Every few months, Amazon discounts random cameras and lenses for a limited time. Today, the Nikon Zf camera is listed on Amazon for $1,747 – that’s $300 off (regular price: $2,047):

The camera is sold by Unique Photo, an authorized Nikon USA dealer. Act fast, those deals usually last only a few hours.

You can find previous coverage of the Nikon Zf camera here.

The post Act fast: Nikon Zf camera discounted to $1,747 at Amazon (only 6 pieces at this price) appeared first on Nikon Rumors.

The long-rumored Nikon cinema lenses are now finally officially announced (development announcement only). The new Nikkor Z Cinema T1.9 VV series will include nine lenses, including a Nikkor Z Cinema 50mm T1.9 VV:

NIKON IS DEVELOPING NINE CINEMA LENSES IN THE NIKKOR Z CINEMA T1.9 VV SERIES

Nikon Inc. is pleased to announce the development of the NIKKOR Z CINEMA T1.9 VV series of cinema lenses, designed for the cinema, high-end productions, and creators, aiming to provide them with high-quality solutions. The series will be comprised of nine lenses, including the NIKKOR Z CINEMA 50mm T1.9 VV.

The NIKKOR Z CINEMA T1.9 VV series will further enrich the visual expression of the NIKKOR Z CINEMA line through a new design philosophy that delivers both the rendering performance required by the cinema industry and the practicality needed in professional production environments. In addition, this will be the first NIKKOR lens series to feature an image circle large enough to cover the V-RAPTOR [X] VV sensor**, which is larger than a full frame sensor. The lenses will also feature a highly precise autofocus mechanism to support creators’ workflows.

Nikon will continue to contribute to the development of imaging culture that includes the field of cinema, with the hope of expanding possibilities for imaging expression. Filmmakers and content creators can expect great things from the new synergy between Nikon and RED.

All we got from Nikon for the 2026 NAB show was a teaser

The post Nikon announces the development of nine new Nikkor Z Cinema T1.9 VV lenses appeared first on Nikon Rumors.

A few hours after my report, Nikon officially announced the development of a new firmware version 2.00 for the Nikon ZR camera. The release will come later in 2026, and the Open Gate feature will come in 2027. Here are the official details:

The following features are planned for inclusion in this firmware update, with the aim of further advancing creative capabilities and workflows for a broad range of users, from high-end filmmakers to content creators.

• Support for Log3G10 and REDWideGamutRGB when recording in H.265 format, delivering compact file sizes with high color-grading latitude.
• A new option for selecting the level of [High ISO NR] available during H.265 Log recording, enabling image rendering tailored to the creator’s intent and the tone of the work.
• Support for focus peaking display during recording in the R3D NE* format, enabling more precise focus confirmation.

Firmware version 2.00 is scheduled for release in 2026.

Nikon is also developing new firmware to support frequently requested features, including open gate recording and a desqueeze display for use with anamorphic lenses, with the goal of incorporating them in ZR firmware in 2027.

Additionally, RED is updating its remote-control applications, RED CONTROL and RED CONTROL PRO, which will enable remote control capabilities for ZR.
Nikon and RED will continue to enhance its products through firmware updates that address user needs, while also contributing to the development of imaging culture in the field of cinema.

The post Nikon officially announced the development of firmware version 2.00 for the Nikon ZR (Open Gate coming in 2027) appeared first on Nikon Rumors.

Nikon registered a new wireless remote controller with the FCC, and the confidentiality ends on November 3rd, 2026. This is just another hint in the long list of clues that a new product(s) announcement is coming soon. Here are the details on the new wireless remote controller:

Nikon registered a new N2528 camera in China: we now have a total of three upcoming new cameras

The post Nikon registered a new 1162ED wireless remote controller with the FCC: the confidentiality ends on November 3rd 2026. appeared first on Nikon Rumors.

Brandon Talbot, who is under an NDA with Nikon, confirmed the long-rumored Nikon ZR firmware update version 2.0 and Nikkor Z cinema lenses in this video without mentioning the actual release dates:

Update – the new firmware update is now officially announced:

Nikon officially announced the development of firmware version 2.00 for the Nikon ZR (Open Gate coming in 2027)

Here is some unconfirmed information on the upcoming Nikon ZR firmware update version 2.0 – take everything with a grain of salt:

“This update will include full-width 6K 120p 2.37:1 and 6K 60p OpenGate RAW recording, as well as a New RAW Codec: N-RAW Light Quality (53% the file size of N-RAW Normal). Additionally, R3D NE supports 3 N-RAW encoding options, allowing users to choose between R3D NE High Quality, R3D NE Normal, and R3D NE Light Quality.
This means that when recording Light Quality R3D NE 6K 120p 2.37:1 footage, the bitrate is only about 1,500 Mbps.

The new firmware will also provide the ZR with new intelligent exposure and control tools; in the new OpenGate mode, the ZR supports the simultaneous display of 16:9 and 9:16 framing lines, and allows the 9:16 framing line to move horizontally as it tracks the subject in the frame, further enhancing the convenience of multi-aspect-ratio composition.”

All we got from Nikon for the 2026 NAB show was a teaser

I think it is time for Nikon to announce something, anything

The post Upcoming Nikon ZR firmware update v2.0 and Nikkor Z cinema lenses confirmed by YouTube under NDA appeared first on Nikon Rumors.

→ Freewell launched a new ultra-slim locking filter system for 49-95mm lenses.

→ “What camera belongs to your zodiac sign?” by Aftershoot.

→ NiSi will soon release a new 26mm f/0.7 lens for Nikon Z-mount.

 
→ New Meike AF 58mm f/1.2 MIX APS-C lens for Nikon Z-mount coming soon. See the full list of upcoming Chinese lenses.

→ New: TLS rehoused vintage Nikon AI/AI-S cinema lenses.

→ The Artra Camera One photography-inspired watch has been updated with a new movement – see this post for more informtion, including a discount coupon code.

→ NASA astronaut Don Pettit’s Milky Way galaxy photo taken from the ISS Cupola.

→ This Nikon Fisheye NIKKOR 1:5.6/6.2mm 220° pre-series lens (1970) is going up for auction at the next Wetzlar Camera Auctions (estimated price: 35,000  40,000 euros). This is a pre-production model of the later Fisheye-Nikkor 1:5.6/6mm lens. Only four examples of this pre-production series are known to date (620001-620004).

→ New: Phantom LUTs for Nikon ZR cameras.

→ Nikon selected for additional funding under Common Environment Development Costs of the Space Strategy Fund.

The post Weekly Nikon news flash #902 appeared first on Nikon Rumors.

An “exclusive product presentation” featuring the “latest product highlights” by Bruno Murari from Nikon UK is scheduled for September 25th in London: “Discover the latest product highlights and insights in an exclusive presentation.” The event will also include “Demonstrating the product with a model,” followed by “hands-on with the products“:

It is a bit strange to have those cryptic descriptions of “products” if those are existing Nikon cameras or lenses, but I could be wrong.

There are several other hints of a potential new product announcement from Nikon in September, but as of today, I cannot confirm what is coming and when:

Observations on the potential Nikon announcement expected in September

Nikon server maintenance scheduled for September 15th

RED will “come out swinging” at IBC 2026 next week

Source: Eventbrite

The post “Exclusive product presentation” scheduled for September 25 in the UK: “Discover the latest product highlights and insights” appeared first on Nikon Rumors.

RED is promising to “come out swinging” at the 2026 IBC show in Amsterdam (September 11-14, 2026):

RED DIGITAL CINEMA Comes Out Swinging at IBC 2026 with Next-Generation Live Broadcast Technology

RED DIGITAL CINEMA steps into the ring at IBC 2026 with its latest innovations for live broadcast and cinema. At stand 11.C35 in Amsterdam, Sept. 11–14, visitors are invited to experience a fully rigged boxing ring and see how RED brings the richness of cinema image quality to the speed and scale of live broadcast. IP-based integration, multi-camera live production, and the image quality RED is known for will go pound for pound inside a fully rigged boxing environment, headlined by RED’s V-RAPTOR cameras, the premier heavyweights in the Z Cinema lineup.

FEEL EVERY FRAME
RED’s centerpiece demo at IBC 2026 brings immersive sports experiences to life — the same solution trusted by world-class productions and venues. Mounted in the truss above a boxing ring, RED V-RAPTOR cameras fitted with dual fisheye spherical lenses capture 8K video at 50fps, streamed over fiber in real time via RED Connect to Apple Vision Pro headsets. The result: a fully live, 180-degree immersive cinema-quality broadcast experience demonstrating the future of live sports and entertainment production.

CINE-BROADCAST LIVE
RED’s Cine‑Broadcast showcase gives attendees a fast, high‑impact look at how V-RAPTOR XL [X] and V‑RAPTOR [X] power real 4K 240p super‑slow‑motion replays, dynamic Steadicam ring‑walk coverage, and classic shoulder‑mounted broadcast capture. All camera feeds route to a fully equipped control desk featuring leading RCPs and switching, delivering a true end‑to‑end broadcast workflow right on the IBC show floor.

Also on the booth, RED’s workflow demo spotlights high‑end capture with a V‑RAPTOR XL [X] on a Dinky Dolly paired with anamorphic glass, full lens control, and live wireless feeds to a DIT cart for real‑time camera adjustments, color work, and editorial. Handheld V‑RAPTOR XE and KOMODO‑X rigs round out the showcase, highlighting RED’s compact, agile options for dynamic cinematic production.

RED’s Cine-Broadcast Module has recently been deployed on events broadcast by CBS Sports, NBC Sports Group, and live streamed on Netflix. Fuse Technical Group integrated RED into its live event infrastructure, including recent tours by Zach Bryan, Rush and Jay-Z. RED also supported Epic Cinema in capturing David Guetta’s “The Ultimate Monolith Show” at Stade de France in Saint-Denis, France earlier this year.

Observations on the potential Nikon announcement expected in September

New product announcements from OM System, Sigma, Sony, Canon, Fuji, Leica, and possibly Nikon

The post RED will “come out swinging” at IBC 2026 next week appeared first on Nikon Rumors.

Nikon registered a new N2528 camera (MIIT/CMIIT number 26J99NA7E003) in China – now we have three new/confirmed/upcoming cameras:

Radio specs (probably same as N2324 and N2527):

• 5150-5350 MHz Wi-Fi (≤80 MHz occupied bandwidth, ≤20/23 dBm EIRP, no TPC)
• 2400-2483.5 MHz Bluetooth (≤2 MHz, ≤20 dBm EIRP)
• Modulations: OFDM (BPSK/QPSK/16/64/256-QAM) + BT (GFSK / π/4-DQPSK / 8DPSK)

This is the same dual-band 5.1/2.4 GHz module used on recent mid/entry Z bodies (Z50 II, Z5 II, Zf class), not a flagship tri-band unit.

Typical delay from CMIIT filing to announcement is 3-6 months.

So far, I have reported rumors about five new Nikon cameras:

• Nikon Z9II
• Nikon mirrorless full-frame minimalistic interchangeable lens camera
• Nikon compact full-frame fixed-lens camera
• Nikon compact fixed-lens point-and-shoot camera
• Nikon APS-C Z camera:

New Nikon camera N2527 registered overseas

Nikon registered a new N2324 camera

What to expect next from Nikon (updated July 2026)

The post Nikon registered a new N2528 camera in China: we now have a total of three upcoming new cameras appeared first on Nikon Rumors.

CIPA (Camera & Imaging Products Association in Japan) published the latest camera production data (orange: 2026, black: 2025, blue: 2024):

July 2026 CIPA numbers by ZoetMB

(All comparisons to YTD 2025)
Narrative: July 2026

July numbers are unfortunately not great. Compared to last July (single month only), DSLR shipments are down 76%, mirrorless shipments are down 26%, compacts are down 3% and lenses are down 23%.

Compared to YTD 2025:

• DSLRs are down 35% in units and 40% in shipped value
• Mirrorless units are down 6% in units and up 3% in shipped value.
• Compacts are up 13% in units and 12% in shipped value.
• Lenses for smaller than 35mm sensors are down 1% in units and up 8% in shipped value, and lenses for 35mm and larger sensors are down 8% in units and up 2% in shipped value.
• The lens-to-body sales ratio is 1.57 compared to 1.49 a year ago.
• Overall shipped value is up 3%.

We’re predicting total annual sales of between 6.1 and 6.4 million ILC bodies, down 2%-4% from last month’s prediction.

A list of participating CIPA companies can be found here.

2025 mirrorless camera production volume ranking (without fixed-lens compact and instant cameras)

The post July 2026 CIPA numbers appeared first on Nikon Rumors.

Nikon released a new firmware update version 1.1 for the Coolpix P1100 super-zoom camera with two fixes (see previous coverage):

• In rare circumstances, the camera would stop responding when adjusting zoom during burst photography.
• Some timestamps in the metadata of video files would differ from the actual date and time of recording.

The post Nikon released a new firmware update v1.1 for the Coolpix P1100 125x-super-zoom camera appeared first on Nikon Rumors.

Today, Nikon sent emails about a scheduled server maintenance on September 15th. This may reaffirm a potential new product announcement around that date, as previously reported (see this and this post). Here is the full text of the official notice:

Server Maintenance Information

Thank you for your continued patronage of Nikon products and services.
Server maintenance will be conducted for the Nikon ID service as per the schedule below.

15 September 2026, 1:00 – 15 September 2026, 8:00 (Planned) (UTC)

Users will be unable to sign in to the following services with Nikon ID during this period.
– Nikon Imaging Cloud
– NIKON IMAGE SPACE (photo uploads from SnapBridge will not be available)
– NX Studio *
– NX Tether *

* You can continue using NX Studio and NX Tether during maintenance by signing in before the maintenance begins, as these applications maintain your sign-in status for 30 days.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. We hope that you continue to enjoy our products and services in the future.

Observations on the potential Nikon announcement expected in September

I think it is time for Nikon to announce something, anything

What to expect next from Nikon (updated July 2026)

The post Nikon server maintenance scheduled for September 15th appeared first on Nikon Rumors.

Here are some observations on the potential Nikon announcement in September sent by a reader (thanks):

Update: Nikon server maintenance scheduled for September 15th.

If you look across the schedules of Nikon Ambassadors in both North America and Europe, there are two windows that really stand out. The first is the week of September 12, when a surprising number of Ambassadors appear to be wide open. The second is the week of September 26, when many of them are scheduled for Nikon events.

Kristi Odom is particularly interesting because she is suspiciously absent from both windows. September and October are prime workshop season for Kristi, so giving up two potentially valuable weeks on her calendar is especially interesting. Something pretty important must be happening for her to leave those windows open.

Given her importance as a Nikon wildlife Ambassador – and how closely a potential Nikon Z70 and Nikon NIKKOR Z 120-300mm f/2.8 TC VR S lens combination fits her work – I think she would be one of the key people Nikon would want involved in a launch.

My theory is that September 16 was the original target date, with the week of September 12 providing the preparation/briefing window. If there were last-minute production, firmware, or logistical problems, Nikon could have pushed the launch back to the next logical window around the Nikon events.

So if I had to put money on a date based purely on the Ambassador schedules, September 29 is my #1 pick, with September 16 as my second choice.

Obviously, this is speculation – but the fact that Kristi appears to have two unusually open windows during what is normally prime workshop season is the part I find hardest to ignore.

I think it is time for Nikon to announce something, anything

What to expect next from Nikon (updated July 2026)

Nikon server maintenance scheduled for September 15th

The post Observations on the potential Nikon announcement expected in September appeared first on Nikon Rumors.

I already reported on the 2025 digital camera shipment market share from the latest Nikkei Industry Report:

2025 digital camera shipment market share

Fujifilm’s surge is attributed to strong demand for compact cameras. The 2025 numbers for Fujifilm provided in the report also include the Fujifilm X-half toy camera, the Instax product line, and the very popular X100 (still out of stock). This is why Nikon should release their new compact camera(s) asap.

2025 Overall Camera Shipment Ranking

1. Canon: 4.5 million units (45.7%, +2.5%)
2. Sony: 2.42 million units (24.6%, -3.9%)
3. Fujifilm: 1.16 million units (11.8%, +2.8%)
4. Nikon: 880,000 units (8.9%, -2.8%)
5. Panasonic: 430,000 units (4.4%, +1%)
6. Ricoh Imaging: 210,000 units (2.1%, +1.3%)
7. OM Digital: 150,000 units (1.5%, -0.4%)

If you compare the pure mirrorless camera market share, Nikon is still at the #3 spot, and Fujifilm is at #4, as reported by dclife, who actually purchased the latest edition of the Japan Company Handbook Industry Map 2027 Edition:

2025 Mirrorless Camera Production Volume Ranking

1. Canon: 2.3 million units sold ↑
2. Sony: 1.8 million units sold ↑
3. Nikon: 860,000 units ↑
4. Fujifilm: 750,000 units sold ↑
5. Panasonic: 270,000 units ↑
6. OM Digital: 120,000 units ↓

2025 DSLR Camera Shipment Ranking

1. Canon: 580,000 units
2. Nikon: 60,000 units
3. Pentax: 10,000 units

Here are the numbers from the previously reported 2024 – Nikon actually went up in the mirrorless camera production volume ranking:

2024 Overall Camera Shipment Ranking

1. Canon: 3,53 million units (43.2%)
2. Sony: 2.33 million units (28.5%)
3. Nikon: 960,000 units (11.7%)
4. Fujifilm: 740,000 units (9.0%)
5. Panasonic: 280,000 units (3.4%)
6. OM Digital: 160,000 units (1.9%)
7. Ricoh Imaging: 70,000 units (0.8%)

2024 Mirrorless Camera Production Volume Ranking

1. Canon: 2.05 million units
2. Sony: 1.63 million units
3. Nikon: 760,000 units
4. Fujifilm: 490,000 units
5. Panasonic: 160,000 units
6. OM Digital: 130,000 units

See previous reports here:

Nikon achieves top market share in Japan for the first time with the release of the Z5II camera

The latest Nikon market share in Japan according to BCN: Nikon is moving up

The post Nikon is still at the #3 spot (2025 mirrorless camera production volume ranking) appeared first on Nikon Rumors.

DxO released PhotoLab 10. Here is what’s new:

• Next-Generation Masking: The introduction of Depth Masks, allowing adjustments based on distance from the camera, and enhanced AI subject detection capable of recognizing fine facial details like eyebrows and mouths.
• Expanded U Point Technology: A major evolution of our signature local adjustment technology, featuring new Control Brush and Elliptical tools for ultimate flexibility.
• Advanced Color Grading: A powerful new toolset for fine-tuning tones with surgical accuracy, making sophisticated color work more intuitive than ever.
• Smarter Workflow Automation: AI-powered sensor dust removal and automatic “as-shot” crop ratio application to preserve your original creative vision from the start.

You can get a DxO discount with promo code RUMORS (new customers only).

Additional information:

DxO released PhotoLab 10 (coupon code included)

DxO PhotoLab 10 introduces Depth Masks, a brand-new way to create AI-powered local adjustments based on distance within the scene, alongside an advanced Color Grading tool and a direct connection to Affinity for pixel-level editing. Artificial intelligence, previously centered around DeepPRIME, now extends across a much broader range of PhotoLab’s toolset.

This announcement marks a major milestone for DxO: PhotoLab 10 becomes the world’s most advanced end-to-end RAW photo editing software, introducing a new generation of masking tools, powerful color grading capabilities, smarter AI-assisted workflows, and a seamless connection to Affinity for pixel-level editing – giving photographers greater creative control than ever before.

More broadly, this release reaffirms DxO’s commitment to photographers who seek both creative freedom and the highest image quality, combining intuitive tools with the advanced RAW processing, denoising, and optical correction technologies DxO has built its reputation on over more than two decades.

DxO released new modules for the latest releases from Canon, Sony, Sigma, Panasonic, and Smayang

The post DxO PhotoLab 10 launched (coupon code included) appeared first on Nikon Rumors.

Godox released a new MA2 flexible macro twin light:

 
Godox also has the MF-T76N macro twin flash for Nikon cameras.

Godox announced a new MF-T76 macro twin flash for Nikon, Canon, and Sony cameras

And if you have a sense of humor, here is the new Godox LT1 Creative Pixel LED Light:

The post Godox released a new MA2 flexible macro twin light appeared first on Nikon Rumors.

→ New SG-Image AF 15mm f/2.8 full-frame lens coming in 2027.

→ Coming soon for Nikon Z-mount: new 7artisans AF 18mm f/2 wide-angle APS-C lens.

→ Gura Gear camera back sale ends tomorrow.

→ Tilta will increase their prices on September 1st (check their products at B&H Photo and the official website). The details are available here.

→ Nikon is encouraging younger generations to build the future.

→ Full V8 engine block printed as a single piece by Nikon SLM Solutions (on Nikon SLM’s NXG XII 600).

→ Nikon Japan offers a limited-time service for old SLR film cameras and lenses.

→ Nikon Japan released a new limited edition of 500 “Nikon-chan plush charm” keychains.

→ Nikon Germany and Fotocommunity launched a junior program for the next generation of creative image creators.

The post Weekly Nikon news flash #901 appeared first on Nikon Rumors.

Here is an interview by Steve Simon from PhotoEducate with the legendary Jay Maisel – a lifelong Nikon photographer who passed away on August 24th at the age of 95:

Jay Maisel was a lifelong Nikon photographer, although, as this interview makes clear, equipment was always secondary to what he saw and how he saw it. In 2011, I sat down with Jay while working on a book about the Nikon system. I have my own unusually deep attachment to Nikon, perhaps because its cameras have given me so many extraordinary moments throughout my life, but the book was never completed. I still hope it might be someday. With Jay’s passing, I returned to this conversation, which has remained unseen until now.

Reading it again, I’m struck by how clearly his voice comes through. He was direct, funny, impatient with nonsense and never especially interested in equipment for its own sake. Yet his thoughts about cameras and lenses inevitably became thoughts about seeing: what we notice, what gets in the way and how the tools we carry can either free us or weigh us down.

There are stories here that even longtime admirers of Jay’s work may not know, along with a few surprises. He talks about the cameras he loved, the ones he resisted, the equipment he lost or dropped into the sea, and why he believed the camera itself had been designed upside down. Beneath the humor was a photographer who knew what mattered to him and spent a lifetime learning how to remain open to the unexpected.

Jay inspired generations of photographers, including me. His photographs showed us what can happen when we slow down and truly pay attention. So did the way he moved through the world. He looked carefully and remained curious. He trusted light, gesture, color and chance, reminding us that photography begins with how we see, long before we press the shutter.

I’m grateful we had this conversation, and sorry it took his passing for me to return to it. I share it now as a small tribute to Jay and to the lasting influence he had on so many of us who care deeply about photography.

Steve S. So this thing I’m doing is on the Nikon system and it’s called the Nikon Dream System.

Jay M. You know I’m not a technical guy.

Steve S. No, you don’t have to be.  This is more about philosophy and stuff. Do you remember what your first camera was?

Jay M. The first camera I ever used was a borrowed Kodak 35…and the second camera was a Kine Exakta, which I borrowed from Buckminster Fuller.  The third camera that I remember was a Miranda. I’ve been shooting since 1954. I got my first Nikon when they first made it the year the Nikon F came out, 1959. I still have 16 Nikon F’s. I’ve shot 8×10, 4×5, I’ve shot 120. I’ve shot panoramic cameras that weren’t Nikon but with 35mm it has always been Nikon. I bought a Canon once and I returned it the next day. I bought a Rolleiflex once and returned that the next day.  

Steve S. What is your Nikon system philosophy, I know your mantra to a certain degree is “one camera, one lens – you’re going to shoot more.”  But when you build a system or when you were building your system, how did you go about it?

Jay M. When I started I had four major lenses. It was a 50mm Nikon, a 90mm Macro that didn’t have anything to do with Nikon. A 180mm Olympic Sonar from Zeiss and a 300mm Sonar from Zeiss.  Those were my major lenses.  And then Nikon came out with the 180 and I bought that and other lenses as they came out.  But I used that system for a very long time. Do you want to talk about non-Nikon stuff?   

Steve S. Sure.

Jay M. I also had configured my stuff so that I could use the 180, the 90 and the 300 on my Hasselblad with a minor modification so I could switch them from one to the other. I liked the Hasselblad 1000 F’s; you could put any lens on it so I had the advantage of using whatever the hell I wanted. But I was shooting Hasselblad because I did a lot of album covers, square format.  

There was one particular incident that made me give up the Hasselblad.  I wasn’t shooting albums anymore I was doing advertising and this art director said to me, “I want you to shoot this 120.”  

I said “we’re shooting fucking here to here. Think. 120’s going to be a ball-breaker to do that.” I mean, I can get a pentaprism so I’m not looking down, but still, it’d be easy to shoot the 35 and you’d get better quality.  “No, no, I want 120,” he said. 

Anyway, I shot the job 120 and 35 and when I showed him the 35 he wouldn’t look at the 120.  And so that was pretty much the last time I used 120 for professional purposes. From that time on it was 99% Nikon.

Steve S. Were you quick to adopt new Nikon stuff as it came out?

Jay M. Oh yeah. Here’s a point. When Nikon came out with the Nikon F2, I wouldn’t get it.  Because I felt it was too much electronics in it.  And so I kept going with my F.  When they came out with the F3, Marty Forsher put his foot down and said, “I can’t repair these fucking things anymore. You have beat the shit of them.  It’s just too tough to repair them.”  

So I have about 16 Fs, I had no F2s. I have eight F3s.  About four/five F4s and one F5.  And by the time the D1 came and I was into the digital.

Steve S. Before we get into the whole digital thing and the D1 and beyond, just getting back to your original system, I think it was three or four lenses you mentioned.  As your career and your photography progressed, what were some of the other acquisitions in terms of Nikon lenses that you got that you really kind of fell in love with?

Jay M. Well, the 300 f2.8, the 600 F4, the 200 F2, the – later on the zoom lenses, the really good zoom lenses.  I started with the first zoom lens they ever made, the 43-86, didn’t like it, there was a quality about it that wasn’t as much fun.  Anyway, I’m trying to think what other lenses I loved.  Well, I’ve always loved the 50s.  

Steve S. Which 50?

Jay M. Well, I had a number of 50 1.4s, and then I had the 58mm 1.2, and I may, but I’m not sure about this, I may have had a 55 in there but I may be wrong.  I don’t know if it was.  

Steve S. There were a lot of long telephotos that you describe early on.  What is it that attracted you, I mean, I know in your work that you do use telephotos.  

Jay M. Don’t forget the 1000.

Steve S. Tell me about that.  What was it, the 1000 F-11 mirror?

Jay M. No, I had a 1000 F6.3. Nikon doesn’t know about this. They’re too young. I had a big argument with the Nikon people when they came here because I said I had a Nikon F6.3 with a diaphragm on a catadioptric (mirror) lens . 

They said no, they never made diaphragms on catadioptric lenses. 

“Want to put money on it?” I said. And when I showed it to them they said maybe you’d like to give this to our museum.  I said maybe you’d like to talk about money.  Anyway …

Steve S. Well, tell me about that lens.  How did you get it?  Why did you get it?

Jay M. It had been rented out a lot by Sports Illustrated and Life.  At some point they said if anyone wants to buy it…so I bought it.  There’s also a 1000mm Maksutov, the Russian one I use. 

I then traded all my Aeroflex equipment to Steven Wilkes in return for the Nikon 2000 F11; still have that. He wanted to try film, so we did a trade. I could shoot from all around the building here with the 2000mm, and his only window faced a white brick wall, so, you know.  

Steve S. Did you end up with a lot of images you really love from that lens?

Jay M. Not a lot because you can’t shoot that much with it. If you’re shooting in the city you can only shoot it about a dozen days a year it’s either too hot–too much heat coming from the building, or it’s too cold.  With a movie camera it’s nice to have that shimmer but on a still camera, it just looks out of focus.  

Steve S. You work with telephoto lenses a lot.

Jay M. Well, you have more control with a telephoto over what you’re looking at.  As you put on a wide angle, you acquire the responsibility for a lot of real estate.

Steve S. Understood.  So you like the fact that you could compose the way you want it.

Jay M. Well, first of all I don’t use the word “compose.” Compose is only relevant if you’re controlling what’s going on in front of you. What you’re talking about is framing, and cropping.  It’s just easier with a telephoto. There is a tendency for each photographer to find a way of looking at things that he’s comfortable with.  I love what’s in the center of my pictures and the more I can get to the center, the less I’m involved in peripheral.  If I’m involved in peripheral, then I’m thinking in terms of panoramic camera.  

Steve S. I suspect when zooms started to improve it was liberating for someone like you who liked telephoto lenses.  

Jay M. Well, the real liberating thing was the recent lens they came out with, the 28-300.  That lens changed a lot of things for me. Before that I was walking around with a belly bag. My daughter said “you look like such a dork with that thing.”  

And I would very rarely change for the 24-70mm lens that was in the belly bag, because of inertia and the fact that I don’t see in terms of wide angle. I’m basically a very lazy person. I’m not pro-active, I’m very reactive. So if it’s easy for me, I’ll use it. Before that, I was working the 70-300mm and the 24-70mm.  When they came out with the 28-300mm it just made life a lot, lot better. With a 70-300, anything below 70mm, I had to change. It’s inertia. So now I shoot with 28mm; I shoot with 50mm; whatever’s appropriate. 

Steve S. I think some photographers might be surprised because both the 70-300mm and the 28-300mm are not very expensive lenses.

Jay M. No, but they’re very good lenses. Sharper than hell.

Steve S. So, they’re sharp enough for you.

Jay M. They’re not sharp enough, they’re sharper than any other lenses I’ve used.  There may be a lot of lenses that are sharper that I don’t know about, but the way I perceive it, it’s a very sharp lens.

Steve S. I want to know what you’ve got in your Nikon system.  What you can go to.  Now obviously you’ve mentioned the 2000.

Jay M. I can go from a 14mm to a 2000mm. I got what I need. I’m not a collector of equipment.  I have it because at some point it was fun to get that lens. If you’re asking what I’m using, I’m using the 28-300mm, that’s it. I’m not using other lenses. I mean sometimes I’ll pick up a macro lens that I want to fool around with something close, sometimes I’ll pick up a longer telephoto but basically, when I go out on the street it’s 28-300mm, that’s it.

Steve S. So your system is a holdover from your commercial assignment days?

Jay M. I felt an obligation to my client to be able to respond to any situation in any way I could. Now, I’m just shooting for myself. 

Steve S. Tell me about your transition to Nikon digital.

Jay M. Sam Garcia forced the D1 into my hands and said “I know you don’t like it, but try it.”  And from that time on, that was it. I have shot in the last 10 years three rolls of film.  All in the first two weeks.  No going back for me.  

Steve S. So, if Sam had not insisted, you really were not that interested…

Jay M. No.  I wouldn’t have – I hate new cameras because then I’ve got to learn about them and I’m slow learning about them and fumbled fingers and left-fitted and I just don’t pick up things easily.  So every time Nikon comes out with a new camera I have mixed emotions. Oh shit, a new camera, it’s much better, but I got to learn it. 

Steve S. Right. So tell me about that early shooting experience with the D1, what was you initial reaction?

Jay M. Oh, I loved it. I loved that I could see what I was getting. I loved the fact that the lenses that I put on actually seemed longer than they were. There was nothing I didn’t like about it. I never looked back.

Steve S. We’ve come so far in 10 years. 

Jay M. Here, I’ll give you something. Without doing the math, how many years do you think it was between the first flight at Kitty Hawk and landing on the moon?

Steve S. Ahhhh….110?

Jay M. 60, 1909 to 1969.  

Steve S. Wow.

Jay M. So we do sometimes progress quickly.  I don’t measure the D1 against the D3S.  I measure the camera that Kodak gave me to use in 1992 that required them sending out a guy to carry the Diehard battery with it.  And it took eight pictures in black and white. I was always reluctant to try new equipment. I was never about equipment. Guys would love the joy of working with new equipment. I was fucking terrified of new equipment. I certainly don’t like to try anything new and I can’t read instruction booklets.

Jay M. There are other areas that I can shoot that I couldn’t shoot in before. Very simply, I can shoot at night. And I can shoot in low light levels. I guess I feel freer now than I ever have before in what I’m able to shoot. The day is much longer than it used to be because I never shot at night, unless I wanted to do a very specific thing. Because if I had film in the camera at the end of the day, a half a roll left, I wasn’t going to throw that half a roll away just on the chance that maybe I would take a shot at night.  

Steve S.  What camera are you using now?

Jay M. The D3S. Sometimes I use the focus where I hit the first thing. I don’t know the name for it. And sometimes I use it on one thing that moves around.

Steve S. Okay, the dynamic, not the 3D thing?

Jay M. Yeah.  I don’t know the names. I got a headache even talking about it. I always use auto focus.  I use auto everything until I see that it doesn’t know what I want and then I have to go to manual. I think there’s an ego among some photographers where there’s “I’m in control.” I have that ego, too, to a certain point, but I’m in control of what I want to photograph. I’m in control of what I’m going to use because I know what I want my aperture to be. As far as focus goes, if I want to focus differently than the auto, I do.  But walking along the street basically I have no idea what I’m going to be interested in. It can handle it much faster than I could. I never ever used manual focus as soon as there was an autofocus.

Steve S. So you could concentrate on your subject, rather than worrying about the technical so much.

Jay M. Yeah.

Steve S. What about video?

Jay M. I fool around a little bit. I’m not interested in it that much. When my kid was born, I bought a motion picture camera which I gave to my wife and said here, I really want to do the still pictures. She never used it. Her excuse was that she was a mother and she was doing that.  And of course she was absolutely right.  So I shot a little bit, a very, very little bit with it.  And what I have is just incredibly precious because we didn’t have a voice or anything in still pictures. But I’m not sorry because I really like shooting stills. But it doesn’t mean I won’t shoot videos in the future. Right now, it doesn’t hit me that much.

Steve S. What advice would you have in terms of building a Nikon System?

Jay M. I don’t have any advice for anybody, I’m sorry.  I’m not the advice guy on equipment. I would say shoot as much as you want and shoot with as little equipment as you can.  You walk around with a pack, all your energy goes to carrying the shit.

Steve S. What do you think is on the horizon for Nikon shooters?  Do you have any expectations for what’s coming or what you’d like to see?

Jay M. I saw Bill Pekela in Wyoming.  He called me over.  “If you keep talking to our senior engineers about how the camera’s built upside down I will have you killed.” 

I said the camera is built wrong. It always has been built wrong.  It will be corrected 50 years from now and I want credit for it because I’m the only one that makes a big thing of it. The camera’s built upside down. Look. Here’s the camera, right?  There’s the lens right? Look where the lens is in relation to the table. Okay? Now turn the camera upside down; look where the lens is in relation to the table. The lens is higher. When you come down here it’s that much lower. You’re gaining five inches.  

Maybe this will make it easier to understand. Let’s say for example the camera was five feet high and the lens was down here. What would happen if you turned that camera upside down? The lens would be five feet higher. So when you’re shooting it this way, you’re shooting at some guy’s feet. When you’re shooting it this way, you’re shooting at a head. With our cameras instead of five feet it’s five inches. That is my major complaint, but that’s with every camera.

Steve S. If you were on a step that would let you shoot five inches higher, it would be the same, right? Being up five inches. A better perspective to be shooting from and  the opposite of today’s camera design. 

Jay M. It’ll make you five inches taller.

Steve S. Okay, I get it. Alright maybe somebody will take your advice on that

Jay M. Not in my lifetime. 

Steve S. Any other ideas?

Jay M. At one point I said to somebody at Nikon, “why are you screwing around with all these slow lenses?  We need speed.”  And now that I have such a high ISO I understand why they’re doing the slow lenses.  Whether it was planned ahead, independent or just complete luck, I don’t know, but it has worked out for me. I now walk around with an F5.6 lens.  I never put on my 50mm f1.4.  I just like having the depth of change from 28 to 300mm.  

Steve S. What about the bokeh of say the 200mm F2…  

Jay M. Yeah, I like that. But you change as a photographer. The out-of-focus telephoto shot is a lot of fun but it’s not as much of a challenge.  And I do want to challenge myself so for me the challenge is to use a wide angle lens. The difficulty is in 35mm.  I believe that karma is telling me not to use a 35mm lens ever, because I’ve gone through about seven of them.

Steve S. Really?

Jay M. Off the tops of buildings, rolling into San Francisco Bay, lost by assistants, left in taxicabs.  There’s something about 35mm lenses that doesn’t like me.

Steve S. Got you.  They try and escape.  

Jay M. They try and escape.  

Steve S. Have you had other bad things happen where you’ve lost major stuff  while shooting?  

Jay M. Oh, I’ve lost major stuff.  I don’t have anything where they survived.  They survived dropping and stuff like that but I was photographing for Sports Illustrated on the bathing suit edition.  I was photographing Cheryl Tiegs and I was barefoot.  I was in the water with her and I stepped on a sea urchin. I had three cameras and I went down with all three.  Fortunately, I brought six with me.

Steve S. Wow. So you were okay; she was okay?

Jay M. She was fine, she laughed.

Steve S. Did you get a shot of her as you were falling?

Jay M. No, no.  

Steve S. Okay, so obviously you’ve got to have, sort of, the backup when you’re working on a job. 

Jay M. Not now.  Now I just have one camera.  

Steve S. Did Nikon surprise you with this new 28mm-300mm?

Jay M. Oh, I was just knocked apart by that. When they told me that they had a 70-300mm I was amazed. And when they told me they had a 28-300mm, well this one will probably be a compromise because, but it wasn’t. It’s unbelievably sharp.

Jay Maisel Trivia

• Before becoming a photographer, Jay studied painting and graphic design at Cooper Union and Yale, where he earned his BFA in 1953.
• Jay practiced karate and reportedly placed second in the 1963 North American Karate Championships at Madison Square Garden.
• While studying at Yale, he worked with Buckminster Fuller and a group of student artists and architects on models and geodesic structures.
• Jay photographed the first two covers of New York Magazine, including its inaugural issue in April 1968.
• He photographed five Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue covers. His first, featuring Sue Peterson, appeared in 1965, one year after the magazine introduced its annual swimsuit issue.
• His photograph of Miles Davis performing at the Apollo Theater became the cover of the 1959 album Kind of Blue, widely recognized as the bestselling jazz album of all time.
• Jay bought the former Germania Bank building at 190 Bowery in 1966 for $102,000. It took roughly a year to clear it out before he began transforming its 72 rooms into his home, studio and archive where he and his family lived for nearly 50 years. 
• Artists Roy Lichtenstein and Adolph Gottlieb rented studio space from Jay and worked in the bank building for approximately two years.
• Jay lived and worked at 190 Bowery for nearly fifty years, continually filling its six floors with photographs, objects and things that caught his eye.
• After selling the building for $55 million in 2015, he had six months to move out. Emptying a lifetime’s accumulation took approximately five months of preparation and between 30 and 40 truckloads.

Here is the unofficial list of Nikon cameras used by Jay Maisel:

• Nikon F: 1959 onward
• Nikon F3
• Nikon F4
• Nikon F5
• Nikon D1: switched to digital around 2000
• Nikon D3
• Nikon D3S
• Nikon D4S: reported as a later go-to body

Maisel explicitly stated that he never owned a Nikon F2. A Nikon D810 was also used to digitize his film archive, but this was part of his scanning workflow rather than necessarily a camera he used for his own photography. He even gives the number of Nikon bodies he owned for the film cameras: 16 Nikon F bodies, 8 Nikon F3s, 4-5 Nikon F4S, and one Nikon F5.

• Jay Maisel website
• Jay Maisel Wikipedia

Nikon honors Jay Maisel:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8hekPi8WW4

The post An interview with the legendary Jay Maisel – a lifelong Nikon photographer (1931-2026) appeared first on Nikon Rumors.

Nikon launched new savings in Europe:

• Nikon Germany
• Nikon UK

The Nikon US and Nikon Canada rebates are ending soon:

• Nikon Canada – ending September 10th
• Nikon USA rebates – ending tomorrow:

The post New Nikon savings launched in Europe appeared first on Nikon Rumors.

A new Chinese company for photography equipment called 云朵工坊 (translated as “Cloud Workshop”) announed new decorative covers for Nikon F-mount lenses mounted on an FTZ adapter:

Nikon’s F-mount lenses have a smaller diameter, making the combo weird-looking when attached to mirrorless cameras. To address this, Cloud Workshop released a new “aesthetically pleasing” accessory for the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 58mm f/1.4G and Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 105mm f/1.4E ED lenses when attached to FTX/FTZ II adapters, thickening the “neck” section.

I will make another post once the new adapter covers are available for sale.

They also have a version for Fujifilm GFX cameras and Nikkor F-mount lenses:

The post New: Nikon F-mount lenses + FTZ adapter decorative covers appeared first on Nikon Rumors.