Nikon D800 coming soon?
October 29th, 2008
Heck, things are moving FAST for Nikon!! The "problem":
Checking out Sony's A900 with 24.6 Megapixels I guess Nikon's strategy department is in a bit of fix. It's D3x was supposed to have this resolution, but the long delay in it's "imminent" release - which still hasn't happened yet - is now clear. Sony is keeping the first-mover advantage to itself by presenting a 24MP camera in the D700'ish price range. Wow! Since Sony is Nikon's sensor supplier and any D3x will probably have the A900's sensor, the A900's price-point will have a hard time convincing anyone to buy a D3x for probably double the price. Heck, the 12MP D3 sells for more than the A900! (sure, it may be faster but that's about it). What can Nikon do? Plan A: - Let the D3 go it's own way, reducing price significantly while not infringing D700 territory - Replace it with the D3X with a lower price point than the D3. - Eventually or simultaneously (sooner rather than later - the Sony is already out!) release a D800 with a slightly higher price point than the D700 (similar to the Sony) Plan B (more probable): - Introduce a D800 competing with the A900 sooner rather than later at a A900 price-point. This will also serve to blow some wind out of Canon's 5D-II offering with it's 21MP sensor. It will/must have a movie mode - never mind that everyone says they don't need it. Also never mind that spectacular Canon-sponsored short movie taken with the 5D-II. It could have been taken with the D90's movie mode as well, but then Nikon is all "features" while Canon is "benefits". - Sit back and think up a feature-set for a D3X which will convince people to shell out a premium for it. The target of the D800? Pixel-hungry commercial, landscape and surveyor photographers. Us wedding photographers won't be letting go of our D700's just yet: The A900 is only rated at 3200 ISO with additional boost modes - same as the D300. The killer low-ISO-capability of the 12MP sensors is missing. Whew, and I just thought my D700 would soon be obsolete!
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