become faster, the resolution will increase. I think it will be slower, but low light performance will also slowly improve. By the time the D7 comes out with 54 megapixels, the low light performance will also be good.

Lot's of guesses here, but it is my guess.

sevencrossing

The D4 is about Speed
The D8xx is about Quality.
Speed and quality are not incompatible but trying to do both means compromise
A Pro Dx would be a compromise

snakebunk

Actually all cameras are compromises in some regard. The D4 compromises on pixel density. The D810 compromises on speed. A pro dx compromises on sensor size. Without all three, there is something missing. Think I've said this before .

retread

Actually all cameras are compromises in some regard. The D4 compromises on pixel density. The D810 compromises on speed. A pro dx compromises on sensor size. Without all three, there is something missing. Think I've said this before .

+1
Well said.

WestEndFoto

Yes it is well said. +1

shadowlands

I don't think Nikon will make one. Wish they would, however. I'd get one, for sure.

Coastalconn

I think it really is a shame that Nikon has not responded to the wildlife/sports crowd that want a pro DX. I would have preferred to stay with Nikon. I feel bad for so many people that have purchased exotic and either have an old D300 or a D7.1/7.1K strapped on them. The sensor in the D7200 is better than the 7dM2, but so far it's not as bad as I feared it may be.. I'm posting a RWBB from this morning in the rain and fog at ISO 2000. Could probably get a decent print out of it as long as it wasn't too big... No noise reduction on the bird.. It is what it is.

sevencrossing

I think it really is a shame that Nikon has not responded to the wildlife/sports crowd that want a pro DX.

It seem clear there is a demand for Nikon DX with higher fps for wildlife photographers
I am not so sure about sports photographers

@ Coastalconn would you have bought the 7d2 if the D7200 had 10 fps ?

Sports

I am not so sure about sports photographers

I, for one, would definitely prefer a superfast FX camera, but my budget doesn't go anywhere near a D4.
DX is my only chance to get this kind of specialist tool .... if it's coming at all.

Coastalconn

@Sevencrossing ... If the D7200 had even 8 Fps I would have not considered the 7dm2... The fact the Nikon barely changed anything from the D7100 to the D7200 after 2 years was a rude awakening for me. It was a clear sign that they have no interest in making a pro dx camera. I know the general consensus is that the sports/wildlife market is a small segment of the market, but I would say that Avian photography is a huge and growing market. With the release of the Tamron/Sigma 150-600 it is no longer a "rich man's hobby" and it is one area that cell phones just can not touch...

spraynpray

Absolutely @Coastalconn.

I am not so sure about sports photographers

I, for one, would definitely prefer a superfast FX camera, but my budget doesn't go anywhere near a D4.
DX is my only chance to get this kind of specialist tool .... if it's coming at all.

The body is just the start, it is the long lenses that will cost the biggest bucks. With DX a 150-600 is a 225-900 so imagine the cost of a D4 and good 800mm lens...

sevencrossing

@Sevencrossing ... If the D7200 had even 8 Fps I would have not considered the 7dm2...

Thanks for the feedback

I have said before I do not expect a Pro DX from nikon
But I do believe Nikon will address the huge and growing avian photography market
I do not believe the retail cost of camera can be significantly reduced by making it Dx
Most telephone telephoto lenses, used for bif, will cover FX, so I think Nikon's avian camera will be FX
I do not think the average, amature wildlife photogrpher wants all the button and dials of a D810
nor do they need the build quality of the D4

I think and hope we will see a FX mirrorless camera with similar controls to and the same pixel density as the D7200 and capable of exceeding 10 fps

manhattanboy

But I do believe Nikon will address the huge and growing avian photography market.

I think and hope we will see a FX mirrorless camera with similar controls to and the same pixel density as the D7200 and capable of exceeding 10 fps

The problem is that any such camera will have to be around $1300, which is what the going rate for the 7Dm2 currently is. That is a hard price point to hit for FX, and hence there would probably be a DX camera of some sort. Right now the market choices are super fast fps with loss of DR in the 7dm2 or slower fps with better DR with the 7200. Nikon IMHO is sitting on their hands because Canon has not yet produced something with better DR and faster fps, and does not look like they will do so in the near term. What Canikon has to be careful of are the "others" like Sony, Samsung, m4/3 and Fuji. If the others can finally give a complete solution, then we will see the abandonment of Canikon pick up.

Here is my 2 cents on what each one needs:
Sony: Bodies-> need to work making RAW better and reducing remaining EVF delay. Lens-> need good, cheap superteles in the 300-400+ range that are compact.
Samsung-> need AF improvements in the body and also need good, cheap superteles in the 300-400+ range that are compact.
m4/3-> pretty much the same as Samsung...where is the Oly 300f4? What really would be nice is if Samsung joined the m4/3 group and cross-licensed tech. It is a losing proposition for Sammy to carry its own mount, but leveraging their sensors on the m4/3 mount and contributing to the lens pool on the supertele end would be amazing, and probably would have been my hedge for them as the increased volume from the lens sales could help defray development and production costs.
Fuji-> pretty much the same as Samsung and m4/3...where is any compact supertele??? Folks like Fuji's sensors with high ISO so releasing a supertele might be a great move for those shots you can't get the ISO lower on.

heartyfisher

Today I took my 8 year old FujiS5pro (D200 clone) for a walk .. man I sure miss the Pro controls over the D7000 and D610 :-(

And man the colours from the old Fuji S5pro is still AWESOME.

spraynpray

Talking to other Nikon owners outside of this forum, there is a widespread expectation that there will be one later this year. I can't help but be carried along on that wave of positivity!

Personally, I hope for at least one more pro DX while they get mirrorless to work better. Having said that, if the mirrorless Nikons of the near future don't have lag free EVF's then I will not be using them until they do.

heartyfisher

Talking to other Nikon owners outside of this forum, there is a widespread expectation that there will be one later this year. I can't help but be carried along on that wave of positivity!

Personally, I hope for at least one more pro DX while they get mirrorless to work better. Having said that, if the mirrorless Nikons of the near future don't have lag free EVF's then I will not be using them until they do.

Thats my hope too .. and the frustration ! I am hesitating on pulling the trigger on the D7200! The D7200 page of my retailer of choice is permanently on my web browser !! On the other hand I wont be upset if it did turn out to be a mirrorless version. (eg X-T1 , NX1)

retread

If It would turn out to be mirrorless I will likely pull the trigger on the D7200.

kyoshinikon

Maybe the D5 will bring a D500... The D7200 is almost there... A little more AF & and more Buffer.FPS and it would be the best Dx/crop on the market. nikon unfortunately is not interested in going all the way anymore

sevencrossing

If It would turn out to be mirrorless I will likely pull the trigger on the D7200.

kyoshinikon said
nikon unfortunately is not interested in going all the way anymore

Nikon will be going all the way. Not only will the new DX DSLR be mirrorless , It will also be full frame

spraynpray said
Talking to other Nikon owners outside of this forum, there is a widespread expectation that there will be one later this year. I can't help but be carried along on that wave of positivity!

Yes my window cleaner is of the same opinion ( but he also thought Ed would be Prime Minister )

snakebunk

In my biased view Nikon has made two mistakes:
1. They should have continued the D300 product line and made a D400 and a D410 that where like siblings to the D800 and D810 (shared the same accessories and had similar bodies).
2. They should have mitigated mistake number one by making the D7200 faster.

What they will do I have no idea at all of course. I hope they make sure they don't discontinue any more product lines before there are good replacements. I think it is a little late to start working on a D420 to be released with the D820 (if they don't already have one under development) but I hope they make the D7300 a lot faster than the D7200.