Sleeker, swifter Nikon D3300 launched; Nikon D4S professional DSLR in development

 

 

Nikon USA has today kicked off its Consumer Electronics Show announcements with big news in the consumer and professional DSLR space. At the consumer end of the equation, our 2012 Entry-Level Camera of the Year has just been replaced by the Nikon D3300, an imminently-arriving camera that's smaller, swifter, and comes with a brand-new kit lens. For professionals and deep-pocketed enthusiasts, the big news is that of the Nikon D4S, now said to be in development.

The Nikon D3300 retains the same 24.2 megapixel resolution as did the D3200, but sports a brand-new body incorporating carbon fiber, which is at once just slightly smaller, and designed to offer better ergonomics. On the inside, the 24.2 megapixel CMOS image sensor is similar to that in the previous model, but it's no longer overlaid with a resolution-sapping optical low-pass filter.

 

The Nikon D3300 sports a redesigned body that's even smaller -- as is its newly-designed, retractable kit lens.

The D3300's sensor is coupled with an EXPEED 4 image processor that's faster and allows better noise reduction. ISO sensitivity, white balance, burst shooting, movie capture, and battery life are also improved, among other changes. And the D3300's bundle has also been updated, with a smaller, lighter retractable AF-S NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR II lens being included in the box.

The Nikon D3300 goes on sale in the US market from early February 2014, with a choice of three body colors -- black, red, or gray. Suggested retail pricing is set at around US$650, including the new collapsable 18-55mm kit lens, some US$50 below launch pricing of the D3200 kit. The optic itself will also be sold separately for US$250.

If you're interested in learning more about the new entry-level point to Nikon's HD-DSLR lineup, you'll want to read our Nikon D3300 preview for the full story.

And then there's the news that will be great excitement to Nikon-shooting pros: the development of the Nikon D4S. Here, we know a whole lot less, as the company has yet to give any indication when it intends to officially announce the model, let alone its pricing and availability. What we do know is this: The company is working on the D4S as we speak, will be displaying it -- presumably under glass -- at the Consumer Electronics Show, and has gifted it with a brand-new image processor as well as a more advanced autofocus system.

 

 

The Imaging Resource team will be pounding the show floor tomorrow, and you can be sure that we'll be seeking out the Nikon D4S -- and doing our best to ferret out more details about how it differs from the existing Nikon D4 -- just as soon as we can. Watch this space!