Preorder the Nikon D700 DSLR

Order the Nikon D700 now! Expected ship date is late July 2008.

Nikon has announced its newest digital SLR, which is available for pre-order at Ritz Camera:

• Nikon D700 Body Only


• Nikon D700 with 24-120mm VR zoom lens

The Nikon D700 is the latest DSLR utilizing the large FX sensor first released in the Nikon D3. With the FX sensor and 12.1 megapixels, the image size and quality is virtually identical to the more expnsive D3, but with other features more comparable to the Nikon D300, the price is significantly lower.

With a suggested retail price close to $3000, the price of the D700 is about midway between the D300 and the D3, and it is meant for professional photographers or serious amateurs. As with most Nikon DSLR's, it boasts a long list of features from the world leader in digital photography technology. The most obvious feature is probably the bright, high-resolution, 3-inch LCD screen. It's "Live View" capability allows composing your shot via the LCD monitor, with two modes depending on the type of shot you want to take: Tripod mode, which is made for complete control and precision focus, and Handheld mode, wherein the camera's autofocus capababilities are active using all 51 autofocus points.

Other notable features of the Nikon D700 include:

• An FX-format, CMOS image sensor that has an area of 36.0mm (h) x 23.9mm (v), approximately the same size as a frame of 35mm film. For compatibility with Nikkor DX format lenses, DX cropping mode will automatically switch to DX format when these lenses are used.


• An extremely wide ISO range with sensitivity from ISO 200 to ISO 6400. In addition, the sensitivity can be technologically enhanced down to ISO 100 and as high as ISO 25,600.


• The Nikon D700's startup time is a mere 12/100ths of a second, with a shutter lag time of 41 milliseconds. With the normal battery pack, the D700 can capture images as 5 frames-per-second, but when the optional Multi-Power Battery Pack (MB-D10) is used, continuous shooting speed can be boost to 8 fps.


• A Multi-CAM 3500FX autofocus sensor module features 51 AF points, with a great deal of flexibility in choosing how many and which autofocus points are active. Fifteen cross-type sensors located in the center enable subject detection with lens apertures as small as f/5.6.


• Four different resonant frequencies are used to clean dust and particulates from the low-pass filter which is attached right in front of the FX image sensor. Cleaning performs automatically, and can also be manually selected.


• Rugged magnesium-alloy construction: Along with extensive dust and moisture protection and a durable shutter mechanism tested to 150,000 cycles, the D700 merges pro D-SLR performance with expanded agility.


• The shutter unit employs an assembly made of a new composite carbon fiber and Kevlar hybrid material. Tested on fully assembled cameras, the D700's shutter unit has been proven through 150,000 cycles under demanding conditions. The self-diagnostic shutter constantly monitors and maintains shutter precision to ensure peak performance.

Nikon D3: A Professional Photographer's New Best Friend

Pre-order the Nikon D3 now at RitzCamera.com

The new Nikon D3 digital SLR is available now for preorder at RitzCamera.com. This camera is already being sought out by professionals wanting to take advantage of the latest digital technology, so if you want to get yours AS SOON AS it's available from Nikon, order as soon as you can.

Ritz will pay your sales tax and shipping on this camera -- and most other photography products -- which could save you hundreds of dollars immediately over many other retailers.

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As expected, and hot on the heels of Canon's recent announcements for the Canon EOS Mark III and Canon EOS 40D, this morning Nikon has announced the long-awaited Nikon D3 SLR digital camera.

With "rumors" of this camera's imminent release circulating for years, the D3 is finally scheduled to ship in November 2007. The D3 DSLR is slated for the professional photographer, and with the ability to capture shots at 9 fps in full FX-format (11 fps is possible with the 5.1-megapixel DX format) this new Nikon camera is especially suited for sports photographers and photojournalists. Normal setting can reach ISO 6400, but the camera can be set to hit an amazing ISO-equivalent 25,600; for sports photographers, high-quality poster-size enlargements are now possible even for night games.

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With the Nikon D3 clearly being the new flagship of the Nikon DSLR's, there are almost too many features to describe here. Some of the major selling points are:

• 12.1 effective megapixels, and the first Nikon DSLR to use the FX-format CMOS image sensor with 36.0mm (Horiz) x 23.9mm (Vert) image size. Two other images sizes are availble: 5:4 (30mm x 24mm) and DX-format (24mm x 16mm) for faster image capture and recording.
• At the high-quality image setting, light sensitivity ranges from ISO 200 to ISO 6400; for extremely low-light conditions, the D3 can be set to ISO-equivalent 25,600.
• An extremely high-definition (920,000 dot), 3-inch VGA LCD monitor covered with tempered glass and with a 170-degree viewing angle.
• Nikon EXPEED image processing technology, to maximize throughput of image processing, compression and storage.
• High-speed, 12-channel readout allows continuous shooting at approximately 9 fps (frames per second) in full FX format and 5:4. For an extra turbo-charged burst, the Nikon D3 provides continuous shooting at 11 fps in 5.1 megapixel DX format.
• Light weight and strong, magnesium alloy is used for the chassis, the exterior cover, and the mirror box. O-ring seals are used at vital locations to keep out dust and excess moisture.
• New 51-point auto-focus system with 15 cross-type sensors.
• A CF double slot accepts two CompactFlash memory cards... why waste time changing memory cards?
• Quick response with 0.12 second startup time, and a 37 ms shutter-release lag time.

This top-of-the-line camera is designed and built for professionals. As of this writing, the final pricing has not been set. But with a price tag in the thousands, this is not a digital camera for taking shots at little Johnny's next birthday party (unless you want to snap the best birthday photos you've ever taken in your life). For the pro, though, the Nikon D3 DSLR will be the camera to own for 2007.

For more information:

• Nikon's D3 product page
• Nikon D3 Press Release and specifications
• Nikon D3 Product Brochure (PDF)

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Tags: Nikon D3 DSLR, Nikon D3 Digital Camera, Nikon Digital Cameras, New Nikon Cameras, Digital Cameras, Ritz Camera