Should I "upgrade" from D850 to a Z7II?
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 7 มิ.ย. 2024
- With the new improvements like dual card slot, dual processor and improved autofocus system, is the Z7II finally a better camera than the Nikon D850, arguably the best DSLR ever.
I did some comparison between the two cameras and share with you my thoughts and results.
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Intro Music - Special Thanks to LYL Music / itslylmusic
0:00 Intro
1:56 Body Design
3:58 Viewfinder
10:06 Battery Life
11:39 Video Recording
14:30 Autofocus
17:45 High ISO Image Quality
18:41 Pushing the RAW files by 7 stops
20:59 In-body Image Stabilisation
22:36 Z-Mount (Z14-24 vs AFS14-24)
24:31 Final Thoughts - วิทยาศาสตร์และเทคโนโลยี
Are you a D850 (or D810/D800) shooter? Would you want to get a Z 7 II and why?
I Have a D810 a z7ii wan’t for beter low light autofocus -3ev, eye autofocus, no front-back focus problems and the fact that he has nooooo stupid swiffeldisplay. But once reliable in all lichting conditions autofocus for stils is the most important thing for me.
I was a D810 shooter and loved the camera, but I made the move to the Z6. The price was right on the trade. I have firmware 3.20 installed and the iso, low light performance, video quality and lenses for the z system are sharper, but the construction of the F-mount glass is better. I had no need to chase the autofocus speed crown as I own a Nikon d500. I currently only have the Nikon S 24-70 f4 and it is quite good for what it it is. The eye autofocus is a bonus and has gotten better. I looked at the move to the Z System as a Training Ground. I’m not going to lie here my Nikon d500 autofocus system is more accurate than the Z6, but I’m learning work arounds and setting up the camera correctly is even more important than ever before.
The optical viewfinder in studio work or in general has its advantages as well along with the bigger body. I also own a D500 and I shoot Fuji as well with a Xt3 and a smaller xt20 for travel. I own tons of Nikon glass and the issue for me was do I wait, get a D850, Z6 or Z6 ii? The Z7 was never a consideration because I don’t need 45 megapixels and in wedding photography it is more of a hindrance than a help. I mostly used my d750 for weddings until my son bought it for the same purpose. Some Reverends and Priest in some churches want silent shooting and even some special events are starting to demand it.
For the school games, the Z7 ii and the D850 would have given me better crop abilities but in my studio work, I control the light so it doesn’t matter. The d500 is a better sports camera than the d850 and the Z7 ii combined mainly due to autofocus, it’s literally a baby D5 with a 200 shot buffer and it has decent low light performance, so I’m set in that department and I get the field of view that I want.
The Z6 or even Z6ii is a better video camera than the Z7 or Z7 ii because it doesn’t use the line skipping that the Z7 or Z7 ii does, due to the high megapixel count. The FTZ adapter allows me to not loose lens choices and video is the direction that I’m going as I will be ordering a DJI Ronin S, Ninja Atmos V and yes the Xt3 has excellent video, but I don’t have as much glass for it as I do for all of my years as a Nikon shooter and yes I know about the lens adaptation between both cameras, but nah. The Meike grip makes the Z6 grip much better, DSLR like in feel.
I believe the direction of photography is in being a hybrid shooter as video is no longer not an option in some parts and with the potentially changing market after 2020, you must be ready, which video is the reason that I originally got into the Fuji System. Moving out of the D810 wasn’t a hard decision but deciding not to get a d850 was. If Nikon had or does use it patent for a hybrid Mirrorless and DSLR body believe me it’s the direction that I would have went because you can make the bodies smaller but it’s almost impossible to make the lenses smaller, so it will balance out in the end.
For me knowing that Nikon was going into the direction of Mirrorless, I wanted to start getting myself ready (and the price was right) because I still have the advantages of DSLR with the Nikon d500 and to tell you the truth I literally love my d500 so much that it will probably be the last camera I sell or trade in. The Fuji Xt3 reminds me of film camera and it is just fun to shoot and Fuji did the battery grip thing better than Nikon allowing you to have three batteries in the camera with even the xt4 for considerably longer battery life because the electronic contacts are on the bottom of the camera. Fuji has also updated the Xt3 autofocus system with firmware 4.0 making it blazing fast and you can lock on and practically get a lock on in the dark, negative 6EV, just lie the Fuji Xt4.
Because of my Nikon system’s glass I have no need to go further into Fuji’s glass at this point, but I have shot with a GFX 50R and GFX 100 and they are simply put, amazing for studio and commercial work and I hope one day that with the change to the Z mount system Nikon gets into medium format for its upper end line of Z Cameras. I believe Nikon will get back on track and the next round of Z-mount cameras will be even better. TH-cam videos that didn’t give the complete picture didn’t help with some of the ranting and raving for the bad points as well as the good, without ever owning the camera or really renting it for a long time. When I don’t want to be bothered with Digital at all and want to do some of my landscaping stuff to be at one with nature, I will pull out my Nikon F4, Film camera, which reminds me of why I got involved in photography in the first place.
I’m not complaining about one card slot anymore because I owned a Nikon d700 and some times with the D500 I didn’t even have the Sd card installed and the XQD card has been with me since the second year after the Nikon D500 was released and I have had no problems with it, but I have had SD cards fail in the past. Mirrorless is the future and some of us old dogs are going to have to make the move and I was one when Sony got involved that I thought they were toy cameras that didn’t have a future. Mirrorless does have a future and Canon, Sony, Fuji and even Nikon are proving it.
I also moved from D500 & D810 To Z7II. It is very different but it is worth the effort.
@@sidvicious3129 if the z7 wasn't in consideration because it has 45megapixels, then why the D850?
@@patrickmolloy6994 Patrick, I had a friend who has a d850 who also had a d810, and he made the offer to loan it to me for a few weeks, which turned into a few months because he doesn’t shoot professionally anymore just for recreation and although it is a considerable upgrade over the d810 that I had in terms of performance, I really thought about my want for something vs a need for something.
I started to really realize the file size of editing 36 meg files, let alone 45 meg, which I was complaining about. I had a d750 which I loved and had the U1 and U2 presets for portrait and wedding photography as a base line and I liked that camera a lot, but my son started his own wedding and photography business after me teaching him photography for a few years and he wanted the d750 that he was familiar with and I sold him my d750 at a discount. I purchased a used d810 a short time later for way less than the price of a d750 new. I also have a d500 for some of the sports games I shoot. I also love to shoot birds for relaxation and I love to go to the air show and shoot jets as well for relaxation.
While for portraits the d810 was great for weddings editing the files took longer but I had more crop ability. I found myself taking the d500 with me more and more due to file size and I decided that for my personal stuff, the d810 and the d850 wasn’t needed, and the Z6 reminded me of the d750 with the presets, the depth of field of full frame was needed and I generally missed the d750. This time out during COVID-19 made me really reevaluate what my 2021 would look like. My d500 is not going anywhere.
The mega pixel count of the Z6 was right so looking forward I have a ton of Nikon glass and made the decision to go with the Z6 and my friend has his d850 back, which is an amazing camera, but one that’s not needed for me. I also got one heck of a deal on a used Z6 days before Christmas with my trade in of the d810, that made it very hard to refuse the deal.
i bought my d850 6 months ago.Dslrs are reliable and built like tanks!!!No doubt mirrorless is the future but i think not yet for me!!
I already have Nikon z9 and ordered d850 😀
Please how is the auto focus? For weddings will I be missing shots?
@@fidelisessien245 no it is great but fast native lens is a must if you are serious about it
As a Nikon DSLR shooter for over 15 years, starting with the D200, I bought a D850 just recently, knowing full well that DSLRs are being phased out. Mirrrorless cameras have won when it comes to sales and popularity. I was actually an early mirrorless adopter too, I had a Panasonic GF1, and still have a GX7, they have their purpose, but for going out with the intention of shooting all day, whether it's wildlife or cars, I just prefer a DSLR, I like the optical viewfinder, I'm already very familiar with all the modes and features of Nikon's various phase detect autofocus modules and they work great for me, the battery life is still a dramatic difference too. I found that out about mirrorless with my Panasonics. All other things being equal, something that keeps the sensor and a digital display powered on all the time in use is never going to match the efficiency of something that only powers the sensor when you take the shot. There's a lot of freedom in knowing you will not have any worry about the battery shooting all day.
I have a D500 and it's amazing & I plan to buy a D850 to compliment it. I have to say regardless of the trends mirrorless is not on my horizon.
@bradtrounson I have the D500 and D810. The AF on the D500 works for me best so leaning towards the D850. I was shocked when I found out my D500 has 362,000 shutter count! It has been solid as a tank!
Excellent comparison, focused on the most important points and clearly and directly. Congratulations on your work. A hug from Brazil.
Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you!
It was inevitable: the art of taking fine photos has been eclipsed by the market ordering us to keep buying. The latest sales pitch is "mirrorless ." Well, my 1950s Zeiss has no mirror. Should I check my other old cameras to make sure they are mirror-free? Then, there's the matter of lens speed. The market is trying to convince the hapless consumer that an f.95 lens is better than an f2 lens. Why? Because it's "faster."
A wise guru once said "Skill in photography is acquired by practice, not by purchase." Very true!
Carved in stone.
Very true. My D850 and D500 paired to my Sigma 500mm f4 sport and Nikon 200-500mm f5.6 do what I need them to do.
Yeah, ride your horse man. Let's others drive their own tesla:))
Sure, with my tesla i can ride like your horse but your horse never ride like a tesla:))
Why do you voice that complaint when watching a clearly labeled gear comparision video? Richard has been fair and your camera will not stop working. I made the transition because clients now request more video and it's just more of hybrid, not because of dissatisfaction with the stills results I got before. The native glass improvements were an added benefit.
You come off as a bit insecure in your skills and equipment when you put it like that :) Just do your own thing and stop worrying.
Very good comparison and presentation - thanks for taking the time and effort to do this.
My pleasure!
Richard thank you, this video was very helpful for me. I’m a D750 shooter who’s been very hesitant about the Z6ii due to all the complaints everyone has with it, but your video really helped me to see the advantages and realize why the drawbacks are not much of a concern for me (I shoot mainly architecture and landscapes, so I almost never use active autofocus). I’ve been watching a bunch of videos while deliberating, and your is the first I’ve seen that highlights being able to preview white balance settings in the electronic viewfinder as well as low light visualization, both of which are huge for me. Your comparison of the Z mount lenses was also very helpful (though probably not for my wallet). Thanks again!
Glad you find the review useful. I feel sometimes we complain too much these days and failed to enjoy the amazing (even though not 100% perfect) things people have created for us.
Some really beautiful photos you took. Good work!
Thank you @Jeffery
Thank you for being the first to make this comparison
Thanks for watching and happy new year!
I'm not ready to switch to mirrorless yet, that is why I like the Nikon D850. I have a lot of money tied up with Nikon lenses.
The best comparison video I have seen! Thank you for taki g the time to give an educated comparison.
Ruth, Glad you enjoyed it!
For me my 850 will do at present, if I want to see the image, like Z7Ii I go LV mode hit ok, and adjust iso, speed aperture and see the result, I, get it how I want the switch LV off and it’s a quick setup.. I do see the benefits of the Z7II, weight, battery grip use, I goo through 2-3 battery’s or 1 whole grip per session, I can’t fault the 850, I am waiting for work to get back to normality before deciding on the next body, by which time we should have the next iteration from nikon this year. I do want to go mirrorless, just not quite there for me yet.
Currently using D850 which is great....if I upgrade I will keep D850 and probably go GFX 100s for additional camera
thanks Richard,excellent comparison
Richard, thanks for a detailed and informative video !
My pleasure!
There are many people that would see a switch from the D850 to the Z system as a ‘downgrade’! I myself shoot with a Sony a7r3 and love it, but i have had the opportunity to use a D850 and what a beast of a camera it is. I simply couldn’t fault it and but for the size advantage that the Sony specifically offers myself I would seriously consider going in the other direction back to a DSLR and the D850 in particular. I wonder if Nikon could put a dual viewfinder set-up in the D850 akin to what Fuji does in the x pro3 giving the best of both worlds, I’m convinced that there would be many photographers that would jump at the chance of owning it.
Your video is very helpful Richard, you are listing decisive arguments. Thank you very much.
Glad to hear you like the video ☺️
Very well explained sir, thank-you for your analysis... dont know where to upgrade from the D500, might just keep it...
Yea! Richard Wing is upgrading his camera! One of the most pivotal videos on TY!
We'll done. Best explanation of Electronic View Finder and its use.
Glad it was helpful!
I had a D750 for 3 years. Finally upgraded to the D850. I use my Z6 for video at weddings. But I will always choose my DSLR. 💕
The best comparison video I have seen! Old video but still relevant, trying to decide between z7ii or d850 as upgrade to my d800 and glass. I do like the ftz adapter, so I don't need to change all my AF-s lenses as well.
Thank you very much for watching and glad you like it 😀
Interesting comparison.
As a long time DSLR shooter I expect mirrorless to replace DSLR's at some point in the future , however that day is not here yet.
Here are my thoughts on some of your points in the video:
I have large hands and a beefier larger camera body helps a lot.
IMHO ,the D850 has better manual controls with more knobs and buttons. For some people that matters.
Any photographer that is worth his/her salt will not be phased by not "seeing" the expected results in the viewfinder.
That is why RAW (NEF) exist, allowing you to have full control over the final image. It does not matter what white balance you used. You simply change it during your edit.
Mirrorless is perhaps more "noob friendly", but us experienced DSLR shooters know what the photo will look like even though the optical viewfinder offers no clue.
If you match the light meter bar in the optical viewfinder, you should know if your photo is well exposed.
I do agree that mirrorless is far superior in regards to video capabilities and especially AF.
Great Video and comparison of the two cameras. I own a D850 and some F-lenses and do industrial-, product- and landscape-photography.
I'm very happy with my setup so I won't switch to a complete other system in the near future.
For ultrawide-angle situations I use a Tamron 15-30 which is very very sharp at 2.8, has a VC and produces very nice pictures also against the sunlight. For me it is a reference lense and is well balanced with a D850. I like to shoot with heavy equipment which fits good into my big hands. The Z Series for me is too small and feels like a step backwards from a profi camera to a semi-profi model.
In my Opinion, during my workflow, I don't need the additional Information of a digital viewfinder. I don't need to see the picture i will get, because it's raw, auto WB and in landscape photography with sunlight maybe underexposured or if I do studio shoot with flashlights, this preview is unnecessary. The normal exposure indicator of my D850 ist enough to decide which is the best setting.
Maybe I will additional buy a Z model for video filming. But this would be a parallel tool.
Lots and lots of the Nikons two years old Z7 II " yes its better videos" going on and on now , from U tube influencers . I think this means Nikon wants to clear the Z 7II and z6II inventory as New Z 8 and z6III about to drop . Oh yeah there's absolutely nothing wrong with BSI 45mp D850 and F mount you don't need to sell it . It's all still amazing good .
Thanks for this review. I'm a bit of a first adopter, so I traded in my D850 for the Z7 and now have the Z7 II on order.
Hey Troy thanks for watching! So how do you feel about your "upgrade"? Would you go back to the d850?
your cameras must have a low shutter count lmao
@@sammeh6806 So? Good for resale value...
@@divejumpshooter6947 didn't say it was a bad thing.
Great comparison, Richard and one of the best comparisons I have seen. I was shooting with an 810 and made the decision to go the 850 went it was on sale for $2500 and have not regretted the decision(delta of $800 after including the lens adapter)I considered the Z7II but like the ability to use a different lens on two bodies to avoid lens changing and the controls of these two bodies are nearly identical to make the usability seamless. If one is considering a new body change like the Z7 and the new Z lenses, you are basically starting a new system investment and can not overlook the Fujifilm GFX100s, which would be a greater image improvement(medium format is another world!) than the change to the Z7II, although probably at a $5K greater investment with lenses. The Z7II would be more compact, but after seeing it mounted with the new Z14-28, not by much, as it still seems to be a large setup.
Hi David, if you like to continue to use the DSLR, then stick with the F mount lenses. I found they work pretty much just as good on the Z cameras compare to the DSLRs. This way you can keep the cost down as well. I'm not sure about your country, but here in NZ, you quite often can get the FTZ adaptor free as part of promotion.
I absolutely agree with you about the benefits of the electronic viewfinder. That alone has been worth switching to the Z7 II from the D850. But I have no use for the MASP dial on the Z7 II that you mentioned, and I really miss the buttons and shutter functions dial in its place on the D850. A little unexpected learning curve on the new camera, but in the end I think it will be worth it for the benefits of mirrorless and the video performance you talked about..
Great video!! Exactly what I been waiting for. I have the D810 and the D850. I only shoot portraits on location and studio with no video. Should I purchase the D850 in your opinion. I really would enjoy the view finder shoot ocf portraits. Please advise. Thanks
I would say yes, becaue the Z mount lenses and features like EVF, IBIS are all really helpful in real life shooting.
This is what I shoot as well. I decided to move to the Z7II from the D850
Great video, thanks for sharing.
Thanks for watching Carlos!
Excellent review. I’m beginning to conclude that lens quality is the deciding factor. The future of lens technology lies with the S lenses. If the Z body is reasonably close to the DSLR, I would buy a Z to secure my future investments in expanding my collection of lenses. I will, however, keep my D750 for night sky photography.
If you can rent or borrow a Z7 for night photography. You will be shocked at how nice the Z7II does with a 14-24 2.8 Z series lens- I can do handhelds that are as good as tripod shots now. Obviously a tripod for timed but if you are doing dusk/dawn, full moon or city shots at night it is so great.
Happy New Year~
Happy new year 🎉🎉🎉 Zeapon!!
superb film Richard - hopefully one day I will pick up a Z7 camera - just selling old stuff off for investing in more improved Z glass first.
Thank you dafydd! The z glasses is definitely a good and big reason to switch over to Z cameras
I sold ALL my f lenses and d7500 to invest fully in the z6, z14.24/2.8S,z24.70/4S,z70.200/2.8s+tc2. Wife actually got me the 14.24 for Xmas. 😀
@@patrickmolloy6994 You have an amazing lens collection but even more amazing is your wife!
@@TheRealRichardWong she says that as well!!
Wow you went into very deep details. Thanks for comparing low light shots and videos man you're good
Glad you like the video :)
what I should buy if i just take fashion photo and wedding photos just photos , because vdo i have panasonic already ?
Great review. I am a D750 user and looking for the 45 MP for mainly landscape photography. I am torn between these 2 cameras. Both have the pros and cons. I really don't like the feel of the Z, but like that Z's have ibis and better video and eye tracking... though I really won't be using these very features that much for now... used D850 are about $2k used where I live and a Z72 with FTZ for $3k.. would be using my F lenes for a while as all new Z lenses are out of my budget.... so for an extra $1k, is the newer tech worth it...
I felt the same way. I decided to go with D850. I'm going to pick up mine today. I purchase new with that $500 discount.
Great Info! Thank you
My pleasure!
You Rock Richard 💪😁😎
haha thanks Peter! Happy 2021!
Great review
Thanks Scott!
I pre-ordered the Nikon D850 and have had it since as my ONLY main camera for weddings, events and more as a professional photographer. I am Not thinking of every switching..
I usd to think the same thing- I borrowed a buddy's Z6II and when I got home after a day of shooting I went online got the 14-24, 24-70 and 70-2002.8s and the Z7II and haven't even really though about my D750 0r 850. Especially for candids in lower light- You'll be able to get crisp photos without a tripod. Granted I am ot a wedding photographer but I can imagine for candids you'll be blown away and on a tripod? forget it man.
This is a very interesting and well balanced comparison Richard. The Z7ii is now very close to being a consideration for this D850 user. I'm a generalist photographer not specialising in one area of photography and the D850 is a superb jack of all trades for me and I know it will deliver no matter what i turn my attention to.
I went mirrorless 3 years ago with a Fuji XT-1 and now have an XT-2 and an XT-4. When I use the Fujis I miss some of what the D850 gives me - and when using the D850, I miss some of what the Fujis give me!
Unusually, although I have small hands, I like a big camera and do find the Fujis more fiddly to use. I guess that at the moment the biggest obstacle stopping me from switching is the lack of physical buttons to access features and settings which also inhibits my custom button assignments. I realise that the menus can be seen in the EVF, but it is a whole new way of working and at my age, adapting to a new system after being ingrained with working with buttons for around 67 years is not easy. It took me ages to get to grips with the Fujis and I think they have more buttons that the Z7ii and most of them can be customisable.
Over time I have a large range of lenses to suit my all sorts of photography so changing to Z lenses would not be viable, so I'd have to use the adaptor for my F mount lenses. many of my lenses are f2.8 and just 3 Z lenses and a 1.4x TC to get me started in the Z system lenses would come to about £4000 on top of the camera.
So If I ever decided to get a Z7 I know that realistically I'd be using the F mount lenses Ii already have with the adaptor.
That moment is not here yet, and maybe it will never be.
hi Graham, glad you enjoy the review. If you are a Nikon user, you should feel quite familar when you pick up a Z7II. Yes there are less physical buttons but overall the layout, control style, menu system..etc are all very similar. If you can make the switch from Nikon to Fuji, you should be ok switching to a Z. Re lenses, you do not have to switch over to Z lenses immediately. I'm still shooting mainly with my F mount lenses because they still work just as good as on my DSLR. But i do really trying to find excuses for myself to upgrade to the newer Z lenses.
@@TheRealRichardWong "If you can make the switch from Nikon to Fuji, you should be ok switching to a Z. " I knew you'd say that! However I do prefer physical buttons to menu access to settings. I think the answer is to get a Z7ii and keep the D850. However, I think the Z9 is coming - a Z equivalent to the D6 and after that a Z8 which will have many of the Z9 features (as per usual Nikon practice) but otherwise will be a Z7ii upgrade - and that might tip the balance. The next question is will I last that long?
advantage of the D850,exposure preview in live view,histogram etc.yess
Very nicely explained, would you (or anyone) know how a7iv would do against z7ii ? And the lenses..
Z7II is a higher resolution camera than the A7IV so the performance is quite diifferent in a few areas
Thank you for the detailed information. As a wedding photographer how is the output of natural skin tones in the Z7.
I haven't done side by side skin tonne comparison with the d850 against z7ii. But I like the colours from the z7ii
And I found that I can easily get the skin tone to what I like with the z7 ii raw files
It's still a Nikon, you'll be fine!
The Z/S lenses are more consistent between each other than the F mount lenses. Look at the D800 versus D800E (DxOmark) and add the difference to the Z 7ii over the Z 7. I upgraded from Z 7 to Mk II and expect that there's actually more. Skin tones has a racial connotation. Asian, African or Caucasian. I feel Z 7II has a larger color space and skin tones are better. But. Much depends on your raw processing. This is where raw monochrome photosite readings are converted into RGB pixels. To get as neutral as possible, shoot a ColorChecker Passport (X-rite) with series of the same light and lens and if you go very critical, use X-rite app to create profiles. Then when you are happy, open in Photoshop from Lightroom as 32-bit. You'll be floored.
Good comparison. What to do with the FS lenses if we go to the ZII camera? Can we still use them and we need an adapter?
Hi there.. do you mean the AFS lenses? If so yes you can use them pretty much exactly the same on the Z cameras by using the FTZ adaptor. Checkout my z6ii video I post few weeks ago, I talked about that a bit more in that video and same applies to z7ii
I actually tried my old Nikkor Ai-s 85/f1.4 and Ai-s 135/f2.0 on my friends Z7 body (with adapter) and I must say that because of the evf it was so much easier to nail the focus than on my D810. I’m very nearsighted and have problem with manual focusing normally but with the viewfinder in the Z7 body it became so much easier! So for me, a surprising benefit to upgrade to the Z system would be to be able to use my old vintage lenses more often again. Maybe that gave you a little bit more information on how older lenses can work on these new bodies?
Yes agree. Manual focus is super easy on z6/7. Much easier and more accurate than any nikon DSLR.
quite content with the 850 the price increase is not in line with the improvements. Removing the mirror has not improved image quality enough to justify that price.
Great video. I have D810 and trying to decide between D850 and Z7II. I have many ED nikon glass that i paid a lot of money for...i will continue to use them so is it better to get the D850 as an upgrade from d810 or use the Z7II with the adapter? Video is NOT that important to me. Thank you.
I myself would go for z7ii even if you are not buying any new lens for a while for the reasons I mentioned, unless you shoot a lot of high speed actions
Would never trade my D850... I plan on getting the Z6ii as a second system
That's a great idea lem mobley!
A mirrorless can be everything but battery efficient hence the 850 or dslr will always be relevant for photography.
I said the same thing when I bought my Z6 about my D750 and well... I sold it, but it does depend on your use case I'm a hobbyist.
@@MB-dq2gz yupp, that entirely depends upon the use case. When i bought my z6 i had a D7100, i still have it. I shoot weddings.
I am eager to hear your opinion on the mirrorless system compared to the 850 after 6 months of use.
I have a Z7-ii and it is nice; and I will never give up my D850 which is the best general purpose DSLR currently on planet Earth.
I will be upgrading my D800 very soon for the Z system.
You won’t be disappointed dude. These autofocus videos sold the hell out of me! I’ve shot 55k photos on my D800 with my 24-70 F2.8...another 100k on my D700...I had a blast and really got some amazing shots...BUT
The picture quality on this Z6ii with the damn 24-70 F4 s “kit lens” is stoooopid good. CRAZY sharp and FAST! I’m having so much fun shooting again! It gave me that feeling when I switched from my crop sensor D300 to full frame!! Also, I have so much glass invested in Nikon, that I didn’t want to switch systems. I’m so glad I waited for this camera. 🙏🏼
@@FokinSTI Cool! I have a D800e and I am debating the Z6ii or Z7 with the kit lens.
I'm currently shooting with D850 + Z6, but if I had to decide for having one single camera it would be a Z7 II
I feel battery life isn't that different as soon as you use the D850 on a tripod with electronic shutter in live view
I had to laugh a bit, because everyone is talking about 2000 shots with the d850. I am using the live view quite a lot and was already wondering if I have a bad model. „Happy“ to hear you have the same challenge
What about banding? With the D850 you could push the exposure seven stops and not get any banding due to the fact that does not have any of its photo sites removed to make a phase-detect autofocus system.
Does the Z7 ii ever have banding just like the original Z7 did?
I don't notice any noticeable banding in my push 7 stop results
I just shifted from D850 with a D750 back up body to the Z7II- I have the same lenses the "holy trinity" 14-24, 24-70,70-200 2.8s all for my Z7II- like I used with the D series except obviously they are F mounts. I was a bit shocked at how much crisper the handheld shots are with the z7II. That for me doing mostly street photography, architecture and landscapes is great- i am not a pro photographer but my work carries me to places and events not seen by most people. So whether I am EU/UK hanging out with my teams there or traveling to Eastern EU, Asia, South West Asia, Africa I think I am really going to like the Z7II and not having to drag a monopod or bipod with me as much. I'll be able to do more "candid" shots. The weight savings don't seem great but they add up when you are draggin a lot of gear around. Overall I wish I hadn't been so stubborn and had gone mirrorless camera with the Z6 or Z6II
i think most (not all) people moved to Z told me they wish they have done it earlier :)
D810. Pretty good comparison. My shooting varies. I also do wildlife & don't think I could handle the EVF lag. My next will most likely be the D850 on sale or it's replacement if the rumors are true. Thanks for putting the vid up.
The lag is pretty minimal but yes the ovf is still better. But there are other things the evf can offer, like the boosted brightness when shooting under low light and magnification view which I guess could be handy for shooting wildlife?
D810 shooter here and have the Z7ii on order for landscape photography. Selling all of my F mount gear and investing fully in Z mount. Cheers!
I'm toying with such a plan too, but I cringe at the loss I'll suffer from dumping my F-mount system. Still debating whether it's worth it 'cause I've yet to have a client ask me if I shoot DSLR or mirrorless...
@@j.m.gratton6000 Dumped all my EF lenses and DSLRs on ebay the day RF was announced, listed everything starting at 99p, described them honestly and got far more than I thought, the longer you delay it the less you'll get. Ive no love at all for the Sony brand but the cameras are so capable..
Honestly, unless the weight is a problem, I'd say no. Imean, IBIS and focus peaking is nice to have, but the D850 is better suited for some tasks as well (like sports/wildlife). If you don't do those, then it may make sense, but if you DO, then keep the D850. That's my recommendation for people considering a switch from the D850. The only other potential thing to consider is that the Z7 II will likely have a longer "shelf life" as the D850 is now about 4 years old, and Nikon will likely stop with firmware updates in the next 1-2 years, but the Z7 II will likely continue to be a current camera with updates for the next 4-5 years.
Z7II is not an upgrade from D850. It is simply a different system with the same image quality. There is room in the market for both depending on the type of photography you do. I'm a bird photographer and I will not trade my D850 for anything, but I would like to try a Z7II for some landscape and some table-top commercial work.
Yeah. But If you also want shoot good looking video with good autofocus the Z7 II sweeps the floor with the D850.
I’m new to photography but I’m learning a lot, fast. What makes the D850 better for wildlife and bird photography over the Z7 ii? I’m looking to get that one, but not if it’s very good for that type of photography.
@@sgt.kamarov7536 I don't do video at all. So, D850 for me because I already have one that I preordered when they first hit the market.
I switched from D850 to the first Z7 and was very satisfied. I got better hitrate and definitely sharper images with the Z lenses. Now I own a Z6, Z6ii and Z7ii. Couldn't be happier than with the Z system 👌💯
Glad to hear you enjoy it :)
I’m deciding between the z7II and the zt wich is better in some things but doesn’t look professional and clients migh thought I’m not a profesional. What do you think?
I hear/read a lot being made of the advantage of an EVF for exposure correction and adjustment. Unless you are shooting completely in manual, is this really an issue? Since when have metering systems gotten so horrible? Matrix metering has been refined over many years and except for extreme situations (heavy back light for example) will capture a good representation of the scene. Most mirrorless camera control layout seem to favor use of exposure compensation to deal with this while I favor my dslr setup to actuate spot metering with a custom function button. In a high speed situation I have found this to be preferable. Having said all of this I still think that manual lens use (if you like that) is much better with an EVF because of focus peaking. I would state that one is not universally better than the other, but each has its place depending on your subject or type of photography you engage in. Personally, I believe I will always own at least one of each type because each has their strengths. Nice video.
If you are shoooting RAW, i agree this is not a real issue 99% of time as you can easily push/pull the raw file 2-3 stops with almost no information lost. However, being able to preview the exposure and other info benefit me a lot as a photographer (or videographer) as human eyes/brain see the scene very differently to what the camera capture.
For example, I could play around with the exposure and see how the image would look like if I overexpose/normal/underexpose it when framing.. this allows me to experiment my composition/exposure a lot easier. "
I agree OVF definitely still has benefits, like no lag, no power needed..etc but overall even after shooting with SLR/DSLR for over twenty years, I'm completely switching to mirrorless cameras these days for all my professional work.
Thank you for the wonderful video!
70-90% of my assignments are photographed on location, with off camera manual flash, or studio strobes, like Broncolor Move and Siros lights. On these assignments I frequently under expose the ambient light, which results in a greatly under exposed viewing image, when using mirrorless cameras. To correct for this, I often set the electronic viewfinders to a locked setting to prevent the dimming, but then that kind of defeats the reason for having mirrorless camera. Until I can wrap my mind around how to fix this problem, I'm probably going to stick with my 850s.
All this said, I do like the quality of the Z lenses and the ability to shoot noiselessly, those features however, just don't offset the exposure handling issues I'm facing with mirrorless.
do you mean the setting "Apply settings to live view" ?
@@TheRealRichardWong Maybe? I don't know. I'll have to take a look and see what "Apply settings to live view" does, or if that is the same setting I've already used. To be clear, I really don't use mirrorless very much on assignment. I've used SLRs for 35 years and I have a very instinctive, manual work flow... my hands do the thinking, not my brain. :-) I'm not a luddite, I'm sure I'll find "my" way of transitioning to mirrorless, I just haven't discovered the "need" yet. I think when we reach the point where a given mirrorless camera "blows the doors off" of the 850 (like a Z8 or Z9) then I'll make the full transition. Until then I find the 850 is still spectacularly good for me and most importantly, I can use it organically, without thinking about it.
For right now it seems to depend on what kind of shooting you do. I'm mostly nature and landscape and am fixed to a tripod nearly 100% of the time. So I'm sitting with the D850 for now.
I'm looking for a camera that will take 5 different exposures with one push of the button. I know there are cameras that take 3 different exposures, but I like shooting with 5 exposures. Can this camera do this?
i don't have a Z7II with me now to check but im pretty sure it is possible to do a 5 shot bracketing with the Z7II
Excellent review! I am happy with my D850, so I don’t anticipate upgrading for some time to come. My DSLR and F mount lenses more than exceed my expectations, so I cannot justify spending yet more money on camera equipment. I wish the Z system all the luck in the world, though, I need Nikon to stay relevant!
Do they take the same battery??
Thanks!!!
If the D850 is the best DSLR, the Z7/6 is very impressive because, for my shooting subjects adding the Z6 to my travel kit, I found the handling and performance rather good. But after 10 minutes of first use, it was really hard to go back to optical VF. I originally got the Z7 because where I am living now, the Z6 was not released until 5 months later. I felt the Z6 was better for my small travel kit than duplicating the large file sizes of the D850. The D850 and D800 were my "serious" cameras for the studio, commercial, theater, and portraiture work. The dealer agreed to allow me to trade the Z7 back when the Z6 was available and they threw in the 35mm 1.8 and 50 1.8 plus I kept the 24-70 f/4 and FTZ adaptor. I was not interested in mirrorless because the only ones I tried belonged to my friend who has a Sony a73. I hated his camera, he does not use it much either. It feels cheap, with poor build material and no weather sealing, horrible control layout, and a useless menu system. The Z bodies felt like Nikons, handling was very nice. At first, my gripped DSLRs seemed like real cameras but within 10 minutes I was sold in the light Z body after adding a hand strap to secure it to my hand during a long session. The EVF is so nice of a tool, no more missed exposure, 100% frame view meant no more mental compensation for the OVF not being 100% of the frame and always compensating in composition. The colors are really accurate to the file vs EVF. So I was very happy finding that instead of just a small travel camera as I set out to get, it quickly became my constant companion in a small sling bag, The intent was to use my many F fast primes and 2.8 zooms but that plan was altered the moment I realized the kit 24-70 f/4 was superior to my much more expensive G and E 2.8 versions. Corner to corner sharpness was better as was the handling of light sources in the frame such as the setting sun, it behaved so well. When the swap of the Z7 for the Z6 plus 35 and 50mm primes it was almost shocking how much better the 50 1.8 S is than any of my expensive 50-58mm fast primes. No more stopping down to 2.8 or 4.0 to get the sharpest images. When the 85 1.8 S was released I bought it instantly and it was just as good as the stunning 50.
As it turned out, Nikon hit it out of the park in developing that Z mount, every native lens I have tried that now includes the 24-70 2.8 that at 50 mm is better corner to corner and resolving power than any of my F primes! I do not have the 70-200 2.8 because the last of work this year with the lockdown spanning the entire wedding season I will have to wait a while. All those features are great but native S glass is THE definitive advantage of the Z bodies over the competition.
Nice bookwork m8
There has been a lot of this type of material posted. I don't understand why someone with an 850 would go over to a Z7 anything to merely change. I had Nikon DSLRs for decades, the latest generation still isn't there either on video or live view. But they have great tracking, and everybody already has plenty of F Mount lenses that owns DSLR format. The Z8 or Z9 will definitely be a step up. The new Z Mount glass is remarkable, any newer F Mounts work well with FTZ adapter. The 50mm f1.2S is also a remarkable piece of glass, impossible optical formula on the old F mount. If you're using application that doesn't need video or the best live view or any of the other features, stay happy with what you got. For others with their use and application being different, this will be superior. The new fashion is touting equipment, I've made several camera store owners happy over the decades but I just look at them as tools to accomplish my uses and applications. Whatever is current firmware capability, please bear in mind it will be improved just like the first generation was and is. Putting down what other people own is ridiculous unless if you're borrowing their equipment.
I wonder how would you compare the 6ii vs 7ii as all rounder?
All rounder I think the z6ii is what I prefer more because it has better high low light performance and better video mode (apart from 4k50/60). But it really comes down to how important the extra resolution is to you
Appreciate what you are saying about shooting in low light...but you should see how much better the r5 and sonys are compared to the really noisy evf of the z7ii in low light. Nikons is really bad.
Mixed media and no video backup put me off the Z6II - Ive sort of made my mind up to move when the A74 is released as I can pretty much guess the body design and specs and will fit with my work needs better.
I guess it also depends on if the a74 would use mixed media and if it allows you to backup video on 2nd card?
@@TheRealRichardWong it will backup video the A73 does
@@markshirley01 Ah yes you are right Mark! I completely forgot about that.
As long as you have been haunting youtube comments it will probably be the A710 😅
I wouldn’t sell my D850 but I may add a Z7 ii later, the new z 14-24 is stunning & would be great with 24-70 . As I shoot mostly non professional & I can’t really go far until COVID go , I’m in no rush & plenty of time to see the 28 & 40 compact primes which doesn’t exist in the f mount.
right now mirroless is mostly about hype. i think the real features and improvements we will see this year. i have the d850 and that camera isnt going anywhere soon. Alot of peopel want to jump into mirroless thinking it will make them a better photographer.
While it's not a Z7, I find my Z50 frustrating to use compared to my D810. For one, settings I make and save to the U1 and U2 slots seem to change after I've saved them which drives me nuts. Also, in shooting subjects like butterflies I don't like how the electronic viewfinder blacks out for a split second before coming back live again. By that time the butterflies have already moved. When I'm shooting with my D810 I feel like I can shoot and continuously follow them without any blackout. I still feel like DSLRs are superior to mirrorless in many ways, but can understand while manufacturers are moving to mirrorless to save in manufacturing costs.
Camera companies are getting US to by new cameras and lenses by killing development of your current dslr lenses and cameras.
The D850 is a keeper. The best DSLR in the world and has been since its launch 3 years ago. There are certainly pros and cons vs the z7ii but keep the D850. You’ll regret it if you “upgrade” . Just keep it and get the z7ii.
Hey Patrick, I agree if you can afford to keep the d850, keep it and add a z to your camera bag. You can get best of both system/cameras!
Richard Wong I'll be getting a z611 to go with my d850. For low light, video, and times I don't need all the pixels! Also, my wallet will thank me!
Agree agree,the 850 is a beast,I have the z7 and If I do anything I will sell the 7 and Z6 and go for the Z711 simply for the buffer and advanced focus.
I am heavily vested in the Fuji mirrorless lens system with an xt3 body. Fantastic and I shall keep it. Just got a new D850 in the end of 2020, bypassing the Z after much thought. I am also loving the classic DSLR feel again and function, but I know it’s a beast and shall live with me and keep me safe for years to come due to its build quality and pro versatility. The main reason was its large 45 mp sensor and crop ability.
It’s a beautiful time to be a photographer. Thanks for this excellent video.
I picked up the d850 because I still have great F mount lenses and want to do 8k Timelapse.
I love the optical viewfinder and don’t really care about video. I picked up a a7iv for video.
哈蘇相機之外殼美麗極了！雖說十分昂貴，看到哈蘇就是喜歡！
Nikon相機也可參考哈蘇，加值外殼之美，讓客戶一看就喜歡！
What’s the little red thing hanging off the D850? I’ve seen a lot of people with that lately
That's part of the Peak Design camera strap
I bought a D850 a few years ago, upgrading from a D610. More recently, I bought the Z7ii so that I could use it with the 24-70 f2.8s lens but I still have the D850 with some of the f-mount lenses. If you're not worried about video, the Z7/Z7ii is hardly an upgrade on the D850 as image quality is virtually identical. I agree with the other comments below, the D850 is a fantastic camera and probably more affordable these days. However, the z mount lenses produce better image quality... but how much better? Hmmm...
Why do you say imagine quality is virtually identical to say that the Z7II's is better?
Hmm! Is this really an upgrade,...or more a sideways move! I have the Z6 II,...and the D850 and not sure if I'm going to go 100% MILC. I think I'd like to have an MILC body with Right side Buttons like the D850 has. Plus,...believe it or not,...I can shoot way faster with the D850 than I can the Z6 II. But! I'm keeping the Z6 II and selling the D500 setup!
Lack of Image quality and Af on par with d850 are the primary big reasons why D850 users didn't move to Z7 . illuminated buttons, dual slot , battery grip are other secondary reasons
Should i "upgrade" to D850/780 from A73? Just for photography ;)
I'm just tryn to upgrade my D810 to D850 and to continue using the best nikkor widelenses that I have in my Pelican: 14-24, 24pce, 24-120 VR :)
Because of the video features I kept my D850 for photos and bought Fuji XH2S. I can shoot internally 4K 60fps 10 bit 4.2.2 All intra and ProRes without paying for an upgrade.
I hope future Z siries will have a rounded viewfunder
Which would you choose for astrophotography, and nighttime nature shots?
I would choose Z7II because the EVF allows me to see better under low light.
Thank you for the pro advice!
Why should you upgrade from a D850 to anything?
Exactly
My favourite all timer , i have access to z9s , but theyre basically a silent camcorder ! Not my thing
One reason I am not considering the upgrade to the Z7ll is no back button focus on the z7ll
the AF-ON button?
I'm a DSLR shooter and the preview of the z camera to D850 ncomparable that is the deciding factor
One issue for me with the Z-series is speedlights and not being able to make use of AF-assist beams for autofocus in really dark conditions
Whats this all about?? Can't you use the same Speedlights?? The SB's??
@@davidhenderson5051 mirrorless cameras filter out the IR pattern used by speedlights for AF-Assist
@@blakeparry1983 oh wow.. thanks for advising.
After shooting 3 years with a DSLR, the EVF was such a big jump in progress. I have never switched from Manual mode on my Z6 because the EVF shows what I get.
I have a major issue... I have read countless reviews contradicting d Z6II. I own a D7200. I shoot perched birds and BIF and general landscape, street and operational photography. I have actually had great success with this camera because of its extra crop factor extending my G1 Tamron reach, giving me a great array of shots. Sure AF could be better.
I have been been brain wrecked as to the D850 or the Z6II. I read that the AF is vastly improved on the Z6II essentially "nullifying" the D850 but seeing some wildlife in the field reports still critisizing the Z6II. Other issue is the G1 will not work on the Z6II I believe. Any advice would be grateful.
If BIF is your main focus, a D500 might be your best choice at the moment because of the 1 crop factor 2. works with your Tamron, 3. The AF is more suitable for fast action
Doesn't mean you can't shoot BIF with Z6II though, I saw some beautiful BIF photos capture by the original Z6. And I quite often have to shoot action with my Z6 (original)
What the Z cameras offer is a more versatile and easier autofocus system for most usage, and the EVF and the new Z mount with its beautiful Z mount lenses.
@@TheRealRichardWong D500 is really really old. Its kind of a dead tech purchase and this is what worries me. I am also for better low light and AF. I have learned to manoeuvre with a slower tracking with my camera so anything is an upgrade.
I have been shooting with the z6 for over 2 years now and I won't go back to DSLR despite there are things it can improve. If you happy to spend a bit of effort to adapt and adjust the shooting method, I say BIF is ok with z6ii. It offers you a lot advantage over the DSLR
@Richard Wong I see. I see the best camera would be the Canon but I really do not feel like trading all the gear from scratch and I am used to the Nikon ergonomics. Another question...how hard is it to shoot with the electronic viewfinder.?
Ok, I just bought D750 few weeks ago. I was asking in comments about Z50/ D750 ...but in the meantime Nikon gave us Z5. This EVF info you just gave us, just made me want Z5 more. I was concened about focusing in dark with Z cameras because they don support IR AF assist from flashes/triggers. I would like if someone, anyone...would like to make video about this in details, because this is one of the main reasons some of mu friends and I are worried and still shoting DSLRs.
hi Ivan, to be honest, i have not used the AF assist light either from the camera or the flash for many years, probably since i started shooting with a D700? The reason is I found the AF assist light just too distracting to the subject especially when I'm shooting weddings or events and instead I just try other ways to work around that.
But you are right, the IR AF assist wouldn't work on the Z or any mirrorless. I personally do not found that a problem, maybe because I'm usually shooting with f/1.4 primes. Thanks for the suggestion on this video idea. If i have a chance I'll spend some time and do a more in-depth video in this topic.
@@TheRealRichardWong IR from D500/D850/D5 is not that much as AF lamp (i hate that), and because of it Im a bit limited to use AF assis from flash (Godox user) which cant be recognized with MILC cameras. That a problem because Im partly event photographer (mostly portrait and automotive) and this is where lack of it might be a problem. There is no video about it in depth, and I believe many will find this obstacle as a reason not to go with MILC camera (not only Z on Nikon)
Interesting point.. 🤔
@@MB-dq2gz thanks. I thik this is "shoot youself in a foor" from not only Nikon. If the solution is green beam, make it happend. There has to be a solution, because this is getting us back from 2021 in SB26 period, and thats baaad.
Fabulous, you convinced me to buy the Nikon Z50
@Blue Nose Amigo, I know ... I want it... my wallet doesnt tho... lol...
Z200-600mm??? when?
Keep the 850 for backup and get the Z7II,I did,no regrets
I tried nikon z7 for 1 month, I switched back to D850...
I would love to see the d 850 against the new Lumix S5 IIx.
I had eos r, i went back to 6d ii because 5d iv not affordable and eos r was a ergonomics disaster. Rf lenses were unaffordable.
But i feel z5 z6 z7 & ii versions seemless upgrade from d750 i had before. The changes are comparable. Biggest advantage is that lenses are more affordable and also is much better than F counterparts
I'm not sure IQ of Nikon Z super telephoto lenses (400-600) is so much better to justify upgrading. Just my own view. :-)
Thank you for this video. I took delivery of a Z7ii a couple of weeks ago, and I’m still putting it through its paces. It will be replacing my D850, as I never loved the D850 nearly as much as my D5.
I started using my D5 for outdoor portrait shoots, because I never fully trusted the AF accuracy in the 850. This is the main reason I am replacing the D850 with the Z7ii
Hi do you find the Z7II's AF performance ? Compare to your D850 and D5?
@@TheRealRichardWong Nothing compares to the D5. I use it for sports and low light shooting, and the AF is amazing. When I say it always hits, it always hits.
My D850 is a good studio and landscape camera, but I just simply can’t trust it if I’m shooting at wide open apertures.
It’s still early, and I have a lot more testing to do on it, but the Z 7ii will not match the D5 for sports, but when I’ve shot portraits with it wide open, it has hit every time. I still have to put it through its paces to test the AF in different scenarios, but that’s my initial take on it right now.
Thank you! very informative video. I'm a current D850 user and I have decided to upgrade to Z7II after watching your video. Price of D850 and Z7II almost the same now, but why are people still buying D850 instead of Z7...
Glad it was helpful! Enjoy your Z7II!
Action, wildlife, arsenal of F glass...all reasons to get the D850 over the ML
OVF is reason enough. Plus better AF especially tracking wise, incredible AF-D lenses that wont' AF on a Z such as the 180mm f/2.8D that is razor sharp, almost the as short as the 24-70, and weighs less. As well as the still unrivaled in any system for their combination of focal length, IQ, max aperture, size, and weight 105mm and 135mm f/2.0 DC lenses. Not to mention many bread and butter lenses are still missing from the Z lens line up and using an FTZ just makes the lenses longer and unbalanced. Like no 24-105 f/4, no 105mm f/1.4, no 85mm f/1.2, no 200mm+ primes, no 60mm, 105mm, and 200mm macro lenses, very poor third party lens support ect. Now if Z woudl get some lenses out and a real D850 replacement that is a Z8 that is basically the announced Z9 minus the grip with a 60 or more mp sensor it might be compelling enough to buy into the Z mount. But until then for many, many people the Z lineup of bodies and lenses just has too many holes and are too early gen for things like AF to spend the money yet. And a D850 is easily still a 5 year+ camera before it's sensor starts showing it's age.
@@josh885 very insightful, thanks for sharing!
Should i upgrade Nikon D 5300 to Nokon z 7ii
It would be a huge upgrade
Holding d850 in your hands you can feel real camera in your hands
😂
Change ur perceptions..
@@saibhargavamanda1062 what camera do you have?
@@EmirateSniper D850
@@saibhargavamanda1062 they will replace it this year right?