p.1 #1 · Z9...Another Week in Revenue Service...My Impressions
So far...the Z9 has far exceeded my expectations as a camera for a sports and action studio.
In all honesty, I never would have thought I would be using a pro mirrorless camera this early but I am very happy to have made the purchase.
My business consists of team and youth sports, media coverage for high school, college and pro sports, portraiture, events and photo journalism so the Z9 will earn its keep.
What I like so far:
-Build quality is first rate
-Size of camera is just right
-AF is incredible with so many modes to select from as subject matter and conditions change
-30 FPS in large jpeg is really all I need however I will try 120 FPS later. Those extra frames give you more choices in selecting just the right positioning.
-Image quality from the new sensor is excellent and the larger file size makes heavier cropping a more realistic option
-Impressed with performance of adapter lenses
I let one of my veteran fellow sports shooters try out the Z9 for a basketball game last night and he was blown away with the AF even after using the D6 throughout the fall and winter sports season and he can't wait for his Z9 to arrive.
p.1 #2 · Z9...Another Week in Revenue Service...My Impressions
Nice images! I had posted this in another thread but moving it here as it is more appropriate and in hopes that this will become a Z9 thread:
---
Finished shooting my first HS basketball game with a Nikon Z9 — moving to the Z system from a NikonnD5/D6. I had to file directly to the newspaper and haven’t had time to process the rest of the pictures so this is just a text review. Will post pictures later.
* The AF with eye-detect is beyond anything I have experienced or expected. Once it locks on, it truly doesn’t miss. Need to determine if the large area or small area AF is better for hoops — also need to determine the ideal “delay" setting I did blow focus on some pictures, but that was user/newbie error. It takes awhile to adjust.
Even if everything else on this camera was a step backward — and it clearly isn’t — the AF system on Z9 is so spectacular (and likely the Sony A1 and Cannon flagship) that it will be impossible to go “back” to a DSLR for action sports.
* Left to float, Auto ISO in the gym pegged it at about 5,000 at f/2. Looking at the files, I would say my D5/D6 files were just slightly cleaner out of camera. Not unexpected.
* Shot mostly at the standard CH-20 fps, and hopped up to 30 for a brief time. If you are coming from a high fps DLSR, plan on coming back with ~3X+ more pictures than you did for equivalent events. Buy CFExpress cards accordingly. I am hoping that as I use the camera and have a better handle on the AF, I’ll have better self control. Just too many files out of the gate. Frankly, I'm embarrassed to say how many.
* Couple things that will take some to to adjust to— I) I found the display on the top of the camera quite hard to read. 2) Out of the box, the camera is apparently set to go into sleep mode if inactive for a relatively short period. Pretty sure I found the way to turn that off. But I got stung a couple times trying to fire off a quick shot. 3) I need to figure out how to lock my focus point. I’m not sure if it’s just getting used to the new buttons and/or hitting the wrong ones in the heat of battle — but I was constantly readjusting. Likely user error.
* I shot with adapted Nikon glass f/2 200 and 85MM/1.4. I would say the AF speed is equal to or better than on the D5/D6. There is no FTZ penalty.
BTW — assume user error on all/most of these things that did not go right. I’m fighting decades of muscle memory in this transition, like many others. But I'm officially sold on mirrorless.
p.1 #3 · Z9...Another Week in Revenue Service...My Impressions
PureMichigan wrote:
Nice images! I had posted this in another thread but moving it here as it is more appropriate and in hopes that this will become a Z9 thread:
---
Finished shooting my first HS basketball game with a Nikon Z9 — moving to the Z system from a NikonnD5/D6. I had to file directly to the newspaper and haven’t had time to process the rest of the pictures so this is just a text review. Will post pictures later.
* The AF with eye-detect is beyond anything I have experienced or expected. Once it locks on, it truly doesn’t miss. Need to determine if the large area or small area AF is better for hoops — also need to determine the ideal “delay" setting I did blow focus on some pictures, but that was user/newbie error. It takes awhile to adjust.
Even if everything else on this camera was a step backward — and it clearly isn’t — the AF system on Z9 is so spectacular (and likely the Sony A1 and Cannon flagship) that it will be impossible to go “back” to a DSLR for action sports.
* Left to float, Auto ISO in the gym pegged it at about 5,000 at f/2. Looking at the files, I would say my D5/D6 files were just slightly cleaner out of camera. Not unexpected.
* Shot mostly at the standard CH-20 fps, and hopped up to 30 for a brief time. If you are coming from a high fps DLSR, plan on coming back with ~3X+ more pictures than you did for equivalent events. Buy CFExpress cards accordingly. I am hoping that as I use the camera and have a better handle on the AF, I’ll have better self control. Just too many files out of the gate. Frankly, I'm embarrassed to say how many.
* Couple things that will take some to to adjust to— I) I found the display on the top of the camera quite hard to read. 2) Out of the box, the camera is apparently set to go into sleep mode if inactive for a relatively short period. Pretty sure I found the way to turn that off. But I got stung a couple times trying to fire off a quick shot. 3) I need to figure out how to lock my focus point. I’m not sure if it’s just getting used to the new buttons and/or hitting the wrong ones in the heat of battle — but I was constantly readjusting. Likely user error.
* I shot with adapted Nikon glass f/2 200 and 85MM/1.4. I would say the AF speed is equal to or better than on the D5/D6. There is no FTZ penalty.
BTW — assume user error on all/most of these things that did not go right. I’m fighting decades of muscle memory in this transition, like many others. But I'm not officially sold on mirrorless.
In the good old days of the Sports Forum,
Carl Auer would have moved this thread to the Nikon Forum as a gear topic.
There were new photo threads and replies posted in minutes not days but nearly all of those photographers from 15 years ago are no longer active on FM but times change.
p.1 #5 · Z9...Another Week in Revenue Service...My Impressions
Hoffer wrote:
Thanks for all your info Lee
I almost bought a D6, but decided to wait and get the Z9
Your critiques are making that choice feel pretty good
As much as I have enjoyed shooting with the D6, the Z9 is a much better camera for sports.
Many that I know are sticking with their DSLR's due to AF adapter not working with earlier Nikkor lenses.
Problem is trying to sell a D6 now at a huge loss.
p.1 #6 · Z9...Another Week in Revenue Service...My Impressions
Thanks for sharing. This exactly the D6 versus Z9 experience I have been looking for. I just stop my tracking of D6s for ever.
Edit: I see it was PureMichigan that wrote about the sleep mode. still any comments very much welcome.
The only thing that worried me in your description is the "sleep mode". In my humble z7 I sense I often lose a few shots because the camera takes time to wake up if I stop shooting for some seconds (?) (to what my D850 does not have that problem).... did you feel the sleep factor hindered your experience?
p.1 #7 · Z9...Another Week in Revenue Service...My Impressions
Nice images Lee!
Much appreciate your perspective!
I haven't shot any sports yet but I am impressed with the Z9 with birds.
For Pure Michigan and Danrdz10103....... I overcome the sleep mode by tapping BBF as I bring the camera to my eye. That was one of the first things I did not like about the Z9 but is something that can be fixed by adjusting shooting style.
And Danrdz10103......I tried the Z7II back in the summer and I overcame the sleep mode on that camera by putting a small slither of gaffers tape over the eye sensor in the VF. You will need to slide the eye piece off to do that.
Also sleep mode can be adjusted with battery life potentially taking a big hit.
p.1 #8 · Z9...Another Week in Revenue Service...My Impressions
Rimpson wrote:
Nice images Lee!
Much appreciate your perspective!
I haven't shot any sports yet but I am impressed with the Z9 with birds.
For Pure Michigan and Danrdz10103....... I overcome the sleep mode by tapping BBF as I bring the camera to my eye. That was one of the first things I did not like about the Z9 but is something that can be fixed by adjusting shooting style.
And Danrdz10103......I tried the Z7II back in the summer and I overcame the sleep mode on that camera by putting a small slither of gaffers tape over the eye sensor in the VF. You will need to slide the eye piece off to do that.
Also sleep mode can be adjusted with battery life potentially taking a big hit....Show more →
Thanks for tip on sleep mode...still learning to use the camera.
The D6 is the best DSLR (along with 1Dx Mark III) I have ever used for sports and action and I was just starting to zero in the proper AF settings and was not expecting the Z9 until late spring or early summer.
So I was caught off guard learning a new camera system.
The AF system on the Z9 is so advanced it takes experimenting for different sports...but once dialed in...the performance is stunning.
For me...the Auto Area AF is nearly "point and shoot" when only one athlete is in the frame.
It will take me a couple of months to get comfortable with the speed and responsiveness of this camera. So far...I have not photographed any sports outdoors so I look forward to spring baseball, softball, track and tennis at lowest ISO's.
p.1 #9 · Z9...Another Week in Revenue Service...My Impressions
Two things you can never have enough of in a sports camera -- low-light ISO performance and frame rate speed.
Or so I thought.
I am loving the Z9. It ranks high on my list of favorite inanimate objects of all time.
But 20-30 -- and 120 fps .... whew. As the math would predict, I'm coming home with 2-3X the number of files to sort through after a game. They are all in focus. Which is terrific. But it's a workflow challenge for sure. Am I getting better basketball pictures than I was at 10-12 fps? Probably. But it's really too early to tell. I'm certainly getting "more" high-quality pictures to choose from.
These higher and hyper frame rates are a godsend and great for certain sports and activities. But I can really see myself starting to take a more prudent frame-rate-by-sport approach.
Don't get me wrong -- I love it. I just need to adapt and control the power a little more effectively. There are some fine motor skill techniques that I think will come into play. By the end of my second game, I found myself being able to do microbursts of just a few frames, almost featuring the shutter,
Getting a little more comfortable every game -- Game 1 I felt like I was roller-skating on ice, moving too fast with little/no control.
p.1 #10 · Z9...Another Week in Revenue Service...My Impressions
PureMichigan wrote:
Two things you can never have enough of in a sports camera -- low-light ISO performance and frame rate speed.
Or so I thought.
I am loving the Z9. It ranks high on my list of favorite inanimate objects of all time.
But 20-30 -- and 120 fps .... whew. As the math would predict, I'm coming home with 2-3X the number of files to sort through after a game. They are all in focus. Which is terrific. But it's a workflow challenge for sure. Am I getting better basketball pictures than I was at 10-12 fps? Probably. But it's really too early to tell. I'm certainly getting "more" pictures.
Ironically, if you are getting 90% of your pictures in focus, fps becomes a little less important.
These higher and hyper frame rates are a godsend and great for certain sports and activities, but I can really see myself starting to take a more prudent frame-rate-by-sport approach.
Don't get me wrong -- I love it. I just need to adapt and control the power a little more effectively.
...Show more →
I remember when I put a power winder on my Canon AE-1. I asked my daughter to get on her bicycle and ride up and down the sidewalk. I was going to practice panning and blurred shots. After two passes I shot up a roll of 36 print film. That was expensive. Yeah, I had to learn self control using that shutter button.
