Nikon full frame mirrorless camera to arrive by March 2019

So, it appears that we have a firm-ish date for a Nikon mirrorless camera release. Or at least, we have a goal, according to SankeiBiz, who report that Nikon aims to release a high-end full frame mirrorless camera during the current fiscal year, which ends in March 2019. Some of Google’s translation is a little iffy, but that much is crystal clear.

The Google translation of the article relevant to Nikon is as follows…

Nikon also strong against single lens reflexes also advances the development of mirrorless at a rapid pace and clarifies the policy to release in the current fiscal year. In some cases it will be lazy as “I will show off at a large-scale overseas exhibition” (industry official).

But is it too little, too late? Working on “the development of mirrorless at a rapid pace” yet the camera could take almost a full year to actually show up? Doesn’t seem that rapid to me, given how long they’ve already had available to work on it.

We already know that we’re going to need new lenses or an adapter to use our old glass on the new mirrorless body. And we’ve no idea what kind of compatibility an adapter would allow us to have. We almost certainly won’t have aperture control with G type lenses that have a mechanical lever, unless there’s a dial to set it manually on the adapter itself. And we’re also reasonably confident that it’s going to be full frame.

But beyond that, we’ve no idea what’s coming, really. There is some suggestion that it will be shown off at an overseas event. Well, the only two big ones to go this year are Photokina in September or PPE in October. There is the possibility of an announcement at WPPI in February, although I think the chance of a WPPI announcement is pretty slim, especially with pressure from Canon.

Photokina’s the most likely candidate for an announcement, but how soon after that they may start to ship is anybody’s guess. before the end of March 2019, I suppose.

Let’s hope, for Nikon’s sake, that they pull their finger out and really blow us away with something special.

[via Mirrorless Rumors]