The camera is made exactly for people like me. I'm not a professional but rather an advanced amateur photographer. My main goal in photography is to document my everyday life and my family. Sometimes I photograph small jobs like weddings etc. I'm also a kind of hybrid person between retro and modern. I like to take analogue photos every now and then, but I look at the pictures on my MacBook. I like listening to vinyl records but with modern speakers. I've had the Nikon zf for a few months now and I love it and would recommend it to anyone who feels the same way as me.
Got the ZF because my patience ran out on the availability of the Fuji X100v6 .. boy am I glad the Fuji wasn’t available.. I love my ZF especially the image quality 💯
I own a Zf and I love it. I think the intended market for the Zf was 2 groups. Group 1, people who had the original Z7/6 that finally wanted to experience usable autofocus but don't need the power (or size) of the Z8/9. It's also packed with a ton more video features than them AND it's dynamic range blows them away. I've been so shocked with the images I've been able to get in almost no light situations, even in the dedicated b&w mode. Group 2, fujifans and Leica fans. This body is the smallest full frame offering from Nikon. I know it's heavy compared to other brands smaller/entry level bodies but the for it's size.it is packed with goodies. This camera made shooting magical again for me. Like I was in high school again shooting on my Nikon FE2. My Z7 was alright (except the AF of course) but the Zf just makes me.want to go and shoot anything. I find myself just holding it in my hand at night while watching TV with my wife and kids just in case.
Guilty, I'm belonging to group1 and didn't want to wait for Z6 III, also liked the required re-thinking to make use of the dials, requires a bit of concentration, but also points my mind more into the direction of proper setting selection. Bought the SmallRig grip with the camera, as without it, it's really only useable with the small lenses (I prefer the 40mm f/2). Got me a (not much) used 24-120mm f/4 which together with the 14-30mm f/4 and a (rarely used) 150-600mm Tamron gives me all the reach i need for being an enthusiast, not a pro. Also prefer the 20MP over the higher resolutions, still those are 1.5 times the size of a 4k Monitor. I have to scale those down, what is the favor of scaling a 60MP picture even more ? I rarely crop, I try to make my composition in a way it almost fits (it nearly never fits exactly, based on the 4:3 ratio). Compared with the Z6 I, I won a (much) better autofocus, a slightly faster system and a better reach with the 24-120 vs the 24-70 f/4 I owned before (which was a nice lens too, made a lot of good pictures at a friends wedding). Having 2 card slots is also nice as it doubles capacity for me, who usually stores raw and jpeg together. The SD cards are also not as expensive than the CFExpress used in the Z6 especially with higher capacity (64GB+).
@@michaelst.9055 Same! I love this camera. All of the photogs saying that this isn't a real camera for serious shooters is super biased. I love Ken Rockwell's channel and website and I always check out his site when new gear comes but he just about hates the Zf and thinks it's for fake photographers. About the only thing I disagree with him on, which is funny I've also seen a lot of pro's but one as a back up to their Z8 or as a second film body. The weather sealing on it is unreal, even better than the Z7, which is also what drew me to the Z line in the first place. I saw a video from nature photographer Morten Hilmer where he took it out and used it. He has a clip of himself falling into a river while the Zf is recording video and the camera gets fully submerged. It never stopped recording, it never had a failure or water ingress of any notable kind. I was blown away. I love shooting in the rain and around water in general. Having that kind of peace of mind around liquids alone makes this a pro camera for me. I'll concede that at best it is a prosumer body as it does lack some of the more robust features and insane customization of flagship bodies, but this body isn't meant to compete with them. It's meant to sit below them and to also attract a new audience to the Nikon Z line. Also, I just adore all of the Z lenses that I've purchased. I have mostly stuck to buying the s line of lenses and their heft is easy for me to overlook because of the clarity and brightness that I'm able to get with them. I have a couple of 1.8 primes for when I want to have a lighter kit, but my 24-70 S f2.8 almost never leaves my ZF body.
Group 3 here. Someone who started with film as a teenager in the early 2000s and went back to it when I decided keeping up with digital cameras was way too expensive. Been shooting exclusively on a Nikon F3 and developing at home for years. Even have a Noritsu LS600 scanner at home. This camera makes sense to me. Modern mirrorless cameras are usable and I understand them but this thing feels natural.
@@ryanwilson246 yes! Same for me. How could I forget. Same exact experience. Did high school dark room photo, minored in photo in college. The main criticism I've seen of this body is by pros saying it's not good enough for "real" photogs. For my pro work this camera works and helps my work flow. It's a lot of camera in a small package. It's no Z9 or Z8 but not everyone needs those for pro work.
@@ryanwilson246 I also own an F3, FE2, and a FM3a. The F3 and the FM3a are probably my all time fav bodies to shoot with, even over the new mirror less bodies I've run with. There's just something about steel and nickel!
Simply put, I think the Zf is for someone who fancies the heritage flavor of shooting with a Leica M, but who doesn't want to fork out the obscene amount of money an M body fetches; or, for someone considering a Fujifilm X-T5 for similar reasons, but who wants a full frame sensor.
It is not only because it is much less expensive than a new digital Leica M that I chose the Zf to satisfy my appetite for "analogue" designs. I used to own a M10 (also 24MP) and can testify without the shadow of a doubt that the Zf is the better camera on absolutely all fronts, starting with speed of operation (the digital Ms are ridiculously laggy) and reliability under stress (no RF calibration drifts, weatherproofing, etc), not mentioning the long list of useful features. The M11 provides a 60MP sensor, which looks good on paper, but shoots way above the focusing capabilities of a mechanically coupled optical rangefinder, not mentioning the limitations of a non-stabilised platform. Leica M is only competitive as a film camera. The Zf is the digital master of retro done right.
@@brusselssprout1 I couldn't agree with you more, which is probably a big part of the reason I don't own a digital M, but rather a Q2 instead. But the Zf is currently my favorite digital camera overall of all the digital cameras I own. Not my most capable, necessarily (that title goes to the Z9), but definitely my favorite to pick up and shoot with.
Lol the nikon menu is complicated? I guess you have been Sony user for too long. Sony menu is one of the most complicated menu from all cameras out there.
I was thinking the exact same thing as I watched, I hated my Sony menus, they made zero sense and there weren't enough shortcut buttons. Once you setup your iMenu shortcuts on your Nikon, it's second nature, plus you still have a plethora of on-camera (and sometimes lens) buttons. I am a Z8 shooter though, and my everyday carry is a Ricoh GRIIIx for portability.
So if I am used to Nikon you would definitely not recommend to switch to Sony A7C , I am here to look which better fits me. This Nikon ZF or that Sony. Use for photography mostly nature and food in dark/cosy restaurants.
8:14 Are you sure that you figured it out? Omar had NOT figured it out. It's because Nikon's Auto-ISO offers more than the ones of Fuji, Canon and Sony. It's not just either full manual ISO or Auto-ISO with a max limiter. It's an Auto-ISO with a max AND a LOW limiter. So here is the important addition to using the ISO-wheel in Auto-ISO mode: It sets the MINIMUM !!! ISO in Auto-ISO mode. Explanation: As Nikon bodies will always choose the lowest possible ISO at any given aperture/shutterspeed the more important thing you CAN change using the normal thumb wheel or the ISO-wheel of the ZF is the MINIMUM ISO. So in Auto-ISO the ISO-wheel doesn't only overwrite your max ISO. Setting it below your max ISO it also sets the minimum ISO. Use cases: So let's say you are in manual and your max. ISO is 12800 and min. ISO 100 and you are using a flash. By raising the min. Auto-ISO you can bring up the ambient light without lowering your shutterspeed below 1/60. Or suddenly there's more action and you need generally faster shutterspeeds. But you don't want to go full manual. Again just raise the min. Auto-ISO. And as you still need the entire ISO-wheel in Auto-ISO mode for setting the minimum ISO you can't just have an A on that wheel for Auto-ISO. Because that would limit the ISO-wheel just to dial in Auto-ISO and then remaining there without using it further for minimum ISO. Cheers from Stuttgart
Stand by the sentiment that it’s more complicated than it should be. The fact that you needed to write a dissertation to explain it is silly. And hello to Stuttgart! I spent a Christmas there (and a few nearby towns). Such a lovely area
@@kylemeshna I believe these ISO control "Issues" stems from folks not reading the manual to understand how the camera works and expecting it to work as they think it should, rather than how it was designed to work.
I find it ironic that people complain about having to unnecessarily twiddle about with manual control settings on a camera that features manual controls and is marketed at people who like twiddling about with manual controls, unnecessarily, lol.
The other method is to set you maximum iso sensitivity in the menu on 200 ...than you can use the knob to set the iso and override that for instance to 1600 MAXIMUM iso...or whatever you want
If you passed from Sony to the Zf , you just left a good but sanitized camera to a camera with a look and a soul. So Wellcome in the real world of passion of photography :).
I contemplated a lot between Fuji, Sony A7C and the Zf. However, I pulled the trigger and I absolutely love my Zf. I think its perfect for me as I am not neither a novice nor a pro.. but I just enjoy taking photos (Street / landscape). Having the manual dials made me shoot manual more than other modes, B&W switch is great and finally I have a camera that doesnt look like every other camera out there! Great review and thanks for the presets. Subscribed!
Man... I've had the ZF for a couple of weeks and you nailed all my thoughts on it. It's such a weird camera for me. I love the image quality. I love the speed. I hate the ergonomics and the lack of lenses that fit the overall look and feel. As a stills photographer, I hate the screen, and as someone who knows what video shooters kind of look for in a screen, I hate even more that they threw all the ports on that side of the camera knowing it would block the screen. This camera feels like a really, really good first attempt at a retro-inspired digital camera, but I feel like they tried to make it a jack of all trades and missed the mark just a tiny bit in a few critical areas. In the end, it's a better camera than I thought it might be, and I absolutely love the shooting experience for the most part. I think a ZF2 could be a really perfect camera if Nikon continues to pursue this avenue of retro-inspired digital cameras.
There is no way you can make a retro vintage look camera, with a modernised grip. If you want a grip, get a different camera. Why would you ruin the lines and authenticity?
8:14 I struggled with the ISO settingson my Zf too at first. But really, Nikon got it right. They got it REALLY right. Here is why. ISO does not impact your exposure. Radical thought to many, I know. But it's true. Because changing your ISO does not change how much light gets onto the sensor, only changing the aperture and shutter speed does that. So if you set your aperture and shutter speed and only change your ISO in between your shots, you are always shooting with the same exposure values because you always let exactly the same amount of light onto the sensor. Changing the ISO only determines to what degree you want to amplify the signal on the sensor. Since signal amplification (ISO) really is only relevant as to what your preference towards signal to noise ratio is (how much grain you tolerate) and the exposure on digital cameras is only determined by shutter speed and aperture, this is how Nikon chose to implement the Zf - as a camera that gives photographers the tactile interface to do just that. There is a reason the M mode is all the way to the top. Here is how it works: You set your camera into manual. Like an actual mechanical film camera. Then you set your shutter speed and aperture according to your artistic vision as a photographer. On the ISO dial, you set the maximum aperture you tolerate the camera to go to. If the camera cannot get a metered "correct" exposure in manual mode with the steps above, it will show you but still expose to your settings. If you're set the camera to either A or S, it will adjust either shutter or aperture to stay below you ISO ceiling you set on the ISO dial. If you want to shoot at any ISO or below: just set it on the dial. Genius. For people who shoot primarily in manual mode and want the camera to select ISO based on the metering mode, what Nikon have done here is genius. It's the best implementation of this I have seen on a camera yet.
[ISO does not impact your exposure.] I think that is wrong, but you are welcome to prove me wrong. Set you camera to manual and chose whatever shutter speed / aperture combo you want and then set the ISO to manual too. If you now change the ISO manually, I can guarantee you, the exposure you see in your files will have changed. It will have been baked into them, even into your raw files.
@@HJN67 you don’t get it. ISO does not change how much light enters the camera, ISO only changes by how much the light that did enter the camera gets signal-amplified.
@@thedarkslide Though you are technically correct, you are also wrong. We are talking photography, not physics. If you change a setting in the camera, and that setting moves you from a correct exposed image to an overexposed image with burned-out highlights, it is changing the exposure, from a photographer's viewpoint. You can call it "gain" or "signal amplification" all you like but at the end of the day, it changes the amount of brightness in the final pictures. For a photographer (though nice to understand the science behind) the effect it has on the final picture, is what matters. If a beginner in photographer, ask me how he can get a "correct exposure" (his pictures are too dark), when taking pictures at a concert, and he only have a f4.0 zoom lens and he need to keep the shutter at 1/125 to not get blurred pictures, I would say "raise the ISO" as that will raise the brightness in his photos and give him a "correct exposure". And though that might not be a "technically" correct answer, there is nothing you can say that will change the fact, that it is also a correct answer.
Nice review. The following is not intended to be critical of what you said - just another POV. NIkon's full line of 1.8 S primes all work well with the Zf (assuming you use any one of the numerous 3rd party grips that are all very affordable (Smallrig, Neewer etc). It is true that they do not 'look' the part the way the 40mm and 28mm dom but they are optical masterpieces and are not too big or heavy to work nicely on this camera. Likewise, the 24-120 F4 S lens is a gem to pair with this camera. Yes it is a little bigger, but again with the grip it is still very manageable - I shot a 5 hour event with this combination and it was not too difficult and got spectacular results. That said, this camera is clearly not for many professional uses and it does not claim to be - rather it is a retro camera for every day - throw in the bad and go uses, that happens to also be capable enough to compete with the pro cameras and its IQ is second to none. Your point about it having a soul really stands out - it definitively does - and Sony's as you also point out definitely do not - they are very sterile and frankly boring to use. Sony's get the job done to be sure (but none better than a Z8/9 - but I digress), however I would never opt to just walk around with a Sony camera for casual/fun/hobby type shooting - they simply do not add to the enjoyment of photography - I'd say they actually subtract from it. Ultimately, if any of the issues that you mention as negatives would be a bother to a perspective buyer then they should most definitely wait for the Z6III which will be a beast of a camera and likely the best in the market for $2500 or less upon its release in the next few months. It will be even more powerful than the Zf and have a great grip to handle any lens and also be a beast of a video camera - but this is really for a different use case... The Zf - simply put - is for those that love photography and the art of photographing, and oh by the way it can also do just about everything else (almost) that an A7 IV can do in a pinch. -PD P.S. I know you mentioned this (sort of) but all those great Sony lenses can easily be adapted to the Z system by way of the Megadap adaptor where they achive near native and even native functionality in many cases on the Z system. So for those people that already have these lenses - they are just as good on your Nikon as on your Sony... just something to think about.
@@izgil7541 That is actually not what I said - I said that it is not for 'many' professional uses and by that I mean it is not designed with those uses in mind ergonomically - if it were, if would literally be the Z6III. My comment does not mean that the camera is not cometent enough to use for pro uses - which it is and I have - just that it is not the camera you would want to be holding for an 8 hour event with a heavy lens like the Tamron 35-150 2-2.8 or a 70-200 2.8S for example. Clearly its IQ is second to none and its AF is top notch - so it can be used professionally - it is just not the camera that Nikon intends for us to use for longer photo assignments. I hope this helps to clarify what I said :) -PD
I found the best ISO setting on the Zf that I've ever experienced in any camera. Basically you must activate auto iso and limited the auto ISO to the lowest number possible in camera settings (the minimum allowed it's 200 iso) than control the maximum ISO on the ISO Dial mechanical. It's super easy
Omar Gonzales actually did not understand the ISO dial and Auto ISO. You can set your preferred ISO value using the dial in auto mode. Auto ISO will then pick a value equal to (which it will prefer) or higher (if said value is impossible) than the value chosen on the dial. Look at the ISO number on the screen. If it is in Auto ISO and blinking, the camera tells you that your ISO value is impossible. If the value is shown constantly, it can expose correctly using that value. This is actually the way Auto ISO has worked on basically all Nikon digital cameras. Auto ISO on Nikon is relatively sticky, i.e., it will stay on the user selected value until no longer possible. In the case of the Zf, you can thus actually switch to a semi-automatic mode if the dial is not on C.
8:14 Exactly. Omar had NOT figured it out. It's because Nikon's Auto-ISO offers more than the ones of Fuji, Canon and Sony. It's not just either full manual ISO or Auto-ISO with a max limiter. It's an Auto-ISO with a max AND a LOW limiter. So here is the important addition to using the ISO-wheel in Auto-ISO mode: It sets the MINIMUM !!! ISO in Auto-ISO mode. Explanation: As Nikon bodies will always choose the lowest possible ISO at any given aperture/shutterspeed the more important thing you CAN change using the normal thumb wheel or the ISO-wheel of the ZF is the MINIMUM ISO. So in Auto-ISO the ISO-wheel doesn't only overwrite your max ISO. Setting it below your max ISO it also sets the minimum ISO. Use cases: So let's say you are in manual and your max. ISO is 12800 and min. ISO 100 and you are using a flash. By raising the min. Auto-ISO you can bring up the ambient light without lowering your shutterspeed below 1/60. Or suddenly there's more action and you need generally faster shutterspeeds. But you don't want to go full manual. Again just raise the min. Auto-ISO. And as you still need the entire ISO-wheel in Auto-ISO mode for setting the minimum ISO you can't just have an A on that wheel for Auto-ISO. Because that would limit the ISO-wheel just to dial in Auto-ISO and then remaining there without using it further for minimum ISO. Cheers from Stuttgart
@@CatPixStudio yes. It sounds a bit more complicated than it is. I always say that you can think about this as a „semi-auto“ mode. But you just have to know that Auto ISO on Nikon is different from the rest. Better? Maybe for some. Worse? Maybe for others.
@@CatPixStudio actually all other cameras also allow setting min and max Auto ISO settings. The problem is that Nikon (and Canon too) makes you to dive into menu to change the Auto ISO settings (except the min ISO). With Sony and Fuji you can just program a button to change the other settings immediately.
@@ElementaryWatson-123 The problem is that on every other Z camera (other than the Zfc, I guess), you DON'T need to menu-dive to turn on/off Auto ISO, you just hold ISO and use the front command dial to change it. Since the Zf does not have an ISO button, you have to menu dive to turn it on/off.
I started as a Nikon DSLR with the D70. Bought some lenses and then was "forced" into Canon. The d70 broke and recently got replaced by a second hand one so I can use the lenses I have. I am getting old and won't be doing photography professionally anymore. Maybe the Zf is a nice investment in a nice full frame that looks nice too and can last me till the day I die and put a smile on my face when I use it.....
ISO on the ZF is not complex. Set the dial for the intended ISO and change it there. Zero complexity. I think that feedback is like the grip complaint. Nobody complains about Leica grip?
This is so true… if you shoot in full manual you need to do exactly the same clicks whether you use the dedicated dial or a custom button along with a wheel. Really, no complexity there…
Exciting, extremely focused, relevant and truly informative content. I’m a pro observer. Went through your script and this is absolutely beast. Thank you sir.
Re Nikon Z lenses: the native Z lenses are superlative performers, and while their aesthetics are 'industrial' and do not flatter the retro vibe, quite a few of them, beyond the 40 and 28, stay compact and light enough to be comfortably carried and used with a gripless Zf. Specifically, the 24, 35, 50 and 85 f/1.8 quatuor and 24-70 f/4 zoom will bring you "best-in-class" IQ with zero downside. You can of course also use the 26 pancake which I find quite a bit more "biting" than the 28. Even the superb 14-30 f/4 balances well enough. So, there i plenty of choice within the range. I routinely use the 24-120 with the Zf + Smallrig grip, and it also passes the test, but that is as heavy/large as I am willing to go with that body. And you are right, the Z-mount Voigtlander lenses do mesh perfectly with the Zf, if you give up on AF.
I think it fits pretty well, I'd say the lenses that are not small but not huge either are the awkward ones, once you put a lens on there that's much bigger, you actually hold the lens more than the camera and that makes it easier.
Are you saying a long lens attached to the Zf is difficult to handle, as in the camera might slip from the hand or introduce shakes when shooting handheld, or that it doesn’t look like a film camera anymore but still handles fine?
Been using the Zf for about as long as you. I think your review is quite accurate. I often go for this camera over my Leica, which says a lot. You did not mention the tech art adapter for m lenses. This addresses one big issue: small excellent quality lenses. They look and feel great on the Zf and they lean into its strengths. I wish for a very beefy grip to hold the 100-400 size lenses, mainly so I don’t buy a Z8, lol. The ISO method implemented by Nikon is best dealt with as follows: “set the max iso to the lowest possible menu setting, leave auto iso on, and use the dial to “override” the max allowable iso in the field. My wish list for future versions of the Zf would include: 47 megapixels, native z lenses with manual aperture rings, even better evf, and an iso dial with auto iso right on the dial. Also, if I could go back to 2016 when things were less easy, I’d probably stay there but that would be a topic for a whole other TH-cam channel.
Another super useful feature of the Zf ISO settings, and probably the most important one so you can just set and forget it in the menu, as mentioned by one of the comments on the Omar Gonzalez ISO video was: "I set the max ISO to 200 so that I can use the dial to control max ISO. The dial will override the max ISO. So if I’m shooting in mixed lighting, I can quickly increase the ISO on the dial. This is the best implementation of auto ISO I have used."
As a 10 year+ Nikon shooter this is a really fair review. I love the idea of the Zf but I can't compromise on the lack of a grip so I'm sticking with my pair of Z6ii for now (for weddings).
My first SLR was the Nikon FM2n. It didn’t feel uncomfortable to use. It was blocky but smaller than the Zf. It carried well in small fanny back albeit like a mini brick so it went many places with the E series 50mm attached. Your comment that we have improved ergonomics for a reason is exactly what I thought when I tested it out at a show.
I got my Z f for 3 1/2 months and I really love it! Video is not a topic for me (at the moment), so the Z f is the perfect "photo tool" for me. I got the 28mm Z (came with my Z fc 2 years ago) and some Viltrox lenses (20mm, 40mm & 85mm) but I keep using some F-Mount lenses from the ART Series (35mm, 50mm & 105mm) and some others. That works pretty fine. The best thing about the Z f is how easy it is to use (vintage) manual focusing lenses like Nikon AIS 50mm 1.2 or 105mm 2.5. I used MF lenses with the Nikon D800 and always missed the focus peaking I got with my Pentax cameras years before. Now with having the Z f I back on having the same or even better support of MF lenses! 😃 I'm a hobbyist and photography is a "head cleaner" for me - I can totally forget about the job and other things while running around in my city and taking pictures. The build quality & haptic suits me, having the Smallrig grip attached makes also using heavy lenses ok (Sigma 105mm 1.4 3,62 lb/1,64 kg).
I'm researching this camera and others because I'm preparing to sell my Fuji equipment if the next firmware fails to fix the auto focus. Thank you for your input and your experience with the camera; well done, mate.
How is the weathersealing on the camera?? I'm looking to upgrade from my ZFC for this primary reason. So many times I'm not able to bring it out, because it is not weathersealed.
I have the Zf as a second to my Z9. Sometimes I prefer the Zf, does everything I need it to do and more. It’s also exceptionally versatile as a second body. B cam for filming, walk around camera for travelling and day to day life and sometimes when I’m shooting landscapes I’ll put my 800mm on it to photograph wildlife nearby.
Regarding the menu complaint, does this Nikon not have the custom menu page like some of the DLSRs? I usually set every setting I use to the custom page in the order that I want so they're quick and easy to access.
Really enjoyed your chat-style thoughts on Zf. For those who always want AF, I think of it as a fixed-lens camera with this crazy feature of being able to switch between two focal lengths.
Thanks for the video! I am here because I want to invest in a new full frame and want to know if you would recommend the Sony A7C or Nikon ZF. Mostly nature and architecture but also food in restaurants with bad light and since I have kids also fam life. I saved some money last 2 years for the Sony because I did put my mind on that camera.. but I always had Nikon before so since this came out I am doubtful which one to go for. I don’t want to regret afterwards.. and I am looking for a real reviews/advice from people who worked with both since they don’t gave the ability to test them before you buy here in NL 😊😊😊
The nice thing about the 6bit to artisan adapter is you can also just adapt other mounts to m mount and stack the two adapters (like, I’ve done Nikon F->m -> Z and it has worked fine)
@@maroon2k I haven't noticed that issue but I'm sure it depends on the adapters. I'm not sure I focus at infinity all that often, so I can't say for sure. But I'm guessing it depends on the adapters, and possibly could be more likely to be a problem simply because you're dealing with more adapters.
The Nikon Zf needs the Sigma "i series" lenses in Z-mount... I have the 35mm f/2 for my Sony and it's amazing ! They have the 20mm, 35mm, 50mm and 65mm f/2 which are all great and could give that vintage feeling to the combo with an amazing image quality !
Thank you for this video! Ive been contemplating to get the X100VI but the wait is killing me! And after holding the Zf, i fell in love with the feel and the looks. Now the question is, could it replace my A7c as edc camera/serious setup. For that i still havent found the answer.
Hay Kyle, I wonder if you would do a video on what would be a great photo centric camera for professional photography.. Im starting out on a journey to become a full time professional and I only have an old m4/3 that had some issues. I'm looking at what system to buy into and I'm stuck between sony (A7 stuff ) and nikon.. or what else may be the best tool. I don't need video. Cheers
Nice review but I don’t get the a lens rant. The Z line lenses are super good and you forgot the 26mm pancake. 1.8 series is much better than the similar lenses from Sony. Also the f4 zooms (14-30, 24-70, 24-120) are as good or even better rag typical 1.8 primes stepped down to f4. Also Z mount gives you the flexibility to adapt and mount any other mount lenses whether they are from canon, Sony, leica etc
Such a phenomenal camera. I sold my z8 for it as i never shoot video or sports. Only thing I wish they did is put a tilt screen since its a photo centric camera. I hate the flip put screen.
1. Yes. Although it is a heavy brick basically which may not be the best handling option. You have to try it in store first is my suggestion. 2. No. Well, yes but no. You have the option to use custom picture profiles. But they don’t offer the same amount of options as Panasonic or Fujifilm.
I bought ZF from release 18 months ago to make a second body with Z7ii. However, as you said the prime lenses after all this time are not there. Hence, I am about to move to Sony with A7RV & A7CR. The other annoyance that has bugged me for the last 4 years with Nikon, is not only the complication on the ZF, but why you cannot assign a button to adjust minimum shutter speed in auto ISO. You have to go into a menu or shoot manual mode with auto ISO. Err... A simple firmware update. After 4 years waiting I have lost all patience. The other annoyance with my Z7ii is if you shoot in a crop mode eg. square, beware because when you get back in post you are stuck with square because you don't get the full sensor read out. I am a newcomer to your channel, while reasearching Sony lenses.You talk so much sense about what the equipment is like in the real world. As a keen amature landscape photographer based here in South Devon UK after 10 years shooting on Dartmoor,Exmoor and our beautiful coastlines I need a camera that is quick to adjust settings with changing conditions. Having to go to my menu, ISO settings, Auto ISO, minimum shutter speed. I wish I had known that bird was going to fly into my scene 5 minutes ago. I have many wonderful photographs on the walls in the house that have been shot with Nikon and it will be sad to see them go. No more. Sure Sony probably has it's nuances too, but they can't be as bad as something so simple. Thank you Kyle for being a great educator.
Honest opinion: last March I bought my first Nikon, the Zf. 6 months later the screen display is not working 😏. 15 years with Sony (apsc and FF) and never had any issue. Fujis too (X100, XPro1, XT3) and no problems so far.
As far as I recall the ISO dial of Nikon Df was setting the max ISO value when in auto-ISO mode. I think it was very useful. Is that not the case with the Zf?
I absolutely adored the image quality from my Nikon Df back in 2016, but the autofocus killed me. It look so long waiting for them to improve on that design and they finally did with the Zf. I'm so glad they packed a bunch of capability into the Zf and didn't make the mistake they did with the Df where they basically put the D600 inside.
ZF is a beautiful and tempting camera but with the current Sony trade-in promotion I bought the A7CR for $2200 it's not as beautiful as the ZF but it has a lot to offer for such a tiny light FF camera great for street and travel shootings. Great video, sub
I am not sure there is a lens situation with Nikon. Nikon has about 45 native optics for Z, Sigma and Tamron have been releasing lenses for the last year or two for native Z. There is probably something like 100 Z mount third party primes from Viltrox, 7Artisans, TT Artisans, Voigtländer , Pergear, Laowa and more. That is before we get into being able to very successfully mount every F mount lens ever made, E- Mount Sony lenses and so much more. If you can't find a lens in all of this, the lens does not exist.
@@MattIrwinPhotography it's irrelevant information, the lenses that people want/like are predominantly e-mount, so much so that many choose to adapt e-mount lenses rather than buying native z-mount.
As a photographer only, it's beyond me why Nikon put the screen on it as they did. Ijuyst use it as a fixed screen. I bought this camera but my next purchase will be a D780 to go along with my Df. I don't like the Z lenses on the whole ( I do have the 40mm & 24 to 70 F4 S which will be it for me), but overall the primes are just too long. Being on fixed income I'm quite happy with F mount lenses.
I want Nikon to make a monochrome sensor ZF, as an option in their next iteration just to poke at Leica a bit. Also I love the flip screen because I dont have to get on the floor to take a low angle shot.
I agree. They could easily make a monochrome Zf. A monochrome sensor is the same as a regular one with the color filter array (CFA) removed. There should barely be an uptick in price. And it would definitely sell and probably dent Lecia’s mono sales.
I only buy old used Nikon DSLR bodies and love them. The Zf seems great & I shot with an FE2 back in the film days so the ergonomics will be fine for me. The issue is price - I won't buy a camera body for over £1000 U.K. - so it will be a couple of years at least until I try one.
"It's honestly probably the closest thing to a digital equivalent of manually focusing with a rangefinder." Probably more like manually focusing with an SLR. As to the menus, AF settings, for example, can be found [or programmed] into one of the custom function buttons, and they are also available in the dedicated "i" menu [which can also be customized for whichever of the twelve most common controls you use (and which entirely changes between stills and video at the flip of a switch).
Kyle, appreciate the effort, the extensive review of your likes and dislikes - after using the camera for some time. I do not own it, nor plan to, but enjoyed your review of the pluses and minuses. I do shoot Nikon, and understand some of the consternation over the menu system in general. For the Z9, I needed to lay it all out on an Excel spreadsheet - but I do utilize banks, so keeping many of the shooting settings the same between banks was important. Let me start by saying, I agree, that adjustments to the ISO in any camera should not be difficult or challenging. Now, please before you roll your eyes, hear what I'm about to say. Please be one of the "new" generation thinkers that realize there is no such thing as an "Exposure Triangle". Specifically, ISO - in almost all cases - is amplification of signal all ready captured - and has noting to do with exposure directly - but yes, indirectly helps you balance out how bright your image is and effects the settings of aperature or shutter speed you pick (which do change exposure). When I first started photography a few years back, I said the same thing to someone you would know on a large channel, and I received a very nasty reply . Fast forward: Just recently he released a video on another topic and now claims he doesn't like the term "Exposure triangle" - that it's more like a balancing board. Thank goodness for progress. I know this is a very side issue, and I could care less what others believe here. But I believe influencers should try and get the terms and definitions straight. There's plenty of literature on this. Just like many talented photographers influencing on TH-cam are now handholding the camera away from their body - looks cool, but really? Anyway, loved the video, and your effort, so sorry for the rant, but if I didn't think you would listen, I wouldn't bother.
@@kylemeshna Karl Taylor and Simon D'entremont both uploaded video tutorials recently that cover the topic. Simon's a bit more. Karl Taylor at 1min 20 sec in th-cam.com/video/jkEuoTcXNeA/w-d-xo.html. Simon @ 50 seconds in: th-cam.com/video/YtNpV0w4Rjw/w-d-xo.html
I have a Leica Q3. Rented a ZF out of curiosity. The ZF with the 35mm 1.8 produces photos that are just as good as the Q3. The retro 28mm and 40mm lenses are OK at f8, but leave you wanting a bit more at f2.
Kyle - I've got two camera bodies right beside me on this desk. One is the Fujifilm X-T5. I love this camera. I've had nothing but good experiences. I shoot stills so even autofocus isn't an issue for me. The other is the Sony A7iii, which scratched the "yOu nEeD fUlL fRaMe" itch. It's fine. But like every human says, "it's fine." Does it make ANY sense to have the X-T5 *and* the Zf? They LOOK basically the same. I love the physical dials of both. And then I'd have APS-C and FF. BUT, Sony has ten billion more lenses (especially with adapters and 3rd party), annnnd, it feels weird to have nearly two identical bodies. Oh, and I'm a hobbyist. None of this "matters" work wise. :)
Been using a pair of ZF camera bodies for wedding photography since July. Absolutely love the this camera. It's the Nikon DF that should have been. I get people don't like the small grip, even Fuji X-T bodies have larger grips. But I make do, as I support the camera by the lens, not the body. I've done this going back to my days with the D300 and D3. The grip (or lack thereof) side of the camera, for me, is just there for button placement memory. It just blows me away that this camera is only $2,000 USD, whereas the old Nikon DF, which was a crippled camera with the awful Nikon D600 autofocus module, 1/4000s shutter speed, etc... and they sold the DF for $2,750 USD. The Nikon ZF is anything but a crippled camera designed as jewelry for the casual camera hipsters. I completely admit, the silver DF looked outstanding with the old Nikon black and silver manual focus primes, and even the newer old AIS primes. But here are, and the ZF is a legit workhorse. It's going to kill me when Nikon releases a silver ZF. LOL And yes to your comment on the Nikon lens line-up. Much work needs to be done. And I wish they would have bit a bit more thought into the Nikon 50mm f/1.4 and 35mm f/1.4 - and designed those two lenses with a bit more of a retro/film lens vibe. ...considering both lenses kinda have a old school film vibe in their rendering.
This is how a camera review is done, good job. By the way, Nikons in camera B&W is second to none. Leica monochrome is close but at a much higher cost. They just need to rethink this camera a little more and do a ZF2
Since I fell in love with the Voigtländer 50mm f/2 APO on my Sony cameras, I really wanted a more experience focused camera that lets me enjoy those manual lenses even more. The Zf is what I was looking for. Will probably be my Christmas present for myself.
I bought it because I am already pretty deep in the Nikon ecosystem. Plus I sold my inflated valued at the time fuji x100v to fund it. Sold the fuji for 1600 so it was an easy transfer to get into the z system (most of my stuff has is f mount). Its a good gateway camera until I can get my hands on a z9😊
As a wedding photographer Zf is awesome for me, it's autofocus is quite fantastic, sensor stabilization is nice also Love it's low light iso too, I love to buy another second body of Zf in spite of Z 8. The Zf is cheap choice over Z8.
They will make more lenses as more people buy the camera. Camera comes first and then lens according to demand. Orderly process. Make sense? I use a techart adapter with a Voigtlander 28 mm 2.8 m mount on the zf. Try it and you agree there is no need for Nikon to spend more money to develop their own.
The lenses they have made already are massive is my main issue. Like the Nikon ZF 20mm is almost twice the size of the Sony 20mm. Shouldn’t need a stable of adapters to get a good image. Yes there are loads of good Nikon lenses, but they were so slow to adopt mirrorless that the native lens selection is very far behind as well. This will certainly change, but that’ll take years
There are lots of lenses that aren't too heavy or big for this camera, i use the 85mm 1.8 a lot. The z7ii is my backup camera and has almost the same dimensions as the ZF and i never had issues regarding weight and size of the combinations. (bear in mind the z9 is my main camera which is a lot heavier) That being said i don't think Nikon will be able to produce lenses of the same quality that Sony has in the small sizes that you are looking for mainly because of the fact that the Z mount is the biggest out there amongst the full frame camera's. The size of the Z mount has a lot of advantages but also has the main drawback that lenses will always be bigger and heavier due to the size the mount and the glass.
I have the Nikon ZF and ZF c along with the Z6 MKII. The three cameras make up part of my cameras set that goes back 16 years. My Fujifilm XT3, XT5 and XH2 make up my Fujifilm part, these two systems are different from my other camera systems as they are the only ones that have a traditional designed body along with a retro style camera. I don't have any film cameras that I use my film days are long gone. The ZF, ZFc and the XT3 AND XT5 are my chill cameras, i enjoy the dials and use them when I want to slow down and smell the roses 🌹 as i look to take my photos, because of the body design I use mostly prime lens some manual focus Voightlanders. Cameras like the Z6 MKII and XH2 and other cameras like them are my any lens cameras from prime to long telephotos. Some people may ask why have a camera that can use a limited amount of glass comfortably when you have a camera that you can use any lens. Answer, the same reason why people that are into cars have a variety of older and newer cars, the experience they give when use them. I stopped using film a long time ago but cameras like that Nikon ZF and Fujifilm XT3 and XT5 give me the film experience in a modern digital format. The experience of using these three cameras makes me focus on the photo, cameras like that of the XH2 are very good cameras but they are not much different than the others like them, they don't have the soul that the Zf has, that's why they are a part of my collection 0f cameras.
Re: ZF: Exposure Comp. use: I prefer Manual, but can only be really on manual if I have bracketing off. EC cannot be used if any bracketing is ON. And ISO will also be 'locked', try to change ISO setting by ANY means, is may say a different number in the display, but take a pic, and NO, the ISO is not changed. So, it is also better under many situations to have bracketing and auto ISO both off. SO I am just confounding now whey turning to Auto ( in good light and 'record shots' , always takes me to F/11.
Sorry I did not get the problem with Lens selection. I thought he meant there are only 2 truly retro lenses that match the camera style. So I guess he is not talking about the 1000 other native high quality Z glass Nikon released in the last 5 years…but then he compares that to how Sony have some native lenses (not retro at all) for their cameras? What I’m I missing here?
Obviously no camera is perfect, but I think Nikon did a pretty good job with the Zf. Some of the things I think I would have preferred would be a slightly smaller/lighter body, photo-centric articulating screen, and SE/compact lenses with an aperture ring and metal mounts instead of plastic. I'm also not feeling the Smallrig grip... would prefer an OEM grip. The battery life performance and micro-SD card usage I can understand and accept.
As to menus - I go to Nikon's web-based reference guide, to the section with the menu items and their default values. Copy this list into an Excel file, and next put my own deviations next to that. Work the deviations into the camera, export the settings to card and import them in the second camera. Would have been nice if Nikon supported such a job with e.g. a ready made tab-separated file that can be edited as a spreadsheet and read back later. Would also have been nice if this could support user modes or memory banks. Second, the menu items you frequently use - copy them to My Menu. You may need only 10 menu items in there, out of a list of ~600 long. Third, if you are at the top of a menu chapter and need the item near the bottom, don't scroll down, but up. That item is very close to where you are. Fourth, I don't get the point about the lenses. OK, I only shoot primes only, and have all the "S" class focal lengths up to including 105. The f/1.8 are compact and very sharp. Great. No CA, no distortion to talk about. In the "non S class" lenses, Nikon have a few compact zooms that are good value for money. YT fluencers in the past were whining about 1.8, but for most work, a pro would choose them in the past over faster lenses: they have less optical issues, are cheaper/smaller/lighter, and equally sharp or better. The difference between 1.8 and 1.4 is too small (~0.5EV) to debate, and faster implies the design needs more elements to correct optical issues that again need more elements. "We" needed fast lenses with or SLR in the past or else could not focus in the optical viewfinder. Now we have night vision ;) with AF that focuses at low light levels outside the camera's light metering range. Come back to these fluencer channels a few months later and all shoot f/2.8 or f/4 zooms. That f/4 is 8 times as dim as 1.4. Fifth - Nikon could do especially better in hiring writers for their user and reference manuals. Many entries are tautologies: picture of On/Off switch and text: this is the On/off switch. A decent user manual tells you why, when you need it and the implications. No, if you switch it off, the camera doesn't stop using the battery and the difference in battery usage between Off and Standby (sleep) is not too big. I relayed this feedback to Nikon years ago, and they published a manual for portrait and wedding photography - its author did not understand it - how to relate settings to use cases - and management had not understood how to ask the right question first and second that it should not have been approved for release to the public. When as portrait/wedding photographer you read this brochure I think you feel insulted. Sixth - Nikon could also do better in grouping menu items or functions that hang together. They have worked on it, but. Seventh - the optional knob on the shutter release makes you look silly to the insider. Try this: rest the bottom right edge of the camera on the bottom of the palm of your right hand, press the tip of your right index finger on the cylinder around the shutter release and the flesh on the tip will release the shutter button - this gives the least shooter-camera-shake you can get as you're pressing both down and up. The big thing is a knob - pun and innuendo intended. Eighth - in portrait photography in lower light (LV 10 and below), including in your studio under "modelling light", the AF in the EXPEED 7 camera is very reliable, fast, consistent and with 3D tracking, recomposing without losing focus, without having to shift single point AF around the frame, is a breath of fresh air. I replaced my Z 7ii by a Z 8 to get that. (At LV 10 - LV=EV@ISO100 - the pupil of the sitter is moderately dilated, thus they look more attractive. Under bright hot permanent light the pupil gets tiny and this looks unattractive, while in darker ambient the pupil gets dilated to the point you almost have no iris in the photo.)
I shoot with the sony a7r3 but i had a chance to try the z7 once when a complete stranger was shooting and noticed my 50mm 1.2 GM and we compared the weights, it was insane and the z7 really did feel better in my hands, the shutter and overall feel. Too bad tho, it's too expensive for me to switch systems now. 😅
About Micro HDMI: There is such a thing as Mini HDMI. It was used before Micro. My Canon Vixia R40 camcorders used it (as well as other cameras). It is a better compromise than Micro HDMI for most usage. Frankly, I think I could have come up with a better connector, but for most cameras, I think they should use Mini HDMI unless it is unavoidable, like for a GoPro.
Yup, sony have matching lenses, BUT only because they havent produced a retro camera LOL! It's silly to expect a company that have basically two retro models, to rework their entire line up just for those two bodies.. I mean c'mon that's not Fujifilm with their XT line.. The Zf is for those that would use Z mount lenses, the AF, the speed and the IQ of the camera, but would also want to slap on a manual lens from time to time and slow the process down. Also people overreact to the ISO fuctionality, because it's just different, and I never understood why don't you guys just get to know your tools better.. and no, I am not a Nikon user atm..
Really nice review! Thanks! I still got the original FM2 my father used back in the day and in very good condition. I understand the nostalgia about it and the qualilty of the pictures is amazing. BUT. Besides the ISO thing which wouldn't be much of a problem after mastering it (I guess), if there's a lack of good optics at least for now, it's a serious problem. I don't mind a bit of time-repsonse on the menu etc. and I really don't care about the video capabilities. I suppose users of the Zf will be heard for the Zf 2. Let's be honest : nobody could do everything right the first time when it comes to this kind of product. Let's wait fot the Sony Alpha 7 V , if there's one coming.
Personnally I think they should have scapped the video functionnalities all together. It would have simplify the menus, the electronic and lower the price. Now for any version 2 it would be good they should learn from the Pana S9 size factor and Sony shutter protection sensor.
I've been looking at the ZF instead of trying to get my hands on a Fuji X100VI. I know not entirely the same thing but I've been just wanting a retro body that I can throw a 28/35/40mm lens on and use as a travel camera and with the cost of secondhand X100VI's...I can just get the ZF with the 40mm lens. Also a note about the focusing comparison with Sony: It's interesting people still haven't or don't share the opinion that Canon has basically caught up and possibly surpassed the Sony bodies. My R5 and R6II outdo my Sony stuff or at least are on par with it in nearly any situation, especially the R6II.
The camera is made exactly for people like me. I'm not a professional but rather an advanced amateur photographer. My main goal in photography is to document my everyday life and my family. Sometimes I photograph small jobs like weddings etc.
I'm also a kind of hybrid person between retro and modern. I like to take analogue photos every now and then, but I look at the pictures on my MacBook. I like listening to vinyl records but with modern speakers. I've had the Nikon zf for a few months now and I love it and would recommend it to anyone who feels the same way as me.
Got the ZF because my patience ran out on the availability of the Fuji X100v6 .. boy am I glad the Fuji wasn’t available.. I love my ZF especially the image quality 💯
the image quality is another level compared to fuji. I shot both systems.
I’m considering doing this myself
That’s literally the reason I watched the video - I would buy a Q2/Q3, but Im not a 28mm fan…
@@TomCelar I'm totaly with you … a Q3 with 35 or 40mm would be very nice!
Same here I LOVE my ZF. Enjoy brother!
I own a Zf and I love it. I think the intended market for the Zf was 2 groups.
Group 1, people who had the original Z7/6 that finally wanted to experience usable autofocus but don't need the power (or size) of the Z8/9. It's also packed with a ton more video features than them AND it's dynamic range blows them away. I've been so shocked with the images I've been able to get in almost no light situations, even in the dedicated b&w mode.
Group 2, fujifans and Leica fans. This body is the smallest full frame offering from Nikon. I know it's heavy compared to other brands smaller/entry level bodies but the for it's size.it is packed with goodies.
This camera made shooting magical again for me. Like I was in high school again shooting on my Nikon FE2. My Z7 was alright (except the AF of course) but the Zf just makes me.want to go and shoot anything. I find myself just holding it in my hand at night while watching TV with my wife and kids just in case.
Guilty, I'm belonging to group1 and didn't want to wait for Z6 III, also liked the required re-thinking to make use of the dials, requires a bit of concentration, but also points my mind more into the direction of proper setting selection. Bought the SmallRig grip with the camera, as without it, it's really only useable with the small lenses (I prefer the 40mm f/2). Got me a (not much) used 24-120mm f/4 which together with the 14-30mm f/4 and a (rarely used) 150-600mm Tamron gives me all the reach i need for being an enthusiast, not a pro.
Also prefer the 20MP over the higher resolutions, still those are 1.5 times the size of a 4k Monitor. I have to scale those down, what is the favor of scaling a 60MP picture even more ? I rarely crop, I try to make my composition in a way it almost fits (it nearly never fits exactly, based on the 4:3 ratio).
Compared with the Z6 I, I won a (much) better autofocus, a slightly faster system and a better reach with the 24-120 vs the 24-70 f/4 I owned before (which was a nice lens too, made a lot of good pictures at a friends wedding). Having 2 card slots is also nice as it doubles capacity for me, who usually stores raw and jpeg together. The SD cards are also not as expensive than the CFExpress used in the Z6 especially with higher capacity (64GB+).
@@michaelst.9055 Same! I love this camera. All of the photogs saying that this isn't a real camera for serious shooters is super biased. I love Ken Rockwell's channel and website and I always check out his site when new gear comes but he just about hates the Zf and thinks it's for fake photographers. About the only thing I disagree with him on, which is funny
I've also seen a lot of pro's but one as a back up to their Z8 or as a second film body.
The weather sealing on it is unreal, even better than the Z7, which is also what drew me to the Z line in the first place. I saw a video from nature photographer Morten Hilmer where he took it out and used it. He has a clip of himself falling into a river while the Zf is recording video and the camera gets fully submerged. It never stopped recording, it never had a failure or water ingress of any notable kind. I was blown away. I love shooting in the rain and around water in general. Having that kind of peace of mind around liquids alone makes this a pro camera for me. I'll concede that at best it is a prosumer body as it does lack some of the more robust features and insane customization of flagship bodies, but this body isn't meant to compete with them. It's meant to sit below them and to also attract a new audience to the Nikon Z line. Also, I just adore all of the Z lenses that I've purchased. I have mostly stuck to buying the s line of lenses and their heft is easy for me to overlook because of the clarity and brightness that I'm able to get with them. I have a couple of 1.8 primes for when I want to have a lighter kit, but my 24-70 S f2.8 almost never leaves my ZF body.
Group 3 here. Someone who started with film as a teenager in the early 2000s and went back to it when I decided keeping up with digital cameras was way too expensive. Been shooting exclusively on a Nikon F3 and developing at home for years. Even have a Noritsu LS600 scanner at home. This camera makes sense to me. Modern mirrorless cameras are usable and I understand them but this thing feels natural.
@@ryanwilson246 yes! Same for me. How could I forget. Same exact experience. Did high school dark room photo, minored in photo in college. The main criticism I've seen of this body is by pros saying it's not good enough for "real" photogs. For my pro work this camera works and helps my work flow. It's a lot of camera in a small package. It's no Z9 or Z8 but not everyone needs those for pro work.
@@ryanwilson246 I also own an F3, FE2, and a FM3a. The F3 and the FM3a are probably my all time fav bodies to shoot with, even over the new mirror less bodies I've run with. There's just something about steel and nickel!
Simply put, I think the Zf is for someone who fancies the heritage flavor of shooting with a Leica M, but who doesn't want to fork out the obscene amount of money an M body fetches; or, for someone considering a Fujifilm X-T5 for similar reasons, but who wants a full frame sensor.
Pretty fair
It also helps that the image rendering with M lenses is amazing.
Exactly! The heft reminds me of my old M8. But with more bells and whistles than a Leica.
It is not only because it is much less expensive than a new digital Leica M that I chose the Zf to satisfy my appetite for "analogue" designs. I used to own a M10 (also 24MP) and can testify without the shadow of a doubt that the Zf is the better camera on absolutely all fronts, starting with speed of operation (the digital Ms are ridiculously laggy) and reliability under stress (no RF calibration drifts, weatherproofing, etc), not mentioning the long list of useful features. The M11 provides a 60MP sensor, which looks good on paper, but shoots way above the focusing capabilities of a mechanically coupled optical rangefinder, not mentioning the limitations of a non-stabilised platform. Leica M is only competitive as a film camera. The Zf is the digital master of retro done right.
@@brusselssprout1 I couldn't agree with you more, which is probably a big part of the reason I don't own a digital M, but rather a Q2 instead. But the Zf is currently my favorite digital camera overall of all the digital cameras I own. Not my most capable, necessarily (that title goes to the Z9), but definitely my favorite to pick up and shoot with.
Lol the nikon menu is complicated? I guess you have been Sony user for too long. Sony menu is one of the most complicated menu from all cameras out there.
I was thinking the exact same thing as I watched, I hated my Sony menus, they made zero sense and there weren't enough shortcut buttons. Once you setup your iMenu shortcuts on your Nikon, it's second nature, plus you still have a plethora of on-camera (and sometimes lens) buttons. I am a Z8 shooter though, and my everyday carry is a Ricoh GRIIIx for portability.
So if I am used to Nikon you would definitely not recommend to switch to Sony A7C , I am here to look which better fits me. This Nikon ZF or that Sony.
Use for photography mostly nature and food in dark/cosy restaurants.
You can try both. Everyone is different, but I personally like Nikon. Also, ZF have outstanding image quality.
8:14 Are you sure that you figured it out?
Omar had NOT figured it out.
It's because Nikon's Auto-ISO offers more than the ones of Fuji, Canon and Sony. It's not just either full manual ISO or Auto-ISO with a max limiter. It's an Auto-ISO with a max AND a LOW limiter.
So here is the important addition to using the ISO-wheel in Auto-ISO mode:
It sets the MINIMUM !!! ISO in Auto-ISO mode.
Explanation:
As Nikon bodies will always choose the lowest possible ISO at any given aperture/shutterspeed the more important thing you CAN change using the normal thumb wheel or the ISO-wheel of the ZF is the MINIMUM ISO. So in Auto-ISO the ISO-wheel doesn't only overwrite your max ISO. Setting it below your max ISO it also sets the minimum ISO.
Use cases:
So let's say you are in manual and your max. ISO is 12800 and min. ISO 100 and you are using a flash. By raising the min. Auto-ISO you can bring up the ambient light without lowering your shutterspeed below 1/60.
Or suddenly there's more action and you need generally faster shutterspeeds. But you don't want to go full manual. Again just raise the min. Auto-ISO.
And as you still need the entire ISO-wheel in Auto-ISO mode for setting the minimum ISO you can't just have an A on that wheel for Auto-ISO. Because that would limit the ISO-wheel just to dial in Auto-ISO and then remaining there without using it further for minimum ISO.
Cheers from Stuttgart
Stand by the sentiment that it’s more complicated than it should be. The fact that you needed to write a dissertation to explain it is silly.
And hello to Stuttgart! I spent a Christmas there (and a few nearby towns). Such a lovely area
@@kylemeshna I believe these ISO control "Issues" stems from folks not reading the manual to understand how the camera works and expecting it to work as they think it should, rather than how it was designed to work.
I find it ironic that people complain about having to unnecessarily twiddle about with manual control settings on a camera that features manual controls and is marketed at people who like twiddling about with manual controls, unnecessarily, lol.
My issue is only does this in Manual and Shutter Priority. It does not work in aperture priority or full automatic for some reason.
The other method is to set you maximum iso sensitivity in the menu on 200 ...than you can use the knob to set the iso and override that for instance to 1600 MAXIMUM iso...or whatever you want
Love the Zf. Such a fun camera.
If you passed from Sony to the Zf , you just left a good but sanitized camera to a camera with a look and a soul. So Wellcome in the real world of passion of photography :).
I think iPhone 16 Pro Max will beat them both. Apple soul.
@@chamade166 if you like taking pictures with an iPhone go more far and use AI : ask the picture you want and you will save 1500 stupid dollars:).
@@chamade166the Apple soul is to be a wannabe😂
@@chamade166 Been an Apple guy for over 25 years and still love their products, but Apple and Soul are two words that should never be put together.
I contemplated a lot between Fuji, Sony A7C and the Zf. However, I pulled the trigger and I absolutely love my Zf.
I think its perfect for me as I am not neither a novice nor a pro.. but I just enjoy taking photos (Street / landscape). Having the manual dials made me shoot manual more than other modes, B&W switch is great and finally I have a camera that doesnt look like every other camera out there!
Great review and thanks for the presets.
Subscribed!
Man... I've had the ZF for a couple of weeks and you nailed all my thoughts on it. It's such a weird camera for me. I love the image quality. I love the speed. I hate the ergonomics and the lack of lenses that fit the overall look and feel. As a stills photographer, I hate the screen, and as someone who knows what video shooters kind of look for in a screen, I hate even more that they threw all the ports on that side of the camera knowing it would block the screen. This camera feels like a really, really good first attempt at a retro-inspired digital camera, but I feel like they tried to make it a jack of all trades and missed the mark just a tiny bit in a few critical areas.
In the end, it's a better camera than I thought it might be, and I absolutely love the shooting experience for the most part. I think a ZF2 could be a really perfect camera if Nikon continues to pursue this avenue of retro-inspired digital cameras.
Agreed for sure. Even if it isn’t absolutely perfect, I’m still glad they made it and are trying something different. It’s a fun camera!
There is no way you can make a retro vintage look camera, with a modernised grip. If you want a grip, get a different camera. Why would you ruin the lines and authenticity?
Absolutely
Totally agree. A grip would ruin it.
Great. Another dude who’s into way into how a camera looks rather than how it shoots. Just what the world needed.
8:14 I struggled with the ISO settingson my Zf too at first. But really, Nikon got it right. They got it REALLY right. Here is why.
ISO does not impact your exposure. Radical thought to many, I know. But it's true. Because changing your ISO does not change how much light gets onto the sensor, only changing the aperture and shutter speed does that. So if you set your aperture and shutter speed and only change your ISO in between your shots, you are always shooting with the same exposure values because you always let exactly the same amount of light onto the sensor. Changing the ISO only determines to what degree you want to amplify the signal on the sensor.
Since signal amplification (ISO) really is only relevant as to what your preference towards signal to noise ratio is (how much grain you tolerate) and the exposure on digital cameras is only determined by shutter speed and aperture, this is how Nikon chose to implement the Zf - as a camera that gives photographers the tactile interface to do just that. There is a reason the M mode is all the way to the top.
Here is how it works:
You set your camera into manual. Like an actual mechanical film camera.
Then you set your shutter speed and aperture according to your artistic vision as a photographer.
On the ISO dial, you set the maximum aperture you tolerate the camera to go to.
If the camera cannot get a metered "correct" exposure in manual mode with the steps above, it will show you but still expose to your settings.
If you're set the camera to either A or S, it will adjust either shutter or aperture to stay below you ISO ceiling you set on the ISO dial.
If you want to shoot at any ISO or below: just set it on the dial. Genius.
For people who shoot primarily in manual mode and want the camera to select ISO based on the metering mode, what Nikon have done here is genius. It's the best implementation of this I have seen on a camera yet.
[ISO does not impact your exposure.] I think that is wrong, but you are welcome to prove me wrong.
Set you camera to manual and chose whatever shutter speed / aperture combo you want and then set the ISO to manual too. If you now change the ISO manually, I can guarantee you, the exposure you see in your files will have changed. It will have been baked into them, even into your raw files.
@@HJN67 you don’t get it. ISO does not change how much light enters the camera, ISO only changes by how much the light that did enter the camera gets signal-amplified.
@@thedarkslide Though you are technically correct, you are also wrong.
We are talking photography, not physics. If you change a setting in the camera, and that setting moves you from a correct exposed image to an overexposed image with burned-out highlights, it is changing the exposure, from a photographer's viewpoint.
You can call it "gain" or "signal amplification" all you like but at the end of the day, it changes the amount of brightness in the final pictures.
For a photographer (though nice to understand the science behind) the effect it has on the final picture, is what matters.
If a beginner in photographer, ask me how he can get a "correct exposure" (his pictures are too dark), when taking pictures at a concert, and he only have a f4.0 zoom lens and he need to keep the shutter at 1/125 to not get blurred pictures, I would say "raise the ISO" as that will raise the brightness in his photos and give him a "correct exposure".
And though that might not be a "technically" correct answer, there is nothing you can say that will change the fact, that it is also a correct answer.
Nice review. The following is not intended to be critical of what you said - just another POV.
NIkon's full line of 1.8 S primes all work well with the Zf (assuming you use any one of the numerous 3rd party grips that are all very affordable (Smallrig, Neewer etc). It is true that they do not 'look' the part the way the 40mm and 28mm dom but they are optical masterpieces and are not too big or heavy to work nicely on this camera.
Likewise, the 24-120 F4 S lens is a gem to pair with this camera. Yes it is a little bigger, but again with the grip it is still very manageable - I shot a 5 hour event with this combination and it was not too difficult and got spectacular results.
That said, this camera is clearly not for many professional uses and it does not claim to be - rather it is a retro camera for every day - throw in the bad and go uses, that happens to also be capable enough to compete with the pro cameras and its IQ is second to none.
Your point about it having a soul really stands out - it definitively does - and Sony's as you also point out definitely do not - they are very sterile and frankly boring to use. Sony's get the job done to be sure (but none better than a Z8/9 - but I digress), however I would never opt to just walk around with a Sony camera for casual/fun/hobby type shooting - they simply do not add to the enjoyment of photography - I'd say they actually subtract from it.
Ultimately, if any of the issues that you mention as negatives would be a bother to a perspective buyer then they should most definitely wait for the Z6III which will be a beast of a camera and likely the best in the market for $2500 or less upon its release in the next few months. It will be even more powerful than the Zf and have a great grip to handle any lens and also be a beast of a video camera - but this is really for a different use case...
The Zf - simply put - is for those that love photography and the art of photographing, and oh by the way it can also do just about everything else (almost) that an A7 IV can do in a pinch.
-PD
P.S. I know you mentioned this (sort of) but all those great Sony lenses can easily be adapted to the Z system by way of the Megadap adaptor where they achive near native and even native functionality in many cases on the Z system. So for those people that already have these lenses - they are just as good on your Nikon as on your Sony... just something to think about.
May I ask why do you say the zf isn't for professional uses?
@@izgil7541 That is actually not what I said - I said that it is not for 'many' professional uses and by that I mean it is not designed with those uses in mind ergonomically - if it were, if would literally be the Z6III. My comment does not mean that the camera is not cometent enough to use for pro uses - which it is and I have - just that it is not the camera you would want to be holding for an 8 hour event with a heavy lens like the Tamron 35-150 2-2.8 or a 70-200 2.8S for example.
Clearly its IQ is second to none and its AF is top notch - so it can be used professionally - it is just not the camera that Nikon intends for us to use for longer photo assignments.
I hope this helps to clarify what I said :)
-PD
I found the best ISO setting on the Zf that I've ever experienced in any camera. Basically you must activate auto iso and limited the auto ISO to the lowest number possible in camera settings (the minimum allowed it's 200 iso) than control the maximum ISO on the ISO Dial mechanical. It's super easy
And how do you select 100 iso if you want?
@@toxotis70 with the iso dial. When you set the auto iso to the lowest valeu possible, the number you set on the iso dial is the maximum ISO value.
Omar Gonzales actually did not understand the ISO dial and Auto ISO. You can set your preferred ISO value using the dial in auto mode. Auto ISO will then pick a value equal to (which it will prefer) or higher (if said value is impossible) than the value chosen on the dial. Look at the ISO number on the screen. If it is in Auto ISO and blinking, the camera tells you that your ISO value is impossible. If the value is shown constantly, it can expose correctly using that value.
This is actually the way Auto ISO has worked on basically all Nikon digital cameras. Auto ISO on Nikon is relatively sticky, i.e., it will stay on the user selected value until no longer possible. In the case of the Zf, you can thus actually switch to a semi-automatic mode if the dial is not on C.
8:14 Exactly.
Omar had NOT figured it out.
It's because Nikon's Auto-ISO offers more than the ones of Fuji, Canon and Sony. It's not just either full manual ISO or Auto-ISO with a max limiter. It's an Auto-ISO with a max AND a LOW limiter.
So here is the important addition to using the ISO-wheel in Auto-ISO mode:
It sets the MINIMUM !!! ISO in Auto-ISO mode.
Explanation:
As Nikon bodies will always choose the lowest possible ISO at any given aperture/shutterspeed the more important thing you CAN change using the normal thumb wheel or the ISO-wheel of the ZF is the MINIMUM ISO. So in Auto-ISO the ISO-wheel doesn't only overwrite your max ISO. Setting it below your max ISO it also sets the minimum ISO.
Use cases:
So let's say you are in manual and your max. ISO is 12800 and min. ISO 100 and you are using a flash. By raising the min. Auto-ISO you can bring up the ambient light without lowering your shutterspeed below 1/60.
Or suddenly there's more action and you need generally faster shutterspeeds. But you don't want to go full manual. Again just raise the min. Auto-ISO.
And as you still need the entire ISO-wheel in Auto-ISO mode for setting the minimum ISO you can't just have an A on that wheel for Auto-ISO. Because that would limit the ISO-wheel just to dial in Auto-ISO and then remaining there without using it further for minimum ISO.
Cheers from Stuttgart
Thanks for providing this explanation - first fuller explanation i’ve come across. I’m considering the ZF and this’ll help with set up.
@@CatPixStudio yes. It sounds a bit more complicated than it is. I always say that you can think about this as a „semi-auto“ mode. But you just have to know that Auto ISO on Nikon is different from the rest. Better? Maybe for some. Worse? Maybe for others.
@@CatPixStudio actually all other cameras also allow setting min and max Auto ISO settings. The problem is that Nikon (and Canon too) makes you to dive into menu to change the Auto ISO settings (except the min ISO). With Sony and Fuji you can just program a button to change the other settings immediately.
@@ElementaryWatson-123 The problem is that on every other Z camera (other than the Zfc, I guess), you DON'T need to menu-dive to turn on/off Auto ISO, you just hold ISO and use the front command dial to change it. Since the Zf does not have an ISO button, you have to menu dive to turn it on/off.
I started as a Nikon DSLR with the D70. Bought some lenses and then was "forced" into Canon. The d70 broke and recently got replaced by a second hand one so I can use the lenses I have.
I am getting old and won't be doing photography professionally anymore.
Maybe the Zf is a nice investment in a nice full frame that looks nice too and can last me till the day I die and put a smile on my face when I use it.....
ISO on the ZF is not complex. Set the dial for the intended ISO and change it there. Zero complexity. I think that feedback is like the grip complaint. Nobody complains about Leica grip?
This is so true… if you shoot in full manual you need to do exactly the same clicks whether you use the dedicated dial or a custom button along with a wheel. Really, no complexity there…
Exciting, extremely focused, relevant and truly informative content. I’m a pro observer. Went through your script and this is absolutely beast. Thank you sir.
Re Nikon Z lenses: the native Z lenses are superlative performers, and while their aesthetics are 'industrial' and do not flatter the retro vibe, quite a few of them, beyond the 40 and 28, stay compact and light enough to be comfortably carried and used with a gripless Zf. Specifically, the 24, 35, 50 and 85 f/1.8 quatuor and 24-70 f/4 zoom will bring you "best-in-class" IQ with zero downside. You can of course also use the 26 pancake which I find quite a bit more "biting" than the 28. Even the superb 14-30 f/4 balances well enough. So, there i plenty of choice within the range. I routinely use the 24-120 with the Zf + Smallrig grip, and it also passes the test, but that is as heavy/large as I am willing to go with that body. And you are right, the Z-mount Voigtlander lenses do mesh perfectly with the Zf, if you give up on AF.
I think it fits pretty well, I'd say the lenses that are not small but not huge either are the awkward ones, once you put a lens on there that's much bigger, you actually hold the lens more than the camera and that makes it easier.
What's the speed of the image file transfer to a mobile phone for example? Especially bulk transfers. Thanks.
Are you saying a long lens attached to the Zf is difficult to handle, as in the camera might slip from the hand or introduce shakes when shooting handheld, or that it doesn’t look like a film camera anymore but still handles fine?
What do you think he meant?
@@POVwithRC I’m not in the business of reading minds. I asked for clarification.
Lack of a proper grip (even with the SmallRig attachment) makes it hard to handle with any S line lens
@@kylemeshna Thanks for the clarification.
Thank you very much for your efforts, honest review, and free presets. We wish you well for your channel and photography.
The Zf is such a badass camera! I can shoot with it all day long, and look good doing it too!
I got the ZF because I saw it as a camera id never get rid of. I may get other cameras but this one will always have a place
Been using the Zf for about as long as you. I think your review is quite accurate. I often go for this camera over my Leica, which says a lot. You did not mention the tech art adapter for m lenses. This addresses one big issue: small excellent quality lenses. They look and feel great on the Zf and they lean into its strengths. I wish for a very beefy grip to hold the 100-400 size lenses, mainly so I don’t buy a Z8, lol. The ISO method implemented by Nikon is best dealt with as follows: “set the max iso to the lowest possible menu setting, leave auto iso on, and use the dial to “override” the max allowable iso in the field. My wish list for future versions of the Zf would include: 47 megapixels, native z lenses with manual aperture rings, even better evf, and an iso dial with auto iso right on the dial. Also, if I could go back to 2016 when things were less easy, I’d probably stay there but that would be a topic for a whole other TH-cam channel.
Another super useful feature of the Zf ISO settings, and probably the most important one so you can just set and forget it in the menu, as mentioned by one of the comments on the Omar Gonzalez ISO video was:
"I set the max ISO to 200 so that I can use the dial to control max ISO. The dial will override the max ISO. So if I’m shooting in mixed lighting, I can quickly increase the ISO on the dial. This is the best implementation of auto ISO I have used."
My best camera purchase in years, hands down.
As a 10 year+ Nikon shooter this is a really fair review. I love the idea of the Zf but I can't compromise on the lack of a grip so I'm sticking with my pair of Z6ii for now (for weddings).
There are some external grips to be attached (extra paid of course). Nikon cuts off its costs as possible.
My first SLR was the Nikon FM2n. It didn’t feel uncomfortable to use. It was blocky but smaller than the Zf. It carried well in small fanny back albeit like a mini brick so it went many places with the E series 50mm attached. Your comment that we have improved ergonomics for a reason is exactly what I thought when I tested it out at a show.
Definitely. The small rig grip makes it much better, but it’s got a weird rubbery feel to it
I got my Z f for 3 1/2 months and I really love it!
Video is not a topic for me (at the moment), so the Z f is the perfect "photo tool" for me.
I got the 28mm Z (came with my Z fc 2 years ago) and some Viltrox lenses (20mm, 40mm & 85mm) but I keep using some F-Mount lenses from the ART Series (35mm, 50mm & 105mm) and some others.
That works pretty fine.
The best thing about the Z f is how easy it is to use (vintage) manual focusing lenses like Nikon AIS 50mm 1.2 or 105mm 2.5.
I used MF lenses with the Nikon D800 and always missed the focus peaking I got with my Pentax cameras years before.
Now with having the Z f I back on having the same or even better support of MF lenses! 😃
I'm a hobbyist and photography is a "head cleaner" for me - I can totally forget about the job and other things while running around in my city and taking pictures.
The build quality & haptic suits me, having the Smallrig grip attached makes also using heavy lenses ok (Sigma 105mm 1.4 3,62 lb/1,64 kg).
I'm researching this camera and others because I'm preparing to sell my Fuji equipment if the next firmware fails to fix the auto focus. Thank you for your input and your experience with the camera; well done, mate.
How is the weathersealing on the camera?? I'm looking to upgrade from my ZFC for this primary reason. So many times I'm not able to bring it out, because it is not weathersealed.
Did you use the slo-mo with the latest firmware?
I have the Zf as a second to my Z9. Sometimes I prefer the Zf, does everything I need it to do and more. It’s also exceptionally versatile as a second body. B cam for filming, walk around camera for travelling and day to day life and sometimes when I’m shooting landscapes I’ll put my 800mm on it to photograph wildlife nearby.
Regarding the menu complaint, does this Nikon not have the custom menu page like some of the DLSRs? I usually set every setting I use to the custom page in the order that I want so they're quick and easy to access.
Really enjoyed your chat-style thoughts on Zf. For those who always want AF, I think of it as a fixed-lens camera with this crazy feature of being able to switch between two focal lengths.
Thanks for the video! I am here because I want to invest in a new full frame and want to know if you would recommend the Sony A7C or Nikon ZF.
Mostly nature and architecture but also food in restaurants with bad light and since I have kids also fam life. I saved some money last 2 years for the Sony because I did put my mind on that camera.. but I always had Nikon before so since this came out I am doubtful which one to go for. I don’t want to regret afterwards.. and I am looking for a real reviews/advice from people who worked with both since they don’t gave the ability to test them before you buy here in NL 😊😊😊
The nice thing about the 6bit to artisan adapter is you can also just adapt other mounts to m mount and stack the two adapters (like, I’ve done Nikon F->m -> Z and it has worked fine)
Can you still get focus on infinity when stacking adapters like that? (depends on which lens I assume, but in general)
@@maroon2k I haven't noticed that issue but I'm sure it depends on the adapters. I'm not sure I focus at infinity all that often, so I can't say for sure. But I'm guessing it depends on the adapters, and possibly could be more likely to be a problem simply because you're dealing with more adapters.
The Nikon Zf needs the Sigma "i series" lenses in Z-mount... I have the 35mm f/2 for my Sony and it's amazing !
They have the 20mm, 35mm, 50mm and 65mm f/2 which are all great and could give that vintage feeling to the combo with an amazing image quality !
I've heard the Sony mount lenses work very well on the Z bodies with an adapter.
It's awesome to see the low-light performance demonstrated in this review of the Nikon Z.
Great vid Kyle....how would you compare this to the A7IV? IQ / dynamic range (for stills) comparable? cheers
Thank you for this video! Ive been contemplating to get the X100VI but the wait is killing me! And after holding the Zf, i fell in love with the feel and the looks. Now the question is, could it replace my A7c as edc camera/serious setup. For that i still havent found the answer.
What edc stands for?
@@IIIM-or1bqeverydaycarry
@@IIIM-or1bq Every Day Camera? I'm just guessing here.
Hay Kyle, I wonder if you would do a video on what would be a great photo centric camera for professional photography.. Im starting out on a journey to become a full time professional and I only have an old m4/3 that had some issues. I'm looking at what system to buy into and I'm stuck between sony (A7 stuff ) and nikon.. or what else may be the best tool. I don't need video.
Cheers
Sony a7rv is my current favorite photo-focused camera
Nice review but I don’t get the a lens rant. The Z line lenses are super good and you forgot the 26mm pancake. 1.8 series is much better than the similar lenses from Sony. Also the f4 zooms (14-30, 24-70, 24-120) are as good or even better rag typical 1.8 primes stepped down to f4.
Also Z mount gives you the flexibility to adapt and mount any other mount lenses whether they are from canon, Sony, leica etc
Hmmm zf or Q3 for an AF camera to have with an M
Such a phenomenal camera. I sold my z8 for it as i never shoot video or sports. Only thing I wish they did is put a tilt screen since its a photo centric camera. I hate the flip put screen.
Great production here! Questions
1. Could this be a video camera for run and gun stuff?
2. Can you bake in LUTs like some Sony and Panasonic ?
1. Yes. Although it is a heavy brick basically which may not be the best handling option. You have to try it in store first is my suggestion.
2. No. Well, yes but no. You have the option to use custom picture profiles. But they don’t offer the same amount of options as Panasonic or Fujifilm.
@@thomasa.243 big swing and miss the. For me
I don't really care about dials. Can the camera be controlled from the font and back rails it looks like the also has?
Yes those are programmable to whatever you see fit
I bought ZF from release 18 months ago to make a second body with Z7ii. However, as you said the prime lenses after all this time are not there. Hence, I am about to move to Sony with A7RV & A7CR. The other annoyance that has bugged me for the last 4 years with Nikon, is not only the complication on the ZF, but why you cannot assign a button to adjust minimum shutter speed in auto ISO. You have to go into a menu or shoot manual mode with auto ISO. Err... A simple firmware update. After 4 years waiting I have lost all patience. The other annoyance with my Z7ii is if you shoot in a crop mode eg. square, beware because when you get back in post you are stuck with square because you don't get the full sensor read out.
I am a newcomer to your channel, while reasearching Sony lenses.You talk so much sense about what the equipment is like in the real world. As a keen amature landscape photographer based here in South Devon UK after 10 years shooting on Dartmoor,Exmoor and our beautiful coastlines I need a camera that is quick to adjust settings with changing conditions. Having to go to my menu, ISO settings, Auto ISO, minimum shutter speed. I wish I had known that bird was going to fly into my scene 5 minutes ago. I have many wonderful photographs on the walls in the house that have been shot with Nikon and it will be sad to see them go. No more. Sure Sony probably has it's nuances too, but they can't be as bad as something so simple.
Thank you Kyle for being a great educator.
Hi Nicky, sorry to see you go. All Expeed 7 cameras to date now give you are cropping frame, and an original RAW if that is what you choose.
Honest opinion: last March I bought my first Nikon, the Zf. 6 months later the screen display is not working 😏. 15 years with Sony (apsc and FF) and never had any issue. Fujis too (X100, XPro1, XT3) and no problems so far.
Seh... seguro... 😑
Let’s not forget the amazingly functional and afordable Megadap Etz which makes any E Mount lens work very well with Nikon z cameras ❤️🔥
As far as I recall the ISO dial of Nikon Df was setting the max ISO value when in auto-ISO mode. I think it was very useful. Is that not the case with the Zf?
There is another lens... 26mm f/2.8 pancake for the Z mount. Like literally the smallest and best one.
I absolutely adored the image quality from my Nikon Df back in 2016, but the autofocus killed me. It look so long waiting for them to improve on that design and they finally did with the Zf. I'm so glad they packed a bunch of capability into the Zf and didn't make the mistake they did with the Df where they basically put the D600 inside.
ZF is a beautiful and tempting camera but with the current Sony trade-in promotion I bought the A7CR for $2200 it's not as beautiful as the ZF but it has a lot to offer for such a tiny light FF camera great for street and travel shootings. Great video, sub
You didn't note the Z26/2.8 - which is smaller than the 28 and 40.
Sony must be loving the lens situation with Canon and Nikon right now.
I actually use several of my Sony lenses on Nikon body. They mostly work fine.
I am not sure there is a lens situation with Nikon. Nikon has about 45 native optics for Z, Sigma and Tamron have been releasing lenses for the last year or two for native Z. There is probably something like 100 Z mount third party primes from Viltrox, 7Artisans, TT Artisans, Voigtländer , Pergear, Laowa and more. That is before we get into being able to very successfully mount every F mount lens ever made, E- Mount Sony lenses and so much more. If you can't find a lens in all of this, the lens does not exist.
@@MattIrwinPhotography it's irrelevant information, the lenses that people want/like are predominantly e-mount, so much so that many choose to adapt e-mount lenses rather than buying native z-mount.
As a photographer only, it's beyond me why Nikon put the screen on it as they did. Ijuyst use it as a fixed screen. I bought this camera but my next purchase will be a D780 to go along with my Df. I don't like the Z lenses on the whole ( I do have the 40mm & 24 to 70 F4 S which will be it for me), but overall the primes are just too long. Being on fixed income I'm quite happy with F mount lenses.
I want Nikon to make a monochrome sensor ZF, as an option in their next iteration just to poke at Leica a bit.
Also I love the flip screen because I dont have to get on the floor to take a low angle shot.
I agree. They could easily make a monochrome Zf. A monochrome sensor is the same as a regular one with the color filter array (CFA) removed. There should barely be an uptick in price. And it would definitely sell and probably dent Lecia’s mono sales.
Hi Kyle for all my cameras I buy L shape USBC, Audio cables etc, makes your concern about cables a non problem. It's a revelation.
which soft shutter is that?
I only buy old used Nikon DSLR bodies and love them. The Zf seems great & I shot with an FE2 back in the film days so the ergonomics will be fine for me. The issue is price - I won't buy a camera body for over £1000 U.K. - so it will be a couple of years at least until I try one.
Just a heads up, Windows 11 flags the preset file as containing a virus.
"It's honestly probably the closest thing to a digital equivalent of manually focusing with a rangefinder."
Probably more like manually focusing with an SLR.
As to the menus, AF settings, for example, can be found [or programmed] into one of the custom function buttons, and they are also available in the dedicated "i" menu [which can also be customized for whichever of the twelve most common controls you use (and which entirely changes between stills and video at the flip of a switch).
Yep, “I” menus is the fastest way to access those features and Sony has a similar system, makes things somewhat compatible across the 2.
Kyle, appreciate the effort, the extensive review of your likes and dislikes - after using the camera for some time. I do not own it, nor plan to, but enjoyed your review of the pluses and minuses. I do shoot Nikon, and understand some of the consternation over the menu system in general. For the Z9, I needed to lay it all out on an Excel spreadsheet - but I do utilize banks, so keeping many of the shooting settings the same between banks was important. Let me start by saying, I agree, that adjustments to the ISO in any camera should not be difficult or challenging. Now, please before you roll your eyes, hear what I'm about to say. Please be one of the "new" generation thinkers that realize there is no such thing as an "Exposure Triangle". Specifically, ISO - in almost all cases - is amplification of signal all ready captured - and has noting to do with exposure directly - but yes, indirectly helps you balance out how bright your image is and effects the settings of aperature or shutter speed you pick (which do change exposure). When I first started photography a few years back, I said the same thing to someone you would know on a large channel, and I received a very nasty reply . Fast forward: Just recently he released a video on another topic and now claims he doesn't like the term "Exposure triangle" - that it's more like a balancing board. Thank goodness for progress. I know this is a very side issue, and I could care less what others believe here. But I believe influencers should try and get the terms and definitions straight. There's plenty of literature on this. Just like many talented photographers influencing on TH-cam are now handholding the camera away from their body - looks cool, but really? Anyway, loved the video, and your effort, so sorry for the rant, but if I didn't think you would listen, I wouldn't bother.
Would love to check out some more info on this balancing board idea.
@@kylemeshna Karl Taylor and Simon D'entremont both uploaded video tutorials recently that cover the topic. Simon's a bit more. Karl Taylor at 1min 20 sec in th-cam.com/video/jkEuoTcXNeA/w-d-xo.html. Simon @ 50 seconds in: th-cam.com/video/YtNpV0w4Rjw/w-d-xo.html
I have a Leica Q3. Rented a ZF out of curiosity. The ZF with the 35mm 1.8 produces photos that are just as good as the Q3. The retro 28mm and 40mm lenses are OK at f8, but leave you wanting a bit more at f2.
Kyle - I've got two camera bodies right beside me on this desk. One is the Fujifilm X-T5. I love this camera. I've had nothing but good experiences. I shoot stills so even autofocus isn't an issue for me.
The other is the Sony A7iii, which scratched the "yOu nEeD fUlL fRaMe" itch. It's fine. But like every human says, "it's fine."
Does it make ANY sense to have the X-T5 *and* the Zf? They LOOK basically the same. I love the physical dials of both. And then I'd have APS-C and FF. BUT, Sony has ten billion more lenses (especially with adapters and 3rd party), annnnd, it feels weird to have nearly two identical bodies.
Oh, and I'm a hobbyist. None of this "matters" work wise. :)
Been using a pair of ZF camera bodies for wedding photography since July. Absolutely love the this camera. It's the Nikon DF that should have been. I get people don't like the small grip, even Fuji X-T bodies have larger grips. But I make do, as I support the camera by the lens, not the body. I've done this going back to my days with the D300 and D3. The grip (or lack thereof) side of the camera, for me, is just there for button placement memory.
It just blows me away that this camera is only $2,000 USD, whereas the old Nikon DF, which was a crippled camera with the awful Nikon D600 autofocus module, 1/4000s shutter speed, etc... and they sold the DF for $2,750 USD. The Nikon ZF is anything but a crippled camera designed as jewelry for the casual camera hipsters. I completely admit, the silver DF looked outstanding with the old Nikon black and silver manual focus primes, and even the newer old AIS primes. But here are, and the ZF is a legit workhorse. It's going to kill me when Nikon releases a silver ZF. LOL
And yes to your comment on the Nikon lens line-up. Much work needs to be done. And I wish they would have bit a bit more thought into the Nikon 50mm f/1.4 and 35mm f/1.4 - and designed those two lenses with a bit more of a retro/film lens vibe. ...considering both lenses kinda have a old school film vibe in their rendering.
This is how a camera review is done, good job. By the way, Nikons in camera B&W is second to none. Leica monochrome is close but at a much higher cost. They just need to rethink this camera a little more and do a ZF2
Since I fell in love with the Voigtländer 50mm f/2 APO on my Sony cameras, I really wanted a more experience focused camera that lets me enjoy those manual lenses even more. The Zf is what I was looking for. Will probably be my Christmas present for myself.
I bought it because I am already pretty deep in the Nikon ecosystem. Plus I sold my inflated valued at the time fuji x100v to fund it. Sold the fuji for 1600 so it was an easy transfer to get into the z system (most of my stuff has is f mount). Its a good gateway camera until I can get my hands on a z9😊
As a wedding photographer Zf is awesome for me, it's autofocus is quite fantastic, sensor stabilization is nice also Love it's low light iso too, I love to buy another second body of Zf in spite of Z 8. The Zf is cheap choice over Z8.
They will make more lenses as more people buy the camera. Camera comes first and then lens according to demand. Orderly process. Make sense? I use a techart adapter with a Voigtlander 28 mm 2.8 m mount on the zf. Try it and you agree there is no need for Nikon to spend more money to develop their own.
The lenses they have made already are massive is my main issue. Like the Nikon ZF 20mm is almost twice the size of the Sony 20mm. Shouldn’t need a stable of adapters to get a good image. Yes there are loads of good Nikon lenses, but they were so slow to adopt mirrorless that the native lens selection is very far behind as well. This will certainly change, but that’ll take years
There are lots of lenses that aren't too heavy or big for this camera, i use the 85mm 1.8 a lot. The z7ii is my backup camera and has almost the same dimensions as the ZF and i never had issues regarding weight and size of the combinations. (bear in mind the z9 is my main camera which is a lot heavier)
That being said i don't think Nikon will be able to produce lenses of the same quality that Sony has in the small sizes that you are looking for mainly because of the fact that the Z mount is the biggest out there amongst the full frame camera's. The size of the Z mount has a lot of advantages but also has the main drawback that lenses will always be bigger and heavier due to the size the mount and the glass.
I have the Nikon ZF and ZF c along with the Z6 MKII. The three cameras make up part of my cameras set that goes back 16 years. My Fujifilm XT3, XT5 and XH2 make up my Fujifilm part, these two systems are different from my other camera systems as they are the only ones that have a traditional designed body along with a retro style camera. I don't have any film cameras that I use my film days are long gone. The ZF, ZFc and the XT3 AND XT5 are my chill cameras, i enjoy the dials and use them when I want to slow down and smell the roses 🌹 as i look to take my photos, because of the body design I use mostly prime lens some manual focus Voightlanders. Cameras like the Z6 MKII and XH2 and other cameras like them are my any lens cameras from prime to long telephotos. Some people may ask why have a camera that can use a limited amount of glass comfortably when you have a camera that you can use any lens. Answer, the same reason why people that are into cars have a variety of older and newer cars, the experience they give when use them. I stopped using film a long time ago but cameras like that Nikon ZF and Fujifilm XT3 and XT5 give me the film experience in a modern digital format. The experience of using these three cameras makes me focus on the photo, cameras like that of the XH2 are very good cameras but they are not much different than the others like them, they don't have the soul that the Zf has, that's why they are a part of my collection 0f cameras.
Omar made a 5 minute video because Omar wanted to make a 5 minute video, he's not gonna do a 1 minute video lol
Great review❤
Get the Megadap ETZ21 pro and use your Sony glass on Nikon Z. Lightroom even recognizes them on the Zf in many cases.
Re: ZF: Exposure Comp. use: I prefer Manual, but can only be really on manual if I have bracketing off. EC cannot be used if any bracketing is ON. And ISO will also be 'locked', try to change ISO setting by ANY means, is may say a different number in the display, but take a pic, and NO, the ISO is not changed. So, it is also better under many situations to have bracketing and auto ISO both off.
SO I am just confounding now whey turning to Auto ( in good light and 'record shots' , always takes me to F/11.
Sorry I did not get the problem with Lens selection. I thought he meant there are only 2 truly retro lenses that match the camera style. So I guess he is not talking about the 1000 other native high quality Z glass Nikon released in the last 5 years…but then he compares that to how Sony have some native lenses (not retro at all) for their cameras? What I’m I missing here?
It’s a great companion to my Z 9. The other Z AF lenses works just fine.
I love the camera in hand but felt like the viewfinder would mess up my ability to focus.
Flexible Color Picture Control on the Zf!!!! Come on Nikon!
Obviously no camera is perfect, but I think Nikon did a pretty good job with the Zf. Some of the things I think I would have preferred would be a slightly smaller/lighter body, photo-centric articulating screen, and SE/compact lenses with an aperture ring and metal mounts instead of plastic. I'm also not feeling the Smallrig grip... would prefer an OEM grip. The battery life performance and micro-SD card usage I can understand and accept.
As to menus - I go to Nikon's web-based reference guide, to the section with the menu items and their default values. Copy this list into an Excel file, and next put my own deviations next to that. Work the deviations into the camera, export the settings to card and import them in the second camera. Would have been nice if Nikon supported such a job with e.g. a ready made tab-separated file that can be edited as a spreadsheet and read back later. Would also have been nice if this could support user modes or memory banks.
Second, the menu items you frequently use - copy them to My Menu. You may need only 10 menu items in there, out of a list of ~600 long.
Third, if you are at the top of a menu chapter and need the item near the bottom, don't scroll down, but up. That item is very close to where you are.
Fourth, I don't get the point about the lenses. OK, I only shoot primes only, and have all the "S" class focal lengths up to including 105. The f/1.8 are compact and very sharp. Great. No CA, no distortion to talk about. In the "non S class" lenses, Nikon have a few compact zooms that are good value for money. YT fluencers in the past were whining about 1.8, but for most work, a pro would choose them in the past over faster lenses: they have less optical issues, are cheaper/smaller/lighter, and equally sharp or better. The difference between 1.8 and 1.4 is too small (~0.5EV) to debate, and faster implies the design needs more elements to correct optical issues that again need more elements. "We" needed fast lenses with or SLR in the past or else could not focus in the optical viewfinder. Now we have night vision ;) with AF that focuses at low light levels outside the camera's light metering range. Come back to these fluencer channels a few months later and all shoot f/2.8 or f/4 zooms. That f/4 is 8 times as dim as 1.4.
Fifth - Nikon could do especially better in hiring writers for their user and reference manuals. Many entries are tautologies: picture of On/Off switch and text: this is the On/off switch. A decent user manual tells you why, when you need it and the implications. No, if you switch it off, the camera doesn't stop using the battery and the difference in battery usage between Off and Standby (sleep) is not too big. I relayed this feedback to Nikon years ago, and they published a manual for portrait and wedding photography - its author did not understand it - how to relate settings to use cases - and management had not understood how to ask the right question first and second that it should not have been approved for release to the public. When as portrait/wedding photographer you read this brochure I think you feel insulted.
Sixth - Nikon could also do better in grouping menu items or functions that hang together. They have worked on it, but.
Seventh - the optional knob on the shutter release makes you look silly to the insider. Try this: rest the bottom right edge of the camera on the bottom of the palm of your right hand, press the tip of your right index finger on the cylinder around the shutter release and the flesh on the tip will release the shutter button - this gives the least shooter-camera-shake you can get as you're pressing both down and up. The big thing is a knob - pun and innuendo intended.
Eighth - in portrait photography in lower light (LV 10 and below), including in your studio under "modelling light", the AF in the EXPEED 7 camera is very reliable, fast, consistent and with 3D tracking, recomposing without losing focus, without having to shift single point AF around the frame, is a breath of fresh air. I replaced my Z 7ii by a Z 8 to get that. (At LV 10 - LV=EV@ISO100 - the pupil of the sitter is moderately dilated, thus they look more attractive. Under bright hot permanent light the pupil gets tiny and this looks unattractive, while in darker ambient the pupil gets dilated to the point you almost have no iris in the photo.)
I shoot with the sony a7r3 but i had a chance to try the z7 once when a complete stranger was shooting and noticed my 50mm 1.2 GM and we compared the weights, it was insane and the z7 really did feel better in my hands, the shutter and overall feel. Too bad tho, it's too expensive for me to switch systems now. 😅
About Micro HDMI: There is such a thing as Mini HDMI. It was used before Micro. My Canon Vixia R40 camcorders used it (as well as other cameras). It is a better compromise than Micro HDMI for most usage. Frankly, I think I could have come up with a better connector, but for most cameras, I think they should use Mini HDMI unless it is unavoidable, like for a GoPro.
Yup, sony have matching lenses, BUT only because they havent produced a retro camera LOL! It's silly to expect a company that have basically two retro models, to rework their entire line up just for those two bodies.. I mean c'mon that's not Fujifilm with their XT line.. The Zf is for those that would use Z mount lenses, the AF, the speed and the IQ of the camera, but would also want to slap on a manual lens from time to time and slow the process down. Also people overreact to the ISO fuctionality, because it's just different, and I never understood why don't you guys just get to know your tools better.. and no, I am not a Nikon user atm..
such a great video! i wish canon would release a ff retro looking camera, i'd be all over that. thanks for sharing your thoughts on this camera!
Yo bro, that shutter sound wasn't be a mechanical shutter, but I also love it
Really nice review! Thanks! I still got the original FM2 my father used back in the day and in very good condition. I understand the nostalgia about it and the qualilty of the pictures is amazing. BUT. Besides the ISO thing which wouldn't be much of a problem after mastering it (I guess), if there's a lack of good optics at least for now, it's a serious problem.
I don't mind a bit of time-repsonse on the menu etc. and I really don't care about the video capabilities.
I suppose users of the Zf will be heard for the Zf 2. Let's be honest : nobody could do everything right the first time when it comes to this kind of product.
Let's wait fot the Sony Alpha 7 V , if there's one coming.
Couldn’t do it. 3.50 in the music forced me to switch off. Shame that.
Good review but, the music track was annoying.
you can adapt e-mount lenses on nikon z :)
Yeah, try the Metadap adapter. I'll be curious for you to report back on it.
Personnally I think they should have scapped the video functionnalities all together. It would have simplify the menus, the electronic and lower the price. Now for any version 2 it would be good they should learn from the Pana S9 size factor and Sony shutter protection sensor.
I've been looking at the ZF instead of trying to get my hands on a Fuji X100VI. I know not entirely the same thing but I've been just wanting a retro body that I can throw a 28/35/40mm lens on and use as a travel camera and with the cost of secondhand X100VI's...I can just get the ZF with the 40mm lens.
Also a note about the focusing comparison with Sony: It's interesting people still haven't or don't share the opinion that Canon has basically caught up and possibly surpassed the Sony bodies. My R5 and R6II outdo my Sony stuff or at least are on par with it in nearly any situation, especially the R6II.
Great video I love my ZF just did a wedding with it
Same!
really unbiased...greta video man ..thanks
Obviously, you never used a Nikon film camera. Another great youtube photographer.