NikonGear'23
Gear Talk => Camera Talk => Topic started by: Akira on July 12, 2022, 12:10:18
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This article Nikkei (the Japanese newspaper for the economy) says that Nikon has (officially) ceased to develop DSLRs.
https://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXZQOUC219V60R20C22A6000000/
I admit that there still are advantages of DSLRs over mirrorless cameras, but I would think it is an outdated system.
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Probably an inevitable outcome and not too surprising given the capability and success of the Z9.
Thanks for the link Akira - even if I cannot read Japanese! :)
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It was a question of when Nikon (and other Camera makers) will give all its effort to its mirrorless models. This maybe the start of its full transition to mirrorless and hopefully becomes more accessible and affordable.
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The story plot thickens:
Nikon denies the news....
https://www.nikon.com/news/2022/0712_01.htm
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Does this announcement herald the appearance of a full frame (24X36) Z fc? You know, some mechanical linkages, dials and wheels, a minimum of buttons, no video, no flash, intuitive menu system. . . .
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Have a look at Thom Hogan’s view on the article. The title says it all. :)
https://bythom.com/newsviews/nikkei-needs-new-staff.html
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Let us hope! ;D
Does this announcement herald the appearance of a full frame (24X36) Z fc? You know, some mechanical linkages, dials and wheels, a minimum of buttons, no video, no flash, intuitive menu system. . . .
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At this time I have about a dozen Nikon DSLRs (DX and FX) and maybe 30 Nikkor lenses plus other brands. Others here probably have more gear than I do. So, at my age and with my specific photographic interests, I really cannot envision ever needing--or wanting--another new camera of any type in the remainder of my lifetime. I'm obviously not part of the target audience for Nikon's new camera line that seems aimed at video more than stills.
Being out of step is actually not a Bad Thing, you know. ;D
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Folks, thank you for the follow-ups and comments.
Yes, I realized that Nikon officially denies the news posted by Nikkei. Although Nikkei is a leading paper dealing with the economy, it sometimes makes a false start, possibly to go for the scoop. (Like me? :-[ )
Chris, thank you for the link to Thom Hogan's sane article.
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Just a correction:
Nikkei didn't say that Nikon ceases to "make" DSLRs. It said that Nikon ceases to "develop" them. Although the situation makes no big difference, the translation that Thom Hogan saw was not quite accurate.
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It’s got crazy out of hand here in Japan! Top news story!
One thing though - it shows the deep position Nikon has in the psyche of Japan, and even this dubious story is newsworthy.
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It’s got crazy out of hand here in Japan! Top news story!
One thing though - it shows the deep position Nikon has in the psyche of Japan, and even this dubious story is newsworthy.
I guess it's because the Japanese mass-media is afraid of dealing with the negative sides of the political administration. Hence they are trying to make big noises with the not-so-essential, non-political topics.
That said, I'm well aware that discussing politics is not the raison d'être of this forum. I hope the thread to stay on the initial topic.
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Maybe it could be instructive to recall how Nikon phased itself out of film camera production and AiS lens production.
In the case of film SLRs it left the bottom of the range entry level film FM10 (made for Nikon by Cosina) and the flagship F6 on the books for many years and they have only recently dropped the selected sub set of the AiS lens line that they sold for a decade or more. Whether Nikon built up large warehouse stocks of these two film bodies and the AiS lenses that kept them going for ages or just occassionally built them in small batches to meet orders I am not sure.
So maybe some selected DSLRs to cover bottom, mid, and upper ends of the market for the next two or three years, plus a selected sub-set of F-Mount G Series lenses for perhaps a little longer?
However the day will come when Nikon DSLRs and F-Mount lenses will cease to be produced by Nikon.
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Thank you all for looking into the story, or should i say non-story :o ;D
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It is a Non-Story
But Nikons behavior the last months shows that there is some inner truth behind. Lots of F-mount lenses and SLR cameras were discontinued (without even having proper replacement in the Z-line) - even the D500. Not too long ago Nikon promised to support both lines. Sad story but the shrinking market and Nikons limited capacities (all used up to establish the Z-lines) lead to evident outcome- even though mirrorless cant fully replace SLRs. I hope they will sell existing stuff for a long time and provide support.
With several SLRs and lots of F-mount lenses, plus two Z-bodies and a few selected lenses plus FTZ adapters I will be fine hopefully.
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I currently own 5 Nikon DSLRs, and a mirrorless Nikon Z6 (full frame). While I still sometimes use my Nikon DSLR bodies, the Z6 blows them away in just about every characteristic and feature that's important to me.
Not only will I never buy another Nikon DSLR (so I could care less if Nikon is discontinuing them) but I'd happily trade all 5 of my Nikon DSLRs for another Z6..
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You can probably do it if you want. If it fulfill your requirements better, it is a no brainer
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I think equipment is overrated. Although the forum is named "Nikongear" and I got a lot of it I do enjoy most the company of some wonderful people here and the photos / discussions. As a competent photographer I can create great pictures with any camera at hand. Special needs require special equipment like sports or food or microscopic lifeforms. For general photography one camera / one lens is all it needs.
Summing up: DSLR or DSLM. I could not care less. DSLM seen to be less noisy in operation. Very good in Theatres and the like
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I see no argument there, Frank, and think almost every poster/reader is with you there. Wonderful people and a true pleasure to meet. But I am still a Nikon man. . . .
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I think equipment is overrated. Although the forum is named "Nikongear" and I got a lot of it I do enjoy most the company of some wonderful people here and the photos / discussions. As a competent photographer I can create great pictures with any camera at hand. Special needs require special equipment like sports or food or microscopic lifeforms. For general photography one camera / one lens is all it needs.
Summing up: DSLR or DSLM. I could not care less. DSLM seen to be less noisy in operation. Very good in Theatres and the like
This is all true - but I'd consider it as off-topic
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I think equipment is overrated. Although the forum is named "Nikongear" and I got a lot of it I do enjoy most the company of some wonderful people here and the photos / discussions. As a competent photographer I can create great pictures with any camera at hand. Special needs require special equipment like sports or food or microscopic lifeforms. For general photography one camera / one lens is all it needs.
Summing up: DSLR or DSLM. I could not care less. DSLM seen to be less noisy in operation. Very good in Theatres and the like
I rather believe that your self assessment is somewhat overrated. Don’t you think so ? ::)
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I rather believe that your self assessment is somewhat overrated. Don’t you think so ? ::)
I don't think this personal blow is called for.
Γνῶθι σεαυτόν, which, if google translate served me well, is what is called for here
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I rather believe that your self assessment is somewhat overrated. Don’t you think so ? ::)
It is clear that you do not like Frank. That is your prerogative. However, this is not the place for your animosity.
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Enough of this off-tangent stuff. Back to the topic at hand, please.
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It is a Non-Story
But Nikons behavior the last months shows that there is some inner truth behind. Lots of F-mount lenses and SLR cameras were discontinued (without even having proper replacement in the Z-line) - even the D500. Not too long ago Nikon promised to support both lines. Sad story but the shrinking market and Nikons limited capacities (all used up to establish the Z-lines) lead to evident outcome- even though mirrorless cant fully replace SLRs. I hope they will sell existing stuff for a long time and provide support.
With several SLRs and lots of F-mount lenses, plus two Z-bodies and a few selected lenses plus FTZ adapters I will be fine hopefully.
I think the issue is messaging - Nikon's messaging has been inconsistent and less than straightforward in the past, e.g. when they were transitioning from DX to FX DSLRs, until the very end they claimed that full-frame was only for research and not for products and suddenly they launched FX and gave less attention to DX development since, especially in the lens lineup. Thus people have come accustomed not to take Nikon's messaging at face value. When Z system was launched Nikon was saying they will continue the development of both systems according to their advantages, which some believed and many did not.
I personally find mirrorless to have advantages in the kit weight and size, and clear image quality benefits for short focal lengths. However, I find the lag in EVF and shutter release in my Z6 II to be disturbing and am unable to time single shots accurately like I can with my DSLRs. It feels like a slap on the face to be told that this is what I have to use in the future. A lot of others love the potential of the eye AF and ultra high fps for making it easier to capture shots with precise focus (exhibited in the higher end cameras such as the Z9). For me this is a large change in shooting paradigm with the unfortunate consequence of having to rely on high fps to capture moments which places my experience and understanding of subject behavior and ability to predict interesting moments to a lesser role in the process, and shifts a lot of the work to image selection in post-processing. I find this objectionable. Nikon seemed to agree in their messaging that sports photographers are picky about the timing of shots and can see the EVF lag, which is why they consider the optical viewfinder an advantage over mirrorless cameras. But as soon as they had the Z9 this messaging ended and they now just tout the virtues of the new technology and discontinue DSLR lenses and cameras.
It would be nice to see more clear and honest messaging from Nikon rather than opportunistic marketing of whatever they have on offer rather than what is best for the customer.
I am disappointed that they have not put the D6's all-cross-type sensor array into a D850 successor as I was sure they would do that. After having using the D6 for a while the D850's AF seems like a poor cousin, but I sometimes need the higher image quality of the D850. Now the Z9 offers roughly similar image quality to the D850 but with the improved Z lenses and new autofocus technology giving it the advantage in capturing correclty focused images in rapid situations (from what I've been able to read; I don't have a Z9). But I really love the optical viewfinder and am reluctant to give it up at least for now. I do appreciate the Z lenses, for example, the Z 24-70/2.8 I find just wonderful and unexpectedly good for a zoom lens of its type. However, the inconsistency in timing of shots between the Z6 II and my DSLRs bothers me a lot, it really wrecks havoc in my process. I dislike the small body with the limited controls and having to go into menus for a lot of basic shooting settings. I find it annoying that the 10-pin connector is missing (the MC-DC2 terminal is more wobbly and seems more easily damaged by impact to the side of the camera - I feel I need to use an L bracket to protect stuff that I mount to the connectors such as the WR-R10). While there is the Z9, and maybe it alleviates some of my concerns with the viewfinder, it's costly to purchase such an expensive camera along with a set of new lenses. The Z9 is a bit of an odd duck philosophically as it doesn't exhibit the widely-praised small size and light weight advantages mirrorless cameras (yes, it is slightly smaller and lighter than the D6, but competing cameras such as R3, A1, and A9 II are considerably lighter), but I guess it is a more comfortable fit for (us) DSLR users who get more familiar set of controls than there are in the smaller bodies.
I really do like what Nikon are doing with the Z lenses; the 24-70/2.8 I mentioned is fantastic, and there is a full line of f/1.8 primes with premium treatment of optics and good build, instead of being mechanically the poor version of the f/1.4's like with the DSLR AF-S primes, and the optical quality is just great while prices are only moderately higher than the F-mount versions. And the 105 MC is wonderful. In-camera VR works great. But I still find the wide range of lags across cameras to be disturbing and would like Nikon to work on shortening that also in the smaller and less expensive models. The changes in paradigm are enough to make me even reconsider doing photography or moving into something else.
I do understand that commercially it is difficult for Nikon to continue developing both systems when the majority of users have already deduced they will abandon the DSLRs. Personally I would have preferred to continue to purchase F-mount gear (there is plenty of room for improvement in some areas of the lens lineup, such as normal lenses, 135mm primes, and FL 200/2 and FL 300/2.8, and as mentioned the D850 successor could have benefited from D6 technology).
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However, I find the lag in EVF and shutter release in my Z6 II to be disturbing and am unable to time single shots accurately like I can with my DSLRs.
Out of curiosity, Ilkka, is it the lag itself that causes your trouble or the dissonance that comes with regularly using both a DSLR and your Z6 II?
I certainly agree that the skill and experience of a photographer should not be forced to play second fiddle to the technology. Mirrorless may not be ready for what you want a camera to do but the technology has improved considerably over the last decade and will continue to do so. Right now, we are still in the transition.
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I like mirrors and I need the immediate responsive action that mirrored view finders provide so that is what I will be taking with me to explore Brazil later this week!
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I like mirrors and I need the immediate responsive action that mirrored view finders provide....!
Same here. I like mirrors and prisms and direct view optical finders. I don't like viewing subjects on a tiny video screen.
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I don't like viewing subjects on a tiny video screen.
I used to think that but time spent with a Z6 changed my mind. It takes a little adjusting but it isn't all that bad by comparison. The live histogram, the ability to move the focus point just about anywhere and the joys of magnification for focusing manually are all great benefits.
The viewfinder in my F100 was just about perfect. The D3 and D4 were less satisfactory because it was impossible to judge the depth of field very well. If I really want a spot of masochism then I can peer through the viewfinder of my dad's Praktica IV with a Carl Zeiss Jena 50mm f/2.8 lens 8)
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Viewfinder lag is the compromise still with mirrorless -Z9 notwithstanding I guess, haven't tried yet- and silent shooting a big godsend. I'm talking about my specific need, of course. As making sound in the theater is a no-no nowadays I had to learn to live with the lag and adjust accordingly. I do hope it shortens in the future.
The other bit of compromise was rolling shutter in silent mode but that complain is already moot in the new body, so it can be done.
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Lag? I remember lag! Remember those cute mini P&S cig. pack sized cameras? My wife and I had three, at least-a Pentax, a Sony and a Casio, all with postage sized TV screens and all with zoom viewfinders. They accompanied us on backpacking trips to Europe, and captured hundreds of postcard worthy prints, during their sometimes limited lives, but it's lucky that those cathedrals had stood waiting for us for five or six hundred years.They didn't care about half a second of lag. And nor did we, for it was our first immersion in digital photography, and well past our Nikon F2 35 mm days living in Europe. I have no doubts that you people remember similar experiences.
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Life is about change, we often mistakenly call progress.
Paradise lost, paradise regained.
Now i have two systems, mirror and sans-mirror.
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I welcomed the Z-System and aquired Z6;z9 and some lenses as well as I am happy with the compatibility to CPU/AF-S/VR lenses in F-mount. Nevertheless the vast majority of my lenses is still F-mount and SLRs. In many situations I prefer SLR viewfinders - not neglecting the benefits mirrorless finders offer in other situations. I am not amused with sitting in a system that wont be developed further (the 120-300 mm f/2,8 might have been the last released F-mount lenses), is already facing the first bricks due to discnontinuation and waning support can be expected sooner or later - together with being more difficult to find replacements (yes there is a huge second hand potential that will last for the rest of my lifetime).
Nikon has more limited development production capacity than say Canon and needs to focus this limited capacities on establishing the Z-system (and has its troubles to supply their new products in numbers and meet demand), market is shrinking and Nikon was more significantly affected by losses of revenue and market share, eroding the financial basis even more. SLR phase out appears to be a kind of self-fulfilling prophecy - Nikon has little choice I guess (until potential newly revived demand for "Classic" cameras). They announced to continuously support both systems but might not have the choice to do so. As already has been adressed, Nikon is not very clear and honest in its communication and has not been earlier (G-lenses becoming mainstream, not only for cheap starters lenses, DX to FX, ...). We will see