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Nikon New Camera Teaser, FX Mirrorless to be Announced on 23 August, 2018


ShunCheung

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Clearly some new camera is coming:

Nikon | Special Event 2018

 

Currently Nikon USA's home page leads to pretty much the same teaser:

Digital Cameras | DSLRs, Compact Cameras & Camera Accessories | Nikon

 

There is a short, 1:28 video (one minute and 28 seconds), but there isn't much in it. You'll see the shadow of a camera around the 1:13 mark.

 

Additionally, there are a couple of dates to keep in mind:

  1. Nikon was founded on 25 July, 1917. Therefore, last year, 2017, was their centennial year. The 101th anniversary is coming up in a couple of days.
  2. Photokina will be held from September 26 to 29 this year, 2018. Typically we'd expect a lot of new product announcements from mid August to mid and even late September ahead of Photokina. (Photokina has been held once every two years, in even years, but starting from 2019, it will become an annual event in May. The dates for 2019 will be from May 8 to 11.

 

Update on July 27, 2018: now Nikon's web site is showing that the announcement will be on August 23, 2018, at 1pm JST (in Japan), midnight in the US Eastern

Edited by ShunCheung
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This reminds me the teaser before the Df announcement in 2013. Nikon had like 5, 6 rounds of teasers, gradually leaking more and more information over a few weeks, with some marketing slogan about “real photography.” That led to one of the longest threads on this forum with some 900+ posts.
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It's nice to see Nikon finally get ready to launch a mirrorless camera with larger sensor than the Nikon 1. That always felt like an attempt to make a mirrorless that would not be too successful. ;-) To me, 2.7x crop is too much. I also feel they completely failed in providing useful controls and user interface in the first Nikon V1 and J1 cameras, later this was improved but perhaps too late.

 

Andrew, are you ready for another 900-post thread?

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It's actually a nice looking camera (that's an important factor for me). It does look like it has wheels controls rather than dials (which I don't like). Any way it's a mirrorless so I won't be buying one regardless. The big viewfinder which protrude to the back makes it look good.
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To succeed, does it have to be able to accept Nikon FX G and E lenses (via an adapter)?

 

or could it actually be MF?

 

I actually like my Nikon 1 J5s, they finally put a PSAM dial on it and a button that could be ISO dedicated.

 

That's all it took in the first gen to make it work, but it took 4 updates.....Go figure!

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I would expect it to be FX (DX models may follow) since Sony got such a good response from users of their A7 and A9 series, this is the place to be (smaller formats are highly competed in mirrorless). Medium format is probably too niche for Nikon, although they've made the F6, I don't think they are looking towards manufacturing something that sells one camera per day.
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Well, sure the video looks like an intern who bragged about using 3D effects software and video compositions tools was allowed to show his skills, and they forgot to brief him on the actual campaign objectives.

The Df videos were a bit weird, but sure more on topic than this video.

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I couldn't possibly know what Nikon's internal schedule is and I suspect no one on the outside knows, either. I thought a Nikon exec said in a Japanese interview something to the effect that they aim to complete the mirrorless lineup at the point where the total mirrorless sales exceed total DSLR sales, but that point hasn't been reached, so from that point of view they would seem to be on schedule. But it of course remains to be seen how many lenses they make for that system and call it "complete". 20? 50?

 

The teasers are announced to make sure everyone is watching the announcement when it comes. :) For me what is interesting is what kind of tilt-shift lenses Nikon might release to a new more "open" (larger mount diameter and shorter flange distance) mount that might permit greater liberties to the designers of such lenses. But I fear it might be 10+ years before they get around to it. Also, I'm interested to see how the silent shutter approaches global shutter and how long it might take before Nikon produces a camera which has an as fast electronic shutter as a traditional mechanical shutter is. I don't expect that to be very soon, as the expensive 24MP A9 has an electronic shutter that is about half the speed of a normal mechanical shutter, and the A7 series are a few times slower than that. But eventually this will happen at least in some models (which may or may not be dynamic range constrained compared to models with slower reads).

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It's nice to see Nikon finally get ready to launch a mirrorless camera with larger sensor than the Nikon 1. That always felt like an attempt to make a mirrorless that would not be too successful. ;-) To me, 2.7x crop is too much. I also feel they completely failed in providing useful controls and user interface in the first Nikon V1 and J1 cameras, later this was improved but perhaps too late.

 

Just to get this in early in case it is another 1" sensor camera...

 

Yes. Nikon weren't sensible in making a camera which was way too big for its sensor size while also way too hard to use to be useful, having the size and cost overhead of interchangeable lenses, and forgetting that people like portable cameras to be portable. The RX100 turned up shortly after in a fraction of the size, with more pixels and a decent(ish) zoom, and blew away 95% of the reasons people might have wanted a 1 series. Lessons from making mirrorless cameras: Nikon: Don't use a tiny sensor. Samsung NX-mini: Don't use a tiny sensor. Pentax Q: Really don't use a tiny sensor.

 

I don't think that's a risk, anyway. Nikon, like others, are aware that they need to differentiate from cell phone cameras, and a big sensor is a step towards doing it. For me the worry is that making a mirrorless camera is largely an exercise in electronics. Canon is an electronics company. Sony is an electronics company. Panasonic is an electronics company. Nikon is an optics company. Sigma have shown how badly an optics company can make a mirrorless camera, even with novel tech. Add to that, Nikon have frequently made really bad (my opinion, but I can justify it) ergonomic decisions recently - frequently moving controls that you need while shooting out of a position where you can reach them. I hope that's because their A team (queue music and van) have been working on mirrorless, but it could all go wrong. So I'm waiting nervously until I see it. Basically the position I'm in with the Buffy reboot.

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RX100 and J5 are about the same size (the J5 is slightly less wide but taller, the lens in the RX100 does collapse more because it's non-interchangeable, but the J5's kit lens does collapse too). To me they seem similar in size. The J5 is also inexpensive compared to recent models of the RX100 and the AF seems just as fluid in both cameras.

 

In my opinion, Nikon do electronics just fine. Overheating in hot climates is reported for Sony mirrorless cameras, whereas I don't remember ever hearing such complaint about Nikon DSLRs. When I played a bit with the A7R II, the zoom-in took several seconds; I can't remember such a delay in any Nikon DSLR that I've owned. I am a Sony customer too - I have all my AV equipment from them, but the user interface of my Android TV (2016 model) has annoying delays even in basic functions of browsing the program guide, and it crashes every once in a while, rebooting itself either spontaneously or the user may have to do it by force. The image quality out of the box of the Sony TV is great though and that's why I chose it. I honestly cannot say that in terms of user interface delays and data processing that Sony shows any superior expertise. Nikon DSLR cameras are very fluid in use and hardly ever make you wait for anything. Ok it is possible to find a past model that makes you wait - the D7100 comes to mind, but it is rather unusual in higher price classes and even with the newer models of that series.Yes, if you use the D850 burst at 9fps it will eventually run out of buffer but at least Nikon offer the user the option of using fast XQD cards which Sony do not.

 

Nikon have frequently made really bad (my opinion, but I can justify it) ergonomic decisions recently

 

That is your opinion. :) For me they haven't been an issue and I like to use both hands to access camera controls. IMO long teles that need to be supported from the lens are best used on tripod or monopod. Now Nikon seem to have gotten the memo that people are hand holding heavy teles - the 180-400 has the TC flip in / out switch positioned for easy access without changing your hand position or taking the eye from the viewfinder. So maybe they will take this into account in the future with other models as well.

Edited by ilkka_nissila
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Nikon can't afford to squander much more brand equity with a dud. The shadowy camera looks very Sony-like. Whatever the frame dimensions, it's the mount that could prove crucial to its success. Dropping the F-mount seems almost suicidal. They're already playing catch-up with a MILC system and it's anyone's guess how many bailed for smaller, lighter, highly capable cameras like Fuji's. We'll see if the finally "get it."
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Nikon can't afford to squander much more brand equity with a dud. The shadowy camera looks very Sony-like. Whatever the frame dimensions, it's the mount that could prove crucial to its success. Dropping the F-mount seems almost suicidal. They're already playing catch-up with a MILC system and it's anyone's guess how many bailed for smaller, lighter, highly capable cameras like Fuji's. We'll see if the finally "get it."

 

You can said that dropping the F mount is suicidal but I am 100% sure the new camera won't have the F mount. They would be stupid to use the F mount on the new camera.

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Great to see. Canon doesn't have a full frame mirrorless yet right.

 

2018 now, I am quite over new equipment but they are great to see and down the road I can pick up second hand. I dunno what the future entails what would happen to dSLR and would that still be the focus or would it only be with the more the professional model cameras. Anyway as a buyer, there are so many second hand gear out there from other brands for much cheaper, for my needs a 12MP camera does it and it is also nice to try a different brand also. I also don't need a FF when I need something lighter, but then again I dunno what would happen to the dSLRs in the future and it this would be only for the more professional model cameras.

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Allegedly, the teaser campaign will run an entire month with the announcement on Aug 23. I think I'll wait until then, no point in discussing a camera whose features aren't known yet. Or doing it piecemeal once more is revealed. Much like with the Df campaign that I followed closely, after all that build-up, there's bound to be an anti-climax once the camera is finally fully revealed.

 

I already have one leg into Sony mirrorless but at least for the time being have no intention of transitioning fully. Fairly certain the Nikon mirrorless won't sway me as long as I need to adapt G and E lenses; once Nikon has build up a suitable lens system, this may change.

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Allegedly, the teaser campaign will run an entire month with the announcement on Aug 23. I think I'll wait until then, no point in discussing a camera whose features aren't known yet. Or doing it piecemeal once more is revealed. Much like with the Df campaign that I followed closely, after all that build-up, there's bound to be an anti-climax once the camera is finally fully revealed.

It has been close to 5 years since the Df was announced. I seem to recall that teaser campaign lasted several weeks, maybe also about a month with 1 to 2 teasers per week, gradually revealing a bit more info at a time. In any case, a late August/early September actual announcement should match up with the Photokina schedule quite well.

 

My experience is that far more people are interested in discussing and debating about semi-vaporware; it is far easier than actually go out and capture great images. :) Teasers seem to be an effective way for Nikon (and other camera makers) to drag out the interest for a camera announcement to multiple weeks, and that was how we got to 900+ posts on one thread, but people do get tired after a while when facts are missing.

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