With January out of the way, it’s officially camera silly season. I’ve seen all sorts of camera rumors as to what the biggest brands may (or may not) have in store for the year ahead, but talk of a full-frame Nikon Z-Series camera with no viewfinder has really piqued my interest and is a departure from the usual Nikon Z9 II and Nikon Zfc II talk. A report from Nikon Rumors tells of a camera that would essentially be a stills-focused Nikon ZR, with a slimline (22-25mm) body.
Judging by the very limited details, this would be a camera in the same vein as the Panasonic Lumix S9 or Sigma BF. If you’re a traditionalist, you’ll probably dismiss the prospect of a stills-focused camera without a viewfinder as a photographic oxymoron, but you need look no further than the ‘Big N’s’ own Nikon Z30 and the Fujifilm X-M5 to know that there’s an awful lot of appetite for viewfinderless cameras.
I’ll admit it, I was never a big fan of the Nikon Z30, but I cannot deny its enduring popularity in Japan. And as a photographer who yearns for a small ‘beater’ camera to carry around on a daily basis, I have, on numerous occasions, sat staring at a Fujifilm X-M5 in my shopping basket (and thus far resisted).
My only concern here is that the aforementioned APS-C pairing follows a small-and-affordable mantra, which will likely be lost, were Nikon to release a full-frame version, which – you would think – would at least boast a similar spec as the Nikon Zf or even Nikon Z6 III.
And yet, ‘stills focused’ doesn’t have to mean devoid of all video functionality. If Nikon were to release a photography-themed Nikon ZR, with Z6 III specs, I could see it being an attractive second body for content creators who want a versatile and portable stills camera that’s also a riggable option for video, but wouldn't miss the ZR’s RED codec, power zoom and other hardcore video gubbins.
An interesting tidbit of information is this statement from Nikon Rumors: “Recently, several readers emailed me, saying they use the Nikon ZR for photography and highlighting its advantages in form factor and size.”
I’ve handled the Nikon ZR quite a bit since its launch, and I struggle to imagine using it for photography, but we as photographers all have different preferences and if some users are enjoying taking the odd snap with their ZR, this could bode well for a more photography-focused release. However, something the ZR has over any other consumer camera is its large 4-inch rear screen. Were Nikon to launch this fabled full-frame compact-style camera, I could only assume that it wouldn't inherit the ZR's screen real estate, but it would be a very interesting camera if it did.
As always, everything in this article is pure speculation unless we receive an official announcement or development announcement from Nikon. But it’s always nice to hear rumblings of new cameras that aren’t simply successors to existing models. Watch this space.
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Want more Nikon-related rumors? Nikon Z9 II leak: ISO32, 60fps RAW bursts, and more 'RED flags' than you can shake a monopod at. Here's why I think the Fujifilm X-M5 finally delivers on the compact promise of mirrorless. And if you're weighing up the pros and cons of a new video camera, here's the Nikon ZR vs Sony FX3: This fight is WAY closer than you might expect!
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