Any feel if Nikon will be bringing out a D700 replacement maybe next year with a D4S?. Since it's been stated that the D-800/e were not D-700 replacements. Would be nice if they would drop a D-600 sensor into the D700 carcass and forget about the video, These are not Automobiles, no need to change body style with each introduction. It seems like the pro-sumer people have been left hanging - no D700 replacement and no D300/s replacement.
Douglas
douter wrote:
These are not Automobiles, no need to change body style with each introduction.
I agree, but I have a feeling that's not what camera manufacturers' marketing research tells them. Ideally, it would be nice if a D700 could be sent back to Nikon and be equipped with a new sensor and electronics package for half the price of a new D800. Unfortunately, that probably isn't as good for their bottom line, and it would confuse the market. I think they want to be able to say "THIS is our new camera," period.
The D600 already is the entry level FX body. I have no doubt that it's cheaper to build than the D700, and more importantly it's current regarding batteries and other accessories (the EN-EL3e doesn't even meet current battery codes because of its exposed pins).
What I could see happening, in a year or so, is migrating the D4 sensor to the D800 body, which would give us something analogous to the D3/D700 relationship. Such a body would share accessories with the D800, but have a faster frame rate and the benefits of the D4 sensor.
I also expect that we'll see a 24mp DX sensor in essentially that same body, with the same shared accessories (like the D300/D700 relationship).
To me the D700 was replaced by both the D800 and D600. One model split into two replacements.
There's no room for a FF camera between the D600 and D800.
I also don't think Nikon is going to offer D4 like performance in a cheaper body. I think the D3 and D700 were too alike and D3 sales suffered because of it.
I'm kinda thinking the same thing, Douglas. They aren't yet offering true replacements to the d300 or d700, which are both cameras that I'd spring for. So, yes it certainly does seem like the pro-sumer crowd has been left hanging.
This is not to say that their d300s offering isn't appreciated. I mean, how could you not be happy with the addition of a card slot and video, to a camera with a 3 year old sensor? Even so, that's 2 years old now.... Perhaps a d300sx is due. Maybe a pretty red body and an articulating screen added to the d300s would be a great upgrade?
I'm still happy with my d700, but I did spring for a d3s in Feb. That is certainly a worthy upgrade to the d700, in every category except MPs. I'd have been just as happy with that sensor in a d700 body and would have saved a $grand or so.... Unfortunately, I'm not at all confident that they will ever do another "cheap" high speed FX camera, like they did with the d700. But, it's still early in the time frame. IIRC, the d700 was released approximately 12 to 14 months after the d3, so I suppose that it's conceivable that a 16mp, d710 will come down the road next spring... I won't be betting more than a dime on that though.
It's more than a little ironic that Canon finally broke down and put pro AF in a pro-sumer, 5d body.
