TECHWEEK
Information about Nikon registering two more new cameras has appeared on a Chinese social network. The announcement of these models is expected within the next two or three months, that is, in early autumn 2024. Presumably, we are talking about the Nikon Z50 II (APS-C) mirrorless camera and a new superzoom (the successor to the Nikon Coolpix P1000 camera, which was previously discontinued).
Two new cameras that have been registered with regulatory authorities have been given code numbers:
- N2216
- N2312
The source says that both new products are cameras from the Nikon Z series, which will be presented within the next three months. It is expected that we are talking about the Nikon Z50 II (APS-C camera for content creators), and the Nikon Coolpix P1100 (superzoom for wildlife photography).
Nikon Z50 II
The source said that the Nikon Z50 model will receive a successor in the near future. The first-generation camera was released back in 2019.
First, the Nikon Z50 II will get improved autofocus characteristics. The system will likely be supplemented with artificial intelligence capabilities for recognizing and tracking objects in the frame in real time. The improvements will also work in video shooting mode, one of the sources reports.
The company will position the new camera as a compact solution for content creators who don’t like to carry a lot of equipment, while the improved video recording capabilities will also be an additional selling point in the camera’s marketing campaign.
New shooting modes with higher frame rates may be added (the first generation camera had 4K 30 fps and FullHD 120 fps).
The camera will compete with the expected new Sony ZV-E10 II, which is scheduled to be presented on July 11. The camera will be able to record 10-bit video, so potentially a similar improvement could be found in the Nikon Z50 II.
Nikon Coolpix P1100
The second camera that Nikon plans to “update” in 2024, according to the source, is the Nikon Coolpix P1000, which is popular among nature photography enthusiasts. This camera with non-replaceable optics was discontinued this year.
This camera was the only one on the market that could shoot video in 4K resolution with a purely optical zoom of 125x.
Nikon has probably followed Panasonic in reviving the superzoom segment, which Canon and Sony have stopped investing in, thus freeing up a potentially profitable segment. However, the new product that Panasonic presented last week (the Panasonic Lumix FZ80D camera with a 20-1200mm F/2.8-5.9 lens) did not receive any significant improvements over its predecessor.
The main compromise is the small sensor, which is not capable of delivering the dynamic range of modern full-frame (or APS-C) cameras. There is no information yet on whether the Nikon Coolpix P1100 will be significantly improved over its predecessor.
The latest camera in this segment from Nikon has an advanced optical zoom. In general, it is the high-quality unique non-replaceable optics that is the main feature of such cameras. The equivalent focal length of the camera was 24-3000mm, which is truly an incredible figure. The optical design consists of 17 elements in 12 groups (including five ED elements and one Super ED element). At the long end, the maximum aperture is F/8.
Nikon may add a more advanced autofocus system to cameras in this segment. It has been six years since the Nikon Coolpix P1000 was released. During this time, the manufacturer has seriously improved the autofocus system and supplemented it with artificial intelligence capabilities. This combination is used in the latest generation of cameras: Nikon Z6 III, Nikon Z8 and others.
Panasonic and Nikon’s announcements in the superzoom segment will likely give a new lease of life to such cameras for shooting wildlife and sports events.
However, in addition to the Nikon Z50 II and the new superzoom, there is another expected camera, information about which is quite contradictory.
Nikon Z7 III
The situation around the Nikon Z7 III camera is intriguing. One of the sources on a Chinese social network reported that this camera will receive an 88 MP matrix. However, a number of trusted insiders continue to claim that they have no information about the Nikon Z7 III (and they should have, if the announcement of this camera was planned for the near future).
For example, PetaPixel reports that there is no point in announcing the Nikon Z7 III camera, since all the functionality of this model is present in the Nikon Z8. At the same time, foreign media note that the company has always announced the Nikon Z6 and Nikon Z7 series models at the same time. However, this did not happen in the case of the Nikon Z6 III.
The only thing the Z7 III has to offer that the Z8 doesn’t is a mechanical shutter, according to industry media.
However, there are counterarguments to this point of view. Firstly, the Nikon Z7 II is the camera with the highest dynamic range of all Z-mount cameras. Its value is higher than that of the flagship Nikon Z9 and Nikon Z8. The Nikon Z7 II achieves a dynamic range of 11.6 EV, while the Nikon Z9 achieves 11.26.
“Killing” the line that provides the highest dynamic range would be quite strange for Nikon. In addition, the Nikon Z7 series cameras traditionally have a higher resolution than the others. However, the Nikon Z8 model received a matrix with a higher number of megapixels than the Nikon Z7 II. In this regard, the information about the 90 MP matrix in the new Nikon Z7 III sounds quite logical.
It was reported that we are talking about a 90 MP sensor, made using technology that was first used in the recently announced Nikon Z6 III (partially folded sensor). Thanks to the ultra-high resolution, the Nikon Z7 III will be able to record incredible 12K video in the proprietary N-RAW codec.
The increase in matrix resolution will entail other innovations that Nikon will implement in the third-generation camera. Firstly, a shooting mode with increased resolution based on matrix shift (Pixel Shift) will be implemented. This functionality is available in Nikon Z6 III and Nikon Zf. Thus, it will be possible to obtain a detailed photo with a resolution of 360 MP.
However, there is no confirmation from other independent sources about the Nikon Z7 III camera yet.
