Cut to chase? - new Nikon D4 - jump to          SO           about
half way down.
Or references at end.

I just acquired a Sony A77 camera.(Long story, but an insurance
replacement for my A700).
APSC 24 megapixel, 1080p video, 12 frames per second, sweep panorama,
3D panorama, internal GPS, HDR, most articulated rear LCD I've seen,
2.4 mp viewfinder!, ... .
Sounds marvellous?
It is.
By far the most capable picture making system I have ever held.
Allows the production of out or camera good results for many circumstances.
And superb quality results in many situations with not too much work.

BUT

Assuming it and I live that long, I look forward to selling it and
most of my lenses and flashes and more a year or so from now and
migrating to what for me should be the ultimate camera.
The A77 is very nice, but a low noise, high ISO, low light or sports
camera it's not.
The 24 mp APSC sensor about guarantee that, and reality is no better
than expectation.
If you want a superb 24 mp image at 200 ISO or less, or an OK one up
to 800 ISO, an A77 does extremely well.
Above that ... :-(.

It hasn't been announced yet, and the specs are unknown, but the
prerelease hands on tests of it's big brother, due for market release
in a few weeks time shows what little brother will be like when it
comes.
Hopefully.
There is every reason to expect that the Nikon D3/D700 relationship
with exist between the new D4 and yet to come ?D800?
Same sensor. Somewhat fewer frames/second. Same video and live vow.
95%+ match with differences being in speed and ease (and size) rather
than raw photo taking ability.

SO

Ladies and Gentlemen, the new Nikon D4 ...

Full frame 16 mp !!!!
Up to 204,800 ISO !
"Professional" 1080p video - and they mean Professional - they wish to
compete against the Canon 5D's use in commercial video work.
CF + new XQD memory slot.
XQD is a CF evolution - smaller physically and up to about 110
MByte/second transfer rates.

Ethernet interface with internal browser allowing remote access and
control planet wide.

Utterly mind boggling arrays of switches, sockets, features etc.

Of the above the thing that matters most to me is the 16 mp (only)
full frame super low noise / high ISO / low light / high speed sensor.
The world's best sports camera got slightly better.

It's nice that, unlike my A77, you can shoot a full frame film while
videoing (melds result into video) OR frame capture a 2.5 mp image
without interruption to video.

Silent shutter mode is lovely.
Lit buttons is lovely - may not translate onto D800.
Timelapse is nice.
More, much more is nice or lovely or about-time.

But the good enough for any sports, low light, indoor, concert, party,
wedding, funeral, wildlife big brother has finally arrived and little
sister is not too far behind. Hopefully.

Press release:

http://www.dpreview.com/news/2012/01/06/NikonD4launched?utm_source=3Dnotifi=
cation&utm_medium=3Demail&utm_campaign=3Dgeneric

Hands on overview

1: http://www.dpreview.com/articles/7799914638/nikon-d4-overview
2: http://www.dpreview.com/articles/7799914638/nikon-d4-overview/2
3: http://www.dpreview.com/articles/7799914638/nikon-d4-overview/3





        Russell

GPS is add on :-(
Display non articulating (but D800 may)
No internal flash - not on a camera like this - but the D800 may.

A lot more.
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