Nikon Believes Mirrorless Will Catch Up With DSLRs But The Issue Is EVF Lag

Nikon Z 6
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In an interview with DPReview, Nikon execs share their thoughts about the company’s Z 6 and Z 7 cameras and about the state of the mirrorless nation.

As far as I know Nikon is the first company clearly and directly addressing the fact that EVFs (Electronic View Finder) still suck compared to an optical viewfinder.

From the interview (emphasis mine):

Question: How do you think the market for full frame mirrorless will evolve?

Answer: In terms of hardware, it is likely that mirrorless will catch up with DSLR. But one thing that is a challenge is the time lag of electronic viewfinders. Even though we have a great mirrorless [solution], we cannot beat the optical viewfinder.

For really high-level professional photographers at sports events and so on, I believe that the DSLR will survive. I think there will be a synergy between DSLR and mirrorless, so we can expand the market moving forward.

[…] we’re really trying to be the best and provide the ultimate performance of the viewfinder. The view through the viewfinder should be as natural as possible. To achieve that goal we did two things – we focused on the optics, and also on image processing.

Read the interview at DPReview…

Nikon Z mirrorless system:

America: B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA
Europe & UK: Amazon DE, Amazon UK, Amazon IT, Canon IT, WEX Photographic, Canon FR, Canon UK, Canon DE

Canon EOS RP vs Nikon Z 6 Size Comparison

Canon Eos Rp
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Here’s another size comparison courtesy of ApoTelyt, between the upcoming Canon EOS RP and the Nikon Z 6.

The Canon EOS RP will be announced on February 14, 2019, along with five new lenses for the RF mount.

The strengths of both cameras compared:

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS RP: 

  • More flexible LCD: Has swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
  • More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
  • Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
  • More compact: Is smaller (133x85mm vs 134x101mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
  • Less heavy: Is lighter (by 190g or 28 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
  • More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced segment (20 percent cheaper at launch).
  • More modern: Is somewhat more recent (announced 5 months after the Z6).

Advantages of the Nikon Z6: 

  • More detailed viewfinder: Has higher resolution electronic viewfinder (3690k vs 2360k dots).
  • Easier setting verification: Features a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.
  • Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2″ vs 3.0″) for image review and settings control.
  • More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (2100k vs 1040k dots).
  • Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (12 vs 5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
  • Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
  • More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in August 2018).
[via ApoTelyt]

Nikon To Add Eye AF, Raw video and CFexpress To Z 6 and Z 7 Mirrorless Cameras

Nikon Z 6
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Nikon is set to add some pretty col features to the company’s Z 6 and Z 7 mirrorless cameras:

These features will be added via firmware update.

  • CFexpress – Coming soon to the Z 6 and Z 7 cameras is support for CFexpress, which is compatible with the XQD memory card form-factor.
  • Eye AF – Under development is an Eye AF function, which will automatically detect the subject’s eyes to make attaining critical focus on the eyes easier. It will allow users to capture photos in which focus has been clearly acquired on the subject’s eye, which is useful for portrait, event and street photography scenarios.
  • RAW Video Support – Nikon is currently developing a feature that works with the ATOMOS Ninja V to output video in RAW format, using the ProRes RAW codec.

A firmware update for the Canon EOS R is rumoured, let’s hope Canon follows Nikon’s example.

Nikon press release:

Nikon Delivers Imaging Innovation, Inspires Creators at CES 2019

New Products Including NIKKOR Z 14-30mm f/4 S Lens and Nikon Z 6 Filmmaker’s Kit Will be Showcased; Attendees Invited to Booth to See Amazing Speakers, Fun & Sharable Displays as Well as Future Z System Updates

LAS VEGAS –CES BOOTH #14006 – Today, Nikon Inc. announced details surrounding their activities and new products at CES 2019. This year, Nikon will livestream a myriad of exciting and inspiring presentations from renowned Nikon Ambassadors and photographers directly from the show floor, while also offering instantly shareable and interactive experiences for show attendees. Additionally, Nikon will be showing the latest digital imaging innovations available now and in the near future with a Z Series exhibition featuring the new NIKKOR Z 14-30mm f/4 S lens, the Nikon Z 6 Filmmaker’s Kit and a display of upgrades currently in development for the Z Series that will add new features and enhance usability.

Click here to open the rest of the article

Canon EOS R and Nikon Z 6 Behind Sony a7 III, DPReview Thinks

Canon Eos R
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DPReview compares the Canon EOS R with the Nikon Z 6 with the Sony a7 III. Not surprisingly DPReview thinks that Canon and Nikon can not hold up t the Sony a7 III.

From their conclusion:

Even without thinking about lenses, it’s clear that Nikon and Canon still have some work to do to catch up with Sony’s half-decade headstart. It’s not an insurmountable difference, though and both brands have brought their extensive experience of ergonomics and user interfaces, which Sony should probably be worried about.

All three cameras can produce excellent images but the Sony more readily adapts to a wider range of situations. The Nikon acquits itself well for certain types of photography, while also doing unexpectedly well at video, but the Z 6 has the least dependable AF system of the trio, which counts against it. Canon has tried to make an easy-to-use camera, rather than simply mimicking its DSLRs, but, while we’re not fully convinced by the results of this first attempt, it’s still a very able camera.

Ultimately, though, the decision is likely to come down to what lenses you own, which lenses you plan to buy and how much faith you have in each company to produce camera bodies to match your needs, several years down the road. Because, if you’re trying to avoid major costs later, the camera body you choose now is likely to commit you to a new lens system for the foreseeable future. Read the comparison here…

While it is true that Sony has a better sensor performance, there is little more than this. Ergonomics on Sony’s a7 III are terrible, for instance. This kind of review/comparison does not take into account a lot of parameters, like reliability, lens ecosystem, customer service, color science, just to name a few. Judging a camera based solely on the sensor performance seems a bit of a stretch to us.

Canon EOS R:

America: B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA
Europe & UK: Amazon DE, Amazon UK, Amazon IT, Canon IT, WEX Photographic, Canon FR, Canon UK, Canon DE

Nikon Z6 Review (excellent image quality, great FF MILC, ePhotozine)

Nikon Z 6
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Nikon Z6 at a glance:

  • 24.5MP FX-Format BSI CMOS Sensor
  • EXPEED 6 Image Processing Engine
  • UHD 4K30 Video; N-Log & 10-Bit HDMI Out
  • 273-Point Phase-Detect AF System
  • Built-In 5-Axis Vibration Reduction
  • 0.80x 3.6m-Dot EVF with NIKKOR Optics
  • 3.2″ 2.1m-Dot Tilting Touchscreen LCD
  • 12 fps Shooting; ISO 100-51200
  • Top-Panel Dot-Matrix OLED; XQD Card Slot

ePhotozine completed their comprehensive review of the Nikon Z6.

From the conclusion:

If you don’t need the 45mp of the Nikon Z7 and want the higher continuous shooting speed, as well as better noise performance, then the Nikon Z6  would be a great choice. Image quality is excellent, with great noise performance, and Nikon’s tried and tested colour reproduction.

It’s a shame the battery life isn’t better, and there will be people who will find one memory card slot an issue. There will also be those that prefer SD cards due to the wide support for them (for example, built-in card readers in laptops), but with the purchase of an XQD card reader, this is quite easily resolved.

Focus performance is very good, with a high success rate, thanks to on-sensor phase detection focus points, although the lack of eye detection focus will be disappointing to those who have used it and seen the benefits. Read the review…

Nikon Z6:

America: B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA
Europe & UK: Amazon DE, Amazon UK, Amazon IT, Canon IT, WEX Photographic, Canon FR, Canon UK, Canon DE

Entry-Level Full Frame Camera Comparison: Nikon Z6 vs Sony a7 III vs Canon EOS R

Canon Eos R
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Chris and Jordan compare the current generation entry-level full frame mirrorless models from each company: the Nikon Z6, Sony a7 III, and Canon EOS R. Watch their analysis to find out where they think each model excels or has room to grow.

Canon EOS R: B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA

Nikon Z6: B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA

Sony a7 III: B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA