I recently returned to using my Z7II after working with 24MP bodies for a while. Not going to stir up a debate on 24 vs 45 but feel like I "came back home" to a very satisfying experience with the Z7II with minor AF nits. Gave up on a Z7III as I probably cannot justify it if/when it ever arrives. My ideal camera is to add in some of the AF improvements of a Z8/Z6 III with the body/ergonomics of the Z7II and leave out all the video and high speed shooting upgrade.
To overcome some of the AF nits, I have developed my custom profiles around AF optimization profiles and along with a 50 1.2 lens am quite please with results. In low light, the higher res sensor really shines. I agree with the proposition that the AF on the Z7II is acceptable, you just have to work a little harder but its there.
Given that used Z7II's can be had for under 1500, this is an attractive alternate to the better but more expensive Z8 for most situations.
I’m still satisfied with the original Z7 as the landscapes I shoot don’t need anything fancy or fast. There are definitely a bunch of small “quality of life” features from the newer cameras that I wish it had. The size and weight “feature” of the Z7 is of much greater value to me than everything else the Z8 offers though.
I’ve slowly been coming to accept that I simply do not enjoy shooting anything other than landscapes, and desert landscapes at that. Often I feel just the right lens or body will “motivate” me to broaden my photography. I’m old enough at this point and have failed long enough at this point to acknowledge that’s not ever going to happen.
I’m resigned to a Z7III never appearing. If Nikon released something like the A7CR then I might open my wallet again.
I am mostly satisfied. Some quality of life improvements would be great, not sure how easy or cheap it would be to get it into a Z7ii size body, or if Nikon will keep these for "pro" bodies only.
Z8 style articulated rear screen
Backlit buttons
EVF upgrade to Z6iii
AF improvements, does not need to be Z8 but perhaps Z6iii level
Likely never happen but I much prefer the Z8 style control cluster on the left than a PSAM dial.
I'd give up some of the fps and tolerate shorter video limitations to get Z8 goodies in a Z7ii body. If the Z8 was much closer to the Z7ii size I would already own one.
I do agree that Z7 prices are really good these days.
The photos my Z7ii takes are great. What starting to frustrate me is that compared to my Zf the Z7ii feels a little pedestrian. With Expeed 7 I make better use of the various focus modes (including C1 and C2) and I use these in conjunction with subject detection, Cycle AF is wonderful, we just need Cycle SD now… The various AF modes make so much more sense with richer levels of subject detection with Expeed 7.
But yes, for architecture and landscape the Z7ii is wonderful.
I actually cancelled my Z8 preorder that I had for a month and opted for the Z7II. I've rented the D850 with the banks and extended banks which the Z8 has, but never really could figure them out to give the kind of responsiveness I get from the U1..3 user modes. I am mostly a tourist and need the ability to switch quickly and easily between street/action/close-up shots, hand held landscapes, and tripod long exposures which I have honed since my D750 days (at least U1 & U2).
I've missed a few street shots with the AF hunting on the Z7II, but it also surprises me often on getting others. High ISO noise is really well handled in ACR and PS.
Everything is fine after 5 years use but the AF is not good enough for bird photography.
I have to use single point focus for small birds, wide or small area for bigger birds.
I'm waiting for Z8 II if Z7 III is 60mp.
45mp is perfect spot for me, I just need a better AF. Z8 II should be smaller and lighter than the current ver but still with 45mp.
kwalsh wrote:
...The size and weight “feature” of the Z7 is of much greater value to me than everything else the Z8 offers though....
...I’m resigned to a Z7III never appearing. If Nikon released something like the A7CR then I might open my wallet again...
After years of carrying a D3 or D800-size camera 8 or 10 miles at a time in backcountry environments, I was pre-sold on the Z7(II) because of the size. An A7CR-sized version would be even better.
I got a Z8 out of curiosity over the shutterless design and fancy choice of video formats, but after being used to Z6II and Z7II sized cams, the Z8 feels bloated in the hand and it presently exists mainly as a potential backup for the Z7II!
Been using the Zf mostly, but recently picked up the Z7 again in combination with the CV 50 APO. It’s just an amazing platform for these lenses - basically medium format image quality, very light & compact, great ergonomics. And no AF issues either with the CV lenses
I can’t remember, do you get green box focus conf on the Z7/ii?
fjablo wrote:
Been using the Zf mostly, but recently picked up the Z7 again in combination with the CV 50 APO. It’s just an amazing platform for these lenses - basically medium format image quality, very light & compact, great ergonomics. And no AF issues either with the CV lenses
thedruid wrote:
What about the self timer reverting to Single shot each time the camera goes to sleep?
At least on the original Z7 it still annoyingly turns off self timer when going to sleep. It also, however, appears to extend the standby timer (at least in the shortest settings) when in self timer. In other words, if you set a 10 second c3 Power off delay Standyby timer then when in self-timer shutter mode the actual standby will take substantially longer (haven’t measured, but like a minute or two, EDIT: Thom’s guide says it adds one minute to the standby power off time when in self timer).
The sort of workaround is to set d4 Exposure delay mode instead of self timer if you are just looking for a short delay, such as reducing shake when tripod shooting. For regular use that’d be annoying menu diving. But it can work halfway decently in something like a dedicated tripod User Setting.
Anyway, one of the many little annoyances of the Z7. Did this behavior change with later models?
I'm satisfied with the Z7II. 36-45mpx is the sweet spot, imo. I do wish the eye AF was more reliable but given how little I photograph portraits/people with the Z7II, I don't really care. I use it primarily for travel/landscapes.
If a Z7III came out, if it had better eye AF, I'd wait for the price to drop before I even consider upgrading. If it were 60mpx, I wouldn't really care, and hopefully the dynamic range/noise would still be ok. High ISO noise on 60mpx cameras really bugs me. If you were to ask me if base 64ISO or 60mpx is more important, I'd stand on a chair and scream "Gimme 64ISO!".
If I could justify keeping my Z7II after I got the Z8, I would have. I love the form factor and size of the Z7II for travel etc. However, the Z8 is not all that much bigger and heavier to justify the luxury of having a Z7II as well.
The self timer issue became a deal breaker for me, I had the Z6/Z7/Z6ii, and from what I've read the Z7ii has same issue. Seems to me it could of been solved as part of a firmware update.
The self timer thing only really annoys me when scanning film. In normal use it can be a nuisance but tbh saved self-timer setting can be annoying as well - the number of times I pressed the shutter on my Zf and nothing happened for 2 seconds.. ugh.
But it is stupid that they don’t let you choose the behavior on the Z7/Z7ii. Should have been an easy firmware update.
My only real gripe with my Nikon Z7ii is the AF focus box. I’d really like the option to have the fatter lines that later cameras have, I’m colour blind and trying to focus in quite a lot of environments is often quite hard work, especially on the rear screen.
For everything else, I really like the camera and quite often reach for it over my ZF as I prefer the ergonomics of the camera.
I have a Z7 and Z9. If they ever come out with a Z7iii, I’m getting it if it has the same form factor as the original and could be stretched into action shooting a bit better and had some of the latest manual focus aids. Otherwise the Z7 remains a nice compliment to the dual grip fast action Z9 as my small easy carry and landscape lens. If I had a Z7ii, I’d feel the same way.
