Interesting development for Z f. For over a year, I kept hearing Z6 ii in retro bodies. But it seems that
after the success of Z9/Z8, Nikon may have a change of heart. They may try to position Z F as a baby Z8 ie high performance camera but in smaller, less expensive package. Z8 is great but not everyone can afford it nor needs the full capability of Z8 so baby Z8 might make sense, whatever that means.
Anyhow, that's one possiblity but Nikon is not saying too much about it but we may get to hear something more definitive by the end of this month or early next month but not August 2nd for sure.
At least Nikon Thailand VP here posted on his FB saying nothing exciting on August 2nd.
They would practically have to rip most of the video features out of it to even make it make sense price wise, while still in the process killing the Z7 series of cameras. I do not see how a $2500 or below 45mp camera (with a stacked sensor) fits into their product line without killing half of their product line. suteetat wrote:
Interesting development for Z f. For over a year, I kept hearing Z6 ii in retro bodies. But it seems that
after the success of Z9/Z8, Nikon may have a change of heart. They may try to position Z F as a baby Z8 ie high performance camera but in smaller, less expensive package. Z8 is great but not everyone can afford it nor needs the full capability of Z8 so baby Z8 might make sense, whatever that means.
Anyhow, that's one possiblity but Nikon is not saying too much about it but we may get to hear something more definitive by the end of this month or early next month but not August 2nd for sure.
At least Nikon Thailand VP here posted on his FB saying nothing exciting on August 2nd. ...Show more →
suteetat wrote:
Interesting development for Z f. For over a year, I kept hearing Z6 ii in retro bodies. But it seems that
after the success of Z9/Z8, Nikon may have a change of heart. They may try to position Z F as a baby Z8 ie high performance camera but in smaller, less expensive package. Z8 is great but not everyone can afford it nor needs the full capability of Z8 so baby Z8 might make sense, whatever that means.
Anyhow, that's one possiblity but Nikon is not saying too much about it but we may get to hear something more definitive by the end of this month or early next month but not August 2nd for sure.
At least Nikon Thailand VP here posted on his FB saying nothing exciting on August 2nd. ...Show more →
Is this based on knowledge, verified leaked information or just tea leaves?
JadedWriter wrote:
They would practically have to rip most of the video features out of it to even make it make sense price wise, while still in the process killing the Z7 series of cameras. I do not see how a $2500 or below 45mp camera (with a stacked sensor) fits into their product line without killing half of their product line.
No idea but price wise, $2500 may not be a realistic price for a baby Z8. Probably more like $3000+.
A7 IV is a bit under $2500, if Z F has higher resolution, faster FPS and better AF (?) Nikon certainly
can command quite a bit higher price. For now, Nikon has a very competitive higher performance platform
than the entry/lower-mid market so they may decide to go with their strength. On one hand, this is a big surprise for me but
as far as I know, Nikon pretty much design their cameras as modular design so until everything is finalized, they
can switch and change things quite a bit up to a certain point.
JadedWriter wrote:
They would practically have to rip most of the video features out of it to even make it make sense price wise, while still in the process killing the Z7 series of cameras. I do not see how a $2500 or below 45mp camera (with a stacked sensor) fits into their product line without killing half of their product line.
If history is any guide, the former retro themed digital bodies were never cutting edge and really not designed to be a do-all tool like the Z8 is. I realistically expect to see the major specs straight out of the Nikon parts bin (probably more Z5 than Z6II), a build that is on par with the Zfc including the articulating rear display and SD card slot and probably the EN-EL14 battery. I'm not excited by any of that. Cool if they make it as it is a bit unique compared to what other brands have out there.
I agree a Zf will be a Parts-Bin camera (mostly from Z6 and Z7 inventory), more likely the more affordable lowlight capable 24mp BSI sensor.
IBIS
and similar more compact form factor. It will probably have similar video to the Z6, like the Zfc.
EXPEED7 with Z8 EVF might be the only surprise for the excellent EVF quality, and enhanced performance subject to 'normal' non-stacked BSI sensor.
The Zf will be a Hobbyist camera primarily. So being Retro, it will be no surprise if Nikon also releases a more retro-friendly FTZ for older F-mount lenses.
suteetat wrote:
Do you ask for verification for every spec of Z F mention on this thread so far?
No. So far just you.
I'll get around to the rest of them . . . Speculation is sometimes a healthy exercise in coming to understand how a company sees its market and future. Often the divergence in what people 'guess' something is going to be gives information on how people perceive a company and how a company perceives itself. That is, wishful thinking can be a sobering exercise. Speculation based on some verifiable information is just more fun. I'm just curious if you have something more substantial than just armchair marketing. No harm meant.
JadedWriter wrote:
They would practically have to rip most of the video features out of it to even make it make sense price wise, while still in the process killing the Z7 series of cameras. I do not see how a $2500 or below 45mp camera (with a stacked sensor) fits into their product line without killing half of their product line.
There are also other places to cripple the camera to keep future Z6/Z7 cameras around. Say for example give it the EN-EL14 battery, which is half the size of the EN-EL15. That's a big cripple. They can also remove the headphone jack while keeping the microphone jack. They could also risk removing IBIS, but that's probably too crippling.
akul wrote:
If ZF takes a small camera approach with no IBIS, it may also be a single slot camera to save every cubic centimeter and a few bucks of parts. If it is with IBIS, body will be thick enough for the second slot. Who knows.
How small are we talking? The Fuji X-T4/T5 have IBIS and those a pretty small....
oguruma wrote:
How small are we talking? The Fuji X-T4/T5 have IBIS and those a pretty small....
Except they aren't...the X-T5 and Z6 ii are roughly the same height and width, and you don't need as big an IBIS unit for a crop sensor as you do a full frame.
RoamingScott wrote:
Except they aren't...the X-T5 and Z6 ii are roughly the same height and width, and you don't need as big an IBIS unit for a crop sensor as you do a full frame.
Riiiiight. What percentage of people look at the X-T4 and say "dang, that thing is huuuuuuuge!"?
RoamingScott wrote:
Except filmbacks are just means of transporting preloaded film, not a means of exposing twice. Also, wow, that thing looks unwieldy.
and that was the option of the day. you could have multiple preloads. could you do better back then? what were you doing in 1995/96?
so you had a choice, learn to work with it or not. try on the back of a motorcycle. oh, you still didn't shoot at 20-30 fps.
oguruma wrote:
Riiiiight. What percentage of people look at the X-T4 and say "dang, that thing is huuuuuuuge!"?
It's not huge but it's pretty big for being a crop sensor camera. As RoamingScott said it is about the same size as a Z5/Z6/Z7, but weighs about 4oz less.
jaygould wrote:
It's not huge but it's pretty big for being a crop sensor camera. As RoamingScott said it is about the same size as a Z5/Z6/Z7, but weighs about 4oz less.
The size of the X-T line is what pushed me to Sony full frame. Not much advantage to shooting the vastly inferior X-Trans sensors when the body is the same practical size as a great full frame.
jaygould wrote:
It's not huge but it's pretty big for being a crop sensor camera. As RoamingScott said it is about the same size as a Z5/Z6/Z7, but weighs about 4oz less.
Holding my X-T4 up to my Nikon F3, it looks like it's maybe 1/4 - 1/2" taller, and just about the same width.... I certainly wouldn't want a camera to be any smaller than an X-T4, and I don't exactly have large hands by male standards...
That battery would probably get like 200 shots per charge unchecked wrote:
There are also other places to cripple the camera to keep future Z6/Z7 cameras around. Say for example give it the EN-EL14 battery, which is half the size of the EN-EL15. That's a big cripple. They can also remove the headphone jack while keeping the microphone jack. They could also risk removing IBIS, but that's probably too crippling.