Nikon camera names

Hadley

Hadley

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I was just wondering how nikon names their DSLR. I understand with Canon that as the magnitude of the number goes down the more professional the camera is meant to be. For example 1000D,100D,10D and 1D. Also the greater the number is in that magnitude the newer that model/version of that camera is. For example 60D is a newer version of the 50D.

So what I'm asking is there a similair rule for nikon DSLR's?:thinking:
 
Kind of yes,
The Dxxxx range are the lower range, like d3000, d5000
The Dxxx are the semi pro range, D300, D700
The Dxx are the mid range, D80, D90
The Dx are the pro, D2,D3 etc

Then you have upgrades of models which are usualy X, H or S.

So we have the D3x and the D3s and the D300s

H dictates speed over resoulution, x dictaes resoultion over speed and s is in the middle
There are sometimes more than 1 model in each type, there was the D50 and D70 out at the same time, and currently the D60 and D90
 
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well the s is normally an upgrade to existing models with a few tweaks to performance like the h and s but less specific :)
 
Yes, but it's getting more confusing as time goes on :lol:

The Pro models, like Canon's are single digit D1, D2 etc, the 50D/60D equivalents are the D100/200/300 etc and the consumer line is.....well, that's where it starts to get confusing :D

The original consumer cameras were the D50 and higher spec D70/D70s. The D50 was replaced by the D40 and the D70 by the D80.

In turn the D40 was replaced by the D40x then the D60. The D60 was superceded by the D3000 (because the D70 name had already been used) and a new D5000 model. New versions of this range are now to be numbered Dx100, Dx200, Dx300 and so on.

The D90 replaced the D80, but it's replacement is to be known as the D7000, as obviously the D100 moniker was used back at the beginning of Nikon's foray into the digital market.

Does that help any? :lol:
 
And to make it even more confusing Dxx seem to be a cut down version of a Dxxx... so, in order of how good they are, from lowest to pro cameras, it kinda goes like this:

Dxxxx
Dxx
Dxxx
Dx
 
Oh yeah, and as Graham pointed out, you have the D40 and D60 cameras throwing a whole other spanner in the works...
 
Thanks for the effort guys, I think I'm going to have to read through your post's a couple of time to work it all out.

Just a passing thought. Does any one know what Canon are planning to do in the distant future when they've run out of numbers. I mean eventualy they're going to make a 90D. then what mabey a 100D or a 10DmkII?
 
karmagarda said:
And to make it even more confusing Dxx seem to be a cut down version of a Dxxx... so, in order of how good they are, from lowest to pro cameras, it kinda goes like this:

Dxxxx
Dxx
Dxxx
Dx
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Except the new D7000 fits between the D90 and the D5000. :geek:

I think it's fair to say Nikon have made a grade A fudge of their numbering scheme.
 
KC Leblanc said:
Except the new D7000 fits between the D90 and the D5000. :geek:

I think it's fair to say Nikon have made a grade A fudge of their numbering scheme.
Click to expand...

It's about time they started again... maybe when they really fudge it up!
 
On positive side it seems like they are spending more time on improving their range then thinking about model names:lol:
 
I would say that you can't say that a Dxxxx is a lower range camera, with the new D7000 being as good as it is.

I believe nikon are trying to rationalise.

Dx cameras are and will be the pro range.
DXXX cameras will be the next rung down - currently the D700 and D300s are the top FX and DX cameras outside of the Pro cameras.
DXXXX cameras will be the lower models, with 7000, 5000 and 3000 ranges.

I think that DXX is over, replaced by DXXXX.
 
Hadley said:
...Does any one know what Canon are planning to do in the distant future when they've run out of numbers?
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I don't think you can actually run out of numbers...

Assuming you have enough space on the body to engrave them, that is....
 
Arkady said:
I don't think you can actually run out of numbers...

Assuming you have enough space on the body to engrave them, that is....
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That's actually one thing I've always disliked about the D3k and D5k, the space where the number's written is too small so it curves round the side of the body.

Maybe they should switch to girl's names like Eddie Stobart do with their trucks.
 
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Hadley said:
....Does any one know what Canon are planning to do in the distant future when they've run out of numbers. I mean eventualy they're going to make a 90D. then what mabey a 100D or a 10DmkII?
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They're looking at girl's names. Margaret for the high-end pro models; janet for the mid-range; Jemima for low-end.

Either that or Canon will start sticking fives after everything (or something predictable like that)... if they stopped wasting time making teasmaids and photocopiers they might get somewhere :D

Nikon will just use old names I think and hope we forgot how much money we wasted on the original D1s etc.. :)
 
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I've just bought a Nikon Tara Palmer-Tomkinson, quite classy but expensive to run. I'll just enjoy it while it lasts!
 
waspjunior said:
You heretics, I think she's lovely.:love: TP-T that is.
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:gag: Each to there own I suppose. She was on the front of one of the Sunday magazines and she looked freaky with all the plastic surgery, and she wasn't a looker to begin with. :bonk:

I thought the bottom of the ranges would be the Sharon or Tracy. ;)

The naming and numbering of all the cameras has started to become confusing due to a lack of forward planning by the manufacturers, not just Nikon. :bonk:

You could go by the pricing to work out a range, but then that gets messed up when a new camera gets released. :lol:
 
Im still waiting for the Canon in D etc
 
Yep - Drop the Xd, XXD, XXXD etc and just go with Canon 'in' variations.

It was partly in jest but whilst the naming makes sense (Canon & Nikon) we have so many overlaps between 'ranges' due to release dates - it does become confusing for anybody new to it all.

What I am in favour of is the way that the naming relates to 'build' rather than spec as specs often overlap due to development coming up the way..

For example 50D > 550D (XXD being higher than XXXD) despite the 550 spec

Nikon obviously do the same 700D > 7000D

At the end of the day names / numbers mean nothing and it's a case of knowing what each camera is all about that matters.
 
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DemiLion said:
He means Pachelbel's Canon in D Major.
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Ah, I thought I heard something going over my head. :lol:

Sony are the most idiotic at naming their DSLR cameras. They had the opportunity to plan ahead, having come to DSLRs later than the other manufacturers, yet they start at say A200, and instead of going the A210>A220>A230, they jump straight to A230 and then from that to A290. :cuckoo:

And more than other manufacturers they are churning them out in very confusing ways. They seem to be selling though, so what do I know. :bonk: :lol:


I think the Pro Canon cameras being mark I, II, III, IV (presumabley) etc.
 
redhed17 said:
And more than other manufacturers they are churning them out in very confusing ways. They seem to be selling though, so what do I know. :bonk: :lol:
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One thing to bear in mind, is that the predominant manufacturers come from the Far East, and most from Japan. The culture of numbers, or numerology, is far stronger there than in the western world, so whilst we might expect an logical naming system here, over there they will avoid certain numbers like the plague; hence there being no Canon G8 and Olympus skipping the E-4 and naming their newest version E-5!
 
I'm still waiting for Canon to bring out a successor to the AS-90...
 
Arkady said:
I'm still waiting for Canon to bring out a successor to the AS-90...
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That's not going to happen in the near future with the SDR though, is it? You'll be asking for a CRIII next! :D

Apart from which AS-90 is still very shiny!
 
I'm liking the Canon in D idea...

The low-end models could be Canon in D minor, with the pro models Canon in D major. Specialist models could be a monochrome model Canon in D flat, and an ultra-high res Canon in D sharp.
 
Bring back the T90 and the OM ranges...... err,scrap that..., I'm not using an OMD - will end up with a penchant for penning atomic kitten songs :D
 
TCR4x4 said:
Kind of yes,
The Dxxx are the semi pro range, D300, D700
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I-S said:
Dx cameras are and will be the pro range.
DXXX cameras will be the next rung down - currently the D700 and D300s are the top FX and
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EH?

Fx, Dx00 and Dx are professional.

Everything else isn't

They all take picture though.
 
Why do you care what number is on the camera it's the numbers on the lens that are more important.
 
Arkady said:
I don't think you can actually run out of numbers...

Assuming you have enough space on the body to engrave them, that is....
Click to expand...

They can always change the letter. And instead of D, it could be SD, for Super Digital.
Or ND for Nikon Digital
New Digital
...etc
 
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