Small thing to note - all Z mount lenses will have electronic focus rings made like on cheapest m43 lenses. No repeatable position, not usable with follow focus at all.

I had been told that management insisted on such construction as it cuts cost a lot, with new pricing and less glass used it allowed to set absolute margin records among all glass produced by Nikon.

Same goes new trend of USB charging, adds real nice value to top manager bonuses to improve their new yachts.

Very interesting Q&A in addition to previous posts

Q: What’s the Nikon Z7 production volume right now and what’s the yield?
A: Currently it’s 20k per month, the production yield target is of course 100%.

Extremely unusual thing to tell production volume and with around 100% probability number was taken from the roof, just to make impression.

Q: We saw a lot of robots during the visit. What’s the percentage of automation for the Z camera production? Is it higher than the Nikon D series?
A: Currently our D5 automation percentage is about 55%, and the Z7 is 76%.

Same here. How it happened that more automated (cheaper to make in volume) cameras have contantly rising prices (without any reason you can find)?

Q: Is this the only assembly line? We notice a lot of brass debris, are they going to be recycled?
A: (long pause) What you saw today is the Z7 assembly line. Currently, the Nikon D5 and Df are on pause. We have another line for the film camera F6. A cleanroom is also in this shop. However, we didn’t visit the lens molding shop. By the way, metal debris from cutting will be processed by a specific recycling company.

Q: What the decision criteria for using stainless steel vs. brass or other material for lens mount?
A: Currently stainless steel is used for lens mount in high-end bodies like D5 and D850, also the Z7. Brass is used in consumer models like the D5300. Brass is used in lens mount usually, and some entry-level lenses have a plastic mount. Note that the lens mount in the body may not all use stainless steel. We base on how frequent lenses are taken on and off to decide (the mount material).

Fun observation - actual parts cost for this is around $2. So you can't find any scientific basis to save on this, except for management bonuses and investor profits.

Q: Is Z6 going to be made here?
A: We will build Z6 here but right now we are working full speed to make the Z7!

It is actually exact same camera, just sensor differs, logo on body and firmware.

Q: What are the main responsibilities for the Nikon Thailand Plant?
A: The machines in Thailand factory are designed in Sendai and assembled before shipping to Thailand. All the automated machines in Thailand currently are designed and produced in Sendai. Of course, there is independent development in Thailand. Also, the automation levels in Thailand and Japan are different as we consider the percentage of automation based on costs.

All capitalism logic in one sentence - if your work cost is lower you'll be doing pointless mechanical thing and we won't put robots that we could made. This is why all this must be wiped out.

Q: Are all the parts made by Nikon? What percentage is the outsource parts, especially the CMOS (sensor)?
A: Parts made in Sendai include mounts, viewfinder lenses. Motherboards are also made in Sendai. About 80% of parts are purchased from outside companies. CMOS sensors are produced by our partner company based on Nikon’s requirements.

So, Nikon does not make sensors, after all. PR miserable fail. And Imaging Resource editors full shame.

Nikon uses this lack of mechanical connection by offering a speed-sensitive response: moving the focus a lot if you turn the ring quickly or in more subtle increments if you move it slowly. It'll be unfamiliar if you're used to DSLR lenses but it can allow fast and precise focus once you're used to it. Nikon also let you use the focus ring for other functions, if you prefer.

However, this isn't the only way focus-by-wire lenses can work, and there's nothing to stop Nikon adding a linear response mode that would be more like the way its existing lenses operate.

None of other manufacturer added any linear response mode. I believe that with sensors they use this is not possible as they are not accurate and skip. Actual proper way is to use conductive sensor similar one used in digital calipers.

@Vitaliy_Kiselev Fuji added linear response option to there X-H1 camera. I never tried it so no clue how repeatable (dependable) it actually is.

Anything to eliminate any traces of better old tech, even if we have to pay you.

Autofocus Is a big issue on z series

https://www.imaging-resource.com/news/2018/08/24/more-sample-photos-and-4k-videos-shot-on-the-nikon-z7

With condom on fingers ^^

Lot of various info at IR

It seems like they became Nikon PR part.

https://www.imaging-resource.com/news/2018/08/28/nikon-z7-engineer-interview-deep-dive-q

I did notice that Nikon seems to be showing cameras with firmware 0.5 (or 0.53). Typically a month before shipment I'm used to seeing 0.9x versions with Nikon. I don't know if that's meaningful here, but Nikon is a pretty anal and engineering nerd culture. They have a long-established step process they use. I just get the feeling we're seeing these cameras a little earlier in that process than usual (which also implies the process is getting time-compressed).

Thom H. (guy is very close to part of top Nikon management and is used as long pole to probe things in silent moment, during launches he plays full official PR role). Make sure to ignore complete bullshit he made up how second card slot is not important. As soon as Nikon will come with two slots he'll make exactly same thing how you must run to buy such camera.

My sources also tell that for Nikon it was only important to introduce cameras before Canon. No one cares for anything else. If you noticed Nikon and Canon PR departments played game with announcement leaks.

My sources also tell that for Nikon it was only important to introduce cameras before Canon. No one cares for anything else. If you noticed Nikon and Canon PR departments played game with announcement leaks.

Which they accomplished.

Guess it wasn't so important to Canon to be "first" & beat Nikon

More samples

https://www.dpreview.com/samples/1585173385/raw-conversions-added-to-nikon-z7-pre-production-gallery

The EF mount flange distance is not a great fit for a mirrorless system, plus Canon will want to sell all new lenses since the market is already flooded with excellent EF lenses which have (more or less) reached their evolutionary apex. There's minimal/no reason to upgrade, for instance, from the 70-200/2.8II IS to the 70-200/2.8III IS. The latter is already an outstanding lens.

On the other hand, if they release a new mount where the existing lenses work pretty well with an adapter, but not quite as well as the fancy new native lenses, that'll encourage consumers to go out and spend thousands of dollars fleshing out the new system.