http://nikonimaging.com/global/

I do love teaser campaigns, don't you? Given the relative newness of Nikon's other 10mp camera, the D200, I reckon this one's going to be a hugely revamped version of the D70.

The D70's always been popular and with good reason: it was the first dSLR to break the sub-$1000 barrier when it came out, and it was filled to the brim with all the latest technology to boot.

Although my brother's got one and has been very happy with his, I've never really liked the D70. It's always had something of a 'designed by committee' feel to it, as if a group of people had got together to compile a list of features and then got their engineers to throw them altogether in as an efficient way as possible. I'm not sure what makes me think this - maybe it's all the corners the D70 body has, or perhaps it's the slightly clunky shutter mechanism.

Normally, I love the way Nikons handle - even my F65 and F80 (which can be had second-hand for £50 or £100 these days) had a certain finesse to them, which I found noticeably absent from the D70. And it's nothing to do with Nikon not being able to translate their ergonomics knowledge to digital SLRs either. The older D100 is a joy to use (except for the flimsy CF door...)

Now, if the new Nikon can be to the D200 what the F80 was to the F100 - i.e. most of the features, lighter but well-built nonetheless, and fantastic handling, then I think the Sony Alpha 100's really going to have a fight on its hands... All we need then is a few other manufacturers to pitch in too, and then a really, really big five-way price war...

I have to agree, if you look at the picture of the body (and it is a picture of the real camera) the mode dial is pressed up against flash indicating a smaller body than the D200, more like a d70. The way the camera strap mounts look suggest a plastic body. Looks exciting, and probably at a good price point to compete with Canon.

Either the picture in the teaser is the camera itself, or it's just one of the many prototype shells they have kicking around... During my more cynical hours, the teaser reads:

20 days...

...Until we decide what to do after Sony's released its A100 which has the same sensor as our D200 but costs half the price...

hmm... I've just been reading the original D70 press release (yeah, I know, sad or what?)

"...the D70 surges ahead with more features, more performance, and more value..."

Sound familiar?

OOOOOooooooh...

And now the European site has thunder and lightning...

http://www.nikon-euro.com/DoesNotDisappoint/

Ah, the power of advertising. There's nothing like a countdown and very few details to make you want something even more...

And lightning, Smeghead, let's not forget the power of lightning. And thunder...

Ah, yes, we had lightning and thunder and wind, oh did we have wind... trees down, houses and cars crushed, wires down... so no phone, no cable TV, and no internet... oh the horror of it all!

But now, with new Nikons on their way, the sun shineth again.

My brother just bought the 10mp Nikon D200 and, I must admit, I was a little underwhelmed by the jpegs that came out of it. For something three times the current price of my Olympus E-1 I was, somehow, expecting a little more...

Perhaps it's a bit like ultra-high-end audio, where past a certain point things don't bonk you over the head with night and day improvements, but rather seep in nearly subconsciously to create a greater enchantment.