14 Oct 09 Nikon D3s officially unveiled

So, all the momentum has built up to this very moment. Coming in a little earlier than we expected (though it is well into the 14th of October for quite a few parts of the world by now), the Nikon D3s high speed DSLR has officially been announced, with the specs almost exactly has rumours predicted. It joins the D3x and possibly the D3, although the D3 has been discontinued.



It features a 12.1 MP sensor, with 9fps at FX and 11fps at DX crop mode burst frame rate. ISO range is from 200 to 12,800, but can also be boosted to an incredible 102, 400 ISO. 720p at 24 frames HD movie with some special fixing to prevent rolling shutter.

Price will be at around $5,199.95 USD (RRP), and it should be available sometime in November.

From the Nikon site:

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Nikon-original FX-format CMOS Sensor
Newly engineered for striking image fidelity and low-noise, optimizing pixel size and count in a 12.1-megapixel sensor to produce extraordinarily rich files.
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Low Noise ISO Sensitivity from 200 to 12,800
Renowned low-noise performance at 12,800, plus expanded settings to an astounding ISO 102,400 (equivalent) and ISO 100 (equivalent).
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Continuous Shooting Up to 9 FPS
Secure exacting moments in time with an expanded buffer, allowing continuous capture of up to 82 JPEG (fine) or 36 14-bit NEF (RAW) images.
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HD Video Capture
Record smooth 24 fps HD video, leveraging low-noise D3S image quality along with high fidelity stereo sound capability.
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One-button Live View with Two Shooting Modes
Two modes for studio or remote shooting—Tripod Mode offers 27x magnification for precise focus confirmation.
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3-Inch Super-density 921,000-dot VGA LCD Monitor
D3S monitors are individually calibrated during assembly to assure accuracy.
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Dynamic Integrated Dust Reduction System
Ultrasonic process combats the accumulation of dust on the optical low-pass filter, safeguarding image quality.
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Nikon EXPEED Image Processing
Drives breathtakingly rich image fidelity, low-noise and fast image processing.
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Fast, Accurate 51-Point AF System
4 Dynamic modes and 15 cross-type sensors deliver AF precision and razor sharpness.
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1,005-Pixel 3D Color Matrix Metering II
Nikon-pioneered RGB metering includes color information to intelligently determine more accurate exposures.
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Scene Recognition System
Referencing an onboard image database, teamed with RGB metering, SRS enhances exposure and white balance evaluation and improves AF speed and accuracy.
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Rugged and Precise Magnesium Alloy Construction
Effectively protected from invasive dust, moisture and electromagnetic interference with a self-diagnostic shutter mechanism tested to exceed 300,000 cycles.
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Nikon Picture Control
Four preset options and 9 customizable settings provide personalized style control.
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100% Viewfinder Coverage
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Dual CF Card Slots with Overflow, Backup and Copy Options
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Virtual Horizon Graphic Indicator
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Approx. 4,200 Images per Battery Charge
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Available late November 2009