Z6ii and Z7ii autofocus vs D850

MrFotoFool

I currently use D850 (and sometimes D500). I am looking at Z6ii or Z7ii mainly for the new 100-400 lens. For people who have used both, is the AF-C autofocus tracking on the new mirrorless as good? (I do NOT want/need a Z9 so please don't suggest that). I don't do much fast action like birds in flight, mainly just animals walking or occasionally jumping (wild bobcats and coyotes and occasionally zoo animals).

For years I used Canon 5D series and their focus tracking mode was unuseable. I mean even just a big cat walking towards me in a zoo and it would invariably lag behind with focus on the shoulders and the head out of focus. When I switched to Nikon D850 that problem went away instantly. So if I switch to Z6ii or Z7ii will I still get the heads in focus as I am accustomed with my D850 and D500?

WestEndFoto

I own both and can say that they are both good. I have Thom's book for both and have read both cover to cover with special emphasis on the autofocus sections. I don't think you will have any complaints going with the Z7ii. I am quite curious what the firmware update will bring to the table.

MrFotoFool

Thanks for reply. Looking at reviews I see conflicting opinions, though most seem favorable. Since you use both I would tend to trust your opinion.

PB_PM

The best aspect of the Z bodies focusing is the freedom to focus anywhere, rather than being stuck in the middle. Whenever I'm shooting people I pick up the Z6, face tracking is just that much nicer to use than having to hunt for the right focus point. Those features are really nice to have. Nikon improved AF with recent updates to the original Z bodies (I have Z6), so I assume Nikon will do the same with the Z6II and Z7II soon as well. It's more than up to the task of tracking regular wildlife I think. If I had a Z7II not sure I'd keep the D850, if it wasn't for the resolution difference vs my Z6.

MrFotoFool

Thanks @PB_PM , very helpful.

photobunny

I have something in the region of 30,000 tack sharp images of various wildlife subjects from the Z6 with the 500 PF, 180-400, and 70-200 S with the TCs. I have only had a few hundred where focus was missed. The Z6 is a really fantastic wildlife camera for most subjects and I’ll still use it for years to come with my Z9. I don’t see any reason not to keep the 500 PF on it just incase a subject comes that is a wee bit to far away for whatever main lens I am using at that moment.

I can provide sample images or go through any part of the system and where it does well and where it falls over. I did have a D500 to compare and before that I had a Canon 1Dx and 5D2.

spraynpray

Sharpness is so much is talked about with the Z series, but when I look at my old D850's results with my small selection of lenses, I can't say that they lack sharpness. I think in line with a lot of posts on this forum that 24mp is enough for 95% of the shooters and probably 95% of the work that the 5% do too. I fall in the 95% in reality.

When I got the D850 I was staggered to go from selecting a sharp action shots from a string where most were soft to selecting the best composed from a string of sharp shots. Apparently all that loveliness is now as nothing with the arrival of mirrorless.

I guess I will have to try a Z one of these days, but not yet as my bitcoin has a way to go yet!

I just tried Zeiss lenses in my glasses and found them to be crap. Maybe it is a case of 'the emperors new clothes' with them? I think they just put a really high contrast coating on the glass which fools people into thinking they are sharper. Personally I found them to be optically inferior and the coating to be tiring to my eyes.

MrFotoFool

Yes I agree about D850 (and even D500). After being on the fence and watching several reviews, I made the decision yesterday to stick with my current gear at least until the rumored Z8 comes out. The Z6ii and Z7ii are no better than D850 and several reviewers say they are a notch below (especially in terms of focus tracking). There is no point spending more money for a system that is likely not better.

WestEndFoto

MrFotoFool said:

Yes I agree about D850 (and even D500). After being on the fence and watching several reviews, I made the decision yesterday to stick with my current gear at least until the rumored Z8 comes out. The Z6ii and Z7ii are no better than D850 and several reviewers say they are a notch below (especially in terms of focus tracking). There is no point spending more money for a system that is likely not better.

To me how good the camera is represents a secondary consideration. Remember, I regard cameras as mere photon detectors, which is a little dramatic but I think the point is valid. Were my Z7ii bodies better than my D850? In some ways yes. But I really moved to the Z-mount to benefit from the glass. I figured that any deficiencies represented by my Z7ii bodies would be addressed in the next generation and voila, the Z9 is out - issues addressed - especially the lack of an integrated grip. Those two Z7ii bodies will make fantastic infrared cameras and a Z7iii when it comes out will be good with an FTZii and my AIS/D lenses.

PB_PM

MrFotoFool said:

Yes I agree about D850 (and even D500). After being on the fence and watching several reviews, I made the decision yesterday to stick with my current gear at least until the rumored Z8 comes out. The Z6ii and Z7ii are no better than D850 and several reviewers say they are a notch below (especially in terms of focus tracking). There is no point spending more money for a system that is likely not better.

Not a bad choice to make. Personally I don't think one is better than the other, just different ways of doing the same things. Once you get your head around that, you realize it best to work with what works for you and not worry about the rest.

spraynpray

WestEndFoto said:

MrFotoFool said:

Yes I agree about D850 (and even D500). After being on the fence and watching several reviews, I made the decision yesterday to stick with my current gear at least until the rumored Z8 comes out. The Z6ii and Z7ii are no better than D850 and several reviewers say they are a notch below (especially in terms of focus tracking). There is no point spending more money for a system that is likely not better.

To me how good the camera is represents a secondary consideration. Remember, I regard cameras as mere photon detectors, which is a little dramatic but I think the point is valid. Were my Z7ii bodies better than my D850? In some ways yes. But I really moved to the Z-mount to benefit from the glass. I figured that any deficiencies represented by my Z7ii bodies would be addressed in the next generation and voila, the Z9 is out - issues addressed - especially the lack of an integrated grip. Those two Z7ii bodies will make fantastic infrared cameras and a Z7iii when it comes out will be good with an FTZii and my AIS/D lenses.

That works in most ways, but if the photons aren't in focus, they aren't much good I think.

WestEndFoto

Thanks for your answer Spraynpray. I am not saying that af is irrelevant. But I will say that for alot of photography, perhaps most, af requirements are not beyond most cameras. And if AF is that critical, there is now a solution from all three majors. And if one manufacturer has an “edge”, then you can wait a generation and the other two will close that gap.

My poont is that chasing these edges is a waste of time. Buy good glass and you will be good. Which is why I regard cameras as “mere photon detectors” which I acknowledge is a dramatization.

MrFotoFool

I just received a rental Z7ii (with vertical grip) with 400 f4.5 lens. I have set up the menu and practiced with the focus button inside (it's night now -will do proper tests next few days).

I set it to single spot focus where I select the focus point with the small gnurled knob. I am used to my D850 if I have the spot anywhere off center I can push the wheel down in the middle and the spot jumps back to the center. On my rental this works on the gnurled knob on the vertical grip but not on the gnurled knob on the camera body. So if I am holding it horizontal and press the button down nothing happens and I have to move it manually back to center, but if I am holding it vertical and press the button down it jumps back to center. What am I missing?

MrFotoFool

MrFotoFool said:

...if I am holding it horizontal and press the button down nothing happens and I have to move it manually back to center, but if I am holding it vertical and press the button down it jumps back to center. What am I missing?

I cross posted this on BackCountry Gallery and someone gave me the fix. It is buried in the custom menus (had to hit reset on function f2).

mhedges

MrFotoFool said:

MrFotoFool said:

...if I am holding it horizontal and press the button down nothing happens and I have to move it manually back to center, but if I am holding it vertical and press the button down it jumps back to center. What am I missing?

I cross posted this on BackCountry Gallery and someone gave me the fix. It is buried in the custom menus (had to hit reset on function f2).

Interesting I never noticed it before; I'll have to try that. For some reason I rarely use the joystick to move the AF point(s); instead I use the direction pad thing with the "OK" button in the center. On that if you hit "OK" it centers the AF.

MrFotoFool

mhedges said:

Interesting I never noticed it before; I'll have to try that. For some reason I rarely use the joystick to move the AF point(s); instead I use the direction pad thing with the "OK" button in the center. On that if you hit "OK" it centers the AF.

I use that controller for my D850, but I didn't think it worked on Z7ii? (Or maybe it's another buried menu setting). In either case I have sent back the rental and decided what suits my needs best is just sticking with my two D850's and ordering an F mount 80-400 for my long telephoto.