Haha, that was a good one! Have to say after watching I’m even more happy with my D6/D850 combo, I have the best of both worlds. The Z9 is amazing and I don’t own one, so I’ll hold off on completely spitting on those who do. I love Nikon, they are killing it with amazing lenses, incredible prices on the Z9 and 800pf lens, etc. What’s more important though to me, is reliability and that’s why I’m super hesitant to buy a Z9. My D6 just won’t miss, I mean I have to really screw up for my D6 to miss a shot, which is user error, not the camera. In my brief time with two sample/NPS Z9’s that I’ve played with, I found the Z9 learning curve too severe. I’m so used to my brain/eye/hand coordination and controlling AF by back button AF/AF Joystick. I honestly can’t remember ever feeling let down by my D5’s or D6, D850. They just work, no matter what and I love the WT-6A wireless transmitter…which the Z9 does not support. Being able to get images to my editors fast is incredibly important on big local/national news stories, like wildfires. I am a photojournalist and I just don’t have the time or patience to learn a whole new camera, let go and let the A.I. tracking do it’s thing. In my limited, and admittedly lacking time spent with the Z9, I felt it was costing me more images than it was getting me. Sure 20FPS does indeed best 14fps by a fair amount. Again though, I’m not feeling like I am missing out. Am I crazy? Or am I the only sane one here? Maybe I’m just getting old, I’m boring I guess., lol.
I went for the Sony A1 with 400mm to get that F2.8 - no regrets, my dream wildlife set up. Can always switch to aps-c or add on teleconverter for extra reach, but gives me greater flexibility, particularly when shooting large mammals. The A1 is an incredible camera - I can even AF on dragonfly’s in flight! Once locked on, is really sticky and keeps on subject. I have only ever missed AF with really messy background, and that is rare
My R5 afs on Dragon flys in flight centre point, expanded centre and so at, no problem. Even way after sunset at iso 12600. The a1 doesn't have bird eye tracking on video. My R5 does, and is much cheaper.
Wow wow wow ( 13:33 ) the Nikon Z9 using a SANDISK card and ( 14:55 ) the Canon R5 using a PROGRADE card and by using only 3D AF on the Nikon Z9 which only a SMALL BOX and using 2 type of AF combination on the Sony . What a comparison, well done ..............................
And 1 more thing, the picture was showing Nikon shooting 1) at 850mm at 1/80 f5.6 on BIF 2) Canon was shooting at 500mm 1/13200 f8 3) Sony at 1200mm 1/320 f8 on bird perching ?????? WOW , I think i will switch to Canon or Sony. Cause Canon and Sony picture look a lot more better.
The main issue with Sony is the lack of firmware support and not adding new features to the A1 that are implemented in their newer but cheaper cameras. At this stage, Nikons continued software updates have pushed the Z9 performance far higher, whilst the small firmware update to the Sony A1 a few months ago made the af performance on my camerea worse than before. If you buy an expensive top flight camera, whichever brand, you should expect that it is well supported and competetive for 3 years at least....In this mirrorless era, continued and frequent software/firmware improvements/support should be a given.....its part of the ownership experience..
The best part of your job (besides the money) is being able to have and use all camera brands (you never really have to choose 😊) as viewers that do have to choose its great to have you guys doing honest reviews on these cameras and lenses. The best part is you can’t go wrong with any of these three brands, they are all great. I moved from a D850 to a Z9 and it’s been the greatest upgrade of any gear that I’ve ever purchased!
It shoots 40 fps, $2,500, great grip, good af. If I’m a wildlife photographer I’d buy this all day. But if I’m a full time NatGeo photographer R3 wins me
Finally, Nikon has a good sensor. I have never liked the colors of the D1, D2, D3, etc... not accurate at all--way off. And now I am SOOOOOO happy they are using a Sony sensor, it's wonderful, what a perfect combination, I love it. the Z9 is awesome because of the Sony sensor. the best of both worlds.
Don't forget, if Nikon loses, it's Sonys fault. Because the the sensor is from Sony and you have this in your mind when shooting the Z9 as Tony told us.
I reviewed it in another video. This series is about what I’m choosing as my camera and how I make that choice. You could use all of my same criteria, or your own, to make an informed choice about the R3.
we all have our preferences, that's for sure. I been using Nikon for several years and still have a 7100 and a D850 which I still think is an amazing camera. I bit the bullet and ordered a Z7ii a couple days ago, not because its the best camera but for what I use my camera for there is just something about the image quality from a Nikon and the rendition of color to me is above all the rest, of course we all have out preferences and that's a good thing, this way we have more choices and more competition which we all benefit from no matter what platform your on. Cheers to you all! Thanks Chelsea for the great review!
Chelsea - You did a wonderful evaluation of addressing your honest opinion of all three Cameras, I truly enjoy viewing and listening to your presentations of Photography especially when it comes to your Favorite (WIld-Life Photography). I know that presenting information like this and being honest is greatly appreciated, Thank You so very much
Great review. My wife ordered me the Z9, which I wanted because it does great photography for my Landscape and Wildlife ( not much with birds) and I already have a lot of F mount lens so I can start off with the camera without having to purchase new glass right away.
Test was done with adapted lens on Nikon, that makes a lot of difference if you have shot native and adapted lenses, af is about thirty percent worse with adapted lenses. You also learn how to programm the af, there are about 6 options of af patterns that can be programmed to buttons, you deploy each according to the scenario. The buffer performance is tied to the card used. Delkin black is the way to go. All these cameras are great, but a great review can only be done by a pro from each system. I have come to understand that one person shooting multiple system will always have a limited knowledge.
Actually the Nikon Z9 can record 8K 60p RAW internally and 8K up to 30p in ProRes 422HQ. The camera can record 4K UHD at up to 120 with no cropping. Internal recording with 10-bit color and 4:2:2 sampling is possible in the ProRes 422 HQ and H.265 codecs, and H.264 and 4:2:0 color can be used. A drawback with the Sony and Canon cameras with high resolution sensors is the lack of any battery pack attachment that will hold a full size battery with power comparable to the Nikon EN-EL18d battery. One can use an external power source and USB-C cables but it is not as clean a solution.
Hi Chelsea. There you go. There you go. I have nothing critical to say about your review. Overall I think you did a good job on all 3 cameras. Like I said before, no camera is perfect and all 3 have strengths and weaknesses. I like the fact you highlighted the Z9 a bit with features not found on the Sony or Cano and you also mentioned weaknesses on the Canon with rolling shutter. Kudos. If the Z9 is a bit behind with AF bird in flight tracking, that's nothing a good firmware update can't fix. Not a deal breaker. All this being said. You are welcome on my Podcast anytime. Would love to have a conversation with you guys. Raw unscripted and real. Take care & ROCK N ROLL 🤘🏼🤘🏼🤘🏼
You may be correct that a firmware update would correct this but Nikon has already produced a major firmware update that supposedly addressed this issue but it didn't. The truth is that the A1 and R5 are vastly superior when it becomes to bird acquisition and tracking. I have been shooting birds, with the Z9, for about 4 months now and accept its autofocus limitations.
You forgot Olympus, a smaller sensor is ideal for wildlife as it inherently has better zoom. Gets excellent images with perfect colours at just the fraction of the cost.
As a 20-year-old Nikon fan with multiple cameras and lots of Nikon lenses. I do not like this kind of focus confusion with long zoom lenses, which is also reported in fixed subjects. Of course, I do portraiture and prefer to shoot with my Nikon cameras like the D850 and D3X. And if one day I am going to spend this amount, which is not a small amount, to buy this camera; Instead I go for the Fuji gfx100s medium format which has both much better output and much better noise control
Don't the Z mount native lenses focus a little bit better? I think there's 10 microprocessor pins on the F-mount lenses compared to 12 on the new Z mount lenses. It'd be interesting to see the af performance of the 400mm f2.8 Z with the new af motor compared to the F-mount equivalent.
This is just perfect, I Love watching you chasing wildlife and doing reviews on these 3 systems Chelsea, I think they are all good systems regardless, it is the photographer behind the camera.
Do these cameras give you the ability to bluetooth your photos directly from you camera to an iPhone to then post on Instagram or other social media platforms? Or are the files too large and you must make them smaller in a photo editor software?
I've used my R5 for wildlife for a year and a half now and I'm very happy and satisfied with my camera. But now, when it's autumn and colder days I really wish that Canon would give us a firmware update with the option of a shutter sound in silent mode like the R7. Autumn winter and spring can be very cold here in Scandinavia, and very often I simply can't feel the trigger. I have taken thousands of pics when I have "half pressed" the trigger button waiting for the right moment, when in fact I have pushed it too far/hard, resulting in a full buffer and no images. I just bought the R7, and shooting high frame rates with shutter sound is like magic. Losing feeling in fingers sucks! Dang, my English is super rusty!
Swallows in flight are tougher than anything you or any other channel has tried with these reviews. I would love to compare my swallow-in-flight pics taken with the Z9 and 500PF against anyone else's with any other combination. And that's with me never trying to photograph a swallow before the last few months.
It's 3 o'clock in the morning here in middle europe. Are you guys live? I can't sleep. Start to watch the Vid with mymini black panther. Thanks and cheers.
I'll just keep commenting and asking for Nikon to get their 200-600 out. Feels dirty having a Sigma on my Z9. Just not going to run the new compressed Raw type on the Z9 and not get an unlimited 20fps raw? Need some video talk in this comparison. That rolling shutter example for the A1 and Z9... not great lol
Sony a1 i think will be the top camera for a while still. I think it is so advanced that there's no need to upgrade. If your pictures are not turning out with either camera it's the photographers error. I think the Sony is a little power house and if you need that extra grip you can put it on. You don't have to carry that extra weight especially when your hiking taking pics of wildlife and you have one of those huge lenses to capture your subjects.
I find it funny about the importance of shooting 20 or 30 fps and show us the eagle photo with the fish which I believe was shot a few years ago with a much lower fps camera :-) I wish that this 'review' included some of the actual (nice) wildlife shots that you took with these combos. I mean several months and thousands of frames with the best wildlife gear money can buy, there should be loads of nice photos to include.
I would guess because of the sensor resolution 20fps is probably more than enough for most wildlife shooting, so the almost double resolution gives more reach if you crop, which is probably more useful than 20 vs 30 fps
6:42 mistake, the 30fps RAW files are not 12bit but 13bit. You should check Mark Smith on youtube, he has those 3 systems and let's say he knows his stuff!
Well as much as `i look forward to getting a z9, after taking a 6year hiatus from photography., I'm not sure how ``I'll react with all this cool A/F and all its hi tech features I can honestly say with my D3, D3s and D4 I was never wanting with better results though I shot differently than using face recognition, or any of the other cool features. I used AF single point, back button A/F and followed my subject and was always pleased with my results. Don't get me wrong there was always room for improvement but that was mostly me, better eye/hand coordination and muscle memory. This is gonna be fun!!
I've always had a great experience using KEH, however, you have to be fast, a lot of times if you wait too long to decide, the lens or camera you wanted could be gone. Happened to me a few times. Nikon was having issues in production before the pandemic, and they need to get that figured out if they want to stay competitive.
Does anyone here have problens with canon's animal eye af with spotted wildcats. I live in Pantanal, one of the best places for jaguars in the world, and my R6 goes crazy with the jaguar rosettes
I am so confused my head hurts, not long started photography and have a Nikon D5600, I know I need to upgrade my camera do I go D850 which is where I was leaning toward or go for the mirrorless option. I dont want to change manufacturer as my lenses are Nikon.....help please??
Personally I don't think the Z9 is all that behind in terms of autofocus. Focusing on very small subjects in the EVF with a busy background is not easy and the R5 and A1 handle that well, but any serious bird or wildlife photographer would not be framing a shot like that so this doesn't tell us much. Once the subject is actually in frame, the Z9 locks on and doesn't let go. There are hundreds of other reviews that showcase the capabilities of the Z9. I think these people sponsor Sony heavily. I haven't seen anyone else who has spent their hard earned money talk bad about this camera. At the end of the day, if the Nikon Z9 had such bad autofocus, I'm sure people would be complaining a lot more and missing shots. Note - Nikon may even be working on another update for their autofocus on small moving subjects in frame so don't rule them out. It just frustrates me when user error comes into play and people listen to this stuff and make a decision when this video displays poor skills of even knowing how to frame a subject and decide not to buy a great camera that costs less and works just as well in realistic situations.
Yeah I feel the test case isn't representative for what an actual photographer would be trying to capture. All this tells us is the A1 is better than the Z9 at locking focus on what will be a bad picture of a bird anyway.
We've been shooting all 3 for 5 months in a wide variety of scenarios and the Z9 is far behind the others. We used the field monitors to gather demonstrations for viewers but our conclusions are based upon a much broader experience.
@@TonyAndChelsea appreciate your reply. I just think our versions of wildlife photography are much different from eachother. I know when I'm trying to capture a photograph, it is usually eye level and the background is at least somewhat pleasing, which would give the Z9 a completely different hit or miss rate when it comes to capturing stills or birds in flight. I know you said you tested these cameras over the course of 5 months, but shooting birds straight up in the sky that are very far away didnt make much sense to me. Most people who are willing to spend 5 grand on camera body alone will be using a much broader set of their skills to get the images they are looking for. The way you were shooting "from what we saw in the video" just didn't give me confidence to trust your judgement and so I'm spreading that awareness and encouraging others to check out more videos that showcase the Z9 in the hands of other wildlife photographers before they choose not to buy one because of your review. Most wildlife photographers I know are patient and take a lot of time to learning about their subjects and how to respectfully get close to what they are shooting. All 3 of these cameras are great, but I felt the need to point this out for others interested in getting a Z9.
Fair and well-balanced review, highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of each of these amazing systems. Only thing i’ll add on the Nikon side, I’d love to see the same AF field tests with a native mount 400 TC and/or 800 PF. That F 600 4 is one of the few F mounts that does take a performance hit via the FTZ adapter.
They have the later version of the 600/4 and I can tell you that’s not the limiting factor on the Z9. I have the Z9 and the Z400/2.8 The AI subject detection still needs work IMHO
@@kuau714 A truly fair comparison can't be made if one setup has a legacy / adapted lens that has been measured to achieve focus slower (vs the same 600 4 on F bodies). That said, yes I 100% agree with you regarding subject detection / lock - I'm just not convinced that particular lens on the FTZ does not factor in.
No it's not fair. I think they deliberately used an adapted lens on Nikon to make it look bad. Heck even the slower 100-400 native lens will do better than any adapted lens, moreso for BIF photography.
I agree with Chelsea on KEH...I set myself up with a Nikon D800 and several supporting lens for much less than buying new. Very happy with my purchases with KEH...thanks Tony and Chelsea!
Quick explanation for the slower focus on the nikon on lower f stops. The nikon does stop down focusing up to f5.6. That means that it will focus at the f stop you set up until f5.6, which is slower, but sometimes more precise. Afaik the Canon, Like dslr's, always focuses wide open. Don't know about the Sony.
So, the R5 is not blackout free? Sony all the way! The ability to change size is priceless! 30 & 50 combo is unmatched! $6500 hurts! If Sony brings it down to $5499, it would entice a lot of enthusiasts! Come on Sony, hurry up! Might as well drop it down to $4999 and release the A1II already!
Z9 user are using wide area AF to track flying birds not 3D tracking. also the recall shooting function is generally assigned to the fn2 button on the lens so when you are watching wildlife that is stationary or moving a little you are in a low frame rate with 3D tracking, then as soon as you see some fast action you hit fn2 and recall a higher frame rate and whatever other settings you have assigned like wide area af mode and you are straight on the money. give it a shot.
We also tested wide area AF but found it performed worse than 3D tracking, often locking onto the background with no efficient means for switching back to the foreground subject.
@@TonyAndChelsea that’s curious I’ve not had that issue. I do attempt to position myself where I get an acceptable background for the final picture as I don’t find trees pleasing
I also noticed in this comparison the BIF were quite small in the EVF and this is where the Z9 AI subject detection really struggles. I think on this case using DX mode would help the AF system to some degree
@@TonyAndChelsea that's the reason for using the recall shooting function button you let go and press again to re acquire focus. you are also using an f mount lens for continuity but that's not really a fair comparison
is there a way to disable the SMALL squares in tracking? they really block the view of the BIRD HEAD. Without that you can tell where the bird is heading and hence tracking become more difficult. in this test R5 did not encounter those white bird in flight. I wonder if it too would lose tracking....
Question for you (and others in this section). I am not a wildlife guy, but want to learn. I am using Fuji xt3 (not gonna upgrade until the xt5). I plan to get the new 150-600mm lens. I am concerned about the f8 at the long end. However, I have seen most of the wildlife pictures are at f5.6 and above (many at f8). Should I just go ahead with that one or go for the 100-400, compromising on the reach (the fov gives close to 600mm on a apsc for sure)?
@@TonyAndChelsea Don't the Z mount native lenses focus a little bit better? I think there's 10 microprocessor pins on the F-mount lenses compared to 12 on the new Z mount lenses. It'd be interesting to see the af performance of the 400mm f2.8 Z with the new af motor compared to the F-mount equivalent.
@@FQ8 well, R3 has a lower resolution than A1 and Z9; and R5 has why lower readout speed than A1 and Z9. Actually Canon doesn't have camera that could fight A1 and Z9 at this point. Canon has speed or resolution, not both as Sony and Nikon. PS. That high readout speed is needed for electronic (silent) shutter which is quite beneficial for wildlife.
I can't be alone in being just so tired of hearing about Sony. Almost every TH-cam personality uses Sony now and it's all they talk about. Not every TH-cam viewer uses Sony and we're starting to quickly run out of content that isn't about Sony.
@@Vahagraphy Correct. But so very many folks are just gushing over Sony these days. More and more "I'm switching to Sony" videos. It's a quantifiable observation. To deny it is denying reality. Although denying reality is a pastime these days so I shouldn't be surprised.
Crazy how the A1 is the winner, yet, it's the camera people sell to switch to the OM-1. Of course this channel wouldn't test a M43 camera that would take down the full frames in wildlife 😂
@@MaestroDK actually it's a 80mp ff sensor with a crop, so if both setups use the same lens, the detail and resolution are gunna be the same when cropped down to pixel peep.
I would love you guys to review the OM-1 with the 150-400mm f4.5 and let us know how it stacks up against these 3. Unfortunately it doesn't look like the big 3 will release a Pro APSC camera (BSI Stacked etc) any time soon, I didn't want to ever go back to m4/3 but it does look like it's a great combo.
Everything was filmed side-by-side. Our conclusions aren't based on the screen recordings we showed; they're based on months of real-world usage. We grabbed examples to illustrate our problems to viewers.
Come on Chealsea, altough I see the advantages of Pre-Release function, this is nothing new and ground-breaking. Olympus has such a feature already since the EM1 II that was released back in 2016.
I think Canon has an advantage over both the Nikon and Sony if you're shooting jpeg. The HEIF files are a better option. Nikon and Sony really should think about adding that file format.
I still use mine Sony A7RIV and A7RIVA for wildlife and I am very happy with them, I do not change camera gear as often as some change the clothes... and I can crop a LOT !
Hey guys I'm wondering to buy a camera and shoot some, just asking - why should I care about all of these quality specs, if neither youtube nor other platforms support it - I mean the shown result is still fairly low... any ideas? For print? for real photos..?
Well Done, Chelsea… Fair and Balanced Review !! I shoot a D6 with the Nikon 500/4, and use aZ6ll for travel and landscapes; but I now prefer my a1 with the 200-600, cause it’s lighter and has excellent IQ.
Want more affordable wildlife gear? Check out my suggestions:
USED Canon R5: shrsl.com/3kmds
Nikon D500: shrsl.com/3kmdq
Canon 7D M2: shrsl.com/3kmdw
Canon 80d: shrsl.com/3kmdy
Nikon D850: shrsl.com/3kmdu
R5C?
@@k.o.t.o.n.
U7 no vb
And that bird had a family 😂😂😂😂
🙃
Maybe they lived happily ever after 😅😅
Haha, that was a good one! Have to say after watching I’m even more happy with my D6/D850 combo, I have the best of both worlds. The Z9 is amazing and I don’t own one, so I’ll hold off on completely spitting on those who do. I love Nikon, they are killing it with amazing lenses, incredible prices on the Z9 and 800pf lens, etc. What’s more important though to me, is reliability and that’s why I’m super hesitant to buy a Z9. My D6 just won’t miss, I mean I have to really screw up for my D6 to miss a shot, which is user error, not the camera. In my brief time with two sample/NPS Z9’s that I’ve played with, I found the Z9 learning curve too severe. I’m so used to my brain/eye/hand coordination and controlling AF by back button AF/AF Joystick. I honestly can’t remember ever feeling let down by my D5’s or D6, D850. They just work, no matter what and I love the WT-6A wireless transmitter…which the Z9 does not support. Being able to get images to my editors fast is incredibly important on big local/national news stories, like wildfires. I am a photojournalist and I just don’t have the time or patience to learn a whole new camera, let go and let the A.I. tracking do it’s thing. In my limited, and admittedly lacking time spent with the Z9, I felt it was costing me more images than it was getting me. Sure 20FPS does indeed best 14fps by a fair amount. Again though, I’m not feeling like I am missing out. Am I crazy? Or am I the only sane one here? Maybe I’m just getting old, I’m boring I guess., lol.
This is the line I am back to Sony again lol
I went for the Sony A1 with 400mm to get that F2.8 - no regrets, my dream wildlife set up. Can always switch to aps-c or add on teleconverter for extra reach, but gives me greater flexibility, particularly when shooting large mammals. The A1 is an incredible camera - I can even AF on dragonfly’s in flight! Once locked on, is really sticky and keeps on subject. I have only ever missed AF with really messy background, and that is rare
My R5 afs on Dragon flys in flight centre point, expanded centre and so at, no problem. Even way after sunset at iso 12600.
The a1 doesn't have bird eye tracking on video. My R5 does, and is much cheaper.
Awesome! I’ve got the a1 as well but not the 400mm f2.8 yet, someday tho! I’ve got 5 GM’s and working towards those goals.
Both canon and nikon also on have 400 2.8? Granted Canon's offering is not native.
I got to the end of this video, and I thought what a huge amount of work went into this to show us how each camera performs, thank you guys.
( 13:33 ) the Nikon Z9 using a SANDISK card and ( 14:55 ) the Canon R5 using a PROGRADE card
Wow wow wow ( 13:33 ) the Nikon Z9 using a SANDISK card and ( 14:55 ) the Canon R5 using a PROGRADE card and by using only 3D AF on the Nikon Z9 which only a SMALL BOX and using 2 type of AF combination on the Sony . What a comparison, well done ..............................
And 1 more thing, the picture was showing Nikon shooting 1) at 850mm at 1/80 f5.6 on BIF 2) Canon was shooting at 500mm 1/13200 f8 3) Sony at 1200mm 1/320 f8 on bird perching ?????? WOW , I think i will switch to Canon or Sony. Cause Canon and Sony picture look a lot more better.
Isn’t R3 better than R5 when it comes to wildlife photography? Why isn’t it in comparison??
T&C have explained here in the comments that the R3 does not have enough resolution for wildlife with the likelihood of necessary cropping.
Because this is old af
Therefore the canon r3 is terrible for sports as well which is what tony wants u to think 💭
Policeluber What? No, they've both said it's great for sports. They have different requirements and standards for wildlife and sports.
@@policeluber6720 it's great for sports, not so great for wildlife
The main issue with Sony is the lack of firmware support and not adding new features to the A1 that are implemented in their newer but cheaper cameras. At this stage, Nikons continued software updates have pushed the Z9 performance far higher, whilst the small firmware update to the Sony A1 a few months ago made the af performance on my camerea worse than before. If you buy an expensive top flight camera, whichever brand, you should expect that it is well supported and competetive for 3 years at least....In this mirrorless era, continued and frequent software/firmware improvements/support should be a given.....its part of the ownership experience..
Yeah, Sony is well known for that. They're all about the now
The best part of your job (besides the money) is being able to have and use all camera brands (you never really have to choose 😊) as viewers that do have to choose its great to have you guys doing honest reviews on these cameras and lenses. The best part is you can’t go wrong with any of these three brands, they are all great. I moved from a D850 to a Z9 and it’s been the greatest upgrade of any gear that I’ve ever purchased!
have you upgraded to fw 3.0 and if so did it improve a/f like for the bird a/d chelsea was talking about`?
Cheers
D
@@donmcphee2821 I don’t shoot birds, but I noticed a slight difference on the af stickiness. It was pretty great before.
Looking forward to seeing how the Fujifilm X-H2S with the new 150-600 measures up against these!
It shoots 40 fps, $2,500, great grip, good af. If I’m a wildlife photographer I’d buy this all day. But if I’m a full time NatGeo photographer R3 wins me
I tried that months . Really good too
The AF is going to hold it back.
I can't think of any birding comparison of cameras that compare to this. Thank you!
Try the Z9 with with Native S line 400mm f2.8 lens ...the comparison is not ideal as in Z9 it using adapted glass were in Sony it is the native lens .
Finally, Nikon has a good sensor. I have never liked the colors of the D1, D2, D3, etc... not accurate at all--way off. And now I am SOOOOOO happy they are using a Sony sensor, it's wonderful, what a perfect combination, I love it. the Z9 is awesome because of the Sony sensor. the best of both worlds.
Don't forget, if Nikon loses, it's Sonys fault. Because the the sensor is from Sony and you have this in your mind when shooting the Z9 as Tony told us.
as if almost all the other Nikons since D2H didnt have Sony sensors in them.
Is the R3 a better model to be compared with Z9 and A1 ?
I reviewed it in another video. This series is about what I’m choosing as my camera and how I make that choice. You could use all of my same criteria, or your own, to make an informed choice about the R3.
The R3 isn't a high megapixel camera, which we require for wildlife where heavy cropping is almost a given.
@@TonyAndChelsea Ah , I understood now . Can't believe the R3 is the most expensive full flame out there .
we all have our preferences, that's for sure. I been using Nikon for several years and still have a 7100 and a D850 which I still think is an amazing camera. I bit the bullet and ordered a Z7ii a couple days ago, not because its the best camera but for what I use my camera for there is just something about the image quality from a Nikon and the rendition of color to me is above all the rest, of course we all have out preferences and that's a good thing, this way we have more choices and more competition which we all benefit from no matter what platform your on. Cheers to you all! Thanks Chelsea for the great review!
Chelsea - You did a wonderful evaluation of addressing your honest opinion of all three Cameras, I truly enjoy viewing and listening to your presentations of Photography especially when it comes to your Favorite (WIld-Life Photography). I know that presenting information like this and being honest is greatly appreciated, Thank You so very much
What about Canon EOS R3? I think this camera should be in this review, not the R5.
It's lower megapixel, hence not ideal for wildlife. We've separately reviewed the R3.
Niral . In terms of class yes. In terms of resolution no.
Can we do a drop test? from 48 inches unto asphalt? that would be a test i want to see who survives. Because drop happens.
Great review. My wife ordered me the Z9, which I wanted because it does great photography for my Landscape and Wildlife ( not much with birds) and I already have a lot of F mount lens so I can start off with the camera without having to purchase new glass right away.
Good Choice.
I did the same thing and had previously purchased the FTZ II adapter in anticipation of buying a Z body.
summary; for wildlife, canon r5 best deal, sony a1 best camera, nikon z9 third. if you've got thousands to spend on a camera go for the a1.
Test was done with adapted lens on Nikon, that makes a lot of difference if you have shot native and adapted lenses, af is about thirty percent worse with adapted lenses.
You also learn how to programm the af, there are about 6 options of af patterns that can be programmed to buttons, you deploy each according to the scenario.
The buffer performance is tied to the card used. Delkin black is the way to go.
All these cameras are great, but a great review can only be done by a pro from each system.
I have come to understand that one person shooting multiple system will always have a limited knowledge.
Nope. The a1 doesn't have bird eye tracking on video. My cheaper R5 does.
Maybe, but I would bet that 99.99% of people would be plenty happy with any of them. I sure am
My comment is meant for Truth Seeker
@@jimgsewell 99.99% of people would be happy with r6, a7iv. these cameras above 3000 are niche cameras. all good, just a nitpicking.
All cameras were impressive. Great video Chelsea.
Thank you, Pauline!
It’s official, I like Chelsea’s videos better!! What a great host!
Actually the Nikon Z9 can record 8K 60p RAW internally and 8K up to 30p in ProRes 422HQ. The camera can record 4K UHD at up to 120 with no cropping. Internal recording with 10-bit color and 4:2:2 sampling is possible in the ProRes 422 HQ and H.265 codecs, and H.264 and 4:2:0 color can be used.
A drawback with the Sony and Canon cameras with high resolution sensors is the lack of any battery pack attachment that will hold a full size battery with power comparable to the Nikon EN-EL18d battery. One can use an external power source and USB-C cables but it is not as clean a solution.
Hi Chelsea. There you go. There you go. I have nothing critical to say about your review. Overall I think you did a good job on all 3 cameras. Like I said before, no camera is perfect and all 3 have strengths and weaknesses. I like the fact you highlighted the Z9 a bit with features not found on the Sony or Cano and you also mentioned weaknesses on the Canon with rolling shutter. Kudos. If the Z9 is a bit behind with AF bird in flight tracking, that's nothing a good firmware update can't fix. Not a deal breaker. All this being said. You are welcome on my Podcast anytime. Would love to have a conversation with you guys. Raw unscripted and real. Take care & ROCK N ROLL 🤘🏼🤘🏼🤘🏼
You may be correct that a firmware update would correct this but Nikon has already produced a major firmware update that supposedly addressed this issue but it didn't. The truth is that the A1 and R5 are vastly superior when it becomes to bird acquisition and tracking. I have been shooting birds, with the Z9, for about 4 months now and accept its autofocus limitations.
@@lcador9 fw 2.0 was not a major af update. Very minor.
You forgot Olympus, a smaller sensor is ideal for wildlife as it inherently has better zoom. Gets excellent images with perfect colours at just the fraction of the cost.
Chelsea prefers high megapixel cameras. These are all 45-50 megapixel.
And other funny jokes you can tell yourself
Stop lying to yourself.
You can adjust on the Z9 how long it will stay locked on when the bird goes behind a branch, etc and how long it will search for it after its lost.
Yeah we've been through every option.
That lock on settings don’t have an effect on 3D tracking which was only mode shown in this video.
thanks I have z9 and the a1 looking at the canon r3 this video is fair am a fan THE A1 rocks but I still have love for the Nikon z9
It isn’t a high resolution body
... and that bird had a family ... LOL! Another great video on this channel.
As a 20-year-old Nikon fan with multiple cameras and lots of Nikon lenses. I do not like this kind of focus confusion with long zoom lenses, which is also reported in fixed subjects. Of course, I do portraiture and prefer to shoot with my Nikon cameras like the D850 and D3X. And if one day I am going to spend this amount, which is not a small amount, to buy this camera; Instead I go for the Fuji gfx100s medium format which has both much better output and much better noise control
Don't the Z mount native lenses focus a little bit better? I think there's 10 microprocessor pins on the F-mount lenses compared to 12 on the new Z mount lenses. It'd be interesting to see the af performance of the 400mm f2.8 Z with the new af motor compared to the F-mount equivalent.
Z9 is for me..❤❤❤❤❤
Why didn't you mention Z9's 120 fps? I know there are some drawbacks but could definitely help in getting that perfectly timed shot.
It's really low megapixel. I'd use it for sports but not wildlife.
12MP JPEGS vs 45MP or 50MP RAW files? Not much of a comparison for wildlife shooting.
Did you know it's only 12MP and JPG only? The OM-1 does 120 with full resolution raws, plus 2x crop for more reach.
Nevernind, it's 11MP, not 12MP. Even worse than I thought lol.
I would never use that. Low quality images...and jpeg. Big numbers sound good for advertising the product though.
This is just perfect, I Love watching you chasing wildlife and doing reviews on these 3 systems Chelsea, I think they are all good systems regardless, it is the photographer behind the camera.
Do these cameras give you the ability to bluetooth your photos directly from you camera to an iPhone to then post on Instagram or other social media platforms? Or are the files too large and you must make them smaller in a photo editor software?
I've used my R5 for wildlife for a year and a half now and I'm very happy and satisfied with my camera. But now, when it's autumn and colder days I really wish that Canon would give us a firmware update with the option of a shutter sound in silent mode like the R7.
Autumn winter and spring can be very cold here in Scandinavia, and very often I simply can't feel the trigger.
I have taken thousands of pics when I have "half pressed" the trigger button waiting for the right moment, when in fact I have pushed it too far/hard, resulting in a full buffer and no images.
I just bought the R7, and shooting high frame rates with shutter sound is like magic.
Losing feeling in fingers sucks!
Dang, my English is super rusty!
Like the introduction to a great new full-featured film packaged in this inspirational piece.
When I saw the Z9 footage.... Chelsea, did you spit on the sensor again?
Sony! Hard to beat!And that bird had a family.. 💓
Does anyone know how the AF of the Z9/z8 performs now after several updates? Has it improved a lot?
Swallows in flight are tougher than anything you or any other channel has tried with these reviews.
I would love to compare my swallow-in-flight pics taken with the Z9 and 500PF against anyone else's with any other combination. And that's with me never trying to photograph a swallow before the last few months.
I thought the A1 did not do 30 fps with lossless raw. Also it is 15 fps if you dont use Sony lenses.
It's 3 o'clock in the morning here in middle europe. Are you guys live? I can't sleep. Start to watch the Vid with mymini black panther. Thanks and cheers.
Very good explanations of all the pertinent factors. Thank you for a great job answering my questions.
I'll just keep commenting and asking for Nikon to get their 200-600 out. Feels dirty having a Sigma on my Z9.
Just not going to run the new compressed Raw type on the Z9 and not get an unlimited 20fps raw?
Need some video talk in this comparison.
That rolling shutter example for the A1 and Z9... not great lol
“and that bird had a family” hahaha
Sony a1 i think will be the top camera for a while still. I think it is so advanced that there's no need to upgrade. If your pictures are not turning out with either camera it's the photographers error. I think the Sony is a little power house and if you need that extra grip you can put it on. You don't have to carry that extra weight especially when your hiking taking pics of wildlife and you have one of those huge lenses to capture your subjects.
That's the kind of video I expect from your channel. Very informative video. Love it
I find it funny about the importance of shooting 20 or 30 fps and show us the eagle photo with the fish which I believe was shot a few years ago with a much lower fps camera :-) I wish that this 'review' included some of the actual (nice) wildlife shots that you took with these combos. I mean several months and thousands of frames with the best wildlife gear money can buy, there should be loads of nice photos to include.
so wondering why you didnt use the Canon R3 instead, use all of the flagship cameras from each maker.
I would guess because of the sensor resolution
20fps is probably more than enough for most wildlife shooting, so the almost double resolution gives more reach if you crop, which is probably more useful than 20 vs 30 fps
>And that bird had a family.
lmao
Great video
6:42 mistake, the 30fps RAW files are not 12bit but 13bit.
You should check Mark Smith on youtube, he has those 3 systems and let's say he knows his stuff!
Well as much as `i look forward to getting a z9, after taking a 6year hiatus from photography., I'm not sure how ``I'll react with all this cool A/F and all its hi tech features I can honestly say with my D3, D3s and D4 I was never wanting with better results though I shot differently than using face recognition, or any of the other cool features. I used AF single point, back button A/F and followed my subject and was always pleased with my results. Don't get me wrong there was always room for improvement but that was mostly me, better eye/hand coordination and muscle memory. This is gonna be fun!!
Wow, that was one energetic and entertaining video. Loved the humor. Thank you.
Nice comparison, but why the Canon R3 is not there? It’s the Canon’s model that competes with the Z9 and A1 (until the R1).
It's low megapixel which is not ideal for wildlife which is frequently cropped. We own it but it's a sports camera.
I've always had a great experience using KEH, however, you have to be fast, a lot of times if you wait too long to decide, the lens or camera you wanted could be gone. Happened to me a few times. Nikon was having issues in production before the pandemic, and they need to get that figured out if they want to stay competitive.
Yep, if I see a good deal on KEH I buy it ASAP. Good deals don’t last
And that bird had a family....
😂😂 The best shots of humor are the ones you don't expect.
Great video, much infos, great work.
Does anyone here have problens with canon's animal eye af with spotted wildcats. I live in Pantanal, one of the best places for jaguars in the world, and my R6 goes crazy with the jaguar rosettes
There is nothing called the "ultimate camera" for any genre of photography.
I am so confused my head hurts, not long started photography and have a Nikon D5600, I know I need to upgrade my camera do I go D850 which is where I was leaning toward or go for the mirrorless option. I dont want to change manufacturer as my lenses are Nikon.....help please??
Personally I don't think the Z9 is all that behind in terms of autofocus. Focusing on very small subjects in the EVF with a busy background is not easy and the R5 and A1 handle that well, but any serious bird or wildlife photographer would not be framing a shot like that so this doesn't tell us much. Once the subject is actually in frame, the Z9 locks on and doesn't let go. There are hundreds of other reviews that showcase the capabilities of the Z9. I think these people sponsor Sony heavily. I haven't seen anyone else who has spent their hard earned money talk bad about this camera. At the end of the day, if the Nikon Z9 had such bad autofocus, I'm sure people would be complaining a lot more and missing shots.
Note - Nikon may even be working on another update for their autofocus on small moving subjects in frame so don't rule them out. It just frustrates me when user error comes into play and people listen to this stuff and make a decision when this video displays poor skills of even knowing how to frame a subject and decide not to buy a great camera that costs less and works just as well in realistic situations.
Yeah I feel the test case isn't representative for what an actual photographer would be trying to capture. All this tells us is the A1 is better than the Z9 at locking focus on what will be a bad picture of a bird anyway.
We've been shooting all 3 for 5 months in a wide variety of scenarios and the Z9 is far behind the others. We used the field monitors to gather demonstrations for viewers but our conclusions are based upon a much broader experience.
@@TonyAndChelsea I feel the opposite with my Z9 and R5. z9 improves over r5 but I wouldn’t say far better. Hmmm
@@TonyAndChelsea appreciate your reply. I just think our versions of wildlife photography are much different from eachother. I know when I'm trying to capture a photograph, it is usually eye level and the background is at least somewhat pleasing, which would give the Z9 a completely different hit or miss rate when it comes to capturing stills or birds in flight. I know you said you tested these cameras over the course of 5 months, but shooting birds straight up in the sky that are very far away didnt make much sense to me. Most people who are willing to spend 5 grand on camera body alone will be using a much broader set of their skills to get the images they are looking for. The way you were shooting "from what we saw in the video" just didn't give me confidence to trust your judgement and so I'm spreading that awareness and encouraging others to check out more videos that showcase the Z9 in the hands of other wildlife photographers before they choose not to buy one because of your review. Most wildlife photographers I know are patient and take a lot of time to learning about their subjects and how to respectfully get close to what they are shooting. All 3 of these cameras are great, but I felt the need to point this out for others interested in getting a Z9.
Fair and well-balanced review, highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of each of these amazing systems.
Only thing i’ll add on the Nikon side, I’d love to see the same AF field tests with a native mount 400 TC and/or 800 PF. That F 600 4 is one of the few F mounts that does take a performance hit via the FTZ adapter.
They have the later version of the 600/4 and I can tell you that’s not the limiting factor on the Z9. I have the Z9 and the Z400/2.8 The AI subject detection still needs work IMHO
@@kuau714 A truly fair comparison can't be made if one setup has a legacy / adapted lens that has been measured to achieve focus slower (vs the same 600 4 on F bodies). That said, yes I 100% agree with you regarding subject detection / lock - I'm just not convinced that particular lens on the FTZ does not factor in.
Sony a1 7000€ vs Canon R5 4500€ vs Nikon Z9 6500€. For it to be a fair review it should be A1vsR3vsZ9
No it's not fair.
I think they deliberately used an adapted lens on Nikon to make it look bad.
Heck even the slower 100-400 native lens will do better than any adapted lens, moreso for BIF photography.
@@phototester You can't add the R3 because it's using a low MP sensor...
I agree with Chelsea on KEH...I set myself up with a Nikon D800 and several supporting lens for much less than buying new. Very happy with my purchases with KEH...thanks Tony and Chelsea!
what happen to the 120 fps on the z9 would have love to get your take on that one.
Where did you shoot at?
Let's talk about shooting high fps in mechanical shutter and why your sensor will heat up and fry.
Good video, love the positivity about three awesome cameras!
Why didn't you add the tripod and gimbal used in this video in the shopping guide of gear used in the video?
Quick explanation for the slower focus on the nikon on lower f stops. The nikon does stop down focusing up to f5.6. That means that it will focus at the f stop you set up until f5.6, which is slower, but sometimes more precise. Afaik the Canon, Like dslr's, always focuses wide open. Don't know about the Sony.
Sony is wide open as well
So, the R5 is not blackout free? Sony all the way! The ability to change size is priceless! 30 & 50 combo is unmatched! $6500 hurts! If Sony brings it down to $5499, it would entice a lot of enthusiasts! Come on Sony, hurry up! Might as well drop it down to $4999 and release the A1II already!
Great review, but I was wondering why it's R5, not R3 as a Canon top camera? R3 would be more comparable to Z9 in terms of size and weight.
The R3 is a lower megapixel camera. Check our R3 review for some example photos that show why that's a huge setback for wildlife.
@@TonyAndChelsea Makes sense. Thanks for the answer!
At 4:00 min it says: Canon R5 1/32000th shutter speed. How did you do that? My R5 goes only up to 1/8000 no matter which shutter type I use.
Probably added an extra 0
yeah like James said, just a typo
Eagerly waiting to see the review of the new 400 tc lens from Nikon.
which sony mirrorless full-frame camera is the best budget camera in 2022
Z9 user are using wide area AF to track flying birds not 3D tracking. also the recall shooting function is generally assigned to the fn2 button on the lens so when you are watching wildlife that is stationary or moving a little you are in a low frame rate with 3D tracking, then as soon as you see some fast action you hit fn2 and recall a higher frame rate and whatever other settings you have assigned like wide area af mode and you are straight on the money. give it a shot.
We also tested wide area AF but found it performed worse than 3D tracking, often locking onto the background with no efficient means for switching back to the foreground subject.
@@TonyAndChelsea that’s curious I’ve not had that issue. I do attempt to position myself where I get an acceptable background for the final picture as I don’t find trees pleasing
I also noticed in this comparison the BIF were quite small in the EVF and this is where the Z9 AI subject detection really struggles. I think on this case using DX mode would help the AF system to some degree
@@TonyAndChelsea that's the reason for using the recall shooting function button you let go and press again to re acquire focus. you are also using an f mount lens for continuity but that's not really a fair comparison
What tripod setup was used in this video
is there a way to disable the SMALL squares in tracking?
they really block the view of the BIRD HEAD.
Without that you can tell where the bird is heading and hence tracking become more difficult.
in this test R5 did not encounter those white bird in flight. I wonder if it too would lose tracking....
The OM-1 for the win!
It would be nice if the OM-1 was reviewed on this channel. Even a very short video. =)
OM-1 vs. R7: Who will take the crop algorithmic autofocus crown??? $600 (price difference, that is) is at stake!!!
Near 7:30 is that a spot on the sensor?
Question for you (and others in this section). I am not a wildlife guy, but want to learn. I am using Fuji xt3 (not gonna upgrade until the xt5). I plan to get the new 150-600mm lens. I am concerned about the f8 at the long end. However, I have seen most of the wildlife pictures are at f5.6 and above (many at f8). Should I just go ahead with that one or go for the 100-400, compromising on the reach (the fov gives close to 600mm on a apsc for sure)?
12:20 No one finds that bird ever again and that bird has a family ... what a comment
Awesome job Chelsea! I love these types of videos!
What lens was used on the Z9?
The latest 600 f4
@@TonyAndChelsea Don't the Z mount native lenses focus a little bit better? I think there's 10 microprocessor pins on the F-mount lenses compared to 12 on the new Z mount lenses. It'd be interesting to see the af performance of the 400mm f2.8 Z with the new af motor compared to the F-mount equivalent.
@@ryancampbell1151 odd they didn’t want to mention “non-native f mount lens and teleconverter” and “adapted”. Just said latest lol
The R5 is amazing considering it’s not even in the same price bracket as Z9 and A1!
Yeah I totally agree. It's also coming up on its 2-year birthday! It won our camera of the year in 2020 and it totally deserves it.
@@TonyAndChelsea I love mine but I’m shooting on the Canon 1v hs atm 😍
Should have been the R3 in this shoot out.
@@FQ8 well, R3 has a lower resolution than A1 and Z9; and R5 has why lower readout speed than A1 and Z9. Actually Canon doesn't have camera that could fight A1 and Z9 at this point. Canon has speed or resolution, not both as Sony and Nikon.
PS. That high readout speed is needed for electronic (silent) shutter which is quite beneficial for wildlife.
You'll notice the price difference when you see roller shutter. And FPS dips when you have less battery life. Good camera for the price though.
I can't be alone in being just so tired of hearing about Sony. Almost every TH-cam personality uses Sony now and it's all they talk about. Not every TH-cam viewer uses Sony and we're starting to quickly run out of content that isn't about Sony.
plenty of content that's not Sony centric.
Seems like you didn't hear about the Nikon Z9 and the Canon R5 here in the video.
@@29chhangte Seems like you're trying to be needlessly confrontational.
@@Vahagraphy Correct. But so very many folks are just gushing over Sony these days. More and more "I'm switching to Sony" videos. It's a quantifiable observation. To deny it is denying reality. Although denying reality is a pastime these days so I shouldn't be surprised.
@@capturelightmedia look who's talking
Crazy how the A1 is the winner, yet, it's the camera people sell to switch to the OM-1. Of course this channel wouldn't test a M43 camera that would take down the full frames in wildlife 😂
I bought an OM1...the camera is amazing! 3 times the OM1=1 times the A1.
Small sensor with just 20 mpix won't take down any FF sensor in low light.
The OM1 has so many advantages, I accept the disadvantage.
@@MaestroDK actually it's a 80mp ff sensor with a crop, so if both setups use the same lens, the detail and resolution are gunna be the same when cropped down to pixel peep.
"people" ??????????? You cal 0,1% people??? Come on man!
Amazing video. Very deep and informative. Glad it shows the equivalent in metric system for the rest of the world.
I would love you guys to review the OM-1 with the 150-400mm f4.5 and let us know how it stacks up against these 3. Unfortunately it doesn't look like the big 3 will release a Pro APSC camera (BSI Stacked etc) any time soon, I didn't want to ever go back to m4/3 but it does look like it's a great combo.
Looks like a nice workout!
Interesting to see the actual AF performance on video!
This was an awesome comparison video. Great vibes too! You gotta teach some of these other reviewers to loosen up a bit!
“…and that bird had a family.” Love the sense of humor.
Ha!! Tracking a gray bird in gray clouds vs tracking in blue clouds... Hmmm
Everything was filmed side-by-side. Our conclusions aren't based on the screen recordings we showed; they're based on months of real-world usage. We grabbed examples to illustrate our problems to viewers.
@@TonyAndChelsea those scenes are a little too chaotic...
Come on Chealsea, altough I see the advantages of Pre-Release function, this is nothing new and ground-breaking. Olympus has such a feature already since the EM1 II that was released back in 2016.
Yeah we also liked it when we reviewed it on Olympus cameras.
Fantastic review - have loved this channel for over a decade!
I think the lack of camo on the Nikon lens spooked the AF 🙃
I think Canon has an advantage over both the Nikon and Sony if you're shooting jpeg. The HEIF files are a better option. Nikon and Sony really should think about adding that file format.
Tested thoroughly? 70,000 shots with each camera? Come on, that's like half an hour of shooting with these beasts. 😂
Neither do I shoot wildlife nor do I have the money for these cameras but its still fun to watch
I still use mine Sony A7RIV and A7RIVA for wildlife and I am very happy with them, I do not change camera gear as often as some change the clothes... and I can crop a LOT !
Hey guys I'm wondering to buy a camera and shoot some, just asking - why should I care about all of these quality specs, if neither youtube nor other platforms support it - I mean the shown result is still fairly low... any ideas? For print? for real photos..?
Well Done, Chelsea… Fair and Balanced Review !!
I shoot a D6 with the Nikon 500/4, and use aZ6ll for travel and landscapes; but I now prefer my a1 with the 200-600, cause it’s lighter and has excellent IQ.
Ok. Chelsea, straight up. You had me laughing out loud when you were like.
“And that bird had a family”.
Thanks.