* A Slightly Down Year: overall sales, market share, and profits will peak early in the year, decline thereafter.
* Something not called a D700x: announced by end of March 2010, and probably called something like D900.
o D700-type body, new Nikon FX high resolution sensor
o more than 18mp, probably 24mp
o 4-5fps
o Best video yet in terms of specs for a Nikon DSLR (not that this is of much interest to anyone reading this site)
* D90 Redux: announced August 2010, and probably called a D7000 in order to conform to Nikon's new naming conventions. The real question is what changes from a D90?
o A new sensor (e.g. not 12mp Sony). What sensor, I'm not sure
o A new focus sensor, likely a simplified derivative of the D300's
o Yep, more video capabilities (sensing a theme?)
* D3500: yes, this is like sqeezing the same lemon over and over hoping there's more juice in it:
o 12mp Sony sensor
o D3000-like body and controls, but with D5000-like video/Live View
* D3xs: announced by August 2010
o Adds video and sensor updates from D900
o Adds menu and feature updates from D3s
* D700s: announced by Nov 2010
o Brings the D3s changes to the D3 to the D700
* Coolerpix: Yes, finally a larger sensor Coolpix. Could be launched at PMA in February.
o Lens options, check
o Larger sensor, check
o Video capability, check
* Mirrorless: announced prior to Photokina
o Smaller in every way: body, sensor
o Targeted at the Coolpix P90 (soon to be P100) to D3000 gap more than competitors
o Lower-priced than m4/3
* Nikkors: Nothing has perplexed me more than the missing Nikkors. I've now heard specs on six lenses that haven't appeared yet. On four of those, I was told 2009 would be the year they'd appear. Well, 2009 is almost over and they are still MIA. Here's what I'm still expecting:
o A 80-400mm f/4-5.6 replacment, but it'll be a bit differently specified than 80-400mm f/4-5.6 AF-S VR. There have been rumors of 100-500mm, and that may be it, but what Nikon is shooting for here is the highest end of the consumer zoom. The replacement, I'm told, will be far better than the original.
o Prime updates: 24mm, 35mm, 85mm, all fast. I'm pretty sure there are other primes in the works, too, the DC lenses being another candidate. Note the one thing that is common amongst the new prime designs: they're all fast aperture. I think the days of f/2.8 primes are gone for Nikon.
o A long Micro-Nikkor: may not be 200mm. Nikon may try to kill two birds with one stone again by making it 180mm and faster than f/4.
o An FX mid-range zoom.
o Historically speaking, 2010 should be a "consumer lens" year (based upon previous release patterns). Curiously, so far all I know about are "pro lenses" for near term release. Thus, I would not be surprised to see mid-to-late year fill-ins of more consumer-type lenses, particularly FX zooms.
Other:
o An SB-700: SB-600 capabilities with an SB-900 interface.
Wait a second, that's it for Nikon? 5 DSLRs and a half dozen FX lenses? Well, I do expect a few more lenses than that, but I just don't know what they are. I seem to have lost any connection into what's really happening in the DX lens lineup, and there must be some more lenses coming there. I think Nikon's plan for the year is "big splash in FX, big splash just below DSLR, fill in gaps." Remember, 2011 is a big year for Nikon, as it will be year of the D4 and D400, and the introduction of many new technologies into the camera line, including a radically new AF system.