Cambo Actus and Nikon D810

Amazing review of the Cambo Actus on the Nikon D810 in two parts, at Nikon Rumors.

Part 1
Part 2

I of course dropped the D800, whose live view was shtye compared to a Sony A7r. Below is my review of the Novoflex BALPRO T/S, in three parts, at Fuji Rumors

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

Nikon: "We don’t deny that this may be an option in the future"

And the prize for the biggest waste of DPReview's time, and dodging of important questions goes to Nikon. 

And the baldest face lie of the entire interview is this: "We don’t consider that we manufacture more FX than DX lenses" in response to DPReview's pointing out that Nikon continues to release more FX than DX lenses. 

Worthless.

DPReview: CP+ 2015: Nikon Interview - 'We learned from the D600 episode'

The Missing D300s Replacement, Redux

Thom Hogan on the missing Nikon D300s replacement:

“Will Nikon give us a D300s replacement? When would they give it to us? What will it be like? My predictions are yes, fall 2015, and not as good as what I just described.

Here’s another thing that comes into play: I don’t think that the remaining customers for DSLRs are entirely price sensitive. Sure, they are at the D3300/D5500 level, and Nikon needs to do more to make that work for them. But those DSLRs are likely to be eclipsed by mirrorless at some point, anyway. At the D7200 and up level, and especially at the pro body type we’re talking about with a D300s replacement, the customer is far less price sensitive than they are feature sensitive. If the options are (1) what I described above at US$2199 versus (2) the current 24mp sensor doing 10 fps in basically a D810 type body without the other things I described at US$1799, I’ll bet #1 would outsell #2.

We’re looking at a glass half full, half empty type of situation. Nikon would probably think they’ve been successful in filling half the glass (FX is doing okay, and they’re still selling DX DSLRs and making a profit). I’d say they’ve failed to fill more than half the glass (the pro gear right now is decidedly awkward, the DX DSLRs are arbitrarily defined and the channel is overstuffed with them, the Nikon 1 has been a random walk through design ideas with no one polishing anything, etc.).

A D300s replacement will tell us whether the glass will continue to be half full, or is still half empty ;~). But boy is it coming late to market. Really late. Harvard Business School Case Study late. ”

Source: The Missing D300s Replacement, Redux

Nikon 28-80/3,5-5,6 VR full-size mirrorless lens patent

Assuming that the 28-80 range isn't equivalent-speak, this mirrorless lens patent could point to a Nikon full-frame interchangeable lens system. And, assuming that Nikon will make a serious mirrorless camera, many of us would rejoice.

Thanks Mirrorless Rumors

Michael The Mentor: Nikon D750 VS Canon 5Diii Epic Shootout

While now a month old, Michael The Mentor's painstaking review which pits Canon's top grip-less FF dSLR VS Nikon's latest D750, is fresh. Why it matters is that it is a user, not a benchmark review promoting external software, or performance-by-the-numbers journalism. He even describes why he pits cameras of two generations against each other.

Covered are the usual suspects: stills, video, ISO, dynamic range, etc., but rather than stopping at the numbers, Michael shows how each impacts the end user. His AF tests aren't simple statements, but practiced, gruelling metrics covered by modus operandi. And, inasmuch as his conclusions are drawn by a flawed species of mammal, they are as unbiased as I've seen. You certainly won't find their like at ohm. And While they've been around forever, yours truly has just discovered them. 

Watch his videos. 

Nikon Rumors review: Nikon's 20/1,8 AFS G

Incredible performance from this Nikon super wide angle. Great photos, too. Worth the read.

Source: Nikon 20mm f/1.8G ED lens review

Deck the halls with onion balls and cat eyes (or Fujifilm VS Nikon)

Amid all the clamour and hubbub at DPReview's Fujifilm X's equivalence forum, a saner thread emerges. Telemarketing-Roger-Moore- lookalike, Robert Betchel, whipped out his Nikon D750 and Fujifilm X-T1 cameras and equivalent portraits lenses and photographed his mug in front of a bit of holiday green to settle the age old question: which do you prefer, cateyes, or onions?

Source: Comparing Nikon D750 and Nikon 85 1.8 to Fuji X-T1 and Fuji 56

NOTE: the above images were taken from page 2 of the above thread. They are heavily cropped from the 1:1 samples Robert uploaded to DPReview. The image on top is from the XF 56/1,2; the image on bottom is from the 85/1,8 AFS.

Nikon Rumors: D750 coming

And despite being rather firmly planted in the Fujifilm camp, I'll admit that a well-done 7x0 series tugs at my heart strings.

As you can imagine, NR's Nikon 750 post has already spawned hundreds of comments.