Pages: 1 ... 8 9 [10] 11 12 ... 19   Go Down

Author Topic: Nikon Z 6 & Z 7 Comments and Issues  (Read 53355 times)

Martin Kristiansen

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1527
    • Martin Kristiansen
Re: Nikon Z 6 & Z 7 Comments and Issues
« Reply #180 on: July 05, 2019, 01:29:50 am »

My experience, admittedly limited, with the Z6 is it is a fine solid camera. A pretty good go at mirrorless on the first attempt. Much to admire but with a few things lacking.

Where I see a mis step from Nikon is the lack of a clearly defined market for the camera. My bread and butter lens is a 70 to 200 for commercial work. I do 90% of my work with that lens. I agree completely that the camera should have been launched with that lens. You have to cover 16 to 200 at a minimum to make a camera generally useful. Yes sure we all have out favourites and specialities and I do too but when I go out on a shoot I need to cover that range at a minimum. That would make it a working system.

I also think the Z6 and Z7 don’t compliment each other well. Unless I am missing something, and I could be, the Z7 is simply a higher res version of the Z6. Make the Z6 shoot at much higher frame rates, give it better silent shooting capability, much better high ISO. It would be more of a system. Such good engineering and design yet it’s hard to buy this as a system. It’s all about systems. When I first picked up the Z6 I remember thinking how good it felt to use. If I was an amateur with a particular project underway I might be tempted, but I’m not.

Of course it could be rectified. Add a high performance body and a few lenses and you are good to go. 
Logged
Commercial photography is 10% inspiration and 90% moving furniture around.

BernardLanguillier

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 13983
    • http://www.flickr.com/photos/bernardlanguillier/sets/
Re: Nikon Z 6 & Z 7 Comments and Issues
« Reply #181 on: July 05, 2019, 02:06:13 am »

I also think the Z6 and Z7 don’t compliment each other well. Unless I am missing something, and I could be, the Z7 is simply a higher res version of the Z6. Make the Z6 shoot at much higher frame rates, give it better silent shooting capability, much better high ISO. It would be more of a system. Such good engineering and design yet it’s hard to buy this as a system. It’s all about systems. When I first picked up the Z6 I remember thinking how good it felt to use. If I was an amateur with a particular project underway I might be tempted, but I’m not.

There are other differences than resolution between the Z6 and Z7:
- The #/frames per second
- The buffer depth
- Video specs are pretty different with the Z6 being a much better video camera

So there are in facts pretty clear differences between these 2 cameras that seem very similar to what Sony did between the a7III and the a7rIII. Except that Nikon has decided to use the same high end viewfinder in the z6,... so they have not lowered some of the specs as much as Sony did.

But if your point is that the Z6 isn't an a9 competitor, then I totally agree. That camera will probably be called Z8 or Z9 and is expected to be announced anytime between Sept 2019 and March 2020.

Cheers,
Bernard

BernardLanguillier

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 13983
    • http://www.flickr.com/photos/bernardlanguillier/sets/
Re: Nikon Z 6 & Z 7 Comments and Issues
« Reply #182 on: July 05, 2019, 02:09:21 am »

While waiting for a Z 70-200 f/4, consider using AF-P 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 if you do not care about the extra stop. The new 70-300 (including FTZ) is aproximately the same size and weight as the old 70-200 f/4 and delivers similar image quality.

Indeed, that's the solution I have adopted also and it works pretty well.

Quality wise though, when used in conjunction with the 24-70mm f2.8 S, which is the best pro lens zoom on the market today, I do feel that the 70-300mm is a bit behind.

Cheers,
Bernard

KLaban

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2451
    • Keith Laban Photography
Re: Nikon Z 6 & Z 7 Comments and Issues
« Reply #183 on: July 05, 2019, 03:52:15 am »

I'm probably at odds with most here, but the compact, high resolution Z7 together with the compact, lightweight, fast primes, was exactly what I was looking for in a system: equipment that wouldn't frighten the natives.

I'm looking forward to using the Z f/1.8 85mm S and hope it will be available in the UK before the end of this year.
« Last Edit: July 05, 2019, 04:05:53 am by KLaban »
Logged

Martin Kristiansen

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1527
    • Martin Kristiansen
Re: Nikon Z 6 & Z 7 Comments and Issues
« Reply #184 on: July 05, 2019, 04:07:23 am »

There are other differences than resolution between the Z6 and Z7:
- The #/frames per second
- The buffer depth
- Video specs are pretty different with the Z6 being a much better video camera

So there are in facts pretty clear differences between these 2 cameras that seem very similar to what Sony did between the a7III and the a7rIII. Except that Nikon has decided to use the same high end viewfinder in the z6,... so they have not lowered some of the specs as much as Sony did.

But if your point is that the Z6 isn't an a9 competitor, then I totally agree. That camera will probably be called Z8 or Z9 and is expected to be announced anytime between Sept 2019 and March 2020.

Cheers,
Bernard

Well there you go. I was unaware of that. And yes Sony lowered the specs of the A7iii  EVF while giving it better AF. 
Logged
Commercial photography is 10% inspiration and 90% moving furniture around.

BernardLanguillier

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 13983
    • http://www.flickr.com/photos/bernardlanguillier/sets/
Re: Nikon Z 6 & Z 7 Comments and Issues
« Reply #185 on: July 05, 2019, 05:16:34 am »

I'm probably at odds with most here, but the compact, high resolution Z7 together with the compact, lightweight, fast primes, was exactly what I was looking for in a system: equipment that wouldn't frighten the natives.

I'm looking forward to using the Z f/1.8 85mm S and hope it will be available in the UK before the end of this year.

I am 100% with you.

That’s one of the key reasons why I decided to invest in the Z mount.

All the other players have apparently decided that very good means very bulky.

Cheers,
Bernard

BernardLanguillier

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 13983
    • http://www.flickr.com/photos/bernardlanguillier/sets/
Re: Nikon Z 6 & Z 7 Comments and Issues
« Reply #186 on: July 05, 2019, 05:22:08 am »

Well there you go. I was unaware of that. And yes Sony lowered the specs of the A7iii  EVF while giving it better AF.

Yes, I should have mentioned that the AF of the Z6 is now 2 stops more sensitive in low light than the Z7.

Cheers,
Bernard

jeremyrh

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2511
Re: Nikon Z 6 & Z 7 Comments and Issues
« Reply #187 on: July 05, 2019, 11:00:02 am »

I'm looking forward to using the Z f/1.8 85mm S and hope it will be available in the UK before the end of this year.

Me too - I keep seeing that it is supposed to be announced in May, then June and now ... ???  I think Nikon really need to keep to their roadmap if they want to reassure converts to the new system. My 85mm is my only F lens that won't autofocus on the Z, so for me it's an urgent need !!
Logged

KLaban

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2451
    • Keith Laban Photography
Re: Nikon Z 6 & Z 7 Comments and Issues
« Reply #188 on: July 05, 2019, 12:01:16 pm »

Me too - I keep seeing that it is supposed to be announced in May, then June and now ... ???  I think Nikon really need to keep to their roadmap if they want to reassure converts to the new system. My 85mm is my only F lens that won't autofocus on the Z, so for me it's an urgent need !!

Hi, is there somewhere that updates this info?

jeremyrh

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2511
Re: Nikon Z 6 & Z 7 Comments and Issues
« Reply #189 on: July 05, 2019, 12:36:54 pm »

Hi, is there somewhere that updates this info?

I keep checking on nikonrumors.com
Logged

HSakols

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1239
    • Hugh Sakols Photography
Re: Nikon Z 6 & Z 7 Comments and Issues
« Reply #190 on: July 05, 2019, 01:18:49 pm »

I'm surprised with the size of the Nikon Z7 / Z6 that they don't reintroduce the old AFD 2.8 primes as a compact option. 
Logged

KLaban

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2451
    • Keith Laban Photography
Re: Nikon Z 6 & Z 7 Comments and Issues
« Reply #191 on: July 05, 2019, 02:32:04 pm »

I keep checking on nikonrumors.com

Thanks.

langier

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1503
    • Celebrating Rural America, the Balkans and beyond
Re: Nikon Z 6 & Z 7 Comments and Issues
« Reply #192 on: July 06, 2019, 11:14:37 am »

I'm coming from 40+ years of Nikon, 15+ years of Nikon digital and the past 5 years shooting M43.

I liked he M43 for its size, weight, silence, lenses. It made me stealthy and fade into the background. The files were fine at 16mp especially with good craft. Video was as easy as pushing the red button. Low light was doable but the af had issues and the files took work to make them good.

What I didn't like was that the bodies were not as robust or durable, battery life is terrible and the files sometimes a bit small except with the pixel-shifting on a tripod. Low light/high iso useable but not the best.

So, I took the plunge with a Z6, 14-30, 24-70, ftz to 70-200 which works just fine and seamlessly. It's the "tween system," midway between the M43, 7-14, 12-40, 35-100 and the FX with 14-24/17-35, 24-120, 70-200, in both size/weight.

So far, I've got about 4,000 images on it in a couple of weeks plus some video and slo-mo video. The video looks good and edits easily, the prints at 16x24 are stunning.

It's a bit larger and heavier than the M43 but not as large or heavy as the FX. Battery life is definitely better than M43. IQ a whole lot better especially higher ISO. It's as silent as the M43. Low light is a couple of stops better. Color and auto WB is as good as it gets.

So far in processing the files, it seems faster and easier to process, thus less time pixel wrangling, though it takes a little longer to download the files because they are half again as large.

I'll be using the Z6 as my primary camera coming up on a several projects in the next few of weeks and see how it does on these events I shot with the M43 successfully but I think my results should be even better and with less effort to accomplish.

So far the Z6/Z7 is the next step and Nikon has taken what it learned in five iterations with its Nikon 1, putting a bunch of that tech into the bases of the Z system. However, it's added the wide angle and prime lenses the 1 lacked. With the firmware update for AF and a few other tweaks I think it's ready for prime time.
Logged
Larry Angier
ASMP, ACT, & many more! @sacred_icons
https://angier-fox.photoshelter.com

John R

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 5248
Re: Nikon Z 6 & Z 7 Comments and Issues
« Reply #193 on: July 06, 2019, 12:30:46 pm »

...
So far the Z6/Z7 is the next step and Nikon has taken what it learned in five iterations with its Nikon 1, putting a bunch of that tech into the bases of the Z system. However, it's added the wide angle and prime lenses the 1 lacked. With the firmware update for AF and a few other tweaks I think it's ready for prime time.
Larry can I ask why you chose the Z6 over the Z7?

JR
Logged

langier

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1503
    • Celebrating Rural America, the Balkans and beyond
Re: Nikon Z 6 & Z 7 Comments and Issues
« Reply #194 on: July 07, 2019, 10:05:34 am »

I chose the Z6 over the Z7 for the simple reason I call "file bloat," huge files for little reason replacement of the function of a bicycle, a smart phone, with the equivalent of a Mac truck, Z7, which still produces too large of files for much of the world's consumption. Dumping down the resolution of even a Z6 to social media seems like such an excess as it is.

I have a pair of D800 bodies and the files are gorgeous and not that much smaller than the current models. However, most of what I am shooting these days are under "Hail-Mary" lighting and not destined for much larger than a double-page spread in a book and a lot simply ends up on social media, so there's little reason for files much larger than 24mp. In some respects, if I only did social media, I'd really only need 3-4 mp to do the job.

The D800 files up to maybe 6400 or so are perfect for me, but I need another couple of stops more beyond. I got that with my D3s at 25,000 & higher, but the weight, size, noise is a liability and the older I get...

I've produced lovely 24x36 and larger prints with 10-12 mp files for years and continue to do so today from my archives. Even with the files from my original 4-6 mp cameras, the double-page spreads were phenomenal at the time. However, though the larger files are great to work with and produce stunning image quality, it's really overkill for most of my clients and my market.

In all reality, if I were to show prints side-by-side of the same subject taken with 10-12 mp, next to 24 mp next to 36 mp and next to even higher, say 48-64 mp, 95-99% couple not really tell the difference nor care. If one uses good craft to produce a well-chosen image, IMO, the original file size isn't a critical factor in the final image for many, many photographs.



Another factor is that I also produce short films and video. The Z6 is a huge step above the 2k video my M43 produced.
Logged
Larry Angier
ASMP, ACT, & many more! @sacred_icons
https://angier-fox.photoshelter.com

Alan Goldhammer

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 4344
    • A Goldhammer Photography
Re: Nikon Z 6 & Z 7 Comments and Issues
« Reply #195 on: July 07, 2019, 03:27:59 pm »

I just got back from my first 'long' trip with the Z 6, up to Montreal and then over to Banff.  What a joy this camera is to travel with.  I only have the 24-70 zoom (I have other Nikon lenses that did not make the trip) and it was pretty much perfect for everything I shot.  There were a couple of times in the Banff area that the 14-30 would have been nice.  The weight and balance of this camera is perfect.

The one disconcerting thing is that Lightroom sets all the sharpening parameters way to high as defaults (Jim Kasson pointed this out on his blog and there are some posts over on the Lightroom section here). 
Logged

KLaban

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2451
    • Keith Laban Photography
Re: Nikon Z 6 & Z 7 Comments and Issues
« Reply #196 on: July 07, 2019, 05:28:24 pm »

I just got back from my first 'long' trip with the Z 6, up to Montreal and then over to Banff.  What a joy this camera is to travel with.  I only have the 24-70 zoom (I have other Nikon lenses that did not make the trip) and it was pretty much perfect for everything I shot.  There were a couple of times in the Banff area that the 14-30 would have been nice.  The weight and balance of this camera is perfect.

The one disconcerting thing is that Lightroom sets all the sharpening parameters way to high as defaults (Jim Kasson pointed this out on his blog and there are some posts over on the Lightroom section here).

Surely only a problem if one accepts the defaults?

Alan Goldhammer

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 4344
    • A Goldhammer Photography
Re: Nikon Z 6 & Z 7 Comments and Issues
« Reply #197 on: July 07, 2019, 05:47:52 pm »

Surely only a problem if one accepts the defaults?
It was just a big surprise to see the sliders where they were. 
Logged

faberryman

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 4851
Re: Nikon Z 6 & Z 7 Comments and Issues
« Reply #198 on: July 07, 2019, 05:50:02 pm »

It was just a big surprise to see the sliders where they were.
Does LR default to different slider positions for different cameras?
Logged

John R

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 5248
Re: Nikon Z 6 & Z 7 Comments and Issues
« Reply #199 on: July 07, 2019, 07:39:06 pm »

Well, many thanks Larry and everyone else that contributed. Larry, I suspected you would be practical and was just wondering which way I should go - Z6 or Z7. Your response reinforces for me that I have to carefully consider my needs. I think if I shot Landscapes enough, I would probably buy the Z7. I am going to rent a Z6 and try it out. Thanks again.

JR
Logged
Pages: 1 ... 8 9 [10] 11 12 ... 19   Go Up