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Why even consider buying a new Nikon Mirrorless?

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Exactly right! About the worrying, that is. I see no reason to worry about what might come. Everyone's gear will still work - it just may not be 'interchangeable' ;-)

Plus it's fun to speculate isn't it :-D

Regards,

M.
 
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johnchap2 said:
StillLearning said:
johnchap2 said:
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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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.
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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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I remember those days. All the talk about how difficult it was to make a good full frame sensor because of light angles and such. Apparently they solved just like I believe they will solve the mirrorless camera problems.

As for lenses not being compatible, do you really think nikon is so stupid as not to provide a bridge between their f-mount lenses and new ml camera? This isn't 1959.
 
Smitty1 said:
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?
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I don't think there is any question that Nikon is working on a mirrorless system and it's most likely to have a new mount (they would be nuts if they didn't). The issue seems to be with the worry worts in a number of threads. One guy is even going to start selling off his F-mount lenses.

What is the problem people? Nikon is going to keep on making DSLRs for years to come. For those that have been crying for a Nikon mirrorless, you will get that but don't expect your F-mount lenses to work perfectly on that mirrorless system. Your not likely to get everything your way with this new mirrorless system.

Personally, I'm going to stick to my DSLRs and not lose a bit of sleep. Hell, Nikon will still sell you a new SLR if you want it.
 
I don't think worry is the correct word. What we are doing is conjecture. Also, with the thing sort of up in the air at the moment, why wouldn't anyone currently considering the purchase of an expensive lens postpone the buying decision until the final answers are out. For example, go out and spend$1500 on a lens that could be obsolete in terms of a new camera technology? I and I suspect most would postpone pending final news unless that had to have the lens.
 
johnchap2 said:
Also, with the thing sort of up in the air at the moment, why wouldn't anyone currently considering the purchase of an expensive lens postpone the buying decision until the final answers are out. For example, go out and spend$1500 on a lens that could be obsolete in terms of a new camera technology? I and I suspect most would postpone pending final news unless that had to have the lens.
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I think you have a good point. Nikon isn't know for publishing future roadmaps! But it's getting to a time where the maturity of MILC technology and the persistent rumours about a future Nikon MILC are such that it's a legitimate question. A new lens buyer has a wide choice of AF tech in Nikkors - from the AF-D, AFS D, AFS G, AFS E and AFS P/G. If I were investing thousands in Nikkors, I'd kind of want to know!
 
johnchap2 said:
I don't think worry is the correct word. What we are doing is conjecture. Also, with the thing sort of up in the air at the moment, why wouldn't anyone currently considering the purchase of an expensive lens postpone the buying decision until the final answers are out. For example, go out and spend$1500 on a lens that could be obsolete in terms of a new camera technology? I and I suspect most would postpone pending final news unless that had to have the lens.
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And that thinking, is just dumb. Even if Nikon stopped making DSLRs, the past lenses and that new lens will still work on all the current DSLRs that will keep working well into the future.

You sound like one of "the sky is falling" people? I think that Nikon just released that new 180-400mm f/4 $12.4k lens for no reason.
 
Another thought.... While I would like to see is current lenses completely compatible with a new body design. If not that, at least a bridge device to make current lenses usable on a new body. However, if such a bridge device contains glass then it will likely impact IQ. The least desirable is complete incompatibility.

But if complete compatibility is not achieved, the market for used Nikon cameras and Nikon Mt lenses will be impacted, probably significantly.

I'll throw in another wrench, albeit a tiny one. Dust on the sensor will likely become a bigger issue since right now the mirror protects, at least to some extent, the sensor from dust.
 
If there is not a high quality adapter, there would be no specific reason to current Nikon customers to buy this camera over any other mirrorless camera.

So you have to start with the assumption that there will be a half-decent adapter, at a minimum.

So assuming they can do a half-decent adapter (preferably a flawless adapter), then there would be compelling reasons for a Nikon user to get the new camera, especially if it's any good.
 
johnchap2 said:
I don't think worry is the correct word. What we are doing is conjecture. Also, with the thing sort of up in the air at the moment, why wouldn't anyone currently considering the purchase of an expensive lens postpone the buying decision until the final answers are out. For example, go out and spend$1500 on a lens that could be obsolete in terms of a new camera technology? I and I suspect most would postpone pending final news unless that had to have the lens.
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But that wasn't the OP's question:

" 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."

Why would anyone make a buying decision based on a rumoured camera with rumoured specs, rumoured lenses with no pricing information?

For me - I will consider it when and if the camera comes out just as I would consider any other camera / lenses that comes out in the future.

As for lens buying decision - I consider it in terms of my current camera bodies and my requirements / needs not what rumoured camera bodies I may or may not get in the future.
 
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johnchap2 said:
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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Regarding the bugs, idiocies etc...maybe you should know, that new era of design engineering is to purchase competition product and do full study, to make your own design better :)
 
johnchap2 said:
Another thought.... While I would like to see is current lenses completely compatible with a new body design. If not that, at least a bridge device to make current lenses usable on a new body. However, if such a bridge device contains glass then it will likely impact IQ. The least desirable is complete incompatibility.

But if complete compatibility is not achieved, the market for used Nikon cameras and Nikon Mt lenses will be impacted, probably significantly.

I'll throw in another wrench, albeit a tiny one. Dust on the sensor will likely become a bigger issue since right now the mirror protects, at least to some extent, the sensor from dust.
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Hopefully it won't have glass. If the adapter isn't very good then I will not be adding a nikon mirrorless to my stable.

Dust has always been a problem with a interchangeable camara systems. I would think cleaning the sensor might be easier on a mirrorless. Just the shutter needs to be locked open. I would think it would be easier to see the sensor with a shallow depth in body. Since I haven't cleaned a mirrorless then I maybe wrong.
 
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I just don’t know why anyone would ever want to get a mirrorless from Nikon when they make the world’s best dslrs (D850, D5, D750, etc).
 
But if it's a well designed, solid performing mirrorless product that Nikon eventually brings to market why wouldn't it appeal to users who 'value' Nikon's products? If you are quite happy to buy into another maker's mirrorless system, your existing Nikkors will still be behind the performance (not talking image quality, but functionality here), curve of that manufacturer's native lenses, no?

If you were in the market for a mirrorless camera and you gravitate towards Nikon products in general, I think you'd give it a look in regardless of any legacy lens issues. You'd surely weigh up any potential purchase on design, specs, performance, lenses at launch and of course, pricing. I just don't think the world would end (for Nikon or customers), if the lens mount was new and the existing F mount wasn't fully/if at all compatible.

The F mount has changed throughout its time and even now there are AF lenses incompatible with some DSLRs because Nikon wants certain performance enhancements and is willing to phase these in at the risk of losing that precious universal F mount compatibility/functionality. So it's already happening.

It would just be great to see what they eventually unveil - it could of course be horribly wrong in many ways but, imho, that wouldn't be because of this legacy lens thing.

Regards,

M.
 
I'm still having a hard time understanding why anyone thinks that a mirrorless is superior to a DSLR and why we can't have more of a blending than a one or the other product??

What does one really gain with mirrorless that cannot be achieved with a DSLR? Certainly a smaller and lighter body, but not that much so, especially when combined with an adapter or longer lenses.

Also, there is no reason that Nikon could not develop a mirrorless camera that uses existing lenses without an adapter. I'm not an engineer, but I presume they would need to keep the same flange to sensor distance, which would impact the camera dimensions, but it would certainly be lighter without the mirror and the prism. Frankly, this is what I would like to have, a blend of the mirrorless tech with the DSLR tech.

I'm also really interested in curved sensor tech, especially if it allows for smaller and lighter telephoto lenses.

--
Thanks,
Mark
http://markburgess.zenfolio.com/
 
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I moved to Nikon from Panasonic. Strongly considered Sony, but ultimately Nikon lens selection/pricing persuaded me towards a D750.

I do miss aspects of mirrorless, and if Nikon offers a compelling mirrorless option which incorporates the F mount, I’d be game to try it.
 
StillLearning said:
I remember those days. All the talk about how difficult it was to make a good full frame sensor because of light angles and such.
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I do remember those, there were a many posts in the early years of DX expanding on why FX was unfeasible - the light angle stuff but also posts along the lines of "I have worked 20 years in the silicon wafer fabrication industry and can tell you the size of a full frame sensor is totally uneconomic due to ....etc etc etc"
 
StillLearning said:
johnchap2 said:
Another thought.... While I would like to see is current lenses completely compatible with a new body design. If not that, at least a bridge device to make current lenses usable on a new body. However, if such a bridge device contains glass then it will likely impact IQ. The least desirable is complete incompatibility.

But if complete compatibility is not achieved, the market for used Nikon cameras and Nikon Mt lenses will be impacted, probably significantly.

I'll throw in another wrench, albeit a tiny one. Dust on the sensor will likely become a bigger issue since right now the mirror protects, at least to some extent, the sensor from dust.
Click to expand...
Hopefully it won't have glass. If the adapter isn't very good then I will not be adding a nikon mirrorless to my stable.
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We already know those aspects of what it will be if there is a new mount (and that is very likely). If there is the no glass adapter(likely) that might not provide perfect AF and then there is the SLT (pellicle mirror) type adapter that cuts down about 1/2 f-stop of light. Neither is perfect for every user. It's a trade off that any mirrorless user will have to face with a new Nikon mirrorless system and the F-mount lenses.
 
VBLondon said:
johnchap2 said:
Also, with the thing sort of up in the air at the moment, why wouldn't anyone currently considering the purchase of an expensive lens postpone the buying decision until the final answers are out. For example, go out and spend$1500 on a lens that could be obsolete in terms of a new camera technology? I and I suspect most would postpone pending final news unless that had to have the lens.
Click to expand...
I think you have a good point. Nikon isn't know for publishing future roadmaps! But it's getting to a time where the maturity of MILC technology and the persistent rumours about a future Nikon MILC are such that it's a legitimate question. A new lens buyer has a wide choice of AF tech in Nikkors - from the AF-D, AFS D, AFS G, AFS E and AFS P/G. If I were investing thousands in Nikkors, I'd kind of want to know!
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I haven’t purchased a new lens for years now, but I dn’t depend on photography, so I can wait. If I were a pro, I wouldn’t care, would get the lenses I needed, whem ML comes I’d see if it added to my system. It is a legimate question, but answer depends heavily on what use one has for their system.
 
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