The Nikon video mode is actually using the live mode view with a good sensor to get that many "frames" to support video, and does it through the lens of an SLR, which is really what makes it unique. So you use existing glass to do things like fisheye wide angle and depth of field techniques. The DOF is where its really at, because standard HD video has a real deep DOF with everything in focus, vs. selective focus (which is more about cinematography than anything else). That part at least is very cool. The shortcomings of this, and why Nikon put it in a prosumer camera and not a top end model, is that the video has a 5 minute limit because that's the amount of time it takes for the sensor itself to overheat. Frankly, that's when the BS flag went up for me, when I'm burning the sensor out of a dSLR to take video I gotta wonder what the point is. Really, its not that its not a cool concept, its just the early implementation that has some serious problems. Not just the above, but that there is no sound input (n.b. I didn't say there weren't stereo audio inputs, there isn't even a mono input). And the camera form factor is pretty much crap for taking video in the first place. But there are some camera fora where this thing is being astroturfed to an extremely high level (funded of course by the powers that be at the big N). There are people so duped that they are saying the will sell all their Canon stuff (and the glass is where the costs are) which is crap because Canon, Sony, etc. will be all over this in 3/6/9/12 months. So IMO its not the be all/end all, but it is a step in a cool new direction. What really needs to happen (and I say this as a recovering shutterbug without any real education or experience with digital video) is that the digital video cameras need to get better lenses so the amateur cinematographer can "tell the story" with techniques like selective focus, etc. the same way the pros do. IMO (and again I'm not an expert in video but I
am a huge fan) the story on the video end is being written by
Big Red starting with the Red One 4K and the new 5K Epic which hasn't been released yet.
As far as the GPS is concerned, I can see where optional recording of GPS coordinates would be cool. I did a weeklong amateur photoshoot in the Sierra Nevada's where the canisters were all numbered and the sites recorded with Sharpie on a 7.5 topo map. The thing is, you could do that with an iPhone app these days, it probably doesn't need to be built into the camera body. But again, a step in a cool direction.
Me, I'm still waiting for an
L series 18-200 lens from Canon.
Then again, take this all with a grain of salt. Many years ago (pre-digital) I once took 71 pictures of the same flower (different lighting/glass/film) trying to get that "one" art shot.