Camera Labs

Thom Hogan of ByThom gave some credibility to the specs over at NikonRumors: " Nikon Rumors' reports on specs of both cameras are close to what I'm hearing".
And there is currently some sort of consensus between both sites that the D4 would be announced in Jan and D800 in Feb with the D400 out later this year.

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Thomas (beware: Nikon-fanboy and moderator!) My Lens Reviews, My Pictures, My Photography Blog
D800+assorted lenses

Now that the D4 is becoming reality I adapted the thread-title to include only the D4x (and no longer the D4). So if you'd like to speculate about Nikon offering the rumored 36MP sensor in the D4 body, or about other FX-bodies you should continue here.
For the D4 there's now Gordon's official preview here and the associated discussion thread there.

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Thomas (beware: Nikon-fanboy and moderator!) My Lens Reviews, My Pictures, My Photography Blog
D800+assorted lenses

Hmm, here's a new one based on the observation that the German Nikon-site temporarily had a picture of the refreshed pro-body family with D4, D3x, D700, D800 and D300s:
If it were not for the battery regulations that force the D700 out of market I'd say that leaving the D700 to occupy the lowest FX price spot is good for Nikon, esp. after all the complaining about the 36MP sensor.
Well that might indicate that there is a surprise in store: D800x with 36MP w/o AA-filter and a D800(s) with 16MP (and naturally AA-filter). The latter then replacing the D700 at the lowest FX price-point.
So Nikon could end up with 3000/4000/6000 USD FX bodies and everybody is happy

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Thomas (beware: Nikon-fanboy and moderator!) My Lens Reviews, My Pictures, My Photography Blog
D800+assorted lenses

2 D800 models? That would make a lot of people happy. Those who do want the MP and those of us (me) that would settle for an 18 MP FX body with maybe a native ISO range of 100-12,800.

Will be interesting to find out what Nikon does with the D800. Will there be just one model (based on the D3x...high MP) or a low light/sports shooter based on the D3s or rather the D4.

I wonder what Nikon is waiting for. Why they haven't announced the D800.

I do not feel the need for high MP, yet do not really want an AA filter, or at least, prefer a quite weak AA filter. Interesting choices to make, here...

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Canon 7D/5D/40D/1D2N; Nikon F6, FM3A, & Coolpix A; Canon 40mm Pancake, 135L, 50L, 35L, pre-II 50mm 1.8, 100mm 2.8L Macro, 10-22mm EF-S, 28-135 EF, 400mm 5.6L; Nikkor 50mm 1.2 AI-S, 50mm 1.4G, 50mm 1.8D, 16mm 2.8D Fisheye, 180mm 2.8D, 100-300mm 5.6 AI-S; Tokina 17mm & 100mm 2.8 Macro

A sales rep from a German shop reportedly hinted at a D800 version with D4 sensor at a later point in time.
Nobody knows whether he was well informed or just guessing...

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Thomas (beware: Nikon-fanboy and moderator!) My Lens Reviews, My Pictures, My Photography Blog
D800+assorted lenses

Hmm, there is another rumor saying that the D800 without AA-filter will be 3900$ and the D800 with AA-filter set at 3000$. Hmm, can that be? I don't know. If someone would say that the version with AA-filter has a lower resolution sensor too (say 24MP or even 16MP) I'd believe it. But just removing the filter on the same sensor and increasing the price by 30% seems a bit extreme imho.

And the shipping-date (for the version w/o AA-filter) is rumored to be mid-March 2012. That would be great, because beginning of April I'll be on a trip. Would be nice to take the new body on a tour

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Thomas (beware: Nikon-fanboy and moderator!) My Lens Reviews, My Pictures, My Photography Blog
D800+assorted lenses

Thomas, might it be that there will actually be 2 different sensors?
Maybe the one without the AA filter will be something like the triple layer Sigma. (12mp x 3 ?)

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Nikon D700 & D7100 bodies + Nikkor 300mm F2.8 VR11, 1.7TC, 50mm F1.4G, 16-35mm f/4G VR, 105 F2.8 VR macro, 70-300mm lenses. A couple of filters, Giotto tripod & ballhead. Lowepro Slingshot 302 AW

http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldcarlos/

$3000 & $3900 USD???? OUCH!! Slight price increase. As was the case with the D4 over the D3s ($1000 increase...debut $). So even if either D800 does end up having the features I'm hoping for (e.g. native ISO of 100-12,800 or better..1080p REC...etc.) I'm not paying almost 4k for a non-Pro body. You could get a new D3s for another $700-800. A potentially much more capable "old" pro-body.

$2000-2500 perhaps.

At almost 4k...we might as well save another 2k and buy the D4.

non-pro body?

D300, D300s, D700, D3, D3s, D3x - all pro bodies...

Pro-bodies=w/ portrait grip permanently affixed (e.g. D3, D4).

Over here in Canada the D300, D300s used to be considered "pro-sumer" (maybe even the D700). Or "semi-pro". Now, Nikon Canada has all the DSLR models grouped together.

Rubbish

"Pro" is just a thrown around marketing tag nowadays. Ignore it.

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Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.

Now, now, gentleman: don't get your knickers in a twist about the definition of a pro-body
@oldCarlos: I would definitely rule out a different type of sensor with both versions and must state clearly that NO rumor so far has indicated that the version with AA-filter would have any other sensor than the version w/o AA-filter. This is just my own personal guesswork. Why:
1. The D3x with 24MP supposedly already has a weak AA-filter, so with a 36MP sensor the filter needed to avoid moire should already be very weak. So how big would the difference in resolution really be when you leave this very weak AA-filter out? Not very much I assume.
2. Many people complained about the consequences and side-effects of have the "insane" resolution of 36MP in a camera (for your reference: pixel pitch of a 36MP FX sensor is equal to the pixel pitch of a D7000 and below the pixel pitch of a NEX 7 or any other 24MP APS-C body).hint, hint, Nikon: some people want a version with less but better pixels..
3. As evident from the above reactions a price of almost 4k$ for a D700 successor is considered outrageous. Hint, hint, Nikon: bring out something cheaper: In comes a lower pixel-count sensor (perhaps the new D4 sensor, or the old D3x sensor) which then in turn needs an AA-filter.
So in my mind everything fits perfectly together. But again: I have no idea what Nikon will really be releasing...

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Thomas (beware: Nikon-fanboy and moderator!) My Lens Reviews, My Pictures, My Photography Blog
D800+assorted lenses

popo,

Several years ago the term "pro body" definitely did refer to higher end models with built-in portrait grips. This was what I had been reading. It's not my own idea of what I believe a "pro body" to be.

When I used the term "pro body" I wasn't referring to which cameras could be considered "professional". I was referring to the camera body design. The shell. Which incidentally is only used on Nikon's and Canon's top 2 models.

When the D300 was released Nikon Canada grouped it under the term "prosumer". Because it had a few "pro features" but was put in a body used for "consumer" grade cameras (e.g. entry-level to middle of the range). I think the D700 was first considered a "prosumer" camera too.

Now Nikon Canada groups all cameras together under "DSLR".