Finally, a compelling upgrade option?
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20016377-1.html

That's a very compelling camera and I'm a little surprised that Nikon would produce a mid-range DX camera with features and price that would seem to draw Nikon purchasers away from the high-end DX, D300S. Normally they would use the "trickle-down" features approach.

That looks pretty sweet. Makes me very excited to see what the D400 is going to be like.

They announced two new lenses, as well. Both FX, a 35mm f/1.4, and the 200mm f/2 VRII. Both out of my league, but still good to see this announcement.

ETA: Sample stills and video from Chase Jarvis

Looks like a very interesting upgrade to a D90 which, before now, I had no interest in upgrading... but I have to say, this looks very tempting!

http://www.dpreview.com/news/1009/10...nikond7000.asp

Pre-Photokina 2010: Nikon has released the D7000 mid-level digital SLR. Housed in a magnesium alloy body, the feature-rich camera incorporates a 16.2Mp CMOS sensor, faster 'Expeed 2'-branded processor, 921k dot 3.0" LCD and can record 1080p24 full HD movies. It features the company's latest 39-point AF system with 3D tracking and 2,016 pixel RGB metering sensor. It will start shipping with the 18-105mm VR kit lens from October 2010 at a retail price of $1499/£1299.99/€1399. We've had a pre-production D7000 in the office for long enough for us to prepare an full hands-on preview looking at the camera, its features and where it'll sit in the range.

At this price point ($1200 body), I'm wondering if we're going to see a sub $2k FX camera sometime soon. With those specs, it seems to replace the D300s as well as the D90, making a new full frame entry model more likely. At least that's my thinking.

Certainly looks impressive for the $$. The proof will be in the pudding (image quality.)

I merged these 2 similar threads and renamed the title of the thread. Carry on.

Originally Posted by ziggy53 I merged these 2 similar threads and renamed the title of the thread. Carry on.

Dammit -I didn't search properly first. Thanks for merging

Originally Posted by MileHighAko With those specs, it seems to replace the D300s as well as the D90

I doubt it. Performance-wise, the D300s and D90 have always been similar, but the larger body with more (customizable) controls, better (in my opinion and hands anyway) ergonomics, CF card, and more advanced AF system have set the D300/s apart from the D90.

Sure, if you were looking at the two models right now, you'd very possibly go with a D7000 over a D300s based on the performance specs. But I don't think this will take the place of the "prosumer" D300-class DX body. I expect we'll see a D400 (or whatever they call it) announcement in a few months or so. I'd guess the D400 will use the same sensor as D7000, but continue to have better build quality/weathersealing, higher fps, more/better AF points, etc.

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Really great videos demonstrating the capabilities. Although, he looks like a pretty gifted filmmaker too...

Originally Posted by Mav Really great videos demonstrating the capabilities. Although, he looks like a pretty gifted filmmaker too...

Yep

He did a short for the D90 release as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVQX1rC-fRA

Originally Posted by cab.in.boston I doubt it. Performance-wise, the D300s and D90 have always been similar, but the larger body with more (customizable) controls, better (in my opinion and hands anyway) ergonomics, CF card, and more advanced AF system have set the D300/s apart from the D90. Sure, if you were looking at the two models right now, you'd very possibly go with a D7000 over a D300s based on the performance specs. But I don't think this will take the place of the "prosumer" D300-class DX body. I expect we'll see a D400 (or whatever they call it) announcement in a few months or so. I'd guess the D400 will use the same sensor as D7000, but continue to have better build quality/weathersealing, higher fps, more/better AF points, etc.

I believe that with the D7000 specs a D400 doesn't make much sense, maybe a D800 or an updated (D700) full-frame camera would fit better in the Nikon stable.
Time will tell.

Cannon WAIT for their next FX body -- wow!

Rumor has it that Nikon is working on a carbon fiber body for their next FX body

Originally Posted by brancaleone I believe that with the D7000 specs a D400 doesn't make much sense, maybe a D800 or an updated (D700) full-frame camera would fit better in the Nikon stable. Time will tell.

I disagree.

One could say that with the D90 specs a D300/D300s didn't make much sense, either. And yet I have both and MUCH prefer using the D300. It's not always just about specs.

There are a couple of key things that I think will differentiate the D400 from the D7000. If they simply just dropped this new 16.2 MP sensor into the current D300s body, added the improved video and made no other changes, this mythical D400 would still have better specs than the D7000. To wit:

Autofocus system:
D300s 51 pts, 15 cross-type
D7000 39 pts, 9 cross-type

Exposure, WB, and flash bracketing:
D300s up to 9 frames
D7000 2 or 3 frames

Flash compensation:
D300s -3 to +9 EV
D7000 -3 to +1 EV

Frame rate/continuous shooting:
D300s up to 7 fps (no grip)
D7000 up to 6 fps (no grip)

Memory card format:
D300s SD & CF
D7000 2x SD

Physical size:
D300s 5.8" x 4.5" x 2.9"
D7000 5.2" x 4.1" x 3.0"
(Yes, there are those, like me, to whom the larger size of the D300-class is a good thing!)

Just looking at the two bodies tells me that the D300s has more controls readily available (AF-ON button, metering mode switch instead of button+dial, focus area mode switch instead of button+dial...)

etc...

If they planned to obsolete the D300-class, I'm sure the specs of the D7000 would have been better than the D300s across the board, and they're not. The D7000 would also have been a lot more expensive. I don't think Nikon wants their top-spec DX body to compete only against the 60D and let the 7D have that share of the market all to itself.

The only thing I see in the specs that makes this D7000 better than the D300/s (which has been out for what, 3 years already?) are the video (personally I don't care about that), the resolution (16.2 vs 12.1 amounts to about an extra 300 pixels on every side - significant? yeah, I guess you can crop more, but it's not THE most important thing in the world), ISO performance, and the metering system (only these last two are truly significant, IMO). If the new sensor and metering were added to the D300s, without any other changes (and I highly doubt they'll make NO other changes), then the D400 is a superior body to the D7000.

So no, I don't think a D400 is rendered moot by this introduction. On the contrary, it makes me excited to see what improvements the D400 will hold over the D300s.

I understand the desire for a D700x (or D800 or D900, whatever it's called), but believe it or not, not everyone needs or even wants FX. Some like the smaller and more affordable lenses and the extra "reach" of DX. In fact, I've heard people who want a "D3DX," a full size pro body with a DX sensor that would compete a little more directly with the Canon 1D. I think an updated D700 would absolutely fit in the stable, and I'm sure we'll see it in the next year or so. I just don't think that this announcement means the end of the D300-class body. There's no reason we can't have both. The D300/s has been too good for Nikon to just drop it and force those of us who use and love it into a smaller, more consumer-class body.

My theory is nikon is now adopting a trickle up approach in which new sensors are introduced into the lower end cameras, where the money is, and then the refinements of the sensor gets implemented into the high end cameras. This way, the high end cameras will have more features and the best, most refined sensor. The way it is now, the high end cameras get the new sensor, but the low end cameras get the refinements.

Wow, just look at the specs and find a reason to still buy a D90 or even D300s.
http://nikonusa.com/Find-Your-Nikon/...tTabs.Overview

*shrugs* I still would get the d300s over that. I didn't see a dial for single point focus on the back. I assume the d300s will still have a more robust AF (it still has 12 more af points and the AF spread of any SLR i n the market). Will wait to see if ISO performance is as good as D300s. If it is AS good then that is real selling point..more pixels with same performance. Otherwise I'll take 12M with better ISO anyday. Lastly...the D7000 stil has scene modes haha.

wrt to the D90, you have an argument mostly due to the new AF system.

The D90 is a poly body Vs the Mag alloy of the new one.
Plus, its only $200 or so more than a D90 and $600 less than the 300s


wrt to the D90, you have an argument mostly due to the new AF system.[/QUOTE]