Nikon brought big news with them to CES this year, announcing two new cameras—one professional, one compact superzoom—as well as two new telephoto zoom lenses, one for each of their mount systems. The D780 should be available later this month, with the other three products following in February. Click on the names below for standout features, and be sure to click here or contact your local Mike’s Camera to get your name on the pre-order list as soon as possible!
D780
After an extremely successful five year run, the time has come for the compact-yet-professional D750 to pass the torch on to a successor. The eagerly-awaited D780 will be the first Nikon DSLR to feature the live-view-friendly hybrid AF system developed for the mirrorless Z-system cameras (without sacrificing 51 focus points dedicated to the optical viewfinder). Combined with the same AF algorithm used by their flagship DSLR, the D5, tracking and detection should be faster and more accurate than ever. Thank goodness—filling the newly-expanded 68-shot buffer (at 7 shots per second), you’ll need it! You’ll even be able to pick the best shots from those bursts right in the field with the significantly-improved 3.2″, 2359k-dot touch screen on the back.
- 24.5 MP FX (full-frame) sensor
- 4K UHD HDR movie recording at 30 fps
- 1080p movie recording at up to 120 fps
- Hybrid AF system
- EXPEED 6 processor
- Dual SD card slots
- Max standard ISO 51200
- Shutter speeds from 1/8000 to 900 sec. (astrophotographers take note)
- Sealed for dust and drip resistance
- Optimized for negative digitization
Click here to pre-order the D780
Click here to pre-order the D780 kit with AF-S 24–120mm f/4G ED VR
AF-S NIKKOR 120-300mm f/2.8E FL ED SR VR
Fast, long, stabilized, and strong, this 120–300mm f/2.8 lens provides a fresh, tempting option for action shooters, animal lovers, and more.
- 4.0-stop reduction of vibration
- Four function buttons on the barrel
- Magnesium alloy construction is tough and light
- Dust and drip resistance
- MFD of 2m throughout the entire zoom range
- ED and fluorite lens elements as well as new SR element correct chromatic aberration
- Fluorine coat helps keep your front element sparkling clean
NIKKOR Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S
That NIKKOR Z 24–70mm f/2.8 S was looking a little lonely without the traditional zoom lens partner: a 70–200mm f/2.8! This lens will add a critical component of the pro’s toolkit to the native roster of the mirrorless Z system.
- 5.5-stop reduction of vibration
- Ultra-quiet STM AF drive for movie recording
- Focus breathing control removes unwanted distractions from video
- Control ring, info panel, and Fn buttons make control seamless and intuitive
- Magnesium alloy construction is tough and light
- Dust and drip resistance
- MFD of only 0.5m at 70mm
- ED and fluorite lens elements as well as new SR element correct chromatic aberration
- Fluorine coat helps keep your front element sparkling clean
Tech highlight: the new Short-wavelength Refractive element
Optical aficionados will be delighted to hear about the newly-developed SR element making its debut in the two lenses announced at CES. I won’t delve too deeply into the science, but here’s the basic idea: short wavelength light can be harder to control and ends up being a bit out of sync in certain lens constructions, so the SR lens element is designed to counteract that by refracting shorter-wavelength light much more heavily. By balancing the effects of other elements in the unit, the light that makes it all the way through should coincide more accurately and reduce color bleeding significantly.
COOLPIX P950
The P950 announcement promises to refresh and reinvigorate the soul of the popular COOLPIX P900 with a few key updates to the body. The 83x zoom (equivalent field of view to 2000mm on a full-frame sensor) and 16 MP sensor will remain the same, but 2.4 million dot EVF, focus mode selector switch, new accessory shoe, and the ability to capture 4K video give the new model a definite edge.
