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I just handled a Z7 at a shop in CT

N

neils

New member
So by total accident I came across a Nikon Demo Day at Milford Photo in Milford CT. I got to handle the Z7, the zoom and 35mm lenses as well as the adapter and a 70-200 2.8.

First off my mirrorless experience or interest (maybe changed) is very very little. I don't really care if Sony has already done this AND while I use the 2 card option to hand off jpgs to a client for upload at music festivals while I shoot RAW you'd find a work around.

It's a nice camera that Z7. Light, not large, I'd have the grip for sure, and the shutter when NOT on silent mode is Leica M quiet. Lots of menus and features etc. I went through some of them, got lost and the rep found my way back. It's the same as my D3 but just more.

The F to Z adapter is like adding an extension tube (anyone still do that), it changes nothing regarding lens speed or focal length as I think I read somewhere. It adds little weight and about an inch to the whole package.

To compare my shooting rig is a D3 I've had since they were released, before that a D2HS and a D2H so I'm used the the heft of the pro bodies and I prefer it. Lenses are primes, an old 80-200 screw focus zoom and a Sigma 100-300 F4 zoom, an awesome sense they of course discontinued. Only in the last few months have I replaced two older lenses with fresh AFS versions, 35 1.8G and an 85mm 1.4G AFS lens. You can see I'm a throwback.

My best Z7 moment, 105mm AFS 1.4G, F-Z adapter and the Z7 in square image mode with the B&W setting. Oh the Hasselblad days...........it all came back.

Has any camera been bashed more before anyone laid a hand on it than the Z series?

Neil
 
T

Thorkil

Well-known member
neils said:
Has any camera been bashed more before anyone laid a hand on it than the Z series?
Neil
Click to expand...
No, I don't think so. And why did it have to be so? Are people feeling insulted, has envy, frustated, need some to bully, instead of behave and relax, and just see whats coming in their hands, when its coming. In short just behave patient.
It ought not to be that difficult.
It was really really a nice camera to handle, to me.
 
pegelli

pegelli

Well-known member
neils said:
Has any camera been bashed more before anyone laid a hand on it than the Z series?
Click to expand...
I'm sure there have been worse examples, I think it's a mistake to not distinguish crititiques and bashing. I've actually seen very little what I would consider true bashing of the Z6 and Z7.
 
N

neils

New member
I meant to mention the Z7 EVF, again my only EVF experiences are with a Fuji X100T and X100F I've rented because they taunt me to buy one. It didn't immediately occur to me the Z7 finder was EVF even though I knew it was it's just that my first impression wasn't f**k me I'm watching a TV and I don't like it.

The Nikon rep, smart man, handed me the shops Fuji XT2. Now in comparison that EVF was like a Motel TV, garish and too contrasty. I can't believe I could get used to that or maybe any EVF at all. I just feel disconnected from the view and the whole experience.

People younger than me of course have no other experience. I used Leica M's for decades and when I did have to use an SLR for this or that work even that was a shock. So the whole EVF thing for me may not work BUT the Z7 was very very good, to me that is. The shutter response time, lag?, seemed slower than the D3. I could be wrong.

Could the Z7 follow focus a moving performer in low light with a 70-200 or a 100-300 lens wide open and nail every shot. My D3 is hardly cutting edge AF anymore but it does. Ya got be able to do that. I need dead nuts accurate focus on one eye at ISO 8000 1.4 1/60th , thats Rockwood Music Hall in NYC, the club where light went and died. Jeez its dark in there. Some noise is OK. I don't want ISO 8000 to look like K64, it shouldn't...just make the noise pretty.

I think the Z is probably an excellent camera but like ANY camera maybe not for every person or intended use.

Neil
 
V

Vivek

Guest
If I had said that these were the best mirrorless to date, that would have been bashing.

I do find Canon’s offering much more enticing.

Since these are all new systems, to me, it does not matter whether it is a Nikon, Panasonic or Canon.
 
iiiNelson

iiiNelson

Well-known member
pegelli said:
I'm sure there have been worse examples, I think it's a mistake to not distinguish crititiques and bashing. I've actually seen very little what I would consider true bashing of the Z6 and Z7.
Click to expand...
I think you bring up a great point. Literally every new camera of a certain level of interests gets critiques to death before anyone/everyone tries it for whatever reason. I agree with you and would also add that most of the criticism is directed towards Nikon executives/engineers for design and marketing decisions (in comparison to the assumed direct competition) more than at the merit of the cameras themselves. As stated before literally every camera gets “crushed” and “murder boarded” with commentary upon announcement if you look at recent launches be it a Nikon (Z6/7), Sony (pick a camera within the last 5-10 years and I promise there will be critique fair and/or hostile), Leica (see above comments for Sony), Fuji (XH1 was met with critical hostility from many Fuji users), Canon (6Dmk2 or any of their Mirrorless cameras anyone), etc.

So it’s not something exclusive to Nikon Mirrorless cameras in reality. It’s just the internet and that’s what happens a lot of times.

On a side note I’m glad the OP enjoyed their experience with the camera.
 
N

neils

New member
Ai_Print said:
Ahhhh, thanks for this, literally the very first time I have heard any opinion about the mechanical shutter noise. Now....when you say that is it like a film M or a digital M? Either way this is the sole reason I am buying a Z6 and very much look forward to that new paradigm in a Nikon camera.

Thanks again!
Click to expand...
Oh good, now I get to geek out on Leica shutter sounds. It was more film M than digital M. Like my old 67 chrome M4 with a little treble rolled off so a little more dampened. Actually I had an M7 for like a minute, that was a quiet camera. I rented an M8 when they first came out. That sounded like a P&S with some really sad sounding motor to advance exactly what, to cock a shutter? Sure didn't have to advance film.

I'd go Z6 myself if I got one. I have zero need or desire for a 45meg camera. This would be ideal for shooting in recording studios.

Neil
 
N

neils

New member
Wait, I remembered more........ You can tell by the gear I've mentioned that all the latest VR and IBIS is stuff I've never used.

When I had the lens off the Z7 but the camera turned on the sensor is right there just floating and moving, reacting to every jiggle I make. It is dead solid when the camera is turned off. Cool stuff that. I can imagine a fast prime and IBIS getting me deeply deep into the dark stuff.

I've been thinking I really ought to have a second body, yes I shoot gigs with one camera. I've been leaning towards a used D4S. It's lots of camera, dang near identical to using my D3 so the learning curve would be really short. D5 is too expensive to justify.

Now, the Z6 would/could/should be a low light beast (assumed) and the same price more or less as the D4S. Sad though my lenses are still more screw drive than AFS. It sure would be a leaning curve too. And that EVF........

But a Z plus an M could be a package.

Neil
 
T

Thorkil

Well-known member
neils said:
Wait, I remembered more........ You can tell by the gear I've mentioned that all the latest VR and IBIS is stuff I've never used.

When I had the lens off the Z7 but the camera turned on the sensor is right there just floating and moving, reacting to every jiggle I make. It is dead solid when the camera is turned off. Cool stuff that. I can imagine a fast prime and IBIS getting me deeply deep into the dark stuff.

I've been thinking I really ought to have a second body, yes I shoot gigs with one camera. I've been leaning towards a used D4S. It's lots of camera, dang near identical to using my D3 so the learning curve would be really short. D5 is too expensive to justify.

Now, the Z6 would/could/should be a low light beast (assumed) and the same price more or less as the D4S. Sad though my lenses are still more screw drive than AFS. It sure would be a leaning curve too. And that EVF........

But a Z plus an M could be a package.

Neil
Click to expand...
Neils, perhaps you shall wait a bit, and keep your D3 for a while, if your main-ambition will be concerts in low light (but often there will be strong light at the artists, right?), because the chief press engineer admittet (I cant remember where) that the Z7 (perhaps only that?) had a low-light AF issue with lenses slower than f2 on, and tracking is not the old solid 3D-tracking it seems. So perhaps you have to wait for the release of the 85/1.8 S. It seems, in my head, that this is the only mainproblem for the Z, for some it might be huge, but for me its not at all.
So perhaps a wait for reliable (perhaps at photographylife.com) reviews of the production models could be reasonable?
 
jlancasterd

jlancasterd

Active member
Ai_Print said:
Ahhhh, thanks for this, literally the very first time I have heard any opinion about the mechanical shutter noise. Now....when you say that is it like a film M or a digital M? Either way this is the sole reason I am buying a Z6 and very much look forward to that new paradigm in a Nikon camera.

Thanks again!
Click to expand...
I agree about the shutter sound - very refined. I also felt that, even when fitted with the 24-70 zoom, the F7 I handled felt more like a Leica M9 (solid, compact, well-designed and portable) than anything else I've handled recently.
 
etrigan63

etrigan63

Active member
I have not had the opportunity to handle (fondle?) a Z7, so I cannot comment.

I am looking to do some large metal prints (60x40) and am deciding what camera to get to produce images large enough to print that size. I have tried the X1D and while very nice, is a bit sluggish to me. That might be a "me" problem not a Hassy problem. The upcoming Fuji GFX-50R is a contender depending on the price and how responsive it is plus it already has lenses. Last, but not least, on my radar is the Z7. Is the file big enough for a 60x40 print if I set it to 14-bit color like the MF offerings?

By straight math at 300 dpi, I would need a camera with 216 megapixels. Can't afford that. At 240 dpi, it's 138 megapixels, also out of range.

Your wisdom is appreciated and I apologize if I hijack the thread.
 
MoJo

MoJo

Registred Users
etrigan63 said:
I have not had the opportunity to handle (fondle?) a Z7, so I cannot comment.

I am looking to do some large metal prints (60x40) and am deciding what camera to get to produce images large enough to print that size. I have tried the X1D and while very nice, is a bit sluggish to me. That might be a "me" problem not a Hassy problem. The upcoming Fuji GFX-50R is a contender depending on the price and how responsive it is plus it already has lenses. Last, but not least, on my radar is the Z7. Is the file big enough for a 60x40 print if I set it to 14-bit color like the MF offerings?

By straight math at 300 dpi, I would need a camera with 216 megapixels. Can't afford that. At 240 dpi, it's 138 megapixels, also out of range.

Your wisdom is appreciated and I apologize if I hijack the thread.
Click to expand...
We printed a 40" x 60" metal print, for a client, from a lowly Fuji XE-1, shot at ISO 3200. That's a 16 MP APS-C sensor, with careful uprezzing of course. Your Nikon will do fine...... Don't worry.
 
Godfrey

Godfrey

Well-known member
T

Thorkil

Well-known member
the shuttersound is a bit loader than I remember my Leica M-E (which I sold so I can't compare), but subjective its just as nice or even more delicate, more exquisite, refined, just wanting you to hear it again...and then again...again...again....(the result - one feel very childish, but in the good and smiling way)
 
2

2WK

Member
I'm excited about the Z6 and Z7. I love Nikon. I only have an old FE and F4 but I used a D3 for work for a few years. I want a D850 but I would be a little sad not being able to use my Leica M lenses on it. The Z's appear to be able to do it all. That new mount is awesome. It looks like it could take 645 lenses with minimal adapter.

Vivek, what do you find more enticing about the Canon?
https://youtu.be/1-T60nkpHco
 
Photon42

Photon42

Well-known member
I tried some Leica M lenses yesterday with the Novoflex adapter. With some older lenses the adapter has minimal "rotation" play (not back and forth"), with the Summarit 90 and and Summilux 50 there are no issues. First pictures look good, but it seems EXIF data isn't updated in the file, even though I did enter and select the focal length manually. Maybe I have the chance to take some photos on the weekend.
 
T

tcdeveau

Well-known member
Well, I'm late to the party, but I finally got to handle a Z7 at my local dealer this morning. Didn't get to play around with it for that long, but it just....felt right. As a longtime Nikon user, it felt comfortable and familiar, and the grip felt great. Never got this feeling with the A7R or A7RII I had, nor the X-E3/X-T1 I'm currently using. The EVF seemed very good too. Looking forward to seeing the system develop....
 
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