At NAB 2026 in Las Vegas, I caught up with Nikon to ask them about future Nikon ZR firmware updates, the recently teased NIKKOR ZCINEMA Cine Lenses, and whether we are likely to see REDCODE RAW (R3D NE) being implemented on the Z8 and Z9.
According to Nikon, they are actively working on new firmware for the ZR that will fix some of the niggling issues that still haven’t been addressed, such as focus peaking not working when recording in REDCODE RAW (R3D NE). Nikon will also be introducing a feature that will let users record in the RED Log3G10 in H.265. This will allow you to use that Log profile and RED color science without having to shoot RAW. Nikon also told me that they are working on improving the quality when recording in H.265.
There is also an issue when you record internal audio from an external source with the timecode turned on. The camera will show that audio is present, but it won’t actually record anything. The only way around this is to turn the timecode off. This is, at least in my opinion, a design flaw. The camera is expecting both a timecode signal and audio from an external source for it to work correctly.
Nikon recently teased its upcoming NIKKOR ZCINEMA Cine Lenses with a short video. The video doesn’t show much, and there are no further details about focal lengths or any specifications.
Nikon told me that the lenses will have AF/MF switch, so they are more suitable for use with cameras like the ZR. This also clearly means that the lenses are likely to be Z mount only, and not PL mount.
I also asked Nikon if they had any plans for implementing REDCODE RAW (R3D NE) in other models, such as the Z8 and Z9, but it doesn’t look like that will happen, as the company views those as hybrid still/video cameras that already have the ability to record in N-RAW.
