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Rumors suggest Nikon’s next camera could have FX3-style body, Red tech and a huge rear LCD

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Rumored Nikon ZR could delight ‘run-and-gun’ filmmakers with cine-camera tech, rig-centric body, partially-stacked sensor and sizable LCD screen

Triptych showing close up of RED Komodo X, Nikon Z30 and Sony FX3
Could the rumored Nikon ZR have a body inspired by RED cameras, the Sony FX3 and Nikon Z30? (Image credit: Nikon / RED / Sony)

The Nikon ZR will be the next Z-Series camera to launch and will feature Red technology (hence the "R" in its name) according to the latest camera rumors.

The video-centric body will reportedly feature a blocky form factor with no viewfinder, and take design cues from Red cameras, the Nikon Z30 and the Sony FX3.

This is particularly interesting, as it could suggest a move away from the traditional Z-Series aesthetic, which hasn’t really changed all that much since the series launched back in 2018 with the Nikon Z6 and Nikon Z7.

While specs are thin on the ground, Nikon Rumors has reported that the camera will be built around the Nikon Z6 III’s 24.5MP partially-stacked sensor, and will have a “very large LCD screen”.

News broke a couple of weeks ago that Sony quietly released an enhanced Sony FX3A with a higher-resolution screen and, with many portable video setups not using an external monitor, a particularly good screen would be a huge boon for Nikon.

The Red V-Raptor [X] Z Mount and Komodo-X Z Mount cinema cameras were the first physical coming together of Nikon and Red hardware since the former's acquisition of the latter (Image credit: Red)

A Nikon ZR release wouldn’t be the first time we’ve seen a physical coming together of the brands since Nikon acquired Red back in April 2024. In February of this year, Nikon announced the release of the Red V-Raptor [X] Z Mount and Komodo-X Z Mount – both existing cine cameras, but with options for Nikon’s proprietary Z mount.

This Nikon ZR rumor, then, flips the script, with a Nikon camera said to feature Red tech. As such, it sounds like the camera would be targeted towards ‘run-and-gun’ filmmakers and content creators, yearning for a more affordable and portable alternative to Red’s high-end cinema line-up.

Nikon hasn’t traditionally been a serious contender within the video sphere, but with the Nikon Z5 II, Z6 II, Z6 III, Z9 and Z8 all boasting very respectable video specs, and the acquisition of Red, the ‘Big N’ is beginning to make waves within the filmmaking community.

And let's not forget the Nikon Z30, released back in 2022, with its video-centric form factor, very much akin to the recently released Canon EOS R50 V.

Nikon Rumors suggests that the Nikon ZR could be announced later in the year, which would make sense given that Nikon has only just released the excellent Nikon Z5 II.

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Mike Harris
Mike Harris
How To Editor

Mike is Digital Camera World's How To Editor. He has over a decade of experience, writing for some of the biggest specialist publications including Digital Camera, Digital Photographer and PhotoPlus: The Canon Magazine. Prior to DCW, Mike was Deputy Editor of N-Photo: The Nikon Magazine and Production Editor at Wex Photo Video, where he sharpened his skills in both the stills and videography spheres. While he's an avid motorsport photographer, his skills extend to every genre of photography – making him one of Digital Camera World's top tutors for techniques on cameras, lenses, tripods, filters and other imaging equipment – as well as sharing his expertise on shooting everything from portraits and landscapes to abstracts and architecture to wildlife and, yes, fast things going around race tracks...

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