This is unexpected to some of us! Olympus and Panasonic just announced a new mirrorless format and lens mount based on the venerable Four Thirds standard. Dubbed Micro Four Thirds System, the enhanced standard uses the same 18 x 13.5-mm sensor but promises 50% slimmer cameras due to the removal of the mirror box. We’re also looking at smaller lenses (while remaining compatible with existing Four Third lenses with an adapter) thanks in part to a new reduced lens mount which is now 6-mm smaller. With the mirror box gone, Micro Four Third cameras will lose the optical viewfinder so you’ll have to frame up your subjects using a Live View LCD or an external viewfinder.

How big of a development is this? Huge. As Phil Askey, editor over at dpreview puts it, “This is without doubt the most exciting digital photography announcement this year. It’s fair to say that this “extension / addition” to the Four Thirds standard is finally able to deliver on the original promise of that format; considerably smaller and lighter lenses and bodies.” Unfortunately, no products were announced so you’ve got plenty of time to debate the spec and pour over the illustrations.

 

 

 

[Via 1001 Noisy Cameras]

As we all drolled enough over the press shots on Nikon D700, it was highli expected to see it shipped and ready for action. Seeing someone unbox this full-frame beast on video is another experience entirely (bordering on spiritual, really). Video is just two minutes long and shows pretty well the content of the box, and that’s about it! No camera action yet. Still, a good reason to click through, especially is you enjoy old school, silent movies.

 Link >>> The Nikon D700 Unboxed

Nikon has been sending out press invites for an event on September 3rd. What could they possibly want to talk about just a few weeks before Germany’s Photokina expo? It could be Nikon’s sequel to their D80, the D90. Or, it could be the 24.4-megapixel D3x that was spotted in Nikon firmware. Or, in a slight breach of etiquette, Nikon could skip the D90 and just release the D100, making the entire photography world crap itself. Because that would be a photo op.

Read link: electronista

An  good side by side comparision is available now on dpreview.com website. It is important to understand the image resolution in connection with image sensor phisical size.

Read link>>> Pixel Density: when Moore is less 

Read Link>>> Digital Cameras Side-by-Side, 7 cameras

 

Good days for Nikon. In addition to the announcement of the D700, Nikon has revised the firmware of the D3 and D300.

 

 

• The D3 firmware adds new function button customization options though not the ones featured on the D700. In addition to these and a virtual horizon in live view mode,
• Nikon has also addressed the problem that some users experienced in which the battery indicator would incorrectly register an empty battery. This problem, which has come to be known as ‘Dead Battery Syndrome,’ has also been addressed in new firmware for the D300.
• D3 firmware makes improvements to AF and Auto White Balance mode, as well as correcting for the battery indicator errors.
• Many of the other changes are subtle tweaks to menus and behavior, such as the decision to only all auto-rotate of images in playback mode, not in the review image that appears after shooting (as the camera must already be in the correct orientation to have taken the shot).

The only D700 feature to appear is the addition of a visualization of the virtual horizon function to live view mode. Other than this, the new function button customization options are not as extensive as its new baby brother.

Here are the download links:

D3 firmware v2.00 LINK: Mac
D3 firmware v2.00 Link: PC

D300 firmware v1.03 LINK: Mac
D300 firmware v1.03 LINK: PC

More details about the D3 changes can be found by clicking here.

 

 

Nikon has confirmed two tilt and shift (also known as perspective correction) lenses we first heard of in January this year. There is the ‘normal focal length’ PC-E Micro Nikkor 45 mm F2.8D ED and ‘medium telephoto’ PC-E Micro Nikkor 85 mm F2.8D, both of which provide ±8.5° tilt, ±11.5mm shift and 90° axial (rotation) movement and also have the much touted ‘Nano Crystal Coat’. When used on the D3, D300 (and we presume D700) these lenses also provide automatic aperture control as well as manual override using the aperture ring on the lens.

Here are the dpreview links for:

• Press Release
• Specifications
• Additional information

 

 

 

The Nikon D700 is now official. Dpreview.com already had an hands-on preview. The D700 and D300 are basically the same cameras, with the exception of the full frame sensor: the D700 inherits the (probably) the same sensor with D3, at a lower price and more compact body. D700 really only faces the Canon EOS 5D (and any replacement that may be in the works). Price is $2999 or €2599 body only, for sale in July.

 

The D700 key features after the break:

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First specifications of D700 showed up in a German magazine earlier today. A high resolution scan is available here, on DPReview forum. It looks like many specifications are similar to the much more expensive D3, for a lower price. ( €2,600 price tag — or just over $4,000).

Here are some of the key features I was able to tranlate from German:

• Sensor Size: FX
• Resolution: 12.1 megaixel
• ISO: 200-6400
• Storage: CF (1 card only as opposed to two for D3)
• Frame coverage: 95% (100% for D3…)
• Weight: 1073g
• Size: 147×123x77mm