http://www.bythom.com/ You have to go to his home page to read it, and in a few days it'll be archived. But basically upper management hasn't seen the profitability so they plan on not making any new* sensors. ; That doesn't mean that they won't use the ones they've already made..... ; but it's an interesting development.
Looks like Thom is getting a lot of flack for it, too. ; He has more in today's postings. ; He also updated what he thinks Nikon will announce through the end of 2010. ; He brought up the D700s again (only one lately to think this will happen this year) and adds the 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6 FX will be one of the three or four lenses announced. ; Hope he is right in both cases.
I don't think Nikon's going to release a D700s this year, mainly because they are trying to figure out where they want to go. ; Plus....the D90 is still the #1 dSLR in Japan, even though it's two years old! ; So it seems that the market may have turned on "more megapixels" which is Canon's domain...yet Canon hasn't bumped up the 1Ds yet. ; I think Canon is having second thoughts on the 1Ds line (whoever needs 25+mp full frame probably doesn't need pro AF when you think about it. ; How many wedding, landscape, and portrait photographers are trying to shoot action?) but we'll see at Photokina. Nikon I think wants to keep the D700 in production but lower the price to below Sony. ; Become a prosumer level FF. ; Just maybe not include video. ; Sony's going to rule that corner whenever they figure it out "properly".[nb]I know they've figured it out, question is why is it taking so long?[/nb] And it seems that the "sources" are all coming together. ; The new version of the 28-200 FX seems likely - being 28-300 VR. ; And for that price ($1000 US) it's going to draw some Canon users. ; Who don't have a lens like that for under $2400.
Well, when are they going to lower the price? ; It is selling for $300 to $400 more now than it did last summer. I know that is due to currency but I think it should sell for $1,999US and they should lower the D300s, too. Of course, since I am on the verge of buying, my opinion is very tainted. ; I don't know, Thom does have a good relationship with Nikon so you wonder why when most rumors say no D700s announcement, he thinks it will happen. ; If the 28-200 VR FX is real, they should make it a 24-200 but I am still hoping for the 28-300 VR FX which at $1,000 would be an instant best seller, IMO.
*If* they lower the price, it'll be after they release the next FF. ; It doesn't seem right that they are just planning on a new low end body this time.....
Yeah, that's one of the things we're talking about above. ; I think the general consensus is that it has been lost in translation, so the source meant: ; It'll be the 18-200 VR but for FX, which means 28-300 VR..... ; I don't think they could do 18mm FF on FX without having too much distortion on at least one end!
My attitude will be the same as when I buy computers...don't look back. ; Apple came out with new and cheaper Macbook Pros less than a month after I got mine. ; I could wait forever for the next Nikon camera. ; The D700s was rumored to be announced in the Spring, then June, now Fall of 2010 or not until February of 2011, if ever. ; So, once I get it, I'll just start saving for the rumored 28-300VR FX lens. ;
I agree, that's the only attitude to take when buying cameras. ; Otherwise you end up waiting forever and not enjoying your time behind the camera.
Apple did the same thing to me with the Macbook Pros but it was a couple days after the 30-day window where I could've brought mine back and exchanged for the the more powerful and less expensive newer version.