karno Loc: Chico ,California

I am on the fence about this and would like to here what your plans or thoughts on this matter are.
Nikon has announced there mirrorless camera and as expected it will not be f mount, it will be a new mount, so in order to use your f mounts we will need an adapter, I for 1 am not a fan of adapters.
We all see this trend of the phase out of dslr for mirrorless cameras, it could take some years but regardless it may happen.
I am heavily invested in f mount and was wanting to add another lens, although I start to feel that it is a poor investment for the future of my photography, if I new Nikon was not going to eventually phase out the f mount for there new mirrorless I would be fine with it.
Do you think Nikon will keep both mirrorless and dslr,s in production in the future? I would appreciate input on this.
Thank you

Joe Blow

Nikon wants to sell you stuff. You don't buy a camera, you invest in a system. You end up wedded to which ever manufacturer you chose in the beginning.

Nikon has many happy customers already. They think that mirror-less cameras will be part of the future. So they are structuring their business model on the customer buying into their system from the start. That includes buying a whole line of new lenses.

Bill_de Loc: US

Nobody is going to make you trade your DSLRs in for a mirrorless. So unless you plan on getting rid of them I would get whatever lens you want. Nikon has that new 180 - 400 in the pipeline. I bet that will have an "F" mount. It should fit nicely on that old D850.

Stop reading rumors and live for today.

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Mac Loc: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia now Hernando Co. Fl.

Nobody can predict the future.
Who are this "we" you are talking about when you say, "We all see this trend of the phase out of dslr for mirrorless cameras"? I don't see any phase out coming. Nikon recently released the D500 and the D850, that doesn't sound like a phase out to me. I think that Nikon would continue with the F-Mount, and even if the F-Mount was phased out, the F-Mount cameras we have today won't stop working.

karno Loc: Chico ,California

Yes and I am wedded big time,
Indeed, I just hope that they continue to support that marriage for many years to come, even if and when their mirrorless becomes there bread and butter.

karno Loc: Chico ,California

WE refers to the invested.
WHEN, I am referring to years ahead when my zeiss lenses are looking at me wondering what I am doing next.
This question is about the future state of cameras and investing for the future of this, yes my D850 is amazing but if in 5 -10 years it is not being upgraded then the owner has a choice to make. So I ponder the future of cameras before buying more into the system, it is a logical step in evolution.

karno Loc: Chico ,California

That lens looks amazing I will put that on the I wish list, for sure.
And it would be a lens you would want on a camera system you know is going to upgrade with well into the future.
Cameras don't last forever, even my D850 will need an upgrade one day, I hope they move to hybrid dslr along with there mirrorless models.

Bill_de Loc: US

That would be nice!

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rmorrison1116 Loc: Near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania

Investing in any lens, unless you are a working paid photographer or intend to be, is probably not a good idea because the value of a camera lens rarely goes up.

BebuLamar

I think the OP is a pro but if he is not I don't think he meant investment for return

karno Loc: Chico ,California

Thank you for your response.
I am referring to the investment of a system for use not resale. I am not a pro but do sell big prints.

karno Loc: Chico ,California

Thank you for clarifying.
I am not a pro although I do sell prints.

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

I don't believe the F mount is doomed in the short term. Yes, Nikon may come out with a camera using the rumored Z mount but from the rumors it will apply to a body that has a shorter flange to focal plane distance than the F mount, meaning that you could use a fairly simple adapter to use your old lenses. Maybe you're not a fan of adapters, but I don't view them as a big deal.

As you said, your D850 will last you several years and you can use all your current lenses with it. Suppose you decide on a body with a Z mount when it's time to replace your D850? At that time you either buy a pile of Z mount lenses or a pile of Z to F mount adapters. Which do you suppose will be cheaper? If you buy Z mount lenses, they will only be usable on your Z mount camera. If you buy the adapters, you have lenses that you can use on your old equipment as well as your new equipment.

I predict that it will be a long time before a mirrorless camera supplants the DSLR lines if the mirrorless is limited to the Z mount. A lot of people are, like you, in possession of a pile of F mount lenses. I have about 10. (I would call it a significant investment but I don't think investment is the right word, since I don't expect any appreciation). First of all, it will take some time before a full line of Z mount lenses is available (of course the adapters will be available fairly quickly). Three or four years is a long time in terms of camera models, and three or four decades is less than the time the F mount has been around (I had an F-mount camera around 1973). I would not worry about competition to the F mount for a long time (probably a decade or two).

karno Loc: Chico ,California

Much appreciative, your response is very helpful, I have a feeling you are right.

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

Nikon will have to sell almost no DSLR's before they stop using the F-mount - their customers will guarantee that - so you can purchase the last one.