Nikon on Tuesday announced a new digital SLR camera known as the D200, which is aimed at the professional photographer and capable of a resolution of up to 10.2 megapixels.

The camera will come packed with features useful to pros, such as quick response time, 11-area autofocus, better battery life, and optional Wi-Fi connectivity through a separate add-on to be made available early next year.

"Nikon has spent considerable time and effort to truly understand the qualities and features photographers desire in an advanced digital SLR camera," said Edward Fasano, general manager of marketing at Nikon.

The D200 will automatically determine the proper exposure based on available light. Nikon says that its sensor will help to improve the coloring, contrast and brightness of pictures without the need for intervention on the part of the photographer.

To select the correct exposure, the camera compares the subject with an on-board database of over 30,000 actual pictures.

Up to 1,800 pictures can be taken per charge with D200, according to Nikon, and the camera uses intelligent power management to conserve battery life. It also displays the total number of shots taken on a single battery as well as overall life, allowing photographers to have a better idea of when a battery should be changed.

For those interested in event photography, the D200 will be capable of shooting continuously at a rate of up to five shots per second.

The unit includes a wide-angle 2.5" LCD screen, as well as a bright viewfinder that operates at 0.94x magnification. The D200 has also been built to ensure that moisture and dust cannot enter the camera through an enhanced sealing system, Nikon said.

As with all its recent pro-level cameras, pictures can be taken in either JPEG or RAW format.

The D200 will be available in late December at a estimated price of $1,699.95 USD.