The Insane Zoom Powers of the Legendary $75,000 Zoom-Nikkor 1200-1700mm Lens [Past Perfect]

Look at the insane zoom that $75,000 worth of glass got you in the 1990. It’s the work of the Zoom-Nikkor 1200-1700mm f/5.6-8P IF-ED lens, 18 elements assembled in a body that looked like a shoulder-mounted missile launcher. More »

Nikon recalls battery packs sold with D800 and D7000 DSLRs due to burn hazard

Nikon recalls battery packs sold with D800 and D7000 DSLRs

Some important news for anyone who bought a Nikon D800 or D7000 DSLR earlier this year. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada announced today that the battery packs sold with the cameras are part of a voluntary recall due to a potential burn hazard. While there’s been no injuries reported, Nikon says it has received seven reports outside of North America of the battery packs overheating, which can cause them to melt and pose a risk to users. The recall encompasses 5,100 batteries in the US (sold in March and April) and 1,100 in Canada (sold in February and March), plus an additional 195,000 battery packs worldwide. Those with one of the battery packs in question are advised to remove it from their camera and contact Nikon directly for a free replacement. Complete details can be found at the source link below.

Update: As some have pointed out in comments, Nikon first initiated this recall itself in April, but it has just now risen to the level of the CPSC and Health Canada.

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Nikon recalls battery packs sold with D800 and D7000 DSLRs due to burn hazard originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Jul 2012 14:23:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nikon WU-1a wireless mobile adapter for D3200 review: using Android as a remote trigger / wireless display

DNP Nikon WU1a wireless mobile adapter for D3200 review using Android as a remote trigger  wireless display

In the world of DSLR shooting, you can certainly catch one’s attention by mentioning one of two things: a wireless display, or a remote trigger setup. Neither of these are exactly fresh concepts, but Nikon has chosen a curious beast to highlight one of its most promising accessories to date. The $60 WU-1a Wireless Mobile Adapter primarily allows two things to happen. First, it enables your Android phone or tablet (and soon, iOS device) to act as a wireless display. You shoot an image, and within seconds, that image is ready for your ogling on a far larger display than the 3-incher found on the D3200’s backside. For those looking for a far better way to review each shot without pulling out the laptop, this is it.

The other function — the one we at Engadget were most intrigued by — is the ability to use a mobile device to wirelessly trigger a shot. The adapter relies on WPS (WiFi Protected Setup) in order to converse with one’s Android device, enabling a connection even when you’re away from a cellular data signal or WiFi network. Frankly, we were overly bummed to see the entry-level D3200 gain compatibility before full-frame shooters like the D800, D3S and D4 — after all, it sure seems that professionals would be seeking these features more than novices. In the end, however, it’s probably best that more spendy clients be kept far, far away from the disappointment. Join us after the break as we explain.

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Nikon WU-1a wireless mobile adapter for D3200 review: using Android as a remote trigger / wireless display originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 09 Jul 2012 13:15:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nikon releases D4 firmware 1.02 with minor display, formatting, network stability improvements in tow

Have you managed to get your hands on Nikon’s elusive D4 full-frame DSLR? It should be smooth sailing from here, with the occasional firmware update being your only critical acquisition going forward. D4 firmware 1.02 brings a handful of minor fixes, but if you’re in need of any of the enhancements listed below, it’s surely a must have:

  • Format memory card can now be added to My Menu.
  • Gamut for Adobe RGB images displayed in the camera’s monitor has now been changed. This enables more vivid display of images.
  • The stability of network connections when the FTP upload option is selected has been increased.
  • When recording movies using a lens with an aperture ring in [P] or [S] exposure mode, and Aperture ring selected for Custom Setting f10: Customize command dials>Aperture setting, the minimum aperture was applied. This issue has been resolved.
  • When a still image captured during movie recording with 1920 ×1080; 30 fps; crop, 1920 × 1080; 25 fps; crop, or 1920 × 1080; 24 fps; crop selected for Movie settings>Frame size/frame rate and Live frame grab selected for Custom Setting g4: Assign shutter button was displayed in Capture NX 2 or ViewNX 2, the position of the focus point displayed differed from actual recording position. This issue has been resolved.
  • An issue that caused the camera to freeze when attempting to format a memory card (setup menu > Format memory card) while the camera was connected to a network in HTTP server mode has been resolved.

OS X and Windows users alike can hit up the source link below to get their download on.

Nikon releases D4 firmware 1.02 with minor display, formatting, network stability improvements in tow originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Jul 2012 21:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Solmeta N3 geotagging module for Nikon DSLR review: fast GPS locks, minimal battery drain

Solmeta N3 geotagging module for Nikon DSLR review fast GPS locks, minimal battery drain

There’s a reason “Nikon GP-1 alternative” is a search phrase that finds its way into Google’s simplistic query box frequently. Put simply, the only GPS add-on with Nikon’s name on it is universally seen as a poor purchasing decision. For one, it’s still right around $200… despite the fact that it’s pushing four years old. But perhaps more importantly, it’s a major battery hog and takes eons (read: four to five minutes) to get a solid GPS lock if you attempt to conserve your juice by having it shut down each time you flick your camera’s power switch to ‘off.’

Recently, we embarked on a road trip that took us through sparsely populated areas of Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, Oregon and California. For the purposes of using a geotagging module to accurately journal the precise locations of thousands of shots through some of America’s most pristine wilderness, we strapped Solmeta’s Geotagger N3 atop a Nikon D3S. For those unaware, the N3 was first introduced at CES 2012, and just recently started shipping directly from the company’s Hong Kong headquarters to purchasers all over the globe. Much to our surprise, it managed to not only outgun the GP-1, but it also exceeded even our lofty expectations. Care to hear more? Join us after the break.

Continue reading Solmeta N3 geotagging module for Nikon DSLR review: fast GPS locks, minimal battery drain

Solmeta N3 geotagging module for Nikon DSLR review: fast GPS locks, minimal battery drain originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 03 Jul 2012 13:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nikon D3200 Lightning Review: Where Were You Two Years Ago? [Video]

It’s hard to name a good reason to buy a budget DSLR now. You can get virtually all of the same features—lenses, image quality, manual controls—from a smaller, more portable mirrorless camera. So how does the Nikon D3200 fit into today’s camera market? More »

Sony unleash the power of its XQD Cards with the S Series and its 168MB/s writing speed

Here you are the 2nd generation of Sandisk, Sony and Nikon’s memory card the XQD S Series where the S stand for Speed! Yep these XQD Cards, the very same one used in Nikon’s D4 camera are now faster then ever! Announced at the beginning with a 125MB’s writing Speed the new S Series XQD card now achieve a whopping 168MB/s or, when used the the Nikon D4 being capable to shoot up to 108 RAW file non-stop in burst mode, or according to Sony’s press release, being capable …

Sony S-Series XQD memory cards hit speed record at 168MB/s, starting at $500 for 32GB in Japan

sony-xqd-memory-card-speed-record-168mb-s

Sony’s new S-Series XQD memory cards will be the fastest you can buy when they arrive on the Japanese market July 11th, with a transfer speed of 168MB/s — a boon if you’re shooting continuous raw photos or high data rate HD video. The company claims that you’ll need a Thunderbolt connection on your computer to take advantage of all that speed, which comes via the PCI Express Gen interface used for the memory cards. The 32GB and 64GB models will also have plenty of space to put all that media, but you’ll need to pay for the privilege, to the tune of $503 and $754, respectively. Of course, those prices may not be an issue if you’ve already plonked down the coin for one of the few devices that support them.

Sony S-Series XQD memory cards hit speed record at 168MB/s, starting at $500 for 32GB in Japan originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 Jul 2012 07:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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