p.4 #1 · Nikon’s next move: What camera body are you expecting?
Priorities differ as in dalegaspi wrote:
IMO the small and cramped design of the Sony bodies compromises too much on ergonomics especially with large lenses.
i'll take the Z8 over any of the current Sony bodies.
If a Nikon body like the Z8 had a higher-res sensor like the a7rV I would be all in. For now I still need the a7rV for reach in certain circumstances. The ergonomics are sure sucky but my goal is to capture the images not enjoy it.
Priorities differ as in this thread.
p.4 #3 · Nikon’s next move: What camera body are you expecting?
RustyRus wrote:
Go to chat GPT, Select deep research- REearch rumored Nikon camera bodies coming in 2026
Then have it create a script for you for a 5 minute video-
Then dump it into a video generator with voice over-
That is what you posted. Its just scrubbing the internet for whatever it finds.
…while contributing to a massive surge in BOM cost for consumer electronics and just plain scarcity for things like memory chips. All of which reasons why new Nikon cameras might be delayed and/or more expensive when released ✌️
p.4 #4 · Nikon’s next move: What camera body are you expecting?
to each his own..but there's no "we" here; not everyone wants what Sony is offering in terms of camera body design. i don't have the data but it's highly debatable that its size is a major reason why it's a market leader.
the statement was "Sony got the size right" as if it's a universal and it applies to every user.
unchecked wrote:
But it didn't stop them from being a market leader so we kinda have to rethink how far people can tolerate compromises.
On the topic, my guesses would be the Z30ii as the summer/fall body first, then the Z9ii in Jan/Feb next year.
p.4 #5 · Nikon’s next move: What camera body are you expecting?
I am not closely following Nikon rumor sites, but let's think from the 1st principles. A modern mirrorless camera is primarily built around two core components: a sensor and an image processor. Unfortunately for Nikon, being the smallest of the Big 3, they rely on OEM suppliers for both.
Sony makes their sensors and the menu of options is well known. The 24+45MP combo. We already know that Sony is not offering their "top dog" chip from the A1 series to 3rd parties, and it's unclear whether the 33MP chip from the A7 familiy will become available. Either way, the foundational sensor tech is basically stable at this point and a new sensor would only bring us different megapixel specs. The magic is in the surrounding circutry, where I would expect Nikon to catch up and offer Dual Gain Output (DGO) for their next generation of cameras.
Which brings me to the image processor. Unfortunately, AFAIK Nikon is the only top-3 camera maker who relies on an external OEM partner for their Expeed processors (Socionext). We'll never know the details of their relationship, but generally relying on OEM technology always comes at a cost of flexibility and not having full control, including over things like timing. You can only do so much with firmware tweaking. At some point you need new silicon, and before we see meaningful innovation in Nikon cameras we must first see the release of Expeed 8 and what kind of capabilities will be offered.
That's what I'm doing: lazily looking at what sensors Sony is offering and the pre-announcement of Expeed 8. Regarding the fate of the Z7, I believe Nikon still has a slot in their lineup for a slow(er) high-resolution landscape camera to compete with the Sony A7R series. Fortunately for them, the Sony's 61MP sensor is available for purchase as evidenced by Leica using it in all of their models. It's an incredible sensor from the IQ perspective, which can be made absolutley incredible with the addition of DGO.
Here's my wishlist, let's call it "predictions":
1. A new Z7 camera with a 61MP sensor.
2. A new Z9 with Expeed 8 offering better AF, better power managment, and higher spec EVF.
3. ... followed by the Z9 II features trickling down to lesser cameras.
p.4 #6 · Nikon’s next move: What camera body are you expecting?
obviously everyone has different priorities that's why i started mine with "IMO"
what grinds my gear is with when people "Sony did it right" in terms of size as if it's a statement of fact.
EB-1 wrote:
Priorities differ as in
If a Nikon body like the Z8 had a higher-res sensor like the a7rV I would be all in. For now I still need the a7rV for reach in certain circumstances. The ergonomics are sure sucky but my goal is to capture the images not enjoy it.
Priorities differ as in this thread.
p.4 #7 · Nikon’s next move: What camera body are you expecting?
dalegaspi wrote:
to each his own..but there's no "we" here; not everyone wants what Sony is offering in terms of camera body design. i don't have the data but it's highly debatable that its size is a major reason why it's a market leader.
the statement was "Sony got the size right" as if it's a universal and it applies to every user.
Market share and sales show that Sony did get it right for more users than Nikon did. I guess that is what counts.
Being the technology leader by a good margin also counts I am sure.
p.4 #12 · Nikon’s next move: What camera body are you expecting?
old-gregg wrote:
I am not closely following Nikon rumor sites, but let's think from the 1st principles. A modern mirrorless camera is primarily built around two core components: a sensor and an image processor. Unfortunately for Nikon, being the smallest of the Big 3, they rely on OEM suppliers for both.
Sony makes their sensors and the menu of options is well known. The 24+45MP combo. We already know that Sony is not offering their "top dog" chip from the A1 series to 3rd parties, and it's unclear whether the 33MP chip from the A7 familiy will become available. Either way, the foundational sensor tech is basically stable at this point and a new sensor would only bring us different megapixel specs. The magic is in the surrounding circutry, where I would expect Nikon to catch up and offer Dual Gain Output (DGO) for their next generation of cameras.
Which brings me to the image processor. Unfortunately, AFAIK Nikon is the only top-3 camera maker who relies on an external OEM partner for their Expeed processors (Socionext). We'll never know the details of their relationship, but generally relying on OEM technology always comes at a cost of flexibility and not having full control, including over things like timing. You can only do so much with firmware tweaking. At some point you need new silicon, and before we see meaningful innovation in Nikon cameras we must first see the release of Expeed 8 and what kind of capabilities will be offered.
That's what I'm doing: lazily looking at what sensors Sony is offering and the pre-announcement of Expeed 8. Regarding the fate of the Z7, I believe Nikon still has a slot in their lineup for a slow(er) high-resolution landscape camera to compete with the Sony A7R series. Fortunately for them, the Sony's 61MP sensor is available for purchase as evidenced by Leica using it in all of their models. It's an incredible sensor from the IQ perspective, which can be made absolutley incredible with the addition of DGO.
Here's my wishlist, let's call it "predictions":
1. A new Z7 camera with a 61MP sensor.
2. A new Z9 with Expeed 8 offering better AF, better power managment, and higher spec EVF.
3. ... followed by the Z9 II features trickling down to lesser cameras.
(ignoring video since I know nothing about video)...Show more →
If all that were true why did the Z6III ship with a first of a kind partially stacked sensor 1.5 years before the corresponding Sony camera?
p.4 #13 · Nikon’s next move: What camera body are you expecting?
fjablo wrote:
Nikonrumors has been wrong a lot of times and these specs are almost certainly false, too. That guy is not afraid to share rumors based on random posts in Chinese social media.. Happy to be proven wrong but I don't think I will be
Do you have factual examples?
I have read them probably 300 days per year for many years and I don’t remember any significant glitch. The products they announce will come do come in the announced sequence and timing. The specs are always spot on. And I have been wrong many times claiming their forecast didn't make sense...
I think that there is a 90+% chance that the Z9II will indeed have a read-out speed of 1/720s and a base ISO of 32. Considering how close the Z9 still is to the best Sony and Canon AF wise, it also seems a safe bet to think that the Z9II will be the best focusing camera on the market. They are all already so incredibly good in the right hands that it may not make a huge difference for many photographers, but still.
p.4 #15 · Nikon’s next move: What camera body are you expecting?
jcw1982 wrote:
Nikon D850 II
Actually, I still think that we may get a D900 at some point, but that would have to come after the Z7III, or whatever Nikon decides to name it.
It would be a very cheap project for Nikon, mostly re-use existing components and would generate a lot of business from the hundreds of thousands of remaining D610/D750/D780/D800/D810/D850 users who have decided for whatever reason that they will never migrate to mirrorless... but probably also some remaining EOS mount DSLR users with similar anti-mirrorless feelings. It would also help Nikon clear remaining F mount lenses inventories, help keep higher prices in the second hand market which would in turn provide incentive to buy Z mount glass since the price differential would be lower.
The main question being, what would it take in terms of specs to sell? The obvious answer is a higher resolution sensor compared to the D850. Hence the connection I establish with the release of the Z7III.
p.4 #19 · Nikon’s next move: What camera body are you expecting?
I agree that the IQ and performance gains seem to be plateauing...I think that perhaps working on the style/enjoyment of cameras might be a good complement to the current Nikon lineup...I would love to see Nikon dip into their design history and produce a Nikon rangefinder-style smaller FF body, it would pair very well with the expanding Voigtlander MF lens choices...I think this would target additional customers for Nikon rather than cater to existing customers.
p.4 #20 · Nikon’s next move: What camera body are you expecting?
leolab wrote:
I agree that the IQ and performance gains seem to be plateauing...I think that perhaps working on the style/enjoyment of cameras might be a good complement to the current Nikon lineup...I would love to see Nikon dip into their design history and produce a Nikon rangefinder-style smaller FF body, it would pair very well with the expanding Voigtlander MF lens choices...I think this would target additional customers for Nikon rather than cater to existing customers.
That is the problem. The users seem lazier than ever and more into style than substance, so there is less incentive purely to improve IQ. It's sad.
