Nikon D700 spy shots and info piling up

Spy shots of what could be the Nikon D700 have been floating around for a while now, but it's only today that we've gotten a full-on body shot of the DSLR. Rumored specs basically paint the unit as a D300 body with the D3's FX sensor crammed inside, and there's speculation that the lens pictured is an upgraded version of Nikon's AF-S 24-120mm VR unit. We're also hearing that it'll be introduced in August and go on sale in December for $3300, but that's all speculation until this thing actually hits.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Read - D700 spy shot
Read - D700 rumored specs

[GiF @ Jun 25th 2008 7:48PM]

Is this the first comment?
Anyway, might be useful if they could cram all that bigness into a camera the size of my Zen V.

[doudOSX @ Jun 25th 2008 7:59PM]

wtf

[Lowest Ranked @ Jun 25th 2008 8:21PM]

wtf

[Wolfticket @ Jun 25th 2008 8:57PM]

tf, wt

[gravy @ Jun 25th 2008 7:48PM]

If it's fake, at least they took the time to fake the "7" on the strap... nice touch!

[bebop @ Jun 25th 2008 8:51PM]

Maybe they picked it up off an old D70. Canon has had the run of the place with the 5D for far too long, and what with Sony getting into the full frame game too ...well the D700 idea makes perfect sense... but that's almost why these "spy shots" (come on, really) are unconvincing. Any fool could have come up with the idea (and doctored pic) in just minutes.

[gravy @ Jun 25th 2008 9:43PM]

@bebop
Good call about the D70 strap

[kamron_1 @ Jun 26th 2008 7:25PM]

correct me if I'm wrong, but as I remember, Nikon doesn't put model numbers on the strap unless it's the 3-digit series (D100, D200, D300) i.e. it can't be from the D70.

[Michael Scrip @ Jun 25th 2008 7:48PM]

Wow! Nikon will certainly have a full product line when this body drops.

D60 - entry
D80 - middle
D300 - advanced
D700 - semi-pro
D3 - pro

[triple @ Jun 25th 2008 8:03PM]

I think you're a bit off. Everything above the D300 is in the pro range. It's more like,

D300 - pro dx
D700 - pro fx
D3 - heavy pro (think major daily news.)

The D80 would be your advanced and so on.

[wickedtings @ Jun 25th 2008 8:32PM]

advanced? by advanced you mean they contain high end user options, correct? because anything that's got a sensor sized smaller than 35mm can't be considered anywhere near "advanced". i mean, for still "professional" photography, 35mm is as small a frame you'll get away with.

[Michael Scrip @ Jun 25th 2008 8:46PM]

@wickedtings

The D300 is a $1600 body. I thought "advanced" would be a good word to describe it. The person above you says the D300 is in the pro range. And I know pros who use a D300. So, I was mistaken. Actually, the D300 is a PRO camera... despite having a frame smaller than 35mm.

[Jesse S @ Jun 25th 2008 9:12PM]

The D300 is an amateur camera.

[Za @ Jun 25th 2008 10:15PM]

The D300 is used by professionals. Anyone who tries to make the argument that professionals exclusively do not shoot D300s clearly doesn't know any professional photographers. I am defining professional here as making their living off shooting.

[Vince @ Jun 25th 2008 11:02PM]

@Jesse S: Well, you're obviously not a pro photographer based on your comment. Basically, it's up to the photographer if he/she can make money out of the pictures they produce, whatever camera they did use to take the image. It's not the camera that's pro/non-pro, but the person himself/herself. That said, certain cameras have features and specs to better produce images much easier than most, and that's what the masses call pro cameras.

@wickedtings: Getty Images (arguably the biggest stock photo supplier in the world) accepts images taken from the 30D, a DSLR with a 1.6x sensor size, so I'll respectfully disagree that 35mm is the smallest acceptable frame a pro could work with. Again, it's not the camera, but the photographer.

[BobTurbo @ Jun 26th 2008 2:01AM]

The D3 is not good enough for my pro level. I need something in the guru range.

[GiF @ Jun 25th 2008 7:49PM]

Third Comment!!!
Maybe a size more comparable to my mouse would be good...

[Rick @ Jun 25th 2008 7:56PM]

You sir, are a douche.

[Ian @ Jun 25th 2008 7:53PM]

Fake

[doudOSX @ Jun 25th 2008 7:59PM]

..................wtf

[alex @ Jun 25th 2008 7:58PM]

if it isnt fake, then cannon cant be far behind with an update to the 5D

[Tom @ Jun 25th 2008 8:51PM]

Let's pray to the high heavens. My pocket has a 5D sized hole burning in it, and I'm not about to drop coin on a camera that will be obsolete in a month.

[kj @ Jun 25th 2008 8:54PM]

They have. It's expected at the German Photo expo (Photokina?) They are actually going one more. They are splitting the market segment with 2 cameras. The 6D is more of a direct replacement of the 5D but only ~$2k. The 3D is ~$3k and more of an upgrade from the 5D.

[Tom @ Jun 25th 2008 9:14PM]

Still just a rumor, my friend. Still just a rumor that I've been hearing for the past 2 years.

[Jesse S @ Jun 25th 2008 8:04PM]

D70 strap and photoshop.

[Adam @ Jun 25th 2008 8:05PM]

Yeah, that's fake.

[holycow @ Jun 25th 2008 8:15PM]

3300!? Madness...

[Matt @ Jun 25th 2008 8:16PM]

I really doubt this is a fake. If you look at this and the D300 the area above the lens where the pentaprism/viewfinder is looks much taller and larger than the D300.

This would make sense since it is a full frame sensor camera.

[wickedtings @ Jun 25th 2008 8:29PM]

nikon shmikon. shot on d80, d200, d300 and d3 and really the only thing that comes close to comparing to the 5d is the d3, and the 5d is a whole 2 + years older.

[jackNASTY @ Jun 26th 2008 12:22AM]

d300 is by far a better camera than the 5d. the only thing that the 5d has going for it over the d300 is full frame sensor.

5d is a great camera...don't get me wrong. but i shoot sports. d300 + Grip = 8fps! and that is an amazing thing!

[Erik @ Jun 25th 2008 8:31PM]

Why would you put a DX lens on a camera with an FX sensor? The lens mounted on this supposed D700 is a Nikon 18-200 VR, a DX lens which can't take advantage of the rumored FX (full frame) sensor handed down from the D3.

[Topslakr @ Jun 25th 2008 9:56PM]

I agree 100%. That is a 18-200mm DX lens. Seems like a silly way to test a FX body...

[perdomo @ Jun 25th 2008 8:36PM]

bull poop my camera is a D70, it doesn't say D70 it just says nikon, so shut your pie hole and stop killing my next camera!

so far it will all be 7s for me YAY!!!!

[DBrim @ Jun 25th 2008 8:59PM]

Is anybody else irritated that nobody can take photos of a $3000+ camera with more than a cell phone camera?

[Daniel Wharton @ Jun 25th 2008 9:07PM]

If its real: drooooool.... finally the perfect camera (for nikon lovers). Been waiting for a reason to upgrade the d70. Almost bit on the D300.

[Tony @ Jun 25th 2008 9:28PM]

wow, looks just like every other nikon camera....

[John Johnson @ Jun 25th 2008 9:34PM]

The irony of this is the horrible picture of said camera.

[Tony @ Jun 25th 2008 10:02PM]

yeah, why are all spy shots blurry, or grainy, or dark? if someone actually had this camera in their possession , wouldnt they probably have another camera to take this picture with? something of at least GOOD quality??

Nikon exec- "hey, we'd like you to take this camera home and give it a field test for us before we go to market. Do you have any photography exprience? "

-"well.. my phone has a camera in it.."

[Andrew H. @ Jun 26th 2008 2:22AM]

exactly...
you would think a person with access to a D700 would also have access to a camera that could take pictures of the D700 better quality than that.

[Andrew @ Jun 26th 2008 6:46PM]

Yes, but such person would care less about taking "spy" shots of such camera and pass it to some web blog.

On the other hand, a person that's not supposed to have access to such camera would likely have to resort to using their cell phone camera because if they are anywhere in the area they are either working (in non photo related job, such as catering, cleaning etc.) or would have had to surrender their gear when passing through the gates.

[Andrew250cc @ Jun 25th 2008 10:10PM]

The D300 contains pretty much all the features and more of their old D2X camera. But the main difference is that they knocked the price down from the $4000ish range to $1600. It is weather resistant, though this is not quite as good as the weatherproofing on the D3. The shutter is supposed to get 150,000 actuations and it shoots 8fps with the grip, and shares the auto focus of the D3. I don't think that it really falls in the pro-sumer/advanced category.

[HunterXI @ Jun 25th 2008 10:15PM]

Pictures courtesy our good friend Mr. Grainy Cam.

[Rick Duncan @ Jun 25th 2008 10:26PM]

Is that a 10.5mm Lens in the background?

[DaMaDo @ Jun 25th 2008 10:32PM]

Nikon kinda already sorta confirmed it maybe
http://asia.cnet.com/2008/06/19/nikon-s-mid-range-full-frame-dslr/?scid=rss_c_crv

[mikko @ Jun 26th 2008 6:46AM]

Who cares if the picture is fake or not. The fact is the D700 will be introduced before Peking olympics. But come on Nikon - Bigger sensor means twice the price (d300)?

[thomas milewski @ Jun 26th 2008 8:12AM]

Who are these Canon fanboy idiots?
to say that you need a minimum of a 35mm sized chip to be a 'professional'.
wickedtings is nothing more than a prosumer with a few too many dollars to spend at his local Ritz Camera.
i shoot professionally (yes- the true meaning of that word- i get paid)
and with a D300 included in my camera bag.
no one needs an FX chip unless you're shooting high ISO and need it to discourage pixel noise.

do what the pros do: get yourself as good a digital body you can afford and a GREAT lens - go into debt if need be!
it will make all the difference.

oh, and BTW, my money is on total fake.

[Quantis @ Jun 26th 2008 9:04AM]

Looks fake to me
If it was really a FX sensor why would they have a DX lens on it?

The strap is probably from a D70 and just moved so you can't see if it says 70 or 700.

Either way I really do hope they come out with a FX consumer grade camera. The idea of it being called the D10 is a lot more credible, especially when you consider the rigid Nikon naming scheme for their products and the release of the MB-D10 with the D300.

[Drew @ Jun 26th 2008 10:51AM]

The lens is all wrong for a full 35mm frame camera sensor. Look at the size of the inner elements in this picture. No way that's large enough for a full frame.

[Macindows @ Jun 26th 2008 1:46PM]

http://flickr.com/photos/dominic_kamp/2613106469/in/photostream/

Here is the solution!

[Sam Lowry @ Jun 26th 2008 5:00PM]

This photo will obviously taken by a crappy cell phone by a time traveler in the year 2012.