Nikon 8400

Just announced Nikon 8400. 8 MP point and shoot. Key thing for UW shooters is that it's native lens is a 24 to 85 equivalent. The 24 mm end gives you the same angle of coverage of the classic Nikonos 20 mm lens. Considered by many to be the best angle of coverage for UW shooting (i.e. Ernie Brooks). It also has a macro mode and I believe a wide angle adaptor that is very compact as it uses Fresnel optics. Also a new high performance battery.

The devil is in the details of course. Will it have a fast shutter lag and excellent low light autofocus capacities that are important to a good UW camera??

To take advantage of this camera's lens a housing would need a STANDARD dome port.

Good call Dave. Finally a compact camera to get excited about!

Thanks for the heads up, I just posted on the homepage.

Ikelite's housings for the Coolpix 950 990 and 995 used to come standard with a dome port (I had the 990 housing) so they could always do it again...

Cheers

James

Curious, I was looking at the camera in DPreviews preview and I noticed how closely the size and controls and shape of this camera follow that of the 5000. So close are the measurements that if might be possible to shoe horn this camera into a 5000 housing. Especially if you use Ike's dome port.

If not; manufactures may be able to modify their now obsolete 5000 housings easily.

Maybe some standup manufacturer would allow their housings to be returned for modification.

A "standup manufacturer" is the opposite of "low down" types like ike?

The 8400 reads like it could be exceptional like the 5000 that proved to be one of the most capable choices ever. I can't see if there is a TTL sensor window or could it possibly be internal?

ike

Very interesting indeed, but I'm still wary of 8mp on a 1&1/4 incd sensor...

The flash sensor could be inside the popup flash housing... or internal...

Announcement reads "ttl capability with SB-600 and SB-800", making me think there is some fancy bunch of preflashes going on (but by not saying i- or d- ttl, great things are possible).

RC

Yes, it's a darned small sensor, but if Sony can process and produce decent photos from the 828, hopefully Nikon can do it...

Cheers

James

A reading of the description of the new camera revels no TTL sensor on the front of the camera. Interestingly the EVF utilizes "through the lens" like a rangerfinder. So I would assume it uses true TTL with the sensor inside the lens.

There is an autofocus sensor on the front of the camera where the optical view finder is on the 5000. Nikon brags about how good it's hybrid autofocus system is on this camera. That may be very important for UW use.

Camera supports Nikon speedlights and iTTL. A supposed first for a digicam.

The sizes of the 5000 and 8400 don't quite line up. I'll bet the controls in a housing wouldn't quite line up either.

We all know Ike is a "stand up manufacture".

You guys, don't forget http://www.imaging-resource.com/

In it, you will find he has already tested the Autofocus speeds, and final shutter release lags. It is quite a lot faster than previous nikons, but, alas, is it clear that it uses a "hybrid" focus system, which means an IR non-TTL range finder, which will not work in a housing, and so, you will likely be back to the old slow nikon P&S auto focus speeds...

Too bad Oly, Canon, and Nikon have all defaulted to using these lately!

That leaves Sony (V1, 828, and new V3) and Minolta's A2 as the only P&S cameras I would consider, for underwater use. Killer AF systems, and increadibly fast final shutter release.

The V1 has no RAW, so is out for me. The 828 seems too big, and Ike doesn't offer any wide angle adapter support for it, (due to vignetting, is my understanding).

Ike, how about a minolta A2 or sony v3 housing?

Sure wish ikelite would get the sony *-TTL interface figured out, as they have with oly, canon, and shortly nikon...

Don

A fast auto focus and short shutter lag are essential to a good UW camera. But the lens is just as important. The 24 mm equivalent and excellent macro capacity are equally as important. I wouldn't consider a camera that didn't have capacities in this area similar to that of the 8400.

And don't forget image quality and flexibility of the camera controls.

Ike,

Is a housing already in the works for this (Nikon Coolpix 8400), and if so do you have an estimated time of release?

Do you plan to offer the housing with the attached dome, or as separate components?

How is the iTTL for Nikon coming along for Ikelite?

Lastly, whenever possible I'm gaining good uw shots by shooting slightly upward on the subject from slightly below. Many times the housing is so close to the reef bottom (if not touching), or in a position so that it is not possible for me the diver, to get down there to look through the view finder, nor the lcd. Many of the camera lcds now tilt outward and twist, yet the housings' backs do not allow for much room for this to be placed in a position to view the lcd screen from a position above the camera back. Attaching a mirror to the outside of the housing for reflection of the lcd results in the reverse image being upside-down. Do you have any further suggestions to help solve this, and are you planning this as something to adjust for in future housings? Knowing that added space would mean longer push button posts, and a slightly larger volume housing, of which I personally would prefer to have less of. Any thoughts, suggestions?

Anyone else?

Thank you.

Handled a 8400 today. Very nice camera. On land the Af and shutter lag were quite good. The 24 mm lens is great! Though bigger the controls line up very closely with that of the 5400. Has an extra dial though. If a manufacture was willing it might be possible to modify a 5400 housing to fit it.

Still don't know about AF and shutter lag UW though.

Hey Dave.

Believe Ikelite are very interested in this cam, and likely to do a housing.

Looks like there is a menu setting, to turn off the exterior AF system, (or just hold your finger over the 2 lens gizmo...).

So, maybe next time you handle one, you could try that.

Was it in a chain store?

Cool!

Don

In Sammy's which has about 4 stores around S. CA.