The newest super-tele: Nikkor Z 600mm F6.3 VR S

Another Supertele for the Z system!

Nikon’s latest addition to their telephoto line is the Z 600mm F6.3 VR S lens. At US$4800 it’s definitely in the supertele range.

There already are some complaints (there always are…) that this lens is a f6.3, and not f5.6 – which is 1/3 of a stop difference. On the other hand it’s just 1 1/3 stops slower than the US$15,000 Z 600mm f4 TC lens and it is outright compact for such a lens.

Why the 600mm f/6.3?

Thanks to the PF lens elements Nikon was able to keep the weight at just under 1.5kg, just a bit heavier than the Z 70-200mm f2.8. At 27.8cm it is only about 5cm longer as well. This makes for a truly portable 600mm f6.3 lens, and it can be easily used handheld. Add a 1.4 tele converter and it goes all the way to 840mm!

Yes, one can get the Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 at a much lower price of US$1700, but this zoom comes in at 2kg and adds another 5cm to the length. Close-up distance and therefore magnification is better on the zoom as well, but for many the price will likely be the deciding factor. If you’re on a budget – if one puts a $1.7k lens in that category – then the zoom is the obvious choice.

Choices

This is Nikon’s 7th long telephoto lens; within a short time the Z system evolved into perhaps the best wildlife/sports option available these days. Pick your choice according to price, size and capability!

Here’s the total long telephoto line-up so far:

Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S (launch price US$2,700)
Z 400mm f/4.5 VR S (launch price US$3,250)
Z 400mm f/2.8 TC VR S (launch price US$14,000)
Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR (launch price US$1,700)
Z 600mm f/6.3 VR S (launch price US$4,800)
Z 600mm f/4 TC VR S (launch price US$15,500)
Z 800mm f/6.3 VR S (launch price US$6,500)

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Nikkor Z 135mm F1.8 S Plena

After some teasers Nikon released the “Plena”, a 135mm f1.8 prime lens.

At US$2500 launch price and about 1kg this is not a light weight in any form or matter. Nikon choose to name this lens, and they don’t do that without a reason. ‘Full, filled, complete’ are the translations from Latin and this is likely aimed at the bokeh of this 135mm lens.

But what does it have to offer apart from the looks? Let’s take a look.Out of focus lights stay almost circular right to the edge of the image. This is something unique compared to the cat’s eye bokeh of other fast lenses. Nikon achieved this by designing the lens with an image circle larger than the 35mm frame. A first and hence the name is well deserved.

While having a beautiful, smooth out of focus rendering with beautiful transitions the lens is extremely sharp across the entire frame wide open. It’s a hefty lens, well made, and expensive, but that moment you look through the viewfinder for the first time – simply stunning.

What is it good for?

While most regard the ‘Plena’ as the ultimate outdoor portrait lens, it can be used for a lot more if one doesn’t mind bringing it along. The excellent background separation allows for unique creations even in every day photography. Dreamy flowers, medium sized objects and detail, with wonderful background separation and transitions. Go and try it, there’s way more than just portraits to this lens!

To buy or not to buy?

I’m not much a fan of the big and heavy lenses. However, after trying the ‘Plena’ for a while and seeing a lot of images taken with it, I have to say this is one lens where I might make an exception. I always liked the 135mm view, and this ‘Plena’ view is definitely something exceptional. Here I am, seriously tempted to break my rule of buying just those lenses I absolutely need. That’s a first for the the Z system, and a first in a very, very long time.

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The full-frame retro camera is here: the Nikon Zf

Nikon has announced the ZF as of today. And yes, it looks gorgeous.

Edit: And it feels that part, too! Having handled the Zf in the meantime I have to say there’s nothing cheap about it. It feels solid and dense, the brass dials click wonderfully in place.

But what does it have to offer apart from the looks? Let’s take a look.

The same 24mp sensor?

It seems the same sensor as in the z6/z6II is being used, perhaps slightly modified. Video specs are about the same, and so seems image quality.

Update: The Nikon Zf has been added to DPreviews studio comparison tool and it indeed performs very similar to the Nikon z6II. Check it out here.

That’s not a bad thing in my book. From iso6400 and onward it still is the best performing sensor out there. Personally I prefer that over the slight increase in Pixels as in the Sony a7 IV, which starts to fall behind at high iso. To sum it up the Zf brings the same solid performance to the table as the z6II.

Anything new in this retro body?

Yes, of course. There’s Expeed 7 inside and with it the whole new AF system already known from the z8/z9. Some people will find some differences here, but to me it’s overall in the same ballpark after handling both cameras recently. The viewfinder experience is much improved over the z6II as well but it still is somewhat laggy at fastest FPS. All in all the performance is much better than the previous generation.

Then there is improved IBIS and pixel shift high resolution modi, a first for Nikon. There are several options, some will reduce noise in images, some will reduce noise and increase resolution to 96mp. The images must be combined on a computer, Nikon’s free NX Studio software allows to do this.

Two card slots are available, in the form of an SD card slot and – a first for a grown up Nikon – a micro SD slot. Some people will loathe this decision by Nikon, as those tiny cards can be fiddly. Based on my experience with my little Nikon, the j5, I think it’s a good move to save some space. In the Zf I would use it like an in-build backup memory, using the SD card in slot 1 to transfer images to the PC.

Monochrome mode

Being a retro camera the Zf sports a new monochrome mode. With the flick of a switch the camera goes over to B&W. However, only JPEG images are in B&W, the underlying RAW files remain in color. There are new B&W picture profiles to go with the monochrome mode as well.

And of course – the dials!

It’s already the biggest debate on the net – the dials and the handling of the Nikon Zf. It’s possible to use the Nikon Zf like any other Nikon, via front and rear dials. If used this way the pretty dials – and yes, they beautifully click step by step – are just decoration. Of course you can then decide if you want to use one, two, or all three dials (ISO, shutter speed, exposure compensation.) Aperture typically stays at the front dial, with a small window on the top plate showing the dialed in f-stop.

Of course there are those who want lenses with clickable aperture rings. If you point them to the beautifully crafted Voigtländer lenses made for the Z system, they will complain about those being manual focus only. Yes, of course you can find your niche, why a Nikon ZF doesn’t work for you.

The same goes for the ISO dial and PSAM switch. Nikon’s dials function differently from those from Fujifilm and if you expect it to be the same you will be disappointed. The PSAM switch works the same as it did on my Nikon FA form the 80ies, so no problems for me. The same goes for the ISO dial, it’s not the same as on a Fujifilm. To switch from autoISO to manual you have to go into the menu (make it the top item of ‘My Menu’ to have it handy) or program a button (video recording for example) as a toggle.

What the ISO dial does in autoISO mode is simply rising your minimum ISO setting. That’s an interesting and useful function when for example in aperture priority mode. C in this case is full autoISO (as you’ve set it in the menu). If you then change the ISO dial it changes/raises your minimum ISO. Let’s say your lens is wide open, your minimum speed set in autoISO is 1/15sec, and that’s what you end up with. However, suddenly there are people in your image, you want a faster shutter speed. Instead of going into another mode you can simply up the ISO dial, with the shutter speed getting faster as a result. Done. This can be very useful if you actually can wrap your head around it.

Which lenses for the Zf?

Another complaint is that there aren’t really any suitable lenses for the Nikon Zf. They are either too big, don’t have an aperture ring, or don’t look the part. As usual I disagree. In my opinion the Zf isn’t made for those who plan to use large lenses in photo sessions lasting for many hours. It’s more for those who take some images, carry it on the strap or in a bag, take some more images, carry again. If you do like a grip there’s one (edit: several in the meantime) available and it looks like it has always been there if mounted. Apart from that all but the biggest lenses (super teles, 1.2 primes, big S class f/2.8 zooms) are a great match for the Nikon Zf. Contrary to many other’s opinion I think the modern, minimalist look of the Z lenses suits the Zf very well – see the sample below, with the 17-28mm f/2.8 lens attached. Add to that the 1.8 S series prime lenses and you already have a wide choice of lenses. That said I wouldn’t be surprised if Nikon comes up with a limited set of retro lenses with aperture ring – let’s say a 35/58/85mm f/1.4 trio at about US$1500 each.

How about manual focus?

The manual Voigtländer lenses were mentioned above, but of course you can adapt about every manual lens to the Nikon Zf using various adapters. The cool thing about manual focus on the Zf is that it works with all the modern AF tech. You will get face and eye detection for your manual lenses. Simply zoom in by a single button push, focus, and take the image. Accurate focus full manual, easy and fast.

No film simulations

Over at Fujifilm-land many users rave about the film simulations available. Nikon doesn’t offer film simulations – likely for copyright reasons – but calls it ‘creative picture controls’ with names such as ‘Dream, Morning, Pop, Sunday, Somber, Dramatic, Silence, Bleached, Melancholic, Pure, Denim, Toy, Sepia, Blue, Red, Pink, Charcoal, Graphite, Binary, Carbon’. Personally I prefer the standard setting and apply style during post processing, but for those who wish there are plenty of choices. Those are ‘burned in’ if you use JPEG format for your images. However, using NEF these profiles might not show in anything Adobe (or other software) and you would have to use Nikon NX Studio to have them display correctly with your NEF files. You can modify such styles or even create your own in Nikon’s Picture Control Utility.

Color options

Last but not least the Nikon Zf comes in six different colours in addition to the standard black. Usually, those have to be ordered through Nikon and it might take a while until you get yours. If I ever get a Zf for myself, then I sure would want one of those gorgeous colours. There are more subtle brown or grey options available, real classy looking, but I would likely go for the blue or even the crimson red one. It’s eye-catching, definitely a beauty!

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First Nikon ZF images at Nikonrumors

Nikonrumors has posted some images of the rumored Nikon Zf full-frame retro camera. It definitely looks like the real thing. Check it out over there:

Nikonrumors ZF images

A few thoughts:

While it largely is a Zfc in design there are a few differences. One difference is the larger viewfinder piece. While it doesn’t seem to be much higher seen from the front the shape where the logo is seems blockier, with steeper sides. It is definitely quite a bit wider when looked at from the rear. Consequently the viewfinder toggle button was moved into the viewfinder piece. This might indicate a larger viewfinder panel than the Zf.

The second difference is the shape of the sides. While the Zfc is flush from top to bottom and angles slightly inward like a soap bar, the Zf angles outwards below the top cover and is more square in shape on the grip side. It’s not visible if the body is wider by a few mm or not, but that’s well possible, too. The reason for these slight changes in size could be to accommodate the IBIS system, card slots, and perhaps the larger battery known from the z5/6/7 series.

How much will it cost?

Pricing, if indeed coming in at the rumoured US$1999, is a hint, too. A hint that the z6 III will be higher in price – perhaps closer to $2500 launch price of the Canon R6 and Sony A7 series. But as the Zfc sits above its z50 counterpart in terms of price this indicates the Zf rather sitting above the z5 series than being z6 III type of camera. In this sense I expect the z6 III to bring some substantial differences to the table when compared to the Zf – definitely more than just a grip and different cards.

Will it sell?

Of course there will be – and already are – people complaining about it, a swivel screen, playback button position on the left, viewfinder bump too clunky/not big enough, no AF joystick, or whatever. Nothing new there. Ah, and one thing for sure: Thom ‘Buzz Buzz’ Hogan will complain, too. All of these complaints won’t have any impact on how successful this Zf will be, however. This small but vocal group of people does by no means represent the broad spectrum of people who buy cameras.

My guess…

I add one guess here: this camera will launch very soon, and I doubt the gap between this camera and the next (perhaps z6/7 III) will be as large as between z9 and z8. January-May latest for that next big launch. As said, just a guess, and yours is as good as mine…

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Add one more to the Z line: the Nikon Z 70-180mm f2.8.

This lens completes the compact and affordable f2.8 zoom series based on Tamron lenses. Of course they are a little more expensive than their counterparts but they offer certain advantages. Being Nikon means firmware compatibility is taken care of, this alone is worth the extra money in my opinion. In the case of the Z 70-180 f2.8 there are Nikon AF stepper motors being used instead of Tamron’s and unlike the Sony E-mount version of this lens the Nikon can be used with tele converters.

A compact option

The most interesting part about this lens is its size, however. It’s hardly bigger than the AF-P 70-300mm f4. 5-5.6 VR E – just 5mm longer than that lens – and that’s without the Ftz converter for the older zoom! Weight wise it’s about 100g heavier, but overall it’s broadly the same size/weight than the AF-P 70-300mm – a much more compact solution than the top of the line Z 70-200mm f2.8 VR.

No VR inbuild

One of the downsides of this lens is not having VR in the lens. As all Nikon Fx bodies do have IBIS this is certainly not as much of an issue for the lens itself. Compared to the AF-P 70-300mm it is more than a stop faster in its native 70-180mm range, and this alone more than negates the lack of in-build VR in my opinion.

Range and teleconverters

The 70-180mm range – and the fact that the lens extends when zooming – is understandable when aiming for a compact solution. That said I do like a bit more range than 180mm. However, this lens can be used with tele converters, turning it into a 100-250mm f4 or a 140-360mm f5.6 depending on which converter is used. I would definitely add a converter to this lens to extend its range when needed.

The picture changes however when adding converters. With the same f-stop at 300mm when using the 2x converter the advantage goes to the AF-P 70-300mm with its inbuilt VR system. On the other hand the 70-180mm f2.8 now reaches out an additional 60mm when used with the 2x converter, all the way to 360mm f5.6.

Overall I don’t consider the lack of VR a deal breaker; it’s only really at some disadvantage when used with converters here. However, many subjects photographed at around 300mm need certain shutter speeds to begin with to freeze motion plus I usually carry a small tripod for long exposures, so overall it should be manageable.

On a bright day I would likely mount the 1.4x tele converter by default when carrying this lens. On dark and gloomy days or once the light goes down I would unmount the converter and carry the lens without it by default. This enables me taking advantage of the extended reach when there’s enough light and profit from the fast f2.8 as soon as there’s less light.

Close-up capability

Another important aspect is the lens’ close-up capability. It is 27cm with a magnification of 0.48x (about 1:2). At 180mm it is 85cm at about 1:4. This is quite useful for close-ups of smallish subjects, be it lizards, snakes, butterflies or other larger insects.

With the 2x tele converter close-up capability gets a boost to almost 1:1 at 140mm, and about 1:2 at 360mm. It will be interesting to try this in the field, but the 70-180mm f2.8 seems to have the potential for some decent close-up work, further adding to the versatility of this lens – in particular when used with converters.

Use case

If you need more than 200mm reach there’s the option to pair this lens with converters. 70-180mm f2.8, 180-360mm f5.6, with 1:1 or 1:2 close-up, on a body with IBIS. A very versatile, yet still fairly compact option. However, not that cheap, at a total of US$1850 with the 2x converter. That’s a lot more money that the AF-P 70-300mm f4.5-5.6 VR E on the Ftz adapter.

Another question is how well this new zoom will pair with the 2x converter. I would think it will do well enough for most, but there will be a hit in terms of sharpness. It should do better with the 1.4x converter and that’s what I would choose for this lens. Field tests will sure explore the quality of these combinations in the near future and show its usefulness for those who want to go beyond its range of 70-180mm.

If you need a comparatively compact zoom out to about 200mm at a reasonable price this lens is a great choice. The large aperture of 2.8 makes up for the lack of VR when compared to slower lenses of similar size. Added bonus is a quite decent close-up capability. The Z 70-180mm f2.8 doesn’t get the bragging rights of it’s bigger sibling, the Z 70-200mm f2.8 VR S, but due to its more compact size one might carry it more often – and a lens with you will take the better images than a lens at home.

I’m sure this lens will do well as it is a very interesting and versatile option for a tele zoom at the medium price tier.

Personally, I keep this lens as an option in mind, with a converter. However, for now I will continue using the AF-P 70-300mm VR E, it still does the job for me. Who knows what will pop up in the future? I think that at one point Nikon will introduce some more budget friendly (under US$1000) lenses, and both, a tele zoom and a wide angle zoom might be among them. Z line successors to the 18-35mm and 70-300mm, sort of. As I do use the 300mm end of my 70-300mm quite often such a lens would be more suitable for me – plus quite a bit cheaper! Let’s wait and see.

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Finally it’s here – the Nikon Z 180-600 f/5.6-6.3 VR

Two new lenses launched by Nikon. The bigger one comes first, of course. It’s the long awaited 180-600mm zoom, continuing in the line of the F-mount 200-500mm lens, but with quite a few improvements.

Unlike the older lens this one is internal focusing. This means it won’t extend when zooming, resulting in better balance. It adds to the weather sealing of this new lens as well, which its older F-mount counterpart lacked. Additionally the new lens zooms in one short turn on the zoom ring from 180mm to 600mm – unlike the older lens, where it wasn’t really possible to zoom over the entire range in one throw. And it gets even better: despite these significant improvements Nikon managed to keep the price at US$1700 – this compares well to the US$1400 launch price of the F-mount lens from 2015.

It’s not an S lens however, and this shows in lacking certain buttons. To switch VR on or off you will have to go into the i-menu for example and it’s not a constant aperture. However, most will keep VR engaged most of the time anyway and I would say the the loss of 1/3 of a step in the aperture is a good trade off for an additional 120mm more reach – whilst keeping size, weight and price down at the same time.

At 2kg it’s no light weight but reasonable for a 180-600mm super telephoto lens. It’s not small, but the size is OK for a non-extending zoom, with 31.6cm in length. The older 200-500mm was similar in weight and about 4cm shorter, but it would extend when zooming and at less reach, of course.

Magnification is 1:4 at 600mm, at a distance of 2 meters. It’s not a real Macro lens, but allows for some good close-ups. That should do nicely for larger objects, like good sized butterflies, dragonflies, lizards or snakes for example.

The possibility of using tele converters with this zoom adds even more to its versatility. With the Z x1.4 converter you will get a 840mm f/9.0 lens. The sensors used by Nikon’s current cameras perform so well at higher ISO that this shouldn’t be too much of an issue, unless it’s already/still really, really dark. The 2x converter, turning it into a 1200mm f13 will be more problematic here.

There are some excellent examples at Tony Whitehead’s site, click on the images for higher resolution, with all the detail:

Add in over 5 stops for the VR – if critters don’t move – and a competent AF drive – if they scurry or fly – and this new lens is one versatile far reaching telephoto zoom at a very reasonable price. If one doesn’t want to spend the US$3k or more on a super telephoto lens then the new Z 180-600mm f5.6-6.3 VR sure is a great option. Go and get it if it fits your needs!

Nope, it’s not for me, too large for my compact setup. Nevertheless a great addition to the Z system!

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There it is, after all the rumors – the z8.

After many rumors and much speculation Nikon finally released the z8. Some thought it would be a high megapixel body, the way the D8xx series was to the pro DSR’s. Others thought it would be a lower megapixel, fast action camera along the lines of Sony’s a9 series. And then there were those who argued it would be a ‘baby z9’, more or less the same as Nikon’s flagship but without the large battery and the integrated grip. I was with the high megapixels camp, and I was wrong as it turned out to be the ‘baby z9’.

Well, maybe I should point out that there was a fourth group, those who said there wouldn’t be a z8 body. Among them was ‘industry sage’ Thom Hogan. He claimed as late as 4 week before the launch to know what’s happening in Tokyo:

“The real background noise in Tokyo right now concerns two other imminent camera bodies, lenses (both announcements and road map), software, and perhaps a new flash, but not the Z8. “

And:
“Of all these things, the only details I’ve learned seems to suggest that a Z6 III might be one of those two bodies, and that the SnapBridge/Nikon Image Space type software might be getting some attention.”

From:
https://www.zsystemuser.com/nikon-z-system-news-and/whats-coming-next.html

Now, with the z8 launched he comes up with more claims, namely that he knew there were three testbeds out there:

“I want to once again write a bit about the three mule/prototypes that circulated during the last 18 months:

61mp existing Sony sensor.
New Nikon sensor. It might have been 67mp (certainly 60mp+).
45mp existing Nikon sensor.”

I would say this is a bit of a contradiction, from going ‘no z8’ to three testbeds, one with ‘existing 45mp sensor’, but of course he remains vague, not mentioning the z8 moniker in connection with the testbeds. He always does this, so he can deny later on – the ‘I never said that’ approach.

For once he admits he was wrong:

“Back on March 15th I posted that I believed that a Z8 was not Nikon’s next camera announcement. I obviously have been proven wrong.”

That’s all right, but then he goes on finding excuses:

“I’m not sure that most of Nikon outside of Tokyo knew exactly what was going to be launched until fairly recently, let alone those who were given gear to try or test and from which a lot of the rumors originally generated.”

Maybe he should talk to Ricci, who has been testing the z8 for two months, or a good month earlier than his ‘no z8’ claim coming direct from Tokyo.

Of course he got something right, too:

“The part I got right in that earlier article was basically the sequence of announcements that were to come.”

The problem here is that this is very…vague. Again. You always gonna be right that way. “Nikon is going to launch a second body later this year, and it’s going to be a sequence of announcement.” Bingo, I said it – and I’m pretty sure I will be right because there still are several lenses on the road map and Nikon usually launches more than one body per year. The difference is that I don’t pretend to know what’s going on in Tokyo, let alone inside Nikon.

From:
https://www.zsystemuser.com/nikon-z-system-news-and/i-was-wrong.html

Now let’s look at the z8, which magically appeared out of nowhere in the eyes of the industry sage “Buzz Buzz” Hogan – while Nikon Rumors reported about it since last autumn, and was quite firm about it being a smaller, 45mp version of the z9 on the 8th of March, a good two months before the launch.

z8 – the little z9

And that’s exactly what it is. A smaller version of the z9, without the big battery. There are several other changes, like the top-left drive mode dial, the secondary card slot being of the SD type, or the missing fn3 button in the front. However, apart from minor changes, it is very much a grown up z9. Same video, same EVF, same burst rates, same sensor. The only real big difference seems to be battery life, of course.

How about that lil’ battery?

Officially the z9 is rated for 700 images per charge when using the EVF. The z8 is rated at 330 images, or roughly half. But since we all know that one usually gets quite a bit more images than those CIPA ratings, the question arises what does this mean in real use?

My z7 has a rating of 330 images per charge, similar to the z8. If I go on a photo walk downtown, with a full battery, I usually get a out 800-900 images before the indicator drops to red. Then I swap the battery. This involves the camera being out of the bag and switched on at all times. LCD off, shooting single images at times, but short bursts quite often. If the cam is not being used at times it goes into sleep mode. Under those conditions it takes about 4hrs until I get the red low battery warning sign. A second battery somewhere in a pouch or pocket is always enough for such an afternoon walk. Now that would take me out to 8hrs, and if that isn’t enough I would need to tuck another battery into my bag. Easy, those batteries are neither big nor heavy.

For some people is seems a big problem having to change batteries. A non-issue again in my opinion. If you can’t find the few seconds it takes to swap a battery then you probably don’t know your game well enough. If you shoot endless video you can use an external power supply. Again, this should not be an issue for anyone who knows what they are doing.

…and the overheating?

Some overheating has been reported. Need extreme long recording times in highest quality video modes? Then use an external battery source and choose the right memory cards. Nikon Ricci shows that certain cards have the camera overheat, certain don’t. Of course there’s always the bigger sibling, the z9, if you do that kind of work a lot. For most it won’t be an issue ever in real use.

What does it do?

Bottom line is the z8 delivers much of what the z9 does in a smaller format at US$1500 less and is currently the best performing mirrorless hybrid body out there at this price level. It’s quite a bit larger than the z6/7 series, but its ergonomics are very good, you get the same excellent AF system as the z9, and the same viewfinder. Despite it’s lower specs compared to some other cameras out there it is fantastic. Bright and natural, great for the composition of images in a fast changing environment. The z8 is a joy to hold, the viewfinder a joy to use, a great image taking tool.

Is it for me, is it for you?

I prefer the smaller size of the z6/7 series so I will wait for a while and see what will happen there. Depending on what an update will bring to the z6/7 series – perhaps in early/mid 2024? – I will decide which way to go. Z8, a bit too large but otherwise perfect, or z6/7III, whatever those might be. No need to rush, I’m not a professional, plus I get the results I want with my z7 first gen, and it hasn’t stopped working just because the z8 was launched.

If you’re coming for a d800/810/850 then the z8 should tick all your boxes if you want to go mirrorless. It does everything that the dSLR did and more. Of course you might stick with your dSLR, if it still does what you want it to do. Nothing wrong there – even if it ‘does more’ that doesn’t mean you ‘need more’. Perhaps you’re perfectly fine with what you have. However, if you waited for the mirrorless, which ticks all the d800/810/850 boxes, then there it is: the z8.

Of course the z8 won’t be Nikon’s last mirrorless body, and of course their teams are already working on the next projects by now. In fact, some of those projects will be in an advanced state as development and testing is a time consuming process. New options could include an advanced Dx body or a retro Fx body. Furthermore, several bodies are in need of an update. In this sense Nikon z70/90 and z6/7 III are all possible, and some of those – or even all – are certainly already in the works. The question is just what the sequence of the releases will be, and with what kind of technology.

I wouldn’t be surprised if the addition of a new body line would be Nikon’s next step, to be released later this year. An upmarket Dx would be more of a priority than a retro Fx body I think, and it would go great with the 180-600mm telephoto lens on the roadmap. The next step would be the update of the z6/7 series, perhaps early/first part next year. However, it’s a just guessing – as everybody does. There’s no-one who has anything concrete, except Nikon themselves. And they won’t tell…

Contact us if you have additional information or corrections.

Ooops, Nikon did it again! Dx 12-28mm f3.5-5.6 PZ VR

My Nikon z30 was mainly intended as a 1-lens 1-body setup, a very compact and cost effective yet high IQ solution at home in my office bag at all times.

After seeing Sony’s Powerzoom 10-20mm f4.0 at a whooping US$ 750 I was quite sure that I wouldn’t buy anything similar from Nikon, even it would be 100 or 200 bucks cheaper. After all I would need another, longer lens to pair it with, and the extreme compactness would get lost as well (my z7 with 14-30 and 70-300E is quite compact, too).

Then there comes Nikon and announces the Dx 12-28mm f3.5-5.6 PZ VR – at US$ 360. Ooops.

z30 with
12-28mm and 50mm MC/85mm 1.8
or
12-28mm and 50-250mm

Two very intriguing 2-lens setups for my z30, and at not much extra cost. Hmmmm. Do I really need it? Nope, my z7 with two zooms (or two primes) is quite compact, as already mentioned. But at that price, why not…? ☺️

So yes, it’s likely to end up in my bag at one point.
Very likely. Used in combination with the 50mm 2.8 MC or the 85mm f1.8 – the 50-250mm is the less likely combination as long telephoto lenses are awkward to use on cameras without viewfinder. My experience with the Nikon j5 showed that finding your subject, framing it and keeping it framed is a cumbersome task with such long lenses.

What do we get?

A fairly small, minimalist, all-plastic zoom lens, at a very reasonable price of just US$ 360 at launch. Comes with VR and features a Power Zoom (for steady zooming speeds when taking vids) and a very useful range from Dx 12-28mm (18-42mm in FF parlance). IQ will be no issue I think – I’m guessing here, but there aren’t any lemons among the Z lenses so far and MTF charts look somewhat better than the surprisingly good 16-50mm Dx kit lens.
It’s weather sealed as well, and internal focus and zoom – the lens does not extend when focusing or zooming.

So what’s there not to like?

It’s ‘only’ f3.5-5.6. Well, that was quite the norm for a zoom during film days, when I shot 100iso Fuji Provia. So nope, that’s not a concern for me. The opposite, it keeps the lens fairly compact and affordable, and those two factors are more important to me in this case.

It doesn’t have a metal mount, it’s all plastic. A lens is a tool. I’m interested in the results, it’s capability of getting me the images I want. Plastic is no issue here, it does the job. I don’t wanna win a camera beauty contest, I don’t have a ‘pride of ownership’ (from the internet), it’s all about functionality, and a metal mount doesn’t improve anything here. In particular not with such a lightweight lens. 205g of IQ is what counts here, not metal bits and pieces.

There’s no hood included. I don’t carry hoods, they take up too much space. Hands do the job at times when I need one. If you need a hood get the Nikon HB-112 for 40 bucks or wait until someone like JJC makes one for 10 bucks.

Power Zoom is terrible for still photography. Can’t comment on this really as I haven’t handled the lens yet. However, I’ve got the feeling I will do fine, as I don’t remember being annoyed by the 10-30mm power zoom of my Nikon j5. Yes, one will have to adapt to the PZ feature, but after a while you should get the feel when to let go of the zoom button to get the angle of view you want. This is likely more of a personal issue (or non-issue) depending on yourself. Can you adapt to new things easily or do you tend to be with the ‘yesteryears’ crowd? If the latter then PZ is perhaps a deal breaker for you.

How does it fit into the Nikon Z system?

It turns the z30 into an even better vlogging camera. With a very useful range of 18-42mm (in FF), VR in the lens and no crop at 4k/30p it is a very attractive vlogging option at just about US$1000. The comparable Sony ZV-E10 with the 10-20mm f4 (18.5-37mm in FF when using 4k/30p) comes in at US$1450, without VR.

For Nikon Dx users (z30/z50/Zfc) focusing on stills it is ideal for a compact 2/3 lens setup. Combine it with the Z 50-250mm Dx telephoto zoom and throw in later on the upcoming Dx 34mm prime and you’ve got a very capable setup, yet fairly compact and affordable. Other interesting options are combinations with a longer prime. Currently the z 50mm 1.8, z85mm 1.8, z 50mm 2.8 MC or even the z 40mm 2.0 are all possible candidates depending on your preferences and budget.

My 1.7 Baht (5 cents in Thai currency)

Lightweight, quite compact, useful zoom range, VR and PZ – lots of good stuff in a very reasonably priced package. No deal breakers really so far – and I don’t expect this to change. Yes, I’m looking forward to this new Dx wide angle zoom. Very much so, in fact. And that’s coming from a convinced Fx user.

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Rumors, rumors, rumors…

Currently there are a lot of rumors going around about the upcoming new upper tier Nikon body, usually called z8. Who knows, it could be a z7III as well. Or both, or none and something else.

It’s all rumors.

The main source is Nikonrumors.com if course, and Peter, who runs that site, mentioned just now, March 14, in the comments of his daily article “Maybe all rumors so far are wrong and will get a high MP cmara as initially expected (sic).” This shows that he doesn’t trust his ‘sources’ and everything is possible. He has nothing, really. There were other instances where he used the terms ‘confirmed’ or ‘quite sure’ but not this time. Not since the ‘Nokishita’ source has disappeared, in fact.

All we know is that there are Nikon meetings around the end of March. Nobody really knows what those meetings are about so far, albeit it is said that they usually involve a major product launch. However, as above, nobody really knows what it will be. Everyone seems to be just guessing right now.

Thom ‘annoying Buzz Buzz’ Hogan, revered by many and seen as an ‘industry wizard’ by his fans, has nothing either. On January 9, 2022, after the launch of the z9 he had 90% odds for a z6 III to be launched that year, 85% for a z7 III, z30 at 50%, Zf at 50% and z90 at 20%. The z8 didn’t even get a % in that list. The only things that happened was the z30, but none of his 85-90% odds materialized.

In the meantime he categorized the e-mails he receives into made up/hopeful thinking/educated guesses/informed sources. Note that this is all he mentions as ‘sources’ – e-mails he receives from whoever. He claims that the ‘informed sources’ have told him about more than a dozen different bodies in various stages, from paper sketches to prototypes.

This makes me really wonder if those ‘informed sources’ actually do have any real information, or if they should not rather be included into the other categories. Or perhaps they don’t even exist. In my opinion it’s rather questionable if ‘Buzz Buzz’ actually has such sources. All he ‘shares’ is that some Nikon ‘executive’ has told him he’s going to be very, very busy soon.”

Well, that’s not very surprising. After all everyone can figure out that z6/7 need the III update, plus there’s space for a z70/z90/z8/z3/Zf, plus then a z50/z5 II at one point. Add in the six yet to be announced/released lenses on the roadmap and guess what – it’s gonna get busy…

August 11, 2022 he mentioned that the z8 won’t be happening anytime soon. However, he talked about that body by then, but his prediction was the z6 III being the next launch. On March 5, 2023 he brings up his same predictions as above, but without percentages and minus the Zf but with a z70 added. He adds as well that he can’t predict the future Z lineup because of ‘lots of secrecy and a widely divergent set of input’. Bottom line: he’s got nothing.

Oh, he does claim to have one bit of information, one ‘leak’, but he’s not going to tell us. “I know, but I’m not going to tell.” Kids do that, if they don’t know. And as already said, that’s the bottom line for ‘Buzz Buzz’, too.

So at the end of the day nobody knows anything. It’s all made up, in the best case going by educated guesses, in the worst case by wishful thinking. So sit back, wait and relax. Because one thing is for sure, they will launch new products this year.

Contact us if you have additional information or corrections.

New Nikon bodies coming?

The rumor kitchen is hot these days. Indeed Nikon released just one body in 2022 – or two if you count the z9 in as it got into the hands of the first customers only very late in ’21. Therefore it’s about time for some updates to existing bodies – or even a new launch or two to augment the Z lineup.

Nikon’s problem is that there’s a lot of updates to be done, and quite a few new launches are possible as well. Let’s take a look:

Updates:
z6 III
z7 III
z50 II

Launch:
z8
z70/z90
Zf
z3

Looking a priorities I would put the z6/7 III updates plus the z70/z8 launches as top priorities. Not necessarily in that order, but those four bodies. That alone would be quite a feat for one year.

How about the z8 rumors?

There has been a rumor that the z8 should have been launched late 2022 but got delayed for whatever reasons – perhaps the supply chain issues. That’s well possible, but nobody knows really except those involved in the projects.

On top of that the only reliable source – called Nokishita and usually posted first on Nikon rumors – seems to be gone. More recent launches, such as the 85mm f1.2, came with very few rumors prior to official statements. Accidentally shipped warranty cards as posted on Nikonrumors were the first concrete indicators, by mid December 2022. First leaked pictures were on January 3, just one day ahead of Nikon’s official development announcement on January 4, 2023.

For the Nikon z30, Nikonrumors first announced “Nikon is rumored to announce a new Nikon Z30 APS-C mirrorless camera soon” on June 6, 2022. Then there were a few more articles but no additional concrete information really until the leak (June 27) of the official announcement (June 29). So first rumors were roughly one month before the official launch.

Bottom line is that Nikon currently controls the rumors very well, about one month in advance is all there is in terms of substantial leaks, if that much. Everything else is nothing but internet fog, made up by people like you and I. Some ‘experts’ even go the “I know but I don’t tell you” route now these days. Kids do that if they don’t know more than other kids do – and in my opinion that’s about as much as such an approach/expertise is worth. Zippo, zilch, nada. Apart from Nikonrumors I haven’t seen anything convincing on the net recently, and even there it’s down to one month in advance at the most.

So anything can happen really, and nobody knows really right now.

What will Nikon launch next?

The reasons for my priority launch list above are:

z8 – Nikon thought something when leaving that moniker empty when they came up with the numbering system for the Z bodies. There will be something going in there at one point. The 8-series has been their high-res one since they moved it from above the flagships (D3x) to below (D800). Add the launch of the Z 85mm f1.2 S and the Z 35mm f1.2 S on the roadmap and a high-res body makes sense in this slot for this year. It could come with an entirely new sensor design and made by Sony (more expensive) or use the existing 61mp Sony sensor, with Nikon’s in-house modifications (likely cheaper). They would have had certainly enough time to modify that sensor. Overall this seems quite a plausible approach for a z8, and such a high-res body would not cannibalize/collide with the z9.

z6/z7 III – Those are definitely up for their next sequel as I think Nikon launched the II’s more to rectify some of the initial complaints than as a real sequel. Hard to say what they will be, but I guess mainly a more matured product. Tweaked sensors for faster readout resulting in more speed, better viewfinder experience and improved AF with z9 goodies. I don’t think Nikon will go stacked sensor here – except if they can pull it off to put the z9 sensor in the z7. Cost saving by eliminating the shutter – and expensive precision part – plus ordering the sensor in much larger quantities just might make it possible to keep the z7 III around US$3300-3500. In my opinion this would not cannibalize z9 sales as those who use large telephoto lenses and shoot thousands of images in a very short time period would not go for the much smaller, grip-less design of the z6/7 with much shorter battery life. Internet claims that the sales of the d3 ‘tanked’ because of the launch of the d700 have no data to back up their claim. If you head over to www.photosynthesis.co.nz you will see that the d3 was one of their most successful full-sized pro bodies ever. The Data there certainly is not complete but it is the only data we have. I much prefer it over made up voices from the internet.

z70/z90 – A fast Dx camera with IBIS sure would be popular among the budget birders, in combination with the upcoming Z 200-600mm zoom. While the d500 didn’t sell that well in comparison to its Fx peers, the bird/wildlife niche is one that likely didn’t shrink in the past few years. In this sense it might be more important in the lineup these days. The question here is will Nikon go in full monty or economy? A cheaper z70, along Canon’s R7 lines and around US$1500-1700 would certainly result in more sales. Combined with the Z 200-600mm a good birding machine for about or under US$3500 in total, yes, that would appeal too many.

Of course there are those who want an even better Dx body, a mirrorless version of the d500, perhaps called z90. The big question here is the sensor. A stacked sensor will cost more, add to that a higher quality body and I think you’re looking at rather US$2500 or even more l. Throw in US$2000 for the Z 200-600mm and you’re looking at US$4500 – that’s quite a bit more than the US$3400 of the d500/AF-S 200-500 combo. Of course one never knows, perhaps they can pull it off by omitting the shutter, z90 with stacked sensor at US$ 2000-2200? Who knows, maybe we’re in for a surprise, and at one point they will likely need a stacked sensor anyway. Still, I tend to lean towards the cheaper option here, I think a z70 would make more sense.

Zf/z3 – Those are rather ‘nice to have options’ right now. I think for now Nikon’s focus should be on those 4 bodies mentioned above. Of the two I see the z3 making more sense – there are likely more video creators who like an affordable but more capable ‘creator’ camera than enthusiasts and hipsters who like a more capable and rather expensive ‘retro’ Fx body.

Each of the z50/Zfc/z30 triplet serves the same purpose – providing different users an entry into the Z system. This is not the case with a Zf or z3, as those would be already advanced products. The Df sold in small numbers only – looking at the serial numbers it was Nikon’s worst selling body during its time period. It was a pet project and had its fans, but it is questionable if such a project is still viable these days, with a much smaller market putting pressure on the companies.

It’s not just ‘taking parts from the bin’ as sometimes claimed on the internet – these parts have to be made work with each other, firmware has to be adjusted/reprogrammed, a production line set up. These development costs are significant, even if some parts are reused, and must result in a return.

Only Nikon knows…

Based on their experience and data Nikon knows best if and in what form such cameras would be viable. Internet forums and comment sections dominated by a few hundred enthusiasts are not representative, they don’t reflect the market. If such cameras come – and they might well do at one point – I think they would be rather on the lower end in terms of price, unlike the Df.

In any case Nikon will announce new bodies, the absurd ‘Nikon doesn’t want to launch new bodies to be able to milk the success of the z9 for longer’ is just that – absurd.

It’s just a question of what will be first and when. If you have a camera enabling you to create images right now you can likely wait. If you think you can’t, go ahead, buy something available right now – just be aware that having the ‘best’ camera is like chasing rainbows. There always will be another ‘best’ camera around the corner.

Another good strategy could be picking up a good second hand z6 or z7 if it has to be now. Those are available at good prices right now and will give you something to work with and start your Z glass collection. After all even if the perfect body for you will launch this year it might take quite some time until you get one in your hands. The more so if you plan to wait for a good deal.

That’s why I got a z7 some three years ago – to get into the Z system, knowing that it will take a few years until I get to hold my ‘perfect’ Z body. And yes, it’s still going strong, and it’s a very capable camera, despite what some folks claim on the internet.

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A true pancake – the Nikon Z 26mm F2.8

Wide angle goes tiny – Nikon launched a Z 26mm F2.8 lens. Unlike the Z 28/40mm lenses, which were very much the same size as the old AF-D 2.0/2.8 series, this new Z lens is a real pancake.

Note that I’m not much a fan of pseudo lookalike names for lenses. However, the ‘pancake’ moniker has been around for a long time so that’s fine with me – but I think it’s rather silly that some think they need to come up with new monikers for about everything. That’s why you won’t find ‘muffins’, ‘beer cans’ and ‘Nocts’ here. I leave that up to the ‘cool’ guys.

Back to the 26mm: this little lens is definitely intriguing for someone who likes small lenses for an overall compact setup. But let’s look at the details and how it fits into the Z system – after all there’s already a fairly small Z 28mm f2.8.

Yes, it’s small and light indeed, affordable – but not really cheap.

125g
7.0cm x 2.4cm (ø x L)
US$500

The big thing here is the length of just 2.4cm which is 0.9inch for the non-metric folks. Nikon achieved this by extending the lens elements when focusing. It gets a tad longer when focusing up close. It comes with a very thin lens hood as well, and only this hood can take filters (52mm). There’s a lens cup as well, which goes over the top of the lens, with or without the hood attached. It’s weather sealed and the mount is metal, which will make some folks happy.

How about the noise?

Of course such a small design comes with some compromises, one of them the lens not being entirely silent when focusing. How much this really matters when taking video clips is to be seen, in particular taking into regard the very short focusing distance. Focus won’t run back and forth much to begin with, add an often noisy environment when V-logging and this might be much less of an issue then some think. Plus it likely won’t be the lens of choice for a top quality video production.

Image quality

In terms of image quality it seems to be a little sharper than the Z 28mm f2.8 in the center looking at Nikon’s computed MTF charts, but falling of a little faster towards the edges and corners. It should be somewhat better than the AF-S 24mm f1.8 G ED, and there’s quite an improvement over the AF 24mm f2.8 D. In fact sharpness in the 25mm diameter center circle – which is quite large on a Fx sensor – wide open should be very good. It will be interesting to see how this lens improves when stepping it down a bit for architecture or landscape. Overall I’m looking forward to this lens, being a happy Z 28mm f2.8 user (on a z7).

If you go really close it should be possible to get some useful background separation at f2.8, albeit likely not the most fantastic results expected by bokeh lovers. However, close-ups such as food images could be a strength of this little lens.

To buy or not to buy?

So how to use this lens, for who is it, and how does it fit into the Z system? Pretty much the same as the 28mm – half-body portraits of peeps, food and other medium sized close-ups, street, some scenery and architecture. Pretty much what you take with your cellphone, so rather useful overall.

Plus its the smallest Fx package so far. It does fit in every camera bag, even the smallest ones. Take the handlebar bag on my mountain bike. It fits my 14-30mm, the 50mm NC and the 70-300E with adapter. There’s a little extra space for this and that. I can put in the 28mm, but it’s pushing it, it starts to get cramped. Therefore the 28mm oftentimes stays home, albeit I would love to have it along for somewhat better low-light capabilities and its look. The 26mm on the other hand will slip in handily. Yay!

Looking at the bodies, and really at the Dx ones, this lens currently fits best on the z30 if you like it really compact, or, even better, on the grip-less Zfc. Its pancake length truly shines here. Since I prefer 26/28mm over 36/39mm for me it would be a match in heaven on a Fx z3 or Zf. It might take another year or two (or three, who knows?), but yes, I think at one point we will get such Fx bodies.

I will certainly snap up the Z 26mm f2.8 (and the Z 24mm f1.8 for the z30) at one point, as it’s a cool little lens around my favorite focal length. Don’t mind having several lenses here, but it’s not a priority currently as I do have the 28mm for the time being. That will change real quickly when we get a Fx version of the z30 or Zfc, but I think that moment is still quite a bit away. So yes, it’s on my shopping list as I see a lot of use for this little lens in the long run.

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Nikon Z 85mm F1.2 S

The Nikkor Z 50mm F1 .2 S gets a buddy – the Nikkor Z 85mm F1.2 S has been announced!

It’s going to be heavy, it’s going to be big, it’s going to be expensive.

1.16kg
10.2cm x 14.2cm (ø x L)
US$2800

It’s going to be optically great as well. Nikon designs their top-shelf lenses with the aim of best possible performance, not to make them somewhat lighter or smaller. That’s a good decision in my opinion, as there is the 1.8 series of primes for those who want to carry and spend less.

But it’s too big, too expensive – where is the Z 85mm 1.4?

The excellent optical quality of these 1.8 primes is the reason I don’t really see Nikon going the f1.4 way this time – at least not for and in-between f1.8 and f1.2. At prices around US$1500 or more such f1.4 primes would be quite a bit more expensive than their f1.8 counterparts, but not offering that much of a step up really.

Where f1.4 lenses would make sense is in focal lengths where f1.2 simply gets too large, heavy and expensive. A 105mm f1.4 or a 24mm and 28mm f1.4, yes, in this range such lenses would be useful as f1.2 designs would likely not be feasible for above reasons.

85mm f1.2 S – What does it mean for the Z System?

Along with the Z 35mm F1.2 S on the roadmap this will lead to the completion of the high-grade f1.2 triplet of primes, with as little as possible compromises in terms of image quality. Going by the Z 50mm f1.2 S and Nikon’s marketing the focus is on very high sharpness already wide open yet beautifully soft background blur. I’m pretty sure they will achieve this as the entire Z lens range has been nothing short of excellent in their respective classes.

With the second such f1.2 lens launched and the third quite likely being released with this year the question about a new high resolution body arises. With three lenses perfected for studio, portrait, fashion and even landscape and looking at Nikon’s history a matching body would make for a perfect fit. The z8 has been in the rumors for some time being, and I think this would fit Nikon’s modus operandi perfectly. Z9, and lots of teles released the same year. This year 85mm f1.2, 35mm f1.2, 135mm (f1.8) along with a 60+ megapixel body? Yes, sounds very plausible, very Nikon.

Plus think of it – there was a time when 12mp was the standard and 24mp was high-res. Then 20-24mp became slowly the standard, high-res crept up to 45mp. With other manufacturers going for 33mp, the z9 and a1 bringing 45-50mp into the flagship range, yes, it all points to another step up in resolution. I think we will see a triple segmentation here, instead of double as before, with around 20-30mp for the lower tier, around 45mp for the mid-tier and fast pro bodies, and +60mp as the new high-res tier.

To buy or not to buy?

Focusing on a smaller and more compact setup, this 85mm f1.2 beast won’t be for me, of course. Still, it’s a great addition to the Z system and will make it more attractive for different kind of users – and even I will profit from this, because a more popular system will result in more lenses for my own use case in the long run.

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The all new Nikon Z 600mm f4 TC VR S

Nikon added another telephoto lens to their Z line, making it one of the top choices for those who need such lenses.

It’s a pricey lens at US$15,500 but those super-telephoto lenses always were. It isn’t a previous lens design either, like some of Canon’s RF super-telephoto options, and does have some new tricks up its sleeve.

First, there is the inbuilt x1.4 teleconverter. With the flip of a switch it turns into a 840mm f5,6, so essentially you get two very useful primes in one lens. Plus you don’t even need to change lenses or grab another body, a distinct advantage if things are happening quickly. This is arguably the most important addition to this 600mm lens. The added teleconverter doesn’t impact image quality much, if visible at all in many cases. There are enough technical reviews out there with comparisons and test charts zoomed in to 100%, check them out if you wish.
And if 860mm isn’t enough you can use additional teleconverters with the lens or on top of the in-build one.

Second, despite adding the teleconverter Nikon managed to shave off 500g compared to the F-mount AF-S 600mm f/4E FL ED VR. A little less weight is always welcome, but at 3.2kg it’s no lightweight, of course. Size stayed about the same as their previous 600mm f4 lens. Combined with the VR system it improves handling when handheld, but that’s not something I would want to do over prolonged periods of time.

Most people, including myself, won’t get such a super-telephoto lens, however, it is still an important addition to Nikon’s Z system. Combined with the already available telephoto lenses the Z system is a great option for professional sports or wildlife photography. Go for it if that’s your thing!

Current Z system super-telephoto lenses:

Nikkor Z 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 VR S (October 2021)
Nikkor Z 400mm F2.8 TC VR S (January 2022)
Nikkor Z 800mm F6.3 VR S (April 2022)
Nikkor Z 400mm F4.5 VR S (June 2022)
Nikkor Z 600mm F4 TC VR S (November 2022)

That’s quite impressive, 5 options launched here within about one year!

If none of those suits you or your budget then you might want to wait for the Z 200-600mm lens. It has been on the roadmap for a while and should be released some when this year. Still, it might take quite some time until you get your hands on one as it will likely be in high demand, being a more affordable option.

If their AF-S 200-500 F5.6 ED VR is anything to go by we should get something like a Z 200-600 f5.6-6.3 (or 6.7 or whatever?) VR at perhaps US$ 1600-2000 depending on their design choices. This sure will be a popular lens, so expect waiting lists to be long once it gets released.

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The Nikon Dx system – does it make sense?

There are three solid entry level cameras – z30, z50 and Zfc – in the Nikon Z system now, aimed at three different kind of users. However, how about the lenses? Of course, there’s the old and tiresome complaining by ‘buzz buzz’ Hogan that there aren’t enough Dx lenses for the Dx bodies – remind you that’s the guy who still wanted Nikon to release three more high end dSLR’s in 2021. He repeated that stance as recently as October 2021, without reconsidering it. What a disaster that would have been with dSLR’s sales declining year by year and claiming a market value of just 22% of all interchangeable lens cameras, with the lion’s share of 78% taken by mirrorless in 2021 according to the CIPA report.

Nikon Dx in context of the APS-C market

But how do things look like for APS-C, or Dx in Nikon’s parlance? As for total shipments the numbers between 35mm and larger (called FF from now on) and APS-C and smaller – including m4/3 – (called APS-C from now on) are roughly equal, at 4.6 million (FF) and 4.9 million (APS-C). However things look different over a longer period of time:

It seems that the FF market has largely bottomed out, bouncing almost back to the pre-covid level in 2021. The APS-C market did not recover after Covid, however, and is still shrinking – albeit at a slower pace.

It’s worth to note as well that the ratio of zoom versus prime lenses is about 1:1 for FF (2.3m zooms and 2.3m primes sold) while for APS-C this ratio is 6:1 (4.4m vs 0.7m). This shows that the majority of APS-C customers choose mostly zoom lenses while only few will have a setup which includes multiple prime lenses.

When looking at the value of the shipments things look different for FF and APS-C, too. The total value of all FF lenses sold is about 4 times larger than the value of all APS-C lenses – despite an almost even number of lenses sold. This clearly shows that the focus of APS-C buyers is on low-cost lenses.

Furthermore, FF primes are roughly twice as expensive as APS-C primes, while FF zooms are five times more expensive than their APS-C counterparts in average.

Value of the APS-C and FF market

The total value of lenses in 2021 was (in billion Yen):

Indeed there is a large number of APS-C cameras an lenses being sold, however at a much lower average price and mostly zoom lenses. And nope, this isn’t because the camera companies are “trying to force FF upon their customers” as claimed on the internet at times. If this was true the market share of Fuji, Olympus and Panasonic m4/3 would soar as there are full ranges of lenses available for those systems. However, this is not happening.

As a sign of times current mirrorless entry-level bodies cost way more money then their dSLR counterparts. With way less such budget bodies produced than compared with the heydays of digital cameras the unit price goes up. Simple economics of scale.

Data for this section was taken from the often neglected CIPA lens report.

How about the Nikon Dx line?

Looking at all this explains Nikon’s strategy when it comes to their Dx line. There are the most important zooms out there or on the roadmap, but just one prime lens on the roadmap. Yes, Dx zooms still sell in quite large numbers, primes simply don’t.

But that doesn’t mean that there are no useful lenses for the Nikon’s Dx cameras. Let’s take a look what there is:

Zooms:
Nikkor 16-50mm f3.5-6.3 VR (24-75mm FF reach)
Nikkor 50-250mm f4.5-6.3 VR (75-375mm FF reach)

Both zooms perform very well in terms of optics and make for a small, light two lens setup with a great range. As double kit with a body a steal as well. If you want an even smaller one lens setup there’s the:

Nikkor 18-140mm f3.5-63 VR (27-210mm FF reach)

And that’s it. Well at least for now, and Dx lenses only. However two more Dx lenses are on the roadmap:

Nikkor 12-28mm PZ (18-42mm FF)
Nikkor 24mm (36mm FF)

This will add a wide angle zoom good for architecture, interiors, scenery – and video/blogging thanks to it being a powerzoom. And the obligatory 35mm equivalent small prime.

How about Fx lenses for Dx?

However, there are other interesting options for Nikon’s Dx system as well, fitting well in terms of size and price. These are:

Nikkor Z 28mm f2.8 (42mm in FF)
Nikkor Z 40mm f2.0 (60mm in FF)
Nikkor Z 50mm f2.8 MC (75mm Macro in FF)
Nikkor Z 50mm f1.8 S (75mm in FF)

More expensive but very interesting would be the:

Nikkor Z 85mm f1.8 S (128mm in FF)

And up on the road map the:

Nikkor Z 70-180 f2.8 (105-270mm in FF)

That’s 11 very interesting and well fitting options so far.
On top of these there are the Viltrox primes:

Viltrox AF 13mm f1.4 Z (20mm in FF)
Viltrox AF 33 mm f1.4 (50mm in FF)
Viltrox AF 56mm f1.4 Z (84mm in FF)

Plus their FF lenses as cheaper options to their Nikkor counterparts above:

Viltrox AF 50mm f1.8 Z (75mm in FF)
Viltrox AF 85mm f1.8 Z (128mm in FF)

So that’s a total of 16 lenses now, either already launched (13) or on the roadmap (3).

There’s more, of course

Of course there are more options one might opt for, but they were omitted here as they are either rather expensive or large and heavy and therefore perhaps not the best solution for the Dx bodies. Still, the Nikkor Z 105 MC S and the recently launched Tamron Z 70-300mm F/4.5-6.3 Di III RXD will make sense for some, as might some of the other Fx Nikkors.

On top of the lenses mentioned above there are several manual focus lenses (mainly from Voigtländer) but I don’t look into these as they are for folks with a rather special use case.

Overall it can be said that there’s already more choice than most Dx users every buy if taking the CIPA numbers in consideration – and no, the echo chambers of internet forums or comment sections do not represent the the majority of Dx customers as they sample just a small and distinct number of users – however, very vocal.

And yes, of course there will be more options coming in the future, both from Nikon and other lens makers. Enjoy your Nikon Dx, it’s a very capable system, at very competitive prices!

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New Z lens – Nikkor Z 17-28mm f2.8

Nikon announced a new Z lens today, basically right out of the blue. This lens wasn’t on their lens roadmap, and Nikonrumors posted a possible release just three days (17.9.2022) before the actual announcement by Nikon (20.9.2022). Nikonrumors expected that the announcement would include either the 600mm (f4 ?), 85mm (f1.2 ?) or the 200-600mm. The next day they changed this stance and mentioned the Tamron based Nikkor Z 17-28mm f2.8 for the first time, just two days ahead of its launch. Nobody else among all the ‘experts’ with ‘connections’ and ‘sources’ had any predictions at all. This shows how little is known about upcoming Nikon launches these days – unless Nikon wants us to know.

The Z 17-28mm f2.8 – what is it?

Compared to the Z 14-24mm f2.8 S it is considerably cheaper, a bit lighter, and again lacking the extreme wide point of view of 14mm. Still, for event and street work it should do fine, but it certainly won’t excel at all disciplines. Unlike the 14-24mm f2.8 S you will want to step it down for scenery and architecture, but it’s range makes it actually a bit more suitable for event and street imagery – at a much lower price. The price will be very important here, are you going to spend the big bucks for the excellent all-rounder Z 14-24mm f2.8 S or can you do with the much cheaper Z 17-28mm f2.8 – which might well be the case if you shoot in particular people, events and street.

But back to the new lens, the Z 17-28mm f2.8, based on a Tamron design. It offers f2.8 at a much lower price, size and weight than the top of the line f2.8 Nikkor zooms. Initially priced at US$1200 it might be worth to wait for a moment as we have seen the similar Z 28-70mm f2.8 offered with a US$200 discount not that long after its launch. It comes with a customizable ring, stepper motors for fast and quiet autofocus and is quite compact and light for a f2.8 lens, just a little heavier than its Tamron counterpart. This comes at the expense of a somewhat shorter and less wide zoom range, of course – there’s always a trade off somewhere.

The internet reaction

Of course there’s the talk about a Nikon “tax” as this lens costs US$300 more at launch than the original Tamron at its launch (US$1200 vs US$900). As mentioned above not before too long this lens might get a good discount if the price development of the Z 28-70mm f2.8 is anything to go by. Add to this having a Z mount lens from Nikon, which ensures it will play nice with Z bodies no matter what firmware or bodies attached to. This alone is worth the extra cash in my opinion, along with a better resell value, perhaps.

How does it fit into the Z line?

As usual the big question is ‘where does this lens fit in the Z system?’ There are already two super-wide zoom lenses in the Z system, and this lens does a bit of both but nothing in particular – or does it?

Compared to the Z 14-30mm f4 it is a bit bigger and offers much less range, in particular at the wide end, at a similar price. However it’s a full stop faster, so if you shoot events and street at lower light, where corner performance isn’t that important, then this lens might be for you. Stepped down to f5,6-11 it should perform quite well across the frame and do a good job for scenery, architecture and interiors, with the caveat of the narrower field of view of 17mm at the wide end compared to the 14mm of the ‘S’ lens. The use case might be the deciding factor here. A preference for people, events, street for the Z 17-28mm f2.8 and scenery, architecture and interior for the Z 14-30mm f4 S.

The big picture

Another aspect not to forget is the ‘big picture’ of course, and that’s this lens fitting into the ‘new trinity’, the Z 17-28mm f2.8, combined with the Z 28-70mm f2.8 and the upcoming 70-180mm, which might well be based on the Tamron 70-180mm f2.8 lens. These three lenses combined will give you 17-180mm at f2.8 substantially lighter and smaller than the top of the line S zooms – no need to mention the massive price difference! Let’s take a closer look at those two sets of fast f2.8 zooms:

Preferences and use case

Personally I prefer the Z 14-30mm f4 over the Z 17-38mm f2.8 for the extra mm at the wide end, but them I am a wide angle junkie.

However, the Z 28-75mm f2.8 is a very intriguing option over the Z 24-70mm f4 as it suits my style better in that range – city walks at dusk, people, traffic, whatever. It could even replace two primes for this purpose. Definitely an interesting option and hence on my radar.

The upcoming Z 70-180mm f2.8 is a mixed bag. While I love it’s compact size – just 14.9cm (about the same as my AF-P 70-300mm f4.5-5.6 VR E at 14.6cm) it is for my taste on the heavy side at 805g (not for a 2.8 tele zoom, but for what I prefer!) and it sure is a bit short at 180mm only. I definitely prefer reach up to 300mm over f2.8 for my compact tele, so I will stick to my AF-P 70-300mm f4.5-5.6 VR E for the time being.

Of course it all depends on your preferences, so what suits me best is not necessarily the best for someone else. It’s important to find suitable lenses for each budget and use case, one can’t really go wrong with any of those lenses. Nobody is ever going to say ‘hey, you used a bad lens for this image, it is no good’. Not with today’s lenses.

Either there was an user error, or the wrong lens used for the wrong purpose, or the image was simply boring, it didn’t do anything for the viewer. The latter largely depends on your audience, of course. However, it’s the person behind the camera who affects the outcome, not the lens per se. It always was, in fact, but our possibilities were much more limited during the film days and with the lenses available then. In this sense find out which lenses fit your shooting style – and those new f2.8 zooms might be just the ones!

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Nikon Z primes – the 1.8 series

Right with the beginning of the Z system Nikon launched their first f1.8 primes and subsequently added others to an almost complete set; a 28mm prime is the only one missing in this series of common focal lengths between 20mm and 85mm. So far there are:

At first there was a lot of criticism – and there still is some – because those lenses are fairly large/long and expensive for f1.8 primes when compared to some of the older F designs. Other complaints came from the opposite spectrum, being ‘just’ f1.8 was not good enough. What was ignored however was the excellent performance of those lenses, taking image quality to a new level – at a more affordable price than the previous F-mount f1.4 primes.

The Z 1.8 primes – the ‘new 1.4’?

What Nikon really did with those f1.8 primes was elevating the image quality above the former f1.4 F series, those new primes being extremely sharp from edge to edge already when wide open. Going f1.8 instead of f1.4 allowed them to make those lenses lighter and more affordable. In this sense they are the “new f1.4”, with the premium line seemingly going f1.2. The Z 50mm f1.2 S is now out there, and a very large 85mm (f1.2?) on the Z lens roadmap.

Of course all those who expected f1.8 primes to be cheap and small were disappointed, while for many others they were too slow, forgetting that during the film days – even without the insane usable high ISO of today – there were precious few f1.8 prime lenses, and those were definitely not regarded as slow back then. An Ai-S f2.0 (or even f2.8) prime in the range of 20mm, 24mm, 28mm, 85mm, 105mm or 135mm was a fast lens, with only 35mm, 50mm, and 85mm having faster offerings of at least f1.8 (plus later the first 1.4 AF lens, the legendary AF-D 28mm.) Bottom line is that the Nikon f1.8 Z series are fast lenses, with great image quality across the field wide open, offering great and smooth background separation, at a reasonable size and price. Additionally, they are well suited for video, showing little focus breathing.

Where’s my favorite – the Nikkor Z 28mm f1.8 S

Out of the current range my favorite focal length, 28mm, is still missing. In the F system this used to be my go-to low light setup, combined with an 85mm. For the time being I use the Z 28mm f2.8 combined with the Z 85mm f1.8 S for this purpose. I really like my Z 28mm f2.8, and will likely get more such lenses if Nikon launches them. The compact size combined with the high ISO performance of modern sensors makes turns them into very useful primes. However, as I use my primes so often during dusk and well into the night I really would like to have a Z 28mm f1.8 one day.

Alternatives and combinations

I won’t get rid of the f2.8 prime then, rather the opposite, add another longer f2.8 prime and have the choice of the faster, bigger setup (used with the z7) or the really small one (mainly used with the z30). The low price of those f2.8 primes makes it quite affordable to have two such sets of primes. I look at it this way: with the Z 85mm f1.8 S you get one of the best 85mm primes made so far, throw in the Z 28mm f2.8 and you’re at US$1200 and 625g combined – against the single AF-S 85mm f1.4 G at US$1650 and 595g! Yes please.

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The new Nikon Z telephoto lenses

Within 8 months Nikon launched the following four telephoto lenses:

Nikkor Z 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 VR S (October 2021)
Nikkor Z 400mm F2.8 TC VR S (January 2022)
Nikkor Z 800mm F6.3 VR S (April 2022)
Nikkor Z 400mm F4.5 VR S (June 2022)

All of them have their purpose and all of them bring interesting characteristics to the Z system. While the 400mm f2.8 has an in-build x1.4 converter turning it effectively into a 560mm f4.0 the 800mm f6.3 is perhaps the most compact telephoto lens in this class. With the use of a Phase Fresnel lens element Nikon was able to lower the weight to just 2.4kg and a length of just 385mm. This, combined with the lens being well balanced with the weight more to the rear, enables photographers to shoot this lens handheld for extended periods of time, something that wasn’t possible with previous 800mm lenses.

The versatile Nikkor Z 100-400mm f4.5-5.6 VR S

The versatile 100-400mm zoom has magnification ratio of 1:2.6 (=0.38x) and is an interesting option for close-ups of larger insects such a certain spiders or dragonflies or other similar sized animals. There were reports saying the 100-400mm was “quite good” in terms of image quality at close focus distance, which of course turned into “not-as-good-as-possible” and consequently even into “mediocre” elsewhere. Such internet talk is best ignored, I’ve tried my friend’s Z 100-400 at its close-up distance and you will be able to get images of high quality at close up range. If you don’t it’s you, not the lens.

The new Nikkor 400mm f4.5 VR S prime

Coming in at 1245g and with a length of just 235mm the 400mm f4.5 is similar in size and weight than the Z 70-200mm f2.8 VR S, another relatively compact yet high quality option to reach out beyond 200 or 300mm. Being compatible with Nikon’s 1.4x and 2x teleconverters its reach can be extended further to a very usable 560mm f6.3 or even to 800mm at f9. This makes the 400mm prime more suitable for extended reach than the the slower 100-400mm zoom, albeit it is quite slow at f9 at 800mm when used with the 2x converter.

There are claims on the internet that Nikon has too many options around 400mm with all these lenses, but I don’t think this is the case. As often people only think of their very own use case to come to such conclusions. To find out which lens is right depends on the overall lens setup being used. For those, who want a single telephoto lens with a reach beyond the usual 200 or 300mm the Nikkor Z 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 VR S is a good solution, as long as they don’t mind the size and weight. On the other hand Nikkor Z 400mm F4.5 VR S is more suitable for those who want that longer reach – and perhaps even more with a 1.4x converter – combined with another, shorter telephoto option.

Alternatives and combinations

I’m currently using the AF-P 70-300mm VR E lens on a Ftz converter as a part of a compact and light lens setup, combined with the Z 14-30mm f4 S and the Z 50mm f2.8 MC. This is considerably smaller and lighter than carrying the 100-400mm as a single telephoto solution lens at all times – and it will be more so once Nikon gets around to add a native Z version of the AF-P 70-300mm or the AF-S 70-200mm f4.0 VR.

The Z 400mm F4.5 VR S enables such a compact setup to go beyond 200/300mm as an add-on, only to be carried when the circumstances might require it. Another option for such an “compact+extended” setup would be in combination with the Z 24-200mm f4-6.3 VR, of course.

Let’s take a quick look at the weight of such a setup:

Base setup:
Z 14-30mm f4 S – 485g
Z 50mm F2.8 MC – 260g
AF-P 70-300mm VR E – 680g
FTZ – 135g

Total: 1560g

Added:
Z 400mm F4.5 VR S – 1245g

Total: 2805g

Full monty (Base setup, with 400mm and 1.8 wide prime and body)
TC-1.4x – 220g
Nikkor Z 35mm F1.8 S – 370g
Z7 body (with battery) – 675g

Total: 4070g

The whole setup stays at a very reasonable 2605g, including the body, and is highly versatile from 14-300mm.

Add reach up to 560mm and you’re at 4070g. It’s getting heavy now, but not that much more than the three f2.8 zooms combined with a z7 body and the Z 2.0x converter – which totals at 3840g.

Most importantly, the setup with the Z 400mm F4.5 VR S as an add-on is more versatile, there are way more – lighter and smaller – combinations possible, such as my base setup, which fits into the handlebar bag of my mountain bike, including the body.

Corner sharpness is not on par with the best of the best, but not exactly bad either. It’s just good, instead of very good. AF is quick and quiet, and a close focus distance of 19cm results in a quite good magnification of 0.34x. Background blur is quite smooth, again not the best, but still very pleasant.

Overall there’s a lot to like, in particular when looking at its price. US$1200 upon launch it is often priced at a very competitive US$1000. It’s quite light as well at 565g as well, and a bit smaller than the two chunkier options above. Overall it compares more to the Z 24-70mm f4 S, and again it’s the intended use that makes up for most of the differences. The collapsible – and therefore even smaller – 24-70mm f4 S definitely has the better range and great S lens edge-to-edge image quality. Yes, those 4mm at the wide end make for much of a difference, way more than the 5mm at the long end. 24mm is definitely wide. 28mm is…not quite wide. In this sense the ‘kit zoom’ is the better all-rounder. Takes up less space and a more useful range.

However, the Z 28-75mm f2.8 does have its use. Much like the Z 24-70mm f2.8 S it is more suitable for low light work, albeit a bit more restricted when it comes to indoors and events due to the difference at the wide end. Still, there’s one task where I does really well – out in the streets when the light goes down. Street photography with one zoom instead of several primes. People, portraits, street scenes, all in one lens, and quite compact as such. Usually edge-to-edge corner sharpness doesn’t matter when shooting in such environments either.

Additionally, carrying two or more small f2.8 primes instead of this 28-75mm f2.8 won’t offer really any advantage, neither in size nor performance. Faster, high performing 1.8 primes sure will, but the size will go up in comparison to this 28-70 f2.8. So yes, this lens looks very appealing for a compact, single lens, yet high performance, street-walking setup.

Since I do shoot a lot of low light street scenes here in Bangkok the longer I look at this lens, the more I like it. Price, performance and size are very well balanced and should suit this particular of my use cases very well. Yes, it is very likely that the Z 28-75mm S will find its way into my setup at one point.

This is the one lens I’m not sure about yet. It’s tiny, yes, and I love tiny lenses. However, it’s range is very limited, to the point where I rather would go out with the Z 28mm f2.8 only. The wider aperture of f2.8 offers more for my style of shooting here than such a limited zoom range.

Perhaps the right body for this diminutive zoom hasn’t been made yet. Once Nikon puts a full frame sensor into a z50 or – even better – a z30 body that little 24-50mm would come into its own. Yes, I do like the idea of an ultra-compact Fx body, serving essentially the same purpose as the z30/50 do for now, but I think we will have to wait for a while until this will happen.

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New mid-range zooms for Nikon Z

With the 24-120 f4 and the 28-75 f2.8 Nikon added two zoom lenses to the Z system. So there are four such zooms now, or five if you count the diminutive 25-50mm in as well. Time to take a closer look.

Enter the Nikkor Z 24-120mm f4 S

On one hand this lens is quite like the Z 24-70mm f4 S, very similar in performance, and even in price, but with a longer reach. On the other hand it’s quite different from the Z 24-70 f4 S as it’s certainly not a compact lens anymore. In this regard it is more similar to the Z 24-70 f2.8 S. Both are fairly big lenses and the main question is ‘reach or f2.8’?

If indoor/low light events must be covered the advantage goes to the 24-70 f2.8, if that’s not a priority and the lens serves as a single-lens setup at times the Z 24-120 f4 S has the advantage.

Both are optically very, very good, both are solid, weather proofed lenses, both are chunky, so it is the use case that differentiates those two lenses, plus perhaps the price tag for some. The Z 24-120mm f4 S is very well priced for such a capable lens, while the Z 24-70 f2.8 S sits clearly on the pro-price shelf.

Enter the Nikkor Z 28-75mm f2.8

Made with Tamron optics inside – and not the newest generation ones – this Z Nikkor is often snubbed online. Not a real Nikon, not the latest optics, yet more expensive than the Tamron it is based on.

But that’s the key here, albeit based on a Tamron it still is a Nikon. Firmware compatibility, no need for an adapter, plus build with Nikon weather sealing and using Nikon lens corrections are all points which make this better than an adapted lens. It’s a Nikkor and as such plays nice with Nikon bodies.

Corner sharpness is not on par with the best of the best, but not exactly bad either. It’s just good, instead of very good. AF is quick and quiet, and a close focus distance of 19cm results in a quite good magnification of 0.34x. Background blur is quite smooth, again not the best, but still very pleasant.

Overall there’s a lot to like, in particular when looking at its price. US$1200 upon launch it is often priced at a very competitive US$1000. It’s quite light as well at 565g as well, and a bit smaller than the two chunkier options above. Overall it compares more to the Z 24-70mm f4 S, and again it’s the intended use that makes up for most of the differences. The collapsible – and therefore even smaller – 24-70mm f4 S definitely has the better range and great S lens edge-to-edge image quality. Yes, those 4mm at the wide end make for much of a difference, way more than the 5mm at the long end. 24mm is definitely wide. 28mm is…not quite wide. In this sense the ‘kit zoom’ is the better all-rounder. Takes up less space and a more useful range.

However, the Z 28-75mm f2.8 does have its use. Much like the Z 24-70mm f2.8 S it is more suitable for low light work, albeit a bit more restricted when it comes to indoors and events due to the difference at the wide end. Still, there’s one task where I does really well – out in the streets when the light goes down. Street photography with one zoom instead of several primes. People, portraits, street scenes, all in one lens, and quite compact as such. Usually edge-to-edge corner sharpness doesn’t matter when shooting in such environments either.

Additionally, carrying two or more small f2.8 primes instead of this 28-75mm f2.8 won’t offer really any advantage, neither in size nor performance. Faster, high performing 1.8 primes sure will, but the size will go up in comparison to this 28-70 f2.8. So yes, this lens looks very appealing for a compact, single lens, yet high performance, street-walking setup.

Since I do shoot a lot of low light street scenes here in Bangkok the longer I look at this lens, the more I like it. Price, performance and size are very well balanced and should suit this particular of my use cases very well. Yes, it is very likely that the Z 28-75mm S will find its way into my setup at one point.

How about the Nikkor Z 24-50mm?

This is the one lens I’m not sure about yet. It’s tiny, yes, and I love tiny lenses. However, it’s range is very limited, to the point where I rather would go out with the Z 28mm f2.8 only. The wider aperture of f2.8 offers more for my style of shooting here than such a limited zoom range.

Perhaps the right body for this diminutive zoom hasn’t been made yet. Once Nikon puts a full frame sensor into a z50 or – even better – a z30 body that little 24-50mm would come into its own. Yes, I do like the idea of an ultra-compact Fx body, serving essentially the same purpose as the z30/50 do for now, but I think we will have to wait for a while until this will happen.

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Compact primes for the Z system

End of June 2021 Nikon launched two compact – and low cost – primes, the Z 40mm f2.8 and the Z 28mm f2.8 SE. The second one was a SE (Special Edition) lens with a retro look matching the style of the Nikon Zfc body. Since I’m not in the retro thing – I wouldn’t use the dials of the Zfc much apart from the exposure compensation – I waited until the standard Z 28mm f2.8 became available in November 2021. I bought this lens a few months after its launch when it became readily available here in Bangkok.

The AF-S 28mm f1.8 G was one of my favorite lenses on my D3 for city walks late in the afternoon and into the night, combined with my old AF 85mm f1.8. I like the 28mm angle, it’s wider than 35mm and as such is a better fit for those environmental portraits. On the other hand, going all the way to 24mm is a bit too much for those images showing people and what they are going about. This is why the 28mm ended up in my bag, and not the AF-D 24mm f2.8 or the AF-D 35mm f2.0, which I used on the D3 as well.

As Nikon doesn’t make a Z 28mm f1.8 lens (yet?) the Z 28mm f2.8 was the logical stand-in, particularly when looking at its low price

Size, specifications and build

This new compact lenses are about the same size as the AF-D 24/28/35mm f2.8 lenses; check out the table comparing these lenses. I included the Ai-S manual lenses and the 45mm ‘pancake’ as well to complete the comparison. There’s a lot of complaining on the internet that “full frame lenses are too bulky and heavy” these days. We can clearly see that this is not the case. The new compact Z primes are lighter than their older counterparts and about the same size – the few millimeters more in diameter will not make any significant difference, neither in your bag nor mounted on the body. There’s only one lens that is really smaller and lighter – the old Ai-P 45mm – but you will have to wait for that 26mm on Nikon’s roadmap to complete the picture.

I don’t have any problems with the plastic mount of the new Z lenses and build quality is fine. A plastic mount isn’t an issue for such a light lens in my opinion. Of course many on the internet see this differently, but I don’t see how this could affect the use and performance of the lens really. If your drop your camera and the mount breaks of it’s perhaps better that way – if it doesn’t your body might suffer some serious damage! However, you would be very lucky not to have any serious damage in such kind of accidents, metal mount or not. I experience one such incident, my AF 80-200mm f2.8 D (push/pull) was a total loss, broken in two, damage to the lens mount, barrel heavily dented. The body (F5) suffered damge, too, in form of a visibliy bent lens mount. I was able to unscrew the part and hammer it back into a somewhat flat shape. With those makeshift repairs I could continue to take photographs afterwards. The full repair later on was quite expensive as there had been more damage to the body than just the metal ring of the lens mount.

Likewise the lack of a mount seal doesn’t bother me too much, a plastic mount should seal better than a metal one. Plus some rain should be fine with the other seals, and if it’s raining cats and dogs you won’t be out there shooting without some serious protection anyway. Overall nothing to complain about, not for lens at such a price point. Optics are more important here – and the little 28mm doesn’t disappoint here.

Yes, it’s not in the class of the ‘S’ lenses, but you will have to pixel peak to see the differences. Bit less sharpness towards the corners, some chromatic aberration, some vignetting. Distortion and flare aren’t much of a problem, and I do like the out of focus rendering. Overall a solid performer, nobody is gonna tell you that your image is bad because you used a subpar lens. You can view images on large high res screens and print them large with this lens, no doubt about it, even if technocrats will tell you otherwise.

Use case

While not as fast as the f1.8 S lens series f2.8 is quite capable for low light work – remember that’s what the pro’s use, f2.8 zoom lenses. Small and light those primes are a great addition to slower, smaller zooms. I like my 14-30 f4 combined with the AF-P 70-300E, but when it gets dark those zooms aren’t the best solution. Add some of those small and light primes and there you go. One or two won’t make much difference in weight nor do they take a lot of space. It would be great having something a little longer here as well, perhaps a 70mm f2.8 or even a 90mm, compact and affordable. This way you could add one wide and one short tele to your setup.

Of course two such primes – or even just one, pick your favorite – make for a minimalist walk-around setup as well. Head into town in the afternoon, when the sun goes down, bring just two small(ish) primes, shoot. I do this quite often and it’s a great setup for this kind of street shooting. Going out with friends or family? Grab your favorite lens and body and off you go. In my case this is the Z 28mm f2.8.

Then there’s Dx of course. As 42mm, 60mm (or even 75mm if you count the slightly bigger 50mm Macro in as well) you’ve got some interesting companions for the z30/z50/Zfc bodies. Great performers on these Dx bodies, reasonably fast and a great match in terms of size. As there’s no IBIS in those Dx cameras one needs to pay attention to the shutter speed, but as I usually shoot moving motives with those lenses it’s not much of an issue.

And the bottom line is?

Yes, I’m a big fan of such small, light and affordable primes and hope Nikon will extend this line. I can see myself throwing three or four such primes into my bag instead of two 1.8’s at times. A little less capable in low light but still very usable and more variation in focal length. Yes, why not, they are great fun to shoot, based on my experience with the Z 28mm f2.8 so far.

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Nikon z30

A few thoughts about the new Nikon z30.

First of all about nobody saw that one coming. Nikon rumors had their first report on June 6 2022. On June 29 the camera was announced, less than a month later, with the camera shipping by July 18. None of the ‘experts’ with ‘connections’ had anything before that report by Nikon Rumors. Perhaps their connections aren’t what they claim them to be, perhaps they don’t really know more than you and I?

What’s is it?

Second, let’s take a quick look at what it is, and how it fits into the Nikon Z line. Yes, it’s the z50 innards, minus the viewfinder, plus a flip screen for selfie recording. And yes, it’s a video focused entry level camera, for US$ 700, or US$850 with the kit zoom. There’s a creators kit as well for US$1000, which adds an external microphone and a remote controlled handgrip.

Focus here is on entry level, people who come from cell phones and want to try a ‘real camera’, but without spending 2000 bucks or more for a body, lens, and whatever else they might need. That’s why there is no IBIS, no log video files, no headphone jack even, to check on your recording.

For IBIS you will have to go upmarket, or get a cheap gimbal, which is likely the preferred solution for those really serious about their videos anyway. Logfiles are another want for advanced users, but does someone who comes from a cell phone really want to jump into serious editing, or perhaps just good video straight from the camera? Same goes for the missing audio jack. You’re not likely using headphones while recording yourself, plus there are visual level indicators on the LCD to help you here. Plus there are external microphones with headphone jack, or microphone splitters. However, does someone who does his first steps away from a cell phone really want all this, or is it getting already to technical – and too costly?

So that’s really the target group, people coming from cell phones, getting their first camera, and start recording, at US$ 1000 at the most. AT the same time this is where the z30 fits in Nikon’s line-up. The z30, z50 and the Zfc really are a triplet, but one with a triple purpose. They are designed to appeal to different entry level users: video creators, photography folks, and…experimental/lifestyle people. Of course all three do everything, but not quite, hence the three. Could you put everything in one body? Not really, and certainly not at US$700. Bottom line is those three ‘same, same but different’ bodies are aimed to bring a wider variation of people into the Z system.

Can it take photos, too?

Third point is usability as photography camera. Yes, it’s there, it good the grip from the z50, with front and rear dials. Ergonomics are excellent for such a small camera. I have it currently earmarked as an replacement for my Nikon j5, which I have used many years as a pendant to my D3 (and later z7) as a secondary camera always in my office bag.

The experience with the j5 has taught me that the lack of a viewfinder wasn’t what bothered me most. I was always able to cope, even here in Bangkok, in the tropics. Most of the times the sun isn’t fully on the LCD to begin with. You hold the camera different than a cell phone, so that’s one reason why you get less direct sunlight on the screen. Plus if it does happen you can shield it with your body, head, or even a hand if really needed. As said during many years with a j5 this has never been a real concern.

There was one real disadvantage not having a viewfinder – composing images with long lenses. 300mm, try to frame that bird at the zoo. Nope, not good. But then I’m trying to keep this setup small, so I won’t carry any long telephoto lenses to begin with. It’s going to be either the kit zoom or, at the most, the upcoming 12-28mm DX wide angle combined with the 50mm MC. I love wide angle photography, and with the 50 MC I will get a light tele with macro capability, very versatile, yet still small.

However, the tiny size of the j5 and its controls were to biggest issue. Simply too small. Yes, I often found myself cursing the little thing while fumbling with the controls. The z30 is heaps better there, with it’s grip, button and dial placement. So yes, I think it will make for a good secondary camera. And yes, that viewfinder bump makes the z50 that bit bigger. It protrudes on top and to the rear, no matter how I put it in the bag it makes it quite a bit thicker and requires that extra space. Plus the cheaper the better, after all this little thing will be in my bag all the time with a chance of loss/theft.

Overall the z30 is currently the hottest contender for my j5. However, I’m still waiting, in particular for the Dx 12-28mm lens to launch, perhaps as a kit with the z30? Plus my j5 still works fine, so no need to hurry.

Last thought about the z30

The z30 was expected to launch about a year ago. Instead we got the Zfc, right out of the blue.

Sometimes I wonder if Nikon changed the sequence of the launch of those two cameras at one point. The cheaper z30, aimed at a wider target audience compared to the Zfc, wouldn’t be what you want to launch during the peak time of the chip shortage, would it?

In this light launching the Zfc first and the z30 later does make sense. Look at the Sony ZV-E10, a very similar camera. It launched about a year earlier, but wasn’t really available for almost a year, due to the chip shortage. So yes, the Nikon z30 is ‘one year late’, but perhaps that was a wise decision?

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Nikon z9

Nikon’s first mirrorless flagship was announced late October 2021 and officially launched on December 24 of the same year. There still are people waiting for theirs more than half a year later, and the reception of this much anticipated camera as been rather good overall. It seems Nikon got it right with their initial mirrorless flagship.

What’s new?

A new, much faster processor – Expeed 7 – provides way more speed and the what seems to be a stacked development of the z7’s 45mp sensor comes accompanies it. However, what was really new is that Nikon felt confident enough to omit the mechanical shutter. The much improved electronic viewfinder (EVF) is another result of this combination of speed and omitting the shutter.

Nikon put the lot in a one of their gripped professional bodies, build to last, with a battery that often enables it – depending on circumstances – to shoot several thousand images instead of the rated 740 shots per charge. Even better, they managed to price this package at US$550 – that’s less than its peers from Canon or Sony.

This quite well rounded package was well received and the long waiting lists were no surprise for me. For one we still have to deal with the chip shortage, but then I remember waiting lists even back in the days of the F5. Indeed nothing really new here.

Yes, gimme, gimme, gimme…?

Nope, I have no plans getting a z9, as I have moved away from the big professional gripped bodies and fast f2.8 zooms. My camera has to go cycling and walking a lot these days, and a smaller and lighter setup if simply better suited for this purpose. However, the z9 release still was important for my use case as well. Nikon did state not long after that the technology would be applied down the range, as expected.

This means sooner or later there will be an improved body that fits me well. Of course an improved AF system will be welcome, but the improvement I would like to see most is the new EVF. I don’t really need faster frame rates or better burst rates, I rarely use the 9fps and rarely get close to the limit of the buffer as I usually shoot in shorts bursts. Overall, I think the z9 is a step in the right direction for Nikon, even if it’s not for me. It shows where Nikon is headed, and what will come – and yes, what is coming will be good!

Thoughts about the z9 in use

One thing I have observed over the past few months however, is that there seem to be quite some people buying the z9 yet still ending up with pretty bad images as a result. However, looking at those samples, the z9 is not the reason for it.

One part is that some people expect the camera do it all for you. Nope, not going to happen. At the end of the day you still need to tell the camera what to do, one way or another. With several people in the frame the camera can only guess which one you want to focus on. And with the situation changing it doesn’t know if you want to stick with one person or changing to another at one point. You need to be in control.

The other reason is that even with a z9 and a 500mm PF telephoto lens you are too far away if your little bird is half a football field away. Even with 45mp you should fill that frame as much as possible, to get detail. I’m not a bird photographer, but grabbing the camera and pointing it a a distant small thing/bird is a recipe for disaster, never mind if you got a z5 with a 24-200mm or a z9 with a 500mm PF. That’s not how great images are made.

Yes, there are a lot of such images out there on the internet, cropped to death, over-sharpened, taken with great equipment, not just the z9. However, usually the reaction is ‘what’s wrong with my camera?’ Try to look at what’s behind the camera, that’s where things mostly go wrong. Yourself. And yes, that’s where I look, too, if the results weren’t what I wanted. Myself.
Think about it, if others manage to take great images with the same setup you have, then it’s likely not the camera… There are times where it’s perhaps better to let go. If you’re too far away, try to get closer. If you can’t, let go. Work within the capabilities of your system, work with what you have, what it can do. And realize, yes, every system has its limits.

Bottom line is today’s top of the line cameras are marvelous. Don’t worry about the specs, go out and shoot. If you do it right, the results will be accordingly. If not, the best camera and lens won’t do anything good for you.

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Nikon – what’s next?

Basically most of the line up needs an overwork, plus some additions perhaps.

Be it a potential high resolution z8, z6/z7 III updates, or new high tier APS-C bodies in the form of a z70 or z90, there are plenty of options (and demands) for Nikon’s next move.

What’s my guess?

A z7 III would be the most logical in my opinion. And it really is just a guess, and your guess is as good as mine.

D850 (z8?) and D500 (z70/80?) customers are those who haven’t gotten “their” Z camera yet. Some will have bought a z9, but others will not, be it because of price point or body size. Then there are the z6/7 series, which aren’t as great as they could be. Out of those options, the z7 III needs the least new parts of all the options, so it would make perfectly sense as Nikon’s next move.

Nikon z7 III?

The big question is what such a shutterless, stacked sensor z7 III would cost. If it gets close to $4000 or even to $4500 it doesn’t make much sense, too close to the z9. However if they can keep it at about d850/z7 original launch price, $3300-3400, it might be an interesting option for many. Considerably lower in price than the z9, good for those who still hang on to their d850’s and perhaps even for some of the d500 camp. Add to that z7 first generation owners, like myself.

The question is if this will be doable price-wise. I think this possibility might exist. First, because there’s some savings due to the omission of the shutter. The shutter box is a fairly complex and costly piece so not having it will offset the higher price of the stacked sensor to a point. Second, ordering the sensor in higher volume should have an effect on its price. Of course there are those, who say that such a lowish price is impossible due to the expensive stacked sensor.

However, this reminds me much of the talk when FF sensors showed up – too expensive for ‘mainstream cameras’. It took one year from the D3 to the D700, then another 4 years to the D600. Plus, when looking at the pro-grade bodies and their prices I think the cost of making those gripped pro-grade bodies is underestimated, in particular if I look at the D3/D700, D4/D800, D5/D850 pricing.

So yes, I think it might be possible for Nikon to launch such a Nikon z7 III. But as said, just guessing here as everybody else on the net. Only Nikon knows for now.

How about the Dx line?

The other big question is what to do about the Dx cameras? Go full out stacked as in z90? With a cost of $2500-2700 (judging by the recent Fuji launch)? There sure is an audience for such a body, but I think quite a few might go for a z7 III as above, with such a comparatively small advantage in price, when looking at a body plus a set of lenses.

Something along the line of Canon’s R7 makes more sense in my opinion, a true Dx ‘budget action’ camera with more speed, better AF, and IBIS. Even if it would be a little more expensive than the R7 it would likely find a wider audience, with about $3000 in total for such a z70 combined with the upcoming 200-600mm zoom.

How about a higher resolution z8?

The other candidate would be a new high megapixel body, as perhaps in a z8. There are rumors about higher MP from Sony and Canon and I think that sooner or later 45mp will become the new ‘standard’ at one point. Remember when so many said that the 12mp of the D3/300 is all ever needed, and the 24.5mp of the D3x over the top, too big the files, yadda-yadda? So yes, I think the empty z8 slot is for such a high MP camera, as the 8-series has been the high MP body since the D3x morphed into the way more successful D800 series.

And the bottom line is?

Include an update to the z6 III and that’s four important and big projects to tackle for Nikon – or rather already being tackled, considering development times for new bodies. An announcement later this year, then two mid of 2023, and another one announced late in 2023, perhaps? In whatever sequence.

If supply chains play nicely, and wars, and viruses, and what not… Of course your guess is as good as mine.

However, one thing for sure – the Nikon development guys are not sitting at their desks doing nothing but celebrating their successful z9 with copious amounts of sake. Still, I hope they had time to celebrate a bit. Cheers!

As you can see I think there is quite some interesting development ahead. Once, over a period of time, those announcements are made it will take additional time until the products hit the shelves in quantity. Never mind, I have a Z body, it delivers great images, I can wait. And I think there’s the key – don’t expect the next launch to be ‘yours’. Look at it in an extended time frame, and I’m quite sure there will be something for most of us.

It’s the click bait rumors about an imminent launch of a particular body, which build up false expectations and hence disappointment if they don’t occur. And yes, those are all just rumors, no-one knows anything with substance right now. Nothing but guess work. Like mine above, our your own.

In the meantime, enjoy photography with whatever equipment you’ve got.

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Nikon Zfc

Nikon announced the retro-style 21mp APS-C Zfc on the 28th of June, much to my surprise. It certainly was a well guarded secret as no leaks had been reported until about four weeks before its official launch. At first glance the much rumored z30 might have made more sense regarding their overall line-up. However, with the current shortage of electronic parts the postponement of a true entry level body set below the z50 is likely the right decision – if there was to be a z30 to begin with. So far the reactions about the Zfc have been divided between those who love the design inspired by the classic FM-2 and those who prefer modern ergonomics. After all the Zfc is essentially an improved z50 with a new design, adding not much to Nikon’s line-up in the eyes of those who would have preferred another body or an updated z50. But is there really nothing new?

What’s new?

Actually, a lot. There have been reports about improvements of the AF system, which is always a good thing. Then there’s a swivel screen, which can be turned sideways and forward, great for vlogging or taking selfies. However, the real news is the top dials. ISO, shutter speed and exposure control all got their own dial on the top plate, while keeping the front/rear combination as on the z50. This results in a different way of handling the camera, aimed at an entirely different group of users, and that’s why this camera could be a real winner for Nikon. Targeting a new user segment. In particular in Asia this could be a very important camera for Nikon as retro-style is very popular there – and yes, China took over from the USA as the biggest market for Nikon in 2020. And that’s where the colours come into play, too.

The colours

From pretty in pink to classic silver the choice of colors offers something for everyone. The fact that there are so far only two lenses adapted to the classic look is likely not a major consideration for most potential buyers. As the CIPA lens report states most APS-C users buy mainly zoom lenses. For those one or two silver zooms and perhaps a single prime will do. Those who plan a larger setup with more lenses got the grey and silver body options, which both should go well with the minimalist black design of the Z series lenses. The only colour option I would stay away from is white, as it might go the way many other white consumer goods go if used frequently – and that’s dirty. I really like the grey version, as it offers something different from the standard silver/black or all black while likely still looking good with black lenses.

No grip?

The biggest difference in terms of ergonomics is likely the absence of a large, comfortable hand grip (albeit it seems a small grip will be available at one point). And yes, this is a major concern for some. However, the intention of this camera is not to serve as a professional workhorse, held throughout the entire day during a prolonged shoot. It’s much more the camera you bring along when going about the more pleasant parts of life. It’s for a more casual use, and the absence of a large, well formed grip will matter much less in such situations. On top of that the intended user group is unlikely to mount any heavy f2.8 zooms or large telephoto lenses on the Zfc. In this sense the absence of a grip is a well chosen design choice, form over function is the right way to go here.

Two kit options

Initially Nikon offers the Zfc as two kit options apart from body only. One includes the 16-50mm f3.5-6,3 (24-75mm in Fx terms) standard zoom, a great companion for those who want some zoom capability while keeping the size small (about US$1100 for this kit). The other option includes a new 28mm f2.8 compact prime lens (42mm Fx equivalent, about US$1200 bundled with the Zfc). This is actually a Fx lens, keeping the option to seamless upgrade to Nikon’s more advanced Fx line open. Whatever the choice, the Zfc is an intriguing camera, not only for its looks, but for its handling with the additional dials as well.

The dials

Shooting my z7 mainly with autoISO on and over/under exposing frequently the Zfc offers some interesting possibilities. For one in a fully manual mode the front/rear dial remain, but the exposure compensation is easily accessible now through its own dial, instead of the button push and dial combination on other Nikons. That’s one click less, and that’s a good thing if you use it often. I prefer this arrangement over the option of using the clickless lens ring on the z7. The other interesting detail is the ISO dial, in particular if used with aperture priority (A). Nikon’s autoISO allows you to set a minimum shutter speed along with the maximum ISO. However, this minimum speed shouldn’t be the same at all times, depending on what one shoots or what lens used. This is where the ISO dial comes in – it allows to quickly adjust the minimum ISO resulting in a faster shutter speed. Such more specific control of the slowest shutter speed within A might sound like a small detail, but it makes the use of A more versatile and can negate the need of changing into another mode. Again, a fast, one click operation, similar to the exposure compensation. I don’t see myself using the shutter speed dial often as I prefer the rear dial here. That said, if the camera is low down on a tripod it might come in handy.

To buy or not to buy

The Zfc came along while waiting for the z30, a potential candidate to replace my Nikon 1 j5 as a ‘walkaround’ body, with a permanent place in my day bag. A z50 was the other option, until the Zfc came along. Not only offers it what the z50 has, the dials allow for interesting new shooting styles as well, and it just looks gorgeous, too! Yes, this is it, the Zfc will find its way into my day bag, once it is really available, which might take a while due the current shortage of components. Plus I’ve got the feeling I’m not the only one who will want one.

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Nikon Z macro day

Nikkor MC 105mm f2.8 S and MC 50mm f2.8

Nikon announced two new macro lenses for the Z system in June, the 105mm f2.8 VR S and the 50mm f2.8 MC. Both are capable of 1:1 magnification. Both have been reviewed recently and the consensus is that both are a noticeable improvement in terms of sharpness and overall IQ over the AF-S VR Micro Nikkor 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED and the AF-S Micro Nikkor 60mm f/2.8G ED. This is no surprise really as those two lenses are from 2006 and 2008 respectively. Prices at launch are US$999 and US$650, which is rather reasonable considering the US$830 and US$550 launch prices of their AF-S counterparts more than a decade ago. But let’s take a quick look at the two new lenses.

Nikkor Z MC 105mm f/2.8 VR S

Probably the more popular of the two lenses the new 105mm micro allows for a 1:1 magnification at 29cm – which results in a working distance of about 13cm from the front of the lens. This will make it popular with all those who shoot small, moving critters, as the longer working distance will scare them away less. In terms of size it has gotten somewhat larger but a bit over 100g lighter at the same time. However, one of the most important aspects of this new micro lens is a much faster AF speed compared to the old one. This allows much better use of the lens for other purposes such as portraits for example. This alone makes the new 105mm a much better proposition then the old AF-S, along with the considerable improvements in terms of image quality, of course.

Nikkor Z MC 50mm f/2.8

The much smaller 50mm micro has the same 1:1 magnification at 16cm minimum focusing distance. This translates into a working distance of just under 6cm from the front of the lens. Therefor this lens is better suited to the little things which don’t try to run away, such as images of small detail or food. It doubles as an 50mm prime with quick AF performance and can be used with Nikon’s ES2 slide/negative copying adapter (the Z 105mm can’t). additionally the MC 50mm is Nikon’s most compact standard prime lens yet, smaller and lighter than both, the Z 50mm f1.8 S and the AF-S 60mm f/2.8G ED . This small size was achieved by a construction where the lens extends when being used in the macro range. Being just 6.6cm long and coming in at a mere 260g, as opposed to the 425g of the older Af-S version, is the real appeal of this lens, along with its versatility of doubling as a macro and standard prime lens. Despite not being an S series lens construction did not suffer, the lens is fully weather sealed, as is the 105mm as seen in the images below.

To buy or not to buy

Between the two lenses the two lenses the Nikkor Z MC 50mm f/2.8 is my real star of this launch. Not being a dedicated macro shooter but focusing on a compact yet versatile setup it sits perfectly in the gap between the Nikkor Z 14-30mm f4 S and the AF-P 70-300mm f4.5-5.6E (on the FTZ adapter). The Nikkor Z MC 105mm f/2.8 VR S remains an attractive option because of its 1:1 magnification and fast AF speed, combined with a reasonable price. It is the obvious choice for the dedicated macro shooter, which I’m not. However, it’s so enticing at that price that I might well add it to my setup later on for dedicated macro outings – just because I can and it’s such a great lens in the Z line.

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New Nikon Dx body and compact primes coming?

Exciting news: Nikon Rumors is reporting a new Dx body and up to for lenses being announced soon. This definitely fits with the statement made by Nikon in the interview with Dpreview. It was hinted that there are some more Dx lenses coming and the compact prime series are meant for both Dx and Fx.

Which Dx body?

However the big question is what kind of Dx body? Will it be a z30, z70, or even a z90 (D500 style)?
Looking at the sales number per year (based on serial numbers) the total number of Dx dSLR bodies sold is still fairly high, but it has been rapidly decreasing (while Canon’s mirrorless M50 seems to be very popular). While the overall number in this market segment might still shrink, those who still buy in this price range cameras are clearly going for mirrorless options nowadays.

There sure is space for two additional Dx bodies in the Z lineup, however a total of three Dx bodies between $600-1000 could be problematic. Two would be a better choice. However, the z50 sits smack in the middle there. A z50/70 pair, with the z50 going for about $750 and the the z70 for $950 would fit perfectly (or call it z30/z50 II). The problem is rather how to achieve this split of the Dx line into two bodies with where the z50 is positioned now.
A z70 with IBIS and other updates at $950 might be an interesting option, however it would be very close to the z50. A further problem for such a z70 would be a z4 coming to the $1000 price class in the future. A z30 for $700 might be interesting as well, but once again very close to the z50.  It will be very interesting to see how Nikon will manage this split.

It would be a surprise if a z90(D500) would be announced as this requires tech from the flagship and it seems the D500 didn’t sell very well to begin with. Add to that a price somewhere above the z6 series and it seems even less likely – even if the group of D500 users is very vocal on the various webpages or youtube channels and would like to see such a body.

This is a real tough call, and it will be interesting to see what decision Nikon will take. I’m sure their team considers all possible factors, including how the market might develop and how a new body series would integrate into the overall lineup (taking future updates of existing bodies into account).

Update (27.05.2021):

Rumors have it that the new body might be announced first week of June. They mention a ‘retro style’ body as well. Few more things happened since I wrote the post about the supposedly upcoming Dx body: A Nikon camera was registered, using the same battery as the z50, and Nikon’s financial year end report, including an outlook for the coming year.

There are two main points here; The retro style Nikon Df was Nikon’s worst selling body, after the D500, if we go per known serial numbers. Hence it would be rather surprising if Nikon goes that way. On the other hand more and more websites picked up the z30as a possible candidate. I think it would be a good move, even if it contradicts Nikon’s statement focusing on higher end models. An entry level body would give the brand more visibility in the public and if just a small percentage moves on to a more advanced body later on this could boost the sales of the range Nikon is targeting in the long run. Furthermore, even if the sales of Dx entry level dSLR’s dropped massively they still sold in significant numbers. In this sense a z30 could increase Nikon’s market share, which sure would be a good thing in the ongoing online ‘debate’ about Nikon being ‘doomed’. Overall, a z30 would have a lot going for it.

However, in their forecast Nikon predicted a smaller market share, despite the forecast of the camera market growing somewhat this coming year. Predicting a smaller market share would rather indicate not replacing the D3xxx series with a mirrorless counterpart such as the z30. In this light the new APS-C body announcement might well be something much less substantial, perhaps giving the z50 the same work over of the z6/7 II, and added IBIS. Call it z60/70 if with IBIS, simply z50 II if without. Drop the price of the z50 somewhat and the split of the line into two APS-C bodies is completed.

Well, we will see next week. Or let’s say we might see, as the product announcement itself is just a rumor to begin with – and here lies the main problem itself. Websites need clicks, rumors bring clicks. But at the same time expectations are being build up, leading to disappointment if the rumors don’t materialize.

The new lenses – the real stars?

The launch of the compact primes might well be the real exciting news of this rumored announcement. With a length of 50mm or even a bit less, these lenses will give the Z system a new aspect in terms of portability (and affordability). The additional lenses to be released could be the Dx 18-140mm, paired with the new Dx body, and one of the macro lenses. The 50/60mm micro would be the more logical partner if compactness and affordability is the priority of the rumored announcement.

This will make Nikon’s mirrorless lineup more attractive for particular groups of users – as will the upcoming flagship, paired with long telephoto lenses. It shows where Nikon is heading, and what the system might look like in a few years from now.

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