The above photographs were anonymously emailed to Nikon Rumors recently, and appear to show Nikon presenting some sort of upcoming “Q” camera. The fact that Nikon has begun including the text “F Mount” on their rear lens caps seems to indicate that we might see a new mount introduced soon, possibly for a new EVIL system and in time for Photokina.
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There’s a very improbable rumor floating around about a new Canon EIS (Electro Imaging System) mirrorless system that will be announced in mid-2011. The rumor was first posted to a couple Chinese forums, xitek and 520dc. EOSHD then created the above graphic with a fake logo and non-EVIL camera design.

So what’s in the rumor? The new Canon EIS 60 mirrorless camera will supposedly have a sensor nearly identical in size to the Micro Four Thirds system that captures 22 megapixels. Continuous shooting goes up to a whopping 20 frames per second at 5.5 megapixels. HD video recording is included, and ISO is expandable up to 25,600.
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A photo and diagram of the upcoming Samsung NX100 were leaked today on the dpreview forums by a guy named Alex Ramos. According to Mirrorless Rumors, the NX100 will be a 14.6 megapixel HD video capable (720p) camera with an ISO range of 100 to 6400. An electronic viewfinder can optionally be attached via the hotshoe, and there is no built-in flash.
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Japanese website sankeibiz.jp is listing September 9th as the date Hoya will be announcing new DSLRs, presumably under its Pentax brand name. Here’s what the line looks like when translated by Google:

Word is that the DSLRs will be the Pentax K-r and Pentax K5. We’re also expecting Pentax to announce a new EVIL camera that is unlike anything currently on the market. If they don’t announce this camera on September 9th, it seems likely that it’ll come shortly before or during Photokina at the end of this month.

(via 1001 Noisy Cameras)

Nikon’s President Makoto Kimura did an interview with Reuters a couple days ago in which he stated that Nikon is trying to develop a camera that creates a new camera market.

A lot of companies make bold claims about their upcoming products “changing photography forever”, but the products usually don’t deliver much beyond increased megapixels, improvements in quality, and flashier specs. Sony actually succeeded in changing the landscape of DSLRs recently with their new pellicle mirror cameras.

In addition to Nikon, Pentax is also rumored to be developing a camera that is unlike any existing camera on the market.

Here’s the specific quote made by Kimura,

We want to propose another type of photography. I don’t think there is any need to limit it to two categories. We want to create a new market.

Let’s put on our thinking caps. What do you think these companies might have up their sleeves? Can you think of anything they might be building that might actually change the digital camera industry?

Nikon says preparing camera to create ‘new market’ (via Nikon Rumors)

Nice. The For Dummies series just added a Olympus PEN E-PL1 book to their extensive collection of digital photography instruction books, the first in the series for a Micro Four Thirds camera. Too bad they didn’t name the book “EVIL Photography for Dummies”, (though someone should write one with that title!).

Yesterday Citigroup released a research report on Hoya for investors. What was interesting about the report (from a photographer’s standpoint) was a section on page 2 regarding the company’s digital camera business.

From the screenshot above (with the important part highlighted), we find the quote:

Hoya plans to release a mirrorless camera under Pentax brand that is distinct from models already on the market.

Basically it sounds like the company is planning to create a Pentax EVIL camera, and somehow differentiate it from other EVIL offerings currently available.

(via Photo Rumors)

Another Nikon patent discovered recently provides yet another sneak peek at their yet-to-be-announced mirrorless, interchangeable lens camera.

This one seems to be for some sort of system that protects the inside of the camera body from dust and foreign objects when the lens is removed. It does make sense though, and I wonder why DSLR bodies don’t already do this?

It would be great if the camera automatically closed some sort of protective barrier whenever it detected that the lens was being removed. If you needed to actually see the innards of the camera, you could expose it via some option inside the menus, similar to how the sensor is exposed on DSLRs. Thoughts?
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Canon recently indicated that due to consumer demand for smaller cameras, they’re working on shrinking their traditional SLR system to make it more portable while retaining the mirrored design. It’s still possible, however, that they’re simultaneously working on developing their own EVIL camera to battle existing offerings and the camera Nikon is likely working on.

The above is a concept design by Idan Shechter over at Digital Photography Writer of what a Canon EVIL might look like. Do you think it looks better or worse than current EVIL offerings?

Today, Canon Japan’s Image Communication Products head Masaya Maeda said that Canon is working on a smaller version SLR to be released in the near future. In an interview with Reuters, Maeda said the idea behind the small SLR is that it could compete with Nikon’s future mirrorless system and other existing EVIL systems that are inherently more compact than most current mid-level DSLRs.

Maeda did not reveal whether the new Canon camera would include a mirror, but he suggested that the company has their focus elsewhere. Maeda said:

It’s not a question of whether or not you have a mirror. There is a consumer need for good-quality cameras to be made smaller … We will meet this need.

Still, Maeda did not commit to a solid answer about internal mirrors, though he suggested that there may be more ways to reduce the size of SLRs without removing the mirror.

Reuters cited an analyst, Kazumasa Kubota of Okasan Securities, who believes Canon may be wisest in sticking to traditional SLR designs. Kubota added, “Looking directly at something through a viewfinder is different from seeing it indirectly via semiconductors.”

What do you think? Is Canon on the right track, or are they missing the next gravy train?

(via Reuters)