Nikon Rumors » Nikon MX

Nikon UK surveys medium format cameras

[NR] admin — Sat, 01 May 2010 02:36:44 +0000

Nikon UK has an ongoing phone survey to professional photographers. The first few questions are about the type of photography and the exact current equipment each of the targeted photographers are using and then... a bunch of questions on medium format, cameras, backs, lenses, etc... This interest in medium format could be based on the fact that the Nikon D3x camera was promoted as an alternative to medium format users or... (and this is where the rumor mill kicks in) Nikon has plans to release a medium format camera and are researching the market.

Flashback:

Nikon executive recently said “We have no experience in the niche market of medium-format. It may simply be impossible for Nikon to go on the market.”
Back in 2008 there were a series of ads with unknown source and authenticity that featured what appears to be a medium format Nikon camera ad #1, ad #2, ad #3 and ad #4.

Interview with Tetsuro Goto

[NR] admin — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 01:50:15 +0000

Mr. Tetsuro Goto is the Director of Laboratory Research and Development at Nikon Japan. Focus-Numerique just published a lengthy and very interesting interview with him (in French | Google translation).

Key points & quotes:

No medium format from Nikon: "We have no experience in the niche market of medium-format. It may simply be impossible for Nikon to go on the market."

On Micro 4/3 & Nikon: "If we follow this type of equipment, we change our frame (mount). The new frame will provide new opportunities or provide access to new technologies and to use targets smaller and lighter".

Large sensor compact camera: "We study this way. You'll know soon enough."

On EVF: "In the near future, it is possible that we will also use electronic viewfinders, but for now the quality is not there yet."

On SWM (Silent Wave Motor): "We are currently investigating a new system for the future."

On the future of Nikonos: "personally I think the Nikonos reborn in the future."

Sorry about the bad translation, but you get the idea.

Hit the comments section for some better translations of the interview.

The most ridiculous Nikon rumor

[NR] admin — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 02:39:13 +0000

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Remember the Nikon MX rumors from last year? Some Chinese forum now claims that the M stands for Micro and the new MX camera will have:

24.8mp full frame sensor
1080p video at 24fps, 30fps or 60fps
100% optical viewfinder
Nikkor 10-70mm f/1.2 lens

NR probability rating: 0% (this post belongs to the Humor-Rumor section)

Réponses Photo magazine promises to reveal the mystery of the Nikon MX sensor

[NR] admin — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 13:05:18 +0000

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Last issue of the French magazine Réponses Photo, in the Nikon PMA '09 report section (page 10):

"Regarding the current buzz on a large format MX sensor, it seems to be more than a rumour now. We'll tell you more soon..."

Can't wait to hear their story.

How can Pentax do it?

[NR] admin — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 01:20:40 +0000

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Price increases, economic worries... but not for everyone in the DSLR industry. If you have missed the news from few weeks ago, Pentax reduced their prices (Pentax K20D & Pentax K200D models) and today they announced plans to revive its long-awaited 645 Digital medium format camera:

Are they nuts or we are all being taken for a ride? Don't they face the same challenges like Nikon? Only time will tell and I am sure you will have an opinion too. FYI at PMA Pentax introduced a new lens (Pentax DA15mm F4 ED AL) and 3 p&s cameras.

Source (and picture credit): Amateurphotographer

No Nikon MX today

[NR] admin — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 04:29:55 +0000

For everyone that missed this post: there will not be a new Nikon MX announcement today @ WPPI.

Nikon medium format again (MX)

[NR] admin — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 04:38:50 +0000

I got this email from a reader and after a brief investigation of the source I feel comfortable to post it here - I have no way to confirm the validity of the rumor, but I have a reason to believe that the source is trustworthy:

Hi,

Whilst surfing the web I came across your site and saw the comment on the Nikon D4 and that there will be no such middle format Nikon camera, this is incorrect, thought I'd fill you in on some details.

Nikon will be bringing out a middle format camera by the end of the year, which indeed is the so called "The Big" D4.

This information has been confirmed to some pro photographers as well as Nikon distributors, camera will have a CCD size of 55x55mm, there's no exact details on final resolution yet but it will be somewhere around 50Mp, quite similar in design to that of the Leica S2 camera system which was announced six months ago.

New lenses for the new middle format camera will be announced which will cover the larger format as well as lens specific extenders/adaptors which will allow those standard FX lenses to be used on the D4, these adaptors will convert standard FX lenses to cover larger image size such as that of D4 but will not have the true optical quality such as those designed specifically for middle format Nikon D +++ cameras to come in future.

For the time, no detailed information on full range of lenses are available but planned for the release together with D4 are the 35mm, 80mm and 180mm lenses along with the 0.7 retro-adaptors for standard 35mm Nikon lenses.

Pricing has not been set but since this will a full breed pro camera, expect pricing to be in the $30.000,- to $40.000,- USD range, (Euros in Europe) so no reason for amateurs to get excited and go wild about it!

No rumors, facts...

Another reason why we may not see a medium format Nikon

[NR] admin — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 04:03:11 +0000

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Flashback: “The D3x gave medium-format looking files with all the flexibility of the Nikkor Lens system”

Dxomark tested sensors from several medium format cameras: Mamiya ZD Back, Leaf Aptus 75S, Hasselblad H3DII 39, and Phase One P45+. Now medium format can be compared to the D3x (in theory):

Related article: "Especially at low ISO, the Nikon D3x offers the cleanest signal path yet seen in a DSLR, as good or even better than some medium format systems I’ve previously tested".

I think it is time to remove the Nikon MX tag.

Screenshots: cnet

The Nikon BIG event at WPPI is a…

[NR] admin — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 13:29:32 +0000

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... free Blues Traveler concert - WPPI confirmed this in an email today. What a joke!

"We told you something BIG is coming to WPPI! Something so BIG that we had to rent out the MGM Grand Arena. We promised—and we delivered. Please join us for a private WPPI performance by Blues Traveler! This is a free concert to all WPPI attendees. Just one shameless flash of your WPPI attendee badge gets you access to this one-of-a-kind event brought to you by Nikon, WPPI, WHCC and Mitsubishi Electric. Don’t miss out on your chance for a FREE performance by the Grammy Award-winning band, Blues Traveler. Doors open for the Blues Traveler performance at 9:30 p.m on Monday, Feb. 16."

Source

Not BIG at all.

Nikon 50mm f/1.4G AF-S lens in stock, but for a price

[NR] admin — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 16:13:42 +0000

Ritz has it in stock now!

Update: the price just dropped to $439 at Amazon.
Second update: Adorama just got a large shipment of AF-S 50mm lenses and is shipping it to existing pre-orders.

Nikon D3x ad = Nikon MX ad?

[NR] admin — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 06:29:02 +0000

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I was watching this video about the Nikon D3x (btw they mention again the release to be December 19th) and I noticed the screen in the background.

Does this Nikon D3x promotional video remind you of something? Remember the Nikon MX leak from two months ago - a Nikon mount emerging from the dark with the word "BIG" next to it? Does this mean that the "BIG" Nikon event in February next year will be about the D3x? I think so. Will we ever see a medium format Nikon camera? I don't know.

“Might or might not be called Nikon DM1″

[NR] admin — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 21:50:59 +0000

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Pure speculations here, do not expect any real rumors and feel free to skip this post - more of an analysis of a potential Nikon MX camera from David Bush (author of books on digital photography). Here is his blog entry. I personally find the name DM1 interesting.

Thom Hogan’s 2009 Nikon predictions

[NR] admin — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 02:20:25 +0000

Here are the main points:

"Something not called D3x" - in late 2008 or early 2009. Oops, I just wrote in my last post that the next D3 will be called D3x. I still stand behind my sources.
New Nikon D60 in spring of 2009.
"A limited edition Nikon: likely a D3 sensor in an SP-like camera". NR reported the same rumor few weeks ago - here is the post. I personally find this one very interesting, I hope it really comes to life.
D400 plus video - released late in the year (2009).
Lenses: new DX lenses, primes - 28 (yes!), 85, 200mm and yes a new 70-200mm.

Nikon support rep reveals the secret of MX?

[NR] admin — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 19:11:13 +0000

There is this post on dpreview, which is very hard for me to believe. Apparently, a Nikon tech support rep revealed a lot of info about the release of a new MX camera this month:

November 20th announcement
Bigger than FF sensor
Available two weeks after announcement
The body will be the size of D700
New pro MX lens

I call this one busted right up front.

Sony will not release the 24 MP sensor to other brands

[NR] admin — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 16:04:49 +0000

Interesting post on dpreview from someone who talked to the Sony Alpha 900 team at PhotoPlus last week:

"They claim that they convinced the sensor division at Sony (the folks at PhotoPlus were camera designers) NOT to sell the A900 sensor to anyone, in order to build Sony's camera market share."

Canon has been doing this for years. This basically means that Nikon may not have a choice of sensors beyond 12 MP and their only way up is to go medium format (MF sensors are not restricted to a certain manufacturer). There is a dark area of who exactly produces the D3 sensor, but it seems that Nikon may not be getting the latest 24 MP sensor from Sony, which is actually a good news (based on online reviews of the A900).

This is a rumor which I cannot confirm.

Pentax may be entering the medium format digital camera market

[NR] admin — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 23:31:49 +0000

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Pentax filed a patent for a "relay finder optical system, of a single-lens reflex camera". I know it is not Nikon, but this means that the idea of a Nikon medium format digital camera is a realistic possibility. More info on Nikon MX can be found here.

Via PhotographyBay

Nikon press conference got moved to November 20th, now a world-wide event

[NR] admin — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 19:46:00 +0000

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From "Kamera & Bild" magazine: the initially scheduled for October 22nd event has been moved to November 20th and it will be a world-wide press conference. No details were given about the reasons for the delay but I am sure we will be getting some good leaks soon.

"Why the date of the press conference changed, we have not been told. Perhaps the product has been delayed, or the Nikon in Denmark had the time wrong. The new date is in force on November 20 under Nikon's public relations agency in Denmark. The date will apply to the whole world."

(google translation)

What is it going to be on October 22nd?

[NR] admin — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 07:56:00 +0000

This is what I am getting through the grapevine for the October 22nd release:

A new Software suite, something in between NikonView and Capture NX2, in between Photoshop and Photoshop Elements. An advanced suite, that will take into account your 'program' setting on your Coolpix or low-end DSLR when processing pictures - something that so far no one does... It notices the camera presets and post-processes accordingly, giving you superior end results, making your results look more 'pro'. This may be related to this recent and official Nikon news.

There may be an OEM Nikon badged HP printer too, but no more than A3 size. Again, going back to old news: remember the Nikon and HP press release from 3 weeks ago? How about Mr. Rockwell prediction about a new printer?

Definitely no D3x, MX or Nikon digital rangefinder yet.

I also wanted to emphasize on the importance of some of the posts in this blog - they may not be "real rumors" but they are definitely pieces of the puzzle and should not be ignored. The above links are a good example of that. Sometimes I get criticized that I am posting BS news, but sooner or later it all makes sense. And to prove my point I will give you another one: remember the Microsoft and Nikon patent cross-license agreement? Well the Nikon D90 video output is in AVI format. I have an old Nikon p&s that outputs MOV videos. Why did Nikon switch to Microsoft format? And to put some oil into the fire: the Apple store doesn't sell any Nikon products - only Canons. Oh, and one more thing - Nikon provides only Windows based software for the RAW files of the new Nikon P6000 (which btw now sells for $449).

Sponsor: Check the new Apple MacBook "brick" models - they will be released tomorrow (Oct 14th)!

Nikon ready for another news on October 22

[NR] admin — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 20:26:00 +0000

Google translation:

Svirrer rumors about an upcoming MX format from Nikon. One could suggest that it is true. Anyway, the press bid to court with a fashion photographer Wednesday 22 October.

Engentlig there are two things. Either an MX format as the big brother to the FX format. So larger than full frame. But there may also be an upgrade of the D3 to D3x - with a sensor with 25 million pixels.

Either way, is the waiting end Wednesday 22 October. Since the Nikon is ready to be unveiled by the model in question. There is just tikket an invitation to the press in the door which reads as follows:

"Nikon now launching a new product, which will run until Wednesday 22 October in Steen Evald photo studio. The strategy of making all Danes - all from the Coolpix users to fashion photographers - to better photographers is also evident with the launch of this new product.
World news launched on 22 October in the well-known fashion photographer Steen Evald studio in Copenhagen. Steen Evald is one of Denmark's best photographers. He has taken pictures of everything from King Hall to the famous Danes as Cecilie Frøkjær, Casper Christensen, Jarl Friis-Mikkelsen Morten resen and many others. Nikon product specialist Thomas Lorenzen will introduce the new product for selected Nikon partners and the press. "

We estimate a brand new camera with a number of megapixels on the other side of 30 ...

Via Zoom (translated by Google)

New Nikon ad from Japan (updated)

[NR] admin — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 11:35:00 +0000

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Update: the ad says "Big" in Japanese. My first D700 picture was... weird and I updated it. I will create a different post for that story.

Is it just me again, or this mount looks to big? Can anyone translate the text?

My observation is that the red grip and the mount are different from the current full frame Nikon D700 and D3 models:

What say you?

Sponsor: The new Nikon 50mm f/1.4G AF-S Auto Focus Nikkor Lens now available for pre-order