Photokina 2012 Preview — Nikon D600 coming soon?

Photokina 2012Photokina 2012 is just around the corner. The event, held every two years, will be held September 18-23, 2012 in Cologne, Germany. Photokina is an international trade show for the imaging industry. The show features over a thousand exhibitors and attracts more than 180,000 visitors from around the world. Everything from cameras, photography equipment, software and printing can be found at the show. At the show, as well as in the the weeks leading up to the show, manufacturers announce new products and this year we expect to hear some exciting news from Nikon as well as other manufacturers.

Nikon D600 Announcement

The Nikon D600 will most likely be announced next week on September 13. This rumored entry-level full-frame camera will be a breakthrough in the DSLR market with a price that could be as low as $1,500. By packing a full-frame sensor into a compact D7000 body, Nikon hopes to lure DX customers to upgrade to the full-frame format, and in the process hopes to sell them new FX lenses. We hope to see the D600 body sold with the new 24-85mm VR as a kit for under $2,000.

Carl Zeiss Distagon 55mm f/1.4 ZF.2

On the lens front, Carl Zeiss will unveil several Nikon-mount lenses including a Distagon 55mm f/1.4 ZF.2 lens. This ultra-fast normal prime promises to bring the ultimate in image quality for modern high-resolution full-frame sensors such as the D800 and D800E. Zeiss will also release their Apo Sonnar T* 135mm f/2 medium telephoto lens for Nikon mount. This lens will be priced around $2,000 US and is expected for December 2012 delivery.

Korean lens manufacturer Samyang will debut a new 24mm f/3.5 tilt-shift lens available with Nikon mount. The perspective control lens allows for up to 12mm of shift and 8.5-degrees of tilt. Samyang 24mm f/3.5 TS tilt-shift lens for NikonThe tilt and shift can be rotated 90-degrees independently for extra flexibility not offered by the Nikon’s 24mm f/3.5 PC-E. The Samyang lens is aimed at landscape and architecture photographers and gives control over depth of field and perspective correction. The lens features 16 elements including two aspherical and two ED elements in addition to using anti-reflective coatings. No word yet on pricing or availability, but judging from previous Samyang offerings such as the 35mm f/1.4, this lens should offer outstanding image quality at a price much lower than the comparable Nikon lens.

Nikon D800 + Lens Bundles – Save $200

Nikon D800 Lens Bundle SavingsNikon retailers have released new Nikon DSLR + Lens discounts. These instant discounts include the Nikon D800 / D800E.You can save $200 when purchasing the D800 with selected lenses. The lenses available include 24-70mm f/2.8 zoom, 70-200mm f/2.8 zoom, and 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G VR.

Retailers include Amazon, Adorama and B&H Photo.

Amazon:

The discounts at Amazon apply only to products sold by Amazon.com and not from their 3rd party sellers. Follow the link above, then click a link on the product page under the heading “Purchase this Camera and Save up to $200 on Select Nikon Lenses” to select your lens. On that page you select the camera to add to your cart to receive the discount.

Adorama:

To view the discounts at Adorama, click the link listed under the heading “Buy together and save” to view the lenses available with $200.00 savings.

B&H Photo:

To view the discount at B&H, select the D800/D800E on the left side. The lenses and discounts available will be shown to the right. The D800 and D800E are both currently on backorder at B&H. You can place your order and the camera will ship as soon as it is available. If you purchased your Nikon D800 or D800E through B&H, they may be willing to extend the lens discount based on previous purchase as they have done in the past for some customers.

The discounts are available through September 29, 2012, or while supplies last.