Arrival of Nikon mirrorless (finally!)

[chambeshi]

The latest announcement seems very rational and hopefully keeps down some of the crazy talk like end of line for dslr or moving to medium format.

The larger diameter of the new mount and elimination of mirror have potential to increase the stiffness and strength of the camera.

Some people have noted that the grip seems elongated. It looks like it allows holding the camera more like a video camera (palmcorder) with the hand in line with the forearm when viewing the rear display. This seems to be a more stable position if you are doing video and would help with the overall balance of the camera when compared to rangefinder style bodies.

It will be interesting to see the camera emerge from the shadows.

A practical question to be answered in a few weeks is what battery will run this mirrorless. A logical option is to make use of the ENEL18, giving significantly more juice than a cell like the ENEL15. A large grip could house a big battery.

[Ilkka Nissilä]

A practical question to be answered in a few weeks is what battery will run this mirrorless. A logical option is to make use of the ENEL18, giving significantly more juice than a cell like the ENEL15. A large grip could house a big battery.

I doubt this very much; it would be a far too large grip for normal hands. There seems to be some availability / production problems with the EN-EL18b, leading to the new c model which doesn't seem to be in shops yet. It is also an extremely expensive battery.

[gryphon1911]

While we are on the battery discussion...I'm hoping they made it power conscious and I won't need 4 batteries to get through a day.

I know we are spoiled with the battery life of cameras like the D750 and Df, but a CIPA of 500 shots per charge would be awesome, as most other mirrorless cameras on the market are looking at 250-300 per.

[Jan Anne]

J.A., I am looking forward to seeing exactly what is on offer. Not sure the Sony gear will be on the chopping block but it could spell the end for some of our m43 gear.  My wife has just started using the Sony stuff, not quite there yet with the user interface but loves the ISO range.   I have developed a great affection for some of my Leica M, VM and ZM lenses so will see what can be adapted to the Nikons.  I've never stopped playing around with my Nikon gear since playing around is what I do most often  .   I really look forward to user thoughts here once the new gear is out.   I started selling some Sony FE lenses some months ago.
I really hope the new Nikons are more robust with better weather resistance than the Sony bodies.
All the best,
Tom

Hi Tom,

For me the move back to Nikon will be a gradual change starting at the tele end, though I love the IQ and metal build quality of the Canon 100-400IS MKII it simply doesn't perform as expected on the Sony A7RII in the AF department and hooking it up with a Canon DSLR body is a simple no no for me.

So, I've just ordered a D500 with the intent to order de 200-500VR tomorrow and will sell the Canon tele and the original A7S which hasn't been used for ages to cover the majority of the cost of the new combo. The 200-500VR will probably be glued to the D500 as I intent to use short classic manual focus lenses on a mirrorless camera.

Replacing the A7RII will be more complicated however as I have two really good native lenses, the Sony Zeiss 35/1.4 FE and the Voigtlander 15/4.5 FE. Besides the native lenses I also have the Canon 85/1.2 FD and the Voigtlander 125/2.5 APO in Canon EF mount with dedicated adapters, as I plan to keep these unique and amazing lenses I have to wait for adapters for the new Nikon system which will hopefully become available in the near future.

The Nikkor 50/1.2 should be easily adapted to the new mirrorless platform and can of course also be used on the D500

[Jan Anne]

Any experiences with this shop?

In 2016 I bought the A7RII and the Canon 100-400IS MKII, the price difference on the body almost covered price of the lens.

Today with the D500 order a very similar situation, the price difference (€850) with the local prices will again almost cover the price of the 200-500VR (€1029).

[Roland Vink]

Can a Z-Mount of 49mm Dia. accommodate a MF sensor? That in the top model 'Blad H6D measures 53.4 x 40mm; the "cropped" MF sensor in the X1D measures 44 x 33mm

The FX sensor requires an image circle of 43.3mm. If the camera has IBIS, the sensor can shift sideways so the image circle needs to be a little bigger. Also allow space for the lens bayonet mount, and sleeve around the rear element ... that could easily take you up to 49mm diameter. That would allow a lens with a rear element big enough to cover the sensor, which should permit lens designs with fast aperture and low mechanical vignetting.

The 44 x 33mm sensor requires an image circle of 55mm. You could potentially stuff one behind the rumoured Z-mount, but it wouldn't be practical, especially for faster lenses, or telephotos where the rays hit the sensor perpendicular - image corners would be truncated by the smaller size of the opening.

[chambeshi]

The FX sensor requires an image circle of 43.3mm. If the camera has IBIS, the sensor can shift sideways so the image circle needs to be a little bigger. Also allow space for the lens bayonet mount, and sleeve around the rear element ... that could easily take you up to 49mm diameter. That would allow a lens with a rear element big enough to cover the sensor, which should permit lens designs with fast aperture and low mechanical vignetting.

The 44 x 33mm sensor requires an image circle of 55mm. You could potentially stuff one behind the rumoured Z-mount, but it wouldn't be practical, especially for faster lenses, or telephotos where the rays hit the sensor perpendicular - image corners would be truncated by the smaller size of the opening.

As Akira reminds us  yesterday was the 101st anniversary of Nikon.

Thanks Roland, for your succinct synopsis. IBIS will be a boon with our treasured MF lenses :-)

The updated speculations on NR include this image comparing the approximated bayonet mount against the Fuji GFX and Nikon D850:

https://nikonrumors.com/2018/07/25/new-nikon-mirrorless-camera-renderings.aspx/#more-123898

[chambeshi]

Latest update with overview on NR..... It is reminiscent of the launch of the D850 a year ago

https://nikonrumors.com/2018/07/27/nikon-mirrorless-camera-rumors-the-big-recap.aspx/

[Akira]

Eh, has anyone already mentioned the special livestreaming event on Aug. 23?

https://events.imaging.nikon.com/live/en/

[Kenneth Rich]

Nikon has really succeeded in building anticipation and absolute mystery this time!  Did Nikon do the same thing with the Df before the event or did all the fuss come about after the first images were released?  My head was deeply buried in Fiji at the time, and I missed anything that happened before the release.  When I did see the first pictures and description, what was revealed to me was just how shallow was my head buried in Fiji! I immediately lost interest in it and  decided to give my Fiji to my son and buy a Df body. The biggest, best decision I've ever made, photographically, I think, unless it was selling my Olympus OM-1 and buying my Nikon F2SB.

[armando_m]

Eh, has anyone already mentioned the special livestreaming event on Aug. 23?

https://events.imaging.nikon.com/live/en/

I saw it on the Nikon FB page

[David H. Hartman]

The D850 is a very large and bulky camera, heavy and inconvenient to tote around. The mirrorless will be smaller, lighter and much easier to carry. Only a true fossil would want a D850 after the mirrorless body is introduced. . .That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
Your true fossil,
AD

I'm a true of fossil.

[pluton]

Nikon has really succeeded in building anticipation and absolute mystery this time!  Did Nikon do the same thing with the Df before the event or did all the fuss come about after the first images were released?

It was a similar 'teaser' campaign, with murky, shadowy images that show only portions of the edges of the new miracle product. Expect a very stylized but uninformative promotion video to follow.
To be fair to Nikon, the ML camera is a bigger deal, technologically speaking.

[pluton]

A practical question to be answered in a few weeks is what battery will run this mirrorless. A logical option is to make use of the ENEL18, giving significantly more juice than a cell like the ENEL15. A large grip could house a big battery.

EN-EL 18 is a great idea.  It would allow a brighter, EVF when needed, and for as long as needed. Second choice would be two EN-EL 15's or a new battery with extra heft.

[Kenneth Rich]

I have tried to read/remember (ha ha, there is the rub) the seven pages of posts, and don't recall anyone remarking on this:
    This will work with the NIKKOR F mount lenses that are part of the Nikon digital SLR system, adding to the variety of choices for photographers.
 If I am reading this correctly, it does not include those great old heritage Nikkors most of us own and use on Df et al bodies. "part of the Nikon digital system" to me means only digital era lenses, not pre-digital lenses.  I will not be disappointed, because I have little interest in acquiring this new camera, unless it looks like a digital copy of the S2, but there will surely be other people who could be disappointed.