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| Got my Nikon Z8 last week | Rate Topic |
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| Posted by Gert: Thu Jun 8th, 2023 16:09 | 1st Post |
| First of all you might wonder who is this guy, well I did occasionally (not not often) post on the old forum and did make the move to here but then "forgot" to checkin. Now I am so excited about my new Z8 that I have to share it with someone, so I am back  First thing I did was to turn off the fake shutter sound (hate fake sounds), put it in high speed (well only 20 pics/sec not the 120 one) and pressed the release - noting happened, no sound, no blackout, same real-time view in the viewfinder as before - so wondered what I was missing, let go of the release button to check the settings... ... Only to realize the camera has stored more than 200 pictures on the CFexpress card  - that felt so surreal, when you are used to the "tak", "tak", "tak" sound from mirror/shutter it is going to take some getting used to in a good way  I have an Z7, so not entirely new to mirror-less cameras, but the Z7 view-finder shudders at "high speed" and you can hear the shutter working and is thus never in doubt when it is taking pictures - the Z8 is in a completely different animal.
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| Posted by Gert: Thu Jun 8th, 2023 16:24 | 2nd Post |
I am not a wildlife photographer, but is still curious about the new AF subject detection, so first outing was some (mechanically) horses - interestingly it chose one of them (closest), but highlighted one of the others, thus giving me the option to shift the AF to the other one. Click here to comment on this image.
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| Posted by Gert: Thu Jun 8th, 2023 16:43 | 3rd Post |
Being curious about the eye detection, but lagging a proper long lens, I put a 1.4 TC on my 70-300 AF-S (with ZTFii) and went to Slotssøen in Kolding and found some geese, but they are so accustomed to people that they hardly bother to move, but this one did walk a bit and the AF did catch its eye. Click here to comment on this image. Lack on sharpness is due to the tc combo and the fact I shot the lens wide open (f:/5.6) - should probably have used the 2.0TC and AF-S 70-200 (2.8) instead.
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| Posted by Gert: Thu Jun 8th, 2023 17:33 | 4th Post |
| When it comes to manual focus the focus peaking setting is very handy, and a great help when trying to figure out how much you need to tilt a tilt/shift lens. As are an example is here two "viewfinder" pictures (apologizes for the bad picture quality) where the focus peaking is show as yellow dots First the lens in normal setting:  Click here to comment on this image. Notice how the yellow "dots" stops at the rear of the model car. Next is tilting the lens:  Click here to comment on this image. Notice how the yellow "dots" also covers the rear of the model car (look at the number)
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| Posted by Gert: Thu Jun 8th, 2023 17:36 | 5th Post |
And the actual pictures shows the difference in sharpness Click here to comment on this image.  Click here to comment on this image. And if the focus peaking is not precise enough, then there are the possibility to zoom the viewfinder view to 100% by pressing a button
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| Posted by Graham Whistler: Thu Jun 8th, 2023 19:52 | 6th Post |
| Gert good to see you back and thanks for sharing your images with us.
____________________ Graham Whistler |
| Posted by Eric: Thu Jun 8th, 2023 23:51 | 7th Post |
| Thanks for the info on focus peaking, Gert. Certainly shows the value of that feature. Keep posting your exploration of the Z8. Not sure anyone else is using that model, so it will be interesting to hear what you find.
____________________ Eric |
| Posted by jk: Mon Jun 12th, 2023 11:08 | 8th Post |
| I would love a Z8 if it had GPS built in. I am tired of Nikon missing such a useful feature on a top end camera. I think that the Z8 is a junior version of the Z9 but I am a little tempted to try a Z9. Nice shot of the Ferraris in Germany (I guess). Keep up posting the animal images taken with the Z8 as I am interested to compare how the Z8 compares with the D850.
____________________ Still learning after all these years! https://nikondslr.uk/gallery_view.php?user=2&folderid=none |
| Posted by Gert: Mon Jun 12th, 2023 20:33 | 9th Post |
| Thanks Graham, Erik, and JK. The focus peaking feature is not unique to the Z8, it is available on the other Z cameras and I would assume other brands have a similar feature. It was not until I played around tilting my shift/tilt lens I realized how useful this feature is – normally I have mapped the “OK” button to zoom the viewfinder at 100% and uses that for manual focus. The ability to focus with the viewfinder at 100% is the first time I am not missing my F5 waist level finder when doing manual focus. At Jk, considering my location states Denmark, you are really bad at guessing – actually the picture was taken in my home town (Vejle) when some members of the Ferrari owners club was paying a visit to an establishment called MyGarage. The Z8 is a Z9 in an smaller body at a lower price which means some features had to go, like the GPS. Just as with the D850 I am using the GPS link from my phone using the SnapBridge app. Which one you prefer is down to personal preferences, after I downsized from D3 to D800 I have learned to appreciate the smaller form-factor, for instance, not having the additional grip means you can get away with a more compact photo bag. So when the Z9 came out I really wanted one but found it too large and too expensive and which they would make a smaller and less expensive version – when the Z8 was introduced it was what I was hoping. The shortest answer to how the Z8 compares to the D850: I have sold my D850!
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| Posted by Eric: Mon Jun 12th, 2023 22:50 | 10th Post |
Gert wrote:Thanks Graham, Erik, and JK.Wow - that’s some compliment! I felt the 850 was the best ‘all round’ Nikon I owned.
____________________ Eric |
| Posted by Gert: Tue Jun 13th, 2023 20:19 | 11th Post |
Eric wrote:Wow - that’s some compliment! I felt the 850 was the best ‘all round’ Nikon I owned.I think the D850 is still one of the best DSLs, but when the Z8 arrived I had a D850 and a D800 (as backup) - but since I can use all my existing F mount lenses on the Z8 via the ZTF(ii) adapter with almost full functionality (only "screwdriver" AF is not supported), and the Z8 impressed me with its responsiveness and speed, I quickly conclude that one of the D models had to go. Second hand value of the D850 is significantly higher than for the D800, so the logical solution would be to sell the D850 and keep the D800 in case I would miss the DSLR feel.
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| Posted by Gert: Tue Jun 13th, 2023 20:29 | 12th Post |
| Another way of looking at it, is me downsizing but still having a camera with pro features (just as when I went from D3 to D800). Here is a picture of my small photo bag where the content covers 14-120mm all at F:4 (Z8 + two Z lenses) - I added the D800 with 24-70 F:2.8 for scale  Click here to comment on this image.
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| Posted by Gert: Sun Jun 18th, 2023 21:08 | 13th Post |
| Friday, a local historical museum had an inauguration of new exhibition, where I had the chance of taking pictures of the speakers as well as the attending people. An excellent opportunity to test face/eye detection AF. It works even when when people are wearing glasses (100% crop)  Click here to comment on this image. Although, I was a bit frustrated, because the Z8 often used face detection instead of eye detection, but when I got home and looked closely at the pictures it turned out that people was looking down and I was placed to much on the side (also 100% crop).  Click here to comment on this image. Where there was a group of people the camera would not always choose the person I wanted, but that is also asking too much, because the person I wanted was to the closest person. Fortunately, had I mapped on of the buttons to switch to single censor AF, so I could easy switch out of full auto and take control. Previously, I have mostly used singe censor mode (never used the face detection on the D850), so with all the different AF settings on the Z8 there is a lot to learn. BTW the pictures was taken using the Z 24-120 F:4; I am quite pleased with that lens, it is sharper, more compact , and wights less that the F AF-S 24-120 VR F:4 - seem like a win, win, so my strategy is going to gradually replace the lenses I use the most with Z lenses but keep the more exotic F lenses (.e.g 24 / 45mm tilt shift) and use them with the ZTF adapter.
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| Posted by jk: Sat Jul 8th, 2023 14:05 | 14th Post |
| Hope you are still enjoying the Z8 Gert. I went to London this week so I had a chance to test a Z9 which was very nice. Compared to my Fuji XT5, it seems huge but the AF and other features are very quick and the camera is very tempting! A Z8 may be equally so but with the lesser price. The new v4.0 firmware for the Z9 is rumoured to be coming to the Z8 soon but if it does this may be a game changer and make the Z8 even more tempting but for the extra £1000 the Z9 does it all.
____________________ Still learning after all these years! https://nikondslr.uk/gallery_view.php?user=2&folderid=none |
| Posted by Gert: Mon Jul 10th, 2023 19:57 | 15th Post |
| Hi JK, I am very much enjoining my Z8 and have not missed the D850 for one second! The Z6/Z7/Z9 all seem to be rushed to the market and needed a few firmware updates before they where at full potential, however the Z8 fw rev 1.0 is very much like the Z9 fw rev 3.0 and as such a great camera in the initial version. Sure the Z9 fw rev 4 have more improvements, but does not seem as “must have”. BTW the Z8 has 2 features which the Z9 does not have: “portrait impression balance” and “Skin softening” – I have not tried then out, but sounds like things you could fix in post process if shooting “RAW”. Price wise, the difference here in Denmark is more than £1300 which could by you a Z 14-30 S 4.0 or Z 24-120 S 4.0 and still have money to spare (but not both ) Camera size is always a compromise, for instance if you put a large lens on a small camera then the balance is wrong and it is more difficult to hold it still than with a larger/heavier camera. Whatever compromise is the best is very individual and if you feel the Z9 is best for you then I am not going to ague. When it comes to AF speed if feels like the lens has a lot to say, e.g. with my F AF-S lenses, then AF feels just as fast as on the D850 (in single AF point mode), but the new Z lenses feels faster, at least when we are taking about the ‘S’ versions.
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| Posted by jk: Wed Jul 19th, 2023 22:02 | 16th Post |
| Gert, I have the 14-30 f4.0 Z mount and it is every bit as good as my 14-24mm f2.8 AFS F mount. I nearly got tempted into a Z9 when I was in London the other week. However whilst I really want the GPS that comes built into the Z9, the Z8 is closer to my needs but in truth my Fujis XT5, XH2 are closer to my preferred size as they are more like FE and FM in their operation. If the Z9 firmware v4 comes to the Z8 which I suspect will happen in the next few months then I may think again about getting rid of my D850 for a Z8, but the Z9 still tempts! 
____________________ Still learning after all these years! https://nikondslr.uk/gallery_view.php?user=2&folderid=none |
| Posted by jk: Wed Jul 26th, 2023 17:45 | 17th Post |
| OK I succumbed to the itchy wallet syndrome and I now have a nice new Z9. Got rid of all my old F mount cameras (D600, D700, D800, D850, D3S), 85mm f1.4 AFD, 400mm f2.8 AFS as I use them very little these days. Still needed a top up of £2k to get the Z9 but at least my inventory is reduced. Kept my D500 and all my AFS lenses as they work with the FTZ adapter on my Z7 and Z9 as well as the Fujis with a Fringer adapter.
____________________ Still learning after all these years! https://nikondslr.uk/gallery_view.php?user=2&folderid=none |
| Posted by Gert: Sun Sep 3rd, 2023 16:25 | 18th Post |
jk wrote:OK I succumbed to the itchy wallet syndrome and I now have a nice new Z9.Congratulations JK, I am sure you will enjoy your new toy
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| Posted by Gert: Sun Sep 3rd, 2023 17:05 | 19th Post |
| I am back from vacation which started at the oldtimergrandprix at the Nürburgring and gave me a good chance of testing the AF tracking. First thing to do (actually first thing to do when you get the camera) is the eable "focus point display" in af-c mode, that is, the camera will show the AF-point as green when it has achieved focus (should be the default setting but it is not...) - you can also choose a separate colour for 3D tracking. First thing, I tried was 3D-tracking and it worked really well, place the focus point on the car to track and once the camera has achieved focus (goes green) you can see how the focus point follows the car as it moves across the frame and focus stays green all the time! 3D-tracking has two "modes", the items you enable within "AF subject detection" will have priority, that is, if you only enable car then it will try to detect a car. However you can disable "AF subject detection" then it will use the subject colour combined with closest priority similar to 3D-tracking on the Nikon DSLRs. I have constructed a small sample image - the first 6 frames is at 30 frame/sec and missing sharpness is due to me not being good at tracing with 400mm lens at 1/100 sec. The 5 last frames is also taken at 20 frame/sec but I skipped some in order to show more information  Click here to comment on this image.
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| Posted by Gert: Sun Sep 3rd, 2023 18:00 | 20th Post |
| When it gets darker then the 3D-tracking can be confused if there are lights overpowering the light on the subject, for instance, the car lights are the most powerful light source. Here is an example at 1/100 f:1/5.6 ISO 7200 - keep in mind the frame rate is 30 frames per sec, that is, the camera is still on trac in less than ½ a sec.  Click here to comment on this image. I found a workaround by using the "wide area AF mode", where you can customize the area size, so I created an area (with / height) matching the outline of a car and placed it on the car. Wide area mode detects the subject - based on "AF subject detection" setting - or uses closest subject. This made it possible to track cars until it was so dark you could barely make out the car silhouette by the naked eye. Example ISO 25600, 1/100 sec, f:1/5.6  Click here to comment on this image.
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| Posted by Eric: Sun Sep 3rd, 2023 18:17 | 21st Post |
| That’s a very interesting and useful test, Gert.mThanks for posting it. Seeing the last image with the large numbers of exposures, it made me remember how good digital photography is compared to film. So many shots for ‘free’.
____________________ Eric |
| Posted by Gert: Sun Sep 3rd, 2023 18:49 | 22nd Post |
Eric wrote:...Yes, imagine a film SLR being able to do 30 fps, you would shoot for one 1 second and then have to insert a new film roll That said, I had to buy a new CFexpress card to match the writespeed of the Z8. Benefit is you can shoot jpg at 30 fps without hitting the buffer limit, that is, you can keep shooting as long you can hold the camera. If you prefer raw then it can keep going up to 12 fps - if you start with 20 fps then it shoot a few seconds at 20 fps and when the buffer if full it continues at 12 fps.
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