Upcoming Nikon D800 Said To Be 36-Megapixel, $4000 Monster

Some specs for Nikon’s next semi-pro camera have surfaced on Japanese camera site Digital Camera Info, and Nikon Rumors seems to think they’re creditable. It’s an interesting move by Nikon but not one that will be appreciated by the bulk of DSLR buyers.

The new D800, they say, will pack 36 megapixels on a full frame FX sensor, and essentially forgo advances in low-light performance in order to produce a medium-cost studio camera instead of a lower-cost prosumer one. The rumored $4000 price puts it out of most enthusiasts’ reach, and the high megapixel count makes it less practical for sports and field photography.

Video will be 1080p/30, though they may add additional framerates. The LCD will be larger and brighter (likely with an improvement in resolution as well), and there will be two CF cards slots and one SD. The four frame per second burst speed won’t wow anyone, but I’m guessing that is a deliberate decision given the reassigned priorities. The release date is rumored to be November 24th, with an announcement on October 26th.

We’ll see how the rumors pan out, but it’s certainly about time for the Dx00 range to get an update. The problem is that this D800 doesn’t seem to replace the D700 so much as add a new entire type to the lineup, below the D3s in size and low light performance and above the D3x in megapixels. What of the D700? Will there be a new model at the $2500-$3000 price, perhaps a D700s with a focus on low light? Very little information on that front, unfortunately.

It’s all speculation, of course, until the information is truly out there. And until the cameras are actually reviewed, the capabilities are merely theoretical. Patience is the word today for Nikon fans.