What!! Betamax coming back to town?
With everything going digital, would be interesting to see the spin and design of this rangefinder.

For one thing, my Dad’s already sold on the concept, but then again, what old timer wouldn’t?
He had a Bessa-T 35mm, if memory serves me right, way back when black and white film was the only film in town, and not a choice.

There’s no mistaking the longevity factor with rangefinders, like a lifetime guarantee or something to that effect.

I’m a sucker for the Nikon D80 SLR Camera, chiefly because of its Wow factor derived from the best parts of its predecessors, especially the D70’s processor and large LCD.

Not sure how long I’ll hold onto this before eying the D90 but, price, weight and ISO speed, My D80’s still the best camera I’s ever had!

While the new system would have new lenses, it also supposedly will support FX and DX lenses and the users of such a system would largely be DX and FX users who have upgraded. So it’s those users who will deal with crop factors and I guarantee you, you’ll have people complaining about “reach” or that their wide-angle is now “too wide” or simply asking why Nikon is concentrating on lenses for a new mount when there’s so many missing lenses (like new primes) for the existing bodies. Unlike other MF cameras, because of the ubiquity of Nikon, you’ll have rich amateurs buying these bodies, then complaining about them (”where’s the smile recognition mode?”)

And by the way, if they do this, I don’t see it being 48 x 48. I see it being 48 x 36, like Hassy – the size of two FX sensors.

Frankly, I can’t see Nikon doing this (with the possible exception that this is also the rumored modular camera), but if they are doing it, I can see it being driven by those at Nikon who are still stung by Canon being able to claim these last few years with the 1DS series that they’re the high-resolution, high-end pro leader. A camera like this would put Nikon back on top in that regard and they’d be able to hype it in marketing. And if the body is a rangefinder or had a much different form factor than a typical FX or DX body, it will take Canon longer to catch up.

The comment that MX users would complain about the crop factor… well the reason for DX users complaining was mainly that the two systems were otherwise identical, i.e. both “35mm” SLR systems and used the same lenses, and thus bore direct comparison.

This system would be a completely new format, more along the lines of a MF-lite, like 6×4.5, but square, with all-new lenses made specifically for that format. If no one complained about 6×4.5 or 6×6 cameras in this respect before, why would they now?

I consider this rumor not unlikely, and I hope it is true because I’ll buy one! Two points for your consideration:

1) Nikon used to make the lenses for Bronica’s older medium format SLR cameras, as well as the legendary lenses for the Plaubel Makina rangefinder. They also have made optics for enlarging, graphic arts, large-format, and industrial applications; they should be able to retool.

2) The chip will have the same pixel architecture as the D3, just larger. I agree that the architecture of the potential D3x would be even more appealing to the target audience, but one thing at a time, right?

DX users always complained about the crop factor: “I want my 50mm to be a 50mm!” Would MX users not complain about the 0.5 crop factor?

“Sensor: about 48MP, similar to the Nikon D3 design”
????? WHAT???? If they had said similar to the proposed D3x design or similar to the D4 design, fine.

While MF cameras are probably high-margin, it’s a very small market. I might be wrong, but I cannot see Nikon wanting to bother with such a market UNLESS this is a modular camera that could take a MF sensor as well as DX or FX sensors.

But even if that’s the case, Nikon has had problems getting out new lenses and keeping the market supplied. Do they really want the distraction of also having to produce lenses that can’t be used on FX and DX bodies? Personally, I don’t think so (unless a third party is building the camera and lenses.)