Nikon announce D3100

D

Dave Pickett

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Dave Pickett
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on their uk website. Surprise for me is the 14.2 mp sensor which seems to undermine the rest of the current range!

specs from Nikon site:

14.2 megapixel DX-format CMOS image sensor delivers lifelike images with vivid colors, reduced noise and smooth tonal gradations.

EXPEED 2 image processing engine provides enhanced movie recording, high-sensitivity performance and maximum image quality.

High ISO (100-3200) light sensitivity - extendable up to 12800: features an Auto ISO setting and is manually extendable up to ISO 12800 using the Hi2 setting. Enables faster shutter speeds, significantly reducing the risk of blurred images when you shoot fast-moving subjects or take pictures in low light.

GUIDE mode: quick and easy-to-use in-camera assistance. Asks you about the picture you want to take and automatically optimizes settings for superior results. Sample images appear on the display to show you what will happen to your image if you apply the suggested settings.

D-Movie – full HD (1920 x 1080) movie clips: record beautiful high-definition (HD) movie clips with sound. The camera’s large image sensor and high ISO sensitivity offer exceptional image quality. NIKKOR lenses can be used to obtain cinematic effects and you can make simple edits of your clips in-camera by deleting scenes or saving specific frames as still images.

Live View with Scene Auto Selector: makes it easy to compose images using the LCD monitor. Scene Auto Selector will select the best mode for the scene and subject you want to capture, and Fulltime servo AF (AF-F) mode keeps subjects in focus without the need to press the shutter release button.

Large 7.5 cm (3-inch), high-resolution LCD monitor makes it easy to view essential camera information, and a pleasure to review and edit your photos and movies.

Razor-sharp 11-point Autofocus system offers fast and precise autofocus coverage across the frame. Four AF-area modes, including 3D-tracking AF, deliver sharp results, whether your subject is off-center, moving fast or completely unpredictable.

Active D-Lighting automatically retains details in highlights and shadows for stunning images with natural contrast.

Picture Controls lets you set the look and mood of your images before you shoot. Choose from six settings: Standard, Vivid, Neutral, Monochrome, Portrait and Landscape.

Extensive in-camera editing functions let you edit and enhance images and movies in the camera. Offers techniques such as Red-Eye Correction and Quick Retouch, as well as a range of Filter Effects.

Dual Integrated dust reduction system: Image Sensor Cleaning and Airflow Control systems keep dust away from the camera’s image sensor for clear, spot-free images.

Lightweight body and superior ergonomics: a secure grip makes the camera comfortable to handle. Dedicated controls for frequently used functions like Live View, D-Movie and shutter release make it a joy to operate.

Just waiting for the D90 announcemnent!
 
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The 'airflow control' sounds intriguing.

Will be interesting to see if the higher spec models will have more megapixels too.
 
looks like the 55-300 lens is announced at the same time, listed in available options....

and view nx2 is available and you can actually crop now - how advanced is that? </sarcasm>
 
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There's a few new lenses:

af-s 85mm f1.4
af-s 28-300 3.5-5.6
af-s DX 55-400 f4.5-5.6
af-s 24-120 f4
 
Dave Pickett said:
D-Movie – full HD (1920 x 1080) movie clips: record beautiful high-definition (HD) movie clips with sound. The camera’s large image sensor and high ISO sensitivity offer exceptional image quality. NIKKOR lenses can be used to obtain cinematic effects and you can make simple edits of your clips in-camera by deleting scenes or saving specific frames as still images.
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I was just having a check through the specs, framerates seem an odd choice.

1920x1080 is 24p, ok fair enough, film rate, same as it is now for 720p.

1280x720 is 30p only. Great if you live in the USA, useless for us. Where's 25fps? Hopefully enough people will bitch and moan that they'll follow suit with what Canon did and release a firmware update to give us 24, 25 & 30p options.

On the bright side, it's using the H264 codec now. :)

Movie recording Frame size/rate: 1920 × 1080, 24 fps; 1280 × 720, 30 fps
Movie Recording Video compression: H.264/MPEG-4 Advanced Video Coding
Click to expand...
 
Lazlo Woodbine said:
The 'airflow control' sounds intriguing.

Will be interesting to see if the higher spec models will have more megapixels too.
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Already has this on the D5000 and the D3000, and infact the D60...basically it uses the movement of air caused by the mirror flicking up and down to draw any dust away from the sensor
http://nikoneurope-en.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/23008
I reckon it actually channels it into the battery compartment because on a few occasions its been a little dustier in there than I think it ought to be.


Neil
 
Dunno....surprised they havent put a tiltable screen on the 3100 which I reckon would then have made the D5000 irrelevant....I think they'll probably introduce the D5100 with the 14MP sensor and a few other goodies like full CLS capabilities built-in.

Neil
 
jomike said:
They had the D3000 and D5000 before, both entry level.

What puzzles me is why they introduced the new sensor in a bottom of the range model.
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True, the D3000 and D5000 had different senors I believe. Never did quite see the point in offering both at the same time.

I think the new D90 replacement will have this sensor as well as the normal prosumer options.
 
jomike said:
What puzzles me is why they introduced the new sensor in a bottom of the range model.
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I guess if you've got a 14mp sensor that you're happy with, why wait until you release your next top end camera. By then, the competition will have trounced all over you. And I reckon if there's one place the pixel race really counts, it's in the low end. Newbies are often attracted by megapixels. The more the better, right?

:)
 
This is almost certainly using the Sony sensor from the NEX series.

Specs looks identical.
 
jomike said:
What puzzles me is why they introduced the new sensor in a bottom of the range model.
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It gets it out there to a lot more people a lot more quickly and let's the lower end customers find the bugs in the system before they start selling it in £3-5K bodies to the pros who need stable reliable systems for daily use.
 
Kaouthia said:
It gets it out there to a lot more people a lot more quickly and let's the lower end customers find the bugs in the system before they start selling it in £3-5K bodies to the pros who need stable reliable systems for daily use.
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:agree: And what he said. :D
 
I think you'll find that's already been done, there have been pro models out for testing since the winter olympics last year. I'd guess it's more to do with marketing than the technology

Kaouthia said:
It gets it out there to a lot more people a lot more quickly and let's the lower end customers find the bugs in the system before they start selling it in £3-5K bodies to the pros who need stable reliable systems for daily use.
Click to expand...
 
cool... will be interesting to see how good the AF in video mode is - if they've got that right, consumers are gonna love this...if they could get 1080p in a D95 or D300ss, it'd be appreciated over here for a third body for me...


and the 14mp sensor on this is insane, goddamn consumers viewing that as a measure of 'how good a camera is'...
 
Hairyduck said:
I think you'll find that's already been done, there have been pro models out for testing since the winter olympics last year. I'd guess it's more to do with marketing than the technology
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Handing out a few prototypes to a select group of people for some brief testing and actually getting tens of thousands of units in the hands of the general public that come up with all kinds of weird self-set testing conditions and oddities are very different things.
 
Looks like a good lens day for the nikon owners! The 85 and the 24-120 sound particuarly good!
 
http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?p=2912055#post2912055

I think Nikon are going to replace the D90 with a camera called the D7000 giving lower, middle and top consumer models (all Dx000) THEN having the D300s, D700, D3s and D3x fitting into their particular slots/lines/branch/group (or whatever you want to call them). They sort of shot themselves in the foot with the naming convention earlier making it difficult for new models to fit in (especially in the Dxx group) but if the new D90 is called the D7000 then it makes it easier for a good few years. I would think that early next year we will see a D5100 too. Having cameras at all three of these price ranges helps them grab more of the market and having 7 models aimed at slightly different groups is part of their marketing strategy.
 
stu_the_flat said:
I think that has been relised for a couple of months.

Are there any sample shots from this D3100? Jessops are listing it for £579 with the 18-55mm VR, Is it just me or is that quite steep?

Stuart
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the price does seem quite steep the d5000 is £100 cheaper and you could buy a d90 or canon 550 for just over £100 more.all those are based on jessops prices with 18-55mm lenses.
i wonder if we will see large price increases in all new cameras hittting the market
 
cowasaki said:
http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?p=2912055#post2912055

I think Nikon are going to replace the D90 with a camera called the D7000 giving lower, middle and top consumer models (all Dx000) THEN having the D300s, D700, D3s and D3x fitting into their particular slots/lines/branch/group (or whatever you want to call them). They sort of shot themselves in the foot with the naming convention earlier making it difficult for new models to fit in (especially in the Dxx group) but if the new D90 is called the D7000 then it makes it easier for a good few years. I would think that early next year we will see a D5100 too. Having cameras at all three of these price ranges helps them grab more of the market and having 7 models aimed at slightly different groups is part of their marketing strategy.
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I reckon the D90 replacement will be announced at Photokina next month, with the 14.2mp sensor and the D300s replacement will be announced early in 2011.
 
pmac said:
the price does seem quite steep the d5000 is £100 cheaper and you could buy a d90 or canon 550 for just over £100 more.all those are based on jessops prices with 18-55mm lenses.
i wonder if we will see large price increases in all new cameras hittting the market
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New bodies always start at stupid prices to catch all of us idiots who can't wait 5 minutes to get one. It'll drop a fair bit after a month ot two I imagine - they usually do :)

On another note - is there a release date for the new lenses?
 
Lazlo Woodbine said:
Ooh, new 85mm 1.4. I'm glad I stayed my hand now!
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I'm glad I bought mine when I did - the new one's a 'G' lens which is no good for my older stuff...

Plus it's currently listed at $1,649 in the US...

Might be a smidge sharper, but you'd need a microscope or an enlargement as big as a house to tell...
 
Yep.. the lack of aperture rings is a pain in the arse if you have older film bodies. Means you can only shoot wide open.
 
Anyone else think that in camera editing is a bit of a waste of time? I just can't see how it won't be a PITA compared to doing it on a computer.
 
Defo for pro/prosumer stuff, for entry level cameras it's not such a bad idea though if you're just printing snaps direct from memory card etc

grum said:
Anyone else think that in camera editing is a bit of a waste of time? I just can't see how it won't be a PITA compared to doing it on a computer.
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grum said:
Anyone else think that in camera editing is a bit of a waste of time?
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For most of the folks reading threads like these, yes. For your general public that don't want to spend £600+ on Photoshop, probably not. :)
 
grum said:
Anyone else think that in camera editing is a bit of a waste of time? I just can't see how it won't be a PITA compared to doing it on a computer.
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I would really love a feature where you can turn off ALL menu options that are to do with JPG and in camera editing ie RAW ONLY options!
 
I recon the D5100 will be a big jump too in order to take back its place above the D3100!
 
I'm out of the loop on the new Nikon range. I've been patiently biding my time for a 'D700 level' refresh that includes full 1080p video with stereo sound.

Is this on the cards?

Where is Nikon's answer to the Canon 5DmkII? Come on Nikon, pull your finger out!
 
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