In December 2008 Nikon released the D3x, which is basically a Nikon D3 with a new 24 megapixel sensor. Given that the sensor from the D3 was released into a smaller, prosumer body about 9 months after its launch, it follows that in late summer/fall 2009 Nikon could have released what is basically a D700 with a 24 megapixel sensor - basically a D700x.
However, as of March 2011 this still hasn't happened, and with the Nikon D4 (and possibly D4x) expected later this year, it now looks very unlikely that a D700x will ever appear.
Below are a list of rumors regarding the Nikon D700x, newest first. Please rate how credible you believe these to be, and feel free to add your own comments/thoughts. If you have any more information, please email us at rumors@dentonimages.com or click Rumors Wanted. We'll continue to add new rumors to this page as we come across them.
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CR claims to have information indicating that both Canon and Nikon are aiming for very high megapixel flagship cameras, presumably the D4x and 1Ds Mark IV, near the end of 2011. He goes on to claim they will be somewhere in the 35-45 mp range.
CR further speculates that before then, both Canon & Nikon will release big megapixel cameras to come above the D700 & 5D Mark II, likely in the 28-32mp range.
No indication as to the credibility of the information was given. The D4x/1D Mark IV information sounds plausible, but since the announcement could be over a year away doesn't really mean much and could be subject to change.
The Canon in the 28-32mp range could well be the 5D Mark III, which is widely expected some time in 2011.
As to the 28-32mp camera 'above' the D700 (as opposed to a replacement?), that generates more questions than it answers. A D700 'replacement' almost certainly wouldn't have such a high MP count (more megapixels means more data throughput, which requires more processing power - the current D700 does 8 f.p.s. gripped at 14-bits, the current D3x drops to under 2 f.p.s. when in 14-bit mode, so such a high megapixel camera would almost certainly be aimed at a different customer than the current D700, more along the lines of the fabled D700x).
It also begs questions about Nikon's sensor strategy - new sensors have just come out in the D7000 and D3100, we are expecting a new sensor in the D4 and D4x, so are they really going to produce yet another big, high mp sensor as well? Time will tell.
NR has published an email from a Canon shooter detailing his conversations with Nikon about Switching brands (see source link below for full details).
Bottom line, he claims to have been told that there will be no Full Frame body in 2010.
Furthermore, he was told by a Nikon NPS Rep that there would be no pro level full frame body until after March 2011 (i.e. next fiscal year), probably with a split up of the line in s and x.
Our Take: From reading the published email, it's not 100% clear that "pro level full frame body" refers to the D700 line, as the person who emailed NR implies. Indeed, we fully expect a D4 to come out in 2011, so this timing seems exactly right for the D4. However if that is true, the "s" version of a camera is usually used to identify an incremental improvement (i.e. D3->D3s, D300->D300s, D70->D70s), rather than a new camera. Where an "s" and "x" version would make sense would be with the D700 (i.e. D700s with the D3s sensor, and D700x with the D3x sensor). However this is in contrast with the D800 and D900 rumors that have been rampant recently...
That confusion aside, there are numerous rumblings that there will be no D700 update/replacement this year, and numerous others that say there will. The consensus also seems to be that Canon will not release a 5D Mark III until next year also, so Nikon aligning their release schedule to Canon's would make sense, and the "prosumer full frame" line doesn't yet have a release history since it consists of a single camera, the D700.
Bottom line, we believe the "no full frame until 2011" to be believable based on the information we have seen from multiple sources. That said, we also wouldn't be surprised if a D700s and/or D700x came out very soon as multiple other sources have hinted. We simply haven't seen anything yet that comes even remotely close to convincing us one way the other... In the mean time, the D700 is a truly outstanding camera, unless you need video.
Thom Hogan has published his 2011 predictions (see source link below).
He is predicting a D800 to announced by end of March 2011 (No D700s or D700x). He expects the sensor to be in the 18-24mp range, capable of 4-5 f.p.s. Furthermore, he predicts it will have a 100% viewfinder (unlike the D700), and use the EN-EL15 battery (like the D7000) and have an optional MB-D12 grip.
That seems like a reasonable prediction. Timing is hard to gauge, and may to some extent depend on the timing of Canon's upcoming 5D Mark III. The 100% viewfinder means a bigger prism (more weight, cost), so perhaps not if the goal is to keep the camera smaller.
NR is boldly predicting two new DSLR's from Nikon will be announced today, Feb 21st, at PMA.
If correct, both the D90 and D700 are about at the 18 month mark, so they are just entering the window where they might be updated. Other possibilities are a much anticipated high-res FX body (D700x, D800, D900), or possibly a hybrid/EVIL camera.
While possible, we'd be surprised if this was true, and it would be the most tightly guarded launch from Nikon in recent memory.
NR posted some images in a magazine in Japanese hinting at the D3x sensor in a D700x body. Turns out these were from the Japanese magazine CAPA, and it appears to be pure speculation (they also speculate about a Nikon D95 this year - Nikon is due to update the D90 in 2010, but we expect either a D90s or D7000 to replace it).
After earlier indicating he had reason to believe the Nikon D700x was to be released November 2009 or sooner, Thom is now indicating (in his recently released 2010 predictions - see link below) that "Something not called a D700x: announced by March 2010, and probably called something like D800" is coming instead, and will have a new sensor and not the 24mp sensor out of the D3x.
We've maintained since the launch of the D3x a year ago that a D700x would be a very difficult camera for Nikon to release - if it's to compete with the Canon 5D Mk II and Sony's 24mp offerings, it really needs to be in the $3-4k price range or lower. However that puts it up to $5k cheaper than the D3x (when the difference between the D3 and D700 is only $2k) - which will definitely hurt high margin D3x sales, so from a marketing perspective Thom's prediction does make some sense.
However, note this is a "prediction", it's unclear what information Thom is basing this on, or even if it is pure speculation.
A user on a Czech forum (here via NikonRumors.com) has posted what he claims may be from a 37 page Nikon document outlining Nikons product release roadmap for 2009-2010.
Here is what it says about the Nikon D700x:
Released October 15th
Nikon D700x - differences from the D700:
effective pixels: 24.5 million ...
Image Sensor Cleaning, Image Dust Off reference data ....
[S] 6.048 x 4.032
Continuous high-speed mode: 5 fps without batterygripu, 6.5 fps
with batterygripem
1 Release mode addition: Self-timer + MUP
2200-pixel RGB sensor
L
CD monitor: 920 to-dot, 2.9-inch,
Enhanced contrast detect AF
Enhanced phase detect AF: new 2,200-pixel RGB sensor c
ooperates with 3D Tracking, Auto-Area AF-C is dynamic area,
flashing auxiliary section plus focusing direction "display
in the viewfinder with the" user-control "change of direction
Movie - mode: 1920 * 1080 at 24 fps Quicktime MOV, H.264 codec
Our Take:
Hogan says a "reliable source" claims that the D700x may be here before November, but 6.5 f.p.s. with grip? That's faster than the D3x - no way, no how - the D700x will have less processing power than the D3x, not more.
The full translation (translated using Google Translate) of the original post can be found in our forums - see the source link below.
Update:The same poster posted this further down the thread when someone asked him to produce the document, basically saying he found out it was a 'little joke' after spending 3 hours translating it (via Google Translate):
The answer came to me by mail:
I idiot when I disclose
It's little joke allegedly staff with responsibilities for their beloved colleagues and supervisors with shipper from the center
So it's supposedly fancy, but had to give mad work was concerned about his colleagues were extremely happy and very creative. And from me therefore I did laugh and I to 3 hours to translate.
Thom Hogan has offered his opinion/speculation on upcoming Nikon DSLR releases:
Okay, I'll go further: we'll see a low-end DSLR to replace the D40 and eventually D60, and a high-megapixel FX DSLR to compete with the 5DII better in spring, along with three more lenses; later in the year we'll see a D400 to replace the D300.
As of right now this is on Thom's homepage, but it will likely shortly move to his archive (Feb 2009).
According to an update on KR's site today, he claims that the latest rumors confirm the Nikon D700X is coming in the next month.
He makes no mention as to where the rumors came from.
That claim seems hard to believe, and surely by definition a rumor means it is unconfirmed? (dictionary.com definition of rumor: a story or statement in general circulation without confirmation or certainty as to facts)
RegisterYourCamera.com claims: "An extremely reliable source for RYC has confirmed a camera being field tested by Nikon to directly compete against the Canon 5D MKII. This camera will be announced at the PMA show this year."
They are speculating that it could be the D700x or D800, so the source clearly couldn't give any specifics.
To compete against the Canon 5D Mark II, it needs 20+ megapixels, HD Video, and a price tag of no more than $3,000. The D3x sensor in a D700 with video for $3k just doesn't sound plausible so soon after the $8,000 Nikon D3x launch.
So could this be a new sensor? Could this actually be a Nikon D400 with video, coming in at a lower price than the 5D Mark II (but with a crop sensor?).
Given the lack of specifics, especially the fact they didn't know the name printed on the front of the camera, you can't put much weight at all behind this one.
Ken Rockwell speculates on the Nikon D700x, offering his projections: D3x sensor in a D700 body, announced in August, shipping in December, for $4,399.99
"Nikon D700x will see the light of day as the D800 or D900, or
so my bud says."
"Main reasons against D700x:
- seen as D700 upgrade (too quick!)
- name relates to entry-level (ie D70)
Name is very important to Japanese corporations. All clear in
33 days!
"
"The expected announcement date for the D700x is Dec. 20. D700x has
everything the D700 has, except the shooting rate at full resolution.
The sensor is 24+ MP - while Nikon isn't officially admitting this,
it is the one used in the Sony alpha-900. The D700 will be officially
discontinued then, as by shooting at 12 MP the D700x will match its
burst speed so the D700 is redundant. Price is a big question but
expect the USD price to be well above that of the D700.
"
"Source of the news is 100% reliable, my buddy in Nikon Japan"
Since the date has passed, source may not be "100% reliable".
We posted this commentary/opinion a couple of weeks back as to Nikon's options in supplementing or replacing the excellent D700 (D700x plus D700s, or a single replacement D800) - not a rumor as such, but a relevant discussion as to what Nikon may do, and why.
In a Q & A session with Peter Giesen from Nikon Germany, he claims "the D700 has been introduced only last year, and we won’t have a successor in the near future”.
Now this makes perfect sense, Nikon appears to be on an approximately 2-year cycle with its pro and prosumer lines, meaning a D700s should arrive around summer 2010. Add to that the fact that the D700 followed the D3 by about 9 months, and we are expecting a D3s imminently, so that also puts the D700s next summer with some of the features that will be appearing in the D3 (presumably video).
However NikonRumors also takes this comment to mean no D700x is imminent - huh?
The rumored D700x is no more a successor to the D700 than the D3x was to the D3. If you want a do-it-all, take pictures in the dark at 14-bits and 8 f.p.s., then the D700 (and its successor) is your camera. If you want higher resolution, but don't care about the frame rate or the ability to shoot in available darkness (i.e. you prefer studio and landscape work over photojournalism, sports shooting etc), then the rumored D700x is for you. These are two very different cameras aimed at two different markets, so claiming no D700x because Nikon says no D700 successor soon makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.
NR is pointing to multiple tips pointing to a Fall 2009 release of the Nikon D700x. However of the two examples he gives:
One is someone at a show claiming a Nikon stand worker says the D700 replacement is due out this fall - the D700x is no more a replacement for the D700 than the D3x was for the D3, so was he referring to the D700 body with a D3x sensor or something different? The D700 is almost one year old, way too early for a replacement yet.
The other is someone claiming a Nikon service tech saying that a 24mp replacement for the D700 is due this fall - again, "replacement"?
Speculation from Thom on upcoming Nikon DSLR releases:
If I were a betting person, I'd put the highest odds on June being the date for the next significant announcements from Nikon, but there's an outside chance that we'll get something announced sooner than that.
