Advanced Nikon Hybrid

Spectra

Spectra

Active member
Just finished part 2 of an article I wrote about a hypothetical VDSLR hybrid camera from Nikon that shoots RAW video.

Anyone else like to see a camera like this?

I would be interested to hear any other suggestions about what you think needs to be included to make a great still / video hybrid. Here is Part2 of the article which includes a hyperlink to the first part.

http://www.digitalrev.com/en/pimp-my-hybrid-part-2-7132-article
 
That's a pretty cool concept of a modular design, but I'd still prefer the ergonomics of a dedicated video camera for video work.

Here's my feature wishlist for a Nikon prosumer camcorder:
DX-sized sensor
Support for AI/AIS manual lenses, screw-type AF lenses, and AF-I/AFS motor-type lenses
Optional/removable adapter module with two XLR inputs (+48v phantom power capable)
Recording to SD card Class 4 or Class 6 media
Dual card slots
High resolution viewfinder eyepiece
High resolution articulated screen (the current 3" LCD would be great!)
720 at 24p, 30p, 60p
1080 at 24p, 30p, 60i
Intervalometer
Waveform monitor, Zebras, and marker exposure indicators
Gain selectable as units of ASA/ISO instead of db.
Range of ISO100-3200 of usable quality, expandable to 6400+
CMOS sensor with FAST sensor read
4:2:0 color space
HDMI, RCA, Component video out
Under-$3000 price point (street price)

...essentially I want this to be a Sony NEX VG-10 style hybrid in Nikon mount with the progressive recording modes of my Panasonic HMC-40, the LCD screen from my Nikon D7000 with articulated motion like the flip-out LCD screen of my HVX200, the light sensitivity of a Nikon D7000, and the eyepiece viewfinder resolution of the Panasonic GH-1.


I'd also love to see a Nikon equivalent to the HVX200 or HPX-170 or other professional camcorder with the following additional/alternate features:
Variable framerate selections (overcranking and undercranking speeds for timelapse or slowmo)
Built-in, user selectable ND filter
Two built-in XLR inputs (+48v phantom power capable)
Recording to P2, Compact Flash, Sony SxS card or other more-robust-than-SDXC memory format...
HD-SDI, HDMI, RCA, Component out
4:2:2 color space
Under $6000 price point (street price)

I would spend $10,000 to buy both of these cameras. Do you hear me Nikon? I WILL BUY THESE IF YOU SELL THEM. :-D
 
I have been saying it for a while now, there is no doubt in my mind that Nikon will release a killer large sensor video camera in the not so distant future. They are developing their own technology and improving the movie side of their DSLRs. And of course they don't have a full video camera business. So the next logical step for them will be to go that route. I am sure that when they do their new large sensor video camera will be phenomenal. I hope that it is sooner than later of course.
 
I can't say I don't like the idea. I also don't know why Nikon didn't take the HDSLR idea & fully run with it since they had no video line to protect.

I'd get more excited about your article if it was from the mouth of Nikon themselves but as it stands it sounds more like a pipe dream.
 
JasonAllen127 said:
That's a pretty cool concept of a modular design, but I'd still prefer the ergonomics of a dedicated video camera for video work.
Click to expand...

Agreed...but this is a hybrid designed to do both still and video tasks and I think it fulfils that criteria better than having a video camera ergonomic design that can be used to shoot stills....like the VG-10 hybrid as an example.

Thanks for your input.
 
ethan cooper said:
I can't say I don't like the idea. I also don't know why Nikon didn't take the HDSLR idea & fully run with it since they had no video line to protect.

I'd get more excited about your article if it was from the mouth of Nikon themselves but as it stands it sounds more like a pipe dream.
Click to expand...

Yes it is no doubt more about what I would like to see in a hybrid camera design than what we may actually get from Nikon...their lack of NTSC and PAL progressive frame rates in the D7000 full HD mode was for me a very disappointing omission. I hope to see 25P + 30P added in their new pro DX camera when it is finally released....RAW video would be even better but only if the pixel count is around the 10-12MP mark. RAW video file sizes would be too large and the data rate too high with anything above that number of pixels IMHO.
 
John Caballero said:
I have been saying it for a while now, there is no doubt in my mind that Nikon will release a killer large sensor video camera in the not so distant future. They are developing their own technology and improving the movie side of their DSLRs. And of course they don't have a full video camera business. So the next logical step for them will be to go that route. I am sure that when they do their new large sensor video camera will be phenomenal. I hope that it is sooner than later of course.
Click to expand...

Yes the colour, noise characteristics and DR Nikon are able to extract from their sensors in a camera that can shoot RAW video would set a very high standard that would be very hard for other manufacturers to match IQ wise.
 
I can't say I don't like the idea. I also don't know why Nikon didn't take the HDSLR idea & fully run with it since they had no video line to protect.
Click to expand...

Logic would say that because Nikon doesn't have a video line their development of video in their HDSLR cameras has been slow. Canon, Panasonic and Sony already have R&D for their video cameras that I assure you is shared for their HDSLRs video development. Once Nikon gets their video department up and running is going to be a whole different story. And believe me they will because they have to keep evolving to keep making money and money making is a huge incentive for camera companies.
 
I imagine there's also the fact that Nikon doesn't have a sales & marketing force in the video world; and their corporate culture may have trouble "seeing" themselves as a video brand.

No sales or marketing and with only the R&D used to squeeze video from the live view feed would make me, as a CEO, very wary about entering a crowded market, and the only thing I've heard about Nikon going there are wishes. The D7000 experience doesn't give me a lot of faith that they consider the sub $2k high-def cinema style shooter a huge market (and I've never heard the slightest projection of what that market size is). There are 70,000 members of this site and I couldn't tell you what percentage are serious about DSLR video.

On the other hand, if Nikon could get it right - beautiful "Nikon" look with a better codec than AVHCD that can still record to affordable media (or a decent codec-to-card and a way to record less-compressed externally), they'd have (at least) an AF100 challenger on their hands - and I could see plenty of people very excited to shoot with a black camera with metallic-gold logos (that is to say, Nikon could very quickly become taken seriously as a video brand).

But, reality check: look how many people were certain we'd get a D90 firmware update.

All the rumor & conjecture is certainly getting tiring. At least Panny announced the Af-100 with a concise set of specs that many find exciting, and they seem to be sticking to their date.
 
The D7K is a huge step up from them video-wise, hopefully they'll carry that over to the new D700 replacement, supposedly due early next year. If they, say, double the capabilities of the 5D II in video AND stills, without much difference in price, they would sell many, many copies.
 
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