Nikon officially announced new mirrorless system

[dirk]

There have been rumours over months now about one or more new mirrorless system of Nikon.

Today Nikon gave us officially a video-teaser about at least one of their new mirrorless systems - if there will be more than one at all. No exact specifications yet available.

As expected, it will be a new Nikon-mount. Nikon will provide/sell an adapter to use all Nikon lenses on this new mount. I guess it will use also all electronic contacts and AF conncentions, similar to the FT1 adapter of the Nikon 1 system.

This is the press release:

https://www.nikonusa.com/en/about-n...e-a-New-Dimension-in-Optical-Performance.html

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July 25, 2018

Nikon Announces Development of Next Generation Full-Frame Mirrorless Camera and NIKKOR Lenses—Featuring a New Mount—That Pursue a New Dimension in Optical Performance
Melville, NY – Nikon Inc. is pleased to announce the development of a next-generation full-frame (Nikon FX-format) mirrorless camera and NIKKOR lenses featuring a new mount.

The new mirrorless camera and NIKKOR lenses that are in development will enable a new dimension in optical performance with the adoption of a new mount. The system is the result of Nikon’s unsurpassed optical and manufacturing capabilities gained through more than a century of imaging expertise. Proven reliability and trusted performance are core traits of Nikon Digital-SLRs, and decades of feedback from professional creators around the world has further contributed to the development of this system.


Through the development of this new mirrorless camera, Nikon reaffirms our commitment to providing photographers with the ability to capture images that are richer and more vivid than ever before.


Additionally, an F-Mount adapter is being developed that will enable the use of a wide variety of F-Mount NIKKOR lenses with the new camera.


Nikon will continue to lead imaging innovation with the launch of the new mirrorless camera and the continued development of Nikon Digital-SLR cameras as well as the impressive NIKKOR lens lineup. Soon, Nikon users will have two industry-leading camera systems to choose from, giving consumers the choice to enjoy the unique values that each system offers.

Content relating to this product is available for viewing at the following URL: http://www.nikonusa.com/mirrorlessiscoming. Please stay tuned for more information.

Details, including the release date and suggested retail prices, will be shared at a later date.




About Nikon


Nikon Inc. is a world leader in digital imaging, precision optics and photo and video capture technologies; globally recognized for setting new standards in product design and performance for an award-winning array of equipment that enable visual storytelling and content creation. In 2017, Nikon celebrated a legacy of innovation with its 100-year anniversary celebration. Nikon Inc. distributes consumer and professional digital SLR cameras, NIKKOR optics, Speedlights and system accessories, Nikon COOLPIX® compact digital cameras and Nikon software products. Nikon Corporation, the parent company of Nikon Inc., announced the production of 100 million NIKKOR lenses, creating a new milestone in Nikon’s heritage of superior optics. For more information, dial (800) NIKON-US or visit www.nikonusa.com, which links all levels of photographers and visual storytellers to the Web's most comprehensive learning and sharing communities. Connect with Nikon on Facebook, Google+, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Vimeo, Flickr and Snapchat (@NikonUSASnap).

 

[ecopix]

"a wide variety of F-Mount NIKKOR lenses", not all ?

In other words, AF-P, hopefully AF-s E, maybe not AF-s G (mechanical aperture)??, probably not AF-D screwdriver...

Hopefully more than the centre focus point on AF Single!!!!

 

[dirk]

I do think that all modern lenses will be supported with this adapter. Everything would be suicide with the big competition like Canon and Sony.

With the Nikon FT1 adapter for the Nikon 1 system, everything worked. AF, metering etc. But there was a difference depending on what body you used with the FT1 adapter. So the more professional V-Models supported all features in alle speeds (like all AF fields), the cheaper J-models supported only the center AF field. So this was to differentiate the different body-models, not the lacking capability of that adapter.

This FT1 adapter is very old. So today, the modern adapter should really rock and you will probably do not feel a difference vs. using the lens directly on a DSLR.

I do not know how it is with old Nikkor lenses. Lenses from before 1980. Obviously they do not have AF. But I wonder how it will be with the metering. I never had one so I could not try that with my FT1.

 

[Thingy]

It would be more attractive if it allowed the older lenses to be used. There are no modern remakes of the superb AF-DC lenses for example, and some of us would want to be able to use our existing Zeiss Macro lenses.

 

[dirk]

It would be more attractive if it allowed the older lenses to be used.

I.am sure that also older lenses will be supported. But obviously non-AF lenses can not be changed into AF lenses with an adapter.

I also do think, that Nikon is smart enough to build in a solution to make the meetering also compatible with older lenses.

Nikon is next to Pentax the last one, who joins the mirrorless party (for fullframe/APSC sensor sizes).

The competition is therefore very strong. The only asset Nikon has are the millions of old Nikkor lenses out there. Nikon woul be stupid not to make everything compatible with this adapter. Otherwise there would be no advantage to stick with Nikon.

Did you look at the screenshot of that video? The new lens mount is looking significant bigger than the old one.

I wonder whether Nikon planned to have another option with this new lens mount. Either for bigger sensor size (medium format?) or to have it easier to design lenses for it.

 

[ecopix]

Maybe optics and physics are against them, though. The reason the FT-1 could only focus on the centre was apparently optics and AF accuracy, not Nikon Corp policy. And things are even more difficult with a full sized sensor. I agree Nikon won’t want to compromise on their new offerings – they will want state-of-the-art.

Unless Nikon engineers pull something truly unique out of the box, it’s difficult to imagine a fully-functional F-mount adapter for full frame without its own phase detect module and/or optics (read expensive) to augment on-sensor PD. Or maybe a choice of simple and complex, like Sony give for their A (Minolta) lens system.

The reason I doubt it will support AF-D and worry about AF-s G lenses is that Nikon have been moving away from those technologies for a long time. If G lenses are supported, it might only be at the higher price-points, where the first model will presumably sit.

I really can’t imagine them giving screwdriver lenses a guernsey with their mirrorless system. Hope I’m wrong, as there are still a few unique AF-D lenses in their catalogue, and many in our camera bags. But they have to leave something for their beloved SLRs, hey?

Manual focus lenses will only need an aperture lever and Ai follower – that’s easy to do. I’m quietly confident MF Ai lenses will be supported, if not pre-Ai (that only the Df supports now, anyway). The problems are with autofocus, particularly on-sensor phase detect.

And remember, Nikon Corp is basically an optical house – they make and sell lenses for a living!

As for a bigger mount, they finally catch up with Canon. The cost of keeping the small, old lens mounts (Pentax also), has been optical. It’s easier to make fast, compact lenses for a roomy mount. Topcon found that to its cost long ago with their even smaller Exacta mount – they couldn’t compete. Now Nikon will be able to.

But then again, we don’t know how small the body is, do we?

 

[dirk]

The reason the FT-1 could only focus on the centre was apparently optics and AF accuracy, not Nikon Corp policy.

Nope. It was a marketing decision. As long as you use the more expensive V-models (the models with a viewfinder like V1, V2 and V3), you could use all focus points with the FT1 adapter. Only the cheaper J models (models without the viewfiner) did not support that. Nikon simply deactivated that oiption in the body firmware to differentiate the models and price policy.

So someone who wants to do birding has to buy the more expensive V-models just for that additional feature of different focus points, athough the FT1 adapter is the same... :z04_head_wall:

That means, that Nikon had the required technology already in October 2011, when they launched the Nikon 1 system. I used to have the Nikon 1 system. The V1 and the J5 and was very impressed with its autofocus speed and accuracy. Plus 20 fps with continues AF and 60 fps with "frozen" AF. Sony made a huge hype with its fps rate a year or so agao, what Nion achieved with the Nikon 1 system already 7 years ago

We have to wait to be sure which lenses (D, G etc.) will be supported with all features. For me sprsonally this is more a cosmetical question. At the end of the day, if you want to exploit the full potential of high resolution sensors above 24MP, you need newer, modern lenses. Everything else is just a step inbetween until you saved enough money to buy the newest lens optimized for that new lens mount. :z04_smilie_geschenk

Sony did the same. They had not enough lenses at the beginning, so everybody raved about the possibility to use old lenses with adapters on it. As soon as more native Sony lenses appeared, less people cared about adapters and compatibility :z04_photos:

But then again, we don’t know how small the body is, do we?

I do not expect it to be very small. It is a fullframe body and Nikon needs to diferentiate. So they will rather make it excellent for the ergonomics/handling at teh cost of a few mm more body size. At the end of the day, the size of a system depends more on the lenses than on the body. Fullframe lenses will not be small, if the new lens mount is now even bigger than the old one.

But I do also expect this year an announcement about a DX mirrorles body from Nikon :daumenhoch_smilie: