That's a really good point. I realized this only after I uploaded the video. 🤔 The Zf is in fact wider by 18mm. That's significant! It's almost as wider as it's taller! I can't believe I missed this. Thanks for pointing out.👍
It's absolutely a joke of a lens, BUT at least for the S9, I like it better than the Sigma 45mm f2.8. Simply because it keeps the whole body small as intended, and that's why I include them. Even though the Sigma is a much better prime lens, it makes the S9 too big and it defeats the whole purpose of getting the S9 in the first place.
This is not a joke) The concept of using such a combo for street photography. You put the lens in a position where everything will be sharp from three meters to infinity and walk down the street. And if you add lumix sync to the phone here, you can take photos from the phone without attracting attention))
I heavily laughed and critisized that plasticky, manual constant f8 26mm of Panasonic. But when I bought and used it, I was amazed how fast the manual focusing is due to the short throw and oh my, it's very sharp as well. But it's only good with photography IMO, and using it videography would be Disastrous.
Thank you so much for making this video. I adore the EVF, controls, styling, shutter sound of the ZF (i.e. its “soul” lol) but it is slightly bulky, and I think I am like you - the lower weight of the A7cii will prompt me to bring it out more often probably. Neither handles great to me so I got a used A7iii at a good price. The EVF is a little washed out and it is a little too mini dslr-like body-wise. I think I will cross-grade to an A7cii. Thoughts? Thanks again.
I'm sad to report that I sold my Zf. Precisely because of its bulk. I set out to find a good compact sub cam to my Fuji X-H2S, and as much as I love the Zf's build quality, it felt as bulky as my main cam. So I'm down to S9 & A7CII again. I'm leaning more towards keeping the S9 as I tend to pick up the S9 whenever I go out. Personally, I think A7CII is a superior camera in almost every respect except IBIS and the screen quality. But, the S9 gives me better straight-out-of-camera jpegs and videos, and I usually don't wanna bother with spending so much time editing stuff from my everyday-carry camera. BUT, I'm more of a gear head than a photographer, so I'll be using my Zf fund to add Canon R8 and Fuji X-M5 to stack them against the S9 & A7CII to see what other manufacturer's compact cams are like.
btw, the Canon R8 is the very anthesis to the Zf in my first impressions test. The cheap plastic build quality, the generic DSLR-like design, and the hollow bargain-bin tin can shutter sound... I mean it costs $500 less, but I didn't know the quality gap would be this huge.
@@camera.mellow also a bit of a gear head - just family and travel photos. Looking forward to hear about your experiences with the new cameras. Need full frame and EVF for adapted vintage lenses. R8 fitted my hands quite well, but no Canon for me. Have you looked into picture profiles for Sony? If not, google Sony film simulations. Potentially better jpegs this way depending on your taste of course - but can’t save white balance along with the profiles.
Yeah, actually one thing that I have completely missed in this video is how much wider the Zf is in comparison to the other cameras. It's in fact 2cm wider than the S9 & A7CII. That's quite a lot. I don't own a FM2, but I'd imagine the Zf is 2cm wider than FM2 as well.
I have the Zf with the 26 2.8, and A7Cii with 40mm 2.8 amongst other lenses and grip for both bodies. I prefer the Zf setup when shooting locally using primes; and A7cii when traveling with my zooms (20-70 and 70-200 both F4) ) plus a single wide prime. Overall I prefer the Zf but the weight of the body and the Z zooms just kills it for me for travels.
I feel ya there, haha. I thought I'd be able to handle the extra 200g, but quickly realized that it's not just the weight but the overall bulk as well. It's just a tad big to be considered unwieldy. I wish that it was like 20% smaller and lighter, and a small zoom lens, then it'd be a perfect travel combo. While I do enjoy taking photos with the Zf so much more than A7C II, it's for nothing if I don't take it out with me.
Yeah, I was against getting the 26mm f8 for two months before I finally broke down and got it. It's just mind boggling that Panasonic thought it'd be ok to release a f8 manual focus lens for full-frame camera in this day and age. You'd think it's from the 80's from the spec sheets, and the only reason I can think of why this thing even exists is because Panasonic execs probably told the engineers to come up with something quick with super tight deadlines. F8 Manual Focus!? Honestly, even generic Chinese vendors selling on Temu can come up with something better.
its nuts how nikon manage to make f2.8 autofocus lens that small. shame on panasonic. Nikon also has compact f2 lens which neither sony or panasonic offers. Sony feels industrious and unless its your profession nikon is the way to go. What do you think and which one do you prefer?
It's hard to believe that Panasonic is unable to make something close to Nikon 26mm f2.8. They must be able to at least make something like f/4 or f/5.8 autofocus. Panasonic probably decided to release the S9 early, and told their engineers to just come up with something right away for the impending release. Otherwise, the specs don't make any sense. Who in the world thinks they can sell f8 MANUAL FOCUS(!!!!) in this day and age unless you are going to sell it for 50 bucks on AliExpress? 🤣 Canon has something very close to Nikon 26mm f2.8's size and brightness as well, so it's not like Nikon has a major upper hand in the industry, so it 's even more of a shame how Panasonic bungled the S9's release with a crappy lens. As much as I love the Zf's look and feel, its size and weight gives me a pause when I go out with my family. I love how satisfying it is to take photos with it, but I just don't take it out of the bag as much as with the other two cameras... But, I have also regretted taking the S9 with me, as manual focus is definitely the wrong choice for an outing with 5 year old, so A7C II is usually the default choice for me.
@@camera.mellow i agree with you on the compactness but sony's f2.5 lens are expensive to get that combo need to spend $2800 anyways thanks for the reply very good insight.
@@reek75 Yeah, the 40mm / 50mm f2.5 lenses are way too expensive, and they are still double the size of Nikon 26mm f2.8. It's one of the reasons why I'm just sticking with the kit lens for A7CII.
I've been using Samyang 35/2.8, which is just as small and light, and I find 35mm FL a lot more useful than 26mm. There is also Samyang 35/1.8, which is also small and light and actually better optically than Nikon 40/2 -- and I have both and tested them side by side. I have many Sony and Nikon lenses and also ETZ21 Pro adapter, E-mount choices are a lot better than Z-mount. The only reason for choosing Nikon system is the quality of NEF files, which in my view are the best.
@@ElementaryWatson-123 I was actually surprised by the fact that Nikon 26mm f2.8 is significantly better than 40mm f2.0 in terms of sharpness wide open. It's half the size, but a lot sharper. I don't think that's a big endorsement for the Nikon 26mm. Rather it's a testament to how poor the 40mm f2 is optically. I've never used Samyang lenses, but I'm definitely interested in the 35/2.8. It's more useful focal length for sure.👍
I’ve had the S9+45 2.8 Sigma since its release and the Fuji X100VI, and I’m considering trading it all for an A7C II + 50 G 2.5. What do you think? Or should I go for the Zf since I have a solid setup at home based on the Z mount (I had the Zfc before, but the lack of stabilization got to me)? I already have plenty to have fun with (R5 II and 28-70 2.8 IS STM, 70-200 F4 IS USM, 50 1.8) (Z6 III + Z8 and 50/85 1.2, 135 Plena, 40 F2, 35 1.4).
A7CII is more like a multipurpose do-it-all kinda camera. But it seems like you already got so much ground covered with S9, X100VI, R5 II, Z6 III and Z8. A7C II won't particularly be better than them in any category. If you shoot more photos, I'd say go for the Zf, but you already own Z6 III and Z8. Zf is like Z6 III wrapped in a mega-sized X100VI body. If you shoot more videos, then S9 will simply be better. A7C II has slightly better AF, but I don't see any other advantage that it has over the S9 in video. A7C II is such a "middle-of-the-road, good-at-everything, but best-at-nothing" type of camera that I'd easily recommend if you are going to use it as your main camera, but not as fun secondary/tertiary camera. 🤨
I feel like the s9 is just a missed opportunity for panasonic to have come out with something like a gm5 mk2. Also, my beloved sigma fp forgotten again 😭
S9 absolutely feels rushed. An EVF and a mechanical shutter would've made it the best compact full frame camera on the market. At the cost of probably a slightly thicker body and a slight increase in price.. such a shame 😕
Yeah, the Zf is borderline uncomfortable for me as well. But in a strange way, it's only manageable if I don't attach any grips. With every other camera, grips and cases make things better. But, not with the Zf.
Too bad you weren't able to include the Sigma FP - it's a quirky little camera that definitely isn't for everyone, but the body is tiny (the smallest full frame interchangeable lens camera period) and the controls/operating experience are superb. I got one when the kit with the excellent (but annoyingly long as you note) 45 mm f/2.8 lens was just $1800 after destroying yet another fragile Ricoh GR. The Nikon ZF looks great, but despite the retro looks it seems impractical to use with vintage F mount lenses. I want a DF to use all my old glass with and I hope the ZF drives those prices down! BTW Nikon lenses have been CCW to mount since the Nikon 1 rangefinder in 1948 (using a variation on the Contax RF mount from 1932) and the F mount in 1959 - so they're not going to change it now. It's fine when you have the muscle memory for it, and lens removal is preferable with this design IMO because you grasp the lens with your right hand (camera in left hand), press the lens release button with the side of your right index finger, and twist to remove the lens. Your fingers don't hit the pentaprism when twisting CW to remove the lens. The mount is ergonomically perfect in this way.
I'd love to try out the Sigma FP one day. I heard a lot of good things about it ever since I started this channel. FP doesn't seem to have any meaningful market share to be considered truly mainstream, but there seems to be a lot of FP fans online. I stretched myself too thin though. Keeping up with 4 different camera brands isn't easy. I gotta get rid of at least one brand before I can try out a new one 🤣 CCW mount is a doozy. Two months in, and I still haven't gotten used to it. I like the ZF /w 26mm f2.8 pancake, but the vast majority of Z mount lenses are just too big, and combined with ZF's hefty body, most of the combos are just massive..
Hey buddy! How's YT life treating you? I think Im heading down a similar path as you with the A7CII. It seems a much better overall choice than the S9 (which I have rented since we last spoke) But I can't seem to find any decent stabilisation test of the A7CII - so I thought I would come to you! How does that Active mode stand up against the S9? It looks pretty decent from what Ive seen, but sometimes looks awful! Anyhow... The S9 has grown on me, but missing a handle and hotshoe, I can't help but eye the Sony... Have you picked a favourite yet? Which is more FUN!!! (I do love the 20-60!) Cheers dude :)
Hey Ben. UA-cam really wants you to upload every few days, eh? My view counts just took a nose dive once I stopped uploading frequently. I can see how people could be forced into putting up just any crap to please the algorithm gods 😂 Anyways, I'm glad you rented the S9. There's nothing like actually trying out the camera yourself. The same goes for the A7CII. My impressions of these two cameras keep changing over time though, so I might just make a short video about it. As for the Image Stabilization, S9 is SO MUCH BETTER than the A7CII. It's not even close. ActiveSteady shots from A7CII look mostly good in static or panning shots, but forget about walking shots, they look awful. You can do post stab. /w gyro data in Catalyst Browse, but there's a few caveats. You gotta turn off IBIS, and jack up the shutter speed to 300+ to get rid of the jitters, and this could mess up the consistency in the look of your vids if that's your thing. Anyways, I'll make a couple of videos comparing the two cameras in Normal IS, High IS, then gyro data post processing, etc. It should take me a week or so to make it.
@@camera.mellow Hey buddy! So strange I dudnt get a notification for this comment! But glad I checked up... Yes in-hand is everything right! And the Sony feels so good. Im wondering wether I can do without super stabilization for this camera and lense choices - Lets see! I think next is hire the A7CII and go from there :) Gosh and I understand the algorithm pressure! Its the devil! Beware! Take me word for it... You do you! And don't compromise - It will protect your sanity and nervous system :) Maybe we should collab one day!
A pretty high pressure day job and three kids make it rather difficult to put up a video every week, but I always wanted to do this, so I'm hoping that it'll get easier with time 🙂 Yeah, I'd love to collab. I don't know what that could entail, but yeah, I'd love to do something.
I hope so. Its size seems to be a design decision more than anything. There are plenty of smaller full frame bodies out there, so it's not a technical limitation.
It’s more of a retro style camera with dials for controlling exposure. A PASM camera with control wheels isn’t quite the same feel, but can certainly be more compact. The better comparison is to the FujiFilm cameras. The Fuji cameras are often still bigger than the A7C even with only APS-C.
Zf body is already borderline unmanageable in terms of size, and adding grips make it even bigger, so I think Nikon should really reduced the size of the body to be truly competitive against other compact cameras.
I think these 3 are a pretty good representative of compact full-frame bodies. Even though they all different styles, when people search for compact full-frame, it's very likely that A7CII, S9, Zf are in consideration. That's how I ended up with them as well. No one's sending me anything, so I'm just comparing what I own.😄
Hey Camera Mellow, my name is Johnny and I'm a freelance logo designer, would you love to have a logo for your new channel to have a branding image ready for your camera channel journey to come to make new audience attracted to click in, know where to find your contents and also as merchs prints as well? Let me know if you interested and I love to design it for you! Also, is Zf more fun to shoot and is Zf with 28-400mm too big as everyday camera you bring to even Mall?
Hi NetvoTV, I'm running this channel as a hobby, so I don't need any help in design services yet. Thanks for the offer though. As for Zf /w 28-400mm... Yeah, it's too big even with 50mm 1.8.. so 28-400mm would be like a hand cannon 😆
If I had to choose by looks alone, it would be the Nikon. The S9 is a close second. But, that’s not what really matters, right. I’m sure the Sony has a great personality. If Viltrox would make an L mount version of the pancake 28mm f4.5 that would make a killer combo with the S9.
Yeah, Viltrox 28mm f4.5 would be a no-brainer. It'd be so much superior to the 26mm f8 MF lens. At this point, I'd even take a simple AF version of the same 26m f8 lens. Seriously it wouldn't even take Panasonic that much effort to make it AF.
I've been reading the comments and stuff these modern photographers are a bunch of wimps I was a serious amateur back in the 80s. You talked about carrying around some weight how about a Canon F1 with a power winder with a Canon FD 70-210 zoom that is some weight I guess these modern wimpy photographers couldn't handle such pieces of equipment
Well, I guess I'm one of those wimpy photographers. I used to lug around 20kg of equipment shooting birds, but I can't anymore. Like the saying "The best camera is one that that's with you.", I just wanna have something with me all the time. It's such a cliché, but it's so true. Especially in this day and age when you got a super high quality camera in your pocket in the form of a cellphone, there's way less motivation to lug around something much bigger. I think that's why the camera market is segmented into two extreme tiers with nothing in the middle. It's gotta be either really tiny with good specs, or just big with super specs. Nothing in the middle as people either go all out with no concern for the size, or really small with "better than cellphone" specs. But I do respect your perspective though. I bought a lot of smaller cameras in the last couple of years, thinking that I need something smaller. But time after time, but I keep coming back to bigger bodies, simply because they are more comfortable to handle. That's why my main camera is still X-H2S even though I got 3 other compact bodies.
The ergonomics on the Nikon Zf just feels right. Smaller camera bodies have the tendency to use tiny buttons or dials that are placed in a cramped position. Also it needs some space between the lens mount and your hands to give your fingers room. This is where the Sony is the worst from all.
I really like how Nikon Zf feels in hand without any extra grip. I think I'm in the minority about this though. I don't think I have small hands, but adding extra grip makes the camera too big for my hands to the point of being slightly unwieldy.
Good and fair comparison. Would have been good to compare the bodies in width as well. The Zf seems wider than the other two.
That's a really good point. I realized this only after I uploaded the video. 🤔 The Zf is in fact wider by 18mm. That's significant! It's almost as wider as it's taller! I can't believe I missed this. Thanks for pointing out.👍
@@camera.mellow That's a lot, close to 2cm on such small bodies, some 10-20%
That 26mm f8 lens is a joke. i don't think it should be used in any comparisons.
It's absolutely a joke of a lens, BUT at least for the S9, I like it better than the Sigma 45mm f2.8. Simply because it keeps the whole body small as intended, and that's why I include them. Even though the Sigma is a much better prime lens, it makes the S9 too big and it defeats the whole purpose of getting the S9 in the first place.
This is not a joke) The concept of using such a combo for street photography. You put the lens in a position where everything will be sharp from three meters to infinity and walk down the street. And if you add lumix sync to the phone here, you can take photos from the phone without attracting attention))
@@Sergey_PashninWhy would I want everything in focus? I do a lot of street photography and that is not my style at all. It should be an option to do.
I heavily laughed and critisized that plasticky, manual constant f8 26mm of Panasonic. But when I bought and used it, I was amazed how fast the manual focusing is due to the short throw and oh my, it's very sharp as well. But it's only good with photography IMO, and using it videography would be Disastrous.
Thank you so much for making this video. I adore the EVF, controls, styling, shutter sound of the ZF (i.e. its “soul” lol) but it is slightly bulky, and I think I am like you - the lower weight of the A7cii will prompt me to bring it out more often probably.
Neither handles great to me so I got a used A7iii at a good price. The EVF is a little washed out and it is a little too mini dslr-like body-wise.
I think I will cross-grade to an A7cii. Thoughts? Thanks again.
I'm sad to report that I sold my Zf. Precisely because of its bulk.
I set out to find a good compact sub cam to my Fuji X-H2S, and as much as I love the Zf's build quality, it felt as bulky as my main cam.
So I'm down to S9 & A7CII again. I'm leaning more towards keeping the S9 as I tend to pick up the S9 whenever I go out. Personally, I think A7CII is a superior camera in almost every respect except IBIS and the screen quality. But, the S9 gives me better straight-out-of-camera jpegs and videos, and I usually don't wanna bother with spending so much time editing stuff from my everyday-carry camera.
BUT, I'm more of a gear head than a photographer, so I'll be using my Zf fund to add Canon R8 and Fuji X-M5 to stack them against the S9 & A7CII to see what other manufacturer's compact cams are like.
btw, the Canon R8 is the very anthesis to the Zf in my first impressions test. The cheap plastic build quality, the generic DSLR-like design, and the hollow bargain-bin tin can shutter sound... I mean it costs $500 less, but I didn't know the quality gap would be this huge.
@@camera.mellow also a bit of a gear head - just family and travel photos. Looking forward to hear about your experiences with the new cameras. Need full frame and EVF for adapted vintage lenses. R8 fitted my hands quite well, but no Canon for me.
Have you looked into picture profiles for Sony? If not, google Sony film simulations. Potentially better jpegs this way depending on your taste of course - but can’t save white balance along with the profiles.
People are saying the Zf mimics the FM2 but the FM2 was way smaller. This looks more like an elongated/wider F3. Too big.
Yeah, actually one thing that I have completely missed in this video is how much wider the Zf is in comparison to the other cameras. It's in fact 2cm wider than the S9 & A7CII. That's quite a lot. I don't own a FM2, but I'd imagine the Zf is 2cm wider than FM2 as well.
I have the Zf with the 26 2.8, and A7Cii with 40mm 2.8 amongst other lenses and grip for both bodies. I prefer the Zf setup when shooting locally using primes; and A7cii when traveling with my zooms (20-70 and 70-200 both F4) ) plus a single wide prime. Overall I prefer the Zf but the weight of the body and the Z zooms just kills it for me for travels.
I feel ya there, haha. I thought I'd be able to handle the extra 200g, but quickly realized that it's not just the weight but the overall bulk as well. It's just a tad big to be considered unwieldy. I wish that it was like 20% smaller and lighter, and a small zoom lens, then it'd be a perfect travel combo. While I do enjoy taking photos with the Zf so much more than A7C II, it's for nothing if I don't take it out with me.
And even the Nikon Zf looks rather tiny when compared to my battery gripped DSLRs. I actually thought about getting the Nikon Zf for it's small size.
If you are used to DSLRs, then the Zf must feel like a toy cam in your hands 🤣
Duse, what's the point of your comparison? They exist for different reasons and utilization.
It's for whoever's considering one of these cameras. I'm sure there are people like me who want to get a compact mirrorless as their sub camera.
That Panasonic lens is a joke. I really hope Nikon will make a rangefinder-style "Z s" body.
Yeah, I was against getting the 26mm f8 for two months before I finally broke down and got it. It's just mind boggling that Panasonic thought it'd be ok to release a f8 manual focus lens for full-frame camera in this day and age. You'd think it's from the 80's from the spec sheets, and the only reason I can think of why this thing even exists is because Panasonic execs probably told the engineers to come up with something quick with super tight deadlines.
F8 Manual Focus!? Honestly, even generic Chinese vendors selling on Temu can come up with something better.
OMG COVER THOSE SENSORS!
All the cool kids are doing it!
A great comparison!
Thanks! I appreciate it 😃
its nuts how nikon manage to make f2.8 autofocus lens that small. shame on panasonic. Nikon also has compact f2 lens which neither sony or panasonic offers. Sony feels industrious and unless its your profession nikon is the way to go. What do you think and which one do you prefer?
It's hard to believe that Panasonic is unable to make something close to Nikon 26mm f2.8.
They must be able to at least make something like f/4 or f/5.8 autofocus.
Panasonic probably decided to release the S9 early, and told their engineers to just come up with something right away for the impending release.
Otherwise, the specs don't make any sense. Who in the world thinks they can sell f8 MANUAL FOCUS(!!!!) in this day and age unless you are going to sell it for 50 bucks on AliExpress? 🤣
Canon has something very close to Nikon 26mm f2.8's size and brightness as well, so it's not like Nikon has a major upper hand in the industry, so it 's even more of a shame how Panasonic bungled the S9's release with a crappy lens.
As much as I love the Zf's look and feel, its size and weight gives me a pause when I go out with my family. I love how satisfying it is to take photos with it, but I just don't take it out of the bag as much as with the other two cameras...
But, I have also regretted taking the S9 with me, as manual focus is definitely the wrong choice for an outing with 5 year old, so A7C II is usually the default choice for me.
@@camera.mellow i agree with you on the compactness but sony's f2.5 lens are expensive to get that combo need to spend $2800 anyways thanks for the reply very good insight.
@@reek75 Yeah, the 40mm / 50mm f2.5 lenses are way too expensive, and they are still double the size of Nikon 26mm f2.8. It's one of the reasons why I'm just sticking with the kit lens for A7CII.
I've been using Samyang 35/2.8, which is just as small and light, and I find 35mm FL a lot more useful than 26mm. There is also Samyang 35/1.8, which is also small and light and actually better optically than Nikon 40/2 -- and I have both and tested them side by side. I have many Sony and Nikon lenses and also ETZ21 Pro adapter, E-mount choices are a lot better than Z-mount. The only reason for choosing Nikon system is the quality of NEF files, which in my view are the best.
@@ElementaryWatson-123 I was actually surprised by the fact that Nikon 26mm f2.8 is significantly better than 40mm f2.0 in terms of sharpness wide open. It's half the size, but a lot sharper. I don't think that's a big endorsement for the Nikon 26mm. Rather it's a testament to how poor the 40mm f2 is optically.
I've never used Samyang lenses, but I'm definitely interested in the 35/2.8. It's more useful focal length for sure.👍
I’ve had the S9+45 2.8 Sigma since its release and the Fuji X100VI, and I’m considering trading it all for an A7C II + 50 G 2.5. What do you think? Or should I go for the Zf since I have a solid setup at home based on the Z mount (I had the Zfc before, but the lack of stabilization got to me)? I already have plenty to have fun with (R5 II and 28-70 2.8 IS STM, 70-200 F4 IS USM, 50 1.8) (Z6 III + Z8 and 50/85 1.2, 135 Plena, 40 F2, 35 1.4).
A7CII is more like a multipurpose do-it-all kinda camera. But it seems like you already got so much ground covered with S9, X100VI, R5 II, Z6 III and Z8. A7C II won't particularly be better than them in any category. If you shoot more photos, I'd say go for the Zf, but you already own Z6 III and Z8. Zf is like Z6 III wrapped in a mega-sized X100VI body. If you shoot more videos, then S9 will simply be better. A7C II has slightly better AF, but I don't see any other advantage that it has over the S9 in video.
A7C II is such a "middle-of-the-road, good-at-everything, but best-at-nothing" type of camera that I'd easily recommend if you are going to use it as your main camera, but not as fun secondary/tertiary camera. 🤨
I feel like the s9 is just a missed opportunity for panasonic to have come out with something like a gm5 mk2.
Also, my beloved sigma fp forgotten again 😭
S9 absolutely feels rushed.
An EVF and a mechanical shutter would've made it the best compact full frame camera on the market. At the cost of probably a slightly thicker body and a slight increase in price.. such a shame 😕
Why would you film them with their sensor exposed?
No particular reason. I just like the look of it 😀
The Zf was an ergonomic disaster for me, even with the smallest lenses. I had to return it.
Yeah, the Zf is borderline uncomfortable for me as well. But in a strange way, it's only manageable if I don't attach any grips. With every other camera, grips and cases make things better. But, not with the Zf.
Too bad you weren't able to include the Sigma FP - it's a quirky little camera that definitely isn't for everyone, but the body is tiny (the smallest full frame interchangeable lens camera period) and the controls/operating experience are superb. I got one when the kit with the excellent (but annoyingly long as you note) 45 mm f/2.8 lens was just $1800 after destroying yet another fragile Ricoh GR.
The Nikon ZF looks great, but despite the retro looks it seems impractical to use with vintage F mount lenses. I want a DF to use all my old glass with and I hope the ZF drives those prices down!
BTW Nikon lenses have been CCW to mount since the Nikon 1 rangefinder in 1948 (using a variation on the Contax RF mount from 1932) and the F mount in 1959 - so they're not going to change it now. It's fine when you have the muscle memory for it, and lens removal is preferable with this design IMO because you grasp the lens with your right hand (camera in left hand), press the lens release button with the side of your right index finger, and twist to remove the lens. Your fingers don't hit the pentaprism when twisting CW to remove the lens. The mount is ergonomically perfect in this way.
I'd love to try out the Sigma FP one day. I heard a lot of good things about it ever since I started this channel. FP doesn't seem to have any meaningful market share to be considered truly mainstream, but there seems to be a lot of FP fans online.
I stretched myself too thin though. Keeping up with 4 different camera brands isn't easy. I gotta get rid of at least one brand before I can try out a new one 🤣
CCW mount is a doozy. Two months in, and I still haven't gotten used to it. I like the ZF /w 26mm f2.8 pancake, but the vast majority of Z mount lenses are just too big, and combined with ZF's hefty body, most of the combos are just massive..
Wow where can I find those silver version of S9?
The silver version was only released in Asia for whatever reason.🤨
Hey buddy! How's YT life treating you? I think Im heading down a similar path as you with the A7CII. It seems a much better overall choice than the S9 (which I have rented since we last spoke) But I can't seem to find any decent stabilisation test of the A7CII - so I thought I would come to you! How does that Active mode stand up against the S9? It looks pretty decent from what Ive seen, but sometimes looks awful! Anyhow... The S9 has grown on me, but missing a handle and hotshoe, I can't help but eye the Sony... Have you picked a favourite yet? Which is more FUN!!! (I do love the 20-60!) Cheers dude :)
Hey Ben. UA-cam really wants you to upload every few days, eh? My view counts just took a nose dive once I stopped uploading frequently. I can see how people could be forced into putting up just any crap to please the algorithm gods 😂
Anyways, I'm glad you rented the S9. There's nothing like actually trying out the camera yourself. The same goes for the A7CII. My impressions of these two cameras keep changing over time though, so I might just make a short video about it.
As for the Image Stabilization, S9 is SO MUCH BETTER than the A7CII. It's not even close. ActiveSteady shots from A7CII look mostly good in static or panning shots, but forget about walking shots, they look awful. You can do post stab. /w gyro data in Catalyst Browse, but there's a few caveats. You gotta turn off IBIS, and jack up the shutter speed to 300+ to get rid of the jitters, and this could mess up the consistency in the look of your vids if that's your thing. Anyways, I'll make a couple of videos comparing the two cameras in Normal IS, High IS, then gyro data post processing, etc. It should take me a week or so to make it.
@@camera.mellow Hey buddy! So strange I dudnt get a notification for this comment! But glad I checked up... Yes in-hand is everything right! And the Sony feels so good. Im wondering wether I can do without super stabilization for this camera and lense choices - Lets see! I think next is hire the A7CII and go from there :) Gosh and I understand the algorithm pressure! Its the devil! Beware! Take me word for it... You do you! And don't compromise - It will protect your sanity and nervous system :) Maybe we should collab one day!
A pretty high pressure day job and three kids make it rather difficult to put up a video every week, but I always wanted to do this, so I'm hoping that it'll get easier with time 🙂
Yeah, I'd love to collab. I don't know what that could entail, but yeah, I'd love to do something.
I do not understand why Nikon ZF is this big. I'm hoping 2nd gen will be significantly smaller and lighter.
I hope so. Its size seems to be a design decision more than anything. There are plenty of smaller full frame bodies out there, so it's not a technical limitation.
It’s more of a retro style camera with dials for controlling exposure. A PASM camera with control wheels isn’t quite the same feel, but can certainly be more compact. The better comparison is to the FujiFilm cameras. The Fuji cameras are often still bigger than the A7C even with only APS-C.
Nikon Zf is bigger and heavier than its predecessor (Z6ii) and that is without an add-on grip, which is a must. Perhaps Zf mark II will be done right.
Zf body is already borderline unmanageable in terms of size, and adding grips make it even bigger, so I think Nikon should really reduced the size of the body to be truly competitive against other compact cameras.
It sounds like you want the Z 6III not the Z f...
@@nickthaskater
Yeah, Zf is getting really close to the Z6III size already, so I might as well try the Z6III.
This seems like an unfair comparison because they are different body styles
I think these 3 are a pretty good representative of compact full-frame bodies. Even though they all different styles, when people search for compact full-frame, it's very likely that A7CII, S9, Zf are in consideration. That's how I ended up with them as well.
No one's sending me anything, so I'm just comparing what I own.😄
@@camera.mellowI agree. I think plenty of people are cross shopping these cameras
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Also, is Zf more fun to shoot and is Zf with 28-400mm too big as everyday camera you bring to even Mall?
Hi NetvoTV, I'm running this channel as a hobby, so I don't need any help in design services yet.
Thanks for the offer though.
As for Zf /w 28-400mm... Yeah, it's too big even with 50mm 1.8.. so 28-400mm would be like a hand cannon 😆
If I had to choose by looks alone, it would be the Nikon. The S9 is a close second. But, that’s not what really matters, right. I’m sure the Sony has a great personality. If Viltrox would make an L mount version of the pancake 28mm f4.5 that would make a killer combo with the S9.
Yeah, Viltrox 28mm f4.5 would be a no-brainer. It'd be so much superior to the 26mm f8 MF lens. At this point, I'd even take a simple AF version of the same 26m f8 lens. Seriously it wouldn't even take Panasonic that much effort to make it AF.
I've been reading the comments and stuff these modern photographers are a bunch of wimps I was a serious amateur back in the 80s. You talked about carrying around some weight how about a Canon F1 with a power winder with a Canon FD 70-210 zoom that is some weight I guess these modern wimpy photographers couldn't handle such pieces of equipment
Well, I guess I'm one of those wimpy photographers. I used to lug around 20kg of equipment shooting birds, but I can't anymore.
Like the saying "The best camera is one that that's with you.", I just wanna have something with me all the time. It's such a cliché, but it's so true. Especially in this day and age when you got a super high quality camera in your pocket in the form of a cellphone, there's way less motivation to lug around something much bigger.
I think that's why the camera market is segmented into two extreme tiers with nothing in the middle. It's gotta be either really tiny with good specs, or just big with super specs. Nothing in the middle as people either go all out with no concern for the size, or really small with "better than cellphone" specs.
But I do respect your perspective though. I bought a lot of smaller cameras in the last couple of years, thinking that I need something smaller. But time after time, but I keep coming back to bigger bodies, simply because they are more comfortable to handle. That's why my main camera is still X-H2S even though I got 3 other compact bodies.
A7Cii + ZFC user 🙋
I'd love to get my hands on a Zfc if a Mark 2 version gets released at some point in the future.
The ergonomics on the Nikon Zf just feels right. Smaller camera bodies have the tendency to use tiny buttons or dials that are placed in a cramped position. Also it needs some space between the lens mount and your hands to give your fingers room. This is where the Sony is the worst from all.
I really like how Nikon Zf feels in hand without any extra grip. I think I'm in the minority about this though. I don't think I have small hands, but adding extra grip makes the camera too big for my hands to the point of being slightly unwieldy.
Big Zf , big love!
Everything's big with Zf 😆
I will take a Sony Camera from the A7 series. The Lumix is stupid missing an EVF !
Yes, the EVF is what I miss the most from the S9. I've brought up the camera to my face only to realize yet again that there's no EVF countless times.