Came across this patent filing recently that might be interesting on smaller cameras like the Zf. https://patentscope.wipo.int/search/en/detail.jsf?docId=WO2023223799&_cid=P21-LPNHAO-92612-1
Seems to be a bunch of smallish primes including
35mm f/1.4, 28mm f/1.4, 50mm f/1.4 and 77mm f/2
All are mirrorless designs with total lengths between 90-100mm meaning the lens lengths will be between ~74-84mm so somewhat smaller than the f/1.8 S-line but f/1.4 in aperture.
Another feature is the back focus is all a bit less than 16mm so the last element project into a Z-mount slightly.
Maybe there’s a possibility of a line of non-S f/1.4 compact primes in the future?
For people that have been using the ZF a lot, would you entrust it to be your main camera for paid work. For product photography, portraits and lots of running kids, or is the camera a bit too small and limited for Nikons bigger glass?
newyork wrote:
For people that have been using the ZF a lot, would you entrust it to be your main camera for paid work. For product photography, portraits and lots of running kids, or is the camera a bit too small and limited for Nikons bigger glass?
That's really up to you .. do you need a larger grip than the third party grips provide? Do you need more function buttons ? The AF can do the job, the image quality is top notch ,high ISO is fantastic, is 24 megapixels enough for you ? Are you walking around with the camera in your hand all day, or is on a strap, or sling ? It's personal preference .
I’m used to the grip of a Fuji xs10, I have small hands. I have a day job so sessions tend to be a couple hours at most (out with family and friends and I usually use a bag and a wrist strap anyway.
It’d be zf or z8. 24 1.8, 50 1.8 and either 85 1.8 or 105 2.8.
JustShootMe wrote:
That's really up to you .. do you need a larger grip than the third party grips provide? Do you need more function buttons ? The AF can do the job, the image quality is top notch ,high ISO is fantastic, is 24 megapixels enough for you ? Are you walking around with the camera in your hand all day, or is on a strap, or sling ? It's personal preference .
newyork wrote:
I’m used to the grip of a Fuji xs10, I have small hands. I have a day job so sessions tend to be a couple hours at most (out with family and friends and I usually use a bag and a wrist strap anyway.
It’d be zf or z8. 24 1.8, 50 1.8 and either 85 1.8 or 105 2.8.
The Z8 is quite a bit larger , but very comfortable to hold if you don't mind the size and weight. You should go down to your local shop and handle them both , quite a difference in handling between the two , but either can do the job as long as you don't need the faster frame rate of the Z8. When I had the Z8 after the newness wore off, I changed the frame rate to 15 frames per second anyway , which is what the ZF can do. Going through thousands of frames to cull images gets really old , really fast, and also I just don't need 40 plus megapixels , it's convenient for cropping, but I don't NEED it.
I use 26mp now but since I haven’t starting printing (soon I hope) it’s been absolutely fine. I often use only a few MP for website pics I do for a cutlery business. I tend to only crop if I have to but idk if that’s because I dare not to with 26. Honestly I have done it stylistically for different aspect ratios, distracting elements or if the image isn’t straight and I straighten and then crop out the borders.
Simplicity in set up and use is very important for me too.
I’ll try to stop at a shop
ASAP.
JustShootMe wrote:
The Z8 is quite a bit larger , but very comfortable to hold if you don't mind the size and weight. You should go down to your local shop and handle them both , quite a difference in handling between the two , but either can do the job as long as you don't need the faster frame rate of the Z8. When I had the Z8 after the newness wore off, I changed the frame rate to 15 frames per second anyway , which is what the ZF can do. Going through thousands of frames to cull images gets really old , really fast, and also I just don't need 40 plus megapixels , it's convenient for cropping, but I don't NEED it. ...Show more →
newyork wrote:
For people that have been using the ZF a lot, would you entrust it to be your main camera for paid work. For product photography, portraits and lots of running kids, or is the camera a bit too small and limited for Nikons bigger glass?
Currently the Z f is my second/backup camera. I would use it for work without issues if it weren't for one issue - it doesn't seem to recognize Profoto Air Remotes as a flash when it comes to exposure preview. The flash fires but the exposure preview does not disable.
Not sure if it's a Nikon issue or a Profoto issue. It would be helpful if I could force disabling exposure preview instead of "Only when flash is not used" in menu D9.
I just watched a Matt Irwin video where he mates lots of Nikon glass to the ZF. 1.2 primes, plena, F mount. All seem pretty similar to my xs10 with my 80 macro. Toughest part is extended 1 handed operation which occasional (did it last night) and for very short amounts of time.
Add in the fact that when out and about a bag will be used as well as a strap and it seems doable.
I’ll have to get to a shop and check out the z8 size. I don’t mind large as that’s what I expected to buy in the Z8 but the ZF is getting very tempting as it can be paired with a tiny lens and be extremely portable or used with massive primes of high quality.
I'm going through your dilemma now with respect to Zf vs 8. I went down to local camera shop to play around and with a lens on I feel weight is relatively negligible. I think is about 7 ounces, but when I felt like the z8 was much nicer to hold.
I have the small rig on my zf and it still just doesn't quite do it for me, but it does make a big difference in grip comfort. I probably have slightly larger hands but not meat hooks by far. I have been adapting a lot voigtalnder lenses on the Zf and although they look cool on the Zf, I think they'd probably handle better on the z8. Zf just feels really front heavy with all the metal, brass, and glass on the front. I like the look of the zf, but it might be z8 and m10 for looks for me. I don't know if the z8 will do the subject/eye magnification like the zf does in manual is one thing holding me back. Just my 2 cents.
I’ve got really small hands for a guy. But what you’re saying is my fear. But seriously my wife is tiny and has the same sized hands as me lol
Seabassius wrote:
I'm going through your dilemma now with respect to Zf vs 8. I went down to local camera shop to play around and with a lens on I feel weight is relatively negligible. I think is about 7 ounces, but when I felt like the z8 was much nicer to hold.
I have the small rig on my zf and it still just doesn't quite do it for me, but it does make a big difference in grip comfort. I probably have slightly larger hands but not meat hooks by far. I have been adapting a lot voigtalnder lenses on the Zf and although they look cool on the Zf, I think they'd probably handle better on the z8. Zf just feels really front heavy with all the metal, brass, and glass on the front. I like the look of the zf, but it might be z8 and m10 for looks for me. I don't know if the z8 will do the subject/eye magnification like the zf does in manual is one thing holding me back. Just my 2 cents....Show more →
I realize this is a rather complicated and open ended question to ask, but for someone who is used to pretty much strictly using film rangefinder cameras would you guys recommend this or the xt-5? (i also realize that this is the nikon forum so I understand there could already be bias based on that) Does anyone have both and prefer one over the other?
I had the X-T4 so not experience directly with the X-t5. I believe the files and the autofocus are in a different class. Conversely you can stay pretty compact with the X-t5, but at the end of the day it wasn't enough of a difference for me. I liked Fuji's jpegs, but I pretty much only used Classic Neg and I can duplicate that close enough for me in DXO. Both are awesome cameras, but I saw enough complaints of frustrations with the X-T5 Autofocus that I decided to explore Nikon to supplement my M10.
Rwc1313 wrote:
I realize this is a rather complicated and open ended question to ask, but for someone who is used to pretty much strictly using film rangefinder cameras would you guys recommend this or the xt-5? (i also realize that this is the nikon forum so I understand there could already be bias based on that) Does anyone have both and prefer one over the other?
The X-T5 is a good camera , it's smaller, lighter, and cheaper. The AF isn't as good, nor is the high ISO performance. Reality is all of the current gen cameras are fantastic , just pick what inspires you to shoot it.
JustShootMe wrote:
The X-T5 is a good camera , it's smaller, lighter, and cheaper. The AF isn't as good, nor is the high ISO performance. Reality is all of the current gen cameras are fantastic , just pick what inspires you to shoot it.
So, and I understand this is a rookie question, would you say a lot of people would prefer a full frame 24 mp sensor over a crop sensor 40 mp? I figure that’s a matter of opinion to an extent as well
