Nikon Z System News and Commentary
What You Think a Z6 III Will Be
For some time now I've been collecting thoughts from readers of this site about what they think an eventual Z6 III might look like. Here's what the data I've been collecting and collating currently says you anticipate:
In general, the consensus seems to be that the Z6 II replacement will be slightly higher in cost, but also sport a number of tangible improvements, particularly in the focus, video, shutter, and viewfinder arenas. Given Nikon management's stated intent that they wish to bring Z9 technology downwards in the lineup, much of what you're anticipating is exactly that: an EXPEED7 doing a lot of new heavy lifting.
The interesting thing to me is how many expect a boost in pixel count, probably because Sony is at 33mp with the A7 Mark IV, as well as the fact that APS-C cameras have been creeping upwards in pixel counts, too (Canon 33mp, Fujifilm 40mp, Sony 26mp).
We're not far from the Z6 III launch now, so it won't be too long before you'll know whether what you anticipated is what you'll get. I simply wanted to put this out there prior to any launch leaks as a bit of a strawman. Discuss amongst yourselves...
180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR Lens Firmware Update
Nikon updated the firmware to version 1.01 for the 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR lens to deal with an issue that happens at low temperatures: infinity focus may not be reached.
Lens firmware updates are available at Nikon's download center.
Nikon Celebrates 120 Million Lenses
Nikon today announced that they've now produced a total of 120 million lenses over the course of both the the F-mount and Z-mount.
What that looks like what graphed out properly:
The blue diamonds represent Nikon announcements of lens production volume (left axis), which were made at various points in time (bottom axis). As you can see, the numbers rose quickly just after peak DSLR production was achieved (leftmost point), but have slowed considerably since.
By way of comparison, Canon hit the 120 million lens mark in August 2016.
Nikon Begins Self Service
In an interesting development, the Nikon download center now has a section for Self Service manuals. The first Z System component that now has a PDF self repair manual is the recently launched 28-400mm f/4-8 VR lens.
While Nikon doesn't currently sell parts to users that I know, the 28-400mm f/4-8 VR lens repair manual includes not just a full list of parts inside the lens—some are a unit with subassemblies—it also identifies the tools, glues, and lubricants needed for a repair. The manual also gives a better description of how the lens is sealed against weather (doesn't quite work the way you'd guess, and involves sponges as well as seals). Simple instructions for verifying focus are also given, using a tool similar to the old Lens Align one.
Right to Repair laws have been popping up in the US for some time now, with differing variations across states. Many of these laws specifically target auto makers, who were among one of the earliest to establish "certified" repair standards. The first state to establish a Right to Repair law for consumer products was New York, back in 2022 (Digital Fair Repair Act). The New York law specifically mentions right to manuals and diagrams, and it might have been the trigger that started Nikon down the line of producing self service manuals. Since then, we've had four other states enact various legislation that affirms a right to repair.
Probably the most watched bill was California's SB-244 (Right to Repair Act), which goes into effect this summer (July 1, 2024). But it, like several other recent bills is watered down in ways that limit the overall impact. That said, the trend is clear that regulators are looking carefully at "captured repairs", manuals, and parts availability.
Free Safari in Botswana Webinar (last chance to sign up)
Find out what happens when 36 (!) Z8 and Z9 cameras (and a couple of D500's) descend upon Botswana during the month of April.
Thom Hogan (byThom) and Mark Comon (Creative Photo Academy) will host a free webinar session on June 6th at 5pm PST that details their experience teaching together in Africa this past April. Thom spent over a month photographing in the Kalahari as well as the Okavango regions, and Mark joined him for the Okavango portion of the trip. We experienced it all: dogs, cats, migrations, and pretty much all of the Big Five and the Little Five (though we won't be sharing photos or locations of any endangered species). Thom even had an African Wild Cat show up at his tent.
Both safari instructors will show you images, talk about lessons learned/relearned, and discuss the basics of technique while photographing on safari. As usual, Thom and Mark will also answer pretty much any and all questions you might have about the Nikon gear they used or Botswana safaris in general.
This event requires preregistration. You can join us by clicking here and filling out the required information. Video of the event is available to those registered usually within a day of the event, but be aware that the recorded video is at a lower video resolution than the event itself.
Don't miss out. This planetary alignment of Thom and Mark only occurs occasionally.
