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Camera rumors suggest that Nikon is working on N-Log2

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Nikon videographers take note, the Big N is supposedly working on N-Log2 and putting that Red acquisition to good use

Screenshot from Nikon showing N-Log (right) and applied Nikon LUT (left)
N-Log in action. On the left is the applied Nikon N-Log 3D LUT and on the right is the N-Log footage fresh from camera (Image credit: Nikon)

Nikon’s talented team of boffins is currently testing N-Log2, mounting an even more serious challenge to the best cameras for video.

At least, that’s the word on the web according to Nikon Rumors. And while the second coming of Nikon’s proprietary gamma curve might not seem like such a big deal to your average user, things become a whole lot more interesting when you consider the Big N’s acquisition of cinema camera manufacturer Red.

A lot can change in a little over a year and, as Nikon Rumors put it, Nikon will be “leveraging the expertise of Red” to develop N-Log2. And if that wasn't enough, the outlet also states that all N-Log-capable Nikons will get N-Log2 and roughly around the same time to boot!

N-Log is a 10-bit gamma curve. Put simply, it’s used to maximize dynamic range, providing filmmakers with more color-grading flexibility in post-production.

Fresh from the camera, N-Log footage looks dull and bland (not unlike a RAW file); it’s up to the filmmaker to grade the footage to taste. Currently, Nikon states that N-Log can capture “up to 12 stops of dynamic range of the camera’s image sensor, retaining detail in the highlights and shadows.”

But with Red’s expertise behind the scenes, here’s hoping N-Log2 offers even more dynamic range, pliability in post and stability.

There’s no doubt about it, Nikon is in its video era. The Nikon Z9, Z8, Z6 III, Zf and Z5 II, are all very capable video cameras. And I’m still flabbergasted that the Nikon Z5 II can shoot RAW video!

Plus, we’ve already got the Red Komodo-X Z Mount and V-Raptor [X] Z Mount – and last month I wrote about another rumor, suggesting that Nikon’s next camera could have an FX3-style body, Red tech and a huge rear LCD.

Whether or not this rumor is bang on the money, one thing’s for certain: there’s plenty for Nikon videographers to be excited about.

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Into video? Check out the best cinema cameras. And if all this video talk is proving a little confusing, what is RAW video? And do I really need it on my camera? Finally, make sure you know the difference between ProRes vs ProRes RAW.

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Mike Harris
Mike Harris
How To Editor

Mike studied photography at college, honing his Adobe Photoshop skills and learning to work in the studio and darkroom. After a few years writing for various publications, he headed to the ‘Big Smoke’ to work on Wex Photo Video’s award-winning content team, before transitioning back to print as Technique Editor (later Deputy Editor) on N-Photo: The Nikon Magazine.

With bylines in Digital Camera, PhotoPlus: The Canon Magazine, Practical Photography, Digital Photographer, iMore, and TechRadar, he’s a fountain of photography and consumer tech knowledge, making him a top tutor for techniques on cameras, lenses, tripods, filters, and more. His expertise extends to everything from portraits and landscapes to abstracts and architecture to wildlife and, yes, fast things going around race tracks...

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