New Nikon?

[blansky]

I've recently purchased the Nikon D200 for my initial foray into digital photography and after having used Hasselblad for many years I'm wondering if Nikon has a 20MP camera in the near future.

Before I get too carried away with more Nikon lenses, I have to make a serious decision on what camera system I should be buying to last a few years in my portrait studio. I generally print 20x24  B&W prints and want a system that will carry me through the next few years.


Thanks in advance


Michael

[ddolde]

Any self appointed prophets wanna humor this guy?

[blansky]

Apparently nobody knows. With 84 views and one questionable reply.

As someone who has hung out at analog sites the last few years and offered advise to a lot of people, I had thought this site was a serious site with mostly adult members who helped and conversed with each other about aspects of digital photography.

So as lame as my question seemed to you, I haven't been hanging around digital sites to hear what the newest, latest and greatest magical toys were possibly emerging.

But I did think that members on this site may have some idea about what is coming down the pike.

I guess not.


Michael

[tgphoto]

Or maybe we're all scratching our heads trying to figure out why you didn't just make an investment in a Phase One, Leaf, or Sinar digital back and stick with your Hassy gear?

Not to say the D200 isn't a capable camera, but for someone who routinely prints large scale, I have to wonder what influenced your decision to go smaller rather than maintain or go bigger?

[blansky]

I bought the Nikon to experiment with digital. I haven't used it for professional work yet but at 10MP it's probably not going to do the job. However 18-22MP probably is.

Hence the question.

As far as a back for my Hasselblad, that is still a possibility, although a greater investment.

As I mentioned, I'm sorting out the possibilities.

The choices are far more daunting than when I started in 1976 and you only had to ask, which system, and the answer was pretty much, Hasselblad or RB/RZ.

Now you make a mistake and the costs are pretty enormous, to switch systems.

Thanks.


Michael

[KeithR]

I've been a Nikon user since the late 70's, film and now digital. The one thing that I've found to be true concerning digital, is that there is constant change. The wonders of image capture(digital cameras in general), due to their nature, have to be thought of as small computers, and as such, they will always change faster than we want. Gone are the days when camera design lasted 8 to 10 years. Now a days it is closer to 2 to 4 years. As we come closer to PMA and the recently past Photokina, rumors flew wildly about this and that. And for the most part nothing came of them. The rumor mill has Nikon coming out with a full frame digital camera soon. Nikon has just come out with the D40, the D80, firmwear upgrades to the D2x, D2xs, and the D200. Personally, I don't see anything new for awhile.  

I've recently purchased the Nikon D200 for my initial foray into digital photography and after having used Hasselblad for many years I'm wondering if Nikon has a 20MP camera in the near future.

Before I get too carried away with more Nikon lenses, I have to make a serious decision on what camera system I should be buying to last a few years in my portrait studio. I generally print 20x24  B&W prints and want a system that will carry me through the next few years.
Thanks in advance
Michael
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[BJL]

I will offer my now standard reply: a far better place to seek this sort of "information" is the DPReview forums and in particular the forum there for high end Nikon DSLRs

We try to stay a bit more reality based here.


P.S. to Michael Reichmann: I hope you do not mind me redirecting posters to DPReview like this!

[blansky]

I gotta say, I'm kind of shocked at the kind of edge that some of these replies have. Bordering on insults. Like there is an inside joke and I'm the only one who doesn't get it.

Thanks to those who answered.


Michael

[tgphoto]

Michael,

I think you're studying the spaces between the letters a little too closely

My response was an honest if not direct question, and comes from my work experience in assisting guys that have been shooting MF film for 30+ years make the switch to digital.  It has been my experience that, my clients anyways, have made a considerable investment in medium format and wish to continue on the same path.  This decision is usually fueled by two things: a - cost, and b - not wanting to learn a new system.

Your original post surprised me in that it contrasts with nearly all but one of my clients, a fellow whose actual subject matter had slowly shifted over the last 10 years and which required a digital system that offered much fast shutter speeds than are currently available in MF digital.  This same fellow ended up purchasing a D200, just like you, and loves it, but his clients' demands, at least printing wise, are not that of yours.

Ultimately, for most of the photographers I work with who shoot big and want to keep shooting big, they go with either a MF digital back and keep on truckin' with their current MF bodies, or they switch to Hasselblad H1D/H2D/H3D.

Whatever your ultimate goal, I sincerely hope you find the best digital system for you.  What system that ends up being, well, only you can decide.  But please, continue to use these forums as a means to ask questions, gather info, and learn about digital.  It's here and it's now, and is definitely the future.  

Tim

[macgyver]

I gotta say, I'm kind of shocked at the kind of edge that some of these replies have. Bordering on insults. Like there is an inside joke and I'm the only one who doesn't get it.

Thanks to those who answered.
Michael
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=98395\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Yes, there is occasionally that sort of tone to the threads here, but more often than not they are a great source of info.  I think in this case part of the lack of responses is that no one really knows much more than you probably do.  The general consensus is that it would make sense for Nikon to made a full frame body, but no one really knows if they will.  Certian trends can be looked at; things like the D2Hs being rather long in tooth and therefore a likey  upgrade canidate (even if its capabilities are rounded into another camera, sort of like the d2x did.)  But, things along those lines are about it.

-mac

[John Camp]

Look here:

http://www.bythom.com/

All Nikon, all the time, by the guy who follows Nikon more closely than anyone else on the net. In the left hand column, under "Recent Additions," click on "Nikon Road Map." For more speculation, go to the Nikonians site at:

http://www.nikonians.org/


Those are your best sources.

JC

[BernardLanguillier]

Michael,

The simple and straight answer is that those who know can't tell because of NDAs.

My guess is a 35FF Nikon body announced Sept 07, available year end. This is again just a guess.

Regards,
Bernard

[blansky]

Thanks.


Michael

[SeanBK]

Michael,
   This is the forum of Medium format groupies/techies. They strongly believe in all virtues, which are Medium format & different digital backs. At times people do shoot with 1DsMKII (only FF)  or sometimes even Nikon D2X/s. But as mentioned before our advise blindly would be get a digital back for your old Hassey gear, but most of all continue shooting MF. More than likely this is not the section of the forum, where usually is encouraged to discuss a comparison between D200 (not that anything is wrong with it) & MF. That is IMHO.

[macgyver]

Michael,
   This is the forum of Medium format groupies/techies. They strongly believe in all virtues, which are Medium format & different digital backs. At times people do shoot with 1DsMKII (only FF)  or sometimes even Nikon D2X/s. But as mentioned before our advise blindly would be get a digital back for your old Hassey gear, but most of all continue shooting MF. More than likely this is not the section of the forum, where usually is encouraged to discuss a comparison between D200 (not that anything is wrong with it) & MF. That is IMHO.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=98498\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

I guess that fourm title of "Digital Cameras, Backs and Shooting Techniques" threw him, as did all the threads on 5D's, D80's and M8's.

[BryanHansel]

What John said. If Thom doesn't know and doesn't have it posted on his site, then noone else is likely to know. Start looking for leaks of info in Aug, but before that a guess is just a guess.

My guess? FF announced end of year not available until mid 2008. 18 to 20 MP based on the pixels in the D2x. Probably a D3h will be first with MP from 12 to 16. End of 2008 or start of 2009, we'll see the D3x. And then in 2009 or 2010 we'll see a D300 with 20 MP. And Fuji from far out in left field will go FF with a 26MP body that has unbelievable color, no noise, and incredible dynamic range. And the jpg will blow your mind. This is all a guess.

[jjlphoto]

The best camera to get is one that is available right now with a proven track record. Sure, Nikon could announce something later, but look at the Mamiya ZD. I was announced what- 2 years ago or something like that and maybe only three of them are out there in actual use?

Changing platforms is a pain, and sometimes cannot be avoided. But with eBay and other photo forum buy/sell boards, at least there is a pretty efficient way to dispose of old gear rather than letting it rot.

[GregW]

My guess? FF announced end of year not available until mid 2008.

That's not a guess it's a certainty!!  Nikon may be producing some of the most innovative DSLR's (and lenses) on the market but the age old problem of getting from the marketing material to the distribution channels still persists.

[BryanHansel]

That's not a guess it's a certainty!!  Nikon may be producing some of the most innovative DSLR's (and lenses) on the market but the age old problem of getting from the marketing material to the distribution channels still persists.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=98697\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

I don't understand what you're saying, can you clarify this, please.

[Quentin]

The best camera to get is one that is available right now with a proven track record. Sure, Nikon could announce something later, but look at the Mamiya ZD. I was announced what- 2 years ago or something like that and maybe only three of them are out there in actual use?

..........
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=98561\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

You mean I own one-third of ZD's in use?  

The rumours (I think I read them here...) are that the ZD back will be released in a few weeks in the US at $9,000, so if true, you could assemble a 22mp MF system for a lot less than you'd have to spend right now, and have a MF system to take you forward.   Failing that, the ZD camera I use is very capable  and worth considering. I suspect 22mp in medium format will beat 22mp or more in 35mm format, plus the format shape, being a little squarer, is better for many pro uses.

I would add I think the tone of some responses to the original question were out of order.  

Quentin