A little more than a week ago I was able to put the Z6 through the test during a Golf event of my golf club, so I thought to share my current thoughts (it is a work in progress). Although my point of reference is the Nikon DSLR (D750 and D810) I also used other mirrorless systems before (Fuji, Olympus).
Generally speaking I must say that I do not know how much of an improvement the new Z-system is compared to the DSLR systems, in my case the Z6 vs the D750. I do know that “mirrorless” apparently is the way to go and I do think that the larger mount brings some interesting possibilities for the future. However, when I compare the cameras “In the field” it does not really show yet. At the end of the day, what counts is that I can create a photo that is able to communicate what I saw or felt. Let me tell you that is quite a confession for someone like me who is definitely a gadget-freak!
Does the Z6 allow me to create photos that communicate what I saw or felt! Definitely. But so does the D750 or any other camera. Honestly, comparing the 2 side-by-side, opting for another D750 or a Df would have saved quite a bit of money.
What are - in my opinion for my type of shooting - the biggest advantages and drawbacks in using the Z6 (compared to the D750), especially in shooting events?
The number one advantage is the quiet shutter. Another is the ability to quickly reset the camera to 3 user modes instead of 2. Another is that the EVF makes it easier to focus manually. I am happy about the quality of the Nikon EVF. There is no noticeable lag and it works well in various lighting circumstances. I also like the ISO button on top. The ISO button on the D750 is positioned rather akwardly which makes changing on the fly more of a challenge (I always hit the wrong button when I keep my eye close to the OVF of the D750).
My number one annoyance is the start-up time between shots. Even after extending the “on” time, the camera switched off quickly, making me miss about 10-15 crucial moments during the week. I haven’t found a good solution yet. My second annoyance is battery life.The camera also heats up quickly compared to the D750. The third one is that the easy-to-accidentally-use-joystick changes the focus point, also making me miss quick shots. I guess there is solution for that but I haven’t looked into that yet. And my last big annoyance: The pronounced shape of the finder blocks the view on the LCD when you hold the camera on a lower level. Very annoying.
Connectivity is an attention area (so not an annoyance). To my knowledge there are no readers for iPad and tablets yet, so WiFi is the way to go if you are on a trip. I also do not like the one card slot solution. I was used to using one card for storing raw files and another for jpegs. I used the latter for quick processing and sharing via my iPad. I now have to use the wifi connection in the field. loading photos into my iPad to select and send photos that needed to be shared quickly.
When it comes to size, weight, IQ the two cameras are comparable. The Z6 looks smaller but does not really weight less when you hold the two cameras. In fact, since the D750 is a bit larger, it is more comfortable to hold for a day.
The FTZ works easy but when I mounts the Zeiss, there is some play (not sure if that is the correct word) and I need to set the lens at maximum (or minimum depending on your perspective) aperture to get an aperture reading and to be able to make a shot.
The 24-70mm f4 lens puzzles me. I need to shoot more before being able to say something about it but the AF and/or sharpness seems to be a bit of an issue.
I can’t really comment on image processing yet. To quickly share photos, I decided to use jpeg instead of raw, which I normally use. I was not happy with the results of the Standard setting(s) which resulted in unnatural, oversaturated colors (at least on my calibrated Eizo screen). Using the Neutral setting helped somewhat but I like the results of the D810 and D750 better. I can only guess about the cause of this, including my lack of experience in using the Z6. I haven’t worked with camera/color profiles either.
Due to the Z6 "annoyances", I decided to send my D750 for repair. The camera is now like new again, so I can choose the best one for each situation. And then there is my little PEN-F for travel and documentary work.
