Nikon Z7 Review | A Portable Landscape Photography Workhorse
For this camera review, I am going to unabashedly focus on the genres of photography for which the Nikon Z7 is best-suited. Because, honestly, most readers already know how the Z7 stacks up against its competition – at least on paper. Although my hobby is landscape, nightscape, and timelapse photography, my day job is wedding and portrait photography. Therefore I will attempt to briefly mention those types of photography (and more) when giving my overall assessment of the camera. Without any further ado, let’s take Nikon’s first full-frame mirrorless camera out for a spin!
Lensrentals was generous enough to send me a Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 S to accompany the Nikon Z7 for review, during the first snowfall of the winter in Yosemite National Park. I shot photos, video, and timelapse of a beautiful snowstorm, in below-freezing temps most of the time. The Nikon Z7 was, overall, a very positive, promising experience.
Nikon Z7 Pros
Incredible Image Quality
On the one hand, the cat is already out of the bag: the Nikon Z7 has an image sensor that is based on the sensor of the Nikon D850 but with the addition of a new on-sensor autofocus system. (And yes, if you try, you can reveal faint, faint banding. More on that in a minute.)
On the other hand, the lack of a giant leap beyond the D850’s image quality is not a bad thing, because Nikon already had an excellent thing going. The D850 and the Nikon Z7 are image quality beasts. Out in the field, away from all the lab tests and ranking charts, the native base ISO of 64 makes the Nikon Z7 a natural choice for many types of photographers who work with those lowest ISOs.
Furthermore, at the higher ISOs many serious photographers commonly use, (to be conservative, let’s say ISO 3200 or 6400) …the Z7 also holds its own against the other high-megapixel competition, despite the added resolution.
But, enough about comparisons and rankings. When you’re out on location, all that matters is that the images are jaw-droppingly detailed and highly dynamic. Case in point: with just four vertical frames, (including sufficient overlap) …you’re looking at 100+ megapixels with no AA filter. It’s truly impressive.
F/10, 1/125 sec, ISO 64, hand-held
Now, a word on this shadow banding issue. It was a non-issue for me, no matter how hard I tried. I went absolutely bonkers (that’s a scientific unit of measure, it means “do horrible things to all the sliders in Lightroom”) with shadow recovery on quite a few images, and I only ever saw some faint horizontal lines buried deep in shadow areas that were already unacceptably noisy.
Essentially, here’s my in-the-field diagnosis: The banding lurks mainly at that threshold of shadow recovery acceptability, just before shadows turn to completely posterized, green/magenta mush. So if you ever find yourself in a situation where this banding is ruining your images, the real problem is that you were lazy and didn’t bracket another exposure. Unless you’re creating a timelapse and you need to capture an entire scene in a single click, don’t be lazy. Shoot another +2 or +3 EV exposure.
The Nikon Z7 is sufficiently ISO invariant for almost any “torture test” you can think of.
Then again, to be fair and honest, Nikon’s shadow recovery has been roughly this jaw-dropping since the D750 and D810. If you’re considering the Nikon Z7 for its dynamic range alone, you’re missing the point of the Z system.
The only thing I hope Nikon keeps working on is high ISO dynamic range. To me, this is the final frontier of Bayer pattern, BSI, dual-gain CMOS sensors. (And, the one item which keeps me paying attention to what Sony and all other camera makers are up to.) Unfortunately, I doubt we’re going to get much better at counting individual photons, without a significant change in the core sensor technology.
Trust me; you don’t want to print this (underexposed) image too large.
At ISO 12800, on any camera, if you don’t nail your histogram, you’re doomed.
Class-leading Build Quality
I’ve been testing and reviewing full-frame mirrorless cameras since the original Sony A7 and A7R. This list now includes the Canon EOS R and the Sony mk3 generation 7-series.
Suffice it to say, the Nikon Z7 feels like a more professional-grade camera than anything else I’ve worked with in the full-frame mirrorless realm. It feels like a Nikon D850, but even more cutting-edge and nimble. If anything, it feels even more “sold” than a Nikon D850, which feels unnecessarily oversized to me at this point.
Well, although I’m tempted to use the word “indestructible,” I won’t. Be nice to your $3,000 cameras, folks. I also shouldn’t exactly use the word “nimble”, because I do have a few nitpicks with the ergonomics and customizability of the camera, but for now let’s focus on the fact that the incredible durability, lightweight portability, and other features (IBIS!) give the photographer both confidence and peace of mind.
Portability
Until now, in the Nikon realm, if you wanted a camera setup this lightweight and portable, then you would have to make a compromise in both durability and sensor resolution, which is of course extremely frustrating to landscape and travel photographers in particular. In other words, we’ve never seen Nikon D850 class durability, functions, and image quality, in a D750 or D7500-sized package.
The Nikon Z7, from head to toe, finally delivers that sturdy flagship feel, feature set, and image quality in a very portable package.
Without a lens attached, the Z7 is downright petite when it’s tucked into a camera bag. It’s no Olympus OM-D, of course, but it’s “tiny” as far as flagship-grade full-frame is concerned. If anything, I’d have been OK with an even bigger grip, if it meant a new battery type with even higher capacity. But I’m already dreaming of how portable the Nikon Z7 will be when paired with the yet-unreleased Nikkor Z 14-30mm f/4 S.
In-Body Stabilization (IBVR?)
This feature is great if your existing lens or lenses didn’t already have optical VR, however, as a landscape photographer VR is already present in most of the lenses that might be used hand-held. The Nikon 16-35mm f/4 VR and 24-120mm f/4 VR are two lenses that come to mind as top choices for shooting landscapes on-the-go. For all you portrait etc. photographers out there, both the 24-70 and 70-200 are stabilized now, too. Almost every Tamron lens has VC. But I digress.
Instead of resurrecting this dead horse, let’s leave it at this: It’s better to have the feature than not have it. (I’m looking at you, Canon EOS R!)
Most people will indeed consider this a perk, whether or not they use it all the time. It may not be my own personal “main perk” of potentially switching to mirrorless, especially as a nightscape/timelapse photographer, but I’m glad it’s there, and I’m happy Nikon did a solid job implementing it.
Nikon Z7 Cons
Control & Performance Differences From D850
I had high hopes for Nikon’s entry into the mirrorless realm. I guess what I expected was a camera that was almost identical to the Nikon D850, but just a little smaller. While I must give Nikon credit for following in Sony’s footsteps with regard to making two different classes of cameras that are physically identical, there are a few issues I have with the actual control layout and UI.
It’s not just a matter of familiarity or personal preference, either. I truly believe that Nikon’s DSLR control layout and customization functions are superior in a few significant ways. First, the number of dedicated control buttons has been reduced. There’s no dedicated WB button, and no QUAL button, though I don’t miss the latter.
Even more annoying is the fact that the dedicated buttons which are still present, have been moved around a bit. The very useful physical dial for Drive Mode has been eliminated, and I used that a LOT, for everything from landscapes to weddings. Instead, there’s just one button relegated the bottom-right of the camera, literally the exact opposite corner. It’s not easy to reach.
At least I was able to customize exposure delay mode to one of the Fn buttons, and put the E-shutter in the quick menu that is accessible even while your eye is to the viewfinder. If only I could dial my Kelvin WB by merely holding down a single button and twirling a sub-command dial, like on most Nikon DSLRs.
The combination of re-arranged drive mode and AF mode controls make the camera much less effortless to use for more fast-paced things like portraits and weddings, let alone action sports or wildlife.
(And, while we’re on the topic of autofocus and action sports, indeed it has been well-reported that if autofocus tracking is critical to you, a Nikon D5 or even a Nikon D850/D500 is still going to be your go-to camera. If you’d like to stick with Nikon, that is.)
One thing that I found to be a surprising departure from Nikon’s habit of offering a helping hand when trying to understand various menu items, this message popped up quite a lot. It never explains what the restriction is, though, so you’re left to guess.
Nikon, we’ve had the little “question mark sub-button” for about a decade now; why couldn’t you have written a little bit more code to offer up in-camera explanations for what seems like a whole new level of unavailable options?
Collectively, these minor issues leave me feeling like, even for something as slow and methodical as landscape photography, some photographers will have a slightly more frustrating user experience with a Z7, depending on how familiar and comfortable they are with their Nikon DSLR.
The FTZ Adapter Minor Let-Down
My second main issue with the Nikon Z7’s ergonomics has to do with the mechanics of the FTZ adapter. The camera body and the adapter do not lend themselves to tripod foot/plate use, when frequently switching between native Z lenses and adapted F lenses.
You simply can’t mount an ordinary tripod plate to both the camera body and the FTZ adapter at the same time. Even mounting one tripod plate might not work unless you get the right adapter that can slide fore/aft enough to allow the FTZ adapter to still mount. I had to dig up my most teeny-tiny Arca-Swiss plate to even be able to mount/unmount the FTZ adapter with the plate attached.
What’s worse, the FTZ adapter lacks both an AF-D motor (though I expected this) and full AI-S lens compatibility. You can enter the lens’ focal length and max aperture in the menu just like with most Nikon DSLRs, but that’s where compatibility ends. The FTZ adapter doesn’t have the sensor tab which notices what aperture you’re setting.
I expected a secondary, aftermarket FTZ adapter to come out eventually, maybe even with an AF-D motor built into it, even though it would be expensive. I don’t even know if it’s possible, but I hope Nikon can add full aperture compatibility for AI-S and other manual focus Nikkors.
EVF Is A Respectable Start, But Not Superior
The electronic viewfinder is fantastic, and a respectable start for Nikon. However, dots and refresh rates aside, it’s just not as stunning as the Canon EOS R’s viewfinder, for example. I tried out the various brightness settings, in various lighting conditions, and the Nikon Z7’s EVF seems to have slightly less “pop” and clarity to it.
Next, the shutter blackout. Yes, its severity varies depending on which shooting settings you’re using, but here’s the bottom line for me: one of the reasons why I’m willing to switch from an OVF to an EVF is to be able to shoot at any FPS I want, with zero shutter blackout, and nothing but maybe a faint (faux) clicking sound to let me know that I’m actually clicking pictures.
For many serious shooters who would instead pounce on decisive moments than rely on good ‘ol spray-and-pray, this could be a strike against the Nikon Z7. Nikon, please try and make the FX mirrorless experience as similar as possible to a DSLR when appropriate, while implementing the new advantages to mirrorless that other makers like Sony are incorporating.
Single XQD Memory Card Slot
No, I’m not going to sweep this one under the rug. But, let’s not beat the dead horse too much. Here’s my opinion- most people are blowing this issue way out of proportion. Sony was SIX full-frame mirrorless cameras deep into their FE lineup before they ditched the single, slow SD card slot.
Most photographers will be just fine with a single XQD card slot. Personally, the only time I need dual card slots is when I’m shooting weddings. If I’m shooting any sort of action, timelapse, landscape, or just casually, I use a single card slot. And after literally 2+ million NEF files, I haven’t had more than one or two images go corrupt. (Knock on wood)
USB Charging and Battery Life
This was something I was truly disappointed by. I expected Nikon to have figured out something as simple as operating a camera directly from USB power, and charging the battery while the camera is on.
Alas, the Nikon Z7, like the oldest Sony A7-series bodies, must be off to charge the battery via USB. Even then, it is painfully slow, even with a 2A USB battery. (And not every 2A port seems to work, by the way; for some reason one of my USB battery packs would only charge the EN-EL15b from a 1A port, which was almost pointless at about 5% per hour.)
Nevertheless, I gaff-taped my USB battery to my tripod leg and compulsively switched off the camera whenever I wasn’t shooting.
At the end of a very long day in freezing cold temperatures, with EN-EL and USB batteries all critically low, to be honest, I was missing the Nikon D850. Sure, if I use the Nikon D850 in live view all the time or record 4K video, battery consumption is about the same. But a lot of time is spent just casually wandering and snapping, which can be done through the optical viewfinder and barely consuming any battery power.
What’s more, Nikon is trying to crack down on third-party batteries, even generic dummy batteries, so my 12V LiPo battery with a custom voltage regulator, which essentially offers unlimited battery power for all-night timelapses and/or video shooting, …gave me the dreaded “this battery cannot be used in this camera” message. Thanks, Nikon.
The Unprotected Sensor
Thanks to Nikon’s downright enormous mount diameter, and extremely short flange distance, that sensor is just begging to get scratched, and it loves to collect dust. So far, Sony hasn’t gotten this right either, Only Canon’s EOS R is willing to put its shutter at risk to keep the sensor safer and cleaner.
A new shutter is usually a few hundred bucks. A new sensor and IBIS unit, well…
The Nikon Z 24-70mm f/4 S
Before we wrap things up, a quick word on what will likely be the very first lens that many photographers mount on their Nikon Z7: the Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 S.
Yes, it’s impressively compact, lightweight, and weather sealed. Yes, it’s very sharp throughout most of the image frame, even wide open. However, I noticed two things that stopped me from absolutely raving about it:
First, I’m always skeptical of lenses that have a “baked-in” profile that I can’t turn off. What manner of vignetting and distortion sins is Nikon concealing, which Adobe refuses to let me see?
There’s definitely something weird going on. At the edges of the image, there’s some sort of color or tonal shift going on. Unfortunately, it’s evident when shooting high-key, white-on-white landscape images of snowy scenes. See the image set below:
This might not be noticeable at all for shooters who don’t shoot such smooth-toned, near-white images. However, it was very prominent in this whole scene — good thing the scenes lent themselves to black & white so well.
I was at around f/11 too mind you, so I’m confused as to what could be causing the issue. If anybody wants to chime in and give their own account of this phenomenon, (or say that I’m an idiot because this is a common issue when shooting white subjects in below-freezing temperatures,) …please do let me know!
The other point of contention I had was, I’m a little bummed that Nikon went for a collapsible, 24-70mm design in the first place. I’d rather have a Z 24-120mm f/4 S lens, even if it were the size of the 24-70mm f/4 in its un-collapsed state, or a bit larger.
By comparison, Canon’s RF 24-105mm f/4 is impressive at all apertures focal lengths, right to the extreme corners, making it well worth the extra 200 grams.
Versus the Nikon D850
So, let’s recap- where do we stand when comparing the Nikon Z7 against its big brother, the Nikon D850? The bottom line is that there is not an absolute, clear winner. It will depend on what you’re looking for in a camera, and where you’re willing to make compromises. Because, neither camera is genuinely perfect, despite both cameras being champions in their own right.
In short, the Nikon D850’s optical viewfinder, and off-sensor phase-detect autofocus may still be preferable to those who are still familiar with SLRs. The Nikon Z7, however, may be preferable to those who are willing to embrace the WYSIWYG of a decent quality EVF, despite the blackout and the autofocus that may struggle in poor light or fast action. Oh, and the IBIS. Oh, but the single XQD card slot.
All in all, however, I must again say that the D850 and Z7 together have me putting a hold on my envy of Sony’s offerings. Not so much when it comes to wedding and portrait photography, but certainly when it comes to landscape and timelapse photography, where durability and portability are essential.
Versus the Sony A7RIII
As impressive as the Nikon Z7 is, Sony’s A7R III is a tempting competitor. On paper, the 42 MP sensor is roughly equal, or slightly better, depending on your priorities. (In short, the Z7’s ISO 64 dynamic range is marginally better, but the A7R3’s high ISO noise (and dynamic range) are marginally better.)
But, allow me to stir the pot a little bit: in the real world, any dynamic range or high ISO noise differences will likely be hidden by most photographer’s inability to nail every single exposure to within 1/3 EV of “perfect”. In other words, If you upgrade cameras (let alone switch entire systems) for a mere 1/2 or 1/3rd EV of dynamic range or noise levels, but on average you miss your exposures by a whole 1-2 EVs, then the joke is on you!
Despite my few gripes with the Z7’s ergonomics and interface, I definitely give the nod to the Nikon Z7 for its overall build quality, ergonomics, and customizability. I’ve spent a lot of time customizing Sony’s physical buttons and quick menus, and while the mk3 generation bodies are leaps and bounds ahead of the mk2 and mk1 generations, I still think Nikon (And Canon, for that matter) ergonomics and customizability are preferable.
With that said, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the A7R III to anyone who is ready to shoot things like portraits or any other serious professional work for which both dual card slots and reliable AF are a must-have. Sony’s lens lineup is well-established, too. Truth be told, if you’ve already tried a Sony camera and don’t have any problems with the ergonomics, menus, and customizability, it’s pretty hard not to recommend the A7R3.
Who Should Buy The Nikon Z7
In case I have already made it totally obvious, the Nikon Z7 may be a dream camera for some, and a frustrating experience for others. So, who is it for, and who isn’t it for? Quite honestly, if you already own a Nikon D850 or even a Nikon D810, then to justify the Z7 you’ll really, really have to be putting the mirrorless advantages to good use- the IBIS, EVF, and portability had better be at the top of your “must-have” list. Also, you’ll have to be okay with switching batteries (and lens adapters) more often, and being very careful and strict with your memory card safety and workflow. I’m going to call the Nikon Z7 a “dream camera” for travel, landscape, and timelapse photographers, but that’s about it. For most other types of photography, the Nikon Z7 is certainly capable. However, it is not without caveats and some stiff competition in the Sony A7R III.
So, there you have it. I’m giving Nikon’s Z system a year or so to mature before I dive in. I might rent a Nikon Z7 or Nikon Z6 again for a certain special project or two in 2019, (there’s a lunar eclipse in January that I’d love to capture; I previously had a blast catching it on my D800e!) …however until I see more Z-mount lenses, and maybe even a 2nd generation body within the next 365 days, I’ll stick to my Nikon DSLRs.
Nikon Z7 Review Conclusion
So, as has been the case numerous times for me over the last 5+ years, I’m left with the same feelings regarding the “mirrorless vs. DSLR” debate: In order to gain the benefits such as in-body stabilization, great on-sensor autofocus, and a beautiful EVF, there are some quirks that must be put up with.
Personally? I’m going to give Nikon’s Z-system time to grow, before I jump on board. I’d like to be able to use nothing but native-mount lenses, and I’d like to see Nikon make a few tweaks to the physical ergonomics as well as the menus and customizations.
I will say this, however. I was previously on the brink of jumping to a Sony A7RIII for the landscape photography that I like to shoot, and a Sony A7III for the weddings and portraits that are my day job. That ship seems to have sailed, at least for another year. Because a Nikon Z7 with a few button and menu tweaks, plus a 2nd card slot of course for the weddings, and I’m sold.
Queue the comments about me being totally biased and/or downright wrong. Personally, if I had all the money in the world, I’d be that guy who owns (and uses) a camera from every single brand, from a Fuji GFX 50R, to an Olympus OM-D E-M1 II. I simply enjoy getting to know new cameras of any kind and going out to take pictures.
141 Comments
Clayton Taylor ·
Now, THAT is a proper review – the good, bad, and just ok properties of the Z7, all delivered with perspective and grace. The Z7’s competition (the D850, the Sony a7 III-series cameras, and the Canon R) are also given plenty of opportunities for point-counterpoint. Most of all, this was FIELD shooting, and your comments about “nailing the exposure” and “don’t be lazy” are greatly appreciated. Oh, yes – some REALLY nice images, too!
Astro Landscapes ·
Why thank you, Clayton! I’m always nervous about achieving the right balance of geeky precision and real-world common sense. I’m really passionate about accurate testing, yet at the end of the day I always remind myself that real-world usage is what matters. Your comment means a lot!
Milda Thatch ·
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CameraCrazy ·
your testing, while accurate, lacks wisdom and perspective. Your conclusions are very pedestrian at best
Astro Landscapes ·
Wow, accurate? Haha, that’s the one thing I was worried I’d get critical comments about. I’m thrilled that you think my testing was accurate.
CameraCrazy ·
accuracy does not = correct… its the same as making an ACCURATE assessment of room by looking thru the keyhole of a locked door.
BG ·
Actually, accurate = correct.
Michael Steinbach ·
Don’t engage the crazy, trolls are called that for a very good reason.
Ebrahim Saadawi ·
Troll alert.
There’s no review anywhere offering more “perspective”. This is a real working landscaper perspective.
I don’t know about wisdom, I have no idea how wisdom could fit in a technology gadget review!
Thank you Matt.
Greetings from Egypt.
Dr. Ebrahim.
Astro Landscapes ·
Greetings from Southern California!
Clayton Taylor ·
Now, THAT is a proper review - the good, bad, and just ok properties of the Z7, all delivered with perspective and grace. The Z7’s competition (the D850, the Sony a7 III-series cameras, and the Canon R) are also given plenty of opportunities for point-counterpoint. Most of all, this was FIELD shooting, and your comments about “nailing the exposure” and “don’t be lazy” are greatly appreciated. Oh, yes - some REALLY nice images, too!
Astro Landscapes ·
Why thank you, Clayton! I'm always nervous about achieving the right balance of geeky precision and real-world common sense. I'm really passionate about accurate testing, yet at the end of the day I always remind myself that real-world usage is what matters. Your comment means a lot!
RandomCameraInfo ·
your testing, while accurate, lacks wisdom and perspective. Your conclusions are very pedestrian at best
Astro Landscapes ·
Wow, accurate? Haha, that's the one thing I was worried I'd get critical comments about. I'm thrilled that you think my testing was accurate.
RandomCameraInfo ·
accuracy does not = correct... its the same as making an ACCURATE assessment of room by looking thru the keyhole of a locked door.
JC ·
Actually, accurate = correct.
Ebrahim Saadawi ·
Troll alert.
There's no review anywhere offering more "perspective". This is a real working landscaper perspective.
I don't know about wisdom, I have no idea how wisdom could fit in a technology gadget review!
Thank you Matt.
Greetings from Egypt.
Dr. Ebrahim.
John Motzi ·
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/a524815a8d4b19d78443e0719061dba17d3dc22ce185fd87405a621a3083df43.jpg
Hi Matthew – Thanks for the great review! I don’t agree with all points (everyone is different), but still it’s a great review. i am using the Z7 & the D850 together for landscape and then the Z7 alone when walking around.
My experience with the FTZ is different (better) than yours. I am using the RRS B6 plate om the FTZ Lens Adapter and the RRS B9 on the camera. It works well. I have no issue attaching the FTZ to the camera with those plates mounted on each.
Whenever I use an F lens (or a lens adapted to F such as a Hasselblad 150) I use the adapter as the tripod mount to keep stress off the camera. I already had the B9 in my toolbox and RRS recommends the B6 for the FTZ so I bought one. Eventually I will get a bespoke RRS plate for the camera (probably just bottom plate since I’m mostly doing square) but I am waiting until they post a picture before I order. It’s nice that the FTZ is a little tall on the bottom so the two plates do not interfere on the tripod head. Not sure if that was Nikon attention to detail or a happy accident.
JM
John Motzi ·
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/206af4c430f836dad195e97da2b56d5797749f5199a1d9753bddda2ab1f32cba.jpg
Adding a second image showing how they play together well on the tripod (yes i usually use a ball head but i just plunked it on the tripod plate for this pic 🙂 )
Kurt Lawson ·
Is this the John Motzi that to my knowledge is the only other photographer to capture the most incredible sunset I’ve ever seen at Badwater (way back in 2011). Here’s a photo that includes me in the picture. https://www.flickr.com/photos/10456349@N07/5379547878/in/dateposted/
If so, hello!
John Motzi ·
Ha ha – Hi Kurt – yes we meet again! Wow it seems like only yesterday 🙂
Astro Landscapes ·
In other news, John, that headless support setup looks like the most stiff tripod kit I’ve ever seen! Wow. (If only there was a form-fitted plate for the FTZ adapter, ehh?)
How do you find the limitation of using just a leveling base, BTW? I’ve considered doing something like this for one of my bigger tripod setups for when I need extra stability to shoot super-telephoto focal lengths…
John Motzi ·
I just did that for the picture. Usually there is a ball head on there. Some years ago, I retrofitted all of my tripods (this one is a gitzo) by attaching a RRS TA-LBC: Round Lever-Release Clamp to the base plate, I just drilled and tapped holes in the base plate and “permanently” attached the clamp. Then on the bottom of my ball head, panning clamp, etc. I fitted a TH-DVTL-55: Dovetail Plate in the usual way. The result is a quick release system where I can easily change heads between tripods and avoid all that spinning onto the tripod stuff. But as you say, I could also just mount the camera or lens on it and avoid the head altogether (using the tripod legs to move the camera) – although I’ve never done that.
For this picture I just left off the ball head since it didn’t add anything to the picture….
Here are some details with the Gitzo plate and also a mini tripod
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/152d9265a8ea4d55c2fed1320610a3122ab874c60b8a15b4631606d367d2dfd8.jpg
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/5f33e71e644aec8f56c6ea4884c1e57ac571d532610eebcf38e786dfd86ebacc.jpg
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/3626e32389221b8cbc09140ad74cf7ba199596270dbac5deaf6d0972f33810c1.jpg
Astro Landscapes ·
Oh wow, you DIY’d the “swap your ballhead on and off” trick. I saw that advertised by RRS, and thought it was cool.
Also, anyone who thinks it’s totally normal to own multiple tripods, is cool in my book. 😛
Astro Landscapes ·
Yup, that’s the same tiny little RRS plate that I have! I actually shaved off the lip with a hack saw so that I could mount it in any direction on any body.
I don’t know what it is about me, but I’m just stubborn about having my plates all be in the direction of the camera. I cringe when I see someone mounting a plate on a camera body in a fore-aft configuration, since it’s a huge compromise in flex-avoidance on certain bodies.
Having said that, I suppose that it’s becoming the norm to flip the clamp 90 degrees to clamp onto a lens hotshoe, so I might as well concede that the FTZ adapter will need to have its plate oriented that way too. Still, no standard plate with a center-balanced screw slot will even allow the FTZ adapter to be mounted in the first place; you’ll need a plate such as the one you showed which allows the whole plate to slide aft just a bit. I’m sure custom Z7 plates will solve this problem, but as someone who frequently works with a lot of different cameras for short periods of time, I gave up on buying camera-specific plates years ago. Maybe the Z7 will change that. I’m especially excited to see how the 14-30 f/4 performs for landscapes; it will be amazing to be able to use ordinary filters at 14mm!
Craig Collins ·
If you look at the solution I posted, I think you’ll see that it’s not so bad to rotate the tripod to accommodate the FTZ. It may look less robust than those big beefy L plates, but it seems functional enough and well-balanced. And certainly better than a front-heavy lens adapted to the Z7.
Astro Landscapes ·
It’s not bad, it’s just a matter of habit that really annoyed me at first, especially when swapping lenses frequently. I suppose I could just get something like a RRS panning clamp, but that’s a whole $200+ for a tiny, tiny inconvenience that might be solved by a $25-50 plate sooner than later. If you look closely at one of the images in the review, you’ll see that I’ve already found a bi-directional plate which works, although it took me shaving off the plate’s lip with a hack saw in order to make it fit, and since it no longer has a lip, it will likely frequently come loose.
Again, I realize that these problems will likely all be soon solved by a plethora of new plate options, both pricey name-brand and generic. It’s just a noteworthy aspect of how smooth a photographer should expect the transition to be, if they for example have previously only owned one single generic plate, as may be the case with many aspiring landscape photographers since they seem to love spending tons of money on bodies and lenses, and yet incessantly ask me for tripod recommendations in the $100-200 range. (Don’t get me started on that!)
John Motzi ·
https://uploads.disquscdn.c...
Hi Matthew - Thanks for the great review! I don't agree with all points (everyone is different), but still it's a great review. i am using the Z7 & the D850 together for landscape and then the Z7 alone when walking around.
My experience with the FTZ is different (better) than yours. I am using the RRS B6 plate om the FTZ Lens Adapter and the RRS B9 on the camera. It works well. I have no issue attaching the FTZ to the camera with those plates mounted on each.
Whenever I use an F lens (or a lens adapted to F such as a Hasselblad 150) I use the adapter as the tripod mount to keep stress off the camera. I already had the B9 in my toolbox and RRS recommends the B6 for the FTZ so I bought one. Eventually I will get a bespoke RRS plate for the camera (probably just bottom plate since I’m mostly doing square) but I am waiting until they post a picture before I order. It’s nice that the FTZ is a little tall on the bottom so the two plates do not interfere on the tripod head. Not sure if that was Nikon attention to detail or a happy accident.
JM
John Motzi ·
https://uploads.disquscdn.c...
Adding a second image showing how they play together well on the tripod (yes i usually use a ball head but i just plunked it on the tripod plate for this pic :) )
Kurt Lawson ·
Is this the John Motzi that to my knowledge is the only other photographer to capture the most incredible sunset I've ever seen at Badwater (way back in 2011). Here's a photo that includes me in the picture. https://www.flickr.com/phot...
If so, hello!
John Motzi ·
Ha ha - Hi Kurt - yes we meet again! Wow it seems like only yesterday :)
Astro Landscapes ·
In other news, John, that headless support setup looks like the most stiff tripod kit I've ever seen! Wow. (If only there was a form-fitted plate for the FTZ adapter, ehh?)
How do you find the limitation of using just a leveling base, BTW? I've considered doing something like this for one of my bigger tripod setups for when I need extra stability to shoot super-telephoto focal lengths...
John Motzi ·
I just did that for the picture. Usually there is a ball head on there. Some years ago, I retrofitted all of my tripods (this one is a gitzo) by attaching a RRS TA-LBC: Round Lever-Release Clamp to the base plate, I just drilled and tapped holes in the base plate and "permanently" attached the clamp. Then on the bottom of my ball head, panning clamp, etc. I fitted a TH-DVTL-55: Dovetail Plate in the usual way. The result is a quick release system where I can easily change heads between tripods and avoid all that spinning onto the tripod stuff. But as you say, I could also just mount the camera or lens on it and avoid the head altogether (using the tripod legs to move the camera) - although I've never done that.
For this picture I just left off the ball head since it didn't add anything to the picture....
Here are some details with the Gitzo plate and also a mini tripod
https://uploads.disquscdn.c...
https://uploads.disquscdn.c...
https://uploads.disquscdn.c...
Astro Landscapes ·
Oh wow, you DIY'd the "swap your ballhead on and off" trick. I saw that advertised by RRS, and thought it was cool.
Also, anyone who thinks it's totally normal to own multiple tripods, is cool in my book. :-P
Astro Landscapes ·
Yup, that's the same tiny little RRS plate that I have! I actually shaved off the lip with a hack saw so that I could mount it in any direction on any body.
I don't know what it is about me, but I'm just stubborn about having my plates all be in the direction of the camera. I cringe when I see someone mounting a plate on a camera body in a fore-aft configuration, since it's a huge compromise in flex-avoidance on certain bodies.
Having said that, I suppose that it's becoming the norm to flip the clamp 90 degrees to clamp onto a lens hotshoe, so I might as well concede that the FTZ adapter will need to have its plate oriented that way too. Still, no standard plate with a center-balanced screw slot will even allow the FTZ adapter to be mounted in the first place; you'll need a plate such as the one you showed which allows the whole plate to slide aft just a bit. I'm sure custom Z7 plates will solve this problem, but as someone who frequently works with a lot of different cameras for short periods of time, I gave up on buying camera-specific plates years ago. Maybe the Z7 will change that. I'm especially excited to see how the 14-30 f/4 performs for landscapes; it will be amazing to be able to use ordinary filters at 14mm!
LandSnark ·
If you look at the solution I posted, I think you'll see that it's not so bad to rotate the tripod to accommodate the FTZ. It may look less robust than those big beefy L plates, but it seems functional enough and well-balanced. And certainly better than a front-heavy lens adapted to the Z7.
Astro Landscapes ·
It's not bad, it's just a matter of habit that really annoyed me at first, especially when swapping lenses frequently. I suppose I could just get something like a RRS panning clamp, but that's a whole $200+ for a tiny, tiny inconvenience that might be solved by a $25-50 plate sooner than later. If you look closely at one of the images in the review, you'll see that I've already found a bi-directional plate which works, although it took me shaving off the plate's lip with a hack saw in order to make it fit, and since it no longer has a lip, it will likely frequently come loose.
Again, I realize that these problems will likely all be soon solved by a plethora of new plate options, both pricey name-brand and generic. It's just a noteworthy aspect of how smooth a photographer should expect the transition to be, if they for example have previously only owned one single generic plate, as may be the case with many aspiring landscape photographers since they seem to love spending tons of money on bodies and lenses, and yet incessantly ask me for tripod recommendations in the $100-200 range. (Don't get me started on that!)
Andreas Werle ·
Nice Review thanks for that!
Re the color-shift towards the edges of the picture. If i remember well, there was a similar problem in the early versions of the Leica M8, which was due to the weak IR-blocking qualities of the on sensor filter.
Astro Landscapes ·
Thanks for the input, Andreas. One thing to note about the samples I shared is, I did have to turn the saturation up quite a bit (and generally over-process the images) in order to make the blue edges so prominent. They’re much less visible when shooting a blank white scene and using neutral processing, but they’re still noticeable.
It must have something to do with the vignetting, and maybe the angle of incidence of light at the edges of the frame, although I’d be quite sad if that’s the case since there’s really no excuse for it with this massive new mount, in my opinion. So my suspicion is that it’s just a byproduct of the super-compact design of the optics; the built-in vignetting correction may still be working pretty hard even at f/11, I dunno.
hjwulff ·
This problem on the M8 wasn’t the IR filtering issue (which was an insufficient IR blocking issue and led to other complaints) but an angle of incidence issue. On the later Leica bodies the microlenses over the photosites were improved and the effect was less pronounced. The effect is indeed related to vignetting, as the angle of incidence from the Leica lenses was often greater than usual, especially for wide angle lenses leading to colour shading and ‘vignetting’ problems. All of this is due to the exit pupil of the lens being quite close to the sensor plane.
Telecentric lenses are of course the ideal solution to this problem, but that is just a non-starter for mirrorless cameras like Nikon which are trying to make the whole system more compact, or for that matter for Leica, which has to deal with a lot of legacy lenses as well as modern lenses which have to be small to be useable on a rangefinder.
Nikon clearly hasn’t wrestled this issue to the ground. They needed a compact standard zoom, and trusted their software correction to deal with the problem, but it was just a bit much for the hardware and software to handle at this time.
Leica has done a fair job on the M10 dealing with this issue, but no other manufacturers have dealt with it to any degree, either letting the exit pupil stay further from the sensor or trusting in software to deal with it even though you might easily lose 3-5 stops of dynamic range and noise in the corners.
M43 is not affected quite to the same degree because the flange to sensor distance as a function of image size is much greater and therefore the angle of incidence is not as steep in worst cases, and because m43 lenses can be much larger in relation to the sensor size and still be described as ‘small’ or at least ‘reasonable’ while coming much closer to being telecentric.
Andreas Werle ·
Nice Review thanks for that!
Re the color-shift towards the edges of the picture. If i remember well, there was a similar problem in the early versions of the Leica M8, which was due to the weak IR-blocking qualities of the on sensor filter.
Astro Landscapes ·
Thanks for the input, Andreas. One thing to note about the samples I shared is, I did have to turn the saturation up quite a bit (and generally over-process the images) in order to make the blue edges so prominent. They're much less visible when shooting a blank white scene and using neutral processing, but they're still noticeable.
It must have something to do with the vignetting, and maybe the angle of incidence of light at the edges of the frame, although I'd be quite sad if that's the case since there's really no excuse for it with this massive new mount, in my opinion. So my suspicion is that it's just a byproduct of the super-compact design of the optics; the built-in vignetting correction may still be working pretty hard even at f/11, I dunno.
hjwulff ·
This problem on the M8 wasn't the IR filtering issue (which was an insufficient IR blocking issue and led to other complaints) but an angle of incidence issue. On the later Leica bodies the microlenses over the photosites were improved and the effect was less pronounced. The effect is indeed related to vignetting, as the angle of incidence from the Leica lenses was often greater than usual, especially for wide angle lenses leading to colour shading and 'vignetting' problems. All of this is due to the exit pupil of the lens being quite close to the sensor plane.
Telecentric lenses are of course the ideal solution to this problem, but that is just a non-starter for mirrorless cameras like Nikon which are trying to make the whole system more compact, or for that matter for Leica, which has to deal with a lot of legacy lenses as well as modern lenses which have to be small to be useable on a rangefinder.
Nikon clearly hasn't wrestled this issue to the ground. They needed a compact standard zoom, and trusted their software correction to deal with the problem, but it was just a bit much for the hardware and software to handle at this time.
Leica has done a fair job on the M10 dealing with this issue, but no other manufacturers have dealt with it to any degree, either letting the exit pupil stay further from the sensor or trusting in software to deal with it even though you might easily lose 3-5 stops of dynamic range and noise in the corners.
M43 is not affected quite to the same degree because the flange to sensor distance as a function of image size is much greater and therefore the angle of incidence is not as steep in worst cases, and because m43 lenses can be much larger in relation to the sensor size and still be described as 'small' or at least 'reasonable' while coming much closer to being telecentric.
soundbite1 ·
Thanks! Great review and gorgeous pics. After reading it, I went down to my local Best Buy to check out the Z7. I was relieved to find that my Sony A7rii simply feels far better for me to hold, thus saving me from wasting time trying to decide whether to consider changing systems.
I’m happy that there are finally different camera body sizes and shapes to fit different people and different photographic needs. The photography field has been dominated by rather large Caucasian males who do seem to prefer the larger grips. I suspect that this will start to change now that professional quality cameras come in a variety of sizes. Personally, I’m grateful that Sony has chosen to keep the overall size and the grip small, and I hope they don’t change. I would love to see some mechanism to protect the sensor from dust. That’s a biggie. Does anyone know whether Canon’s approach solves the problem?
Astro Landscapes ·
Having now tested the Sony mk3 gen 7-series, the Nikon Z7, and the Canon EOS R, I can indeed report that the EOS R seems to have the least dusty sensor, on average, after a lot of heavy use and lens-swapping. It really does make a difference, and I hope Nikon and Sony both take notes.
Especially as a timelapse photographer, I can’t just clone out the dust specks, because the clone stamp usually leaves a telltale blip in the final timelapse, as if there’s a cloaked warbird or two just hovering there in the sky LOL.
I am indeed a tall guy with big-ish hands. I like the Nikon grip, and I actually like the Canon EOS R grip a tiny bit more, and yes, I like the Sony grip a tiny bit less.
However, small grips are still fine with me, as long as the body itself is well-balanced and has the controls laid out smartly. Unfortunately, NONE of the current full-frame mirrorless bodies does a truly perfect job of this, yet. Nikon is experiencing some growing pains with its redesigned ergonomics, when comparing the D850 to the Z7, but it’s not too bad. Canon almost completely redid their ergonomics from the 5D4/6D2 to the EOS R, and it’s got a couple huge game-changing perks, but it also has a few major drawbacks too. And Sony, well, just can’t seem to figure out how to best mix all their “C1, C2, C3” type buttons in with the dedicated function buttons that we traditionally expect.
Either way, the A7R2 is still a great camera. The tiny battery is terrible for me as an outdoor / wilderness photographer, but the portability for general use is amazing, and I hope Sony continues to keep their bodies decently compact and lightweight, indeed.
soundbite1 ·
Thanks! Great review and gorgeous pics. After reading it, I went down to my local Best Buy to check out the Z7. I was relieved to find that my Sony A7rii simply feels far better for me to hold, thus saving me from wasting time trying to decide whether to consider changing systems.
I'm happy that there are finally different camera body sizes and shapes to fit different people and different photographic needs. The photography field has been dominated by rather large Caucasian males who do seem to prefer the larger grips. I suspect that this will start to change now that professional quality cameras come in a variety of sizes. Personally, I'm grateful that Sony has chosen to keep the overall size and the grip small, and I hope they don't change. I would love to see some mechanism to protect the sensor from dust. That's a biggie. Does anyone know whether Canon's approach solves the problem?
Astro Landscapes ·
Having now tested the Sony mk3 gen 7-series, the Nikon Z7, and the Canon EOS R, I can indeed report that the EOS R seems to have the least dusty sensor, on average, after a lot of heavy use and lens-swapping. It really does make a difference, and I hope Nikon and Sony both take notes.
Especially as a timelapse photographer, I can't just clone out the dust specks, because the clone stamp usually leaves a telltale blip in the final timelapse, as if there's a cloaked warbird or two just hovering there in the sky LOL.
I am indeed a tall guy with big-ish hands. I like the Nikon grip, and I actually like the Canon EOS R grip a tiny bit more, and yes, I like the Sony grip a tiny bit less.
However, small grips are still fine with me, as long as the body itself is well-balanced and has the controls laid out smartly. Unfortunately, NONE of the current full-frame mirrorless bodies does a truly perfect job of this, yet. Nikon is experiencing some growing pains with its redesigned ergonomics, when comparing the D850 to the Z7, but it's not too bad. Canon almost completely redid their ergonomics from the 5D4/6D2 to the EOS R, and it's got a couple huge game-changing perks, but it also has a few major drawbacks too. And Sony, well, just can't seem to figure out how to best mix all their "C1, C2, C3" type buttons in with the dedicated function buttons that we traditionally expect.
Either way, the A7R2 is still a great camera. The tiny battery is terrible for me as an outdoor / wilderness photographer, but the portability for general use is amazing, and I hope Sony continues to keep their bodies decently compact and lightweight, indeed.
Chik Sum ·
As a long time DSLR die hard, I admit the latest MILC are all impressive and tempting, as the sudden exploded population of crazy good lenses from canon and nikon proof the future of optical design, but as you said in the review, the two unsolved drawbacks are keeping me away and hoping to replace my good old 5D3 with a 5D4 or probably if 5D5 ever release.
1) battery life: yes, we can always buy and charge more batteries, but as someone mainly use it during travel, bringing a lot of batteries and charging multiple batteries everynight isn’t a good idea, I love the 5D3 where I can charge 2-4 batteries (using battery grip) so I can use the camera throughout a 10 days trip without any charging needed (in most cases only 2 is sufficient and the other 2 were just keep carrying in my camera bag)
2) strange and always on lens profile: as a geek I prefer they just leave everything not digital corrected and give me true raw image. I know for MILC a lot of companies just bake that in even in raw coz they didn’t do much or any optical distortion correction relying on the software to fix that so they can minimize the fringing, vignetting and corner sharpness, but hell, sometimes I just wanted those “defects” as kind of effect. in DSLR they don’t as you can see that in the OVF, but if EVF quite some companies just go the lazy way. I would always prefer they build in the profile for each lens in their own raw converter and let us choose which to apply or not.
Astro Landscapes ·
I’m a DSLR die-hard, too. When I’m traveling, it’s great to be able to shoot misc photos by just raising the camera to my eye, and snapping a few photos here and there through the OVF without barely putting a dent in the battery. In fact I can look through the viewfinder without even turning the camera on, haha, and maybe 20-30% of the time, I raise the off camera to my eye, and decide, “nope, not a picture worth clicking!”
Simply put, if I could have a Z7 with an optical viewfinder, as a landscape photographer I wouldn’t miss anything. (Of course, a very different story for many other things, WYSIWYG is absolutely amazing for things like professional portraiture!)
Or, if the Z7 had been made with a totally redesigned battery, that lasted even longer than a D850, even if it weighed about as much as a D750 I’d still be all over it.
I’ll settle for the Z7mk2 being able to operate directly off USB power. I can just gaff-tape a 20,000 mAh Anker battery to my tripod leg and go, haha!
YS ·
As a long time DSLR die hard, I admit the latest MILC are all impressive and tempting, as the sudden exploded population of crazy good lenses from canon and nikon proof the future of optical design, but as you said in the review, the two unsolved drawbacks are keeping me away and hoping to replace my good old 5D3 with a 5D4 or probably if 5D5 ever release.
1) battery life: yes, we can always buy and charge more batteries, but as someone mainly use it during travel, bringing a lot of batteries and charging multiple batteries everynight isn't a good idea, I love the 5D3 where I can charge 2-4 batteries (using battery grip) so I can use the camera throughout a 10 days trip without any charging needed (in most cases only 2 is sufficient and the other 2 were just keep carrying in my camera bag)
2) strange and always on lens profile: as a geek I prefer they just leave everything not digital corrected and give me true raw image. I know for MILC a lot of companies just bake that in even in raw coz they didn't do much or any optical distortion correction relying on the software to fix that so they can minimize the fringing, vignetting and corner sharpness, but hell, sometimes I just wanted those "defects" as kind of effect. in DSLR they don't as you can see that in the OVF, but if EVF quite some companies just go the lazy way. I would always prefer they build in the profile for each lens in their own raw converter and let us choose which to apply or not.
Astro Landscapes ·
I'm a DSLR die-hard, too. When I'm traveling, it's great to be able to shoot misc photos by just raising the camera to my eye, and snapping a few photos here and there through the OVF without barely putting a dent in the battery. In fact I can look through the viewfinder without even turning the camera on, haha, and maybe 20-30% of the time, I raise the off camera to my eye, and decide, "nope, not a picture worth clicking!"
Simply put, if I could have a Z7 with an optical viewfinder, as a landscape photographer I wouldn't miss anything. (Of course, a very different story for many other things, WYSIWYG is absolutely amazing for things like professional portraiture!)
Or, if the Z7 had been made with a totally redesigned battery, that lasted even longer than a D850, even if it weighed about as much as a D750 I'd still be all over it.
I'll settle for the Z7mk2 being able to operate directly off USB power. I can just gaff-tape a 20,000 mAh Anker battery to my tripod leg and go, haha!
Trey Mortensen ·
Thanks for the review Matt. I was surprised to see you on Lens Rentals. Are you still writing for SLR Lounge too? I know you’re a Nikon guy, but I was curious if you’ve done a write up for the EOS R? I have a loaner from CPS coming later this month and will put it against my old roommate’s a7iii to see what I think about it. Since you do so much night photography (what I love to do in the summers too), I’ve always loved your opinion.
Astro Landscapes ·
It seems everybody’s sending me gear to review these days. What am I gonna do, say no? 😀 😛
My EOS R review is on SLR Lounge, yes. It’s a great camera; the A7III has a bit of an advantage, indeed, but the realm of possibility with the RF mont, like the Z mount, is going to prove rather advantageous in the long run, I believe. Rumors are that Canon patented something nuts like a 14-21mm f/1.4, I forget what the exact specs were. But, yeah, it’s going to be an interesting next 1-2 years!
Trey Mortensen ·
Thanks for the review Matt. I was surprised to see you on Lens Rentals. Are you still writing for SLR Lounge too? I know you're a Nikon guy, but I was curious if you've done a write up for the EOS R? I have a loaner from CPS coming later this month and will put it against my old roommate's a7iii to see what I think about it. Since you do so much night photography (what I love to do in the summers too), I've always loved your opinion.
Astro Landscapes ·
It seems everybody's sending me gear to review these days. What am I gonna do, say no? :-D :-P
My EOS R review is on SLR Lounge, yes. It's a great camera; the A7III has a bit of an advantage, indeed, but the realm of possibility with the RF mont, like the Z mount, is going to prove rather advantageous in the long run, I believe. Rumors are that Canon patented something nuts like a 14-21mm f/1.4, I forget what the exact specs were. But, yeah, it's going to be an interesting next 1-2 years!
Roger Cicala ·
FWIW – it’s not often that I finish a real-world review and can honestly say “I just learned more in 5 minutes than I had any right to expect”. Extremely informative, even-handed review that left me feeling like I really understand the plus-minuses of the camera far better than I did before I started.
Sure, I’m associated with LR and people may think I’m doing happy-happy joy-joy because it’s on our page. I’ve been associated with LR for a decade and this is the first time I’ve been a review fanboy. (Well, except for some of my stuff. I really like some of my stuff.) This was just so very well done, Matt.
Roger
Astro Landscapes ·
Thanks, Roger, for taking a part a Z7 and giving me the confidence to go on this adventure and shoot these photos! 😉
Roger Cicala ·
I’m glad you did, because I never would. I have come to the conclusion that all cameras have better weather resistance than I do.
Roger
Astro Landscapes ·
Yup. It was on this adventure that I discovered that BOTH of my “waterproof” jackets were completely not waterproof anymore, and my waterproof boots were also not at all waterproof. Needless to say, I went shopping at REI over the holidays, haha. I’m going to try and snow-hike to Sentinel Dome in February, so weatherproofing my own self will be a lot more important…
TurtleCat ·
I will say this gives some context to some of the comments you have made in other forums. Great pics, too.
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Roger Cicala ·
FWIW - it's not often that I finish a real-world review and can honestly say "I just learned more in 5 minutes than I had any right to expect". Extremely informative, even-handed review that left me feeling like I really understand the plus-minuses of the camera far better than I did before I started.
Sure, I'm associated with LR and people may think I'm doing happy-happy joy-joy because it's on our page. I've been associated with LR for a decade and this is the first time I've been a review fanboy. (Well, except for some of my stuff. I really like some of my stuff.) This was just so very well done, Matt.
Roger
Astro Landscapes ·
Thanks, Roger, for taking a part a Z7 and giving me the confidence to go on this adventure and shoot these photos! ;-)
Roger Cicala ·
I'm glad you did, because I never would. I have come to the conclusion that all cameras have better weather resistance than I do.
Roger
Astro Landscapes ·
Yup. It was on this adventure that I discovered that BOTH of my "waterproof" jackets were completely not waterproof anymore, and my waterproof boots were also not at all waterproof. Needless to say, I went shopping at REI over the holidays, haha. I'm going to try and snow-hike to Sentinel Dome in February, so weatherproofing my own self will be a lot more important...
Baconator ·
@Lens Rentals staff
Can someone please block spammers in Disqus?
Solid review BTW. Hope to see a similar camera from Canon by 2025! 😉 (I’m a Canon user)
Astro Landscapes ·
Hey @photostreamus:disqus,
What you “get” from Canon depends on what you need to shoot. If you ask me, the EOS R, and the RF system as a whole, is already better-suited for quite a few different things compared to either the Z7 or the Z6. Personally, I found the EOS R’s autofocus to be downright uncanny with the 50 1.2 RF, and for general portraiture and walk-around photograph, I’d absolutely go with that kit instead of this Nikon.
Where the Z7 excels is, of course, it’s impressive durability, and the incredible image quality. Of course also the large mount is going to prove a huge advantage for the more exotic (and the more compact, apparently) lens options.
The next Canon RF body is rumored to be their 5DsR sucessor, a landscape camera. And if they go on-chip ADC with that camera like they did with the 5D4, plus a bit more incremental progress, it could be a respectable if not superior choice for those folks who want high-megapixel sensors.
Baconator ·
Hi Matthew,
I looked at your portfolio and it’s amazing.
Everything that you said is true, and even more – I’m using the EOS R exactly for general portraiture lol. Here is what I shoot: photostream.us. I had a 5DsR before and I’m missing its 50Mpx resolution, even if the DR wasn’t great. The 30Mpx sensor is a joke for the new 50/1.2 – it definitely needs more. Unfortunately the next “R” camera will be a very basic model (under the EOS R) which is confirmed by Canon execs, so I will have to wait longer… That’s why I said “2025” 🙂
Astro Landscapes ·
I’m not sure what “confirmed by Canon execs” info you’re going on, but I was fortunate enough to talk with a Canon exec at the EOS R press release, and the suspicion I have is that a high-megapixel camera is coming soon. If the rumors are saying that a cheaper version of the EOS R is coming sooner, maybe the high-res version will come at the same time, or shortly after. Either way I think it’ll be out in 2019.
Baconator ·
I’m referring to the article posted @ Imaging Resources: https://www.imaging-resource.com/news/2019/01/08/wheres-canon-going-with-the-eos-r-do-they-have-a-plan which I think is trustworthy.
That’s not like not having a high-res body is impacting my photography somehow – but once you tried a nice crisp high resolution sensor – you’re hooked up 🙂 I really like how the AF works on the EOS R, and if they make a high-res body with similar specs as the EOS R (5 accurate fps is enough for me) – the dream will come true!
Baconator ·
@Lens Rentals staff
Can someone please block spammers in Disqus?
Solid review BTW. Hope to see a similar camera from Canon by 2025! ;) (I'm a Canon user)
Astro Landscapes ·
Hey @photostreamus,
What you "get" from Canon depends on what you need to shoot. If you ask me, the EOS R, and the RF system as a whole, is already better-suited for quite a few different things compared to either the Z7 or the Z6. Personally, I found the EOS R's autofocus to be downright uncanny with the 50 1.2 RF, and for general portraiture and walk-around photograph, I'd absolutely go with that kit instead of this Nikon.
Where the Z7 excels is, of course, it's impressive durability, and the incredible image quality. Of course also the large mount is going to prove a huge advantage for the more exotic (and the more compact, apparently) lens options.
The next Canon RF body is rumored to be their 5DsR sucessor, a landscape camera. And if they go on-chip ADC with that camera like they did with the 5D4, plus a bit more incremental progress, it could be a respectable if not superior choice for those folks who want high-megapixel sensors.
Baconator ·
Hi Matthew,
I looked at your portfolio and it's amazing.
Everything that you said is true, and even more - I'm using the EOS R exactly for general portraiture lol. Here is what I shoot: photostream.us. I had a 5DsR before and I'm missing its 50Mpx resolution, even if the DR wasn't great. The 30Mpx sensor is a joke for the new 50/1.2 - it definitely needs more. Unfortunately the next "R" camera will be a very basic model (under the EOS R) which is confirmed by Canon execs, so I will have to wait longer... That's why I said "2025" :)
Astro Landscapes ·
I'm not sure what "confirmed by Canon execs" info you're going on, but I was fortunate enough to talk with a Canon exec at the EOS R press release, and the suspicion I have is that a high-megapixel camera is coming soon. If the rumors are saying that a cheaper version of the EOS R is coming sooner, maybe the high-res version will come at the same time, or shortly after. Either way I think it'll be out in 2019.
Baconator ·
I'm referring to the article posted @ Imaging Resources: https://www.imaging-resourc... which I think is trustworthy.
That's not like not having a high-res body is impacting my photography somehow - but once you tried a nice crisp high resolution sensor - you're hooked up :) I really like how the AF works on the EOS R, and if they make a high-res body with similar specs as the EOS R (5 accurate fps is enough for me) - the dream will come true!
CameraCrazy ·
Only a fool would buy the Z7 over the D850.
Astro Landscapes ·
Interesting that you say this, just one day after Nikon announces what will likely turn out to be the most versatile landscape photography lens ever made, the 14-30mm f/4 Z/S.
Simply put, I tried the D850, and I found that while it’s certainly a great landscape camera, it’s also big and heavy to the point of feeling outdated by the likes of the Z-series, and even a D750. For the landscape work I (and many, many others) do, weight and space is is a critical factor. I’d rather have a D850 in a D750 form factor. And a Z7 is even better. The issues with third-party lenses always pop up from time to time, that’s just a gamble we all take when we buy a Sigma/Tamron lens. And PCE lenses should work just fine on the Z7. If anything I’d rather have the balance of the 19 PCE on the FTZ adapter with a tripod foot. I tried the 19mm on the D850 actually, and that was one front-heavy beast.
CameraCrazy ·
big and heavy? ROFL OMG, I know an anorexic girl with no muscles that hauls around a D850 up mountains for her photog.
Astro Landscapes ·
I regularly carry 50+ lbs of gear up mountains and into the wilderness for days on end, and it’s totally fine. But, every pound I can shave off of one camera or lens, is room in my pack for a second or third (or fourth) camera body or lens, as a timelapse & nightscape photographer. I’d carry one Z7 and two Z6’s (and 5+ lenses) into the wilderness if I could.
So, that’s why I gripe about “big and heavy”. ;-P
Craig Collins ·
You’re correct. The 19 PC-E does just fine on the Z7. It’s very nicely balanced with the Arca plate on the FTZ, and should be likewise with the other PC-E lenses and their notorious teensy adjust/lock knobs. .
Astro Landscapes ·
I bet the balance will be great, especially with a custom-fitted bi-directional Arca plate.
But, I hope they have a new ultra-wide PCE lens sooner or later, though, because 45 MP and no AA filter really aren’t too kind to the 19 PCE’s corners when using lots of shift/rise/fall. 🙁
AnotherView ·
Nonsense. I own both the D850 and Z7. The Z7 is clearly the superior camera for landscapes…WYSIWYG EVF, better live view/focus peaking when manual focusing, IBIS for all lenses, smaller and lighter overall (especially with the new S lenses) also leads to smaller/lighter tripod and head. My D850 remains king for action photography, but that’s all.
John Motzi ·
I also have both and use both. btw – I enjoyed a trip to the Galen Rowell museam a few years ago and enjoyed learning that on the trail he often used small cameras (example: Nikon FE) and lightweight lenses (example: 80–200mm ƒ4.5–5.6 AF-D ). See this article: https://www.mountainlight.com/rowell/gr_camera_bag.html
I sometimes think of that when I am lugging around my D850 & Zeiss lenses that I enjoy 🙂
Astro Landscapes ·
I own a Nikon 80-200mm f/4.5-5.6 for that exact reason. Galen inspired me posthumously when I learned that he sometimes used those cheap “plastic fantastic” N-series film bodies and “kit” lenses. Now, even though I also own a host of f/2.8 zooms and other various exotic lenses for various purposes, but when I want to run around chasing light, (or shooting though a chain-link fence!) I reach for one of those dinky things with a 52mm filter thread. I actually just shot a timelapse of a storm passing the Hollywood sign, and it wouldn’t have been possible without that 80-200. 🙂
RandomCameraInfo ·
Only a fool would buy the Z7 over the D850. "landscape workhorse" ? Compared to what? D850 is FAR more capable with wide angles, and PC lenses, and not to mention the Z7 nasty wide zoom incompatibility with Tamron glass
Astro Landscapes ·
Interesting that you say this, just one day after Nikon announces what will likely turn out to be the most versatile landscape photography lens ever made, the 14-30mm f/4 Z/S.
Simply put, I tried the D850, and I found that while it's certainly a great landscape camera, it's also big and heavy to the point of feeling outdated by the likes of the Z-series, and even a D750. For the landscape work I (and many, many others) do, weight and space is is a critical factor. I'd rather have a D850 in a D750 form factor. And a Z7 is even better. The issues with third-party lenses always pop up from time to time, that's just a gamble we all take when we buy a Sigma/Tamron lens. And PCE lenses should work just fine on the Z7. If anything I'd rather have the balance of the 19 PCE on the FTZ adapter with a tripod foot. I tried the 19mm on the D850 actually, and that was one front-heavy beast.
RandomCameraInfo ·
big and heavy? ROFL OMG, I know an anorexic girl with no muscles that hauls around a D850 up mountains for her photog.
Astro Landscapes ·
I regularly carry 50+ lbs of gear up mountains and into the wilderness for days on end, and it's totally fine. But, every pound I can shave off of one camera or lens, is room in my pack for a second or third (or fourth) camera body or lens, as a timelapse & nightscape photographer. I'd carry one Z7 and two Z6's (and 5+ lenses) into the wilderness if I could.
So, that's why I gripe about "big and heavy". ;-P
LandSnark ·
You're correct. The 19 PC-E does just fine on the Z7. It's very nicely balanced with the Arca plate on the FTZ, and should be likewise with the other PC-E lenses and their notorious teensy adjust/lock knobs. .
Astro Landscapes ·
I bet the balance will be great, especially with a custom-fitted bi-directional Arca plate.
But, I hope they have a new ultra-wide PCE lens sooner or later, though, because 45 MP and no AA filter really aren't too kind to the 19 PCE's corners when using lots of shift/rise/fall. :-(
AnotherView ·
Nonsense. I own both the D850 and Z7. The Z7 is clearly the superior camera for landscapes...WYSIWYG EVF, better live view/focus peaking when manual focusing, IBIS for all lenses, smaller and lighter overall (especially with the new S lenses) also leads to smaller/lighter tripod and head. My D850 remains king for action photography, but that's all.
John Motzi ·
I also have both and use both. btw - I enjoyed a trip to the Galen Rowell museam a few years ago and enjoyed learning that on the trail he often used small cameras (example: Nikon FE) and lightweight lenses (example: 80–200mm ƒ4.5–5.6 AF-D ). See this article: https://www.mountainlight.com/rowell/gr_camera_bag.html
I sometimes think of that when I am lugging around my D850 & Zeiss lenses that I enjoy :)
Astro Landscapes ·
I own a Nikon 80-200mm f/4.5-5.6 for that exact reason. Galen inspired me posthumously when I learned that he sometimes used those cheap "plastic fantastic" N-series film bodies and "kit" lenses. Now, even though I also own a host of f/2.8 zooms and other various exotic lenses for various purposes, but when I want to run around chasing light, (or shooting though a chain-link fence!) I reach for one of those dinky things with a 52mm filter thread. I actually just shot a timelapse of a storm passing the Hollywood sign, and it wouldn't have been possible without that 80-200. :-)
Peter Clayton ·
Just a quick comment that I appreciated your shots of Yosemite so much that I shared most of them with my wife – and I’m sure that’s more a compliment to you than to the Z7!
Astro Landscapes ·
Thanks Peter! It was a beautiful day, and I’m utterly hooked on “snow on the valley floor” trips. I really hope I can visit Yosemite again for another winter storm next season!
Peter Clayton ·
Just a quick comment that I appreciated your shots of Yosemite so much that I shared most of them with my wife - and I’m sure that’s more a compliment to you than to the Z7!
Astro Landscapes ·
Thanks Peter! It was a beautiful day, and I'm utterly hooked on "snow on the valley floor" trips. I really hope I can visit Yosemite again for another winter storm next season!
MoreMoreS ·
Lovely photographs. I believe there is a small typo: If anything, it feels even more “sold” than a Nikon D850 -> “solid”
Honestly the review feels somewhat limited. It feels like you’re going to talk about it for landscape and really that’s it. Issues like EVF lag for action or AF speed, accuracy and modes are presented cursorily. I don’t shoot landscape so the review wasn’t so helpful and didn’t answer a lot of questions for me. I thought what you did you did fairly well, but it just felt somewhat limited as a review given the article’s length.
Astro Landscapes ·
Hi @moremores:disqus,
I did my best to speak to those other genres of photography for which the Z7 might be worse or better-suited for compared to landscape photography. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the time to take the camera to shoot /everything/ under the sun, and such a review would have been excessively long. In my experience, the best way to review a camera is within one or two overall genres at a time. For example, I’m no filmmaker either, so I can’t really speak expertly to a camera’s video capabilities, even though that is becoming an extremely important criteria for buyers these days.
However, I’ll save you the trouble of hunting down a review of the Z7 that is “focused” more on action, from sports to weddings: This is probably NOT the right camera for you… :- Having said that, a $3K investment is a tough one to make without getting the camera in your hands and trying it out. So even if a D850 or a Sony is a better choice, I’d still recommend trying those out before buying.
MoreMoreS ·
Lovely photographs. I believe there is a small typo: If anything, it feels even more “sold” than a Nikon D850 -> "solid"
Honestly the review feels somewhat limited. It feels like you're going to talk about it for landscape and really that's it. Issues like EVF lag for action or AF speed, accuracy and modes are presented cursorily. I don't shoot landscape so the review wasn't so helpful and didn't answer a lot of questions for me. I thought what you did you did fairly well, but it just felt somewhat limited as a review given the article's length.
Astro Landscapes ·
Hi @moremores,
I did my best to speak to those other genres of photography for which the Z7 might be worse or better-suited for compared to landscape photography. Unfortunately, I didn't have the time to take the camera to shoot /everything/ under the sun, and such a review would have been excessively long. In my experience, the best way to review a camera is within one or two overall genres at a time. For example, I'm no filmmaker either, so I can't really speak expertly to a camera's video capabilities, even though that is becoming an extremely important criteria for buyers these days.
However, I'll save you the trouble of hunting down a review of the Z7 that is "focused" more on action, from sports to weddings: This is probably NOT the right camera for you... :-\ Having said that, a $3K investment is a tough one to make without getting the camera in your hands and trying it out. So even if a D850 or a Sony is a better choice, I'd still recommend trying those out before buying.
AnotherView ·
Nice review Matt!
Jo Jundt ·
Very nice and informative review, thanks a lot for the outstandingly nice pictures and the time lapses, too.
Having both bodies in the bag, I very much agree on your findings. And I didn’t expect it would grow so quickly on me. Sometimes I simply like to use the LCD to compose the picture, enlarge the focus area to check sharpness better. That’s also possible with the D850 but always additional LV must be switched on – and the lag between release and taking the picture is too long. The Z 7 to me is a D850 in constant LiveView with some nice and welcome improvements. And like you I really like the weight. Not only of the camera: For the D850 I’ve a 35/1.4 Sigma Art which is just 300 grams heavier.
But looking at the uncorrected pictures in CaptureOne, the distortions of the 24-70 are really the worst in my book.
Wait until you can shoot against front light from a pointy light source and a dark background – the 24-70 “creates” at 28 mm some colour blotches which compete easily with the flares of the Nikkor 14-24. You’re not the only one looking forward to the 14-30/4.
For the stupid level difference between camera bottom and FTZ bottom (why, oh Nikon, you haven’t looked at Tamron’s and Sigma’s latest tripod collars with the Arca type dovetails?) I customized a cheap Mengs L-plate, but today there are plenty of better solutions from Three Legged Things, Smallrig (https://www.smallrig.com/smallrig-l-bracket-for-nikon-z6-and-nikon-z7-camera-2258.html) or ProMediaGear (https://www.promediagear.com/PLNZ67-L-Bracket-plate-for-Nikon-Z6-and-Z7-Arca-Swiss-type_p_404.html). I still like my DIY for what it is.
https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-r9Lztjg/0/1ee74c38/L/i-r9Lztjg-L.jpg
Astro Landscapes ·
Fingers crossed that the 14-30mm doesn’t have “weird” corner issues.
Craig Collins ·
I love the Capture One color rendition, but it looks like they rushed the camera profiles out the door before the S lenses were profiled. I’m doing manual distortion correction, but sure hope they get an update out soon with all the new lenses. Perhaps someone can help: Is there any way the correction that Nikon builds in be applied in RAW edit?
Andy T. Laird ·
I have to agree Craig as the distortion in Capture One is terrible! I emailed Capture One asking when there would be a lens profile and they replied they would put forward my request! The files look much better in LightRoom but unfortunately I had just paid for the Capture One Pro download as I just started using Nikon only to find there’s nothing for this 24-70 lens! Soon I hope otherwise back to LightRoom!
Jo Jundt ·
Very nice and informative review, thanks a lot for the outstandingly nice pictures and the time lapses, too.
Having both bodies in the bag, I very much agree on your findings. And I didn't expect it would grow so quickly on me. Sometimes I simply like to use the LCD to compose the picture, enlarge the focus area to check sharpness better. That's also possible with the D850 but always additional LV must be switched on - and the lag between release and taking the picture is too long. The Z 7 to me is a D850 in constant LiveView with some nice and welcome improvements. And like you I really like the weight. Not only of the camera: For the D850 I've a 35/1.4 Sigma Art which is just 300 grams heavier.
But looking at the uncorrected pictures in CaptureOne, the distortions of the 24-70 are really the worst in my book.
Wait until you can shoot against front light from a pointy light source and a dark background - the 24-70 "creates" at 28 mm some colour blotches which compete easily with the flares of the Nikkor 14-24. You're not the only one looking forward to the 14-30/4.
For the stupid level difference between camera bottom and FTZ bottom (why, oh Nikon, you haven't looked at Tamron's and Sigma's latest tripod collars with the Arca type dovetails?) I customized a cheap Mengs L-plate, but today there are plenty of better solutions from Three Legged Things, Smallrig (https://www.smallrig.com/sm... or ProMediaGear (https://www.promediagear.co.... I still like my DIY for what it is.
https://photos.smugmug.com/...
Astro Landscapes ·
Fingers crossed that the 14-30mm doesn't have "weird" corner issues.
LandSnark ·
I love the Capture One color rendition, but it looks like they rushed the camera profiles out the door before the S lenses were profiled. I'm doing manual distortion correction, but sure hope they get an update out soon with all the new lenses. Perhaps someone can help: Is there any way the correction that Nikon builds in be applied in RAW edit?
SF_Expat ·
Have you considered the excellent connectivity for backing up files as you shoot a wedding? I take 1 or two laptops with a pocket router and files zip over to the computer[s] and an assistant can start a slide show right after the first shots are fired. A 14 bit raw file takes just over 1 second, 2 at the most. After doing a few events with the Z7, the D850 and it have switched places in the primary/secondary camera role. I have never even removed the XQD card from its socket. If a file checksum fails handshaking sends it again. So far, none have failed it has been solid. I can even send the files from the laptop automatically to my network drive at home. Once you get used to having all the files on a hard drive or SSDas you shoot, it seems so logical and the path for the future. For those doing field sports or farther than 120 feet or so from the computer, they can use the WT-7 1gb/s wireless adaptor for 660 foot range, and it can access nodes if you know its IP address so a file server can write the files directly to the network drive.
Astro Landscapes ·
I’ve been casually following this option, however it still seems rather complicated compared to just having two slots. Plus, a laptop in a camera bag near by is a prime target for thieves. I assume the laptop has to be out and open to receive files? Or can it be done while the laptop is closed and tucked away?
Furthermore, my studio’s workflow hinges on the convenience of being able to send the backup cards home with the 2nd shooter, and the primary cards home with the lead shooter, so that you have two-location before you even leave the venue. I suppose this could be possible if your laptop had the ability to send files to a network drive at home, but that would require a mobile hotspot subscription…
Either way, I’ll continue staying apprised of the options. Thanks for your input!
SF_Expat ·
I have used it by locking it in the office of the venue, which is within its 130 foot range or so, or is there is an assistant who is doing culling on the editing machine while starting the slide show, is all goes very smoothly. But if you want two XQD slots, mayne the D5 is the only answer. Using SD card defeats and backup or reliability efforts since they NEED 2 at least to assure reasonable integrity. The Z cameras obviously are not for you but for many they are the best option, the only rugged FF mirrorless cameras out. Even my D850 has poorer odds of retaining backup files since the second slow slot is SD. As least the primary slot is XQD so that one is not going to fail. The whole internal bus system of XQD, bases on PCIe 3.0 Buss that is a next generation data bus with 8 separate 1 gigB/second pipes. with error correction. The whole ecosystem of the bus, interface socket is 2 generations ahead of SD which will quickly be phased out. The CFExpress shown so far 1 Terabyte and suitable as mobile replacement for SSD. That will please a lot of videographers who will be switching to Nikon for the ProResHD Raw data stream. The other brands will have to change storage to compete. ProRes RAW is more of a game changer than mirrorless.
Astro Landscapes ·
Yeah, I don’t do slideshows at weddings anymore, that went out of style here in Southern California years ago, unfortunately. I used to love doing it, though. Now I just deliver quickly on social media, and that’s all the “wow factor” I need.
BTW, I don’t want two XQD card slots, in fact I’m perfectly happy with my D750’s dual SD card slots, or the D850/D500’s XQD+SD slots. For everything I do, I don’t really need a deep buffer, and I don’t really need more than 4-5 FPS, and I don’t think the average photographer needs more either.
I predict that Nikon’s next Z body, at least their next ~$3K+ one, will offer XQD+SD. And hopefully their next ~$2K body will offer the same, or SD+SD, if it can be made to handle the 4K files at whatever Nikon’s data througput needs are. (I know that Sony has been putting 4K 100 Mbps video on SD cards for years now, but I don’t know if that directly corresponds to what Nikon’s 4K video files are doing now.)
Astro Landscapes ·
Yeah, I don't do slideshows at weddings anymore, that went out of style here in Southern California years ago, unfortunately. I used to love doing it, though. Now I just deliver quickly on social media, and that's all the "wow factor" I need.
BTW, I don't want two XQD card slots, in fact I'm perfectly happy with my D750's dual SD card slots, or the D850/D500's XQD+SD slots. For everything I do, I don't really need a deep buffer, and I don't really need more than 4-5 FPS, and I don't think the average photographer needs more either.
I predict that Nikon's next Z body, at least their next ~$3K+ one, will offer XQD+SD. And hopefully their next ~$2K body will offer the same, or SD+SD, if it can be made to handle the 4K files at whatever Nikon's data througput needs are. (I know that Sony has been putting 4K 100 Mbps video on SD cards for years now, but I don't know if that directly corresponds to what Nikon's 4K video files are doing now.)
Astro Landscapes ·
I've been casually following this option, however it still seems rather complicated compared to just having two slots. Plus, a laptop in a camera bag near by is a prime target for thieves. I assume the laptop has to be out and open to receive files? Or can it be done while the laptop is closed and tucked away?
Furthermore, my studio's workflow hinges on the convenience of being able to send the backup cards home with the 2nd shooter, and the primary cards home with the lead shooter, so that you have two-location before you even leave the venue. I suppose this could be possible if your laptop had the ability to send files to a network drive at home, but that would require a mobile hotspot subscription...
Either way, I'll continue staying apprised of the options. Thanks for your input!
Nibor ·
The main problem I see is the Z7 battery life is already miserable. Using active WiFi on top of this would likely make a bad situation intolerable. Tried something similar for a different reason using a D750. Took a bag of batteries.
Dave Hachey ·
Very nice, even-handed review. If I didn’t have so much Canon and Sony gear I might even be convinced to switch. Good review, thanks…
Dave Hachey ·
Very nice, even-handed review. If I didn't have so much Canon and Sony gear I might even be convinced to switch. Good review, thanks...
Urbex Mark ·
Very nice review!
Can you do another how to on shooting stitched together panoramas? That looked fantastic!
Urbex Mark ·
Very nice review!
Can you do a how to on shooting stitched together panoramas? That looked fantastic!
tom rose ·
I am hoping that lots of Canon photographers make a switch to mirrorless when Canon gets around to releasing a model with twin card slots. Then the market will be flooded with second hand pro-DSLRs and I’ll be able to pick up a 1DX mark ii at a bargain price!
Astro Landscapes ·
I feel the same way about some of Nikon’s bodies. I’ll look forward to the day when I can pick up a used D5 or D850 for dirt cheap. As a timelapse and astro-landscape photographer, you can never have too many cameras.
tom rose ·
I am hoping that lots of Canon photographers make a switch to mirrorless when Canon gets around to releasing a model with twin card slots. Then the market will be flooded with second hand pro-DSLRs and I'll be able to pick up a 1DX mark ii at a bargain price!
Astro Landscapes ·
I feel the same way about some of Nikon's bodies. I'll look forward to the day when I can pick up a used D5 or D850 for dirt cheap. As a timelapse and astro-landscape photographer, you can never have too many cameras.
Craig Collins ·
A lot of good stuff here, but there’s an important error. He states that “You simply can’t mount an ordinary tripod plate to both the camera body and the FTZ adapter at the same time. Even mounting one tripod plate might not work unless you get the right adapter that can slide fore/aft enough to allow the FTZ adapter to still mount.” This is false. I’ve made this work with 3 different combinations, and the one I recommend is first here, posted along with my first solutions. the ProMediaGear L plate with a small plate on the FTZ (also ProMedia but others fit fine — I like ProMedia’s because of its easy sliding of the L to accommodate connectivity). IT WORKS FINE. I did very cheap ones with knockoff plates from eBay that worked just as well, though I had to take a rattail file and widen a slot to provide compatibility with the plate on the FTZ (also attached).
We’ve entered this strange world where people expect their new toy to work flawlessly from the start, and have lost their ability to adapt and invent solutions as needed. My view: we’re supposed to be adapting and inventing as image makers, as every situation we encounter requires our imagination and our full toolset to respond.
This applies to the tiresome XQD single-slot noise machine. We got in the habit of 2 slots as a backup concept (although for me and many, we used one card for RAW & one for JPG), but aside from the touted high reliability and durability of XQD, the issue ignores one of the best features of the camera that’s scarcely mentioned: the ability to seamlessly upload lo-res JPGs to your iPhone in real time, providing instant shareability and camera-free backup.
As to autofocus: I remain confused. I don’t have D850, which is clearly the flagship autofocus machine from Nikon. But the Z7 kicks butt over the speed and low-light performance of my D810 & D750. I see plenty of impressive examples of high-speed wildlife and sports imagery from others, so I’m convinced the issues others complain about are about technique and understanding the nuance of this highly complex camera.
I’ve been just astonished at the whining and entitled behavior among so many that I just scratch my head. Perhaps part of the problem for us experienced photographers is we don’t like admitting that the technological advances we’re experiencing require us to be humble and go back to the basics of camera operation, with willingness to learn anew.
Also I love the Yosemite images. Nice work!
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/c7583b364c58187788413e11fdf2d301f16f308eee8eea189f3d5284ab7be3b2.jpg https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/36e7abfd490935a8b1a8dfaf3d64f72bb1f574680b6b78f2ce2c2b83c8e4e7d3.jpg
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/8d75aff3520356ad8118227e322072cd83381e3d86950c17984bcf408718bed2.jpg
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Astro Landscapes ·
Hi Craig! It looks like you’ve found a perfect plate setup, which I actually described in the article and in some of the other comments here. In short, here’s why I stand by what I said:
Most “standard” plates have a single slot, and it is a side-to-side movement, not a fore-aft movement, as your generic plate seems to have. I don’t know which generic plate you’re using, but please do share the exact make and model, so that other Nikon Z owners can get one!
With your generic L-bracket, indeed you had to take a dremel, file, or hacksaw to your plate in order to get it to work. To me, even though I’m the type of person who would do such a thing in a heartbeat, It’s not something I can readily recommend to the average reader.
There are indeed a few “tiny” size plates that can work on the FTZ adapter, however it will take a custom plate to be able to not have to turn the clamp of your ballhead 90 degrees, something which I find to be annoying to have to do, although I could get used to it since I shoot a lot with telephoto lenses anyways.
The PMG plate is, if I am not mistaken, an expensive proprietary plate, which I already stated in my review is the best way to move forward in this situation, but an expensive choice indeed.
Regarding autofocus, I’ll try and clarify: I’ve shot with the D850, D810, D800e, D750, D700, D300, …and a few other Nikons. So, I actually know exactly what you’re talking about with regards to people expecting tools to just work right out of the box, even though they’re brand new and complex. I’ve learned to be very conscious of this when I try new gear, and go into it with an open mind. I work very hard to fully understand how a new AF system operates. For example, when I tried the EOS R, I immediately and absolutely fell in love with how you can move the AF points around the viewfinder by using the touchscreen instead of a joystick. In this new generation of AF systems that have hundreds and hundreds of AF points, I think a whole new approach to AF point control is going to be critical. Both Canon and Sony have adopted this, but not Nikon. Simply put, I do believe that Nikon has a ways to go before their mirrorless AF can match what Sony and Canon have, both in terms of implementation, and in accuracy/reliability.
Having said that, I do feel that mirrorless AF is the future, and for the most part I’d rather have an Z7 than a D850 in almost all lighting conditions, because I’m sick of having to deal with AF micro-adjustment every few months with all my DSLR lenses and bodies.
Regarding the card slot debate: Firstly, I agree with you that the issue is beaten to death. I tried to make that clear in the review. There’s really only a couple select professional work environments where I think dual card slots are absolutely necessary, such as weddings, where the simplicity of dual card slots is indeed superior to any other option, or reportage, where it may very well be extremely preferable to have a wireless backup on a mobile device, for press/publication reasons. But yeah, as a wedding / portrait photographer, dual card slots are just so damn simple. It’s not a matter of being humble and learning things anew, it’s just a matter of ridiculous simplicity.
As I’ve said in many instances here and elsewhere, I honestly believe that Nikon and maybe even Canon would have decided to offer dual card slots, if they had seen the A7III coming. But these types of decisions are made a year or more in advance, and Sony was probably still on their 6th single-slot FF mirrorless camera, just about to release the A7RIII, let alone the A7III. I expect we’ll see dual slots in all future FF MILC bodies above $2K from now on, and maybe even in more bodies under $2K. In the meantime, this is just a regrettable “market placement” decision.
Astro Landscapes ·
Hi Craig! Somehow my earlier reply seems to have been marked as spam, so until it reappears, I’ll just say this: What I said is perfectly in line with what you had to do to get your plates to work. That is, you had to modify them to get them to slide fore-aft, otherwise they would have touched. I also mentioned that of course a proprietary plate system would undoubtedly solve this problem, for those who are willing to spend ~$150 on a Z7-fitted L-bracket and ~$50 on a FTZ-fitted plate.
LandSnark ·
A lot of good stuff here, but there's an important error. He states that "You simply can’t mount an ordinary tripod plate to both the camera body and the FTZ adapter at the same time. Even mounting one tripod plate might not work unless you get the right adapter that can slide fore/aft enough to allow the FTZ adapter to still mount."
This is false. I've made this work with 3 different combinations, and the one I recommend is first in the pix here, posted along with my earlier solutions. It's the ProMediaGear L plate, with a small plate on the FTZ (also by ProMedia, but others fit fine). I like ProMedia's because of its easy sliding of the L to accommodate port connectivity, and the compatibility with various add-ons. IT WORKS FINE. You see how the cheap ones with knockoff plates from eBay that worked well, though I had to take a rattail file and widen a slot to provide compatibility with the plate on the FTZ (see attached).
As to autofocus: I remain confused. I don't have D850, which is clearly the flagship autofocus machine from Nikon. But the Z7 kicks butt over the speed and low-light performance of my D810 & D750. I see plenty of impressive examples of high-speed wildlife and sports imagery from others, so I'm convinced the issues others complain about are about technique and understanding the nuance of this highly complex camera.
We've entered this strange world where people expect their new toy to work flawlessly from the start, and have lost ability to adapt and invent solutions as needed. My view: we're supposed to be adapting and inventing as image makers, as every situation we encounter requires our imagination and our full toolset to respond. Is this the result of social media??
This applies to the tiresome XQD single-slot noise machine. We got in the habit of 2 slots as a backup concept (although for me and many, we used one card for RAW & one for JPG — and don't get me started on how I had a D3 fail and destroy everything on 2 CF cards in the middle of a very complex shoot).
Aside from the touted high reliability and durability of XQD, the issue ignores one of the best features of the camera that's scarcely mentioned: the ability to seamlessly upload lo-res JPGs to your iPhone in real time, providing instant shareability and camera-free backup. Email to clients, post to social media etc. without a trip to the computer.
I've been just astonished at the whining and entitled behavior among so many that I just scratch my head. Perhaps part of the problem for us experienced photographers is we don't like admitting that the technological advances we're experiencing require us to be humble and go back to the basics of camera operation, with willingness to learn anew.
Also I love the Yosemite images. Nice work!
The ProMediaGear L plate & small plate on the FTZ:
https://uploads.disquscdn.c...
FTZ mounted to tripod (as you should to avoid stress on the camera mount flange)
https://uploads.disquscdn.c...
Cheap L plate and small plate; small slot widened to clear the FTZ.
https://uploads.disquscdn.c...
Even cheaper base plate that had a slot already perfect https://uploads.disquscdn.c...
Astro Landscapes ·
Hi Craig! Somehow my earlier reply seems to have been marked as spam, so until it reappears, I'll just say this: What I said is perfectly in line with what you had to do to get your plates to work. That is, you had to modify them to get them to slide fore-aft, otherwise they would have touched. I also mentioned that of course a proprietary plate system would undoubtedly solve this problem, for those who are willing to spend ~$150 on a Z7-fitted L-bracket and ~$50 on a FTZ-fitted plate.
Duane ·
I have the z6 and the d850, I won’t be trading in my d850 until they sort out the depth of field preview problem. I want to be able to preview the depth of field when zoomed in, as soon as you press the depth of view preview button it returns to full view. Also zoomed in manual focus is a bit too laggy. Hopefully this will either be addressed in a firmware update or version 2 of the z7. Personally that’s all that’s holding me back from the z7.
Duane ·
I have the z6 and the d850, I won't be trading in my d850 until they sort out the depth of field preview problem. I want to be able to preview the depth of field when zoomed in, as soon as you press the depth of view preview button it returns to full view. Also zoomed in manual focus is a bit too laggy. Hopefully this will either be addressed in a firmware update or version 2 of the z7. Personally that's all that's holding me back from the z7.
Teena Northey ·
Thanks for such an informative review. I am a landscape photographer and you have answered all the questions I’ve had in the decision of whether to buy the Z7 or stay with the d810 for a few more years. The biggest thing holding me back is dynamic range. Have you be able to a review on the 14-30mm f/4 Z/S yet??
Teena Northey ·
Thanks for such an informative review. I am a landscape photographer and you have answered all the questions I've had in the decision of whether to buy the Z7 or stay with the d810 for a few more years. The biggest thing holding me back is dynamic range. Have you be able to a review on the 14-30mm f/4 Z/S yet??
Wesley R. Williams ·
Thanks for the article that you've review to us. I like the idea and information that you shared to us. Good day!!
Hans Kruse ·
What is not so good is that in high dynamic scnes it is impossible to see both shadows and highlights at the same time in the view finder. I use easy exposure compensation mode so the back dial does the exposure compensation and you need to use that dial to go back and forth to see the shadows and the highligths. This is annoying compared to the excellent optical viewfinder on the D850. When shooting hand held this is not good as it is hard to turn the back dial at the same time as composing precisely. The histogram displayed in the viewfinder is only luminosity and it is fairly small and you have to toggle what is displayed between the electronic level tool and the histogram. It is hard to see if the histogram shows highlight clipping. There is no highlight clipping warning available in the view finder. The metering is erratic and very dependent on where you focus. I find shooting without bracketing as I had expected to be able to do, pretty much useless and I have to check highlight clipping much more than on the D850. Other things that is annoying is that if you enable the 2s delay then it switches back to no delay when the camera goes on sleep and wakes up again! The view finder should have an HDR option to make it useful in very high dynamic scenes. In “normal” scenes the view finder is fine, but it is not nearly as good as an optical viewfinder. I have not found a single review mentioning these issues. Only the erratic metering is mentioned in one review from dpreview. I can only conclude that the reviewers do not shot landscapes as I do.
The issues I have listed above could be fixed with a firmware update, but I highly doubt that this will be done. So it is a matter to live with these shortcomings and appreciate the good parts. There is no doubt that the DSLRs has a limited life time and on the recent workshop we discussed the issues and the Sony and Canon mirrorless all have the same high dynamic scene issue as the Z7.
Hans Kruse ·
What is not so good is that in high dynamic scnes it is impossible to see both shadows and highlights at the same time in the view finder. I use easy exposure compensation mode so the back dial does the exposure compensation and you need to use that dial to go back and forth to see the shadows and the highligths. This is annoying compared to the excellent optical viewfinder on the D850. When shooting hand held this is not good as it is hard to turn the back dial at the same time as composing precisely. The histogram displayed in the viewfinder is only luminosity and it is fairly small and you have to toggle what is displayed between the electronic level tool and the histogram. It is hard to see if the histogram shows highlight clipping. There is no highlight clipping warning available in the view finder. The metering is erratic and very dependent on where you focus. I find shooting without bracketing as I had expected to be able to do, pretty much useless and I have to check highlight clipping much more than on the D850. Other things that is annoying is that if you enable the 2s delay then it switches back to no delay when the camera goes on sleep and wakes up again! The view finder should have an HDR option to make it useful in very high dynamic scenes. In “normal” scenes the view finder is fine, but it is not nearly as good as an optical viewfinder. I have not found a single review mentioning these issues. Only the erratic metering is mentioned in one review from dpreview. I can only conclude that the reviewers do not shot landscapes as I do.
The issues I have listed above could be fixed with a firmware update, but I highly doubt that this will be done. So it is a matter to live with these shortcomings and appreciate the good parts. There is no doubt that the DSLRs has a limited life time and on the recent workshop we discussed the issues and the Sony and Canon mirrorless all have the same high dynamic scene issue as the Z7.