Just bought myself a D780. I thought I'd have a look on TH-cam for a tutorial video. And imagine that, the guy I just bought it from pops up. Very pleased with the camera Allen.
I had a D850 and a D750 for the weddings but decided to sell 750 and get a Z6ll instead. The D850 has always been the main camera equipped with 85 1.4G lens and the other with 35 1.4G, and 24-70 at the reception. I have had the Z6ll for more than a year now and of course it is a good camera, but I miss the D750. Everything gets a little to small with the z-camera. That it is smaller is to me no advantage. I tend to work faster with a dslr. One thing I really do not like is that the focal point is very difficult to see, especially when it is very bright outside. It's so thin. So when it comes to the important pictures, I always use the D850. But of course it's a lot about what you're used to. I would really like to try a D780.
I don't think I can see the point of DSLRs these days. I still own a D850 but mostly use my Z6ii. What I'm not is a professional wedding photographer. If I was the Z9 is a no-brainer despite the extra cost. The Z6ii is perfectly fine, of course as is a manual focus film camera, of course. But if I earned my living from wedding photography it's the Z9. I'd get two of them. With the right adapter you can use any lens from anyone on any mirrorless camera - possibly a huge advantage over DSLR. The Z9 is more fool proof than any other Nikon for simply getting the shot, I would presume
Based on your muscle memory, its sounds like - in your use case - that you would prefer to have two bodies with the same or very similar user interface. So, I think this pushes you toward getting a second Z, whether a Z6ii or an upcoming Z6iii. I also think the dilemma is a poster child for being on the “hamster wheel” of chasing the evolution of mirrorless. 😊 I had a D750 and, based on your great instructional videos, traded for a D780 which I have had for about 10 months. If I had jumped into Nikon mirrorless when the Z6 was first introduced in 2018, I would have spent the next 3+ years wading through firmware updates, wishing for improvements, and then seeing Nikon release another iteration (Z6ii) which would have been another “should I upgrade?” moment and, in the end, would have been expensive just to shoot something that is different. Not my idea of a satisfying photographic journey. Thanks for posting thoughtful videos like this one. 👍
I went the same thought process. I fought going full Mirrorless but ultimately landed on a Z6II and a Z5. I have also replaced all the F glass with native Z glass. I have zero regrets. I did not hear you mention the Z6II’s card configuration. Don’t forget it uses a XQD/CF Express and an SD card. So if you go with the Z6II you will have the additional expense if the cards unless you already have some. Honestly though that is the only drawback I found.
Great video as always. I think that you've answered your question by how many more shots you've done with the Z5 recently and how much more enjoyable the small Z primes you are using. I think the best thing is to sell the D780 because over time, it will drop in resale value as more people switch to Z line, and also because Nikon will surely discontinue their DSLR cameras to focus on the future. Canon has already discontinued much of their EF lenses. Also, the great thing about having the two similar Z bodies is that the button layout is the same, so your muscle memory will make it faster to operate both of the cameras and switch between them. I just got the Z6II and love that it has both card slots. The CF Express type B cards have dropped in price lately and I love that they are chunky, and easier to handle than the little SD cards, and they are more reliable. One other thing to add is the loveliness of Z lenses, I enjoy using the new 14-30mm, 28-70mm F/2.8, 50mm f/1.8 and 85mm f/1.8, and how light weight they are, and they look great wide open. Some of the older F mount lenses need to be stopped down a little to get better contrast and sharpness. Over time you will switch to all native Z lenses and won't have to deal with the FTZ adapter anymore. Cheers from Miami.
IMO and for pros, I'll suggest replacing as many existing Z camera models as possible to the new post-Z9 models. Think of the existing ones as the old D100 & D200 before the D3 that didn't have the new MILC standard of AF, menu, file format, etc. as established by the Z9. Hence, wait for a Z5 II or Z6 III instead of considering a Z6 II, that was a Band-Aid Z6 with brute force dual processors to get Nikonians off Nikon's back.
Thanks for sharing your experience with your thoughts.... sorry I can't comment on the Z5 as I haven't moved to mirrorless...my preferred gear is DSLR cameras as I just love my D500 for all round photography...I have even kept my old D7100 as I love the erganomics of Nikon DSLR cameras & I have a few F mount lenses that I use.... Certainly an interesting video & question... cheers from Australia 😀
I shoot every camera ever made (GAS) but I feel an OVF is irreplaceable. I’m warming up to an EVf for exposure benefits but for composing and feeling connected, I prefer OVF.
I agree - and wouldn;t it be nice if Nikon could have something like Fuji X100 and XPro with switchable optical and evf. I've used both and it's SO nice to be able to use whatever works best for the particular situation.
What a cliffhanger! Can't wait to hear your test result, comparing the Z5 and the Z 6II. Is it worth the extra money or can I buy another prime lens instead? Thanks Allen!
The fact both those models have 2 slots and you cant backup your video (even the Z9 can't) means as a hybrid system the Z cameras are not for me. I like Nikon files and Ive waited for them to do this but can't wait much longer.
Leica changed their sensors from Kodak's CCD to CMOS. Now everyone wants a CCD M9 Camera when it's out of production. After 10 years everyone will want a Nikon 780 when its out of production. There will always be the latest and greatest mirrorless camera produced every 6 months. No need to rush. You have your set of beautiful 1.4 F mount lenses to go with the camera. I wouldn't want to change it for the world. However, I'd swap the 85 1.4 with the Nikkon 105 1.4e lens. Adapting your F mount lenses with FTZ adapters to plasticky Z mirrorless computers? Then, I'd rather buy an iphone 13pro max instead. The soul of Nikon is in their DSLRs and F mount glass. Pursuing the Japanese concept of Wabi Sabi, It's in their imperfection that one can find beauty.
Thanks for the comments- I did have the 105 F2d defocus lens a while ago and for my style of wedding photography I found it a bit long - that said the images were lovely and I'd guess the 105 1.4e would be fantastic. Hmm... maybe my next purchase:-) The Z lenses I have were cheap and serve a purpose but as you say not in the same class as the F mount primes which I don't see Nikon ever improving on. Allen
Have you sold your D780 yet? Did it garner a good price? I’m thinking of venturing into full-frame from MFT and Nikon seems to have similar image quality and color science as Olympus. I was inspired by your earlier review of the D780 and think it might be a good way to enter the full frame world and Nikon eco-system. I have however had the same dilemma as you in that I’m not sure if I shouldn’t just jump for the Z6II. I want fast shutter speed in low light for dance performances. From what I garner the D780 is great in low light…but I also understand the z6II is as well. Anyway thanks for sharing your thoughts and decision process.
Hi. I have sold the D780 - I put on eBay at a pretty decent price (for a camera with 44k shots) £1400 expecting to get an offer a lot lower - but sold on day 1 at full price! Go for the Z6ii. Image quality is same or maybe even better than D780 (we're talk a hairs breadth!) and the evf means when it's dark you can actually see what you're focusing on. AF is great even in low light. I use all F mount lenses on the FTZ adatper. I like the "look" over the newer Z lenses and under half the price. My next lens willl be the F 35 F1.4G to replace my F1.8. Hope that helps Allen
I'm really confused. You say the next step is to compare the D780, the Z5 and the Z6II. Isn't that what you have already been doing? If i had to get rid of none of them it would be the Z5.
I have the Z6II since November 2020 and to buy it, was the best decision I ever made. All the Z-lenses are awesome! DSLM is the future. DSLR is definitely dead.
Future proof yourself.. order the z9 .. joins Nps .. order through them and get z9 quicker. Put the balance On a zero interest card . Once arrived sell the d780 and go fully mirrorless… just one thought .. I have d5 , d850 and z9 … the d5 will stay as a low light beast!!
Hi - I did have a Sony A7iii for 2 years and photographed about 40 weddings - it's good yes - but twice as good as a Z5? Na. The colours and character of any Nikon is way better than the flat images I got from Sony. And I'm expecting a Z6ii to better than my D780 which is better than an A7iii from a photography point of view.
The D780 is rubbish; you'd be lucky to get any money for it. The lenses for the new mount are far superior. But no worries, out of the goodness of my heart I am willing to help you and buy your D780 for a good price if you ship to Brussels? 😀 But seriously, the only serious argument I'd throw in is this : why change if the D780 is still a great camera making great pictures? A change will be inevitable in the future, but the then-current Z6 V or VI will be even better than the Z6 II today. Use your D780 until it is ready to retire? That being said, it seems to me you've made up your mind. So I don't think these comments will keep you from embarking on a Z6 adventure. By all means, enjoy!
There are two worlds. The world of guys like you who are interested in colours and artistic look and the world of the guys who are just victims of the manufactures and buy blindly whatever just because..."new is better" The Z6II has way worse colours and plasticky sharpness than even the Z6 due to its new designed sensor. Keep your D780. You will thank me later...
![ร้อยพ่อพันแม่ - WanMai [Official MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/XY2pNYASEbg/mqdefault.jpg)
Just bought myself a D780.
I thought I'd have a look on TH-cam for a tutorial video.
And imagine that, the guy I just bought it from pops up.
Very pleased with the camera Allen.
Ha - brilliant !!
@@CreativePixelPhotos you should have mentioned that you had a youtube channel.
I have subscribed.
@@liamslavin2135 never thought about that. Should have😁
I had a D850 and a D750 for the weddings but decided to sell 750 and get a Z6ll instead. The D850 has always been the main camera equipped with 85 1.4G lens and the other with 35 1.4G, and 24-70 at the reception. I have had the Z6ll for more than a year now and of course it is a good camera, but I miss the D750. Everything gets a little to small with the z-camera. That it is smaller is to me no advantage. I tend to work faster with a dslr. One thing I really do not like is that the focal point is very difficult to see, especially when it is very bright outside. It's so thin. So when it comes to the important pictures, I always use the D850. But of course it's a lot about what you're used to. I would really like to try a D780.
Keep the d780 and get the z6 iii when it comes out
I don't think I can see the point of DSLRs these days. I still own a D850 but mostly use my Z6ii. What I'm not is a professional wedding photographer. If I was the Z9 is a no-brainer despite the extra cost. The Z6ii is perfectly fine, of course as is a manual focus film camera, of course. But if I earned my living from wedding photography it's the Z9. I'd get two of them. With the right adapter you can use any lens from anyone on any mirrorless camera - possibly a huge advantage over DSLR. The Z9 is more fool proof than any other Nikon for simply getting the shot, I would presume
Based on your muscle memory, its sounds like - in your use case - that you would prefer to have two bodies with the same or very similar user interface. So, I think this pushes you toward getting a second Z, whether a Z6ii or an upcoming Z6iii.
I also think the dilemma is a poster child for being on the “hamster wheel” of chasing the evolution of mirrorless. 😊 I had a D750 and, based on your great instructional videos, traded for a D780 which I have had for about 10 months. If I had jumped into Nikon mirrorless when the Z6 was first introduced in 2018, I would have spent the next 3+ years wading through firmware updates, wishing for improvements, and then seeing Nikon release another iteration (Z6ii) which would have been another “should I upgrade?” moment and, in the end, would have been expensive just to shoot something that is different. Not my idea of a satisfying photographic journey. Thanks for posting thoughtful videos like this one. 👍
I went the same thought process. I fought going full Mirrorless but ultimately landed on a Z6II and a Z5. I have also replaced all the F glass with native Z glass. I have zero regrets.
I did not hear you mention the Z6II’s card configuration. Don’t forget it uses a XQD/CF Express and an SD card. So if you go with the Z6II you will have the additional expense if the cards unless you already have some.
Honestly though that is the only drawback I found.
Love the 6ii! My weddings are with it and my D750 and the 6ii is becoming my main! 👍🏾
Great video as always. I think that you've answered your question by how many more shots you've done with the Z5 recently and how much more enjoyable the small Z primes you are using. I think the best thing is to sell the D780 because over time, it will drop in resale value as more people switch to Z line, and also because Nikon will surely discontinue their DSLR cameras to focus on the future. Canon has already discontinued much of their EF lenses. Also, the great thing about having the two similar Z bodies is that the button layout is the same, so your muscle memory will make it faster to operate both of the cameras and switch between them. I just got the Z6II and love that it has both card slots. The CF Express type B cards have dropped in price lately and I love that they are chunky, and easier to handle than the little SD cards, and they are more reliable. One other thing to add is the loveliness of Z lenses, I enjoy using the new 14-30mm, 28-70mm F/2.8, 50mm f/1.8 and 85mm f/1.8, and how light weight they are, and they look great wide open. Some of the older F mount lenses need to be stopped down a little to get better contrast and sharpness. Over time you will switch to all native Z lenses and won't have to deal with the FTZ adapter anymore. Cheers from Miami.
Thanks - just bought a Z6ii !! Be here tomorrow I think.
IMO and for pros, I'll suggest replacing as many existing Z camera models as possible to the new post-Z9 models. Think of the existing ones as the old D100 & D200 before the D3 that didn't have the new MILC standard of AF, menu, file format, etc. as established by the Z9.
Hence, wait for a Z5 II or Z6 III instead of considering a Z6 II, that was a Band-Aid Z6 with brute force dual processors to get Nikonians off Nikon's back.
Thanks for sharing your experience with your thoughts.... sorry I can't comment on the Z5 as I haven't moved to mirrorless...my preferred gear is DSLR cameras as I just love my D500 for all round photography...I have even kept my old D7100 as I love the erganomics of Nikon DSLR cameras & I have a few F mount lenses that I use.... Certainly an interesting video & question... cheers from Australia 😀
I shoot every camera ever made (GAS) but I feel an OVF is irreplaceable. I’m warming up to an EVf for exposure benefits but for composing and feeling connected, I prefer OVF.
I agree - and wouldn;t it be nice if Nikon could have something like Fuji X100 and XPro with switchable optical and evf. I've used both and it's SO nice to be able to use whatever works best for the particular situation.
I would still keep the D780 as back up ...cost nothing to hang on to old gear for the time being...cheers again...
Very good. Vidéo, i think tape Z6II for autofocus And capacities in Low light. Thank’s for all video
What a cliffhanger! Can't wait to hear your test result, comparing the Z5 and the Z 6II. Is it worth the extra money or can I buy another prime lens instead? Thanks Allen!
The fact both those models have 2 slots and you cant backup your video (even the Z9 can't) means as a hybrid system the Z cameras are not for me. I like Nikon files and Ive waited for them to do this but can't wait much longer.
Leica changed their sensors from Kodak's CCD to CMOS. Now everyone wants a CCD M9 Camera when it's out of production. After 10 years everyone will want a Nikon 780 when its out of production. There will always be the latest and greatest mirrorless camera produced every 6 months. No need to rush. You have your set of beautiful 1.4 F mount lenses to go with the camera. I wouldn't want to change it for the world. However, I'd swap the 85 1.4 with the Nikkon 105 1.4e lens. Adapting your F mount lenses with FTZ adapters to plasticky Z mirrorless computers? Then, I'd rather buy an iphone 13pro max instead. The soul of Nikon is in their DSLRs and F mount glass. Pursuing the Japanese concept of Wabi Sabi, It's in their imperfection that one can find beauty.
Thanks for the comments- I did have the 105 F2d defocus lens a while ago and for my style of wedding photography I found it a bit long - that said the images were lovely and I'd guess the 105 1.4e would be fantastic. Hmm... maybe my next purchase:-) The Z lenses I have were cheap and serve a purpose but as you say not in the same class as the F mount primes which I don't see Nikon ever improving on. Allen
Have you sold your D780 yet? Did it garner a good price? I’m thinking of venturing into full-frame from MFT and Nikon seems to have similar image quality and color science as Olympus. I was inspired by your earlier review of the D780 and think it might be a good way to enter the full frame world and Nikon eco-system. I have however had the same dilemma as you in that I’m not sure if I shouldn’t just jump for the Z6II. I want fast shutter speed in low light for dance performances. From what I garner the D780 is great in low light…but I also understand the z6II is as well. Anyway thanks for sharing your thoughts and decision process.
Hi. I have sold the D780 - I put on eBay at a pretty decent price (for a camera with 44k shots) £1400 expecting to get an offer a lot lower - but sold on day 1 at full price! Go for the Z6ii. Image quality is same or maybe even better than D780 (we're talk a hairs breadth!) and the evf means when it's dark you can actually see what you're focusing on. AF is great even in low light. I use all F mount lenses on the FTZ adatper. I like the "look" over the newer Z lenses and under half the price. My next lens willl be the F 35 F1.4G to replace my F1.8. Hope that helps Allen
you can't AF those lovely AF-D lens in Z camera, ie, AF135DC. None of the Z lens render like DC focus lens.
I'm really confused. You say the next step is to compare the D780, the Z5 and the Z6II. Isn't that what you have already been doing? If i had to get rid of none of them it would be the Z5.
I have the Z6II since November 2020 and to buy it, was the best decision I ever made. All the Z-lenses are awesome!
DSLM is the future. DSLR is definitely dead.
Dead is your mind by the many times you have been victims of the manufacturers who use your money to enjoy their holidays in the Caribbean.
Future proof yourself.. order the z9 .. joins Nps .. order through them and get z9 quicker. Put the balance On a zero interest card . Once arrived sell the d780 and go fully mirrorless… just one thought .. I have d5 , d850 and z9 … the d5 will stay as a low light beast!!
Rent the Z6 for a weekend to try it out
I sold my Z5 and baught a Sony A7(3).
It's a best low light mirrorless camera twice better than Z5.
Hi - I did have a Sony A7iii for 2 years and photographed about 40 weddings - it's good yes - but twice as good as a Z5? Na. The colours and character of any Nikon is way better than the flat images I got from Sony. And I'm expecting a Z6ii to better than my D780 which is better than an A7iii from a photography point of view.
Z6II
The D780 is rubbish; you'd be lucky to get any money for it. The lenses for the new mount are far superior. But no worries, out of the goodness of my heart I am willing to help you and buy your D780 for a good price if you ship to Brussels? 😀
But seriously, the only serious argument I'd throw in is this : why change if the D780 is still a great camera making great pictures? A change will be inevitable in the future, but the then-current Z6 V or VI will be even better than the Z6 II today. Use your D780 until it is ready to retire?
That being said, it seems to me you've made up your mind. So I don't think these comments will keep you from embarking on a Z6 adventure. By all means, enjoy!
There are two worlds.
The world of guys like you who are interested in colours and artistic look and the world of the guys who are just victims of the manufactures and buy blindly whatever just because..."new is better"
The Z6II has way worse colours and plasticky sharpness than even the Z6 due to its new designed sensor.
Keep your D780. You will thank me later...