Nikon has been largely silent on the 8K camera thing, but this year it might have something in the mirrorless “Z” series.
There are a fair few 8K TVs out in the world, complete with a new assortment from Samsung just launched, but the world of 8K content can still feel mighty slim.
You can always make your own 8K movies, though, because that’s an option, too.
To make an 8K movie, you need an 8K camera, and while there are phones that can do this, the sensor size is typically so small that they’re not necessarily focused on quality. Fortunately, there are bigger cameras with 8K-capable sensors, and that’s an area Canon has made a dent last year with the EOS R5, while Sony launched something else pretty grandiose recently in the A1.
That means two of the world’s biggest camera brands have 8K camera brands, but not the obvious third: Nikon.
That appears likely to change this year, however, as Nikon announces it is developing a full-frame mirrorless camera with an 8K capable sensor.
All we know right now is it will be the Nikon Z9, continuing Nikon’s work on its Z-series mirrorless cameras, but looking a little more like a full-size camera in the same vein as its flagship D-series DSLRs.
Nikon says the Z9 is “scheduled for release in 2021”, and that it “represents a significant leap in technology and performance”, but has said very little otherwise. Our expectation is that it will likely be a large sensor, resulting in a camera built for image and video, which is smart, given how both of Nikon’s biggest competitors already have models competing.
For now, there’s not a lot of information, but expect to hear more in the coming months. Our guess is we should see something just after the middle of the year, possibly during IFA 2021, which is due in September.
