I attended the BVE exhibition in London yesterday. Nikon had a good stand with lot's of gear on display. I was keen to get my hands on the new D7100, which looks like a winner for Nikon, it's features are impressive to say the least.

Now bearing in mind the BVE show is for the professional video market, I asked a simple question, "what bit rate does this camera shoot at".?

The answer.

"Sorry we can't give that information out"

What, why not?

"This is confidential information"

Surely knowing the bit rate is just as important to a professional as knowing what the maximum aperture is on a lens.

"Sorry, this is confidential information which we can't release"

I further remarked, you mean you don't know this specification, or I assume that this camera is below the broadcast requirement of 50mbps.

"I can't comment" was the final reply.

Sorry Nikon, you have to brief your reps a bit better than this if you want to be taken seriously in the professional video arena.

I walked away from the stand at this point.

The saving grace is that I am visiting Nikon HQ on Friday when I will be given a 1 to 1 press briefing on the D7100. I will repeat the question then.

I wouldn't take to heart. One year I was really excited about a camera Panasonic that was releasing. I soon found out I knew more than there sales rep. Most reps get very little notice on planning for new equipment. Often, as its released to the public the reps are just finding out themselves. A real shame since there suppose to be the "experts".

Also a quick story to share. I asked an engineer for Sony about why the FS700 has an E-mount instead of an A-mount for lenses. To which he replied "Because that what is was designed with". Mmm.... interesting, because they sell and E-mount to A-mount adapter. If you wanted the camera to be "professional" wouldn't you want to stick your best glass on it? Canon does with there cameras.

My 2 cents.

Also a quick story to share. I asked an engineer for Sony about why the FS700 has an E-mount instead of an A-mount for lenses. To which he replied "Because that what is was designed with". Mmm.... interesting, because they sell and E-mount to A-mount adapter. If you wanted the camera to be "professional" wouldn't you want to stick your best glass on it? Canon does with there cameras.

Well that engineer just gave you a tautological non-response. But they put the E-mount on it because it can be adapted to take A-mount (and Canon, PL, and Nikon) lenses. And e-mount lenses are optimized for video, with auto iris and focus and stabilization, in ways A-mount lenses aren't.

I wouldn't take to heart. One year I was really excited about a camera Panasonic that was releasing. I soon found out I knew more than there sales rep.

Unfortunately, I do have a reputation for asking awkward questions at press events. I know on occasions many reps are thrown in at the deep end with new equipment. However, a simple answer such as I don't know is a better option than fobbing us off with "that's confidential information".

Having beefed off about this, I must conclude that the D7100 does look like a winner for Nikon, the price and specs are just right. I may be tempted to buy one as a replacement for my D90 (which I have never used for video capture).