If you thought Nikon was going to introduce its first full-frame mirrorless cameras without some fanfare, you had another thing coming. Nikon has posted a teaser video and “In Pursuit of Light” campaign website that might just hint at what its first pro-oriented mirrorless cams will look like. Provided the brief view is representative, it backs up a number of rumors, including the large mounting format (which could support super-bright f/0.95 lenses), an electronic viewfinder and a more ergonomic design. The lineup could be public as soon as July 23rd, so you may see much more in the near future.
To recap, Nikon is reportedly working on two models aimed at pro photographers who’d otherwise be tempted by a Sony A9 or A7 III. The flagship would pack 45 or 48 megapixels, while a step down would include ‘just’ 24 to 25 megapixels. You’d have a high-resolution 3.6-megapixel electronic viewfinder for composing shots. You could also expect many of the creature comforts associated with modern high-end cameras, such as 5-axis in-body image stabilization, more than 400 autofocusing points and 4K video.
Whether or not Nikon succeeds is up in the air. The pricing would be competitive at roughly $4,000 for the 48-megapixel model with a kit lens and $2,400 for its 25-megapixel counterpart, but the aftermarket lens selection may be slim at first. You’d see a standard 24-70mm f/4 zoom lens as well as fixed 35mm and 50mm options, and… that’s it. Telephoto, macro and other more specialized lenses would be in the works, but would have to wait. And that’s a bit risky. While Sony was criticized for having few lenses when its first mirrorless cameras arrived, it now has a fairly robust ecosystem that accommodates most shooting demands. While Nikon’s rumored hardware is still leaps and bounds above the ill-fated 1 series cameras, it may be some time before you see full-time photographers switching to this system.
Nikon Europe has posted a video on YouTube that seems to tease the upcoming full frame mirrorless camera from Nikon, along with the rumored new “Z mount”. If you move forward to 1:05 in the video, you’ll see what everyone is talking about. Specifications are after the break.
When photographers think of DSLRs, it would not be surprising if their minds immediately jumped to brands like Nikon or Canon. However when it comes to mirrorless, there is a good chance many are thinking of brands such as Sony or Fujifilm, but that’s something that Nikon probably wants to change.
We have been hearing that the company is doubling down on their mirrorless efforts and now it looks like we might know when the fruits of their labor will be revealed. According to Japanese website Nokishita Camera (via Nikon Rumors), it seems that we will be getting our answers on the 23rd of August.
This was discovered in the code of a new website dedicated to Nikon mirrorless cameras, and given that the website is owned by Nikon, it stands to believe that this information is accurate. Nikon has yet to officially confirm or announce anything so maybe take this with a grain of salt for now, but we did hear based on earlier reports that Nikon could have a summer announcement planned for their mirrorless cameras.
It is unclear what will be announced, but if you’re a fan of Nikon’s cameras and are hoping to see new mirrorless cameras that could potentially rival those of Sony or Fujifilm, check back with us next month for the details.