Nikon Retro F-Mount Camera (FM2 Style)

Msmoto

Hybrid must have something to do with either a rear LCD, or an EVF which looks like a pentaprism. And, I think I will get all my manual focus lenses out.....one should be ashamed to have AF on a retro body...LOL

Elvishefer

Well I think the latest video shows its not a fixed lens camera.

Yes! Whew!

Elvishefer

one should be ashamed to have AF on a retro body...LOL

Ha! If it's really the D4 sensor I'll happily walk around with my 70-200 on this thing autofocusing until the cows come home.

DXV_Photo

Well I think the latest video shows its not a fixed lens camera.

Yes! Whew!

oh well, worth a shot. I really need to blow the dust off my crystal ball one these days. :-)

shawnino

New main blog post here trying to separate the pepper from the flypoop:

http://nikonrumors.com/2013/10/28/nikon-df-camera-rumors-recap.aspx/#more-66160

Commentary on pricing is significantly absent.

adamz

IMHO, we will not see less than $2000, I wouldn't be surprised to see something around $2999

Ade

Since the DF will supposedly use a "Standard Nikon F-mount", I find this commentary from the latest main blog post interesting:

"It will come with a new AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.8G lens (again, not clear what mount the new lens will have)"

Just left-over cut & paste from an earlier rumor, or do we still think there's a new (hybrid?) mount coming?

Ade

Here's another speculation: what if Nikon made the pentaprism optional?

E.g., you can remove the pentaprism and "stow away" (lock-up) the mirror, replacing it with a hot-shoe cover. Then you essentially have a super-compact and super-quiet mirrorless camera. In this mode, you can also slot an optional EVF onto the hot-shoe. Think of this configuration as an FX version of the Coolpix A with F-mount to boot.

Or, if you want, you can remove the hot-shoe cover, and slot in a pentaprism OVF, releasing the mirror. In this mode, the camera becomes a true DSLR (with full PD AF, etc.)

So you have a convertible mirrorless / DSLR hybrid, depending on which attachments you use. Is there a Nikon patent on that?

adamz

This actually isn't an out of the world idea. Nikon had in past removable viewfinders/pentaprisms so why not. this would be great to have an option of pure analog or evf.

Msmoto

For those who may have never seen the rear of the new camera.....this is not it. But as Adam has mentioned, some of the older bodies had interchangeable viewfinders. I may be beginning to like this retro stuff in spite of my better judgement.

Photobug

As one of the older members here; I loved those interchangeable viewfinders. Thanks for the picture Msmoto.

And you know you want this retro body. =D> X_X

obajoba

8 pages of speculation! I couldn't read all of them... whew.

If they took away video and all of the other junk I don't use on my D4 I would happily pay $3k for it. If this camera is full of "auto everything" then I won't even give it a first look. With the exception of focus I do everything manually. It makes sense to me. Less time reading about features or forgetting what I changed in the 900 menu options the last time I was out shooting. Photography is way overcomplicated these days. If I want to take a photo, I: take a light reading, set my aperture where I want it, adjust my shutter and ISO to expose the photo properly and away I go. My D4 has never shot video, always been set to RAW, never done in-camera HDR... I did try timelapse once and I do use bracketing (but my N90 did this in the 1990's).

I could seriously live without all of the fluff. Let's go back to making images instead of earning degrees in how to use a camera.

Symphotic

.... some of the older bodies had interchangeable viewfinders.....

Interchangeable viewfinders! I do miss those, and interchangeable focusing screens and interchangeable backs!

JakesGT

Let's hope this new 50 will be sharper at 1.8 than the current one is, especially in the corners

PB_PM

It's the same lens, just with a new body according the the rumors so far. Although I don't use the 50mm F1.8G very often, a lack of sharpness is hardly the reason for it. If you have sharpness issues, get the AF adjusted.

JakesGT

I think I need to have my lenses adjusted because my 85 1.8G is slightly soft. But to stay on subject, I really don't know what to expect from this new retro camera but I would like one haha

moreorless

This actually isn't an out of the world idea. Nikon had in past removable viewfinders/pentaprisms so why not. this would be great to have an option of pure analog or evf. - See more at: http://forum.nikonrumors.com/discussion/1742/nikon-retro-f-mount-camera-fm2-style#Item_193

..or if EVF isn't an option the ability to change focusing screens yourself quickly from the top rather than the current fiddly method of though the lens mount.

Golf007sd

Our dear friends over at Photography Life perspective on the upcoming Nikon DF. As always, a great perspective and insightful read.

Nikon DF – a remarkable Digital Fusion.

Golf007sd

spraynpray

I think Nikon missed a trick - they got 'pure photography' in stripping it down and have managed to create an aspirational element in the marketing a la Leica, but they have missed 'for the connoisseur' from the mystique. :P

Symphotic

Actually, support of non-ai lenses is kind of cool. Maybe...

framer

There some cool AI and Ais lenses. I can't think of any NAI lenses that are must haves. A Tic lens maybe but not for the money it takes to get one.

framer

shawnino

@framer are you still hearing ~$2K?

framer

All I was told it was a repackage 610 innards, it looked like a F3 and would be in the ~$2K. We will soon see. Patience little grasshopper.....

framer

donaldejose

I agree it most likely uses D610 innards with a D4 (or new) 16mp sensor and adopts a "old style" mechanical interface. When decontented a bit (video taken out) there is no real reason to price it above $2,000. Notice it is not even using the new Expeed 4 chip and it is using the cheap D7000 39 point autofocus module. This must be to keep cost down. The greatest advantage will be to get the high ISO ability of the D4 sensor for $2,000, if it does use that same sensor. Let's hope for a D4 sensor and a $2,000 price point.