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Nikon confirms 36.3-megapixel D800, we go hands-on
Thirty-six megapixels. That's the native resolution of Nikon's long-awaited FX-format digital SLR. The D800 was designed with all professional photographers in mind, but with 36.3-megapixel captures (yes, that also means 36.3 megapixels in RAW, or 15.4 in DX format), the Japanese camera maker's latest DSLR output is likely to far exceed the needs of many. It also limits low-light shooting capabilities -- the D800 is a full-frame camera, but even so, with a standard sensor capturing 36.3 megapixels, its high-ISO performance is unlikely to match the likes of the D4, or Canon's new 1D X. It's for this reason that Nikon limited the camera's top native sensitivity to ISO 6400, or 25,600 in Hi2 extended mode. Want to see more? Thumb through the gallery below and jump past the break for a closer look at the latest full-frame DSLR to hit the market.
Is this Nikon's D800 DSLR?
Grab the salt shaker folks -- if Nikon Rumors is to be believed, what you're gazing at is Nikon's hotly rumored D800 DSLR. The camera is reportedly packing goodies like a massive 36 megapixel sensor capable of 7360 × 4912 resolution, and an ISO range of 100 to 6,400 that's pushable to 25,600. Furthermore, you can expect to find the same 51-point AF system found in the D3s, slots for SD and CF cards, USB 3.0 connectivity and over three-inches of display on back -- all while being "smaller and lighter" than the current D700. Notably, Nikon is apparently stepping up its DSLR video chops with this cam as well, as it's said to be capable of filming 1080p HD video at 30 fps, while 720p grants you up to 60 fps. Of course, this type of primo kit won't come cheap -- if it all proves true you can expect to slap down roughly $3,900 (¥300,000) to make one yours, although, a release date is still anyone's guess. You'll find another shot of this purported beauty after the break and the full rumor rundown at the source link below.
Samsung announces availability, pricing for 2011 HDTVs, Blu-ray players and HTIB
It's coming a little late in the game since many of these models have already started shipping, but Samsung has finally seen fit to reveal prices and approximate shipping dates for its 2011 HDTVs (both LCD and plasma), Blu-ray players, and home theater in a box systems. There's no surprises as far as features from what we saw at CES, both plasma and LCD HDTV lines have new slim bezeled models, with new LED lighting tech for the LCDs and "Real Black" panels for the plasmas that have grown an inch in size this year. Meanwhile, the Blu-ray players have predictably gotten slimmer and faster, booting up in just three seconds. 3D and Smart TV features are standard on the majority of the new products this time around, check after the break for more details on what's new and how much they'll cost to start out.
Samsung's Epic 4G for Sprint looks to score FCC approval
Does this outline of a really awesome phone ring a bell for you? No? Well, let us toss you a hint: it's from Samsung, and it's got WiMAX. That's right -- what you're looking at is a Sammy bearing model number SPH-D700, which we believe to be the phone you know better as the Epic 4G for Sprint. The test report identifies the D700 as a "Cellular/PCS CDMA/EvDO Phone with Bluetooth, WLAN, and WiMAX," so unless Samsung's got another 4G phone for Sprint waiting in the wings, that sounds like pretty damning evidence to us -- especially considering that the ID label document's outline basically matches up with the real device. Interestingly, Sprint has yet to commit to a release date for the Epic, which leads us to wonder whether it was waiting for this to happen... let's hope. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
PhotoTrackr Plus brings geotagging to Nikon DSLRs, leaves your hotshoe open
Oh sure, Nikon's got its own solution for adding native geotagging to your existing DSLR, but the GP-1 dongle definitely has its drawbacks. Aside from sucking down around 4x more power than Gisteq's new PhotoTrackr Plus, it also eliminates the ability to use a dedicated flash in the hotshoe while capturing GPS data. Moreover, it has to warm up every time you turn the camera on / off, and there's just 18 tracking channels compared to the Gisteq's 44. Regardless of the back and forth, we do appreciate the PhotoTrackr Plus' ability to plug directly into the 10-pin terminal that few amateurs even think to recognize, though we do fear that the reliance on Bluetooth could cause issues if you stray too far from the transceiver. Still, this newfangled dongle is far superior to its past iterations, both of which simply logged data as you went and then added metadata after you synced the information with your images via PC; this dongle, however, embeds the data right away into every image. Better still, there's even a price advantage to going third party -- Nikon's aging GP-1 is pushing $200 on many webstores, while the Gisteq apparatus can be procured right now for $179. Take your pic, as they say.
Nikon D700 gets tweaked to shoot video via live-view
Some Canon die-hards have already managed to coax their DSLRs to record video via live-view, and it looks like Nikon aficionados are now able to do the same, albeit not quite as easily just yet. That's because the mod requires both access to Nikon's SDK for the D700 and the necessary skills to actually do something with it, in this case capturing video from the live-view feed via USB. The good news is that the modder responsible for the hack, Olivier Giroux, is planning to "productize" the software and make it publicly available, but until then, you'll have to make do with the sample video after the break which, while not quite 480p, still looks pretty decent, all things considered.[Via MAKE:Blog]
Nikon's geotagging GP-1 dongle now available
When we asked how you'd change Nikon's 720p-recording D90 DSLR, many of you globe-trotting photogs let out wistful sighs, gazed at the brightest star, and wished with all your might for automatic geotagging of photos. Like some trickster genie, Nikon is granting your wishes, but we're not sure the GP-1 GPS add-on is exactly what you had in mind. It slots into the hot-shoe on most cameras (clipping onto the strap for a few) and uses an unwieldy looking cable to connect to the body of your D200, D3, D700, D90, D300, or D3X. We can't say that we're particularly fond of the device's means of indicating status, either: red blinky light = no satellites; green blinky = three satellites; green solid = four satellites or more. C'mon Nikon, for $240 you couldn't integrate that cable into a hand strap and put more than two LEDs up in there? [Via Gadget Lab]
Nikon D700 review roundup
Now that the dust has settled on Nikon's new D700 DSLR -- but hopefully not on that anti-dust 12.1 megapixel full-frame sensor -- we thought we'd toss together a few general impressions of the new mid-range pro camera. It's pretty much a landslide, the D700 is a major winner for Nikon. Sure, $3,000 is pricey, but for a camera that basically crams the full-frame imaging prowess of the D3 into the highly portable body of the D300 -- and left out only a few pro features in the process -- it's a relative bargain, and Nikon couldn't have done much better for itself. You'll also need to pony up for lenses that were actually built for a full-frame sensor to really get your money's worth, though our hats off to Nikon for letting you use any old lens you please. The only real complaint we heard is that the shutter feels mushy, which is a relevant criticism and an anomaly for Nikon, but unlikely to be a dealbreaker.Read - Nikonians: "She's capable of making practically all the moves of the rest of the line-up and she's arguably the most versatile of the bunch."Read - Cameralabs: "Nikon further broadens its impressive DSLR line-up and continues to throw down gauntlet after gauntlet to Canon."Read - Scott Kelby: "The D700 just takes a better looking photograph than the D300 (and really, that's what it's all about-all the rest is really just bells and whistles)."Read - Imaging Resource: "One of the finest digital SLR cameras ever produced."Read - PhotographyBLOG: "It comes across as a kind of 'greatest hits' of Nikon DSLRs."
How would you change Nikon's D700?
The phrase "full frame" brings a smile to the face of anyone remotely familiar with photography, and the term "D700" is likely to do the same for shooters with three large to plunk down on a new body. Still, even with its long list of drool-worthy features, we're certain that anyone who dropped the aforementioned dough on this beauty has a few things to say about it. Are you satisfied with the live view implementation? Any problems with its reliance on CompactFlash? Oh, and is the image quality alright? Sound off below!
Nikon D700 full-frame DSLR gets unboxed on video
It's easy enough to drool over the press shots of Nikon's luscious D700. Seeing someone unbox this full-frame beast on video is another experience entirely (bordering on spiritual, really). Unfortunately, the vid waiting after the break is just two minutes long and doesn't show any clicks being depressed, but those looking to get a better idea of the size and build have plenty of reason to click through.[Thanks, Jon]
Nikon D700 previewed, demystified
Now that Nikon has deftly slipped the full frame (FX) D700 into the already tight slot separating its mid-range DX D300 and pro FX D3, we know what you're thinking. Huh? Fortunately, both Rob Galbraith and DP Review have given this a thorough analysis along with a titillating preview courtesy of DP Review. As Rob puts it, "If you own a D3 and a D300, then you have in two separate bodies most of the key bits and pieces that comprise the D700." While the choice between the $1,800 D300 and $3,000 D700 is more clear, prospective $5,000 D3 buyers won't be blamed if they profess a desire to hold-out for the 24.39 megapixel D3X expected within the next 12 months. Read -- Rob Galbraith's take Read -- DP Review preview
Nikon D700 gets real: full-frame, 12.1 megapixels
Well, we can finally put the D700 rumors to bed. The beast that houses Nikon's newest monster (near) full-frame FX format 12.1 megapixel CMOS (not dissimilar from that found in the D3) is officially announced tonight, and it takes UDMA CompactFlash, and comes packing with a live view 3-inch display, 51 point autofocus (with 3D tracking), scene recognition, four-speed active dust reduction, ISO up to 6400, 5 or 8 fps full-res shooting, HDMI out, and a whole lot more. Expect it in July for $3,000 US (for the body).Also being released are the SB-900 speedlight (August, $500), and the PC-E Micro NIKKOR 45mm f/2.8D ED and PC-E Micro NIKKOR 85mm f/2.8D lenses (August, $1,800 and $1,740, respectively).%Gallery-26522%
Nikon D700 presentation video revealed early, it's very nice
We've been teased with the inevitable launch of the Nikon D700 DSLR, but it looks like our introduction is pretty much here with the nascent of a product presentation video that's supposed to hit the internets tomorrow. Observe as the nice man rubs the camera and says naughty things in French (hopefully we'll have a translation soon). He goes on to show off the new interface, quick menus, battery port, pop-up flash, and even gets a nice shot through the new viewfinder. In all seriousness, this is looking like a slick new camera. You're still looking at around €2,600 ($4,000), a July release, a 12-megapixel sensor, and sensor cleaning system. More information is sure to surface tomorrow when our friends across the pond wake up. Hit the continue link to be taunted a second time.[Thanks, Pete]
Nikon D700 DSLR shows itself in German magazine
Nikon's D700 hasn't exactly been doing the best job staying under cover as of late, and it looks like Germany's ProfiFoto magazine has now pulled back whatever veil of mystery remained around the camera, with its current issue prominently featuring the high-end DSLR in a two-page spread. Among details discernable via the translation is confirmation of a 12-megapixel sensor, along with a sensor cleaning system, an end of July release date, and a €2,600 price tag -- or just over $4,000, although we're guessing that'll even out a bit with the North American release. Needless to say, we'd recommend staying tuned for more details on this one.Update: User heavymeister at the dpreview forums has some way higher-res scans of the same issue -- anyone care to translate?[Thanks, Albert]
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 shotRead - D700 rumored specs
