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 p.45 #19 · Alt forum Nikon Z resource, discussion and image thread | |
Ulff wrote:
Michael, I want to thank you (and other contributors here) for your insights and praise of the Z-system. I finally made the decision to buy a Z7, after many many years of hesitation to invest further in a mirror-less system (I have and use the Sony 5n from day one - and stopped upgrading thereafter).
Ultimately I want to upgrade my Canon 5Ds and the Panasonic S1R or the upcoming (unknown) Canon high resolution camera are the cameras to look at, but an informed decision will probably be possible only in a year or so, when more is known (and firmware-corrected) about both cameras (I follow your great S1-report and impressions).
Then I realized that what I really need right now is a very good second camera, parallel to the 5Ds, but primarily for manual lenses (C/Y, Olympus, Minolta, Leica R and M) and with a 24-70 or 24-105 native zoom. Native EOS-mount lenses for Canon, everything else for a good mirrorless camera.
Suddenly all decisions were much easier. Without the once necessary condition of being able to use my native (and often large) Canon lenses on a new mirror-less body, I didn't have to look for a large enough body. I really hate the ergonomics of small cameras with large lenses.
Canons R would have been the natural decision because of the mount and well known ergonomics, but I'm really disappointing about Canons technical innovation policy in the last ten years. The camera has too many no-go specifications. Ergonomically it fit my hand very well, but the new button-layout (and lack of a joystick) is not for me. Sadly.
Sony would have been my second choice, because of the great Canon-adapters and the grown-up overall system. But once I held this camera in my hand, it really feels like an ergonomical nightmare. I also hate the menu layout. Without very fast and intuitive access to a lot of functions would make my photography suffer more than I would like to.
I tested the Panasonic S1R for 1-2 hours in the shop - and really liked it! The buttons were where I expected them. I liked the grip and size (at least much more than Sonys cams, not as good as Canon R or 5D series). The viewfinder was great (the resolution advantage compared the Canon, Nikon and Sony is real). Manual focus worked very good. I just wasn't convinced that everything will work well with manual, non-chipped and adapted (via Sigma-adapter) lenses, given the lack of reports. Also, as a second camera and a replacement for much smaller cameras, size and weight with the 24-105 are not very convincing.
The Nikon Z was my last choice, due to the distance of the Nikon and Canon eco-system. The camera is great, although. A very convincing compromise. Size and weight are about right. It feels good (enough) in my hand. The button placement is well thought out (I love the two function buttons next to the lens) and very intuitive. Most functions are where I expect them and after one week of optimizations, my personal button-function-layout is almost perfect. The sensor is very good, the IBIS and also the viewfinder. Astonishingly great is also the 24-70 f4-zoom. It's the first 24-xx zoom I own and the first I actually like. The inbuilt (software-) corrections are necessary, especially for distortion, but after that I can use the lens even for professional architectural applications. Have I mentioned how much I like the size of the lens? It's really all about the best compromise - and that's where this Nikon shines. It doesn't really stand out against the competition, but it does most things really well and the engineers found very good compromises.
Adapting lenses works very well, too - and I did extensive lens tests and comparisons with most of my lenses. I was very surprised to see, that the 24-70 is that good at f5.6-f8 that I don't see much of an advantage to use primes instead for these apertures. Even the Olympus 50 f2.0 macro (once my sharpest lens) isn't that much better that I would use it for other thinks than macro shots. I also bought the Nikon Z 50 f1.8 (it was very cheap) - and it's great, too. Sharper than the Olympus macro in the edges at f2.0. Great size for the performance. Probably the only lens I have where the sharpest aperture is already reached at f2.8 (only very very small improvements until f8). The 50mm is more about contrast and sharpness across the frame than about great bokeh although.
Coming from Canon, my main problem with the Z7 is the direction of mounting the lens (the direction of the focus ring can be programmed). I always try to turn the lens in the "wrong" direction. Like others, I also don't understand, why no lens information is stored in the EXIF after entering the focal length and aperture of manual lenses. Another point where I have to adapt: I haven't found the best color profile more me yet. I like Canons profiles in LR and try to find something similar with the Nikon, but all standard profiles are a bit off (compared to the Canon). This is an important challenge, because I want to shoot both cameras side by side and a similar color (and contrast) rendition is necessary for consistent post-processing.
Ok, I'll go out taking pictures 
...Show more →
Hi, Markus, you are very welcome and I am glad that you like the Z7. I think it was designed as an easiest transition tool for anyone from DSLR to MILC. I missed a few real dial originally, but soon realize less option and simple control may not be a bad thing as all.
Your thinking process also makes a lot sense to me and I fully agree many things you said about the system. Yeh, and especially about 24-70S performance It is not sharpness for me, but really the CA and astigmatism performance I seldom saw from Zoom. I don’t need WO performance for it but I need f8~f13 and I need its size and folding size in bag for travelling. Z7 with 24-70S is RX1 on steroid for me. You might also want check 14-30. Overall, I don’t think I rate it as high as 24-70S but awful close. It has lots of vignette and a little more CA at wide range of zoom, but it still outperform all Nikon WA zoom I ever tested.
If you haven’t done so, I highly recommend buy a SmallRig L bracket for it. I recommend it even higher than RRS. The fit and finish is great with rounded edge and good polish work. The most important is it improve handhold feel significantly. The bottom is on the thick side compare to others and TBH I initially dislike the thickness of it but found out it actually offer a small and smoosh tilt platform for pinky rest. See picture attached, pay attention to pinky rest area.
https://www.adorama.com/images/Large/srapl2258.jpg
Out of all cameras I ever used, Z7 with this L bracket is the most comfortable holding camera, no exaggeration. I keep compare this with PanaS1 during past week, I think this L bracket give an unfair advantage for holding feel to Z7, otherwise, I might rate S1 a little higher than Z7 even I got blister on my middle finger with S1 after a moderate heavy use.
I really hope there will be smart adapters for EF glasses on Z. There are many awesome great glasses from EF mount I’d like to try. Of course, for you maybe make more sense to wait Pro-R.
TBH, if not with 24-70f4&14-30, I might have already moved to S1 even I prefer Nikon ergonomics and control, S1 also offer me many features I like such as EVF, 6 bit lens M and S glasses, bigger body etc.. but Nikon is the one and only one truly offer a small high performance package for travelling and cityscape, landscape and many other stuff first time in MILC IMHO. It makes really hard for me to depart from it.
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