Nikon Z Cinema Accessories Patent -

Nikon Depth Camera Module on hotshoe over proposed Z Cinema style camera

We have a new Patent from Nikon, published in August 2025. They are working to simplify 3D VR and AR video recording with accessories. Specifically, the patent discusses the use Depth Camera as an accessory for 3D VR or AR recording in the Nikon Z Cinema Mount system. This means you don’t have to buy a Dual lens, like Canon, or spend heavily on 3D VR cameras. Nikon Cameras can now make easy 3D VR and AR content with this proposed ground breaking depth sensor Technology, that has been recently revealed in their latest patent, obviously it’s a game changer tech about to revolutionize how a camera capture depth, and able to synchronize with each other to create 3D content without spending a lot in getting a different 3D lens or different 3D Camera, it easily sync two camera for VR and Multiplce cameras with each other every frame bits by bits, to create AR or Augmented reality AR content.

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What the Device Is, Its Purpose, and How It Syncs

The depth camera is clearly visible on the top of the camera. Is not a LiDAR, but its kinda of Nikon’s secret recipe that does a genius blend of infrared light and dual lenses. It measures distances and colors to build 3D maps, fueling VR and AR with precision.

For VR, two cameras sync with each other to create a spatial or 180-degree video output.
For AR, three or four create 360-degree overlays—think gaming, movies, or training simulations that feel alive.

We have a depth-sensing primary camera on the very top of the camera, and its main function is to provide per-pixel distance information and store it, which is then used by the synchronization unit to align frames. The data will later be used to sync frames with each other in two or more connected two-camera units.

The patent says that sync between the cameras happens via a smart process. But here’s the kicker—sync doesn’t just mean aligning frames; it’s about sync of everything among the camera units connected, which includes shot settings, color profile used, WB, and Exposure settings to make each frame a true copy of the other.

apple vision pro

Creation of spatial videos with Apple Vision Pro or Meta Quest glasses

Here in the patent as demonstrated, Nikon’s depth camera setup is used to create 3D VR content, and obviously, if Nikon is bringing in these accessories to the Z Cine mount, VR content creation will become much cheaper and easier compared to the Canon RF system, where you need to invest in VR lenses, which are very limited and cost a lot for FF cameras. The Nikon accessories aka depth camera output is can be used and are compatible with devices like Apple Vision Pro or Meta Quest glasses, but there are specific considerations we have to talk about.

Compatibility:

Apple Vision Pro: Yes, the supports spatial videos and photos with depth, viewable via its Camera and Photo apps or converted from 2D. Nikon’s 3D data could be processed into Apple’s Immersive Video format with additional software.
Meta Quest: Supports 3D videos (e.g., VR180) and spatial videos from iPhone 15 Pro. Nikon’s output could be adapted using tools like Spatialify for Quest

With proper software processing to align with Apple or Meta’s 3D video formats, the Nikon Z Cine camera setup can create compatible VR content, leveraging its high-quality 3D capture. So, yes, we can see a blueprint of an early product in the article, but as they say, not every patent translates into a real product, since the patent is very new and was filed one Aug 2025, just after the Nikon Dual display camera patent. It does create high hopes that Nikon will soon bring out such tech in front of us to dominate the VR and AR market.