D700 prices vs the Upcoming (possible)5dmkII release

Ok....I'll start this off by saying yes, i am looking to get into a Nikon D700, but holding out for a bit until i see what

happens to the price when the possible pending release of the yet to be announced Canon 5dMkII

 

So now i ask, based on historical happenings, what do the folks in the know feel will happen to the price of the D700

when the replacement for the 5d is announced?

 

i know there are many variables that really make this a difficult question to answer, including if this camera will be a

true competitior to the D700.

 

But if Canon does really come up woth the replacement for the 5D at Photokina like everyone expects, will Nikon

adjust the price to make it more attractive (read less expensive) to camera buyers?

 

Thank in advance for your responses

As long as you are worried about future cameras, what about the Sony Alpha-900?

Wait and see. I'd imagine even Nikon don't know what they will do (if anything), since they don't know what Canon (or Sony) will do.

 

I doubt Nikon will shift the price of the D700 at this point. It's too new and there are too many Nikon users with large collections of Nikon lenses drooling over it who won't be switching to Canon or Sony no matter what they release.

Not "everyone" expects a replacement for the 5D at Photokina.

 

I personally expect the 5D concept to be totally scrapped, and the 3D (more like a D700, which strikes me as being a bit past a "3" series) to be announced no sooner that PMA, and more likely fall '09.

 

And I'm not expecting a 3 to beat a D700, price wise. Look at D3 vs 1Ds III...

 

Silicon is priced by area, not by complexity. Sensors the same size with similar technology have similar prices, regardless of the megapixel count. The D3 has processing equivalent to the 1Ds III (and it does it in a more elegant, single chip package), better AF and metering, and yet it comes in $2500 cheaper. Canon used to be the price leader, but this doesn't seem to be true of the current lineup.

I wouldn't expect a dramatic drop in price for the D700. There is usually a drop somewhat once the pipeline is really full and all of the "must have" new item buyers are satisfied. The Canon, if there is one, will be selling at "list" for a while as well so less pressure on/from competitors. The Sony a900 (?) isn't likely to be in the D700 or 5D replacement zone in price or functionality. I'd guess closer to the idea of the D3x - higher resolution/prices. For that matter, they might offer multiple ff cameras. I haven't looked at their line recently, it seems a bit confused but since I still have some good lenses, I'm at least a little curious.