Tag Archives: Coolpix

Nikon Stacked CMOS Sensor Will do 1000fps in 4k!

Nikon Stacked CMOS Sensor

Nikon Japan has been busy creating the next generation of 1″ stacked sensors.  The latest is a 17.84 Megapixel stacked design with hyper-fast memory interconnect that shoots up to 1000fps at 4k resolution which is no slouch. The sensor is still in development but it will be a possibility to see it in a camera that could compete head to head with the Sony RX series which now dominate prosumer P&S sales.  It was announced at ISSCC (International Solid-State Circuits Conference) held in San Francisco, February 15, 2021.

The sensor works by shooting in buckets of 16 x 16 pixels as one block, and then subsequently 264 x 264 pixel blocks (4224 x 4224 pixels) are conformed to form the final image at nearly 18MP.  It is unclear at this time if 4k video will be a windowed resolution or a supersampled then reduced final image from the full sensor.  The market for this sensor goes beyond consumer cameras as it is aimed at other applications like self-driving cars and production lines. → Continue Reading Full Post ←

Nikon P1000 Crazy Zoom but Subdued Slow Motion!

Nikon P1000

Nikon has either gone crazy or has analyzed a market that is actually alive and well when it comes to all in one prosumer compact cameras. The P900 was a best seller for several years in the segment with an 83x optical zoom formula of 24-2000mm equivalent. Now the new P1000 increases that range by 1000mm to do a previously ludicrous spec of 24 wide-angle to 3,000mm telephoto range or 125x optical zoom.

The sensor is tiny at 1/2.3″ the same as small compact cameras and just slightly larger than the typical phone sensor of 1/3″. This is what makes it possible for the camera to create such a zoom range without the lens being larger than a Napoleonic war artillery cannon.  The video modes are decent with 4k 30p but the high-speed modes are lackluster which is a shame considering this camera could be used effectively for extreme wildlife shots in super slow motion.

Nikon P1000 Main Features:

  • Lens Focal Length 4.3-539mm (angle of view equivalent to that of 24-3,000mm lens in 35mm format) 
  • 125x optical Zoom-NIKKOR ED glass lens.
  • f/2.8-8 Range
  • Image Sensor
  • Effective Pixels (Megapixels) 16.0  million
  • Image Sensor CMOS Sensor Size: 1 2.3  in.
  • Image Size (pixels) 4608 x 3456 (16M)
  • Vari-Angle  TFT-LCD  3.2″ 
  • RAW Stills Mode
  • ISO  100  1600 & ISO 3200, 6400 (available when using P, S, A or M or Movie manual mode)
  • Weight : 49.9  oz. (1,415  g)with battery and memory card

Nikon P1000 Movie Mode:

  • 4K UHD 3,840×2,160/ 30p
    4K UHD 3,840×2,160/ 25p
    Full HD: 1920×1080/ 60p
    Full HD: 1920×1080/ 50p
    Full HD: 1920×1080/ 30p
    Full HD: 1920×1080/ 25p
    HD: 1280×720/ 60p
    HD: 1280×720/ 50p
    HD: 1280×720/ 30p
    HD: 1280×720/ 25p
    HS 640×480/ 4x   120fps
    HS 1920×1080/ 0.5x  Speed Up!
    HS 1280×720/ 2x 60fps
  • Coolpix P1000 Moon Shot at 2,000mm:

There is no denying the power of the zoom range but do not expect image quality to be outstanding even with all of that ED and Super ED Glass trying to fix the chromatic aberration and softness.  There is, of course, the fact that a small sensor in the 1/2.3″ size will mostly use the center of the glass to gather its light so, in theory, it should be able to use the sharpest part of the elements to get the image quality up to a good standard.

The camera will not be stellar in low light and the full moon if you have ever shot it is so bright that you can safely shoot it at 1/200 to avoid overexposure. Good luck shooting bats or other night creatures with any sort of acceptable quality. Appart from the moon or well lit night scenes or flash shots, this camera should be mostly used in the daytime to get acceptable quality.

High frame rates? (YAWN)

HS 640×480/ 4x   120fps
HS 1920×1080/ 0.5x  Speed Up!
HS 1280×720/ 2x 60fps

The P1000 Camera will only shoot 120fps in VGA 640*480 mode and up to 60fps in Full HD. There is no ultra-high-speed mode like in the Sony RX series cameras.  we are disappointed as this was a true competitor option to the Sony RX10 series in a similar form factor. Quality on the tiny sensor will also be lacking so any higher frame rates should be grainy and prone to artifacts.

This is an interesting camera for Nikon that cements their product line for extreme telephoto enthusiasts. However, if the quality is what you seek, you are better off with an RX camera with a 1″ sensor or a Micro 4/3 camera with a 400mm lens which will in EX Teleconverter mode be a good match to this one without having such a small sensor.  a GH4 or GH5 camera would be a better fit with a 400mm lens and a teleconverter, plus it will be less heavy when attached to a 14-140mm lens for example.  Cool camera but could have been so much more in the video department. -HSC 

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Nikon DL is Killed Off, Now What?

Nikon DL is Killed Off

The Nikon DL was really the only strong contender in the pro-sumer compact camera line from Nikon to offer fast frame rates if it had shipped.  The only other remotely considerable high speed option by the company is the Nikon 1 series in their V and J options which haven’t been updated in a while.

The cancellation of the Nikon DL series was due mainly to technical issues with the image processor which made the company miss the June 2016 target ship date & second, a  restructuring effort after the company reported a net loss of ¥831 Million Yen or 7.3 Million US Dollars .  This is no small predicament as the company had reported in the same time frame last year a net profit of  ¥=&0=&

The Nikon company cites market pressures as well as retirement benefits costs for it’s employee base as main culprits for the capital loss in the 9 month time period. See this official Nikon Document for more details!

Nikon DL is Killed Off – What now, why should I care?

The loss of the Nikon DL camera line strikes a deep blow to pro-sumer fixed lens imaging products. The Sony RX100 and RX10 camera lines are the dominant products in the category today with some Panasonic and Fuji cameras making some inroads. For slow motion fans the Nikon DL was supposed to bridge the gap and compete with the Sony RX series and offer similar features.

Now with less competition the drive to innovate further might be eroded as other camera lines become just another casualty of the cellphone adoption trend which has severely eroded profits and the bottom lines of established camera companies.  And sadly to say it will only get harsher from here on out as the market transitions to even more portable image capturing devices like Snapchat like glasses, AR and wearables.

However the fact that the Sony RX line continues to be a best seller in the compact camera market goes to show that if you innovate and offer performance and value the customers will come. Nikon DL never shipped or had an opportunity to be a crowd pleaser. It still was below the Sony RX in features but it did offer competitive frame rates as a secondary option.   Sony also controls most of the camera CMOS sensor market in compacts and most Phones.  Their recent announcement of a 1000fps capable sensor for cellphones makes that advantage even wider since we really can’t see competitors stepping up to the plate anytime soon.

Nikon 1 Series?

The Nikon 1V and 1 J series are still breathing with rumors last year of being killed off as well.  However the J series is very popular in Asian markets with 10% market share in the segment. The V series however with it’s higher price tag is much less so and that is where the rumors suggest that the next iteration of the Nikon 1 V line maybe a 1 V4 will sport a larger sensor and stronger capabilities to get some market share away from Sony and justify a higher price tag and profit.

We like the Nikon 1 line with it’s 400 and 1200fps slow motion modes which at low resolution cannot compete today with Sony’s RX series but with a few tweaks and technology improvements could in theory go the distance and offer an alternative.

The problem with less competition is that the drive for innovation slows down and with no pressures to create new technologies; camera lines might stagnate for many years and offer few improvements.  We want to see continued progress in frame rates and resolution and while Sony is delivering marked improvements every year; we really can’t be sure if that will continue with lower sales and lower competition.

Overcrowding in a camera space is bad for all participants but a full share of the market is also bad for consumers and innovation.  Nikon did the right thing by killing of the DL line since it really was not class leading or profitable; however we believe they should really push the envelope on the Nikon 1 series and deliver the features that consumers now expect thanks to the Sony RX line.

While the DL did reach some professional photographers to create some great promo pieces as the one below; it was never to see the light of day. All the development cost and technology is now officially a write off.

Nikon’s DL24-85 f/1.8-2.8 Premium Camera | Drew Gurian byNikon Europe:

Nikon image quality and glass are world renowned; the company still has the mojo, technology and know how to build the next generation of cameras. Even if that means using Sony stacked sensor technology! -HSC

Nikon DL Has Powerful Slow Motion!

NikonDLfps

Nikon has delivered a shockwave for affordable slow motion with the three new Nikon DL Cameras announced yesterday.  At first glance it seems a refresh of previous cameras with a 1″ sensor module but actually these are a completely new breed.

For starters the cameras offered are basically the same bare bones electronics with the difference being in a specific focal length for the fixed lens assembly.  The cameras are presented in a DL18-50mm for the wide angle shooters, DL24-500mm for the sports and nature crowd who need the reach and DL24-85mm for portraits and general photography with a Super Macro mode.

Nikon DL Models Video Specs:

  • 3840 x 2160p: 30 fps, 25 fps
  • 1920 x 1080p: 60 fps, 50 fps, 30 fps, 25 fps, 120 fps
  • 1280 x 720p: 60 fps, 50 fps, 30 fps, 25 fps, 240 fps
  • 800 x 296p: 400 fps
  • 400 x 144p: 1200 fps

As you can see the frame rates offered are a substantial improvement from anything Nikon has offered in the past even when you factor in the Nikon 1 Series and is a direct competitor to the Sony RX series introduced in 2015. While the RX series from Sony still has the edge in resolution it is great to see another set of low cost cameras that can shoot in these higher frame rates at usable resolutions.  See the chart below that compares the frame rates between the Nikon DL and the Sony RX lines:

Nikon DL Presentation Video by Nikon USA:

The sensor in these cameras is of the CX kind which is the same one used for the Nikon 1 series which is also a 1″ inch compact sensor which compared of course to APS, 4/3 or FF cameras it is tiny. It looks to be a new sensor which has an unbelievable 171 AF points with contrast and Phase detection combined. It is supposed to be able to track and follow subjects better than ever before. It also allows stills to be shot 20 / second with full autofocus.  If AF is not used it can shoot burst of 60fps at full resolution which is an incredible rate by any measure.

Nikon DL 24-500 Sample Movie I AM BRILLIANCE IN MOTION:

The camera we would go for as the best value would be the 24-500mm F2.8 – F5.6  20.8x Optical zoom.  It may not have the best quality by being a super zoom but it offers the best flexibility. All three offer the same specs besides the lens which is intelligent as you can buy more than one and transition from one to the other easily.

There is not a lot of information on artifacts or moire in the video modes and no real samples of the slow motion modes we could find at this time but it is clear that these cameras, at least form the 4k footage samples, will be amazing imaging machines quality wise. For low light a 1″ sensor will not beat the best out there but it should do way better than smaller sensor compacts any day.  We will keep you informed when we get samples and more information regarding the footage this camera is capable of.

Introducing the Nikon DL by Nikon USA video:

Nikon DL25-500Nikon DL25-500

More info on these and more slow motion cameras as it becomes available.  Thanks for reading! 

Adorama has the Three Nikon DL Models for Pre Order Here:

Nikon DL25-500 F/2.8-5.6 Compact Camera http://adorama.evyy.net/c/102764/51926/1036?u=www.adorama.com/INKDL24500.html – $996.95

Nikon DL18-50 F/1.8-2.8 Compact Camera http://adorama.evyy.net/c/102764/51926/1036?u=www.adorama.com/INKDL1850.html – $846.95

Nikon DL24-85 F/1.8-2.8 Compact Camera http://adorama.evyy.net/c/102764/51926/1036?u=www.adorama.com/INKDL2485.html  – $646.95