Rumors from others: Nikon sensor versus m43 sensor, NEX-7 specs, NX200 rumors.
Image source: Jorginho (Dpreview forum user)
There are a couple of new interesting “mirrorless” rumors:
1) Nikon could announce their new mirrorless system on August 24. As you see from the image on top the sensor is smaller than the Micro Four Thirds sensor. How will the image quality be compared to m43 cameras? Thom Hogan says: “What if–and please, this is a what if, not a will–but what if Nikon was able to put a 10mp+ sensor into a Coolpix P7000-sized body (Click here to see that camera) that had an m4/3 level of image capability? I believe that’s in the realm of possibilities.”
2) Sony will announce a NEX-7 with built-in viewfinder by end of August. It should have an ISO range of 100 up to 25.600 (Source: SonyAlphaRumors).
3) There are also new NX200 rumors coming from Russia. No built-in EVF, no touch-screen, no tilt-lcd. Sounds boring! (Source: MirrorlessRumors)
Share
Recent comments
Comment from bill: Those images (especially Nikon v. m43) d...Comment from Ulli: If i remember correctly,the ricoh M modu...
Comment from YouDidntDidYou: focus peaking is a waste of time/distrac...- Comment from YouDidntDidYou: @ Duarte Bruno
there are lots of technic...
Duarte Bruno
10 months ago |This NEX7 is going to be my legacy MF dream come true…
Ernest
10 months ago |Jjaajaja if u relay you legacy thinkin in the image quality , you’re so wrong piking up SONY ^^
Jim
10 months ago |even google translate had problems with that one!
arguros
10 months ago |It is also quite possible along the same line to build a m43 with the same performance of APS-C sensor. It might take another couple of years for Panasonic to achieve that though
Ernest
10 months ago |Is not only the sensor , for IQ u need , good procesation system , good OPTICS, and good sensor ^^
for this rule olympus won 3-1 ( cause the only good thing that u have in Sony is the sensor !!!!)
Joel
10 months ago |sad (for sony) but very true…
thomas ashley
10 months ago |I would expect a Sony EVF to be excellent too as it is playing to an electronics company’s strengths.
Duarte Bruno
10 months ago |I’m using a selection of manual focus glass (better for IQ purposes than any actual system), and I use my PC for processing RAW (better than any camera processor) so I think you’ll find that in my case the NEX could win 2-0 considering the focusing aids (rumored EVF and expected focus peaking).
Tom
10 months ago |Zeiss has excellent optics for E mount (from DSLR up to CP.2) and other options open up with mount adapters.
ton
10 months ago |The more choices, the better… These makes the m43 system a good benchmark, with an average sensor size, not too small nor not too large. And also have a great set of lenses.
Hope that fujifilm will anounce they will be joining m43 too
OlyFan
10 months ago |“What if–and please, this is a what if, not a will–but what if Olympus/Panasonic was able to put a 12mp+ sensor into a Fuji X100-sized body that had an APSC level of image capability? I believe that’s in the realm of possibilities.”
Jim
10 months ago |The GH2 sensor is getting pritty cloase to APSC level IQ – ok not as good but very close!
Duarte Bruno
10 months ago |A 3MP OLED EVF and focus peaking are real resuscitators for all the legacy gems I’ve got at home. I don’t expect them to resolve 24MP but I’ve got a feeling this is going to be my free pass from OOF picture land. And if this sensor is half what I expect it to be, the IBIS advantage on Olympus can take a walk…
Agent00soul
10 months ago |On the other hand, with all the new fast primes for m4/3 (12, 25, 45) there will be less interest and need for legacy lenses.
Eric
10 months ago |This is very true. However I do like to adapt lenses just for fun, and I prefer the 1.5x crop factor for adapting 35mm lenses due to the availability of all the great 28mm and 35mm primes that have been produced over the years; both of which aren’t quite as usable on a 2x body.
That said, if Olympus or Panasonic would just leak some solid info about their pro bodies I won’t be jumping ship. The GH2 sensor is good enough for me so the IQ edge the NEX7 sensor will have isn’t all that important.
Plus, Olympus’ new all metal primes with manual focus clutches are a dream come true. I can’t wait to have something like a 21mm/1.4, 45mm/1.4, and a 70mm/1.4 to go along with my 12mm. I just want to know that I’ll also be able to buy a Contax G2-like body to go along with them some day.
mapleflot
10 months ago |@Agent00soul, Yes, given those focal lengths, but the demand for new wider angle focal length primes will probably be higher since there are not as many legacy primes that will still be `wide’ on a m43 body. Oly/Panny will have to choose more carefully when providing telephoto primes.
Jim
10 months ago |££££££££ thats why old stuff is popular – If I can pick up all the m43 lenses for £50 I’de dump my entire and extencive leggacy collection!
YouDidntDidYou
10 months ago |@Duarte Bruno
sorry, but exactly how do you manage to get “out of Focus” shots with a micro four thirds or four thirds camera?????????????
Nathan
10 months ago |Critical focus can be hard to achieve with manual focus telephoto lenses that have large apertures. This is especially pronounced when using the E-XXX line that have tiny optical viewfinders, but can also occur with the PEN series when using the LCD.
It is most difficult when shooting handheld portraits with fast 50mm F1.8 or 1.2, but even a 210mm f3.5 can cause some significant softness when distance from subject to camera is not entirely constant.
YouDidntDidYou
10 months ago |just use the enlarged view on the LCD, it’s never failed me btw I also own a e630 with many lenses
Duarte Bruno
10 months ago |@YouDidntDidYou:
Nathan has nailed it.
Unposed portraits with a 57mm F1.2 are quite a challenge. A moving subject demands the fastest MF workflow you can manage. 1 second and it’s gone! And I’m talking m43, because when you step down to 4/3 bodies, it becomes a lottery because on fast lenses those bodies would always show much more DOF than what the sensor captures.
YouDidntDidYou
10 months ago |I can show you photos of moving subjects in low light using micro four thirds and four thirds cameras that are perfectly in focus it just takes practice and concentration and to be honest focus peaking won’t be much help in those scenarios anyway…
Duarte Bruno
10 months ago |Are you talking about people? What aperture are you using? What bodies? I had an E-510 with a magnifying eyecup, a split focus screen and Dandelions chips on the mount for focus confirmation, the whole nine yards and I would get less than 10% keepers. With the E-P1, I’d say I get a bit less than 20% on the LCD. I bought an E-P2 with the VF2 before that but I still would get just about 1/3 keepers.
What’s our secret? Can you share the technique?
YouDidntDidYou
10 months ago |@ Duarte Bruno
there are lots of technics such as using enlarged view when manually focus in live view mode (use the LCD), pre focus, panning with the subject etc
can you post a link to some examples where you are having problems…
Thomas Schindler
10 months ago |Well, sure it is!
A 11 MPix mFT should have exactly the same performance as the current 16 MPix Sony Sensor… So when looking at Sonys 24 MPix Sensor, a 16 MPix m43 should have exactly the same performance, when using the SAME technology. Its Panasonic thats messing up the sensor…
It wouldnt be a surprise if Nikon got a 12Mpix Sensor with the same performance the 24 MPix Sensor of sony has…
maybe the new Olympus Pro cam features a Samsung Sensor (if its on the same level the Sony sensors are). because we could achieve a 12 MPix m43 sensor with the same performance the 18MPix Samsung sensor offers…
i really hope this comes true (if the sensor is on par with the current Sony sensor!)
Frederick Hew
10 months ago |unfortunately the 12MP m43 sensor is far behind from the current 16MP sensor from Sony.
as far as pixel pitch is concerned, assuming this is what you base your claim on, a 16MP APS-C sensor would be equivalent to about 9MP in m43 terms, 24MP to about 14MP.
there are many technological issues other than pixel pitch, i still hope we can Panasonic to minimize the gap in future generation sensors, the GH2 and G3 sensors represent a (too) small step in that direction.
i wouldn’t mind at all (in fact i’d be very glad) if Olympus found another sensor manufacturer that can deliver the goods.
Brod1er
10 months ago |Frederick your numbers are wrong. Assuming same pixel pitch a 24mp sensor on APS-c is equivalent of 18mp on MFT. Math: 24*1.5/2=18. The sensor size variation between these formats is nowhere near as significant as many think. There is a much more significant jump between FF and APSC than APSC and MFT.
Frederick Hew
10 months ago |hi brod1er. i still think my numbers are (EDIT: more or less) right. i am basing my calculation on sensor surface area, not the crop factor.
225 sqmm / 370 sqmm * 24 MP = 14.59 MP.
for a 16MP sensor the 4/3 equivalent is 9.72 MP.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image_sensor_format
Brod1er
10 months ago |Frederick – apologies, you are quite right. The crop factor maths only works for focal lengths not area ratios. I bow to your mathematical competence!!
Frederick Hew
10 months ago |the numbers for 35mm full frame are staggering – keeping the panasonic 12MP sensor’s pixel pitch as a constant, and applying it to FF size
12 / 225 * 864 = 46.08
this is far from a 2 / 1 ratio, therefor FF’s absolute superiority in dynamic range and low light.
Pablo
10 months ago |So nice to read, that in a few weeks time, you, the loyal irrational, probably idealistic, fan-boys will get your as**s kicked and your proud smiles will fade behind envious looks…
Because:
1) I think Thom Hogan is totally right with his hypothesis. Nikon is no poor company, so I guess as they saw the trend, they had invested in some better research, better design and that, for a product with at least competitive performance…
2) NEX7 will bring FF level image quality to legacy glass users in maybe 3 months time from now… Sadly, those laughable m4/3 sensors will continue to produce P&S looking pictures for some more years. (not to mention the asked price of those toys:>> )
…at least the smarter of you should get it by now… I hope…
Maley
10 months ago |Finally Pablo is back
.
Frederick Hew
10 months ago |you sure have an axe to grind, haven’t you? personally i think it gets kind of old after 2 posts, but that’s just my opinion and you are of course entitled to your own.
Lionel
10 months ago |Did your wife leave you for an M43 user or something? You really have issues!
MikeH
10 months ago |Pablo’s wife wont let him buy a m43. This is just his jealous rage against the world.
Thomas Schindler
10 months ago |Well, i guess, even if youre trolling, you might be right.
m43 isnt P&S Quality, but it isnt APS-C Quality either. Especially when it comes to DR.
BUT,
NEX7 will be a great little camera, yep. I guess it NOT push IQ to FF level. My guess is, the IQ will be the same as it is with the current 16 MPix, but, well with 24 MPix, and THIS would be really awesome.
Yes, Nex7 will be great, but the lenses STILL!! will suck. Where is the point, having 24 MPix Sensor, with lenses that can barely resolve 12 MPix? With absolute horrible performance? Well, there is NO point to be honest.
So even if the NEX7 COULD perform like a machine, it will not… maybe with the new Zeiss lens…
and old legacy lenses cant resolve 12 MPix, how do you think will they perform on a 24 MPix sensor? You know the answer…
I rather take a P&S camera with good High-ISO Perf and lots of lenses, that are not too heavy, then one awesome camera with crap lenses that are way too heavy…
…at least, if you are smart, you should get it by now… i hope
Nick Clark
10 months ago |But Pablo, do you realise what this could mean? If the Nikon is amazing, and the NEX7 is amazing, and all us ‘fanboys’ (and girls presumably) decide to swap systems in our envy, who will you troll then?
My god, what will you do on a Saturday night!
fta
10 months ago |Pablo,
Go suck a lemon!
1) Not all of us care what Thom says!
2) “NEX7 will bring FF level image quality” What does that even mean? NEX is not FF. If you mean DR then D7000 and some others are already there.
You better pray the 3 million dot (NOT pixel like you have stated before) EVF rumor is true!
Ernest
10 months ago |Haa go suck a limon ^^
And this is what happens when a person like pablo talks about photography , jejej the thing is u r a person not a photographer or a profesional so that is why u dont have ANY IDEA of photography!!!!!!!!! Moron jojojo
Firts!! megapixels means NOTHING !!! To IQ only to magnification or.crop factor !!!
2.- how u dare to compare optics like zuiko against SONY OPTICS!!! and think that zeiss is gonna make and optic for sony AWAKE!!!!! i used to work in sony — sony pays for the name zeiss that all , if u want a really zeiss optics go and spent 1400€ in zeiss like i did for my 5D Mark II!!!
3.-how many optics did u have in sony let me thinkkkk mmmmm!! 3 optics, 18-55, 18-200, 16mm and that’s all , and all are stabilized , in oly u have more than 20 optics MFT and more that 400 old optics , stabilization in the body so u can put all those optics and i get the stabilization jejejej !!!!
4 .- for what the hell i want a EVF of 3 mp when for the human eye that’s doesnt matter from 600000 dots the human eye can detect acurassy, and a good view ,, i use my camera to take pictures not to see in a 3 mo hole damn it!!!
5.- you’re sony is the ethenal copier of all , when they see a mArket they’re launches joooo so u know nothing
Sony tv use a Sharp panel , ’cause sharp is the best in tv ,
Sony for enter in the photoworld buys konika minolta ,’cause for itself it would be quite impksible to do that !!!
Sony makes computers when asus makes all the parts inside sonyyy and a large list of etc etc etc etc !!!!
By the way let me think who was the inventor of mirrorless cams , Sony ?? Jejejejejejeejjeenenn
Frederick Hew
10 months ago |the sony-made Zeiss lenses are just as “Zeiss” as cosina-made Zeiss lenses you bought for your cannon…
both are Zeiss-designed lenses made in japan, both are good.
MK
10 months ago |thanks for your opinion, but get a life. searching for validation on the internet to boost your ego is a bit sad. hopefully your smartness will be augmented by my post. no, i wont call you stupid but i will imply it.
Jim
10 months ago |I admit im an oly fan – but I fear your right….
If the Nex 7 has a badass sensor, focus peeking, HDR mode, pana stiching, that low light image stacking mode, and a 3mpix VF – its gonna be a very hard package to beat!
Infact if these things dont make it into the GH3 or pro Oly i might have to conceed and get a sony instead of a new m43 (I would not however abandon my EP1 the sont would complement it)….
YouDidntDidYou
10 months ago |focus peaking is a waste of time/distraction, HDR is too niche (and can be done via bracketing), panoramic stitching isn’t quite perfect yet (sometimes ghosting and artifacts occurs so would rely on it essential work)but would like, 3million pixel vf is wasted on the human eye unless you got bionic vision, low light image stacking mode – what is this?
The GH3 or pro Oly would be better off having apps,gps, bluetooth and wi-fi…
Duarte Bruno
10 months ago |What is Nikon hitting at here?
Portability? LX5, S95 and XZ-1 users?
It won’t touch APS-C or the like not in DOF nor in IQ. m43 is already stretching the best compromise for size/IQ, I really don’t see the point in 2.7x and a whole new lens system unless they are going with some real crazy fast glass!
JeremyT
10 months ago |Honestly, I think Nikon and Fuji’s even smaller format interchangeable lens systems kind of validate the concept behind µ4/3 – that is, a smaller system may not be quite as good as one with an APS-C or 35mm size sensor, but it doesn’t have to be a toy either.
I love how this space is evolving. For a while µ4/3 seemed to be out there all on its own, but we now have some serious efforts by the biggest names in photography that are moving in the same direction.
People will bemoan the lesser high ISO performance and DR when compared to APS-C, or they’ll complain about the larger DoF, but I think we’re seeing proof that there’s room for a whole spectrum of compromises between IQ and size in camera systems.
RW
10 months ago |+1 A very well reasoned post. Nice.
Mike
10 months ago |Nikon has mFT Quality – mFT has APS-C quality – APS-C has FF Quality. So the small sensor has FF Quality. Awesome!!!
Alexander
10 months ago |Correct !
Anonymous
10 months ago |pablo,
so you are implying that all of us (m43 users) are so dumb, that we should follow & believe all on what you are saying! You are insane! We chose this system bec. it meets our needs (its called balance of quality & portablity)…
What is with you, that you hated olympus & panasonic so much! They are only a brand & manufacturer, not a person who post your scandal on the internet!
Stay cool!
Maciek
10 months ago |this is a great news, ther will be not much sense to make m43 cameras as small as possible. Now oly and pana must work on the IQ and lenses and additional features in cameras
Alexander
10 months ago |agree
Alexander
10 months ago |Nikon: if it is true it, could be a reasonable alternative to m43. I could live with lower dark performance. More important is the size of the lenses. Right now this is the atvantage of Olympus (& not Panasonic).
Mr. Reeee
10 months ago |Yes, compact lenses are nice, but not at the expense of IQ. Not for me anyway. I’d prefer to have a few excellent lenses, rather than a pile of average ones
Olympus only makes 2 lenses worth using as far as image quality goes. The 9-18mm and the 12mm are both excellent, while the rest are middling image quality-wise. Hopefully, with the release of the 12mm that trend is changing.
Joel
10 months ago |I hope the 45/1.8 is also worthwhile…
As for Panasonic the 25/1.4 seems a reasonable size (I am annoyed that even though I have it on pre-order it could be months judging from their track record lol)
Eric
10 months ago |For a kit lens I think their 14-42mm is perfectly acceptable. It’s also tough to complain about the IQ from the 40-150mm when you consider the price.
BornOptimist
10 months ago |Mr Reeee – IQ is always a compromise, because it’s not good or bad IQ. IQ can always be better. Since you use a m43 system, you already have made a tradeoff between IQ/size/cost. You wouldn’t be using a m43 system if you can’t accept tradeoff for IQ, you would have used the latest MF camera.
The question is rather what level of IQ is acceptable. When you have an answere to that, you can start looking at what options you have.
Trevor
10 months ago |+1
Mr. Reeee
10 months ago |+1 Absolutely. EVERY camera format choice involves compromise… size, weight, price, whatever. Once you’ve made a choice, it’s a matter of using what’s available and also what priorities you have.
Once the IQ compromise has been made, like M4/3 vs. APS-C or full-frame, then which direction is more important?
Ever-smaller and lighter, but with further IQ compromise?
Or maximizing IQ based on what native lenses are available.
OR stepping outside and adapting lens from other formats to compensate for what’s missing from the native lenses available: 35mm film lenses or Leica M mount, etc..
There’s no perfect choice and it’s all a balancing act.
Bizzarrini
10 months ago |The M.Zuiko 40-150 is actually quite good as well:
http://www.slrgear.com/reviews/showproduct.php/product/1374/cat/15
Jim
10 months ago |No – I’de say the kit 14-42 is a dam fine lens (and I have the mk1) one of the best kit lenses ever – nothing to moan about IQ… I just wish it was F2
Eric
10 months ago |When it comes to lens size, for me personally I don’t think every lens needs to be tiny. The only time I need small lenses is for street, travel, and hiking. So if a system has 2 or 3 tiny lenses that cover those needs the rest of the lens line up can be larger for all I care. Well, large within reason I should say. Something like the Sony 18-200mm makes zero sense to me.
Esa Tuunanen
10 months ago |Exactly.
There are uses where smallest possible size and weight of equipment are on top of the requirements but same doesn’t apply to all uses so just have to wonder why some are so bigotedly narrowminded in their demand that m4/3 can’t have even single good sized body with full ergonomy and controls and that all lenses must be designed to rely on software corrections.
Alexander
10 months ago |Some thoughts about Sony NEX:
The cameras could be as small as a fingernai, as long as the lenses are to big (& they wil be it for ever). the whole thing does not make a real sence in my mind.
Robbie
10 months ago |I really love Canikon joining the mirrorless battlefield with smaller sensors.
Some people would start behaving strangely and reverse whatever attacks they had for Olympus into compliments for Canikon.
Chlau
10 months ago |Robbie: I think that’s happening already. Small MFT sensor? Attack! Small Q sensor? Attack! Small Nikon sensor? Vague, uncomfortable mumbling.
Trevor
10 months ago |You and Chlau should both read the Nikon boards. Not many happy campers about the sensor size there.
Mr.x
10 months ago |OMG…i saw the Olympus EP3 at Saturn in Hannover for 899€.
They also got The 12mm Lens for 799€
Anonymous
10 months ago |You can find the Olympus EP3 Kit on Ebay (UK) for 760€ … shipment included
Opliger
10 months ago |You can find the EP3 kit on ebay (UK) for 760€ … shipment included
oluv
10 months ago |it’s not only a matter of image quality, but a small sensor will always have a wide DOF. already with mFT-sized sensor it is quite hard to achieve a really narrow DOF. the only able lens so far is the 25mm voigtländer 0.95, the 20mm pancake only does it with near subjects, but the DOF ability is still far away of a FF 50mm lens with 1.4
already S95 and G12 sensor is quite good and not much worse than panasonic’s G1 sensor. even if nikon’s smallish sensor was able to achieve equal quality to mFT sensors, the images would still look like those from a P&S because of totally missing DOF control.
Esa Tuunanen
10 months ago |Narrow/shallow DOF is again one thing which is not required in all uses and basically plain harmfull in some uses.
So everything is compromise.
Jim
10 months ago |well for users that are into photography DOF contorl is a pritty critical aspect…. 43 just about delivers – any smaller and you might as well have it all in focus (which will make for light speed and easy AF)….
Scott
10 months ago |Whats this world coming to? You mean one day people are going to be talking about the large m43 sensor LOL?
What are the FF guys going to do now?
Oriol
10 months ago |What about the M-mount module for the Ricoh GXR? APS-sensor, great glass and the usability of Ricoh. For serious photographers (and not mass market) this can really harm both MFT and NEX system.
Ulli
10 months ago |i don’t think so..i was following it for a while but it seems to goin to have a rather high price tag..
Jim
10 months ago |agreed – but its not like m43 is cheep…. unfortunatly – If m4/3 kit was 50% the price it is it would be unstoppable… but then so would most things if they were 50% the price
Ulli
10 months ago |If i remember correctly,the ricoh M module would be between 1200-1500 USD…i don’t know about the other ricoh modules, but the camera base unit dropped from 500 to 250 euros. Now if that M module would go below 800 USD things would get more competitive…my voigtlaender lens is already waiting
Agent00soul
10 months ago |Why does this remind me of the compact cassette? It was originally intended only for recording speech but eventually became a quite respectable HiFi medium, when technology marched on. All along there were people who complained that it was not good enough, but when a higher quality alternative was launched (the Elcaset), nobody was interested.
Four by Six
10 months ago |I admit, this hobby/addiction can be a bit frustrating. There always seems to be one manufacturer with best sensor, another with best body, and another with best lenses. It would be nice to get all three in same camera system!
I openly admit to being a m43 fanboy, but also concede the sensor has let me down more than once, sensitivity in lowlight, and dynamic range in bright, though you learn how to work around the shortcomings, as with any camera. I use the Oly body/lenses for personal use, where stills and legacy lens support are important, and Pany body/lenses at work where high bit rate HD video are needed.
I’m not sure if a Nikon or Canon mirrorless system will be the holy grail or not, but hopefully the additional competition will push m43 to better sensors.
Jim
10 months ago |+1
Four by Six
10 months ago |Another thought… if we are playing the “what-if” game with Thom, how about a m43 version of XZ-1? In other words, a XZ-1 with m43 sensor, or an E-PM1 with fixed lens?
Mr. Reeee
10 months ago |The EPL3/EPM1 (same camera, different LCD) is really just that, an XZ1 with interchangeable lenses, BUT without the built-in (wtf were they thinking?!?!?!) flash.
Flash aside, it seems like a quite an attractive camera, especially the EPL3. As a second body, I would certainly consider it.
Weiaperture8
10 months ago |What if Oly attack the Canon, Nikon and Sony with a mirrorless medium format with the body equal or smaller then a 5D II and a price tag that is under US$ 3000?
Maley
10 months ago |What if pigs can fly?
BornOptimist
10 months ago |But they do. I was at a Pink Floyd concert many years ago, and pigs did fly.
Mr. Reeee
10 months ago |THAT was the audience…
Or were you peAking?!!?!?!
Brod1er
10 months ago |This could be a smart move by Nikon as a 2.7 crop is credible (unlike Pentax 5.6). If they can make it truly pocketable it would offer something new. However it like everything remains a compromise and has “issues”:
-need to start from scratch with lenses
-Legacy glass is less appropriate imbalanced
-New glass will be difficult to engineer at good quality owing to size/resolution issues
-harder to get shallow DOF
- some elements won’t scale with sensor (EVF, processor, battery, grip etc)
For those looking for a pocketable camera, I think MFT can still get better WITHOUT compromising handling. Cue dream: Olympus XA-like camera with no LCD (= room for buttons and thinner body). Body depth 25mm plus Panny 20mm f1.7 = 5cm total. = high quality, fast glass, pocketable.
Brod1er
10 months ago |PS. My XA dream would also work rather well with the Panny 14mm f2.5 and Oly 17mm which are thinner. A 35mm f1.7 pancake would cover many needs and you always have the option of bolting on the Panny 100-300mm in extremis!!!!
om-4
10 months ago |@ Brod1er,
How do you get through the menu with no lcd?
An LCD-less XA could work if Oly can get wifi or bluetooth to push content
to your Ipad or mobile phone.
Brod1er
10 months ago |Om 4- I am suggesting an EVF only camera. EVFs take space but can be positioned to the side of he sensor rather than adding thickness to the camera. I rarely use the LCD on my GH1 and wouldn’t miss it much. They don’t rob the camera body of space for the manual controls I like.
thomas ashley
10 months ago |Nikon mirroless will most likely be intended to be of lower image quality than APS-C for marketing purposes until they phase out APS-C SLRs altogether.
M43 on the other hand has to compete with APS-C and be the best it can possibly be as it is the only format that Olympus & Panasonic make.
So I expect M43 to be the best mirrorless option until larger format mirror technology ceases to have mainstream use.
RW
10 months ago |I don’t see that happening anytime soon. Many photographers simply will not give up the quality of visualization that you get from an optical viewfinder – and that currently seems to require a mirror. If I could get a proper optical viewfinder in a mirrorless camera, I would never consider an EVF. The complexities of getting a proper OVF experience without a mirror, however, seems to be out of the grasp of consumer camera manufacturers.
cbr09
10 months ago |Nikon’s ultimate limitation with this system will be diffraction – as you cannot get around that with new technology. That will mean that for good resolution you have to use quite a wide aperture.
BornOptimist
10 months ago |I agree diffraction will be the biggest problem. At 7MP this new sensor will have diffraction at the same aperture as the rumored new 24MP APS-C sensor from Sony, and a 4/3 sensor with 16MP.
But the pixel density will probably be higher than 7MP, so diffraction will kick in earlier.
Lee J
10 months ago |Diffraction limitation must be one of the biggest myths in photography at the moment. Yes, it is true that the smaller the sensor, the lower the F-number at which diffraction limiting kicks in for a given resolution. But this is only half the story. A smaller sensor will have greater DoF at a lower F-number as well, which is exactly equivalent to its diffraction limiting. So as the diffraction limiting goes up relative to aperture, so does the DoF – which precisely compensates for the greater diffraction. So in practice, all sensor sizes have exactly the same problems with diffraction as resolution increases.
MP Burke
10 months ago |When Nikon were making their classic rangefinder cameras in the 1950′s they were competing against the established Leica brand.
When they launched the Nikon F they were competing with the Zeiss Contarex, with its magnificent lenses.
Now, with this new camera, they are competing against the mighty… Panasonic GF3.
While it is likely they took the decision to use a smaller sensor to avoid competing with their own APS-C slrs, it does give the impression that over a year after it was launched, they can’t come up with anything to compete with the Sony NEX.
What Thom Hogan says seems plausible, the camera will have IQ somewhere in between the P7000 and the D3100, though I would expect the sensor to be 12-14MP. The new camera will probably be smaller than the NEX C3, with no EVF and a minimal lens range:
probably a wide pancake (which can take wide and fisheye adaptors) a standard zoom and a standard superzoom and, most importantly, an adaptor to enable existing Nikon lenses to be used.
Incidentally the GF3 was recently reviewed by Amateur Photographer magazine, which rated it 83% overall, same as the Nex C3. The GF3 was given 9/10 for its auto focussing speed (presumably these ratings are in comparison with other cameras of similar type and price). Nikon will have to come up with something that is either similar in performance to the cheaper mft cameras, or both smaller and cheaper, or they risk it being unfavourably compared with cameras like the GF3.
Ab
10 months ago |There is nothing wrong with these comparisons, and the market is shifting constantly, video is becoming more and more important, lens selection is also important.
Just to make a couple of interesting points. This potential Nikon camera is targeting point and shoot upgraders a bit more than m43rds and a bit less than Q.
Image quality is about more than noise and DR, there are many other subjective aspects of image quality that go well beyond these two.
One only has to look at the lenses for NEX to realize sony is in a bit of a quagmire. The 30mm f3.5 is almost the same dimensions as a 45mm f2.8 (a longer, faster stabilized lens)… The Upcoming 24mm f1.8 is going to be even larger judging by the leaks… This defeats the purpose of portability. If you are to chose between big expensive quality lenses and smaller slower primes (that compromise on IQ and Speed for size) it hasnt worked.
This nikon may have even smaller lenses and be even more portable than NEX and m43rd, but one of the fun aspects of these cameras is the video features with legacy glass… along with size, weight and other savings… balanced will with quality.
If you look at the 30mm macro 3.5 for nex and do a size comparison with the 25mm f1.4 from panasonic i believe in terms of dimensions you are in the same ballpark. So how much larger would a 30mm f1.7 be in comparison from sony?
The 14-150 from olympus as compared to the 18-200 from sony… the 9-18 from olympus, the new 12mm f2 or 45mm f1.8…
As lenses appear from both panasonic and olympus compared to the compatitors one realizes why this sensor size gives good from both worlds with a little compromise on both ends.
The Nikon will be an interesting camera, people will buy it, it will compete in the same space… but it will no be a killer of anything.
Ab
bill
10 months ago |Those images (especially Nikon v. m43) do not look evenly scaled. Like, at all.
I don’t think you can assume anything from these pics.
BornOptimist
10 months ago |Wasn’t it this sites admin that used harsh words agains an other rumor site for not giving credit by using some picture… but I guess that doesn’t count.
Andrea P
10 months ago |You’ve got to be kidding me. This site is the dregs of the internet when it comes to proper use of copyrighted material.
admin
10 months ago |BornOptimist. I am against those sites using material WITHOUT to put a credit. It’s not what I do.