Nikon announces the Nikon D4 Digital SLR

by | Jan 6, 2012 | Gear

Today the Nikon Corporation has announced the release of the Nikon D4, a Nikon FX-format camera that serves as the new flagship model in Nikon’s lineup of digital-SLR cameras.

The D4 is equipped with a new Nikon FX-format CMOS image sensor (imaging size of 36.0 x 23.9 mm) and EXPEED 3, the latest image-processing engine specifically optimized for digital-SLR cameras, making it the next-generation flagship Nikon digital-SLR camera with the ultimate in versatility and functionality that offers superior image quality rich in detail along with excellent high-speed performance. It has an effective pixel count of 16.2-million pixels, and offers superior image quality under a broad range of lighting conditions with its image sensor supporting an incredible range of sensitivities from ISO 50 to ISO 204800.

D4 primary features

  1. New Nikon FX-format CMOS image sensor
  2. New EXPEED 3 image-processing engine with superior, high-speed processing capabilities
  3. 91K-pixel RGB sensor for the more accurate Advanced Scene Recognition System
  4. Faster and more accurate AF with 51 focus points
  5. Multi-area Mode Full HD D-movie with three image area options
  6. Smooth workflow from initial setup to image transfer
  7. The new compact Wireless Transmitter WT-5
  8. Capture NX 2 Ver. 2.3 for significantly faster processing

Other D4 functions and features

  • Extremely durable shutter that has passed testing for 400,000 cycles
  • Magnesium alloy adopted for the very strong, durably body that is very resistant to dust and water
  • Effective sealing using O rings and packing make the camera more resistant to dust and water
  • Silent shutter-release mode for live view photography that almost completely eliminates the sounds of the mirror and shutter operation
  • A time-lapse photography feature, with which the camera automatically takes photos at selected intervals to record a time-lapse movie, which can be played back at 24–36,000x normal playback speed
  • Operation optimized for both horizontal (landscape) and vertical (portrait) shooting
  • Button backlights (illuminators) for increased visibility when working in dimly lit or dark situations
  • High-performance viewfinder, utilizing a glass pentaprism, with a frame coverage of approximately 100% (FX format) and magnification of approximately 0.7x
  • Four image area options for still shooting—FX (36 x 24), 5:4 (30 x 24), 1.2x (30 x 20), DX (24 x 16)—with viewfinder indicator that identifies the current image area
  • A 3.2-inch, approximately 921k-dot LCD monitor with reinforced glass and wide viewing angle; integration of the glass and panel reduce internal reflections
  • A virtual horizon that shows the degree to which the camera is tilted sideways (roll), forward or backward (pitch) with display in the monitor and viewfinder
  • White balance that can be adjusted in units of 10 K; white balance can be specified separately for shooting (white balance applied to images) and monitor display with still-image shooting in live view mode

Go here to read the full Nikon press release.

Go here to read the hands-on review at DPReview.com.

In addition the Nikon Corporation has announced the release of the AF-S NIKKOR 85mm f/1.8G, a fast, medium-telephoto fixed focal length lens with a focal length of 85 mm and a maximum aperture of f/1.8 compatible with the Nikon FX-format. Go here to read the full Nikon press release of the AF-S Nikkor 85mm f/1.8G.