New Nikon D4s Officially Announced

New Nikon D4s Officially Announced

The Nikon D4s is FINALLY public! After months of rumors and random sightings of the camera, it has finally hit the market and is available for purchase. Everyone knew it was coming it was just a matter of guessing when it would be announced. Even Adobe leaked the D4s in the recent update to Camera Raw.

Just like the Nikon D4, the D4s will continue to be 16.2MP with a full frame sensor. But, the D4s will have the new EXPEED 4 processor which is supposedly going to be much faster than the previous one. The new processor speed allows for 1080p 60p video (finally). The new camera will also have XQD and CF card support with the ability to change sizes of the focusing point in Live View mode. Also, a timelapse mode will be in the camera that allows for up to 9,999 images to be taken. WOAH!

Some other features are the 11fps shooting speed, six preset white balances, five AF sensors used as an entire group, and also a face priority analysis which is able to be turned on or off. Let's also not forget the camera's ISO can go to 25,600 topped off with a 12 bit uncompressed RAW output. This camera is a tank.

d4s-nikon-back-side d4s-nikon d4s-nikon (2) d4s-nikon-front d4s-nikon-top d4s-nikon-back

Check out some of the true differences between the D4 and the D4s and see why it has it's hefty price tag of $6,496.95

 

D4s

D4

Sensor and Resolution

Sensor 36.0 x 23.9mm CMOS 36.0 x 23.9mm CMOS
Effective Pixels

Approx. 16.2

Approx. 16.2

Resolution 16.2MP FX-format CMOS sensor 16.2MP FX-format CMOS sensor

Image Quality

Image Processing Engine

EXPEED 4

30% faster Increased number of shots Higher video quality at high ISO Supports  1080 60p

More shots per charge

EXPEED 3

ISO Sensitivity Range

100 to 25,600

Lo1 (ISO 50) to Hi4 (ISO 409,600)

100-12,800

Lo1 (ISO 50) to Hi4 (ISO 204,800)

File Format

12-bit and 14-bit NEF (RAW) File support JPEG- fine (approx. 1: 4), normal (approx. 1: 8), basic (approx. 1: 16)

TIFF (RGB)

12-bit and 14-bit NEF (RAW) File support JPEG- fine (approx. 1: 4), normal (approx. 1: 8), basic (approx. 1: 16)

TIFF (RGB)

RAW SIZE S 12-bit uncompressed

No

Metering System

91k RGB Sensor

Yes

Yes

Advanced SceneRecognition System Yes - Group Area AF added

Yes

Face Priority analysis for viewfinder shooting On/Off possible with custom setting

Always On

White Balance

Spot White Balance when using Live View

Yes

No

Preset White Balance

1-6 possible

1-3 is possible

Auto Focus

AF Sensor Advanced Multi-CAM 3500FX Advanced Multi-CAM 3500FX
Auto Focus (continued)
Frame Advance Rate 11 fps with AF/AE 10 fps with AF/AE
Group Area AF

Yes

Five AF sensors used as a Group Optimized for subjects located within an area covered by the “Group”

No

Dynamic AF Modes 9/21/51/51 points w/3D Tracking/Auto Area AF 9/21/51/51 points w/3D Tracking/Auto Area AF

Video

Frame Size andFrame rate 1920 x 1080 60/50/30/25/24p 1920 x 1080 30/25/24p
Multi-area mode Full HD D-Movie with three image area options Selectable during live view: FX, DX, 2.7X Crop Not selectable during live view: FX, DX, 2.7X Crop
ISO Auto Control forManual Exposure

Yes

No

Simultaneous recording to memory card and external recorder

Yes

No

View simultaneous live view output and record uncompressed videovia HDMI

Yes

Yes

Selectable audio frequency range

Yes

Wide/Voice

No

Audio adjusted during video recording

Yes

No

Wired and Wireless Communication System
Wired LAN 1000 Base T Support 100 Base T Support
Wireless Transmission

Via WT-5A

Via WT-5A

Camera Handling

Ergonomics Shape of a grip and details at backside (body form Improved over D3 sereies
Dual memory card slots

CF card compatible  with UDMA 7

XQD memory card (based on a 32-GB QD-S32E) enables continuous shooting for up to approx. 200 shots  (JPEG fine L), approx. 133 shots

(12-bit, lossless compressed  RAW), approx.  176 shots (12-bit, compressed RAW), or approx. 104 shots (14-bit, compressed RAW)

CF card compatible  with UDMA 7 XQD XQD memory card (based on a 32-GB S32E) enables continuous shooting for up to approx.

170 shots  (JPEG fine L), approx. 92 shots (12-bit, lossless compressed  RAW), approx.  92 shots (12- bit, compressed RAW), or approx. 76 shots (14-bit, compressed RAW)

Playback Magnification Can be selected from multi-selector Can be selected from multi-selector
Change Focus point size in Live View Movie

Yes

Normal-area

No

Fine tune LCD color

Yes

No

Full aperture metering during Live View for stills

Yes

No

Live View - Image Area Can be selected while in Live View for

No

Interval timer / Time lapse movie

Yes

Increased number of exposures (up to 9999), setting until one week later is possible. Exposure smoothing has been added

Yes

Up to 999 possible

Battery

One EN-EL18a Rechargeable Li-Ion

Approx. 3,020 shots (in Single-frame mode, based on CIPA Standards)

One EN-EL18 Rechargeable Li-Ion

Approx. 2,600 shots (in Single-frame mode, based on CIPA Standards)

Time-lapse Interval Timers Exposure Smoothening

Yes

No

There are quite a lot of differences from the D4 and the D4s and Nikon did a great job at improving an already great camera. It is great to finally hear the news about this body and I think the photo community may be quite excited about this release, but, my guess is we will hear a lot of complains about the 16.2MP size, even though we have a slew of other improvements.

As we mentioned above, the Nikon D4s will be available for $6,496.95.  It is available for pre-order right now on B&H and will be shipping on March 6. More info HERE

What are your thoughts on the new $6,499 Nikon D4s?  Will you be getting it?

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John White is a photographer from Northwest Indiana. He specializes in individual portraiture. Outside of photography, John enjoys building websites for fun, doing graphic design, and creating videos. Also, he really loves Iron Man. Follow him on his social media profiles to keep up to date with what he has going on!

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51 Comments

Good price!

when my mom sees me selling everything i own she'll definitely think i'm doing drugs :-(

how cute.... your mom brings you food to your basement room?

MOM!!!! THE MEEAATTTLLOOAAAFFFF!!!!!

AND SOME DILL PICKIES

Awesome! Well avoiding the obvious ( price tag) I am personally enraged by the addition of a new battery that probably comes with a different type of charger! I have a D3S plus 4 batteries and charger, and a D4 with 3 batteries and charger. Not really looking forward to add another brick sized battery and $150 per battery. Awesome to know that Buying another Nikon would be like getting a Canon or a Sony body. New camera and accessories, minus the lenses. What's really incredible is Nikons blatant disregard for their most loyal base.

the new battery is probably like the latest battery upgrades (for the d5300 and df cameras "en-el14a") older en-el18 batteries from the d4 should work, just have a shorter battery life, just like older el-el14 batteries work in the df. same exact chargers as well. They just improved the existing battery.

Why would you complain about the 16.2MP? It's already almost too much.... Thank god Nikon didn't "upgrade" to 24MP! One of the best feature of this D4s I wish I had on my D4 is definitely Small RAW!

You must work on a Mac.

No, why is that?

Mac users are usually the ones complaining about dealing with hi res files coming from the likes of D600/610s and D800s.

who here really thinks that ISO 409,600 is usefull for him?

honestly you guys getting excited about a feature that will be useless for most.
everything over iso 12800 looks just crap today.

and how many here shoot editorial stuff for newspapers?

it´s a mini update. i don´t get why people get excited over THIS.

as mentioned it does not even beat the older 1D X in speed or resolution.
after 2 years nikon has nothing that tops the 1D X for wildlife or sports photography.

"honestly you guys getting excited about a feature that will be useless for most.everything over iso 12800 looks just crap today."

How do you know that 12800 looks like on this body?

educated guess?...,.. can you prove him wrong?

Seriously? The old Canon vs. Nikon battle? Did your father's not love you enough when you were children?

do you know your father f**khead?
would be suprise given your mother was a wh....

But not crappy enough for paparazzi I'm sure.

no wonder SCOTT KELBY switched to canon.
canon shooter had a better sports camera 2 years ago.

With AF that can't follow sportsman correctly, not as good ISO sensitivity, can't work with wireless flashes without issues and have numerous bugs when you adjust the exposure on the flight creating suddenly overexposured pics that you can't fix in post...Better camera pretty much yeah! And 14fps...the most useless thing I've ever seen...

What wireless flash issues?

smaller viewfinder
slower
less megapixel
and nikon needed two years to come up with something that still cant beat thes competition?

i hope it comes with a dust removal kit.....

fstoppers receives money from Nikon, right? Pretty sure about it... it's ok, of course. But in case, let us know... thanks

We do not receive any money from Nikon.

"There are quite a lot of differences from the D4 and the D4s and Nikon did a great job at improving an already great camera"

Oh yeah, you do

I am really curious about the RAW S format. If they successfully implemented a similar feature that Canon has, this would be a much-needed improvement on the D800. Imagine being able to switch into a 24 or 16megapixel mode, with all the advantages of a RAW (not just JPG).

Fstoppers you need to get your hands on one to test the video mode in FX/DX. The D4 was super soft, almost unusable compared to the D800. If its shaper, like the D800 I'm sold. I need better ISO performance for wedding cinematography. Help a brother out.

If we can we will!

Thanks, man! That alone is make or break for me ditching one of my D800 bodies and going with the D4s. Really looking forward to any findings. A direct, controlled D800 side by side would be excellent!

Brilliant! I'm interested in that too! :)

Shoot at 2.7 crop (what Nikon says itself is the best for the D4 and D4s). I shot 2 x 3 hour productions to using the HDMI out to an Atomos Ninja 2 and it was all "tack sharp". There was a lot of referencing I had to do to set up the rig with the D4. But it was received with great kudos when I burned the final edited version to Blu Ray. So, forget the "standard settings" and let your fingers, and Google, do the walking to find out the recipe I found to use the D4 (and the right lenses - Nikkors All in my case), that suit your needs.

That is my point, you shouldn't need to shoot in 2.7 crop for a sharp image from the sensor. That defeats the purpose of having video on a full frame sensor. You loose depth of field exponentially as you crop in. I can't do without the flexibility of shooting in FX and DX on the D800. I a few focal lengths out of a single prime lens, great for event/wedding cinematography.

I've done my research, though have yet to get my hands on a D4 for a direct comparison. I plan to do that in the next couple weeks. If you want to see a direct comparison D4/D800 by Pillip Bloom have a look here: http://vimeo.com/42065372

If you have footage I can review from the Atomos Ninja and D4 it would be great to throw it in Premiere and see how it sharpens up and grades. Is that possible? Would be very helpful.

Wow, they just made the best sports / action camera even better. Jealous much canon fanboys?

Of what? Slower FPS at a lower resolution? A take on smaller raw files, which Canon has had for years?

You've got a nice camera on your hands here. More modern ISO performance, in theory, that's pretty much on par with what should happen 2 years after the 1Dx. Flame somewhere else.

Flame somewhere else? Face it, you're jealous and defending your bad choice of camera. But attack me if you must. The more you reply to my comments the more you prove my point. Deep in your heart you know Nikon is the better choice. Pride just keeps you from admitting it.

Deep in my heart. Yes. Totally. You are a visionary.

I love my tools. I love what I can do with them. They happen to be Canon. You love your tools. You love what you can do with them. They happen to be Nikon.

If you can fault my portfolio for my CAMERA CHOICE, you go right ahead.

idiot shut up and look at the specs.. the 1D X beat this POS 2 years ago.

exactamente!!!

the canon was the better camera years ago!

Killing you isn't it. Coping with your disappointing canon. You can change to the better camera. All you have to do is admit you bought an inferior product. You guys are too much. hahaha

ROTFL... that is why 70% of sports photographer at the olympics used a canon?
dream on nikon fanboy.... and hope nikon will not be broke in 2 years because they don´t sell enough cameras. only abominations.... DF anyone?

Canon 1Dx appears to be better and lower priced than this camera.... Hmmmmm.....

You do know that 1Dx cost the more than D4s when it came out...

$200 more but you get 18MP in the 1dx rather than a small 16MP in the D4s, but point taken... :-)

+1 or +3 fps more. bigger viewfinder.
way better AF system... etc. etc...
sportsphotographer know why they chose canon.
just look at olympia.

Some one else already mentioned it.. Canon beat them to it. The 1DX is a better sports camera, and had the video specs a few years ago.

better specs overall to be true.
except for iso .. and the high iso is useless anyway.
canons camera beat this new nikon flagship two years ago.
and nikon is struggling with really bad business.
even long time nikon shooter, like scott kelby switching to canon.
at the olympics i saw nearly 70+% canon cameras on the sidelines.
pro photographer KNOW that canon can not be beaten in sport and wildlife.
if you want the best of the best there is no other way than canon.

nikon just lost nearly 40% of it´s businessvolume last year. this small update will not help
this camera is hardly as good as the 1D x from 2012.

Im a sony fanboy, so my opinion is pretty objektive here.
The only thing this camera can and must impress in is the ISO performance.
if it doesnt impress with ISO there is absoultely nothing special about this cam.

I have a D4 & I don't see much to jump up and down about. I think Nikon missed a trick with no 4K which I think is going to be a must have. As to the old battle Nik vs Canon... its rubbish! At this level the decision is about glassware and how much you own... not the body.

HULK SMASH!!

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