The New Nikon Z6 & Z7

Everybody and their dog is reviewing the new Nikon mirrorless cameras, the Z6 and the Z7. The main problem is that very few people have seen one, let alone used one.

31-Aug-2018: Google search:
nikon z6 review
About 650,000 results (0.59 seconds)
— Google

Very few people have received it, definitely not 650,000 people. So people look at some the technical specs and decide if this is a good or bad camera based on a few numbers, because some numbers are good and some numbers are bad.

The Specs

The specs are not very important since Nikon could change them on the fly. How?

It’s called firmware. Cameras are not cameras anymore, they are computers that are programmed by the developer, in this case Nikon.

That’s what Fuji has been doing for the last few years with their X series. They have been adding new features and modifying some of the hardware like memory management, focus management…

If Nikon is smart, they will come up with regular firmware updates at scheduled intervals. This will build customer loyalty. That’s what Fuji did with firmware updates even on end-of-line/discontinued cameras.

These new cameras, the Z6 & the Z7 are supposed to be the first of the new family line. There will be cameras higher the food chain and lower the food chain.

The Lens Roadmap

Nikon is releasing 3 lenses to start with: * 24-70 f/4 * 50 f/1.8 * 35 f/1.8

Ridiculous! I was at a lighting workshop for professional photographers. 6 professional photographers and only 2 lenses:

1. 70-200 f/2.8
2. 24-105 f/4

and then there was me with my Fuji and the 23 f/2 and 50 f/2.

I am sure that the Nikon lenses will be decent lenses but no professional photographer would use only these. A few years ago, Canon released some stats that 4 out of 5 photo taken by Canon photojournalist where with the 70-200 f/2.8. Where’s that lens?

Where is Nikon? They have a very large lens mounting flange. Why not release the camera with a 24-70 f/2.4 or f/2 and a 70-200 f/2.4… BTW, Canon is announcing a 28-70 f/2 with their new EOS-R

So How Good Are The New Cameras

I don’t know. Let’s see the camera in action with real life photos and we’ll see.

Nikon is betting the company on these new cameras. Nikon needs a big and a very profitable success in a world where cameras are becoming more and more of a niche market.

Canon is diversified company, they just bought Toshiba Health and now is selling many Ultrasound, CatScan and MRI machines. These are very expensive and very profitable machines with very profitable maintenance contracts attached…