Nikon D2H , WiFi, new lew lenses & Nikon Capture 4: now this looks official!

[ellis_vener_photography]

here is the main page announcing today's new product releases. Unfortunately as of

9:05am (EDST) the links to the individual iitems have not been activated:<P>http://

www.nikonusa.com:80/templates/main.jsp?cat=1&grp=2&content=/fileuploads/

slr_0703/slr_0703.html

[cham_saranasuriya]

Thanks Ellis for the news,

 

Shun was only a few hours ahead of you!!!!!

[marshall]

My engineering friends tell me that JFET's typically have better noise performance than MOSFET's (something about buried gate junctions vs. oxide interfaces). Interesting.

[ellis_vener_photography]

The links are working now. From the tech specs and looking at it from a working

photographers point of view, I find these things to be interesting (in no

particular order):<P>

1.) "Mirror up mode: first press: mirror up, second press: release."<p>

In other words: mirror lock up!<P>

2.)"Auto (hybrid with 1,005-pixel CCD, LBCAST image sensor and external Ambience

Light Sensor."<p>

3.)"Color temperature setting in Kelvin (select from 31steps)."<p>

4.)"White Balance Bracketing (2 to 9 frames adjustable in 10,20,30 MIRED steps)."<P>

5.)"Text Input: Up to 30 characters of alphanumeric text input is available with LCD

monitor and multi-selector; stored in Exif header."<P>

6.)"Usable lenses (includes): Non-CPU AI Nikkor : Usable in [A] or [M] mode with

Matrix-Metering, Center-Weighted and Spot metering available. Indication of aperture

No., after user inputs the aperture f/No. and focal length f=mm by multi-selector

operation. Electronic Rangefinder usable with maximum aperture of f/5.6 or

faster."<B>So we can still use our AI & AI-S lenses!</B><P>

7.) "Focus Area: Selectable from 11 focus areas."<P>

8.) "Auto Exposure Bracketing: Number of shots: 2 to 9 frames; Compensation steps:

1/3, 1/2, 2/3, or 1EV steps."<P>

9.) The SB-800 flash sytem.<P>

10.) Uses the same batteries as the D100.<P>

11.) Continuous high shooting [CH] mode: 8 frames per second (fps) [up to 40 (JPEG)

/ 25 (RAW:NEF) consecutive shots]<P>

12.) Nikon Capture 4 includes the software to correct the "fisheye" distortion of the

10.5mm fisheye so that lens can either be a full frame fisheye or ia rectilinear

10.5mm ( roughly equivalent to the 15mm f/3.5 AI-S on a 135 format camera) that

was announced today. Wuill this also work with other images

shot with other Nikon fisheye lenses too?

[joel_becker1]

And every one of the new lenses (including the tantalizing 200-400mm F4) is a 'G'.

[Palouse]

Ellis, thank you for a reasoned, factual, and sane set of comments. The day is only 9 hours old for me, and already I have "had it" with the pomposity (!), bile, and venom of so many of our fellow photgraphers venting over the new models. Yours is a refreshing and welcome view. Thanks.

[ilkka_nissila]

It doesn't matter at all that these lenses are G. Two of them are meant for digital slrs which all have the sub-command dial, and one of them is an AF-S VR lens costing a fortune. Would you really use such a lens (assuming it's between 5000 and 10000 dollars) on a manual focus camera? Much of the functionality of the lens relies on autofocus and VR and basically it's peanuts to add an F80 or F100 to be able to use the lens properly compared with the lens price itself.

[arnabdas]

Nick, I've been following the D2H posts closely and don't really recall seeing anyone venting "pomposity (!), bile, and venom" over the new model.

 

Personally, I do observe that G lenses are unusable on a all-manual backup film camera which is sometimes a necesssity. I never heard any specific reasoning from Nikon exactly how getting rid of the aperture ring improves lens design, and that bothers me.

 

Don't Nikon want all existing Nikon users to transition to digital? Would they have to leave their MF bodies behind in that case?

[joel_becker1]

Ilkka, you are 100% correct that the *cost* of a G-capable body is irrelevant next to the cost of the 200-400mm F4 AF-S VR G lens. However, it doesn't change the fact that I *prefer* the ring. It also doesn't change the fact that a manual backup body (such as an FM2 or FM3a) is often a requirement for certain conditions.

[Palouse]

Arnab, sorry for the confusion--I was refering to a couple of the other sites--where Nikon fever has been raging high for the past week or more.

[john_morris4]

<p><i>"However, it doesn't change the fact that I *prefer* the ring."</i></p>

<p>

One of the things that I really like about the Bronica RF 645 is that the aperture control is a ring around the lens, in just the right place, even though the actual iris is controlled electronically. When the camera is controlling the aperture, it just ignores the ring. But when the photographer controls the aperture, the ring is just where you expect it.

</p>

[ilkka_nissila]

I would also like the ring if it weren't positioned so close to the body. With many teles, it's too near and hard to access. Although the sub-command dial is slow, at least it's accessible. And it does take the worst part of the variable aperture zooms away, leaving the poor image quality in many cases. And it also allows you to forget about bellows factor calculations when taking incident readings for close-up shots. So, in all, I nowadays prefer to use the sub-command dial. If I didn't wear glasses, I would certainly have one of those FM3A's though, and curse the G lenses with the rest. :-)

[dmanthree]

I've been reading about Nikon's choice to abandon the aperture ring, and I have to agree, although I own a couple of ring-less lenses 9and like them), that I wish Nikon had followed the control philosophy of Pentax's 645NII. It's too simple. Put both the ring and speed dial on A and you're programmed. Put the ring on a number and you're aperture priority. Put the ring on A and the speed on a number and you're SS priority. Or set them both for manual use. Pentax's system of levers and dials is amazingly simple. No LCD screens, just a few very intuitive dials and levers.

 

Oh, well.

[carl smith]

I don't particularly miss the ring on newer lenses since in the past ten years the rings on Nikon lenses have gotten progressively crappier feeling IMO.

 

I agree, the Pentax system is absudly nice, and I've become so used to Canons dial system as well, although changing modes from AV to TV and so on isn't as magnificent it all still works.

[ron c sunshine coast,qld,a]

I really like the wireless transfer to a laptop thing!

<br>Sure,it doesn't seem to be THAT much different to tethered operation(what range does it have?) but it is a VERY sensible step forward.All digital cameras will have it one day

[david_h._hartman]

<em>"Would you really use such a lens (assuming it's

between 5000 and 10000 dollars) on a manual focus camera?"

--Ilkka Nissila<br>

</em><br>

Yes, and if I had not been so stupid as to buy a CD player back

when for $949.95 and a 27" TV for $1048.00 Id put my

200~400/4.0 AIS ED-IF Zoom-Nikkor on my F5 but then I was stupid.

I could have scratched up another $400.00 dollars somewhere. Easy

I would have passed up that 40MB hard drive I bought for $985.00.<br>

<br>

The sun, moon and stars do not rise and fall for auto-focus, I

want the optics.

[arnabdas]

"The sun, moon and stars do not rise and fall for auto-focus, I want the optics"

 

I really like this statement. Permission requested to use it somewhere sometime ...

[ShunCheung]

I am with Ilkka on this one. Very few people will spend all the money on AF-S and VR and put the lens on an MF body that cannot take advantage of those modern features. To me, the aperture ring is a very annoying carry-over feature from the past and whenever it slips out of its minimum setting, I get that stupid "FEE" in my viewfinder and my modern cameras cannot fire. My life is just easier without it. Canon EOS doesn't have any aperture ring since the late 1980's and neither does the new Hasselblad H1. That is simply the current trend.

 

There is clearly a very vocal minority that wants to use modern lenses on both the latest DSLRs and SLRs (F100, F80, etc.) as well as SLRs that were designed 3, 4 decades ago, including the current FM3a which is the modern incarnation of the 26-year-old FM design. It is just too bad for them. Based on my observation, G lenses are selling very well. The train has left the station and you simply can't turn back the clock any more.

 

Neither Canon nor Hasselblad gets "G lens" complaints because they changed the lens mounts so that their old and news stuffs are not compatible.

[mitz_molo1]

I still think that Nikon hasnt done enough to topple or worry Canon. I am pretty disappointed at how long it took them to be on par with them. But in a way I am still proud that they brought something out new.

 

Nikon D2h:Who takes burst of 8fps to 40 consecutive images anyway??? You might as well take a video camera. Kudos

 

Canon 1D: modest 8fps to 21 consecutive images.

 

Nikon D2h: 35ms shutter lag. Kudos.

 

Canon 1D: 55ms shutter lag.

 

Both 4 megapixel, but gives Canon points for getting it done early.

 

Nikon D2h: flash synchro 1/250s topshutter speed - 1/8000s

 

Canon 1D: 1/500s top shutter speed 1/16000s. kudos.

 

Focus length multiplier.... personally I really like the 35 mm format and would like a 1:1 as a small sensor of the D2h would cause problem in a long run.

 

I really dont like the DX lenses they're cheap and can only be used for dslrs getting away from the usual quality of professional lenses as it doesnt need to worry about vignetting in the corners and flares.

 

'G' type lens for telephoto is alright IMO as you cant control the aperture ring anyway when your holding part of the camera and the lens pointing at your subjects. You dont have time to change aperture when subject is moving fast. Just a secret between you and me... most sports photo and pj used program and shutter mode anyway. VR is definitely welcome.

 

Ultrawide to wide to med telephoto. I still think it would be great to have an aperture ring for this lenses.

Would love to see what the optical quality of the 200-400 VR.

[jemini_joseph]

Is there any technical reviews out yet? Professionals who has it please post some sample images. After all the maths, let's see some real world images. How's the nise and color??? Is it better than 10D? (I think 10D has the lowest noise now. I'm not sure though)

[constance_cook]

I can hear it now. "Give me the optics" will be like "show me the money"!

 

Conni

[ellis_vener_photography]

<I>Neither Canon nor Hasselblad gets "G lens" complaints because they changed the

lens mounts so that their old and news stuffs are not compatible.

</I><P> I don't know about Hasselblad but lots of Canon owners howled loudly for

years when Canon switched from the FD system to the EOS mount. The difference was

that there was no widespread use of the internet or even forums like this one at the

time for them to collectively whine in.

[david_h._hartman]

<em>"I am with Ilkka on this one. Very few people will

spend all the money on AF-S and VR and put the lens on an MF body

that cannot take advantage of those modern features." --

Shun Cheung<br>

</em><br>

But some people who will buy the 70~200/2.8 and 200~400/4.0 have

both AI and AF-D/AF-S camera bodies so naturally they want to use

the same lenses on all their Nikon cameras. <br>

<br>

Its quite acceptable if a new lenses does everything that

contemporary lenses did on an older body. For example a AF 35~70/2.8D

or AF 80~200/2.8D Nikkor works just fine on a Nikon F2As or Nikon

FE2 and does everything an AI or AIS lens did on these bodies. I

dont care that VR does not work on an FM2n or FE2 with MD-12.

I just want the most basic lens functions of focus and aperture

control. <br>

<br>

Also some people have used the subcommand dial for setting

apertures and decided they dont like it. I think in 1/3

stops on the aperture and I dont like the excessive use of

the right hand. The subcommand dial is a poor option (for me)

unless Im shooting wide open :)

[david_h._hartman]

<em>"collectively whine in." --EV<br>

</em><br>

Come on Ellis, some people sacrifice for photographic equipment

they own.

[ShunCheung]

"<I>But some people who will buy the 70~200/2.8 and 200~400/4.0 have both AI and AF-D/AF-S camera bodies so naturally they want to use the same lenses on all their Nikon cameras.</I>" -- David Hartman

<P>

David, you have made this same argument many times and we understand it. My point is that very few people will have this need, especially in a couple of years when most high-end users have switched to completely digital. Essentially only those high-end users can afford those very expensive lenses anyway. For those who have special needs to ues both a 21st century DSLRs and their 1977 FM, it is just too bad for them.

<P>

Again, since the aperture ring is near the lens mount. Every time you change lenses and twist that area of the lens, it is not that hard to accidentally move the aperture ring out of the minimun setting and you'll get that FEE when you try to shoot. This has happened to me enough times. If you are a pro and shoot action, and this problem happens a couple of times a week, you'll lose some important shots over time. Nikon simply cannot afford to keep this flaw in its pro lenses in the long run.