Nikon may be developing a mirrorless camera for professional photographers called the Z70, according to a leak attributed to the company’s Singapore division. The rumored model is said to include a digital teleconverter that can double the Zoom reach. Earlier reports have also suggested it could use a stacked 45-megapixel sensor.
The latest clue appeared in a promotional image for the Nikkor Z 120-300mm f/2.8 TC VR S lens, reported by Nikon Rumors. Its caption reportedly recommends pairing the lens with the “Z70 Digital Teleconverter” to achieve a 1,260mm equivalent focal length at f/4.
That figure may offer a hint about how the feature works. If the Z70 is an APS-C camera with a 1.5x crop factor, the 120-300mm lens would provide a 180-450mm equivalent range. The lens’s built-in 1.4x optical teleconverter would extend that to 252-630mm, while a 2x digital zoom would bring the equivalent reach to 1,260mm.
Digital zoom would enlarge the image without changing the lens aperture, but it would reduce resolution because it relies on cropping the sensor. A 45-megapixel sensor, if the earlier rumor is accurate, could help retain detail when using the feature. The f/4 figure in the promotional material would result from the lens’s 1.4x optical teleconverter, which reduces the original f/2.8 aperture.
Nikon has not confirmed the Z70 or its specifications. Other details, including its processor, burst-shooting speed and autofocus system, remain unknown. A possible November launch has also been rumored, but Nikon has not confirmed a release schedule.
Sources: Canaltech.