The rumors of an upcoming Nikon D90 DSLR seem to be getting more plausible. The D80 is due for a replacement and the D90 looks like it will fit nicely into that niche. Unlike the 10mp D80, the D90 will have 12mp, the first Nikon entry level DSLR with that resolution. It also supposedly has the ability to record video, which I also believe is a first in Nikon’s DSLR lineup.
I’m starting to think about an upgrade from my D40x, mostly because I really miss having internal auto-focus. None of Nikon’s prime lenses have an internal auto-focus motor, so I can only use manual focus with those lenses, which I still find slow and difficult to set accurately, especially with a narrow DOF.
Since I already own several lenses, I would buy a body only. The D80 seems to be the most attractive in the current lineup, although it’s still bigger & heavier than the D40x. Although the D300 looks really great, I don’t like the size & weight, and I’d prefer a camera that uses SD cards, since I like to use 8GB cards when shooting raw, and 8GB or larger CF cards are still very expensive.
I currently have the D70 which has been a great body but I would love the D300. Should be interesting to see what the D90 brings… and price.