Nikon is going to release a pro-grade Z-mount mirrorless camera later this year (probably something like “Nikon Z8”), so I decided to put together a wishlist of features that I hope to see implemented. It is expected that this camera is going to feature IBIS, dual card slots, a 60 MP+ sensor (according to Nikon Rumors), and superior overall specs compared to its predecessors.
With Canon pushing for 8K video, IBIS, dual card slots and 12-20 FPS continuous shooting speeds on its upcoming EOS R5, Nikon will be under pressure to make a camera that can compete with such crazy specifications.
Personally, I don’t expect Nikon to have 8K in the Z8, as that’s a lot of bandwidth to push through the EXPEED 6 processor (unless Nikon drastically upgrades it), but it would surely be nice to be able to get 6K+ video recording with 12-bit RAW output. Nikon will most likely incorporate dual CFexpress cards into the Z8, so memory card writing speed is not going to be an issue.
I also don’t think Nikon will be able to match the 12 FPS continuous shooting speed if it opts for Sony’s 61 MP sensor, again largely due to huge processing and bandwidth requirements. I wouldn’t mind seeing the same 45 MP sensor as on the Z7, but with 10-12 FPS continuous shooting speed with 14-bit lossless compressed RAW files while maintaining full-time AE and AF. This would be a huge technical challenge for Nikon engineers, but imagine the possibilities for action photography. While at it, Nikon should not cripple the camera’s buffer – if it can shoot 10-12 FPS for over 5+ seconds, it will be a game-changer for sports and wildlife photographers out there.
Autofocus speed and accuracy should also be improved. This is arguably more important than the continuous shooting speed – I would personally trade high FPS for snappier and more accurate autofocus, something Nikon desperately needs to address on its mirrorless system. Face and eye autofocus + tracking should at least match Sony’s and Canon’s implementations.
It would also be great to see a proper battery grip on the Z8. Nikon dropped the ball with the battery grip on the Z6 / Z7 cameras – this time the battery grip should be properly designed to accommodate buttons and features we have come to expect from DSLR battery packs. It would be great if the battery pack allowed using Nikon’s larger EN-EL18c batteries to get more battery life, similar to what Nikon has previously done.
Lastly, whatever Nikon does with the upcoming Z8, I really hope that the firmware fixes + recommendations that I wrote about in my Nikon Z firmware wishlist post are implemented, at least the most critical ones.
Below are the specifications I would love to see on the upcoming Z8:
- Sensor: 45 MP+ BSI CMOS sensor with superb dynamic range
- Pixel Shift: 8-16 image pixel shift to get 200 MP+ images
- Native ISO: 64-25,600
- IBIS: 5-axis IBIS, same or better than the Z6 / Z7
- AF: Hybrid AF (contrast + phase-detection AF)
- Video: 6K+ 12-bit RAW video
- Storage: Dual CFexpress Type B
- Buffer: 5+ sec continuous shooting time at full speed
- Flash Sync Speed: 1/250
- LCD: Tilting touchscreen LCD
- Ergonomics: Larger body with illuminated buttons
- Battery Grip: Full-featured battery grip that can use EN-EL18c battery
- USB: USB 3.1 Type C
- Other: GPS, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi
- App: A stable smartphone app to copy images and control the camera
What do you think? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below!
Just wondering if anyone is happy with current Z8 as of 8/24
Thanks
Sounds like a plan..Ditto that..thanks
Now that Nikon released that impressive Z9, all they need to do is shoe horn all of it into a Z7 form factor. I’d be the first to sign up for one of those ;-)
What about Getting rid of the Pattern Noise?
Its what is causing me to leave Canon after 12 years.
The D850 has no low light pattern noise, bu the Z7 does.
I’d prefer to get a shutterless next camera, but as long
as the Z7 series has it – I’m not sure I’ll switch.
Built-in ND filter. New FTZ adapter with ability to hold filters and compatible with all old F lenses and flush fit with base of camera
I’d like to see the following:
1: long battery life 700+ shots
2: ability to assign and save a shooting setups (similar to U1/U2 seen on other versions)
3: low native iso below 100
4: tether to cell phone with posting to social media direct (jpeg formats are fine for this)
5: more of a SW feature but scalable size formats, 24MP, 42MP, 6OMP for when you don’t need full size
6: some computational photo features pick one or two like hdr+, built in hdr pano and maybe an advanced stack mode for denoise) anything to move in that direction.
7: better/super fast read out from focal plane to memory, read-out strait from Focal Plane/ROIC and dumps to memory
Last but not least and probably most important: a built in espresso machine ;-)
Dear Nikon Please make a Professional Z camera with akin to the D5/D6. 20 or 24 megapixels is enough. Add a better auto focus system and an enhanced multiple exposure mode that saves the photo as .RAW instead of .JPG only.
I like the Z8, but I wish the Z9 , the ML version of the D5/6 first.
Im also waiting for the Z8, and i do hope its faster and better on many points but i really don’t hope they downgrade it to SD cart to make room for two its true it can fail but then why not have 3 or 4 the iv been using D850 for 2 years and never had any problems with the QXD cart so ill hope its staying its fast and its super stabile.
“Faster and better” doesn’t go well together with “downgrade to SD cards”. How you think a Z8 will pump it’s data through to a card which is only 1/5 of the speed of CFE? With one TB buffer? And then you wait until that’s clearing again?
Either fast or yesterday’s tech, both you can’t have.
Just make room for 2, or use waiting time clean your sensor
As a landscape photographer …
– native ability to use a wireless remote with 3 programmable buttons (joystick, autofocus and shutter release)
– long shutter speeds up to 15 minutes, OR at least a shutter timer for the TIME setting
– voice annotation
– ability to use touch to locate the focus point while touch to focus is OFF
–
“– ability to use touch to locate the focus point while touch to focus is OFF”.
I don’t get that. Usually there’s a reason to switch touch to focus OFF, but you can easily switch it ON again. I would like the icon to disappear from the LCD as it’s sometimes disturbing or I hit it accidentally. Could be made the way that while on LCD, one needs to touch the LCD a bit longer to switch on this icon, but I just noticed, that would collide with the touch to focus itself.