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im thinking about a full frame (FX) nikon body, and today there is only one, the D3. for the investment, would like to get the D3, but like to ask opinions / speculations for when the D300 body may be full frame, with the ISO performance of the D3. is it usually around 18 months between model releases, and do you think the next D300 type will be FX?

I know some who know me will just say shut up, and get the D3, but trying to apply a bit of bean counting to the decision in going to FX.

Bruce,

I think the next most likely release will be a D3x which will also be full frame but with sensor resolution around the same as the D300. i.e. with a DX lens you'll get around the same number of pixels as the D300.

I would guess that an upgrade (other than minor) to the D300 would be some ways off and won't necessarily be FX.

d300fx will be 12-18 months away and imo the d400 wont exist in dx format. the d90 will be a good indicator of nikon's future direction at the top end of their models. if its a highly specced model theres no reason for a d300 in dx format anymore. the 6d will add further fuel to the fx format.

What happens when they get past D90?? Will they reuse D100 or move on to another designation/series??

Oz_Beachside wrote:I know some who know me will just say shut up, and get the D3, but trying to apply a bit of bean counting to the decision in going to FX.

Bruce, shut up and get the D3.
With the new FX glass on it (14-24, 24-70) you will not regret it.

Cheers
John

Hi Bruce....
my thoughts for what it is worth .... you are coping ok with the D200 for now .... can you get by with it for another few months and more importantly, will your clients really notice the difference? I am loving the D3 but I also know that if you go springing $6500 for one you'll probably only going to get grumpy as the newer models start rocking up in the near future. The offer is still there to have a play with my camera if you are not sure.
Hope this little voice of conscience is a help!
Cheers, Ants

actually, its around $5,200...not $6500. but who's counting ? lol
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Nikon-D3-12-1m-D ... m153.l1262

Actually the D3 is $2,600 !!!

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Nikon-D3-SLR-12- ... dZViewItem

Yeah, right. Now where do I send my dosh? Should I take a picture of it first? (so I can remember what it looked like)

The next FX camera is most likely a D3X (D3 body with a higher MP count sensor - 24MP) - currently expected to be out this year.

Also, there is talk of a prosumer FX body - serious speculation didn't expect it until next year, but Nikon might surpise us and announce it this year. It is thought that it will be called the D10 (and use the same vertical/battery grip as the D300). Could go either way in terms of sensor - 12MP or 18MP.

All of the above is of course speculation. Take it with a grain (or two!) of salt.

it really comes back down to what you need it for. if you're going to be doing a whole lot of available light shoots in low light conditions or if you're constantly hitting the limits of the camera, then get the D3. As much as I'm busting to go back to Nikon right now, there's no huge discernible reason for me to switch back. I'm happy with what I currently have, albeit still ergonomically annoying but it's not stopping me from taking the type of photos that I want to.

Personally I'd sit and wait and in the meantime continue to shoot, shoot and shoot If I had to do it again, I wouldn't have jumped to Canon and the option of renting at the time hadn't occurred to me grrrr. Then again, was a good thing as well as now I'm shooting comfortably with ISO 1000+

Antsl wrote:Hi Bruce....
my thoughts for what it is worth .... you are coping ok with the D200 for now .... can you get by with it for another few months and more importantly, will your clients really notice the difference? I am loving the D3 but I also know that if you go springing $6500 for one you'll probably only going to get grumpy as the newer models start rocking up in the near future. The offer is still there to have a play with my camera if you are not sure.
Hope this little voice of conscience is a help!
Cheers, Ants

oh master, thanks for the words of wisdom. part of my brain agrees, as I would get more enjoyment getting some light modifiers than a D3 just now... and, I think I could get the same results with a D1x given the resolution requirements of my work. I know that the "lust" ends precisely 1.2 days after delivery anyway...

been doing some batch processing lately and a desktop dedicated to photography would be good too, lol.

I like Wayne's attitude too, shoot, shoot, and shoot! its what I enjoy.

think I've had too much time on my hands waiting for the start of the next stage of my largest project of the year, back into it next week

johnd wrote:Bruce, shut up and get the D3.

thanks John. I know I have brought this up too many times now havent I... let me go out the back and shake some of those money trees and see what falls...

Oz_Beachside wrote:.... I would get more enjoyment getting some light modifiers than a D3 just now...

Problem solved .... good light modifiers will make a difference to your images and and they will have a more useful life beyond any digital camera you care to buy at the moment. Buy the light modifiers!

Antsl wrote:Problem solved .... good light modifiers will make a difference to your images and and they will have a more useful life beyond any digital camera you care to buy at the moment. Buy the light modifiers!

uh oh, borges have the 5 foot octobox in stock... now, if only it would fit in my VW

I just got the 1.5m umbrella box, universal fit and acts like an octobox, very nice things.

oh no, somehting terrible has happened...

B&H and Adorama have what I want in stock, and I tripped over my card and ordered them!!!

eggcrates for my soft strips and a 5 foot octobox with its own eggcrate. oh, and a lovely beauty dish with difuser... hope they arrive in time for next weeks catalog shoot.

horrible internet place...  PS: dont tell pirostitch...

I was going to tell you where I got mine from but you cheated...

On a relatively superficial level, my prediction is that the successor to the D300 will not be D400,
I reckon there will be a deviation from the pattern.

You heard it here first.

Can i suggest the possibility of teh D400 being DX (keeping the D*** series cameras as the PRO DX; now that the D* is all FX) and then introducing another line of prosumer FX, maybe D1000??? price about the same as a D300 but not as well spec'd, or if it comes out next to the D400, up spec the D400 and ahve a D300-spec D1000 FX.

No real evidence to support, but i woudl do it that way, cause it would give nikon another model, comfort the DX users, fight the 5D II or 6D and keep a pro DX model for the pros and serious enthusiasts who dont want to go full frame due to the amount of DX lenses they have. the EOS 1D MkIII is still a crop sized sesor (1.3x rather than 1.5x in DX)

the D80x/D90 will be a nice to see when it arrives

jsut a thought

Greg B wrote:On a relatively superficial level, my prediction is that the successor to the D300 will not be D400,
I reckon there will be a deviation from the pattern.

You heard it here first.

hmmm, thought provoking....

my first thoughts when I saw the name "FX", compared to DX, was that the name will swing back, and the successor to the D3* will be F4!

Oz_Beachside wrote:oh no, somehting terrible has happened...

B&H and Adorama have what I want in stock, and I tripped over my card and ordered them!!!

eggcrates for my soft strips and a 5 foot octobox with its own eggcrate. oh, and a lovely beauty dish with difuser... hope they arrive in time for next weeks catalog shoot.

horrible internet place...  PS: dont tell pirostitch...

oh, adorama do a great job, grids and massive 5 foot octobox arrived today, so pleased with the grids giving me more control over spillage, especially since i have a very small studio space.

cant wait to shoot with them on friday!!!

don't tell me what? hahaha

nice work on the new acquisitions

Can I just clarify one thing, the D400 don't exist at this point in time.