What to expect at Photokina 2016: The most anticipated cameras of 2016

It’s that time again: Photokina, the largest dedicated photo show in Europe, based in Cologne, Germany, is just around the corner. The press day, when all the major camera makers will have their press conferences, is on Monday 19 September, followed by six days of public show from Tuesday 20 through Sunday 25 September.

It’s been a tumultuous time in the world of camera production, however, with the Kumamoto earthquakes in Japan having a devastating affect not only on its communities, but production lines. Which, inevitably, means this will be a quieter show than many may expect, with Nikon, Fujifilm and Sony in particular believed to be affected.

But that’s not to say there won’t be some exciting announcements to come from the show. Some are speculative, some far-reaching, others more likely. So here are the rumoured cameras we expect to see from Photokina 2016.

Olympus at Photokina 2016

Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark II?

Rather than holding a daytime press conference like its competition, Olympus is set to show off what is believed to be the Mark II version of the top-end OM-D E-M1.

According to Four Thirds rumours, the latest interchangeable lens system camera is expected to offer 4K video capture, hand-held high-resolution mode and a dual SD card slot.

The company’s press conference will be at 19:00 CEST (18:00 BST; 13:00 EST; 10:00 PST) on Monday 19 September, when the full ins and outs will be revealed.

Panasonic at Photokina 2016

Lumix GH5 and G8X?

It seems Panasonic has held things close to its chest this year, with FourThirdsRumors speculating that there will be a pre-production Lumix GH5 (to upgrade the top-end GH4) and a G8X, the latter which will pull in GH4-level 4K video capture into a G7-style body.

That’s as much as they’re giving away, so we’ll just have to wait until the company’s press conference, which is at 12:30 CEST (11:30 BST; 06:30 EST; 03:30 PST) on Monday 19 September.

Fujifilm at Photokina 2016

Medium Format X-series camera?

After releasing the X-Pro2 earlier this year, then announcing the X-T2 in July, followed by the lower-end X-A3, Fujifilm has set out its stall to offer a compact system camera for all levels. And with seemingly nowhere else to venture, the rumour is that the Japanese company will unveil something entirely new on 19 September.

The company’s press conference is at 17:00 CEST (16:00 BST; 11:00 EST; 08:00 PST), the time when Fujirumors reports that the company is likely to unveil a medium format camera, along with three lenses. That means a whole new lens mount system to cover the larger-scale sensor size.

It’s not as if Fujifilm is new to large and medium format photography, given the company has made sheet and roll film for years, along with Fujinon lenses. The company still produces professional grade cine lenses too. But its older, manual-based systems weren’t based on the advanced autofocus systems of today, so the new mount needs to come with electronic connectors, hence us thinking it will mean a whole new lens range.

The rumoured camera is thought to cost $6,000, though. Which is a lot – but roughly the same as a top-end pro DSLR body.

Canon at Photokina 2016

Given the sheer volume of kit that Canon has announced this year, we believe the company is taking a different tack when it comes to the show itself. It has no specific press conference this year.

Instead of announcing its latest and greatest in among the noise of the show floor and its competitors, the slow trickle of releases throughout 2016 should sum up what’s on offer: the EOS 1D X Mark II, EOS 5D Mark IV and EOS D80 DSLRs, along with the G7 X II compact.

Nikon at Photokina 2016

New mirrorless system?

There’s been rumour of a larger-sensor Nikon mirrorless system for some time now, to outsmart the 1-series, with Nikonrumors reporting that the unveiling of that camera has been delayed – presumably due to production issues as a result of the earthquake in Kumamoto.

There is the chance, however, that this elusive new system may show face at Photokina. Otherwise Nikon’s show will be more about showing off its top-end full-frame D5 and APS-C D500 DSLRs, along with the recently announced entry-level D3400, and also-rumoured Keymission 360-degree and action cameras.

The company’s press conference will be at 15:00 CEST (14:00 BST; 09:00 EST; 06:00 PST) on Monday 19 September, when all will (or won’t?) be revealed.

Sony at Photokina 2016

There is not even a titter on the rumours front when it comes to Sony. The brand had a quiet Photokina in 2014, so perhaps 2016 will be an equal reflection of that. It’ll instead be all about showing off the Alpha A7 II in its various forms and paired with various lenses.

The company’s press conference will be at 16:00 CEST (15:00 BST; 10:00 EST; 07:00 PST) on Monday 19 September. Perhaps they’ll drop an unexpected bombshell (but hopefully nothing as odd as the Hasselblad partnership, resulting in the oddest of collaborative cameras: Lunar).

Kodak at Photokina 2016

Kodak bailed on the traditional system and compact cameras markets, but its new approach is all about 360-degree capture and 4K.

We’ll be getting a closer look at the Kodak PixPro SP360 action camera, which was first announced in January this year, and meeting with company representatives to query what else is in the pipeline.

GoPro at Photokina 2016

To mirror Photokina, GoPro will be holding a separate event in the United States, which we presume will lead to the Hero 5 announcement, the rumoured action camera, said to be capable of 4K capture.

In addition we suspect the GoPro Karma drone and other pro-spec avenues that the company is pursuing to be a core focus, such as the GoPro Omni 360-degree rig.

Pentax at Photokina 2016

One of the slow movers, we expect Pentax will use Photokina to promote its first ever full-frame DLSR, the K-1. That camera, announced in February 2016, was a huge deal for the company then, so we don’t anticipate any more bombshells.

Samsung at Photokina 2016

We don’t expect to see anything from Samsung at Photokina 2016, after the brand pulled its NX camera line in most regions. It’s unconfirmed that the company has ceased production entirely after the NX line failed to make much impact in the market.

Source: pocket-lint.com