Nikon has revealed a new entry level DSLR, the D3300.
Outwardly, the camera itself is very similar to its predecessor, the Nikon D3200, but it has a monocoque construction like the recently announced Nikon D5300. However, it's the kit lens which sees the biggest revamp.
Possibly in a bid to compete with the ultra small dimensions of compact system cameras on the market, Nikon is introducing an 18-55mm lens (3x optical zoom lens) which is collapsible when not in use, making the overall shape much smaller.
Despite the downsizing, it still retains Nikon's Vibration Reduction technology, the firm's term for Optical Image Stabilisation.
As with its predecessor, the D3300 retains the same 20.4 million pixel sensor. But, a big change comes in the shape of the removal of the optical low pass filter.
We're pretty used to seeing AA filter-less cameras, but they are usually found higher up in a manufacturer's range. It can be problematic to remove the filter, as it increases the likelihood of moire patterning.
Look! No filter!
Nikon claims however, that with a high resolution such as 20 million pixels, the risk of such patterning is very low, or small enough to ignore. It'll be interesting to see if that's true - it's one thing for advanced photographers using the D800E, for instance, to remove any unwanted patterns in post production, but another thing altogether to expect beginners to do so.
The Expeed processor has also been updated, to the Expeed 4, the same as found in cameras much higher up Nikon's range. This facilitates the maximum shooting rate rising from 4 frames to 5 frames per second, which could come in useful for capturing sports and similar fast moving action.
For the first time, Nikon has introduced an easy panoramic mode, which allows for ultra wide angle scenes to be captured simply by panning the camera across a scene.
Update: The Nikon D3300 price will be £499.99 (body only) or £599.99/US$649.95 (approx AU$728) with the 18-55mm kit lens. Sales are expected to start from early February.
