Highway 61
Revisited
Here we go again.
There were many more who saw the market for a high-quality FF DSLR the size, weight and build quality of a FM3a, and which would have accomodated the huge range of excellent Ai-S lenses (most of them being truly excellent on a 12MP 24x36 sensor, all D700 users can confirm that).
Nikon never marketed such a camera. So why would they bother with marketing a DRF they don't even manufacture any lens for yet ?
flyingoko
Michael
Because no one else does. Did anyone manufacture lenses for the Nikon 1 before it came out?
I just think there's a glaring gap in the market for those who want a digital rangefinder and are not prepared to pay Leica prices for a solid one.
Highway 61
Revisited
The R&D cost of the Nikon 1 system is only a fraction of what it would be for a RF system which could rival the Leica M system.
And Leica just introduced an... optional EVF on its last M 240 model... so it doesn't seem that the future of digital photography resides within any optical RF stuff.
And, marketing-wise, it would be a terrible mistake for Nikon to market a Leica M clone. Just because MANY people dreaming of a M will end up buying a... D800.
flyingoko
Michael
I'm dreaming of an M, but I will not buy a D800, because of the weight. I bought a D80 (to replace my M2, M3 and M6), but ended up with a D40 then a D3200 around my neck.
I want a camera with the size and weight of a rangefinder, the rangefinder of a rangefinder, replaceable lenses and an FX sensor. But if I had the money for an M, I'd use it to pay off the outstanding mortgage.
Highway 61
Revisited
Just wait for two years more and you will buy a second hand M9.
wes loder
Photographer/Historian
digital back for RF Nikon?
digital back for RF Nikon?
Wouldn't it make more sense to design a digital back for a Nikon SP or S3? It would go on like a motor back, would require cocking the shutter and would require an over-the-top sensor (maybe), but would be easier than a whole new camera. I would buy a digital back for my SP in a flash if such was available. WES
digital back for RF Nikon?
Wouldn't it make more sense to design a digital back for a Nikon SP or S3? It would go on like a motor back, would require cocking the shutter and would require an over-the-top sensor (maybe), but would be easier than a whole new camera. I would buy a digital back for my SP in a flash if such was available. WES
S.H.
Picture taker
Last time I checked, the Digital Modul R was quite costly, and wasn't a commercial success. And a modular back would add quite some bulk on a RF, so if some are complaining about the M8/9 being too fat, I would like to know what they think about this contraption. Also, adjusting very precisely the flange to sensor distance would not be a piece of cake so it is not a cheap piece of mass market engineering we are talking about.
Seriously, if you want a digital RF, go buy a Leica, or use any film RF and digitize it. If there was another practical/cheaper solution, somebody would have marketed it by now. Nobody knows RF cameras anymore, almost nobody is able to use a camera in manual mode. So where is the potential market justifying all this?
Seriously, if you want a digital RF, go buy a Leica, or use any film RF and digitize it. If there was another practical/cheaper solution, somebody would have marketed it by now. Nobody knows RF cameras anymore, almost nobody is able to use a camera in manual mode. So where is the potential market justifying all this?
Highway 61
Revisited
Of course.
And many folks here seem to continue to forget the essential key of the problem : the LENSES.
There is NO lens within the Nikon RF world which could provide acceptable results in front of the last generation of FF sensors. Even the Millenium Nikkor isn't a stellar performer once mounted on the M9 using the Amedeo Adapter.
This is NOT the case when it comes to the last generations of Ai-S lenses and so, the main pity isn't the lack of a Nikon DRF, but the lack of the DSLR Nikon would have sold by dozens of thousands : the FM3d (or something close to that). There IS a market for a FF 12MP DSLR half the size and weight of the D700, without all the bells and whistles dedicated to the AF-S lenses, I'm truly certain of that.
But...
Jamie Pillers
Skeptic
... the main pity isn't the lack of a Nikon DRF, but the lack of the DSLR Nikon would have sold by dozens of thousands : the FM3d (or something close to that). There IS a market for a FF 12MP DSLR half the size and weight of the D700, without all the bells and whistles dedicated to the AF-S lenses, I'm truly certain of that.
But...
Agree completely! :bang:
S.H.
Picture taker
@Highway 61 : agreed 100%