Nikon retro-inspired camera

[jsrockit]

So, a fully retro body with regular z lenses without aperture...

And about video, of course RFF is not the place to poll people on if a camera should include video. Video is super popular and a $999 camera is not where you decide not to include video.

 

[Disappointed_Horse]

I think we can forget ever seeing aperture rings on Nikon lenses again. Frankly, I think it would be better to just let the aperture rings go than have some that have them and some that don't. I don't want to have to get used to two different control arrangements on the same camera.
Nikon already makes two cameras with video in the $900–$1,200 range—the Z50 and the D7500. The Z5 slots into this range as well at its current sale price. Why does EVERY camera have to have video?

 

[jsrockit]

Why does EVERY camera have to have video?

Because it’s easy and expected even if we don’t like it. You can get away with not including it in $3000+ specialty cameras, but not at $999 when your competitors offer it.

 

[Disappointed_Horse]

I think Nikon has the video use case pretty well covered with 2–3 other cameras already.
I think we're going to have to agree to disagree on this one.

 

[oldwino]

Crop Sensor? Really, Nikon?
Way to telegraph your feeling that no one will buy a camera like this, by making sure no one will buy this camera.

 

[olakiril]

I think Nikon has the video use case pretty well covered with 2–3 other cameras already.
I think we're going to have to agree to disagree on this one.

As long as you can reprogram that rec button, I don't see any reason why they should remove the video functionality.
If too many buttons is an issue then I would prefer to take most of them away not just the rec button. If menu complexity is an issue then I would argue to take the whole menu system out together with the LCD and have the camera just shoot RAW in full manual mode. Otherwise it adds nothing to the development cost but brings a whole lot of market share.

 

[PaulDalex]

APSC?
Fighting with the crop factor?
Again?
I am not interested

 

[JeffS7444]

For 999 USD (with lens) I'm pretty sure that it won't look like any of the fantasy renderings that we've seen so far.

 

[agentlossing]

APSC?
Fighting with the crop factor?
Again?
I am not interested

Oddly enough, and maybe this is just because I shot MFT for years, but I have a much easier time accepting the crop factor in micro four thirds than in APS-C. Even though the latter is technically capable of better image quality, the former format has done a way better job putting out lenses in desirable focal lengths with much better IQ-to-size/weight economy than most APS-C offerings. Plus it's just easier in my head to double the focal length for the effective value.

 

[jsrockit]

APSC?
Fighting with the crop factor?
Again?
I am not interested

You don’t fight the crop factor if you use lenses made for it...but you guys are always fighting to use lenses that don’t match the body.

 

[Disappointed_Horse]

Given the enormous size of most of the full frame Z lenses released thus far, I’m not going to complain about the decision to go with an APS-C sensor.

 

[farlymac]

Well, I guess I can wait a bit longer to make up my mind on either getting a Z50 or the new retro model. Maybe calling it Zfc is telegraphing they plan to come out with an FX version Zf.


PF

 

[gavinlg]

 

[agentlossing]

Is there no rear screen installed on that unfortunate model, or was it flipped out of the way in the top pic and then folded back into place for the 2nd?

 

[gavinlg]

Is there no rear screen installed on that unfortunate model, or was it flipped out of the way in the top pic and then folded back into place for the 2nd?

Looks like the latter. I would guess it's a fully articulating screen that can be reversed with a leatherette on the back.

 

[olakiril]

Looks like an X-Txx competitor and even though I would prefer a rangefinder style, I still like it. I just hope at least they fit it with better EVF than the X-Txx/Z50 and that Nikon brings up to date their picture control settings to offer much more flexibility.

Well, I guess I can wait a bit longer to make up my mind on either getting a Z50 or the new retro model. Maybe calling it Zfc is telegraphing they plan to come out with an FX version Zf.
PF

Quite possibly. I would guess that would depend on the market response to Zfc.

 

[Archlich]

IMO it's much more elegantly executed than the Df.

 

[gavinlg]

IMO it's much more elegantly executed than the Df.

Agreed, they nailed the design of the top plate. It really does look like a digital fm2.

 

[gavinlg]

A poster in the comments of the nikonrumors post stitched together a composite of the available leaked images -

 

[keytarjunkie]

First of all, it looks really nice from the leaked images...way better than the other Z cameras. In this case I am a fan of the flip screen because it can be left closed (lol). I agree with the argument this camera shouldn't have video, but I respect the counter argument too.

This is going to look real silly with the F adapter and a 70's manual focus lens hanging off the front, so I have to imagine using legacy lenses is not really the intention of this camera. The 28/2.8 and 40/2 will be comfortable, and maybe there are some DX lenses coming to fill the wide gap, but without anything else I'm not sure how they expect to compete with Fujifilm, which has at least half a dozen different APS-C cameras and many excellent lenses at different price points. Nikon's 1.8 Z-mount primes are pretty large and expensive for this sub-$1000 crop-sensor camera.

Anyway, like others here, I have no interest in going back to APS-C. Wake me up when they make a full frame version.