The trick is that we have a good time on every video, fun and very informative in the same time, that's what I really appreciate over most of the other photo channels ! ;-)
As a pro photographer, I took the ZF for my personnal work, travel, just because it gives me a smille each time. I’ve starded photography in 80’ so perhaps it’s the reason… Thanks Omar for your very gooood work!!! FUUUN
Z6iii hit the sweet spot for me. Absolutely loved my time with z8. Switched back to Sony for a bit and when I went back and looked at film and pics and realized how much I loved the Nikon look. Z6 hit the sweet spot for size, price, and capabilities.
Omar, I have been a Fuji shooter since the X-T2 switched from Canon. I have gone thru using the X-T2 to the X-T4 & 5 (which I still have and use) I mainly went with the Fuji system because of the weight and traveling with a full kit. I am a hybrid shooter and shoot professionally in several genres. Just a few months back I started researching newer cameras with better autofocus specs. I considered Sony, Canon, and Nikon my main reasoning was shooting motorsports and aviation (fast movers) I decided on the Nikon Z8. IMO it was the best fit for the criteria I was using for my decision. I agree with you on all the points with the Z8 it will be my go-to for my motorsports and aviation shoots but like you, it will not be my travel camera. That job will be assigned to the Fuji systems still, I can pack 2 bodies and several lenses including my 100-400mm into my carry-on with no issues.
I'm in the same boat. switched from Canoon to fuji. I got a gfx recently and am now frustrated with the lack of sharpness from the xt5 and considering a z8.
I have the Zf and I just recently traded in my D500 and Z6ii to offset the price of the of my new Z8. I have no regrets so far. I didn't go with the Z6iii because they changed the way the screen flips out. Which is fine on my ZF but not on my main camera. I do pet photography and those low angles are incredibly helpful. I'm no spring chicken and getting down low is not as easy as it used to be, LOL😆
I'd stay good for Nikon to keep it's legacy in a way. The strap locks keeps that connection to it's classic designs even though it's mirrorless tech. They just need to redesign even though I never thought it was a real issue for me. Also, the Z6 III super bright EVF is super useful for bright days and it's not super bright at all times, it adjusts itself to the existing light. It has a better AF than the ZF in low light. It did not make you as excited because you already had a Z8. The ZF is retro cool looking BUT you have to spend money and try to overcome the cumbersome ergonomics by adding a grip with plate which also adds weight. Overall I thin the Z6III is the most ideal camera, because it is the most balanced in its size, weight, ergonomics, performance, etc. It works for everyone minus those who look for classic nostalgia and cool vintage aesthetics.
As a hobbyist who still likes to shoot film I stayed away from DSLR cameras due to the look and feel of them to me they felt cheep and light. I also wasn't interested in changing my photos on a computer . I also like shooting B&W film, so when Nikon came out with the ZF I finally jumped into the digital game and love it!!
I've ordered one to accompany my Z9, (and for streetphotography) aswell!! how's your experience evolved in the last 3 weeks? are you still happy with it's performance?
@@photography_by_mnl 100% happy, the AF tracking alone has got me shots my Z6II would have missed. The only difference I've noticed between the Z6III's AF and my Z9 is the Z9 grabs focus on far away ( smaller ) subjects just a tad faster than the Z6III but other than that the AF seems pretty much on par, that is to say excellent. The literally endless buffer on the Z6III also beats my Z9. I'm using very fast CF Express cards in the Z9 which give me 3 or 4 seconds of 20fps before it drops to around 15fps continuously, the Z6III never drops, it just keeps going. If I have one negative it would be that the Z9's 45.7MP rez has kind of spoilt me such that I really notice only having 24.5MP in the Z6III but of course that's not a fault with the camera and for most shooting 24.5MP is fine. Ergonomically I've got my Z6III set up almost identically to my Z9 ( I added the battery grip incidentally) so shifting between both is much easier than it used to be switching to my Z6II. Oh, and don't fret over all the Dynamic Range issues, had I heard nothing about it online I'd have been none the wiser, the Raw files edit perfectly fine in LR, but then again I'm shooting mostly event stuff so I don't need to lift shadows by six stops 😀
I love your channel Omar, it's fun, your fun and in photography channels there isn't so much of that! Big tip regards the lugs, remove the triangle split thing and put your Peak Design anchors straight through the eyelet, you'll need a couple of feet of dental floss, that's enough to thread through the anchor, double it and then thread the two ends through the lug, I've gone front to back on mine. That 24 inches of floss is enough to wrap around a few fingers because you'll need to pull pretty hard to get the anchor through the lug. Believe me you will be so glad you did. For one you can push the anchor out of the way when you change cards and it stays there. It's just a much better set up. Best wishes buddy and looking forward to more entertaining content! Chris
I disagree. Yes, the system is good. It's their attitude for which they deserve everything they get. They're well known to be anti customer in their attitude towards users
@@alwynsmit3546 in recent years cannon has taken that description. Nikon has been doing great things for their consumer . plenty of software updates, new lenses very often, hardware is great now days too.
I purchased the Z6III to compliment my Z9, although it is not the unicorn camera, it is a big step up from previous iterations and I feel I will get good use out of it, especially with video where it's smaller form factor provides more options.
Great analysis from the ❤! Your approach has helped me think this through. I started with Z50, added Z6ii and graduated to the Z8. I'm a serious amateur. I pre-ordered the Z6iii for its 8 stop ibis and the specs. I realized that since my Z6ii is enough for walk around and light travel photography, I decided that the greater Dynamic Range and lower noise of my Z6ii was more useful to me than the speed of the Z6iii. I don't shoot video so I returned it today, unopened. If I need speed or more megapixels, I'll use the Z8. Now I'll order the 135 Plena instead. For low light pix around town and more serious street photography, the Z6ii. For inconspicuous street photography and a lightweight setup, the Z50 with the 26mm f/2.8 is my first choice, which is lighter than the Z6ii body only. There's not one perfect camera, but I love the Nikon Z system. (1st Nikon was an FTn in 1974.) I'm hooked on Nikon. I always love your videos!
I don’t own Nikon and will likely never switch to that system from Fuji X. However, I love listening to Omar talk about the functionality and feeling when it comes to using a camera. Some of his observations apply no matter what camera you’re looking at. Plus his approach is a lot of fun.
Received the Z6iii yesterday. Absolutely loving the improvements over the ii. The autofocus is spot on, everything feels turbocharged compared to the ii. Z8 will probably be the next purchase. The ZF, while it looks very cool and has a nice feel with the brass and metal, just doesn’t have a comfortable grip. I prefer the deeper grip of the 6iii. Nice comparison. Keep us updated… I’ll be hoping to hear about you developing a tighter emotional bond with the Z6iii. lol.
I have a Z8, Z9, Z6. Of the 3 I like the Z8 best, although it's really sort of a Z9. The Z6 however is one of the BEST all around cameras I have ever used. GREAT low light performance (actually BETTER than the Z6 III). It only lacks rocket fast focus.
The big advantage of the z6iii is that it can do what both of these cameras do. For sure if you have both cameras, the z6iii doesn't bring anything special. But if you have 2500-3000 USD only, it in many ways trouce the two others for 90% of use. One thing I see you didn't talk about and a bit of a game changer, t least from what some people told me, is its capacity to focus in low light compared to the z8. Someone even told me that, what I would say is still the biggest disadvantage of Mirrorless vs Dslr, that is focusing in dark situation with a flash, as the dslr can use the Infrared on the flash to focus. I was told the z63 can focus so much in the dark that it negated that advantage.
Many speedlights can project a red pattern (visible, not really infrared) that the camera can focus on, and obviously since that literally adds light it practically allows the camera to focus in infinitely dark darkness. Another advantage is that it allows focusing on objects that by themselves do not have a clear texture that the AF system can perceive. But for subjects with a discernible texture or contours, the Z6iii will probably do just fine.
@@fotografalexandernikolis yes I know, but mirrorless can't use infrared , that us why you have thar green light, but it is not very powerful. They should have produce flash with led that light when you half press the shutter.
I think if you have a Z8 and a Zf you don't really need a Z6III, but if you don't have a Z8...the Z6III is closer to the Z8 than any other Nikon camera (aside from the Z9). I'm coming from the Z6II, I've been using the Z6III for about a week and am loving it. The autofocus over the Z6II is fast and fantastic. Love the flip screen, love that the information flips vertical, I don't use a strap so my eyelets will be coming off (they are noisy). The size of the Z6III is perfect for me...do I wish they'd bumped the MP a bit for this version, sure, but I'm fine with it. Really happy with it so far. I do agree on the "U sets" I wish you could just go into the menu, set everything for U1 for example and not have to do anything other than turn the dial to U1 when you want it. I'd love a Z8 but at $6200 after taxes in Canada it's well out of my current budget range (Z6III $3900 after taxes).
@@ogonzilla I see the video and my impressions its very similar to @JasonLorette. My doubt its doubt of how much better the focus of the z6 iii is compared to the zf!. Thanks.
I love the Zf because of the handling. The zoomed in focus mode and the focus indication really helps you nail the focus even with manual lenses. I can go effortlessly from shooting with my analogue cameras to using the Zf, especially with lenses were you can change aperature on the actual lens. I recently bought a Viltrox lens that has the brilliant feature of being able to turn stops on and off. Great for video.
Great video, Omar. Your videos are always fun to watch and informative. With regard to your comment about wanting a 3rd dial for settings, you can easily accomplish the same thing by turning on the "Release button to use dial" option. Don't own a Z8 but on my Z9 it's option f6 in the Customs Settings Menu. On the Zf it's option f7. This option allows you to use the two existing control wheels when changing things like ISO, Mode, Exp. Compensation, Bracket, Flash, etc. Just press the desired button once and let go. The associated function will highlight in yellow on your screen. Now just use the front or rear wheels to adjust. For some functions each wheel changes different aspects of the function, such as toggling Auto ISO on/off with front wheel, and changing ISO with rear wheel. When you're finished making your changes press the relative button again to deactivate, or you can half-press the shutter button. This is much more useful than a dedicated 3rd thumb wheel for ISO since you can change any function you need to without having to reprogram a wheel. It's an option that has been around since the DSLR days.
I've tried this in the past, but it's not for me. There's an extra step to cancel the function (pumping the shutter) as opposed to simply releasing the button.
… no youtuber EVER could describe my feelings about some cameras like fujis or the ZF the way you do. your the man! tons of lenses and my nikon FFs bodys are workhorses for my job as a photographer, my fujis (and a zf) are allowed to sit near me on the couch sometimes (no joke) just to look at them 😂❤ there cameras for simply makin money in the business - literally to get the job done with zero emotion. and cameras for the heart. i really love your content and sense humor mate - stay the way you are. by the way, your work is great, had a look at your website few weeks ago. greetings from a colleague from bavaria / germany and keep up that great entertaining content 🙌
Great video. I have been considering the ZF for a while. Totally hobbyist, had many Fuji cameras in the past and the ZF really appealed to me. The Z6iii threw a spanner in the works but it’s around £700 more expensive here, money which could go to lenses. Mix of macro, general family/travel, birds, landscape. I currently have a S5ii but was a Nikon owner for years, kinda want to get back into the fold. So it’s great seeing your opinion.
Omar I love your style, delivery, humor and content! You are one of the best in the biz! Maybe the best! BTW loved your Pizza video as well. I have watched a lot of those on UA-cam and yours was very easy to follow and very well done!
I took Z8 the a portrait/ children shoot along with A7iv and Canon R6! I use an adapted Tamron 35-150/2-2.8 E mount, Sigma 24-70/2.8 and RF 24-70/2.8 respectively mounted on those for the rest. I shot equal amounts of on A7iv and Z8. Z8 impressed me with its ability to do perfect eye AF with the adapted lens and the electronic shutter and the size of the grip balancing that beast of a lens very well! I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and the results were WOW beautiful colors! The camera truly give you confidence to go forth and face any photography challenge! My return to Nikon since I was win over by D700! Happy to be back! Sony and Canon experimentation is over thanks to Z6iii, Z8, Z9 and Zf bodies and the excellent lenses! 🥰
As a walk-about amateur I upgraded from the D7100 to the Zf and am very happy with it - once I learned the new focusing system. A professional would need more I suppose but you're right about this one being fun to use.
I have a D600 and just recently my 16y/o son showed an immense interest in photography. So ... i got him a Z6iii. I played around with it, but just didn't excite me. I'm now thinking of getting a new camera ... Zf appears to be IT. It reminds me of my F3 or FM2. I think the ASMR (is that what you call it nowadays) would re-ignite my passion for photography. Cheaper than the Z6iii and Z7 etc is great. Great vids - just subbed. Keep up the great work.
Please read this it may be helpful. Nice review cheers. I have moved from just taking stills to doing video, I use the z 8. I like everyone else find video of wildlife challenging. However I choose the local wildlife simply because I don’t have to get the creatures to sign a consent form. Before I can film them …I never really bothered to much about shutter shake the with a camera is great , or a tripod helps. I labour the point for a reason . Using my iPhone to scope out the local area helps to perfect my skills. But wild life and a z8 film wise requires the camera to be moved and an iPhone is light and a much bigger screen. Back in 2010 I used my laptop in doors connected to the Nikon DLSR in my study. Today the Nikon z is also connectable to my z8 and with Bluetooth it connects to my I phone 15 pro . Set up is easy enough and once set up requires no more attention than pressing the right button and away I go filming using my iPhone as a screen. This makes it easier to control both shake it helps so much on the z8 to see the screen via my iPhone I purchased the small rig adapter to fit on the camera flash mount for my iPhone . This really makes filming easier. So I thought I would point out that snap…. App for Nikon is free and there is not a great deal of time needed to set the pairing make filming easier and of course the back screen no longer matters that it does not flip forward facing and with your phone the screen would be bigger to. One last thing when the Nikon app was set up it informed me that I had an up grade for the camera asking me would I like to up grade . I pressed yes and it just did it . This should help everyone . So thanks for reading and sharing your fun reviews .😊
Coming back to this video 4 months later, I still use the Zf as my only FF body. But I am less enamoured than I was, especially after spending three weeks with a Z8 loaner. I thought I'd find the Z8 too heavy and too large, but after using it daily, I realised that it is in fact only marginally heavier than my Zf+Neewer grip, and not really larger, depending on what dimension you focus on (narrower end to end but higher top to bottom). Much more crucial, I found the Z8 MUCH more comfortable to carry in hand (right hand along the body, camera strapped to wrist for safety). I can carry it that way for a couple of hours with the 24-120 attached and feel no strain whatsoever. That is impossible with the Zf, whatever grip I tried, for more than 15 minutes or so. This is crucial for me as I suffer from arthritis round the cervicals and cannot easily carry any weight in sling mode or dangling from the neck. I have to use a backpack for my gear between shooting sprees. So, counterintuitively, the Z8 is for me a much easier carry. Also, the Z8 is infinitely more customisable. The Zf has no memory banks and no hardwired user settings, and very little leeway in terms of customisable controls. Have not tried a Z6III yet, but just might switch from the good looking Zf to the Z8 and be done with the pondering.
Had the Z6ii but the rear screen failed and had to go back for repair. Bought a used Zfc to tide me over and loved using this especially the flippy screen for travel and macro shots. Was hoping that the Z6iii would be a good upgrade for me, but the image quality was not going to be a step up from the Z6ii. So I traded both the Z6ii and the Zfc for a used Zf. Now I have all the good points in one camera and saved a lot of cash compared to a new Z6iii.
I have a Z6II only, Excellent for me once I learnt to drive it, A 35mm f1.8s has replaced the excellent 24-120mm f4s almost permanently. My thing is Street and use a camera harness that screws into the tripod thread and the cam hangs to my left side under my coat. Secure and works well. Thanks and cheers.
Hey - Always fun videos. I got the mannequin head that you suggested a few years ago, and am practicing my studio photography like crazy without bothering my relatives too much :-) thanks!
I agree with the comment below by dpfreedman. You always seem to be happy and up beat. a "glass half full" type of guy. I shoot high school sports and some collegiate sports so I have the Z9 which does way more than I will ever use. My first mirrorless camera was the Z6 which I've had for years and I use it quite often. The Z6 feels good to me, I am comfortable with the buttons and muscle memory is solid. As a matter of fact, that entry level Z6 is used on the majority of my paid jobs like senior photos, team banners. Kind of like your favorite fishing lure, you have confidence in it. So I am getting used to the Zf, I really like the retro vibe plus the backup memory for some jobs. Keep on making these great videos Omar, they are not only educational but entertaining as well.
Tried getting used to using banks on my D500, couldn't do it. I like that if I switch to U1 I know exactly what my settings will be every time. With banks it was always, oh right I changed something last time so now how is it setup again? Maybe it's because I used the U settings for years so it's hard to change.
@@AnthonyMarkPhotography-ke9ld Everyone is unique, and that's wonderful. For my photography style, everything is fluid and constantly changing. Therefore, the U1 settings always reverting back to previously saved settings is a significant bottleneck for me. When I had the Z6ii, I used the U1 U2 settings, but every time I changed a setting, I'd have to remember to then Save it. Then I'd make another settings change, and would have to go into the menu and Save it again. It was very tedious and an unnecessary step for me. Banks are just like U1/U2 settings, except you don't have to remember to go into the menu and Save anything... everything you do or change is just Saved automatically. Super helpful for Weddings or Events. For weddings; I use Banks for indoor and outdoor that I'm bouncing back and forth between. Then later in the wedding those banks could be used for flash and non-flash, or even different rooms of the venue that have drastic different lighting. All is being set on the fly, no need to Save, it's like holding 4 cameras at once. All fluid, all custom, all current, all fast. To quote Bruce Lee: "Be like water my friend." hehe :) Some photographers need a home-base-settings recipe, and that's great too. Not everyone's workflow is the same and that's a great thing!
And another fun vid. Have a Z8 and love it. Finally understand and embrace the use of the Banks. As a hobbiest I don't need it but love the 45mp since i seem to have to crop all the time. The 24-120 Z lives on it. Got the Z6III but haven't seriously used it that much yet. This weekend in the mountains So we'll see. I'm blessed to be able to have 2 excellent cameras a a handful of really great lens. ( the flippy screen , sigh. and now know to hold the strap up when opening the card door. double sigh. ). Thanks - tim
What a great comparison for anyone looking to upgrade their Nikon. Omar you are so much fun and unique. If you could bottle your fun you’d make a small fortune 😊. Of course one has to watch out for GAS. Concentrating on taking better photos should trump forever-changing cameras.
Nice comparison , thanks Omar ! 👍Please keep the "non-serious" small parts of your videos haha you probably have the only photography videos on YT that really make me laught while staying very informative. Love that 😄!
Very useful and entertaining summary - any U tubers who start ‘what’s up…..’ get no further - immediate switch off! It’s a Zf for me - the key word is FUN. And it’s an extremely capable camera!
Great Video Omar! I jumped into the Z line with the Z6II from after having various Nikon DLSRS since 2006. When the Z8 came out I jumped up and purchased one of the original batch. I had my do everything Mirrorless camera! I have used both to shoot events. Love the enhanced focusing on the Z8. I was waiting for the Z6iii to replace my Z6ii. I have enjoy that size camera.. I love the Z6x ergos. I finally have a second camera to the Z8. The Z6iii is great when you do not need 45MP or the weight of the Z8. Not sure about the Ergos of the ZF, I think it is a great camera feature wise. Especially for Street photography. Once Nikon or more third party, small lens with Aperture rings show up. I think might have to revisit the ZF or ZFii (33-45MP) version... I hope the Battery on the Z6iii last longer than on the Z8(about as long as the D500\D850). Maybe Nikon will create an EN-EL15d with more juice on the Z8.
Nice comparison video! Amongst those three I’d pick Z8. Having shot with it for a week I did love its feel, and its results. So many points you talked about I nodded my head at. So good. I did borrow Zf for a day bd I did enjoy it a lot, but being someone who is behind the screen I don’t understand the vari-angle screen on a photography focused camera. Gets in the way with of strap and isn’t as easy as tilt when doing chest level shooting. Wish they had put the 3 way tilt from the z8 in that. Z6 III looks like an amazing camera, but not for me. I currently shoot Z7 II and it really does everything I could need, and does it very well. So many great options out there, keep it up Nikon! (….and Canon,Sony,Fuji (mostly), etc)
E-shutter, blackout, is actually neat! When its fully silent, I'd prefer to have some indication of the shot happening than having no clue whether it took or not!
Interesting thoughts on the z8 banks, I personally prefer the user 1-3 modes on the z6iii. They are so much easier to setup and switch between. Having all three cameras it has become apparent to me that what I do is best served with the ZF/Z6iii combo.
Holy cow that group wedding photo @ 57 seconds is awesome. It would have been perfect if those two people weren't looking away unless there was a reason for that. But wow, it looks like the thumbnail for a reality TV show, but in a good way. The bride framed, and lit the way she is, is stunning. Regarding the cameras, I would love a Z8, and I would say that I want a z6iii, but my z6ii is still more camera than someone like me needs. Heck, I've actually been shooting with my D4 and D3 (picked up both used for cheap), and for a non-pro like me, they're perfect. LOL believe it or not I actually prefer shooting on my D3 or D4, than my Z6ii. I know they're older, but they feel faster and the simplicity they offer is kind of nice too.
I went from the D750 to the Z8 because I wanted the same multifaceted capabilities. It's great for portraits, has great low light abilities for photojournalism, is super fast for shooting high speed jets at Airshows, and has high resolution for landscapes. If you're skilled at multiple styles of photography, then the Z8 is the best option without spending the extra for the Z9. I haven't even started to explore its video capabilities yet, but I'm sure it'll be excellent for that as well.
The way I see it: the Zf is for the retro retro shooters and those who maybe don't need the latest video or AF tech (even though the AF is inherited from the Z8 in many ways, although not all). The Z6 III is for those who want a Z8 but don't care for the size, weight or expense (and won't be shooting 8k). And then there's the Z8 which could be seen as a do-everything camera that sits just below it's bigger sibling the Z9. For me, the Z8 and Zf combo works great. The Zf has a nice balance between Image quality and good AF performance, and one reason I decided not to buy the Z6 III (with the Zf and Z8, a Z6 III would just be a bit of redundancy between the two and I'd rather spend the $2500 on a lens or a trip or two).
I have had a Z9 for a while now and bypassed the Z8 because I wanted a somewhat smaller hybrid to compliment the pro body-and my patience paid off with the Z6III. It’s the ideal Nikon b-cam as far as I’m concerned.
Omar, I am with you on Nikon’s uncomfortable strap mount brackets getting in the way. Like you, much prefer the way Canon does it. Let’s start a movement! And thank you for talking more about the user experience of each and how they compare, rather than their specs.
Similar experience here. Fuji: crop sensor, spotty reliability, so-so autofocus. Leica: overpriced, too quirky, doesn’t compete with modern camera performance overall. The Zf in my time with it solved all these issues in modern-retro cameras. 😉
Great video, Omar. Thank you for sharing your helpful experiences. I purchased the Nikon Z6 when they were first released (I sold it to upgrade to the Z8), but I do remember the front dial being stiff and needing effort to turn it. Not sure if all Z6 versions are like that, but that was the only flaw in my copy.
Another issue for me with the Z6iii is the price point (in the UK at least). The Z8 is now retailing at £3300 compered to £2700 for the Z6iii. The price difference makes it difficult to justify the Z6iii.
@jordancook1668 even better is to wait the sales online, September / October or the Black Friday or something. You can get the Z8 in near the same price is sold used, but new and with full warranty
Hi, Omar. Your photos are as usual fantastic and inspiring to a hobbyist like me -- the black and white one of a man sitting seen down a hall at a hotel or something just stopped me in my tracks. Alas I probably won't be switching to Nikon and will miss out on all its full-frame goodness because of its MASSIVE SIZE! Ironic because before I went digital, I thought my Pentax full-frame film camera was perfectly comfortable - and when my little x-t30 arrived, I thought it was a little toy! But my hands aren't large and I've grown so accustomed to the x-t30 now that I even worry I'll find the x-t5 or whatever future version too big as well!
Nice video Omar. Unfortunately I traded my XH2 for a Z8. I love my banks for people, landscapes and wildlife. I love the lens selection like the 70-200mm F2.8 VR S, Tamron 28-75mm F2.8 G2, Viltrox 16mm 1.8, and to replace my Tamron 150-500 on Fuji the 180 600mm lens. You are a big BALLER and have a great sense of humor bro. Keep up the great work.
Fine, honest, personal review. Appreciate your candor. Thank you. I have mixed feelings about Nikon's 'pro' interface (Z8/Z9) versus the advanced amateur interface on the lesser cameras (Z6/Z7). You mentioned that you didn't really care for the buttons on the top left of the Z8 but you love the menu banks. I'm just the opposite. I like the buttons on the top left, but I miss the user settings of the Z6/Z7. My previous body (now backup) is the Z7. Honestly, I think the user settings on the Z6/Z7 are more advanced and a better design than the menu banks that Nikon has had since the dSLR era. Why? Because the user settings are not broken into separate groups (shooting, custom menu) that have to be set and enabled separately. Plus, the menu banks are not persistent. If I make a change while shooting with one of the menu banks then that change remains even if I shut the camera off. Not so with user settings on the Z6/Z7. If I turn the camera off, then the original programmed configuration in each of the user settings is restored.
I was so in LOVE with the ZF, that I ended up buying a LUMIX S1R!!!! Crazy I know. I just was testing the S1R fully intending on returning it and the weight and the EVF won me over to the point I was disappointed when I actually tried the ZF. BUT now the Z6Iii is here. Darn GAS
Hi Omar. Thinking of moving from the Fuji xt30ii to the Zf as opposed to upgrading to the xt5 for street. Nikon glass seems a bit pricey so checking in with you and the group on thoghts of an adapter with sigma lenses made for Sony or another brand. From your reviews seems like no issues with the AF adapter. Assuming I’m gonna have better hit rates with this AF over the Fuji.
Main Z6iii, backup Z6ii personal fun Zf. (I get paid for my work and don’t need / want 45 mps and the layout is the same as my Z6ii). Nice comparison. 👍🏾
Great video as usual. I agree with you totally. The front dial in Z 6iii sucks! I have traded in the Z 6ii. Hence, I can’t compare but I love the front dial in my Z9.
I upgraded from Z6ii to Z8 little bit before Nikon released Z6iii. I got Zf for my wife and I considered Z8 is an upgrade over Z6iii with prediction even what whatever specs of Z6iii, it will not over Pro Camera Z8, Z9. So we went with Z8 with Nikon deal, Samy's Camera paid sale tax (we found this after decision was made). I like the weight of Z6ii (z6iii), but Z8 have a nice balance (size and weight) with 24-70mm f/2.8 S lens, 70-200mm VR f/2.8 S lens , 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S. If I have to choose between Z6iii vs Z8 again and already have ZF, I will select the Z8 - a photography Hobbyist.
I used to shoot the Nikon F mount for events or when I really had to be able to focus quickly, and I had various Fuji gear for walking around and travel and to sometimes help with events. When the Z9 came out I got into the Nikon Z mount through it. Love the S-line lens. When the Z8 came out I was originally concerned it would be larger than I really wanted but it didn't feel that way to me in use. In fact, it replaced the Fuji X-T5 as my go overwhere camera. I also stopped using my Z9 very much, except for situations where I want to use two cameras at once. Anyway, I don't think the Z8 is too large for casual use or travel. I was originally interested in the Z6 III because it would be more compact, but decided to hold off on it for now. I'm very satisfied with the Z8 for my purposes and I'm just not seeing the Z6 III giving me any additional capability. I did enjoy the dial-based, old fashion-y controls of the Fuji, but I'm not sure what to do with my Fuji stuff now. The Zf is supposed to offer a similar experience, but without the aperture rings on the Nikon lenses, it doesn't sound like it would be the same to me. I could go into some other nuances and comparisons, but the bottom line is I'm very happy with the Z8 and a good set of S-line lenses. I was fortunate that I was able to afford switching to the Z mount and could see going with the Z6 if cost is more of an issue though.
Nikon should do a line of lens for the ZF, with aperture rings. I think the ZF aficionados would snap them up. That 35 mm F1.4 is a step in the right direction.
Great informative video Omar! Absolutely love my two Z8 cameras for work. I never thought I’d like shooting with 45Mp but since I shoot a lot of live music, having the ability crop is awesome. Buuuut I still want a ZF 😅.
Another extremely interesting video, Omar. For me, the choice was simple and I pre-ordered two Zfs as soon as they were announced. Coming from Fuji I found the Zf a little hard to get used to at first, the lack of customisable buttons, film sims and the implementation of the ISO controls but it has turned out to be ideal for me, easy to use in the end it produces great images.
Nikon missed with the user manual on that Zf for setting up ISO. Once you learn the Auto on and set minimum to 200 for manual mode that makes the ISO wheel the max iso selection, and bind the record button to ISO so you can turn Auto on/off with the front dial when you hold it down, or adjust ISO (in C on the dial) or auto ISO range like other Nikons. They just really didn’t explain that at all and left us to figure it all out. I actually prefer it this way and have a Fuji X100s as well. Fuji is just easy to figure out with the red A on the dial, but I find more work spinning dials around to go back and forth between aperture or shutter priority and manual once you know both of them. Tony Northup never figured any of this out in his 8 month long term review which is kind of sad and pronounced that have have to use the menu’s to change auto ISO which just isn’t true because it’s a 1 minute setup process to remedy that. It just highlighted how bare minimum the effort he put into that review was. That kind of information misleads people who don’t like menu diving away from what’s really a great camera.
Hobbyist with an old film Nikon FE, a medium format TLR, and I replaced a D3500 with the Nikon ZF about 6 months ago. I'm having so much fun with the ZF shooting manual on old adapted glass and new voightlander z lenses. I rent an autofocus S lens and throw on a grip when i do the rare event - i dont make the money to justify owning them. If I were a working photographer I'd want the Z8 for the custom banks and tilt screen, but it'd truly have to be a fulltime job to justify the cost!
They’re all great, but Zf for me. It’s my #1 camera for personal and Pro use. Gets close to the performance of the Z8, but fun to use! And I don’t need more than 24MP. After 6 months of heavy daily use, it has been 100% dependable. I used Fujis in the past and liked them, but they were poor in low light and build quality/dependability was spotty. Nikon has flat blown them away on retro-style mirrorless cameras!
Always enjoy the humor aspect in your videos - makes them just fun to watch! I am a bit suprised that people are complaining about the memory card door and how it gets stuck by the strap holder like its a new thing, because i have the same issue on the original Z6 😅. But it should have been fixed by the 3rd gen
Thanks Omar was on the fence Zf or Z6lll . The Z8 is out of my bank lol. excellent video as always have you ever thought about doing stand up comedy 🙌🏽🙌🏽🤩😂
I have enjoyed seeing your journey into the Nikon world . From you trying out the epic D700 through to now. You call it as you see it and I appreciate it . I personally like the U1, U2, U3 settings. But now that I have added a Z8 to my Z6 and Z6ii family . I will give shooting banks another look. At some point can you go into how you set up your cameras for event coverage ?
Still rocking the D850 and occasionally use the Z5. What would be perfect for Nikon is the sensor shield. If they put that on ALL their Z cameras I think it would be a game changer.
I was hoping for a fully Stacked sensor with the Sensor shield on the Z6iii, it would have raised the bar even higher on the competition. The Z6iii is aimed at the general purpose and mostly wedding markets the mechanical shutter is taking up the space where the sensor shield would be. I have a feeling the ZF sensor will show up in the Z5 ii. Expeed 7 focusing would make your Z 5 more fun with more reliable focus like or better than your D850. Have you used the z100-400mm on the Z5 with a tele convertor? The focus and image quality is better than using an Fmount teleconverter.
Agree, the Z8 is a beast, but for travel and walk around I prefer the Zf, which is more fun to shoot with. I have a bit of a love - hate relation with the Z8. best camera I ever had, but a bit to bulky for me. But I won't part from it as it's such a great camera.
Three cheers for Omar! UA-cam's most likeable, down to earth, helpful, and entertaining photography channel.
i second that!
The trick is that we have a good time on every video, fun and very informative in the same time, that's what I really appreciate over most of the other photo channels ! ;-)
@@mortalens I third that!
As a pro photographer, I took the ZF for my personnal work, travel, just because it gives me a smille each time. I’ve starded photography in 80’ so perhaps it’s the reason… Thanks Omar for your very gooood work!!! FUUUN
Omar. I need to say, your sense of humor is amazing. I love you content. Thank you for that!
I appreciate that!
Z6iii hit the sweet spot for me. Absolutely loved my time with z8. Switched back to Sony for a bit and when I went back and looked at film and pics and realized how much I loved the Nikon look. Z6 hit the sweet spot for size, price, and capabilities.
you describe the ZF perfectly. It makes you happy... The Z8 is jus the ultimate camera though!
Omar nailed it with these observations. I have the Z8/Zf as well.
Omar, I have been a Fuji shooter since the X-T2 switched from Canon. I have gone thru using the X-T2 to the X-T4 & 5 (which I still have and use) I mainly went with the Fuji system because of the weight and traveling with a full kit. I am a hybrid shooter and shoot professionally in several genres. Just a few months back I started researching newer cameras with better autofocus specs. I considered Sony, Canon, and Nikon my main reasoning was shooting motorsports and aviation (fast movers) I decided on the Nikon Z8. IMO it was the best fit for the criteria I was using for my decision. I agree with you on all the points with the Z8 it will be my go-to for my motorsports and aviation shoots but like you, it will not be my travel camera. That job will be assigned to the Fuji systems still, I can pack 2 bodies and several lenses including my 100-400mm into my carry-on with no issues.
I'm in the same boat. switched from Canoon to fuji. I got a gfx recently and am now frustrated with the lack of sharpness from the xt5 and considering a z8.
I have the Zf and I just recently traded in my D500 and Z6ii to offset the price of the of my new Z8. I have no regrets so far. I didn't go with the Z6iii because they changed the way the screen flips out. Which is fine on my ZF but not on my main camera. I do pet photography and those low angles are incredibly helpful. I'm no spring chicken and getting down low is not as easy as it used to be, LOL😆
please tell me more about your pet photography, do you have a website? I'd like to see your work!
Love my ZF ❤️🔥.. Now saving for the Z8
I'd stay good for Nikon to keep it's legacy in a way. The strap locks keeps that connection to it's classic designs even though it's mirrorless tech. They just need to redesign even though I never thought it was a real issue for me.
Also, the Z6 III super bright EVF is super useful for bright days and it's not super bright at all times, it adjusts itself to the existing light.
It has a better AF than the ZF in low light.
It did not make you as excited because you already had a Z8.
The ZF is retro cool looking BUT you have to spend money and try to overcome the cumbersome ergonomics by adding a grip with plate which also adds weight.
Overall I thin the Z6III is the most ideal camera, because it is the most balanced in its size, weight, ergonomics, performance, etc. It works for everyone minus those who look for classic nostalgia and cool vintage aesthetics.
As a hobbyist who still likes to shoot film I stayed away from DSLR cameras due to the look and feel of them to me they felt cheep and light. I also wasn't interested in changing my photos on a computer . I also like shooting B&W film, so when Nikon came out with the ZF I finally jumped into the digital game and love it!!
Digital photography has come a long way from those early DSLRs! Enjoy your ZF.
Got the Z6III to accompany my Z9. Very impressed so far by the Z6 III's performance 👍
I've ordered one to accompany my Z9, (and for streetphotography) aswell!! how's your experience evolved in the last 3 weeks? are you still happy with it's performance?
@@photography_by_mnl 100% happy, the AF tracking alone has got me shots my Z6II would have missed. The only difference I've noticed between the Z6III's AF and my Z9 is the Z9 grabs focus on far away ( smaller ) subjects just a tad faster than the Z6III but other than that the AF seems pretty much on par, that is to say excellent. The literally endless buffer on the Z6III also beats my Z9. I'm using very fast CF Express cards in the Z9 which give me 3 or 4 seconds of 20fps before it drops to around 15fps continuously, the Z6III never drops, it just keeps going. If I have one negative it would be that the Z9's 45.7MP rez has kind of spoilt me such that I really notice only having 24.5MP in the Z6III but of course that's not a fault with the camera and for most shooting 24.5MP is fine. Ergonomically I've got my Z6III set up almost identically to my Z9 ( I added the battery grip incidentally) so shifting between both is much easier than it used to be switching to my Z6II. Oh, and don't fret over all the Dynamic Range issues, had I heard nothing about it online I'd have been none the wiser, the Raw files edit perfectly fine in LR, but then again I'm shooting mostly event stuff so I don't need to lift shadows by six stops 😀
I love your channel Omar, it's fun, your fun and in photography channels there isn't so much of that! Big tip regards the lugs, remove the triangle split thing and put your Peak Design anchors straight through the eyelet, you'll need a couple of feet of dental floss, that's enough to thread through the anchor, double it and then thread the two ends through the lug, I've gone front to back on mine. That 24 inches of floss is enough to wrap around a few fingers because you'll need to pull pretty hard to get the anchor through the lug. Believe me you will be so glad you did. For one you can push the anchor out of the way when you change cards and it stays there. It's just a much better set up. Best wishes buddy and looking forward to more entertaining content! Chris
Nikon doesnt deserve any of the hate it gets. Such an awesome camera ecosystem. Thanks for sharing Omar.
I disagree. Yes, the system is good. It's their attitude for which they deserve everything they get. They're well known to be anti customer in their attitude towards users
@@alwynsmit3546 in recent years cannon has taken that description. Nikon has been doing great things for their consumer . plenty of software updates, new lenses very often, hardware is great now days too.
@@alwynsmit3546 Yeah, I mean, those regular FW roll-outs just scream anti-consumer, other brands are so much better in this respect, huh.
Dude your nikon videos are THE BEST for me who have ADHD! 😅😅 fun to watch and still easy and straight to the point! Fantastic!!! 🙏🏽
I purchased the Z6III to compliment my Z9, although it is not the unicorn camera, it is a big step up from previous iterations and I feel I will get good use out of it, especially with video where it's smaller form factor provides more options.
Great analysis from the ❤! Your approach has helped me think this through. I started with Z50, added Z6ii and graduated to the Z8. I'm a serious amateur. I pre-ordered the Z6iii for its 8 stop ibis and the specs. I realized that since my Z6ii is enough for walk around and light travel photography, I decided that the greater Dynamic Range and lower noise of my Z6ii was more useful to me than the speed of the Z6iii. I don't shoot video so I returned it today, unopened. If I need speed or more megapixels, I'll use the Z8. Now I'll order the 135 Plena instead.
For low light pix around town and more serious street photography, the Z6ii. For inconspicuous street photography and a lightweight setup, the Z50 with the 26mm f/2.8 is my first choice, which is lighter than the Z6ii body only. There's not one perfect camera, but I love the Nikon Z system. (1st Nikon was an FTn in 1974.)
I'm hooked on Nikon. I always love your videos!
I don’t own Nikon and will likely never switch to that system from Fuji X. However, I love listening to Omar talk about the functionality and feeling when it comes to using a camera. Some of his observations apply no matter what camera you’re looking at. Plus his approach is a lot of fun.
Never says never lol
Received the Z6iii yesterday. Absolutely loving the improvements over the ii. The autofocus is spot on, everything feels turbocharged compared to the ii.
Z8 will probably be the next purchase.
The ZF, while it looks very cool and has a nice feel with the brass and metal, just doesn’t have a comfortable grip. I prefer the deeper grip of the 6iii.
Nice comparison. Keep us updated… I’ll be hoping to hear about you developing a tighter emotional bond with the Z6iii. lol.
how is it for fast action shots, does it miss often or is it locked on ?
I have a Z8, Z9, Z6. Of the 3 I like the Z8 best, although it's really sort of a Z9. The Z6 however is one of the BEST all around cameras I have ever used. GREAT low light performance (actually BETTER than the Z6 III). It only lacks rocket fast focus.
Nice rundown. Let's hope that Nikon is listening. Carry on. 👍🥂
The big advantage of the z6iii is that it can do what both of these cameras do. For sure if you have both cameras, the z6iii doesn't bring anything special. But if you have 2500-3000 USD only, it in many ways trouce the two others for 90% of use.
One thing I see you didn't talk about and a bit of a game changer, t least from what some people told me, is its capacity to focus in low light compared to the z8. Someone even told me that, what I would say is still the biggest disadvantage of Mirrorless vs Dslr, that is focusing in dark situation with a flash, as the dslr can use the Infrared on the flash to focus. I was told the z63 can focus so much in the dark that it negated that advantage.
Many speedlights can project a red pattern (visible, not really infrared) that the camera can focus on, and obviously since that literally adds light it practically allows the camera to focus in infinitely dark darkness. Another advantage is that it allows focusing on objects that by themselves do not have a clear texture that the AF system can perceive. But for subjects with a discernible texture or contours, the Z6iii will probably do just fine.
@@fotografalexandernikolis yes I know, but mirrorless can't use infrared , that us why you have thar green light, but it is not very powerful. They should have produce flash with led that light when you half press the shutter.
The image quality of Zf is better than Z6iii.
I think if you have a Z8 and a Zf you don't really need a Z6III, but if you don't have a Z8...the Z6III is closer to the Z8 than any other Nikon camera (aside from the Z9).
I'm coming from the Z6II, I've been using the Z6III for about a week and am loving it. The autofocus over the Z6II is fast and fantastic. Love the flip screen, love that the information flips vertical, I don't use a strap so my eyelets will be coming off (they are noisy). The size of the Z6III is perfect for me...do I wish they'd bumped the MP a bit for this version, sure, but I'm fine with it. Really happy with it so far.
I do agree on the "U sets" I wish you could just go into the menu, set everything for U1 for example and not have to do anything other than turn the dial to U1 when you want it.
I'd love a Z8 but at $6200 after taxes in Canada it's well out of my current budget range (Z6III $3900 after taxes).
Your comment is so helpful for folks.
@@ogonzilla I see the video and my impressions its very similar to @JasonLorette. My doubt its doubt of how much better the focus of the z6 iii is compared to the zf!.
Thanks.
I love the Zf because of the handling. The zoomed in focus mode and the focus indication really helps you nail the focus even with manual lenses. I can go effortlessly from shooting with my analogue cameras to using the Zf, especially with lenses were you can change aperature on the actual lens. I recently bought a Viltrox lens that has the brilliant feature of being able to turn stops on and off. Great for video.
I'm upgrading from the Z6. I'm sure the upgrade from the Z6 to Z6III will be leaps and bounds
@@VikingAbe_240SX You’ll definitely see a difference. 📸😎
Great video, Omar. Your videos are always fun to watch and informative.
With regard to your comment about wanting a 3rd dial for settings, you can easily accomplish the same thing by turning on the "Release button to use dial" option. Don't own a Z8 but on my Z9 it's option f6 in the Customs Settings Menu. On the Zf it's option f7. This option allows you to use the two existing control wheels when changing things like ISO, Mode, Exp. Compensation, Bracket, Flash, etc. Just press the desired button once and let go. The associated function will highlight in yellow on your screen. Now just use the front or rear wheels to adjust. For some functions each wheel changes different aspects of the function, such as toggling Auto ISO on/off with front wheel, and changing ISO with rear wheel. When you're finished making your changes press the relative button again to deactivate, or you can half-press the shutter button. This is much more useful than a dedicated 3rd thumb wheel for ISO since you can change any function you need to without having to reprogram a wheel. It's an option that has been around since the DSLR days.
I've tried this in the past, but it's not for me. There's an extra step to cancel the function (pumping the shutter) as opposed to simply releasing the button.
… no youtuber EVER could describe my feelings about some cameras like fujis or the ZF the way you do. your the man! tons of lenses and my nikon FFs bodys are workhorses for my job as a photographer, my fujis (and a zf) are allowed to sit near me on the couch sometimes (no joke) just to look at them 😂❤ there cameras for simply makin money in the business - literally to get the job done with zero emotion. and cameras for the heart. i really love your content and sense humor mate - stay the way you are. by the way, your work is great, had a look at your website few weeks ago. greetings from a colleague from bavaria / germany and keep up that great entertaining content 🙌
Great video. I have been considering the ZF for a while. Totally hobbyist, had many Fuji cameras in the past and the ZF really appealed to me. The Z6iii threw a spanner in the works but it’s around £700 more expensive here, money which could go to lenses.
Mix of macro, general family/travel, birds, landscape. I currently have a S5ii but was a Nikon owner for years, kinda want to get back into the fold. So it’s great seeing your opinion.
The Zf is becoming my favorite
Omar you tell the truth. What matters most is ergonomics. All new cameras are good, with tons of specs and performance.
I often have to shoot in low light , so the lower MP of my new Z6iii. Low light performance is outstanding
I bought my Z8 two days ago.. I'm already in love with it.❤❤mind-blowing resukts with 180-600mm lens❤❤❤🎉🎉🤝🔥thank u Nikon.❤
Omar. You are one of a kind. As always your pictures are superior.
Knowledgable, common sense comparisons with a terrific sense of humor. A pleasure to watch. Thank you!
Omar I love your style, delivery, humor and content! You are one of the best in the biz! Maybe the best! BTW loved your Pizza video as well. I have watched a lot of those on UA-cam and yours was very easy to follow and very well done!
I took Z8 the a portrait/ children shoot along with A7iv and Canon R6!
I use an adapted Tamron 35-150/2-2.8 E mount, Sigma 24-70/2.8 and RF 24-70/2.8 respectively mounted on those for the rest.
I shot equal amounts of on A7iv and Z8. Z8 impressed me with its ability to do perfect eye AF with the adapted lens and the electronic shutter and the size of the grip balancing that beast of a lens very well!
I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and the results were WOW beautiful colors!
The camera truly give you confidence to go forth and face any photography challenge! My return to Nikon since I was win over by D700!
Happy to be back! Sony and Canon experimentation is over thanks to Z6iii, Z8, Z9 and Zf bodies and the excellent lenses! 🥰
I' m happy i didn' t wait more fot the launch of Z6iii and bought the Z8 on April. No regrets.
As a walk-about amateur I upgraded from the D7100 to the Zf and am very happy with it - once I learned the new focusing system. A professional would need more I suppose but you're right about this one being fun to use.
YES! Of course if I had a Z8 myself, I too will feel I don't really need the Z6III DAAAH!! And the Zf for walk around is just fine as well 😎
😂
I have a D600 and just recently my 16y/o son showed an immense interest in photography. So ... i got him a Z6iii. I played around with it, but just didn't excite me. I'm now thinking of getting a new camera ... Zf appears to be IT. It reminds me of my F3 or FM2. I think the ASMR (is that what you call it nowadays) would re-ignite my passion for photography. Cheaper than the Z6iii and Z7 etc is great. Great vids - just subbed. Keep up the great work.
Please read this it may be helpful. Nice review cheers. I have moved from just taking stills to doing video, I use the z 8. I like everyone else find video of wildlife challenging. However I choose the local wildlife simply because I don’t have to get the creatures to sign a consent form. Before I can film them …I never really bothered to much about shutter shake the with a camera is great , or a tripod helps. I labour the point for a reason . Using my iPhone to scope out the local area helps to perfect my skills. But wild life and a z8 film wise requires the camera to be moved and an iPhone is light and a much bigger screen. Back in 2010 I used my laptop in doors connected to the Nikon DLSR in my study. Today the Nikon z is also connectable to my z8 and with Bluetooth it connects to my I phone 15 pro . Set up is easy enough and once set up requires no more attention than pressing the right button and away I go filming using my iPhone as a screen. This makes it easier to control both shake it helps so much on the z8 to see the screen via my iPhone I purchased the small rig adapter to fit on the camera flash mount for my iPhone . This really makes filming easier. So I thought I would point out that snap…. App for Nikon is free and there is not a great deal of time needed to set the pairing make filming easier and of course the back screen no longer matters that it does not flip forward facing and with your phone the screen would be bigger to. One last thing when the Nikon app was set up it informed me that I had an up grade for the camera asking me would I like to up grade . I pressed yes and it just did it . This should help everyone . So thanks for reading and sharing your fun reviews .😊
The black and white flash back for the white “ca-clanc” was iconic.
Coming back to this video 4 months later, I still use the Zf as my only FF body. But I am less enamoured than I was, especially after spending three weeks with a Z8 loaner. I thought I'd find the Z8 too heavy and too large, but after using it daily, I realised that it is in fact only marginally heavier than my Zf+Neewer grip, and not really larger, depending on what dimension you focus on (narrower end to end but higher top to bottom). Much more crucial, I found the Z8 MUCH more comfortable to carry in hand (right hand along the body, camera strapped to wrist for safety). I can carry it that way for a couple of hours with the 24-120 attached and feel no strain whatsoever. That is impossible with the Zf, whatever grip I tried, for more than 15 minutes or so. This is crucial for me as I suffer from arthritis round the cervicals and cannot easily carry any weight in sling mode or dangling from the neck. I have to use a backpack for my gear between shooting sprees. So, counterintuitively, the Z8 is for me a much easier carry. Also, the Z8 is infinitely more customisable. The Zf has no memory banks and no hardwired user settings, and very little leeway in terms of customisable controls. Have not tried a Z6III yet, but just might switch from the good looking Zf to the Z8 and be done with the pondering.
Had the Z6ii but the rear screen failed and had to go back for repair. Bought a used Zfc to tide me over and loved using this especially the flippy screen for travel and macro shots. Was hoping that the Z6iii would be a good upgrade for me, but the image quality was not going to be a step up from the Z6ii. So I traded both the Z6ii and the Zfc for a used Zf. Now I have all the good points in one camera and saved a lot of cash compared to a new Z6iii.
I have a Z6II only, Excellent for me once I learnt to drive it, A 35mm f1.8s has replaced the excellent 24-120mm f4s almost permanently. My thing is Street and use a camera harness that screws into the tripod thread and the cam hangs to my left side under my coat. Secure and works well. Thanks and cheers.
Love the Zf
Hey - Always fun videos. I got the mannequin head that you suggested a few years ago, and am practicing my studio photography like crazy without bothering my relatives too much :-) thanks!
I agree with the comment below by dpfreedman. You always seem to be happy and up beat. a "glass half full" type of guy. I shoot high school sports and some collegiate sports so I have the Z9 which does way more than I will ever use. My first mirrorless camera was the Z6 which I've had for years and I use it quite often. The Z6 feels good to me, I am comfortable with the buttons and muscle memory is solid. As a matter of fact, that entry level Z6 is used on the majority of my paid jobs like senior photos, team banners. Kind of like your favorite fishing lure, you have confidence in it. So I am getting used to the Zf, I really like the retro vibe plus the backup memory for some jobs. Keep on making these great videos Omar, they are not only educational but entertaining as well.
The Z8 is the ultimate Nikon, but for me, the Z6 III is the next best thing. The lack of customizable user settings on the Zf kills it for me.
Finally, someone who prefers Banks, rather than the U1 settings. Banks are so much faster and fluid for the way I shoot. Cant live without Banks.
I've had the Z8 for a year now and have finally embraced the banks.
Tried getting used to using banks on my D500, couldn't do it. I like that if I switch to U1 I know exactly what my settings will be every time. With banks it was always, oh right I changed something last time so now how is it setup again? Maybe it's because I used the U settings for years so it's hard to change.
@@AnthonyMarkPhotography-ke9ld Everyone is unique, and that's wonderful. For my photography style, everything is fluid and constantly changing. Therefore, the U1 settings always reverting back to previously saved settings is a significant bottleneck for me.
When I had the Z6ii, I used the U1 U2 settings, but every time I changed a setting, I'd have to remember to then Save it. Then I'd make another settings change, and would have to go into the menu and Save it again. It was very tedious and an unnecessary step for me. Banks are just like U1/U2 settings, except you don't have to remember to go into the menu and Save anything... everything you do or change is just Saved automatically. Super helpful for Weddings or Events. For weddings; I use Banks for indoor and outdoor that I'm bouncing back and forth between. Then later in the wedding those banks could be used for flash and non-flash, or even different rooms of the venue that have drastic different lighting. All is being set on the fly, no need to Save, it's like holding 4 cameras at once. All fluid, all custom, all current, all fast. To quote Bruce Lee: "Be like water my friend." hehe :)
Some photographers need a home-base-settings recipe, and that's great too. Not everyone's workflow is the same and that's a great thing!
And another fun vid. Have a Z8 and love it. Finally understand and embrace the use of the Banks. As a hobbiest I don't need it but love the 45mp since i seem to have to crop all the time. The 24-120 Z lives on it. Got the Z6III but haven't seriously used it that much yet. This weekend in the mountains So we'll see. I'm blessed to be able to have 2 excellent cameras a a handful of really great lens. ( the flippy screen , sigh. and now know to hold the strap up when opening the card door. double sigh. ). Thanks - tim
What a great comparison for anyone looking to upgrade their Nikon. Omar you are so much fun and unique. If you could bottle your fun you’d make a small fortune 😊.
Of course one has to watch out for GAS. Concentrating on taking better photos should trump forever-changing cameras.
Watching your video is always a fun. Thanks for a nice impartial review.
Nice comparison , thanks Omar ! 👍Please keep the "non-serious" small parts of your videos haha you probably have the only photography videos on YT that really make me laught while staying very informative. Love that 😄!
Awesome review of 3 Nikons !
Very useful and entertaining summary - any U tubers who start ‘what’s up…..’ get no further - immediate switch off! It’s a Zf for me - the key word is FUN. And it’s an extremely capable camera!
Great Video Omar!
I jumped into the Z line with the Z6II from after having various Nikon DLSRS since 2006. When the Z8 came out I jumped up and purchased one of the original batch. I had my do everything Mirrorless camera! I have used both to shoot events. Love the enhanced focusing on the Z8. I was waiting for the Z6iii to replace my Z6ii. I have enjoy that size camera.. I love the Z6x ergos. I finally have a second camera to the Z8. The Z6iii is great when you do not need 45MP or the weight of the Z8. Not sure about the Ergos of the ZF, I think it is a great camera feature wise. Especially for Street photography. Once Nikon or more third party, small lens with Aperture rings show up. I think might have to revisit the ZF or ZFii (33-45MP) version... I hope the Battery on the Z6iii last longer than on the Z8(about as long as the D500\D850). Maybe Nikon will create an EN-EL15d with more juice on the Z8.
You do such a good job of making it feel like you’re speaking directly to me. really appreciate this comparison.
Nice comparison video! Amongst those three I’d pick Z8. Having shot with it for a week I did love its feel, and its results. So many points you talked about I nodded my head at. So good. I did borrow Zf for a day bd I did enjoy it a lot, but being someone who is behind the screen I don’t understand the vari-angle screen on a photography focused camera. Gets in the way with of strap and isn’t as easy as tilt when doing chest level shooting. Wish they had put the 3 way tilt from the z8 in that. Z6 III looks like an amazing camera, but not for me. I currently shoot Z7 II and it really does everything I could need, and does it very well. So many great options out there, keep it up Nikon! (….and Canon,Sony,Fuji (mostly), etc)
I don’t even have these cameras, I just love watching your videos, your a riot 😂😂
E-shutter, blackout, is actually neat! When its fully silent, I'd prefer to have some indication of the shot happening than having no clue whether it took or not!
Interesting thoughts on the z8 banks, I personally prefer the user 1-3 modes on the z6iii. They are so much easier to setup and switch between. Having all three cameras it has become apparent to me that what I do is best served with the ZF/Z6iii combo.
Holy cow that group wedding photo @ 57 seconds is awesome. It would have been perfect if those two people weren't looking away unless there was a reason for that. But wow, it looks like the thumbnail for a reality TV show, but in a good way. The bride framed, and lit the way she is, is stunning. Regarding the cameras, I would love a Z8, and I would say that I want a z6iii, but my z6ii is still more camera than someone like me needs. Heck, I've actually been shooting with my D4 and D3 (picked up both used for cheap), and for a non-pro like me, they're perfect. LOL believe it or not I actually prefer shooting on my D3 or D4, than my Z6ii. I know they're older, but they feel faster and the simplicity they offer is kind of nice too.
We only had 5 minutes for that shot. I’ll take it. Thanks
I went from the D750 to the Z8 because I wanted the same multifaceted capabilities.
It's great for portraits, has great low light abilities for photojournalism, is super fast for shooting high speed jets at Airshows, and has high resolution for landscapes. If you're skilled at multiple styles of photography, then the Z8 is the best option without spending the extra for the Z9.
I haven't even started to explore its video capabilities yet, but I'm sure it'll be excellent for that as well.
The way I see it: the Zf is for the retro retro shooters and those who maybe don't need the latest video or AF tech (even though the AF is inherited from the Z8 in many ways, although not all). The Z6 III is for those who want a Z8 but don't care for the size, weight or expense (and won't be shooting 8k). And then there's the Z8 which could be seen as a do-everything camera that sits just below it's bigger sibling the Z9.
For me, the Z8 and Zf combo works great. The Zf has a nice balance between Image quality and good AF performance, and one reason I decided not to buy the Z6 III (with the Zf and Z8, a Z6 III would just be a bit of redundancy between the two and I'd rather spend the $2500 on a lens or a trip or two).
Well done, Well said! Always a pleasure to watch. And "Hulk Smash!!" Have a great day.
I have had a Z9 for a while now and bypassed the Z8 because I wanted a somewhat smaller hybrid to compliment the pro body-and my patience paid off with the Z6III. It’s the ideal Nikon b-cam as far as I’m concerned.
Omar, I am with you on Nikon’s uncomfortable strap mount brackets getting in the way. Like you, much prefer the way Canon does it. Let’s start a movement! And thank you for talking more about the user experience of each and how they compare, rather than their specs.
If they can change the F- mount, they should be able to change the strap mount.
Fuji is making it harder and harder to be a fan boy. My XH2 can still lock up every once in a while and I keep side eyeing the Nikons.
Me 2. I went back to Nikon.
@@sauceloveyep so did I and zero regrets
Similar experience here.
Fuji: crop sensor, spotty reliability, so-so autofocus.
Leica: overpriced, too quirky, doesn’t compete with modern camera performance overall.
The Zf in my time with it solved all these issues in modern-retro cameras. 😉
Great video, Omar. Thank you for sharing your helpful experiences. I purchased the Nikon Z6 when they were first released (I sold it to upgrade to the Z8), but I do remember the front dial being stiff and needing effort to turn it. Not sure if all Z6 versions are like that, but that was the only flaw in my copy.
I love my Z7ll it is a incredible camera.
got myself the Zf a week ago. already bought the 50mm 1.8S and the 85mm 1.8S together with the small 28mm special edition lens. i love it.
I have all 3 as well. Great lenses.
@@ogonzilla already eying with the 105mm macro ^^
Another issue for me with the Z6iii is the price point (in the UK at least). The Z8 is now retailing at £3300 compered to £2700 for the Z6iii. The price difference makes it difficult to justify the Z6iii.
I’m in the same position. I’m leaning more towards the z8, but it’ll like come down to which one is in stock first.
Bro in Europe it‘s the same. 3000€ is crazy whil the Z8 was at 3500€ not long ago 🤷♂️
Agreed. Plus you can sometimes save a couple hundred going used with the Z8. Other than the chunkier size, it’s hard to see much downside with a Z8.
@jordancook1668 even better is to wait the sales online, September / October or the Black Friday or something. You can get the Z8 in near the same price is sold used, but new and with full warranty
Hi, Omar. Your photos are as usual fantastic and inspiring to a hobbyist like me -- the black and white one of a man sitting seen down a hall at a hotel or something just stopped me in my tracks. Alas I probably won't be switching to Nikon and will miss out on all its full-frame goodness because of its MASSIVE SIZE! Ironic because before I went digital, I thought my Pentax full-frame film camera was perfectly comfortable - and when my little x-t30 arrived, I thought it was a little toy! But my hands aren't large and I've grown so accustomed to the x-t30 now that I even worry I'll find the x-t5 or whatever future version too big as well!
Nice video Omar. Unfortunately I traded my XH2 for a Z8. I love my banks for people, landscapes and wildlife. I love the lens selection like the 70-200mm F2.8 VR S, Tamron 28-75mm F2.8 G2, Viltrox 16mm 1.8, and to replace my Tamron 150-500 on Fuji the 180 600mm lens.
You are a big BALLER and have a great sense of humor bro. Keep up the great work.
Fine, honest, personal review. Appreciate your candor. Thank you. I have mixed feelings about Nikon's 'pro' interface (Z8/Z9) versus the advanced amateur interface on the lesser cameras (Z6/Z7). You mentioned that you didn't really care for the buttons on the top left of the Z8 but you love the menu banks. I'm just the opposite. I like the buttons on the top left, but I miss the user settings of the Z6/Z7. My previous body (now backup) is the Z7. Honestly, I think the user settings on the Z6/Z7 are more advanced and a better design than the menu banks that Nikon has had since the dSLR era. Why? Because the user settings are not broken into separate groups (shooting, custom menu) that have to be set and enabled separately. Plus, the menu banks are not persistent. If I make a change while shooting with one of the menu banks then that change remains even if I shut the camera off. Not so with user settings on the Z6/Z7. If I turn the camera off, then the original programmed configuration in each of the user settings is restored.
I was so in LOVE with the ZF, that I ended up buying a LUMIX S1R!!!! Crazy I know. I just was testing the S1R fully intending on returning it and the weight and the EVF won me over to the point I was disappointed when I actually tried the ZF. BUT now the Z6Iii is here. Darn GAS
Hi Omar. Thinking of moving from the Fuji xt30ii to the Zf as opposed to upgrading to the xt5 for street. Nikon glass seems a bit pricey so checking in with you and the group on thoghts of an adapter with sigma lenses made for Sony or another brand. From your reviews seems like no issues with the AF adapter.
Assuming I’m gonna have better hit rates with this AF over the Fuji.
Z8+zf perfect for me. Just perfect!
Z 7II. For my purpose of landscape and nature photography, it fits my needs at about affordable price.
It does not matter whát camera yóu Omar are using; your pictures and films always look great ❤👍🏻
Main Z6iii, backup Z6ii personal fun Zf. (I get paid for my work and don’t need / want 45 mps and the layout is the same as my Z6ii). Nice comparison. 👍🏾
I have two Z9s and after I got Zf I barely use my z9s anymore for my portraits sessions. Zf my favourite camera ever.
Great video as usual. I agree with you totally. The front dial in Z 6iii sucks! I have traded in the Z 6ii. Hence, I can’t compare but I love the front dial in my Z9.
So it’s not just me. 👌🏼
If I could only pick one, it'll be the Zf too. Perfectly good to shoot professionally and more importantly, it's great for everyday photography.
I upgraded from Z6ii to Z8 little bit before Nikon released Z6iii. I got Zf for my wife and I considered Z8 is an upgrade over Z6iii with prediction even what whatever specs of Z6iii, it will not over Pro Camera Z8, Z9. So we went with Z8 with Nikon deal, Samy's Camera paid sale tax (we found this after decision was made). I like the weight of Z6ii (z6iii), but Z8 have a nice balance (size and weight) with 24-70mm f/2.8 S lens, 70-200mm VR f/2.8 S lens , 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S. If I have to choose between Z6iii vs Z8 again and already have ZF, I will select the Z8 - a photography Hobbyist.
I like your review.
I would like to see Nikon z6iii vs ZF comparison with original JPG photos.🙏🧡
Z8, camera of my choice, I love it..
I used to shoot the Nikon F mount for events or when I really had to be able to focus quickly, and I had various Fuji gear for walking around and travel and to sometimes help with events. When the Z9 came out I got into the Nikon Z mount through it. Love the S-line lens. When the Z8 came out I was originally concerned it would be larger than I really wanted but it didn't feel that way to me in use. In fact, it replaced the Fuji X-T5 as my go overwhere camera. I also stopped using my Z9 very much, except for situations where I want to use two cameras at once. Anyway, I don't think the Z8 is too large for casual use or travel.
I was originally interested in the Z6 III because it would be more compact, but decided to hold off on it for now. I'm very satisfied with the Z8 for my purposes and I'm just not seeing the Z6 III giving me any additional capability.
I did enjoy the dial-based, old fashion-y controls of the Fuji, but I'm not sure what to do with my Fuji stuff now. The Zf is supposed to offer a similar experience, but without the aperture rings on the Nikon lenses, it doesn't sound like it would be the same to me. I could go into some other nuances and comparisons, but the bottom line is I'm very happy with the Z8 and a good set of S-line lenses. I was fortunate that I was able to afford switching to the Z mount and could see going with the Z6 if cost is more of an issue though.
Nikon should do a line of lens for the ZF, with aperture rings. I think the ZF aficionados would snap them up. That 35 mm F1.4 is a step in the right direction.
Great informative video Omar! Absolutely love my two Z8 cameras for work. I never thought I’d like shooting with 45Mp but since I shoot a lot of live music, having the ability crop is awesome. Buuuut I still want a ZF 😅.
Tell you what I think. Your style is awesome and I'm glad I found you ( Nikon shooter )
Another extremely interesting video, Omar. For me, the choice was simple and I pre-ordered two Zfs as soon as they were announced. Coming from Fuji I found the Zf a little hard to get used to at first, the lack of customisable buttons, film sims and the implementation of the ISO controls but it has turned out to be ideal for me, easy to use in the end it produces great images.
Nikon missed with the user manual on that Zf for setting up ISO. Once you learn the Auto on and set minimum to 200 for manual mode that makes the ISO wheel the max iso selection, and bind the record button to ISO so you can turn Auto on/off with the front dial when you hold it down, or adjust ISO (in C on the dial) or auto ISO range like other Nikons. They just really didn’t explain that at all and left us to figure it all out. I actually prefer it this way and have a Fuji X100s as well. Fuji is just easy to figure out with the red A on the dial, but I find more work spinning dials around to go back and forth between aperture or shutter priority and manual once you know both of them. Tony Northup never figured any of this out in his 8 month long term review which is kind of sad and pronounced that have have to use the menu’s to change auto ISO which just isn’t true because it’s a 1 minute setup process to remedy that. It just highlighted how bare minimum the effort he put into that review was. That kind of information misleads people who don’t like menu diving away from what’s really a great camera.
Great info OG…so many great options. ZF incoming :)
Hobbyist with an old film Nikon FE, a medium format TLR, and I replaced a D3500 with the Nikon ZF about 6 months ago. I'm having so much fun with the ZF shooting manual on old adapted glass and new voightlander z lenses. I rent an autofocus S lens and throw on a grip when i do the rare event - i dont make the money to justify owning them. If I were a working photographer I'd want the Z8 for the custom banks and tilt screen, but it'd truly have to be a fulltime job to justify the cost!
I'm going to own both! Right now I own zfc, zf, z6, d750 (x3) LOL - but I will buy a z6iii as well in the fall / next wedding season.
They’re all great, but Zf for me.
It’s my #1 camera for personal and Pro use. Gets close to the performance of the Z8, but fun to use! And I don’t need more than 24MP.
After 6 months of heavy daily use, it has been 100% dependable.
I used Fujis in the past and liked them, but they were poor in low light and build quality/dependability was spotty.
Nikon has flat blown them away on retro-style mirrorless cameras!
Always enjoy the humor aspect in your videos - makes them just fun to watch!
I am a bit suprised that people are complaining about the memory card door and how it gets stuck by the strap holder like its a new thing, because i have the same issue on the original Z6 😅. But it should have been fixed by the 3rd gen
Thanks Omar was on the fence Zf or Z6lll . The Z8 is out of my bank lol. excellent video as always have you ever thought about doing stand up comedy 🙌🏽🙌🏽🤩😂
As a Nikon and Sony shooter , all I can say is that the Nikon files are so much better and nicer to look at!
Great review. Thank you very much
I have enjoyed seeing your journey into the Nikon world . From you trying out the epic D700 through to now. You call it as you see it and I appreciate it . I personally like the U1, U2, U3 settings. But now that I have added a Z8 to my Z6 and Z6ii family . I will give shooting banks another look. At some point can you go into how you set up your cameras for event coverage ?
Still rocking the D850 and occasionally use the Z5. What would be perfect for Nikon is the sensor shield. If they put that on ALL their Z cameras I think it would be a game changer.
I was hoping for a fully Stacked sensor with the Sensor shield on the Z6iii, it would have raised the bar even higher on the competition. The Z6iii is aimed at the general purpose and mostly wedding markets the mechanical shutter is taking up the space where the sensor shield would be. I have a feeling the ZF sensor will show up in the Z5 ii. Expeed 7 focusing would make your Z 5 more fun with more reliable focus like or better than your D850. Have you used the z100-400mm on the Z5 with a tele convertor? The focus and image quality is better than using an Fmount teleconverter.
Agree, the Z8 is a beast, but for travel and walk around I prefer the Zf, which is more fun to shoot with. I have a bit of a love - hate relation with the Z8. best camera I ever had, but a bit to bulky for me. But I won't part from it as it's such a great camera.