Nikon announces the D3300 DSLR and teases the unannounced D4S

Nikon had a slew of announcements at the CES 2014 – first and foremost, it’s the brand new D3300 DSLR, but also the company revealed it would show their yet unannounced D4S DSLR in Las Vegas.

Along with the D3300, Nikon also announced its new collapsible 18-55 VR kit lens and the full-frame version (FX) of the 35mm 1.8G lens, which has so far been available only for APS-C Nikon cameras.

The highlight feature of the 24.2MP Nikon D3300 is the lack of optical low pass filter – much like on Nikon’s more expensive camera gear. The wide ISO range of 100-12,800 (expandable up to 25,600), the 11-point autofocus system, the 5fps continuous shooting mode and the FullHD video capture with full-time autofocus would make it a versatile entry-level camera for aspiring photographers (and why not soccer moms, too). The Nikon D3300 is also Nikon’s first DSLR camera to pack a well overdue Easy Panorama Mode.

The Nikon D3300 is kitted with the new AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR II lens, which has a spanking new collapsible design, allowing for a more compact size when not in use. The lens has the same Nikon’s Silent Wave Motor and 3x zoom magnification (27 to 82.5mm), but its VR image stabilization is rated to compensate for up to four stops as opposed to three stops in the previous generation and its retractable design makes for “a camera package nearly 30% smaller and 25% lighter”. It’s some 30mm shorter than the previous generation, it has a 5mm shorter diameter and it’s 70g lighter.

The other new addition to the Nikon portfolio is the AF-S NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G lens. It’s a 35mm lens for full-frame cameras (or as Nikon calls them FX format). Of course, owners of APS-C sized DX format cameras can use it too, but they can get the much cheaper AF-S NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G for DX cameras.

This lens will focus from as close as 25cm and features Nikon’s Silent Wave motor.

Nikon also used the opportunity to tease its upcoming high-end DSLR model, the Nikon D4S. The camera is still in development and it’s not even officially announced yet, but Nikon will be showcasing it at the CES 2014 showroom floor.

The new Nikon D4S will build upon the highly revered Nikon D4 and will have a new image-processing engine and more advanced autofocusing performance. There are no official press photos of the D4S yet.

Availability and pricing

The Nikon D3300 along with the two new lenses will become available in February 2014. The Nikon D3300 with the 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR II kit lens will launch in Black, Red and Grey for a suggested retail price of $650/€650. The NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR II will also be sold separately for a suggested US retail price of $250 before taxes. The NIKORR 35mm f/1.8G lens will have a suggested retail price of $600/€580. There is currently no pricing or availability info about the Nikon D4S.