Nikon's Z9 a game Changer.: A D1, than D3 'moment'

[Ilkka Nissilä]

I was not acquainted with "EFCS" (Electronic Front-Curtain Shutter) so I did a search and this is the first article I read which also contains a video...

https://petapixel.com/2018/12/07/psa-electronic-front-curtain-shutter-may-be-quietly-hurting-your-bokeh/

Here is a direct link to the video...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQTarMu_y6Y

This is totally new to me. It appears that the use of an EFCS adversely affects one's bokeh. As I understand the article and video this issue appears at about 1/1,000th second or higher shutter speed when using an EFCS and seems to be a feature of all camera brands.

I wonder what others think of this article and video?

Dave

In the Z cameras (other than the Z9 which only has full electronic shutter) you have the option of Auto EFCS which chooses between EFCS and mechanical shutter operation automatically depending on lens, shutter speed etc. In the auto mode it probably avoids EFCS at high shutter speeds avoiding these bokeh issues. In some Z lenses there is no explicit mechanical option (e.g., 105 MC), only auto and EFCS.

Nikon do not in most cameras allow EFCS at faster speeds than 1/2000s (not sure about how things work on the 105 MC when at high speeds, if it does go to mechanical or continues with EFCS); this should avoid most of the bokeh issues.

I've personally not encountered any bokeh issues that I would have noticed but with PC lenses at wide apertures and with tilt in use, there can be some image shading (gradient) in EFCS mode.

EFCS should be the default operation mode on most mirrorless cameras as otherwise the camera would complete two cycles of the mechanical shutter for every shot, increasing vibration. EFCS also reduces shutter lag (in mirrorless cameras and in some DSLRs in live view).

The Z9 of course makes EFCS irrelevant for its users. For those cameras which don't have fast electronic shutters, EFCS can dramatially enhance sharpness, to the point that one can struggle to view through the somewhat smeared mechanical shutter shots.

[Ilkka Nissilä]

Don't worry though! Nikon F series cameras were made in the millions and are available for very low prices.

I'm not worried, I am happy that people can get the kind of camera they want. I keep my cameras so tidy that I think going for a used-market camera would be quite a shock in most cases... but I already have enough cameras.

[Jan Anne]

I'm not worried, I am happy that people can get the kind of camera they want.

In my case I am not worried anymore, to me the Z9 shows that Nikon is the way to go and that mirrorless has finally matured after 8 very long years since my move from the well refined D800E DSLR to a very mediocre Sony a7R in 2013.

I had the pleasure to travel the world and test optical gems from other brands and kept the ones I liked like the Canon 85/1.2 FD and CV125 in Canon EF mount but a lot of money was burnt down the road by being an early adopter. I have more adapters than I can count and the chase for decent AF performance with tele lenses only ended with a move back to a Nikon DSLR 5 years later with the purchase of the D500 and 200-500VR in 2018 for my trip to Down Under.

Now with the Z9 announced I feel confident enough to sell my last Sony gear and go all in on the Zee platform even though the lenses I would like to buy like a 35/1.2 and 14/1.8 haven’t even been rumored yet let alone announced whereas Sony does already have an excellent and compact 14/1.8.

[chambeshi]

These are at best preliminary results at best comparing ISO of the Z9 and Z7 II, with a provocative interpretation of the Z9 by the reviewer: comparing its innovations against to the D3. But he does not mention the earlier cameras which introduced a stacked sensor

https://www.nikonzone.com/review-nikon-z-9/