OK, folks the Nikon Digest #130 has two reports of a new Nikon Body to be introduced on 11/25. One report comes from a fellow in Thailand who translated the information he recieved. It appears that this is the long awaited body that will fill the nich between the N90s and the F5. He also reported another new lens a 28-105 f/3.5-4.5 zoom. I am not sure if he said it was a Silent Wave or not. I sure hope it is!

The other report is from Bob Shell of Shutterbug who claims the same introduction date and mentions a new body. He did not mention a new lens.

OK, let's have some fun speculating on this new body. I am going to guess that it will have multiple focusing points, tweaked fill-flash features, somewhat faster motordrive and improved auto-focusing. I expect that it will not have the RGB metering since this is a HUGE Nikon advantage and they will keep in on the F5 flashship camera. I also expect that it will not have true mirror lockup. Too bad.

-- NikonGuy (NikonGuy@nospam.net), November 21, 1998

Answers

What is it about the N90s that has everyone awaiting it's replacement? Don't get me wrong, I don't mind a little speculation, but it seems that it's design has stood the test of time rather well.

I guess my wish list would include:
1) A fully functional camera that doesn't require a $$$ back to get multiple exposure, auto-bracketing, etc.
2) the same metering display range of the N8008.
3) Multiple AF sensors (3-5 or so, if it includes the inteligence of the F5 to switch from sensor to sensor as needed).

My real wixh items from Nikon are:
and N70 with traditional (N8008, N6006, N90, N60 style) controls , DOF preview and 1/250 x-synch.
An F3/F4 hybrid --MF, seperate motordrive, reads lens electronics, standard hotshoe, real data-back, 1/250 x-synch and true MLU. --Yeah I know I'm really dreaming.

-- Geoffrey S. Kane (grendel@pgh.nauticom.net), November 23, 1998.

I agree with your the N70 wish but would really love to see a metal-bodied version! DOF would be swell too.

-- Mack Padre (Mackpadre@uswest.net), November 24, 1998.

don't speculate---go to www.nikonusa.com. they put it on this morning, with specs & IN ENGLISH!

-- ed nicholson (thenicks@mindspring.com), November 24, 1998.

Ok, now that it's official.... Anyone want to speculate why the US version is also called the F100???

-- Geoffrey S. Kane (grendel@pgh.nauticom.net), November 24, 1998.

Well, the F100 is described on the Nikon USA and Nikon Australia home pages. It is called the F100 I guess to connect it more closely to the pro series of Nikons.

Sounds like a great camera. Looks like what a basic F5 would have looked like if the body of the F5 had been made modular like the body of the F4. Reminds me of the basic F4 configuration with the MB 20 battery pack rather than the F4e with the MB 23 battery pack, which is vaguely the same shape as the F5.

I find the use of the F5's multiple focusing spots really good, and the illumination of the focusing spots on the E screen is a good refinement of the F5. Wonder if Nikon will bring out an F5s model with this feature.

-- John Wall (john_wall@ncsu.edu), November 24, 1998.

May be these features are present on the F100 but not reflected on the spec sheet. But if not, I think Nikon goofed again in not including them:

1. Mirror Prefire/lockup

2. Custom function, or better, One button control to leave film leader out

3. Built in Diopter adjustment

-- Chuck (chaohui@msn.com), November 24, 1998.

Do you think that with the introduction of this new body (F100), the F90x/N90s will see a significant drop in its street price???

-- morgan cummins (morgancummins@hotmail.com), November 25, 1998.