A Special Wireless-Free Nikon Camera Is Publicly Available for the First Time

walrus01•about 4 hours ago

I understand it's probably because the GPS functionality is integrated into the same RF chipset that's handling wifi/bluetooth, but it would be possible to make a "no transmit capability" camera that still has GPS metadata functionality, with GPS receiver chip and an antenna tuned for 1400-1600 MHz, since ordinary consumer grade GPS is a receive-only technology.

But that would still possibly present a problem for serious government use where it can't have an antenna of any form in it.

aleksejs•26 minutes ago

The camera (even the regular model) does not have its own GPS receiver at all. It relies on a smartphone to transmit GPS coordinates over Bluetooth.

This is pretty common in modern cameras, presumably because most photographers expect to be able to turn their cameras on and off very rapidly, and it would be difficult to maintain a GPS fix with that usage pattern.

i_am_proteus•about 3 hours ago

>Can't have an antenna of any form in it.

All wires are antennas...

ChrisMarshallNY•about 4 hours ago

> no Nikon SnapBridge

Unless they significantly improved that app, in the last eight years or so, it may not be a great loss.

m463•about 2 hours ago

same with canon, the app requires full access to your photos to run (not just add permission)

people should know that a USB-C to USB-C cable can easily import to the photos app on an iphone with a decent UI

Scene_Cast2•about 3 hours ago

Huh. When I rented a Z7 ii about 5 years ago, I found their Android app to be pretty great. (My next big camera is likely to be a Nikon, in part due to the nice app)

ChrisMarshallNY•about 3 hours ago

Like I said, it's been a while, but the iOS app enjoyed a 1-star rating on the App Store, for quite some time.

linzhangrun•about 2 hours ago

Unitl 2016 cameras with GPS could not be sold in mainland China (old secrecy regulations), so this is not anything new.

I guess modern integration has put Bluetooth and other devices together with GPS in one module.

rationalist•about 4 hours ago

It's a shame it costs more. I'm sure there are people who would like the non-wireless option, but would rather "save" $400.

doctor_radium•about 4 hours ago

I assume the average person buying the standard model could then just disable WiFi, Bluetooth, and GPS if they so chose? So this really is for high security situations?

jojobas•about 3 hours ago

Disabling the hardware without bricking the whole thing rather than trusting the software makes all the difference.

HardwareLust•8 days ago

It's a Nikon Z6 III with WiFi and Bluetooth removed.

netsharc•about 4 hours ago

Somehow the article manages to repeat this obvious stuff about 7 or 8 times...

I wonder if that hardware on the normal Z6 III is on a daughterboard, and if removing it makes the OS complain (like having no color ink mean some printer-scanner-combos won't scan).

tujux•about 1 hour ago

>Nikon tells PetaPixel that this is to evaluate potential market demand for similar products moving forward.

Yes, evaluate market demand by making it more expensive and doing 0 marketing. /s

Am I crazy in thinking that doing it this way is close to meaningless?

A Special Wireless-Free Nikon Camera Is Publicly Available for the First Time

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