A French magazine just published some info on a to be announced Nikon semi-pro camera... they usually are serious about pre-announcements but nobody can tell in this case - this could be a hoax, but coming from a very popular paper magazine, it is a bitsurprising. To keep the story short they say the following:
new camera to be announced by the end of the summer:
- upgraded D200
- 12/13 MPix new Sony sensor
- improved 11 area AF system (mix of D200/D2X ?)
- integrated PP - D-light...
- better power management
- better ISO performance
- same body/construction as D200
who knows....
and I plead guilty for starting a new "what is the next camera to be announced" thread.
Don't feel obliged to reply.
D200X? I wouldn't be surprised. Even if the D200 is a great success, it has strong competition even in-house (D80, which is too much cheaper for similar performance). With a probable 40D on the doorstep, the E-510 already released, and the famous ghost-ship, Olympus E-P1 (or whatever) soon being brought to the market, Nikon can easily loose the edge.
Recent statistics show that Nikon is the no.1 DSLR seller in Japan so far this year. I suppose that is where they intend to stay.
A D200s or D200x isn't surprising. I'd think they'd keep with the 10mp sensor but give it better image processing algorithms a la D80 and D40x. Then again, its also possible they have a refined D2X cmos that can be used in the D200x to give it a mp bump.
The rest of the stuff are just minor upgrades.
If they really have a D3 and lots of lenses coming, having the D200x to go with it would indeed be quite a PR bang for their 90th anniversary.
Hmm, that might make a nice second camera with the D200 (or rather, the other way around!) They keep upping the ante, and it helps those of us who have trouble justifying pro digital bodies to get close to the performance at a fraction of the cost. It might be as close as some of us ever come, as the D200 is for me now.
Of course, next year we'll be saying this about whatever comes next!
I'd be very surprised if Nikon released a $1500 camera with better specs than their $4000 flagship camera. At least without a full pro release at the same time. In some ways, the D200 chip is already better than the D2x/s chip.
The cool thing about this is that, if true, this might out pace the sometime-soon-to-be-announced Canond 30D replacement. This would go a long way to keep newcomers and mid-level upgraders flocking to the Nikon camp.
Gustaf Lindber wrote:
I'm planing on buying a D200 next week. Is it worth to wait for this rumoured update?
that all depends on how badly you need a D200 right now. If you do not have a camera now, just go get one and enjoy it! You can wait for eternity for the next big realease... but if you buy a D200 now, you can use and enjoy it right away.
in my case: i have plenty of nikon gear, so i don't buy anything unless it is new and revolutionary.
eh.. skip that last word. as long as it is new i will buy it (yeah yeah i'm a fool)
