Nikon’s new mirrorless system, coming in ... late September 2018

[faberryman]

This has been a Nikon strength in DSLRs too, I haven’t cleaned the sensor of my D850 once in 1.5 years of intense usage, but I was expecting a lot worse with a mirrorless camera based on many reports I read.

This is not unique to Nikon. I haven't cleaned the sensors on my Fuji's in the three and five years I have owned them. You can't believe everything you read on the internet.

[BernardLanguillier]

Bernard...don't get your panties so tight. I asked the question as to what technologies Nikon put into their mirrorless cameras to help with dust reduction. I read about Canon's approach and thought it was innovative. Maybe you should just skip my posts if they get you so burned.

That's a piece of advice I will gladly follow.

Cheers,
Bernard

[Hulyss]

I have the same experience as Bernard with the Z. I suppose that Nikon added a nonstick Fluorine coating on the sensor glass cover that might help to repel dust. But it is only a supposition. To be honest, the sight of this big sensor when we change lenses can be a little worrying depending on the situation but so far so good.
What I find safe, however, is the fact that the stabilization hangs when the device stops. This is, for me, a big +.

[BernardLanguillier]

This is not unique to Nikon. I haven't cleaned the sensors on my Fuji's in the three and five years I have owned them. You can't believe everything you read on the internet.

The reports I have read were from Sony users as far as I recall.

Cheers,
Bernard

[Dan Wells]

I'm very interested in Bernard's report that the H6D-100 isn't a lot better than the Z7 - that's what I've been unable to compare prints from myself (MF with a huge pixel count advantage). I looked closely at samples from the Z7 and similar-sensored D850 against many full-frame competitors before buying mine, and I've compared against 24 MP APS-C with excellent lenses (Fuji) on my own work. Of course there was going to be a difference from Fuji to Z7, but I was surprised at the magnitude.

The one sample I wasn't able to come up with was 80+ MP medium format (the differences vs. Fuji 50 MP MF, which I considered seriously, were minimal at best). Nobody had an 80+ MP sample at PhotoPlus, nor at my usual dealer, and I didn't make a special trip to find one because I wasn't looking in the $20,000+ price range, nor was I interested in the size and weight of those cameras.

On another topic, I join Kers' interest in a PF telephoto (probably a zoom) for Z-mount. Rumors say that we should be seeing the 14-30mm soon, and a perfect field kit would include 24-70, 14-30 and a compact 70-(something longish). A 70-200 f2.8, unless it's MUCH smaller than the usual lenses in that focal length range, is going to be too heavy to backpack with. A 70-200 f4, or a variable aperture 70-300, would be much better sizes, especially if it's PF...

[Bo_Dez]

The 24-70 f4 is both compact and excellent.

In fact when I compare in A1 prints the image quality I am getting from the Z7 + 24-7mm f4 handheld to that I am getting from the H6D-100c with a top H lens such as the 50mm II on tripod... I am wondering why I bother...

The H lens alone costs the same as the Nikon combo.

Cheers,
Bernard

Hi Bernard,

Do you have some comparison images to show?

Prints are one thing and they all tend to even out somewhat.

On screen is a whole other thing though—your H6-100 should be knocking socks off your Nikon.

[armand]

I would have thought so, on the basis that the 24-70 Z mount f/4 is quite a bit smaller than the F mount f/2.8, but maybe my assumption is incorrect. (I have the 70-200 f/4 and the Z mount 2.8 is said to be a similar size)

 

I had the impression that in the telephoto range the differences in size between mirroless and DSLR are small, the advantage in size comes mostly in the wide range.

A kit with 14-30, 24-70 and 70-300 would cover most hiking needs if you are not into wildlife and the weight should be significantly less than a DSLR equiv.

Considering this I would rather have a sharp WR variable aperture 70-300 for Z than another 70-200 F4 version; this is for hiking and at some extent travel.

[hogloff]

Hi Bernard,

Do you have some comparison images to show?

Prints are one thing and they all tend to even out somewhat.

On screen is a whole other thing though—your H6-100 should be knocking socks off your Nikon.

Depends what ones final display is with their images. Mine is prints and books. If someone just displays their images on screens, do we really need all those megapixels?

[BernardLanguillier]

Nikon Z7 + 24-70 f4 S

Cheers,
Bernard

[BernardLanguillier]

https://www.dpreview.com/news/6069040200/nikon-introduces-14-30mm-f4-ultra-wide-zoom-for-z-mount

Specs look great, samples as well.

Dream set up for landscape work.

Cheers,
Bernard

[BernardLanguillier]

So much so for those nay sayers who have been swearing that Nikon would never ever add features through firmware updates... 

https://www.dpreview.com/news/7011682215/nikon-to-add-eye-af-raw-video-support-and-cfexpress-support-to-z-series

Cheers,
Bernard

[armand]

So much so for those nay sayers who have been swearing that Nikon would never ever add features through firmware updates... 

https://www.dpreview.com/news/7011682215/nikon-to-add-eye-af-raw-video-support-and-cfexpress-support-to-z-series

Cheers,
Bernard

I hope they don't stop here and work more on that autofocus, I'm sure it can be improved further via firmware.

[BernardLanguillier]

I hope they don't stop here and work more on that autofocus, I'm sure it can be improved further via firmware.

To me it is pretty much the same topic. AF is already fast when the camera knows what to focus on.

Cheers,
Bernard

[rgmoore]

I have been very happy with Nikon Z7 and the 24-70mm f4 S for ergonomics, IQ, size and weight...and I've used Sony A7rIII and other high end Nikon and Canon DSLRs.

For some time I have been planning to purchase Nikkor 200mm f2 for outdoor shallow DoF portraits - partial and full length.

Does anyone have any experience with Nikon Z7 with the Nikkor 200mm f2?  Or would that lens be better combined with D850?  The system would be used on the tripod vast majority of the time.

Thank you in advance.

Richard

[BernardLanguillier]

Does anyone have any experience with Nikon Z7 with the Nikkor 200mm f2?  Or would that lens be better combined with D850?  The system would be used on the tripod vast majority of the time.

Yes, I have mounted my first gen 200mm f2.0 VR on the Z7 and it does work pretty well.

The AF of the D850 is still superior to that of the Z7 and I find the Z7 almost too small for such a bulky lens so I tend to use it more on the D850.

Cheers,
Bernard

[Dan Wells]

14-30 looks great (drool...) They managed to hit the size and weight of the best APS-C lens in the same class (Fujinon 10-24) almost exactly - but the darn thing is full-frame!

I'd love to see a 70-300 or 100-300 PF Z... Canon did exactly that (they call the same technology DO). Oddly, the current Nikkor 70-300 is a tiny bit lighter than the old Canon DO lens, although much less compact. Could Nikon hit the same size and weight of the (near-twin) 14-30 and 24-70? Of course the 70-300 would be variable aperture, and would extend more when zooming.

[Dan Wells]

NikonRumors has a couple of cutaways of the new 14-30 up. One shows the elements (4 aspheric plus 4 ED - none appear to be both). The other shows the weather sealing - DPReview wasn't sure how sealed it was, but it has big gaskets around each entry point, including one up front that appears to be borrowed from a Nikonos (underwater) lens!

[BernardLanguillier]

14-30 looks great (drool...) They managed to hit the size and weight of the best APS-C lens in the same class (Fujinon 10-24) almost exactly - but the darn thing is full-frame!

I'd love to see a 70-300 or 100-300 PF Z... Canon did exactly that (they call the same technology DO). Oddly, the current Nikkor 70-300 is a tiny bit lighter than the old Canon DO lens, although much less compact. Could Nikon hit the same size and weight of the (near-twin) 14-30 and 24-70? Of course the 70-300 would be variable aperture, and would extend more when zooming.

Indeed.

As far as I am concerned, for a landscape set up, I'd go with the 14-30, 50mm f1.8 and a 70-200 or 70-300.

I would probably not bring the 24-70 f4 since the image quality of the 50mm f1.8 is even higher and that will be a perfect stitching lens when higher res is needed.

Cheers,
Bernard

[armand]

Most of the wide zooms tend to be significantly worse on the long end, I would wait to see how the new 14-30 is. It is impressive that it’s so close size wise to the Fuji 10-24, a very good hiking lens that is not WR (although it looks like it could take a lot).

[rgmoore]

Thank you Bernard.  Much appreciated.

Yes, I have mounted my first gen 200mm f2.0 VR on the Z7 and it does work pretty well.

The AF of the D850 is still superior to that of the Z7 and I find the Z7 almost too small for such a bulky lens so I tend to use it more on the D850.

Cheers,
Bernard