Correction: The thread on the Zf shutter button is not compatible with cable releases, but can be used to add a soft shutter. We apologize for the mistake.
In short: if I needed one camera on a tighter budget, the Z6 iii would likely be the top choice. But when you are fortunate enough to own a Z8 already, the ZF just seems like a much more well rounded choice to me.
As a pro turned hobbyist, the zf was a lovely followup for my d800 and got me back into photography in a lovely way. If i ever start picking up paid work again, i like that rhe z6iii exists at such a close price and capability point that i could basically swap them 1 for 1 in the future
@@game2572 No it isn't, the only thing that's the same is the sensor. ZF is an Expeed7 body which is on a whole nother CPU platform vastly superior to Z6 I and II.
@@game2572 Zf offers much better AF performance than Z6 II being on the current Expeed 7 processor generation with improved subject detection. It also has 8 stops of image stabilization and offers pixel shift and pre-capture recording. Better EVF experience when shooting high FPS.
ZF makes me want to pick it up and shoot more. I am not a professional, I don't earn money from photography. So ZF is perfect! I assume people that rely on their photography will pick the Z6III.
I'm a professional and I love my Zf. I use it both for fun and for paid shoots. It's a phenomenal piece of kit, arguably one of the best value cameras ever made with the autofocus system that's light-years ahead of the Z6ii and z7 bodies.
Lifelong Nikon Shooter...Dad gifted me his FM3A 20+ years ago and have never looked back. Not a professional but a serious hobbyist. Have a couple Leica and an OM-System kit as well. All that said...I sold my Z6III already. Not enough in my head to distinguish it from the Zf (As I think you've shown) and already have a Z8 and Z9 for more serious shooting situations. Was a fine camera but didn't have a place in my kit where the Zf is for fun walking about town. Keep up the good work!
These reviews would be much better if the video was shot with the camera being reviewed to get a better sense of its video quality and capabilities rather than the 20-30 second spots you give it.
The Zf offers 8 stops image stabilization, pixel shift images up to 96 megapixel image resolution, pre-capture, stabilization around the focus point, focus stacking, autofocus of humans and animals without the need to switch subject detection and what not. The reference manual is 900 pages long. These are all things you won't find on a Sony A1 flagship camera that costs more than 6000 $.
Z6 III also offers all of those. But agreed, this is why Nikon is the leader for price for features. The Z9 and Z8 proved that, now did the Z6 III. They pack it with features, priced below the competition and then offer phenomenal lenses yet again, with the best price to performance value on the market.
@@autoexoticswestcoast Correct. These are the reasons why i stayed with Nikon for so many years along with the great build quality, ergonomics, good usability and long lifespan of their products.
Thanks guys, exactly what I'm after and what I asked for in your Z6 III introduction. My choice was the Zf (still last year) and I'm happy with it. To my luck, nearly no sports, no action, no video. I agree that the Z6 III is the more complete camera. But the 500$ difference (in EU it was about 800€ two months ago) is also an argument for some people.
The lack of dual recording in video on either camera is a huge strike. I know the Z6 III has some modes that would not be possible on an SD card, but there should be plenty of modes where you can record to both cards simultaneously...which is important for critical video shoots. Please, Nikon, if you do nothing else, fix this!
@@danieldougan269 I always wonder about this as it’s not like arri alexas have dual recording and that data can be counted in the thousands per minute with a large crew around. Is the issue card failure?
@@generalben If you're recording, say, a wedding, you want the peace of mind that you're not going to lose your footage due to a corrupted card. I know you can get a Ninja or a Video Assist, but if you're spending $2,500 on a camera and thousands of dollars on lenses, you shouldn't have to spend $500 more on an external recorder when the other cameras in the same price class or less have dual recording. Plus, having to use an external recorder at an event just makes things more cumbersome when you want to be nimble.
@@danieldougan269 How often does a card failure on CF Express occur? I visit photography pages and forums regulary and the amount of that happening is close to zero.
I've had so many of the latest cameras over the last 15-20 years....Nikon and Fujifilm mainly....the ZF is my favourite camera of recent times! a camera that actually feels made well! stick the Neewer grip on and it's a beauty!!!!
I've had technically better cameras the ZF, yet I've ended up going back to it every single time. There's something about it that gives me joy in photography that nothing else does. So for me, it's the ZF
I don't know why people think they need to use an additional grip on the Zf. I use my Nikkor AF-S 50 mm f/1.8 and AF-S 85 mm f/1.8 lenses without any additional grip on the Zf camera along with the FTZ II adapter and it feels just fine. Probably this has more to do how you hold a lens and the camera.
I pre-ordered the ZF on the day it was announced last year and I do not regret buying it. With the Neewer grip with the the red stripe, it looks like my old Nikon F100. Even with the Z6III and its high end features, the ZF is more than enough for me. I treat my ZF as if it's the Z6 2.5.
this video came just in time for me, our local dealer had a very mouth water offer on the zf, and was thinking to get it to replace the z50 on the nikkor z100-400 mm. not really want it for speed and action as i already have the OM1, just for those lazy morning i want to spend in my garden hide to get the winter visiting birds, and some butterflies and insects sometime. thanks a million for clearing so many things for me.
@@pentagramyt417hello. above this value of iso the camera struggle like going to 10000 but topaz denoise do great job in cleaning you may lose some details but the end result is nice. in short until 5000 you have no issue. topaz give better cleaning than DXO pl in keeping the details.
Watching the whole thing happen over the last few years, I believe the Zf was a vehicle for Nikon to get their Exspeed7 and associated features out to market, in anticipation of the new sensor and features of the Z6iii. And they did it in a way to not cut into the Z6iii market too much. I think the DR "penalty" of the partially stacked sensor, is easily overcome with the focusing performance.
Sorry Chris, 2 mins in and I have to point out the “threaded shutter release button” does not work with a classic old cable it’s just for a “soft release” button...
The 1:1 we were all waiting for! I own 2 ZFs, they are beautiful and totally enough for what I do on the level that I do. I earn money from photography, but it is not my main source of income, could not justify the Z8 nor the Z6III due to the European price tag (and almost no difference for my use case).
Grip and handling: the way you hold both cameras at the same time during this video proves how useful a good grip really is. You adapt naturally. You simply cannot securely carry the Zf in one hand while you are out and about, unless you grab it at the lens mount, which is not pleasant. The Zf begs for a neck/shoulder strap or a bag while the Z6III (and other similar bodies) can be handled from the tip of your fingers without a second thought (I use a wrist strap for security). This makes a serious difference for the large number of people who, like me, suffer from weak cervicals: camera in backpack or in the hand ready to shoot, no weight dangling from the neck or shoulder. Furthermore, with light lenses , one can then easily shoot one handed through the back screen: not the "kosher" way to operate but faster and allowing permanent eye contact with the subject. Oh, and the accessory grips add weight to an already heavy body and are clumsy and cramp-inducing (tried:Smallrig and the new version of Neewer). Anyway, I own the Zf but would now change it against a Z6III without hesitation if the financial hit was not disproportionate. At the end the retro look is just that: a look.
Good informative comparison. Only suggestion is on continuity. All the hand held outdoor footages have the Zf on the left hand, right hand side of the screen. Studio static shots have the Zf on the left hand side of the screen. Keep up the good work.
Logically, you’re right but I am currently considering the ZF. I don’t see myself buying the Z6iii. The ZF is less of a computer and I don’t need a lot of the improvements. The only thing I would like is CF express. On the grey market where I am, the price difference is bigger than the one you state. Nice video thx.
I bought the Zf as an upgrade alongside my Z6ii. 2 weeks later the z6iii was launched and i was a bit bummed out, but months later i am very happy with the zf. It just asks to be picked up and used. Paired with tbe 40mm f2 abd the 26mm f2.8 its a delight to shoot. In all aspects its an upgrade to my z6ii and hopefully they do an update with the red luts so the nlog is actually usable. I think my take away from this is how well rounded the nikon z products are compred to a few years ago!
@@Drehirth I've had both. The size of the 26 is worth it for me. It's all metal and sits on my Zf if I am throwing in the bag with no plan. I wouldn't want to use it run and gun with video work as it's actually quite noisy
Have you used the Zf with large lenses? How much "worse" does the Zf feel than the Z6II, even with a grip? I'm looking to upgrade to the Z6II, Zf, or Z6III (from my Z5) and would appreciate any advice! I'd like the ergonomics, CFExpress slot, customization of the Z6II, and additional features (fps, AF, EVF, etc) of the Z6III. The Zf brings a lot of the photo capabilities (AF, IBIS, etc) that the Z6III has, but sacrifices ergonomics, CFExpress, etc. The Z6III is objectively the best if I only have 1 do-it-all camera, but it costs $500-700 more than a Zf new and used. Z6II is cheapest, but the AF doesn't seem much better than my Z5. Any thoughts?
@@lk6288 I don't have the z6iii, but I can tell you with the grip on the zf the 1.8 primes feel very comfortable (Im trying out the 85mm 1.8s and I feel like I was much more worried than I should have been, I can casually walk around with this all day easily), I tried the 70-200mm and the 50mm 1.2 in a workshop recently with my zf, and I felt very not good with the 70-200, 50mm 1.2 did not feel as bad, but definitely not something I'd want to walk around with all day. btw I have the newer CA079 version (the one with the thumb grip on the back which is the best grip for the zf I feel, better than the small rig I think)
@lk6288 I have used the Z5 for some time before upgrading to the ZF. I have a couple of large lenses for the ZF, such as the Tamron 35-150mm f2-2.8 and the 105mm f1.4 F mount lens with the adapter. They are both manageable when using a grip from Smallrig or Neewer. I like it and I can handle larger and heavy lenses on my ZF. If you really like the grip of the Z5, you may not like the grip of the ZF due to the shallower grip. For me, it does not bother me. If you have the Z5, it may not be worth spending $1,600 USD on a new Z6II. The autofocus system is very similar to the Z5 and that's a lot of money to spend when it's not a big upgrade. If you can buy at least the ZF new or used, the autofocus performance is much better than the Z5 and Z6II. I consider the ZF as the Z6 2.5 with the better processor and autofocus system over the Z6II. The question is what do you currently shoot with your Z5? If it's portraits, group photos, landscape, or something that does not have a lot of movement, it doesn't make sense to upgrade. If you are shooting subjects with a lot of movement and you need the 3D tracking, then I would narrow your choices to the ZF or the Z6III. The subject tracking feature on the Z6II may not get the job done for you. If you don't like the ergonomics of the ZF, then I suggest to save up the money and go for the Z6III and skip the Z6II. If you do alot of video recording, hands down the Z6III is your best option. If you need very fast action, the Z6III is great for that. It has a max 1/16,000 shutter, compared to the ZF 1/8,000 shutter speed.
I have both! So I have the best of both worlds for my used case especially. I shoot events and wildlife with the Z6III and the ZF is my back up for that. And then I use the Zf for street photography and travel. I have small hands so the use of the grip is only when I’m putting telephoto lenses on the Zf. I also use both for wildlife. I bought both because of how many different genres I shoot and I wanted a full frame camera that would last me for many years. I got tired of the jumping around trying to make other cameras perform. I couldn’t be happier now I do come from a Nikon film and DSLR background so there’s that.
Good video, but you did not talk about shooting with manual lenses. I own both, but when I use manual focus lenses like Voigtlander 50mm APO,, or other older Nikon manual lenses I much prefer it on the Nikon ZF. So I use both cameras for different situations.
I REALLY love my Z5. The Zf obviously has more appeal to the stills photographer, like me. However... there are AMAZING deals on the Z6ii right now. Pretty awesome camera for $1500 USD.
Good review, the $500 difference in price is cheap when you think about the capabilities/features you get on the Z6iii, the ZF is no slouch itself , its throwback to cameras of the 70's with all dial controls is epic reminds of the Canon AE series of cameras that were popular then, i had not heard of Nikon back then being 12 yrs old and thats all our family and relatives bought then was Canon,Winnipeg then had probably 15 -20 stores that handled and sold Canon, I am just a hobbyist and shoot Sony since they bought Konica/Minolta back in 2005 and had good reference from my friends uncles who worked for Sony Canada at the time and got some attractive pricing on my A100, still got it and still works great, I inherited a complete original Canon AE-1 body with a full leather kit with lenses and accessories from a lady know who passed away in 2015 and my friends daughter liked photography and was a natural after watching her use my A100 and was gobsmacked when i downloaded her photos and so were her parents , so i asked them if i could gift her the Canon set up i inherited and they said yes and after supper that day i gave it to her and she was speechless for a moment and smiled, she loves old/antique things and said she'd be happy to use it in between her studies, she has done well and takes amazing photos, she is not a big digital fan 👍
Thanks so much for this video. It's exactly what I've been wondering. Also as I'm pondering which camera to lust after for the case where there would suddenly be the spare budget.
The Zf would be perfect if it wasn't such a huge brick. Adding a small grip and you get way past 800g, already GFX territory. For a "fun, retro camera" that's way too chunky for me, 500g is fun, 800g isn't.
I have the ZF to use it with film aera lenses. It is the best option for manual focussing with the right adapters. Because it can still give green box eye AF confirmation. I just got the camera for this one feature. What I almost never use are the dials. I rarely want the camera in full manual mode. Usually i want to choose the aperture value and a good exposure. So I set the camera up with Auto ISO and min SS and then control the exposure with the exposure compensation dial. Great camera. 😅 :D
Hi, you missed the fact that the Zf can shoot faster in mechanical shutter if you decrease the bit depth to 12bit : it can go up to 14fps in this mode, which is quite usable (the Z6II could do the exact same thing. The previous Z6 could only do 9fps 14bit / 12fps 12 bit)
Love the product sponsor drop in the middle of the video. I love seeing the instant before and after comparison of video exposure with and without the wescott light, great demo.
Went thru the same. In the end, the Z6 III won out for me as a do-it-all camera body. Maybe down the road (if budget allows) a gently used Zf will go into the bag.
The used price of a zf makes it a lot tougher decision though. I got one last year with the intent of trading it in when the z6 iii came out, but the dynamic range and the lack of a dedicated bird af kinda killed it for me.
I got the Zf as a poor mans Leica. It takes my collection of M lenses, makes manual focus an absolute breeze, and it's heavier (good for the zombie apocalypse)
@@justo_photography At the moment, a 'dumb' one from Urth, but soon I'll get a TT Artisan M-Z adaptor which is 'semi-smart'. I wouldn't bother getting the motorised (autofocus) one because I love to manual focus on the Zf.
Nikon needs to take most of the internals of the Zf and put it into a Z5ii with a lower price. Though, preferably swapping the micro SD slot back to normal SD.
price difference in australia is massive - 2800 for the zf vs 4500 for the z6iii. Would have loved to see a low light comparison, which is why I ended up with the former.
I had an F801 from 1992 to 2004. That's the same as the N8008 in North America. That >30 year-old camera has more in common with the Z6III than with the Zf: Deeper grip, no threads on the shutter button. Before that I had an Olympus OM-10. That relic of 1979 did have a flat body and a threaded shutter button. So a lot of the people admiring the "vintage" look of the Zf are way too young to have really experienced shooting with such cameras. I would take the Z6 III any day.
That dynamic range problem on the Diii just tics me off. Its the one thing holding me back to switching to mirrorless finally. I've save many of shoots with my D750 bodies because of the dynamic range.
There is no serious dynamic range problem and no issue with image quality itself unless you create absolute underexposed pictures which are completely black. The dynamic range is the same from ISO 800 upwards.
He wishes he could. Camera companies are tight-lipped about sales numbers of specific models unless they're touting something like huge popularity, like was the case with the Z9. -Jaron
The Zf is a camera I will absolutely own someday, but to me it feels like the kind of camera I have to buy from a physical camera store, used, with signs of wear and light cosmetic damage. Can't wait to pop my Helios 77-4 or Canon FD 50mm sc on that body and go out for a black and white shoot. Take me right back to my T-max days in the 90's - without the hassle of dealing with the film afterwards. Love how easy Z mount makes it to adapt other lenses.
Hi, just a quick request - Would you be able to talk about the eyepoint of the EVFs and OVFs you review? It's just that for glasses wearers it can be a real make or break feature. I own and OM-5 and although the EVF isn't anything to write home about from a resolution or brightness point of view, the long eyepoint makes it a joy to shoot with while wearing glasses. Everything in the frame is visible with just a glance without having to scan around. I'd love it if this was something included in reviews going forward, if the info is available.
I love my Zf so much, but that's because it's a sidekick for my ridiculously extensive (for an enthusiast) combo of Z9 and Z7 II. If I only had one? Z6 III all the way. If I wasn't so accustomed to the 45 MP from the Z7 II, I'd love to replace it with a Z6 III. But no, I need a Z8. Which is a pretty big boy! And a lot more money. And the DR complaints are silly. Expose in the field how you need for what you're doing with it, and there are zero DR issues.
Those DR issues are totally overblown on the internet. It's a Tony Northrup issue trying to capture a picture in total darkness and then lifting the shadows for more than 5 stops. Doesn't reflect reality how the camera is used on the field.
The differences in dynamic range are vastly overblown because it's an extreme edge case. Who the hell is taking absolute dark pictures and trying to recover the shadows for more than 5 stops? This is a unrealistic case even for landscape photography.
Nice comparison! I have the Z8 and Zf. Bought the Z6III but returned it. I’d love to see a comparison between the Tamron 50-400mm and the Nikon z28-400mm.
I wanted to take my Zf on vacation, but there is not an L bracket available for this camera that doesn't allow battery access without removing the bracket when the battery needs to be replaced. I brought my Z6III camera instead which has a better L bracket available. The Zf is a popular camera which needs a functional L bracket.
Keh is great but it’s unfortunate they don’t offer free shipping in Canada because most times it feels like with the shipping fee, the gear is almost as much as a brand new
Funny I don’t hear any fan boys from other companies saying oh but the autofocus is inferior to other brands . I guess people are starting to realize all these companies have great autofocus .
Funny that you think the others are fan boys. Z5 Z6 Z7 and their second iterations have bad autofocus. Nikon figured out how to implement proper autofocusing with the Z9 and the models after it. Why should people complain if it's no longer a problem? It's more like the Nikon fanboys wanted to sugarcoat the problem in the past few years.
@@shang-hsienyang1284 no one denies the first Nikon mirroless cameras had issues with autofocus . I had the z 6 II and it had beautiful IQ but still was struggling with autofocus . When I got the Z 8 that changed dramatically and I love that camera . I’m not a fanboy I’m just a photographer that stays in an ecosystem like most do just because we get used to the soft wear menus and styles of lenses and options . But when the Z 8 won camera of the year in 3023 and even to this day I still hear what about the bad autofocus which to me is laughable at this point because if you have been using camera models for the last 15 years like I have , the cameras today make it a ton easier to get way more keepers than in the dslr days . I was only referring to the fact people want to keep using that old poor autofocus on the latest Nikons and it’s just not true . I my first comment I did say all the brands have great autofocus.
@@shang-hsienyang1284 People were still marking Nikon down for AF performance in Z9 and Z8 reviews; the worst offender is Jared Polin, which I'm sure rubbed some people the wrong way as he went from a Nikon only shooter to primarily Canon, while bashing Nikon even when (as far as they were concerned) the Z9 was better than anything Canon had when it came out.
@@1armbiker that’s true until at the end of Jared’s review after shooting Thai boxing with peoples gloves in front of their eyes with an 85 mm set at 1.2 ( who does that on action shots ) admits when he put on the 24 -70 2.8 the autofocus was great ! Duh ! But I agree being negative about a brand does hurt when you are giving out info that’s not based in facts for most use cases . I just hope now with all the great new Nikon versions since the z9 that that put that baby to bed about sub par autofocus . Oh as some say bad autofocus. To me bad autofocus would be something that makes the camera almost unusable . My z8 rarely misses a shot and I have so so many keepers what do I care if a few were a touch off ? Could be human error too so it’s just a stupid point at this stage as all cameras over perform now .
@@shang-hsienyang1284 what do I care what the z6 did I own a Z 8. Problem is the canon and Sony fanboys still saying Nikon had sub par autofocus today which is bs .
I have a z6 II and a z8. I really don't need anything but right now is the time to get the most for my z6 II if I was to sell it. It's only going to drop in price from here on. I would love to own a zf for street photography but I don't want to spend that much money on something that specific. I know it does other things but I'm not into ergonomics and the z6 III has that. Plus it has the semi stacked sensor. The z6 III would compliment my z8 very well. There are more similarities between those two cameras than with the zf and the z8. A far as the dynamic range goes, if I'm in a situation where it's even that close I'm going to bracket my shots and do an exposure blend in photoshop. More than likely I'll be using my z8 if dynamic range is an issue. I've gotten back into 35mm film so I have the retro thing covered. I have a Canon AE-1 and a Minolta SRT 202. I may be buying a Nikon F4 and FM2 next week. I really want an F3.
Buy a Z6 III if you need a better camera Buy a Zf if you *want* a Zf Also I think for a landscape photographer Z7 II is a better choice because AF doesn't really matter
@@kennygo8300 But you need to cover the optical viewfinder each time for long exposures which is unnecessary for mirrorless. Also checking white balance and colors immediately is much easier on mirrorless. The viewfinder is also much bigger which is a pleasure for manual focusing.
I definitely cant afford the ZF so im thinking about the ZFC. Sadly no ibis but whatever i guess lol selling my Olympus E-M1X and lenses to purchase it.
I rented the Nikon Zf before I purchased the Z6III. I returned the Z6III because I just wasn't in love with the images and needed to stay within a 30-day return window. I have the Z8 and will probably get the Nikon Zf to complement it. I may have been happy with the Z6III if I hadn't rented the Zf first but having done so, I couldn't get that happy Zf vibe out of my head.
Are you working on a review for the Viltrox 16 mounted on the Z6? Just bought one for my Sony and I quite like it. I do however find the screen a bit pointless
Nikon should update bith models with higher Megapixel Variants…z f ll with 45 mp and 4k60 uncropped or a z7lll would be a DREAM….i LOVE the results from the z8, but even for my big hands the body is too big…
I think this was an unfair comparison. The Z6 III is a newer camera with a more advanced sensor, the Zf’s main raisin d’être on the other hand, are its retro looks and dial festooned design. I believe people will purchase these cameras for different reasons. A person in the market for a Z6 III, will compare it to an equivalent Canon or Sony…not a camera from the same brand that looks like it came out of the early 1980s 🤷♂️
Why is it unfair? Sure the gear heads know these cameras are targeted at different use cases but many buyers aren't gear heads. Grandma looking to buy a gift for example. Or somebody just looking to upgrade from a phone for a travel/family camera.
@@TravelerNick these are sophisticated enthusiast cameras, quite pricey too…neither grandma nor somebody upgrading from a smartphone (does that really ever happen?) will likely be looking at these.
If you don't need super fast AF the current Z5 is still a valuable package as the cheapest full frame with dual card slots, IBIS, Joystick, bigger battery (many things which the current Canon R8 doesn't have).
@@niccollsvideo It perfectly demonstrates that the Zf isn't quite what it claims to be on the outside, sadly. Would have loved a real photo camera instead of a hybrid.
@@noenken Nikon FM2? A mirrorless camera is inherently a video camera, so having photo capabilities is the hybrid part, rather than the other way around.
@@UnconventionalReasoning Hasselblad disagrees. Leica disagrees. There is a spot for pure photo cameras and there is a huge gap in the market at the lower end for those.
@@noenken Mirrorless is only video because of the EVF. There is no market for pure photo cameras. If you want one , make it yourself. Nikon won't do it for you.
I find it really annoying that Zf’s shutter dial is still stuck with full stops, needing to fiddle with another dial to get finer control. Why not have halfstops atleast?
It's the same incremental steps as on a FUJI X-T5. You can set the shutter dial into "1/3 STEP" position and use the rear command dial for finer control. Or use the ISO dial to balance exposure in finer steps when you've set a certain speed.
@@jorgepinogarciadelasbayonas yeah, exact reason i dont like retro fuji shutterspeed dial as well. Renders the physical dial experience not as useful if you just keep it at the ⅓ step mode.
@@johannguasch754 I never had problems with the shutter dial shooting indoor or outdoor. It's the first complain i hear about it. The exposure triangle is always a balance between aperture, ISO and shutter speed and if you need quick reaction there is the PASM switch for it.
I wish lenses still had aperture rings... I hate the command dial because it always inadvertently gets knocked. I wish the screen on the Z6iii articulated like the Z8/9 instead of the flippy screen. I'm in the market for a new body and the screen is enough to keep me from buying the Z6iii.
Yep. It's a non-issue. The flickering thing was claimed by certain reviewers who 'tested' the camera in near complete darkness with ISO ramped up. The same people that zoom into 800% and complain about sharpness. Silly sausages.
@@steveh8658 That’s good to hear! I saw some high iso testing, which isn’t my shooting style. But, I’ve also seen footage that made the darks unusable. I’d love to see Petapixle address this since they brought it up a little while ago.
Now Nikon needs to release firmware updates for the new Imaging Cloud on all current Z models. This makes it also easy to create FUJI Film Simulations on the Zf because Picture Control features got enhanced to give them color grading abilites.
Come on dude film at Pearce Estate Park (AND NOT NEAR THE RIVER!!!!) You will have an amazing place to film at and also the Bird Sanctuary in Inglewood.
Curious on the low light performance. Is there any advantage to the AF of the ZF or to the files it produces? Also, there was some talk about how the ZF stabilizes around the AF point, is this a genuine advantage and does the Z6 III have it? Finally, can the buttons be programmed as flexibly on the ZF and does it permit configuring the buttons with AF-On 3D tracking or with cycle AF?
If you're looking for absolute maximum customizability, more customizable buttons and highest performance the Z6 III will be the better choice. The Zf is not trying to cover that and targets a different customer group. It also doesn't have a mode dial with U1, U2, U3 customer presets.
The problem with Nikon, for my wife-I have already bought a mirrorless in 2020, is that she has the Nikon D500, which gives here a 1.5X crop factor that she uses in conjunction with her 200-500 f5.6 to shoot birds. The camera was reasonably prices as was the lens. Her rig is quite heavy, BTW. For her to go to mirrorless, with no hot Z-APSC camera and Z-DX telephotos available and only high priced mirrorless cameras and lenses, she is completely shut out of the market. She does not want to go to MFT due to the smaller sensor and it's affect on ISO, shutter, aperture, and dynamic range. She's stuck.
So I learned something new here that no other reviews (that I've seen) point out, and it's pretty huge: DR using electronic shutter in the Z6III is the SAME as the Zf using its mechanical shutter. And the Zf's DR is quite amazing. Or did I misunderstand something here? 4:46 For my use case, mechanical shutter in the Z6III would only be necessary for flash, and perhaps for ultra-fast action. And then quiet the opposite with the Zf (basically no need for electronic shutter). Which for me the real-world results are two cameras with the same amazing DR.
No, mechanical in zf has better dr than z6iii (mechanical vs electronic) , but same when both use electronic dr is about same. Z6iii has better readout speed thus better with rolling shutter and so on
@@wikdmessenger They are not the same in electronic shutter. The Z6iii has same results in electronic or mechanical. The ZF in electronic is not very good. From ISO 100 to 800 the Zf has better DR by no more than 1 stop over the Z6iii in mechanical shutter. After iso 800, everything is on par. The Zf shares the same sensor as the Z6ii. Zf has better tech than Z6ii. Thus, Zf over Z6ii if buying today. Z6iii is much better than Zf and Z6ii. I own both Z6s and considering selling my mint Z6ii for Zf.
A stop less dynamic range at the base ISO makes a huge difference for anyone pushing and pulling RAW files. Seems like Canon and Nikon are stuck chasing somewhat pointless performance metrics at the cost of actually important things.
This sounds very theoretical. Who the hell is pushing a total dark pictures more than 5 stops in the shadows? This is a unrealistic case even for landscape photography.
I've completed 1,400 architectural/interior projects around the world for hotels, resorts, luxury apartment complexes etc so I'm constantly dealing with a huge difference in light in my scenes. The dynamic range in these two cameras is a complete non issue. Only a terrible photographer would find a problem with it.
Just look at the beautiful Voigtländer lenses which have native Z-Mount support. They are a perfect match for the Zf. There are also third-party ones like Viltrox, TT Artisan with AF and native Z-Mount support which have aperture rings.
If you are also serious about video: Nikon all the way. Sony is plagued by overheating after minutes. Ergonomics, usability are far better on Nikon. Lifespan and firmware support of Nikon products is much better. Electronic viewfinder and LCD display are generally higher quality at Nikon.
Waiting for Nikon to fix that flicker/color shift shooting NRAW + NLOG at 1600-5000 ISO. I'll buy it again if they do, otherwise nah... I couldn't use it for video. Photos was fine.
I’d like… a Z6 III body (I’ll even take the fully articulating screen) and EVF, with higher res sensor that can be slower, and the sensor shield from the Z8. Expeed 7 is a must, but I don’t care much for video specs. Ironically, it is actually Sony who seems to have the more compelling products for such photography oriented cameras, while Nikon is getting more video-oriented. Except for the Zf, but I don’t want a retro camera, and the resolution is not so great in crop mode.
@@jorgepinogarciadelasbayonas Well, for photography you don't need an electronic shutter. So the sensor can be slower. It's not that the DR of the Z6 III is much of a concern. It's more that I'm not so tempted to upgrade from my D750, given that I'll stay at the same resolution. I know the Z8 has higher resolution, but it's also a stacked sensor and I don't like to pay for that if it's not worth it to me. Plus, while the weight is not prohibitive, it's still heavier than I'd like (my use case is travel and I'm not a pro). The Z7 II still has (dual) Expeed 6, so that's not very attractive either. Sony OTOH has the 33MP A7 IV and 61MP A7R V, which have slow sensors and mechanical shutters. And they're lighter too iirc. They aren't as fast in terms of fps, but they are still a step up from my D750. I do still prefer Nikon's ergonomics, and their lens selection is ok for me as well.
@@starbase218 Well, with this attitude you will probably never switch to mirrorless cameras. Mirrorless cameras offer a lot of advantages, but if you're still happy with your old D750, this won't appeal to you.
@@jorgepinogarciadelasbayonas What attitude is that exactly? I don't think switching is a matter of attitude; it's a matter of finding something, some problem that you encounter in the field, that is solved by a new camera, and that you find worth the price. With regards to that, I was in Costa Rica with my D750 and the AF didn't always produce results that were sharp where I wanted it to be. I have purchased Steve Perry's book on the subject, but so far, what's in there I pretty much already knew. But I haven't finished the book yet. If I can improve things that way, then a book is a hell of a lot cheaper than new gear. Though of course, new gear is exciting, and it's not like mirrorless doesn't have other advantages I'd like either. In particular, the IBIS of the ZF and Z6 III seems to be amazing (and better than the Z8), which is something I'd really like. It means I don't always have to have a tripod with me. Exposure preview, AF frame coverage and AI deep learning are other advantages as well. Plus, also an in-the-field advantage: EVF image review. In Costa Rica, when the sun was shining, it could be very hard to determine critical focus when reviewing an image on the back screen.
@@starbase218 Z7 II is going to be great for everything except moving objects, but that's where the Z8 comes in. Going to a Z6 III from D750 is going to resolve DSLR not always nailing focus due to AF sensor being separated from the sensor, even the II will do that. Given that the Z8 is same weight as D750 you should get that as it's really the ultimate upgrade that does all things. Even going to Z6 III or ZF would be a huge upgrade in that those Z bodies will get out of your way a lot more and make things easier. Today for example I wanted to examine the various DX zooms I had. I started out with my D7100 and realized it was going to be a pain in the arse to get exposure and focus right for all those shots. I immediately switched over to using my Zfc for this and it made it so much easier. Do not write off ZF and Zfc for factors as they are highly enjoyable to use. I also have a Z6 I, D80, D7100, and D300s. I really would like a ZF but I need the sensor speed of the Z6 III or Z8 more for higher frame rate video. I'll still have a ZF some day. Also the Z7/Z6/ZF is a very nice weight compared to your D750. I bought the D300s as it weighs the same as Z8 and wanted to see how I would get on with it. The DX Z series are even lighter and the kit zooms are very good.
Correction: The thread on the Zf shutter button is not compatible with cable releases, but can be used to add a soft shutter. We apologize for the mistake.
Love Nikon
It should be, I don't know why so many manufacturers keep adding fake cable release threads
That’s the first clue that the camera is not what it appears to be.
In short: if I needed one camera on a tighter budget, the Z6 iii would likely be the top choice. But when you are fortunate enough to own a Z8 already, the ZF just seems like a much more well rounded choice to me.
The Z8-ZF 1-2 Combo is what I run for weddings. The ZF's photos just has a certain "look" that makes up for the areas where the Z8 isn't as strong.
As a pro turned hobbyist, the zf was a lovely followup for my d800 and got me back into photography in a lovely way. If i ever start picking up paid work again, i like that rhe z6iii exists at such a close price and capability point that i could basically swap them 1 for 1 in the future
I treated myself to a orange Zf and been loving it, I just get so much joy from simply picking it up and walking round with it. It's a joy to use.
It is too much internally like my Z6ii which I bought less than a year ago for 1599
@@game2572 No it isn't, the only thing that's the same is the sensor. ZF is an Expeed7 body which is on a whole nother CPU platform vastly superior to Z6 I and II.
@@game2572 Zf offers much better AF performance than Z6 II being on the current Expeed 7 processor generation with improved subject detection. It also has 8 stops of image stabilization and offers pixel shift and pre-capture recording. Better EVF experience when shooting high FPS.
@@jorgepinogarciadelasbayonas Guess i don’t enlighten me then
@@Frippin-MTBD80 like not a real world difference than my tiny canon g1xiii
ZF makes me want to pick it up and shoot more. I am not a professional, I don't earn money from photography. So ZF is perfect! I assume people that rely on their photography will pick the Z6III.
I'm a professional and I love my Zf. I use it both for fun and for paid shoots. It's a phenomenal piece of kit, arguably one of the best value cameras ever made with the autofocus system that's light-years ahead of the Z6ii and z7 bodies.
@@lordnikon4050thank you so much for sharing ur review on zf. I am looking forward to buy one for my professional work.
Lifelong Nikon Shooter...Dad gifted me his FM3A 20+ years ago and have never looked back. Not a professional but a serious hobbyist. Have a couple Leica and an OM-System kit as well. All that said...I sold my Z6III already. Not enough in my head to distinguish it from the Zf (As I think you've shown) and already have a Z8 and Z9 for more serious shooting situations. Was a fine camera but didn't have a place in my kit where the Zf is for fun walking about town. Keep up the good work!
These reviews would be much better if the video was shot with the camera being reviewed to get a better sense of its video quality and capabilities rather than the 20-30 second spots you give it.
The Zf offers 8 stops image stabilization, pixel shift images up to 96 megapixel image resolution, pre-capture, stabilization around the focus point, focus stacking, autofocus of humans and animals without the need to switch subject detection and what not. The reference manual is 900 pages long. These are all things you won't find on a Sony A1 flagship camera that costs more than 6000 $.
Z6 III also offers all of those. But agreed, this is why Nikon is the leader for price for features. The Z9 and Z8 proved that, now did the Z6 III. They pack it with features, priced below the competition and then offer phenomenal lenses yet again, with the best price to performance value on the market.
@@autoexoticswestcoast Correct. These are the reasons why i stayed with Nikon for so many years along with the great build quality, ergonomics, good usability and long lifespan of their products.
My Z8 is for work and Zf is for fun. I Guess the Z6iii splits the difference. 👍🏾
Z6 III is for work too. Basically a mini Z8.
Thanks guys, exactly what I'm after and what I asked for in your Z6 III introduction. My choice was the Zf (still last year) and I'm happy with it. To my luck, nearly no sports, no action, no video. I agree that the Z6 III is the more complete camera. But the 500$ difference (in EU it was about 800€ two months ago) is also an argument for some people.
The lack of dual recording in video on either camera is a huge strike. I know the Z6 III has some modes that would not be possible on an SD card, but there should be plenty of modes where you can record to both cards simultaneously...which is important for critical video shoots. Please, Nikon, if you do nothing else, fix this!
For critical work I use a Ninja V that record.
Just get a Ninja if your video is so critical.
@@danieldougan269 I always wonder about this as it’s not like arri alexas have dual recording and that data can be counted in the thousands per minute with a large crew around. Is the issue card failure?
@@generalben If you're recording, say, a wedding, you want the peace of mind that you're not going to lose your footage due to a corrupted card.
I know you can get a Ninja or a Video Assist, but if you're spending $2,500 on a camera and thousands of dollars on lenses, you shouldn't have to spend $500 more on an external recorder when the other cameras in the same price class or less have dual recording.
Plus, having to use an external recorder at an event just makes things more cumbersome when you want to be nimble.
@@danieldougan269 How often does a card failure on CF Express occur? I visit photography pages and forums regulary and the amount of that happening is close to zero.
I've had so many of the latest cameras over the last 15-20 years....Nikon and Fujifilm mainly....the ZF is my favourite camera of recent times! a camera that actually feels made well! stick the Neewer grip on and it's a beauty!!!!
I've had technically better cameras the ZF, yet I've ended up going back to it every single time. There's something about it that gives me joy in photography that nothing else does. So for me, it's the ZF
I don't know why people think they need to use an additional grip on the Zf. I use my Nikkor AF-S 50 mm f/1.8 and AF-S 85 mm f/1.8 lenses without any additional grip on the Zf camera along with the FTZ II adapter and it feels just fine. Probably this has more to do how you hold a lens and the camera.
Good to see Canadians are already training hard to bring home some cycling medals at LA 2028
Zf is fun! You always want to get your hands on that camera. It inspires. This is a very important factor for me, often overlooked in tests :)
I pre-ordered the ZF on the day it was announced last year and I do not regret buying it. With the Neewer grip with the the red stripe, it looks like my old Nikon F100. Even with the Z6III and its high end features, the ZF is more than enough for me. I treat my ZF as if it's the Z6 2.5.
this video came just in time for me, our local dealer had a very mouth water offer on the zf, and was thinking to get it to replace the z50 on the nikkor z100-400 mm. not really want it for speed and action as i already have the OM1, just for those lazy morning i want to spend in my garden hide to get the winter visiting birds, and some butterflies and insects sometime. thanks a million for clearing so many things for me.
How is the OM1? Do you like ISO 6400 like minutes before blue hour? Is it any acceptable with a denoise?
@@pentagramyt417hello. above this value of iso the camera struggle like going to 10000 but topaz denoise do great job in cleaning you may lose some details but the end result is nice. in short until 5000 you have no issue. topaz give better cleaning than DXO pl in keeping the details.
Watching the whole thing happen over the last few years, I believe the Zf was a vehicle for Nikon to get their Exspeed7 and associated features out to market, in anticipation of the new sensor and features of the Z6iii. And they did it in a way to not cut into the Z6iii market too much. I think the DR "penalty" of the partially stacked sensor, is easily overcome with the focusing performance.
Thanks Chris for another great comparison. I am happy that I decided to replace the Z6ii with Z6iii.
Sorry Chris, 2 mins in and I have to point out the “threaded shutter release button” does not work with a classic old cable it’s just for a “soft release” button...
The 1:1 we were all waiting for! I own 2 ZFs, they are beautiful and totally enough for what I do on the level that I do. I earn money from photography, but it is not my main source of income, could not justify the Z8 nor the Z6III due to the European price tag (and almost no difference for my use case).
Grip and handling: the way you hold both cameras at the same time during this video proves how useful a good grip really is. You adapt naturally. You simply cannot securely carry the Zf in one hand while you are out and about, unless you grab it at the lens mount, which is not pleasant. The Zf begs for a neck/shoulder strap or a bag while the Z6III (and other similar bodies) can be handled from the tip of your fingers without a second thought (I use a wrist strap for security). This makes a serious difference for the large number of people who, like me, suffer from weak cervicals: camera in backpack or in the hand ready to shoot, no weight dangling from the neck or shoulder. Furthermore, with light lenses , one can then easily shoot one handed through the back screen: not the "kosher" way to operate but faster and allowing permanent eye contact with the subject. Oh, and the accessory grips add weight to an already heavy body and are clumsy and cramp-inducing (tried:Smallrig and the new version of Neewer). Anyway, I own the Zf but would now change it against a Z6III without hesitation if the financial hit was not disproportionate. At the end the retro look is just that: a look.
Thank you for finally covering the Zf
Good informative comparison.
Only suggestion is on continuity.
All the hand held outdoor footages have the Zf on the left hand, right hand side of the screen.
Studio static shots have the Zf on the left hand side of the screen.
Keep up the good work.
Logically, you’re right but I am currently considering the ZF. I don’t see myself buying the Z6iii. The ZF is less of a computer and I don’t need a lot of the improvements. The only thing I would like is CF express. On the grey market where I am, the price difference is bigger than the one you state. Nice video thx.
I bought the Zf as an upgrade alongside my Z6ii. 2 weeks later the z6iii was launched and i was a bit bummed out, but months later i am very happy with the zf. It just asks to be picked up and used. Paired with tbe 40mm f2 abd the 26mm f2.8 its a delight to shoot.
In all aspects its an upgrade to my z6ii and hopefully they do an update with the red luts so the nlog is actually usable.
I think my take away from this is how well rounded the nikon z products are compred to a few years ago!
have you tried the 28mm? do you think the 26mm is worth the extra price?
@@Drehirth I've had both. The size of the 26 is worth it for me. It's all metal and sits on my Zf if I am throwing in the bag with no plan.
I wouldn't want to use it run and gun with video work as it's actually quite noisy
Have you used the Zf with large lenses? How much "worse" does the Zf feel than the Z6II, even with a grip?
I'm looking to upgrade to the Z6II, Zf, or Z6III (from my Z5) and would appreciate any advice! I'd like the ergonomics, CFExpress slot, customization of the Z6II, and additional features (fps, AF, EVF, etc) of the Z6III. The Zf brings a lot of the photo capabilities (AF, IBIS, etc) that the Z6III has, but sacrifices ergonomics, CFExpress, etc.
The Z6III is objectively the best if I only have 1 do-it-all camera, but it costs $500-700 more than a Zf new and used. Z6II is cheapest, but the AF doesn't seem much better than my Z5. Any thoughts?
@@lk6288 I don't have the z6iii, but I can tell you with the grip on the zf the 1.8 primes feel very comfortable (Im trying out the 85mm 1.8s and I feel like I was much more worried than I should have been, I can casually walk around with this all day easily), I tried the 70-200mm and the 50mm 1.2 in a workshop recently with my zf, and I felt very not good with the 70-200, 50mm 1.2 did not feel as bad, but definitely not something I'd want to walk around with all day. btw I have the newer CA079 version (the one with the thumb grip on the back which is the best grip for the zf I feel, better than the small rig I think)
@lk6288 I have used the Z5 for some time before upgrading to the ZF. I have a couple of large lenses for the ZF, such as the Tamron 35-150mm f2-2.8 and the 105mm f1.4 F mount lens with the adapter. They are both manageable when using a grip from Smallrig or Neewer. I like it and I can handle larger and heavy lenses on my ZF. If you really like the grip of the Z5, you may not like the grip of the ZF due to the shallower grip. For me, it does not bother me.
If you have the Z5, it may not be worth spending $1,600 USD on a new Z6II. The autofocus system is very similar to the Z5 and that's a lot of money to spend when it's not a big upgrade. If you can buy at least the ZF new or used, the autofocus performance is much better than the Z5 and Z6II. I consider the ZF as the Z6 2.5 with the better processor and autofocus system over the Z6II.
The question is what do you currently shoot with your Z5? If it's portraits, group photos, landscape, or something that does not have a lot of movement, it doesn't make sense to upgrade. If you are shooting subjects with a lot of movement and you need the 3D tracking, then I would narrow your choices to the ZF or the Z6III. The subject tracking feature on the Z6II may not get the job done for you.
If you don't like the ergonomics of the ZF, then I suggest to save up the money and go for the Z6III and skip the Z6II. If you do alot of video recording, hands down the Z6III is your best option. If you need very fast action, the Z6III is great for that. It has a max 1/16,000 shutter, compared to the ZF 1/8,000 shutter speed.
I have both! So I have the best of both worlds for my used case especially. I shoot events and wildlife with the Z6III and the ZF is my back up for that. And then I use the Zf for street photography and travel. I have small hands so the use of the grip is only when I’m putting telephoto lenses on the Zf. I also use both for wildlife. I bought both because of how many different genres I shoot and I wanted a full frame camera that would last me for many years. I got tired of the jumping around trying to make other cameras perform. I couldn’t be happier now I do come from a Nikon film and DSLR background so there’s that.
5 out of 6 chapters(igorning intro) start with an "OK!"
ok
Ok
Had a zf and wished it handled like the z6 I owned. Z6.3 came out and I ordered it immediately. Haven’t been disappointed
Good video, but you did not talk about shooting with manual lenses. I own both, but when I use manual focus lenses like Voigtlander 50mm APO,, or other older Nikon manual lenses I much prefer it on the Nikon ZF. So I use both cameras for different situations.
I REALLY love my Z5. The Zf obviously has more appeal to the stills photographer, like me. However... there are AMAZING deals on the Z6ii right now. Pretty awesome camera for $1500 USD.
I knew there was something different with the lighting!!! That fill looks GREAT!!!
Good review, the $500 difference in price is cheap when you think about the capabilities/features you get on the Z6iii, the ZF is no slouch itself , its throwback to cameras of the 70's with all dial controls is epic reminds of the Canon AE series of cameras that were popular then, i had not heard of Nikon back then being 12 yrs old and thats all our family and relatives bought then was Canon,Winnipeg then had probably 15 -20 stores that handled and sold Canon, I am just a hobbyist and shoot Sony since they bought Konica/Minolta back in 2005 and had good reference from my friends uncles who worked for Sony Canada at the time and got some attractive pricing on my A100, still got it and still works great, I inherited a complete original Canon AE-1 body with a full leather kit with lenses and accessories from a lady know who passed away in 2015 and my friends daughter liked photography and was a natural after watching her use my A100 and was gobsmacked when i downloaded her photos and so were her parents , so i asked them if i could gift her the Canon set up i inherited and they said yes and after supper that day i gave it to her and she was speechless for a moment and smiled, she loves old/antique things and said she'd be happy to use it in between her studies, she has done well and takes amazing photos, she is not a big digital fan 👍
Thanks so much for this video. It's exactly what I've been wondering. Also as I'm pondering which camera to lust after for the case where there would suddenly be the spare budget.
The Zf would be perfect if it wasn't such a huge brick. Adding a small grip and you get way past 800g, already GFX territory. For a "fun, retro camera" that's way too chunky for me, 500g is fun, 800g isn't.
Buy the Zfc because people complained the camera was too light.
The $500 difference is reasonable. The Z6III with the DR of the ZF and a non-flippy screen would have been perfection, for me anyway 😄
I have the ZF to use it with film aera lenses. It is the best option for manual focussing with the right adapters. Because it can still give green box eye AF confirmation. I just got the camera for this one feature.
What I almost never use are the dials. I rarely want the camera in full manual mode. Usually i want to choose the aperture value and a good exposure. So I set the camera up with Auto ISO and min SS and then control the exposure with the exposure compensation dial.
Great camera. 😅 :D
Thank you so much! I specifially requested this video on your Z6III vid, so really appreciate it!!
Hi, you missed the fact that the Zf can shoot faster in mechanical shutter if you decrease the bit depth to 12bit : it can go up to 14fps in this mode, which is quite usable (the Z6II could do the exact same thing. The previous Z6 could only do 9fps 14bit / 12fps 12 bit)
Love the product sponsor drop in the middle of the video. I love seeing the instant before and after comparison of video exposure with and without the wescott light, great demo.
Went thru the same. In the end, the Z6 III won out for me as a do-it-all camera body. Maybe down the road (if budget allows) a gently used Zf will go into the bag.
The used price of a zf makes it a lot tougher decision though. I got one last year with the intent of trading it in when the z6 iii came out, but the dynamic range and the lack of a dedicated bird af kinda killed it for me.
The lack of grip on the Zf makes it a no-go for me. I'd love to have another dial or two (iso/exp. compensation) on the modern cameras though.
I got the Zf as a poor mans Leica. It takes my collection of M lenses, makes manual focus an absolute breeze, and it's heavier (good for the zombie apocalypse)
Haha! :) I actually like it if a camera don't feel like a plastic bag and gives a substantial and well built, solid feel in the hand.
What adapter do you use?
@@justo_photography At the moment, a 'dumb' one from Urth, but soon I'll get a TT Artisan M-Z adaptor which is 'semi-smart'. I wouldn't bother getting the motorised (autofocus) one because I love to manual focus on the Zf.
Always about the numbers with you guys. No discussions about tonality, mocrocontrast, colour science etc.
Nikon needs to take most of the internals of the Zf and put it into a Z5ii with a lower price. Though, preferably swapping the micro SD slot back to normal SD.
Called the Wescott ad as soon as i saw the artificial fill on your face lol
Thanks for the vid gents
price difference in australia is massive - 2800 for the zf vs 4500 for the z6iii. Would have loved to see a low light comparison, which is why I ended up with the former.
That's strange, because the price of the Z6 III has fallen in Germany.
I had an F801 from 1992 to 2004. That's the same as the N8008 in North America. That >30 year-old camera has more in common with the Z6III than with the Zf: Deeper grip, no threads on the shutter button. Before that I had an Olympus OM-10. That relic of 1979 did have a flat body and a threaded shutter button.
So a lot of the people admiring the "vintage" look of the Zf are way too young to have really experienced shooting with such cameras.
I would take the Z6 III any day.
The design is rather sharp
I've covered my bases by owning both.
That dynamic range problem on the Diii just tics me off. Its the one thing holding me back to switching to mirrorless finally. I've save many of shoots with my D750 bodies because of the dynamic range.
There is no serious dynamic range problem and no issue with image quality itself unless you create absolute underexposed pictures which are completely black. The dynamic range is the same from ISO 800 upwards.
@@VitoUno You'd have to intentionally go looking for the DR difference as it's on the extremes.
I have 2 D750's and will be trading one and some lenses for a ZF. My days if lugging a D750 around everywhere I go are gone. Very excited
I own the Zf and love it... it's the winner in my world
That Z6 III looks better every day.
Can jaron find out how the z6iii did in terms of sales???
He wishes he could. Camera companies are tight-lipped about sales numbers of specific models unless they're touting something like huge popularity, like was the case with the Z9. -Jaron
The Zf is a camera I will absolutely own someday, but to me it feels like the kind of camera I have to buy from a physical camera store, used, with signs of wear and light cosmetic damage.
Can't wait to pop my Helios 77-4 or Canon FD 50mm sc on that body and go out for a black and white shoot. Take me right back to my T-max days in the 90's - without the hassle of dealing with the film afterwards.
Love how easy Z mount makes it to adapt other lenses.
Hi, just a quick request - Would you be able to talk about the eyepoint of the EVFs and OVFs you review? It's just that for glasses wearers it can be a real make or break feature. I own and OM-5 and although the EVF isn't anything to write home about from a resolution or brightness point of view, the long eyepoint makes it a joy to shoot with while wearing glasses. Everything in the frame is visible with just a glance without having to scan around. I'd love it if this was something included in reviews going forward, if the info is available.
I love my Zf so much, but that's because it's a sidekick for my ridiculously extensive (for an enthusiast) combo of Z9 and Z7 II. If I only had one? Z6 III all the way. If I wasn't so accustomed to the 45 MP from the Z7 II, I'd love to replace it with a Z6 III. But no, I need a Z8. Which is a pretty big boy! And a lot more money. And the DR complaints are silly. Expose in the field how you need for what you're doing with it, and there are zero DR issues.
Those DR issues are totally overblown on the internet. It's a Tony Northrup issue trying to capture a picture in total darkness and then lifting the shadows for more than 5 stops. Doesn't reflect reality how the camera is used on the field.
The differences in dynamic range are vastly overblown because it's an extreme edge case. Who the hell is taking absolute dark pictures and trying to recover the shadows for more than 5 stops? This is a unrealistic case even for landscape photography.
Nice comparison! I have the Z8 and Zf. Bought the Z6III but returned it. I’d love to see a comparison between the Tamron 50-400mm and the Nikon z28-400mm.
I wanted to take my Zf on vacation, but there is not an L bracket available for this camera that doesn't allow battery access without removing the bracket when the battery needs to be replaced. I brought my Z6III camera instead which has a better L bracket available. The Zf is a popular camera which needs a functional L bracket.
KEH never lists the number of clicks on the shutter.
Keh is great but it’s unfortunate they don’t offer free shipping in Canada because most times it feels like with the shipping fee, the gear is almost as much as a brand new
Funny I don’t hear any fan boys from other companies saying oh but the autofocus is inferior to other brands . I guess people are starting to realize all these companies have great autofocus .
Funny that you think the others are fan boys. Z5 Z6 Z7 and their second iterations have bad autofocus. Nikon figured out how to implement proper autofocusing with the Z9 and the models after it. Why should people complain if it's no longer a problem? It's more like the Nikon fanboys wanted to sugarcoat the problem in the past few years.
@@shang-hsienyang1284 no one denies the first Nikon mirroless cameras had issues with autofocus . I had the z 6 II and it had beautiful IQ but still was struggling with autofocus . When I got the Z 8 that changed dramatically and I love that camera . I’m not a fanboy I’m just a photographer that stays in an ecosystem like most do just because we get used to the soft wear menus and styles of lenses and options . But when the Z 8 won camera of the year in 3023 and even to this day I still hear what about the bad autofocus which to me is laughable at this point because if you have been using camera models for the last 15 years like I have , the cameras today make it a ton easier to get way more keepers than in the dslr days . I was only referring to the fact people want to keep using that old poor autofocus on the latest Nikons and it’s just not true . I my first comment I did say all the brands have great autofocus.
@@shang-hsienyang1284 People were still marking Nikon down for AF performance in Z9 and Z8 reviews; the worst offender is Jared Polin, which I'm sure rubbed some people the wrong way as he went from a Nikon only shooter to primarily Canon, while bashing Nikon even when (as far as they were concerned) the Z9 was better than anything Canon had when it came out.
@@1armbiker that’s true until at the end of Jared’s review after shooting Thai boxing with peoples gloves in front of their eyes with an 85 mm set at 1.2 ( who does that on action shots ) admits when he put on the 24 -70 2.8 the autofocus was great ! Duh ! But I agree being negative about a brand does hurt when you are giving out info that’s not based in facts for most use cases . I just hope now with all the great new Nikon versions since the z9 that that put that baby to bed about sub par autofocus . Oh as some say bad autofocus. To me bad autofocus would be something that makes the camera almost unusable . My z8 rarely misses a shot and I have so so many keepers what do I care if a few were a touch off ? Could be human error too so it’s just a stupid point at this stage as all cameras over perform now .
@@shang-hsienyang1284 what do I care what the z6 did I own a Z 8. Problem is the canon and Sony fanboys still saying Nikon had sub par autofocus today which is bs .
I want to know what model of camera was used to record this video. The skin color looks good.
This was shot on the Panasonic GH7
I have a z6 II and a z8. I really don't need anything but right now is the time to get the most for my z6 II if I was to sell it. It's only going to drop in price from here on. I would love to own a zf for street photography but I don't want to spend that much money on something that specific. I know it does other things but I'm not into ergonomics and the z6 III has that. Plus it has the semi stacked sensor. The z6 III would compliment my z8 very well. There are more similarities between those two cameras than with the zf and the z8. A far as the dynamic range goes, if I'm in a situation where it's even that close I'm going to bracket my shots and do an exposure blend in photoshop. More than likely I'll be using my z8 if dynamic range is an issue. I've gotten back into 35mm film so I have the retro thing covered. I have a Canon AE-1 and a Minolta SRT 202. I may be buying a Nikon F4 and FM2 next week. I really want an F3.
Buy a Z6 III if you need a better camera
Buy a Zf if you *want* a Zf
Also I think for a landscape photographer Z7 II is a better choice because AF doesn't really matter
Pretty much covers it. I still use my old DSLRs for landscape. You don't need the features for long exposure images. You just need a great lens.
@@kennygo8300 But you need to cover the optical viewfinder each time for long exposures which is unnecessary for mirrorless. Also checking white balance and colors immediately is much easier on mirrorless. The viewfinder is also much bigger which is a pleasure for manual focusing.
Excellent comparison, help us to choose right camera for us ❤🎉
I just want a Zfc with IBIS
Great work guy ... keep it up.
looks like a nice viltrox 16m f1.8 did i recognize it right? :D ....because im shooting min on the zf today for the first time :D
I definitely cant afford the ZF so im thinking about the ZFC. Sadly no ibis but whatever i guess lol selling my Olympus E-M1X and lenses to purchase it.
I rented the Nikon Zf before I purchased the Z6III. I returned the Z6III because I just wasn't in love with the images and needed to stay within a 30-day return window. I have the Z8 and will probably get the Nikon Zf to complement it. I may have been happy with the Z6III if I hadn't rented the Zf first but having done so, I couldn't get that happy Zf vibe out of my head.
Are you working on a review for the Viltrox 16 mounted on the Z6? Just bought one for my Sony and I quite like it. I do however find the screen a bit pointless
Nikon should update bith models with higher Megapixel Variants…z f ll with 45 mp and 4k60 uncropped or a z7lll would be a DREAM….i LOVE the results from the z8, but even for my big hands the body is too big…
I think this was an unfair comparison. The Z6 III is a newer camera with a more advanced sensor, the Zf’s main raisin d’être on the other hand, are its retro looks and dial festooned design. I believe people will purchase these cameras for different reasons. A person in the market for a Z6 III, will compare it to an equivalent Canon or Sony…not a camera from the same brand that looks like it came out of the early 1980s 🤷♂️
You are right these cameras are covering different desires for customers.
Why is it unfair? Sure the gear heads know these cameras are targeted at different use cases but many buyers aren't gear heads. Grandma looking to buy a gift for example. Or somebody just looking to upgrade from a phone for a travel/family camera.
@@TravelerNick these are sophisticated enthusiast cameras, quite pricey too…neither grandma nor somebody upgrading from a smartphone (does that really ever happen?) will likely be looking at these.
@@DavidDatura You'd be surprised. Neither of these cameras are out of the reach of many people.
There are relatively common phones selling for €1000+
To be honest I am interested in what Nikon is going to do with the Nikon Z5 Mark 2
If you don't need super fast AF the current Z5 is still a valuable package as the cheapest full frame with dual card slots, IBIS, Joystick, bigger battery (many things which the current Canon R8 doesn't have).
ZF or X-T5 and silver lenses for vintage handling and style?
1:27 Well, you don't. That threading does not allow the use of a cable release.
Yah it’s just for a soft release. I forgot how much I hated that they did as it is still confusing me months later.
@@niccollsvideo It perfectly demonstrates that the Zf isn't quite what it claims to be on the outside, sadly. Would have loved a real photo camera instead of a hybrid.
@@noenken Nikon FM2?
A mirrorless camera is inherently a video camera, so having photo capabilities is the hybrid part, rather than the other way around.
@@UnconventionalReasoning Hasselblad disagrees. Leica disagrees. There is a spot for pure photo cameras and there is a huge gap in the market at the lower end for those.
@@noenken Mirrorless is only video because of the EVF. There is no market for pure photo cameras. If you want one , make it yourself. Nikon won't do it for you.
What camera and lens you guys use for this video?
0:15 GH7
Thats it this is the one long waited video, commenting before watching your video. 😀
Neither of those ! I would get the Nikon Z7II or wait for a Nikon Z7III !
I find it really annoying that Zf’s shutter dial is still stuck with full stops, needing to fiddle with another dial to get finer control. Why not have halfstops atleast?
It's the same incremental steps as on a FUJI X-T5. You can set the shutter dial into "1/3 STEP" position and use the rear command dial for finer control. Or use the ISO dial to balance exposure in finer steps when you've set a certain speed.
@@jorgepinogarciadelasbayonas yeah, exact reason i dont like retro fuji shutterspeed dial as well. Renders the physical dial experience not as useful if you just keep it at the ⅓ step mode.
@@johannguasch754 I never had problems with the shutter dial shooting indoor or outdoor. It's the first complain i hear about it. The exposure triangle is always a balance between aperture, ISO and shutter speed and if you need quick reaction there is the PASM switch for it.
I wish lenses still had aperture rings... I hate the command dial because it always inadvertently gets knocked. I wish the screen on the Z6iii articulated like the Z8/9 instead of the flippy screen. I'm in the market for a new body and the screen is enough to keep me from buying the Z6iii.
Black flickering - The two words scaring me away from the z6iii. Is there any movement on this issue?
Yep. It's a non-issue. The flickering thing was claimed by certain reviewers who 'tested' the camera in near complete darkness with ISO ramped up. The same people that zoom into 800% and complain about sharpness. Silly sausages.
@@steveh8658 That’s good to hear! I saw some high iso testing, which isn’t my shooting style. But, I’ve also seen footage that made the darks unusable. I’d love to see Petapixle address this since they brought it up a little while ago.
It’s a nothing-burger unless you severely mess up your exposure.
Now Nikon needs to release firmware updates for the new Imaging Cloud on all current Z models. This makes it also easy to create FUJI Film Simulations on the Zf because Picture Control features got enhanced to give them color grading abilites.
You missed to mention how many "fips" those make.
Come on dude film at Pearce Estate Park (AND NOT NEAR THE RIVER!!!!) You will have an amazing place to film at and also the Bird Sanctuary in Inglewood.
Curious on the low light performance. Is there any advantage to the AF of the ZF or to the files it produces? Also, there was some talk about how the ZF stabilizes around the AF point, is this a genuine advantage and does the Z6 III have it?
Finally, can the buttons be programmed as flexibly on the ZF and does it permit configuring the buttons with AF-On 3D tracking or with cycle AF?
If you're looking for absolute maximum customizability, more customizable buttons and highest performance the Z6 III will be the better choice. The Zf is not trying to cover that and targets a different customer group. It also doesn't have a mode dial with U1, U2, U3 customer presets.
Just give me a Zf in a modern body (Z5ii)! Please, Nikon 😢
Exactly, my thoughts!
The problem with Nikon, for my wife-I have already bought a mirrorless in 2020, is that she has the Nikon D500, which gives here a 1.5X crop factor that she uses in conjunction with her 200-500 f5.6 to shoot birds. The camera was reasonably prices as was the lens. Her rig is quite heavy, BTW. For her to go to mirrorless, with no hot Z-APSC camera and Z-DX telephotos available and only high priced mirrorless cameras and lenses, she is completely shut out of the market. She does not want to go to MFT due to the smaller sensor and it's affect on ISO, shutter, aperture, and dynamic range. She's stuck.
First world problems. Canon shooters have only 24 MP flagship cameras. Z9 and Z8 are a bargain compared to that.
Zf🤩😍🤩😍🤩
So I learned something new here that no other reviews (that I've seen) point out, and it's pretty huge: DR using electronic shutter in the Z6III is the SAME as the Zf using its mechanical shutter. And the Zf's DR is quite amazing. Or did I misunderstand something here? 4:46
For my use case, mechanical shutter in the Z6III would only be necessary for flash, and perhaps for ultra-fast action. And then quiet the opposite with the Zf (basically no need for electronic shutter). Which for me the real-world results are two cameras with the same amazing DR.
No, mechanical in zf has better dr than z6iii (mechanical vs electronic) , but same when both use electronic dr is about same. Z6iii has better readout speed thus better with rolling shutter and so on
@@wikdmessenger They are not the same in electronic shutter. The Z6iii has same results in electronic or mechanical. The ZF in electronic is not very good. From ISO 100 to 800 the Zf has better DR by no more than 1 stop over the Z6iii in mechanical shutter. After iso 800, everything is on par. The Zf shares the same sensor as the Z6ii. Zf has better tech than Z6ii. Thus, Zf over Z6ii if buying today. Z6iii is much better than Zf and Z6ii. I own both Z6s and considering selling my mint Z6ii for Zf.
A stop less dynamic range at the base ISO makes a huge difference for anyone pushing and pulling RAW files. Seems like Canon and Nikon are stuck chasing somewhat pointless performance metrics at the cost of actually important things.
This sounds very theoretical. Who the hell is pushing a total dark pictures more than 5 stops in the shadows? This is a unrealistic case even for landscape photography.
I've completed 1,400 architectural/interior projects around the world for hotels, resorts, luxury apartment complexes etc so I'm constantly dealing with a huge difference in light in my scenes. The dynamic range in these two cameras is a complete non issue. Only a terrible photographer would find a problem with it.
I thought Chris was team fips :(
If Nikon had created lenses with an aperture ring to go with the Zf, I'd have bought one.
Just look at the beautiful Voigtländer lenses which have native Z-Mount support. They are a perfect match for the Zf. There are also third-party ones like Viltrox, TT Artisan with AF and native Z-Mount support which have aperture rings.
One question everyone: Nikon Z6 iii or Sony A7C ii ? Which one will you go for? Thanks!!
If you are also serious about video: Nikon all the way. Sony is plagued by overheating after minutes. Ergonomics, usability are far better on Nikon. Lifespan and firmware support of Nikon products is much better. Electronic viewfinder and LCD display are generally higher quality at Nikon.
Waiting for Nikon to fix that flicker/color shift shooting NRAW + NLOG at 1600-5000 ISO. I'll buy it again if they do, otherwise nah... I couldn't use it for video. Photos was fine.
I’d like… a Z6 III body (I’ll even take the fully articulating screen) and EVF, with higher res sensor that can be slower, and the sensor shield from the Z8. Expeed 7 is a must, but I don’t care much for video specs.
Ironically, it is actually Sony who seems to have the more compelling products for such photography oriented cameras, while Nikon is getting more video-oriented. Except for the Zf, but I don’t want a retro camera, and the resolution is not so great in crop mode.
This is personal perception. Nikon is still great for photo and video work.
@@jorgepinogarciadelasbayonas Well, for photography you don't need an electronic shutter. So the sensor can be slower. It's not that the DR of the Z6 III is much of a concern. It's more that I'm not so tempted to upgrade from my D750, given that I'll stay at the same resolution. I know the Z8 has higher resolution, but it's also a stacked sensor and I don't like to pay for that if it's not worth it to me. Plus, while the weight is not prohibitive, it's still heavier than I'd like (my use case is travel and I'm not a pro). The Z7 II still has (dual) Expeed 6, so that's not very attractive either.
Sony OTOH has the 33MP A7 IV and 61MP A7R V, which have slow sensors and mechanical shutters. And they're lighter too iirc. They aren't as fast in terms of fps, but they are still a step up from my D750. I do still prefer Nikon's ergonomics, and their lens selection is ok for me as well.
@@starbase218 Well, with this attitude you will probably never switch to mirrorless cameras. Mirrorless cameras offer a lot of advantages, but if you're still happy with your old D750, this won't appeal to you.
@@jorgepinogarciadelasbayonas What attitude is that exactly?
I don't think switching is a matter of attitude; it's a matter of finding something, some problem that you encounter in the field, that is solved by a new camera, and that you find worth the price. With regards to that, I was in Costa Rica with my D750 and the AF didn't always produce results that were sharp where I wanted it to be. I have purchased Steve Perry's book on the subject, but so far, what's in there I pretty much already knew. But I haven't finished the book yet. If I can improve things that way, then a book is a hell of a lot cheaper than new gear. Though of course, new gear is exciting, and it's not like mirrorless doesn't have other advantages I'd like either. In particular, the IBIS of the ZF and Z6 III seems to be amazing (and better than the Z8), which is something I'd really like. It means I don't always have to have a tripod with me. Exposure preview, AF frame coverage and AI deep learning are other advantages as well. Plus, also an in-the-field advantage: EVF image review. In Costa Rica, when the sun was shining, it could be very hard to determine critical focus when reviewing an image on the back screen.
@@starbase218 Z7 II is going to be great for everything except moving objects, but that's where the Z8 comes in.
Going to a Z6 III from D750 is going to resolve DSLR not always nailing focus due to AF sensor being separated from the sensor, even the II will do that.
Given that the Z8 is same weight as D750 you should get that as it's really the ultimate upgrade that does all things.
Even going to Z6 III or ZF would be a huge upgrade in that those Z bodies will get out of your way a lot more and make things easier.
Today for example I wanted to examine the various DX zooms I had. I started out with my D7100 and realized it was going to be a pain in the arse to get exposure and focus right for all those shots. I immediately switched over to using my Zfc for this and it made it so much easier.
Do not write off ZF and Zfc for factors as they are highly enjoyable to use. I also have a Z6 I, D80, D7100, and D300s. I really would like a ZF but I need the sensor speed of the Z6 III or Z8 more for higher frame rate video. I'll still have a ZF some day.
Also the Z7/Z6/ZF is a very nice weight compared to your D750. I bought the D300s as it weighs the same as Z8 and wanted to see how I would get on with it. The DX Z series are even lighter and the kit zooms are very good.