Nikon's Full Frame Flagship?

[Digigenic]

Well, the specs seem to be on target, and the 3D illustration doesn't necessarily lead one to believe the camera is completely legit, but it's certainly a forward thinking design.
...Canon, watch ya back...

Nikon D3 specs
- FF 22M CMOS
- Magnesium Alloy body
- 8.5fps, 50JPEG (fine) or 40 NEF
- 2.8in LCD, 250k pixel
- CAM 2000 11 pt AF
- no internal flash
- MF lens data input - (can use MF lens with all modes)
- Battery level shown in %
- ISO 50 - 3200
- Shutter speed 30s - 1/18000s + B
- Compact Flash and SD storage
- build-in WT-3 Wireless Transmitter, with optional Antenna to improve
transmission
- 2150mAH Lithium battery, 6 x NiMH in Grip
- weight: 1250g
- dimension 180 x 175 x 95 (mm)
- Announce at the end of 2005

[Asa]

Yikes! That's COOL!

There's no way in hell that they'll announce it at the end of '05 though. Most manufacturers announce their really cool stuff at the PMA convention in February.

[kai]

Where'd you find this "info"? The illustration looks more like something from a student's demo vs any sort of actual product mockup.

[Digigenic]

Originally Posted by Asa

Yikes! That's COOL!

There's no way in hell that they'll announce it at the end of '05 though. Most manufacturers announce their really cool stuff at the PMA convention in February.

I agree, PMA sounds more plausible.
But, is it not possible that they announce it at the end of the year and actually have it available for release two months later for PMA? That would be interesting.

Originally Posted by kai

Where'd you find this "info"? The illustration looks more like something from a student's demo vs any sort of actual product mockup.

The info. was originally retrieved from a Japanese photography site that I followed through the digital photography review forums.
I agree that the illustration doesn't substitute for the actual product mockups we've seen before, but it's interesting none the less. From a design standpoint, it's very appealing, as it doesn't appear to use preexisting parts derived from old film bodies. It looks as though it has been developed as a digital camera from the ground up, a completely different animal.

[kai]

agreed. Hopefully they actually release it. Quite ergonomic.

[henryp]

Originally Posted by Asa

There's no way in hell that they'll announce it at the end of '05 though. Most manufacturers announce their really cool stuff at the PMA convention in February.

PMA is a hot time for new hardware announcements, but there's a major US show at the Javits Center in NYC the end of this week and manufacturers often use that as a forum for new goodies too.
Photo Plus Expo

[Asa]

Hadn't heard of that one (Photo Plus Expo)...who knows, maybe they'll release it. I don't know if I like the ergonomics though. It looks - dare I say it - like a Canon...

[jin08611]

It is very hard for nikon to came out a camera with the specs that you have listed, due to they do not make their own COMS chips which make harder to get the new product out quickly. unlike sony and canon which produce their won COMS chips for their own high end cameras.


compars; D100, D70, D50 to 10D, 20D, 350D, now the 5D

[Digigenic]

Originally Posted by jin08611

It is very hard for nikon to came out a camera with the specs that you have listed, due to they do not make their own COMS chips which make harder to get the new product out quickly. unlike sony and canon which produce their won COMS chips for their own high end cameras.

Actually, they co-develop their CMOS sensors with Sony.
Nikon is highly involved in the development process before, during, and after the chip is made.
Sony, being the huge semiconductor manufacturer that they are, has no problem making the chips for Nikon to implement into their cameras, possibly in exchange for the liscense of some other odd end technological advances that could only be provided by Nikon.

Nikon has a relationship with other Digicam manufacturers as well, such as Fuji, who happens to develop some of the world's most advanced CCD sensors.
So, even if the deal between Nikon and Sony were to go belly up, Fuji would likely be able to step in (might have already happened) to meet and/or exceed Nikon's sensor development needs within this segment.

Oh yeah, don't forget about Kodak either, who Nikon assisted in their venture for the 14n full frame pro system years ago, and who's recently announced the manufacturing of 40+Megapixel sensors. From what I gather, the wafers are over 40 MP covering a larger format sensor to be used for digital backs. But when simply split in half, the dimensions of the sensor fit a 35mm full frame, still offering over 20MP within said dimension.

Anyway, there are a great number of resources available to Nikon just from within their own camp, and they've continued to deepen their access to resources via high profile, cutting edge manufacturers such as Sony, Fuji, and Kodak.

If worse came to worse, Canon would still owe Nikon in return for them using Nikon glass back in the day when they first started out...
Payback could be a bitch.