Ahhhh.....
I love the smell of raw encrypted raw files that can only be processed using Windows software in the morning.....
Microsoft has inked a cross-licensing patent deal with camera maker Nikon. Under the agreement, the two companies get access to the other’s patents. It covers Nikon digital cameras and other consumer products both firms manufacture and sell. However, Microsoft and Nikon haven’t announced which products and features would …
Oh no , a smart a**** 10 megapixel digital slr camera complete with "zune" mpg4 video software replete with a super bad smart phone that ties into both Iridium satellite and mobile all bands land based technology that looks remarkably like an ordinary Xbox 360 and an adapter plug to use either PSP OR NINTENDO DS as a display/controller unit , thus fooling the ever silly dumb and stupid Homeland Self Wanking Security force into believing it is just another TV computer game console needing to be plugged into the nearest AC socket thus !
Despite being a Mac-based designer-cum-techie for twenty years, I'm glad that certain of my Luddite tendencies hold. Yes, I love Nikon gear and have a fair collection of lenses, flashguns, F4s bodies, F801s bodies (& an F50 for the missus), and I use my Nikon Coolscan which gives me 55MB files when I need some Photoshoppery. I have a small (4MPixel) digi-compact which I use for happy-quick-snaps, and pics for eBay - but for serious photography, I can't see the combination of Nikon gear & Fuji reversal film can be equaled yet.
I can't see that the involvement of Microsoft can do anything other than to extend the life of film usage....
Thanks Mr Ballmer - for once, I mean it!
Move along people, nothing to see here, move along.
So Nikon will get hurt by MS sooner or later, just like everybody else before them and everybody else after them.
When will other companies learn that MS is not there to cooperate with, that MS given the opportunity phagocytes whatever they think looks yummy. They can not help it.
Perhaps Nikon should have had a cup of tea with Cisco about MS's ideal of cooperation and patent exchange.
I think it to encourage the use of the new “standard” that Microsoft has done, called HD Photo (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HD_Photo), formally known as Windows Media Photo. It is designed to replace JPEG for photos, aiming for a crisper, sharper picture.
Not surprising, currently it can only be seen by programs that exists only on XP SP2 and Vista. Mine with the fake Microsoft ID card and swipe card.
I own a Nikon D300, wonderful camera, but if they release anything which ties it down to Windows use no chance i'll touch it, i'd sooner go Pentax/Samsung even than use something which would be useless for the greater majority of image/photo applications out there. And anything MS related will undoubtedly come with bloat too. MS is a sinking ship, why get onboard with them Nikon????
Why would Nikon get into bed with Microsoft? Really simple, they both love money. Neither have been in it for the consumer for a long time, so it's not that odd an idea. Whether either will burn themselves on the other remains to be seen, but Nikon already encrypts its data so that the photographer is locked into using Nikon's software to gain access to the photograph they shot on their own camera. Finally moving away from JPG would be nice if we get a better compression less-lossy format in return. Who cares if it's proprietary, as long as it doesn't lock up your content. The bottom line is that if the product Nikon makes does what photographers need it to, Nikon doesn't lose, and if the products Microsoft makes do something even remotely useful, half the world will en up using it regardless of how unethical or amoral the company that gives it them is.
Step 1: let's see which patents are involved
Step 2: ...
Step 3: profit for Microsoft and Nikon, and if they continue the way they are now, for me as end user too. Successor to the D700? Yes please.