Japan’s Nikon Corp President has stated that the company is ready to expand its market share by entering the cinema world with a new high-end camera developed derived from the RED Digital Cinema acquisition. Be prepared for a Z-mount cinema camera with a global shutter sensor and exceptional AF capabilities.
Nikon President is ready
In an interview with Nippon (a Japanese news outlet), Japan’s Nikon Corp. President Muneaki Tokunari has stated that he aims to expand its market share for cameras by utilizing the video technologies of a U.S. movie camera company (RED Digital Cinema) it acquired in spring. On its mainline camera business, Tokunari said Nikon has seen brisk demand for powerful video functions in recent years. He also recognizes signs of recovery in sales of cameras with interchangeable lenses. Explaining the segment’s performance by region, he said, “Sales in China have grown to a level similar to those of Europe, while growth is big in emerging countries such as those in South Asia”. Across Japan, plans are underway to build semiconductor plants, a positive situation for Nikon, which makes chip lithography systems to print circuits onto silicon wafers. “We have a business opportunity,” Tokunari added, eager to take advantage of the development to boost sales.
We have a business opportunity.
Japan’s Nikon Corp. President Muneaki Tokunari
Compression and AF
With the RED Digital Cinema acquisition we tried to predict what Nikon is planning and we said that in the upcoming firmware updates to Nikon’s top mirrorless, there will be an option to shoot in REDCODE RAW. However, Nikon has already its N-RAW, and it is not so easy to implement the privilege of shooting R3D files from Z 9 and Z 9 cameras. Moreover, RED’s new CEO stated that it would be preferred to implement the Z-mount on RED cameras. Anyway, it’s a matter of years till we see a product. Meanwhile, business is usual at RED.com, which means RED continues to sell its DSMC3 bodies together with the Komodo-X. But yes, Nikon is going to combine RED’s image compression technology and color science and add to it its great AF (autofocus) capabilities. If so, that would be a pretty simple prediction: Z 9 (Mark II?) has the ability to shoot R3D and improved (cinematic) color science. Or, RED DSMC3 with a Z mount. The last seems to be easier to implement. And what about the sensor?
Z9 Mark II with a global shutter?
It’s well known that RED has partnered with TowerJazz for their cameras’ 20-megapixel global shutter Super 35mm sensors, offering advanced video capabilities. Moreover, it’s well known that Nikon and TowerJazz have a long-standing relationship, with TowerJazz relying on Nikon for equipment and Nikon using TowerJazz sensors in their DSLRs and mirrorless cameras. This collaboration is evident from the companies’ shared presentation materials before. As such, there’s a chance that we’ll see RED’s sensors in Nikon’s mirrorless cameras. However, that will be in the long run. As mentioned by Nikon President Tokunari, there’s a solid demand for powerful video functions in recent years, and the RED tech can help to upgrade the Z9 (or any other Nikon mirrorless high-end camera) to become relevant in cinema productions. We bet in a couple of years we’ll see an IMAX-certified Nikon camera. Do you agree?
Big mistake to simply add a Mark II on a Red based Nikon camera.
It’s about branding to the cinematographer, not to the consumer. That comes later. You need a Prius brand for Nikon cinema. Not a Mirrorless wedding still camera for cinema.
It needs to be named something different, its own line, and have its own body style w Red in the name. It needs a film to be shoot immediately before the release of the camera, a feature length film with name actors, probably with special effects on some level, high contrast, high color saturation, and fun, upbeat storyline.
That’s how you market the cinema image of Nikon/RED. Get a shooter behind it to get another shooter behind it. It needs to be like a virus. Selling to the public is a waste of time.
I find you all the reason, Nikon must follow the nomenclature of the cameras RED or reuse one but adding it II or something so.