This is the year we’re bound to see a Nikon Full Frame Mirrorless Camera.
When the reports of a brand new Nikon full frame mirrorless camera were hitting the newswires, I became very excited at the possibilities. It means Nikon is once again doing something incredibly brave since the creation of their 1 Series cameras, even with making all their newest lenses part of their new E moniker. They’re going to surely be gunning after Sony, Fujifilm, Olympus and Panasonic and so we came up with a few possibilities that could present itself in this new camera.
Emulate the Look and Feel of the Nikon F Cameras, Please!
While the Nikon Df didn’t apparently sell as well as it should have, many reviewers found it to be a fantastic camera. Personally, it was the first retro style camera that I didn’t like partially because it was so big. But I think, considering how Nikon F series film cameras are going for so much money, they could make a strong claim to emulate the look of their older Nikon F series SLRs. The Nikon F original or the Nikon FM2 would provide the most inspiration here.
The Shutter Sound of a Nikon F Camera
While many photographers will exclaim that they want the quietest and most silent shutter possible, I think that Nikon could totally do that with an electronic shutter mode. But in normal shutter mode, I’d want a nice classic sound to it. Cameras and photography isn’t just about the image quality, but also about the aesthetics. A person has to want to use the camera, which goes hand in hand with the ergonomics, size, functionality, feel and sometimes even the sound. Every time I pick up my Leica M4-P I’m in love with the sound of the shutter; the same goes for my Pentax 67. Some shutters are just audibly pleasing.
Weather Sealing (And Perhaps a Nikonos Version)
If you know anything about the Nikonos cameras, then you know they were designed for use underwater and with very rough conditions in mind. We’ve featured photographer Brooks Sterling who shoots surfers with his film Nikonos camera. Of course, creating something this sturdy would help Nikon differentiate themselves from much of the pack out there. But even if this doesn’t happen, a Nikon full frame mirrorless could have a lot of weather sealing in it.
A Few Good Prime Lenses at Launch
One of the best things Fujifilm did was launch their system with three solid prime lens options, one of which I continue to use even into today. Nikon could benefit from this idea. Smaller cameras deserve some nice small lenses to keep them compact.
A Joystick to Give Us Focus Point Control
A good Nikon full frame mirrorless would have a joystick or autofocus point selection similar to the Nikon D850’s or like the D-pad on previous Nikon cameras. Both in terms of ease of use and ergonomics, it would make their system much easier to use and they’d avoid a massive flaw right out of the gate. This would allow their system to not only target new customers but photographers who have been using mirrorless for years on top of their own. It would help make for a flawless launch.
The Nikon D850’s Fantastic Image Sensor
The Nikon D850 has one of the best imaging sensors on the market right now. If the new Nikon Full Frame Mirrorless Camera had this sensor, then they’d be in a better spot at launch. This sensor can handle high ISO noise well, has a lot of color depth and all the dynamic range a photographer really needs. You can see our Nikon D850 review for even more.
Wireless Radio Flash Control Built In
Now this is a stretch, but to me I think that a Nikon full frame mirrorless could totally have a wireless flash control radio built in for their own flashes. If companies can stuff GPS, Bluetooth and WiFi into their cameras, I see no good reason why a full frame mirrorless can’t have radio flash control.
Don’t Ever Go Back to the 1 Series
With this last request, I also add into this to please not work with Ashton Kutcher again. I praise his efforts to buy out the debt of lots of people and help the America economy, but this is still nuts.
