August Nikon D4, D400... how and when will Canon respond?

[Jimbo]

Rumor expects Nikon to announce their D4 and D400 in August (plus outside chance of D800). I'm wondering if Canon has a response. I'm happy enough with Canon, though I don't have all that many accessories,. If the D400 is superior to the 7D and Nikon has finally figured out how to shoot video, I may have to jump ship. Any Canon rumors worth waiting for?

I'm not sure I can wait. How bad do I need a new DSLR? I'm using a 350D. So I need it bad. I wish I'd bought a 7D. At the time I was thinking, its not much more money for full frame. So I put it off and, well now it seems a bit old. Then Nikon came out with the 7000D and I felt like, I really which I'd just bought that 7D when it came out. Coulda, shoulda, woulda...

http://nikonrumors.com/2011/06/27/nikon-d4-and-d400-in-august-d700-replacement-still-in-the-air.aspx/

 

[lol]

Do you think Canon sits around doing nothing between camera launches? They must already be working on the 7Dmk2 right now. But they're pretty good at keeping secrets so I wouldn't expect much news until much closer to launch, whenever that is.

CaNikon don't synchronise releases so there's always the inevitable leap-frogging. If the D400 doesn't blow away the almost two year old 7D that would be a major failing on Nikon's part, but the further question then is by how much? Even if it is "better", do you need whatever it will be? At what cost? In the same way, there's the 1D4 if you really do need something more now.

Personally I don't like playing the waiting game for something better that may or may not come along. If you need something, get it now. Don't worry about the future if you are missing the present.

 

[jebrady03]

Personally I don't like playing the waiting game for something better that may or may not come along. If you need something, get it now. Don't worry about the future if you are missing the present.

I agree and I'll add a caveat. Don't buy now if something highly important to you is missing. Otherwise, why wouldn't you buy? Waiting for "bigger and better" simply puts you in a position to miss out on doing what you love. TAKING PICTURES!

 

[zerotiu]

I may have to jump ship

I doubt that.. Please jump if you have courage to do it. A lof of my friends change to Canon. I don't say that you can't, but try it. I bet you will change to canon again 8). Consider the high price lenses of Nikon. You can try Nikon though if you like to play with flash. Nikon Creative Lighting System is amazing.

My suggestion is, you can buy other lenses before changing your body. Try L lenses

 

[Flake]

The other mans grass is always greener!

I wouldn't mind but the D3/D4 or D700/D800 are in no way direct competition to the 7D, as for the D400, well you will always find reviwers who will sing Nikons praises, because they are the dinosaurs who shot Nikon back in the days of film when Nikon was top dog. The D7000 has had loads of problems with users complaining of sharpness issues, for me 12MP was seriously behind the game for anything other than an action camera, so the D3 & 1D are direct competitors in a way that the D700 & D5 MkII are not.

There are pros & cons in all models and systems, it isn't as easy as saying one camera is better than another, unless it's really obvious, but there are those reviewers who will tell you exactly that, you should beware those reviews are they are very likely partisan.

A new camera will not make you a better photographer, Annie Leibowitz shoots with almost all models, but she puts so much into each shoot she'd probably get better results from a G12 than all the people on these forums using Haselblads.

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

Personally, I think Canon and Nikon cameras are all excellent, and i could work with either brand.

The tool is about 10% of the equation, a good photographer can learn to use what he has, while some jump from camera to camera hoping that the new one will improve their images and never knowing where the problem really lies.

 

[awinphoto]

At the end of the day, you've got to do what you got to do. And to be honest, the D300 to D300s upgrade was practically nothing (other than video). So if you look at it like that, Nokins D300(s) camera is getting pretty long in the tooth, and even at that, when the 7D came out, many reviewers sites basically said the 7d matched or was better in many regards... That I say yawn with this proposed upgrade. Now what I want to hear is rumors of the D800 because that could force canon's hand with the 5D upgrade. Hopefully the D4 could help with that as well.

 

[dr croubie]

CaNikon don't synchronise releases so there's always the inevitable leap-frogging

yes, but i'm putting my money on that, if the D4 comes first, the 1Ds4 will be announced within the week. happened last time with the D3-1Ds3.

and bring on the d300s replacement, then canon can announce the 7d2, which i'm buying on release, gotta ditch my 7d, the dead pixels are back again...

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

CaNikon don't synchronise releases so there's always the inevitable leap-frogging

yes, but i'm putting my money on that, if the D4 comes first, the 1Ds4 will be announced within the week. happened last time with the D3-1Ds3.

and bring on the d300s replacement, then canon can announce the 7d2, which i'm buying on release, gotta ditch my 7d, the dead pixels are back again...

Cameras from many different manufacturers are often announced at events like Photokina, thats why they happen in a week.

However, Nikon does leak announcements months in advance, and undoubtedly, a plan is out there for a Canon announcement. Brochures are printed about 3-4 weeks in advance, and distributed about one week or two weeks in advance to news outlets. Sample cameras are also loaned under strict agreements that info will not be published or leaked. Press Meetings will also be scheduled about 3 weeks in advance.

Once all this starts happening, information trickles out, often from China where printing is done. We'll pretty well know the specs one week ahead.

 

[Jimbo]

It stands to reason that for consumer cameras, manufacturers have a pattern to announce, and ship, before Christmas.

I can wait a couple months to find out about any Nikon D400 or any Canon 7D mk II.

What threw me off was how the D7000 basically failed to leapfrog the 7D.

Here's a chart I found, a rough guide http://www.flickr.com/photos/hadock/5061820843/

 

[lol]

What threw me off was how the D7000 basically failed to leapfrog the 7D.

The D7000 was never intended to. While the D7000 does have a nice build and rich feature list, it is still targeted at a lower level than the 7D.

 

[Flake]

Reading all the rumour pages, it's dissappointing that the predictions are based on nothing more than historical launches. Well Nikon launched it's last two Pro bodies in August so therefore the next one is due.

No where does anyone take into account the damage from the earthquake at the Sendai facility which was badly damaged, nor the problems Sony have had delivering a new chip. There's as much chance that we won't see a new Nikon at the normal launch date. The price of the D3x has increased by 12.5% since the earthquake, back to pre launch prices, and lead times are as long as two months - and that's if you can even find one, the Nikon D3s is similar, and if you need parts for these then you could be in for a long wait.

Obviously the problems are not solved and I'll not expect a launch until the price of Nikon Pro end bodies begins to fall back again.

 

[Jimbo]

What threw me off was how the D7000 basically failed to leapfrog the 7D.

The D7000 was never intended to. While the D7000 does have a nice build and rich feature list, it is still targeted at a lower level than the 7D.

You're right. Looking at http://www.flickr.com/photos/hadock/5061820843/ I think the D7000 is supposed to go against the 60D and the D300 and D300S compete (poorly) against the 7D.

Let's see if Nikon gets it right with a 400D, or if that at least stimulates Canon to replace the 7D, which like the 5D Mk II, and the 1D Mk III, is getting a little long in the tooth.

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

No where does anyone take into account the damage from the earthquake at the Sendai facility which was badly damaged, nor the problems Sony have had delivering a new chip.

Nikon has already stated that their planned new camera releases will be on schedule. http://nikonrumors.com/page/7/

Sony does not seem to be having any problems supplying sensors, they are planning to release a 24mP APS-C in late summer http://photorumors.com/2011/02/24/all-future-sony-alpha-models-to-have-translucent-mirror/

 

[Picsfor]

I don't really care what Nikon release, I do care what Canon release. I'm in the Market for a second body and currently only have a 1D4 to choose to match my 5D2. My next body will have a far superior focusing system to the 5D2 and have 2 memory card slots, I don't care what the model name is.

Oh, and I would like to see it released some where before I retire

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

I don't really care what Nikon release, I do care what Canon release. I'm in the Market for a second body and currently only have a 1D4 to choose to match my 5D2. My next body will have a far superior focusing system to the 5D2 and have 2 memory card slots, I don't care what the model name is.

Oh, and I would like to see it released some where before I retire

I retired before DSLR's came out. I'm hoping to get a new one before I get too old to use it.

 

[dr croubie]

the D300 and D300S compete (poorly) against the 7D.

in all areas except one major, the d300s takes 2 cards (i think 1xCF and 1xSD. but still, any backup is better than none).
and the nikon has (allegedly) better (flash) metering and more AF points (how well they work, no idea).
otherwise, the 7d wins on MP, (just) on FPS, and 1080p video...

 

[NXT1000]

Trust me, if there were no Nikon, we'd wait a lot longer for new Canon gear.

yeah i agree 100%, in fact canon waiting for the announcement too. That is why there will be no 5D3 without finding out what their only rival will do. The sooner D8 comes out, the sooner we get our sweatly palms on 5D3.

 

[motorhead]

As a very satisfied user of both Nikon and Canon over the years, I am highly amused at the number of users of both marques who complain bitterly about what they currently use and plan to jump to the "other side". It appears that the old belief that "the grass is greener on the other side" is still strong on both sides of the fence.

It is certainly true that Canon and Nikon have very different approaches to the finer points of camera features, but whether one or the other suits a particular person best is entirely a personal issue. I jumped from Nikon manual focus film bodies (FE and FA) straight to an Eos3 and it was a real struggle to get to grips with the everything. Not so much the sudden jump to far newer technology, although that did not help, as the complete culture change. I've found the move to digital from film much easier to cope with, but then I've stayed with Canon.

 

[Eagle Eye]

Who cares? Canon is still pulling the majority share in the SLR market. There is no rush for them to come out with a product to "compete" with Nikon. Nikon is competing with Canon, not the other way around. It will likely not be that way for long, as Nikon has been aggressively pushing their R&D for new models, but Canon has time now, especially in this economy, to milk their existing technologies. From a corporate perspective, this allows Canon to maximize profits while minimizing expenditures. I'd expect to see modest steps forward in the coming year.