p.12 #1 · Looks like a Z5iiC is dropping next week
ZeeMike wrote:
What a time to be alive - $1400 full frame camera and people still find reasons to complain
Did everyone forget that $2k was the lower limit for a full frame not that long ago?
p.12 #2 · Looks like a Z5iiC is dropping next week
RoamingScott wrote:
Interesting tidbit in the Fro podcast about the way Nikon handles these new releases and testing...a rep comes to them and hangs over their shoulder and the creators are given half a day to do their entire testing and filming.
There's very little time to get acclimated to the camera, to understand new features, or to do any sort of deep dive.
He said they are the only big company behaving that way, and that Sony and Canon will typically send them gear a month ahead of time. It would certainly explain some of Fro's simmering frustration with Nikon that continues to come through in every new video....Show more →
If they want pre-release access, yeah. For instance, my colleague Phil got half a day walking around NYC with our rep.
However, I'm getting one delivered today with no firm return date.
p.12 #3 · Looks like a Z5iiC is dropping next week
old-gregg wrote:
The comments in this thread remind me of the Sony forum discussions when the RX1R III was released. Different form factor and price point, but the same sentiment: not! enough! features!
Who knew that cameras could become less capable when a manufacturer shrinks their size. And who knew that specs can drop even further when the price is low. Surprising, right? The world is so mysterious and full of surprises.
Be careful out there!
Did nikon shrink the size? It's only 80 grams less in weight and besides dropping the EVF the body is nearly the same size. I think most of the features were to cut cost. Not size.
Can't imagine the z5ii higher res screen and second card slots would have increased the size...
p.12 #4 · Looks like a Z5iiC is dropping next week
I think some of the criticism is coming from the lack of new releases this year. People are waiting for releases like the Z9II or Z7III, and instead we got a Z5II with the EVF cut off. While I am sure it's got a market, it's not inspiring confidence. Add in the lack of lenses this year, and it doesn't help the situation. Especially when we have lens parrings that have not been completed. For example, we got the 50mm f1.4 2 years ago, and we have yet to get the 85mm f1.4.
My gut is that when Expeed 8 launches, it's going to be a major step forward and worth the wait. The semiconductor world has been a mess this year. I wouldn't be surprised if Expeed 8 and even other lenses were supposed to be launched this year and got pushed back to all the chip issues that have been caused by AI.
p.12 #5 · Looks like a Z5iiC is dropping next week
Now...Nikon should stick a good EVF on the corner of this thing, load it up with a 36MP/47MP BSI sensor (and a real shutter) and call it the Zs and be done with it. Still that niche to fill.
p.12 #6 · Looks like a Z5iiC is dropping next week
DWOfPaul wrote:
I think some of the criticism is coming from the lack of new releases this year. People are waiting for releases like the Z9II or Z7III, and instead we got a Z5II with the EVF cut off. While I am sure it's got a market, it's not inspiring confidence.
I guess Nikon set the bar so high for performance / value with the Z5II (and probably the same for Z50II, Z6III and Z8 for their places in the range) that we have started expecting every new release to move that game on, and that hasn't really happened this time - though it does seem that the negative comparisons are practically all against significantly more expensive cameras.
But the Z5IIc is clearly aimed at the bottom of the FF market, I imagine it will have the usual new model price adjustment after 6 months and end up with a bigger price gap to the Z5II than launch prices show.
It's not for me (I prefer an EVF and the Z5II is already on the smaller side for my hands and balancing bigger lenses, I added a bottom plate) but I'm sure it will have a market, it just isn't aimed at the more enthusiast level of forum-dwellers.
They probably should have stuck with the Z5ii LCD instead of downgrading that to lower res though IMO.
p.12 #7 · Looks like a Z5iiC is dropping next week
GravelBen wrote:
I guess Nikon set the bar so high for performance / value with the Z5II (and probably the same for Z50II, Z6III and Z8 for their places in the range) that we have started expecting every new release to move that game on, and that hasn't really happened this time - though it does seem that the negative comparisons are practically all against significantly more expensive cameras.
But the Z5IIc is clearly aimed at the bottom of the FF market, I imagine it will have the usual new model price adjustment after 6 months and end up with a bigger price gap to the Z5II than launch prices show.
It's not for me (I prefer an EVF and the Z5II is already on the smaller side for my hands and balancing bigger lenses, I added a bottom plate) but I'm sure it will have a market, it just isn't aimed at the more enthusiast level of forum-dwellers.
They probably should have stuck with the Z5ii LCD instead of downgrading that to lower res though IMO....Show more →
I agree. I think the LCD may have been the biggest misstep with the Z5IIC. I also agree Nikon has been producing cameras with a strong value proposition.
Personally, I fall in the bucket of people itching for precapture raw, or another higher res camera from Nikon. I am extremely happy with my Z8 overall, but I can't bring myself to buy a second one without precapture raw, I don't think I would be happy with the performance of the Z7II at this point, and the rest of Nikon's cameras are at 24MP. I know MP are not everything, but I have gotten so used to high resolution cameras after 10+ years of being at 36MP or more.
I ended up picking up a ZF this summer to fill my second camera spot untill Nikon puts out the cameras I am really looking for. While I am definitely having fun with the ZF and will probably keep it in my rotation long term. I probably won't be filling out my Z lens lineup untill I get the second camera I am really looking for.
Based on what I have seen online, there are other photographers that feel the same way. So Nikon is probably definitely leaving some Money on the table currently. Granted, they may very well feel that there is more money to be made in video and lower end FF cameras. Persoanlly I would like to see them do both
p.12 #8 · Looks like a Z5iiC is dropping next week
For those of us in the "waiting for Expeed 8 and the Z8II/Z9II" camp, just about any camera right now will disappoint. We've seen everything this generation can offer and Nikon certainly doesn't appear to have their finger on any relevant pulse.
I hate the whole "but the kids are used to phones" argument for the Z5IIc. Partly true, but they are consuming 4k content on 6"+ HDR devices, not dim 3"/1.00M pixel resolution screens.
I polled my 13 year old for 1 anecdotal data point. "I'd rather use a viewfinder, it's easier when it's sunny out". Well then.
I bought my Z50II on the basis of his review. I already had a Z50 and was disappointed the Z50II did not get IBIS but the AF more than makes up for that and has me hankering for a Z5II or a Z6III. My Z7 is now mostly my landscape camera - great IQ but disappointing AF after th 50II.
Nikon tried the removable EVF with the N1 V3 - I had two of them and never removed the EVF on either. The N1 V2 was much better ergonomically and if I could have got that body style with the guts of the V3 plus
its tilt screen that would have suited me very well. The Z50II fills that niche very well for me now - larger and heavier of course but well worth it for APSC rather than 1”.
p.12 #12 · Looks like a Z5iiC is dropping next week
Ricci said he had his for months. I think Nikon does it the way they do because they have a very limited number of test bodies to give to people. He probably got his before or after Omar got his for all we know. RoamingScott wrote:
Interesting tidbit in the Fro podcast about the way Nikon handles these new releases and testing...a rep comes to them and hangs over their shoulder and the creators are given half a day to do their entire testing and filming.
There's very little time to get acclimated to the camera, to understand new features, or to do any sort of deep dive.
He said they are the only big company behaving that way, and that Sony and Canon will typically send them gear a month ahead of time. It would certainly explain some of Fro's simmering frustration with Nikon that continues to come through in every new video....Show more →
p.12 #13 · Looks like a Z5iiC is dropping next week
Ricci works for Nikon so…….
JadedWriter wrote:
Ricci said he had his for months. I think Nikon does it the way they do because they have a very limited number of test bodies to give to people. He probably got his before or after Omar got his for all we know.
I bought my Z50II on the basis of his review. I already had a Z50 and was disappointed the Z50II did not get IBIS but the AF more than makes up for that and has me hankering for a Z5II or a Z6III. My Z7 is now mostly my landscape camera - great IQ but disappointing AF after th 50II.
Nikon tried the removable EVF with the N1 V3 - I had two of them and never removed the EVF on either. The N1 V2 was much better ergonomically and if I could have got that body style with the guts of the V3 plus
its tilt screen that would have suited me very well. The Z50II fills that niche very well for me now - larger and heavier of course but well worth it for APSC rather than 1”....Show more →
"The odd autofocus addition in the Z5IIC that every photo site in the world will likely mention is Nikon's new form of subject detection. For Fish. Yes, those things that are underwater. Personally, I would have preferred Elephant."
I love it. I also would have more use for elephant mode. I've photographed many hundreds of elephants, but not many fish.
p.12 #15 · Looks like a Z5iiC is dropping next week
Yeah I know. I think he's basically a beta tester for stuff. He's not an influencer. I will agree that Nikon needs to get better at getting people more stuff and for longer for review purposes. RoamingScott wrote:
Ricci works for Nikon so…….
p.12 #16 · Looks like a Z5iiC is dropping next week
Still too big/heavy for me. Just give us something in the size of the Coolpix A or Ricoh GR series with a fixed lens. DX is fine and don't need FX. Monochrome is even better. Less is more.
p.12 #17 · Looks like a Z5iiC is dropping next week
I have no idea who has the need for something like this. Just use your phone. It seems that is the targeted audience anyway. It's been since the end of Dec: 2021 since the flagship came out. I appreciate all the firmware updates that Nikon has done over those 5 years but we need new hardware to support and be on par with what Sony & Canon provide in terms of autofocus. Why is that so hard?
p.12 #18 · Looks like a Z5iiC is dropping next week
If you want new hardware from Nikon, tell your investors not to put all the financial wealth of the world into AI data centers which are gobbling up advanced semiconductor manufacturing capacity so Nikon can't get its next-generation cameras manufactured.
carl_g wrote:
I have no idea who has the need for something like this. Just use your phone. It seems that is the targeted audience anyway. It's been since the end of Dec: 2021 since the flagship came out. I appreciate all the firmware updates that Nikon has done over those 5 years but we need new hardware to support and be on par with what Sony & Canon provide in terms of autofocus. Why is that so hard?
p.12 #19 · Looks like a Z5iiC is dropping next week
Saw some folks at the Dallas Nikon meetup using these this weekend. They look absurdly big for their proposed use case.
carl_g wrote:
I have no idea who has the need for something like this. Just use your phone. It seems that is the targeted audience anyway. It's been since the end of Dec: 2021 since the flagship came out. I appreciate all the firmware updates that Nikon has done over those 5 years but we need new hardware to support and be on par with what Sony & Canon provide in terms of autofocus. Why is that so hard?
p.12 #20 · Looks like a Z5iiC is dropping next week
Nikon really needs a ZFCII so they can chase after the X-T5 clientele already. Or something rangerfinder styled to go after the X-E5. RoamingScott wrote:
Saw some folks at the Dallas Nikon meetup using these this weekend. They look absurdly big for their proposed use case.
