Nikon D4 : Nikon welcome (back) to the game

Nikon comes back to the DSLR Video race.
Is the D4 the 5DMK III Canon has yet to release? Or is it too little too late to catch up to the much larger and now film-maker committed Canon?

The D4 scheduled for next month (Feb Shipping) offers a lot of features that you might hope for in a SLR dedicated to significant time as a Video camera
• 1080P at 24,25 and 30
• 60 fps at 720P
• A clean HDMI output suitable for off camera recording
• Audio monitoring via headphones
• Rear LCD works when the HDMI plugs in
• external mic input with manual levels (on screen) (Did I mention Stereo audio in?)
• Exposure and ISO adjustment while filming
• H.264 recording (25 Mb/sec)
• $6000 price range (street price may be less)
• FX-Format CMOS Sensor
• XQD card format
• Great ISO to an expanded 204,800 ( 8 stops above 800 iso) but normally 100 – 12800 ISO (4 stops over 800)
• on board GPS
• Same size sensor as the 5D MkII

Minor points:
– Only one Card card slot (but much higher possible data rates)
– Record limited – which reads as 29mins 59 sec but this is also the case on the Canon 5D MkII – except you can only get to 29 mins 59sec filming the inside of a lens cap – in reality with Canon file size will limit you to around 11-12 mins record time continuously.
– The D4 does have face tracing or subject tracking AF but one would need to road test this, hopefully it works well and provides meaningful auto focus adjusting.
– Video out is NTSC only (not a huge issue for most)

All of which leads to the $6000 list price. It is a lot less than the C300 and much more than a Canon 5D MkII. In reality the D4 is not going head to head with the 5D level Canon but rather the 1D. But the D4 does once again spark Nikon’s position in the video/SLR game. It is a serious camera, perhaps as a video camera it is expensive, but as a stills camera that also does video it is very strong, and competition is good. Good for all.