Did Apple Just Spoil an Upcoming Nikon Camera?

Apple seemed to leak an unannounced Nikon camera over the weekend on a ProRes support page. It’s a very strange way for a camera to be leaked.

Apple, about as tight-lipped a company as exists in the broad technology space, listed a “Nikon Z70” camera on its Apple ProRes and ProRes RAW Authorized Products page this past weekend. While the page has since been updated again to list only the Nikon Z6 III, Z8, Z9, and ZR cameras, people noticed the “Nikon Z70” on the list in short order, including Asobinet in Japan.

The Z70 was listed just below the Z6 III on Apple’s list, although that perhaps offers little insight into what the camera actually is. It is also reasonable to believe that while this was clearly an error on Apple’s part, the Z70 model name relates to an actual, unannounced camera, and was not any sort of typo. There is no camera in Nikon’s lineup with a name close to “Z70.”

Screenshot from Asobinet

There are the entry-level Z30, Z50, and Z50 II APS-C cameras, and the full-frame Nikon Z7 II, but Z70 is meaningfully different from all of them, so it’s safe to rule out any connection. Let alone the fact that none of the Z30, Z50, Z50 II, or Z7 II cameras are likely candidates to have Apple ProRes recording capabilities of any kind. While Nikon does deliver excellent post-launch firmware support for its cameras, Apple ProRes RAW support on the Z7 II seems far-fetched.

Assuming that Apple accidentally referenced a real, in-development Nikon camera, the Z70’s naming convention suggests some kind of an APS-C model.

All of Nikon’s full-frame Z cameras have Z followed by a single-digit number, while the company’s APS-C models are Z followed by two digits, like Z30 and Z50. Considering 70 is a bigger number than 50 and that Apple leaked that the Z70 will have ProRes recording capabilities, and it’s reasonable to conclude that Nikon is probably working on an APS-C camera that targets a notably higher-end audience than either of its current APS-C Z lines. Nikon doesn’t put ProRes recording of any kind in entry-level, budget-conscious cameras.

However, ultimately, this is all still speculation. Until Nikon actually announces a Z70, there is no way to know with certainty what kind of video recording features it will have. It sure does look like Apple let some kind of cat out of the bag, though.

Image creditsHeader image is for illustrative purposes only and shows the silhouette of the Nikon Z50 II. Image created using an asset licensed via Depositphotos.com.