Nikon Z* mirrorless

lunar22 said:
I'm quite new to the 24-120 having only got it a month ago and have yet to take that many shots with it. But initial impressions are very positive. It seems more detailed and with a more attractive rendering than the 24-70 which I traded in. Unfortunately my experience with the 24-200 was less positive and I'm putting that down to sample variation.
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I’m slowly coming to terms with my 24-200. Initially it doesn’t look sharp, but if you pixel-peep it actually is. I’m putting it down to the dull conditions it’s only been used in so far.
 
Henry Turner uses the 24-200 the vast majority of the time. His results as posted on YouTube and his website are excellent. He's pairing it with a Z7II so plenty of pixels to show weakness but there aren't many.
 
Stephen L said:
I’m slowly coming to terms with my 24-200. Initially it doesn’t look sharp, but if you pixel-peep it actually is. I’m putting it down to the dull conditions it’s only been used in so far.
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Dull conditions will lack contrast which can give that impression
 
Typhoon7 said:
Henry Turner uses the 24-200 the vast majority of the time. His results as posted on YouTube and his website are excellent. He's pairing it with a Z7II so plenty of pixels to show weakness but there aren't many.
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Yes, all the YouTube vids I've seen rate it, so it's probably just me and my inherent (and these days unjustified) mistrust of super-zooms.
 
On another subject, I note that there is a firmware update issued to day for the Z5, correcting loss of clock in "rare" conditions. V1.42.
 
lunar22 said:
no idea how. I haven't seen one of those from a reputable dealer for under around £725.


I also had a Sigma 12-24 back in the day which i rather liked although it had its technical limitations -- not much use if you wanted sharp corners! The Nikon 14-24 is very heavy and bulky, though was class-leading in its day.

An other alternative is a third party fixed length UWA if you don't need a zoom and in most cases are happy with MF. There are quite a lot of those from companies like Samsung, Irix or Laowa. I have the Irix 15mm f2.4 which is fine for current purposes and didn't cost that much. Still, if I found a 14-30 for £500, I'd certainly be interested!
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That was my experience with the pricing as well.

That's a good point about the 14-24mm though as it's bigger/heavier than I realised and looks around the same as the 24-70mm, the faster F2.8 is tempting though as the F4.5 on the 12-24mm is a bit limiting. I've been enjoying using the old 70-200mm F2.8 again so it's swaying me to go for the 14-24mm and complete the three of them.
 
another alternative at a really good 2nd hand price (from around £300 -see MPB for instance) is the Tamron 15-30 f2.8 which some rate higher than the Nikon though there may be more sample variation. It's a heavy beast as well.

There are times when I wish I was less impulsive about buying the latest and greatest. I mean is my 100-400 really worth about 6 times as much as the excellent venerable 80-200 f2.8 AF-D? No -- but on the other hand, 400 very different from 200 and purely on a technical level. the improvement over old glass is noticeable in several areas. But one goes for "legacy" lenses for the unique rendering they provide (and they tend to be particularly well matched to my Df) -- or of course because one can't afford anything else.....
 
JohnMcL7 said:
That was my experience with the pricing as well.
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To be fair, the cost to me, after man-maths were taken into account, it worked out closer to £600 than £500, but I benefited by a) buying quite a bit from them, b) accepting an unboxed but mint lens, and c) right place-right time. Plus they offered me a far better deal on my Oly stuff than other places.
 
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I got my Fuji X-Pro 2 from LCE Manchester in person. I've always liked that chain and would have bought more from them if they had shops in Scotland. Nowadays, thanks to the delights of Brexit, I'm more or less forced to get most stuff in the EU as long as I continue to live there and Scotland hasn't yet become independent ;)
 
I’ve read a few pages back on this thread as I’ve recently picked up a Z8 on here. I’ve ordered a 24-200 and 14-30 to go with it as initially I’m concentrating on landscapes (have a trip planned to go to Skye in May). I’ve read about them on high MP cameras but hoping that because they are used by several pro’s for their professional prints they will be fine for me.

Having not really kept up with Nikon mirrorless I’m pleasantly surprised they’ve developed a good range of lenses at relatively low cost compared to other manufacturers. I think I will hire a 400mm f4.5 just to make sure it’s the right wildlife lens for me. Reviews seem to point towards it being good. I used to have a 200-400 f4 several years ago. That was a great lens but just too heavy.
 
rob-nikon said:
I’ve read a few pages back on this thread as I’ve recently picked up a Z8 on here. I’ve ordered a 24-200 and 14-30 to go with it as initially I’m concentrating on landscapes (have a trip planned to go to Skye in May). I’ve read about them on high MP cameras but hoping that because they are used by several pro’s for their professional prints they will be fine for me.

Having not really kept up with Nikon mirrorless I’m pleasantly surprised they’ve developed a good range of lenses at relatively low cost compared to other manufacturers. I think I will hire a 400mm f4.5 just to make sure it’s the right wildlife lens for me. Reviews seem to point towards it being good. I used to have a 200-400 f4 several years ago. That was a great lens but just too heavy.
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I’ll give you a wave in May as we go round Skye on an ex-RN Cutter ;)
 
rob-nikon said:
I’ve read a few pages back on this thread as I’ve recently picked up a Z8 on here. I’ve ordered a 24-200 and 14-30 to go with it as initially I’m concentrating on landscapes (have a trip planned to go to Skye in May). I’ve read about them on high MP cameras but hoping that because they are used by several pro’s for their professional prints they will be fine for me.

Having not really kept up with Nikon mirrorless I’m pleasantly surprised they’ve developed a good range of lenses at relatively low cost compared to other manufacturers. I think I will hire a 400mm f4.5 just to make sure it’s the right wildlife lens for me. Reviews seem to point towards it being good. I used to have a 200-400 f4 several years ago. That was a great lens but just too heavy.
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You won't be disappointed. You've made a sound choice for landscapes. Last couple of trips I've done to Skye I've been lucky with weather. Got the Fairy Pools in beautiful light. I'm off for a hike tomorrow around the Arrochar Alps and I'm taking the Z8 and 24-120 although I might take the 24-200 in the bag in case I need the extra reach.
 
Typhoon7 said:
You won't be disappointed. You've made a sound choice for landscapes. Last couple of trips I've done to Skye I've been lucky with weather. Got the Fairy Pools in beautiful light. I'm off for a hike tomorrow around the Arrochar Alps and I'm taking the Z8 and 24-120 although I might take the 24-200 in the bag in case I need the extra reach.
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That’s good to know. They seem to be the go to lenses for most people for landscapes.
 
Can anyone advise of a good L bracket for the Z8? I want a dedicated L bracket as they just fit better and don’t turn.

I’m looking at the 3LT Z8 L bracket and the Subwayfoto PNL-Z8 on eBay. The 3LT looks better made and has the anti twist nub on the bottom which the Sunwayfoto doesn’t. Any others I should look at.
 
Kirk is a good one but they do not currently have a UK agent.
It’s possible to buy direct from the US - if you use B&H photo they do all the paperwork for you.
 
rob-nikon said:
Can anyone advise of a good L bracket for the Z8? I want a dedicated L bracket as they just fit better and don’t turn.

I’m looking at the 3LT Z8 L bracket and the Subwayfoto PNL-Z8 on eBay. The 3LT looks better made and has the anti twist nub on the bottom which the Sunwayfoto doesn’t. Any others I should look at.
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Smallrig... I've tried 3LT before and have one on my GFX100S but thinking of changing to a Smallrig like I have on the Z8. It's very good. Would recommend.
 
lunar22 said:
speaking of the Arrochar Alps........

View attachment 412501

was there last year. It was so hot we had to wait a couple of days for it to be only about 26C for the walk up The Cobbler. (Nikon 24-70 f4)
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Nice. No chance of that view today. Clouds hovering around 1,800ft and drizzly. Still a lot of ice underfoot too but had a good walk and got some shots.
 
Taken with the 24-120 today. Not the most interesting composition I know, I just snapped a shot at the mountain as I walked past a gap in the trees but it shows what the lens can do. Hand held, no forethought, no filter, no cropping, only processing was lifting the shadows where the trees are as I exposed for the sky. The rest is SOOC. not sure if Flickr allows a 100% zoom although I think you can click to zoom in? I don't think the 24-70 f/2.8 would have done any better here and it would have been more to carry.

https://flic.kr/p/2ptw9fd
View: https://flic.kr/p/2ptw9fd
 
It's from nearly 4 years ago, but I took this with my Z6 Mk1 and 24-70 f4. Love the OOC colours. I moved from this camera because I couldn't get on with the settings of the camera, but strangely I find those on the Z5 suit me, even though I doubt they've changed.

From Hardknott Fort (2) by Stephen Lee, on Flickr
 
Stephen L said:
It's from nearly 4 years ago, but I took this with my Z6 Mk1 and 24-70 f4. Love the OOC colours. I moved from this camera because I couldn't get on with the settings of the camera, but strangely I find those on the Z5 suit me, even though I doubt they've changed.

From Hardknott Fort (2) by Stephen Lee, on Flickr
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Yeah. I gotta stop coming back to this thread…must say i like the look of Zf.
 
Stephen L said:
So do I, but bank balance says sod off!
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that means you'll shortly be buying it. ;) Actually, I think it would work quite well from what I know of the sort of photography and lenses you go for. I haven't yet ruled it out though it's less suitable for longer or larger lenses. When the Z6iii comes (I'm guessing in the spring), I'll have a better idea of where we're at. And I don't like a) the absence of a proper card slot and b) the absence of a supplied charger
 
lunar22 said:
that means you'll shortly be buying it. ;) Actually, I think it would work quite well from what I know of the sort of photography and lenses you go for. I haven't yet ruled it out though it's less suitable for longer or larger lenses. When the Z6iii comes (I'm guessing in the spring), I'll have a better idea of where we're at. And I don't like a) the absence of a proper card slot and b) the absence of a supplied charger
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Steady on. I’m only just getting used to the controls of the Z5. Having said that, it’s very similar to the Fuji XT range, of which as you know I have had more than a passing experience. But I just don’t know why they put a micro SD slot in.
 
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the microSD slot and absence of XQD/CF slot is not great. XQD cards are far faster than any SD I've ever tried although it's possible mine are by now out of date. But the haptics of the Zf are indeed closer to Fuji than is typical for Nikon.
 
The microSD and lack of an XQD/CF slot are a non-issue. Simply the two SD cards for fine in the Zf. The problem with the Zf is the ergonomics. It's a shame Nikon didn't get this right this time.
 
what’s everyone’s thoughts on the Nikon Z 17-28mm f2.8 lens? I will be using it on a Z8. Would it be sharp enough for this high MP camera?

I’ve only just found out about this lens. The 67mm filter ring would be very useful as it’s the same size as the 24-200. I’ve got some Kase 77mm magnetic filters so it would be great if they could be used on both a UWA and the 24-200 lens.


Edit: I’ve just found this comparison:

photographylife.com

Nikon Z 17-28mm f/2.8 Review - Page 3 of 5

photographylife.com photographylife.com

It seems they are close with the 14-30 taking it in the corners and the 17-28 taking it in the mid frame.

As it will be a landscape lens im only really concerned with f8-11. The sharpness looks not too different at those apertures.
 
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To be honest, the Zf has never been that attractive an option for me. I handled one recently and hated the ergonomics, and overall, it's not that small of a camera, sure no Z8 but bigger and slightly heaver than the Z6 & Z7. It's not as small as you might think.

1705912737028.png

I know the AF is much better than the Z6/Z7 II's and for wildlife photography that might be an attractive feature (but then I'm lucky and have a Z8 / Z9 for that. For me the cards is an issue as all my Z bodies use either SD or XQD/CFExpress so I have quite a few of them, and I really don't want to introduce a 3rd type. Maybe I'm also alone on this but I just don't get the retro dials etc that everyone goes mad for. I didn't get along with them when I had a brief foray some years ago into the Fuji world, and still prefer more modern controls which I find just plain easier to use.

I know this has been said to death before, but my ideal everyday / Travel camera in a Nikon body, would be something akin to the current Z6/Z7 II bodies, with CFe / SD card slots, the 3 way tilting screen of the Z8/Z9, with the latest Expeed chip, latest AF (maybe not quite to the same levels as the flagship cameras), 4K 120 and 10 bit, (don't really need 8k in an everyday camera), with 33+ megapixels, but not more than 50mp, for around £2,500k ish (that's probably wishful thinking). One can dream.
 
Sootchucker said:
To be honest, the Zf has never been that attractive an option for me. I handled one recently and hated the ergonomics, and overall, it's not that small of a camera, sure no Z8 but bigger and slightly heaver than the Z6 & Z7. It's not as small as you might think.

View attachment 412725

I know the AF is much better than the Z6/Z7 II's and for wildlife photography that might be an attractive feature (but then I'm lucky and have a Z8 / Z9 for that. For me the cards is an issue as all my Z bodies use either SD or XQD/CFExpress so I have quite a few of them, and I really don't want to introduce a 3rd type. Maybe I'm also alone on this but I just don't get the retro dials etc that everyone goes mad for. I didn't get along with them when I had a brief foray some years ago into the Fuji world, and still prefer more modern controls which I find just plain easier to use.

I know this has been said to death before, but my ideal everyday / Travel camera in a Nikon body, would be something akin to the current Z6/Z7 II bodies, with CFe / SD card slots, the 3 way tilting screen of the Z8/Z9, with the latest Expeed chip, latest AF (maybe not quite to the same levels as the flagship cameras), 4K 120 and 10 bit, (don't really need 8k in an everyday camera), with 33+ megapixels, but not more than 50mp, for around £2,500k ish (that's probably wishful thinking). One can dream.
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What's even more eye opening is when you put a grip on the Zf to try and salvage the ergonomics and then you're at basically the same size as a Z8, and the weight difference is then only an EN-EL15 battery.

I really wanted to like the Zf, but like you I think a lighter, and overall smaller Z6iii is the way I'll go if I don't just pick up another Z8 or just get the X-T5 for general carry around.
 
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I'm with you on this. I started with an FM2n many years ago and I thought I would like the ZF but my Z7 (and Z50) just feel better in the hand.
To me controlling things via the front and back wheels is so much easier.
And yes, it's heavier than I expected.

Agree also on my hopes for an upgraded Z7 iii or whatever they call it.
 
I’ve not seen a Zf in the flesh as yet, so keeping my powder dry until I get my hands on one.

Looking at the weight/size I must admit I’m not convinced I’ll want one… and the fact that it hasn’t got the 45MP sensor which I really like in my Z7ii doesn’t help much either.
 
I think the Z7II is Nikon's sweet spot for size/cost/quality. I've never tried the Zf. I used to have a Z7II and stepped up to a Z8. The Z8 is brilliant yes but people often underestimate the Z7II. I never had issues with the autofocus which people most often throw at the Z6/7 family. I have plenty of sharp images of birds on the Z7II. Maybe people expect psychic focus not autofocus?!
 
Typhoon7 said:
I think the Z7II is Nikon's sweet spot for size/cost/quality. I've never tried the Zf. I used to have a Z7II and stepped up to a Z8. The Z8 is brilliant yes but people often underestimate the Z7II. I never had issues with the autofocus which people most often throw at the Z6/7 family. I have plenty of sharp images of birds on the Z7II. Maybe people expect psychic focus not autofocus?!
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Yes. And I also suspect that many want to bypass traditional photography skills in favour of costly automation.
 
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Just a passing thought, atm but the leica m10 is a heavy beast... although I do like the range finder...

I thought the zf would be more classical type - I have yet to go handle one.
The z5/z7 I handled felt very light.
I have the m mount lenses, a few m42 and m39 lenses plus nikon f mount (lensbaby).

Are there adapters that aren't just a metal ring available ?
Would it be worth changing to the z7ii or similar?

Probably I won't change... just GAS itches away slowly...
 
lovely rich tones and a nice lead-in on the first one. Looks pretty sharp as well (although can't be sure without full res.)
 
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