Arrival of Nikon mirrorless (finally!)

[Jan Anne]

With the introduction of the a7 series Sony provided two Minolta Maxxum adapters, the fully electronic LA-EA3 and the LA-EA4 with a built in AF motor and phase detect AF sensors. Back then the original a7 models only had the slower contrast detect AF but nowadays they all have PD and it's safe to say that the Nikon will as well.

But a mirrorless platform will open up a whole new world of possibilities incl autofocus for manual focus lenses and the proper use of lenses from others brands or mounts.

Here's a very comprehensive overview from Brian Smith of all the adapters which became available over the years which will hopefully be ported to the Nikon platform:
https://briansmith.com/gear/sony-lens-adapters/

[Ilkka Nissilä]

Full support for E and G lenses, and all other lenses with aperture rings to be used stopped down and without AF is maybe all we get...

This may be the case but Nikon have patented an adapter with semitransparent mirror and AF module, and Sony's adapter which included the AF sensor module also provides the motor for screwdriver AF lenses for the A mount. They also have a different, simpler adapter available.

The new mount will have it’s virtues for new lens designs. But it is a PITA to have to use an adapter for F-mount lenses, nothing fascinating on that at all.

I don't think most users will want to use adapted lenses for most tasks in the long term, but the adapters may be useful / valuable in the short term and for specific tasks. In the long term what is important for this new system is the native lenses.

I think the best performance with F mount lenses (and not just handling) will likely continue to be with DSLRs. I personally consider mirrorless a specialized tool for specific tasks such as those requiring silent operation and prefer DSLRs for general photography especially of people subjects, due to the OVF. But other people have different ideas of usage and preferences for gear.

[PEL]

«I remember two false news he send around with regard of the D850: (1) sensor produced by TowerJaz; (2) D850 with a hybrid viewfinder i.e OVF and EVF. But I like quite this atypical person.»

What Nikon is doing now, I think should let us speculate a bit like «the angry photographer». Don’t get me wrong, but I think that the predictions might get right in future models and Nikon has made desisions for coming/planned cameras allready.

1. This time it’s likely the sensor is made by Tower Jaz. The sensor will have abilities never seen before.
2. Nikon just discontinued the Nikon 1 system. Just remember they could make the mount waterproof, so will the z mount also be and maybe will see a Nikonos?
3. An EVF in the D850 just before the Z mount would be a stupid thing to do. But with an improved AF system in the mirrorless camera, Nikon should try to implement this in a F- mount pro-modell like the F6. This will allow a larger autofocus field. And if they implement a hybrid viewfinder, the camera will not only be quiet but much faster when using the EVF. I guess Nikon just has to come up whith something like this?
4. The Z-mount rumors tells the mount will be larger than the F-mount. There will be no mirrorless dx sensor, Nikon will only have small sensors in the F-mount. Instead my predictions is that Nikon will make a larger sensor to the z-mount in the future like the rumored mx sensor a few years ago. Cellphones are getting better and make the dx format less interesting than a large mx sensor. One thing I am shure about, Nikon does not want to include one more mount in there system, just getting rid of the Nikon 1 system.
5. The F and Z mount will put Nikon in a unike position melting things together in a better way that most of us could foresee or their competitors.
6. Lets hope Nikons engineers also will do like Leica and put special products in there line like the monochrome. My wish is for a f-mount fullspectrum camera with EVF. Use the place were the mirror used to be for interchangeable  filterholders that make it possible to switch easily beetween infrared and normal photography. In a camera with dx sensor, there should be enough space to put in 4 filters at once... for example different infrared, UV or whatever. This last wish is not likely to happen, but a product like this would find many buyers at leat in this forum.

Use your brain out there, I have not come up with every possibility. The new system is said to come up with new industry standards in one or more ways... Nikon will not let us down with mediocer products! Personally I will drop the D850 and go for a z-mount body to supplement my beloved D800 and fullspectrum D600.

[PEL]

And of course, a new pro model will be called D6.

[PEL]

And.

7. An in body sensor stabilisation that is rumored, will likely work together with vr lenses.

[pluton]

Please include my dream interchangeable 90º swiveling (eyelevel to right angle) EVF with large video-style eyecup on the wish list.

[Seapy]

And.

7. An in body sensor stabilisation that is rumored, will likely work together with vr lenses.

Or perhaps more likely, the two will fight?

[chambeshi]

True to tradition, the impending arrival of a new product of note in the Nikon stable is fuelling plenty of speculation. I find much of the info appearing on NR stimulatiing, even useful, even given these are rumours.
But I failed to finish watching a recent Youtube by the tattooed guy proposing the Nikon ML could well be Medium-Format. Such misconstruals of what is known from patents and physics have been fanned on certain forums since at least last year. But IMHO there's a ray of light to be read in a current thread on DPR, where some lucid posts spell out:

(1) why the F-Mount and Z-Mount will enable complementary Nikon lineages to not only persist, but diversify;
(2) Why Nikon are uniquely placed to bring out an efficient adapter to use F-mount lenses on a Z-mount camera;
and (3)  How this adapter can feasibly allow use of F-mount glass;

Nikon most certainly have the credentials to deliver yet anther impressive product line. The Nikon 1 and other technology points to this. There are intriguing strategic implications for Nikon as to how their Z-mount (this name is a rumour!) will position the company WRT the competition.

https://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/4304047

I've taken the liberty of posting an instructive diagram that's appeared repeatedly in DPR threads over the past year. The picture that's worth the proverbial 1000 words.... Also fyi an approximated outline of the forthcoming Nikon FX Mirrorless derived from images glimpsed in the official releases.

Some here on NG may find this interesting. The synopsis on what is - and is not - possible in the F - Z adapter may also salve a few concerns (especially for those of us with big investments in Nikkors). I'm quietly confident Nikon will not let us down on this.

Obviously, we will know the real situation on 23rd August 

EDIT :- here are details suggested for new Nikon Z-Mount https://nikonrumors.com/2018/01/18/a-quick-update-on-the-rumored-nikon-full-frame-mirrorless-camera-z-mount.aspx/

[gryphon1911]

A lot of emphasis is being put on sensor size and sensor performance.  Honestly, for me....sensor performance has been just fine for the last 5 years.  While I can appreciate any and all enhancements in all areas, my biggest concern now for newer cameras has been basically everything else.  Battery life, ergonomics, AF enhancements.

I feel Nikon has the ability to do something I've wanted for a long time, which is for someone to finally marry the strengths of the DSLR systems with the strengths of the mirrorless systems.  I think that Sony has gotten the closest, but their system has never appealed to me in any aspect.  Nikon, even at its "lowest" has always just seemed "right" to me.  Olympus comes a close second, but I think they took a lot of cues from the way Nikon works, which si probably why I prefer their mirrorless offerings to all others at this stage in the game.  I've a hunch that Nikon is finally ready to jump whole hog into this next generation.

They may not hit a grand slam right out of the gate, but they certainly have the ability to hit a home run opening pitch.

[Erik Lund]

OK for me it's all about if the electronic viewfinder is usable at all or if it has the usual shortcomings,,,


Secondary would be if the Leica M lenses fit and work flawless, again without the usual shortcomings,,, 

[Akira]

I, as stubborn anti-EVF guy, even felt that the latest 3.6+MP EVF used in Panasonic GH5/5S (I guess the same one is used in Sony A9, A7RIII, Fuji X-H1) was the game changer.  I didn't really feel eye strain, the dark area and the edges of the frame can be fairly well descernible, the pixels were imperceptible.

I've heard that Leica SL uses a 44MP EVF.  That could be even better, and Nikon should use one at least for their higher-end mirrorless model.

[Ilkka Nissilä]

Or perhaps more likely, the two will fight?

Reportedly with Sony the sensor based and optical stabilizers work well together but I have never seen a proper analysis of the effects separately and together (maybe it's not possible to turn them off separately?)

[gryphon1911]

Reportedly with Sony the sensor based and optical stabilizers work well together but I have never seen a proper analysis of the effects separately and together (maybe it's not possible to turn them off separately?)

Olympus and Panasonic have had dual IS systems that work together now for some time.  Olympus' even touts that they get 6.5 stops of hand holdability out of the combo.

[MFloyd]

I, as stubborn anti-EVF guy, even felt that the latest 3.6+MP EVF used in Panasonic GH5/5S (I guess the same one is used in Sony A9, A7RIII, Fuji X-H1) was the game changer.  I didn't really feel eye strain, the dark area and the edges of the frame can be fairly well descernible, the pixels were imperceptible.

I've heard that Leica SL uses a 44MP EVF.  That could be even better, and Nikon should use one at least for their higher-end mirrorless model.

It’s rather a 4.4 Mpx EVF. I had the SL 601 at home for a week. I was not impressed at all by this EVF, and completely unusable for action/sport photography.

[Jan Anne]

Could the bigger mount facilitate a square 36x36mm sensor?

Would be a very cool and new feature.

When looking at the current rumors I can’t find any new game changing features Nikon are rumored to deliver with their new mirroless platform. Or have I missed something?