D7300 Pre-discussion

heartyfisher

spraynpray said:

Does anybody have any idea what will be in a D7300? What can be put in that we need (apart from sensor/AF improvement)?

I think we can also ask when it may be available.

heartyfisher

As for me photo wise I think there is not much more you can add to the D7200.. . For its niche it does a pretty good job fitting snugly.

However, the easy obvious add would be Snapbridge.

I dont think they will be putting the D500 AF sensor in this level of cameras for a couple of iterations. But for sure the AF will be "tweaked" due to a better/faster EXPEED processor.

So a main upgrade will be a new EXPEED. which means
1) Better ISO, low and high.
2) Better AF speed and tracking
3) Better colours,

Likely new features
1) New sensor. Possibly 28 or 30 or 32 MP
2) Better video - 4K.
3) Better AF in liveview - some new tech like dual pixel af?
4) Auto AF micro adjustment.

Other possible but not as likely enhancements
1) Touch screen / flip screen
2) Wireless flash
3) Remove pop up flash ... ;-)

What I would like (Possible, but unlikely..)
1) New sensor type. there are currently a bunch of Nikon patents and sensor configurations that is unimplemented. It would allow for a sensor performance jump of 1-2 stops!
2) New ergonomics and button layouts and dials. Time to simplify even more.
3) Even more interconnectivity (via snapbridge?) better OS. Open OS. user Apps! (oculus rift. google glasses, etc )
4) Mirror less.

Sports

SnapBridge for sure.
I think the D500 tells us that Nikon wants the D7xxx to be a clear "number 2" in the DX lineup, so we should not expect the D7300 to feature any expensive improvements.
It must be expected that all cameras will get 4K video eventually, so maybe now is the time for the D7xxxx to get it.

PB_PM

I figure the D7300 will follow the same updates that the other consumer models have received. Newer processing, which will yield some noise improvements, Snapbridge, maybe some new movie settings and not much else.

heartyfisher

So you guys are saying that its only a 24MP snapbridged d7200?

PB_PM

Seems likely, 24MP seems to be the sweet spot for APS-C. So unless Nikon switches away from Sony sensors (to who, Canon?) they may not have a lot of choice. Unless Sony releases a newer higher res mainstream sensor, it's a safe bet to say it will still be 24MP. I'm also betting those 24MP sensors are dropping in price as yields continue to improve, which Nikon will like because it boost profit margins.

Gone are the days that you'll see the newest sensors from Sony in another brands cameras. In other words, just look at Sony's latest mirrorless APS-C sensor cameras; even the newest high end model still sports a 24.2MP sensor.

Pistnbroke

I am still hanging on to my D7100 and unless they can give me more POI for me birds it will stay that way.

spraynpray

heartyfisher said:

So you guys are saying that its only a 24MP snapbridged d7200?

I would have thought it would get the touchscreen for sure. Snapbridge? Meh.

retread

I like the D7200 but would have to be a more significant upgrade to interest me. I think it would make a good backup to my D500.

Really more interested in what may follow the D810.

PB_PM

spraynpray said:

heartyfisher said:

So you guys are saying that its only a 24MP snapbridged d7200?

I would have thought it would get the touchscreen for sure. Snapbridge? Meh.

Getting a touch screen would be a nice change, especially if you can use it for AF and changing focus points (please kill the round Dpad like thing already!) like you can on the newer D5x00 model.

Snapbridge is Nikon's big new thing, so yeah it's going to have it, even though it is just as bad as the pervious WIFI only version.

DaveyJ

The D3400 serves very strong warnings that the D7300 might get a death blow upgrade, in other words a flawed Snapbridge of very doubtful value and almost NOTHING more. What are you thinking about?? A few here are baiting Nikon to do exactly that! Wreck one of the BEST no nonsense cameras. Face it the D3300 was a BETTER camera except for improvements that SHOULD have been added, stripping away value for CRAP! 24MP is great, low light improvement, upgrade video, and tweak some of the few faults of the D7200. The D7200 is my favorite camera. I use D500 enough to know it is NOT as user friendly, fast, rugged, and a great camera, but the bells and whistles come at a price. I'd rather have the on board flash, Great price, etc!

donaldejose

Snapbridge, wireless flash and some minor changes yieiding perhaps one third to one half improvement in high ISO and maybe some improvement in dynamic range. The new focusing system in the D5 and D500 will go into the replacement for the D810 but no other bodies for a year or two. The sensor will probably stay at 24 megapixels unless the sensor supplier is able to produce a smaller pixel pitch with no loss of dynamic range or high ISO ability. If the replacement for the D810 goes to a sensor in the range of 75 megapixels and demonstrates the ability of a smaller pixel pitch without loss of dynamic range or high ISO ability you can speculate that the D7300 may have a sensor with more than 24 megapixels. Release date? late 2017 or 2018.

spraynpray

Interesting Donald. If the D820 pixel count goes that high, maybe the lens quality debate could rear its ugly head again.

donaldejose

Yes it will and one could think that is why Nikon is now producing a line of much sharper lenses such as the 105 1.4.

KnockKnock

Probables: as everyone agrees, Snapbridge, marginal EXPEED improvements to same sensor, radio flash control, firmware to control latest AF-P lens VR.

Hopeful: touch-flippy back screen, shallower more-compact body w/deeper handgrip a-la D750, D5500, D500, AF-FineTune like D500 or some hybrid-AF to help with Live View AF.

Dream: 10-16mm f/2.8-4.0 compact wide angle DX lens to complement the 16-80. Hah.

heartyfisher

Hah !

DaveyJ

KnockKnock's Dream DX lens sounds very interesting! However the 2.8-4.0 is going to drive such a lens through the roof in terms of price. I have shot a LOT of high end wide angle lens. Wide angle zooms OFTEN run right up,there with prime lens! I mean in terms of Quality! But the big question is would Nikon do it? And next what would the price have to,be? One lens I think that needs a DX version more than almost any other is the expensive "new" 80-400! There is a lens that fell far short of it's market projection I am certain! The 200-500 was a far better price. Nikon needs a DX reasonably priced lens that goes at least to 400. For,that matter maybe a 100-500?

DaveyJ

Put to many D500 features on the D7300 and get a higher pricetag?

spraynpray

@KnockKnock: I like your list.

Ironheart

I said it on the other thread. Bigger buffer. Even if it is half of the D500 it will be a major improvement.

Photobug

DaveyJ said:

Put to many D500 features on the D7300 and get a higher pricetag?

That is the key...the balancing act to keep a nice price point between the D5500/5600 and the D500. Your right, you don't want it to get to close to the D500. That $1,100 USD is a good price point for the D7300.

CEBlueclouds

Unlikely overall improvements in the D7300 would come close to the D500 but should surely aim to better the Eos 80D in areas where the 80D is superior to the D7200; so we should expect at least 7 fps, much better video, a lighter body, articulating and fully functional touch screen and definitely much deeper buffer. Plus slight High ISO improvements (especially Jpegs, raw minimal or nil), some improvement in dynamic range, image quality, focus acquisition, etc backed by the latest expeed processor.

nukuEX2

My next body would be D500. However, if I can add my wishlist for the next iteration of D7XXX. I'd love to see Nikon employing Sony's SLT-like technology. with some improvements. As for the price of the next D7XXX, it would be nice if they'd keep it between $1300 -$1600.

heartyfisher

I think the SLT fixed mirror tech/idea is a failed dead end. The constant loss of 1/3 of the light is a lose/lose/lose proposition. 1) the sensor always gets less light. 2) the viewfinder always gets less light 3) the Autofocus sensor always gets less light. so performance suffers in all performance parameters compared to DSLR or Mirrorless.

However, If they can make the fixed mirror electronically Transparent/mirrored then it will work well.

Back to the D7300.. If we consider that Level of body (D7xxx,D6xx,D7xx) then the next iteration could be similar to the D750. Extrapolating the feature sets I think Video enhancements could be the next big feature for that level of nikon DSLR as that has been a huge disadvantage compared to the canons. specifically the sensor based auto focus. So if Nikon concentrates their efforts in the next iteration of technology on sensor AF then we could have some new sensor af tech ( like canon's dual pixel AF ) Since the D500 is out and its tech is fixed (for the next 4 years). The only place for nikon to put new video tech is in the D7300( or D5xxx ).

DaveyJ

Really interesting post by Heartyfisher! Makes sense to me!

BVS

heartyfisher said:

...Extrapolating the feature sets I think Video enhancements could be the next big feature for that level of nikon DSLR as that has been a huge disadvantage compared to the canons. specifically the sensor based auto focus. So if Nikon concentrates their efforts in the next iteration of technology on sensor AF then we could have some new sensor af tech ( like canon's dual pixel AF )...

Yes, video auto focus on the D7100 is a real pain point for me. Having to switch to my cell phone to take videos is annoying. I'm envious of the DPAF on the Canon 80D. Improving video AF is one thing that would make me seriously consider upgrading to a D7300.

My wish list for the D7300 would be:

- 6~7fps when shooting 14bit raw. D7100/D7200 is only 5fps with 14bit. The 80D claims 7fps.

- More cross-type AF sensors.

- Some kind of on sensor AF like Canon's DPAF with fast and reliable video AF.

- Improved/faster live view stills shooting.

- Vari-angle touch screen like 80D and D5500.

- Improved/higher res metering sensor.

- Through the viewfinder face/eye detect (although it's unlikely the metering sensor would be high res enough to do this)

- Dual UHS-II card slots.

- Auto AF fine tune.

- A bit lighter would be nice.

- D500 colors/skin tones.

- Support for the "P" lenses.

- Support for Snapbridge (I assume it'll get better eventually).