Happy new Year!
As every year, we’ll start the year at CES and PMA@CES in a couple of days.
From January 7 to 10 the 2014 International CES will be open, and we’re looking forward to seeing some of you at our booth: LVH – 41010 – again as part of the German Pavilion! Click here for floor plan.
foolography at CES in the LVH Exhibits
Come see us and our products. We look forward to seeing you!
Nikon launched yet another DSLR, just weeks after the D610 and the D5300. Catching up to the retro trend the Nikon Df (which stands for Digital fusion) looks similar to the classic FM/2 and the F3, but internally is on par with Nikons current flagship cameras. It contains the 16MP full-frame sensor and Expeed processors of the D4, and the AF system of the D610. Read more about the specs and features on nikon.com or dpreview.com.
The Df does not have built-in GPS, but it is compatible with our Unleashed Dx000, which will sit nice and flat on the side of the Df, adding GPS capability to the Df, without adding bulk or cables, or getting in the way when you take photos, very much unlike the Nikon GP-1 :-)
The Nikon GP-1 on the Df – “less than ideal”
One more thing: there is no GPS icon on the top LCD, and the one on the info screen on the main LCD has changed to this: 
Nikon finally did it! They added built-in GPS to the D5300 they announced today. Also Wi-Fi. So, the first Nikon DSLR with integrated GPS is an entry-level DSLR, just as I expected. Lets see how long it will take for this feature to find its way into the Pro DSLRs. Considering the D610 that was announced just a few days ago does not have GPS yet, I’d bet it will still take a while. First we’ll have to see how well the geotagging works, what its effect on battery life will be, and how many customers this new feature will win over…
Until then, of course we’ll still have the next best thing to built-in GPS (if not an even better thing!), for all other more or less current Nikon DSLRs, from the D3100 all the way up to the D4, our great wireless (Bluetooth) direct geotagging solution that does not add any bulk to the camera: the Unleashed!
The Antenna seems to be placed to the right of the mode dial on the top of the camera – a better choice, slightly further from the internal flash!
The D5300 uses A-GPS (Assisted GPS), and Nikon provides current A-GPS files on their website: http://nikonimglib.com/agps2/. You can download A-GPS data for 28 days, but can only load 7 days at a time into the camera, so you’ll have to reload it every 7 days. It also allows tracking/logging, with an interval of 15, 30 or 60 seconds, for up to 24 hours (12h and 6h also selectable). The track-logs are stored on the SD card, but I do not yet know in what format Nikon will store it. We’ll find out soon enough. I’m looking forward to the first reviews! See details about the GPS feature here. One thing I’m particularily interested in, is whether it’s possible to optionally use an external GPS solution such as our Unleashed instead of the built-in one, the Specifications on the Nikon imaging website do list “GPS units: GP-1/GP-1A (available separately)” under “Accessory Terminal”, so it does look like it’ll be possible!
Read more on the D5300 on nikon.com or dpreview.com.
Nikon announces the D610 as the successor of the D600, but only with minor updates. Many had hoped for built-in GPS and wifi, but again, Nikon did not add this. Instead they gave the D610 a new shutter mechanism, probably to put an end to the oil spot problem of the D600, but at the same time offering slightly increased frame rate (6 as opposed to 5.5fps) and a new quiet continuous shooting option. Read the details on nikon.com or dpreview.com.
The good news is that our Unleashed Dx000 will still be compatible with the D610, just as it was with the D600. As such, it will also be necessary to completely remove the rubber flap covering the GPS Port, to allow the Unleashed Dx000 to fit properly. We describe a almost entirely reversible way to do so here.
Order your Unleashed Dx000 in our online-shop today!
So, just a few days after the D7100, Nikon announced the new Coolpix A – a high-end compact camera, with a DX format Sensor, and a fixed 18.5mm/2.8 prime lens (28mm equivalent). Read the details about this camera at the source or dpreview.
Image by dpreview
It does not have GPS built in, but instead features the same GPS port that all of Nikons consumer DSLRs have, which is compatible with Nikon’s GP-1, but of course also our Unleashed Dx000. I have not yet had the chance to hold the camera in my hands so I cannot confirm it for sure, but it looks like the Unleashed will just fit under the eyelet for the strap. However, it seems the rubber cover will have to be removed for the Unleashed Dx000 to fit properly, just like with the D600.
Today, Nikon announced the new D7100. A successor to the popular D7000, now 2.5 years old.
Some also rumor it to be the merged successor of the D7000 and D300s, and the updated specs do seem to lend these rumors some credibility. One example is that the D7100’s AF module has been updated to the Multi-Cam 3500DX with 51 AF points (15 cross type), which is the same as the as the D300s. However, it even comes with updated Algorithms, and just like the D4, D800 and D600, Nikon specifies it to be able to focus in low light, down to -2EV. The center point is functional at f/8, an advantage especially for the use of teleconverters combined with telephoto lenses. Of course that’s not all thats new, some important updates are the 24Megapixel Sensor without optical low pass filter, ISO range of 100-6400 (or Lo-1:50 to Hi-2: 25600), increased speed, 1080/30p video recording, dedicated movie record button, 1.3x crop mode, ca 100% frame coverage viewfinder, and much more, which you can read about in detail on nikon.com, dpreview or engadget.
The most interesting news is of course, that the D7100 is compatible with our Unleashed Dx000, as the connector and its position at the bottom right of the left side of the camera remains mostly unchanged from the D7000. Nikon has still not built in GPS into any of their DSLRs!
As every year we want to give you a gift this Christmas season. This year we will offer worldwide free shipping when you order your new gadgets through our website. On top of that we will give you a free wired remote release with each Unleashed that is ordered.
So do not let this opportunity pass and visit our online shop. This promotion is only valid from 15th December 2012 through 15th January 2013.
a remote release like the one you’ll get!
We’ve been getting many requests about the D800 this year, as unfortunately the current Unleashed D200+ physically does not fit the D800. The new year 2013 will also bring a new version of the Unleashed with exciting new features. But it is not quite finished yet. As always, we try to make everything perfect which turns out to be a little bit more complicated than anticipated.
Electronically, the Unleashed D200+ still works perfectly on the D800, so we decided to offer a modification for all our customers with Unleashed D200+, to end the wait for using an Unleashed on their new Nikon D800.
The new year is dawning, and with it comes CES and PMA@CES.
From January 8 to 11 the 2013 International CES will bring you the very newest in Consumer Electronics and along with 3000 other exhibitors, we will be there! We would love to welcome you at our booth: LVH – 46035 (part of the German Pavilion)! Click here for floor plan.
foolography at CES in the LVH Exhibits
This year, we’re bringing a new Unleashed Barcode Edition – finally one that will be available in the US and Canada as well! The current Unleashed Barcode Edition will also be extended by several new features, including a world first: direct wireless RFID scanning for Nikon DSLRs!
Stay tuned for details, or come see it in action at our booth at CES. We look forward to seeing you!
So, last week, Nikon announced another great consumer DSLR, the D5200. Nikon updated their only DSLR model with a swivelling Display to specifications close to the D7000, while remaining physically almost identical to the predecessor: the D5100.
Read all the details on dpreview or engadget.
The Nikon D5200 is compatible with our Unleashed Dx000, Nikon really seems to be sticking with this port for GPS support in their consumer DSLR lineup, and is showing no signs of integrating GPS into their DSLRs just yet.
Unleashed Dx000 position on D5200 Image by dpreview
Again, just like with the D600, the Rubber cover needs to be either removed or a have rectangular hole cut into for the Unleashed to fit on properly, but most our customers do this anyway, so that the rubber cover is not flapping about all the time. See our D600 post for details on a nearly entirely reversible method for removing the flap.