Hunnnh? Whazzup ye Editor? You are trying to compare a full high end Nikon D4 DSLR with a Samsung point and shoot compact camera. Didn’t you see the intro video for the Nikon D4:
Yep, but this is a value and improvement comparison.
Take a look at the preliminary value table below:
| Feature | Nikon D4 DSLR | Samsung WB850F |
| Picture size | 16.2 MPixel | 16MPixel |
| Sensor chip | CMOS | BSI CMOS |
| Sensor size | full frame 36x24mm | Not Available Yet |
| ISO Range no boost | 100-12800 | 100-3200 |
| Image stabilization | No, $ extra/lens | Yes |
| Display | 3.2″ LCD | 3″ AMOLED |
| Video | 1080P, 30fps | 1080P, 30fps |
| Weight | 1340gms | 308gms |
| GPS | $ extra | Yes |
| Lens | $ extra | 21x optical zoom |
| Price | $6000 | $345 |
Whats becoming evident in digital cameras is that after the quality of the sensor and lensing, the onboard CPU chip is becoming paramount. There is so much spare computing power available, image engineers can devote more time to digital noise reduction, image sharpening, panorama shot stitching and HDR exposure improvements among other things. So small cameras are doing a Steve Jobs-like iDevice run on DSLR cameras. better exposure bang for your $camera bucks.
Among the many Nikon D4 previews, DPReview says it best about still-picture taking improvements in the D4:
The biggest change is, of course, the improvement in video capabilities. Given the increasing demand for video footage from professional photographers, and the incredible success of Canon’s 5D Mark II in the professional video market, it was inevitable that Nikon’s pro flagship would need to offer a more compelling feature set than the existing models.
Beyond this, the changes to the stills-shooting specifications are relatively modest – there’s a higher-resolution, 16.2MP, full-frame CMOS sensor and the ability to shoot at 10 frames per second with autofocus, but that’s about it. The new chip’s capability has prompted Nikon to offer an ISO range from 100-12,800 that can then be extended to 50 – 204,800 (Hi4). The significant changes, beyond video, are a profusion of smaller tweaks, additions and improvements to what was already a well worked-out camera.
In sum, small marginal improvements versus the major improvements seen in the Samsung compact. Compact cameras are where the real action is at in digital photography making beefy DSLRs look like dinosaurian behemoths.DSLRs better be water tight, dust resistant, and run like a Mack truck because camera innovation appears to be settling in the compact and new light, 4/3 mirrorless camera range just like big desktop PCs and Macs are being upstaged by innovations and price/performance on smartphones, tablets, and ulttrabooks.
Here is the view from Digital Trends that sees Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Cameras as the dominant force in cameras
Dude just buy an iPhone.. problem solved..
If I wanted a phone camera with superior f-stop, Mpixels and image-taking I would get a Nokia Lumia 900; but I don’t. If I want a megazoom, compact, shirt pocketable, noise-reducing and sharpness increasing sensor chip delivering 16Mpixels with 1080p video and Wifi which I can easily take anywhere – I would not get a Nikon 8100. But rather I would wait until Apil, tryout the Samsung W8850F and compare it with my Nikon D5100 video and sometime still camera in. And I am willing to bet that at same ISO and other exposure sttings the Samsung will produce stills as good as if not better than the D5100. Check back here in April/May for the review.
===============UPDATE from MWC Show in Barcelona=================
Now I would get the Nokia 808 PureView with 41MPixels as camera alone – the GPS and Phone are just extra goodies.