NR Post Leaked D4 Specs

December 11, 2011 – 10:32 pm

Nikon Rumors have posted what they claim are the specifications for Nikon's next range-topper. The D4 seems likely to go head-to-head with Canon's recently announced 1D X.

Here's the spec list:

  • 16.2 MP
  • 11 fps
  • 100-102,400 native ISO range, expandable to 50 and 204,800
  • CF + XQD memory card slots! That's right, the Nikon D4 will have the new Compact Flash XQD memory card slot.
  • Compatible with the new Nikon WT-5 wireless transmitter
  • Integrated Ethernet in the camera
  • Face detection/recognition function that will be working in the viewfinder
  • Improved video
  • Uncompressed video out through the HDMI port
  • Ability to assign the two buttons on the front of the camera to smooth aperture control during video recording
  • Improved 51 AF points
  • AF detection range will go down to EV-2.0
  • Autofocus system: 9 cross-type sensors that are operational up to f/8

Interesting if true.

By comparison, here are the announced 1D X specs:

  • Full Frame
  • 18.1MP
  • Dual DIGIC 5+ – 17 Times The Processing Power of DIGIC 4
  • ISO 100-51200 Native
  • 100,000 Pixel RGB Metering Sensor
  • EOS iSA (Intelligent Subject Analysis)
  • 61 Point AF
  • 21 f/5.6 Cross Type Sensors
  • 20 f/4 Cross Type Sensors
  • 5 f/2.8 Cross Type Senors
  • EOS iTR AF (Intelligent Tracking & Recognition Auto Focus)
  • 12 Frames Per Second
  • 14 Frames Per Second JPG Only
  • 400,000 Shot Rated Shutter
  • Ethernet Connection
  • March Availability

So based on this, the D4 will be slightly lower resolution than the 1D X, but with a higher specified ISO -- but is that enough to fight off the competition?

I think that this leak makes sense, especially in light of the rumoured D800 specifications. It would appear Nikon are pursuing a strategy of differentiating the higher end bodies by high sensitivity/low resolution, and lower sensitivity/high resolution.

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New XQD card format ready to roll

December 10, 2011 – 2:25 am

XQD

ZZ18683949 Another new card format. The CompactFlash Association have announced the completion of the new XQD card format, designed to be the successor to the venerable CF cards we all know (and some love).

Designed to be larger than the consumer-oriented SD cards but smaller than the current CF format, the PCI-Express based XQD cards should be more scalable in terms of size and performance than CF can be.

The 38.5 x 29.8 x 3.8mm cards have a 2.5Gbps interface (with 5Gbps planned for the future), with real-world target write speeds likely to be in the 125MB/sec ballpark.

The CFA state that the specification is now available, and licenses are available in early 2012.

No partners have yet been announced, but I wonder if we'll see this format being supported in a Nikon DSLR next year?

Full details available from the CF Association.

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Nikon to fail as a company next year...

December 5, 2011 – 12:02 pm

… at least, according to industry predictions by photographer/social media pundit Scott Bourne of PhotoFocus.

Here's the quote:

A major camera maker in Japan will either fail as a company, face reorganization, bankruptcy, or be acquired by a larger company. While all the Japanese camera companies are having problems, Nikon and Olympus are least able to sustain long-term trouble but it may be some other company as well. As for Nikon and Olympus, each is a fraction of the size of Canon, not nearly as well diversified, and rely on fast turn on inventory for survival. Olympus is more diversified than Nikon. Only 16 percent of its revenue comes from cameras. With all the trials and tribulations in Japan and Thailand, all camera makers in Japan have had a rough go. Olympus is also facing a scandal related to fraud committed by executives over write downs. I really hope I am wrong about this prediction, but I am afraid I am right.

Now, Olympus I can believe - mainly because of the recent scandals that have emerged that reveal huge hidden past losses - but Nikon?

Whilst it is true that Nikon have taken a huge hit from the floods in Thailand in the last 6 months, the company has bounced back from a single-year loss in 2010 to a predicted net income of 27,000 million Yen in 2011.

Consider it "link bait" if you like, but here's the original article.

So, if Nikon were to fold, where would you jump? Canon, Pentax or Sony? ;-)

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Nikon resumes shipment of some products, factory in Thailand no longer submerged

December 1, 2011 – 3:07 pm
Rojana Industrial Park

Nikon have issued a press release detailing the state of operations following the flooding in Thailand.

The Nikon factory in the Rojana Industrial Park is no longer flooded, and they are working to restore production there. In the meantime, alternative production facilities have ramped up more quickly than they expected, and hence Nikon have been able to resume shipment of "certain digital SLR cameras and interchangeable lenses".

The cost to Nikon so far of the floods is estimated at a total of 25 billion yen, or approximately $321m.

This is to advise you of the latest situations of Nikon (Thailand) Co., Ltd., a consolidated manufacturing subsidiary of Nikon Corporation in the Rojana Industrial Park in Ayutthaya Province located in Central Thailand, which is suffering damages from the flood.

  1. Latest situations

    Water pumping-out by the Rojana Industrial Park authority around Nikon (Thailand) Co., Ltd. has completed on November 26. Following this development, we are putting all our energy into restoring infrastructure and production equipment of the factory aiming for some part of factory operation to resume from January 2012. Alternative and limited production at our partner factories in Thailand has started earlier than expected, and we have started shipment of certain digital SLR cameras and interchangeable lenses since November 30.

  2. Estimated impact to our business performance

    The impact of the flood to our business performance for the financial period ending March 31, 2012 is estimated, within the scope of our current findings and understanding, to push down net sales by 65 billion yen and operational income by 25 billion yen due to sales opportunity loss. While this estimation remains unchanged from our announcement on November 4, we assure you to immediately advise new findings once it is judged there will be an important change for it.?We are continuing our minute investigation on the damage to the buildings and production equipment/tools from the flood.

  3. Recovery

    We have set up support and recovery system under the Emergency Headquarters for Disaster Control headed by the president and continuing our endeavor for recovery and normalization of production as early as possible. Our plan to resume production of digital SLRs and interchangeable lenses to the normal level of volume by the end of March 2012 remains unchanged.

We deeply apologize you for any inconvenience cause by the disaster such as short supply of our products.

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SB-910 Speedlight announced, is a SB-900 refined

November 29, 2011 – 11:23 pm

SB-910

Nikon have announced a replacement for 2008's top end speedlight in the new SB-910.

Main changes for the SB-910 include "hard" colour filters rather than the flimsy gels of its predecessor, and a "refined user interface". It is as yet unclear exactly how the UI differs, aside from the addition of a new Menu button. It doesn't appear to have the SB-700s quick access to different shooting modes and patterns via dedicated switches.

Neither, unfortunately, does it feature the much-requested built-in video light (as seen on the Nikon 1 series speed light for the V1 and several competitors' units). I also hope that the intrusive overheat protection warning of the SB-900 has been improved.

UPDATE: It has. To quote Nikon:

Additionally, the new SB-910 incorporates a new Thermal Cut-Out function, which offers protection against damage to the flash panel and body from overheating during continuous flash use. Now, the flash recycling time is automatically delayed if a significant rise in temperature is detected, rather than ceasing operation to protect the unit.

Guide no. etc is unchanged, though the unit is slightly different in size, shaving a mm or so in most dimensions but shrinking 5.5mm (0.3 inches) in depth.

The SB-900 has now been dropped from the Nikon range, so it might be worth trying to hunt down a bargain in the coming months.

See more at Nikon USA, or continue reading for images and full specs.

Full press release and more photos after jump
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Nikon DSLR Firmware Encryption Cracked, Let the Hacks Begin!

November 26, 2011 – 4:17 am

ZZ75B21A17

One of the things that I've always liked about Canon DSLRs is that there's an army of hackers out there, beavering away on projects such as the Magic Lantern firmware modification. This brings extra goodies to certain Canon DSLRs such as better movie modes, trap focus, very long exposures, and much more.

At the moment there is no such project for Nikon DSLRs, though that may soon change with the announcement by Simeon Pilgrim on his blog that the encryption used for Nikon firmware has now been broken.

An update yesterday reveals that, not only can custom firmware now be flashed on the D7000 and D5100 (and most likely all other Nikon DSLRs including the D3100, D3s and D300s), but that the process is reversible - meaning that the original, non-modified firmware can be flashed over the hacked version. This means that warranties can be preserved, without fear of Nikon refusing to service a camera if they notice it's running a hacked version.

There is no custom firmware available as yet, but it is now surely only a matter of time. I for one can't wait to see what those clever developers come up with and will be tracking this one very closely indeed.

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