Move to the Z system or buy a F-Mount Lens

Photobug

mhedges said:

Yeah usage of the 15 battery would be nice. Not sure why Nikon felt the need for the new battery for the Z50 - I assume size reasons?

According to one of the Nikon Regional Sales Representatives, in a Zoom presentation, Nikon changed batteries to extend battery life. It also works in some of the DSLR bodies. Forgot which ones.

webmastadj

mhedges said:

Yeah usage of the 15 battery would be nice. Not sure why Nikon felt the need for the new battery for the Z50 - I assume size reasons?

Maybe this is because the Z50 is considered low level camera. Kind of like how their D5600 has a different battery than the D500s. Maybe they will come out with a Z60, or Zx0 something that will be considered like a D500 level...then it will use the same battery as the others.

PB_PM

Photobug said:

mhedges said:

Yeah usage of the 15 battery would be nice. Not sure why Nikon felt the need for the new battery for the Z50 - I assume size reasons?

According to one of the Nikon Regional Sales Representatives, in a Zoom presentation, Nikon changed batteries to extend battery life. It also works in some of the DSLR bodies. Forgot which ones.

The Z50 ships with the EN-EL25, no Nikon DSLRs use this battery. The Nikon website lists the Z50 as the only compatible camera.

webmastadj

@PB_PM For now.

PB_PM

Doubt we'll be seeing an update of the entry level DSLR's any time soon, and those are the only ones it could be used with. Too small a battery for the higher end bodies.

Will they use it in another Z body? A Z50 replacement, that's likely.

webmastadj

I am referencing the Z series...not DSLRs.

mhedges

Photobug said:

mhedges said:

Yeah usage of the 15 battery would be nice. Not sure why Nikon felt the need for the new battery for the Z50 - I assume size reasons?

According to one of the Nikon Regional Sales Representatives, in a Zoom presentation, Nikon changed batteries to extend battery life. It also works in some of the DSLR bodies. Forgot which ones.

I think you may be thinking of the EN-EL15C, which does have more capacity than the previous versions and works on many DSLR's. The Z50 battery (EN-EL25) actually has slightly less capacity than the battery the lower end DSLRs used (the EN-EL14), and quite a bit less capacity than the 15.

webmastadj said:

mhedges said:

Yeah usage of the 15 battery would be nice. Not sure why Nikon felt the need for the new battery for the Z50 - I assume size reasons?

Maybe this is because the Z50 is considered low level camera. Kind of like how their D5600 has a different battery than the D500s. Maybe they will come out with a Z60, or Zx0 something that will be considered like a D500 level...then it will use the same battery as the others.

It's weird to me how they positioned the Z50. It's in between the 5000 and 7000 series DSLRs but I feel it's closer to the 7000, given the dual control wheels, metal body, and general features.

NSXTypeR

mhedges said:

Photobug said:

mhedges said:

Yeah usage of the 15 battery would be nice. Not sure why Nikon felt the need for the new battery for the Z50 - I assume size reasons?

According to one of the Nikon Regional Sales Representatives, in a Zoom presentation, Nikon changed batteries to extend battery life. It also works in some of the DSLR bodies. Forgot which ones.

I think you may be thinking of the EN-EL15C, which does have more capacity than the previous versions and works on many DSLR's. The Z50 battery (EN-EL25) actually has slightly less capacity than the battery the lower end DSLRs used (the EN-EL14), and quite a bit less capacity than the 15.

webmastadj said:

mhedges said:

Yeah usage of the 15 battery would be nice. Not sure why Nikon felt the need for the new battery for the Z50 - I assume size reasons?

Maybe this is because the Z50 is considered low level camera. Kind of like how their D5600 has a different battery than the D500s. Maybe they will come out with a Z60, or Zx0 something that will be considered like a D500 level...then it will use the same battery as the others.

It's weird to me how they positioned the Z50. It's in between the 5000 and 7000 series DSLRs but I feel it's closer to the 7000, given the dual control wheels, metal body, and general features.

I agree, it leaves a lot of enthusiasts in the lurch looking for a Z system camera at the same level as Nikon's mid or higher DSLR offerings.

From a business perspective, it reeks of the bean counters' agenda to push people towards FX Z mount cameras.

I'm optimistic, but I remember how little attention and development native DX lenses got and hope a similar fate does not await DX Z mount. That's another reason why I'm hesitant to pull the trigger on the Z50.

mhedges

NSXTypeR said:

I agree, it leaves a lot of enthusiasts in the lurch looking for a Z system camera at the same level as Nikon's mid or higher DSLR offerings.

From a business perspective, it reeks of the bean counters' agenda to push people towards FX Z mount cameras.

Why do you say that? I've complained about the price yes but realistically it gives almost all of the 7*** series performance at a substantially lower price than the 7000 DSLR's were at launch.

To me (as you say) the major issue is lens support.

webmastadj

I think the lack of major development for DX lenses makes sense. Get some inexpensive basic lenses for the DX line for the entry level folks. If you are serious, then the FX lens line which will/does works fine with the DX cameras. Of course it saves them money in development, but why reinvent the wheel. For example, why make two versions of the 70-200 f/2.8.....just to lower the retail price a few hundred dollars for cost. Lol, you know they wouldn't make it half of the cost. Plus also gives your customers no reason to go FX but I like the flexibility honestly. Being able to use, for example, all your lenses on both a D850 and D500 is great!

Photobug

mhedges said:

Photobug said:

mhedges said:

Yeah usage of the 15 battery would be nice. Not sure why Nikon felt the need for the new battery for the Z50 - I assume size reasons?

According to one of the Nikon Regional Sales Representatives, in a Zoom presentation, Nikon changed batteries to extend battery life. It also works in some of the DSLR bodies. Forgot which ones.

I think you may be thinking of the EN-EL15C, which does have more capacity than the previous versions and works on many DSLR's. The Z50 battery (EN-EL25) actually has slightly less capacity than the battery the lower end DSLRs used (the EN-EL14), and quite a bit less capacity than the 15.

webmastadj said:

mhedges said:

Yeah usage of the 15 battery would be nice. Not sure why Nikon felt the need for the new battery for the Z50 - I assume size reasons?

Maybe this is because the Z50 is considered low level camera. Kind of like how their D5600 has a different battery than the D500s. Maybe they will come out with a Z60, or Zx0 something that will be considered like a D500 level...then it will use the same battery as the others.

It's weird to me how they positioned the Z50. It's in between the 5000 and 7000 series DSLRs but I feel it's closer to the 7000, given the dual control wheels, metal body, and general features.

My mistake....I was speaking of the batteries for the other Z mount bodies. mhedges is correct, the Z50 uses a different smaller battery.

mhedges

Oh theres zero chance for crop sensor 2.8 zooms. And as you say they don't really make sense anyway.

I think the question is - will Z get to around the same level of lens support as DX F mount got? Really they don't need too many:

Consumer zoom trilogy (currently have 2 of 3, WA zoom rumored)
35 1.8 (possibly superseded by FF compact primes)
"shorter" superzoom (on roadmap)
"longer" superzoom
High end kit zoom
40mm macro (not very popular)
85mm macro (also not so popular)

PB_PM

In interviews Nikon executives had said they are focusing on Z FX primarily for the next few years, so it doesn't look good for anything beyond the current DX roadmap in terms of lenses.

NSXTypeR

mhedges said:

NSXTypeR said:

I agree, it leaves a lot of enthusiasts in the lurch looking for a Z system camera at the same level as Nikon's mid or higher DSLR offerings.

From a business perspective, it reeks of the bean counters' agenda to push people towards FX Z mount cameras.

Why do you say that? I've complained about the price yes but realistically it gives almost all of the 7*** series performance at a substantially lower price than the 7000 DSLR's were at launch.

To me (as you say) the major issue is lens support.

Fair, the feature set aside from the top LCD is quite similar.

webmastadj said:

I think the lack of major development for DX lenses makes sense. Get some inexpensive basic lenses for the DX line for the entry level folks. If you are serious, then the FX lens line which will/does works fine with the DX cameras. Of course it saves them money in development, but why reinvent the wheel. For example, why make two versions of the 70-200 f/2.8.....just to lower the retail price a few hundred dollars for cost. Lol, you know they wouldn't make it half of the cost. Plus also gives your customers no reason to go FX but I like the flexibility honestly. Being able to use, for example, all your lenses on both a D850 and D500 is great!

It makes no sense to make exotic zooms, but what was really lacking was cheaper DX primes. I wouldn't really care for another macro lens, as I already have one and potentially could use an adapter.

mhedges

NSXTypeR said:

Fair, the feature set aside from the top LCD is quite similar.

True I forgot about that. Top LCD's seem to be disappearing in general. Z6 and the panasonic are the only models in their class that have them - R6 and A7's don't.

webmastadj

mhedges said:

True I forgot about that. Top LCD's seem to be disappearing in general. Z6 and the panasonic are the only models in their class that have them - R6 and A7's don't.

I hope not, I find the extremely useful.

PB_PM

Can't say I ever use the top screen on the Z6, not much point when all that information is live on the rear LCD or EVF. On a DSLR it is very useful, mirrorless not so much.

photobunny

I use the top screen on the Z6 quite extensively, it is the fastest way to see at a glance if I have exposure compensation on and... well everything else. I wouldn't buy a Z camera that lacked the top screen now, but I could do without the mode dial(Maybe put a mode button on the shutter speed dial and use the top screen and hence let me customise it to modes I want available such as M, M in H+, M for video, S).

Photobug

PB_PM said:

In interviews Nikon executives had said they are focusing on Z FX primarily for the next few years, so it doesn't look good for anything beyond the current DX roadmap in terms of lenses.

Interesting. During a Zoom Nikon call the Regional Representative said that Nikon is focusing on the Z cameras and lenses but there would be two updates for DX lenses and one body. That was about one month ago.

PB_PM

That would cover the roadmap they talked about. Nothing contradictory.

mhedges

I like the top LCD too. I could live without it, sure, but would much rather have it. It's very handy for quick battery/memory card status checks, or checking general settings as Photobunny says. Also nice for tripod work.

webmastadj

Lol, I think they need to make a Z to F adapter. That way I can start investing in Z glass and wait for a new Z camera that meets my needs.

WestEndFoto

An ZTF adapter is impossible.

webmastadj

WestEndFoto said:

An ZTF adapter is impossible.

That is what they said about digital cameras taking the place of film a "few" years ago.

photobunny

ZTF would indeed require some wibbily wobbly timey wimey. And it would be pointless.