If you look at Nikon's current DSLR lineup, there are a couple of bodies that are getting a little long in the tooth and in need of a refresh. The first is the ageing D90 (August 2008); the other is the D700 (announced in July 2008). At the time of writing, the D700 is over two years old and hence pretty much due for an upgrade any day now.
So, what should the D700 replacement look like? This is a list of what we think should be coming.
- Call it the D700s. We think it's too early for a complete replacement. Yes, competitors have more megapixels and more features, but as you'll see we don't think they're completely necessary.
- Use the D3s 12mp sensor. What, only 12mp? Well seriously, hardly anyone needs more - 12mp is more than enough for decent-sized prints, way more than is required for web use, and is a good tradeoff between resolution and file size. What the D3s sensor would bring is stunning low-light performance in a smaller body, something many people could make real use of. Who needs 24mp when those pixels contain more noise, even when downsampled, than a clean 12mp image? If you really want a 24mp sensor in a D700-style body, call it the D700x or D800, but give us what we need, not what the marketing department wants.
- 1080p video. This is one area where Nikon have long been lagging behind their competitor Canon, despite being first to market with a video-capable DSLR with the D90. The D700 was one of the last Nikon DSLRs not to include a movie mode - and all of them up to the time of writing have been limited to 720p at 24fps. Film-makers like 24fps, but home video users want 30fps.
- Fast AF in movie mode. If Nikon are going to implement a better movie mode, why not make it have useable AF too? Current move-mode AF implementations are slow to the point of pointlessness; manual focus for video is the only real option. This needs to be fixed, and hopefully Nikon will step up to the plate. After all, competitor's cameras such as the Panasonic GF1 have serviceable (if not exactly impressive) AF while shooting video.
- Dual card slots. The D3 has them - two CF card slots. The D300s has them - one CF slot, one SD slot. The D700 (and the D300, which is in many ways the DX equivalent of the D700) does not. Pro shooters in the D700 market like dual card slots for backup.
- Better viewfinder coverage. The D700 has a 95% viewfinder, you say? Sure... but what they're not telling you is that it's 95% in linear terms. That is, the coverage is 95% of the horizontal, 95% of the vertical. To us, that's not 95% coverage - that's just over 90% (0.95 x 0.95 = 0.9025). This is one thing that often stops us picking the D700 over the D3 - when you're using a wide-angle lens such as the 14-24/2.8 or 16-35/4VR, that's a big difference. Accurate cropping in-camera is better than having to crop in post, or worse, misjudging the edges of the shot entirely.
- 3:2 aspect LCD. The consumer-level Canon 550D has one; an LCD display that is actually the same dimensions as the image sensor. No more black bars in review mode and live view! Not essential perhaps, but it would be nice to make proper use of that screen real estate - especially when you're shooting video in widescreen.
Not too much to ask, right? Well, here are a few extra things that would be very much appreciated, but unlikely.
- Wider AF area. If you switch between FX and DX cameras with Nikon's 51-point AF system (such as the D700 and D300), you'll note that the layout is very similar. The problem is that they're a bit too similar - they cover exactly the same area. That is, they cover most of the D300's smaller frame, and therefore much less of the D700's FX frame. In other words, with the D300 you can accurately focus over most of the frame, whereas for the D700 you can only focus towards the center. This is something we'd like to see rectified in the next AF iteration.
- Bring back the BKT button. We've been known to moan about this before, but it's no less important now. Nikon's older DSLRs had a dedicated button for turning on exposure bracketing; this has been lost on newer models. Yes, you can change the Func button to do this, but many people like to have that button allocated to another feature such as spot metering. For anyone shooting landscapes or HDR, the return of a dedicated BKT button would save us from much frustrating menu-surfing.
- GPS. Unlikely, but... geotagging without any external attachments or complex syncing procedures? Yes please!
- Bonus: Wi-Fi! And not just limited-to-Nikon-Picturetown WiFi either; give us full-blown wi-fi so that we can shoot tethered without the ridiculous, bulky, cabled add-on Wi-Fi transmitter. Of course, people pay well over $600 for that transmitter, so we're exceedingly unlikely to see it built-in any time soon.
What have we missed? What would you like to see on the D700 successor? Let us know in the comments.
11 Comments
I agree with paragraphs 1-5 at 100% but the rest are minor issues.
Hi, I am just an amateur photographer, I have the Nikon D80, so I want to upgrade to something more, maybe the D300s or D700, but reading all your expectations of a new renovate nikon DSLR I wonder if you know when Nikon is going to announced a new camera?
I hope you can help me with this
I would very much like to see a much quieter shutter.
The sensor would be the greatest improvement for me and I've been waiting for an upgrade for almost a year from my beloved D80. Greater performance in low-light, higher resolution and greater ability to crop hard without losing detail when printing.
I run a baby and newborn photography business and the sensor is really the only significant addition I need. Although wifi would be very welcome too, I doubt it will come.
Richard Barry
http://www.richardbarryphotography.com
( great site by the way guys!)
Do not agree 100 %.
1)My D700 is only just OK for A3+ print (48,3 cm x 32,9 cm)and when I try to print out in 60,0 x 40,0 for a client, it was not good enough, if you do want to view it some close.
I think it should be about 16-18 MP and the generel development should also give fine ISO-performance.
2) In high contrast shooting I use HDR, but what about a feature IN the camera, which do the start of the HDR process, so you end up with one picture to do tonemapping with later at the PC.
3) If not: At least a possibility to shoot bracketing shots in 3, not just 5, as now. You have the possibility in my D90, but you have to shoot 5 shots to get the minus and plus 2 in D700.
Come on, the new camera absolutely needs to be at least 24 MP. Nikon is far behind Leica and Canon so of course they are saying better resolution is not needed and you can do X by Y size prints and bla bla bla. When was more res not a good thing? Remember how great T grain was? Stop towing the party line here. We need at least 24 MP or I predict a lot of pros will be changing camera brand.
Rob.
There is Nikon D3x for 24Mp if you need it.
It requires more memory, more powerful computer, the larger buffer, the work becomes slower twice!!! more noise at high ISO ... so better quality only in a few percent (and it is only visible on prints over A3-A2).
I can see how some people would love to have a lighter FX body. Maybe something with a D90-like build quality.
Can't see WHY you guys complain about the D700!!
A few replacements it can go through is the exact button layout like the D300s, dedicated for live view and info,
The sensor is ok, just add 24meg pixel,
Video girls and guys: Go buy can a video camera, this is a stills camera, why do people brag about the HD on the D3s, it is only 5minutes anyway.
Fotomanden:
If you know how to use CS5, and a NEF file, you can print a A1 print with the standard settings of the D700, I have a D300s and print QUALITY A1 prints on paper and canvas.
Quick hint for you in CS 4/5:
When you have a photo open in CS4/5, go to image and then image size. Change the normal 4228 to 7500 or even 10 000 and at the bottom change Bicubic Smoother (Best for enlargement) and see what size is the picture on the screen.
File save it and print a A3 and you will see the quality of the print......
Dual cards drain also a battery and just make sure they are formatted before you shoot any photos.
Just make also sure you safe your settings back after the format though.....
The moment you make the body lighter, you have a complaint from the same guys that the lenses are to heavy and not in balance......
Nikon has a design team that works on this and first thing they ask themselves HOW BALANCED is the product?
I never had any problem with my D300s or my friend's D700.
Seems you COMPLAINERS , suffer from ATGBNI......
All The Gear But NO IDEA.........
Opening line is a big load of BS. Is 2 years really that old for a dSLR? Maybe you should be happy with what you have.
1&2) CORRECT!
5, 6, 7) I can see the uses - but manage fine without them.
Ebery other extra gadget or button amounts to more to go wrong, more dust on the sensors, more power drain, etc.
I bought my D700 for it's toughness as a still's camera.
If you're not getting good enough pictures from your D700 it's your fault, not the camera's! A 'better' camera ain't gunna imrpove your photography. It may improve your image at the local camera club, or with your friends - but they're all shallow automatons anyway, so why care?
All The Gear But NO IDEA, for sure Henning ;)
If you own a D700 you're richer than 95% of the worlds population. Be thankful. If you can afford to start thinking of an upgrade then donate to the poor instead
AndyCam, I agree, the opening line is a lot of BS.
In my Canon days I saw people who bought the Canon 10D still take even better photographs than the people who upgrade to the 20d,30d and even the 50D.
It is not what you have in your hands, but HOW you use what is in your hands. I am even willing to challenge many photographers with my RICHO KR10X that is in film, you now why?? It is because I know the camera's ins and outs by the back of my hand. Put the best of all Fuji Reala 200ASA ISN in the camera and I can even uprate the ISO to ISO800,providing the developer use the ISO800 when develop the film. I done the tests and the little black box is what it all goes about.
I even took better photos with the RICHO than the Canon EOS 30d and the EOS 50d ,but doubt it could beat the NIKON D300s......
I will only upgrade when I know I had over-do the capabilities of the D300s.
So far I could NOT achieve it and done a lot of night photography with tripod and off hand.
The reason WHY I bought the D300s is it is my first Nikon DSLR. I got rid of ALL my Canon gear and bought the D300s, 50mm F1.8, 18-70mm F3.4-4.5 and a 80-200mm F2.8 ED(not push pull version)
I might get a SB 900 soon and later two more if the shots go well. At least then I can use the Nikon CLS and do not have to worry about flash on the camera.
I realised I could have bought the D700 and the 50mm and then I have to wait a few months to buy a 80-200mm zoom or even the 70-200F2.8 but need a camera that can perform under severe conditions. The D300s proofed so far NO failure to me and the upgrade to a newer model will wait then........
Currently there are so corrupted organisations that I do not donate because those organisations enrich themselves.
I rather buy food for a person on the street than giving money so they go and buy illegal substances that kill their organs...........