Nikon Rumors

New firmware update v1.03 for Nikon D700?

[NR] admin — Wed, 16 May 2012 18:34:05 +0000

Image credit: Tschaensky

A member of the German forum dslr-forum.de received his new Nikon D700 camera and noticed that the installed firmware version A was 1.03. The latest officially announced firmware update for the D700 was A/B 1.02. Maybe Nikon is about to release the new 1.03 version?

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Nikon D4 now in stock

[NR] admin — Tue, 15 May 2012 19:10:24 +0000

Nikon D4 is now in stock at OneCall. This also means that they no longer have a waiting list.

Update: the status now says "coming soon".

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Nikon D4 now ships without a free XQD card and reader

[NR] admin — Tue, 15 May 2012 02:42:26 +0000

Up till now Nikon included a free 16GB Sony XQD card and a reader (aprox. $185 value) with every D4 shipment. This seems no longer to be the case and the last Nikon D4 shipments do not include any freebies.

The other bad news is that so far I have not heard about another major manufacturer to jump on the XQD wagon.

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Weekly Nikon news flash #162

[NR] admin — Mon, 14 May 2012 00:49:12 +0000

New: Lensbaby Pro effects kit for Nikon mount.
Rare lens on eBay: Nikkor Ai-S 1:5.6/13mm.
DxOMark added more lenses to their Nikon D4 test.
New version of Sofortbild released with Nikon D4/D800/D800E support.
New remote control/tethered shooting software for Nikon DSLR (still in beta).
New underwater housings for Nikon D4/D800 coming soon from Seacam.
Notice of personnel changes of directors and officers at Nikon Japan.
Nikon increased the price of Nikkor lenses in Hungary, this is the email I received from a reader:

"In April there has been a massive price raise in Hungary that affected several Nikon lenses, for example the Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 G AF-S IF ED VR. In March this product cost 139,889 HUF (around 480 Euros) and now it costs 198,990 HUF (around 680 Euros). This is more than 40% increase! I asked one of the vendors what caused this huge increase and they told me that Nikon "normalized" the prices, meaning, that the prices has been synchronized to the Western European price standards. In the same time this lens can be purchased on amazon.de for 500 Euros."

Nikon D800E video samples show stunning resolution in 1080p:

A detailed Canon 5D Mark III vs Nikon D800 comparison video:

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Nikon reported better than expected financial results for 2012

[NR] admin — Sat, 12 May 2012 18:00:04 +0000

Nikon announced their financial results and new cash dividends for the year ending on March 31, 2012. The company again reported better than expected financial numbers even after the series of disasters in Asia last year. As a result, the stock price went up over 8%. Nikon remains a profitable company in times where almost every other major camera manufacturer announced losses:

In 1st half, all product groups sold well. In 2nd half, although SLR cameras were affected by Thai floods, new “Nikon 1” launch was successful. Compact camera continued to expand the market share throughout the year. These helped minimize the amount of sales/income reduction from the previous year.

Summary of Nikon Imaging Company estimations for next year (ending March 31, 2013):

"Aim to bring SLR cameras back to the expansion path and focus on sales expansion of “Nikon 1” and compact cameras. Both sales and income are expected to rise 24% and 48% each."

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Nikon D600 release probability now at 80%

[NR] admin — Thu, 10 May 2012 23:04:14 +0000

Today was all about the new Leica products but I still have a quick update on the Nikon D600 - I can now raise the probability of the D600 release before Photokina to 80%. Note that some of the specs may still be inaccurate or incomplete.

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More Nikon D600 specs

[NR] admin — Thu, 10 May 2012 01:37:31 +0000

Some new Nikon D600 specs in addition to what I reported two week ago (new specs are on top, marked in bold):

39 AF points (with an option of 11 AF points)
5 fps (same as the D700, the D800 has 4fps)
2 SD card slots with Eye-fi support
Build-in retouching images functionality
Built-in flash with sync speed of 1/250s
Two user settings: U1 and U2
Fn button

GPS
HD video
The sensor inside the D600 will probably be 24MP (made by Sony, modified by Nikon)
The new camera will be marketed as an entry level full frame camera
Auto DX crop mode
In-camera RAW editor
Built in time-lapse functionality
Possibly with build-in HDR
Possibly with integrated GPS
New external battery grip
To be released this summer
The D600 will probably not have an internal AF motor, which means it will work only with AF-S lenses (just like the D3200 and D5100)
The price of the D600 is rumored to be very low - maybe as low as $1500
Announcement before Photokina (September 2012)
One or more low-priced f/4 lenses will be announced with the D600. For example, Nikon recently filed a patent for a 24-70mm f/3.5-4.5 full frame lens which seems to be designed for a cheaper FX DSLR body

At that point I feel comfortable to raise the [NR] probability for the Nikon D600 to 60%. Some of the listed specs may still be inaccurate, but I think I got the most part correct.

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Sea&Sea MDX-D800: another underwater housing for Nikon D800 coming soon

[NR] admin — Tue, 08 May 2012 22:13:03 +0000

This is how the soon to be released Sea&Sea MDX-D800 underwater housing for Nikon D800 will look like. It should be announced this summer with a price tag slightly over $3,000. I have no other details at that point.

Check also those D800 underwater housings from Ikelite, Hugyfot, Nauticam and Ikelite.

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Nikkor 6mm f/2.8 fisheye lens mounted on a Nikon D800 (video)

[NR] admin — Tue, 08 May 2012 13:50:33 +0000

This exotic Nikkor 6mm f/2.8 lens can actually see behind itself. Watch this video for more information:

Nikon 1 J1 and V1 firmware update v1.12

[NR] admin — Tue, 08 May 2012 13:30:01 +0000

Today Nikon announced new firmware update for the mirrorless J1 and V1 cameras. The only fix in this update is for an issue that caused some frames to be duplicated in slow-motion movies recorded at a frame rate setting of 1200 fps.

Download links:

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Adobe released Camera Raw 7.1 release candidate with Nikon D4/D800 support

[NR] admin — Tue, 08 May 2012 00:10:44 +0000

With the release of Photoshop CS6, today Adobe announced also Camera Raw 7.1 release candidate with support for:

Nikon D4
Nikon D800
Nikon D800E
Nikon AF-S Micro Nikkor 60mm f/2.8G ED
Nikon AF Micro-Nikkor 60mm f/2.8D
Tokina AT-X 107 AF DX Fish-Eye 10-17mm f/3.5-4.5 (Nikon mount)

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Weekly Nikon news flash #161

[NR] admin — Mon, 07 May 2012 00:19:28 +0000

New: LensBling from BlackRapid - lens caps for Nikon lenses with the focal length imprinted on the back for easy access.

Adobe Photoshop CS6 starts shipping tomorrow. Update: CS6 is now available for purchase on Adobe.com.
Adobe released Camera Raw update 6.7 RC with support for Nikon D4, D800 and D800E.
New Photomatix 4.2 version released with D4/D800 support.
First underwater photographs with Nauticam NA-D800 + Nikon D800.
New batch of refurbished Nikon DSLRs at B&H.
New Nikon patent application in Japan for improving the design of the 35mm f/1.8G DX lens.

LockCircle is announced the LockPort 800 for the Nikon D800:

"The LockPort 800 is a new product developed to help avoid damaging your D800 mini HDMI camera port. The LockPort 800 protects definitely the fragile output on your camera from tough production abuse with a rock solid universal clamp and a smart mini to full-size HDMI adapter."

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Amazon UK started canceling Nikon D800 pre-orders due to “restricted supply from the manufacturer” updated

[NR] admin — Sun, 06 May 2012 16:11:56 +0000

Update: Amazon UK started to contact customers with canceled D800 pre-orders to notify them that this was an error and all orders will be reinstated.

Today Amazon UK started canceling D800 pre-orders because Nikon has informed them that "D800 is in restricted supply" and "no longer available". You can read the full text of the sent emails at the [NR] forum. This is even more annoying for people who pre-ordered their D800 before the UK price increase. Amazon may also have a legal reason to cancel unfulfilled pre-orders after 90 days - I read somewhere that if a seller cannot deliver the purchased goods in 90 days, the contract is void (maybe someone with a legal background can clarify that).

Other retailers have also sent emails about D800 shortages, but have not canceled any pre-orders yet:

"As you maybe aware that this particular model has been extremely well received. Nikon, therefore are currently experiencing supply shortages due to the high demand of this product and at present are unable to provide an accurate estimate of availability dates.

Whilst we are not in a position to satisfy all current orders due to this stock shortage, Nikon have provided assurances that Jessops will remain as the first retailer to receive stock allocation in the UK. We would like to thank you for your continued patience on this matter and will endeavour to keep you updated regarding stock availability."

From Jessops UK

"Because the backlog in fulfilling these orders is unprecedented in our history we want to let you know we’re aware of your frustration. Many of you have asked for detailed order information and detailed information about when you can expect to receive your camera. Unfortunately we cannot answer these questions with the degree of specific information many requests include.

In a popular forum dedicated to digital photography a former Nikon USA sales rep wrote:
When I was a Nikon sales rep, Nikon USA absolutely did not tell dealers ahead of time how many units of any backordered product they would be allocated... So when dealers tell you that Nikon does not tell them what's coming and when, they're almost certainly telling the complete truth.

We cannot tell you when we expect our next delivery and we cannot tell you how many that delivery will include.
We do not know. Nikon USA does not tell us. Because of this dearth of specific information we cannot predict when any individual customer’s order will be fulfilled. We share your frustration about this uncertainty and apologize for the distress it has caused some of you.

We are in contact with Nikon USA daily and continue to press them to deliver as many cameras as possible to us and to do so as quickly as possible. We renew our promise to you that we will fulfill your orders in the chronological order we received them."

From B&H

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Nikon acknowledges the D4/D800 lockup issue, offers temporary fix

[NR] admin — Fri, 04 May 2012 00:54:48 +0000

Can you spot the problem?

In a statement to PDN Online, Nikon USA acknowledged the D4/D800 lockup issue that I reported a month ago (several readers and other websites have reported similar issues). Nikon is currently working on a permanent solution, in the mean time you can turn off both the 'Highlights' and 'RGB Histogram' display options in order to avoid this problem:

"Nikon has received reports of a small number of D4/D800 users who are experiencing 'locking up' issues, where the camera becomes unresponsive until the battery is removed and reinserted. Nikon is investigating a permanent solution to this issue and will update users accordingly. To immediately resolve this issue, users can turn off both the 'Highlights' and 'RGB Histogram' display options in the 'Playback Display Options' sub-menu found in the 'Playback' menu. Nikon apologizes for any inconvenience this may have caused users."

Today Fstoppers reported another D800 focus/viewfinder issue that was also confirmed by Nikon:

"I didn’t believe my buddy when he told me that his brand new Nikon D800 viewfinder was always out of focus. I assumed that he had the diopter out of whack. It wasn’t until I used the camera myself that I realized there was a serious problem. The camera was sent back to Nikon for repair and he received the camera back last week with the same issue. After sending it back a second time, Nikon has admitted that “a run” of D800s have an issue with viewfinder alignment."

Here is an example sent in by a reader:

In addition to this blog post, there is an entire thread on the [NR] forum for all D4/D800 related issues.

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Nikon’s US rebates for May 2012 (updated)

[NR] admin — Thu, 03 May 2012 18:35:53 +0000

The Nikon rebates in the US for this month are not as good as the curent promotions in the UK. Amazon offers up to $150 off when you purchase a qualifying Nikon digital camera (including Nikon 1, D3100 and D7000) and Nikkor lens (see the list of available lenses).

Update: The B&H version of the Nikon rebates is slightly different - they offer up to $300 off and also include the just released D3200 camera:

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Ikelite announced underwater housing for the Nikon D800/D800E

[NR] admin — Thu, 03 May 2012 16:33:44 +0000

After Hugyfot and Nauticam, Ikelite also announced their underwater housing for Nikon D800/D800E DSLR cameras. The MSRP is $1600 which makes it the cheapest solution compared to other manufacturers. The depth rating is 200ft (60m).

Main features:

Access to all important camera functions

Capable of electrical TTL strobe exposure

Comfortable rubber grips

Glass optical viewfinder enhanced for underwater

Visible o-ring seals

Corrosion-proof solid body

Ports available for most popular lenses

Lens zoom gears included with housing

200ft (60m) depth rating

Specifications:

Controls	All important camera functions are accessible Controls are not provided for Metering Selector, Diopter Adjustment Control, Eyepiece Shutter Lever, Focus Selector Lock
Width	10in (250mm) including controls
Height	6.9in (175mm) including controls
Depth	6.5in (165mm) including controls
Weight	5.4lb (2.4kg) without tray & handles
Buoyancy	Slightly negative in freshwater
Depth Rating	200ft (60m)
Built-in Flash	No
Strobe Connection	Ikelite digital TTL electrical bulkhead
Tray Mounting	12-24 thread with 3in spacing (76mm)
Main O-Ring	0132.61
Port O-Ring	0105
Spare Parts	5020 Silicone lubricant in 4 1cc tubes 5512.69 O-Ring kit 0200.91 Housing body cap 9104.5 Electrical bulkhead cap

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Up to £180 cashback when you buy a Nikon D4/D800/D800E and a FX lens in the UK

[NR] admin — Tue, 01 May 2012 15:17:28 +0000

After Nikon UK raised the prices of the D4 and D800, they are now offering a new cashback program (up to £180) when you purchase a D4/D800/D800E together with a new FX lens. The claim form can be found here. The eligible lenses are:

AF-S 14-24mm f/2.8G: £100 cashback
AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8G: £80 cashback
AF-S 16-35mm f/4G: £75 cashback
AF-S 24-120mm f/4G: £75 cashback
AF-S 28-300mm: £60 cashback
AF-S 105mm Micro f/2.8G: £50 cashback
AF-S 50mm f/1.4: £35 cashback

There are also new Nikon rebates in the US - I will post the details online once I get them.

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NikonRumors is 4 years old today

[NR] admin — Tue, 01 May 2012 15:15:52 +0000

Four years ago, exactly at 7:39:29 am (EST) I purchased the domain name NikonRumors.com. It has been one hell of a ride ever since. I am a bit embarrassed about my first blog post, but at that time I really had no clue what I was doing. Anyway, thanks for being a reader over the years and stay tuned - I think we will have an interesting summer ahead of us.

Rumor: Aptina developing a new full frame CMOS sensor for Nikon

[NR] admin — Tue, 01 May 2012 02:52:51 +0000

The Italian website marsicalive.it published an article about Aptina Imaging - a company that produces sensors for digital cameras. Aptina confirmed the development of a new CMOS full frame sensor for DSLR cameras and "according to some unconfirmed rumors", this sensor is designed specifically for Nikon:

Google translation

I was told that this is going to be the first full frame sensor produced by Aptina.Could this be the sensor for the rumored Nikon D600?

FYI: the sensor inside the Nikon V1 mirrorless camera is produced by Aptina.

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Nikon Rumors

New firmware update v1.03 for Nikon D700?

Nikon D4 now in stock

Nikon D4 now ships without a free XQD card and reader

Weekly Nikon news flash #162

Nikon reported better than expected financial results for 2012

Nikon D600 release probability now at 80%

More Nikon D600 specs

Sea&Sea MDX-D800: another underwater housing for Nikon D800 coming soon

Nikkor 6mm f/2.8 fisheye lens mounted on a Nikon D800 (video)

Nikon 1 J1 and V1 firmware update v1.12

Adobe released Camera Raw 7.1 release candidate with Nikon D4/D800 support

Weekly Nikon news flash #161

Amazon UK started canceling Nikon D800 pre-orders due to “restricted supply from the manufacturer” *updated*

Nikon acknowledges the D4/D800 lockup issue, offers temporary fix

Nikon’s US rebates for May 2012 (updated)

Ikelite announced underwater housing for the Nikon D800/D800E

Top 10 NikonRumors posts for April 2012

Up to £180 cashback when you buy a Nikon D4/D800/D800E and a FX lens in the UK

NikonRumors is 4 years old today

Rumor: Aptina developing a new full frame CMOS sensor for Nikon

Amazon UK started canceling Nikon D800 pre-orders due to “restricted supply from the manufacturer” updated