D80 details announced...

David J Taylor wrote:

wrote:
[]
Either way, its a cheesy move... either a cost savings measure by
Nikon, or a deliberate attempt to steer D70 users towards a D200
instead of a D80 upgrade.

I see your viewpoint, but to me it's simply changing to what is perhaps
now the more popular storage medium.

Whilst CF cards may be more durable, the multiple fine pin contact
mechanism seems, to me, potentially less reliable than that wide
spring-leaf contacts used on SD cards.

Having bent pins in a CF slot I can say from experience that I prefer SD to
CF from a reliability viewpoint. Straightening a pin in a CF slot without
disassembling the camera is a pain in the butt and if you _break_ the pin
you're down until you can get the socket replaced.

David

--
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to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

On 9 Aug 2006 07:34:32 -0700, wrote:


Aside from auto ISO, more megapixels (definitely overdue!) and a bigger
LCD screen, i"m a bit...underwhelmed. SD card is certainly a mistake.


There has been much vocal protest about the SD card here and in the
forums at dpreview.

Many wondered why the need to switch. Remember that a lot of Nikon's
business is in manufacturing IC Steppers which are extremely
sophisticated machines used in the manufacture of integrated circuits.
And what is flash memory? An integrated circuit. By potentially
creating additional markets for IC's, Nikon corp has the follow on
benefit of more sales of it's IC Steppers, whose profitability has
been problematic in recent years.

It's just my theory.
================================================== =========================
Chris

Chris Dubea writes:

On 9 Aug 2006 07:34:32 -0700, wrote:


Aside from auto ISO, more megapixels (definitely overdue!) and a bigger
LCD screen, i"m a bit...underwhelmed. SD card is certainly a mistake.


There has been much vocal protest about the SD card here and in the
forums at dpreview.

Many wondered why the need to switch. Remember that a lot of Nikon's
business is in manufacturing IC Steppers which are extremely
sophisticated machines used in the manufacture of integrated circuits.
And what is flash memory? An integrated circuit. By potentially
creating additional markets for IC's, Nikon corp has the follow on
benefit of more sales of it's IC Steppers, whose profitability has
been problematic in recent years.

It's just my theory.

Having worked for a large multinational with a diverse portfolio of
technology products, I'd be shocked if those very different sectors of
Nikon's business were talkin to each other. Their report chain
probably merges at the CEO level, and I doubt wyou'd see a ceo
mandating a different media storage format for a camera to help
flagging chip manufacture equipment sales.

The additional IC fab capacity needed to support the manufacture of
memory chips that'd be purchased resulting from folks upgrading to D80
from other Nikon cameras would be hardly detectable in comparison to
the worldwide output of integrated circuits. I can't even imagine the
change resulting in even 1 new fab for Nikon to sell equipment into.

SD's increasing popularity, smaller size , and smaller physical
interface requirements (which may, depending on board layout, reduce
cost of manufacture in terms of PCB area and connector parts cost) and
perhaps a little more interface robustness are more than likely the
designer's reasons for designing in SD vs CF.

--
Todd H.
http://www.toddh.net/

According to J. Clarke :
David J Taylor wrote:

wrote:
[]
Either way, its a cheesy move... either a cost savings measure by
Nikon, or a deliberate attempt to steer D70 users towards a D200
instead of a D80 upgrade.

I see your viewpoint, but to me it's simply changing to what is perhaps
now the more popular storage medium.

Whilst CF cards may be more durable, the multiple fine pin contact
mechanism seems, to me, potentially less reliable than that wide
spring-leaf contacts used on SD cards.

Having bent pins in a CF slot I can say from experience that I prefer SD to
CF from a reliability viewpoint. Straightening a pin in a CF slot without
disassembling the camera is a pain in the butt and if you _break_ the pin
you're down until you can get the socket replaced.

I've not experienced a bent pin so far (Nikon cameras and PCMCIA
CF adaptors in use), but if I did, I would go down to the shop, get some
small diameter drill rod, put it in the lathe, and drill in the end a
hole just a little larger than the pin diameter (fairly easily
determined by finding which size gauge pins will slide into an old CF
card which is too small to be worth continuing to use), chamfer the edge
of the hole, turn the OD down to small enough to clear adjacent pins,
and use this as the tool for straightening the pin(s) in question.

I might even take the time to make a similar setup on the other
end, but bend it perhaps 15 degrees to allow reaching in to capture a
pin which was already at an awkward angle.

Granted -- not everybody has the tools to make a special tool of
this sort. I suspect that for drilling the hole, I would need one of
the drills from my #61-#80 set, not the more common #1-#60 set, or the
even more common fractional size drill bits.

At least in the D70, the pins are sufficiently recessed and the
card sufficiently precisely guided by the camera so that I would not
expect problems unless I were to put the CF card in sideways. Since I
always make a practice of feeling for the ridge on the underside of the
outer end (for front/back orientation), I am likely to notice that it is
not properly oriented before inserting it.

Good Luck,
DoN.
--
Email: | Voice (all times): (703) 938-4564
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--- Black Holes are where God is dividing by zero ---

According to David J Taylor :
frederick wrote:
[]
I don't like SD cards very much either - but you have seriously missed
some points:
*D70 has auto ISO anyway
*6 to 10 mp isn't a huge leap
BUT the D80 has:
D200 viewfinder - much better than D70 (or 30d for that matter)
RGB Histogram
Optional vertical grip
Exposure delay mode (MLU)
11 Point CAM-1000 AF system
Custom program button

Yes, it looks like an excellent camera, with lots of opportunity to
program the automation to suit your own style of working. I wish Nikon
success with both the camera and the new lenses.

Does it meter with older AI lenses without chips?

Enjoy,
DoN.

--
Email: | Voice (all times): (703) 938-4564
(too) near Washington D.C. | http://www.d-and-d.com/dnichols/DoN.html
--- Black Holes are where God is dividing by zero ---

RichA wrote:

Shades of the Sony....
ISO AUTO mode automatically adjusts sensitivity between ISO 100 to 1600
to maximize available light and achieve optimal exposure. Sensitivity
can also be set manually between ISO 100 to 1600 in steps of 1/3 EV,
plus HI-0.3, HI-0.7 and HI-1.

But if you actually knew what you were talking about, you'd know that
previous Nikon models have had that for a while.

--
Jeremy |

Rita Ä Berkowitz wrote:
J. Clarke wrote:

Having bent pins in a CF slot I can say from experience that I prefer
SD to CF from a reliability viewpoint. Straightening a pin in a CF
slot without disassembling the camera is a pain in the butt and if
you _break_ the pin you're down until you can get the socket replaced.


LOL! It's no surprise that you would do something this stupid. Thank
God they make SATA drives foolproof.

Since one can put CF cards in sideways, accidents are bound to happen.
And that is what happend to a friend of mine within an hour of buying
her D70. Since she has won numerous photographic prizes, is published,
holds a B.Com/accounting, is a certified management accountant, holds an
MBA/Finance and is the comptroller of a major city, it's hardly related
to stupidity other than that of the people who designed the CF form factor.

The relationship to SATA drives escapes me, but given some of your
bizarre statements in the past ... no surprise.

Cheers,
Alan


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Chris Dubea wrote:
On 9 Aug 2006 07:34:32 -0700, wrote:


Aside from auto ISO, more megapixels (definitely overdue!) and a bigger
LCD screen, i"m a bit...underwhelmed. SD card is certainly a mistake.


There has been much vocal protest about the SD card here and in the
forums at dpreview.

Many wondered why the need to switch.

I personally am convinced that it is just part of the Nikon's "smaller
and lighter" marketing strategy for the D80.

According to Rita Ä Berkowitz ritaberk2O04 @aol.com:
DoN. Nichols wrote:

I've not experienced a bent pin so far (Nikon cameras and PCMCIA
CF adaptors in use), but if I did, I would go down to the shop, get
some small diameter drill rod, put it in the lathe, and drill in the
end a hole just a little larger than the pin diameter (fairly easily
determined by finding which size gauge pins will slide into an old CF
card which is too small to be worth continuing to use), chamfer the
edge of the hole, turn the OD down to small enough to clear adjacent
pins, and use this as the tool for straightening the pin(s) in
question.

Or simply go down to the dollar store and buy a syringe for injecting
seasonings into your Thanksgiving turkey. Why build something that is
already made?

I haven't handled one of those. Is the hole the right size?

Enjoy,
DoN.

--
Email: | Voice (all times): (703) 938-4564
(too) near Washington D.C. | http://www.d-and-d.com/dnichols/DoN.html
--- Black Holes are where God is dividing by zero ---

Alan Browne wrote:
Rita Ä Berkowitz wrote:
J. Clarke wrote:

Having bent pins in a CF slot I can say from experience that I prefer
SD to CF from a reliability viewpoint. Straightening a pin in a CF
slot without disassembling the camera is a pain in the butt and if
you _break_ the pin you're down until you can get the socket replaced.


LOL! It's no surprise that you would do something this stupid. Thank
God they make SATA drives foolproof.

Since one can put CF cards in sideways, accidents are bound to happen.
And that is what happend to a friend of mine within an hour of buying
her D70. Since she has won numerous photographic prizes, is published,
holds a B.Com/accounting, is a certified management accountant, holds an
MBA/Finance and is the comptroller of a major city, it's hardly related
to stupidity other than that of the people who designed the CF form factor.

My credentials as an accountant are even more impressive, plus I have
an IQ of 184. And yet, I still manage to do stupid things. Go figure.