suntouched Loc: Sierra Vista AZ

Interesting that you got to see and hold one. All the opinions posted (from everywhere) from those that haven't even done that! Thanks for sharing your experience.

CatMarley Loc: North Carolina

But for how long? And what tier models? Entry, Enthusiast or Pro? All their accessory stuff is sure to fit the Z and the modern lenses are all going to work seamlessly. If they fix any issues in the next model Z there will be absolutely no reason for retaining the old clunky mirror and prism. Another question - lenses. Will there be any new lenses for the old technology, or are they going to put all their effort into the new mount lenses which will be cheaper and easier to manufacture? Where are the 3rd party manufacturers going to put their effort in lens's? In the old dslr mount or the new one? Bye-Bye DSLR!

moonhawk Loc: Land of Enchantment

The new 500mm pf or whatever it's called is an F-mount lens, so I'm pretty sure they'll keep producing those. I personally wish it was a Z-mount, but i think it's a given the DSLR will nave a long shelf life.

I'm with you, though, I think mirrorless is the future--and the present. I sold all my nikon bodies, and went with Olympus three years ago or so. But I kept some Nikon glass, and have ordered four Z7s. I'll the one that gets here first and cancel the rest. The thought of a viable FF mirrirless that uses my existing glass is pretty enticing. We'll see.....

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

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Bill_de Loc: US

If enough people did that, maybe the pre orders are not that impressive.

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BebuLamar

May be not long. They have the D5 and now the Z6 and Z7. Sounds like continuation huh? But then the existing DSLR's still last a long time.

hpucker99 Loc: Anchorage, Alaska

Have a good trip and looking forward to your comments on the Z7 after the trip.

Rich1939 Loc: Pike County Penna.

Just the other day a Nikon official said they will continue with DSLRs. Think about how many 10 year old or older cameras are still being used. It will be a loooooong time before we see the funeral of the DSLR. Nikon being an optical company first, if they see an opportunity for profits will continue to make lenses for those cameras.

In this mornings news,A new entry level camera (D3500) will be officially announced in Sept.

gwilliams6

While I truly want Nikon to succeed here and stay in business, here are my thoughts.
Every single pre order customer is banking on these Z cameras working up to their highly-touted and heavily-advertised specs. But so far these Z-cameras (albeit in limited testing of pre-production models) DO NOT even live up to their advertised specs. While I completely understand why folks with Nikon lens collections would jump on these cameras, it may not be wise to buy into the hype and rush to get this first Z camera without more real-world testing. Can you imagine the bad press and lost customer confidence if these buyers wind up unsatisfied after they have spent thousands of dollars, sight unseen, on these not fully real-world tested Z cameras.

And it looks like some will get these, maybe by the end of September, but just like the backlog for D850s, it looks like many will have to wait even longer to get these first Z cameras. In the meantime with Photokina coming in late September and Photoworld following in October, be prepared for both Canon and Sony to make major mirrorless camera announcements of their own. I rest assured Canon has watched the failure of these first Z cameras to actually perform up to their advertised specs, let alone actually match or best the proven performance of the Sonys they all were targeting. Canon's first full frame mirrorless will for sure have better working specs and dual card slots, they wont make the same miscalculation as Nikon. For Sony they are readying the world's first, patented 5.6 million dot resolution EVF, which alone will blow away anything Nikon or Canon has for years to come, along with another stacked sensor, low light camera with 20 fps.

So many of these thousands of first Z camera customers can look forward to long waits to get their cameras. And when they finally arrive, their Z-cameras will have fallen far behind offerings from Canon and Sony. Yes these buyers can be comforted in the knowledge they have stayed true to Nikon and can use their extensive lens collection, finally on a mirrorless camera, but that may be about the only thing that will distinguish these cameras from their competition at the top of the fullframe mirrorless market. Cheers

Rich1939 Loc: Pike County Penna.

Why the constant barrage of sour grapes from you when it comes to the new Nikon offering? With your posted back ground information I would have thought you would reserve judgment until all the true (not speculative) facts were in. It's unseemly.

cstaller

I am looking forward to getting my hands on one and see for myself. My D750 is due for an upgrade and I am loving the D850...Does any know if the new Z series will have a monochrome model similar to the D850?

gwilliams6

I really trusted longtime Nikon users Tony and Chelsea Northrup to give Nikon any and all due credit if they had a winner, right out of the box. They didn't. I will be interested in theirs and others further testing once they get their hands on production models. My guess is many shortcomings with these cameras are NOT firmware fixes, but design problems and I think these "pre-production" models must be pretty close to any final production models if Nikon is really going to release these cameras in just weeks.

So do I personally know that these cameras are really sub performers, no I don't. I was not on the invited list to NYC by Nikon. I am not a vlogger or regular reviewers. Nikon folks, these first Z cameras are what they are, and it is Nikon's choice, not mine, to hype these cameras as "Mirrorless Reinvented", so Nikon will have to take its lumps if these cameras don't live up to Nikon's hype and maybe misleading specs and touted performance.

Sony had to endure the blistering criticisms of their first fullframe cameras from some of these same critics and reviewers as well as from Nikon and Canon folks, until Sony improved their cameras in successive models and rose to the top of the heap in this market with proven specs and proven performance. I was not invited to NYC for Nikon's launch of these cameras, I dont do a vlog or youtube reviews. If Nikon chooses to hype these cameras as "Mirrorless Reinvented" then Nikon had better be prepared to prove it.

So far these cameras dont come close to being "Mirrorless Reinvented" or even match or exceed Sony's proven performance. Nikon folks who were so fast to criticize Sony in the past for poor battery life, single card slot, lesser EVfs, actual frames rates etc. cant seem to take it when the shoes is on the other foot. Sony has fixed all their issues and has risen to the leadership position in this market that Nikon and Canon are pushing to get into. Nikon has to stand on its own two feet and take all the praise along with the criticism for their cameras and all their hype. I do believe Nikon will eventually fix these cameras in successive models and get the ACTUAL, not hyped performance they advertise. .Cheers

CatMarley Loc: North Carolina

A new entry level dslr is not competition for the Z series. And I can bet that it will use the same metal casting as the other 3xxx cameras - the same old-same old with a bit different firmware. How many Nikon camera geeks are using 10 year old cameras? Yes there will still be DSLRs but how many NEW high end DSLRs? The mirror and prism technology has hit the wall. It has nowhere to go from here - it is a mature technology, and now with mirrorless on the rise, it is a senescent technology. Yes some old farts will not accept the Z, and will stay with the senile technology, but the industry will move on.

Rich1939 Loc: Pike County Penna.

Cat, my mention of the D3500 was just to show Nikon is still in the DSLR business. Nothing more, nothing less. I'll leave prognosticating to you. ( I recall some 60 years ago the forecasts of the end of propeller aircraft.)

RWR Loc: La Mesa, CA

Reflex cameras and their lenses will continue to be made as long as there is a demand. Not everyone is too old and decrepit to handle them.