The New Year saw the announcement of a new flagship DSLR from Nikon, the D4. The pro model is based on the D3-design but uses a new 16-megapixel Nikon FX-format CMOS image sensor (36.0 × 23.9 mm) with an ISO range of 100 to 12,800, extendable to 50 to 204,800.
The major improvement over the D3 and D3X is the introduction of Full HD video at frame rates of 30, 25 and 24fps. The camera also allows recording of uncompressed movies to an external recorder, producing higher quality images. A dedicated movie-record button has been positioned near the shutter-release button.
The camera uses the new EXPEED 3 image-processing engine. Nikon says it offers better image quality, faster processing speeds, a broader dynamic range, and greater noise suppression.
The D4 also supports UDMA 7-compatible CompactFlash memory cards and the next-generation XQD memory cards, allowing faster recording to memory cards.
Like the D3 and D3X there are 51 focus points with 15 cross-type sensors, though the metering sensor has been boosted from 1005 to 91000 pixels.
A new wireless transmitter and internal Ethernet port mean high-speed communication and image upload is now possible, direct from the camera to an FTP server anywhere in the world. The D4 also makes it possible to view and take photos remotely with any browser-equipped computer or phone.
The camera’s Australian release date and retail price were unavailable at the time of writing.
