What's up with Nikon?

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DVX100Shooter

Veteran
I have been a Nikon owner since summer of 2009 and love my D90 and have been using it lot lately for shooting video. It seems like Canon is really kicking butt when it comes to HDSLRS!!! Everytime I read an article in a DV or HDVideo Pro magazine or something on Creative Cow its always Canon 5D or 7D and now they just released a 60D! The 5D is used on countless music video sets and was even used in various scenes in Ironman 2. Seriously when is Nikon gonna start pushing out some new products to compete with Canon? A lot of my Nikon buddies are jumping or have jumped ship from Nikon and now own Canon's!

I know Nikon released a entry level HDSLR camera a few weeks ago which is a good start but I had hoped they would have released something that would be comparable to the 5D or 7D by now.

Anybody heard of anything? The only rumor I heard is that Nikon may release a high end HDSLR camera sometime in December but again that is just a rumor I heard a while back.
 
Supposedly they are going to officially announce the D7000 on 9/15/2010. Looks promising.

Between the D3100 and the Canon T2i, I'd take the Canon. But this D90 replacement may be just what the doctor ordered if the price is decent.
 
You're forgetting one thing... Nikon is totally new to video, Canon and Panasonic and Sony have been making videocams for 200 years!
 
As a Nikon user, I feel all your pain. The D7000 looks like the HDSLR to get. It's true that Nikon has very little video experience, but the one thing I'm banking on is they don't have a video sector to protect. We know Canon, Panny, and Sony have the technology to produce a full frame HDSLR capable of alias free 1080p video with a robust codec. But it would undermine their professional product lines. I believe Nikon can do this and maybe more with their next HDSLR line. And jump right to step 3 for profit! But then sometimes I find myself waking up.
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well just have to wait and see , if they listen to their customers or not
when the d7000 comes out
if they dont , we will see them put out once again a restricted AF-C only camera like the d3100 , with no manual control

i am afraid they still think video in dslr's are minor issue , they dont realise , people are buying the 7d,5d,gh1 mainly for that
 
I would like to point out that Nikon is is concerned more with making the still cameras that all other still cameras want to be like. The d3s literally changed everything and they are having no problem selling them to photographers. I am a Nikon shooter, and while I dream of the day Nikon releases a proper VDSLR, I have come to accept that I may just have to use my Nikon for stills and a Canon or Panasonic for video. Which would still cost less then say buying an hpx170 and 35mm adapter setup. I also think that even if Nikon releases an amazing video capable cam, it is going to be hard to integrate it into the vast amount of Canon shoots.

well see.
 
Ahh, the D90... in decades of shooting Nikon, it's one of their smashing successes in a body. For stills anyway.

You need to keep in mind - even with seeing Canon SLRs on "House" and "24" and every back yard zombie flick - financially, is that even a drop in the bucket to Canon (at least at this point in history)? Canon is working with filmmakers - but is their interest in this market profitable, or is it like free R&D, or are they banking on a future for some hybrid cinema-cam (their own version of Scarlet say?)

Keep in mind how deep we all had to dig to answer the most basic video questions of the 60D - they weren't screaming "FULL MANUAL VIDEO" or "FINALLY MANUAL AUDIO CONTROL!!!" in all their releases.

There simply must be some basement full of nerds in lab coats trying to squeeze raw (or raw-ish) video out of an affordable chip setup, at either Nikon or Canon - it's simply human nature. Will it see the light of day? Certainly, but perhaps not as soon as we'd like. When 1080p's as passe as DV, they'll start selling 2k to the consumer - just watch. But the money's in making high def easy for the consumer right now.

Will Nikon blow us away with a "we get it" DSLR that leapfrogs Canon? We'll see, that's the question of the week. I think it's clear that Canon will keep advancing their system for at least the next round of product.

But Nikon - they started all this, and it seems it was more of an afterthought ("hey, we have a video feed to the LCD, can we get it on the memory card?"). Did they foresee where it would go? And is where it went a huge thing to we that populate these forums, but just not that exciting to a global corporation?

Nikon's new products this week will simply be the next chapter in that story - I do have my fingers firmly crossed.
 
Michael Carter said:
Will Nikon blow us away with a "we get it" DSLR that leapfrogs Canon? We'll see, that's the question of the week. I think it's clear that Canon will keep advancing their system for at least the next round of product.
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Concerning video, I don't think Nikon will get ahead Canon specs wise for the next month/years.

But I also don't think that that means their video mode being worse than Canon's.
It's like when Nikon stuck to their 12MP for stills when everyone was screaming for more and competitors were yelling how much more pixel they had to offer.

Later Canon and others were screaming "1080p video" although true resolution is hardly better than 720p.

My math teacher used to say 'Think before you shi*', I believe that's how Nikon is doing it.

EDIT: admittedly, it takes a looong time for them to take a dump.
 
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Well, it seems if Nikon/Canon are listening to their customers, there's a decent consensus on what's wanted (this is my take at least).

Less compression (speak of that as codecs, formats, bit rates, whatever - we want cleaner video, less moire, more "true" resolution). And no stairstep artifacts. That's the big daddy I assume - cleaner image, hopefully one that can be keyed effectively.

Less Jello (eps. from Nikon - sheesh!)

1080p, Nikon! (But if Nikon doesn't offer 720 at 60p, I still gotta keep my Canon for slow motion).

Full manual control (Nikon again!) Hopefully with by-the-numbers color temp (D90 has it, T2i doesn't, other Canons do)

Useable audio - at least the ability to turn off AGC. Decent preamps & converters. On-screen VU metering. Audio gain control would be nice, too. It would be great to get useable audio.

HDMI out for monitoring that doesn't kill the on-camera LCD. Add in a no-junk display mode for those who want to record off the tap.

I know some of you want longer record times. We keep being told it's a tech issue - or a tax issue. For me a non-issue, but that's just me.
 
I guess I spoke to soon! LOL! I am liking what I have been reading on the new D7000!!! I Came across this cool little video from Chase Jarvis that he made with the D7000 to show what it can do. In some of the shots, they built a rig and put it on a remote controlled helicopter for a cool aerial shot!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMbBKukJzBk
 
I was pretty quick to bash Nikon (after being a Nikon convert for the past 7 or so years) because of their perennial second to third place ranking for HDSLR... but after getting a t2i and some expensive glass on it... Nikon isn't going away.

I think it's only a matter of time before the waves settle in a way that all HDSLRs have more or less the same feature-set... with everything people want out of them within a given price-range... and once the resolution, ISO, monitoring, audio... "the specs race"... is neck and neck... the focus will go back to the quality and look of the footage.

I think when (if?) that happens... that Nikon will be the winning brand.

As long as we're busting Nikon's chops on lagging behind in all this... I gotta' say that after switching over to Canon, from Nikon... I'm disappointed that Canon just can't seem to figure out how Nikon is getting the colors and look right. (opinion? yes, but go to THIS PAGE HERE and scroll 3/4 of the way down to the picture of the trees in autumn colors... mouse over that. THAT is what I'm experiencing with my t2i... coupled with expensive glass... in comparison to my freakin' old D70s, with lower-grade glass...)... which is wanting me to make a thread asking what's up with Canon.

It's almost like one company has the superior mind... and the other has the superior heart. As cutting edge technology trickles down the "heart" company is probably going to win (in my book).
 
I loved my D-90 but gave up and sold it and bought a Canon 7D and I was a lifetime Nikon user. I wish they would have kept up.
 
I bought the D90 first and then a 7D. I understand why people are jumping ship if they are doing video. I actually kept my D90 because I think it takes better photos then the 7D and it DEFINITELY works better on our telescope that the 7D as we tested them thoroughly. But, for video, the D90 is SO FAR behind the 7D it is not even funny. And I don't mean just the lack of manual controls either. The rolling shutter is SO MUCH worse, and the aliasing as well. Granted, I think if I compared 720p to 720p then aliasing is about the same.

I agree that I really had wished Nikon kept up as well. But, I just don't see it happening. I remember a time when everyone was running out and getting a D70 or such for photos, but now I hear people deciding between t2i or GH1 now a days and barely a mention of Nikon as much.

There reason I got the D90 is I coveted the D70 a friend had who took amazing pictures.
 
Zim said:
Maybe about time to switch back!!
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until the 8D and 5dmk3 come out, and then switch back again? jk

The D7000 is now at workable standards, so yeah, no reason to not buy in. I wouldn't buy it for purely video uses though, unless all your lenses are expensive modern nikon lenses that benefit from being on a nikon body. But the verdict is still out on the new nikon's abilities, and I am willing to change my mind, but from what I've seen, it looks like first gen dslr footage. Very nice, but no clear advantages.

Better to buy best in class for your needs:
-Graphics and green screen: a real camcorder with a good codec and color space
-low light and shallow dof: 5dmk2
-cheap video dslr: nex,T2i, GH1
-Multiple frame rates dslr: 7D/60D, GH1/GH2
-external monitoring: GH2?
-and lets not forget about real film (of course, this is price inhibitive for non-pros)
-event videos: real video camera
-vintage: the vintage camera that posses those qualities
-ultra compact: NEX etc
- all in one: AF100 (of course, this is price inhibitive for non-pros)

One reason for a mirror-less body is the fact that one can take full frame lenses and turn them into tilt/shift lenses with an adapter.

If this were a photography forum, I may be more positive towards the D7000, but even then, often the case with these enthusiast models is that it is better to get the lower or higher model.

The D7000 will still be great for Documentary, artistic films, and student filmers. And really, it will have no problem going on web or TV with the right user, however, it still is not a well rounded video camera, nor does it have any clear advantages, that other cameras possess.

So, yeah, what is up with nikon?
-They are either behind technologically (video-wise)
-or they are eeking out technology in order to optimize profit.

All that said, anyone who likes the d7000 has their reasons, and should be happy with that. I have no qualms with that, and I look forward to their films. I have my reasons, and I hope they benefit someone's decision.
 
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"What's up with Nikon"? Well, the D90 is my favorite still camera body in 15+ years of shooting Nikon's pro bodies. And it's more of a "prosumer" body, but it "gets it right" like no other Nikon's I tried of that era. D200/etc were nice, but I didn't feel the extra grand brought much to my workflow.

When these discussions come up, I continually wonder what percent of Nikon/Canon's DSLR sales are from strictly video buyers. (Might be hard to track that metric, but I imagine it's a drop in the bucket right now). Nikon's serving their primary market.

Canon seems more actively involved with filmmakers, and big-time cinematographers state that Canon is "working with them". Perhaps Canon is being more forward-thinking abut the future of this stuff.

If we are a blip on the balance sheet, I can't image it'll be very long before there's an "indie cinema" camera with 5D-ish quality and price but real "cinema" features, from NiCan or someone else. We just need a better codec and better audio for starters. Make a $2500 camera with the 5D's sensor quality, a better codec, audio like a DVX/HVX, and selectable Nikon or Canon lens mount - would you sell a ton of 'em? Who knows.

Hopefully the Af100 points to a future "DVX" market camera with something like the above features.
 
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