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Nikon unveiled the Z6 II last month, adding some more processing power and a few other modest upgrades to its ‘multimedia’ full-frame mirrorless offering. We got our hands on one and have some preliminary samples to share – take a look.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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| Click to enlarge. The new ‘Micro 50mm’ prime is center-left in the bottom row and the two super-telephoto lenses are top-right in the back row. |
Nikon has released an updated version of its visual lens roadmap for Z-mount camera systems, revealing silhouettes of three upcoming lenses, including two super-telephoto lenses and one macro prime lens.
While there are eleven total silhouettes, only three of them are new: the ‘Micro 50mm,’ the 400mm S-Line and the 600mm S-line. As you would expect, the silhouettes for the two super-telephoto lenses tower above the rest. Meanwhile, the ‘Micro 50mm’ lens falls halfway between the already-released 24–50mm F4–6.3 and 35mm F1.8 S-Line prime.
Below is another roadmap from Nikon that shows the focal length coverage of current and future lenses:
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| Click to enlarge. |
There’s still no concrete information on expected release dates for thee lenses, so the waiting game continues. But at least we now have visual representations of all the lenses currently on Nikon’s Z-mount lens roadmap and Nikon does say all of the lenses on display ‘will be available by the end of 2022.’
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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In addition to releasing its 23mm and 33mm F1.4 atx-m lenses for Fujifilm camera systems, Tokina has also revealed its latest lens for Canon EF and Nikon F mount DSLR cameras, the atx-i 17–35mm F4.
If the specs of this lens look familiar, it’s because it appears to be a successor to the Tokina 17–35mm F4 AT-X Pro FX lens (also available for Canon EF and Nikon F mounts). The new lens is constrcuted of 13 elements in 12 groups, features an aperture range of F4 through F22 and has a minimum focusing distance of 28cm (.9ft).
The lens features Tokina’s exclusive One-Touch Focus Clutch Mechanism, which makes it easy to switch between autofocus and manual focus by pushing and pulling the lens barrel. On the topic of autofocus, the lens uses Tokina’s GMR sensor and Silent Drive-Module (SD-M) motor.
Other features include a 1:4.82 macro ratio, an 82mm front filter thread and ‘moisture protection,’ although Tokina doesn’t elaborate on the extensiveness of its weathersealing specifications.
The Tokina 17–35mm F4 atx-i lens will be available for Canon EF and Nikon F mounts and available to pre-order for $ 600 (Adorama). The first units are expected to ship on December 11.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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We’ve been spending more with the 70-200mm F2.8 VR S, a cornerstone lens in Nikon’s relatively young Z-mount lineup. In the time since we’ve gotten our hands on it we’ve taken it along on local trips to the coast and around our corner of the Puget Sound area – take a look at our updated sample gallery for even more photos from this much-anticipated lens, including several shots from the new Z6 II.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
Who makes the best 70-200mm F2.8 zoom lens for full-frame? We tested the latest models to find out: the Canon RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM, Nikon Nikkor Z 70-200mm F2.8 VR S, Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS and the Panasonic Lumix S Pro 70-200 F2.8 O.I.S.
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Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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Nikon has released financial results for the second quarter (Q2) of its 2021 fiscal year, which starts April 1 (2020) and ends March 31 (2021), revealing a larger operating loss than forecasted despite higher-than-expected revenue.
As tends to be the case with financial results, there are plenty of nuances hidden within the broader numbers, but what is clear is Nikon’s Imaging Products Business is going through changes, not unlike Canon, which is also transitioning its product line and production facilities away from DSLRs and towards mirrorless.
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| Q2 Financial Highlights by segment. We have highlighted the Imaging Products Business, with the last column being the Q2 FY2021 results. |
Starting with the Q2 results for Nikon’s Imaging Products Business, Nikon reports operating revenue of ¥39.3B ($ 372M) and an operating loss of ¥19.3B ($ 184.3M), down ¥12.4B and ¥17.8B, respectfully year-over-year (YoY) for Q2. Nikon further breaks down unit sales in the Imaging Products Business division, noting it sold 240K interchangeable lens cameras (ILC), 70K compact cameras and 390K interchangeable lenses. These numbers are down 31%, 73% and 29%, respectively, YoY for Q2.
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| An overview of the revenue and operating profit/loss for H1 FY2021 by segment. |
Looking at the first half (H1) of Nikon’s Imaging Products Business’ FY2021, the company reported revenue of ¥64.4B ($ 615M) and an operating loss of ¥27.4B ($ 261M). This puts revenue above Nikon’s ¥55B forecast, but it seems expenses outpaced gains, as the company had previously forecast an operating loss of only ¥20B. Unit sales for H1 were also down across the board, with 380K ILC, 120K compact cameras and 610K interchangeable lenses being sold. That’s down 52.5%, 76% and 53%, respectively, compared to H1 FY2020.
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| A breakdown of camera unit sales per quarter going back to FY2018. |
While the operating loss looks grim, it needs to be placed in context. Nikon cites ‘impairment losses on production equipment at production sites in Thailand, etc.’ as the reason for over half of this loss (¥15.6B, to be precise). These ‘impairment losses’ suggest Nikon is depreciating or downright writing-off the value of manufacturing equipment at its Thailand factories. Given the transition to new lines for mirrorless products, this isn’t a huge surprise. It’s likely the equipment Nikon is depreciating is that it used to produce its DSLRs (we know that Nikon is using new, more automated assembly lines for at least some of its Z series mirrorless cameras).
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| Note the additional comments in the yellow box at the bottom of this presentation slide. |
Nikon notes its mirrorless camera sales volumes increased year-over-year, the percentage of revenue from its pro and hobbyist cameras increased ‘steadily’ and even says it saw a ‘better-than-expected market recovery from the impact of COVID-19.’
For its full FY2021 forecast, Nikon says it expects its Imaging Products Business to show ¥140B in revenue and an operating loss of ¥45B.
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Moving forward, Nikon makes its plan for its Imaging Products Business clear: reduce business costs faster than the rate of shrinkage the camera market is experiencing and ‘Shift to a structure that secures profits constantly even when revenue drops.’ It hopes to reduce costs by more than ¥80B by the end of its FY2022 through ‘substantially lowering the breakeven point through improving productivity, production consolidation, headcount optimization and impairment losses of equipment.’ It also states it will be focusing on its pro and hobbyist products, which it wants to see as the bedrock of its Imaging Products Business. This assessment and approach is similar to the one Olympus has been taking for a few years now—downsize the business to match the market size, which is shrinking across the board.
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Nikon also says it wants its Imaging Products Business to enter new fields, including more business-to-business deals. What exactly this looks like remains to be seen, as no details are given, but Nikon says it intends to ‘actively leverage [its] image processing, sensing technology’ and more.
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If we’re to summarize this Q2 financial report into a single sentence, it’s this: Nikon plans to cut costs as much as possible to account for a clearly shrinking camera market while also focusing on its higher-end cameras and lenses, which are steadily increasing as a percentage of Nikon’s sales. This should come as good news to experienced Nikon shooters, particularly those who have already or are looking to dive into Nikon’s Z series mirrorless cameras and lenses; more cameras and lenses are on the way.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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Nikon has released the first non-beta version of its free webcam utility for macOS and Windows computers.
Back in July, Nikon announced it was working on a webcam utility that would turned select Nikon cameras into webcams with compatible videoconferencing and streaming software. In August, they followed through on that promise with the release of a beta utility for Windows 10 users. Nikon confirmed a macOS version was on the way, but that has yet to be seen—until today.
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In addition to being the first non-beta version of the app for Windows 10 users, Webcam Utility Software version 1.0.0 is also available for macOS computers.
As with previous versions of the software, all you need is a compatible Nikon camera, a USB cable for plugging the camera into your computer and a videoconferencing or streaming app that supports external webcams, such as Facebook Messenger, Google Meet, Skype, Zoom, OBS and others. Below is a full list of compatible cameras:
You can download Nikon’s Webcam Utility Software version 1.0.0 for macOS and Windows 10 computers on Nikon’s website. Additional information and a full list of compatibility notes can also be found on Nikon’s website.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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| The Nikon Z6 II and Z7 II are solid updates to the original Z6 and Z7 but neither represents a ‘new’ concept in the Z-series lineup. |
With the Z6 II and Z7 II, Nikon has modernized its high-end Z-series full-frame lineup, and made its offerings more competitive against midrange and high-end ILCs from Canon, Panasonic and Sony. But while the Z7 II is the nominal flagship, it’s clearly not a ‘professional’ model in the same sense as the D6 and (arguably) the D850. While new to the market, neither Mark II model represents a new concept. This means that the gap which has existed at the top of the Z-series lineup since 2018 is still there.
So how might Nikon fill it? What can the Z6 II and Z7 II tell us about a future Nikon pro model?
I’m going to go out on a limb and say that instead of a single semi-pro or professional ‘Z8’ we’ll actually see two high-end models from Nikon, probably announced sometime next year, to be available in summer 2021. They will offer extremely similar controls and UI, but will be based around different sensors and intended for different purposes: one for speed and versatility, and one for resolution and maximum image quality.
For the sake of simplicity as you navigate this article, I’ll call them the Z8 and the Z8 S – with the ‘S’ here being my shorthand for ‘speed and sensitivity’.
Both models will feature D850-level build quality and will offer a similar UI, with a button-and-dial logic for switching exposure modes (rather than the Z6/7’s exposure mode dial). They’ll use the same battery pattern as the existing Z6/7-series, keeping the standard bodies relatively small, but both will be compatible with a twin-battery vertical grip, which will add at least one uniquely ‘pro’ expansion feature (a LAN port, maybe? Or a rear OLED sub-display?). Nikon isn’t going to make the ‘only one card slot’ mistake again so expect twin slots, either both CFexpress Type B, or maybe CFe + SD in the case of the resolution-focused Z8.
Expect the Z8 to feature a relatively low-resolution sensor in the 20-24MP range, paired with a new faster processor
The hardest thing to predict is which sensors Nikon will use in its next-generation of high-end full-frame ILCs. Let’s take the hypothetical Z8S first – the high-speed action-focused model. The 24MP sensor used in the current Z6 and Z6 II is excellent, but dated. It’s fast enough for most photography, but likely not fast enough to support super high frame rate shooting, really cutting-edge autofocus, or next-level 4K video.
It’s possible that Nikon might reuse the Toshiba/Sony sensor developed for the D6, or maybe a version of the 24MP stacked-CMOS chip introduced in the Sony a9 (assuming that Sony Semiconductor is willing and able to supply it). Either way, expect the Z8S to feature a relatively low-resolution sensor in the 20-24MP range, paired with a new faster processor called – and I’m going to go out on a limb again – Expeed 7.
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| The Sony a9 and more recent a9 II have defined what a ‘professional’ sports and action-focused mirrorless camera should be. I expect Nikon will want to put a Z-mount product into this category as soon as possible. |
Low-ish resolution will be the tradeoff for what I’d expect to be a very high frame rate and near-unlimited buffer. The 2020 Olympics never ended up happening but assuming the world of sports and events gets back on track in 2021, you can bet that Nikon will want its mirrorless cameras to be visible on the sidelines alongside high-speed pro models from Canon and Sony.
While it’s possible that the Z6 II will remain Nikon’s flagship video/stills hybrid camera for a while longer, I think it’s more likely that a hypothetical Z8S will represent a step up, offering meaningfully different (better) 4K, aimed at satisfying the needs of semi-pro and professional multimedia shooters. If the sensor does end up being in the 20-24MP range, It won’t be able to shoot 8K but maybe that’s not a bad thing…
A continuous shooting rate of 10-12 fps seems reasonable, but the Z8 doesn’t need to be any faster than that
It’s easier to predict the chip which might go into a hypothetical resolution and IQ-focused Z8. While not currently listed as available to third parties, the Sony Semiconductor 3.76µm 61MP sensor currently found in the a7 IV may become an option for Nikon in the coming months. While not a massive step up in terms of effective resolution over the 46MP sensor in the Z7 II, this high-speed BSI-CMOS chip is a solid technological leap forward.
If a version does make its way into one of Nikon’s future high-end ILCs, I’d expect to see it paired with beefed-up IBIS and a sensor-shift high-resolution mode. A continuous shooting rate of 10-12 fps seems reasonable, but a 60MP camera doesn’t need to be any faster than that.
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| The Nikon D6 and D850 feature backlit controls for comfort during low/no-light shooting. I’d expect that future professional Z-series cameras will do the same. This shot shows a D5, with its top and rear LCD status panels also illuminated (in pale blue). Maybe a future ‘Z8’ could have an optional vertical control grip with a secondary rear status LCD? |
As for autofocus, I’d expect the Z8 and Z8S to offer extremely similar systems (at least in terms of how they operate) which get much closer to the experience of the D850 and D6, including a true analog for 3D AF tracking. The Z6 II and Z7 II seem somewhat improved over the original-generation, but Nikon knows it needs to close the pro performance gap with Canon and Sony, and I expect that this will be a major priority (and a major marketing-point) in future high-end Z-series model.
Much of what I wrote above is wishful thinking, but while this is guesswork, it is somewhat informed
As for cosmetics, I wouldn’t be surprised if Nikon takes the opportunity to break from the slightly angular, skinny-feeling Z6/7-series and create somewhat larger, curvier bodies, somewhere between the D780 and D850. Expect a 10-pin remote release socket and flash sync on the front of the body (like the D850 and D6) and a return to DSLR-style rubberized, recessed control dials.
So that’s my article. And I won’t lie, much of what I wrote above is wishful thinking (I guess I just really want a Z8…). Despite the oft-expressed conviction among commenters that DPReview sees product roadmaps years ahead of time, I know no more about what Nikon is planning in 2021 and beyond than you do. But while this is guesswork, it is somewhat informed, both by Nikon’s approach to building out its DSLR lineup, and by the gaps and omissions in the current Z-series lineup compared to its competitors.
What do you think? Feel free to make your predictions in the comments.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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The second season of the hit Disney+ series The Mandalorian premiered today and there is fascinating photography associated with the production of the Star Wars spinoff show. For starters, some scenes in the show were shot using the Canon EOS 5D Mark III DSLR camera.
As Digital Camera World points out, not only were scenes shot using the Canon 5D Mark III, but an adapted Nikon 28mm lens was used and the camera operator was John Knoll, co-creator of Photoshop and current effects supervisor and chief creative officer at Industrial Light and Magic (ILM).
If you watched the first season of The Mandalorian and felt like scenes were reminiscent in overall appearance to the original trilogy of Star Wars movies, there’s a good reason for that. While modern technology and computer-generated imagery plays a large role in the production of The Mandalorian, showrunner and series creator Jon Favreau wanted to retain the look and feel of classic Star Wars films. As fans of the franchise are likely aware, the original Star Wars trilogy relied heavily upon physical models to film many of its iconic scenes.
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| Here you can see the Canon 5D Mark III camera mounted on a rail toward the right edge of the frame. The model of the Razor Crest ship is surrounded by foam board and desert imagery is being projected onto the board. |
To recapture the spirit of the older Star Wars movies with The Mandalorian, Industrial Light and Magic created the titular character’s spacecraft, the Razor Crest, in its studio. John Goodson, a longtime ILM model maker created the ship using a 3D printer and tinfoil and Knoll built a 50-foot motion control rig.
In the video above, you can follow along with the team at ILM as they created the Razor Crest ship. This includes its beginnings as concept art to it being physically built and filmed as a practical miniature. We also see Knoll at work filming the first motion control shots at ILM in 15 years. It’s a fascinating look at how iconic objects, such as a protagonist’s ship in a Star Wars series, are created and brought to life.
Of creating the Razor Crest model for filming as a practical miniature, Knoll says that it’s important to strike a balance with the size of the model. You want it large enough that its details hold up when close to the camera, but not so large that it’s difficult to create a dynamic motion shot when running it along a rigged track. Ultimately, the team settled on a model around 24″ long.
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| The team used a Nikon 28mm lens on the Canon camera. And the man behind the controls? The creator of Photoshop. The production is a blend of photographic history. |
Goodson remarked that one of the biggest differences between scenes shot using computer generated graphics versus a scene shot using miniatures is that when using a physical model, you are limited by the availability of mounting points for objects. There are certain angles and shots you simply can’t achieve when using models. However, that look and certain types of motion are also ingrained in people’s memories of older Star Wars movies. The team at ILM worked very hard to make sure that shots of the Razor Crest model evoked that same look as old shots. From the perspective of this Star Wars fan, they nailed it.
(Via Digital Camera World)
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)
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BCN Retail, a Japanese analyst firm that collects daily sales data of mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras from online and in-person points of sale in Japan, has published (translated) its latest numbers, showing the breakdown of Japanese domestic market share in the full-frame mirrorless interchangeable lens camera (MILC) market.
BCN Retail starts its report with partially encouraging news, noting the camera market, at least in Japan, has almost entirely recovered from the pandemic drop, with unit sales in the month of September being down just 2% and revenue from those sales down just 10% year-over-year (YoY). Lower numbers YoY is never a good thing, but considering the state of the camera market even pre-pandemic, these drops aren’t terrible.
According to BCN Retail’s latest numbers, Canon and Panasonic have seen a rise in market share over the past few months, while Nikon has more or less stayed even. Meanwhile, both Sony and Sigma have seen their market shares drop over the past few months.
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| Full-frame mirrorless market share numbers: Brown (Sony), Red (Canon), Yellow (Nikon), Blue (Panasonic), Grey (Sigma). The dark blue and red bars at the bottom show unit sales and revenue (as a percentage of overall interchangeable lens camera (ILC) camera sales), respectively. |
BCN Retail says Canon’s rise in market share — now 34.7% — can be attributed to the release of its R5 and R6 mirrorless cameras, while Panasonic’s rise — now 5.8% — is attributed to the launch of its S5. Nikon’s market share saw a small increase in July, which could likely be attributed to the release of its entry-level Z5, but since August its market share has more or less stayed stagnant, sitting at roughly 13%. It’s possible its forthcoming Z6 II and Z7 II mirrorless cameras could give the company a boost, though.
Meanwhile, Sony has seen its market share drop from roughly 60% back in May to now just 43.9%, only 9% ahead of Canon who, at the start of the year, had just 15% of the market share. Sigma, too, has seen its market share drop to just 2.6% after once being ahead of both Nikon and Panasonic back in May when the FP sales were hot.
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| The Canon EOS R5 was the most popular full-frame mirrorless interchangeable lens camera (MILC) of September, according to BCN Retail. |
It’s worth noting these market share numbers are specific to the Japanese market and greatly impacted by new cameras launched within a given month or quarter.
Back in the summer of 2018, Sony effectively had 100% of the full-frame MILC market share, as there were no other competitors. Within six months of both Canon and Nikon introducing their respective full-frame mirrorless cameras, Sony’s market share was effectively halved and since then, it’s been further chipped away at by Canon.
This doesn’t necessarily mean Canon or Nikon were eating into Sony sales at the beginning when the two first entered the market, as you can see unit volume also rose when Canon and Nikon introduced their mirrorless cameras, but now that sales have more or less returned to their pre-pandemic volume and Sony is further dropping in market share, it is possible we’re starting to see Canon starting to pull away some of Sony’s customers a bit.
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| Canon EOS RP (left), Nikon Z5 (right). |
What should be interesting to see is whether Nikon’s new Z6 II and Z7 II take more market share from Canon or Sony or is simply converting more DSLR users and therefore adding to the sales volume rather than taking from elsewhere in the full-frame MILC market. In the past, it seems Canon’s numbers are more affected by the rise and fall of Nikon’s market share, whereas Sony’s are more affected by the rise and fall of Canon’s market share, but even with the charts, it’s difficult to get the full picture without knowing the precise number of units being sold and the price at which they’re selling for—two numbers that prove challenging to extrapolate from BCN Retail’s numbers or even CIPA.
BCN Retail also notes that full-frame sales have hit 10.7% of the overall interchangeable lens camera (ILC) market, marking the first time it’s been in double-digits. Revenue from full-frame MILC, as a percentage of the overall ILC market, also saw a dramatic jump to 25%. These are both the highest-ever numbers for the full-frame market, but BCN Retail does note this is because the average cost of a full-frame MILC tends to be 2.3x as much as a crop sensor ILC —¥230,000 (~$ 2,200) to ¥100,000 ($ 955), respectively.
Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)