Nikon wants to devour the video market with its ZR, its first co-built Red camera

His name: the ZR. A feminine genre chosen by French teams to contrast with photo boxes all named with a male genre – Z9, ZF, etc. The ZR is therefore the first camera combining the DNA of the two companies. Complementary DNA that the company wanted to emphasize by maintaining the two logos on the back of the device.

Nikon wants to devour entry/mid -range

“”We have an unrivaled device on the market“, Consider the French teams of Nikon. Who started their presentation to the press, once is not custom, with the mass argument of this case: the price. Launched at € 2,349, this 6K video case indeed displays a frightening technical sheet for the price.

And it is not canon that will say the opposite! While he has launched its EOS C50 Canon yesterday at 3799 € To “shake up” the FX3 of Sony at € 4,699Nikon risks deflating, barely 24 hours after the announcement, the hype that the Eos C50 of Canon could have aroused. Because if Canon’s camera dominates in a few points (7K, Open Gate 3/2, etc.), it ignores some technos (STAB of the sensor in particular). And appears 50% cheaper than the barrel, half cheaper than the Sony.

All, with an impressive technical sheet.

Z6 III base

To go quickly in its development, Nikon did not reinvent the wheel: the two electronic pillars that are the sensor and the image processor are both from the Z6 III launched the A last. We therefore find the same 24×36 mm semi-widening 24 Mpix sensor and the same Expeed 7 image processor.

An image processor including autofocus skills (detection of 9 types of subjects, such as humans, vehicles or birds) should appeal to cameramen alone in run-n-Gun mode as independent reporters. Note here that the ZR is based solely on the very fast reading of the sensor for its shutter. Mechanical shutter therefore, Nikon ensuring that the high reading speed of its sensor greatly limits the problems of Rolling Shutter. Small video refinement in this area: adjusting the angle of the shutter from 5 ° to 360 °.

The sensor/processor torque has been optimized for video: no fan is necessary, the cooling of these components is 100% passive. And this without sacrificing either the definition or the frame rate, since the device collects the internal RAW 6k60p. According to CIPA tests, the camera can record up to 125 minutes of recording without interruption in mains and 95 minutes on battery. This last measure being limited only by the endurance of the battery.

Unlike the Sony ZV-E1, also at 24×36 sensor and the same launch rate, the ZR benefits like the Sony FX3 of mechanical stabilization of the 5-axis sensor which compensates for part of the parasitic movements and other vibrations.

Red DNA enters the scene

If Nikon has bought Red, it is because the brand is almost the subject of a cult, especially for its mastery of the dynamic beach or its colored science. Details far from harmless: ” The ZR is the camera B (emergency camera, editor’s note) Ideal for keeping the coherence of the colors of a big production», We welcome Nikon France. A guarantee of color consistency which should please the big productions as much, which will see in it a cheap camera which fits into a shoot, as to independents and beginners who can set foot with “The cheapest RED in history».

Concretely, RED’s know-how does not only bring an internal owner RAW (RAW12 Bit R3D NE), the calibration curve of the log3G10 color or the gigantic redwidegamutrgb colorimetric space. With its native double ISO (800 and 6400 ISO) circuit, a dynamic range announced as more than 15 stops (or diaphs) and no less than three RAW (R3D/N-Row/Prores) modes), this camera “has everything of a large”.

The camera supports the display (not encrusted) of the luts during the shooting phases. Luts (look -up tables) which can range from the largest spatial resolution of 17 points to the high resolution format of 65 points. A professional camera already on the market, such as the Canon C70 which appears at € 4,000 does not take into account the luts greater than 33 points.

Adapted ergonomics

If it has a photo mode, the ZR is a video camera above all. As such, its ergonomics, hardware as a software, as well as the equipment, have been adapted to this use.

On the framing side, the ZR gets rid like all its competitors of the viewfinder. But Nikon does better than being satisfied with a classic 3 -inch adjustable screen. The Japanese manufacturer in fact incorporates a super 4 inch high-end screen: 3070 points, maximum brightness of 1000 cd/m², DCI-P3 color space. And a 16/10 format allowing a display of certain options that do not prevent on the frame. And obviously in the air of social networks, the vertical mode of the device was treated both from the point of view of the control of the commands, as from the inscription of metadata in the file.

Added to this, there are studied orders, a featherweight of 540g, large personalization capacities (RIG constitution thanks to accessories) to make it a “real big camera”. The only small shadow of ergonomics being the format of the HDMI socket at the standard D standard, to the detriment of the HDMI has a “normal” format. A sacrifice imposed by the choice of a large 4 -inch screen and a great search for compactness.

The sound on sound

The ZR is the first camera in this range to integrate a circuit supporting the 32 -bit floating audio mode. A mode that allows you to sample a spectrum so wide that sound intake errors – too low or too low level – disappear. And if the signal/noise ratio of 72 dB of the three integrated microphones (controlled by the audio spatialization technology of Ozo de Nokia) is not enough, you can mount a notch.

Thanks to its Sony multimedia claw, the ZR can receive the new Nikon ME-D10 digital microphone. An accessory always 32 floating bits, which repels the signal/noise ratio even further (77 dB). Equipped with two tally lights (which mark the launch of the recording) and two dedicated modes (focus and pure) it generates two different monophonic tracks to facilitate assembly and mixing.

The list of assets that this ZR has in its sleeve is long, even very long for a device at € 2349: many compatible or development accessories (with partners like Smallrig), such as an XLR adapter signed Tascam, compatibility with the Frame.io service, internal loading up to 10 personalized luts, the presence of a micro SD port in addition to the CF Express B to act in the form of internal memory ” The integration of the focus point VR which improves the quality of stabilization even when you take stock in the corner of the frame, etc.

But what we remember especially from this technical sheet is that Nikon launches a light and complete professional 6K camera for less than € 2400 (around 1800 € HT) which could be its major asset to break into a market already well controlled by Sony, Panasonic and Canon.

The Nikon ZR will be available on October 20 at 2349 €.
Until December 31, Nikon will offer a discount of € 150 on accessories selected by its partner resellers.

The ME-D10 digital microphone should be available in the same period at € 299.

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