I used to be the deputy editor of N-Photo: The Nikon Magazine, so I hope I can claim to know a Nikon camera when I see one.
When Nikon Rumors published a camera diagram of a reportedly registered N2416 wireless remote controller, I immediately concurred with the eagle-eyed outlet’s assertion that the Z-Series camera in the diagram simply doesn’t exist.
The giveaway is the placement of what looks to me like a video-record button. On all mainline Z-Series cameras (Nikon Zf, Nikon Zfc and Nikon ZR aside) this button is placed atop the grip, but on the mysterious illustration it’s positioned further back, next to a top-mounted OLED screen.
Even if this isn’t a video-record button, no Z-Series camera shares this button configuration. It’s either a mistake or an entirely new camera.
A Z9 II, Z7 III and Z70 are the most persistent camera rumors I've been hearing (though none have been in any way confirmed).
But while the consensus seems to be that a Nikon Z70 could launch this year, talk of a Z9 II is that it's been pushed back to 2027. The Z7 III, on the other hand, is such a long-running rumor that it’s difficult to tell what’s substantiated and what’s pure conjecture.
Going back to the diagram. The illustration isn’t consistent with Nikon’s current professional-grade bodies. For example, it has a top-mounted command wheel whereas the Nikon Z8 and Nikon Z9 have recessed command wheels, and the viewfinder eyepiece is rectangular instead of circular.
So, based on all the available information, it's unlikely to be a Z9 II, making a Z70 the most viable option, given what we know. Or at least, think we know.
And while Nikon hasn’t formally acknowledged the existence of a Z70, evidence is beginning to mount up. Back in August, an Apple ProRes RAW compatibility list featured the wording 'Nikon Z70' and was promptly removed.
More recently, a Nikon Singapore slip-up referenced the camera (again) in a caption. And now we have this mysterious illustration.
I try very hard not to get too excited over camera rumors, since I’ve been disappointed oh so many times (*ahem* Nikon full-frame fixed-lens compact camera anyone?). But I’ve said for years now that a mirrorless version of the Nikon D500 would be a great move from the Big N and I still stand by that.
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Want more whispers from the grapevine? Check out the latest camera rumors. If you're a Nikon fan, here are the best Nikon Z lenses. And for updates from across the industry, here's the latest camera news.
