Nikon Z6/7 mirrorless system

[Jacques Pochoy]

True Story:

I was supposed to go out and buy the Nikon Z6...the mailman arrived and delivered a battered-but working Nikon FM3a. 

I thought to myself...do I really need the best and the latest when all I take are pictures of Japanese aunties and drunk salarymen. 

BOOM, instant satori (Buddhist "realization moment"). what I really want is a Nikon Df2 

That's exactly why I'm still using the "old" Df...

[Birna Rørslett]

Often one hears the Z files being 'pliable' in post processing. I would rather say 'malleable' as there is an amazing tolerance to grossly wrong exposure.

A case in point, from a recent sequence with the 100mm f/1.6 XR-Heligon on my Z6. The camera was in 'M' mode and the first shot came out so overexposed the preview was nearly all pure white. I had forgot about ISO being set to 3200 and thus maxed out shutter speed at 1/8000 sec. Reducing ISO to 250 and shutter speed to 1/200 sec got the exposure all right.

Run through Photo Ninja later, both NEFs produced quite similar output (depth-of-field is paper-thin with the lens at close range, so focus is not identical as I used a hand-held camera).

The first frame here is at least 5 stops off exposure-wise. Still most of the details are visible, except for some loss of extreme highlights.

[richardHaw]

That's exactly why I'm still using the "old" Df...

the wife said: "what are you going to do with all the cameras that you have? isn't what you enough for you?"  end of discussion.

now, if only they came out with a better adapter that can at least allow me to shoot wide-open with Ai-S lenses and stop it down before exposure then that would override my fear for my wife 

[richardHaw]

Often one hears the Z files being 'pliable' in post processing. I would rather say 'malleable' as there is an amazing tolerance to grossly wrong exposure.

A case in point, from a recent sequence with the 100mm f/1.6 XR-Heligon on my Z6. The camera was in 'M' mode and the first shot came out so overexposed the preview was nearly all pure white. I had forgot about ISO being set to 3200 and thus maxed out shutter speed at 1/8000 sec. Reducing ISO to 250 and shutter speed to 1/200 sec got the exposure all right.

Run through Photo Ninja later, both NEFs produced quite similar output (depth-of-field is paper-thin with the lens at close range, so focus is not identical as I used a hand-held camera).

The first frame here is at least 5 stops off exposure-wise. Still most of the details are visible, except for some loss of extreme highlights.

nice greens 

[Birna Rørslett]

Put a pie

the wife said: "what are you going to do with all the cameras that you have? isn't what you enough for you?"  end of discussion.

all my wives are deceased.

now, if only they came out with a better adapter that can at least allow me to shoot wide-open with Ai-S lenses and stop it down before exposure then that would override my fear for my wife 

Place a broken-off tooth-pick into the FTZ (to jam the min.aperture sensor) and you can do exactly that. For a more permanent solution, use epoxy glue.

[Jack Dahlgren]

Place a broken-off tooth-pick into the FTZ (to jam the min.aperture sensor) and you can do exactly that. For a more permanent solution, use epoxy glue.

Photo please

[Birna Rørslett]

Already posted in this thread ...

But can be repeated



An alternative would be to forego the FTZ entirely and use a cheaper third-party adapter without transfer of electronic information. Since nearly all my manual lenses are CPU-modified by now, I prefer the toothpick approach ....

[richardHaw]

i havent been following the thread since i am too busy lately but i think i have seen this mentioned somewhere

this afternoon, i was convincing my wife WHY i needed the Z6...

I took the Nikon FM3a that I just overhauled last night and the Nikkor 45/2.8P with me to shoot st patricks day.

while at the shop, i tried the P with the FTZ and like what Birna or whoever mentioned, it did have some communication with the body so turning the aperture dial on the Z6 controls the iris ONLY up until f/5.6 and then it stops-down properly as i make an exposure. I did have to set my lens to f/22 though...

Now, i don't know why Nikon didn't just do this for ALL F-mount manual lenses and add a disclaimer that exposure won't be accurate for pre-AiS lenses because the iris isnt linear. it would have added more functionality to the Z6 

[Birna Rørslett]

The presence of a non-linear aperture mechanism is less problematic on the Z cameras.

The f/5.6 setting can be entirely avoided with a third-party adapter. Or you get full aperture control from f/5.6 to the max.aperture of your lens by the tooth-pick trick.

[JohnBrew]

Can anyone confirm that the Z6 & 7 have a Bulb mode and Long Exposure NR capable of being turned off? Reason I ask is it is not mentioned in the specs as it is for the DSLR's and I've already returned my demo 
Thanks,
John

[Nikfuson]

Can anyone confirm that the Z6 & 7 have a Bulb mode and Long Exposure NR capable of being turned off? Reason I ask is it is not mentioned in the specs as it is for the DSLR's and I've already returned my demo 
Thanks,
John

The bulb mode is accessed by selectinh «M» mode and turning the command wheel beyond 30 sec. LE NR can be turned off.

[golunvolo]

30", bulb, time, x200 is the sequence of options at the end in manual mode.
Long exposure can be on and off. Photo shooting menu between Active D-lighting and High ISO NR

[Birna Rørslett]

One can also increase ISO and shoot effortlessly in pretty dark situations.

Rodenstock 100mm f/1.6 XR-Heligon, 32000 ISO, Z6, hand-held at 1/250(!) sec. The winter night is open to explore with the Z range.

Timber is Scots Pine, by the way. Freshly cut logs smell divinely.

[JohnBrew]

The bulb mode is accessed by selectinh «M» mode and turning the command wheel beyond 30 sec. LE NR can be turned off.

Thanks, just like always, eh? Don’t know why Ithought they might have changed it.

[Birna Rørslett]

I'm now eagerly awaiting another Z6 that has been modified as "full spectrum" camera. Meaning it can do UV or IR as well. The perfect match for one of my UV-Nikkor lenses (I hope).