Today, Nikon introduced their new D800 full-frame DSLR. There's only 1 stat you need to know about this beast: 36 mega-pixel resolution! Yes, it's sick.

But wait, there's more! The camera also apparently has some fairly high end video capabilities. I think what happened is that Nikon had a fine camera in the predecessor to this model, the D700, but they were losing lots of business in the wedding, fashion, architectural, and video markets to the Canon 5D Mk II. Therefore, they had to go back to the drawing board and engineer a super-duper 5D Mk II competitor, thus the D800.

So I go to NikonUSA.com to read about this new marvel and I see they have a video you can watch that was "filmed" (why do we still use that term?) entirely with the D800. Aside from the far fetched fantasy this video presents (riding a sweet BMW SS1000R in a major city with no cars and no cops), and aside from the type of racial imagery that brings back memories of the bad old days of Hollywood (good news, black actors got jobs. Bad news, they're the usual drug dealers, pimps, crooks, and gang trash), and aside from the reason this guy is riding in the first place (wait'll you see what he does for a living ) what the movie is really showing off is the capability of this camera to produce fine quality video even in low light conditions. Very impressive

So there you have it, two of my favorite passions: photography and motorcycling, all rolled in one. Enjoy!

For the record, Nikon kinda blew it with this camera in my opinion. The plus behind the D700 was that it excelled at excellent image quality, but also excelled in high performance situations. Supporting a 51 point autofocus module and 8 frames per second, it was excellent in contexts where speed mattered, namely sports and motorsports. The D800 pretty much abandons that arena to take on the Canon 5D Mk II at it's own game. But if Nikon shooters wanted 5D Mk II capability, they would have simply bought a 5D Mk II! Nikon should have given the D800 Canon like qualities without abandoning what made the D700 appealing in the first place. A 5D Mk II clone that also has a 51 point auto focus engine and yields 10 frames per second plus excellent video capabilities. That would have done the trick right there.

Oh well, I plan to stick with my D7000 for some time now, so it's not really my problem in any case.

Oh, almost forgot, here's a link to the Nikon D800 home page, where you will also find the video featuring the BMW SS1000R.

That was one messed up video.

A baby born into a world with outlaw bikers, homeless drug addicts and crack whores... oh and don't forget the run away teen trying to avoid being sexually assaulted, again.

But hey, Doc rides a BMW!

Weird choice Nikon, weird.

Camera is way cool though.

Very cool video. Still love my Nikon D90 and won't be buying the new $3000 Nikon, but I sure would love to own one.

Yet it's entitled, "Joy Ride". What's so joyous about it? Very depressing environment. Maybe it's the baby, I dunno, but "joy" isn't the word that came to my mind watching this thing.

I'm not so sure I feel the same way. I definitely wanted a D700, but this camera would only have very limited usefulness to me. First of all, who wants to edit files the size that this camera produces? Weddings? Sure. High end fashion? Yup. Kids running around the yard and Aunt Bee coming over for dinner? No way!

I upgraded a D70 to the D7000 last year when it was announced. It has all the options I could possibly want at this point, and pretty good video in addition. I still have the D70 and use it in an Ikelite underwater housing for dive photos, which is does well.

The pro cameras have the advantage of using all the 35mm lenses a lot of us have without the lens factor of the consumer class cameras, not that it is a big deal for me anyway.

Nice camera anyway, but will not be spending that kind of money.

It looks like all or much of that was filmed in Chicago. Let me set the record straight; the hookers are not that pretty in Chicago.

Wow crazy video and I have to admit the quality was killer. Thanks for sharing.

And yet they're so expensive!

No wait...strike that