It’s been a slow year for Nikon. I’ve been champing at the bit for a big release, and while I’ll have to settle for a development announcement, it doesn’t come much bigger than this. Nikon has just announced the development of not one, but nine Z Cinema lenses. The news comes almost a year after the launch of the ‘Big N’s’ first cinema camera, the Nikon ZR, making this a huge step forward for the legendary Japanese manufacturer’s video ambitions.
What we know about Nikon’s cine lenses
Only one of the nine lenses has been confirmed thus far: the Z Cinema 50mm T1.9 VV. However, Nikon has confirmed that the entire range will feature the same T-stop and “highly precise” autofocusing mechanisms.
The eagle-eyed will notice the ‘VV’ designation at the end of the lens series’ name. This is because each lens in the series will have an image circle that can accommodate RED’s large-format V-Raptor [X] VV sensor, measuring 40.96 x 21.60mm.
This is a clever move. Accommodating both formats opens up the possibility of cross-compatibility between Nikon and RED products. Presumably, this would mean that if you’re shooting with a V-Raptor [X] Z Mount, you’ll be able to pick up a Nikon ZR as a second body and share the same lenses without having to worry about vignetting.
Nikon ZR is getting open gate?
And that’s not all; the news comes alongside the announcement that Nikon is developing firmware update 2.00 for the Nikon ZR, and is also developing future firmware in a bid to convert the camera to open-gate recording.
Nikon has only released two lenses this year and no cameras, while also announcing the development of the Nikon Z 120-300mm f/2.8 TC VR S. And while I’d still love to see a big camera release before the year is out, this latest development announcement is proof that Nikon’s got plenty in the works. Roll on 2027!
You may also like...
Check out the best Nikon cameras and the best Nikon Z lenses. Plus, here's the latest camera news.
