MrSMW

You can adapt pretty much adapt anything and everything to Z Mount except L Mount and even convert what are otherwise manual focus Leica lenses to become AF lenses. OK, regarding the latter, it's not amazing AF, but at least something...though not something that especially interests me and I prefer the native manual focus options for Z that were previously primarily L Mount only, from Voigtlander. E Mount lenses on Z bodies with an ultra thin adapter is great though! Nikon have a range of 'native' lenses that are essentially rebranded older gen Tamron E Mount lenses, but I prefer the newer gen myself.

I'm quite interested in raw myself, though have never used it. Not so much (or at all actually) for pure video capture and production, but rather for video capture with a view to using the material for both video production and extracting stills as if 'from a movie', ie, 100% matching other than perhaps crop. On that basis, having tested 4k, it's not quite good enough for stills, at least not at the level I would be happy with, so 6k for me is a minimum plus shot at 50/60p because I do have a requirement for up to 50% slow mo at certain times. Yes I know I can do the latter in post but it isn't quite the same. Instead, I am looking for a capture that is not too hard drive heavy so something up to about 600mbs maybe (but none of this 2000mbs stuff which is waaaaay too high for me) which I can then edit into a finished production, real time and slow mo and then extract 500+ 'movie' stills from it. And it HAS to be internal for me, or at least to a slim external SSD. Lumix currently does not offer me this and as someone who is currently shooting video with L Mount, but stills with Nikon Z plus adapted E Mount glass, there are several directions I could go in but Nikon for me has the current best options and probably future potential. Building up a modest set of E Mount glass means I can use this on a totally Nikon or Sony body system, but equally, I am not so heavily invested that if within L Mount, something 'internal raw 6k 50p not too heavy' comes out in the future, I could go fully back to using L for everything. I'd like to at least explore raw though as the biggest benefit to me other than having identical matching video and stills, would be because I can then down-size my kit. Down-size as not necessarily in terms of size of individual bodies and lenses, but number of units. Currently using 4 but could equally use 3 but there is a very good option for 2...except *cough*, it's Canon. I am currently most interested however with my more modest budget, in what the Nikon Z6iii is going to be, but I suspect it probably won't be 6 or 8k 50p full frame internal and if not, a single used Z9 still remains and option for 2025 with it's 8k 50p raw internal ability.

I can't see there be anything 'RED' in the Z6iii unless there was something going on behind the scenes, at least 6-12 months back. Certainly nothing 'innovative', but what do I know... I suspect the future of this is RED raw in certain future Nikon hybrid cameras and a Z Mount option for whatever future RED bodies there may be. I suspect that is about as 'exciting' as this gets...

Not sure about that… Most 4k, 6k and 8k sensors are not quite as wide as their designation so there is probably something that prevents 3.999999999 as being ‘4’ in the small print.

Same for a lot of us, ie, more idle chat and musing than anything. Some folks immediately think that because you have an interest in such things, you are unhappy with your current situation and simply believe ‘The Next Thing’ will fix all your issues. I don’t think that is so much the case here where a lot of our musings are more, “if I was not invested in X, I might be looking at Y or Z” and nothing wrong with that in my book! And ultimately it’s all harmless!

The S1R and the SL2 are the more stills focused units and perhaps the SL3 and any S2R will also be leaving the option for lower res more video focused versions? Full frame 6k 50/60p over 8k 25/30p internal all day for me.

Exactamundo. The f4 Lumix is borderline too slow for me in low light (and I already have this lens) plus I don't need anything over 200mm. 180/200mm with 24mp 150'ish with 45/47mp 120 with 60mp all work for me, ie, cropping works with the latter 2 focal lengths. I could even work with Canon's 24-105mm f2.8 even though it's a bit of a lump (but replaces 2 lenses) and the R3 is sublime, but 24mp so limited crop-ability. A 60mp 'R3' however... Another dream camera for me. Almost certainly another completely unaffordable. I am no Tamron evangelist but for 24mp, the pairing of 20-40mm f2.8 and 70-180mm f2.8, for me is bang on. Ultimately size is of less importance to me than weight and for me, that Tamron 70-180 is the lynchpin of the entire system. There is nothing else out their currently available, like it. But as I have said several times recently, VERY happy with my current set up and not actively seeking to change other than possibly after this season, and only if I can get my set up down from 4 bodies to 3, will I take this option. It won't be a Leica SL3 though, purely down to 🤑 But it could be with an S2R/H, but ONLY if within the L.M.A. they bring out something 70-180/200'ish f2.8 and significantly smaller and lighter then their current lightest at 1.35kg offering. Get it 1kg max and I'm in.

It's some dark web youth shit and you my friend are not allowed to that party. Nor am I 🤔🤪

I hope so and ideally max €3500. Still needs a 'light & compact' long lens for me, - the Achilles Heel of the entire L Mount system. Tamron 70-180mm f2.8 = 855g (not possible with L Mount) Lumix 70-400mm f4 = nearly 1kg Sigma 70-200mm f2.8 = 1.35kg Lumix 70-200mm f2.8 = >1.5kg When I was shooting purely stills and with just 2 bodies, 10+ years back, a 24-70 on one side and a 70-200 on the other, was the norm but took it's toll physically on longer days. I can't work like that today and especially as the bigger L Mount lenses really need a battery pack to balance them adding even more to their size and weight. My S1H with f4 70-200 inc. battery pack = 2.8kg My Z6ii with f2.8 70-180 inc. battery pack = 1.8kg The SL3 is barely heavier or larger than the Z6ii and far more capable...at a price obviously and the SL3 has now become my 'ideal/perfect' hybrid for my needs...but only on paper, because it's €7k+ in the EU so not a viable option for me. But Lumix or Sigma, bring out a sub 1kg, f2.8, 70-180 (I'd prefer 50-150 or even a 28-120) and pair that with an S2R at sub €4k and I'm all in on L Mount for the rest of my career.

...and photography, though most appreciate the latter. There's been quite a bit of negativity and still is out there in some quarters, re. Nikon as a brand. Fair enough, in the earlier days of mirrorless, they were not quite the co-leading player as they were with Canon in the former DSLR days. When I started shooting weddings 20+ years ago, it was Nikon or Canon with Canon taking around 2/3rds of the sales. Today it's; Nikon, Canon, Sony, Fuji and Panasonic with Sony being the biggest based on pure sales and probably also on image/marketing with the younger end of the market. Nikon along with Panasonic, seems to have developed a slightly fuddy duddy image which I think is a bit undeserved and I think it's because they haven't approached their marketing in quite the same way as say Sony or even Fuji. Fuji obviously went down the nostalgic route with some of their designs and film sim approach and Sony the 'YouTube Gen' and Canon seems to bob along based on legacy as does Leica. But not so old Panny Boy and Nikon have suffered I think by being less active than some others despite having some exceptional products. The S1H and S5ii, my own personal weapons of choice in the hybrid video arena are amongst the best available. Nikon produced the Z6ii which is right up there still in its class, the Z8, the Z9 and most recently the Zf, all exceptional top of their class acts. RED for me as a brand though, is a bit mixed... I think it is a bit of it's time... As someone said above, a few years back it was all RED MEGA GODZILLA XXX and had a certain appeal to a certain market, but that's not any kind of widespread appeal or dare I say, very mature. So I think a toned down, more youthful, more left field, side brand, could be good for Nikon on one side of this acquisition and on the other side, whatever the tech is that they can utilise. It should be interesting for sure. But if they are going to make any camera with a red body, they need to make sure it's a matte red, not a gloss one.

I don't mind so much what they do as my requirements are primarily for hybrid kit. I could make...and it would work very well, having a 'cinema' camera from Nikon to replace my 2x Lumix hybrids in that role as my 2x Nikon stills (purchased and used specifically for stills) are actually hybrid cameras (Zf and Z6ii) and could pick up some of the slack/act as B and C cameras to a principle video unit. Currently my set up = 2x video + 2x stills, but 3x hybrid works equally as well and the only reason I have not continued with that set up for 2024 is finances. Z6iii could potentially make that reality as could a Z9 (but I've ruled out the Z8 due to battery life, though any Z6iii would probably need a battery pack for my needs...) I have zero idea though whether any RED tech would make any difference to my needs, but probably not... 6k 50p internal though, full frame and I'm in. That's really the only thing I am interested in right now that I do not have access to. Z9 has 8k of course but slightly overkill for my needs but future-proofing and all that, is a possibility...

I want a Nikon Z6iii RED Phoenix now just because of the name! But probably too soon…?? The Z6iii must have been in development for a while now and should be appearing fairly soon… I suppose it’s not unrealistic for them to add another codec at this time, but unless something has been cooking behind the scenes for some time, it’s probably unrealistic? I am still very interested to see what the Z6iii might be, even if it’s the non RED Phoenix edition as part of my possible wholesale move back to Nikon for both my stills (current platform) and video needs, for 2025.

Why? You planning a moon mission? Just trolling 😉

There is one thing in this acquisition of RED that I am sure of and that is all future Nikon cameras will remain black. Even if they have any kind of badging that reads RED. Joking aside, I could see a 2 tier camera here: Nikon Black (line) and Nikon Red (line) cameras. The same bodies, DSLR and box style, but with different levels of tech with Black being more stills/hybrid focused and Red being more video.

I would hope so but possibly/probably too late for me as I don’t have the luxury of waiting to find out as I need to work this year, last year and the year before within the system. I’m not being in any way facetious John as I am sure you will appreciate, but it doesn’t help with most/any manufacturers in this industry who play their cards quite close to their chests before suddenly announcing, “ ta da, our latest lens”. Brand specific strategic planning isn’t always easy when you have such specific needs as I have! Did I make a mistake going L Mount? Kind of, but then there weren’t any other real viable alternatives at that time…but at the same time, any/all could provide what I needed, but it’s really only in the last couple of years that the really niche items that work for me, have come into existence. A long, relatively lightweight and compact at least APSC, but preferably FF fast zoom. Tamron E Mount. Only player on the planet! There’s workarounds of course, but it’s complicated and niggles with every system and combo, but E Mount adapted to Nikon Z is I think, a bit special. For my needs. I’m happy with all my kit for 2024. It is easily the best set up I have ever had. EASILY. Could it be better? On paper spec-wise maybe but not by much and for me going forward and making any changes for 2025 and onward, it would have to be because it is at least; smaller, lighter, even more ergo friendly and without sacrificing any performance…and possibly gaining some. Such as my interest in 60mp+ sensors and 6k 50p internal, because that opens up opportunities to carry less bodies, smaller and lighter lenses, compensating with cropping and pulling stills from video. Leica SL3? In my dreams… The simple reality is the maths doesn’t work even if I had the beans…and a crucial lens is still missing from that line up. S2H could change things, but the glass for me will always be the sticking point for me with L Mount in the future. Or rather the combo of bodies and lenses.

Going to revise my OM-1 to include and possibly prefer the XS20 from Fuji because yes, not quite as wide or as long with that lens choice, but as a compact package with arguably higher spec and capability in quite a few areas... Threw in an 'average sized' FF, the S5ii with the Sigma/Leica 24-70 (because there is still no option for the Sigma 28-70 which is slightly smaller but the Sigma/Leica 24-70 still smaller than the HUGE Lumix 24-70).

Sounds very sensible to me. Unless it’s an asset stripping and rival preventing intention in which case possible short term gain, but probably little beyond that all factors considered.

The main + points for me are: 60mp = great ability to crop and even in APSC mode, that’s still a more detailed 26mp file compared with a FF 24mp. Tilt screen. Yay. Not a flippy flappy. Double yay. Smaller & lighter. More yays. PDAF = yay. The negative points for me = €7k (but bodes well for something similar around 1/2 the price from Lumix?) and no option for anything like either of the following; Canon’s 24-105mm f2.8 Tamron’s 70-180mm f2.8 A lens similar to either of these is THE fundamental weak spot for me with L Mount.

All I know is I want a Nikon BASTARD now.

All I know about overheating is this: Sony ZV1 on tripod, indoors, ambient around 25-30c = approx 20 minutes max and it's cooked. Lumix S1H on tripod, direct sun, 40+ in the shade = either the battery or the card will run out first. The obvious conclusion (in general) is if you need reliability in this department, a heat sink at least is a must and ideally, a fan. Or live above 66° 33'N.

Same for many of us Kye, but pertaining to our own needs and we often use this place as both a sounding board and place to ramble and go down rabbit holes. And that's all good. I'm in a place where I have been frustrated with the tools since about 2010 because for my specific needs, nothing really existed that was 'perfect for my needs' until around 2020/21. But that then coincided with 2 years of Covid that caused so many issues, one of them being 'sending' me on a tangent I would not have otherwise gone on. That tangent is called L Mount. Great video specs, but the reality has been not a single body from Lumix, Leica or Sigma that has met my needs and only a couple of lenses. Chasing the holy grail? Nope, because both the bodies and the lenses 'perfect for my needs' exist with 4 other manufacturers. So why not just bin L Mount lock stock and barrel and just flip to one of those? €€€€€ or lack thereof in '23 and '24 and quite probably '25. Regret L Mount? Regret is the wrong word and for the video side, I can't fault it. S1H + S5ii. For pure stills, can't fault it. S1H. For my specific hybrid work though, that is where it falls short as the combo of body and lens options I need (NEED), are too big and too heavy for the the duration I use them for. I can get the result out of it I need, but the process is far from ideal. So my answer to my own personal frustration/conundrum, has been to keep only the L Mount kit I absolutely need for my video work, and invest all of what I sold with some cash, into a Nikon + adapted E Mount solution for my stills. My 'ideal' still does not exist. As above, that would be the Sigma FP-X and the contemporary lenses. My 'perfect' set up...except the body does not exist and possibly never will. I can do it with Canon with the least amount of kit, but with the largest units and most cost...and a cost I cannot afford. I can do another version totally in E Mount and it actually has a lot of appeal, but again, cost. Fuji offer everything I need now and has HUGE appeal, but again, cost. Nikon also have it, combined with E Mount and is at this time, by far and away the most affordable route. It could be my standalone option next year, but we'll see. In the meantime, like you and many others, I muse over options and that's cool even if some folks don't like it!

Oh I get it Kye. I’m just musing along various trains of thought more than anything but always with at least a nod to the OP and the post. For sure if I did not need to earn a living from my kit, OM-1 with 12-40mm f2.8 would be my one and done right now. Something longer I keep on a shelf but bring to that safari adventure, but otherwise, other than the lack of dual ISO, it’s a brilliant little thing.

I suspect there would not have been a G9ii of they had not done it in existing FF S5 body… I will be surprised to see another unique M4/3 body from Lumix going forward… No idea what the official sales figures are, but I would not be surprised if it’s been a steady downward decline in sales of both M4/3 bodies and lenses. We know that overall sales of all cameras is down over the last decade, especially at the lower priced and more compact end of the market. Logic and basic economics suggests to me if the market is in decline as I believe it is, then so is investment. For my needs, we have already reached ‘peak camera’ in various forms such as a system exists for me now with; Nikon, Fuji, Sony and Canon, but sadly not within L Mount. That’s 3x FF brands/systems and 2x APSC with small compromises that make little to know difference between FF and APSC, but M4/3 is too big. For me. For my needs. YMMV. For me personally, the current conundrum and potential future one, is how much smaller and lighter can we get this stuff without sacrificing performance? For me, switching to a (much) smaller sensor is not a viable option and neither is swapping out an f2.8 for an f4 or something even slower. But none of it matters as I have very good options for this coming season that suit me very well and all I am personally interested in for the future is can I get the same performance out of a smaller & lighter set up? Probably… Can I afford to do it? Maybe… Am I going to do it? Almost certainly, but not in ‘24!

If only the 60mp FP-L had: IBIS 4k 50/60p A tilt screen No banding with stills under certain lighting conditions. It would be my forever system. The f2 lenses are gems and the f2.8 90mm can easily crop for all my needs well past ‘150mm’ with 60mp. I know there is an aftermarket option for the tilt screen, but it’s not enough to sway me as there are just too many compromises for me. But if Sigma do bring out another and it fixes at least 2 of my above 4 ‘issues’, everything gets packaged up and sent to MBP. But are Sigma going to even make another camera ever again or is it just lenses now?

That would be interesting as they stated officially there would be no more small (or compact anyway) cameras. But there are indeed some very valid FF body/lens combos now that are not exactly massive and bigger/longer lenses can be compensated for with cropping, ie, larger sensors and AI etc... Sony A7RV for instance is basically the same weight as my S5ii and Z6ii, but smaller and with 2.5x the sensor size. They can be had for a little over 3k euros from reputable dealers with warranty used in 'like new' condition and when you compare it size-wise with say the OM-1 M4/3 camera, it's spec and real world capability are just nuts. With E Mount, there are also the largest range of smaller lenses from any other FF manufacturer. I went Z6ii with Tamron 70-180mm f2.8 myself as the best compromise of cost vs size/weight vs outright ability for my needs, but could easily have made a case for the A7RV with the Tamron 28-75mm f2.8 which in APSC mode produces a more detailed 26mp file at an equivalent focal length around 40-110mm so a bit shorter, but I could make that work because I could crop a bit harder still and really, only I would know. M4/3 is up against it IMO though. Always has been. Ever more so. It's advantage was size & weight (or lack of) and with older stuff, that can still be the case, but the move forward that many have needed on the tech side, have come at the cost of it's primary appeal. APSC is still a good shout though with Fuji and Sony leading the way. Canon I don't think have the lenses and no one else is really in the game. Sometimes, a clean sheet is the answer, but for most of us, pro or otherwise, we can't easily do that.