Artist's view of Nikon EVIL (unknown source)
Nikon EVIL camera is gaining momentum again. In the past few days I received some reliable information about the existence of this product/project. The official announcement should be this year (Photokina?). No further details or specs at that point.
Coincidently, M. Lammerse just mentioned this on dpreview:
“My contact expects a new type of Nikon camera (small sized mirror less body) this coming August/September”
My understanding is that Mr. Lammerse is very well informed.
Just a reminder that numerous patent applications were filed by Nikon in the past few months that strongly suggest a new mirrorless camera and a set of lenses.
Related posts:
- Will Dr. EVIL knock on Nikon’s door? (Nikon EVIL camera recap)
- Nikon patents for this week – Nikon EVIL camera again
- Nikon to announce APS-C sized sensor compact camera similar to Leica X1?
- “High-end P&S camera above the P6000 that will use the 10mp APS sensor from the D60 “
- Canon & Leica will have press conferences too
129 Comments
10-70/1.2? Lol, yes please.
i thought just that myself haha
haha, i love seeing this camera!
If Michel Lammerse says it, you can pretty much take it to the bank…this will happen.
actually, if Lammerse says, Thom Hogan will pretty much announce it on his site and claim it as his info
yes, Thom has done this several times in the past
I think Lammerse is TH’s source and TH is Lammerse source. They just don’t know it, lol.
Best joke yet on this thread.
thanks for the lol!
Actually, I believe M.L. has family in Japan who work in the Japanese camera retail business. Better sources than most here.
Jeff-C, M Lammerse, and Thom Hogan walk into a sushi bar. Thom says to the bartender, “Do you have a rumor?” The bartender turns to Lammerse and says…
I think both Lammerse and Thom know much more but don’t share it.
litebyte, they will both tell us more once Nikon makes an announcement
Lammerse’s “family member” says a D800 coming in Feb so we will see who is right very soon.
We will see in February! Just curious why Thom is usually spot on with his predictions and Lammerse uses equipment at a sushi bar before it is actually on the market
EVIL camera reported on NR August 5th:
http://nikonrumors.com/2009/08/05/more-nikon-patents-hint-for-a-mirrorless-nikon-camera.aspx
That’s pretty much my take too
I’ll wait to see what transpires in February before passing judgment if M Lammerse sources are true or not.
As per this rumour, someone on FM forums was pushing for Nikon MX this year. Guess we’ll have to wait and see.
I’ve been predicting a Coolerpix (mirrorless interchangeable lens camera) on my site since 11/22/2009, and I wrote that I think that it will be announced later in the year (at this point: August). Prototypes have been shown to a industry folk by Nikon, which is why I wrote that it could be announced as early as PMA.
Perhaps if you spent less time insulting people and more time reading you’d have known that.
I don’t see any insult in the comment above. Thom has also made several incorrect predictions (most notably a high-res D700x coming out before a D3x last year), but that’s water under the bridge. All of the Nikon pundits and forecasters get their info from some inside source(s).
What’s so special about a mirrorless camera? Aren’t all point & shoots mirrorless? But instead of having a lens glued on the camera, Nikon will make a few interchangeable lenses for this one? I guess that’s cool, but they could have come to this a long time ago.
You’d think so, but they key point is the sensor size. Too big and the cost/size doesn’t make it worth doing vs. a normal dSLR. Too small and no one wants to bother with interchangeable lenses, a full range zoom is compact enough to fully retract when not in use, etc.
Finally, LCD technology had to get to the point where people were comfortable ditching an optical viewfinder.
Looks to me, that the renderings have an optical finder, just not through the lens. This looks a lot like a rangefinder system, which admittedly, I am curious about.
Are you serial? :-p
No, I think he’s parallel.
or perpendicular, whatever floats his boat
What’s the point of this camera for *existing Nikon lens owners* ? If i had to get another set of lenses, a body from any manufacture would be fair game.
I guess my point is Nikon should release a small body that can mount existing lenses.
Of course. Why would or did anyone think otherwise?
hmmm … because that’s never mentioned. Does Olympus m3/4 EP-1 mount existing lense?
it does.
although through an adapter.
auto focus and everything works, so it’s perfectly good.
And to add to that, no mirrorless camera is able to take “normal” lenses on their mount because the distance between the back lens element and sensor is too short, so it wouldn’t focus anymore
The focal point of the image would be behind the sensor, instead of on it.
And then cue the adapter-ring-spacer thingie, just like the Oly’s.
Ken R. has a review of this camera already on his site! J/K
lol
NikoDoby:
I just read the review. KR does not like it because it is another “oriental” camera made in Japan. He prefers his “non-oriental” camera and lens made in Japan: the D40 and the 18-200 VR.
You fail. He prefers his German LEICA M9.
The D40 and 18-200vr were KR’s all time favourites, his Leica is a recent abberation. if you dont like KR but dont read his pages to know why then I would say …”you fail”
KR s for entertainment purposes only.
Neil, I only go to KR’s website to help support his growing family
Think of all the people who do!!
Is this the Nikon compact camera with the APS-C sized sensor like in the D300? Thanks.
No.
Ronan knows more… Do tell us what sensor it will have then?
Per the lens patents a 17 mm diagonal, aka 1 inch.
I know, but just answering no, without telling what it is then, is 50-50 chance
1 inch: 25,4mm
I’d like to have a mirrorles camera with the same F-mount. They probably could make something like the Samsung NX10 and add a couple of pancake lenses to make it more attractive for people who don’t own Nikkor lenses yet, but I don’t know if they consider it worth the effort.
Nikkor-F mount lenses will only work well through an adapter, read my comment above for the reason why!
They work pretty well on the Nikon EM body which is only 54mm deep. I was thinking about a similar size camera minus the prism and mirror.
54mm, are you sure? Thats even deeper than my D80 (lens mount to sensor)
oh, and maybe it helps, the body is no deeper in total than 57-60mm at best
54mm – the thickness of the body. the D80 is 77mm thick.
No its not, I have a D80, and its 77mm with grip (right hand grip) included, just the sensor housing side, it is 57-60mm, so that’s not much bigger.
Nikon always gives the dimensions, unless told differently, in maximums (where they are highest)
Whatever… all I’m trying to say is that I’d like a smaller and lighter mirrorless camera, but with the F-mount and it’s not impossible to make one.
well, but you do get my point, that there is probably no difference in depth, and thats why there is no problem in focussing between your and my camera?
I can’t figure out what “opthalmic lens” means may be the rage. Zoom 10-70 and f:1,2 RFLMAO (rolling on the floor , laughing my ass off) . Can anyone imagine what the cost of that widget would be? I need one of those to my DX camera that has a worthy Nikkor 18-70, f:3,5 . Photoshop makes miracles.
Don’t think of zooming in a conventional way..
Then it will happen.
Ah yes… What a performance, 70 mm 1:1.2 with (filter?) diameter of 40.5 mm…
Conventional physics say it should be (at least) slightly less than 59 mm…
Worthy of a Nobel prize?
You know, I didnt even see that
considering it fake, good you noticed 
To me, an ophthalmic lens is one prescribed by an ophthalmologist and worn in front to the eye to correct/treat myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism, and presbyopia like contact lenses. This camera must have come with some serious myopia.
OK, that’s not it.
It can also be that it is an ophthalmic camera with an ophthalmic lens for determining a hemoglobin and glucose level of a patient. In particular, the invention relates to a miniaturized ophthalmic camera adapter fornon-mydriatic use.
OK, that is not it.
Here is the link to Nikon’s site: http://www.nikon-lenswear.com/g/products.html Let us not forget, that Mr. Michio Kariya, Nikon’s President, Chairman of the Board, CEO, COO, and God to many Nikon employees, comes from the Precision Instruments side of Nikon. This must be his brain child of putting a lens in front of another one, like a contact lens in front of the eye.
OK, close but not exactly it.
Another explanation is: “I have no idea.”
im all for this.
always wanted an E-P1, but don’t wanna buy another set of lenses.
if nikon make something that looks as good as the E-P1 with F-mount, and throwing in a couple pancakes (like the pana 20/1.7, forget the olympus 17/2.8), then i’m sold!
+1
Wow, I can keep repeating myself! Read above please.
wow read the comment under yours above! you most likely will be able to mount f lenses with a economical adapter that will translate af and metering info.
“which is only 54mm deep”
My D80 has from sensor sign, to lens mount, a distance of 45mm. So 54mm would be even deeper, not shallower than the F mount?
Well as far as I know the whole idea about EVIL camera was getting a DLSR-quality picutres out of a more compact camera body. But if Nikon really uses smaller sensor than m4/3, than this whole idea just falls into the water. The picture quality will be worse than that of m4/3, and not comming even close to the one from DLSR.
So actually we are getting a compact camera with interchangable lens and that is it – no DSLR picture quality. Pitty.
Well, as an established manufacturer of SLR cameras, Nikon may need to differentiate their product.
That’s true! And also, smaller, with 12 MP, Nikon can do it better
Depending on sensor quality, would the size not matter.
True, but what is Nikon offering us with such a product? I am sure ithe size will not be much different then let us say ep-1, or GF1, but with worse picure quallity due to smaller sensor . So what is the point?
… and may I add, to prevent the new product line from cannibalizing existing DSLR sales
Why do people think that a mirrorless camera will cannibalize sales of far superior quality of a DSLR?
“Why do people think that a mirrorless camera will cannibalize sales of far superior quality of a DSLR?”
Amen, it would not effect the DSLR sales. Nerds like us are interested in ADDING a compact cameras to our photo tool box. And the larger buying crowd out there is interested in higher quality compact cameras as witnessed by the interest in the Panasonic GF1, Olympus Pen, and the upcoming Samsung NX.
I think Nikon should use one of the existing APS sensors (nothing smaller please) and work to keep the cost from being crazy high.
My 2 cents.
Mark
The sensor size is more than sufficient to give a great picture and support ISO 3200 at 12MP. This is not going to be the camera to use for indoor candid photography without flash. But for long range photography in daylight (e.g. wildlife) it is going to be better and for daylight landscape photography it will be better.
The DSLR format had major advantages in handling in the film era, but comes at a major price – the lenses have to be designed so that the mirror does not hit the rear element. Not an issue for telephoto, a major issue for super-wides. Remove the mirror and you can make better wide lenses at a lower cost. That is how Leica is able to produce such good lenses – they cost the earth because the volume is minute.
If you want a lightweight camera for taking landscapes, the mirrorless format is superior. The advantage of the DSLR comes with the ability to use phase-shift autofocus,
Given the choice of a large sensor mirrorless camera and a small format, I would ideally want both. But that is not going to happen. It is going to be gite a few years before an FX mirrorless camera is as food as the current FX cameras. But a sub-DX camera can offer major advantages immediately.
People are quite happy to carry round a bag of lenses today. In the future, serious photographers are going to carry round a bag with multiple bodies for different purposes.
Panasonic and Olympus took a chance with these mirrorless cameras and are making a killing with them. Nikon is simply playing catch-up here. Go to 4/3rumors.com and check out the market share for these cameras. Nikon is jealous.
I would not buy any point and shoot from Nikon, The service is not there, Panasonic has 2 years warranty, and the lenses are not so expensive, And YES LEICA lens is a quality.
Indeed I think it will be hard for Nikon to compete both against Panasonic and Olympus with a smaller body exchangeable lens camera.
That depends. If Nikon was to partner with Sony they could well clean up.
Sony exists mostly to sell electronics. The pro lenses for their DSLRs are made by Zeiss. Nikon exists to sell lenses. A common mirrorless format that could take Sony or Nikon DSLR lenses via an adapter would make most sense. Nikon would still sell its own bodies of course – with Sony sensors in them.
I suspect that we will be finding out about the mirrorless system at PMA, though it will probably be fall before anything ships.
Mirrorless is likely to be the dominant format in the next 5 years. I expect most of the consumer/prosumer DSLR market to switch to the more compact format. It won’t eliminate the D300 and up for a while, but the D3000-D5000 range and the upper end of the point-n-shoots should be replaced by mirrorless in a short space of time.
The 2.5x crop factor looks like a good choice to me. It makes ISO 3200 possible (I would expect the first generation to be 1600) it is very well suited to video. It makes a pocket sized camera feasible.
Looking at where the airlines are going, I can well imagine a situation where the only way to transport DSLR format gear is in the hold. That is not going to work for me. The micro 4/3 size could well turn out to be too large. Its not just the body that has to be bigger, all the lenses will be bigger as well.
Sensor size is a tradeoff. There are advantages to being big and advantages to being small. It follows that the best approach is likely to be to combine the very big with the very small. I can well imagine moving from my D300 to a compact mirrorless camera with essentially the same spec for daylight photography and a FX camera with extreme low light performance for high resolution and available light work.
Well this is certainly the next great battleground between the camera makers. After the big 2, Nikon and Canon, the others finally see a window to gain some sales and market share. Right now it is Panasonic and Olympus with gaining some ground and Samsung posed to follow. Makes you realize how Sigma “screwed the pooch” with the DP series too much money for too little.
I think Panasonic is onto something good with a feature that is on the GF1 & GH1, that is the option for Aspect ratios that include:
• 4:3
• 3:2
• 16:9
• 1:1
I would like to see that with a compact Nikon. Hell, I would not mind if there was NOT interchangeable lenses and a very short zoom built in (no less than a 35mm equivalent of 35-70mm) as long as the optics were good (of course) and it stayed compact and well priced.
My 2 cents.
Mark
Well, Panasonic is the best choice. Nikon is not so great with theirs point and shoot.
EVIL mirrorless cameras, are not point and shoots
they should use either 4/3 or DX sensor and offer special interchangeable lenses, since this is the only way to take advantage of the short flange focal distance when mirror box is left out. of course they could offer an adaptor for common f-mount lenses.
especially when using 4/3 sensor size they should keep the resolution below 8 megapixels, why not even at 6, in order to provide good high-iso performance and high dynamic range. for this kind of resolution they can also keep the lenses cheap, which is mandatory, since people who want quality (and already have a dslr therefore) will only buy this as a second camera for situations when they want to sacrifice resolution in order to gain compact size and low weight.
DX over 4/3 would have the advantage of better depth-of-field isolation (with according fast lenses), which people used to slr would miss otherwise.
I don’t like the 4:3 idea, give me 3:2 or 1:1 please
i meant the size “four thirds”, not the x-y ratio
Amen again!
“I don’t like the 4:3 idea, give me 3:2 or 1:1 please”
Nikon can give us both! To think, more and more I can get cameras that I can become a Hollywood movie maker with a camera like the D5000 Nikon or the K-x Pentax, but so few options for image ratio, set in the camea.
Ok, done ranting.
Mark
AI-S please!!??
Dream on. If they do not offer metering for Ai/AiS on the entry and mid level DSLRs, why would they on a camera system that will be positioned below or equal to the low-end DSLRs?
If the EVIL has an F-mount and can use nikon’s brand of lenses then it may be interesting, otherwise its a lame duck. That said 10-70 f/1.2 would be a nice lens to have for my collection.
nikon should spend more time impoving their DSLR’s, than creating another pointless point&shoot. where’s the D700x for god sake???
Ok, you don’t understand what this article is about…
1. EVIL mirrorless cameras are not point and shoots
2. D700x is/ will be made in a different factory, so it will not be holding back any production lines
3. how does releasing a D700x improve the current DSLRs? It will only bring a new camera (which likely is a bit better than older cameras)
no need to be a smartass. mirrorless cameras handle just like point&shoots and have inferior image quality (yeah yeah but what about Leica). And More people want D700x (whatever it’ll be called) than this.
You think more people want a D700x than “this”. But clearly you have absolutely no idea about the market. None of the full frame DSLRs are mass-market products.
While the EP-1 and Panasonic GF-1 and brethren are making a pretty big wave. And probably at better margins too.
The market does not consist of people who post here crying for 25MP full frame because they think that is what they need. It’s made of people who want to capture memories with decent quality at a good price. This EVIL market is potentially enormous.
Darz
“…..where’s the D700x for god sake???”
I am with you, but we are talking about different parts of the market. Right now, Nikon has 3 areas that it needs to target and improve and go after.
1. High end (or high middle???) – In the more affordable full frames, Nikon is not in good shape. The D700 is a great camera, but something is need with more mega pixels, this is about perception as much as anything but there are photographers (me included) who want a bigger high resolution file in a D700 price range camera. Currently Canon and Sony are ahead of Nikon, and please do not slam me, I am waiting for Nikon to get something.
2. Hybrid cameras (mirriorless/bigger sensor-smaller camera) – whatever you want to call this category, this is a really big battleground for Nikon to get established in. It would be great for our existing Nikons to work but I do not think that is a priority. APS sensor + small camera + a few good lenses (or maybe one good built in lens) + the right price = lots of sales and maybe even loyal brand base.
3. Affordable DSLR (student camera if you will) – Ok, I am a photo professor at a college and I can tell you that the cost of DSLR cameras is very tough on photo students. DSLR w/lens $450, memory card, extra battery and we have not even made a print yet, have an extra lens, or tripod. I think/hope that recent moves, like the D40 possibly being discontinued (B&H Photo website says so) and the quick price of the D3000 and some talk of a lower end DSLR is going to equal Nikon coming out with a DSLR with a lens for under $400 (maybe even in the $299 to $350 range). It need to be good quality which Nikon does and have a lens, stripped down DSLR, 6MP is ok, just a simple prime lens or short zoom, but price is the key. If Nikon keeps avoiding this issue, Canon could make a move that hurts them and I see the Pentax K-x being a threat.
Nikon addresses these 3 and they can be cooking along.
Mark
So that’s what Father Bob Christ has been shooting with?
Bob Krist had something bigger than an EVIL camera in its hands on that picture, IF that was the camera+lens he was talking about.
FX camera 18MP with HQ/30fps video.
AF-S 28-75mm f/2.8 less than $1000.
AF-S 200mm f/2.8 VRII
AF-S 300mm f/4.0 VRII
AF-S 85mm f/1.4 VRII
AF-S 50mm f/1.8 less than $250
That’s what we need and want BUY, not useless s**t
Using “we” is just silly. Every photographer has different needs.
This is my wishlist:
FX camera 12MP (with or without video).
10 fps, ISO 12800, built-in flash controller,
two card slots (for jpg and RAW), HDR-mode
AF-S 20-85mm f/2.8
AF-S 75-300mm f/2.8 VRII
A large (low-light performance) sensor in a fast EVIL-sized body, needing smaller glass, would be great.
“not useless s**t”
Yes, so far Nikon brought us only useless cameras, that dont work at all, also the lenses so far, they do nothing.
Saying that all people NEED something, what you WANT not necessarily NEED, is a weird habit. Try to buy something that is out now, and see if you can make pictures, before ranting about missing all, when all other photographers are out making pictures with things that do work, and do bring money in their wallets
We? Me: no thanks. DX, no video, fast and well-built. A d300. Oh, look, got one.
AF-S 28-75mm f/2.8 less than $1000.
Funny, just very funny. And it has to be good too, and have build-quality worthy of the Nikkor name?
AF-S 50 f/1.8 for less than $250? WHY? Ever seen the price of the none-AF-S version? And what good would AF-S do to the plastic fantastic anyway?
A 200 f/2.8. That is not useless s**t? It will only have the same size as the 70-200 f/2.8, but less versatile? Why oh why? And what is wrong with the 180 f/2.8?
So, speak for yourself, and not for “us” with your wishlist, and next time, instead of thinking AF-S for all as a silly gearhead, check what Nikon already is selling.
Did you have a bad day ?
I think you have a picked a bad day
You even went totally off-topic I think now… it is about EVIL camera by Nikon
I could go for a nice FX Nikkor 5-5000mm f/1.0 AFS and a robot to move it for me.
the smaller than m4/3 sensor is not necessarily a bad thing. No one expects a small camera to equal a FF or Medium Format. This is the convenience, do it-all but not do it all perfectly camera. Priced around a D90, I’d would get one or two immediately.
It is all about comparable to DX quality, in a smaller body, without having to go P&S with fixed lenses and way smaller sensors
The quality should be about the same as the D300.
If DSLRs did not exist, then a bigger sensor might make sense. But since we have DX and FX format DSLRs, the best choice for an EVIL sensor is a size that allows it to excel in areas that the DX and FX bodies do not.
The D300 is plenty fast enough for shooting in daylight, and that is with the kit lenses. The mirrorless format is going to make superwide lenses a lot cheaper and a lot better. So if you are shooting landscapes in daylight, this is going to be the format.
blinkerfish,
I respectfully disagree. I think a compact can be made with the APS sensor and I do not think I would mind the 4/3 if Nikon will let me have the selection of image ratio that Panasonic provides ( 4:3, 3:2, 16:9, and the always awesome 1:1) with the GF1 and GH1 cameras.
Mark
Panasonic and Olympus has tapped into an unexpected market with the mirrorless cameras. They’re making a lot of money with them. So anyone saying that “we” as photographers need this and that is wasting their time. Nikon want’s some of that market share so they can make $$$….Sony too. That’s the bottom line. To a certain extent, they don’t care what “we” need.
Did anyone ever ask for a 85mm DX macro? Don’t think so but they still released it.
Money they make with the EVIL cams, can go to things we want to see
So I dont mind them if it will be a cash cow 
Actually, I was asking for a DX macro.
If you are shooting macro you want the finest sensor pitch possible. Only the know-nothings would want an FX format macro lens.
This was not the macro lens I was hoping for though. Canon has a macro lens that is dedicated to one of the crop format Rebels that does 1x to 10x magnification. If you do the math the lens is pretty close to the limits of microscopy. So for $1200 for the camera plus lens you have an exceptional quality digital microscope.
Can you send me a link to this lens, I have never heard of a Canon EF-S lens that can do 10x magn.
I don’t get it. What IS the EVIL camera? What does EVIL stand for? Isn’t just like an ordinary Four-Thirds camera, or something?
EVIL, electronic viewfinder interchangeable lenssystem
It is like the MICRO four thirds cameras indeed, but with an assumed 3:2 ratio sensor
Right, sorry about the mistake. I meant “Micro Four-Thirds.”
One problem with going with the smaller sensor is that folks who enjoy the wide angle side of things get hosed – at least initially at the launch of such products. It gets harder to make a true wide angle even thought the flange distance to the sensor is/can be reduced. I’m not interested in such a beast if Nikon does not have lenses that can give me a 20mm FX equivalent FOV in a small form factor. I’m also not interested if I can’t mount my existing Nikkor glass. Keep in mind that these smaller sensors with high pixel count demand more central lens resolving power than a larger sensor with larger photosites.
Nikon better not screw this up or this market is gone forever.
Would you settle for 22 mm? One of the lens designs is an equivalent 22-105.
22mm equiv. FOV would do it for me for sure.
well im thinking this body with the 10.5 fisheye with w 2.0 conversion factor would yield you about 20mm FOV. im excited.
Hey,
I would love a M9 sized pro-built body with a square 36×36mm ~22MP sensor.
A nice feature would be different cropmodes via a button or dial (square/horizontal/verical),
New mount of course + adapters for F and Leica M.
Now that would be my dream camera..
And what would you be willing to pay for that? ANd what does this have to do with Nikon, who will never come up with a camera as unsellable as this.
I would not say “unsellable” but it is a more specialized market. I own a Phase One camera with the 16MP sensor (square format) and the quality is great.
The key would be what Nikon can offer and at what price. I could see something in the $6000 to $9000 price range with a medium format sensor in the 16MP to 22MPish range and Nikon offering 2 to 4 lenses made for it. It could be a camera body that does not offer interchangeable backs to keep it more compact lower cost.
It would be brave and dangerous market move but it could pay off.
Mark
Finally there’s some tips other than just patents. But looking at the patents as whole you get an idea of some features Nikon is investigating.
3 prime lenses and 2-3 zooms. Plus the short back focus would, in principle, allow for an F-mount adapter (although most likely just for AF-S)
A sensor cover to protect it when the lens is off. This,I think, is Nikon thinking about a shirt pocketable camera.
A big thing is AF. This is where Nikon may try to differentiate this camera. They’re working hard at putting phase detect AF into the sensor. With it they could get SLR AF performance in a compact camera.
I just don’t understand what the appeal for this kind of camera is. Certainly nobody thinks this is a BETTER alternative to SLRs? Sometimes I feel like I’m the only one who sees the benefit of a traditional viewfinder.
Tyler,
I am with you about the traditional viewfinder, but I am interested in a higher quality camera that is compact enough that I will carry around often. I am looking at the Panasonic GF1 and the Samsung NX. I like the idea of compact and still having a rangefinder window.
Mark
No, I cant either, For example would an LX3 sized body with aps-c sensor and a traditional viewfinder ala G11 be perfect. Just put on a zoom-equilaent of 28-50mm and it would be the perfect camera!
With Leica M9s flying off the shelves, I can’t imagine why Nikon won’t make a long wanted digital rangefinder camera. Imagine a Nikon SP with a built in light meter and full frame sensor selling for $5000, or so. Wow!
I’ve said this before, I cannot believe that Leica doesn’t have a competition for their M9. I cannot think of another photography product without any competitors. Zeiss, Voigtländer and Nikon I believe are the only companies that can challenge the Leica M9. Will they?
I’m thinking about a GF-1. Lugged a D700 around on a three week trip last summer. Great camera but big and heavy. Long for a compact FX camera–FE/FM sized and I don’t really need 5fps–but that won’t happen. The GF1 looks great though I wish the shutter closed whilst changing lenses sort of like the curtain I have to close on my Mamiya 6 when I switch lenses. I think Nikon would be foolish to go to a smaller sensor. I’m waiting to see what Nikon does in part due to investment in Nikon flash gear.
Matt,
Have held a GF1 in your hand yet? I am curious about it too but wonder is it much more compact than say a D40, D3000 or D5000?
I hope to upgrade my DSLR (D200) to FX (D700 or its replacement with more MP) and add a compact bigger sensor camera (GF1, Samsung NX? or a ????).
Curious to hear some reports from people.
Mark
Who cares about yet ANOTHER point and shoot!
What we are talking about is not another point & shoot, but rather a camera that is more compact and has the bigger sensor. Trying t get the correct mix or as the saying goes, “best of both worlds.”
Give me a 10MP or 12MP sensor in a more compact camera and I have a carry it almost anywhere camera that is also a respectable 2nd/3rd (back-up?) camera.
I think a key is simplicity and price point.
My 2 cents again.
Mark
I have held a GF-1 in my hand and managed not to buy on the spot. I also own an LX-3 with which I am generally please and previously owned a Sony DSC-R1 which wasn’t quite EVIL since you couldn’t change lenses but was APS-sensor sized and had a nifty flip-around screen. The GF-1 is a bit bigger than the LX-3, much smaller than the D700, and the lenses are all proportionately smaller than the full-framed Nikon.
I’m biding my time to see what shows up in this space. Bigger sensor is nice, what would be exquisite is full-framed Contax G2, but a Canonet-sized APS rangefinder would be nice too. If Nikon wanted to sell a ton of lenses, they’d think about doing the 4/3rds standard. It would be great to have options from 3 makers on your bodies.