Camera rumors in 2025: what cameras are coming, officially and otherwise!

Nikon rumors 2025

The Nikon rumors have, of late, all come to fruition – which only gives further credence to the old "where there's smoke, there's fire" adage.

Longstanding reports about everything from the Nikon Z6 III to Z8, Z9 and Zf all came to pass – and now that Nikon owns Red, all eyes are on every sliver of information that might affect not just the mirrorless world but the world of cinema cameras as well.

So, with the Z lineup now comprising everything from entry-level to professional to prestige retro cameras (along with the Nikon Z fc Heralbony collabs, which might be the grooviest cameras the company has ever made), what are the latest Nikon rumors as 2025 gets underway?

Nikon Z9 II

The pandemic, along with the consequent supply chain collapse, knocked the Olympic cycle of flagship cameras out of whack. Traditionally, the big three manufacturers would sync the launch of their flagships with the Summer Olympic Games – but that's largely gone out of the window, and the Nikon Z9 II will apparently arrive in time for the 2026 Winter Olympics.

From what I've heard, you should expect evolution rather than revolution – much as was the case with the incremental advancements of the Sony A1 II over the original Sony A1. So you can expect largely the same core tech in the Z9 II, including the same sensor as the Nikon Z9.

What could be the biggest development will be on the video side, as Nikon is reportedly set to double down on the Z9's outstanding video specs by incorporating technology from Red (maker of some of the best cinema cameras, which Nikon bought in 2024).

Nikon Z7 III

There has been so much noise about the Nikon Z7 III that it's difficult to separate genuine information from wishful thinking. The launch of the Z6 III has forced rumors about the new Z7 to kick into overdrive, with some whispers insisting that the camera isn't coming any time soon and others insisting that it's imminent – and even positing specifications.

Having heard all the rumors, here's what I think: the original Z7 launched in 2018 and the Z7 II arrived in 2020 – and each saw the simultaneous launch of the Z6 and Z6 II respectively. Whatever we make of the fact that the Z6 III has broken this synchronous cycle, it has still been four years since the Z7 II – so it is due an update sooner than later.

Expect a traditional resolution of 45.7MP, but perhaps a partially stacked sensor a la the Z6 III. It is likely that 8K will remain the domain of the Z8 and Z9, so we're probably still looking at 4K video (or 6K at best), but the bump in image stabilization seen in other bodies is sure to appear here – so you can look forward to 8 stops of compensation.

I'm hearing conflicting stories about whether or not the sensor will be stacked – and, further, whether it will be fully or partially stacked, like the Z6 III. Again, I wonder if Nikon will shore up the product line delineation – with the Z6 III being video-focused, and the Z8 and Z9 being speed-focused – meaning that the Z7 III won't actually need a stacked sensor at all, and can focus more on being a stills and resolution specialist…

Nikon Z5 II

The original Nikon Z5 was launched back in 2020, so is very much due an update. And with Nikon's recent admission it has "underserved" first-time camera buyers, it will be interesting to see what changes it makes to its entry-level full-frame camera.

The Nikon Z5 II will likely retain the key features of its predecessor; a standard CMOS image sensor in the 24MP range and a 5-stop in-body image stabilization system (rather than a BSI sensor and the updated 8-stop IBIS, to keep costs down) and 4K 30p video.

I was always confused (if grateful) that an entry-level camera had dual card slots. While there might be raised eyebrows if Nikon downgraded the mark II by removing a slot, it would no doubt minimize the price and size – both key factors, given the competing bodies from Sony and Canon.

Nikon Zf II

I've heard some scuttlebutt about a Nikon Zf II, but honestly it feels like wishful thinking more than anything.

To me, the whole point of the Nikon Zf is that it's a premium, special camera series – so the notion of iterating it into spin-offs with incremental improvements can only devalue that specialness.

Still, if the rumblings of an upgraded version with a 33MP sensor are true, that would certainly be interesting – though, truthfully, I think Nikon would be far better served producing some complementary retro lenses for the Zf and Zf c, rather than making new versions of cameras without enough lenses to go with them.

"Yellow" Red camera

In case you haven't heard, Nikon has acquired Red – the cinema camera powerhouse that is a pretty big player in Hollywood and filmmaking in general.

What does this mean for the future – will Nikon leverage its new cinema stronghold to launch a line of Nikon cinema cameras, the way Canon and Sony do? Will it start adding the Nikon branding to Red products? Will it start releasing Red cameras with the Z mount, rather than the Canon RF mount that has just been offered?

So far there has been very little said officially. The new, Nikon-appointed, CEO has confirmed that Red will continue to produce cameras with the RF mount, and added that he would like to launch models with a Z mount in the future.

The first real, tangible crossover has materialized in the form of Red LUTs for Nikon cameras – a gentle start, for sure, but it's only a matter of time before more substantial specs start coming across.

Nikon Z90

Said to be the mirrorless equivalent of the venerable Nikon D500, this is the designated "APS-C flagship" of Nikon's Z series cameras – and is set to be a direct competitor to the Canon EOS R7.

Taking advantage of the 1.5x crop factor's amplification of focal length, the Nikon Z90 is reportedly built around a 33MP DX sensor capable of oversampled 4K 60p video (as well as FullHD at either 120p or 180p) and 15fps burst shooting.

Other supposed specs include 6 stops of in-body image stabilization, a 3.2-inch tilt-only touchscreen, and a hybrid memory card combo with one CFexpress B and one SD slot.

This is a camera that Nikon desperately needs in its lineup, so I would expect this – or something similar to it – to come to market sooner than later. That said, recently this rumor has started doing the rounds…

Nikon Z80

If you believe that the Z90 might be a real thing, does that make you more or less inclined to believe that the Nikon Z80 might also be on the cards? Either way, I've heard what feel like highly sketchy rumors about a Z80 – which would, purportedly, replace a potential Nikon Z50 II.

This camera would supposedly have more in common with the new Nikon Z6 III and Zf, potentially suggesting a more conventional APS-C resolution of 24MP. Could we also get a similar partially stacked image sensor?

What little information is currently swirling about this camera feels pretty dubious, but hey – Nikon certainly needs to do something with its APS-C line of Z cameras, so all bets are off.

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