We seem to have no short supply of rumours about Nikon equipment these days. The simplest questions often bring forth varous rumours of soon to be introduced Nikon equipment. I thought I would start this subject with the idea that we can discuss our Nikon rumours here and not clog up other forums with speculation.

Please note that this is under the Nikon category not the Nikon vs. Canon category. Nuff said!

-- Stanley McManus (stanshooter@yahoo.com), November 23, 1999

Answers

The best rumour I have heard is based upon some recent Nikon patents for a long focal length macro lens using vibration reduction technology. Will we see a 100mm or 200mm AF-S IS type lens soon? I would think IS would be a natural for many macro situations. It would certainly help me with my hand held closeups.

-- Stanley McManus (stanshooter@yahoo.com), November 23, 1999.

So here's my current Nikon rumor list.

1) New lenses to be introduced in February, 2000; 300mm f/4.0 AFS, 400 f/4.6 AFS, 50mm 1.8 AF-D.

2) F5s with new firmware, red AF indicators in April, 2000.

3) F80 in July, 2000.

4) More tilt/shift lenses (in addition to 85), no ETA.

5) New Nikon rangefinder in the works, no ETA.

-- Barry Schmetter (bschmett@my-deja.com), November 23, 1999.

Whoops, I meant 400 f/5.6 AFS.

-- Barry Schmetter (bschmett@my-deja.com), November 23, 1999.

Rumours or wish list? If this a wish list lets throw in tubes. Deducing something from a patent is not a rumour. A rumour is you know a guy whose brother slept with the confidential Secretary to the vice president of new products at Nikon USA and he said that he said that she said. That's a take it to the bank rumour in this business. Moose may know something but he is under a confidentiality agreement and can't even tell you that he knows but can't tell you. So don't ask him. By the way Nikon USA is totally ignorant of what Nikon Japan is up to or does a great job of acting like it knows nothing. So how about a new rumour submission rule--state your source? Meanwhile, happy turkey day everybody.

-- mark haflich (jhaflich@erols.com), November 23, 1999.

Rumors, definitely rumors. My sources: nikon mailing list, 1st and 2nd hand hints from Nikon reps, photo.net scuttlebut, usenet postings from who-knows-where? No wishes or speculative guesses, just totally unsubstantiated rumors.

-- Barry Schmetter (bschmett@my-deja.com), November 23, 1999.

I heard a great rumour the other day. A confidant with inside information said nikon was in the process of being bought by Canon, and they of course would take Nikon's glass technology, then shut down them down. Talk about hostile takeover.

-- Chuck (cbsbyte1@hotmail.com), November 24, 1999.

The N80 is around the corner.

I'm not sure about a true rangefinder, but seeing out the Nikon Oulet is unloading refurbished 35Tis, it's a safe bet that some kind of replacement is on the way.

I doubt that Canon could buy Nikon, Canon may be bigger than Nikon, but Nikon is a part of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.

I've heard somewhere that Nikon couldn't use the red focus indicators in the F5 because they'd confuse the color matrix meter. I guess if it's a big enough issue, they could come out with a newer finder (DP-31?).

Because the D1 with a smaller (than 24x36) CCD appears to have a built-in "teleconverter effect" on lenses, I would expect an AF (or maybe AI-P) superwide (this might also explains why the AF-S replacements for the 35-70 f2.8 and 20-35 f2.8 are wider than the originals).

The 20th aniversary of the F3 is around the corner, maybe (yet another) titanium version is in the works.

-- Geoffrey S. Kane (grendel@nauticom.net), November 24, 1999.

There have been several reports of the new 28-105 lens not being available at places like B&H and Camerworld. The retailers cannot give any certain date when the lens will be available. Given that situation we can create a rumour that a new 28-105 AF-S vibration reduction lens is in the works. Of course, it may just be that Nikon underestimated the demand for this lens, but speculating about that would not be as much fun!

-- Stanley McManus (stanshooter@yahoo.com), November 24, 1999.

considering Nikon just brought out the EC-E screen that turns the AF boxes black on the F5, I doubt they would bring out an F5s with red sensors, or they would have put it in the EC-E screen. Improved firmware? im pretty sure they can do that now.

-- neal vaughan (nvaughan3@hotmail.com), November 24, 1999.

A bit off topic, the German 'Foto Magazin' mentioned a new lens from Sigma to be introduced: a 50-500/4.0-6.3 'EX' Apo ! Photokina Koln will be interesting next year (september 2000).

-- Ivan Verschoote (ivan.verschoote@rug.ac.be), November 26, 1999.

Is there any basis behind these rumors, I hae never heard that Nikon holds back the old version before a new one comes to the market (i.e. 28-105). AF-S seems to be too expensive for consumer lenses.

I have read something about a coming F6, but I would say it is much too early for a replacement of the F5.

-- siegfried boes (boes@first.gmd.de), November 26, 1999.

I heard from a NPS member that the Nikon version of Canon's "IS" technology is in the works and should be out by 2002, she hinted that it will in the camera body instead of the lens as in the Canons. I really hope she was being truth full. It is long over due for dedicated Nikon users.

-- CBS (schutz@montana.com), November 26, 1999.

AF-S technology is definitely not too expensive for consumer lenses and you can simply look at the Canon line for evidence. Why Canon can put USM technology is a $300 lens, while Nikon can't seem to put in AF-S motors without boosting the price 50% is beyond me.

A 300mm f4 AF-S would be nice, the current state of affairs for that lens at the 400mm f5.6 are truly glaring weaknesses in the Nikon lineup.

-- Andrew Y. Kim (andy.kim@alum.mit.edu), November 27, 1999.

Canon puts USM technology in $150 lenses! The 35-80, and the 28-80. Both are cheap junk, but they do have USM motors in them. Canon typicaly puts new technology in low price consumer products first to get the bugs out. The original IS, the 75-300 USM IS is a prime example. Low cost design and the IS works in only one mode. The new L glass has the improved IS. Still, the point is Nikon should be able to build this into even low-end lenses without raising the cost so much.

Iknow, I know; Whine, whine, whine....

-- Jim Strutz (jimstrutz@juno.com), November 28, 1999.

I know this is for Nukon rumors but I heard one at a camera store the other day that disturbs me. Probably started by a Nikon rep. The rumor goes that Canon is starting to farm out the making of their lens glass to Sigma. Anyone heard that one?

-- Gary Wilson (gwilson@ffca.com), November 29, 1999.

I've heard a new AF 21/f4.0 has been tried out, and also a new 37/f5.6. Exiting new glass to come next year!!

-- Apo Macro jr. (nikon@dot.com), November 30, 1999.

a 21mm f/4 and a 37mm f/5.6???

Why? Unless these lenses are so light and compact so as to allow a new mini Nikon to be toted around in places of a T4, I don't see the point. Or are they lenses designed just for the APS SLR? That seems more reasnable.

Sigma making Canon lens glass? Given the optics of the Sigma 400mm lens and their 80-200 HSM, I am not sure that is a bad thing. I suspect that many of these companies license production to others. If the glass is made to Canon specs, who cares who makes it.

-- Stan McManus (stanshooter@yahoo.com), November 30, 1999.

Has anybody heard anything to sustantiate the rumour that the D1 will have upgradable CCD components? Supposedly, when the time comes for the next leap in megapixels, the D1 owner will simply purchase the upgrade parts and avoid the high expense of a new digital SLR. Nice if it's ture.

-- Stan McManus (stanshooter@yahoo.com), November 30, 1999.

According to: http://photo.askey.net/articles/nikond1/default.asp?page=2 the D1 CCD is not interchangeable. Looking at the sample images, I'm not sure that much more resolution would be need for most PJ work.

-- Geoffrey S. Kane (grendel@pgh.nauticom.net), November 30, 1999.

I saw a black, and rather big, Nikon camera in Greece this week, named 'Nikon D2'. On the back cover there was a clear picture in colour on a little bright screen (just like a TV), and on the front of the camera a huge lens - it looked like 24 (or maybe 28) - 90 mm, but I could not see clear enough to be absolutely shure.

Is this something new from Nikon??

-- ronald (ruther@byline.gk), December 02, 1999.

Reading this tread reminds me of an article I read from a local photo magazine about two years ago; it reported an eye-witness account of a German tourist field-testing a Leica M7 in Hong Kong! What a way to start a camera rumour.

-- Hoyin Lee (leehoyin@hutchcity.com), December 02, 1999.

The big lens in front of the "D2" camera may well have been the 17-35 mm zoom- that4s a quite a huge lens. Any hands- on experience with that lens out there yet? I realize this is a little off-topic regarding the original question. By the way, I4d like to see a 300mm f4 lens with IS technology- the C. lens is just great.

Karl J.

-- Karl Johan Borgis (kjborgis@telia.com), December 03, 1999.

The most interesting rumour I have read is the one about Nikon implementing its vibration reduction system in the camera body instead of the individual lenses. This would make most existing Nikkor lenses instand VR lenses. Alas, I think this is one of the least likely to occur rumours. Though given Contax's body which does all of the autofocusing in the body and makes all Contax mf lenses into autofocus lenses, it may not be totally farfetched.

-- Stan Mcmanus (stanshooter@yahoo.com), December 04, 1999.

Hmm, interesting. Ok, Stan, here ya go, the patent for Nikon's in-camera stabilization, dated 11/30/99. Let's see, what else can we find? Here's a patent (11/23/99) for a Nikon high-efficiency ultrasonic motor, a motion-compensating (vibration reduction) actuator) (11/2/99), a vibration-reduction focusing system for recording to " lens capable of short distance photographing with vibration reduction function" (8/31/99).

Maybe this will be grist for the rumor mill...

-- Scott (bliorg@yahoo.com), December 06, 1999.

The last links got messed-up, should be:
"...a vibration-reduction focusing system for recording to optical disks, etc (11/2/99), and a " lens capable of short distance photographing with vibration reduction function" (8/31/99)..."

-- Scott (bliorg@yahoo.com), December 06, 1999.

Great Scott, I mean, great stuff, Scott! Thanks for posting them. Now why does the anti-vibration camera patent seem like a digital camera for me?

-- Hoyin Lee (leehoyin@hutchcity.com), December 06, 1999.

Hmm, another rumour is becoming reality in Europe. While the rate of the Yen is looking for new (extreme) horizons - the prices of photographic equipment have been adjusted this month. Prices have been rising in the order of 5 to 10%. Especially professional equipment is affected. Due to the high rate of the US$ nowadays, prices are still stable in the US. However, be forewarned: the slightest weakness of the green paper will result in inflated prices.

-- Ivan Verschoote (ivan.verschoote@rug.ac.be), December 08, 1999.

Yup, that sure looks like a Nikon patent for an in the camera body image stabilization feature. That just sounds too good to be true. All of the those wonderful mf and af Nikkor lenses are instant IS because I purchase one body?? No. Can't be. It is just too good to be true. Maybe a new digital body, but not film. No way.

-- Stanley McManus (stanshooter@yahoo.com), December 08, 1999.

I've read Nikon will deliver the next F5 with a sort of CRC-decive (a little lens-element inside the camera-body), making all non-CRC- lenses working like fully CRC-competent lenses. Hopefully this will be of great interest to all non-CRC-users, in making better close- distant-shots with super wide-angels like the 16, 18, 24 and 28 - all without clos range correction (CRC).

As always - Nikon one step ahead!

-- peter davies (peter.davies@telaris.uk), December 12, 1999.

More Nikon rumours, from a Japanese website: http://www.geocities.com/coolnobby/rumor.html

Note the one about Nikon factory re-starting the manufacture of F4 camera frames.

-- Hoyin Lee (leehoyin@hutchcity.com), January 30, 2000.

Restarting the F4? Maybe they would discontinue the F3, strip out the autofocus module on the F4, and let the purely manual focus F4 replace the F3.

Maybe Nikon's is planning to release a updated version of the RS underwater SLR. That camera was based on the F4 frame.

Anyway, I always thought there was nothing wrong with the F4 that can't be fixed by the removal of the CAM200 AF module.

-- chuck fan (chaohui@msn.com), January 30, 2000.

Chuck, I dunno, but from a purely speculative point of view, the F4 frame could well be used for the rumoured new Nikon with the built-in CRC converter lens. (A specialized macro camera!) It doesn't seem to make marketing sense to release such a camera on the F5 body as it would instantly render the original F5 model a second-grade model! Besides, I wonder how the built-in CRC device would not interfere with the use of telephoto lenses. Perhaps the on-demand architectural screen would be incorporated into this hypothetical Macro F4 (F4M!) and it would be targeted at product and architectural photographers. Then again, the F4 frame could well be the body of a new pro-grade digital camera. It would be very interesting to see the ressurection of the F4, which is my favourite camera. Just speculations.

-- Hoyin Lee (leehoyin@hutchcity.com), January 30, 2000.

I don't know about a dedicated macro camera based on F4. It seems to be something that would be way too specialized for the general market. Also, Any modification that positions an extra movable optical device between film plane and lens mount would involve drastic surgery to the basic F4 chassis, making it more attractive to do it on either a completely frame, or the chassis of the discontinued E3 digital camera, which already has such a device built in. Besides, if Nikon wants to try anything dramatically innovative, it would hardly makes any sense to let it be associated with a chassis a decade behind the cutting edge.

I bet if there is any truth to the story of renewed F4 production, it would involve nothing more than either a re-release of the basic F4 with minor changes, similar to the F3P, or an internally unchanged commemorative version. Less likely is a re-release of the RS underwater SLR. Any dramatically feature would almost certain make its first appearence on the new F5/F100/D1 chassis or an entirely new chassis

-- chuck fan (chaohui@msn.com), January 30, 2000.

HI to all, I dont know much about this rumour issue but a better f4 would be very intresting.

This caught my attencion since some time ago I wrote to Nikon an Email after buying my F4E, and amog other things I sugested that a F4T could be an iteresting point, not because its a weak camera and should need the titanuim, we all know its strong, but to use it as an excuse to fead it with the latest tech around, a good AF system, the new 3D RGB ccd and other stuff like that, and as I see ther is alot more under Nikon4s hands.

thats all, what do you think about this Idea? (I know a lot of you guys are the in the MF way, but anyway you can switch it off :) )

till next time

Diego K.

-- Diego K. (heuristica@yahoo.com), January 31, 2000.

My friend who shoots Nikon gear, came by earlier today and told me that Maxwells's, the Australian Photo store with the Nikon Club, has let the cat out of the bag on several new Nikon lenses. One is the 300mm f/4 AF-S and the other is an 18-35mm wide angle zoom that is not as fast as the 17-35mm AF-S. There were a few other lenses mentioned, but those two are the ones he was most excited about.

-- Stanley McManus (stanshooter@yahoo.com), May 10, 2000.

You know Stanley, every Nikon rumor has to include the speculation that Nikon will soon change its lens mount. So we should conclude that the new 300mm/f4 AF-S and 18-35mm zoom will have a different lens mount and can only work with the new Nikon F6, F101 and D2 bodies. :-)

-- Shun Cheung (shun@worldnet.att.net), May 10, 2000.

Vaporware! I'll believe it when I see it.

Also, many Nikonites are switching to Canon for the IS feature, not many Nikonites are switching for the lack of a fast focusing 300f/4 or cheap altra-wide zoom. So Nikon would do well to concentrate on matching the Canon IS super telephotos first.

-- Chuck (chaohui@msn.com), May 10, 2000.

I've heard a rumor that Nikon will be committing itself to better quality control and meeting customer demand for lenses like the 17-35AFS, 28- 70AFS, 85/1.4AFD...but its just a rumor.

-- Eric James (eajames@u.washington.edu), May 10, 2000.

I also heard wild rumours that Nikon may plan to have some sort of quality control for the F80. I think it sounds too far fetched.

-- Ronaldo Rossi (r.rossi@gmde.it), August 21, 2000.

The D 1x appears to have a good improvement in image quality compared to the D1. I use a D1 (not owned by me) on occasion for work, have only images on a D1x on my flashcard from the parking lot of a photo store to compare. Even though the price and quality is improving - $5k is certainly better than the $15k Kodak models a few years ago, I am hoping and holding out for a "D2" or whatever digital slr Nikon releases next for my own personal/professional use, especially after the recent release of the Canon EOS-1D. I am sure that it will make my life easier, but am afraid of actually buying a D1x then seeing a D2 released right after. I really love my Coolpix 990 and have taken some amazing photos with it, but even though its digital, its still a "point & shoot" I know I am rambling at this point but know the price and depreciation of new technology is inevitable, but it still doesn't help ease the "pain". I bought a G4 Powerbook in May and despite that 10 months later, a similar model is $1,300 less - am happy with its performance 'cause I needed something then - despite its depreciation faster than its payoff! Anyhow, I am on the lookout for any information concerning the next Nikon professional digital slr and chances are will happily go into debt to buy it upon its release.

-- douglasnic (douglasnic@go.com), January 12, 2002.