Nikon D3 and D300 Announced

The rumors can finally rest with the announcement of the Nikon D3 and D300. The D3 gets a full-frame FX format CMOS sensor that is good for capturing 12.1 megapixels and Nikon claims that it has the fastest startup time, shortest viewfinder blackout time, and shortest shutter lag of any SLR in its class. The D3 will be available in November 2007 for $5000. The D300 has a DX format sensor that captures 12.3 megapixels. Like the D3, the D300 has a new processing system, called EXPEED, as well as a 51 point AF system. Look for the D300 in November 2007 for $1800.

On the full-frame sensor of the D3, with an AF-Nikkor lens, the camera captures full resolution images (at up to 9fps). If you attach a DX lens, the camera adjusts automatically to use a cropped area of the sensor to produce 5.1 megapixel images. In this mode, the viewfinder is masked and the camera can take 11 fps.

The D3 also has two CompactFlash shots, which can be used in a few different modes. Consecutive recording (fill up one and it records to the other), simultaneous recording (images written to both cards for backup), or separating JPEG and RAW images (JPEG on one card, RAW on the other).

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Nikon D3

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Features:

• 12.1 megapixels, full frame CMOS sensor (FX format)
• EXPEED Image Processing System
• Normal ISO range of ISO 200-6400 (Lo-1 and Hi-2 modes give access to ISO 100 and ISO 25,600)
• 51 point AF system with 3D Focus Tracking (15 cross-type sensors and 36 horizontal sensors)
• Two LiveView shooting modes
• 3 inch, 920K pixel LCD
• Start up time: 0.12 seconds
• Shutter release time: 37 milliseconds
• Continuous shooting: 9fps at full resolution, 11 fps in "DX mode"
• Two CompactFlash slots

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Nikon D300

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Features:

• 12.3 megapixels, DX format sensor
• EXPEED Image Processing System
• Normal ISO range of ISO 200-6400 (Lo-1 and Hi-2 modes give access to ISO 100 and ISO 25,600)
• 51 point AF system with 3D Focus Tracking (15 cross-type sensors and 36 horizontal sensors)
• Two LiveView shooting modes
• 3 inch, 920K pixel LCD
• Start up time: 0.13 seconds
• Shutter release time: 45 milliseconds
• Continuous shooting: 6fps at full resolution, 8fps with optional battery pack
• Active D-Lighting feature that corrects highlights and shadows in real-time

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