NIKON KIU
Did you say Nippon Kogaku
Tom A
RFF Sponsor
Why would Nikon even bother making a "commemorative" Nikon F. There were almost 1000 000 F's made and if you want a mint,boxed one - they are available (I know of a mint, sealed boxed black F in a friends collection). OK, so it cost more than the regular, clean F's (usually $250 and topping out at $375), but a 50's anniversary F from Nikon would be 5-10 times that!
Now, if they could make a Digital F, with the D3 sensor and minium buttons and 'programs" that could be interesting! The D3/D700 are stunning cameras - but I hate the multiple buttons.programs, focus points etc. I just want a camera were I set the speed, the aperture and the focus, but instead of film, it loads to a sensor and card! All right, when they are doing that, they should also make a rotary dial cell phone where I can see the numbers on the screen!
If Nikon is going to makes something for the 60th anniversary, it would most likely be something rangefinder related as that was the first camera that they made under the Nikon name. So, we are back were we started. Is there a Nikon RF in the works? Maybe take the chassi from the Epson RD1, upgrade the sensor to a 10-12MP sensor and put the R2S mount on it? The old RD1 sensor was basically a D100 sensor anyway. If they did that, put it on the market for $3000-3500 (depending on currency fluctuations) - that would make nice 60's Anniversary Model.
Now, if they could make a Digital F, with the D3 sensor and minium buttons and 'programs" that could be interesting! The D3/D700 are stunning cameras - but I hate the multiple buttons.programs, focus points etc. I just want a camera were I set the speed, the aperture and the focus, but instead of film, it loads to a sensor and card! All right, when they are doing that, they should also make a rotary dial cell phone where I can see the numbers on the screen!
If Nikon is going to makes something for the 60th anniversary, it would most likely be something rangefinder related as that was the first camera that they made under the Nikon name. So, we are back were we started. Is there a Nikon RF in the works? Maybe take the chassi from the Epson RD1, upgrade the sensor to a 10-12MP sensor and put the R2S mount on it? The old RD1 sensor was basically a D100 sensor anyway. If they did that, put it on the market for $3000-3500 (depending on currency fluctuations) - that would make nice 60's Anniversary Model.
1948nikon
Established
Dont let the cat out of the bag yet.
Dont let the cat out of the bag yet.
Keep a lid on it. I still have to sell off some more cameras.:bang:
Dont let the cat out of the bag yet.
Keep a lid on it. I still have to sell off some more cameras.:bang:
Buy and iPhone and then download this app:
http://www.tuaw.com/2008/09/18/dial-your-iphone-with-bakelite/
Tom A
RFF Sponsor
I like that dialphone! There is something peaceful about the action of "spinning" the dial and listening to the whirrs and clicks.
Leigh Youdale
Well-known
Well, this thread IS going some interesting places! What I'd like to see is a new RF based on the Micro 4/3rds design. It would look something like an M-Leica. You can see the potential in the mock-up that Olympus unveiled at Photokina. It wouldn't take much to develop that concept into a decent RF Digital camera, I think.
January 20, 2008
I've been in contact with the webmaster of a Japanese Nikon website.
According to him there was in fact a digital Nikon SP project using the Nikon S mount under development by Nikon, but the project was stopped. Now I have to just figure out how to get one of those prototypes...
Stephen
I've been in contact with the webmaster of a Japanese Nikon website.
According to him there was in fact a digital Nikon SP project using the Nikon S mount under development by Nikon, but the project was stopped. Now I have to just figure out how to get one of those prototypes...
Stephen
Tuolumne
Veteran
Why stopped? The economy?
/T
/T
BillBingham2
Registered User
Get several!!
One wonders if it was because of downturn, a move to 4/3M, or a switch to an M mount.
While you are looking, check for an SPX too!
B2 (;->
a high fashion necklace with a logo on it ,-)
Olsen
Well-known
Must have been smart of Nikon not to launch a digital rangefinder. At best, it would be a camera like Leica M8. Or, more likely, like Epson RD-1. - A camera with an off-the-shelf sensor, originally made for some other application and with a serious vignetting problem - and hefty crop factor.
Like Leica, Nikon is struggling for it's life. Read Nikon's investor relations and find the shareholders meeting where they give authority to the board to sell the whole company. Nikon can't afford to make mistakes. They also have to make priorities. It was far more important for Nikon to catch up with Canon on launching a Full Frame D-SLR.
Further; the development of sensors hasn't come any significantly further than what you allready find in Leica's M8. Not yet. Be sure that Leica, and probably others, follow every step of sensor development. A sensor for just any rangefinder camera got to have properties that are far different to the ones you find in Canon's 5D or Nikon's D3. Most likely, such a sensor, that offers significant better properties than Leica M8, on a rangefinder camera, is still a few years down the road.
Like Leica, Nikon is struggling for it's life. Read Nikon's investor relations and find the shareholders meeting where they give authority to the board to sell the whole company. Nikon can't afford to make mistakes. They also have to make priorities. It was far more important for Nikon to catch up with Canon on launching a Full Frame D-SLR.
Further; the development of sensors hasn't come any significantly further than what you allready find in Leica's M8. Not yet. Be sure that Leica, and probably others, follow every step of sensor development. A sensor for just any rangefinder camera got to have properties that are far different to the ones you find in Canon's 5D or Nikon's D3. Most likely, such a sensor, that offers significant better properties than Leica M8, on a rangefinder camera, is still a few years down the road.
xayraa33
rangefinder user and fancier
Canon had a DRF that almost made it to the market also.
but they forgot to add a hotshoe to it, so they held it back.
but they forgot to add a hotshoe to it, so they held it back.
Benjamin
Registered Snoozer
I like the fact that anyone could care when the Nikon F is already full frame..
Benjamin
Benjamin
Benjamin
Registered Snoozer
Also, what exactly would be the point of a cloth shutter, as mentioned above, in an SLR? The mirror makes the most noise, fact.
Benjamin
Benjamin
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NIKON KIU
Did you say Nippon Kogaku
I am in contact with a Nikon Employee/spy and he confirms the project is still going.
Kiu
I catch the same elevator as a bunch of Nikon employees at lunch time, but all they ever talk about is what they're going to eat for lunch, the attractive girls in the office, and last night's drinking party !!
NIKON KIU
Did you say Nippon Kogaku
Benjamin,
The Nikon F was designed and produced around the same time as the Nikon SP, rumor has it that both were on the drawing boards at the same time.
There was no point in having a cloth shutter in the first 100 or so cameras, they probably just didn't have the foil curtains at the time.
Another reason for collectors to go nuts and pay thousands...
Kiu
Gabriel M.A.
My Red Dot Glows For You
I have a friend with a Nikon lens (manual-focus with rabbit ears 50mm f/1.4, I believe) that has a Hello Kitty sticker on it. I'm sure it's extremely rare to see one of these with a Hello Kitty sticker. How much would a nutty collector buy that for?
xayraa33
rangefinder user and fancier
Thom's prediction makes the Nikon digital SP a very exclusive camera indeed, but the film version was that way too.
http://www.bythom.com/2009predictions.htm
http://www.bythom.com/2009predictions.htm
Mackinaw
Think Different
Not good! I never knew that Nikon was experiencing financial problems. You wonder who's going to be left standing once the economic turmoil we find ourselves in runs its course.
Jim B.