Z7 is doable for birds if there are plenty of light but in a more difficult situation such as low light in wooded area, it unfortunately does not come close to D850. This is really too bad, I like the bigger
AF coverage area and looking at raw file around iso 4000-5000, I think Z7 looks cleaner than D850 quite a bit and retain contrast, detail and color better to my eyes (no scientific measurement but today I shoot D850 and Z7 side by side just for fun before heading off on a trip next week).
chambeshi wrote:
besides legacy owners, for the emerging photographer the FTZ should be the keystone to Grow your Nikon system, as earning power grows..
I think this shows Nikon's hubris when it comes to the Z cameras. If attracting entry into the Nikon system based on affordability was part of their goal, then why did they price it (body + adapter) so much higher than their professional DSLR bodies such as the World leading D850? Street prices are also way above comparable (many would argue superior) competitor offerings.
1bwana1 wrote:
Are you talking of Gondwana the game park, or Gondwana as geological reference to Africa in general. In either case the statement is true.
Oh, the extant plates of continental lithosphere: Africa, Australia, India et al. Well at least those at tropical latitudes
Although southern Europe also has its 1 bee eater species that is also a palaearctic migrant. It reaches the Cape of S Africa
1bwana1 wrote:
I think this shows Nikon's hubris when it comes to the Z cameras. If attracting entry into the Nikon system based on affordability was part of their goal, then why did they price it (body + adapter) so much higher than their professional DSLR bodies such as the World leading D850? Street prices are also way above comparable (many would argue superior) competitor offerings.
Things that just don't make sense......
You are probably right that the Z7 price is a little bit out of line but I think it was more important that Nikon got the Z6 price right because that is probably the camera that most people looking to enter the Nikon system based on affordability would choose.
RobCD wrote:
You are probably right that the Z7 price is a little bit out of line but I think it was more important that Nikon got the Z6 price right because that is probably the camera that most people looking to enter the Nikon system based on affordability would choose.
I agree that a retail price a little lower than $3300 for the Z7 body would be preferable (closer to $3k would be ideal in my opinion) but I don't think it's drastically out of line for a completely new system. Also, the available lenses in S-mount, though few in number right now are much less expensive than comparable quality full frame mirrorless lenses, so that plus being able to use F-mount lenses with the FTZ adapter should make the total investment much lower for a solid system for existing users (apologize if I'm preaching to the choir on this).
Nikon took a pretty standard pricing approach for the Z cameras. You have a higher priced "halo" product in the Z7 that has all the bells in whistles for someone that wants the same resolution as the D850, that will sell in lower numbers and due to its newness will likely appeal primarily to certain professional photographers and early adopter hobbyists.
A certain amount of price separation from a marketing and consumer perception standpoint would be preferable from a marketing standpoint, as it drives users towards the more mass market product in the Z6. The success of the S-mount system hinges on the sales of the Z6, as they will sell in much greater numbers, and those who absolutely want/need 45mp will be less price-influenced as the Z7 is their only choice if they want to stay in the Nikon ecosystem.
I actually ended up picking up another Z7 here on FM, and decided to play with it along with my A7R3 over the next couple weeks before deciding which one I want to keep as my travel/fun camera setup.
I agree that the Z6 price is a closer comparison against the competition. Still not going to bring in the younger people in a country like Thailand where the second generation cameras from the competition is half of that. Yes, the Z6 has spme advantages over those cameras.
So switching between the A7R3 and Z7 a bit more, here's what I'm finding:
EVF: The Z7 EVF is still noticeably better. The A7R3 EVF is very sharp, but the HDR algorithm it uses (in order to not blow out highlights and make shadows more visible in a very high contrast scene) isn't as realistic as Nikon's and it doesn't do as good a job in maintaining visibility of highlights in bright environments. Lastly, the A7R3 exhibits moire much more than the Z7 - just trying to take a photo out my front window shows a ton of moire on the window screen that I don't see on the Z7 EVF. This is pretty annoying as it's hard to tell whether the moire is coming from the EVF, or if it's present in the files as well. The Z7 EVF is the closest in terms of quality to the Leica Q EVF (that I think is one of the best I've ever used).
Ergonomics/controls: Back button AF shooters I think will hate the A7R3 AF-ON button placement. I use back button AF on all my cameras, and the A7R3's AF-ON button placement and shape/size is poor compared to the Z7. You have to really twist your wrist to get your thumb on the AF-ON button, and index finger on the shutter. My hands are already feeling cramped up from twisting it into a weird claw shape for 10-15 mins (I have pretty bad carpal tunnel in both hands though which seems to amplify ergonomic issues for me). The larger thumb pad on the Z7 really improves one handed operation, and the AF-ON button is raised and larger in size so easier to find by touch. The shutter button on the A7R3 falls right in the middle of the last joint of my index finger, so I have to bend it in a weird hook compared to the shutton button placement on the Z7. Basically my hand looks like a claw when I'm using the A7R3, whereas with the Z7 it feels much more natural. Switching between movie mode and stills mode is a more sensical operation on the Z7, as it allows you to retain manual exposure settings for stills and video, whereas with the A7R3, if you change your manual exposure in stills, it is then applied to your video exposure, which is not ideal. The implementation of the touch screen is better on the Z7, as you can select the "i" settings and all other menu settings with the touch screen. The A7R3 touch-AF is better for those that want to be able to change focus point with the finger against the rear screen with your eye to the EVF, but it is still kind of laggy compared to just using the dedicated AF joystick. Lastly, the AF joystick on the A7R3 and Z7 are both great.
AF performance: I only have the 55 f1.8 right now for the sony, and the 24-70 f4 S on the Z7 in terms of native lenses, so I can't really make an apples to apples comparison. I might order the 50 f1.8 S today though. AF-S performance between the two lenses is comparable - I'd say the 24-70 f4 in good light is quicker, but that's not necessarily a fair comparison as it's harder to nail focus with an f4 lens than a f1.8 one. Haven't had a chance to try out AF-C on a moving subject for either camera, but I'm confident that the A7R3 will be a bit better with comparable native lenses.
Just random thought in closing is that it's unnerving how the A7R3 makes a clunk sound every few times when you turn the camera on. I know it's because the IBIS assembly goes from a locked position to floating when the camera turns on, but it's still a little unnerving for such a relatively expensive camera.
Still like the skintones better on the Z7, but the 55 f1.8 on the A7R3 is just as incredibly sharp as I remember. I'm trying to keep an open mind with the A7R3 but neither of these cameras are a real replacement for my D850
sungphoto wrote:
Just random thought in closing is that it's unnerving how the A7R3 makes a clunk sound every few times when you turn the camera on. I know it's because the IBIS assembly goes from a locked position to floating when the camera turns on, but it's still a little unnerving for such a relatively expensive camera.
Maybe I misunderstand, but I thought it was the reverse. The IBIS on the Z7 locks when the camera is off, and the A7RIII still floats.
From DPREVIEW:
Unusually, the stabilization system used in the Z7 mechanically locks when the camera is switched off, so there's no disconcerting sensation of the sensor bumping around if you run with the camera.
Anyone looking to pick up the 50 or 35 f1.8 S for a 10% discount, there's a 10% discount code today only on ebay.
Technically this applies to everything on eBay today, but there are a few authorized Nikon resellers that have the new Nikon 50 f1.8 S in stock and with code PHLDAYTEN you can buy it for a 10% off, which works out to $537.25 shipped for a new lens with full warranty and returns. Looked like there were a few left.
Posted this on its own thread, but realized it's probably better to put this here.
sungphoto wrote:
Anyone looking to pick up the 50 or 35 f1.8 S for a 10% discount, there's a 10% discount code today only on ebay.
Technically this applies to everything on eBay today, but there are a few authorized Nikon resellers that have the new Nikon 50 f1.8 S in stock and with code PHLDAYTEN you can buy it for a 10% off, which works out to $537.25 shipped for a new lens with full warranty and returns. Looked like there were a few left.
Posted this on its own thread, but realized it's probably better to put this here.
That is a a fantastic deal but my 50 arrived today and I will have it for rhe Parade of Lights at City Dock and Spa Creek jere in Annapolis tomorrow so I will write of the $60 I didn’t save to supporting my local dealer.
I have only had a chance to shoot of a few frames but so far have no reason to doubt the claim of edge to edge sharpness wide open - hard to check though with real life subjects which rarely have important detail edge to edge in the plane of focus. Surprisingly little loss of contrast shooting directly into the sun wide open too - but better stopped down a bit of course.
For those interested, I just picked up Lim's leather half case for Z7.
I quite like it as it make the grip just a tad bigger which fit my hand better and
now my nails do not dig down into Z7 rubber skin (which now has decent nail mark on it). The best part though is that it has a built in Arca Swiss plate which extended down
far enough so that you can use it even when you have FTZ adapter on board. There is about 1 mm clearance. So one problem solved for me at least
Unfortunately, when I use a big lens like Otus or 105/1.4, Sigma Art 135/1.8, I would rather use an Arca Swiss plate on FTZ adapter to mount the camera on tripod rather than on the body but that won't work with this half case on it.
Just picked up my 50/1.8s yesterday. Only had a chance for a couple of snapshots today. Shot at f1.8.
Hopefully I will have a chance to compare it to my Sigma Art 50/1.4 soon.
1bwana1 wrote:
Maybe I misunderstand, but I thought it was the reverse. The IBIS on the Z7 locks when the camera is off, and the A7RIII still floats.
From DPREVIEW:
Unusually, the stabilization system used in the Z7 mechanically locks when the camera is switched off, so there's no disconcerting sensation of the sensor bumping around if you run with the camera.
Yup, the Z7 locks when off and the A7R3 IBIS flops around. Guessing this is for a good reason, considering I had 2 A7R3 bodies have to go back for service because of IBIS issues.
Just turned my A7R3 on this morning to play around with it again, and it took about 15 seconds for it to turn on with a fully charged battery. Something I never experienced with the Z7. I'm trying to convince myself to keep the sony for a little longer to test head to head against the Z7 and 50 f1.8 S that should be getting to me on Monday, but the more I use the A7R3, the less I like it.
Just picked up my 50/1.8s yesterday. Only had a chance for a couple of snapshots today. Shot at f1.8.
Hopefully I will have a chance to compare it to my Sigma Art 50/1.4 soon.
Thanks for posting! Excited to get my hands on my copy of the 50 f1.8 S - looks to be a very impressive lens.
