Nikon Z6/7 mirrorless system

[Hermann]

A few quick thoughts - if Z series is successful (I think it has been so far) there likely will be APC format Z cameras in the future.

I think so, too. In the long run the mirrorless cameras will take over, no doubt about that. However, nobody knows how long it will take until Nikon starts making DX mirrorless cameras, and nobody knows if there will ever be mirrorless cameras in that format that won't just be entry level models. And then there's a chance they'll be crippled, just like the present entry level Nikon DSLRs. Still, maybe I should stick to my present setup for a while and see what happens.

Focusing manual lenses on the Z6 is as good or better than DSLR. The ability to zoom the viewfinder with the touch of a button is very helpful.
In body image stabilization makes it possible to calm shaky hands or take photos in low light. I was just trying some shots this morning and it looks like with some luck - exposures handheld at 1/2 second are possible.

Excellent. Easy focusing of manual lenses, that's what I'm looking for. And the in body stabilization is of course the icing on the cake.

Hermann

[antonoat]

Towards the evening the promised snow fall commenced. I spent an enjoyable hour driving my little red car on snow-filled slippery roads, with the car stereo at full blast doing Marek Bilinski: "Po Drugiej Stronie Światła"* from the album ''E = MC²''. Haven't had this much fun in a long time, very invigorating and a reminder of why I love this country so much.

Snow depicted with Z7 + FTZ + 200/2 AFS (800 ISO, f/2, 1/10 sec, hand held).* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvCmmXUr36E

thanks for your thoughts re the camera, the music is most agreeable!

[Bruno Schroder]

A few quick shots with the 400/5.6, handheld, leaning on a wall.

I find it quite handholdable. 100% and 200% zoom are useable despite the stabilization shake. At first, it was strange to not see the image becoming stable when VR kicks in but I easily got used to it. I did shoot this in "real life" conditions, as I would be out in the woods with little time to focus. Absolutely no esthetic consideration, my only goal was to assess how stabilization and focus work.

Z7 400/5.6 at f5.6 100% center crop of the intended focus point. ViewNX-i conversion, no PP except crop, which is awfully slow with Z7 NEF

[Birna Rørslett]

The built-in VR obviously works -- hand-holding a 400mm lens is tricky, in particular the rather light-weight 400/5.6 Nikkor.

[Birna Rørslett]

Isn't AF-C where Hogan reported that he had AF problems when the subject was in shade and the background was in the Sun?

No problems apparently, using the AFS 200/2 in this case. A snowy white-out background has to suffice as a sun replacement as the solar disc hasn't been seen around here for a while ...

[Birna Rørslett]

The 35-200/3.5~4.5 Nikkor is the first one of the older lenses that I feel is not entirely up to the challenge of the Z7's 45 MPix sensor. I did some landscapes at 200mm setting and they became quite soft. However, at close range results were much better. Perhaps this is a lens better suited to the Df?

I also notice that matrix metering of the Z7 tends to underexpose snow scenery. That was somewhat unexpected as the motif should be easy to handle by the matrix metering algorithm. The exposures is consistently -1 EV off. Well within the dynamic range of the Z camera, of course, but food for thought nonetheless.

[Bruno Schroder]

Indeed, it works. It also works with the 105/4 on PN1.

A few quick shots with the 600/5.6 AI-S. I find it not handholdable. I really need a monopod. At minimum focusing distance, 5.5m, I can't use the 200%zoom, the stabilization shake is too large. It is better at 15m but, for me, only 100% works. I did shoot this in "real life" conditions, as I would be out in the woods with little time to focus. Absolutely no esthetic consideration, my only goal was to assess how stabilization and focus work. On the last 2 pictures, if you know how active these birds are, you have a good idea of the time I had to focus.

Z7 600/5.6 at f5.6 100% center crop of the intended focus point. ViewNX-i conversion, no PP except crop, which is awfully slow with Z7 NEF
Last picture is full size, for context and relative size of the crop.

[Akira]

Don't the Z bodies let you input the focal length of the attached MF lenses, so that the movement of the stabilization is optimized for the lens?  All Panasonic and Olympus bodies with IBIS have that function...

[Bruno Schroder]

Don't the Z bodies let you input the focal length of the attached MF lenses, so that the movement of the stabilization is optimized for the lens?  All Panasonic and Olympus bodies with IBIS have that function...

Indeed it does and it is perfectly fine in normal viewing mode.  What I'm referring to is the amplification of the stabilization movement at 100% or 200% focus peaking. With the 600mm, for something as small as a blue tit at 17 meters, the amplitude is still too large at 200%, at least for my rather unsteady hand. I can manage 400mm though.

[Jack Dahlgren]

Indeed it does and it is perfectly fine in normal viewing mode.  What I'm referring to is the amplification of the stabilization movement at 100% or 200% focus peaking. With the 600mm, for something as small as a blue tit at 17 meters, the amplitude is still too large at 200%, at least for my rather unsteady hand. I can manage 400mm though.

Handholding the old AI 300mm f/2.8 is possible, but I agree that when zoomed to 200% it is not possible to have a steady view. This does not mean you can’t focus or take a good photo, just that there is more movement in the finder than I’m comfortable with. Indeed, it allows very precise focus as long as you have a subject that you can keep in the finder. 600 must be quite a challenge!

[Nikfuson]

My first real trial trip today. Here's one shot of some vegetational species.

[Bent Hjarbo]

The 35-200/3.5~4.5 Nikkor is the first one of the older lenses that I feel is not entirely up to the challenge of the Z7's 45 MPix sensor. I did some landscapes at 200mm setting and they became quite soft. However, at close range results were much better. Perhaps this is a lens better suited to the Df?

I also notice that matrix metering of the Z7 tends to underexpose snow scenery. That was somewhat unexpected as the motif should be easy to handle by the matrix metering algorithm. The exposures is consistently -1 EV off. Well within the dynamic range of the Z camera, of course, but food for thought nonetheless.

My D500 and D800 also have problems with snow, tend to underexpose, May even more than -1, my D700 was spot on in the scenery.

[Birna Rørslett]

Strangely enough, shooting snow scenes with my AFS 200/2 yielded much more correct exposures. However, in this case contrast was higher as some trees had direct sunlight whilst others were in the shade. I'll post some examples after my morning coffee break.

[Birna Rørslett]

Here is AFS 200/2 with Z7, snow landscape with shade and sunlight. Auto exposure has expanded the histogram of levels perfectly (in the NEF).

This is the living room view, by the way. This is how December should look at my latitude. Sunlight is soft as the sun is near the horizon.

[Birna Rørslett]

Multi-exposures on the Z cameras evidently is designed completely different from what I'm used to with my "normal" DSLRs. There are a lot more options, not every one very intuitive, and you cannot get a final NEF with the result. Instead, you get a jpg of the size you have set the camera to record, and optionally each individual exposure as separate NEFs. Not how I would like to see this feature implemented, that's for sure. However, if you have the stamina and patience, the individual NEFs can be processed and then assembled as layers in Photoshop or similar application.

I need to read the manual, and digest the information contained therein, before I can make a final evaluation of the multi-exposure capabilities of my Z's.