After what seems to be two lifetimes and a half, Nikon finally confirmed rumors of their development of all new mirrorless camera and lens system. While Nikon was tight-lipped with details of the new system, they did confirm that their new mirrorless cameras will in fact sport, full-frame sensors.
While the announcement confirms what’s been a long-running rumor, we’re a little sad to see the overall lack of information. Simply confirming the development of a mirrorless system might have been groundbreaking news 3 or 4 years ago, it’s simply not enough in a world where Sony is king. Nikon (and to be fair, Canon as well) have been holding on to their spots as professional-grade camera manufacturers in large part because of their storied history; but the innovation crown is clearly held by Sony and the a7 and a9 series of cameras. Nikon, to their credit, also announced the development of an F-mount adapter to help their existing customers transition to their new mirrorless system. It’s smart, but far from unique. If Nikon believes they can beat Sony in a lens arms race by adapting existing F-mount lenses, they’ll find themselves in a similar position that they did when released the J1 and J2 series of 1-inch sensor mirrorless cameras (if you don’t remember those, don’t worry, no one took those seriously).
Nikon teased more information in the near future and a new website dedicated to their FX-format cameras; being a Photokina year, we’re expecting an unveiling by October though a really big announcement would be a release date and some images of their new series of cameras. If they plan on clawing their way back to the top, they’re going to have to innovate their way out of their current hole. Full-frame sounds nice, now let’s hope they come out the gate with some pro-level glass to match.
You can read the full press release from Nikon below.
Nikon Announces Development of Next Generation Full-Frame Mirrorless Camera and NIKKOR Lenses—Featuring a New Mount—That Pursue a New Dimension in Optical Performance
MELVILLE, NY – Nikon Inc. is pleased to announce the development of a next-generation full-frame (Nikon FX-format) mirrorless camera and NIKKOR lenses featuring a new mount.
The new mirrorless camera and NIKKOR lenses that are in development will enable a new dimension in optical performance with the adoption of a new mount. The system is the result of Nikon’s unsurpassed optical and manufacturing capabilities gained through more than a century of imaging expertise. Proven reliability and trusted performance are core traits of Nikon Digital-SLRs, and decades of feedback from professional creators around the world has further contributed to the development of this system.Through the development of this new mirrorless camera, Nikon reaffirms our commitment to providing photographers with the ability to capture images that are richer and more vivid than ever before.
Additionally, an F-Mount adapter is being developed that will enable the use of a wide variety of F-Mount NIKKOR lenses with the new camera.Nikon will continue to lead imaging innovation with the launch of the new mirrorless camera and the continued development of Nikon Digital-SLR cameras as well as the impressive NIKKOR lens lineup. Soon, Nikon users will have two industry-leading camera systems to choose from, giving consumers the choice to enjoy the unique values that each system offers.
Content relating to this product is available for viewing at the following URL: http://www.nikonusa.com/mirrorlessiscoming. Please stay tuned for more information.
Details, including the release date and suggested retail prices, will be shared at a later date.
