Author Topic: launch - Nikon Z7 II and Z6 II  (Read 10529 times)

Nikfuson

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Re: launch - Nikon Z7 II and Z6 II
« Reply #15 on: October 14, 2020, 09:07:26 »
To most of the Z user base I think the II's are nice but not deal breaking.
I see the two cards and grip as the main upgrades (none that will make any difference in my world).
It is kinda disappointing the dual processors seemingly bring a slight boost in performance only.
Neeeext!

chambeshi

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Re: launch - Nikon Z7 II and Z6 II
« Reply #16 on: October 14, 2020, 09:12:20 »
Sometime later this month, hopefully, we should be able to comb the e-manuals soon to check how comprehensively (?) Nikon has improved Custom options and focus-aids etc - ie expanded as per list of fixes (long awaited). Nikon UK Shipping dates are 5 November (Z6II) and 12 December (Z7II)

Specifications etc
https://www.nikon.co.uk/en_GB/product/digital-cameras/mirrorless/professional/z-7ii#tech_specs

https://www.nikon.co.uk/en_GB/product/digital-cameras/mirrorless/enthusiast/z-6ii#tech_specs

https://www.nikon.co.uk/en_GB/product/accessories/mirrorless/mirrorless-power/power-battery-pack-mb-n11-for-specific-z-series-cameras

https://www.zsystemuser.com/nikon-z-system-news-and/nikon-announces-the-next.html

https://www.slrlounge.com/nikon-z6-ii-z7-ii-announcement/

Z II Brochure, regional websites have yet to upload respective editions - only in Japanese so far: https://chsvll.nikon-image.com/products/mirrorless/common2/pdf/Z7_2_Z6_2.pdf

Erik Lund

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Re: launch - Nikon Z7 II and Z6 II
« Reply #17 on: October 14, 2020, 09:33:08 »
The original announcement for the new Z system the Z7 made me think of “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” Up there with the release of the D1 and the FX D3 camera - Must own cameras.
The latest Mark II updates is more like - This is just to silence the dual card-slot crowd  :o

Sure they will be a bit 'faster' in all aspects re raw calculating power and super nice with the vertical grip. - So considering everything very well done again Nikon!
Now Z9 that will be amazing  ::) 8)
Erik Lund

Birna Rørslett

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Re: launch - Nikon Z7 II and Z6 II
« Reply #18 on: October 14, 2020, 10:30:24 »
Nikon explained at the press Launch that the main "step forward" was the dual EXPEED 6 processors, which allowed much more sophisticated in-camera processing. AF performance is claimed to be boosted s well.

The new EN-EL15c battery has larger capacity and in the new cameras can be recharged concurrently with shooting. Nikon said this was aimed to facilitate video and web camera usage. The cameras are backwards compatible to the earlier battery models, fortunately.

I foud the improved grip MB-N11 quite useful as it not only adds more battery capacity, but also control buttons to allow the camera better to be operated in portrait mode. 

Nikon reps confirmed the new camera bodies are ever so slightly thicker than the previous Mk.1 models. This is to alllow the SD card slot and the beefier main processor board.

Buffer capacity is huge and in practice at least with a fast storage card near unlimited.

I asked the Nikon reps about what measures had been taken to mitigate striping behaviour and was promised an in-depth answer as they called on the upper tiers of the organisation to answer my question, but that "might take some time".

All in all, an evolutionary step forward to underscore Nikon's deeping commitment to the Z system.

We were given a lot of sample images to show off the newer lenses (50/1.2S, 24-70/2.8S, 70-200/2.8S etc.), however I'm not sure NG should provide them for display as they take a lot of our limited storage space. Anyway DPreview probably has them available for download. Let them cover the bandwidth bill :)

richardHaw

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Re: launch - Nikon Z7 II and Z6 II
« Reply #19 on: October 14, 2020, 15:25:23 »
im actually more interested in the grip :o :o :o

Kim Pilegaard

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Re: launch - Nikon Z7 II and Z6 II
« Reply #20 on: October 14, 2020, 16:42:57 »
Since I haven't entered the Z-system yet, I find that the arrival of the Z7 II will be a good entry point for me. I am especially interested in the improved AF-performance, which I hope will at least equal that of my D500.
Kim

John Harkus

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Re: launch - Nikon Z7 II and Z6 II
« Reply #21 on: October 14, 2020, 19:31:06 »
Since I haven't entered the Z-system yet, I find that the arrival of the Z7 II will be a good entry point for me. I am especially interested in the improved AF-performance, which I hope will at least equal that of my D500.

I'll echo this, I've been looking at a Z6 to compliment the Df, but the only option of new expensive memory cards and a new card reader was making me lean more towards a Z5. Being able to use SD cards gives me a £200+ price reduction, and some increased performance too. Bonus!

Tristin

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Re: launch - Nikon Z7 II and Z6 II
« Reply #22 on: October 14, 2020, 21:31:42 »
People balked at me saying the Z6/7 were lacking features like vertical grip, exposure/drive control and dual cards merely because Nikon's short-term strategy is clearly to strip features and use their re-introduction as selling points for the next cameras . . . and here we are with Nikon highlighting dual cards and vertical grip as major selling points for the next Zs.  8)  Nikon is really gonna blow minds when the next gen Z includes revolutionary new controls for exposure and drive modes.  ;)

I continue waiting on Z mount to receive full-featured cameras that aren't cannibalized for market strategies.  I wish the staff Nikon have in camera development had half the confidence in Nikon's brand as their lens people do.  They clearly think marketing cannibalized features is their only path to selling enough units.
-Tristin

chambeshi

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Re: launch - Nikon Z7 II and Z6 II
« Reply #23 on: October 15, 2020, 08:09:21 »
Much of the forums' responses are distinctly pathetic that Santa Claus has delivered the wrong camera - not what they asked for Xmas... One of the more mature mature assessments of the specifications (still incomplete) - let alone real world testing

http://www.naturalart.ca/voice/blog.html#500mm_wars_1
“….1. When the dust settles (including after some of the expected firmware updates over time) I suspect that the Z7 II will end up being simply an EXCELLENT "all-rounder" of a camera. And, despite the pounding that I think the camera will get in online forums, I think that that those who buy it with an open mind will grow to just LOVE it.”

Wally

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Re: launch - Nikon Z7 II and Z6 II
« Reply #24 on: October 15, 2020, 17:49:08 »
Not everyone needs a grip or dual cards and so on but all the improvements are welcomed and rather evolutionary.
Alltogether a Z9 or pro model will be amazing.

For me no need to upgrade my Z6 at this time.
This new situation with attractive pricing opens great opportunities to snag used units.
I am looking at Z7s in excellent condition for below $2000.- already
This is a small cost of opportunity instead of missing out because you're waiting for something even better
Another Austrian Terminator in California

Jack Dahlgren

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Re: launch - Nikon Z7 II and Z6 II
« Reply #25 on: October 15, 2020, 18:05:05 »
I don't think that the version II's are meant as an upgrade for existing users of Z cameras. I think they are a refresh for those who have not moved to mirrorless,
I'm excited to hear about Z9.

CS

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Re: launch - Nikon Z7 II and Z6 II
« Reply #26 on: October 15, 2020, 18:38:35 »
  They clearly think marketing cannibalized features is their only path to selling enough units.

So, nothing new is happening here, they continue to market as they have in the past. Entirely predictable, IMO.
Carl

Tristin

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Re: launch - Nikon Z7 II and Z6 II
« Reply #27 on: October 15, 2020, 23:16:42 »
So, nothing new is happening here, they continue to market as they have in the past. Entirely predictable, IMO.

I was surprised by the controls removed from the Zs.  Even the D70 had these.
-Tristin

Ilkka Nissilä

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Re: launch - Nikon Z7 II and Z6 II
« Reply #28 on: October 16, 2020, 14:43:11 »
People balked at me saying the Z6/7 were lacking features like vertical grip, exposure/drive control and dual cards merely because Nikon's short-term strategy is clearly to strip features and use their re-introduction as selling points for the next cameras . . . and here we are with Nikon highlighting dual cards and vertical grip as major selling points for the next Zs.  8)  Nikon is really gonna blow minds when the next gen Z includes revolutionary new controls for exposure and drive modes.  ;)

I continue waiting on Z mount to receive full-featured cameras that aren't cannibalized for market strategies.  I wish the staff Nikon have in camera development had half the confidence in Nikon's brand as their lens people do.  They clearly think marketing cannibalized features is their only path to selling enough units.

I think there is no need to go into conspiracy theories or find evil motives regarding why the products have certain features or not. The second card slot, second image processor, and vertical grip all add to the cost and size of the product, and especially with the vertical grip, how much is left of the main attraction of mirrorless which is smaller and lighter, but high quality cameras? They are still smaller and lighter but the difference goes down as features are added.

I think Nikon have a very good grasp of camera design from the point of view of usability and ergonomics. Some manufacturers cram in a lot of physical controls in the smaller surface of the mirrrorless camera, but then if you have long and thick fingers, it becomes more difficult to use those buttons. Nikon went with intermediate size of camera body, well-designed grip, and slightly reduced number of physical controls (compared to mid to high-end DSLRs). I think the designs are well thought-out and e.g. glove users will appreciate that the buttons are large and there is clear space between them. Yes, it means there are fewer custom function buttons and maybe some control has to be accessed via menu, but I think the most important controls are there. If they add more buttons without making the camera of larger size, they become harder to access.

For me the decisive edge that makes me buy into the Z system hasn't really happened yet, but the camera bodies seem to be there already. I'm used to medium telephoto primes and tilt/shift lenses which are absent in the Z lineup, but if I consider Z an addendum to my current existing DSLR system and don't try to make it an all-purpose setup, then there should not be any problem. I could use it for portraits, landscape, and travel, for example, and general short focal length work. The lenses for that are already there. There is just no travel to speak of. ;-)

In the II generation cameras, I think the most important improvement is improved AF (eye focusing and generally autofocus in low light). In my brief sessions testing the Z7, I mostly tried it for indoor portraits and it would sometimes nail the focus and sometimes miss completely, and I couldn't really see what was going wrong. The image quality (when in focus) was superb with the Z 50/1.8. I hope this has been rectified in the II models (Nikon say "superior subject acquisition" which should be exactly the problem I'm talking about) and if it is, then the cameras probably can work for me. However, I had also issues with what the EVF displayed and how the shots came out, and that's another area which I need to evaluate. I'm so used to optical viewfinders that if I photograph a living person with an EVF, I don't seem to get the images I thought I was capturing, and this is something of a critical area for me. With OVF I know how to shoot and get the expressions I am trying to get.

However, the excellent optics nonetheless make the Z system attractive. I just need to work out my issues with the viewfinder if I want to ride along, or elect to use it for tasks that don't require the viewfinder.

Tristin

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Re: launch - Nikon Z7 II and Z6 II
« Reply #29 on: October 16, 2020, 21:45:43 »
I think there is no need to go into conspiracy theories or find evil motives regarding why the products have certain features or not.

I don't think it's evil in the slightest, just a marketing strategy I am not fond of.  And it can't be a conspiracy, as such strategies aren't criminal.  Doesn't change my love for Nikon!  :)

-Tristin