JD750 Loc: SoCal

What exactly is an “updated” rumor? It is still a rumor. No?

Photocraig

The end game of "Backward Compatibility" is playing out for Nikon, and to an extent for Canon, too. While Nikon has done an astonishing job in maintaining the longevity of its legendary F mount lenses, eventually technology and innovation and physics collide and make a manufacturer face the existential fact that they must change product specifications to keep current with new and, as in SONY their Sensor Vendor, disruptive Competitive offerings.

Canon "bit the bullet" and dropped their old FD, etc. mounts and introduced the EF and later EF-S, etc. Mount lenses for their EOS line of cameras, they benefited in the market and with functionality. However, today's Interchangeable Lens Camera Market for Enthusiasts and Pros is now officially disrupted by the A7RIII. I say this, as an enthusiast, who bought a DSLR in October, and a long time Canon EOS user. The convincing events were the SONY introduction and the beyond ORGASMIC reviews given to the A7RIII by the talking heads, both bigoted, and cooler.

I'm all for fantastic new products that take the state of the art and Image Quality to new heights. I can only think that the 30-or so years of Canon and Nikon essentially controlling the SLR and DSLR markets and adhering to their "Backward Compatibility" lens policies to protect their users'--like me--investment in compatible glass. However, as a Computer Industry veteran, where the product cycles from intro to replacement to unsupported spans three years it is a miracle that they survived with this Tactical substitute for Strategy for so long.

HINT: Look toward the US Defense Department Procurement rules that mandates that new Aircraft and Ships and other weapon systems be fitted with Electronics and "proven" Computer Systems. The unintentional consequences that policy is that by the very product cycles built into the technology they will be obsolete and not commercially (DOD Handcuffed support, yes, and a big $$ price) available and supportable by the time the first production (probably Prototype) rolls out.

Nikon and Canon and others, as well, have had these super full frame products ready to roll out for a while. (I already posted on Cannibalization.) The market question for them is will they be good enough to compete with SONY, especially if the users have to replace their legacy lens inventory. And, the challenge for SONY is to manage an ever more impressive Lens Offering with System Components, and more reasonably competitive prices. The 400mm 2.8 seems to be getting kudo's on quality.

The overall message, is nobody controls the market forever. Those Manufacturers like GM, IBM and, perhaps, Microsoft might learn from the Canon-Nikon (and the many before them) controlled market currently being disrupted by a major vendor, SONY and Consumer electronics and Industrial giants, Panasonic, Fuji and our friends at Olympus.

It will be fun and instructive to watch. Hopefully Industry Titans in Training are watching and are not too arrogant to learn.
C

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

Now that is something Nikon does that I'll never understand. Why the need for the various models? As stated here, this is going to require two assembly lines, keeping track of parts, some of which are common to both cameras, etc. Why not just produce one model, and reduce the price accordingly to account for the reduced production costs? Personally, I think this is a poor business decision.
--Bob

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

Why don't car companies only make ONE MODEL. Why don't shoe companies only make ONE SHOE STYLE. Why don't clothing companies only make one style of shorts, pants, skirts, blouse's. Why don't purse companies only make ONE STYLE.
If you have to ask you really don't understand economics.

ecurb1105

But Nikon would be smart to include an adaptor for F lenses with the mirrorless camera bodies. This would allow all of us legacy Nikon users to seamlessly move to the new cameras.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

If you, for example, mounted your trusty Nikon 14-24 mm 2.8 lens on an adapter and then mounted it on a new Nikon mirrorless camera you would no longer have the wide end of the lens to use. So why buy an adapter at all if you love your current full frame Nikon wides?

BebuLamar

I am sure some kind of adapter or adapters will be available. I am not sure the adapter/adapters will support what type of F mount lenses. Nikon has way too many variations of their F mount lenses and that is why I said they would be stupid to keep it for a brand new product which would benefit greatly from a new lens mount.
Besides Nikon was a lens company first before they made cameras. They should make a lot of lenses for their new system.

JD750 Loc: SoCal

It seems like the DX format is superfluous today. I doubt they will put any more RnD $ into DX. But the goal is profits. So I suppose as long as the DX production line is turning a profit, it is worth keeping it going. The longer it runs profitably, the more ROI they get back. My guess is DX format will be the the first to go and Nikon will continue with mirrorless and FF DSLR formats. The DSLR sales will continue to atrophy as the mirrorless product’s sales increase. (IF Nikon has a good mirrorless product that people want to buy. Let’s hope they do it right). One by one, as DSLR models become un-profitable Nikon will stop producing them. Maybe they will keep one or two DSLR models around, as they have done with SLRs. :) Thank you Nikon!

I have been hoping Nikon would join the M43 consortium, but so far no cigar. If their FF mirrorless camera is a success, Nikon will no doubt introduce smaller format mirrorless products. Maybe they will expand their mirrorless format products in the M43 direction? Not likely but one can hope.

Bill_de Loc: US

Then everyone who is new to Nikon would be paying for something they don't need. It could also discourage people from buying new lenses. The adapter has been rumored to be expensive, some may choose to spend a bit more and get a lens.

--

ecurb1105

I have read Nikon has planed a wider opening for their mirrorless lensmount. I believe that would eliminate any image cutoff when using an F lens via an adaptor.

ecurb1105

But anybody new to Nikon would have a raft of used lenses to consider using as well as the native mirrorless lenses.

Bill_de Loc: US

And if they want to, let them by their own adapter. I'm tired of the government making me share in paying for other people's cell phones. I don't need Nikon telling me to chip in for your adapter.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

If you add a space between the Nikon F mount lens and the new mirrorless Nikon camera, you change the characteristics of the Nikon F mount lens. It is unavoidable. There WILL be cutoff (your words). There is NO way an adapter will make the 14-24 2.8 mm lens 14-24 mm 2.8 on the mirrorless camera. If that were the case, there would be no need to make any new lenses for the new Nikon mirrorless camera's. You would simply buy the adapter and camera and every one of your current F mount lenses would work exactly the same as if it were mounted on a current F mount full frame DSLR. The new adapter just won't work that way. Understand now?

Bill_de Loc: US

From Nikon rumors:

https://nikonrumors.com/2017/09/03/lets-start-talking-about-the-upcoming-nikon-mirrorless-camera.aspx/

ecurb1105

I disagree.
As the flange focal distance is shorter for a mirrorless design, an adaptor for F mount lenses has room for the adaptor body to fill the distance of the mirror box of a DSLR. The F lens then focuses at infinity and fills the sensor without cutoff, as shown by adaptors used on Sony full frame cameras.