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Is 2013 The Year of the D400?

SSISteve
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p.1 #1 · Is 2013 The Year of the D400?

I love my D300 but like many D300 owners a case of NAS has been creeping in. I have been patient sitting back watching the D800,D600, and many others hit the market and have resisted the temptation. Being a wildlife shooter and unable to afford a Nikon 500mm lens, it would be nice to have more megapixels so I can crop more when needed. Better high ISO would also be a plus and I think a touch screen would be another cool new feature. So now that the new year is upon us is this going to be the year of a cool new D400??

Steve

Edited on Jan 02, 2013 at 03:39 AM · View previous versions

Jan 01, 2013 at 12:29 AM

Nick Warde
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p.1 #2 · Is 2013 The Year of the D400?

Why not just buy the D800 and auto-crop- works fine for me - world class sensor with very little noise.

Jan 01, 2013 at 12:31 AM

billsnature
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p.1 #3 · Is 2013 The Year of the D400?

I have the D800 E and I don't find auto crop a great solution for BIF, and the frame rate it still only 5 FPS or 6 FPS with grip. Keeping birds inside the black lines in finder not as easy as just having a smaller finder.

Besides on the D 800, the 1.2 crop is a better deal at 5 FPS without grip and a lttle more leaway.

I would love to see a D400 with 20MP and 8 FPS

Bill

Jan 01, 2013 at 12:46 AM

Danner
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p.1 #4 · Is 2013 The Year of the D400?

My D800 has image area selection for FX, 1.2x, 5:4, and DX crops.

Why would anyone want a DX only professional camera?

Makes no sense, so I feel pretty sure Nikon will never makes another one. After all, wasn't the D600 moniker an intrusion into the DX body naming space? I think it was.

Jan 01, 2013 at 01:27 AM

billsnature
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p.1 #5 · Is 2013 The Year of the D400?

The interest is in high pixel density combined with high frame rate. If they made a D800H that had a 8 frame per second rate, I could live with that. It would just require a very large water cooled flash card to keep up.

Jan 01, 2013 at 01:58 AM

azbill
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p.1 #6 · Is 2013 The Year of the D400?

It probably is the year of the D400.
As a D300 user who has been waiting for the fabled D400, I just bought a D800E.
The D400 should be announced any minute now.

Jan 01, 2013 at 02:06 AM

Gregstx
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p.1 #7 · Is 2013 The Year of the D400?

"The D400 will be a warmed over D300 body with the D7K sensor. It will have the new and improved 51 point auto focus and improved processing which will give it a couple of extra stops of noise reduction and faster data handling. And it will have a larger buffer and will shoot at least at 8 fps. It will have dual SD card slots and the new D7000/D800 battery. It will have better video functionality and more video frame rates like 1080 30P and 60P. And probably a tilt/swivel 3.2" screen."

This was my D400 prediction almost a year ago. Of course, Nikon now has the 24mp sensor in DX bodies. Everyone will generally agree that higher density imagers become more challenging for sharp focus. So how many pixels are enough? How many are too much? And the more data in a given image means it requires more processing power to get the higher frame rates that everyone wants. I would be perfectly happy at 16mp. More than 16mp in a DX camera kind of worries me.

Jan 01, 2013 at 03:38 AM

allstarimaging
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p.1 #8 · Is 2013 The Year of the D400?

It will never happen but..... How about a D400 that has 24 mp in a D4 body with blazing auto focus and insane frame rates...D2x colors..full HD movies etc..

Jan 01, 2013 at 04:00 AM

lxdesign
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p.1 #9 · Is 2013 The Year of the D400?

D900

Jan 01, 2013 at 04:15 AM

umsl12
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p.1 #10 · Is 2013 The Year of the D400?

D400 can cost $1500. Why don't you buy D600 for the same $, like the last combo deal ?

Jan 01, 2013 at 04:17 AM

Andre Labonte
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p.1 #11 · Is 2013 The Year of the D400?

Danner wrote:
My D800 has image area selection for FX, 1.2x, 5:4, and DX crops.

Why would anyone want a DX only professional camera?

Makes no sense, so I feel pretty sure Nikon will never makes another one. After all, wasn't the D600 moniker an intrusion into the DX body naming space? I think it was.

*************************
It might be worth your while to read Thom Hogan's thoughts on the subject; here's three articles to get you started

http://www.bythom.com/dxweek1.htm
http://www.bythom.com/dxweek2.htm
http://www.bythom.com/stateofdx2012.htm

But from my perspective:

Well, for starters, the D400 is expected to be 16+ MP and have 8 FPS. Those extra 3 FPS are significant for actioin photography.

Then there is the cost factor: the D800 is $3000 where as a D400 should be around $1700 to $1800. That's a saving of 40+%. I don't know about you, but I don't have $1200 to waste on FX when DX suits my needs better.

Then there is the size and weight factor. It's reasonable to assume the D400 will be about the same size and weight as a D300s. The D800 weighs in at 2.2lbs vs. the D300s at 1.65lbs. A savings of 25%. In addition, the D300s is 14% smaller by volume.

Now do the same exercise for the glass that matches the FOV on the two formats. For instace, on a D300 (D400) a 300 f/2.8 must be replaced by a 400. In that ONE lens there is thousands of $$$$ of savings and a significant size and weight reduction. Even at the mid-range, the 17-55 is smaller, lighter, less expensive and covers a greater range of FOVs than the 24-70.

DX poses a value proposition for many people that is the perfect ballance of performance, price and bulk.

Jan 01, 2013 at 04:31 AM

Andre Labonte
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p.1 #12 · Is 2013 The Year of the D400?

umsl12 wrote:
D400 can cost $1500. Why don't you buy D600 for the same $, like the last combo deal ?

Less pixel density, not enough FPS, less rugged body build, poorer ergonomics.

Jan 01, 2013 at 04:33 AM

Robb Mann
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p.1 #13 · Is 2013 The Year of the D400?

The D300s is the oldest camera in the lineup. D7000 is the second oldest. Both need to be replaced dedperately. My guess is that one camera will replace both, but it could be called either a D8000 or a D400. Both would fit.

I would expect this to be a PJ/sports/wildlife themed camera, and come stock with lots of connectivity - android/iphone smartphone integration is pretty much mandatory, as is a rugged and well sealed body.

The DX market is hugely profitable, so this camera has to happen soon.

Jan 01, 2013 at 10:58 AM

DaveOls
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p.1 #14 · Is 2013 The Year of the D400?

I'm waiting for the D 400 also, but the D 700 is awfully tempting.

Jan 01, 2013 at 01:09 PM

gmathio
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p.1 #15 · Is 2013 The Year of the D400?

I was waiting for a long time for the D400, to replace my D90 and D7000.
But then came D600 and I'm now full frame, so no need for the D400...

Jan 01, 2013 at 02:08 PM

Red G8R
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p.1 #16 · Is 2013 The Year of the D400?

I think we will see a D400 this year.
As for those who think their D800 can do so much, why not shoot with one lens, say 24mm, and just crop for every focal length you want........because it's not the same. Some of us like variety.

Jan 01, 2013 at 02:12 PM

soupcxan
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p.1 #17 · Is 2013 The Year of the D400?

I hope we don't see it in 2013, or ever. DX was a passable compromise in the early days of digital cameras but it has long since outlived its usefulness. The sooner the industry can get away from this crutch, the better.

Jan 01, 2013 at 03:36 PM

pburke
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p.1 #18 · Is 2013 The Year of the D400?

I have a hunch that the days of the performance DX cameras are counted. Prices of FX are coming into the range where the D300 used to live, and the number of people who really want the crop sensor for reach is probably small, nor does it help Nikon to sell really long and expensive lenses.

Jan 01, 2013 at 03:51 PM

Nikon_14
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p.1 #19 · Is 2013 The Year of the D400?

No. 2013 is The Year of the Snake.

Ancient Chinese wisdom says a Snake in the house is a good omen because it means that your family will not starve and have to shoot with a Canon.

Jan 01, 2013 at 03:57 PM

Kerry Pierce
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p.1 #20 · Is 2013 The Year of the D400?

Gregstx wrote:

This was my D400 prediction almost a year ago. Of course, Nikon now has the 24mp sensor in DX bodies. Everyone will generally agree that higher density imagers become more challenging for sharp focus. So how many pixels are enough? How many are too much? And the more data in a given image means it requires more processing power to get the higher frame rates that everyone wants. I would be perfectly happy at 16mp. More than 16mp in a DX camera kind of worries me.

I agree, Greg. I couldn't care less what the consumer cameras have for MPs and I don't think that they can move 24mp fast enough or give good high ISO with it. FX is the appropriate sensor to use if you need more resolution than 16mp. The d600 and d800 already have that covered nicely.

16mp is more than enough for what I would ever want to print, given the types of shooting that I do with the d300. Actually, the 12mp on my d3s is more than enough and I'd be very happy with a 12mp DX sensor that maxed out on high ISO and DR. That would be a perfect companion to my d3s.

After the bazillion threads on why FX isn't the perfect tool for every occasion, I am always impressed by the number of folks that apparently have no clue why anyone would use a high speed, high performance DX camera.

Happy New Year to all!
Kerry

Jan 01, 2013 at 04:13 PM

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