Z6 ii and Z7 ii

photobunny

tc88 said:

I just realized that Z6/Z7 don't have the bracket button. Now it does still have the function buttons. I'm wondering if the function button can be mapped to the "bracket" purpose and you can set the bracketing without going into menu at all? Basically, just the button and the two dials to change the frame count and EV offset as is allowed on DSLR. Also does the bracket info show up on the top screen? I suppose it does?

Anyone with a Z can chime in? Thanks.

You can set something called "Backeting Burst" to any of the configurable buttons. And you can set bracketing to the I menu so it is but two taps away. I don't use the feature so canny comment on if that is good or not, though would comment that the only way I have ever felt hindered by the Z6 is that I can't set a button to take me from 'a' area AF to single point and can't have single point transform into the tracking box.

photobunny

Pistnbroke said:

I dont know how much more we can learn at 12 noon than is given in this petapixel/Nikon Video ..seems to cover it all ...

https://petapixel.com/2020/10/13/nikon-unveils-z6-ii-and-z7-ii-with-dual-card-slots-4k-60p-video-and-more/

NikonRumours covered it a wee bit better already. What I am personally looking to see if the AF in action. The AF is already very quick in traditional modes but now we will be able to do that with exposure preview and it'll be good to see if the animal eye AF sticks a bit better or is still a bit floaty. Having an option to limit it to only part of the frame should improve accuracy and speed too.

Pistnbroke

We are not a lot further forward as until someone reliable like Angry photographer, backcountry Steve or Frono gets hold of one we don't know how well the autofocus works. Yes 2 slots ,Yes 3.5 the buffer but the autofocus is the critical part.

photobunny

Pistnbroke said:

We are not a lot further forward as until someone reliable like Angry photographer or Frono gets hold of one we don't know how well the autofocus works. Yes 2 slots ,Yes 3.5 the buffer but the autofocus is the critical part.

Umm; I'll wait for real reviews than random Youtubers.

photobunny

Also of note the Z7 was used for the Wildlife Photographer of the year shot https://www.nhm.ac.uk/wpy/gallery/2020-the-embrace?tags=ed.current I don't know how much weight that carries, but it'll be a long time before I could get a shot like that ether in person or with a trap cam.... personally I like to do it in person, it feels more connected.

photobunny

eye AF in action looks a lot smoother and sticks to the eye way more confidently looking than on the Z6.

mhedges

tc88 said:

I just realized that Z6/Z7 don't have the bracket button. Now it does still have the function buttons. I'm wondering if the function button can be mapped to the "bracket" purpose and you can set the bracketing without going into menu at all? Basically, just the button and the two dials to change the frame count and EV offset as is allowed on DSLR. Also does the bracket info show up on the top screen? I suppose it does?

Anyone with a Z can chime in? Thanks.

You can set "Auto Bracketing" to the function buttons. Then when you hold it down the front dial controls EV value and the rear dial number of frames. Sounds similar to what you describe.

Pistnbroke said:

We are not a lot further forward as until someone reliable like Angry photographer, backcountry Steve or Frono gets hold of one we don't know how well the autofocus works. Yes 2 slots ,Yes 3.5 the buffer but the autofocus is the critical part.

Angry Photographer is reliable? What? That guy is a raving lunatic. And basically a joke as a photographer.

Pistnbroke

Yes but he speaks the truth..if its junk he will tell you and why

mhedges

How many of the cameras that he speaks the so-called truth about has he actually used?

tc88

mhedges said:

You can set "Auto Bracketing" to the function buttons. Then when you hold it down the front dial controls EV value and the rear dial number of frames. Sounds similar to what you describe.

@mhedges, that sounds like exactly what I wanted. Thanks very much for the info.

tc88

Detailed spec looks to be sparse. I think we have to dig for more information.

I came across DPRreview which says continous high extended is 10fps, but "single AF area only". Is the "single area only" limitation also in Z7? Also on the Z7, it's 12bits RAW for 9fps, but 14bits RAW for 8fps. I'm wondering if that limitation is gone and 10fps corresponds to 14bits RAW or not.

Pistnbroke

Angry photographer is going to buy a Z6 with his own money so his pleasure or displeasure will be reliable

mhedges

tc88 said:

@mhedges, that sounds like exactly what I wanted. Thanks very much for the info.

Sure no problem.

tc88 said:

Detailed spec looks to be sparse. I think we have to dig for more information.

I came across DPRreview which says continous high extended is 10fps, but "single AF area only". Is the "single area only" limitation also in Z7? Also on the Z7, it's 12bits RAW for 9fps, but 14bits RAW for 8fps. I'm wondering if that limitation is gone and 10fps corresponds to 14bits RAW or not.

Yeah agree the details are up in the air for now. Not sure on Z7 but Z6 did 14 bit RAW up to 9 FPS but required a drop down to 12 bit raw to get the 12 FPS. Which I have actually never done since I don't even like shooting at 9 FPS because it results in so many files in post.

Pistnbroke

For me, I shall wait to see the grey prices and the reviews of the Z7 AF performance.

Symphotic

I don't see a Z7ii as a "gotta have one". The improvements are there and welcome, but I'd rather spend my money on the 14-24 Z lens, and have $600 left over to put into spoiling my lovely bride so she doesn't think about how much I spend on my camera gear.
I'd like to try out the Z6ii to see how it does on low light and how the prints look.

tc88

Price of course is important. At least it's not as outrageous as the original 30% more expensive rumor would indicate. B&H actualy listed z7ii for $2.7k (a price mistake that was corrected in the morning). I was tempted for a few minutes. But I was not sure whether B&H will eat the error or ask me to pony up the difference later. Then I realized it doesn't come with FTZ this time. So I would have to pay full price for that which defeats the purpose since I guess FTZ may be bundled when it goes into sale. And with covid and inability to travel, I'm certainly not in a hurry to use it. Meanwhile, I can wait to get more information on it.

spraynpray

photobunny said:

Also of note the Z7 was used for the Wildlife Photographer of the year shot https://www.nhm.ac.uk/wpy/gallery/2020-the-embrace?tags=ed.current I don't know how much weight that carries, but it'll be a long time before I could get a shot like that ether in person or with a trap cam.... personally I like to do it in person, it feels more connected.

You want to go into tiger territory to try to get a photograph like that in person? Nice knowing you...

mhedges

tc88 said:

Price of course is important. At least it's not as outrageous as the original 30% more expensive rumor would indicate. B&H actualy listed z7ii for $2.7k (a price mistake that was corrected in the morning). I was tempted for a few minutes. But I was not sure whether B&H will eat the error or ask me to pony up the difference later. Then I realized it doesn't come with FTZ this time. So I would have to pay full price for that which defeats the purpose since I guess FTZ may be bundled when it goes into sale. And with covid and inability to travel, I'm certainly not in a hurry to use it. Meanwhile, I can wait to get more information on it.

There is an offer now for a $50 FTZ in bundle. Guess it was mistakenly left out when the listing first when up.

photobunny

spraynpray said:

photobunny said:

Also of note the Z7 was used for the Wildlife Photographer of the year shot https://www.nhm.ac.uk/wpy/gallery/2020-the-embrace?tags=ed.current I don't know how much weight that carries, but it'll be a long time before I could get a shot like that ether in person or with a trap cam.... personally I like to do it in person, it feels more connected.

You want to go into tiger territory to try to get a photograph like that in person? Nice knowing you...

I got some dangerous animals from hides, ideally with a big burry chap beside me with a gun. The only animal that scares the nope out of me is bears, grizzly especially. I am not going to be daft and stand out in the open with a 50mm lens to get a tiger.


And back to the camera, the big deal is the eye EF looks way faster. Not Canon magic but so much ahead that you 'need' a Canon. The wide af modes with eye AF are exactly what I want for wildlife too. I may not but a mark II, but I know that the mark III and Z9 will be crackers.

donaldejose

"I know that the mark III and Z9 will be crackers" Yup, those will be the most desirable ones. Hopefully the Z9 will be out next year (along with a Z8). But they also may be something like $2.000 or $3,000 more expensive making the Z6II with grip a good deal at about $2,500 total. I am guessing the additional expeed chip will significantly improve real world performance once production models are tested and reviewed.

photobunny

donaldejose said:

"I know that the mark III and Z9 will be crackers" Yup, those will be the most desirable ones. Hopefully the Z9 will be out next year (along with a Z8). But they also may be something like $2.000 or $3,000 more expensive making the Z6II with grip a good deal at about $2,500 total. I am guessing the additional expeed chip will significantly improve real world performance once production models are tested and reviewed.

I think about £7000 is fine for a body for 8 years. So Z9 then Z9III and Z9V would be my path. I don't see a place for a Z8 keeps sounding like an early Z7III as the high MP body does not need a grip unless we have a Z7III at 60 MP and a Z8 ay 100MP or something daft like that in a slow bloody specifically for studio work.

tc88

mhedges said:

There is an offer now for a $50 FTZ in bundle.

Great to know. That sounds more reasonable.

tc88

photobunny said:

I think about £7000 is fine for a body for 8 years.

But it's only going to be worth that much for the first 2 years. The technology will have migrated to lower end ones which should cost much less after those first 2 years.

photobunny

tc88 said:

photobunny said:

I think about £7000 is fine for a body for 8 years.

But it's only going to be worth that much for the first 2 years. The technology will have migrated to lower end ones which should cost much less after those first 2 years.

The tech in the future Z6III and Z7III will probably surpass a Z9/R1 body, but it is irrelevant. The Z6(and perhaps Z6/7II I order) I have just now is a body to shove Z lenses on until a body comes out with the bigger batteries and a body I can take to hostile environments.

Technically the D850 has better IQ than the D6... the D5 and D6 are still the right tool for many jobs.

donaldejose

Right, it is not always about the latest technology or the highest megapixels. Sometimes it is more about the rugged build, bigger battery and instant response you find in the top of the line single digit DSLR bodies.