Nikon announces D300s w HD video

[DougO]

This one also includes an external mic connection and AF function during movie mode, shooting max 720/24 fps in AVI format. A flip-out LCD screen would have been nice.

http://nikon.com/about/news/2009/0730_d300s_01.htm

Now I'm kinda cheesed that I already have 2 original D300 DSLRs. But I'm sure this will be a bit pricier.

[Eugenia Loli-Queru]

They say nothing about manual controls though. How are they going to go against the 5D without manual controls? Let alone the low-quality AVI MJPEG format they are using still, an arcane format.

[Rambo]

Max 5 min record time in 720p

[LoganT]

The Nikon D300s camera body will be available at Nikon Authorized dealers beginning in late August 2009 at an estimated selling price of $1799.95.**

Engagdet (http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/30/nikon-d300s-officially-announced-720p-24-movie-mode-with-auto/)

How does Nikon think this can even compare with the Panasonic GH1 (in terms of video)? Although maybe it's for people with a lot of Nikon lenses. Maybe it will become somewhat popular and drive the price of the Panasonic down.

[Noir]

what? this is the hotly anticipated competition for the 5dmII?

or is there something else that was going to be announced soon?

[spideralex90]

...And Canon is still king. I guess MK2 is still on the top of the dream list for me.

[Noel]

Didn't somebody say autofocus on these babies is a long way from now? All i'm asking for now is the 1080p and not 20f/s. Manual / and swiveling lcd.

[Lou van Wijhe]

Whatever the marketing possibilities, isn't this a funny looking couple? (Pic from the Dutch Nikon site).

Lou

[Noel]

...And Canon is still king. I guess MK2 is still on the top of the dream list for me.

I wish they can do AutoFocus during video capture ASAP.

[spideralex90]

I wish they can do AutoFocus during video capture ASAP.

I imagine (hope) that's on their next camera. And 24p. It'd be perfect. or at least near to it.

[rhervag]

that maybe for the new 1D though, pushing it up to $7K for the body alone ouch' ! 5D will feel cheap then

[Eugenia Loli-Queru]

Videos: http://prolost.com/blog/2009/7/31/nikon-d300s.html

[DougO]

The D300 has a DX sensor. Maybe the future update of the full frame D700, which is essentially a full-frame D300, will capture 1080. I would bet money that the successor to the D3 will.

I'm a little bit ticked that the D300s is debuting at the same street price as the D300 when it first came out. I'm too invested in the two I have to buy another one this year.

[brandonmphoto]

Those saying that the D300S won't AF during capture need to actually look over the specs.

"The D300S comprehensively extends DSLR HD movie capture by adding external stereo sound input, autofocus capability and premieres in-camera movie editing."

So the D300S has mic input, AF, and judging by some clips I've seen they seem to have taken down the atrocious "jello" that plagued the D90, at least somewhat. IMO, the only reason this doesn't give the 5DMKII competition is that it's not full-frame.

But that brings up another point, the D300 isn't meant to compete with the 5D series anyways, neither in still or video. That's what the D700 is for, and the update/successor of the D700 will compete with the 5D series.

In reality, I think this probably puts Nikon back into the DSLR video race. Sure they aren't running with Canon or Panasonic yet, but who honestly expects them to be? Both of those companies have EXTENSIVE resources and history already invested into digital video, where this is very new to Nikon. Nikon gets a lot of it's sensors from Sony, and it's likely that Sony is holding them back because if they don't, it really nixes Sony's DSLR market place.


Personally, I'm thrilled about the D300S. I've already preordered.

[brandonmphoto]

http://imaging.nikon.com/products/imaging/lineup/microsite/d300s/special/en/index.html#

These seasoned pros seem impressed as well.

[spideralex90]

The videos from the pros are good, Amy Vitales is better in my opinion, the other good has good sports photos and good landscape videos, but his sports video was eh. Amy's was much more impressive, yet i'm still not wowed by the D300s, the 5D2 has such a beautiful clear picture that nikon has yet to achieve. This D300s is worlds better than the D90 IMHO, but still not as good. Would i mind having a D300s? I would absolutely love it, but if both cameras were in front of me to take home, i'd take the 5D any day.

[fishops]

Bottom line, until you can set shutter, iso and aperture seperately with either live metering or zebras to indicate exposure, it's still a cute addon feature and not a real video tool. AF is a nice luxury if they can pull it off but not being able to control exposure is a total dealbreaker.

[rhervag]

i might be spoiled by the mark2 already but those samples didn't trigger my enthusiasm ... while i'm getting itches with those new clips from the GH1...

Faces Of Norway on Vimeo

+ the mandatory cat test : (MC rokkor 58 f1.2 yay!)

GH1 Test - Rokkor 58mm f1.2 on Vimeo

[Noel]

Very nice videos indeed. But imagine the Canon 60D rumors today. Here tomorrow. I'll bet they'll be here sooner than I can order this nice GH1. I'll bet on the Canon 60D rumor.

[Abe Ford]

I would love a video camera, based on current HV models that simply allowed interchangeable lenses, like these new HD-capable DSLRs. I would happily retry life in manual focus, it might even be a cool, edgy effect for real-life filming, retro-style.

It strikes me that with these DSLR's, we are not getting hour-long recordings, on/off wireless or the kinds of manual audio controls that were available back in the days of Super8 sound cameras.

I also don't understand why these DSLRs aren't engineered to output HDMI while recording, like the HV's can. Don't those folks from BigGlass visit HV20.com every day?

I don't really want an expensive still camera either- just a super small, full-featured rig with various options for record formats and frame rates- all the way from lossless on down.

And I want it to double-record and error check, so I don't have to be a backup crazed, computer geektographer!

[Dan Irving]

Nikon has posted a digitutor site for the D300s. In the section covering recording movies, they indicate that "Movies can be shot at the aperture selected in aperture-priority auto and manual exposure modes."

Could be good news. :hv20-smilie03:

http://www.nikondigitutor.com/eng/d300s/index.html

[Zephyrize]

I don't think this D300s gets anywhere near the 5DII, or even the 7D.

and also..
51 AF points... seriously, who needs 51

[spideralex90]

I don't think this D300s gets anywhere near the 5DII, or even the 7D.

and also..
51 AF points... seriously, who needs 51

I'm sure someone does, but thats really just to top other cams.

[Janke]

It looks like we have a spammer here, check his other posts...

[Erik Bien]

Banned (thanks, Janke).

BTW, clicking the little exclamation point in a triangle beneath a post will bring you to a "report post" screen which will e-mail the mods a link to the offending post. :hv20-smilie77: