The question is how quickly they can learn all of the lessons associated with making lenses for contrast-detect AF and incorporate all of their fine knowledge of lenses into the smaller form factor requiring more software correction rather than optical correction? I assume they'll do it well, but do they risk being stuck in the ways of the mirror to an extent that will make it more difficult to do mirrorless as well? I have no idea how difficult a step this is for them - is it huge or minor? I hope they do it well. Competition is good for all of us. I'd really love it if the'd do it in a 4/3 format but that doesn't seem terribly likely...Above all, Nikon is a lens maker and a good one at that.
That's where their strength is.
If they actually move into m4/3, they could steal the market.
It seems Panny and Oly are slacking in this area. A few lenses here and there...
They need to step up the releases.
Nikon could take the lead very fast.
I actually hope they do...
I differ with that statement ... IMO, I don't think one can easily separate and distinguish between Nikon cameras and Nikkor lenses when one tries to categorize the company.Above all, Nikon is a lens maker and a good one at that.
That's where their strength is.
If they actually move into m4/3, they could steal the market.
It seems Panny and Oly are slacking in this area. A few lenses here and there...
They need to step up the releases.
Nikon could take the lead very fast.
I actually hope they do...
You're presuming Nikon will introduce their mirrorless system using the same technology as Panasonic. I'd be willing to bet that you're wrong, and they'll come out with something that will surprise us. If Nikon says something is pro level, you can guarantee it'll be pro level. They get that market, Panasonic doesn't. Extremely slow AF with PDAF lenses on CDAF systems is a technology limitation, not a format limitation.Street shooter , maybe i am wrong but i can hardly imagine the compatibilty with AF with their lenses. Nikon uses both mechanical and electronical drive so as far as i can see only top lenses would be compatible with internal motor. Other problem unless it used the similar stuff to fuji i cannot say how a lens which is optimized for phase detection will perform on a system which is based on contrast detection. My personal view unless they release a Full frame i cannot see the point of a competitor to M4/3 that will not offer much more than what is already proposed by M4/3. A dedicated lens format is a huge error that samsung is already starting to pay , schneider moved away to M4/3 , Sony has the ability to sustain but nikon seriously , those who buy a nokon expect pro grade gear, they do get it on DSLR why an EVIL, EVIL cannot be marketed as pro 2 reasons , extremely slow AF on any EVIL in the market in comparison to high end DSLR and the sensor size which makes it inconvenient for large prints. The sensor size causes an another problem Signal/noise ratio , basically rise in ISO is not as smooth as on a full frame.
In what sense couldn't Sony get the AF right on the Nex? In terms of speed? Nope, its still contrast detect, so not up to phase detect standards, but its about as fast as any contrast detect I've tried. That said, I haven't tried the GH2 yet, which I understand is a real leap forward. I just added a Nex and like it quite a bit. The AF seems to be at least on a par with my gf1, probably a bit quicker, and better than on my ep2. Not a big difference, but unless you're just talking about the basic contrast vs phase detect differences, I'm not seeing it as any worse...Concerning the electronic part what matters for AF and ISO as i mentionned they take everything from Sony at least on recent DSLRs. Sony couldn't get the autofocus right on the NEX.
I've seen some patents floating around that aim to do just that - PDAF in a mirrorless sensor, using some of the pixels in the sensor as the detectors that would have otherwise been fed through the prism into the AF mechanism. As I said, I don't think we can assume Nikon will use existing technology for their mirrorless. They've had several years to think about this system, and I have to believe they'll put out something we haven't seen yet.As far as I understand you can't really do phase detect in a mirrorless (except using something like the A33/55, but that's not really mirrorless either). To me, that's the crux of the issue for Nikon. They're gonna need a whole new line of lenses to make the AF work as well as possible on a mirrorless camera. Just retrofitting their existing DSLR glass doesn't seem like a path they could go down without having the slowest AF on the planet. Or am I missing something?
-Ray
Well, that would be truly cool indeed. Would that render all of the contrast detect lenses that Pany, Sony, Oly, and now Samsung have developed and are developing obsolete? Will be interesting to watch it develop...I've seen some patents floating around that aim to do just that - PDAF in a mirrorless sensor, using some of the pixels in the sensor as the detectors that would have otherwise been fed through the prism into the AF mechanism. As I said, I don't think we can assume Nikon will use existing technology for their mirrorless. They've had several years to think about this system, and I have to believe they'll put out something we haven't seen yet.