D700 and D300S Officially Discontinued

[leslie_cheung]

<blockquote>

<p>It would make the D4 seem "under pixeled" if they throw 36 Mp in the D800. I don't think they want to under cut a brand new "flagship" camera.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I said basically the same thing but my post was deleted somehow. What's up with that, Shun? </p>

[georges_pelpel]

<p>The D4 doesn't address the same market segment, it is aimed at the sports/action photographers who prioritize frames per second over high resolution. If 36 Mpix is the true spec of the D800 I wouldn't be surprise to see Nikon release a D4x with the same resolution later tis year, this one aimed at the wedding/landscape/fine art shooters.</p>

[stank]

<p>This has probably been beaten to death somewhere but can some one point me to a link that explains what the safety issue is with the EN-EL3e?<br /> Thanks<br /> Stan</p>

[dan_south]

<p>The announcement is probably legal coverage. If some dealer in Japan sells one of the offending models, the company can claim that it's not their fault as the model has been officially discontinued.</p>

[ShunCheung]

<p>The problem with the EN-EL3e is its exposed electronic contacts. See these threads:</p>

<ol>

<li><a href="00Zes5">http://www.photo.net/nikon-camera-forum/00Zes5</a> where I posted an image showing the EN-EL3e and the EN-EL15 with hidden contacts. There is also a link to Nikon Japan's announcement about them stop selling EN-EL3e-based products starting on November 20, 2011. The Japanese safety regulation was changed on November 20, 2008 with a 3-year grace period, which expired on the same day in 2011. In other words, the change was already known even before the D300S was introduced in mid 2009: <a href="http://www.nikon-image.com/support/whatsnew/2011/wnew111108.htm">http://www.nikon-image.com/support/whatsnew/2011/wnew111108.htm</a></li>

<li><a rel="nofollow" href="00Zeyx">http://www.photo.net/nikon-camera-forum/00Zeyx</a></li>

</ol>

<p>It should be very obvious that the D700 and D300S' replacements will be announced in the near future, but exactly when and how they will be like remains to be seen. I would take all information from rumor sites with a grain of salt, although as long as they keep posting rumors after rumors, they may get some of it right some day. But until Nikon officially announces it, you'll just be wondering where the truth lies. No amount of rumors will bring you any new camera a second sooner.</p>

[kohanmike]

<p>I'm so glad I traded in my two D70s bodies for two factory refurb D300s bodies just after the earthquake/tsunami last year for $1250 US each. I was hesitant at first, but when I realized that stock would soon be depleted, new models would be long delayed and that much more expensive, I went for it. I found that the D70s just did give me the frame rate or ISO I needed for the work I'm doing, mainly concerts and events.</p>

[RaymondC]

<p>Maybe when the D900 come out the D700 would be affordable to myself ;-D And likewise the D500.</p>

<p>My D70 only has 13,000 actuations.</p>

[wpahnelas]

<p>i understand that sony has announced some new P&S models with 18mp EXMORE sensors, so it appears that the megapixel wars are still being waged. at first i was put off by a 36mp FX camera, but having had several weeks to think about it, it makes more sense. if this refresh is supposed to carry nikon for 2-3 years, a 24mp camera would almost instantly have been leapfrogged by canon. as it stands, the current canon D700 equivalent is already up to 21mp, which has made nikon, by contrast, appear seriously "under-pixeled". that said, i'm still not thrilled about 36mp, but this is exactly where the rumor industry comes up short: we have no way of knowing what other cameras might be in the pipeline that would offer D3s- or D4-type low-light performance in a D700 form factor. that would be the camera for me; what's much less certain is whether such a camera fits into nikon's marketing strategy.</p>

[stank]

<p>Shun Cheung<br>

Thank you for the info. I am glad that there is nothing wrong with the battery itself. I have wondered how manufacturers have gotten away with exposed contacts on Li-Ion batteries relying on plastic covers (that are easily lost) and internal short circuit protection. Just have to remember not to throw the battery in your pocket with loose change :).<br>

Stan</p>

[Richard Williams]

<p>"I would take all information from rumor sites with a grain of salt, although as long as they keep posting rumors after rumors, they may get some of it right some day."</p>

<p>But be honest, did you happen to stumble across the discontinued list, or did you read about it first on a rumour site like the rest of us..? :-)</p>

<p>More seriously - I assume there's been no change in the status of the batteries themselves - i.e., genuine Nikon EN-EL3e batteries etc. will continue to be available as suggested in the previous discussion?</p>

[zlight_b]

<p>kent stabus:<br>

"We really don't know what will be announced, if anything, on Feb. 7. Two weeks ago they were saying Feb. 6. As for prices of used D700, so far no DSLR has resisted the force of gravity once a new model replaces it."<br>

well, maybe. but if an discontinuation announcement is made, rumors or no rumors, there is no doubt that some announcement about some new thingy is imminent. but maybe it's just the optimistic me :)</p>

[zlight_b]

<p>richard williams:<br>

"But be honest, did you happen to stumble across the discontinued list, or did you read about it first on a rumour site like the rest of us..? :-)"</p>

<p>ha!!!! dat's da question my friend! :)</p>

[ShunCheung]

<p>There are a few Nikon sites that I check periodically. The discontinued items is one.</p>

<ul>

<li>The others are the Nikon official news site: <a href="http://www.nikon.com/news/">http://www.nikon.com/news/</a> E.g. they update the Thai flood recovery once a month or so.</li>

<li>And the Nikon-image.com news site: <a href="http://www.nikon-image.com/news/">http://www.nikon-image.com/news/</a> (in Japanese)</li>

</ul>

<p>The other interesting case was that when Nikon introduced the 40mm/f2.8 AF-S DX macro last year, Josh and I received advanced information under NDA about two weeks in advance, and I wrote a preview: <a href="../equipment/nikon/lenses/40mm-f2.8-af-s-dx-micro/preview/">http://www.photo.net/equipment/nikon/lenses/40mm-f2.8-af-s-dx-micro/preview/</a>. However, there was absolutely no rumor about it anywhere on the web. The usual rumor sites, Thom Hogan, etc. did not find out until it was officially announced.</p>

<p>Due to the Japan earthquake and later on Thai flood last year, Nikon announced exactly one new DSLR (D5100) and two F-mount lenses in all of 2011 (the 50mm/f1.8 AF-S and the 40mm DX I mentioned earlier). Of course there were the V1 and J1 cameras, the SB-910, and a bunch of Coolpix cameras. But one DSLR and two F-mount lenses was very little over 365 days. (And since the rumor sites had absolutely no idea about the 40mm DX in advance, they only had correct rumors for exactly one F-mount lens in all of 2011, which Nikon USA leaked themselves.) So how did those rumor sites fill their pages day after day? A lot of hot air, of course.</p>

[holger]

<p>On the swiss Nikon price list D700 and D300s are still listed, while the D3s has disappeared (D3x still listet though). Different stock quantities in different countries? I too don't expect prices to fall too much (street price of D300s in Switzerland is around 1'350 CFH today compared to 1'890 CHF list price), with the D700 / D800 it will depend on the D800 list price: should it be much more expensive (+30% or more compared to D700), D700 will remain stable. Wait and see....</p>

[borgis_karl_johan1]

<p>If the D700 successor has a 36Mp sensor this makes it a very interesting instrument to combine with DX format lenses as this still leaves you with around 15Mp. The D700 with 5Mp is hardly an alternative. <br>

For travelling and to save weight you could combine very interesting sets of lenses, just to name an example 14-24 FX (or 12-24DX), 16-85DX and 70-200mmFX lenses and thus gain great flexibility.</p>

[Hector Javkin]

<blockquote>

<p>The usual rumor sites, Thom Hogan, etc. did not find out until it was officially announced.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I think, if I'm not misreading, that you're including Hogan among the rumor sites.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>(And since the rumor sites had absolutely no idea about the 40mm DX in advance, they only had correct rumors for exactly one F-mount lens in all of 2011, which Nikon USA leaked themselves.) So how did those rumor sites fill their pages day after day? A lot of hot air, of course.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>This is unfair to Hogan, who frequently has interesting things to say in his site and produces superb camera manuals, much clearer and more detailed than the English-language ones from Nikon. I often find him a little unpleasant, but I don't believe he is simply blowing hot air. It's true that he doesn't get advance notice (or any other perks that one can point to) from Nikon, but that may be because he has a Nikon-oriented site which often skewers Nikon foibles.</p>