Nikon Without Mirror - Pure Speculation

on August 13, 2018
I've kept my promise to the WA Nikon Sales Manager. I have not rung him up every hour asking for secret details about new Nikon products without mirrors. I have not burgled his office nor gone through his emails. I have not sat in the bushes opposite his house and glared at him through the leaves. Not that I haven't been tempted, mind. But I've realised that the best way to find out what is coming out is to wait until an official launch. That, and haunting the rumour sites and YouTube clips. You can do a great deal of good, and even a greater degree of bad, with internet speculation. But it doesn't help to frazzle the rep. The photographic world changes constantly - I did not realise how much until I entered the trade again in 2008. Quite apart from the catch-up needed to go from sheet film to second-generation digital, there was an almost weekly addition of new equipment and rising specification in the major brands. The designation of " major brand " also shifted perceptively while I watched, and I found myself unable to really predict what any of them would do in the near future - let alone the long term. I won't be stepping on toes, I trust, if I say that I expected a longer term run from Voigtländer and Cosina with the Zeiss Ikon brand bodies. I was also unable to predict to myself what Hasselblad would do. And then there was Olympus and their 4/3 and micro 4/3. I weltered in confusion for awhile with these, but of course the nomenclature and production has settled down now into a decided market success for their OM-D range and the micro 4/3 size. Did I predict Fujifilm's rise? I did not. I'm happy they rose, and I've got a safe full of their product, but seeing the GSW's, the folding film cameras, and the 6 x 8 studio SLR's, etc, never flagged what they now do. Plaubel, Rollei, Mamiya, Linhof, Bronica...well, who would have guessed? Who would have predicted Kodak's retrograde progress? Now I get to speculate again about Nikon and no mirror. I admit I have no idea what they'll bring out, but I can imagine. No mirror, of course - that's what captures the dollar these days. 24 x 36 sensor - possibly made by them or sourced elsewhere. I'm betting on a 50mm f:2 or f:1.4 lens, a 35mm f:2 or f:1.4, and a 28 f:2 0r f:2.8. In a pinch, ditch the 35mm. I'll bet on a reasonably high ISO rating - 6400 to 12,800. Also bet on a simple PASM, a 1/250 synch, and direct compatibility with current Nikon flash protocol. I'll bet on one card slot, but a side door. I'll bet on a new battery. Nice if they used an old one, but space may be a factor. I'll bet on a tilt screen and swipe control. But I can't decide where to put my money on the materials of the body - metal frame, of course, but will they clad it or let it be the external surface? Okay, that was fun, and it'll be fun when the actual real announcement is made to see if collect on my tickets. One thing is certain - I'm going to be there at the show when we actually get to see the device or devices...In the meantime, here are some more heavenly bodies from our Murray Street shop. These have mirrors in them...
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