Another Nikon FF body released -- is this a new segment for Canon?

[ahsanford]

Nikon just put out their D750 announcement:

http://petapixel.com/2014/09/12/nikon-d750-officially-announced-24mp-full-frame-dslr-designed-photo-enthusiasts/

Nikon has, of course, gone a little crazy with all the FF offerings. But the D750 is not a weird sidebar project (like the D800E), a retro/style play (Df), a quality fix (like the D610) or a refresh/update (like the D810). This is a new segment at first glance.

I thought the FF market had settled into:

Entry: 6D / D6-something (2 models 1 model :)
Pro: 5D3 / D8-something (3 models)
Flagship: 1DX / D4-something (2 models)

It looks like (and I haven't scrutinized this terribly long) this D750 camera is a mish-mosh of:

* D6-something sensor (entry)
* D8-something AF system (pro)
* D8-something video (pro)
* D810 and D4s image processor (pro/flagship)
* 6.5 FPS burst (pro* is not quite this fast, but 6.5 is nowhere near their flagship level)
* D6-something fastest shutter speed (entry)

And everything -- features and price -- seems to line up with a new mid-level FF price point.

Is this tenable as a business model? Can Nikon sustain four price points of FF shooters and not:

• Leave one price point unattended for long periods with new offerings?
• Frustratingly blur the lines between the segments and have new offerings muddle things further?

As a consumer, I love all the options, but surely this is a tough road for Nikon to take, isn't it? Would Canon ever try to stretch out and subdivide the FF market in this fashion?

- A

 

[Loswr]

This is a new segment at first glance.

* 6.5 FPS burst (pro* is not quite this fast, but 6.5 is nowhere near their flagship level)

It's the D750, following the D700. The D700 had good resolution for the time (it was Nikon's response to Canon's 'affordable' FF 5D, and just like last time, it came too late since right after the D700 launch Canon announced the 5DII).

FWIW, the D700 shot 5 fps, but if you added the battery grip the frame rate went up to 8 fps, which is pretty darn good for a FF camera!

 

[FEBS]

2 years behind? who behind who?

This seems much more a 5D3 variant to me, 2 years after the 5D3 is released on the market, then only this spec? The Nikon reactions are not that positive. This is not a worthy successor of the marvelous D700. Think about water sealant, fps, 1/4000 max shutterspeed, missing AF-On, max 1/200 x-sync.

As mentioned by the OP, a lot of this camera is a mix of pro but also of entry level. Thought this Nikon would really push Canon to look at further development. However, it only seems a spec that's close to the 5D3. Never the less a nice specification, but not a D700 version 2.

 

[Coldhands]

Spec-wise seems to be a pretty close match to the 5DIII. Would it be overly optimistic for me to hope this will trigger a price drop on 5DIII?

 

[ahsanford]

2 years behind? who behind who?

This seems much more a 5D3 variant to me, 2 years after the 5D3 is released on the market, then only this spec? The Nikon reactions are not that positive. This is not a worthy successor of the marvelous D700. Think about water sealant, fps, 1/4000 max shutterspeed, missing AF-On, max 1/200 x-sync.

As mentioned by the OP, a lot of this camera is a mix of pro but also of entry level. Thought this Nikon would really push Canon to look at further development. However, it only seems a spec that's close to the 5D3. Never the less a nice specification, but not a D700 version 2.

Features-wise, I understand your point, but I price would imply pros will value this camera less. 5D3 is a D8-something competitor (regardless of the MP count). The 5D3 is a $3399 camera vs. the D750 at $2300.

So I'm assuming the build quality, pop-up flash, etc. imply the D750 is for enthusiasts more than pros. It may not be built for dyed-in-the-wool pros with tougher needs and higher expectations.

- A

 

[Sporgon]

In the UK the RRP of the new D750 is £1799. That also happens to be the RRP of the D610, although that camera actually sells now for about £1299. So it rather begs the question "what's going to happen once the D750 becomes discounted"?

You know how when you're at a party someone unfastens a balloon and let's it go............

 

[horshack]

2 years behind? who behind who?

This seems much more a 5D3 variant to me, 2 years after the 5D3 is released on the market, then only this spec? The Nikon reactions are not that positive. This is not a worthy successor of the marvelous D700. Think about water sealant, fps, 1/4000 max shutterspeed, missing AF-On, max 1/200 x-sync.

As mentioned by the OP, a lot of this camera is a mix of pro but also of entry level. Thought this Nikon would really push Canon to look at further development. However, it only seems a spec that's close to the 5D3. Never the less a nice specification, but not a D700 version 2.

Features-wise, I understand your point, but I price would imply pros will value this camera less. 5D3 is a D8-something competitor (regardless of the MP count). The 5D3 is a $3399 camera vs. the D750 at $2300.

So I'm assuming the build quality, pop-up flash, etc. imply the D750 is for enthusiasts more than pros. It may not be built for dyed-in-the-wool pros with tougher needs and higher expectations.

- A

The price and build may imply prosumer but Nikon wedding shooters will be looking past that and snapping up the D750. The D750 is basically a 5DM3 for Nikon shooters, albeit a few years late It solves the primary shortcoming of the D600/D610, which was the AF system, while giving them the lower MP they want vs the D800/D810.