Rumor seems to be that when Nikon moves to mirrorless bodies current lenses would not be compatible, although maybe? there might be some kind of converter so these lenses could be used. The question, which I have not seen addressed, is why anyone would buy a Nikon mirrorless if their current lenses were not compatible and a converter to facilitate migration were not available. There are excellent manufacturers (Sony for example) that have been producing mirrorless systems for years and have probably gotten most of the bugs and idiosyncracies out, while Nikon does not have long experience with the technology.
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Why even consider buying a new Nikon Mirrorless?
- Thread starter johnchap2
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StillLearning
Senior Member
That could have been said before Nikon came out with their first FX camera. But they hit a home run with the D3 and D700.
James809
Senior Member
Even if one takes that position, Nikon had *lenses* that worked properly with their first FX camera. They used the same f-mount that film lenses used.
MrHollywood
Veteran Member
Those Sony cameras are wonderful tech, but HELL to hold, especially with bigger lenses.
Maybe Nikon can do better.
But for now a Nikon D5 or D850 are the best handling cameras around.
But there's one powerful word that is meaningful to me for mirrorless and that's TRAVEL.
Rob
Maybe Nikon can do better.
But for now a Nikon D5 or D850 are the best handling cameras around.
But there's one powerful word that is meaningful to me for mirrorless and that's TRAVEL.
Rob
StillLearning
Senior Member
You don't really think Nikon will release a camera with a different mount and not have an adapter to use the older lenses? Hopefully better then what they had for the N1.
It's quite likely that people will want the f-mount lenses to work as well on a mirrorless camera as they did on a DSLR. That might not be possible. I'm sure that Sony mirrorless cameras have some issues with the older Sony DSLR lenses using Sony adapters. Although not a Sony product, I know that there are issues with some Canon lenses adapted to Sony mirrorless. It just might not be possible to make the perfect F-mount adapter for a Nikon mirrorless.
Geomaticsman
Senior Member
In terms of slightly smaller overall size perhaps, but there doesn't seem to be much of a savings in weight from what I can see.
TacticDesigns
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michaeladawson
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Exactly. Having the F-mount lenses compatible (via adapter or otherwise) is important but it's not the be all and end all for a new mirrorless camera.
I have a ton of Nikon compatible flashes and triggers. I like Nikon handling and ergonomics. I know the camera menu organization. I like the Nikon build.
And oh yeah. It might be very good.
StillLearning
Senior Member
That's right.
But whereas the early mirrorless USP was perhaps smaller, lighter, less buttons, no viewfinder, etc., I don't think that dogma can be adhered to fully. Sony FF are larger, as are the lenses - look at Leica's SL system!! Mirrorless is becoming more a 'lose the mirror/use an EVF' approach... Which is 21st Century thinking for the interchangeable lens camera system. The size issue (keeping it down), can result in poor handling and if you jettison any size constraints you're left with a clean slate to de-mirror your system camera and move forward.
IMHO, if Nikon made a capable FF mirrorless with a handful of lenses at launch that was as big as a DSLR it would not deter me in the slightest!
Regards,
M.
But whereas the early mirrorless USP was perhaps smaller, lighter, less buttons, no viewfinder, etc., I don't think that dogma can be adhered to fully. Sony FF are larger, as are the lenses - look at Leica's SL system!! Mirrorless is becoming more a 'lose the mirror/use an EVF' approach... Which is 21st Century thinking for the interchangeable lens camera system. The size issue (keeping it down), can result in poor handling and if you jettison any size constraints you're left with a clean slate to de-mirror your system camera and move forward.
IMHO, if Nikon made a capable FF mirrorless with a handful of lenses at launch that was as big as a DSLR it would not deter me in the slightest!
Regards,
M.
JohnnyLuddite
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Ah, but there was terrible wailing and gnashing of teeth when they went from the (mirrorless) rangefinder SP to the early f-mount SLRs!
What exactly do they need long experience with? It seems to me there are only 3 elements of the tech which are different
- - the on-sensor AF and liveview electronics
- - the EVF
- - the lens focusing system being optimised for on-sensor AF
On 2, Leica managed the world's nicest EVF on their first attempt with a built-in EVF (the SL) so this seems to me not a challenge needing long experience
On 3, I admit I don't know to what extent the E and -P lenses already do this. Certainly the CX lenses were good at AF.
Nikon are brilliant at making the world's best photographer-centric still cameras. I am convinced they could make a superb MILC that could match Sony's (many) good performance qualities without most of the quirks.
Whether they will is another matter - in the sense of whether it will be compromised for some market positioning/pricing reasons, the way (it feels to me) the Canon M series is.
JohnnyLuddite
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Nikon make most of their money on lenses. Therefore, for Fx at least, I fully expect them to have a fairly fully-functional active adaptor (the FFFAA!) which allows good integration with existing lenses. It might well be fairly costly too.
Then, the mirrorless side of things stands or falls on its own merit (which includes the ergonomics). Since the size advantage of mirrorless on Fx is limited, I think you'd only need to cover the wide-end focal ranges with native lenses on the new mount initially.
Then, the mirrorless side of things stands or falls on its own merit (which includes the ergonomics). Since the size advantage of mirrorless on Fx is limited, I think you'd only need to cover the wide-end focal ranges with native lenses on the new mount initially.
The d850 is one of the best consumer cameras made to date. All they need to do it take the mirror box out of a d850, put is in a stylish, modern yet retro body, improve the livewiew AF and everybody will be shelling out cash for it.
morinor
Senior Member
The competition on mirrorless against Sony on FF and Fuji on APS-C is hard. This question must be answered by two kind of people. Those having some Nikon gear and those who doesn't.
For those who do I think I will be the only way if they want to use the same lens that they trust and like. Again the body itself must be able to deliver a good experience with a Nikon F mount attached.
The biggest question is for those who doesn't. Nikon must offer I think a very competitive option. Nikon is famous for offering one of the best sensors (whoever makes them), reliable and fast focus system and nice handling. On these should make no compromise. The difficulty about handling is that should offer a smaller body completely different than used to. Also the focus system is completely different as it does must not depend on phase detection module. Dual pixel or on sensor phase detection are a challenge.
We should wait and see.
For those who do I think I will be the only way if they want to use the same lens that they trust and like. Again the body itself must be able to deliver a good experience with a Nikon F mount attached.
The biggest question is for those who doesn't. Nikon must offer I think a very competitive option. Nikon is famous for offering one of the best sensors (whoever makes them), reliable and fast focus system and nice handling. On these should make no compromise. The difficulty about handling is that should offer a smaller body completely different than used to. Also the focus system is completely different as it does must not depend on phase detection module. Dual pixel or on sensor phase detection are a challenge.
We should wait and see.
Indeed! But it didn't take long for the F reflex system to catch up with the S rangefinder system's lens line-up. F launched in 1959 and by the end of that year the F-mount lenses ranged from 21mm, 35mm, 50mm,105mm,135mm primes and an 85-250mm zoom. Strange how the larger, heavier camera system won out in the end (what were they thinking?), but I guess that was progress...
I'd love a mirrorless S styled system though... Drool.
Regards,
M.
I'd love a mirrorless S styled system though... Drool.
Regards,
M.
S
Smitty1
Guest
Considering we have an unsubstantiated rumor, why bother spending your time worrying over why anyone would buy an unreleased, unannounced camera in a hypothetical situation where a unreleased, unannounced adapter theoretically doesn't function properly with one's lenses?
At that point Nikon had experience with digital technology re their DX bodies. The Kodak SLRN was a digital full frame (FX) from Kodak that took Nikon lenses. I used an SLRN for at least two years before Nikon finally came out with D700. But the main point is the tens of millions of so-called FX lenses which had been used on their film bodies and which were compatible with the new Nikon FX bodies.
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