Nikon Hybrid Interchangeable Lens Camera Rumor: Summary

NR has posted an interesting summary based on patents that may or may not indicate an Electronic Viewfinder Interchangeable Lens (EVIL) camera - lots of speculation based on vague rumors, patents for lenses with a 17mm image circle, plus a poorly photoshopped image.

A 17mm image circle is tiny - assuming a 3:2 ratio, this means a sensor approx 9.5mm by 14mm, which is less than a third of the size of the current DX sensors, and almost 1/7th the size of an FX sensor. If real, this will likely be either be low resolution, noisy, or both.

Source: NR on 11/17/2009.

Review:
Patents on concept do not mean the prototype will use that size sensor. Nikon have to compete in the market and they are one of the few camera based companie left. The other major contender although not in the same market area being Haselblad. Cannon is a copier company, Pentax is consumer only, Minolta/Konica is a joke (they could'nt even use a conventional hot shoe) but hopefully Sony can pull the product out of the fire.
Nikon have experience with electronic viewfinders ie D5000