I am a full time freelance photographer and videographer out of Southern California and agree with pretty much everything you said. For me, the D780's greatest strength is it's versatility. You can use it for everything. That being said, this would be your backup as a wildlife photographer, and it would still get the job done. I agree on video. I use it for all of my UA-cam videos and recently upgraded to 10 bit with the Ninja Atomos and the results are incredible. I bought it because I needed a full frame for greater dynamic range and better performance in low light. I was also on the fence about mirrorless and technically this camera is a hybrid as it has some mirrorless features on it. The downside is the mirrorless images are in jpg. But it is a great way to dip your toe in the water with mirrorless if you are still unsure. In reality though, it has the features that are technically mirrorless, I do not see a huge advantage (if any) to using the mirrorless mode with regards to focus or dynamic range, but it will fire off at an incredible rate. I have literally taken two or three hundred photos in mirrorless mode and didn't even realize it. I always turn the beep off when I take a pic so I am not positive if it provides a sound during mirrorless shooting because I default to no beep and do not use mirrorless often, usually by accident. So for me, access to F mount, the dynamic range of the sensor, decent focus for Nikon, a modern body, video, being able to dip my toe into mirrorless, and the price wasn't terrible considering how many lenses you can use with it. I bought it almost 2.5 years ago and as a full time pro, I was not sure about mirrorless yet. I primarily shoot real estate and for that my go to is the d7500 for ground, Ricoh Z1 for 3D, and M3 Cine for aerial. Even though the D780 is superior in specs to the d7500, I find myself using the D7500 with the Nikkor 10-20mm f/4, over the D780. Which I also use the D780 for celebrity or larger homes with the Tamron 15-30 mm f/2.8. I shoot manual HDR (brackets) and put a ton of mileage on my shutter, between the two cameras I have shot well over 1 million clicks in the past 3 years. So my go to for real estate is the D7500 but it requires a bit more editing in Lightroom as it struggles with tint and white balance with all of the different light sources that come from shooting interior spaces. But there is something about the way the image looks through a wide angle on a cropped sensor that I could technically get almost superior results in one area, like real estate versus the D780. But that is not to take away from how good the D780 is and back to my original point. This camera is a jack of all trades but I would say it's strengths are in portrait, weddings, and possibly even for landscape. I use it often for my landscape photos and the colors it pulls during golden hour are insanely good. The dynamic range is incredible too. I'd recommend this camera to anyone looking for a versatile camera, with a great value. I feel like it will hold up for another 10 years or more but it is definitely being outpaced with the current and upcoming lineup of cameras, which has definitely stalled in the past few years but either way, as that occurs the price will come down and this camera will be very relevant for some time to come, especially when you consider that if you are just buying it for the gram or social media, both have yet to catch up to the upload resolution of those platforms.
I bought the z6 a month ago (d610 is now my backup camera). It's $600 cheaper than the d780, and came with the FTZ adapter (free), so all my F mount lenses work on it (I've no plan to buy any Z mount lenses in the foreseeable). The z6 also has IBIS (which the d780 doesn't), which means I can now get sharp photos at 1/25th sec on my 1982 300mm f/2.8 ai-s: so basically the z6 upgraded the lens to their current, $5,500 300mm f/2.8G ED VR II as well! Some criticize the lack of dual card slots but, not only have I never had a SanDisk SD card fail on me, the XQD's and CFexpress cards are more robust and 4-12 times faster. Low light performance is phenomenal. Silent shutter for weddings/events. VR and autofocus on VR Nikkors is better and faster... Sure there's no vertically functional battery grip, but I never used the MBD12 because it was a pain anyway. Lastly, I get 1000 shots at least out of the z6 battery, because I don't use live view. There's no doubt in my mind that the d780 is a great camera, but--to my mind anyway--it's completely eclipsed across the board by the cheaper z6. Happy shooting!
It sounds like the Z6 is working great for you, thanks for sharing your experience, you make a strong case for why someone would want to opt for the z6!
Nice talk about digtial cameras. I like to have different bodies as well and I'm happy with my D700 and D800, my film cameras will be right there as well. I agree about the built in flash on DSLR, I think it's too small and a waste of used space on the camera body. The good thing about having to choose which camera body we want is that there's something for everybody. I like your photos, the trees on the water look uniformed and very nicely compositioned.
I think your points about used lenses are spot on - I think more people would be thrilled with some of the old Nikon lenses if they gave them a try - the variety is amazing, and the prices are still good used. For the price of one new lens one can purchase 5 used lenses, many or all with autofocus if desired. Being an old fart myself, even manual focus is fine, worked for years without autofocus.
Thanks Robert, I think Nikon has done a good job not obsoleting their lenses over the years with new cameras, it is cool to be able to use a 20 year or older lens on a modern camera and yes the the manual focus lenses work great as well, there is something special about manual focusing a lens that was designed to be manual focused. :)
Hi Wayne, a strong case can be made for either camera, it just depends on what you value most in a camera. Either one will give you excellent image quality, you will have to decide which best serves your needs, of course making that decision is much tougher than it sounds. :) best of luck to you!
given the number of F mount lenses out there, i am surprised nikon didn't make a mirrorless body for the F mount (alongside the Z mount) since they have both the tech. Perhaps Fujifilm will make a mirrorless body with F mount since they have made bodies with F mount before and also have mirrorless tech.
I came back to Nikon last year after some years with a rangefinder. Glad I did, love my Nikon Z7 and still can pick from all the legacy lenses with the adapter. Only one card slot though but not an issue for me. I was forced to go to XQD cards which are more expensive but what can you do? I had a 700 as well many years ago and still have my FM2N...have always loved my Nikon gear.
The Z7 looks like an awesome camera, if I had the budget for it I'd pick one up, for me it would be a want, and at this time I have to focus on the needs! Lol I've been using Nikon cameras for about 30 years and have lately been eyeballing the Fuji GFX medium format cameras, so who know what I will be shooting with in the future. :)
@@RidingTheEdgePhoto I have been a Nikonian for four decades and now eyeballing a new Leica Q as my walkabout camera. If I'm still shooting with intents, then I may consider the Fuji MF and a D6. 😊
3 things I really cannot understand with D780 : 1 the price makes no sense for people who wants to upgrade from D750… 2 No grip… and 3. the Z6 great features on a screen (who likes to shoot on a screen???) If this camera had an hybrid view finder to get the best of Z6 I would praise NIKON for that and I would really say it got the best of mirorless and dslr world. The only thing I don't like with mirorless system is the obligation to use EVF all the time (Fuji with xpro lineup and Leica enable you to shoot with OVF and EVF why not NIKON?) I like to see the real world while I shoot to still get connected to the subject otherwise I don't really care about a mirror or not. Images are digitally processed anyway. I just don't want to change F mount for Z mount to keep all old great nikon glasses available without any adaptator.
I mostly agree with you Peter, I think Nikon made a mistake not having a grip with this camera, and trying to use the back screen for photography would be a pain. I guess because I do it now when shooting video, mostly from a tripod, it would be workable for me, video is the only place I would need the Z6 AF, I don't think the Z6 has better AF for my photography anyway and like you I like to use an OVF for many of the same reasons you've stated. As far as price goes, thats pretty subjective, if the camera delivers, it should offer a lot more than the D750, just being able to autofocus in video mode and have a touch screen should add value to the camera, plus I wouldn't be surprised if the price comes down after 6 months or so. It would certainly be cool to have the option for an EVF and a OVF in the same camera, best of both worlds, maybe next time :)
The price is about where the d750 was when it first came out. It won't stay there for very long. I think one thing Nikon is thinking about on the live view side is they so many young people are used to using their smart phone screens so it's just natural for them to not use the viewfinder. The other thing is that a lot of people will probably use a gimbal of some sort when videoing. But if you mounted a gimbal on a monopod you could easily use the screen for pictures not just bicep. Unless it's a bright sunny day making the screen hard to see. But with that tracking system and eye auto focus it would be good for shooting sports indoors or at night when the sun isn't a factor. I would be willing to try it that way.
I’ve been on the fence on a replacement for my d750. I have a lot of f glass, originally I thought d850, but don’t need the 45 megapixels, Then there’s the Z6ii which seems to be the mirrorless equivalent. The d780 seems like it will check a lot of boxes for DSLR shooters, especially those of us that aren’t interested in video and like a dslr. I like your comment about thinking of us d750 users for the d780 market
Hi Nancy, the d750 is still an excellent little camera but I can understand wanting something newer. As far as image quantity, there probably isn’t that much between the d750 and the d780, or the z6II for that matter. The newer cameras will probably be a bit snappier in the autofocus department but for everyday still images the d750 can still hold its own. Now for video, there would be a huge difference:) It’s always a hard decision on what camera gear to purchase, good luck wrestling with that one, would love to hear what you decide on. Have a great day Nancy.
I have been shooting with Nikon as a pro since the early 70s and have all of the glass that works well with the 780 which I purchased recently. The great Nikon lenses make such a difference in any camera's performance. I shot professional sports with the D2X, D3, and D800 with the 70/200 2.8 and this camera will work for that also. I like the feel of it and while the video I shoot is more the fun experience edited in FCP 10 the 780 beats the 800 all to pieces. It reminds me of my F5 in how it feels in my hands. If I were to need to shoot film once again the Hasselblad would fill that bill. Bing an "old pro" a bit like yourself I felt the D6 was unnecessary at this time.
I bought my d750 back in May of last year. So far I really like it. I'm still learning everything about it. I hate that they didn't put connectors in the d780 for a battery grip but it's not a deal breaker. I don't care about the video features that much as I don't use that. One thing you didn't mention is that it has the algorithms of the d5 focus system in it. I think it has to be in live view to get that performance though. I've tried using my d750 handheld using live view and it was difficult. Of course that was with my heavy sigma sport 70-200. With the right lens the d780 will be on handheld but I think a monopod with a gimbal would be a lot better. They claim the battery life is better than the guy but if you shoot in live view a lot with the d780 I doubt the battery will last as long. There is a small camera that someone was supposed to make (possibly Nikon) that didn't even have a viewfinder. You only had the screen on back. But, they were going to sell an optional EVF that sits in the hot shoe on top. I wonder if Nikon thought of this for the d780. Also, there is no pop up flash. They left it out for better weather sealing. I don't see a lot of videos for the d750 so thank you for sharing that in this video along with the d780 specs.
I handheld 70-200 f/2.8 all the time for over four decades. Although it was often paired with a larger and bigger camera body, such as my Nikon F2A + MD + BP. Back in 2008, I found the 70-200 f/2.8 AF balanced better on my D3 instead of the D300 (with optional MD), so I used the Sigma 50-150 f/2.8 instead.
For photographers who don't like mirrorless, D780 might be a great option. For us hybrid shooters who make equal amount of photos and video, shooting video on a bright sunny day using back LCD is a pain in you know where... 😁
So true Tomislav, something I've found that helps a lot with using the back LCD, is I sometimes attach a low power loupe to the back when shooting video of wildlife and had some success with that approach, something like a Hoodman Loupe could be a good option for the D780. It also lets you hold the camera up to your eye similar to normal shooting, it's not perfect but whatever is. :)
If you can manage the extra weight, adding ninja atomos with sun guard is really good. I use Atomos without a sun guard in direct southern California sunlight with ease. The price has really come down on them too.
@@tomislavmiletic_ Aren't most of us on foot? It's definitely heavy but you get used to it. I'm in my 40's starting to feel it more but not more than carrying my child around all day at Disneyland. But I'm also shooting with a gimbal and mic too
@@JustinBradleyPhotographer I'm in my 50's, and I'm a reporter. Not even to mention that my everyday bag already weights between 20 to 30 kilogram. So every gram I can skimp on is a welcome one. And I could definitely NOT carry my child around all day since my kid is a grown up person 🤣 Fun aside, the truth is, I'm getting old...
Picked up a refurb Z6/24-70mm on sale which was 600$ less than the D780. Using it for video and am pleasantly surprised at the photo quality too. Still using the D750 with the larger lenses for shooting animals and wildlife. Great combo, no need for the over priced D780.
Congrats on your new camera, sounds like you got a great deal. I agree, may be priced a bit high right now but I wouldn't be surprised if the price comes down after its been out for a while.
Z6 , Just a tad over for that combo if bought new if you wait for the sale which might still be on now. How is the burst black out thing for wildlife(Z6)? Thanks for any replies
ted ted I haven’t been using the Z6 for wildlife shooting. Still learning the AF system. Using it mostly for video at the moment and for candid shots of my animals indoors. The IBIS works very well which enables low ISOs for indoor shooting under natural light.
Well Jim it looks like if you are going to stay with Nikon then your only choices to get 36 megapixels is to get a D850, Z7 or possibly a refurbished D810 since the D780 has 25 megapixels. Some photographers find cameras in the 20 to 25-megapixel range, to be the sweet spot for photography in low light, such as sports, event, photojournalism and wedding photography but I can also see why someone would want more megapixels. I probably wouldn't go for the D780 unless it was for the better video options over the D750, since I don't find myself doing a lot of weddings nowadays, my next camera would probably have more megapixels because I'm shooting mostly landscape and nature at this time.
sir what can cause my camera to only take complete black pictures is it a setting error or it have reach it useful life span I have it for five years though.
As a D700 & D750 vertical grip user, I'm just dumbfounded & aggravated. They made it more pro body by removing pop-up flash, adding ISO next to shutter button, and AF-On but took out the grip connection. Hitting my forehead on the table.
@@bfs5113 His reasoning is sound as Nikon grips are way overpriced. I wouldn't complain if the build quality was good but I ended up returning the Nikon D750 grip and got a third party that actually has some better build quality & lower price. They need to up the quality or bring the price more in line. Nikon chargers are also overpriced, especially the D5 one. Batteries to a lesser degree.
Blue Newt Not sure about that. The amount of dynamic range recoverable on the D810 files is huge. The D750 may have a little less noise due to it being lower res but with 36 mpix on the D810 you can easily add a little selective noise reduction to remedy that.
My 1st camera is the D810 LOL I think all I said is I may not replace the D810 if it went down ( sorry I didn't make it clear my 1st camera was a D810 ) at this time because the D750 is a capable camera, thats not to say I don't like the D810, just more if a comment on how I've come to appreciate what the D750 can do. I really like the dynamic range on the D810 but the D750 is no slouch in that department either. I like the D810 for slower nature and landscape photography but I prefer the D750 for faster moving subjects, I find the autofocus to be snappier on the D750 as well as a bit better in low light, I would rather be using 2 D750 cameras If I was doing event or wedding photography. I also like the smaller size of the D750 and the flip up screen, which is why I prefer it for video. This is just my experience using these 2 cameras side by side with my lenses, your milage may vary :)
Riding The Edge Photography Thanks. I understand and agree. I have 2 D810 and appreciate the higher resolution to satisfy my pixel peeping 😂 I believe the D750 AF is a bit better as it’s a newer camera with newer processor but I find the D810 more than acceptable. If my D810 bodies disappeared I would probably get a D780. Though it’s a hard call as the D810 is such great value now. Nikon mirrorless is a couple of generations too new for me.
I think the D810 is probably one of the best camera values out there, I bought a refurbished one and have loved it for landscape photography and like you, appreciate the higher resolution, I've been known to pixel peep from time to time. as well. LOL I also tend to be at least one generation back on my gear purchases. I shot a wedding a few months ago with the D810 and the D750, the D810 held its own, in fact, my favorite image from the wedding came from the D810.
What I find strange is that some people are criticizing D780 for having several benefits of a MILC. Would you rather have a DSLR without that? In the Pentax world, the Pentaxians have been asking for a K-mount K-02 MILC for ages, while Nikonians don’t appreciate the option of having an F-mount D780? A camera that can be pretty good in live-view with the old AF-D lenses? If you don’t appreciate that then you only buy new expensive lenses-in that case, what are you doing in Nikon world? Go to Sony 😉
I find it strange as well, like I said in the vlog, the D780 is what I wish the D750 was! I like that Nikon is giving its customers choices, I also like that Nikon isn't kicking dirt on the DSLR users as they race to get out a mirrorless system.
specific features with only live view!! great focus system with live view, 12 fps with live view, coverage %90 sensor focus point with live view.... i only use live view for macro! most of people i guess like that, so who wants to pay extra 600 $ if same camera already exist!
I see your point, I guess the people most interested in this camera are those who still prefer OVF and want dual card slots. Maybe a wedding photographer who is using a a pair D750 cameras and wants to add a D750 type camera to the kit that offers better autofocus in LV for video. Some people like to have the same camera layout on all their cameras so the D780 could be a good choice for them. Also it sounds like the autofocus should be better with a new algorithm taken from the D5, I wouldn't discount the AF through the OVF, it just depends on how you shoot. I guess what I'm trying to say, is there could be a case made for both a z6 and a D780, it just depends what you value most in a camera.
This is a camera without a true purpose. The Nikon d750 is an awesome camera, which I own since it came out and sold to my son a year ago when he opened his own studio. When you look at the features of the d780 and the z series, which is what the d780 is trying to be in a DSLR, the price is much to high for what is offered considering the Z6 is the more featured camera and the d780 has no ibis and the body is big enough to support it. The d780 will be about 500 dollars cheaper than the d850, which makes the purchase in my opinion an even harder sale considering you will still need a gimbal if video will be a bigger reason for the purchase. Lower the price to 1799.00 and the camera becomes more compelling to some. I see what Nikon is doing here by trying to bridge the gap and give DSLR some Mirrorless features, but the price is too high, but being totally honest I believe this is the same price that the d750 was when it was first introduced. I love Nikon and love my d500 and d810, but I bought a Fuji Xt3 for video (yes I know I still need a gimbal, which I had before the camera purchase) and use it for photography. I own vertical grips on all of my cameras and truly enjoy how Fuji allows you to both charge the battery with the grip on, you are told which battery is low and the grip allows you to have three batteries total. Had the Z6 of been the same price as the same sale price of the Fuji of $1299.00, I would have bought the Z6 because of all of the Nikon lenses and flash equipment that I own. The Z6 and Z7 are great cameras, but do have autofocus issues with fast moving objects and this is listed in Nikon’s manual, but in ever other way they are great cameras. Great photos and I hope you enjoy your d780 purchase if you make it.
I agree Sid, I think the price is to high but it seems to me that most of Nikon cameras come out a high price then settle in at a lower price once the hoopla is over so I will reserve my judgement on the price for a while :)
Riding The Edge Photography you are correct, the d750 price went down around the holidays to promote sales, but not the first year. They did include free battery grips with the purchase and the 2nd year the price was reduced, if my memory serves me correctly.
I am a full time freelance photographer and videographer out of Southern California and agree with pretty much everything you said. For me, the D780's greatest strength is it's versatility. You can use it for everything. That being said, this would be your backup as a wildlife photographer, and it would still get the job done. I agree on video. I use it for all of my UA-cam videos and recently upgraded to 10 bit with the Ninja Atomos and the results are incredible. I bought it because I needed a full frame for greater dynamic range and better performance in low light. I was also on the fence about mirrorless and technically this camera is a hybrid as it has some mirrorless features on it. The downside is the mirrorless images are in jpg. But it is a great way to dip your toe in the water with mirrorless if you are still unsure. In reality though, it has the features that are technically mirrorless, I do not see a huge advantage (if any) to using the mirrorless mode with regards to focus or dynamic range, but it will fire off at an incredible rate. I have literally taken two or three hundred photos in mirrorless mode and didn't even realize it. I always turn the beep off when I take a pic so I am not positive if it provides a sound during mirrorless shooting because I default to no beep and do not use mirrorless often, usually by accident. So for me, access to F mount, the dynamic range of the sensor, decent focus for Nikon, a modern body, video, being able to dip my toe into mirrorless, and the price wasn't terrible considering how many lenses you can use with it. I bought it almost 2.5 years ago and as a full time pro, I was not sure about mirrorless yet.
I primarily shoot real estate and for that my go to is the d7500 for ground, Ricoh Z1 for 3D, and M3 Cine for aerial. Even though the D780 is superior in specs to the d7500, I find myself using the D7500 with the Nikkor 10-20mm f/4, over the D780. Which I also use the D780 for celebrity or larger homes with the Tamron 15-30 mm f/2.8. I shoot manual HDR (brackets) and put a ton of mileage on my shutter, between the two cameras I have shot well over 1 million clicks in the past 3 years. So my go to for real estate is the D7500 but it requires a bit more editing in Lightroom as it struggles with tint and white balance with all of the different light sources that come from shooting interior spaces. But there is something about the way the image looks through a wide angle on a cropped sensor that I could technically get almost superior results in one area, like real estate versus the D780. But that is not to take away from how good the D780 is and back to my original point. This camera is a jack of all trades but I would say it's strengths are in portrait, weddings, and possibly even for landscape. I use it often for my landscape photos and the colors it pulls during golden hour are insanely good. The dynamic range is incredible too. I'd recommend this camera to anyone looking for a versatile camera, with a great value. I feel like it will hold up for another 10 years or more but it is definitely being outpaced with the current and upcoming lineup of cameras, which has definitely stalled in the past few years but either way, as that occurs the price will come down and this camera will be very relevant for some time to come, especially when you consider that if you are just buying it for the gram or social media, both have yet to catch up to the upload resolution of those platforms.
Thanks for sharing your insights on owning this camera!
I bought the z6 a month ago (d610 is now my backup camera). It's $600 cheaper than the d780, and came with the FTZ adapter (free), so all my F mount lenses work on it (I've no plan to buy any Z mount lenses in the foreseeable). The z6 also has IBIS (which the d780 doesn't), which means I can now get sharp photos at 1/25th sec on my 1982 300mm f/2.8 ai-s: so basically the z6 upgraded the lens to their current, $5,500 300mm f/2.8G ED VR II as well! Some criticize the lack of dual card slots but, not only have I never had a SanDisk SD card fail on me, the XQD's and CFexpress cards are more robust and 4-12 times faster. Low light performance is phenomenal. Silent shutter for weddings/events. VR and autofocus on VR Nikkors is better and faster... Sure there's no vertically functional battery grip, but I never used the MBD12 because it was a pain anyway. Lastly, I get 1000 shots at least out of the z6 battery, because I don't use live view.
There's no doubt in my mind that the d780 is a great camera, but--to my mind anyway--it's completely eclipsed across the board by the cheaper z6. Happy shooting!
It sounds like the Z6 is working great for you, thanks for sharing your experience, you make a strong case for why someone would want to opt for the z6!
Nice talk about digtial cameras. I like to have different bodies as well and I'm happy with my D700 and D800, my film cameras will be right there as well. I agree about the built in flash on DSLR, I think it's too small and a waste of used space on the camera body. The good thing about having to choose which camera body we want is that there's something for everybody. I like your photos, the trees on the water look uniformed and very nicely compositioned.
I think your points about used lenses are spot on - I think more people would be thrilled with some of the old Nikon lenses if they gave them a try - the variety is amazing, and the prices are still good used. For the price of one new lens one can purchase 5 used lenses, many or all with autofocus if desired. Being an old fart myself, even manual focus is fine, worked for years without autofocus.
Thanks Robert, I think Nikon has done a good job not obsoleting their lenses over the years with new cameras, it is cool to be able to use a 20 year or older lens on a modern camera and yes the the manual focus lenses work great as well, there is something special about manual focusing a lens that was designed to be manual focused. :)
I'm thinking buying a D780. Sort of changed my mind from a Z6. Really appreciated your overview of the 780. Loved the images too. Thanks for posting.
Hi Wayne, a strong case can be made for either camera, it just depends on what you value most in a camera. Either one will give you excellent image quality, you will have to decide which best serves your needs, of course making that decision is much tougher than it sounds. :) best of luck to you!
Did you buy a D780 or a Z6?
@@Stop-All-War Z6. I have since bought a used D850 - stunning camera.
given the number of F mount lenses out there, i am surprised nikon didn't make a mirrorless body for the F mount (alongside the Z mount) since they have both the tech. Perhaps Fujifilm will make a mirrorless body with F mount since they have made bodies with F mount before and also have mirrorless tech.
I came back to Nikon last year after some years with a rangefinder. Glad I did, love my Nikon Z7 and still can pick from all the legacy lenses with the adapter. Only one card slot though but not an issue for me. I was forced to go to XQD cards which are more expensive but what can you do? I had a 700 as well many years ago and still have my FM2N...have always loved my Nikon gear.
The Z7 looks like an awesome camera, if I had the budget for it I'd pick one up, for me it would be a want, and at this time I have to focus on the needs! Lol I've been using Nikon cameras for about 30 years and have lately been eyeballing the Fuji GFX medium format cameras, so who know what I will be shooting with in the future. :)
A decade ago, I paid over $600 for a pair of CF cards (Sandisk Ducati Edition) when I picked up the new D3. 😊
@@RidingTheEdgePhoto I have been a Nikonian for four decades and now eyeballing a new Leica Q as my walkabout camera. If I'm still shooting with intents, then I may consider the Fuji MF and a D6. 😊
3 things I really cannot understand with D780 : 1 the price makes no sense for people who wants to upgrade from D750… 2 No grip… and 3. the Z6 great features on a screen (who likes to shoot on a screen???) If this camera had an hybrid view finder to get the best of Z6 I would praise NIKON for that and I would really say it got the best of mirorless and dslr world. The only thing I don't like with mirorless system is the obligation to use EVF all the time (Fuji with xpro lineup and Leica enable you to shoot with OVF and EVF why not NIKON?) I like to see the real world while I shoot to still get connected to the subject otherwise I don't really care about a mirror or not. Images are digitally processed anyway. I just don't want to change F mount for Z mount to keep all old great nikon glasses available without any adaptator.
I mostly agree with you Peter, I think Nikon made a mistake not having a grip with this camera, and trying to use the back screen for photography would be a pain. I guess because I do it now when shooting video, mostly from a tripod, it would be workable for me, video is the only place I would need the Z6 AF, I don't think the Z6 has better AF for my photography anyway and like you I like to use an OVF for many of the same reasons you've stated. As far as price goes, thats pretty subjective, if the camera delivers, it should offer a lot more than the D750, just being able to autofocus in video mode and have a touch screen should add value to the camera, plus I wouldn't be surprised if the price comes down after 6 months or so. It would certainly be cool to have the option for an EVF and a OVF in the same camera, best of both worlds, maybe next time :)
The price is about where the d750 was when it first came out. It won't stay there for very long. I think one thing Nikon is thinking about on the live view side is they so many young people are used to using their smart phone screens so it's just natural for them to not use the viewfinder. The other thing is that a lot of people will probably use a gimbal of some sort when videoing. But if you mounted a gimbal on a monopod you could easily use the screen for pictures not just bicep. Unless it's a bright sunny day making the screen hard to see. But with that tracking system and eye auto focus it would be good for shooting sports indoors or at night when the sun isn't a factor. I would be willing to try it that way.
I’ve been on the fence on a replacement for my d750. I have a lot of f glass, originally I thought d850, but don’t need the 45 megapixels, Then there’s the Z6ii which seems to be the mirrorless equivalent. The d780 seems like it will check a lot of boxes for DSLR shooters, especially those of us that aren’t interested in video and like a dslr. I like your comment about thinking of us d750 users for the d780 market
Hi Nancy, the d750 is still an excellent little camera but I can understand wanting something newer. As far as image quantity, there probably isn’t that much between the d750 and the d780, or the z6II for that matter. The newer cameras will probably be a bit snappier in the autofocus department but for everyday still images the d750 can still hold its own. Now for video, there would be a huge difference:) It’s always a hard decision on what camera gear to purchase, good luck wrestling with that one, would love to hear what you decide on. Have a great day Nancy.
I have been shooting with Nikon as a pro since the early 70s and have all of the glass that works well with the 780 which I purchased recently. The great Nikon lenses make such a difference in any camera's performance. I shot professional sports with the D2X, D3, and D800 with the 70/200 2.8 and this camera will work for that also. I like the feel of it and while the video I shoot is more the fun experience edited in FCP 10 the 780 beats the 800 all to pieces. It reminds me of my F5 in how it feels in my hands. If I were to need to shoot film once again the Hasselblad would fill that bill. Bing an "old pro" a bit like yourself I felt the D6 was unnecessary at this time.
Thanks for sharing your experience Ray, I would have to agree that for me the D6 would be unnecessary for me as well.
I bought my d750 back in May of last year. So far I really like it. I'm still learning everything about it. I hate that they didn't put connectors in the d780 for a battery grip but it's not a deal breaker. I don't care about the video features that much as I don't use that. One thing you didn't mention is that it has the algorithms of the d5 focus system in it. I think it has to be in live view to get that performance though. I've tried using my d750 handheld using live view and it was difficult. Of course that was with my heavy sigma sport 70-200. With the right lens the d780 will be on handheld but I think a monopod with a gimbal would be a lot better. They claim the battery life is better than the guy but if you shoot in live view a lot with the d780 I doubt the battery will last as long. There is a small camera that someone was supposed to make (possibly Nikon) that didn't even have a viewfinder. You only had the screen on back. But, they were going to sell an optional EVF that sits in the hot shoe on top. I wonder if Nikon thought of this for the d780. Also, there is no pop up flash. They left it out for better weather sealing. I don't see a lot of videos for the d750 so thank you for sharing that in this video along with the d780 specs.
I handheld 70-200 f/2.8 all the time for over four decades. Although it was often paired with a larger and bigger camera body, such as my Nikon F2A + MD + BP. Back in 2008, I found the 70-200 f/2.8 AF balanced better on my D3 instead of the D300 (with optional MD), so I used the Sigma 50-150 f/2.8 instead.
"the d780 is the camera that i wish the d750 was".. same thought as mine as i'm also in videography now
the one thing that's keeping me from the z6 is the battery life. if it could take 2k+ images without having to change battery, I'd go for it
For photographers who don't like mirrorless, D780 might be a great option. For us hybrid shooters who make equal amount of photos and video, shooting video on a bright sunny day using back LCD is a pain in you know where... 😁
So true Tomislav, something I've found that helps a lot with using the back LCD, is I sometimes attach a low power loupe to the back when shooting video of wildlife and had some success with that approach, something like a Hoodman Loupe could be a good option for the D780. It also lets you hold the camera up to your eye similar to normal shooting, it's not perfect but whatever is. :)
If you can manage the extra weight, adding ninja atomos with sun guard is really good. I use Atomos without a sun guard in direct southern California sunlight with ease. The price has really come down on them too.
@@JustinBradleyPhotographer Yes it's an option but for me, 90% of my working time I'm on the foot, so...
@@tomislavmiletic_ Aren't most of us on foot? It's definitely heavy but you get used to it. I'm in my 40's starting to feel it more but not more than carrying my child around all day at Disneyland. But I'm also shooting with a gimbal and mic too
@@JustinBradleyPhotographer I'm in my 50's, and I'm a reporter. Not even to mention that my everyday bag already weights between 20 to 30 kilogram. So every gram I can skimp on is a welcome one. And I could definitely NOT carry my child around all day since my kid is a grown up person 🤣
Fun aside, the truth is, I'm getting old...
Picked up a refurb Z6/24-70mm on sale which was 600$ less than the D780. Using it for video and am pleasantly surprised at the photo quality too. Still using the D750 with the larger lenses for shooting animals and wildlife. Great combo, no need for the over priced D780.
Congrats on your new camera, sounds like you got a great deal. I agree, may be priced a bit high right now but I wouldn't be surprised if the price comes down after its been out for a while.
Z6 , Just a tad over for that combo if bought new if you wait for the sale which might still be on now. How is the burst black out thing for wildlife(Z6)? Thanks for any replies
ted ted I haven’t been using the Z6 for wildlife shooting. Still learning the AF system. Using it mostly for video at the moment and for candid shots of my animals indoors. The IBIS works very well which enables low ISOs for indoor shooting under natural light.
I have a D750, and would upgrade to the 780 if it had 36 megapixels.. Without that, I will look at other alternatives...
Well Jim it looks like if you are going to stay with Nikon then your only choices to get 36 megapixels is to get a D850, Z7 or possibly a refurbished D810 since the D780 has 25 megapixels. Some photographers find cameras in the 20 to 25-megapixel range, to be the sweet spot for photography in low light, such as sports, event, photojournalism and wedding photography but I can also see why someone would want more megapixels. I probably wouldn't go for the D780 unless it was for the better video options over the D750, since I don't find myself doing a lot of weddings nowadays, my next camera would probably have more megapixels because I'm shooting mostly landscape and nature at this time.
Which did you upgrade to from D750?
sir what can cause my camera to only take complete black pictures is it a setting error or it have reach it useful life span I have it for five years though.
Try taking it to a camera store and asking them. They will be able to advise you.
I don't use vertical grips either. I bought one and just never use it on my old D300.
Back then, I bought one for my D300 too with the BL-3 chamber cover, so that I could use my D3's EN-EL4a battery.
As a D700 & D750 vertical grip user, I'm just dumbfounded & aggravated. They made it more pro body by removing pop-up flash, adding ISO next to shutter button, and AF-On but took out the grip connection. Hitting my forehead on the table.
@@wesleyhyun Thom Hogan wrote that he was guessing that grips are non profitable (usually given away with bundling) and various cheap knock offs.
@@bfs5113 His reasoning is sound as Nikon grips are way overpriced. I wouldn't complain if the build quality was good but I ended up returning the Nikon D750 grip and got a third party that actually has some better build quality & lower price. They need to up the quality or bring the price more in line. Nikon chargers are also overpriced, especially the D5 one. Batteries to a lesser degree.
@@wesleyhyun Photography is an expensive hobby. I hated to count how much I had spent in the last four decades. 😊
Excellent review!!
I don’t know what your 1st camera is but why would you favour the D750 over a pre loved D810. They’re very well priced and 36 mpix.
LAZY DOG the D750 has more Dynamic range, esp in low light shooting.
Blue Newt Not sure about that. The amount of dynamic range recoverable on the D810 files is huge. The D750 may have a little less noise due to it being lower res but with 36 mpix on the D810 you can easily add a little selective noise reduction to remedy that.
My 1st camera is the D810 LOL I think all I said is I may not replace the D810 if it went down ( sorry I didn't make it clear my 1st camera was a D810 ) at this time because the D750 is a capable camera, thats not to say I don't like the D810, just more if a comment on how I've come to appreciate what the D750 can do. I really like the dynamic range on the D810 but the D750 is no slouch in that department either. I like the D810 for slower nature and landscape photography but I prefer the D750 for faster moving subjects, I find the autofocus to be snappier on the D750 as well as a bit better in low light, I would rather be using 2 D750 cameras If I was doing event or wedding photography. I also like the smaller size of the D750 and the flip up screen, which is why I prefer it for video. This is just my experience using these 2 cameras side by side with my lenses, your milage may vary :)
Riding The Edge Photography Thanks. I understand and agree. I have 2 D810 and appreciate the higher resolution to satisfy my pixel peeping 😂 I believe the D750 AF is a bit better as it’s a newer camera with newer processor but I find the D810 more than acceptable. If my D810 bodies disappeared I would probably get a D780. Though it’s a hard call as the D810 is such great value now. Nikon mirrorless is a couple of generations too new for me.
I think the D810 is probably one of the best camera values out there, I bought a refurbished one and have loved it for landscape photography and like you, appreciate the higher resolution, I've been known to pixel peep from time to time. as well. LOL I also tend to be at least one generation back on my gear purchases. I shot a wedding a few months ago with the D810 and the D750, the D810 held its own, in fact, my favorite image from the wedding came from the D810.
What I find strange is that some people are criticizing D780 for having several benefits of a MILC. Would you rather have a DSLR without that? In the Pentax world, the Pentaxians have been asking for a K-mount K-02 MILC for ages, while Nikonians don’t appreciate the option of having an F-mount D780? A camera that can be pretty good in live-view with the old AF-D lenses? If you don’t appreciate that then you only buy new expensive lenses-in that case, what are you doing in Nikon world? Go to Sony 😉
I find it strange as well, like I said in the vlog, the D780 is what I wish the D750 was! I like that Nikon is giving its customers choices, I also like that Nikon isn't kicking dirt on the DSLR users as they race to get out a mirrorless system.
@@RidingTheEdgePhoto Totally agree. Choices are good; this one particularly for those heavily-invested in F-mount glass!
specific features with only live view!! great focus system with live view, 12 fps with live view, coverage %90 sensor focus point with live view.... i only use live view for macro! most of people i guess like that, so who wants to pay extra 600 $ if same camera already exist!
I see your point, I guess the people most interested in this camera are those who still prefer OVF and want dual card slots. Maybe a wedding photographer who is using a a pair D750 cameras and wants to add a D750 type camera to the kit that offers better autofocus in LV for video. Some people like to have the same camera layout on all their cameras so the D780 could be a good choice for them. Also it sounds like the autofocus should be better with a new algorithm taken from the D5, I wouldn't discount the AF through the OVF, it just depends on how you shoot. I guess what I'm trying to say, is there could be a case made for both a z6 and a D780, it just depends what you value most in a camera.
This is a camera without a true purpose. The Nikon d750 is an awesome camera, which I own since it came out and sold to my son a year ago when he opened his own studio. When you look at the features of the d780 and the z series, which is what the d780 is trying to be in a DSLR, the price is much to high for what is offered considering the Z6 is the more featured camera and the d780 has no ibis and the body is big enough to support it. The d780 will be about 500 dollars cheaper than the d850, which makes the purchase in my opinion an even harder sale considering you will still need a gimbal if video will be a bigger reason for the purchase. Lower the price to 1799.00 and the camera becomes more compelling to some.
I see what Nikon is doing here by trying to bridge the gap and give DSLR some Mirrorless features, but the price is too high, but being totally honest I believe this is the same price that the d750 was when it was first introduced. I love Nikon and love my d500 and d810, but I bought a Fuji Xt3 for video (yes I know I still need a gimbal, which I had before the camera purchase) and use it for photography. I own vertical grips on all of my cameras and truly enjoy how Fuji allows you to both charge the battery with the grip on, you are told which battery is low and the grip allows you to have three batteries total.
Had the Z6 of been the same price as the same sale price of the Fuji of $1299.00, I would have bought the Z6 because of all of the Nikon lenses and flash equipment that I own. The Z6 and Z7 are great cameras, but do have autofocus issues with fast moving objects and this is listed in Nikon’s manual, but in ever other way they are great cameras. Great photos and I hope you enjoy your d780 purchase if you make it.
I agree Sid, I think the price is to high but it seems to me that most of Nikon cameras come out a high price then settle in at a lower price once the hoopla is over so I will reserve my judgement on the price for a while :)
Riding The Edge Photography you are correct, the d750 price went down around the holidays to promote sales, but not the first year. They did include free battery grips with the purchase and the 2nd year the price was reduced, if my memory serves me correctly.
I guess I am 1st? Yay for me...lol
Welcome Jim, 1st is a good place to be :)