Finally we Nikonists get to play the leak game again

[Ranger 9]

Watching all the leakified action over on the Micro Four Thirds forum about the forthcoming Olympus E-P1 (which will either be the digital reincarnation of the Pen FT, the ultimate Leica M killer, the Micro Four Thirds camera of your secret dreams, or just another point-and-shoot with interchangeable lenses, depending on your reading of the tea leaves) I was feeling just a bit left out on the Nikon side.

But now this comes along: Nikon D300s image leak

Of course this type of image (alleged LCD screenshot showing new model number, SD card storage, etc.) would be absurdly easy to fake -- but on the other hand, if it really did "accidentally" appear on the Nikon USA website, that would be a plausible channel for a genuine image to appear. And the D300 would be a logical candidate for a refresh about now.

If it really is just a D300 with SD-card storage, I'm not going to get very excited. On the other hand, some of the other specu-features -- 720p video with no time limit, manual video controls, external mic input, longer continuous bursts, antigravity neckstrap lugs, flux capacitor -- would be worthwhile updates.

Of course Nikon could intro this tomorrow and spoil all the leakalicious fun, but enjoy it while you can...

 

[kweide]

... and i dummy thought they would name it D400.....

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

SD is nice. Two SD slots (on the same camera) are nicer

 

[DonWeston]

I'd second that thought, as I seem to slowly be moving over to SD cards, thanks to a Acer Netbook that has 2 sd slots and I just ordered a D5000 to replace my XSi. Also for what it is worth, there are SD to CF adapters, bought one so I can use SD cards as needed in my D300. Don't know what if anything the adapter does for transfer speed, but so far I see no difference in the D300.

 

[Jonathon Delacour]

... and i dummy thought they would name it D400.....

Well, perhaps the D400 is still in the pipeline. It's supposed to have a 15/16 megapixel sensor. That, plus an articulated screen and good high ISO performance, would tempt me to replace my D300.

To be honest, I was rather relieved when this D300s rumor started gathering momentum because, assuming there is a D300s, it offers no compelling features for anyone who already has a D300. That means I can devote my available funds to the kind of small camera + AF pancake lens combo that I'd really like but which Nikon doesn't provide. Happily there are plenty of choices:

* Panasonic G1
* Olympus E-P1
* Olympus E-620
* Pentax K-7
* Samsung NX (will they offer a pancake lens?)

 

[Ranger 9]

To be honest, I was rather relieved when this D300s rumor started gathering momentum because, assuming there is a D300s, it offers no compelling features for anyone who already has a D300.

I dunno... one of the rumours quoted in the link was no-time-limit 720p video recording with contrast-detect autofocus.

If they delivered on that, and if it worked well, it would give me a good reason to consider updating my D300 to a D300s, instead of updating my Panasonic G1 to a GH1 in order to satisfy my occasional video usages.

 

[Jonathon Delacour]

I dunno... one of the rumours quoted in the link was no-time-limit 720p video recording with contrast-detect autofocus.

If they delivered on that, and if it worked well, it would give me a good reason to consider updating my D300 to a D300s, instead of updating my Panasonic G1 to a GH1 in order to satisfy my occasional video usages.

That's a good point. It would have been better had I written that the D300s "offers no compelling features for anyone who already has a D300 and doesn't have a strong desire/need to shoot video".

 

[etrigan63]

I actually saw the image in question on the Nikon USA site. It's real or a least a corporate level misdirection/screwup.

 

[nostatic]

That means I can devote my available funds to the kind of small camera + AF pancake lens combo that I'd really like but which Nikon doesn't provide. Happily there are plenty of choices:

* Panasonic G1
* Olympus E-P1
* Olympus E-620
* Pentax K-7
* Samsung NX (will they offer a pancake lens?)

The K7 will do 720p/1080i video as well (along with stereo mic input and other niceties) and has in-body SR. Plus the limited prime lenses are sweet.

 

[Jonathon Delacour]

The K7 will do 720p/1080i video as well (along with stereo mic input and other niceties) and has in-body SR. Plus the limited prime lenses are sweet.

The K-7's feature set plus the Pentax Limited primes make an almost unbeatable combo except... the K-7 doesn't have an articulated LCD screen! After handling the E-620 and the G1, I can't make up my mind as to whether or not this is a deal breaker. Perhaps not, since the K-7's viewfinder will almost certainly be gorgeous.

On the other hand, the D5000's atrocious bottom-hinged screen design is definitely a deal-breaker.

 

[nostatic]

Since I already have all the FA ltd primes, the K-7 is a no-brainer for me. Having used an articulated screen on an old Canon p&s as well as the G1, I appreciate it sometimes but don't really find it to be a deal breaker to be without one. The beauty of digital is that I can just point and shoot, check, then point again. Dumb luck is my friend.

Frankly the screens that are only hinged seem like a waste to me. You either stay fixed or fully articulated. Going halfway is just an annoyance - adding a failure point without much benefit. But it depends on how you shoot.

 

[Ranger 9]

Frankly the screens that are only hinged seem like a waste to me. You either stay fixed or fully articulated. Going halfway is just an annoyance - adding a failure point without much benefit. But it depends on how you shoot.

I'll tell you what's bad about the fully-articulated screens, at least as seen on my Panasonic G1. If you simply want to use the camera at waist- or chest-level -- which is a pretty common rationale, for low angles and such -- you have to swing the finder out to the side and turn it, making your camera much wider and more awkward to hold.

I discovered that this past Friday, when I was supposed to shoot some photos of the "David Seeds spitter car" for a corporate pal. (This is a VW New Beetle fitted with a CO2 cannon, enabling it to spit packets of sunflower seeds out of an orifice on the back.)

Problem was that it was pouring rain, so I had to put my Panasonic G1 inside a plastic bag. When I wanted to get some low-angle shots of the spitting action, having to fold out the finder to the side was a real nuisance. A simple flip-down finder would have been better.

Maybe the next convenience feature can be a finder hinged like the "Magic Doorgate" that appeared on Ford station wagons back in the '70s (or so Grandpa tells me...) This either hinged down from the bottom, like a tailgate, or opened from one side, like a door.

Never mind, I suppose the next step will be to connect the LCD panel via BlueTooth so you can remove it entirely (and then lose it or drop it, requiring an expensive replacement...)