Has Nikon fallen asleep

[John Navitsky]

The DX problem for Nikon is the same for Canon-no quality DX specific lenses.

i tell ya, the 1.4 lenses ARE the dx lenses

 

[fcotterill]

The DX problem for Nikon is the same for Canon-no quality DX specific lenses.

How many or rather What DX lenses are really needed in the Z System. Only 1 or perhaps 2 Ultrawide zooms, to
perhaps a fast Wide such as 14 f2.8
The FX glass meets all other needs, including the Pancake primes and especially the light telephotos

The big three have ceded the lightweight wildlife still camera to the OM-1 mk 2 which is obviously and intentionally optimized for birds. At today's discounted prices an OM-1 mk 2 and a 100-400 zoom can be had for $3+K and has an 800mm FF equivalent reach and weighs in at less than 4#.

Why bother competing with that? It isn't like OM Systems is setting super sales numbers.

Fujifilm seems to have a decent system, particularly retro and high end MILCs

Canon, of course, has the 32mp 1.6 crop R-7 and combined with the 100-500 zoom also reaches 800 FF equivalent reach but bird specific capabilities such as a decent readout speed, a usable pre-capture and a deep buffer are missing. (The R-7 appears to be a low-cost, general-purpose offering that is fine with low-cost lenses like the 100-400.) The R-7 is not a bad camera for wildlife with the 100-500, but it is heaver, clunkier and more expensive in addition to the bird specific capabilities that it lacks.

Where does Nikon fit in this picture?

As suggested above, it should be straightforward for Nikon to release a DX wildlife MILC, with features and performance at the level of the Z8 and Z9. This will fit into it's stated strategy to repackage Z9 technology into more affordable products.

 

[Alistair]

Sorry to be a pedant but the 70-180 takes a tc.

 

[Len Shepherd]

The new Partially-Stacked Sensor technology should allow a more economical way than using a fully stacked DX sensor in the Z90. Priced at ~$2K this DX Professional camera should push up lens sales.

Similarly to the D5 > D500, the Nikon sensor lab should be able to squeeze down the Z6 III sensor layout into a DX 24.5mp P-S sensor. They can milk the returns on this same sensor in a series of DX upgrades over the next decade.... Zfc II, Z50 II, even the updated Z30.

Assuming both can be done, getting more individual sensors from a single wafer should also help to contain costs.

 

[Len Shepherd]

The FX glass meets all other needs, including the Pancake primes and especially the light telephotos

For me, the FX Z Mount telephoto lenses fill my DX needs.

Having previously used a D 500 alongside a D 800 for me the big advantage of a pro grade DX body is being able to switch to a narrower angle of view with relatively few trade offs without the need to buy or carry longer focal length lenses.
As in as an example 300 f2.8 or 450mm f2.8 angles of view from a single lens - though Nikon might regard this as likely to compromise 400 mm f2.8 TC lens sales.

Worth noting is the main weight factor of a DX lens is the size of the front element being the same as FX, resulting in little weight or size saving making specific telephoto DX lenses in addition to FX telephoto lenses.

 

[Tom Reynolds]

OM Systems sells a Sigma based lens 100-400 f/6.3 that weighs 2.4 pounds. No Nikon zoom comes close to that.

Since I switched from a D-500 to an OM-1 I can say that the OM-1 IS BASICALLY a mirrorless D-500.

 

[RichF]

The DX problem for Nikon is the same for Canon-no quality DX specific lenses.

The big three have ceded the lightweight wildlife still camera to the OM-1 mk 2 which is obviously and intentionally optimized for birds. At today's discounted prices an OM-1 mk 2 and a 100-400 zoom can be had for $3+K and has an 800mm FF equivalent reach and weighs in at less than 4#.

Why bother competing with that? It isn't like OM Systems is setting super sales numbers.

A DX body for wildlife could be coupled with a low end FF body for landscape or every day use. It will keep consumers in the Nikon ego system and help assure future sales

 

[Mal Paso]

The huge Z mount was designed for Full Frame. I see DX as a distraction and hope it will quietly die. Nikon would have to come up with a higher resolution DX sensor to have any advantage over cropping a FF sensor. I would rather see a higher resolution FF sensor.

 

[RichF]

The huge Z mount was designed for Full Frame. I see DX as a distraction and hope it will quietly die. Nikon would have to come up with a higher resolution DX sensor to have any advantage over cropping a FF sensor. I would rather see a higher resolution FF sensor.

How higher? Is 45.7 MP too small for you? How so? I don't print that large or crop that much. Let me know what you specifc needs are

 

[Bubbahotep]

Like you RichF, Nikon's slowing product releases worry me. I realize that there are fewer cameras sold these days compared to a decade ago but I fear that Nikon and other camera manufacturers are ceding too much ground. I would like to see a prosumer crop sensor camera (Nikon Z90) and an expeed 7 Nikon Z50II (along with the ZfcII). While I might not be on the market for any of them, I would possibly consider the ZfcII for travel especially if it's capable. These crop sensor cameras may be able to help transition consumers from cellphones to full frame cameras especially if they're fun and easy to use.

Also, I would too would like to see more additions to the lens line up. Maybe a 14mm 1.8f. Maybe a 400-600mm zoom.

 

[wotan1]

I suspect the marked for prosumer crop sensor cameras are down because cell phones now rule the casual photography world. I can understand why Nikon may be reluctant to put all that much effort that direction.

I suspect the big money is in lenses and pro level camera owners buy more (and more expensive) lenses. Nikon has done a lot on the lens front.

 

[Mal Paso]

How higher? Is 45.7 MP too small for you? How so? I don't print that large or crop that much. Let me know what you specifc needs are

I think 60MP would give DX mode more punch and help with the absence of shift lenses for architecture. Kristi Odom uses DX mode for framing when she runs out of glass, I get that, but why DX as a platform on a FF mount? FF gathers more than twice the photons, if you've paid for the Real Estate why not use it. There are crop sensor cameras that do a better job reducing size and weight.

I think an entry level Full Frame sensor camera makes more sense.

 

[Dollar]

Interesting thread but is Nikon really sleeping more or less than any of the other manufacturers? I loosely follow when new gear comes out and must have missed all the new SonyCon lenses and bodies coming out.

I feel like they've done a good job of filling holes but with 85 years of lenses prior to the introduction of the Z mount it might take more than 6 years to get it all done.

This was my reaction as well. My opinions and my awareness of each brand's ecosystem are pretty biased towards wildlife but as this is a wildlife forum I assume that's somewhat typical. From my point of view, Canon managed to impress me with the 200-800 because it's a very valid competitor to Nikon and Sony's supertele zooms while having it's own distinguishing feature (the extra reach) that makes it something "different" instead of just being "the same lens but on Canon". However aside from that one example, I'm scratching my head about what lenses have come out recently for Canon or particularly Sony that make them look more "awake" than Nikon.

Canon and especially Sony have been in the MILC game for longer than Nikon and had a considerable head start on getting properly-performing bodies on the market. Despite this, please correct me if I'm wrong but both brands' long glass options basically amount to a supertele zoom at ~$2,000, or huge exotic 400mm and 600mm glass at $13,000+. Neither brand to my knowledge have compelling competitors to the 400mm f/4.5 or the 600mm and 800mm f/6.3 PF lenses. Probably the most exciting lens I've seen come out recently for Sony wildlife shooters is the Sigma 500mm f/5.6.

This isn't at all supposed to be an argument about one brand being better than the others and I hate the tribalism that's so common on other forums or social media, but I just can't relate to the idea of worrying about Nikon being behind, asleep, etc. That said, I'm extremely happy with the performance and specs of my Z8, so maybe the body side has better arguments to be made and I'm just not up to date on new releases there.