What will Nikon release in March, the F's 50th anniversary?

[antiquark]

Hello all,
This is a blind speculation thread on what Nikon will be releasing in March, 2009, which is the 50th anniversary of the Nikon F.

To quote our favorite website:
http://www.cameraquest.com/fhistory.htm

The Nikon F is arguably the most significant SLR in 35mm history. Introduced in March 1959, the F immediately became Nikon's best seller and established Nikon as the Professional's 1st choice.

So what do you think? Something high tech? Something low tech? Something else? Vote in the poll and share your opinion!

Personally, I think it will be a recreation of the original F. They have a history of reproductions, with the two rangefinders released in 2000 and 2005. The rangefinder production lines would also have kept their mechanical camera abilities up to date. Releasing an F shouldn't be too much of a stretch, the S3-2000 and SP-2005 assembly workers should be able to pull if off easily.

 

[Jamie Pillers]

They'll release a camera body in the same form as the F, but it'll be digital. All adjustments will be with knobs on the top deck (ISO, shutter speed, exp. compensation). Aperture adjustment on the legacy lenses. And terrific new auto white-balance. And it shoots only in RAW. So no need for an LCD and you don't get to see the pics until you download them from the card. [That's my dream, anyway.] 🙂

 

[jonmanjiro]

Hello all,
This is a blind speculation thread on what Nikon will be releasing in March, 2009, which is the 50th anniversary of the Nikon F.

To quote our favorite website:
http://www.cameraquest.com/fhistory.htm
So what do you think? Something high tech? Something low tech? Something else? Vote in the poll and share your opinion!

Personally, I think it will be a recreation of the original F. They have a history of reproductions, with the two rangefinders released in 2000 and 2005. The rangefinder production lines would also have kept their mechanical camera abilities up to date. Releasing an F shouldn't be too much of a stretch, the S3-2000 and SP-2005 assembly workers should be able to pull if off easily.

Ahhh yes, the head bartender's website has more than a few errors. He even has the Tokyo Olympics occurring in 1963 🙄

(according to Nikon, the limited batch of black S3s that are now known as the S3 Olympics were actually released in 1965, a year after the 1964 Tokyo Olympics)

The Nikon F was actually released in May 1959, so we'll have to wait a little longer to see what Nikon has up their sleeve 😉

 

[Ken Shipman]

1,000 employees, with apologies that poor financial results require cost-cutting measures. :bang:

 

[antiquark]

The Nikon F was actually released in May 1959, so we'll have to wait a little longer to see what Nikon has up their sleeve 😉

Zut alors! Well, I can't edit the poll anymore, so I guess everyone should vote for "nothing" since March isn't the anniversary anyway! 🙂

 

[cmogi10]

A replica/recreation of the original F would be too cool. I would love one the same way I want an M2. If only I could justify camera's just for the sake of wanting them! Not these days 🙁 but an replica F would be something.


EDIT: Thinking about it though, a RAW only, no LCD, Top mounted controls, Shutter Dial/aperture ring, Digital F sounds like a dream. That might be the only DSLR I ever buy.

 

[jonmanjiro]

1,000 employees, with apologies that poor financial results require cost-cutting measures. :bang:

Ouch! That one hit pretty close to home 😱

I've still got my fingers crossed for a digital SP that looks exactly like the SP 2005 😉

 

[Prosaic]

Another Coolpix or two.

 

[Pickett Wilson]

D40 Safari.

 

[gavinlg]

I say nothing.

 

[Keith]

Like most of the world's larger manufacturers of consumer goods they'll be nervously watching declining sales ... far too busy to grandstand with some commemorative piece of techno bling that no one will have the money for anyway! 😛

 

[Pickett Wilson]

I think Keith is right. Still, there are those rumors that Panasonic is buying Leica...

 

[nbphoto]

In todays climate, whatever they release will have to cost them next to nothing to make and sell limited units for vast prices.
Therefore it will be something they are already tooled up to make, it will be badged 50th Anniveraty model, Safari, etc and will come in a nice box to give instant gratification.

My guess would be a D3x with a commemorative badge of some kind. Possibly the red bit could be a different colour, or the top plate could be painted another colour. They will do a limited run of 1000 units and sell them for 2 or 3 times the price of a normal d3x. They may even match it up with a lens with similar colour alterations and badging changes.


I wish in an ideal world they would release some Fm3a's with digital internals and a new digital M mount range finder.

 

[leighmarrin]

Now that a clean Nikon F body costs less than a simple meterless prism finder, what Nikon SHOULD offer for the F's 50th anniversary is an affordable meterless prism marked 5OTH ANNIV. 1959-2009. Since 99.9% of the jillions of Nikon Fs have the klugey "Photomic" with its battery issues, Nikon should sell a lot of 'em. And those of us who've bought cheap thrift-store Nikon Fs can restore our cameras to the clean lines of the orignal meterless Nikon F of 1959.

 

[colker]

A replica/recreation of the original F would be too cool. I would love one the same way I want an M2. If only I could justify camera's just for the sake of wanting them! Not these days 🙁 but an replica F would be something.


EDIT: Thinking about it though, a RAW only, no LCD, Top mounted controls, Shutter Dial/aperture ring, Digital F sounds like a dream. That might be the only DSLR I ever buy.

the F is pretty... but i like the F2 better.
not hard to find any of those around.

both are pretty indestructible machines.
i remember when my father gave me a brand new F2 body. in the box. it was the most beautifull thing i had ever seen. from that day on i became a serious photographer.

 

[historicist]

~ if Nikon release a digital F or F2, the first thing I will do is wet myself. The second will be to get my credit card out and buy one no matter how many kidneys I have to sell to pay for it ~

 

[mervynyan]

MX being mentioned.

 

[cmogi10]

the F is pretty... but i like the F2 better.
not hard to find any of those around.

both are pretty indestructible machines.
i remember when my father gave me a brand new F2 body. in the box. it was the most beautifull thing i had ever seen. from that day on i became a serious photographer.

Ah I have an FM2N that's a true tool alright.

But a 50th F would have me buying one to just have without worrying about its purpose.

 

[Kevin]

Nikon could announce a new prismless EVF camera like the G1 but with a 1.5 crop sensor.

 

[Ronald M]

Jamie, if you want to resist chimping the solution is electrical tape.