Preliminary Impressions of Nikon Z7 Mirorless

[Clix Pix]

Don't feel bad, Smirking! I must live under a rock, too, as I had never heard of those people until the Nikon Z cameras release -- and made the mistake of watching their video. That was my very question, too: "who ARE these people?" Well, this time around I am not going to bother watching the video because first of all I am not interested in Canon anyway and secondly because I have taken a dislike to those people (or rather, to their way of hamming it up and apparently being more interested in presenting themselves than whatever product they are supposed to be discussing).

 

[Apple fanboy]

Don't feel bad, Smirking! I must live under a rock, too, as I had never heard of those people until the Nikon Z cameras release -- and made the mistake of watching their video. That was my very question, too: "who ARE these people?" Well, this time around I am not going to bother watching the video because first of all I am not interested in Canon anyway and secondly because I have taken a dislike to those people (or rather, to their way of hamming it up and apparently being more interested in presenting themselves than whatever product they are supposed to be discussing).

I often have YouTube photography stuff on whilst editing or browsing MR.

This video might help you. I really felt sorry for them as their guest (who produces beautiful photos), is less than warm and friendly!

Check out some of the comments!

 

[Clix Pix]

Moose Peterson is a terrific photographer! A name well-known in photography...... I have much more respect for him and his work than I do those Chelsea and Tony people.

ETA: Didn't watch the video but did read comments on YT -- wow!!!! Sounds as though Moose did not come across very well at all!!! Later when I have some time I'll actually watch the video to see for myself just what went down.....

 

[Apple fanboy]

Moose Peterson is a terrific photographer! A name well-known in photography...... I have much more respect for him and his work than I do those Chelsea and Tony people.

ETA: Didn't watch the video but did read comments on YT -- wow!!!! Sounds as though Moose did not come across very well at all!!! Later when I have some time I'll actually watch the video to see for myself just what went down.....

Let's just say not warm and friendly!

 

[v3rlon]

What did they announce?

Why is everyone posting that Northrup video? Who are they anyway? I never would have known who they were if they didn't post a Canon R review from their all expenses paid trip to Haiwaii from Canon. Nikon should have done that too... bribe the influencers with free vacations. Then the camera industry would be just like the American medical device and pharmaceutical industry.

a 50mm f 1.2 lens
and a 28-70mm F2 lens

Things you just can't get at Sony E mount, Canon EF mount, or Nikon F mount as of the announcement.

Now the lenses could turn out to be garbage, but I doubt it given the price point. Love 'em or hate 'em, Canon does know a thing or two about selling cameras and lenses. Sony could fire back with something similar, as could Nikon, but it will take time.

Nikon had the opportunity, and missed it.

On the bright side, reports are coming in that the Z6/7 battery life is FAR better than the press release. That would be a welcome bit of new. Matt Granger had a source saying >1000 shots. That is a huger step up from the press release. We will see.

 

[smirking]

a 50mm f 1.2 lens
and a 28-70mm F2 lens
...
Nikon had the opportunity, and missed it.

The Canon RF 28-70mm F2 is certainly an impressive lens, but it's $3000, weighs over 3lbs, and is huge. Your needs must be far more sophisticated than mine, but I'm probably never going to buy something like that and it certainly isn't going to be something that would entice me to switch brands or move up to a new platform.

On the other hand, the more pedestrian Z-mount 24-70mm f/4 (and not the camera) just might lure me into the mirrorless fold ahead of schedule. There aren't any F mount 24-70's out there that really excite me. If the image quality of the new 24-70mm Z-mount is anything like what Nikon claims it is, it'll be plenty impressive as a lightweight, compact, and (relatively) cheap 24-70mm that's sharp. From my limited opportunities to try one out, I was impressed with the weight, feel, and build.

So, I'm not disappointed at the lens choices at launch time. Anything I'm shooting at f/2, I'll probably want to do with a prime anyway and I don't want size and weight in a walkabout lens.

If it's bragging rights you're after, that 58mm f/.95 Z-mount Noct lens coming out in 2019 looks like a monster, but like the Canon 28-70mm, most of us will be lucky if we manage to put our hands on it just once in our lifetimes.

 

[v3rlon]

The Canon RF 28-70mm F2 is certainly an impressive lens, but it's $3000, weighs over 3lbs, and is huge. Your needs must be far more sophisticated than mine, but I'm probably never going to buy something like that and it certainly isn't going to be something that would entice me to switch brands or move up to a new platform.

On the other hand, the more pedestrian Z-mount 24-70mm f/4 (and not the camera) just might lure me into the mirrorless fold ahead of schedule. There aren't any F mount 24-70's out there that really excite me. If the image quality of the new 24-70mm Z-mount is anything like what Nikon claims it is, it'll be plenty impressive as a lightweight, compact, and (relatively) cheap 24-70mm that's sharp. From my limited opportunities to try one out, I was impressed with the weight, feel, and build.

So, I'm not disappointed at the lens choices at launch time. Anything I'm shooting at f/2, I'll probably want to do with a prime anyway and I don't want size and weight in a walkabout lens.

If it's bragging rights you're after, that 58mm f/.95 Z-mount Noct lens coming out in 2019 looks like a monster, but like the Canon 28-70mm, most of us will be lucky if we manage to put our hands on it just once in our lifetimes.

How much sharper do you think the 28-70 f4 will be than the Nikon 24-70 f2.8? How much sharper CAN it be?
The Tamron 24-70 2.8 VC is good and can be had for less than $1000, and it is smaller than the Nikon. Sigma makes one that gets nice reviews also, but I haven’t used it. None of these require a new camera or mount. If brand switching is on the table, Canon and Sony have offerings that are quite well regarded, with the Canon being the sharpest per DxO mark, of those ratings impress you (only place I know to measure sharpness, even then they admit this is subjective).

And sure the 58mm f 0.95 is coming soon, but it isn’t rolling with the camera.

I’m not saying that Nikon should make all $3000 lenses, but they should have shipped at least one high end lens to have the professional community salivating over the chance to get something they couldn’t find anywhere else.

And early hands on with the Canon indicate it isn’t bad either. You can down load some raw files from Jared Polin if you like.

And for the record, I do not now and actually never have shot Canon. So I am definitely not a fanboy. It’s the only major brand I haven’t shot.

 

[smirking]

How much sharper do you think the 28-70 f4 will be than the Nikon 24-70 f2.8? How much sharper CAN it be?

Probably not much sharper if you only care about center sharpness, but if you're looking out to the corners, it could be quite a bit sharper. That 55mm mount diameter combined with the 16mm flange distance means less warping of the image on its way through the various lens elements and then through to the sensor. All of the 24-70mm F mounts have some ugly spots in their focal length range and the Tamron version is actually more like 24-60mm. I tested a G2 copy of that lens. It's a fantastic lens, but thanks to significant focus breathing, its reach is well short of 70mm.

Canon being the sharpest per DxO mark, of those ratings impress you (only place I know to measure sharpness, even then they admit this is subjective).

And that Canon lenses always seem to be a step ahead of Nikon lenses would be a very good reason to be optimistic about Z-mount glass. The Canon EF mount had the advantage of a 44mm flange and 54mm mount diameter to work with vs the F mount’s 46.5mm flange and 44mm mount diameter.

 

[OreoCookie]

How much sharper do you think the 28-70 f4 will be than the Nikon 24-70 f2.8? How much sharper CAN it be?
The Tamron 24-70 2.8 VC is good and can be had for less than $1000, and it is smaller than the Nikon.

I think you are not appreciating what sensor resolution these lenses were made for: Nikon and Canon designed these new class of lenses for sensors with >50 MP, and a 50 MP sensor can reveal flaws in a lens that performs well with a 24-30 MP sensor. And weight is a factor even when money is not.

I don't think the lack of a unicorn lens in Nikon's line-up is a big negative, because I reckon a lot of people will want to wait a bit before making the switch — or, in Canon's case, wait for a body with a 45+ MP sensor.

 

[tizeye]

Don't feel bad, Smirking! I must live under a rock, too, as I had never heard of those people until the Nikon Z cameras release -- and made the mistake of watching their video. That was my very question, too: "who ARE these people?" Well, this time around I am not going to bother watching the video because first of all I am not interested in Canon anyway and secondly because I have taken a dislike to those people (or rather, to their way of hamming it up and apparently being more interested in presenting themselves than whatever product they are supposed to be discussing).

Actually, one of their better videos isn't really photography. If you have an interest in drone photography for commercial usage (which includes monetized YouTube!), in addition to some skill development exercises They have a fairly comprehensive tutorial, spoken as photographers rather than aviators, on the FAA exam with some good hints on weeding out the bad answers. 95% of the exam isn't photography (probably 0%) or drone flight/skills but pure aviation - sectionals, NOTAMS, etc. While I am a former pilot (not medically cleared to fly) it was a nice refresher and generally accurate.

 

[smirking]

How much sharper do you think the 28-70 f4 will be than the Nikon 24-70 f2.8? How much sharper CAN it be?

Well, according to one early review, it's a sharper lens than the much more expensive and much heavier Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 F mount lens.
https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/reviews/nikon-nikkor-z-24-70mm-f4-s-review

Nikon Ambassador Tamara Lackey also reports that the 24-70 f/4S is both amazingly sharp edge to edge while having better depth of field than she expected in an f/4 lens. Granted, she's got a conflict of interest and you have to take what she says with a grain of salt.
https://www.adorama.com/alc/hands-o...irrorless-system-and-nikkor-24-70mm-f4-s-lens

As I said before, I'm actually more tempted to move into Nikon's mirrorless system by virtue of this rather unassuming and modestly priced lens and not because I must have the capabilities of a mirrorless camera. I'm eagerly awaiting some more in depth reviews of this lens in the coming weeks.

It's unlikely that I will give in and buy into the first generation, but it's sure tempting me.

 

[OreoCookie]

Well, according to one early review, it's a sharper lens than the much more expensive and much heavier Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 F mount lens.

Good to know that Nikon really did do their homework here and “just” made great lenses. I think that is worth a lot in the long run, and I hope their 35 and 50 mm prime lenses have similar image quality than the 24-70 mm f/4 zoom.

I wonder how Canon's lenses fare. Here, given the price tags the expectations are accordingly much, much higher — and justifiably so. But at least you can't fault Canon for trying, I like that.

 

[v3rlon]

Well, according to one early review, it's a sharper lens than the much more expensive and much heavier Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 F mount lens.
https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/reviews/nikon-nikkor-z-24-70mm-f4-s-review

Nikon Ambassador Tamara Lackey also reports that the 24-70 f/4S is both amazingly sharp edge to edge while having better depth of field than she expected in an f/4 lens. Granted, she's got a conflict of interest and you have to take what she says with a grain of salt.
https://www.adorama.com/alc/hands-o...irrorless-system-and-nikkor-24-70mm-f4-s-lens

As I said before, I'm actually more tempted to move into Nikon's mirrorless system by virtue of this rather unassuming and modestly priced lens and not because I must have the capabilities of a mirrorless camera. I'm eagerly awaiting some more in depth reviews of this lens in the coming weeks.

It's unlikely that I will give in and buy into the first generation, but it's sure tempting me.

I saw a review that was less impressed with the lens. As usual, we'll have to wait and see. It could be a bad pre-production lens (or an exceptional cherry picked one) or a drunken Sony Fanboy making stuff up.

 

[smirking]

I saw a review that was less impressed with the leme.

Where did you see it? I’d like to read it.

 

[Macshroomer]

Tony and Chelsea Northrop have a million followers on Youtube and are well known within the industry.

They are not working photographers though and it is working photographers that really put this stuff to the test so they are essentially internet tech centric nobodies. At the end of the day...their opinions mean zero.

I have a Z6 / 24-70 and FTZ adapter on order, it looks like it will fill the role I need it to fill perfectly. Thankfully I don't have to stoop down to doing weddings as advertising and fine art is doing really well for me as it has for decades so I have zero issues with the single card slot.

A good friend of mine who is a fellow working pro ordered and is now using his Z7 / 24-70 and thinks Nikon really nailed it, the mechanical shutter is super quiet and the lens is just outstanding. I think the lenses they released are exactly what they should have released, ***especially*** a compact and crazy sharp 24-70....perfect Nikon, just perfect!

If you are a gear enthusiast or live for what I call "Camera Jousting" then this release and all others from here on out for that matter will likely disappoint you. But if you, by some stroke of amazing chance actually like to make photographs then you might find this new lineup to be a nice addition to what is already the world's best camera system.

 

[Apple fanboy]

They are not working photographers though and it is working photographers that really put this stuff to the test so they are essentially internet tech centric nobodies. At the end of the day...their opinions mean zero.

I have a Z6 / 24-70 and FTZ adapter on order, it looks like it will fill the role I need it to fill perfectly. Thankfully I don't have to stoop down to doing weddings as advertising and fine art is doing really well for me as it has for decades so I have zero issues with the single card slot.

A good friend of mine who is a fellow working pro ordered and is now using his Z7 / 24-70 and thinks Nikon really nailed it, the mechanical shutter is super quiet and the lens is just outstanding. I think the lenses they released are exactly what they should have released, ***especially*** a compact and crazy sharp 24-70....perfect Nikon, just perfect!

If you are a gear enthusiast or live for what I call "Camera Jousting" then this release and all others from here on out for that matter will likely disappoint you. But if you, by some stroke of amazing chance actually like to make photographs then you might find this new lineup to be a nice addition to what is already the world's best camera system.

Glad your happy with your purchase. Personally there’s no reason for me to upgrade as I can’t really see what it would give me that I don’t have now.
But I’m less than a nobody being just a hobbiest.

 

[smirking]

I think the lenses they released are exactly what they should have released, ***especially*** a compact and crazy sharp 24-70....perfect Nikon, just perfect!

Indeed it's that exact lens that makes me squirm a little in my decision to stay with my d750 for another year or two. I'm dying for a compact and sharp 24-70. That it's only $650 when purchased as a kit lens is killing me.

 

[Apple fanboy]

Indeed it's that exact lens that makes me squirm a little in my decision to stay with my d750 for another year or two. I'm dying for a compact and sharp 24-70. That it's only $650 when purchased as a kit lens is killing me.

But it’s a f4. If it was an f2.8 or better it would have more appeal for me. But then it wouldn’t be as compact!

 

[bunnspecial]

I played with the Z7 and 24-70 at the local shop last week.

Mirrorless STILL isn't for me, but I have to say that I liked its handling and overall feel a lot better than I have any other mirrorless I've ever used

You can tell it came from a company that's been making cameras for 70+ years and not from an electronics company that got into the camera business...

 

[smirking]

But it’s a f4. If it was an f2.8 or better it would have more appeal for me. But then it wouldn’t be as compact!

I'll use another lens when I need to shoot that wide open. I rarely need anything below f/4 for walkaround shooting and I can usually get enough background blur with a little zoom applied anyway.

 

[OreoCookie]

But it’s a f4. If it was an f2.8 or better it would have more appeal for me. But then it wouldn’t be as compact!

Nor would it be as cheap. You have Canon's approach where you shell out $3k for a heavy, but apparently very good lens with the unique selling point of being an f/2 full frame zoom. Life is about compromises, and I reckon Nikon was more pragmatic.

 

[v3rlon]

I played with the Z7 and 24-70 at the local shop last week.

Mirrorless STILL isn't for me, but I have to say that I liked its handling and overall feel a lot better than I have any other mirrorless I've ever used

You can tell it came from a company that's been making cameras for 70+ years and not from an electronics company that got into the camera business...

For the record, Sony bought their camera division from Konica Minolta which made their first camera in 1929. The A mount camera were first designed by Minolta.

That said, I was unaware you could walk into a shop and see a Z7. I thought they were sold out clear through Christmas.

I would’ve liked to try it to figure out if the Z6 was for me. I really like Nikons, but went Sony after a brief fling with M43 ended badly. The D750 is just an amazing camera for the price.

 

[Indydenny]

I would’ve liked to try it to figure out if the Z6 was for me. I really like Nikons, but went Sony after a brief fling with M43 ended badly. The D750 is just an amazing camera for the price.

The D750 was my favorite camera and the Z7 is quickly taking over that position for me! Loving it.