Nikon Introduces the D4 and 85mm/f1.8 G AF-S

[Peter_in_PA]

<p>Shun, I was funnin'... Fact is, I hear very few people complaining about their D700... maybe it was perfect from the get go. I think it might be the most bang-for-the buck and the most perfect DSLR (all things considered, price-point etc...) that Nikon has produced to date...</p>

<p>Good point about the type-H stuff... I wonder if Nikon would have been better served by putting H at the end of some of those models...</p>

[dave_wilson1]

Looks amazing, I'll get the brochure to hold and keep using my D200s

and 15+ Yr old lenses until I hit the powerball 8-)))

[Two23]

<p>First, let's remember just how wrong the "N-rumors" crowd seems to have been here. No 36mp, no D800, etc. That's what they kept telling us clear up until yesterday. Just mentioning this for next time the speculation begins all over. Now on to the camera. No way I can justify $6,000 for a camera. My shots won't be $6,000 better, and I won't be selling more because I have a D4. What I do applaud is Nikon's continuing to enhance the video. Now that photo viewing seems to have migrated primarily to the internet for most people, video is coming into its own. I do hope that Nikon has hit a home run here, as they badly need it! The only downside I see is it just doesn't have the megapixels I would expect. Even though I don't see any way I'm buying this camera, I know the more people using Nikon translates into more goodies for me eventually! :-)<br />As for the 85mm f1.8G, I have no use for it. As ISO continues to climb I'm finding less and less need for anything faster than f2.8 zooms. If I did need an 85mm, I would definitely be buying the Sigma 85mm f1.4. For just a little more, you get a pro lens, not a consumer lens. I have borrowed and used the Sigma and it has a very smooth look. Just don't need one at this time.<br />Kent in SD</p>

[wogears]

<p>@Kent: The rumor sites had the D4 pretty much spot-on about two weeks ago, and I expect the D800 (or whatever it will be called) will arrive with the 36MP sensor sometime in early 2012.</p>

[ShunCheung]

<p>Les, didn't you post that 36MP rumor to Casual Photo Conversations back in early October (exactly 3 months ago)? <a href="../casual-conversations-forum/00ZR1g">http://www.photo.net/casual-conversations-forum/00ZR1g</a></p>

<p>The rumor sites have suggested that such camera would be announced imminently with specific dates a couple of times in the last 3 months. So far it has not happened yet. Earlier, they also had numerous wrong information on the D4.</p>

<p>Regardless, no amount of rumor discussion would bring you the new camera a second sooner. It merely generates a lot of false expectations (and therefore disappointment) and confusion. I am glad you posted that to Casual Photo Conversations. Some other people posted such rumors to this forum, and I suspended them for one month each.</p>

[andylynn]

<p>Kent, the Sigma 85/1.4 is twice as expensive as the Nikon 85/1.8 is going to be, and there isn't sufficient information on the Nikon to say which is better. I know you're enthusiastic about Sigma primes, but wait and see - if it's had the same treatment as the Nikon 50/1.8G, the 85/1.8G will be a heck of a good lens.</p>

[Two23]

<p>Andy--<br>

I don't doubt it will be at least a decent lens, but my thinking is for just a couple hundred more you can have an f1.4 and a more solid build. Plus maybe a smoother bokeh--we'll see how the reviews go. I don't mind spending extra on lenses since I tend to keep those for quite awhile. My Nikons 17-55mm f2.8 and 70-200mm v2.8 VR have already "known" two camera bodies, and by the end of the year they'll probably see a third. Cameras come & go; first class lenses I keep. </p>

<p>Kent in SD</p>

[elliot1]

<p><em>" As ISO continues to climb I'm finding less and less need for anything faster than f2.8 zooms" </em> At this time, and probably for the near future, lower (lowest) ISO is still preferred over higher ISOs. Lower ISO still gives more detail and better color. This will still likely be true for the D4.</p>

[aguinaldo_de_paula]

<p>One of the things I like most on my D3s is the battery capacity. I almost forget it when I'm travelling.<br /> On the D4 it is smaller.<br /> According to Nikon:<br /> EN-EL 4: 4200 shots / charge<br /> EN-EL 18: 2600 shots / charge (38% less)<br /> Did not like it.<br /> In fact the improvements I've seem on the D4 so far (ISO 204800 who needs it?), only 150g less in weight, 16,2 MP and a smarter and f/8 capable AF system don't attract me. I'll stick with my D3s for a long time and wait for the D5.</p>

[jose_angel]

<p>The aesthetic and/or creative possibilities of wide apertures <em>only</em> can be achieved with fast lenses, despite of the cameras`s high ISO performance.<br>

Nikon have to develop a good offer in fast lenses. If not, even myself could jump to the white side.</p>

[Dieter Schaefer]

<blockquote>

<p>Nikon have to develop a good offer in fast lenses</p>

</blockquote>

<p>With a 24/1.4, 35/1.4, 50/1.4, 85/1.4, 105/2, 135/2, 200/2 what fast lens could you possible desire that Nikon does not offer already? Granted, the 105/2 and 135/2 could use an update. Some f/1.2 glass maybe? Buy a Leica - they even offer f/0.95.</p>

[paul_b.1]

<p>The D4 is ugly ! I wonder if I'm the only one here thinking that ? The battery capacity will be another issue for me. Those Japanese safety regulation shouldn't apply in the rest of the world, and Nikon should provide a bigger capacity battery option.</p>

[leslie_cheung]

<blockquote>

<p>With a 24/1.4, 35/1.4, 50/1.4, 85/1.4, 105/2, 135/2, 200/2 what fast lens could you possible desire that Nikon does not offer already?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I would like cheaper, smaller versions...either a 24, 28, or 35 1.8 FX would do.</p>

[leslie_cheung]

<p>Alternately, I'd trade in my d700 for a d7000, if nikon comes out w/ dx fast wide primes: 16, 20 and 24 f1.8...</p>

[mark_mitchell5]

<p>By the spec's, I'd love a D4 (or even a D3s), but at 6k? Doesn't mesh with my wallet, and regardless, for anyone who's seen my pics on Nikon Wednesdays can tell, I haven't exploited/mastered my lowly D90 yet. Wished I had that kind of cash, but I'd probably buy more lenses.</p>

[alex_zepeda]

<p>Kent, I wasn't aware that Sigma made any pro lenses.</p>

<p>For a few hundred bucks more you get 2/3 of a stop, and (maybe) nicer bokeh. But you also get far worse build quality, worse manual focusing action (it gives the 50/1.8D a run for its money), no manual focus override w/ AF-C, no liveview, no rangefinder dot(!), awful service (unless you like seeing your "pro" lenses chucked in a mostly empty box), and all around bad autofocus. Even the guys lensrentals.com have commented on the AF accuracy problems they've seen across many samples of Sigma fast 30/50/85s (some of which simply can't be corrected with AF fine tune). As far as 85s go, the Sigma weighs twice as much (ouch). I certainly am not a fan of the 85/1.8D with its nasty bokeh, but if the new 1.8G can up the ante, the Sigma doesn't really bring much to the table for someone looking for a cheap 85.</p>

[wogears]

<blockquote>

<p>Les, didn't you post that 36MP rumor to Casual Photo Conversations back in early October (exactly 3 months ago)?<a rel="nofollow" href="../casual-conversations-forum/00ZR1g">http://www.photo.net/casual-conversations-forum/00ZR1g</a></p>

</blockquote>

<p>Shun: I thought I used enough sarcasm; I will use more next time.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>A reliable rumor <em>from a guy whose brother used to date a Nikon rep</em> says that the soon-to-be-announced D800 will have a 24x36 mm sensor (a/k/a 'full frame') with no less than 36 megapixels. [italics added.]</p>

</blockquote>

<p>In any case, the rumor I posted has to do with the "D800" not the (now official) D4. </p>

[Dieter Schaefer]

<p>My personal impression is that the D4 seems to receive a rather lukewarm welcome - probably because it appears to be a rather modest upgrade of the D3S accompanied by a quite hefty increase in price - the combination of which may give many pause as to whether there is enough to be gained by upgrading. Maybe the uncertainty as to what the D700 successor might look like will prevent some from buying now - especially in light of the D3/D700 release sequence where many would have opted for waiting and saving 50% of the cost to get 90% of the utility by purchasing the D700 rather than the D3.<br>

I keep wondering - despite the tweaks in the AF system - whether the delay caused by the earthquake/tsunami prevented the D4 from being released with an altogether new AF module? In an FX camera, the Multi-Cam 3500 has some shortcomings with regard to sensor distribution and coverage - and many expected those to be remedied in the D4.</p>

[jose_angel]

<p>Dieter, I think I have commited a translation mistake; it is quite the opposite what I wanted to mean. Maybe "<em>Nikon must keep the (already) good fast lens offer</em>" is closer to my idea. My excuses.<br /> And I agree with you, the offer is already wide. This is one of the reasons I stay with Nikkor for more than three decades...<br /> -<br /> BTW, I do like the current AF point concentration in the MultiCam 3500 FX cameras (D4 included). I prefer it more than on the D300 (I must be the only one, thought). The <em>only</em> thing I`d change on FX are the two AF points at the extremes; better to have cross type ones here.</p>

[jose_angel]

<p><em>"... The </em>only<em> thing I`d change on FX are the two AF points at the extremes; better to have cross type ones here..."</em><br /> (Because I`m used to the <em>11 points layout</em>; I use the "extreme" ones -left and right- to -partially- avoid the "focus and recompose" in portraiture).</p>

[paul_b.1]

<p>On monday I will be able to test this new camera (D4 and 85/1,8AFS) :-). A small and "insignifiant"(between thousand others in the world) store, named F64 , in Bucuresti(Romania) offre this opportunity on monday (9 ian). If you remember , F64 was the first store to announce the D3s as out of production, just few days ago. And this is the announcement:</p>

<p>http://www.f64.ro/blog/2012/01/06/nikon-d4-si-nikkor-85mm-f1-8g/</p>

<p>BTW: It seems that Joe McNally wasn't the only photog who get the D4 for a test , before the official anouncement of the camera.</p>

[paul_b.1]

<p>And some pictures taken with D4+85/1,8AFS, here:</p>

<p>http://mirceabezergheanu.smugmug.com/gallery/20915871_LhHTdj#!i=1661824017&k=XN2MZrT</p>

[jose_angel]

<p>I`d check the functionality and comfort of the joystics. For sure all the other features will be impressive.</p>

[ShunCheung]

<blockquote>

<p>Shun: I thought I used enough sarcasm; I will use more next time.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Les, I don't care how much sarcasm you use. The end result is the same: it spreads such rumors to photo.net, and enough people would take it seriously, in that particular case expecting this "D800" in October, 2011. When that doesn't materialize, it creates frustration. I block links to rumor sites on the Nikon Forum for a reason. Whoever reposts such rumors here will be suspended for at least a month, maybe longer, regardless of whether such rumors eventually become true or not.</p>

<p>Casual Photo Conversation has different forum policies.</p>

[raczoliver]

<p>Curtis, that site came out with an exact announcement date for the D800 at least 2 times, maybe more, and when the date passed without an announcement, they suddenly came up with a stupid excuse as to why it was not announced. I would so love to see the D700 replacement not even called D800, but something else, just to annoy those guys. I visited the site a couple of times out of curiosity, because I heard so much of it here, but I quickly stopped doing that after I realized that it was just what its name said: a rumor site (I know, I should have thought of that earlier). I don't blame them, because at least they make it clear in their name. Whoever gets frustrated over rumors not being true needs to grow up. But photo.net is not called photorumors.net. When I see a thread titled "Nikon introduces the D4..." or something similar here, I expect it to be true.</p>

<p>I am not sure a suspension is the best solution, but hey, if you want to spread or read rumors, do it on the rumor site.</p>