p.46 #1 · Nikon unveils the highly anticipated Z8 camera!
Been shooting the Z8 in "casual mode" for the last week. Still on the same battery 350 shots later. Sometimes I'll shoot at 20fps, sometimes I'll shoot single frame, depending on what presents itself to me. This is my normal use case when I'm not actively going out shooting. Still have 35% battery left. Some of that battery life went towards copying the CFE contents to SD as well. This is exactly what I expected to see.
p.46 #2 · Nikon unveils the highly anticipated Z8 camera!
saaketham wrote:
Hey Chris, will the z8 tempt you back to Nikon? 🙂🙂
I would like a highly portable, very lightweight stacked sensor body + prime lens combo.
I had the Sony A1+200-600G, but that was not really lightweight, and it was not a prime lens, lacking the minimum amount of pixie dust. The A1+600GM, and yes occasionally with the 1.4TC for an amazingly good 840mm reach champion, does everything right, but there are the trips where I want to travel very light.
The Z8 is my kind of Nikon body, sort of a D500 type of serious performer without carrying an impossible weight/size signature, whilst not finicky like the A1 or Z7II or Canon R5 body type.
Actually, I would have drawn the Z8 up 1:1 had Nikon asked me, it is just bl**dy perfect!
I have happily been lugging around A1+600GM during the high season for birding, spring migration and birth of the new generations, but now that the season is ending (until fall migration starts), I am less inclined to take it along.
The Z8 with either the 500PF adapted or the Z400+1.4TC would hardly be noticed on my back...
p.46 #3 · Nikon unveils the highly anticipated Z8 camera!
The addition of the new Auto Capture to the Z9 v4.0 firmware just dramatically increased the likelihood of me picking up a Z8 for a dual-camera setup. I'd can set up AC on the Z9 for close encounter captures (e.g. birds nests) and stand off with the Z8 for opportunity shots. Gotta hand it to Nikon marketing...not so dumb afterall?
p.46 #4 · Nikon unveils the highly anticipated Z8 camera!
Gary Irwin wrote:
The addition of the new Auto Capture to the Z9 v4.0 firmware just dramatically increased the likelihood of me picking up a Z8 for a dual-camera setup. Gotta hand it to Nikon marketing...not so dumb afterall?
I'd doubt that most people looked at the Z9 4.0 feature set and their first thought was "I need a Z8 without all these features"...maybe their marketing was just laser focused on your particular use case looks like it worked!
p.46 #5 · Nikon unveils the highly anticipated Z8 camera!
Good morning,
Quick question for the z8 user.
I have an xh2s and my wife an r6, I love these two autofocus cameras. I practice 50 percent video and photo, my favorite field (birds in flight) and especially 4k 120 p on these.
I enjoy the quality of the 4 k on the xh2s, however I find that the detection and the focus of the birds are lost from time to time and pollute my videos and I have to constantly deactivate the detection, which makes me lose the subject when there is an obstacle or the subject leaves the Focus area. even if for photos it is not a problem with a good burst but in video it annoys me.
On the r6 I don't have this problem, finally it's better but I prefer xh2s for everything else.
I would like to know if with a z8 and my 500 pf I will not have the same problem as the xh2s when I film, can we trust it with the detection as with the r6 to film sequences of 1min or 2 without the 'autofocus gets carried away, of course I think there are good conditions, for example a vulture with a mountain quite far behind and good light.
And I also wanted some feedback, for those who use it with the 500 pf in dx mode.
And one last thing, can we film in 4k 120p in dx mode?
sorry for my english i am french
p.46 #6 · Nikon unveils the highly anticipated Z8 camera!
RoamingScott wrote:
I'd doubt that most people looked at the Z9 4.0 feature set and their first thought was "I need a Z8 without all these features"...maybe their marketing was just laser focused on your particular use case looks like it worked!
Is it safe to assume that when we see firmware updates to the Z9 that Z8 firmware updates on a similar level will occur? It will be interesting to see how long it takes for Z8 to get similar updates as Z9 fw4.0... Regardless, seems like Nikon is very committed to real usable updates via firmware, it is something I recognized in the Z6 and glad to see it's being maintained in Z9/Z8...
p.46 #7 · Nikon unveils the highly anticipated Z8 camera!
wjmeyer wrote:
Is it safe to assume that when we see firmware updates to the Z9 that Z8 firmware updates on a similar level will occur? It will be interesting to see how long it takes for Z8 to get similar updates as Z9 fw4.0... Regardless, seems like Nikon is very committed to real usable updates via firmware, it is something I recognized in the Z6 and glad to see it's being maintained in Z9/Z8...
I think that honestly depends on if Nikon sees the Z9 as their single flagship, despite the Z8 have the exact same internals. There's no hardware reason the Z8 can't get every Z9 feature (assuming it's not video recording runtime related or something).
p.46 #8 · Nikon unveils the highly anticipated Z8 camera!
RoamingScott wrote:
I'd doubt that most people looked at the Z9 4.0 feature set and their first thought was "I need a Z8 without all these features"...maybe their marketing was just laser focused on your particular use case looks like it worked!
A guy I follow on Facebook who shoots Sony (A1, 600mm 400mm and 200-600) and Nikon Z9 just posted the list of the new firmware update for the Z9. I asked if he was sure it wasn't a new camera instead of a firmware update. Told him there's more in this update than the last 4 Sony cameras combined.
p.46 #9 · Nikon unveils the highly anticipated Z8 camera!
AZHeaven wrote:
A guy I follow on Facebook who shoots Sony (A1, 600mm 400mm and 200-600) and Nikon Z9 just posted the list of the new firmware update for the Z9. I asked if he was sure it wasn't a new camera instead of a firmware update. Told him there's more in this update than the last 4 Sony cameras combined.
I also like that Nikon will continue updating firmware of "older" bodies even after a replacement comes. Case in point, the Z6 continues to get fw updates even though Z6 II was released.
p.46 #10 · Nikon unveils the highly anticipated Z8 camera!
I do hope they maintain the very compact body size of the Z7 and continue to trickle features into it. I was a little surprised at the substantial size increase of the Z8 - it's 50% bigger by volume and 30%+ heavier. I do recognize, of course, that the converse is also true - they just released a camera half the size of the Z9 with a similar feature set.
But for hiking and travel I've very much enjoyed having a 45mp top-end sensor that's significantly smaller than the crop sensor body I used to hike with. The price point is certainly there for them to maintain it, I just hope they don't try to differentiate the Z6 and the Z7 too much and cause a divergence in size.
The Z8 sure looks nice. I desperately want that sensor shield when changing lenses.
p.46 #11 · Nikon unveils the highly anticipated Z8 camera!
binary visions wrote:
I do hope they maintain the very compact body size of the Z7 and continue to trickle features into it. I was a little surprised at the substantial size increase of the Z8 - it's 50% bigger by volume and 30%+ heavier. I do recognize, of course, that the converse is also true - they just released a camera half the size of the Z9 with a similar feature set.
But for hiking and travel I've very much enjoyed having a 45mp top-end sensor that's significantly smaller than the crop sensor body I used to hike with. The price point is certainly there for them to maintain it, I just hope they don't try to differentiate the Z6 and the Z7 too much and cause a divergence in size.
The Z8 sure looks nice. I desperately want that sensor shield when changing lenses....Show more →
I don't see the Z7/Z6 series growing in size, they have definitely fit a niche. The Z8 came, in large part, for those who say Z7/Z6 are too small and Z9 is too big. I really like the size/feel of my Z8 and wouldn't feel hindered on a long hike; however, if I was planning a backpack trip and wanted to keep everything trim I could see me opting for my Z6 instead. Professionally I've shot with two full size DSLR's with 70-200 f/2.8 and 24-70 f/2.8's slung around my neck with a Thinktank belt kit holding primes, flashes, etc., after an 8-10 hour wedding stint I'd be tired but not worn out, I think the Z8 would fit into that scenario very nicely.
p.46 #12 · Nikon unveils the highly anticipated Z8 camera!
RoamingScott wrote:
I'd doubt that most people looked at the Z9 4.0 feature set and their first thought was "I need a Z8 without all these features"...maybe their marketing was just laser focused on your particular use case looks like it worked!
He better not buy that Z8 as in one of the Nikon promo vids it is confirmed these features will come to the Z8 soon.
p.46 #13 · Nikon unveils the highly anticipated Z8 camera!
I know some that are new to video would be tempted by the new slow mo option, but I'd implore you to just shoot in 120fps mode for more flexibility in post
p.46 #14 · Nikon unveils the highly anticipated Z8 camera!
AZHeaven wrote:
A guy I follow on Facebook who shoots Sony (A1, 600mm 400mm and 200-600) and Nikon Z9 just posted the list of the new firmware update for the Z9. I asked if he was sure it wasn't a new camera instead of a firmware update. Told him there's more in this update than the last 4 Sony cameras combined.
The question remains though....despite the multitude of FW updates and great new innovative features, has this FW actually brought the underlying AF up to the 2.5 year old benchmark set by the A1? Somehow I doubt it has. But once Z8 gets this FW I'll give it a test run.
p.46 #15 · Nikon unveils the highly anticipated Z8 camera!
wjmeyer wrote:
I don't see the Z7/Z6 series growing in size, they have definitely fit a niche. The Z8 came, in large part, for those who say Z7/Z6 are too small and Z9 is too big. I really like the size/feel of my Z8 and wouldn't feel hindered on a long hike; however, if I was planning a backpack trip and wanted to keep everything trim I could see me opting for my Z6 instead. Professionally I've shot with two full size DSLR's with 70-200 f/2.8 and 24-70 f/2.8's slung around my neck with a Thinktank belt kit holding primes, flashes, etc., after an 8-10 hour wedding stint I'd be tired but not worn out, I think the Z8 would fit into that scenario very nicely....Show more →
Sure, and to be clear, I think there's a good market for a Z8-sized camera; not everyone is in my usage demographic. I shot with a D300 for years before I started hiking more and transitioned to the smaller D7xxx series.
I tend to hike light and fast - it's not unheard of for us to do a 25+ mile day hike. So the half pound increase is substantial, since it amounts to a meaningful portion of my overall pack weight. It's less that I would refuse to hike with it, and more that the camera is already a big consideration in my gear so increased size/weight better bring something great to the party.
Just hoping Nikon keeps us lightweight movers in mind as they continue to develop. The Z7ii + f/4 zooms are pretty great kit for their size.
p.46 #16 · Nikon unveils the highly anticipated Z8 camera!
arbitrage wrote:
He better not buy that Z8 as in one of the Nikon promo vids it is confirmed these features will come to the Z8 soon.
I thought he only said that Auto Capture was on the Z8 "near future" roadmap, but I only watched a small handful of promo vids.
arbitrage wrote:
The question remains though....despite the multitude of FW updates and great new innovative features, has this FW actually brought the underlying AF up to the 2.5 year old benchmark set by the A1? Somehow I doubt it has. But once Z8 gets this FW I'll give it a test run.
As usual, only a handful of shooters that focus on swallows and other tough birds would care. Nikon is fleshing their bodies out with a crazy amount of features that can shoot all but swallows with full confidence. For the other 99.9% of people that would buy a Z8 or Z9, they are sure seeming like the far more well rounded options these days.
p.46 #17 · Nikon unveils the highly anticipated Z8 camera!
RoamingScott wrote:
I know some that are new to video would be tempted by the new slow mo option, but I'd implore you to just shoot in 120fps mode for more flexibility in post
True. But sometimes I like to use Sony S&Q and just have the slomo vid made for me...because video is but an afterthought to me and I don't want to put in the time to edit it in post other than maybe trimming off some of the clip.
p.46 #18 · Nikon unveils the highly anticipated Z8 camera!
RoamingScott wrote:
I thought he only said that Auto Capture was on the Z8 "near future" roadmap, but I only watched a small handful of promo vids.
Yes, I guess that is what I was referring to. Sounds like it is coming and I'd suspect all the other changes. Likewise I'd expect Z9 to get another FW in short order to add in the Z8 features. Odd they didn't have that ready for this one considering Z8 FW is probably 6 months old when they started mass producing the cameras.
p.46 #19 · Nikon unveils the highly anticipated Z8 camera!
arbitrage wrote:
The question remains though....despite the multitude of FW updates and great new innovative features, has this FW actually brought the underlying AF up to the 2.5 year old benchmark set by the A1? Somehow I doubt it has. But once Z8 gets this FW I'll give it a test run.
My God, if Nikon actually achieved parity on swallows at 200 feet in front of a varied background, will the Sony forum even exist anymore? What will there be to discuss?
p.46 #20 · Nikon unveils the highly anticipated Z8 camera!
Editing slow mo is like 10 seconds worth of work in Adobe Premiere. You're basically importing, picking what you need, right clicking and setting the playback speed, trimming, rendering and hitting export. arbitrage wrote:
True. But sometimes I like to use Sony S&Q and just have the slomo vid made for me...because video is but an afterthought to me and I don't want to put in the time to edit it in post other than maybe trimming off some of the clip.
looks like it worked!
