The Nikon Negative Narrative - Rebuttal

[Deleted User]

Refresh: Response to Lens Rental's EOY 2020 Worst Product List.

Well, here we go again. Another scab expressing an opinion that the Z series product is among the worst of the year due to a lack of 1.4 lenses, and some limitations with video. By my last count, Nikon has 10 S lenses including the 50 1.2S and the Z "Holy Trinity", and all G and E series lenses are readily adaptable, including the 4x 1.4 F lenses. So what is magical about 1.4 aperture lenses that dictates that a camera system is viable or not? What can a 1.4 lens do that a 1.2 aperture can't? Notwithstanding LR's owner apology for Nikon's deteriorated situation, I would put the probability as low that the moderator has an actual need or has used 1.4 aperture lenses extensively, and I dare say has likely not used the Nikkor 50 1.2S.

So he couldn't find other worthy recipients of the worst award, so might as well dump on Nikon, get on the bandwagon - or is he being paid to promote Canon's R5 which costs $900 more than the Z7II and exhibits over heating issues when using video (identified by LR in its own testing, somewhat ironically).

So we are several months from Eastertide which brings up the herd mentality of the crowd which so persuasively convinced Pilot to proceed with a crucifixion. Here the moderator has taken the social bullhorn on his elevated podium, and like a typical schoolyard bully, has found the weakest of the class to kick and harass over something that is inherently irrelevant (I cannot speak to video though my understanding is that there are many happy users of the Z6 for that purpose).

Yes, Nikon is perhaps behind on many key competitive points (including at its own admission that the Z7II AF is not up to par with the D850 - rather ridiculous for this to have occurred Nikon, you need to do better), and is certainly not innovating or producing new products at Canon's accelerated pace (perhaps their smelling blood in the water), but it is doing well from a product standpoint with an immediate need to manage shift of production to Thailand while maintaining reasonable output with High QC, rather than focus on producing 1.4 lenses to satisfy LR.

So this presumed "expert" from LR can't think of other product lines that fall into a worst case, so Nikon becomes a rationalized scapegoat for what is bad in the industry - shameful, deceptive and infuriating. Why not Zeiss in that they have not produced a lens since the 25mm F1.4, or Tamron who doesn't match Canon in annual product output, or Canon R system for its over the top pricing and overheating issues). But experts come and go and their limitations become apparent with new technology which they have not adopted or absorbed. Case in point, a well known and respected blogger, Ming Thein, a professional photographer (former?), designer of watches and the Hasselblad 907x and x1d (I believe) once said without contest, that one could not create an autofocus T-S lens. after I presented this on my wish list to him.

Well, according to most recent Canon rumors, which among other things suggest that Canon's R roadmap includes 14 lenses in the next 12-24 months, the realization of my dream, an autofocus T-S lens. Not to be dismissive of Mr. Ming's knowledge and presumed capabilities, but technology is not the exclusive domain of so called social "experts", but of those who have the vision and perseverance to create something new. If you are not in the forefront of change, it may be a while before it trickles down to these experts.

If LR's notation in a lens stripdown that Canon has implemented a "diagnosis" chip and which perhaps identifies whether a lens is misaligned (or other disfunction), as I once did a number of years ago in a letter to LR offering a plan to grade lenses by testing their relative alignment/acuity (for a fee), I suggest that LR consider entering into an agreement with Canon to, for a fee, analyze the data on that same chip, report to the lens owner its findings, and, with appropriate skill set and equipment, repair or otherwise correct any significant variances. They in effect become an exclusive diagnostic and repair shop for Canon. Of course it takes vision, perhaps contemptible attitude, capital (readily obtainable), and perseverance to see this through, but better that LR uses its skills for other than expressing silly opinions about products for which they should be more agnostic (or at least more balanced).

Keep safe.

mhedges

Haven't listed to it yet (and may not) but based on your description I don't get it. How many 1.4 lenses does Canon have for RF mount, exactly? Nikon put out 3 bodies, one of which is clearly the best "budget" FF mirrorless model out there, and 6 lenses + 2 TC's this year, during a worldwide pandemic. What exactly do folks want?