the camera community is sooooo freakin' fear-driven, jumping on every little problem and focussing on only that, while in my eyes this camera is a GEM and in real life usage I see no problem at all! cheers Matt & Ricci for making honest and fair videos ❤
Not really - It's clear they slammed the Z9 sensor inside the Z8. Overheating is an issue with Sony, Canon and others. The only real cine / hybrid camera that solves this is the R5c from Canon. This is interesting because the R5c was slammed for not having great battery life or IBIS. The R5c never overheats.
This is a fabulous reality check on the Z8 performance/heat test. Thank you Matt, and also for your collaboration with Ricci. I think this episode is now the textbook reference for anyone planning a video project with the Z8. Ref. appropriate card; Ref. external power source; and we can expect a no-surprises outcome. Hat-tip and bow to both you two for covering all the bases. Thank you.
Also, I wonder, and this is a question rather than a comment: the Z9 has a 'magnesium alloy shell' which is an excellent heat conductor, whereas the Z8 specs seem to market, in part, a 'Carbon Fiber' shell and Magnesium Alloy. I haven't held a Z8 yet, nor seen it in the flesh, so the question may be irrelevant. You guys will know best. But, when you consider the use-case, the Z8 looks like a phenomenon to me.
Hi Selwyn, the Z8 certainly has less metal in it. And of course this has an impact, but as we can see depending on use case and approach, it does not really have to be a concern at these temperatures. And I will have to wait until summer to get temps over 22/23, another 5-6 months to test high temp scenarios. Cheers Matt
I got a chance to use a Z8 today. I was really impressed with how the buffer handled such high res footage. Certainly amazing tech! this comes from someone who hasn't used a Z9. Only Z6ii - 7ii, and boy the Z8 is snappy in comparison ! Keep up the great work mate
Hi Matt. Thank you for all your helpful videos. I have the Z 8 for 1.5 weeks now, and I love it. I had an Integral CFExpress 256GB Cinematic Grade the first days. It not only wasn't capable of 8K 60p RAW but also had random read errors. Now I got an Angelbird AV Pro SE 512GB, which works absolutely flawlessly. Although I get an Hot Card warning at 8k 60p RAW, it records until the card is full with the MB-N12 attached. Keep up your amazing work! Greetings from Hamburg, Germany!
Your comments in the intro are spot on Matt. For a user like me that primarily shoots wildlife stills the release of the Z8 is one of those rare moments when a piece of gear will actually improve photographic output. Currently I use the D500 so this is going to be a major step forward for me. Especially for BIF. It might even get me to take a bit of video. But like you said that use case would be short clips, a couple of minutes at the most. Thanks for info.
Good to see so many testing this and showing what it can and does for the consumer as well a specialists. Thanks you guys Ricci too and Matt Matt G and Matt I.
Thanks Matt, saw and watched Ricci's video last night and yours this morning (5/18) thanks so much for doing this, for many this will cement the decision to get a Z8. Too many try to get videos out on the street too fast and sometimes the results can be confusing to be blunt. One can always get on the list for a new body early in the game and just sit back and absorb as much data before you actually get the camera from as many folks as you can, then re-evaluate your decision. Reviews like this will move people into the , yeah I'm ready to get this camera camp for the most part. Thank you so much to both you and Ricci for the crazy amount of time it takes to do this and present it to the rest of us. Take care - Jeff
Whoah Matt! My heart dropped when you pointed the laser straight to the sensor. I don't know the power needed to damage it but regardless. Thank you for all that you do for the community.
Matt - Great video!!! This was very educational and helpful. It was obviously a TON of work so thank you for doing this for us all. Additionally, this was a nice compliment to the Ricci video, which was also helpful and enjoyable. Thanks again for all the hard work on this and on all the great content you put out here! -PD
Matt, thank you. These tests are important. I live in New Orleans, Louisiana. My outdoor ambient temperature, for a large portion of the year, is 31-35 degrees Celsius. In the higher ambient temperatures that are typical to me, taking multiple 2-5 min high bit rate clips (10 or so on average), over a 1-2 hour period can be troublesome for some cameras. Your tests, using the USB Type C connector for external power, give me hope for using the Z8 here where I live. Thanks again. :)
Thanks Matt - as you so rightly point out, "not my problem!" But so many people have ranted above this on the internet that I felt obliged to seek an answer. My best was a comparative chart, starting with some Delkin cards running at an operating temperature of 39-45 C, right up to some Sandisk and Lexar cards running at 80-85 C. Hot enough to make a cup of tea! And suggest maybe sticking to the cooler cards - Delkin or ProGrade, according to the chart. I also added that I thought it was wildly unlikely ever to affect my photography, because I don't do video, and suggested maybe it's more of a problem for professional sports photographers, than for the rest of us. But you've cleared the air nicely. Many thanks. All it took was more thought, real life testing, common sense, and less bull**** Or, put around another way - well I don't know everything (unlike some!), but I WILL try to find OUT! Thank you very much - after months of reading what appears to have been rather self-opinionated, now we know the truth. All those negative comments were inserted on our Nikon group pages by a group of sinister activists who all shoot Canon or Sony!
As a Landscapes stills photographer, I’m not sure which video settings, resolution, codecs ect. I should go with, balancing best image quality, small file size, and flexibility post process. Do you have a video on this, or recommendations? Thanks Matt!!
I had a feeling the very first video on heat testing sounded a bit pessimistic. From your video and Ricci ‘s it’s clear to me it’s more than capable to shoot normal amounts of video without ever worrying in most cases . I also couldn’t understand why anyone would want to shoot for 2 hours of anything haha . I’ve been on some actual feature movie productions and they shoot 3 minutes of film per day . If you’re doing a video short or mini short movie or a music video you’d be taking multiple videos to get different scenes so it’s a mute point to shoot this camera to the breaking point .
@@BeckyKaganSchott I get it but like you said there are other cameras better suited if all you do is super long nonstop videos . For most case uses this wouldn’t be as much of an issue .
If I worked with hours of 8K 60p raw, I would definitely be concerned about heat, probably more so in the editing computer, .... or maybe the coffee pot as I waited for the render.
thanks for doing the testing - and as you said mass matters for heat dissipation. And while I think your testing more likely matches real-world situations (external power source). I also think the testing 'the other Matt did' was of interest - not so much as finding a problem as much as demonstrating why if someone is into extremely long videos at the highest codex possible the z9 might be a better choice in some situations. Thanks for all the content you create.
Thanks for doing these tests. I am using 2-Z6II's and shoot video and stills for the agriculture industry. Most of my work is done in the field and in Texas - talk about extreme conditions... I am constantly getting the card overheat warning and it makes me nervous that I'll overheat something and lose footage that I can't get back. But after seeing your tests, I guess the overheat thing is not uncommon, nor is it to be feared in most cases. Due to the environment I shoot in most of the time, many of the risk mitigation solutions you mention are not feasible for me given I normally shoot mounted to a gimbal out in the middle of farm country, so not a lot of room for extra gadgets, however I will look into the external battery as it looks to be relatively small. Nonetheless, thanks again for doing all of this work - especially considering I just asked you about this very topic earlier this week. 😉
Matt great testing, and your right the cases not only about volume but material. Heat has to go somewhere. Love the summary calling out the variables, card performance / heat has been and it impacts the performance. Kudos to Ricci and yourself for bringing sensible assessment to these issues.
Great video! As someone who shoots Nikon for both stills and video, my concern was never with the Nikon Z8 overheating. I'm more interested in the best practices for data and battery power. As a Nikon Z6 user, I mainly connect the Z6 to the Atomos and record in ProRes to a 2TB SSD. So having the ability to record everything internally was exciting but I was nervous about file sizes, what's the right card, battery life, etc. Do you have any information along these lines that could give us a guideline of what to look for concerning file sizes, type of cards to get, external power banks, etc? Like if your shooting in NLog 4.1k what kind of record time could you expect to get. Thanks for all you do for the community!
Hello Matt, I did watch Ricci's video and understand this issue, I also saw Matt Gangers video high lighting this issue, I do not think this will worry me. But interesting image. Keep well, keep safe and have fun.
Thanks Matt… Appreciate the work that you and @Riccitalks put into these videos. Already have my Z8 on pre-order, but would be very curious about the Z8’s 8k60p raw recording via USBC power. Is that something that you’re going to test? Don’t need a video, your results are good enough…
Thank you for the time you took to try, test, mount etc... My usage is hikes, wildlife, slowmo, never inside ( no pb winter, but pb summer ), so absolutely NEVER shoot under 10 bits, H265 min or NRAW, 60 or 120fps ( 2.3x mode ). I'd love to see tests for those types of use cases. Maybe it is not even a question for the Z8, don't know.
These controlled experimental testing is awesome...but photographers are not shooting in a lab that is constantly 68F degrees...I hope that once people start using them in the field with good storage card, that if overheating issues limits people experience with the Z8, that Nikon addresses those issues.
The "laser" thermometers use the laser only for pointing, but temperature is measured with an IR sensor that is reading from the laser spot (or near that spot). SD cards don't become as warm for simple reasons - the write speed is not high enough - I guess the bitrate must've been about 200Mbit/s as that is still what a UHS-I v30 SD card can handle, which is 25MB/s - just shy away from the v30 certification, which declares the card to be capable of 30MB/s sustained speed. Great test .. Z8 seems to be a beast of a camera. Unfortunately for an enthusiast like me it's just out of my reach.
Matt, I have few questions: 1. Recommended external battery source to avoid heat or dead of internal battery soon and to record extended time 2. Can I record 8K and 4K N-Raw and 10- bit to Ninja V also over HDMI? 3. Can Z8 record directly to an external SSD (2TB or 4TB) for extended time just to avoid any heating on the Cfex B card? 4. I can record the CFex B card (1TB or 2 TB) when I use a gimbal or for a short period of time
Hi Matt, thank you for taking the time to run the tests and post your results. A quick question: in your experience using the Z9 over the past several months, have you found that there are differences in CF-Express Cards with regard to overheating when shooting video? In other words, have you found that some brands perform better than others? If so, do you have any recommendations? Thanks! Greetings from Los Angeles, Homi
I pre ordered my Z8 immediately after it became available in my country, few hours later after the announcement. I was that sure about the Z8, than i got a little scared when Matt posted his Z8 tests. I'm one of those people who needs and hour and a half in 4k 25p continuous shooting and at times i may need 1 hour of 4K 50p. Seeing your test, i think i can get the 4K 50p in camera, with no external battery, i'll do my own test when e get the camera and a new CFexpress. Thanks for settling this once and for all.
I would like to shoot 2+ hour interviews in 8k and create a "wide" and "tight" shot tracks for 4k delivery. This gives you TWO camera "angles" from one single camera. I'd love to shoot 8k two hour live music concerts too
It didn't look like the SD card got hot (did you measure the temp?). I Googled why CF Express cards are metal and it said it was for better heat dissipation. So I guess it is just the slower write speed that kept the SD card from overheating? I guess the card door was open. Maybe if indoors we should leave the card door open.
I was going to cancel my Z8 order due to apparent overheating. But your video and Ricci's video, my confidence is restored. Thank you. In terms of variables, we have a few months before we need to test it in our hot Aussie summer. A smallrig cage would be the other variable, but not sure that would be particularly significant.
My cousin bought a Z8 on my recommendation. I have the Z9 but don't do video really... Shot with external power supply to a Ninja Atomos and had horrible heat issues and camera shutting down in 30-odd minutes. More than once.... Taking it back..... has an 850 which works fine so going back to that.... I'm shocked but it's what they do so they should know.....
Interesting, what was the ambient temp? Were they recording internally as well, and it was power supplied by PD? What codecs were they shooting with? Cheers Matt
Great video Matt. One of these is in my future👍. Specifically what external power device with connectors are you using? I believe you said a 20000 Mah battery but what brand please? Thank you.
Thanks so much for this brilliant video, Matt. You’ve convinced me to cancel my order for the Atomos Ninja V and use internal recording instead, with an Atomos Shinobi for monitoring. The weight and noise saving of ditching the Ninja V will be most welcome. My Z8 is due to arrive within days and I can’t wait to get started with it. Keep up the good work.
Hi Matt -- well RICCI promoted your vid in his. Great that you guys give up your valuable time to do these tests for us AND are so open and transparent about the gear you use, your test settings and your results -- Many many thanks. As we keep saying it will be good when more of us can get our own Z8 and repeat your tests to validate the results and build the evidence base. QQQ -- you appear to be shooting N-RAW in HIGH Quality not Normal -- this is obviously the most demanding option. It was not clear to me if Ricci used the same setting. Yes if Nikon are going to sell own brand cards - then they need to up their game -- otherwise there are faster and cooler running cards than those you and Ricci used AND more seem to be coming almost every day. AND please leave space for us LOONs to shoot with crazy CODEX while on long safaris etc... most of the footage is obviously useless because the USER is bad -- but perfectly wonderful footage quality. The MP4 files can be used as proxies in DVR18 for creating and cutting your timelines then swapped out when in audio mix and colour grading. Nice to see Raymond P on your feed.
Good video Matt.However, I'll wait for the assessments that come when shooting outside in summer sun.Almost winter in BleakCity aint no test imo.Undoubtedly,used within its limitations the Z8 is excellent and most buyers will be happy.Will you get one as a convenient back up/alterative to your main work bodies?
Same here, It only appears in the NRAW selection, not in the h265 10 bits, I got nervous... I have to check on my Z9, but maybe it is because as it is reached by switching to DX, and he was in FX, the option didn't appear. ( if this option is not here, it would be sufficent for me to cancel the Z8 )
Good stuff, this test, it really goes to show how few compromises the camera has compared with the Z9. I agree with you, Matt, I think the Z8 is an enormous boon to all sorts of photographers and videographers. And in the words of Stephen Fry, “well of course, we’re always on the lookout for enormous boons.” Cheers! -Chris
Didn't realize how big of a difference the external power makes. I always shoot video with dummy batteries or external power, makes life a lot easier. Curious to see if the external power / dummy battery connected to v mount with 8.3 k raw at 60 lasts longer than the tests I've seen so far. Or 4k 120
I think the physics of heat conduction and the difference between a full magnesium chassis as a heat sink versus composites. After all heat rises making body volume somewhat superfluous. And it’s not that users expected an exact performance parity with the Z9, but at least based on the information posted by Matt Granger I would have expected more time in the headline 8k modes.
The heat is sealed. If the heat was going anywhere I would suspect the lens was the best conduit in this test. It’s not clear what cards Granger used or the actual ambient temps.
@@MattIrwinPhotography Hi Matt. It's pretty clear actually. I state the cards used in video, and link them in the description - where I also mention the room temp was 22c. FYI the two cards I used are both high capacity cards that Nikon recommends for high bitrate video, and I show that they don't have the same heat issues in Z9 that they do in Z8... so it is kinda of 'unscientific' to suggest it is the card issue, rather than camera specific.
Cheers Matt, sorry I missed the cards as you ran through them quickly. Indeed the chart you reference is for Z9, which Nikon has since released a Z8 page in the last day or 2. Its not clear these cards are approved for heat. As the fine print states 'Recording at high temperatures may end before maximum length or size is reached, even if camera temperature does not rise.' Thus suggesting cards heat up, and recording can stop even if the camera does not get hot, even with these approved cards. Nikon make this same statement on both the Z 9 and Z8 page. Z8 www.nikonproductsupport.com/s/article/Z-8-Supported-Memory-Cards?language=en_US&fbclid=IwAR2KgbCkBujfpbR9mH2HGp15utmUN1mmcMNnNFSB891LluKZzIonNvUM6zE Z9 www.nikonimgsupport.com/na/NSG_article?articleNo=000044132&configured=1&lang=en_SG Nikon is using * on their page, it is not 100% clear to me how that is being applied, happy for guidance on this.
Hi, love your content. Just moving to mirroless. Im thinking of buying a second hand z5 or z6. Price point z5 1400aud and z6 1700aud(with xqd). Im doing landscape and thinking of starting portrait work(not wedding or big eveny, just small family sessions) what would you recommend Matt?? Thanks
@@MattIrwinPhotography i already see the full video ! I think it’s very good with your method of ir thermometer! I’m frustrated with the a7IV serious heating issues with 4k 4:2:0 and then come here and see your Z8 doing past 1 1/2 hour recording RAW 8K without problem! What a world of difference! Thanks your video! I think I would save more money and pull the trigger for the Z8
Very COOL Video Matt, lol. I’m thinking different now as I think Nikon realised this and, why helps to have two, USB-C ports to, stop overheating for shorter, periods of recording time say 15min to half an hour each. As your test show external power supply cuts down heat and extends recording time. I just want like 5 to 10 min 4K 10bit for Gimbal work etc. I’m contacting Dixie Dixon, ask her advice as she shot with, Z8 promos video for Nikon with Z8. regards Nigel Rand
And all this because some clickbaity "influencer" makes a video about the camera overheating? The biggest problem underlying overheating is not these Z 8 or Z 9 cameras but bad CFexpress Type B cards sold a bit cheaper than the good ones. Overheating is a card problem in the first place. The answer to that is, buy better cards. Some of the cheap cards are way too expensive for what they offer. Either in overheating or in TBW or in sustained speed or in all of these. And, when you buy a card, note its temperature operating range to begin with. But this says nothing about how fast it will overheat recording at peak bandwidth (when you shoot peak resolution stills, raw lossless compressed, at highest fps, then you are in the 10 Gbps ballpark - make it RAW + JPEG and you have a challenge at 10 Gbps already). As to long form, my experience with movie was in the film days. No sane person would shoot longer takes than 3 minutes, ever, but in absence of the very expensive TV cameras, Super 8 with 12 min of film could be used as substitute - only a few cameras could hold that cassette. In "Hollywood" movies, look at how long a "take" is. It's short. Really short. When in the later 1980s, MTV went from 3 second takes to 1.5 second takes, this was the straw that broke the camel's back and I threw the TV out of our house. Replaced by interwebs. What a load of crap. It's great that "image collectors" help "photographers" make things affordable because of R&D and economies of scale. But please, let these guys not become the norm. I need to tell YT again to not advise me of the content of one influencer. Yes, I'm pissed because "idiots" force sane people to iteration and refutation. Flat earthers, they are. Matt, Irwin that is, thank you for picking up the gauntlet and collaborating transparently with Ricci.
My z8 pop up card overheating in every wedding without burst mode. ive done 4 weddings and all of them had more than 5 overheating pop up. No red overheating sign but even yellow sign makes me worry...
Excellent video - is it safe ( for internals )and card to set setting to high and record 8K 60 FPS 12-bit raw with internal card ?. The moaners could be from hurt Sony and Canon users feeling that their 8K record cameras are worthless due to Z8 coming out. Seems very good solution to have MB Grip + swappable batteries / Internal Battery + External USB-C power bank to power the camera as well
As for safe, I am not a thermal engineer. So I can't say. My best guess is, the camera cuts off when it needs to. You can mitigate that if you want to, by applying some of these methods :)
While the higher codecs (8K 30/60) exists in a few camera, most people would use the Atomos recorder up to 30p RAW but, to my knowledge, not many are shooting for an extended period of time at that level. Nikon has outdone the industry with this on the Z9 and now having it on the Z8 is nice but again, many won’t use it. 4K 10 bit yes, maybe up to 12 bit RAW. The larger size media have been coming online in the past year or so and the higher sized ones are ridiculously priced and would be purchased and used by professionals. Based on what I’ve read up on the R5 C, 8k60 on that camera requires external power, the Z8 can do it with the standard battery and can go longer with external power and larger media. For me this higher codec capability means the camera is good for anyone planning on keeping and using that in the future, when media prices come down and we can have more space in our machines. I wonder if this will get some of the D850 folks to get around to doing video as well. 😊
@@waynerm002 Thanks for your informative and kind reply - love my Z9 but only use (at moment) up to 4K 120 FPS Mp4 - no need for me to use anything bigger; HDD space gobbler and fingers cross hope to add a Z8 long term; Seems like a good backup to Z8 + grip / external power; my only slight grumble wished Nikon adapted the Z8 grip - so that D4-D6/Z9 EN-EL18's could be used.
@@waynerm002I shoot everything 4k60 RAW and once Nikon catches up to Sony and Nikon in regards to auto focus or to Sonys low light or to Arri’s dynamic range with a DGO sensor I’ll definitely make the switch to shooting everything 8k60 for increased utility in post production! 60p just looks so much more filmic than 30
Hi Matt. Is there any difference in Power load and Heat when a Video contains a lot of Movement of the Subject(s) or Panning? A scene that is stagnant, could in theory reduce the Processing Load on the Camera's Processor, as it is doing the Compression-Quality thing, vs. a constantly changing scene. Less Load on a CPU means less Heat...
I have a Z9, and have ordered the Z8, but may have second thoughts before its delivered. Only the weight of my Nikon f1.2 S lens, would and hope be easy use on a lighter Z8, body for Weddings. PS< Shot music event today, on my Z9 in 5 minute clips approx, Total 7 Hours of video (on one Z9, battery and had 14% power left in the battery. NO overheating in the direct Hot Sunshine for 7 hours approx. of 4K 10bit video, 332GB Video, X2 ProGrade 650GB Cfxpress cards, plus Stills 34GB. Don't think the Z8, be doing this somehow. Just mainly a lighter stills camera perhaps.
Another of your great videos - thanks a lot! Ricci in his tests mentioned hot or cold CFexpresss card like Lexar being 'hot' while Delkin Black being a 'cold' card thus giving more time of recording. What's your opinion here?
The drama Matt is that field tests/real life tests do not match initial specs given to TH-camrs by Nikon...it is that simple...I tend to think it is good for folks to test the limits of the cameras that are released and ignite discussion that leads to better camera products and improvements. When the R5 was having all those overheating issues, people tested it, noticed the overheating, ignited dialogue, and Sony eventually addressed the issue...that is the power of community dialogue and encouraging these companies to do better and improve products.
Which spec Nikon gave ? I’m all for testing limits. But be realistic about the outcome. Nikon never said video duration was the same as Z9. Never. And if certain TH-camrs have suggested that, they did not read their spec sheet correctly. It was all there. My guess is they made assumptions, but did not share the fact it was an initial assumption.
@@MattIrwinPhotography, yes, assumptions and misinformation can be frustrating. I wonder why some You Tubers have said that initial specs changed...the context behind this was not shared? What initial specs? Who gave them those specs? Etc...as a customer of Nikon I just hope that once people get their hands on these cameras, and use good cards, that if the overheating issue is a problem in real life usage...that Nikon will listen to us the consumers and address the issues. That is not too, much to ask for, I believe.
@@JuanPacheco-gr5hr It was made very clear to me, all the same codecs, different record times for some of them. Anything else is the mistake of the reviewer, and instead of continuing to suggest the Z8 is not a Z9 video wise in some particular use-cases , they should be correcting their mistake publicly. No spec has been changed. Rumour and assumption, turned into opinion, which somehow became fact, that then was disappointing. How can you be disappointed by something that never existed, was never promised.
@@MattIrwinPhotography, specs situation aside…if overheating becomes a problem in real life shoots for the consumer, will you encourage Nikon to do something about it? I bought the z6 as soon as it came out, then upgraded to z6ii, (would have been perfect for me with better auto focus and sensor cover), and want to get the z8,but will wait because it is not just one TH-camr that has had problems with over heating…not just one Matt…that is not coincidence, or opinion….people have found major overheating issues.
Juan. I showed what I did and it is real. This is usecase and implementation at work. The camera will be out in a week. Then we will see a flood of examples. As I said in my video there are thousands of variables on how to do this. And we are all doing it differently. So I respectfully suggest you consider the idea that all tests are correct. Then consider which test is closest to your reality. And which test is closer to what most people will actually need or use.
Z9 8k raw at 50/60p downsampled in Davinci is superb; I used it all the time. USB PD is not very durable or practical in many cases. Z8 has less than 1 hour of battery and less than 30 minutes before serious overheating issues with demanding, hi bit rate codecs. In normal use I don't drain my batteries to zero; you would need almost (5) Z8 batteries to equal (2) Z9 batteries....
I suppose it depends what you are shooting Peter, if you are locked off PD is fine, plus the camera has the bracket you can screw in the side to protect the ports. Theses times also work with the vertical grip, giving you 2 batteries onboard, with the outward most battery being hot swappable. There is no one right or wrong solution as we all have different use cases. And this approach is just one of many. What sort of content do you shoot Peter. Cheers Matt :)
Hello May I ask you which PC u editing videos in 8k , I wanna buy this camera but I don't know if it's ok with my PC MacBook pro 2019 32 Gb ram 1tbssd and RMD Radeon pro 5500M 8gb
Much appreciated Matt, for doing the tests so I don't have to (er, don't have the skillset or equipment in any case :)) Question What was the brand of the external power, I think it was 20,000 mAh? regards, Gary
Hard work, usefull, not quesrion about that, and shoutout for the time taken. But minimizing our concerns, saying that only 10% of the codecs are only in question. Is a bias that instantly put doubts on your impartiallity. Because this is biased. If we buy on specs, Would we buy a Z8 if it was to shoot in 1080p 8 bits 24 fps.... 10 or 15 years old camera do that. So of vourse yes we are looking to the 10% because it IS the reason why they call a difference between the Z6 and 7 and the others because it is capable of recording internally, and 10 bits, and RAW, and 60fps, 120fps. I bought the Z9 on those specs. I bought the Z8 on those specs. But then, the card door opened, testing 24fps is a non sense. And not everyone shoots 120 all days long to slow things down. But in the case of the Z8 and the Z9 there is one logical reason to shoot 4k 120, because in DX you then unlock the 2.3x crop. And those camera are clearly biught by wildlifers, birders etc.... It is of course a fantastiv advantage But that requires 4k 120, in DX. And no, we do not film knowing that if we film 10 minutes, we then have 40 of film. Not in the real world. In the real world, you just.... film.... waiting for something to happen and iut of all the rushes you can select stuff. And THERE comes the real life scenario in which shooting for long becomes a real use case. And I will never shot 24fps because it flikers, 30fps does not so 60 ti be able to slow down things is a common shooting mode. So yes, I feel like my concerns, are just dealt in this video looking from an upper point of view, minimizing, and ignorig that there's no point in congratuling the fqct that it is capable of shooting 1080p, 8bits 24,fps h264... I'm home, doing tests, NRAW lasts longer than H265 does, compression heats up things. And I'm home, no sun, no heat, not real life. I will see in the wild, hiking, once the body is hot if this thing can manage a recording of a scene that Pops in front of me. And I don't see where this concern is absolutely weird. It's logic to have those question for such an awesome camera.
True. Now Nikon has given us 2 cameras to do this without needing to purchase an external recorder. A bit of cost savings there, no external recorder and media to purchase but, if you already have it and want to use it, you should be able to. Neither camera is listed as being supported by Atomos, I don’t have either to confirm. Someone who has an Atomos recorder and a Z9 or Z8 and have tested them can chime in.
@@waynerm002 I was thinking that most people wanna have a monitor and then with media it might be cheaper to grab a ninja than getting a monitor plus expensive cf express cards
I'm tired of so many people today that haven't got a clue because they haven't had to deal with FILM. Super 8 video, 3 1/2 minutes, and it took forever to change the film. NO SOUND, with terrible picture clarity. If you shot indoors, you had to use BRIGHT LIGHTS that blinded everyone and they all yelled at you to turn the damn lights off. I'm so, tired of some people today. PS........... and it didn't matter if you had a Billion Dollars back than, you couldn't get what you can today.
Nikon shouldn't have crammed all these specs into this system. I saw Ricci video and great points and solutions with using upgraded cards But we're have to blame Nikon for knowingly creating this.
Well, the hope always is that advancements in chips and electronics would reduce heat in even smaller packages. Just like Apple M1 chips are many times more powerful than the Intel chips and still many times cooler. Mac Mini is many times smaller than the old iMacs with intel chips and still they are never warm let alone hot. So the physical size, though important, is not the only important variable.
I agree. But we are told it is the same as the Z9 electronically. So we can make of that what we want. I actually made the same statement as you 3-6 months ago. Could newer tech bring more to new cameras. Of course it will. Perhaps not this time. 😀
This is why Nikon isn't used for high-end video in any way. I thought Nikon dudes were saying with Nikon's lawsuit with RED being settled that the Z9 would be used on professional movie productions.
These are great results indeed, thanks for sharing. I'm just disappointed that the price of the Z8 in my region when you factor in the grip and an extra battery is only $200 below that of a Z9, which makes it pointless to buy it. Even when not considering the grip and extra battery, the price of the Z8 after the preorder batch sells out is $5300, which is only $500 below the price of a Z9 when not discounted. It seems we're the only region in the world with such aggressive and nonsensible pricing. Well, at least now I can buy the Z9 without feeling buyer's remorse, it's a shame though because I really wanted to support the Z8 as I feel it's the right camera that we've been waiting for. I'm guessing the reason why they have done this here is to drive people to buy the Z9 instead, no other reason makes sense...
@@MattIrwinPhotography Thanks, Matt. I'm in the UAE, and I've been waiting for the Z8 since the Z9 announcement; however, now I made up my mind to get a Z9 instead. It'll take time for price of the Z8 to come down for sure, and meanwhile my Z7II doesn't fit that great in my hand which discourages me from using it. So, I just need something that feels comfortable to hold and shoot with, bearing in mind that I don't mind the extra weight of the Z9 as I'm used to bulky and heave DSLRS.
I did a price comparison for the z8 in the US and Australia. $3999 US and $6999 AUD. When I converted using their respective exchange rate Australians should be paying $6000 for the z8. It appears Aussies are paying overs for it.
Did you add GST, as USA don't include taxes. Also I believe there is 5% or so there for currency fluctuations. But yes I would like to have seen it at $6799 or around that price :)
@@MattIrwinPhotography Thanks Matt. Even after adding 10% GST and 5% currency fluctuations it is still $200 Aud above USA. By the way A$ to the yen has gone up about 15+ percent over the last few years with no change in prices. How is that?
@@billybobd Like I said Bill $6799 would be better. The 5% is just a guess. I suspect the street price will move down pretty fast, have you shopped around?
I agree on the main points but the statement 'its not possible in the same volume' makes no sense it all depends on tech, cpu gens used, cooling system etc etc. if the z9 had 50% to spare (lots of headroom in heat control) it would be 100% possible the z8 would be fine. Again it is what it is the z8 is not the same as the z9 but 'it has to be' is just a silly statement without knowing what they did and/or used. Its a great camera in my view even if my main cameras is a sony a1 the value of the z8 is amazing,
Sure Daniel. We are told the tech, cpu are the same. And knowing the Z9 as I do, I don't think it has spare heat headroom, as I have used it for 18 months, and you can heat it up, it just never stops (in my usage). Indeed I speculated before I had the Z8, that if we have a newer generation of CPU (and other tweaks), they may meet the Z9. And for all we know there could be differences. But based on my current experience with both cameras, I am confident they are not the same. But I am also confident you can make them very similar if you choose to externalise the power delivery. Either via the grip or USB-C power. Either of these methods closes the gap greatly between the Z9 and Z8. And for 99% of usage I think this would effectively have the Z8 performing on par. Especially if grabbing lots of clips and stills in a situation like a wedding or an event, content creation, news gathering etc.
@@MattIrwinPhotography Ok agreed if you assume that the Z9 was on its max and all hardware stayed the same. Just wanted to point out its not a given in one cpu gen it can be solves and we have new issues because we demand more. Somehow my sony zv-e1 also gets warmer on 2h reccordings than my sony a1 .. it all makes sense just to me you made it sound like this 'has to be'. instead of it makes sense given that you feel the z9 was at its max and they reduced same hardware space by 30% my goal was not to pick a fight great testing.
Matt, Von Hughes-Stanton, ( th-cam.com/video/i2lPhP92VKk/w-d-xo.html ) Man he hit the Nail on the head. Nikon was and still is First a lens manufacturer for Medical, Space industrial etc, before cameras. Like you said why o’ why haven’t Nikon released any, Cinerama lenses, for the Z9 and Z8 for videographers. I am thinking about buying an Anamorphic Sirui 35mm Full frame lens, which is totally manual on Z9, $1,515.90 I know this is extreme but only Cinema lens around for Nikon is the, Zeiss 15-30mm T2.9 CZ.2 Cine Zoom Lens - Nikon F Mount (Metric) $26,760.11 Regards Nigel Rand - UK Nikon Z Pro.
Let's not use excuses about professionals only using Pro Res codecs so overheating isn't a problem. You are crazy if you think the Z8 shouldn't be able to deliver video without overheating. That's crazy. Better codes = better image quality.
@@contentm3893 M, I own one, I have tested it, I know what it can and can't do. I was on location shooting a full day. Did not get a warm anything. How is your testing going?
@@MattIrwinPhotography What's there to test? You keep talking about high end codecs that only professionals can use, etc. Not sure what that means but it's an excuse. Why have those features in a camera if you can't use them? Canon had the same issue with the R5 and then they came out with the R5c.
@@MattIrwinPhotography Go outside in Florida and do the same test outside. The Z8 would be toast and last 10 minutes. Also, point the temp laser behind the display screen. Everyone knows where the camera get's hot and it's not in the area you tested.
False. I have gotten hot card warnings merely shooting stills at weddings in California and Arizona. I’ve tried everything from Angelbird to Delkin Black. The Z8 is trash.
Matt man what was all the Buzz around on the internet I think does other brand bobos nothing wrong with that at all we now now just keep bla di bla internet .Nice text Ferrari 300 KMH an hour even Formula one drivers let them selfs drive by an Uber branded chauffeur to the track and than get started I am still not into Video so the moment I buy this beauty well just get out and enjoy life and photography (still Nikon D800 shooting over ten years )
Thanks Matt. Between you and Ricci I think we have plenty of info for our use case. Real results to stop the complaining.
the camera community is sooooo freakin' fear-driven, jumping on every little problem and focussing on only that, while in my eyes this camera is a GEM and in real life usage I see no problem at all! cheers Matt & Ricci for making honest and fair videos ❤
Cheers Obed, yes this camera is an outstanding all-rounder which can do almost anything. :)
@@MattIrwinPhotography totally agreed, it will be the next camera I'll buy 🤩
@@obedbrinkman congratulations 😀📷🍾
Not really - It's clear they slammed the Z9 sensor inside the Z8. Overheating is an issue with Sony, Canon and others. The only real cine / hybrid camera that solves this is the R5c from Canon. This is interesting because the R5c was slammed for not having great battery life or IBIS. The R5c never overheats.
Thanks Matt and Ricci for your great real world testing!
This is a fabulous reality check on the Z8 performance/heat test. Thank you Matt, and also for your collaboration with Ricci. I think this episode is now the textbook reference for anyone planning a video project with the Z8. Ref. appropriate card; Ref. external power source; and we can expect a no-surprises outcome. Hat-tip and bow to both you two for covering all the bases. Thank you.
Also, I wonder, and this is a question rather than a comment: the Z9 has a 'magnesium alloy shell' which is an excellent heat conductor, whereas the Z8 specs seem to market, in part, a 'Carbon Fiber' shell and Magnesium Alloy. I haven't held a Z8 yet, nor seen it in the flesh, so the question may be irrelevant.
You guys will know best. But, when you consider the use-case, the Z8 looks like a phenomenon to me.
Hi Selwyn, the Z8 certainly has less metal in it. And of course this has an impact, but as we can see depending on use case and approach, it does not really have to be a concern at these temperatures. And I will have to wait until summer to get temps over 22/23, another 5-6 months to test high temp scenarios. Cheers Matt
I got a chance to use a Z8 today. I was really impressed with how the buffer handled such high res footage. Certainly amazing tech! this comes from someone who hasn't used a Z9. Only Z6ii - 7ii, and boy the Z8 is snappy in comparison !
Keep up the great work mate
Hi Matt. Thank you for all your helpful videos. I have the Z 8 for 1.5 weeks now, and I love it. I had an Integral CFExpress 256GB Cinematic Grade the first days. It not only wasn't capable of 8K 60p RAW but also had random read errors. Now I got an Angelbird AV Pro SE 512GB, which works absolutely flawlessly. Although I get an Hot Card warning at 8k 60p RAW, it records until the card is full with the MB-N12 attached.
Keep up your amazing work!
Greetings from Hamburg, Germany!
Your comments in the intro are spot on Matt. For a user like me that primarily shoots wildlife stills the release of the Z8 is one of those rare moments when a piece of gear will actually improve photographic output. Currently I use the D500 so this is going to be a major step forward for me. Especially for BIF. It might even get me to take a bit of video. But like you said that use case would be short clips, a couple of minutes at the most. Thanks for info.
Good to see so many testing this and showing what it can and does for the consumer as well a specialists. Thanks you guys Ricci too and Matt Matt G and Matt I.
There more tests, the more we understand. 😀
Great video Matt. Well done for putting in the hard work. I thoroughly enjoyed the data and commentary mix.
Love you work. 👍🏻
Excellent job! Thanks to both you and Ricci Chera for the highly informative videos with realistic use cases!
Thanks Matt, saw and watched Ricci's video last night and yours this morning (5/18) thanks so much for doing this, for many this will cement the decision to get a Z8. Too many try to get videos out on the street too fast and sometimes the results can be confusing to be blunt. One can always get on the list for a new body early in the game and just sit back and absorb as much data before you actually get the camera from as many folks as you can, then re-evaluate your decision. Reviews like this will move people into the , yeah I'm ready to get this camera camp for the most part. Thank you so much to both you and Ricci for the crazy amount of time it takes to do this and present it to the rest of us. Take care - Jeff
Whoah Matt! My heart dropped when you pointed the laser straight to the sensor. I don't know the power needed to damage it but regardless.
Thank you for all that you do for the community.
Matt - Great video!!! This was very educational and helpful. It was obviously a TON of work so thank you for doing this for us all. Additionally, this was a nice compliment to the Ricci video, which was also helpful and enjoyable.
Thanks again for all the hard work on this and on all the great content you put out here!
-PD
Matt, thank you. These tests are important. I live in New Orleans, Louisiana. My outdoor ambient temperature, for a large portion of the year, is 31-35 degrees Celsius. In the higher ambient temperatures that are typical to me, taking multiple 2-5 min high bit rate clips (10 or so on average), over a 1-2 hour period can be troublesome for some cameras. Your tests, using the USB Type C connector for external power, give me hope for using the Z8 here where I live. Thanks again. :)
Yeah hot. They day I recorded it was 4-13c. So outside no worries. Maybe I’ll test again in summer. 😀
Thanks Matt - as you so rightly point out, "not my problem!" But so many people have ranted above this on the internet that I felt obliged to seek an answer. My best was a comparative chart, starting with some Delkin cards running at an operating temperature of 39-45 C, right up to some Sandisk and Lexar cards running at 80-85 C. Hot enough to make a cup of tea! And suggest maybe sticking to the cooler cards - Delkin or ProGrade, according to the chart. I also added that I thought it was wildly unlikely ever to affect my photography, because I don't do video, and suggested maybe it's more of a problem for professional sports photographers, than for the rest of us.
But you've cleared the air nicely. Many thanks. All it took was more thought, real life testing, common sense, and less bull**** Or, put around another way - well I don't know everything (unlike some!), but I WILL try to find OUT! Thank you very much - after months of reading what appears to have been rather self-opinionated, now we know the truth. All those negative comments were inserted on our Nikon group pages by a group of sinister activists who all shoot Canon or Sony!
Watched [and enjoyed] Mr Ricci’s video when it dropped Wednesday.
Thanks Ricci and Matt !
As a Landscapes stills photographer, I’m not sure which video settings, resolution, codecs ect. I should go with, balancing best image quality, small file size, and flexibility post process. Do you have a video on this, or recommendations? Thanks Matt!!
I had a feeling the very first video on heat testing sounded a bit pessimistic. From your video and Ricci ‘s it’s clear to me it’s more than capable to shoot normal amounts of video without ever worrying in most cases . I also couldn’t understand why anyone would want to shoot for 2 hours of anything haha . I’ve been on some actual feature movie productions and they shoot 3 minutes of film per day . If you’re doing a video short or mini short movie or a music video you’d be taking multiple videos to get different scenes so it’s a mute point to shoot this camera to the breaking point .
2 hours... Maybe a lecture or a concert?
We shoot a lot of interviews that are 30min to an hour. We have other cameras though but thats just one reason you'd need longer record times
@@BeckyKaganSchott I get it but like you said there are other cameras better suited if all you do is super long nonstop videos . For most case uses this wouldn’t be as much of an issue .
If I worked with hours of 8K 60p raw, I would definitely be concerned about heat, probably more so in the editing computer, .... or maybe the coffee pot as I waited for the render.
buy yourself a m1/m2 mac... no issues at all in the 8k workflow.
thanks for doing the testing - and as you said mass matters for heat dissipation. And while I think your testing more likely matches real-world situations (external power source). I also think the testing 'the other Matt did' was of interest - not so much as finding a problem as much as demonstrating why if someone is into extremely long videos at the highest codex possible the z9 might be a better choice in some situations. Thanks for all the content you create.
Thanks for doing these tests. I am using 2-Z6II's and shoot video and stills for the agriculture industry. Most of my work is done in the field and in Texas - talk about extreme conditions... I am constantly getting the card overheat warning and it makes me nervous that I'll overheat something and lose footage that I can't get back. But after seeing your tests, I guess the overheat thing is not uncommon, nor is it to be feared in most cases. Due to the environment I shoot in most of the time, many of the risk mitigation solutions you mention are not feasible for me given I normally shoot mounted to a gimbal out in the middle of farm country, so not a lot of room for extra gadgets, however I will look into the external battery as it looks to be relatively small. Nonetheless, thanks again for doing all of this work - especially considering I just asked you about this very topic earlier this week. 😉
Great job Matt. These videos bring some sense to people’s panic. 🤘🤘
Great job Matt .honestly a nice video and more reliable information.Other than other you tuber Nikon bashes Thanks 😊
Never has anything bad to say about Nikon. No wonder he gets the gear so early. Neverless I do enjoy watching his videos. Good on you, Matt.
Hi Scott, thank you so much. What would you like me to talk about? 🙂
Thanks Mstt for clearing up a lot of mis information out there.👍
Just finished watching Ricci video😂
I finished myself and was waiting for this
Perfect timing - thanks for coming :)
Matt great testing, and your right the cases not only about volume but material. Heat has to go somewhere. Love the summary calling out the variables, card performance / heat has been and it impacts the performance. Kudos to Ricci and yourself for bringing sensible assessment to these issues.
Great video! As someone who shoots Nikon for both stills and video, my concern was never with the Nikon Z8 overheating. I'm more interested in the best practices for data and battery power. As a Nikon Z6 user, I mainly connect the Z6 to the Atomos and record in ProRes to a 2TB SSD. So having the ability to record everything internally was exciting but I was nervous about file sizes, what's the right card, battery life, etc. Do you have any information along these lines that could give us a guideline of what to look for concerning file sizes, type of cards to get, external power banks, etc? Like if your shooting in NLog 4.1k what kind of record time could you expect to get. Thanks for all you do for the community!
Hello Matt, I did watch Ricci's video and understand this issue, I also saw Matt Gangers video high lighting this issue, I do not think this will worry me. But interesting image. Keep well, keep safe and have fun.
That was super! I wonder if you could find a thin sensor you could tape onto cards and close the door on? Thanks again for the info.
Great idea. :) Thank you
Thanks Matt… Appreciate the work that you and @Riccitalks put into these videos. Already have my Z8 on pre-order, but would be very curious about the Z8’s 8k60p raw recording via USBC power. Is that something that you’re going to test? Don’t need a video, your results are good enough…
Thank you for the time you took to try, test, mount etc...
My usage is hikes, wildlife, slowmo, never inside ( no pb winter, but pb summer ), so absolutely NEVER shoot under 10 bits, H265 min or NRAW, 60 or 120fps ( 2.3x mode ).
I'd love to see tests for those types of use cases.
Maybe it is not even a question for the Z8, don't know.
Which PD cable are you using? Also, which power bank are you using? How many volts out of power bank?
These controlled experimental testing is awesome...but photographers are not shooting in a lab that is constantly 68F degrees...I hope that once people start using them in the field with good storage card, that if overheating issues limits people experience with the Z8, that Nikon addresses those issues.
The "laser" thermometers use the laser only for pointing, but temperature is measured with an IR sensor that is reading from the laser spot (or near that spot).
SD cards don't become as warm for simple reasons - the write speed is not high enough - I guess the bitrate must've been about 200Mbit/s as that is still what a UHS-I v30 SD card can handle, which is 25MB/s - just shy away from the v30 certification, which declares the card to be capable of 30MB/s sustained speed.
Great test .. Z8 seems to be a beast of a camera. Unfortunately for an enthusiast like me it's just out of my reach.
Matt, I have few questions:
1. Recommended external battery source to avoid heat or dead of internal battery soon and to record extended time
2. Can I record 8K and 4K N-Raw and 10- bit to Ninja V also over HDMI?
3. Can Z8 record directly to an external SSD (2TB or 4TB) for extended time just to avoid any heating on the Cfex B card?
4. I can record the CFex B card (1TB or 2 TB) when I use a gimbal or for a short period of time
Thanks Matt. As always, loads of common sense and great advice.
Hi Matt, thank you for taking the time to run the tests and post your results. A quick question: in your experience using the Z9 over the past several months, have you found that there are differences in CF-Express Cards with regard to overheating when shooting video? In other words, have you found that some brands perform better than others? If so, do you have any recommendations? Thanks! Greetings from Los Angeles, Homi
Informative, methodical, reasonable. Thanks for another great video.
Great as usual, but has anyone did the tests with the grip installed?
I pre ordered my Z8 immediately after it became available in my country, few hours later after the announcement. I was that sure about the Z8, than i got a little scared when Matt posted his Z8 tests. I'm one of those people who needs and hour and a half in 4k 25p continuous shooting and at times i may need 1 hour of 4K 50p. Seeing your test, i think i can get the 4K 50p in camera, with no external battery, i'll do my own test when e get the camera and a new CFexpress. Thanks for settling this once and for all.
I would like to shoot 2+ hour interviews in 8k and create a "wide" and "tight" shot tracks for 4k delivery. This gives you TWO camera "angles" from one single camera. I'd love to shoot 8k two hour live music concerts too
It didn't look like the SD card got hot (did you measure the temp?). I Googled why CF Express cards are metal and it said it was for better heat dissipation. So I guess it is just the slower write speed that kept the SD card from overheating? I guess the card door was open. Maybe if indoors we should leave the card door open.
Thanks for your time keep up the good work ! Anyone can confirm that the 4.1k ProResRaw is pixel binned/lined skipped. Nobody talks about it. Thanks
I was going to cancel my Z8 order due to apparent overheating. But your video and Ricci's video, my confidence is restored. Thank you. In terms of variables, we have a few months before we need to test it in our hot Aussie summer. A smallrig cage would be the other variable, but not sure that would be particularly significant.
Cheers Andrew. Every variable will percentage the outcome up or down. Everything matters. 😀
Matt's intro voice...... talks to us like we are a goo goo gaa gaa baby. lol
My cousin bought a Z8 on my recommendation. I have the Z9 but don't do video really... Shot with external power supply to a Ninja Atomos and had horrible heat issues and camera shutting down in 30-odd minutes. More than once.... Taking it back..... has an 850 which works fine so going back to that.... I'm shocked but it's what they do so they should know.....
Interesting, what was the ambient temp? Were they recording internally as well, and it was power supplied by PD? What codecs were they shooting with? Cheers Matt
Great video Matt. One of these is in my future👍. Specifically what external power device with connectors are you using? I believe you said a 20000 Mah battery but what brand please? Thank you.
As I shoot in Arizona and primarily outside, the external device you use has me very interested 👍
Thanks so much for this brilliant video, Matt. You’ve convinced me to cancel my order for the Atomos Ninja V and use internal recording instead, with an Atomos Shinobi for monitoring. The weight and noise saving of ditching the Ninja V will be most welcome. My Z8 is due to arrive within days and I can’t wait to get started with it. Keep up the good work.
Hi Matt -- well RICCI promoted your vid in his. Great that you guys give up your valuable time to do these tests for us AND are so open and transparent about the gear you use, your test settings and your results -- Many many thanks.
As we keep saying it will be good when more of us can get our own Z8 and repeat your tests to validate the results and build the evidence base.
QQQ -- you appear to be shooting N-RAW in HIGH Quality not Normal -- this is obviously the most demanding option. It was not clear to me if Ricci used the same setting.
Yes if Nikon are going to sell own brand cards - then they need to up their game -- otherwise there are faster and cooler running cards than those you and Ricci used AND more seem to be coming almost every day.
AND please leave space for us LOONs to shoot with crazy CODEX while on long safaris etc... most of the footage is obviously useless because the USER is bad -- but perfectly wonderful footage quality. The MP4 files can be used as proxies in DVR18 for creating and cutting your timelines then swapped out when in audio mix and colour grading. Nice to see Raymond P on your feed.
Good video Matt.However, I'll wait for the assessments that come when shooting outside in summer sun.Almost winter in BleakCity aint no test imo.Undoubtedly,used within its limitations the Z8 is excellent and most buyers will be happy.Will you get one as a convenient back up/alterative to your main work bodies?
Great test! Maybe I missed it but is there the x2.3 crop mode in 4k120p like in z9?
Same here, It only appears in the NRAW selection, not in the h265 10 bits, I got nervous... I have to check on my Z9, but maybe it is because as it is reached by switching to DX, and he was in FX, the option didn't appear.
( if this option is not here, it would be sufficent for me to cancel the Z8 )
Ok, reached my Z9.
I confirm, h265 10 bits does not show the 2.3x mode, but it engages when you apply DX, and still does not show it in the options
Matt, you are a brave (and lucky) man to point a laser directly into your lens. And thanks for the testing work.
Awesome test video!
Hi Matt
Great informative video. BTW which power bank are you using in this video to charge the camera while it's recording?
Here it is here bit.ly/3Ot6mrA Thank you, cheers Matt :)
Very rarely shoot video only ordered this for its still frames capability
Good stuff, this test, it really goes to show how few compromises the camera has compared with the Z9. I agree with you, Matt, I think the Z8 is an enormous boon to all sorts of photographers and videographers. And in the words of Stephen Fry, “well of course, we’re always on the lookout for enormous boons.”
Cheers!
-Chris
Didn't realize how big of a difference the external power makes. I always shoot video with dummy batteries or external power, makes life a lot easier. Curious to see if the external power / dummy battery connected to v mount with 8.3 k raw at 60 lasts longer than the tests I've seen so far. Or 4k 120
Thanks for the video Matt. What power bank is that please? Can you recommend anything? :)
I think the physics of heat conduction and the difference between a full magnesium chassis as a heat sink versus composites. After all heat rises making body volume somewhat superfluous. And it’s not that users expected an exact performance parity with the Z9, but at least based on the information posted by Matt Granger I would have expected more time in the headline 8k modes.
The heat is sealed. If the heat was going anywhere I would suspect the lens was the best conduit in this test. It’s not clear what cards Granger used or the actual ambient temps.
@@MattIrwinPhotography Hi Matt. It's pretty clear actually. I state the cards used in video, and link them in the description - where I also mention the room temp was 22c. FYI the two cards I used are both high capacity cards that Nikon recommends for high bitrate video, and I show that they don't have the same heat issues in Z9 that they do in Z8... so it is kinda of 'unscientific' to suggest it is the card issue, rather than camera specific.
Cheers Matt, sorry I missed the cards as you ran through them quickly. Indeed the chart you reference is for Z9, which Nikon has since released a Z8 page in the last day or 2. Its not clear these cards are approved for heat. As the fine print states
'Recording at high temperatures may end before maximum length or size is reached, even if camera temperature does not rise.'
Thus suggesting cards heat up, and recording can stop even if the camera does not get hot, even with these approved cards. Nikon make this same statement on both the Z 9 and Z8 page.
Z8
www.nikonproductsupport.com/s/article/Z-8-Supported-Memory-Cards?language=en_US&fbclid=IwAR2KgbCkBujfpbR9mH2HGp15utmUN1mmcMNnNFSB891LluKZzIonNvUM6zE
Z9
www.nikonimgsupport.com/na/NSG_article?articleNo=000044132&configured=1&lang=en_SG
Nikon is using * on their page, it is not 100% clear to me how that is being applied, happy for guidance on this.
Hi, love your content. Just moving to mirroless. Im thinking of buying a second hand z5 or z6. Price point z5 1400aud and z6 1700aud(with xqd). Im doing landscape and thinking of starting portrait work(not wedding or big eveny, just small family sessions) what would you recommend Matt?? Thanks
For this kind of review /test it’s best if u use a thermal camera (iSeek or FLIR ) are cheap for smartphone
Great suggestion Mr Charles :)
@@MattIrwinPhotography i already see the full video ! I think it’s very good with your method of ir thermometer! I’m frustrated with the a7IV serious heating issues with 4k 4:2:0 and then come here and see your Z8 doing past 1 1/2 hour recording RAW 8K without problem! What a world of difference! Thanks your video! I think I would save more money and pull the trigger for the Z8
Very COOL Video Matt, lol.
I’m thinking different now as I think Nikon realised this and, why helps to have two, USB-C ports to,
stop overheating for shorter, periods of recording time say 15min to half an hour each.
As your test show external power supply cuts down heat and extends recording time.
I just want like 5 to 10 min 4K 10bit for Gimbal work etc.
I’m contacting Dixie Dixon, ask her advice as she shot with,
Z8 promos video for Nikon with Z8. regards Nigel Rand
Plus I should be committed (Wife says the Camera Nut-house)
now, as ordered my Z8 on 16 May.
And all this because some clickbaity "influencer" makes a video about the camera overheating? The biggest problem underlying overheating is not these Z 8 or Z 9 cameras but bad CFexpress Type B cards sold a bit cheaper than the good ones. Overheating is a card problem in the first place. The answer to that is, buy better cards. Some of the cheap cards are way too expensive for what they offer. Either in overheating or in TBW or in sustained speed or in all of these.
And, when you buy a card, note its temperature operating range to begin with. But this says nothing about how fast it will overheat recording at peak bandwidth (when you shoot peak resolution stills, raw lossless compressed, at highest fps, then you are in the 10 Gbps ballpark - make it RAW + JPEG and you have a challenge at 10 Gbps already).
As to long form, my experience with movie was in the film days. No sane person would shoot longer takes than 3 minutes, ever, but in absence of the very expensive TV cameras, Super 8 with 12 min of film could be used as substitute - only a few cameras could hold that cassette. In "Hollywood" movies, look at how long a "take" is. It's short. Really short.
When in the later 1980s, MTV went from 3 second takes to 1.5 second takes, this was the straw that broke the camel's back and I threw the TV out of our house. Replaced by interwebs. What a load of crap.
It's great that "image collectors" help "photographers" make things affordable because of R&D and economies of scale.
But please, let these guys not become the norm. I need to tell YT again to not advise me of the content of one influencer.
Yes, I'm pissed because "idiots" force sane people to iteration and refutation. Flat earthers, they are.
Matt, Irwin that is, thank you for picking up the gauntlet and collaborating transparently with Ricci.
My z8 pop up card overheating in every wedding without burst mode. ive done 4 weddings and all of them had more than 5 overheating pop up. No red overheating sign but even yellow sign makes me worry...
Hmm what is the ambient temp? What card are you using?
How do we know which cards “run cool”?
Somebody has to buy them all and test. My discoveries are part luck and part reading about it. Some cards are marketed as running cooler.
Excellent video - is it safe ( for internals )and card to set setting to high and record 8K 60 FPS 12-bit raw with internal card ?. The moaners could be from hurt Sony and Canon users feeling that their 8K record cameras are worthless due to Z8 coming out. Seems very good solution to have MB Grip + swappable batteries / Internal Battery + External USB-C power bank to power the camera as well
As for safe, I am not a thermal engineer. So I can't say. My best guess is, the camera cuts off when it needs to. You can mitigate that if you want to, by applying some of these methods :)
While the higher codecs (8K 30/60) exists in a few camera, most people would use the Atomos recorder up to 30p RAW but, to my knowledge, not many are shooting for an extended period of time at that level. Nikon has outdone the industry with this on the Z9 and now having it on the Z8 is nice but again, many won’t use it. 4K 10 bit yes, maybe up to 12 bit RAW. The larger size media have been coming online in the past year or so and the higher sized ones are ridiculously priced and would be purchased and used by professionals. Based on what I’ve read up on the R5 C, 8k60 on that camera requires external power, the Z8 can do it with the standard battery and can go longer with external power and larger media. For me this higher codec capability means the camera is good for anyone planning on keeping and using that in the future, when media prices come down and we can have more space in our machines. I wonder if this will get some of the D850 folks to get around to doing video as well. 😊
@@MattIrwinPhotography Thanks Matt - great and very useful video
@@waynerm002 Thanks for your informative and kind reply - love my Z9 but only use (at moment) up to 4K 120 FPS Mp4 - no need for me to use anything bigger; HDD space gobbler and fingers cross hope to add a Z8 long term; Seems like a good backup to Z8 + grip / external power; my only slight grumble wished Nikon adapted the Z8 grip - so that D4-D6/Z9 EN-EL18's could be used.
@@waynerm002I shoot everything 4k60 RAW and once Nikon catches up to Sony and Nikon in regards to auto focus or to Sonys low light or to Arri’s dynamic range with a DGO sensor I’ll definitely make the switch to shooting everything 8k60 for increased utility in post production! 60p just looks so much more filmic than 30
Hi Matt. Is there any difference in Power load and Heat when a Video contains a lot of Movement of the Subject(s) or Panning? A scene that is stagnant, could in theory reduce the Processing Load on the Camera's Processor, as it is doing the Compression-Quality thing, vs. a constantly changing scene. Less Load on a CPU means less Heat...
Yes possible I suspect negligible. Perhaps if I get some university funding I can take the permutations and variations further. 😀
Nothing like the Canon R5 overheating situation..
What type of external power did you use with it?
Thanks for that - useful info. 👍
Is it really 8.3k video? I thought that's only theoretical open gate, not the cropped 9:16 the Z8/9 get, which is 7680 on the long side.
I have a Z9, and have ordered the Z8, but may have second thoughts before its delivered.
Only the weight of my Nikon f1.2 S lens, would and hope be easy use on a lighter Z8, body for Weddings.
PS< Shot music event today, on my Z9 in 5 minute clips approx, Total 7 Hours of video (on one Z9,
battery and had 14% power left in the battery. NO overheating in the direct Hot Sunshine for 7 hours approx. of
4K 10bit video, 332GB Video, X2 ProGrade 650GB Cfxpress cards, plus Stills 34GB.
Don't think the Z8, be doing this somehow. Just mainly a lighter stills camera perhaps.
Another of your great videos - thanks a lot! Ricci in his tests mentioned hot or cold CFexpresss card like Lexar being 'hot' while Delkin Black being a 'cold' card thus giving more time of recording. What's your opinion here?
Hi Matt can I know what external battery you using?
Yes this is the battery bit.ly/3Ot6mrA :) you can also rest you phone on it for inductive charging :)
What brand card is that? I don't recognize it for some reason. Having a brain fart.
The drama Matt is that field tests/real life tests do not match initial specs given to TH-camrs by Nikon...it is that simple...I tend to think it is good for folks to test the limits of the cameras that are released and ignite discussion that leads to better camera products and improvements. When the R5 was having all those overheating issues, people tested it, noticed the overheating, ignited dialogue, and Sony eventually addressed the issue...that is the power of community dialogue and encouraging these companies to do better and improve products.
Which spec Nikon gave ? I’m all for testing limits. But be realistic about the outcome. Nikon never said video duration was the same as Z9. Never. And if certain TH-camrs have suggested that, they did not read their spec sheet correctly. It was all there. My guess is they made assumptions, but did not share the fact it was an initial assumption.
@@MattIrwinPhotography, yes, assumptions and misinformation can be frustrating. I wonder why some You Tubers have said that initial specs changed...the context behind this was not shared? What initial specs? Who gave them those specs? Etc...as a customer of Nikon I just hope that once people get their hands on these cameras, and use good cards, that if the overheating issue is a problem in real life usage...that Nikon will listen to us the consumers and address the issues. That is not too, much to ask for, I believe.
@@JuanPacheco-gr5hr It was made very clear to me, all the same codecs, different record times for some of them. Anything else is the mistake of the reviewer, and instead of continuing to suggest the Z8 is not a Z9 video wise in some particular use-cases , they should be correcting their mistake publicly. No spec has been changed. Rumour and assumption, turned into opinion, which somehow became fact, that then was disappointing. How can you be disappointed by something that never existed, was never promised.
@@MattIrwinPhotography, specs situation aside…if overheating becomes a problem in real life shoots for the consumer, will you encourage Nikon to do something about it? I bought the z6 as soon as it came out, then upgraded to z6ii, (would have been perfect for me with better auto focus and sensor cover), and want to get the z8,but will wait because it is not just one TH-camr that has had problems with over heating…not just one Matt…that is not coincidence, or opinion….people have found major overheating issues.
Juan. I showed what I did and it is real. This is usecase and implementation at work. The camera will be out in a week. Then we will see a flood of examples. As I said in my video there are thousands of variables on how to do this. And we are all doing it differently. So I respectfully suggest you consider the idea that all tests are correct. Then consider which test is closest to your reality. And which test is closer to what most people will actually need or use.
Z9 8k raw at 50/60p downsampled in Davinci is superb; I used it all the time. USB PD is not very durable or practical in many cases. Z8 has less than 1 hour of battery and less than 30 minutes before serious overheating issues with demanding, hi bit rate codecs. In normal use I don't drain my batteries to zero; you would need almost (5) Z8 batteries to equal (2) Z9 batteries....
I suppose it depends what you are shooting Peter, if you are locked off PD is fine, plus the camera has the bracket you can screw in the side to protect the ports. Theses times also work with the vertical grip, giving you 2 batteries onboard, with the outward most battery being hot swappable. There is no one right or wrong solution as we all have different use cases. And this approach is just one of many. What sort of content do you shoot Peter. Cheers Matt :)
Hello May I ask you which PC u editing videos in 8k , I wanna buy this camera but I don't know if it's ok with my PC MacBook pro 2019 32 Gb ram 1tbssd and RMD Radeon pro 5500M 8gb
I think you like this camera lol. Think I'll stick with my R5 for now 👍🏻
Much appreciated Matt, for doing the tests so I don't have to (er, don't have the skillset or equipment in any case :))
Question
What was the brand of the external power, I think it was 20,000 mAh?
regards,
Gary
Hard work, usefull, not quesrion about that, and shoutout for the time taken.
But minimizing our concerns, saying that only 10% of the codecs are only in question.
Is a bias that instantly put doubts on your impartiallity.
Because this is biased.
If we buy on specs, Would we buy a Z8 if it was to shoot in 1080p 8 bits 24 fps....
10 or 15 years old camera do that.
So of vourse yes we are looking to the 10% because it IS the reason why they call a difference between the Z6 and 7 and the others because it is capable of recording internally, and 10 bits, and RAW, and 60fps, 120fps.
I bought the Z9 on those specs.
I bought the Z8 on those specs.
But then, the card door opened, testing 24fps is a non sense.
And not everyone shoots 120 all days long to slow things down.
But in the case of the Z8 and the Z9 there is one logical reason to shoot 4k 120, because in DX you then unlock the 2.3x crop.
And those camera are clearly biught by wildlifers, birders etc....
It is of course a fantastiv advantage
But that requires 4k 120, in DX.
And no, we do not film knowing that if we film 10 minutes, we then have 40 of film.
Not in the real world.
In the real world, you just.... film.... waiting for something to happen and iut of all the rushes you can select stuff.
And THERE comes the real life scenario in which shooting for long becomes a real use case.
And I will never shot 24fps because it flikers, 30fps does not so 60 ti be able to slow down things is a common shooting mode.
So yes,
I feel like my concerns, are just dealt in this video looking from an upper point of view, minimizing, and ignorig that there's no point in congratuling the fqct that it is capable of shooting 1080p, 8bits 24,fps h264...
I'm home, doing tests,
NRAW lasts longer than H265 does, compression heats up things.
And I'm home, no sun, no heat, not real life.
I will see in the wild, hiking, once the body is hot if this thing can manage a recording of a scene that
Pops in front of me.
And I don't see where this concern is absolutely weird.
It's logic to have those question for such an awesome camera.
It doesn’t run as cool as the Z9. But of course it doesn’t. However man this camera is killing it. Nikon knocked this one out of the park.
Realistically most people would also use an external recorder ..
True. Now Nikon has given us 2 cameras to do this without needing to purchase an external recorder. A bit of cost savings there, no external recorder and media to purchase but, if you already have it and want to use it, you should be able to. Neither camera is listed as being supported by Atomos, I don’t have either to confirm. Someone who has an Atomos recorder and a Z9 or Z8 and have tested them can chime in.
@@waynerm002 I was thinking that most people wanna have a monitor and then with media it might be cheaper to grab a ninja than getting a monitor plus expensive cf express cards
Thanks Matt! I hope your namesake also realizes that tests should be carried out in relation to practical use and not extreme test cases
I'm tired of so many people today that haven't got a clue because they haven't had to deal with FILM. Super 8 video, 3 1/2 minutes, and it took forever to change the film. NO SOUND, with terrible picture clarity. If you shot indoors, you had to use BRIGHT LIGHTS that blinded everyone and they all yelled at you to turn the damn lights off. I'm so, tired of some people today.
PS........... and it didn't matter if you had a Billion Dollars back than, you couldn't get what you can today.
Nikon shouldn't have crammed all these specs into this system. I saw Ricci video and great points and solutions with using upgraded cards
But we're have to blame Nikon for knowingly creating this.
Well, the hope always is that advancements in chips and electronics would reduce heat in even smaller packages. Just like Apple M1 chips are many times more powerful than the Intel chips and still many times cooler. Mac Mini is many times smaller than the old iMacs with intel chips and still they are never warm let alone hot. So the physical size, though important, is not the only important variable.
I agree. But we are told it is the same as the Z9 electronically. So we can make of that what we want. I actually made the same statement as you 3-6 months ago. Could newer tech bring more to new cameras. Of course it will. Perhaps not this time. 😀
This is why Nikon isn't used for high-end video in any way. I thought Nikon dudes were saying with Nikon's lawsuit with RED being settled that the Z9 would be used on professional movie productions.
These are great results indeed, thanks for sharing. I'm just disappointed that the price of the Z8 in my region when you factor in the grip and an extra battery is only $200 below that of a Z9, which makes it pointless to buy it. Even when not considering the grip and extra battery, the price of the Z8 after the preorder batch sells out is $5300, which is only $500 below the price of a Z9 when not discounted. It seems we're the only region in the world with such aggressive and nonsensible pricing. Well, at least now I can buy the Z9 without feeling buyer's remorse, it's a shame though because I really wanted to support the Z8 as I feel it's the right camera that we've been waiting for. I'm guessing the reason why they have done this here is to drive people to buy the Z9 instead, no other reason makes sense...
I am sorry to hear that Yamen, what region are you in? I suppose the price will always come down over time. If you can wait of course :)
@@MattIrwinPhotography Thanks, Matt. I'm in the UAE, and I've been waiting for the Z8 since the Z9 announcement; however, now I made up my mind to get a Z9 instead. It'll take time for price of the Z8 to come down for sure, and meanwhile my Z7II doesn't fit that great in my hand which discourages me from using it. So, I just need something that feels comfortable to hold and shoot with, bearing in mind that I don't mind the extra weight of the Z9 as I'm used to bulky and heave DSLRS.
@@kaminobatto Sounds like the way to go then. :) I love my Z9
@@MattIrwinPhotography indeed, I'm very excited to own one, because I always wanted one TBH. Just a few more months and the wait will be over!
I did a price comparison for the z8 in the US and Australia. $3999 US and $6999 AUD. When I converted using their respective exchange rate Australians should be paying $6000 for the z8. It appears Aussies are paying overs for it.
Did you add GST, as USA don't include taxes. Also I believe there is 5% or so there for currency fluctuations. But yes I would like to have seen it at $6799 or around that price :)
@@MattIrwinPhotography Thanks Matt. Even after adding 10% GST and 5% currency fluctuations it is still $200 Aud above USA. By the way A$ to the yen has gone up about 15+ percent over the last few years with no change in prices. How is that?
@@billybobd Like I said Bill $6799 would be better. The 5% is just a guess. I suspect the street price will move down pretty fast, have you shopped around?
@@MattIrwinPhotography Thanks again Matt. Always watch your channel. I have a quandary re Nikon Z8 or Z9.
@@billybobd Yes in Australia the Z9 can be found quite cheaply at times. What are you mostly shooting?
I agree on the main points but the statement 'its not possible in the same volume' makes no sense it all depends on tech, cpu gens used, cooling system etc etc. if the z9 had 50% to spare (lots of headroom in heat control) it would be 100% possible the z8 would be fine. Again it is what it is the z8 is not the same as the z9 but 'it has to be' is just a silly statement without knowing what they did and/or used. Its a great camera in my view even if my main cameras is a sony a1 the value of the z8 is amazing,
Sure Daniel. We are told the tech, cpu are the same. And knowing the Z9 as I do, I don't think it has spare heat headroom, as I have used it for 18 months, and you can heat it up, it just never stops (in my usage). Indeed I speculated before I had the Z8, that if we have a newer generation of CPU (and other tweaks), they may meet the Z9. And for all we know there could be differences. But based on my current experience with both cameras, I am confident they are not the same. But I am also confident you can make them very similar if you choose to externalise the power delivery. Either via the grip or USB-C power. Either of these methods closes the gap greatly between the Z9 and Z8. And for 99% of usage I think this would effectively have the Z8 performing on par. Especially if grabbing lots of clips and stills in a situation like a wedding or an event, content creation, news gathering etc.
@@MattIrwinPhotography Ok agreed if you assume that the Z9 was on its max and all hardware stayed the same. Just wanted to point out its not a given in one cpu gen it can be solves and we have new issues because we demand more. Somehow my sony zv-e1 also gets warmer on 2h reccordings than my sony a1 .. it all makes sense just to me you made it sound like this 'has to be'. instead of it makes sense given that you feel the z9 was at its max and they reduced same hardware space by 30% my goal was not to pick a fight great testing.
By the way.... people...DO NOT POINT A LASER to a mirrorless camera, it just kills it, look at youtube.
Someone verify this info with Jared Polin. He got it to overheat.
Was he blowing on it ?
@@MattIrwinPhotography I think during the "smell test."
Matt,
Von Hughes-Stanton, ( th-cam.com/video/i2lPhP92VKk/w-d-xo.html )
Man he hit the Nail on the head. Nikon was and still is First a lens manufacturer for Medical,
Space industrial etc, before cameras. Like you said why o’ why haven’t Nikon released any,
Cinerama lenses, for the Z9 and Z8 for videographers.
I am thinking about buying an Anamorphic Sirui 35mm Full frame lens, which is totally manual on Z9, $1,515.90
I know this is extreme but only Cinema lens around for Nikon is the,
Zeiss 15-30mm T2.9 CZ.2 Cine Zoom Lens - Nikon F Mount (Metric) $26,760.11
Regards Nigel Rand - UK Nikon Z Pro.
Stick an L bracket on it. Instant heatsink!
I guess that means that the 'Fro' can shut up now
Let's not use excuses about professionals only using Pro Res codecs so overheating isn't a problem. You are crazy if you think the Z8 shouldn't be able to deliver video without overheating. That's crazy. Better codes = better image quality.
?
@@MattIrwinPhotography The Z8 overheats.
@@contentm3893 M, I own one, I have tested it, I know what it can and can't do. I was on location shooting a full day. Did not get a warm anything. How is your testing going?
@@MattIrwinPhotography What's there to test? You keep talking about high end codecs that only professionals can use, etc. Not sure what that means but it's an excuse. Why have those features in a camera if you can't use them? Canon had the same issue with the R5 and then they came out with the R5c.
@@MattIrwinPhotography Go outside in Florida and do the same test outside. The Z8 would be toast and last 10 minutes. Also, point the temp laser behind the display screen. Everyone knows where the camera get's hot and it's not in the area you tested.
False. I have gotten hot card warnings merely shooting stills at weddings in California and Arizona. I’ve tried everything from Angelbird to Delkin Black.
The Z8 is trash.
Matt man what was all the Buzz around on the internet I think does other brand bobos nothing wrong with that at all we now now just keep bla di bla internet .Nice text Ferrari 300 KMH an hour even Formula one drivers let them selfs drive by an Uber branded chauffeur to the track and than get started I am still not into Video so the moment I buy this beauty well just get out and enjoy life and photography (still Nikon D800 shooting over ten years )