I think it’s fair to say that 2025 has been Nikon’s most video-centric year in its long and legendary history. And what with the company’s decision to acquire RED Digital Cinema the year prior, that’s certainly not surprising.
In many ways, 2025 was destined to be a slightly different year. With the Nikon Z6 III launching the year prior, the Nikon Z7 II was (and still is) the only high-end Z-Series camera not brought into the Nikon Z9 era. So, unless a Z7 III was on the cards (it wasn’t) and with camera rumor chatter of a potential successor to the Z9 slated for 2026, Nikon was always going to fill out the mid range.
What I never anticipated was witnessing the fruits of that RED acquisition so soon, with the biggest talking point of the entire year being the video-focused Nikon ZR. This would be the first Z-Series camera in Nikon’s Z Cinema Series and the first proper look at what a Nikon and RED crossover would look like.
We also got the incredibly well-received Nikon Z5 II. I always thought the original Nikon Z5 was a good-value camera, but (dare I say it) a tad boring. The second coming put pay to that. It completely redefined the full-frame entry point by going big on specs and retaining a very generous price tag.
Nikon also closed the book on its Z-lens roadmap by launching the Nikon Z 35mm f/1.2 S, before starting a whole new chapter by launching the first next-generation Z lens in the form of the Nikon Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S II. And all of that is before you consider the Nikon Z 28-135mm f/4 PZ cinema lens, and of course, the charming Nikon Zf Silver.
If a Nikon Z9 II does happen next year, you could have forgiven Nikon for a relatively quiet 2025. However, this year was anything but! I’ve no doubt that there’s a lot more to come in 2026, but for now, here’s a look back at Nikon’s 2025…
Nikon in 2025: January
The ‘Big N’ kicked off 2025 with a lovely drive onto the fairway by launching the Coolshot ProIII Stabilized and Coolshot 50i GII golfing rangefinders. The former would be the most advanced model in the range, while the latter would occupy the cheaper mid-range. Both optics boasted 6x magnification, Nikon’s Dual Locked On Quake function, which uses a red lock-on indicator and vibration to indicate that the distance to the flagstick has been measured. What really set the flagship Coolshot ProIII Stabilized apart was its built-in stabilization, so you could sight distant targets while the device compensated for hand shake.
Nikon in 2025: February
February was when things really took off. The month started with a dual release in the form of the much-anticipated Nikon Z 35mm f/1.2 S and Nikon Coolpix P1100. The premium prime hit an incredibly important milestone in being the final lens fulfilled on the Z-mount roadmap, while also joining the Nikon Z 50mm f/1.2 S and Nikon Z 85mm f/1.2 S to round off a lightning-fast ‘trinity’ of primes. The lens received a very positive 4.5 stars on test, praised for its spectacular image quality and solid weather-sealed build.
Nikon’s first camera release of the year wasn’t quite as exciting, largely because it was essentially a relaunch of the Nikon Coolpix P1000, but with a USB-C port to meet EU regulations. That said, it did introduce a few software upgrades, and the original design is still one-of-a-kind. It earned a very respectable four stars in the review, where it was praised for its eye-watering 24-3000mm equivalent optical zoom range, highly effective image stabilization, and handling and ergonomics.
The rest of the month would be dedicated to Nikon’s ambitious expansion into video, with both the Nikon Z 28-135mm f/4 PZ (Power Zoom) Lens and a pair of Z-mount RED cinema cameras to go along with it. The Z 28-135mm f/4 might look like a hulking optic, weighing in at 1,210g, but by cine lens standards it’s impressively compact and light. As you’d expect from a Nikon Z lens, the image quality is top-notch, but the real star of the show is that 11-speed motorized zoom, allowing for consistent zooming right down to snail’s-pace speeds.
Accompanying the cine lens were the first entries into Nikon’s Z Cinema series of cameras, the V-Raptor [X] Z Mount and Komodo-X Z Mount. Both existing RED cameras, now converted for Z-mount lenses and thus bringing Nikon’s RED acquisition full circle.
Nikon in 2025: April
Nikon would finally release its first mainline Z-Series camera of the year, and what a camera the Nikon Z5 II would turn out to be. This follow-up to the Z Series’ most affordable full-frame camera was far from an incremental update. In fact, it took the original Nikon Z5 and ripped up the rulebook.
The Z5 II would boast the current generation of Expeed image processor, allowing it to inherit flagship autofocus tech, and hit 30fps JPEG bursts and 14fps RAWs. It had up to 7.5 stops of image stabilization, 4K / 60p (cropped), and mod cons such as Pre-Release Capture and Pixel Shift Shooting. Oh, and it floored everyone with its ability to capture RAW video. No wonder it got five stars on test.
Unsurprisingly, Nikon announced on the same day that its proprietary N-RAW format would be supported in Adobe Premiere Pro. Later in the month, the Nikon Zf earned its first major firmware update, headlined by a dedicated Birds subject detection mode. Unbeknownst to the Nikon community, this was the first indicator that it would be a very good year for the Nikon Zf…
Nikon in 2025: May
A quiet month for releases, but a big month for Nikon USA thanks to the start of the Nikon Tour. A Nikon-emblazoned Toyota Land Cruiser, laden with the latest Nikon cameras, headed off to Chicago for the start of the Nikon Tour, with Nikon Creators, Nikon Ambassadors, local artists, and influencers joining up with the team to deliver workshops and photo walks.
Nikon in 2025: June
June was a big month for Nikon Z8 owners thanks to an extremely comprehensive firmware update. Firmware 3.00 (later changed to 3.01 due to teething problems) brought in a raft of updates, most notably the ability to combine either Pixel Shift and AE Bracketing or Pixel Shift and Focus Shift to capture massive HDR or focus-stacked images of up to a whopping 180MP.
It also introduced an in-body focus limiter, Flexible Color Picture Controls for creating custom Picture Controls in NX Studio and applying them in-camera, a new 15-fps high-speed file capture option, and more. Talk about a camera-changing firmware update!
Nikon in 2025: August
If February reached a milestone by completing the Nikon Z lens roadmap with the Nikon Z 35mm f/1.2 S, August reached another milestone via the launch of the first second-generation Z lens, the Nikon Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S II. This ‘holy trinity’ staple received top honors on test, where it was praised for its fully internal zoom, lightning-fast AF, click/de-click aperture ring, and comparatively light weight. The internal zoom did make it rather long, and it lacks the OLED display of the V1, but Nikon ditched those long ago. Overall, this turned out to be a stellar optic and proof that even an incredible Z lens can be bettered.
August was rounded off with firmware version 2.00 for the Nikon Z6 III, the coveted hybrid camera’s first major update since its launch. Birds subject detection headlined the update, along with enhancements to Auto Capture, and more.
Nikon in 2025: September
This was perhaps the best month of the year for Nikon fans, with not one, but two camera releases in the form of the Nikon Zf Silver and video-centric Nikon ZR. Okay, so the Nikon Zf Silver wasn’t an entirely new camera, but many had assumed a silver edition would eventually follow up the classy all-black finish, and what a beautiful camera it was.
But the big release of the month was, of course, the Nikon ZR. This was a crossover the likes of which I hadn’t witnessed since Avengers: Endgame, with the first Nikon camera in the Z Cinema Series combining Nikon’s legendary heritage, optics, architecture, and indeed AF, with RED’s color science. The result was a video-first Z-Series camera a la Sony FX3, with a full-frame 24.5MP partially-stacked sensor, dual-base ISO, 32-bit float, and up to 6K / 60p (full width) and 4K / 120p (cropped). All encased in a rather fetching, highly portable body, with a whopping 4-inch rear LCD.
Nikon in 2025: October
It was about time the ‘Big N’ showed DX users some love, so the announcement of the Nikon Z DX 16-50mm f/2.8 VR and Nikon Z DX MC 35mm f/1.7 was very welcome indeed. I was over the moon that Nikon was releasing a ‘trinity style’ zoom for crop-sensor cameras, an optic that was praised on test for its more premium build quality, optimization for hybrid shooting, and 4.5 stops of optical image stabilization. After all, every photographer should aspire to have a 24-70mm f/2.8 (equivalent) zoom in their kitbag.
The Nikon Z DX MC 35mm f/1.7 was another fantastic edition, especially given its macro status (albeit only 0.67x magnification). Still, this compact and lightweight optic boasted a slick f/1.7 maximum aperture and a near 50mm (equivalent) focal length, making it a fantastic everyday optic. With 2024’s release of the fantastic Nikon Z50 II, it was nice to see Nikon still supporting DX users with crop-sensor glass. Long may it continue!
A bumper October was brought to a close with firmware version 3.00 for the Nikon Zf. Alongside a raft of improvements was the presence of a new in-camera film grain function. Film Grain allowed users to choose between three sizes of grain and six intensities. I was pleased to see that this could be used alongside Picture Controls to provide further customization.
Nikon in 2025: December
What better way for the ‘Big N’ to round off another successful year than with a big update to the flagship Nikon Z9? Firmware version 5.30 brought with it autofocus enhancements, updates to Auto Capture, and Flexible Custom Picture Control. There might be rumors of a potential successor in 2026, but the Nikon Z9 is still going strong four years on.
I think 2025 will go down in Nikon history as the year that Nikon really cemented its video ambitions and took the time to tidy up some areas within its mirrorless line-up that were lacking. I, for one, cannot wait to find out what the ‘Big N’ has in store for us next year.
You might also like…
Can’t get enough of the ‘Big N’? Here are the best Nikon cameras and the best Nikon Z lenses. Plus, hang on a minute – is Nikon suddenly cool again?