Nikon’s Camera Lineup After Z5II

Now that the Z5II has been announced (post regarding its announcement here), I cannot help but think how the Nikon lineup would shape up to be in the coming years. While it sounds like I am just looking forward to the next new thing (OK I do admit there is a tiny bit of truth in there, but hey I am pretty sure every photographer does have some form of GAS), I do honestly think it is important to look at the lineup from a larger perspective if one is to invest in the ecosystem.

Before I delve any further, I would just like to say these are purely based on my observations and are my own speculations, and hence are by no means a rumor or confirmation of new products.

Let’s start by looking at Nikon’s current lineup of camera bodies. (I will be excluding the RED video-oriented bodies since that is not my specialty and I am unable to speculate anything for those.)

As of writing, for the EXPEED 7 bodies, we have:

• Nikon Z9: Flagship model and the only model with integrated vertical grip body; 45.7MP stacked sensor, no mechanical shutter, special AF functions available only to the stacked sensors, dual-axis tilt screen, top LCD, pro controls, dual CFe slots

• Nikon Z8: Mini-Z9 (a.k.a Z9 without the grip); 45.7MP stacked sensor, no mechanical shutter, special AF functions available to the stacked sensors, dual-axis tilt screen, top LCD, pro controls, CFe slot + SD slot

• Nikon Z6III: All-rounder body that gives a priority to speed and professional video specs; 24.5MP partially stacked sensor, EXPEED 7, vari-angle screen, top LCD, “slightly unfinished firmware” (more on this written here in this post), CFe slot + SD slot

• Nikon Zf: All-rounder retro-design body with decent video specs; BSI 24.5MP sensor, EXPEED 7, vari-angle screen, SD slot + microSD slot

• Nikon Z5II: All-rounder body with modern video specs; BSI 24.5MP sensor, EXPEED 7, vari-angle screen, dual SD slots

• Nikon Z50II: All-rounder APS-C body with decent video specs; BSI 20.9MP APS-C sensor, EXPEED 7, vari-angle screen, single SD slot

And for the EXPEED 6 bodies which have yet to see any replacements, we have:

• Nikon Z7II: High resolution body without stacked sensor, and the only FX line not updated to EXPEED 7; BSI 45.7MP sensor, single-axis tilt screen, top LCD, CFe slot + SD slot

• Nikon Zfc: Retro-design APS-C body; BSI 20.9MP APS-C sensor, vari-angle screen, single SD slot

• Nikon Z30: Compact body without EVF; BSI 20.9MP APS-C sensor, vari-angle screen, single SD slot

So first, let’s deal with the elephant in the room - will there (and should there) be a Z7III?

In my personal opinion, yes. Similar to the Z6II to Z6III upgrade, I highly suspect that the Z7III would come with a new sensor with higher resolution, though not partially-stacked, and definitely not fully-stacked, to keep the Z7-line as the high-resolution line of the Z bodies. Simply put, I think that a theoretical Z7III would be:

• Identical body with Z6III; high resolution BSI sensor (61MP? 80MP?), EXPEED 7, vari-angle screen, top LCD, CFe slot + SD slot, slowish (by modern standards) max burst rates, moderate video specs

This would put the Z7III as the high resolution body to go for if high continuous burst speeds and video specs are not the main priority, which is similar to how the 61MP A7RV is marketed for Sony users. By sharing the same body as Z6III, like how Z6II and Z7II were, manufacturing costs can be reduced and many of the accessories can be shared by the two bodies too.

Next let’s take a look at the APS-C bodies.

• ZfcII: This is quite a tough one to speculate, because on one hand with the Imaging Cloud and Process Recipes, they do make a retro-styled ZfcII appealing for many of the younger target audience, but on the other hand, a ZfcII, which would theoretically cost a bit more than a Z50II, would be close in price to the full-frame Z5II, and with the cashbacks happening, the Zf as well. In the EXPEED 6 era the Zfc being close to the Z5 in pricing (especially during the latter’s promotions and cashbacks) was still justifiable, since the Z5 had a non-BSI sensor and thus lower maximum burst rates and AF calculations/seconds, resulting in the Zfc being the faster and more responsive camera in addition to its retro looks. However in the EXPEED 7 era, the Z5II has gotten all the speed improvements it needed, and the only selling point of a ZfcII would be its retro design.
  
  If I were to pick a side, I would say the ZfcII is unlikely to happen any time soon, and pretty certain not this year at least. It may come should the market react positively to wanting a retro design EXPEED7 APS-C body, but in my opinion the chances are really slim.
  
  Should a ZfcII arrive within this generation, I would suspect it would just be a Zfc body with Z50II internals (that is to say, same 20.9MP sensor with EXPEED 7, single UHS-II card slot)

• Z30II: This is an interesting one. I personally like the Z30 for its size and handling, and its autofocus capabilities were actually on the better side as far as EXPEED 6 bodies go, especially for subject detection (Eye-AF). Although being marketed as a camera for vloggers, I had no issues using it for stills and actually really enjoyed having it around me most of the time. (You can read more about my little review on the Z30 here.)
  
  I do not have exact sales numbers of the Z30, but I have definitely heard mixed opinions on this - seems like the larger general electronics retailers do sell quite a bit of them, but the specialized camera stores do not sell as much. Only Nikon would know whether the Z30 was profitable or not - if it was not profitable, I doubt we would see a successor to the Z30.
  
  I personally do believe that a Z30II would happen, and if so, it would be the next APS-C body to be announced. One particular reason I believe so is that there is an increased demand for compact high performance cameras recently, and I think they would be likely to join the bandwagon, especially since the target audience for this would likely to be casual users without any brand preference or brand loyalty, it would make sense to compete for some market share here.
  
  They just have to give the body some minor updates (say a UHS-II slot?), make some button placement changes, and jam all the Z50II internals in it, and call it a day.
  
  Hence I suspect it would have the same vari-angle screen, the same 20.9MP sensor, EXPEED 7, single UHS-II card slot.

Now that I am done discussing my opinions on the remaining EXPEED 7 updates, please allow me to go on to discuss and speculate how else would the lineup shape up to be.

I need to emphasize again, these are really just my speculations, so please do not go around spreading this like wildfire. (At least at time of writing, there are no concrete evidence or rumors or anything)

I think (that is the keyword, think) there would be 2 more camera lines, and I am just throwing out the names here just because it makes sense.

• Z3: Compact EVF-less version of the Z5II; similar to how the Z30 is to the Z50. Would feature dual SD slots and use EN-EL15c batteries.

• Z80: Think of it as the mini Z8, like how the Z50II is to the Z5II. High speed high performance APS-C camera, featuring 20.9MP APS-C stacked sensor, no mechanical shutter, EXPEED 7, CFe slot + SD slot, uses EN-EL15c batteries. Comes with the pro controls of the Z8.

As for the flagship Z9, I suspect we would see the 45.7MP stacked sensor used for one more generation before it gets a major upgrade, and thus, this is how I think the Z9II (and Z8II for that matter) would look like:

• Z9II: Same 45.7MP stacked sensor without mechanical shutter, either dual EXPEED 7 or new EXPEED 8, upgrades include pre-capture RAW, higher stills FPS for RAW (currently maxed out at 20FPS), wide-gamut brighter EVF from the Z6III, dual CFe 4.0 slots. Depending on how the CPUs are built, it may be possible to maintain the dual-stream technology (for blackout-free EVF) and also increase the amount of AF calculations/second. Video wise it should see modern codecs in built, ability to record N-RAW internally, and ability to record to two cards simultaneously.

• Z8II: Same as above, minus the integrated vertical grip, and uses EN-EL15c batteries instead. Would have 1x Cfe 4.0 slot + 1x SD UHS-II slot, thus making dual video recording not possible for some modes.

And since we know that the current 20.9MP APS-C sensor is based on the FF 45.7MP FX sensor, when the theoretical Z7III arrives, we should see a new APS-C sensor as well, and that should go into the next crop of APS-C bodies (say Z50III or something)

Final disclaimer: this is not a rumors post, but just my speculations, so yeah, let’s definitely revisit this page some time down the line to see if any of these actually materialize!

Nikon Z5II Announcement and Opinions

The Nikon Z5II has just been officially announced, and camera shops in Japan will begin to accept preorders for the camera from 10 April.

The official press release and specifications of the camera can be viewed here:

• Press Release Page (English or Japanese)

• Official Product Page (English or Japanese)

As I had expected and anticipated, the Z5II is pretty much a Z5 body updated with Zf internals (plus some nice surprises here and there).

Here is a brief summary of the major changes of the Z5II over the Z5:

• 24.5MP BSI sensor, ISO 100-64000, similar to that of the Zf

• Expeed 7 CPU

• Faster and more sensitive AF - claimed to be 3 times faster than the Z5 and being able to focus in -10 EV situations

• Subject detection modes similar to that of the other Expeed 7 bodies

• 7.5 stops of IBIS

• Up to 14 FPS RAW with mechanical shutter

• 3.2-inch 2.1 million dots flip screen, similar to that used in the Zf

• 3.69 million dots EVF, with improved 3000 cd/m2 brightness (similar to that of the Z8/Z9)

• Picture control button (similar to that in the Z50II)

• Video improvements include 12-bit N-RAW, FX 4K30p from 6K oversampled video, 4K60p in crop (DX) mode, up to 125minutes of continuous video recording

Some of the features of the Z5 are kept with the Z5II, for better or worse, namely:

• Dual SD card slots (but does seem like both are UHS-II capable)

• No top LCD panel

• No mode dial lock

I think this model is an essential and very important part of Nikon’s Z lineup. On one hand it would be the entry level Expeed 7 FX body, thus attracting new users to the ecosystem with a sleuth of features is a key point in securing these new purchases. On the other hand, for many users (like me) who do not need the high frame rates or video specs, this is essentially the perfect Z6II replacement (although I am a bit sad with the lack of top screen though).

So far on paper it is very much what I expected it to be, and am looking forward to testing it out in the showroom before making a decision to pre-order or not (because you know, the Z8 strap lug fiasco..)

Here are some things that I cannot confirm now, and am planning to check them out when I get to test the camera:

• According to the specs sheet, the base length is identical to that of the Z5 (and Z6/Z7/Z6II/Z7II) - and it lists both the MB-N11 and MB-N14 as compatible accessories. Does this mean that the Z-GR1 is a perfect fit for it too? (P.S. it does not fit the Z6III perfectly due to a change in length of the base plate)

• Is the set in Japan available in Japanese language only (like the Z50II) or does it have English menus too?

• How customizable are the buttons? (Z50II level of customization or the slightly crippled Z6III level?)

• Are both SD card slots able to write at full UHS-II speeds?

• Weather sealing and weather resistance information [Update: Just checked the press material again and seems like it is properly weather sealed]

I am definitely stoked that for now this sounds like a perfect replacement for my Z6II workhorse (minus the top screen, yeah I know I sound like a broken record), especially so if the Z-GR1 is able to fit it perfectly.

And also I guess I need to reconsider my little APS-C plan too.

Updated Tamron 35-150/2-2.8 Usage Page

It has been about a year since I purchased the Tamron 35-150/2-2.8.

I’ve been using it with the Z6II, mainly for outdoor location-based assignments, and have updated its equipment discussion page with some further observations and thoughts that I have on this lens after using it.

Hope the information may be useful to anyone looking to get the lens (or trying to find out more about the lens).

Evolution of Chinese Lens and Accessories Makers

In recent times there have been plenty of releases of lenses and camera accessories from Chinese manufacturers, and truth be told I am impressed with the rate that they are improving their products and innovating.

I strongly believe that healthy competition would bring about improvements and innovations, so with the rise of Chinese lens manufacturers, I think that us as consumers would benefit as a whole since the entire industry would be competing with each other to bring out more original and interesting products.

There have been several reputable camera accessories brands from China from a while back, such as Godox’s lighting accessories and triggers, Smallrig’s L-brackets and cages, and DJI’s drone systems, just to name a few. However, when we think about lenses, the initial releases of camera lenses from China were, blatantly speaking, clones of older lens designs, and tended to be only manual focus only. Most of the time they were just not up to current standards - usually thought of as cheap lenses to play around with, and could pretty much only take decent images once stopped down to around f/5.6 or so (and even so their performance is still just decent at best).

Fast forward to today, and we can see lenses from several Chinese manufacturers which incorporate modern AF systems tuned for use with mirrorless cameras, and some manufacturers also come up with their original optical designs and innovations (such as incorporating USB ports directly in the lens to facilitate firmware updates) - which is a far cry from the past where they were simply replicating old optical designs. Many of these manufacturers also do tend to cater to a certain niche - some examples include TTArtisan and 7Artisans catering to the general crowd with good price-performance lenses; Laowa (previously Venus Optics) with their probes, high magnification macro lenses and low-distortion ultra wide-angle lenses; Viltrox with product lines catering to compact sizes (Air series) or high performance lenses (Pro and Lab series).

That said, the fast rate of iteration does have certain consequences - namely with so many models flooding the market with similar nomenclatures, it is often quite confusing and difficult to determine if a particular model is the latest design or one from a previous generation, and due to that their resale value do not hold well too since a newer model is always just round the corner. Combined, these make a purchase from a Chinese manufacturer still a sort of a small gamble, even if they are pretty reputable.

However, credit should be given where credit is due, and the fact that they are improving so fast and bringing so much more value to the photography community as a whole is definitely worth commending.

Right now, there are still certain drawbacks from getting lenses from Chinese manufacturers, namely:

• The coatings used on their lenses are still pretty simple and do not always eliminate flares and ghosts, even in simple backlit situations.

• Quality control is not as stringent, and as such there are quite a bit of sample variance (although this has been improved recently according to most users, but still not up to par as the more established lens manufacturers)

• They still do not have a proper track record on their build quality and long-term reliability, especially for the newer offerings with autofocus mechanisms (which is a given since they just entered the autofocus playing field pretty recently).

• AF algorithms are reverse-engineered so firmware updates are required for compatibility with newer bodies. However it is hard to predict when support or firmware development would stop for current products.

• Customer service is pretty much non-existent according to most users; if you buy from a reputable store they might handle the returns/warranty issues for you, but chances are if you need repairs it might take a long turnaround since they do not have regional repair offices.

• Similarly there is no pro-support for their lenses, and thus the risk is too high for working photographers should the lens malfunction.

These drawbacks, especially that on the lack of support, are the main reasons why I have not personally purchased and owned lenses from the Chinese manufacturers, even though some of them are really intriguing to me (like the recently released Viltrox 135/1.8 LAB).

But I think that as these manufacturers grow and improve their reputation, they would start addressing these shortcomings as a way to distinguish themselves from the less reputable brands, and in my opinion that would be the start of a new era of reliable high performance lenses from them.

I have used third party lenses in the past for the F-mount (various lenses from Sigma, Tamron and Samyang), and am still using one now as a workhorse lens on the Z-mount (the Tamron 35-150/2-2.8 Z). It is definitely great to have more options on the table if the lenses from Chinese manufacturers prove to have reliable build quality and start to have proper support for them.

As mentioned earlier in this post, I do believe the rising of the Chinese lens manufacturers would spur healthy competition amongst the other manufacturers too, so I am certainly looking forward to how this industry would shape up in the coming years.

Nikon Z30 Opinions and Short Review

After getting the Zf earlier this year, my Z6 has started to see very little action - it pretty much acts as a backup camera of sorts when I go on assignments (i.e. pretty much hibernating in the bag), and occasionally tagging along with me as a compact good-to-have-around set with the 40/2 attached.

Which has thus got me contemplating about downgrading the Z6 to an APS-C body for more portability for casual use.

I narrowed my options down to either the Z30 or the Z50II, with either the DX 16-50 kit lens or the DX 24/1.7 prime lens for their compact size.

NPS was kind enough to loan me a Z30 with the DX 16-50 kit to try out, and after putting it through its paces for a couple of weeks, here are some of my thoughts of the camera (and lens):

• The Z30 paired with the DX 16-50 makes a really small compact set, and personally I am indeed very fond of the small footprint of the set.

• Despite the smaller size, it has good ergonomics (especially in the grip), and the camera is easy to hold single-handedly.

• The Z30’s 20MP DX sensor is theoretically based on the 45.7MP FX sensor, and thus the colors are actually very similar to that of the Z7 (which I prefer over the Z6/Z6II colors).

• Noise performance was better than expected - while noise started to creep in at lower ISO values compared to the FX sensors, image quality still holds up pretty well until around ISO3200.

• Eye autofocus works pretty much similarly as the Expeed 6 equipped Z6 in good light, and in fact, the subject detection seemed to be stickier on the Z30, although in lower light levels the Z6 was more reliable and hunted way lesser than the Z30.

• The DX 16-50 definitely punches above its weight/size/price - no it cannot produce the bokeh of the faster aperture primes or zooms, but as a landscape lens (especially when stopped down to f/8 or so) it produces sharp and contrasty images, and the autofocus is reliable in good light.

• The lack of IBIS in the Z30 is made up for by the VR in the DX 16-50, and for most occasions the VR is reliable and gives extra few stops of shutter speed advantage when turned on, which is definitely necessary considering the slow aperture range of the DX kit lens.

That said, the Z30 (and the DX 16-50) is not without their quirks and drawbacks:

• The lack of “Battery Info” menu item means that I have to pretty much guess how much juice is left in the battery when staring at the 3-bar styled battery indicator on screen.

• The rear screen does not look as crisp as the higher resolution FX bodies, and it took me some time to get used to.

• The lack of IBIS in the Z30 somehow made it less resilient to dust since it does not have the sensor cleaning function - when there is a dust spot, the only way to remove it is by detaching the lens and air-blowing/wet cleaning the sensor.

• The arrangement of the top buttons near the shutter button are different from the other bodies - in the other bodies the buttons behind the shutter button are in the order (from left to right) “Record, ISO, Exposure Compensation”, whereas for the Z30 the two buttons directly behind the shutter button are “ISO, Exposure Compensation”, with the “Record” button placed further away from the shutter but positioned in between the ISO and Exposure Compensation buttons. This really messed with muscle memory quite a bit.

• The VR of the DX 16-50 seems to take a while to kick-in - it was not unusual to have a first shot of a consecutive burst to be slightly blurred by motion or handshake.

• The SD card slot and the battery slot is literally side by side, and at pretty much identical heights - when removing the SD card I would most often be pressing down on the battery (and its spring) too. The Zf’s SD card slot has a slight barrier and height difference from the battery slot, preventing unwanted and unnecessary physical contact with the battery.

I also tried hooking up the Z30 to my own 40/2 to see how it would fare as a compact portrait set:

• In the APS-C region of the 40/2, the lens is a wonderful performer, with low levels of vignetting, and very good sharpness even wide open at moderate distances. However similar to FX usage of it, when shooting at close distances spherical aberrations would creep in and rob the image of contrast very fast.

• Stopping down to f/2.8 produces clear and crisp images across the frame.

• The Z30 hunts less with the 40/2 (when used at wider apertures) than with the DX 16-50. I would put the AF performance pretty much on par with the Z6 in good to moderate light, although the Z30 seem to have a tad bit more reliable subject detection in such situations. However in dimmer or low light conditions the Z6 still triumphs.

• With an equivalent FoV of 60mm (and equivalent DoF of f/3 when shot wide open), it translates to a nice little portrait kit, especially for half-body to 3/4-body shots. Full body shots are sharp too, but as a 60mm FoV it lacks the environmental nuances of a wider lens, and the narrower equivalent aperture makes background a bit distracting when used for full body shots.

After using the Z30 for two weeks, it definitely cemented in me that a more compact APS-C set would see more daylight than a higher spec’ed bulkier Z6, but some of its drawbacks are keeping me from jumping on getting one immediately, especially considering how the Expeed 6 AF algorithms are pretty old as of now (and evident in its haphazardous Eye-AF).

I plan to borrow the Z50II with the DX 24/1.7 next to see how that combo would fare, and if it would be worth it to top-up a little to get the Expeed 7 benefits at the expense of a larger footprint.

Does Photography Gear Matter? (2024 Version)

We all know that the Nikon Z6III is going to be officially announced later today, and I thought while waiting for the official announcement I would like to share a bit on my opinions on this particular topic.

The topic on how important is the role of photography gear has always been a hotly debated one amongst photographers - much akin to “Protective Filter vs No Filter” or “Tilt Screen vs Fully Articulating Screen”.

I know I might be opening a can of worms here, so just as a foreword these are solely my personal opinions and I would just like to share them out over here, hoping that this insight could be of use to someone or perhaps be a point of a healthy discussion. You are definitely more than welcome to disagree with them if my ideas and principles differ from yours.

So to answer the question, if I were to give a clear-cut “Yes” or “No” answer, I would say “Yes, photography gear does matter.”

But we all know life is not always black and white, and never simple as a “Yes” or “No”, and thus if given the chance to further elaborate on the answer, my answer would be “Yes, photography gear does matter, but only if you know what you are after or lacking specifically, and understand what kind of compromises were made or had been made. More expensive gear does not always mean more useful gear.”

Many people who mention that photography gear does not matter normally do mean it as goodwill, that chasing the latest and greatest gear would not improve your photography (the infamous Gear Acquisition Syndrome, or G.A.S), but rather spending the time or effort to improve your creative vision would be more beneficial. They usually also cite the example that a seasoned and experienced photographer would be able to create images with a basic camera and kit lens as well.

These are points that I do agree with - especially that GAS is a terrifying rabbit hole to fall into and thinking that getting the next shiny piece of equipment would magically improve your photography is a dangerous thought.

So now, if I agree with this, why do I still say that I believe that photography gear matters?

As I said earlier on, I believe that the gear matters if you have a creative vision that you want to achieve, or need to improve on a certain aspect of your workflow - neither of which is possible without spending time learning and getting used to your current gear first.

Going back to the example whereby an experienced photographer would be able to take photos with a basic camera - I have no doubt that this is definitely true. However the next, and more important question would be, “Is it the wisest choice to use said gear when on an assignment?”

I am pretty sure I would choose a piece of equipment that has more direct physical buttons and robust build on my assignments as it would just be more efficient for me.

Giving some more specific examples:

• Shooting subjects from far would require telephoto lenses.

• Shooting subjects real close would require macro lenses or lenses that have very short minimal focus distances.

• Shooting subjects with smooth background blur would require big-aperture lenses.

• Shooting subjects that move around haphazardly requires a body that can lock on and track effectively.

This list can go on and on, and it drives the point that I am trying to bring here - the gear does matter in getting the shot - either being a real physical requirement, or making getting the shot easier.

What it does not do, however, is magically make you a better photographer. Sure if you use a 600mm f/4 you could easily shoot birds and wildlife with all that smooth bokeh - but things like framing, learning about heat distortion, knowing how to place the background for least distraction, anticipating the birds’ movements etc. - these are other factors you have to learn and experience in order to master the art.

And we also have to understand that every camera body and lens is a gear with a set of compromises - be it compromises in image quality, build quality, aperture ratings, autofocus motors and speed, zoom ratings, weight, size, price, etc.

Want a wide-aperture good quality lens? Be prepared for a heavy and expensive piece of equipment.

Want an all-in-one zoom lens? Be prepared for slower apertures and image quality sacrifices.

Want an all-in-one zoom lens with crazy wide aperture? You better be owning a palace and a jeep to lug that gear around.

Another important thing to know is that gear or set-up that works for someone else might not work for you. Many event photographers I personally know of use a 24-70/2.8 + 70-200/2.8 set-up, which pretty much covers most scenarios with ease. I, however, never got used to the 24-70 lenses properly, so I would prefer a 24-120/4 + 70-200/2.8 combination over that.

One factor that many people seem to forget is that the so-called “pro-grade” lenses are also usually more massive and heavier, and whether you actually enjoy carrying all this extra bulk and weight would lead to how often your camera leaves your house with you.

Quoting from my personal experiences, while I do use the 70-200/2.8 for work often, in my private time I reach out for my 85/1.8 or 40/2 way more frequently just because they are easier to carry around.

To summarize everything (#tl;dr),

• I believe gear does matter - whether to make taking a shot possible, or to make taking a shot easier

• Getting the most expensive gear might not mean getting the best gear for yourself - what requirements you need is specific to your use case and creative vision

• Learning what gear to get requires you to first learn what limitations you face in your current set-up

• Always know that what works for someone else may not always work for you

As an ending note, try not to be lured by GAS too much and just enjoy what you have - you do already have gear, and that is all that matters!

Personal Impressions on Nikon Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S Lens

So right now it is pretty much Sports Day season in most schools in Japan, and my daughter had hers last weekend. I decided to rent a copy of the Nikon Z 100-400/4.5-5.6S lens last weekend to cover the event since I doubt my 70-200/2.8S would provide enough reach for me (and am indeed thankful I went ahead with the rental!).

It was my first time handling the lens outside of the shop demo context, and there were many new interesting observations that I made when using the lens this time round that I did not notice when I played with it in the camera shops/showrooms in the past:

• The weight and physical length of the lens at 100mm is pretty similar to that of the 70-200/2.8S, so I got accustomed to the lens’ weight distribution pretty much the moment I picked it up.

• The wider girth of the lens, together with the more forward placement of the control ring, did make me accidentally hit either the manual focus ring or the control ring more often than I would like - I had to turn off both the MF in AF mode option and the custom control ring function to prevent any accidental setting changes.

• AF locks on very fast, even on the Z6II I was using it with.

• AF accuracy, however, did have some interesting quirks - when shooting a burst of slightly static (i.e slow moving) subjects while testing, usually in a burst of 5 shots in AF-C single point mode there would be 1 or 2 shots in the middle of the burst that lost focus. I thought this would be caused on the VR recentering itself in VR normal mode, so I changed to VR sport mode and accuracy got better, although still not at 100%.

• For portraits at 400mm Eye-AF worked better than single point AF, as I guess any minute vibrations that caused framing changes would be compensated by the subject detection shifting the AF points via subject detection.

• At portrait distances the lens renders very nicely with crisp details, regardless of focal length chosen, both wide open or using it as a “constant 5.6” lens.

• At longer “sports distances”, and using it nearly exclusively as a 400/5.6 lens, the lens does exhibit some sharpness drop, and some slight AF accuracy drop. Though in all honesty it could also be due to user error on my side too as I could not pan the camera fast enough for the AF to lock properly.

• And finally I also learned that 400mm is indeed hard to control!

It was definitely a fun experience shooting with that lens, especially more so when watching the little one playing around too.

The lens is also every bit as phenomenal as I expected it to be, albeit with some handling quirks, and I am glad that I went on ahead to rent it for the event as my 70-200/2.8S would never be able to provide enough range.

That said, my experience this time also reinforced the idea that I am not suited to be a sports photographer lol.

** Side Note:

For anyone looking for short-term camera equipment rentals in Japan, I definitely recommend checking Map Rental out! Their pricing is reasonable and have a very wide selection of equipment to choose from.

A handful of kits also qualify for monthly rental special rates, which could prove to be cheaper than going by daily rates when renting for a more than 2 weeks or so. However, for equipment that do not qualify for the special rates, the daily rates do stack up quite a bit for longer rentals, so other services that offer “monthly rental” or “monthly subscription rental” might prove to be more wallet friendly though!

(I am not affiliated with them in any way, just wanted to share this information from my good experience with them)

Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 VXD for Nikon Z-mount

This was one of the lenses that I had been envious of Sony users for a long time, and when the Z-mount version was announced in September 2023 I was definitely excited and grateful that Tamron had decided on this lens as one of the earlier ports to the Z-mount.

Having this lens would be a great help in solving my problem of having to switch between the 24-120/4S and the 70-200/2.8S during shoots - not that these 2 lens are slouches, and in fact I love using both of the lenses very much, but if I could have one lens that could do the work of both it would make me more efficient and also allow more options for me to include things like prime lenses in my double set-up.

That being said, having had a slightly negative experience being an early adopter (looking at you Z8 strap lugs), I decided to wait a bit for normal user reviews to roll in to see how the lens performs with the Z-mount bodies.

Based on the E-mount version’s reviews and user feedback, the general consensus on the lens has been positive with regards to the sharpness and overall image rendering, and I do not expect much difference between the E-mount and the Z-mount variants regarding the image quality.

Personally the few areas that I had interest or concerns in are:

• How fast and accurate is the autofocus in normal modes and subject detection modes for Z bodies?

• How fast and accurate is the autofocus in pin-point mode?

• How prone is the lens to zoom creeping?

• How weather resistant is the lens? (The exposed USB port seem like a weak spot to me)

After renting the lens for a bit to determine if it could properly act as a replacement for my 24-120/4S and 70-200/2.8S pair for assignments, there are some interesting observations that I encountered:

• The lens boots up slow - even slower than the 24-120/4S. However, it is even way slower when waking up from sleep, so much so that many times I thought I had forgotten to turn on the Z6II I was using it with.

• AF-S, AF-C and subject detection modes on the Z6II were pretty consistent and accurate, so I do not have much issues there with it.

• AF-S pinpoint on the other hand is a slightly different story - perhaps the motor is not properly suited for racking contrast autofocus, but it feels sluggish and does miss focus a little more than I would like (I’d say in the range of 5% or so during my time with it)

• Field curvature seems pretty strong on this lens, so using focus-and-recompose methods (even if it is a slight recompose) tend to make the initial focal plane soft - best to frame first and move the focus point (or use subject detection AF modes) to the intended subject and focus.

• With proper focusing techniques, images are sharp in the focus zone and background blur is generally pleasing. While it lacks the minute detail acuity of the Nikon S-line lenses, the lens resolves detail very well and I think deserves praise for being able to do so given such a wide zoom range.

• While I mentioned that background blur is generally pleasing, specular highlights sometimes show strong signs of onion rings within them.

• The lens hood does feel and look like it can be scratched really easily.

• I still do not like the idea of an exposed USB port.

While I think I might need some time getting used to its quirks (especially the field curvature), I am definitely pleased with the performance of the lens, and can see it being my primary workhorse lens with the 24-120/4S and 70-200/2.8S helping to fill in certain niche use cases.

After returning my rental unit I went on to purchase one copy for myself, and am definitely looking forward to working with the lens and trying out new combinations of set-ups to improve my workflow and quality of work!

Update on Brother’s PICOCHARGE Service

Got a reply from Brother earlier today regarding some of my questions about their new PICOCHARGE service which was announced earlier last week.

Here’s a summary of my questions and the response from them:

• Do the pre-paid allocation expire after a certain time?

  • No. Any pre-paid print allocation can be used any time after purchase without an expiry or duration limit.

• Are replacement ink cartridges free, or only shipping costs for the ink cartridges are free?

  • Replacement ink cartridges are free and included in the pre-paid print allocation. This is a new model that we are creating so that instead of having to purchase ink every time it runs out, customers purchase print allocation instead and we will provide the necessary support. Strictly speaking, the ownership of the ink cartridges still belongs to Brother.

• Does printing a full color A4 photo on a photo paper count as 1 page only?

  • Yes, a single page of printing is counted as 1 page of your print allocation regardless of size, color or monochrome settings, or amount of text or images.

    While auto-duplexing is not available, it is possible to print on both sides of a paper manually, and would count as 2 pages.

So with these answered, now this seems like a feasible option for my use case, and is honestly really tempting.

Now I just need to find out more about the print quality when it comes to photos. Wonder if it will be displayed in the upcoming CP+ show.

Brother’s New Printer Pricing Model

A few days back Brother announced PICOCHARGE, a new type of printer pricing model for consumers and home users. (as of writing it seems like this service is only available in Japan)

The basic concept of this new pricing model is purchasing of pre-paid print allocation.

You do have to purchase the printer (JPY 20,000) initially, and it comes with a pre-paid allocation of 1,000 pages.

When your print allocation runs out, you can choose to top-up your print allocation via their app/portal page, which currently comes in 6 tiers:

• 10 pages for JPY 200

• 50 pages for JPY 500

• 150 pages for JPY 1200

• 500 pages for JPY 3500

• 1000 pages for JPY 5000

• 3000 pages for JPY 9000

As you can see the bigger the pre-paid allocation you purchase, the less it cost to print per page.

Furthermore there is no difference in price for printing in monochrome or color - printing 1 page counts as 1 page regardless of color settings.

When the ink is about to run out you will get a notification asking you to request for new ink, which will then be delivered to you for free.

At the time of writing, I do find this a little confusing as the official site does have slightly contradicting statements in their contents:

• The special contents page (linked at the start of the article) states that replacement free ink cartridges would be sent to you when your ink runs out.

• The official news release article states that free shipping would be available for replacement cartridges - somehow the wording here sounds like you have to pay for the ink and only shipping is free?

There is no proper FAQ page up for this new service yet (only article in their FAQ is how to top-up your allocation), so right now the only information I have are from the press releases and the official site.

In all honesty I do think there might be a small miscommunication in the wording of the official news release, since by buying pre-paid allocation you are supposedly already paying for the required ink (and hence a new pricing model) - it just does not make sense to have to buy allocation AND ink at the same time.

** I will update this post again when I get more clarity regarding this issue.

That being said, if the new pricing model means just purchasing pre-paid allocation, and replacement ink cartridges are all provided at no additional cost, then I think it does make it very applicable for my use case - if I top up JPY 9000 I would be able to print my photos at JPY 3/page, which is much more economical than what I am paying for right now.

** Update 14/2/2024

Got a response from them regarding my enquiry, and yes the purchase of the print allocation includes the replacement ink cartridges, so there are no additional costs apart from having to purchase the printer initially and print allocation top-up.

What If There Was a Unified Camera Mount?

I have been primarily a Nikon shooter in my photography journey so far ever since my first DSLR (the Nikon D40), and while I am happy with the performance of my gear and the technological advancements made by the company thus far, I cannot help but wonder what it would be like if all the camera mounts were unified and giving users more choices and freedom to mix and match the equipment to their liking.

In modern camera equipment, we first saw such an open system with the m43 mount where you could mix and match Olympus and Panasonic m43 gear without any major demerits. To me it was an interesting prospect, as Olympus had more stills-focused bodies and Panasonic had their video-oriented hybrids, and you could choose the body that fits your use case and choose the lenses from a wide array of available selection.

Next came the L-mount alliance spearheaded by Leica, Sigma and Panasonic. While one might argue that them being minor players it made more sense to move in this direction, it does not reduce the fact that the end-user were treated with a good selection of lenses and bodies available to them with this collaborative effort.

I started pondering over this issue since there are more players in the camera gear space now, but yet the market demand for camera equipment has been shrinking over the years, so having such collaborative efforts might create a better ecosystem and value for end-users.

I guess from the companies’ point of view perhaps it seem more lucrative to lock down the ecosystem, since unlike what you see from so-called influencers, most people who have acquired a decent amount of gear over the years would be unlikely to “switch from Brand X to Brand Y” just because of a body or lens from a competitor that performs better.

Well objectively speaking, if a body and/or lens from another ecosystem is unique enough, it is common to see people using gear from two ecosystems simultaneously, though it would be a nightmare to get your muscle memory to work with the different button allocations and stuff.

And back to the topic of a locked-down ecosystem, I think it also deprives others who are interested in a particular piece of equipment but are unable to use it with their current kit due to different mounts.

I know mount adapters exist, but how many are officially supported by the first-party manufacturers, and how many are able to operate with no compromises?

I find that a unified mount system would be immensely celebrated by end-users, since we would be able to freely mix and match out equipment without worries, and would also drive the manufacturers to provide better value for consumers since they would have to make sure their products are unique from their competitors.

Imagine being able to choose freely from the Sony 50mm f/1.2 GM if you want a smaller and lighter kit, or the Nikon 50mm f/1.2S if you want a lens with optical focus breathing compensation.

Or perhaps being able to mount the behemoth Canon 28-70mm f/2 L on a Nikon or Sony body you currently own.

We have seen this happen to memory cards before - how manufacturers finally moved on from Memory Sticks, xD cards, MMC cards, etc. and decided to use SD cards as the de facto standard.

We have also seen this with phone chargers - the first move from proprietary chargers to micro-USB, and the now with USB-C even tablets and laptops can also use the same charging protocols.

It might not be that far-fetched to imagine such a change, and I for one will be very glad to see such a collaborative effort between all camera manufacturers come to fruition.

List of Recommended CFexpress Cards for Nikon Cameras

Just want to put this list out here as a reference for anyone who needs information regarding CFexpress cards for Nikon cameras.

Note that this is not an actual in-depth review with synthetic speed test benchmarks (which are widely available online), but rather from my personal experience from using the cards on a regular basis.

(Side note: The official list of recommended cards by Nikon can be found here.)

• Sandisk Extreme Pro 64GB (Exact model used: SDCFE-064G-GN4NN) [Not Recommended]
  Sandisk is a renowned brand with a very good track record for reliability, and I’ve been using their products (SD cards and the old school CF cards) in my cameras for as long as I can remember.
  While I have nothing but praises to say about their Extreme Pro line of SD and CF cards, unfortunately I did not have good experience with their CFexpress cards. The 64GB CFexpress card that I used gets hot really fast, like literally to the point where you feel unsafe to touch it with your bare hands. This causes thermal throttling issues to kick in many times even though I was not shooting at high burst rates, and several times it caused my camera to freeze up as the thermal throttling caused buffer errors, and entire series of shots were lost as the buffer could not write to the card before the freeze.
  Some other people recommend the higher capacity cards (256GB and above) would not have thermal throttling issues, but personally I’d try to avoid this card for Nikon cameras, as another key thing to take note of when purchasing is that the -xxxIN suffix cards will totally not work in Nikon cameras at all.
  [[Tested in Z6 and Z7]]

• Delkin Devices Power 128GB (Exact model used: DCFX1-128) [Highly Recommended]
  Delkin Devices have been around for a little while now, but unfortunately in Japan they do not have a large presence so I did not know of them until fairly recently. I contacted their customer service to enquire about their products and was met with very helpful and warm responses, which led me to buy a Power 128GB card to test out. It’s very well-built and feels very solid in your hands, has reliable read and write speeds and I have not encountered any thermal throttling issues so far. I’ve used it in both work situations as well as personal casual shots, and have not encountered any errors with it yet.
  One thing to take note is that Delkin cards do not come with a recovery software bundled - they do partner with a recovery software company (LC Technology) should you need to recover files from your card, but it requires a paid license so just keep that in mind if you prefer to have a recovery software on standby.
  [[Tested in Z6, Z7, Z6II]]

• Delkin Devices Power 1TB G4 (Exact model used: DCFXBP1TBG4) [Still in testing]
  Just received the newly launched 1TB G4 card, and am still running it through normal usage and long term tests before reaching any conclusions.

• Nextorage NX-B1PRO 165GB (Exact model used: NX-B1PRO165G) [Highly Recommended]
  Nextorage is an up-and-coming brand, established by ex-engineers and staff from Sony’s memory storage arm. I was personally intrigued by them as they do have the technical expertise and experience in flash memory products, as well as being very aggressive and pushing boundaries of such products. I managed to grab a B1PRO 165GB card during a sale event, and am highly satisfied with it. It has a robust and solid build, and has a very high minimum sustained write speed of 1800MB/s, and has not encountered any thermal throttling issues in my usage with it thus far. While I can’t exactly objectively quantify the minimum sustained write speed that they claim, I have not encountered any hiccups in using it in my Z8 at high burst rates of 14-bit lossless raw files. The card does run a little warm when shooting long bursts, but does not go into the “are you sure this termperature is OK??” type of hot at all.
  [[Tested in Z6, Z7, Z6II, Z8]]

Shoutout to Think Tank Photo’s Great Customer Service

I have been using quite a number of Think Tank Photo products over the years, many of which are still going strong after all this while and still see regular use in my assignments. I usually equip the modular belt system with a digital holster when I am on location, but ferry them there in the lovely Urban Access 15 backpack - this has been my go-to set up for several years now.

I believe there is no doubt or question about the quality of their products, as in addition from my own personal experience, many independent reviews or forum talk give their products great praises too.

However one thing that has not been mentioned much is the quality of their customer service - tl;dr version? It’s great!

Case 1: My digital holster’s supplied strap has worn out terribly over the years, and I contacted them to get a quotation for a replacement strap as I could not find the part available on their website. The response - they asked for my shipping address, and a replacement strap was shipped out to me at no cost, which completely surprised me!

Case 2: I contacted them as I wanted to know if certain equipment could fit into a bag. A while later a snapshot was sent to me showing how the said equipment could be packed in.

Case 3: This happened to a fellow photographer friend of mine - he lost the rain cover for his bag as he was packing in a hurry after shooting in bad weather. He contacted customer support as he could not find a replacement rain cover locally, and they sent him an exact replacement at no cost.

I always believe that great customer service goes a long way, and my experience with them have definitely locked me in as a loyal customer!

(Now I’m just waiting for a bag with Streetwalker Hard Drive’s capacity, but in Urban Access’s material and look…)

Delkin Devices CFe Type-B Cards

I had recently purchased a CFe-B 128GB card from Delkin's Power lineup, and boy am I really impressed with it.

So a little background story first. You can tl;dr this entire section if you just want to read about my thoughts on the Delkin card.

When I got my first Z6, it came with a free Nikon 64GB XQD, and I got a Sony 64GB XQD (G-series Class-E) as a backup/spare during a fire sale as the Class-F just came out.

After the firmware for CFe-B cards came out, I decided to go with SanDisk since I have been using their memory products (CF/SD/portable SSD) all the while and have had good experiences with them.

But unfortunately their CFe launch was a disaster to speak - their initial card readers had problems initializing and recognizing cards, and their first version of CFe cards could not work on Nikon bodies. I waited until Nikon listed SanDisk as a supported brand before purchasing a 64GB -NN series CFe-B card.

While the card is officially tested and supported by Nikon, the card reader was still an issue as many people were still complaining about problematic SanDisk readers, so after reading online I chanced upon Delkin's CFe-B reader (DDREADER-54), and while it’s a totally new brand to me, many long term users have raved about their products, and the card reader itself seem to have gotten wide praise as well, so I decided to give it a try.

The card reader has performed flawlessly so far - the nearly all-metal build is robust, reads really fast, and has a cap (although could be nicer if tighter) to prevent ingress of dust - totally satisfied and happy with the purchase.

But the same cannot be said for the SanDisk CFe-B card that I got - every now and then there seem to be duplicate images inside the card (exact same image with exact same file name in exact same file size.. don't ask me how it happens), my camera freezes occasionally when doing burst shots (and when it happens the entire burst is not saved), and the most frightening part is the card runs really hot.

So a while ago I was fiddling with the idea of getting a higher capacity card for my cameras, and decided to go with Delkin and try out their cards since there are a lot of positive feedback about them.

And it so happened that when I was toying with the idea of purchasing a new card, Delkin's official distributor in Japan (whose service is fantastic and I highly recommend getting your cards from them if you live here!) started a Summer sale campaign, so that pushed me to click on the shiny check-out button.

I was initially torn between the Power line and the Black line, but figured out that since I don’t shoot videos and I don’t burst at max FPS it might be overkill to get the Black line, and ta-da I ended up with the 128GB Power.

As I mentioned at the start of the post, I'm really happy and satisfied with the card.

(For those of you who tl;dr you can start reading here)

Here are the key points that impressed me:

• The cards feels very robust and well built - the back is covered in a metal casing which envelops the sides of the card, as compared to just a small metal plate on the back on the SanDisk or my XQD cards.

• Performs at expected speeds and my camera hasn't had lock-up issues so far with it.

• Runs way cooler than the SanDisk - similar or just very slightly warmer than the XQD cards when used in burst sequences.

• Easy to register warranty and eligible for 48-hour replacement program

• Nice plastic casing provided for the card (similar to the XQD ones)

And as mentioned earlier, the official distributor here works really fast and is very efficient too, which further elevates the entire experience with their products. I can foresee myself going to Delkin exclusively for my CFe-B card needs from now on.

Image Quality Differences Between Nikon Z6 and Z6II

OK so let me begin this post with a disclaimer: This is by no ways a scientific or technical post, but rather my personal thoughts and experience on the topic.

Onto the main topic - I feel that there is a difference in image quality between my Z6 and my Z6II. It’s subtle, but can be observed on quite a regular basis, with the Z6 giving ever so slightly sharper and more detailed images as compared to the Z6II.

I haven’t really seen anyone comment on this before, so thought I'd put my thoughts out to see if anyone feels the same way.

Now I remember when the original Z6/Z7 duo were released, the whole internet (OK exaggerated but you get the point) was up in arms regarding how bad the shadow banding was when you lifted exposure by 5-stops.

However when the Mark II's were out, most claimed that the issue was solved and shadow banding was not present, or if so, very negligible in most cases.

Personally when I got my Z6, the banding was the least of my concerns as I don’t jack up my exposure in post that much; on the contrary I was surprised how detailed and crisp my images were as compared to the higher MP D800 I was using prior, which I think is mainly due to the lack of AF misalignments and stabilization of my prime lenses with the Z bodies.

I’ve since added a Z6II (as well as a Z7, but let’s leave that out of the discussion today) to my kit as well, and after a year of using the Z6 and Z6II in tandem, I feel that the Z6II lacks just a little extra crisp that the Z6 is able to produce.

On paper they seem to be using identical sensors with the same number of PDAF sensors, running on the same generation processors (albeit with the Mark II having dual processors), but some circumstantial evidences got me thinking that something has changed between them.

• Solving the problem of shadow banding problem could have been done via algorithmic interpolation, which means the raw files are slightly more “cooked” than the original Z6.

• When Capture One Pro first supported Z6II's files, there was an issue with files being noisier than expected (which was addressed as incorrect noise handling and fixed in 15.1.0), which seems to suggest that the demosaicing algorithm is slightly different from the Z6.

• Change of production facilities might have caused a change in the materials used for the AA filters and PDAF masking (note that I’m not saying one facility is better than the other, just being objective that a change in location would most probably mean a change in materials used)

• Shutter mechanism seems different between the two bodies based on the sound they produce

Perhaps these small changes here and there might have led to some differences in image quality coming out from both cameras?

As I mentioned earlier this is not a technical post, just some thoughts based on my experiences, so there’s definitely a chance that I’m overthinking things and all this is just a weird concoction of jibberish conclusions.

On an ending note, just in case anyone's interested - yes the AA-filterless Z7 triumphs the Z6 hands down in terms of details and clarity, though I don’t own a Z7II (yet) to compare directly to.

Lenses Wishlist

In all honesty, the splendid performance of the high zoom ratio lenses in the Nikon Z system has opened up many possibilities of new lens pairing combinations in my workflow (and of many of my fellow Nikon-shooting acquaintances too)

Since I am in scribbling mood tonight, just want to write about some lenses that I wish would magically appear in the Z-system so I can further optimize my layout.

1. Compact non-S 90mm f/2.2 or 105mm f/2.5 - While the S-line primes are great (and I love my 50mm 1.8S), I do wish to see more compact lenses in the system. They had done it with series-E lenses before, they can do it again.

2. 85-135mm f/2 S - Make this lens internal focusing and slightly shorter than the 70-200mm f/2.8 S and I am sure many portrait photographers will drool over it.

3. 35-150mm f/2.8 S - Tamron has shown that this is possible - add some Nikon sauce to the optical formula, optimize its sharpness at max aperture, and slap on the S label. Heck it could be a f/4 S and I would still get it.

4. 65mm f/2 S - Internally focusing, more affordable to mere mortals than the 58mm f/0.95. Give it half-macro abilities as a bonus.

New Nikon Z Body on the Horizon?

Earlier today my daily go-to rumor site, NikonRumors, reported that a 67MP image had been uploaded to a social media channel by one of Nikon’s overseas subsidiaries.

This is really exciting news, as it may mean a new body going to be announced soon, or perhaps a new firmware update to allow pixel-shift high resolution shots to be taken.

Anyway, I agree with the report that if this image is to be believed to have come from a new camera body, it would most probably not be a Z8, but rather a Z7III.

Reasons being 1: Z7II was on discount a few months back, 2: 1st-gen Z6/Z7 have been officially discontinued, 3: it makes sense in terms on lineup segregation.

From the way I see it, and with a bit of wishlisty-hope embedded, I kind of think the lineup would turn out in this fashion:

Z5 line - entry level FF with SD card slot(s), cheaper design parts (i.e. lower res LCD), lack of top screen, older design sensor with moderate MP, lower FPS, non-gripped design, uses EN-EL15

Z6 line - all-rounder FF with CFe/XQD + SD slots, top screen, moderate MP non-stacked sensor, high FPS, good noise control, good video, non-gripped design, uses EN-EL15

Z7 line - highest resolution FF with CFe/XQD + SD slots, top screen, high MP non-stacked sensor, moderate FPS, decent noise control, decent video, non-gripped design, uses EN-EL15

Unicorn Z8 line - Mini-flagship FF with CFe/XQD + SD slots, high MP stacked sensor, high FPS, good noise control, good video, non-gripped design, no mechanical shutter, uses EN-EL15, unlimited buffer with restrictions

Z9 line - Flagship with dual CFe/XQD slots, high MP stacked sensor, very high FPS, good noise control, good video, gripped design, no mechanical shutter, uses larger batteries, virtually unlimited buffer

So as of writing, the Z5, Z6II, and Z7II are slated for updates, and this is what I think might happen:

Z5II - upgraded with Expeed 7 CPU, upgraded with Z6’s 24MP BSI sensor, perhaps without an EVF, but cannot happen until Z6II has been phased out

Z6III - upgraded with Expeed 7 CPU, slightly higher MP BSI sensor (33MP?), improved FPS, improved buffer speed for unlimited RAW shots with appropriate CFe card, 6K video

Z7III - upgraded with Expeed 7 CPU, slightly higher MP BSI sensor (67MP?), similar FPS with Z7II, hand-held high resolution stacking

And if you include APS-C, the Z50 is also slated for update, which I believe will really benefit from an Expeed 7 CPU, new AF algorithms, and USB-C port.

And if the chatter about the ZF is to be believed, I think it would most probably be a Z6II in nice clothes powered by Expeed 7.

I personally think that this lineup segregation makes sense, and also coincides with the lens roadmap - the pancake 26mm would pair well with an EVF-less Z5II or a ZF, the non-S 200-600mm would pair well with Z6III’s speed and price range, the S 85mm would pair well with the high resolution Z7III as the ultimate short telephoto prime lens.

Well, just my thoughts on the subject, so don’t flame me if these turn out to be absolutely drunk scribblings and not a single sentence comes out as predicted.

Wishlist: Live View Exposure Preview for Nikon Z bodies When Used With Flashes

New AF algorithms, faster frame rates and the likes in new firmware updates are definitely nice to have - and let's be honest here I am really happy to see how much my Z6 and Z7 have transformed from firmware v2.00 into its current state at v3.40.

However the one feature that I really want implemented is the ability to totally enable live view exposure preview when using flashes.

As of now when the camera detects a flash attached to the hotshoe, it automatically disables live view exposure regardless what your d8 settings (for Z6/Z7) or d9 settings (for Z6II /Z7II) are.

Which creates 2 huge problems when using strobes as fill light - I don't know how much ambient exposure there is, and especially in backlit situations my main subject could get so dark that AF wouldn’t work properly.

My current solution is to map one of the Fn keys to disable flash, so by holding down the Fn button flash is disabled = settings are applied to live view = I can get a gauge of my ambient exposure and AF works as usual.

I think it would be simpler if there could be a firmware fix to just improve this - have a On/Off/Auto mode for d8 (d9 for the Mark IIs), where On will force live view exposure to be always on, Off will force it to be always off, and Auto will leave it on as default unless a flash is detected in the hotshoe.

Dear Nikon if you're reading this please see if this could be implemented! Many of my fellow Nikon Z shooters and I would definitely be very thankful!

Changing Lens Set-up

Now that I have gotten that little bit of negativity out of my system (refer to previous short and sweet post if you’re interested), it’s time to pen down some thoughts I have recently on how to optimize my lens set-up.

I love using prime lenses, especially when using my cameras in my own personal time, but distance restrictions or movement restrictions for my paid assignments usually force me to dual-wield my 24-70/4 + 70-200/2.8 pair instead.

I’ve been toying with the idea of swapping to the newly released (and very back-ordered) Z 24-120/4, and pairing it with my lovely 105/1.4.

Or perhaps pairing it with the Z 50/1.8 might be interesting too.

But a part of me am quite worried if the lack of the 121-200mm coverage might be detrimental to my framing when physical restrictions are in place.

And also with the Z 24-120/4, I wonder how much action my current Z 24-70/4 would see.

Decisions decisions..

Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8E vs Nikon Z 70-200mm f/2.8 S

Last year I came across a pretty good trade-in deal at my usual camera store for my 70-200 FL to upgrade to the Z 70-200mm f/2.8 S, so without hesitation I sold off the FL to them as I was more than happy to say goodbye to the FTZ adapter.

Not that the FTZ adapter was underperforming, or that the lens was not up to standard - it’s just that the added length and bulk from the FTZ adapter does make the Z6 slightly unwieldly, and also it does require a bit of a nudge to fit into my bag as well.

So yea, with the new Z lens, my set became leaner, fitting into my bag nicely, and handling was much improved as the overall weight balance and length of the set makes handholding much more comfortable.

I had been very happy and satisfied with my 70-200 FL as it does perform as expected, and I had made over 200,000 clicks on that lens. Until the day I parted with it, it was a phenomenal workhorse lens which I had created countless stunning images with; even more so when coupled with a Z body as front/back focusing issues inherent with DSLRs were no longer a concern.

Hearing that the Z lens performs even better than the FL, I was really looking forward to owning it and putting it through its paces.

However one thing that caught my attention when I first got the lens was that how its performance varied with subject distances; at close distances it performs as I had expected it to - sharp with plenty of details and contrast, whereas at medium to long distances, I find that the FL seemed to have better performance, especially for reproducing minute details.

I thought that it might just that I have not grown into the lens and perhaps I need to change my techniques a bit to get used to it, so I put that aside and just concentrated on using it as much as possible to learn more about its strengths, weaknesses and quirks.

But after 100,000 clicks or so on it, I am quite certain that my lens might have an issue with sharpness - it’s either decentered, or the VR unit is causing motion blur, or a mixture of everything.

Sigh, I should have trusted my gut feeling and exchanged it for another unit when the window was still open.

Guess I’m going to have to pay the service center a visit soon.