The Z50 received a firmware update today to version 2.03. This is basically just two bug fixes, one involving Picture Controls used in the RETOUCH menu and the second involving use of control rings to change aperture in video mode. It's curious that Nikon didn't add this to their CP+ firmware updates (Z6 II and Z7 II), so I suspect that we're seeing updates from different groups on different schedules. In other words, Nikon is not congregating announcements, but rather letting things happen pretty much as they get done.
Meanwhile, Nikon published several lens patents, which perhaps tells us some new information. The upcoming 40mm lens appears to be a 40mm f/2.8 (technically 42mm f/2.9 in the patent that just appeared). A 50mm f/2.8 and 55mm f/2.8 variant also is in the just-published patent. (Update: after Bill Claff of photonstophotos fame entered the formulas into his simulator, it became clear that these patents all extend to 1:1, thus it is most likely that this is the patent for the upcoming 50mm macro lens.) Interestingly, these optical designs appear to be somewhat the inverse of what we're used to, with larger, highly curved elements at the back, and small elements in the front. These lenses also appear to be external focus (front elements move in focus; update: that makes sense given that they're macro lenses).
Also published were patents for a 16-35mm f/2.8 zoom, as well as 18-50mm f/2.8-4 and 16-50mm f/4 variations. While it may seem odd to be exploring wide angle zooms again so soon after the release of the 14-24mm f/2.8, I know that there is demand for a wide angle zoom that stays on the camera more (e.g. gets up into the minor wide or even normal focal range).
While Canon has been releasing patents fast and furious, and often long in advance of us seeing said optics come to production, Nikon seems to be doing the opposite: releasing relatively few patents, and quite near the start of actual production, sometimes even just after. I'm not sure if this is intentional or just a reflection on differences in process.
