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Archive 2023 · Z8 vs R5? I'm just curious...

  
 
Alistair1
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p.8 #1 · Z8 vs R5? I'm just curious...


Daran wrote:
How would ISO64 be beneficial vs ISO100 for fast glass, when the Z8 and Z9 have shutter speeds up to 1/32000s?


Compared to ISO100, ISO64 allows you to catch more photons for a given scene luminance, giving a higher SNR.



May 11, 2023 at 10:36 PM
johnctharp
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p.8 #2 · Z8 vs R5? I'm just curious...


BPsmith511 wrote:
80% of users have no real need for >30-40mpix anyway, but the brand wars continue.


I've found the lower-MP options, say 18MP to 24MP, to be downright plenty, especially when not owning more expensive glass. If I had the TS-E 50L and 135L lenses I'm drooling over for product / detail photography, well, I'd have an A7R to put behind them in a heartbeat...

BPsmith511 wrote:
Heck, half the people that DO have 40-45mp and above (a non-insignificant number of 61mp users too) complain about file size as it is!


And some of us consider this a challenge for our computer building / upgrading hobby



May 11, 2023 at 10:51 PM
gdanmitchell
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p.8 #3 · Z8 vs R5? I'm just curious...


johnvanr wrote:
Would be interesting, because if the Z8 and R5 kind of match, then the ball is now squarely in Canon's court to come up with a Z9 competitor, which the R3 isn't.


This back and forth is simply the way it works. Brand A comes out with a new thing that is The Very Newest and Bestest Thing Ever... until a few months or a year later when Brand B comes out with its next new thing which is (off course, technology progresses!) a bit better than the Brand A thing... so it is now the new Very Newest and Bestest Thing Ever. But lurking in the shadows, Brand C has been working on their new thing, and a few months or a year later they introduce it — and, of course, it beats the specs of A and B in some particular ways by some small but arguably measurable way. Eventually it is Brand A's time again, and they come out with their next new (or upgraded) thing, and now IT is the Latest, Greatest, Coolest, Most Advanced Thing Ever. ...or a few months until B or C or maybe D or E come out with their next thing.

Getting sucked into this FOMO loop is a giant waste of time and a distraction from photography. All current camera makers are producing remarkably capable equipment that exceeds the needs of virtually all of us.

Imagine two photographers:

One of them bought into a brand — A, B, C or something else, it doesn't matter. This photographer built a system around that brand, and it works well. It isn't "perfect," because nothing is. But it is excellent, and our intrepid photographer learns its ins and outs, develops instincts for it, and makes excellent photographs with it. (Edit And periodically, when the time is right, photographer #2 updates gear from the same solid brand when the old gear starts to wear out or when improvements are significant enough to make a material difference in the photographs — maybe ever couple of camera upgrade cycles or so.

The other photographer bought into one of these brands... and six months later when one of the other brands introduced their Cool New Thing, photographer #2 became very concerned that their existing camera was no longer The Very Best Thing With The World's Greatest Specs. So our photographer #2 switches— sells off that existing gear, sets up a system with the next brand, sits back smugly thinking, "Now I have the GREATEST GEAR EVER!" Then, six months later, the third brand comes out with a system that has .08% more framus and a bogulosity factor of 2X with Super-Mega-Maxi Image Optimization Parametric AI Software. So, again, our intrepid photographer #2 sells off the old stuff, catches the hype train, and buys into brand #3! And once again has the Very Best Thing.... for the next six months or so, and then the old doubts return.

Now imagine hanging photographs from the two photographers on the wall. Do we really think that photographer #2's work is going to be better? Seriously?

;-)

Edited on May 13, 2023 at 09:03 AM · View previous versions



May 11, 2023 at 10:58 PM
AmbientMike
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p.8 #4 · Z8 vs R5? I'm just curious...




marsguy wrote:
I'll just chuck this in here to possibly spur a side discussion. I know the Z8/Z9 are geared towards fast subjects, given the stacked sensor, but I've had my fill of everyone and their brother roleplaying a NatGeo wildlife photographer, so...

Would there be any sense in a landscape/architecture photographer purchasing a Z8 over a Z7II? Why or why not? Are there other types of photography where having this stacked 45MP sensor could be beneficial, even if the readout speed likely doesn't matter for that type of photography? How would the R5 compare in those scenarios?


You might ask yourself how eye af and 30fps benefit landscape photographers, and if they really needed mirrorless.



May 11, 2023 at 11:31 PM
marsguy
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p.8 #5 · Z8 vs R5? I'm just curious...


AmbientMike wrote:
You might ask yourself how eye af and 30fps benefit landscape photographers, and if they really needed mirrorless.


I don't think either of those features benefit landscape photographers, but thankfully they're not the only features in those cameras.

Mirrorless is absolutely a massive boon for landscape photography however, for focus and exposure preview. It takes so much guesswork out of the equation, without needing to take an exposure and review it. It also allows the body to be smaller and lighter so it can be more easily carried to beautiful places.



May 12, 2023 at 12:01 AM
Lance B
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p.8 #6 · Z8 vs R5? I'm just curious...


docusync wrote:
I'm willing to pay for the 400/600 VR TC S but I'm not willing to wait till 2050 when they become available in stores
The Z8 is an undoubtedly great camera, but it's basically a re-release of a 2 year old camera with a saw-off grip. It still weighs almost 1kg not much different from the gripped R3. Why didn't Nikon bother to improve it? For the same period of time Sony managed to improve IBIS and AF. At least Nikon could have put a better EVF in the Z8 but no...


Read what DPReview has stated about the EVF of the Z8/Z9 with their Preview:

https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikon-z8-initial-review

Under "How it compares" and under the comparison table:

"On paper, the Z8 doesn't look particularly impressive in this company. Its specs look a lot like those of the EOS R5, with its viewfinder seemingly leaving it lagging behind. The reality couldn't be more different: the Z8's viewfinder's minimal lag makes it feel more lifelike and better suited for shooting action, while its shooting rate is significantly faster and its quicker sensor readout means there's less rolling shutter in e-shutter mode. Its AF is some of the best we've encountered, and the Nikon has the edge in video with longer recording times and a wider selection of capture modes and codecs."



May 12, 2023 at 03:22 AM
fotografur
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p.8 #7 · Z8 vs R5? I'm just curious...


Don't forget the Z8 has skin softening for portraits




May 12, 2023 at 04:30 AM
johnvanr
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p.8 #8 · Z8 vs R5? I'm just curious...


rwingsfan wrote:
Here's the deal man. Imagemaster can be very outspoken, bordering on irritating, however he is totally right. He is a GREAT photographer. He just mirrors what many of us think towards the inane questions and Bs that follow so many threads.


Again, you don’t have to participate.



May 12, 2023 at 05:45 AM
fotografur
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p.8 #9 · Z8 vs R5? I'm just curious...


johnvanr wrote:
It seems people are fine with this discussion. If you are not, you don't have to participate. Oh wait, you aren't.

Maybe you can ask Fred if you can become a moderator, so you can justifiably tell people what they should do and shouldn't do.

Sometimes, I think you're just enjoying too much being a curmudgeon.

It's a good thing you're an excellent photographer and you have your good moments, otherwise you'd be unbearable here.


There are a few people here that are so insecure they feel the need to pick a keyboard fight in almost any thread. Just do what I do and pretend he doesn't exist....even when he replies to you 🤓

PS I'm enjoying the discussion for the most part....



May 12, 2023 at 05:56 AM
patotts
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p.8 #10 · Z8 vs R5? I'm just curious...


A bit late to this party as I've been on an overseas trip for a week, but here are my 2 cents.

I've only read the specs and watched a YT video or two, but the Nikon Z8 looks like an amazing machine and a killer value at that price point. However, it is a bit shocking that Nikon engineers can not develop an AF system that beats Canon R5 in all aspects, even 3 years after the release of the R5?!

I grew up on Nikon, it has a special place in my heart and I want them to succeed but Nikon should have put a Sony A7R5 style flippy screen on the Z8, 5m dot something EVF, and some more customization buttons - they surely could have done that at the same price point. And presenting a camera body that is 200 gr heavier than the competition with a smaller battery/less capacity?

I think/hope the Z8 will do well, but don't see Sony or Canon users switching back to Nikon for this machine.

I mean, if I had all my gear stolen and starting from scratch, I'd be interested to go with one, but I'm not seeing myself selling my Sony A7R5 with GM glass for the Z8 at this point... If I was doing more video and/or sports, it would be tempting.

My last idiot thing - I love using my Sony's as webcam for Zoom meetings, so easy to connect via USB-C directly into Mac and I always get tons of compliments on the IQ, but for that you need a flip screen which the Z8 doesn't have.



May 12, 2023 at 06:11 AM
AmbientMike
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p.8 #11 · Z8 vs R5? I'm just curious...



marsguy wrote:
I don't think either of those features benefit landscape photographers, but thankfully they're not the only features in those cameras.

Mirrorless is absolutely a massive boon for landscape photography however, for focus and exposure preview. It takes so much guesswork out of the equation, without needing to take an exposure and review it. It also allows the body to be smaller and lighter so it can be more easily carried to beautiful places.


The modern stuff is huge. On my film gear the 50mm macro zuiko something like 7 Oz, and the wides even lighter. I looked up the 50/1.2 AIS I used to own, 12.7oz! 50/1.2 More like 2 lbs now. Bought a 7 oz vivitar 100/3.5 macro eons ago. Light lenses aren't anything new at all

Mirrorless you save about half a pound on the body. That's it. Even then rebels and probably D3xxx series very light, and are DSLR's.

So if you stuff your bag full of fast, or maybe even slower primes, since it takes several and 2.8 zooms, it's going to be heavy. Weight depends on the lenses. Just don't find the exposure preview to be that big of a deal. Really, ISO 100 on a tripod negates most mirrorless advantages. If you shoot landscape that way



May 12, 2023 at 12:32 PM
Max Power
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p.8 #12 · Z8 vs R5? I'm just curious...


johnvanr wrote:
It seems people are fine with this discussion. If you are not, you don't have to participate. Oh wait, you aren't.

Maybe you can ask Fred if you can become a moderator, so you can justifiably tell people what they should do and shouldn't do.

Sometimes, I think you're just enjoying too much being a curmudgeon.

It's a good thing you're an excellent photographer and you have your good moments, otherwise you'd be unbearable here.


....for a guy who claims not to want drama, this isn't helping.

So doing a quick tally, the number of posts discussing the potential for drama outweigh the dramatic posts by about 15:1. Seems that when all modern gear is so similar, not much going on in the tribalism arena anymore.

To the original question, Chris and Jordon on PetaPixel give the strong nod to the Z8s video over the R5, but I don't video so I have nothing to add. Not many here talking about video at all, actually.



May 12, 2023 at 01:29 PM
RoamingScott
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p.8 #13 · Z8 vs R5? I'm just curious...


Max Power wrote:
....for a guy who claims not to want drama, this isn't helping.

So doing a quick tally, the number of posts discussing the potential for drama outweigh the dramatic posts by about 15:1. Seems that when all modern gear is so similar, not much going on in the tribalism arena anymore.

To the original question, Chris and Jordon on PetaPixel give the strong nod to the Z8s video over the R5, but I don't video so I have nothing to add. Not many here talking about video at all, actually.


Most posters on FM would have a mental short circuit if they flipped their camera to video mode. This isn't really the place for a nuanced conversation on video.

This is evidenced by replies like "well if major Hollywood studios aren't filming blockbuster movies with this camera, it's trash", when the Z9 (and now Z8) have THE most compelling prosumer video abilities on the market in the most robust hybrid all in one bodies.



May 12, 2023 at 01:39 PM
johnvanr
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p.8 #14 · Z8 vs R5? I'm just curious...


Max Power wrote:
....for a guy who claims not to want drama, this isn't helping.

So doing a quick tally, the number of posts discussing the potential for drama outweigh the dramatic posts by about 15:1. Seems that when all modern gear is so similar, not much going on in the tribalism arena anymore.

To the original question, Chris and Jordon on PetaPixel give the strong nod to the Z8s video over the R5, but I don't video so I have nothing to add. Not many here talking about video at all, actually.


I'm not even going to go there. If you don't agree with the focus of the thread, just stay away. The irony is that only the people who have attacked me, have added drama. The discussion I intended is civil.

If you know Imagemaster, he just likes to stir things up. I'm just pulling his leg.

And are you guys also harassing the OP of the Sony-Nikon comparison thread?



May 12, 2023 at 01:44 PM
marsguy
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p.8 #15 · Z8 vs R5? I'm just curious...


AmbientMike wrote:
The modern stuff is huge. On my film gear the 50mm macro zuiko something like 7 Oz, and the wides even lighter. I looked up the 50/1.2 AIS I used to own, 12.7oz! 50/1.2 More like 2 lbs now. Bought a 7 oz vivitar 100/3.5 macro eons ago. Light lenses aren't anything new at all

Mirrorless you save about half a pound on the body. That's it. Even then rebels and probably D3xxx series very light, and are DSLR's.

So if you stuff your bag full of fast, or maybe even slower primes, since it takes several and 2.8 zooms, it's
...Show more

Well, if we're still talking about landscape, primes don't make any sense, if you have to hike to your location. They are cumbersome to switch in the field where you are around dirt/mud/dust, water, sand, rocks, etc. Zooms are the clear way to go, especially when you get the f/4 versions. Not all mirrorless lenses are gigantic, but Canon has taken the summit tier approach by making giant, clinically perfect f/1.2 primes.

Fuji on the other hand has kept their APS-C lenses pretty compact, up until the past few years where they seem to be trying to lure more FF shooters with bigger, faster glass (like the 50/1 and 200/2). It's still quite a bit smaller and lighter than FF at that point. Their 35/1.4 is absolutely tiny (like the size of the RF50/1.8) and is a lovely lens. Their 56/1.2 is on the larger side for the X system and is still svelte compared to the RF85/1.2 which could easily be used as a bludgeon. Their "red badge"/pro tier 16-55/2.8 is affectionately known as "the brick" which is hilarious considering it's half a pound lighter than the RF24-70/2.8 and 0.1lbs lighter than the RF24-105/4 which is actually pleasantly small for what it is. As well, the 16-55 is still quite a bit smaller than both of the lenses I compared it to as well, despite being the largest standard zoom in the entire X system.

My point is, Canon has deliberately chosen to make their L lenses huge. Mirrorless lenses don't have to be huge. It seems pretty common to see a lot of people still desiring f/1.4 primes as cheaper, smaller, lighter alternatives to the absurd f/1.2 primes.

I also don't shoot landscape only on a tripod. Should I? Maybe. But I do a lot of hiking, backpacking, and canoeing/kayaking, and it's not practical to bring a tripod for many of those scenarios, at least not a full size one. You can't use a tripod in a canoe, either. I'm often on the move and don't have time to sit in one spot for a while for the light to be just right. I don't use big flat filters or graduated filters. Obviously if I'm trying to blur water I'll use a tripod with an ND filter but most photos I take don't require slow shutter speeds, so handheld shooting is fine. And yes, I shoot at base ISO as much as I possibly can. I need stuff that is compact and convenient and doesn't require any setup or takedown for most shots, and mirrorless cameras are an improvement over DSLRs in pretty much every way that matters to me.



May 12, 2023 at 02:07 PM
Max Power
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p.8 #16 · Z8 vs R5? I'm just curious...


johnvanr wrote:
I'm not even going to go there. If you don't agree with the focus of the thread, just stay away. The irony is that only the people who have attacked me, have added drama. The discussion I intended is civil.

If you know Imagemaster, he just likes to stir things up. I'm just pulling his leg.

And are you guys also harassing the OP of the Sony-Nikon comparison thread?


I don't know Imagemaster, I guess I am not on here often enough to know everybody. So you say you would like me to create drama in the Sony vs Nikon thread? Challenge accepted!




May 12, 2023 at 02:14 PM
RoamingScott
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p.8 #17 · Z8 vs R5? I'm just curious...


If you don’t know him after 54,000 inflammatory posts, who do you know?

Max Power wrote:
I don't know Imagemaster, I guess I am not on here often enough to know everybody. So you say you would like me to create drama in the Sony vs Nikon thread? Challenge accepted!





May 12, 2023 at 02:15 PM
Jman13
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p.8 #18 · Z8 vs R5? I'm just curious...


marsguy wrote:
Well, if we're still talking about landscape, primes don't make any sense, if you have to hike to your location. They are cumbersome to switch in the field where you are around dirt/mud/dust, water, sand, rocks, etc. Zooms are the clear way to go, especially when you get the f/4 versions. Not all mirrorless lenses are gigantic, but Canon has taken the summit tier approach by making giant, clinically perfect f/1.2 primes.

Fuji on the other hand has kept their APS-C lenses pretty compact, up until the past few years where they seem to be trying to lure more FF shooters
...Show more

I'm a former Fuji user, so I am familiar with the 56mm f/1.2 (and also with Sigma's very tiny APS-C 56mm f/1.4). However, APS-C lenses require a smaller image circle, and the physical aperture is significantly smaller than an 85mm f/1.2. Also, while the 56mm f/1.2 is a very nice lens (and honestly, one of my favorites of all time), it doesn't hold a candle to the Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L optically. The Fuji is significantly less corrected, with less sharpness, more chromatic aberration, and not quite as smooth bokeh.

The fact is, top tier glass is often rather large. Nikon's 85mm f/1.2 is larger than Canon's (and roughly the same weight), while Nikon's 50mm f/1.2 is MASSIVELY larger than Canon's. Sony's equivalents are a little smaller, but the fact is that really high end, ultra-well corrected glass, is generally pretty big. Back in the DSLR days, most manufacturers (bar Sigma with their Art series, which is huge), traded undercorrected lenses for a smaller size. The EF 50mm f/1.2L is much smaller than the RF version, but it also is technically terrible in comparison. The RF is sharper at f/1.2 than the EF is at f/2.8. The market for the L primes is professional shooters who mostly would prefer optical perfection over size. Also, Canon has made their telephoto zooms smaller, with both 70-200mm lenses being very compact and light for their focal length and apertures.



May 12, 2023 at 02:37 PM
gdanmitchell
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p.8 #19 · Z8 vs R5? I'm just curious...


On page two of this thread gdanmitchell wrote:
Both Canon and Nikon make excellent cameras. If you prefer one brand over the other and know what features you are looking for, get either one and start making photographs.

The secret that most don't want to mention is that the brand you choose almost never makes a difference to your photography. Of all the questions you'll face in photography, "Which brand?" is the least important.

Unfortunately, posting a "brand X or brand Y" question in any brand's forum almost always leads to brand wars and does little to clarify the decision.


The following 100+ (a lot of +) messages do little to suggest otherwise. :-)



May 12, 2023 at 02:50 PM
marsguy
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p.8 #20 · Z8 vs R5? I'm just curious...


Jman13 wrote:
I'm a former Fuji user, so I am familiar with the 56mm f/1.2 (and also with Sigma's very tiny APS-C 56mm f/1.4). However, APS-C lenses require a smaller image circle, and the physical aperture is significantly smaller than an 85mm f/1.2. Also, while the 56mm f/1.2 is a very nice lens (and honestly, one of my favorites of all time), it doesn't hold a candle to the Canon RF 85mm f/1.2L optically. The Fuji is significantly less corrected, with less sharpness, more chromatic aberration, and not quite as smooth bokeh.

The fact is, top tier glass is often rather large.
...Show more

I totally get that the image circle requirements allow APS-C lenses to be smaller. I guess it wasn't the best comparison since it's not really apples to apples. But it seems that the RF L glass is, as a rule, larger than EF L glass, and as far as I can tell, that's only because Canon went tryhard, probably to entice pros to spend a bunch of money to switch to RF.

It is pretty awesome how they shrunk their 70-200s though. I don't have a problem with telescoping barrels but I know people sensitive to balance changes or shooting in high dust/humidity environments don't like it.

I want L build quality and optics. I don't want to have to choose between the chintzy 50/1.8 and the giant 50/1.2. They both suck for me; either IQ sucks or it's too big/heavy/expensive to ever want to use for casual carry. There has to be a sensible middle ground. I'm sure Canon will get there after they're satisfied with the milking of the big primes in 2-3 years maybe. I say this as someone who has only until recently just been keeping tabs on RF developments, and is now watching them closely.

Anyway, the point was that mirrorless lenses don't have to be larger than DSLR lenses; it's just the route that Canon and Nikon seem to have gone. Sony seems to have some nice smaller, lighter lenses, though they still command a premium, and they should, especially with some novel lenses like the recent 20-70/4 (which I hope Canon one-ups...).



May 12, 2023 at 03:01 PM
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