I’m not a Nikon shooter and will probably not buy this one. But I’m super excited that Nikon finally seems to catching up. Huge cred to Nikon. It’s a beast and I take my hat off! Congrats to all the Nikon shooters 🙂
@@taylorhickman84 They may not have overtaken but have definitely caught up. There are really big improvements to autofocus and video features here. Releasing the first purely electronic shutter camera to work is a pretty big leap in itself. A bit like when the D90 introduced video to DSLRs.
@@bencollins7684 Hardly….this camera is evolutionary not revolutionary….this should have happened years ago. They need to apply the new tech to they’re other camera lines fast as very few will buy this one. They’re on they’re way to being a viable company again…good to see
So good to see Nikon alive and well. Cut my teeth on a Nikon F2. Like a lot of folks, went to Sony when they came out with the A7, but still a Nikon fanboy at heart.
GO NIKON!! 😁 I always appreciate your honest, neutral reviews. As a Nikon shooter, I’m really excited about the improvements they have made. I don’t mind the slightly heavier weight because I like the balance it give me when using heavier lenses. Nikon is showing that they are still in the game with this competitive camera and I could not be happier!👍🏽
This is the best looking video so far on DP review. Colors looked very pleasing, dynamic range looked amazing and highlight roll off was so smooth. Most of that could be due to cloud coverage but it looked great.
It's such a great pleasure to see the high end mirrorless market heats up! High end camera is always a good indication of what the rest of the lineup looks like and this looks very promising😀
Last year, after testing several hi-res cameras I switched to the Z7II for my fashion and beauty portraits. Next to my H6D. The Z glass is phenomenal and the raw files are hands-down the best in terms of tonality, dynamic range and color accuracy. Only the S1R came close. It’s great to see this Z9 being a such a leap forward, even though it is not a camera I need in my workflow.
@@youknowwho9247 a lot of people don't use their feature because it's slow and can take several seconds to close the shutter, which is too long if you just need to change a lens quickly during a shoot
@@youknowwho9247 True, but the Z9 only uses the shutter only for protection. Sony and Canon still need to use these for their mechanical shutter which means they're very delicate. So I'm guessing the Z9 protection shutter is more robust since it doesn't need to function as a mechanical shutter. Regardless, good to see Nikon offering this feature.
@@mluu83 I'm not sure how robust the sensor cover needs to be. Nobody changes lenses work the camera facing up in a hailstorm. It's pretty much just about keeping dust off. Don't think there's a need for anything heavy duty.
Agree 100% Fro and dummy couple are worthless, they jump to the platform with the latest release, hey look I'm Sony, hey look, I'm Canon, hey look no one cares, and no professionals jump platform every year.
Still rocking a D810, mainly because most mirrorless features don't impress me enough to sacrifice the body/buttons/heft/natural view finder etc. But, this is the first mirrorless that impresses me, I hope they make the next Z7 body a bit heftier with a few more buttons, remove the shutter as well and in one or two years I might upgrade when all the stars have aligned. Until then, I am still in love with my D810.
As a wedding photographer that sure beat a D3s and D4 to the ground, seems like I'd be going back to full body. Twin Z9 for sure, also the new adapter seems slimmer too.
being lucky enough to have shot one of these cameras already.. I agree it was extremely impressive and redefines the flagship tier at that price point. As far as the buffer goes we uses Pro Grade Cobalt cards which we didnt run into that shorter buffer issue at all to be honest. As memory progresses itll just keep getting faster and cheaper which is great
@@OkwyUgonweze check Ricci channel he just did an in depth video on it. Any camera will bottle neck with slower cards and cf express b will jsut keep getting faster and cheaper as we go along
There’s some confusion apparently about the refresh rate of the viewfinder. Kai and Polin are both saying it’s 120 Hz. Not having it in my hand I can’t say for sure. It makes sense that the viewfinder ought to be able to refresh as quickly as it can shoot continuously at 11MP. I also doubt that it matters very much in practice, but I’d like to see some more clarity about that number.
Yeah I heard the same thing. 120Hz refresh. It would be much smoother for tracking faster subject. It’s not as important for portrait, but it’ll give a smoother feel that DSLR shooters will appreciate with the actual real-time flow of the OVF.
So we have confirmed with Nikon and the refresh rate is indeed as we stated. I'm not sure where the others got that value from. It's still a very good EVF to use though, and I found it very effective.
Just as I am seeing it, the Sandisk 128Gb card isn't fast by any means, it's actually one of the slowest cards of that type that I have tested. With many card brands, the versions with less than 512Gb are MUCH slower than the rated speed, so you should get a lot more raw files with a different card.
Exactly. What they've tested is an uncommon combo, who would buy an expensive camera like that and then cheap out on cards? It's like buying an iPhone Max then don't bother with any paid apps.
@@hautehussey granger got 1,869 shots in compressed raw efficient, not lossless compressed raw. Supposedly compressed raw efficient is 1/3 the file size of lossless compressed raw
More on flash usage! Especially HSS! That is the bread and butter for anyone as a working photographer that this is aimed at. So great to see Nikon finally having a great camera and catching up and surpass the other’s!
@@hunglemed Because Sony and Canon have dominated the marketing and advertising sectors, and have set themselves out to destroy the competition Nikon. Easy question to answer 😂
@@newforce5699 There is no reason to be absolutest. The Z6/7/II are not to the level of Sony or Canon. I didn't like shooting with those at all. Canon's were the same but the R5/6 are really good now. I have shot Sony for the last few years (along with a D800) and the Sony still better than both. The Z9 Looks like it will give it a run for the money although it is late to the game. I have always loved the files from Nikon the best but always loved shooting with Canon's Glass options better once you get out of the trinitys. Canon's flash system is a bit more evolved/refined but Nikon is right there as well. Sony's AF is amazing and everything else is "good enough" but the system with all the 3rd party support, shared accesories between bodies and the afordable glass, just takes the pie right now. We won't see a Z9 for 6months+ and the trickle down bodies for at least a year. My gear will be replaced before then. Unfortunatly that means Sony for now.
So, we're finally at the point where the camera's only flaw is its different opinion on subject that's suppose to be in focus! Right? BRAVO NIKON! Marvelous!
Man the colours coming out of the Z cameras are gorgeous. With the new 40mm and their f4 zooms, I'm seriously tempted to switch up from MFT in the coming years - amazing results at not much more size at all.
I'm on MFT too, for me MFT is good but I already tested the limits on AF and ISO that's the main reason that I want to switch to Nikon or maybe Canon.. 😅 the iq, dynamic range, evf and controls on my G9 are more than great, the prices on lens are unbeatable, but as I said before, when it comes to low light, af and iso...
Having shot on Olympus MFT cameras before switching to Nikon, today was the first time in almost 2 years that I thought my Z7 felt like an Olympus (and I mean that as a compliment). It just so happens that today was also the day I picked up my 40mm from the store! No disrespect to MFT, I still love what they stand for, but with the 40mm on Z7, it was a similar experience with all the advantages Nikon offers.
@@Kolegu I feel you. I'm using a G85/G80 since about two years ago when I switched from Fuji (X-T1), and before then a D600. I love this camera and my lenses for it, but I do wish I had more dynamic range at non-base ISOs and more ways to get bokeh other than putting on a portrait prime. My go-to is the 17 1.8 due to its size and it doesn't isolate quite well enough, plus I just love 40mm. My 12-40 2.8 takes amazing shots but sometimes you'd just want something a little bit more shallow without having to swap to primes, and the Z f4 kit prime would do nicely for me there together with the extra pixels to crop on a Z6 - add to that the 40 as my favourite FL and an actual f2 in terms of bokeh and I'm a really happy camper for 99.98% of everything I shoot. If they bring out a 70-200 f4 with the kind of compact design that Canon have shown with some of their R glass, it'd be my perfect system all in all, no questions asked. AF is something I'd like improved but is honestly perfectly good for me 99% of the time on Panasonic already, though I don't need AF-C almost ever.
I jumped from the MFT ship a few months back , my guess is that once lower priced bodies arrive - full frame will dominate the entry level markets and wipe the floor with smaller sensor models
I like the look of the video overall. I'll go back over it later and look in more detail, but the colours in particular have a very nice look. The gradations also have a nice smoothness.
Hi guys - which cards did you use? I note you got 40/70/150 in the different raw modes. With Prograde Cobalt I got X/550/1860 shots (didn't take note of lossless sadly). That's a huge difference. BTW - I just saw this part of your video - the response video I made was not aimed at you, FWIW.
As shown in the episode, we used a Sandisk Extreme Pro 1200MB/s max. Not the fastest card, so definitely the limiting factor. I do think people should know if they plan to use budget cards or especially XQDs that the buffer will be enormously reduced.
@@thatjordandrake 👍🏼 sorry I missed that. I can’t wait for the day manufacturers start to write the guaranteed MIN speed, instead of theoretical MAX speeds.
Well I would have commented the same hadn't you done it already... I think a lot boils down to the card you're using although CF Express type B should be already moving a great deal of data usually... but yes, I think one should try ALSO with the fastest card. This is like saying 'use the top grade fuel' when testing a car's performance.
@@thatjordandrake you're right but when one can afford a camera well over 5K it would be nonsensical to use a 'so so' card... I mean you buy a Ferrari, you use top oil&fuel. Question is: is this a Ferrari?
Thanks for all your input...this is not a buffer problem BTS of it and cards always get faster, by this time next year when this camera is flying this wont even be a problem.
Idk why I'm watching this, I only just managed to stump up the cash for a 98k- shot-count d700 a few weeks ago. And the function/ DOF buttons were glued in place. .... Still bae tho...
Many thanks for the great review here and in all the other vids too. Best channel when it comes to reviewing anything photography equipment. Been a fan for a long long time. Greetings from Down Under!
But they do say Nai-kawn and not Nick-on as the Japanese, who named it, say it. :) Either ways, Its good Nikon has come out with the Z9. Glad for them.
The ability to swap and switch batteries from the D5 is helpful to me. I was curious about those much higher shutter speeds they listed? well past the normal 1/8000 of a second and up to 1/30,000 of a second? Anyone test that out yet? The quiet shutter is perfect for the quiet environments I find myself in where the shutter noise has worked against me in the past. Looking forward to it. The cards are pretty pricy too but should last many years. You synced your flash at 1/200, are you saying that the Nikon cls doesn't provide high-speed sync with this? I hope that's not the case :)
@@Maxime-ho9iv and you can get the keyboard warrior award for being an ass.. I also ordered one, and am happy it weighs less than my D5 though I've never complained about the weight of it. They weigh a lot for a reason..
One of the things that has impressed me with Nikon with the z series is the firmware updates. They are really supporting this new series. I hope my z6 II gets some of the society's for tracking from the z9. It also gives us a glimpse of what might be in the next z6 and z7. Will they have a stacked sensor and be mirrorless as well? I would also be interested in a crop sensor version that might replace the d500.
the processor speed of the z6/7 II is not fast enough to have these focusing algorithms working. that was the problem from beginning of switching to mirrorless. they underestimated the needs of "serial" processing speed for object detection and focusing compared to image processing that can be easy speed up by parallel processing. the z9 is the first camera from nikon that has an expeed processor that fulfills that needs. and now it works brilliant. i expect that to trickle down to a z6/7 III at the end of next year. for the z6/7 II there is not much room for improvement because the processing speed of the expeed 6 is too low.
@@stefanweilhartner4415 I'm not expecting an update that does it the exact focusing algorithms of the z9 but I do think we will see some improvements. Remember, the z6 II and z7 II has 2 processors unlike all other cameras. They have more room than you think. I'm not expecting all the different object tracking the z9 has but I would like for the overlay to be better and maybe pick up the subject further away than it does. I do think we will see improvements soon.
@Chris really loving the discussion of easily changing settings in the heat of the moment at 15:50, including a workaround and how that takes up the only menu slot at the very top. I'd like to see this discussed for every review going forward, including common switches for event photography, such as between (1) auto ISO aperture priority for ambient light (2) base ISO full manual for flash (3) shutter angle priority for video (potentially including built-in ND). How many button presses for each switch? If we start to measure it, manufacturers will start to improve it.
I'm glad Nikon is catching up. Watching this it's fun to know that I'm still a Nikon fan. But I'm afraid for small travel and hobby photographers like me, Fuji has me. But I'm open to change as they fill out the range of cameras.
I may not shoot Nikon anymore, but I’m so glad this camera came out. I’m sure they’ll listen to the critiques and tweak them to make the Z9 even better than what the preproduction is now.
There's nothing like being thorough. Even if I am not interested in the latest videos hardware, I can still appreciate the presentation. Keep clickin' boys.
Obviously you people are under enormous pressure to give tons of accurate information on a tight schedule - who wants to be the last to post, even if it's only by seconds. Awesome to see that you still have aesthetically most pleasing scenes. Like Jordan with the 2 sportives followed by Chris. Or Chris with the cyclists, from below @15mm and the cyclists like silhouettes!
Promising first look for Nikon. Their mirror less cameras have been very good imo. I currently run Sony but really like the Nikon bodies, the way they feel, the tech (af, colors, sensors) are keeping up and the images are impressive.
Canon shooter here, Bravo to Nikon for having the balls to say "mechanical shutter ? naaaaah, overrated" Can't wait to see the reaction of the market, also, so so so happy that the "shutter" closes on shutdown, one thing from canon that deserves to be everywhere
Ditto the comment about coming here first. I got up before 5:00 a.m. to watch the launch and quickly turned away from that to this (rather than any of the half dozen others that popped up), knowing that this would be the most sober, balanced first review. No, “This is it;” or “This is epic;” or “The best mirrorless camera ever.” I’ll watch some of the other reviews eventually, but I wonder how many will note the details such as the unstated (by Nikon, so far) EVF refresh rate, the machine generated “shutter” sound (similar to DCT “shift” sounds and lurches in cars), and the complications in quickly changing AF settings. There’s a reason Chris and Jordan are at the top when it comes to serious, fully reliable reviews. One last thing: Does the definition of “digital camera” change if there is simply an electronic on-off switch (shutter) rather than an actual shutter? Is it really a digital video camera that can selectively generate stills?
A few years ago I really thought Nikon was doomed. Behind the game compared to canon and Sony. But boom! Here they are with an ultra respectable pro offering.
designing such a different expeed processor that suits mirrorless cameras, takes many years. this is something where they where a bit too late. but now they delivered. it will be crazy what it can do in a z6 III when there is only half the megapixel calculation necessary.
Great review. The form factor and weight is no problem, plus I love the position of the three custom buttons on front of the body. The battery life is a huge plus! Just a shame that Nikon has dropped the in-camera Tiff file option, which I use almost exclusively. It's selling for £5,299 in UK...so I expect it will drop below £5,000 in future discounts.
@@RambunctiousHamster Because I love the files. It can be used in almost all editing software and does not degrade when saved. Yes, the files are larger than raw/nef but I like to capture each shot how I envision it at time of capture, not spending hours behind a computer with each image. My cameras are set to the way I want to capture them. I'm a professional with decades of using colour transparencies, where there is very little room for error...so using modern digital cameras with massive MP and back screens is so simple in comparison to get exposure right and colour spot on at time of capture. Tiff files straight out of a Nikon body look fabulous. I will generally edit the original tiff (if needed) and then save in Tiff and jpeg. I also set the Nikon bodies to save Tiff to both cards. Yes it fills the card faster (and buffer) but I use fast and large memory cards. Nikon have the Tiff option in ALL their professional DSLR bodies from D1 to D6, from D800 to D850 and Z6 and Z7. They only dropped this option in the Z6/7ii and Z9.
I really hope that the Z9's processor makes it into future generations of the Z6/7 lines. I don't need a heavy sports camera, but even doing portraiture, my first gen Z6 gives me the middle finger if I want to capture an actiony photo where the model is moving around.
Great video guys! So much detail and information for a pre-production camera. Love to see cycling used as an AF test. I shoot bike racing and the different disciplines are such a challenge for autofocusing with small-ish subjects clustered together, fast movement, tons of colour, and indoor velodromes have awful fluorescent lights. Canon R6 was a wise investment!
AWESOME for Nikon. While I am a Canon shooter, unlikely to change, I am rooting for Nikon to take it out of the ballpark. We need the extra competition .... and hopefully, Canon will resort to their trump card of lowering the price when the competition heats up and their offerings are lack luster.
why dont you faster write speed cards I noticed the one you used was 1200mb/s this may be doing the Z9 a dis service. I am aware that some cards are above 1600mb/s which will change the results you achieved with the slower card, maybe you could provide an updated test.
"Electronic shutter-only" makes a lot of sense. The best compact and bridge cameras of years past, which of course were effectively mirrorless cameras, were "electronic shutter-only." The mechanical shutter sounds were all synthetic.
PS Chris, I've heard an advert for Nikon (the speaker having a northern American accent) and I was Sooo impressed with him pronouncing it correctly! You should be the nr 1 advocate for the correct Japanese pronunciation - don't you think?!
We all have our nit picks, and for me it’s going to come down to how much its iso performance is better than the kings: D3s/Z6 (not the number on the pamphlet, how do the images actually look!) and 2nd I need it to have a lot of customizable features for those Fn buttons… the options that were in menus for the pro digital cameras like D6 menu are all useless to me. Things I need quickly (er go a Fn button) are a single metering change, speed changes, white balance changes, single autofocus modes, and things like that. Id set Fn buttons to immediate shoot in spot meter (not a submenu, hold fn and you are shooting in spot!), or single autofocus point, things that I need immediately. While D8xx and Z6/7 can do this, all the “pro” bodies omitted these function choices… And all the Fn buttons need to have all the options, no partial lists!
@@maxdmachy yes. that is exactly the point why i am stuck now. don't buy F because i want to transition to Z. don't buy Z because the lenses are fucking expensive. viltrox 85mm 1.8 seems fine though. i think i wait for the z6 III with an FTZ II
@@stefanweilhartner4415 hi Stefan, I am toying with the idea of a Z5 and smart-adapting my Sony E mount glass, Sony, Tamron, Samyang. If it works I am getting a luminous Sigma 35mm. That could be a great combo, the usability, ibis and dust protection of Nikon, great lenses designed for mirror less. Image stabilization of Sonys up to A7iii hardly deserves that name. Sony menus are a pain.
Are there really people surprised by this? Nikon were always going to produce a beast of a mirrorless system, once mirrorless had become the de facto platform. They were stuck with a massive DSLR customer base during the transition phase.
@@Photographersforyou Yes, I watched their review of the video features, and one of the differences was a joystick to control AF points, rather than having to use the touchscreen. It really seems like the advantages of an EVF, no mirror noise, in the form factor of a DSLR - a great compromise for those who want an all-round performer, and aren't focused on spec lists.
could you guys comment on canon L glass vs the new Z glass? i left nikon after the D3s for canon 1dx system - but the Z9 has me thinking about switching back!
I’m not a Nikon shooter and will probably not buy this one. But I’m super excited that Nikon finally seems to catching up. Huge cred to Nikon. It’s a beast and I take my hat off! Congrats to all the Nikon shooters 🙂
Catching up? They've overtaken!
@@bencollins7684 lol by what metric?
@@taylorhickman84 They may not have overtaken but have definitely caught up. There are really big improvements to autofocus and video features here. Releasing the first purely electronic shutter camera to work is a pretty big leap in itself. A bit like when the D90 introduced video to DSLRs.
@@bencollins7684 Hardly….this camera is evolutionary not revolutionary….this should have happened years ago. They need to apply the new tech to they’re other camera lines fast as very few will buy this one. They’re on they’re way to being a viable company again…good to see
Well said.
Out of the channels posting Z9 vids I chose yours to watch first. More reputable information than some others 👍🏼
Me too.
100% agreed
Same here!
Dp review is the best!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ditto.
I can't believe it, competent Nikon marketing! First time ever!
Totally agree with you!
It's second time ever brother, don't forget the D3 Moment😌♥️📸
@@BeaverFernandez good point. And there was a cool old video about a flagship film camera and it's speed too.
But yes, rare enough to be noteworthy.
Nikon is back in the game! For my needs.. its the best camera there is today.
Tracking the two athletic sprinters is cool and all but it remains to be seen if it can track a Jordan Drake at full speed
Saving that for the full review.
@@thatjordandrake need to see the eye AF tracking when you’re in the fetal position as well!!
So good to see Nikon alive and well. Cut my teeth on a Nikon F2. Like a lot of folks, went to Sony when they came out with the A7, but still a Nikon fanboy at heart.
Huge congrats to Nikon for pulling this off. Very impressive camera and I look forward to more reviews.
GO NIKON!! 😁 I always appreciate your honest, neutral reviews. As a Nikon shooter, I’m really excited about the improvements they have made. I don’t mind the slightly heavier weight because I like the balance it give me when using heavier lenses. Nikon is showing that they are still in the game with this competitive camera and I could not be happier!👍🏽
This is the best looking video so far on DP review. Colors looked very pleasing, dynamic range looked amazing and highlight roll off was so smooth. Most of that could be due to cloud coverage but it looked great.
It's such a great pleasure to see the high end mirrorless market heats up! High end camera is always a good indication of what the rest of the lineup looks like and this looks very promising😀
Last year, after testing several hi-res cameras I switched to the Z7II for my fashion and beauty portraits. Next to my H6D. The Z glass is phenomenal and the raw files are hands-down the best in terms of tonality, dynamic range and color accuracy. Only the S1R came close. It’s great to see this Z9 being a such a leap forward, even though it is not a camera I need in my workflow.
maybe the Z7 III will then be the next thing, having the expeed 7 processor of the z9 inside
Finally someone thought about protecting sensor from dust during change of the lens.
Sony and Canon have had that feature for a while...
@@youknowwho9247 a lot of people don't use their feature because it's slow and can take several seconds to close the shutter, which is too long if you just need to change a lens quickly during a shoot
@@youknowwho9247 Sony and canon use actual shutter. It’s slow and shutter is delicate.
@@youknowwho9247 True, but the Z9 only uses the shutter only for protection. Sony and Canon still need to use these for their mechanical shutter which means they're very delicate. So I'm guessing the Z9 protection shutter is more robust since it doesn't need to function as a mechanical shutter. Regardless, good to see Nikon offering this feature.
@@mluu83 I'm not sure how robust the sensor cover needs to be. Nobody changes lenses work the camera facing up in a hailstorm. It's pretty much just about keeping dust off. Don't think there's a need for anything heavy duty.
You guys and Kai-my top go-to guys, I can’t stomach fro nor that asinine couple-thanks for timely vid drop. You guys rock!
I love that just "that asinine couple" is enough for everyone to know exactly who you're talking about.
@@dragonnyxx Edutainment drama shills the lot of them. Glad to have DPReview!
Fhkk the Northrups but you should actually see Fros first look. Nikon shut him up and he owned up to it.
Agree 100% Fro and dummy couple are worthless, they jump to the platform with the latest release, hey look I'm Sony, hey look, I'm Canon, hey look no one cares, and no professionals jump platform every year.
@@james1939-s1c this really is the perfect response man.
The return of the king!
This will be an exciting machine!
Nikon is about to rise!
Still rocking a D810, mainly because most mirrorless features don't impress me enough to sacrifice the body/buttons/heft/natural view finder etc. But, this is the first mirrorless that impresses me, I hope they make the next Z7 body a bit heftier with a few more buttons, remove the shutter as well and in one or two years I might upgrade when all the stars have aligned. Until then, I am still in love with my D810.
video and picture quality looks out of this world!
Impressed and really happy this worked out as expected.
As a wedding photographer that sure beat a D3s and D4 to the ground, seems like I'd be going back to full body. Twin Z9 for sure, also the new adapter seems slimmer too.
So glad to see this win for Nikon. They needed a win and we need this as competitors need to step up their game.
I may have missed something, but I feel like this is a lesser camera than the R5
Ya I agree with taylor, the A1 and R3 are still better for sure. Nikon is doing better, but still not beating the competition!
A win? What!?
Did you see how much this camera weight? This feels like going backward.
@@taylorhickman84 Z9 is definally better than R5....
@@qiyuxuan9437 how so?
being lucky enough to have shot one of these cameras already.. I agree it was extremely impressive and redefines the flagship tier at that price point. As far as the buffer goes we uses Pro Grade Cobalt cards which we didnt run into that shorter buffer issue at all to be honest. As memory progresses itll just keep getting faster and cheaper which is great
Seth I trust your opinion.
If you can do the test on your channel and to clarify this situation.
@@OkwyUgonweze check Ricci channel he just did an in depth video on it. Any camera will bottle neck with slower cards and cf express b will jsut keep getting faster and cheaper as we go along
There’s some confusion apparently about the refresh rate of the viewfinder. Kai and Polin are both saying it’s 120 Hz. Not having it in my hand I can’t say for sure. It makes sense that the viewfinder ought to be able to refresh as quickly as it can shoot continuously at 11MP. I also doubt that it matters very much in practice, but I’d like to see some more clarity about that number.
Yeah I heard the same thing. 120Hz refresh. It would be much smoother for tracking faster subject. It’s not as important for portrait, but it’ll give a smoother feel that DSLR shooters will appreciate with the actual real-time flow of the OVF.
Hopefully they'll have a correction video if wrong.
lag is more important
@@vispolonia2670 And negligible in modern cameras.
So we have confirmed with Nikon and the refresh rate is indeed as we stated. I'm not sure where the others got that value from. It's still a very good EVF to use though, and I found it very effective.
Just as I am seeing it, the Sandisk 128Gb card isn't fast by any means, it's actually one of the slowest cards of that type that I have tested. With many card brands, the versions with less than 512Gb are MUCH slower than the rated speed, so you should get a lot more raw files with a different card.
Exactly. What they've tested is an uncommon combo, who would buy an expensive camera like that and then cheap out on cards? It's like buying an iPhone Max then don't bother with any paid apps.
@@OnTheLeftHandSide I have an iPhone 11pro max and I’ve never paid for an app
Really wish they would have tested the buffer with a prograde cobalt card, until someone does we won't know what the buffer is with compressed raw.
@@leomckillop1077 granger did and he got 20,000 shots in a row. More than you’d really need in any of the formats probably.
@@hautehussey granger got 1,869 shots in compressed raw efficient, not lossless compressed raw. Supposedly compressed raw efficient is 1/3 the file size of lossless compressed raw
Exceptional review. No Jokes, BS, and bolstering like some other reviewer that I will not name. Just professionalism and facts. Keep up the good work.
More on flash usage! Especially HSS! That is the bread and butter for anyone as a working photographer that this is aimed at. So great to see Nikon finally having a great camera and catching up and surpass the other’s!
"so great to see Nikon finally have a great camera"... Mate.. their cameras have always been the best. Full stop.
@@newforce5699 why bad sale?
@@hunglemed Because Sony and Canon have dominated the marketing and advertising sectors, and have set themselves out to destroy the competition Nikon. Easy question to answer 😂
@@newforce5699 There is no reason to be absolutest. The Z6/7/II are not to the level of Sony or Canon. I didn't like shooting with those at all. Canon's were the same but the R5/6 are really good now. I have shot Sony for the last few years (along with a D800) and the Sony still better than both. The Z9 Looks like it will give it a run for the money although it is late to the game. I have always loved the files from Nikon the best but always loved shooting with Canon's Glass options better once you get out of the trinitys. Canon's flash system is a bit more evolved/refined but Nikon is right there as well. Sony's AF is amazing and everything else is "good enough" but the system with all the 3rd party support, shared accesories between bodies and the afordable glass, just takes the pie right now. We won't see a Z9 for 6months+ and the trickle down bodies for at least a year. My gear will be replaced before then. Unfortunatly that means Sony for now.
So, we're finally at the point where the camera's only flaw is its different opinion on subject that's suppose to be in focus! Right?
BRAVO NIKON! Marvelous!
Man the colours coming out of the Z cameras are gorgeous. With the new 40mm and their f4 zooms, I'm seriously tempted to switch up from MFT in the coming years - amazing results at not much more size at all.
I'm on MFT too, for me MFT is good but I already tested the limits on AF and ISO that's the main reason that I want to switch to Nikon or maybe Canon.. 😅 the iq, dynamic range, evf and controls on my G9 are more than great, the prices on lens are unbeatable, but as I said before, when it comes to low light, af and iso...
Having shot on Olympus MFT cameras before switching to Nikon, today was the first time in almost 2 years that I thought my Z7 felt like an Olympus (and I mean that as a compliment). It just so happens that today was also the day I picked up my 40mm from the store!
No disrespect to MFT, I still love what they stand for, but with the 40mm on Z7, it was a similar experience with all the advantages Nikon offers.
@@Kolegu I feel you. I'm using a G85/G80 since about two years ago when I switched from Fuji (X-T1), and before then a D600. I love this camera and my lenses for it, but I do wish I had more dynamic range at non-base ISOs and more ways to get bokeh other than putting on a portrait prime. My go-to is the 17 1.8 due to its size and it doesn't isolate quite well enough, plus I just love 40mm. My 12-40 2.8 takes amazing shots but sometimes you'd just want something a little bit more shallow without having to swap to primes, and the Z f4 kit prime would do nicely for me there together with the extra pixels to crop on a Z6 - add to that the 40 as my favourite FL and an actual f2 in terms of bokeh and I'm a really happy camper for 99.98% of everything I shoot. If they bring out a 70-200 f4 with the kind of compact design that Canon have shown with some of their R glass, it'd be my perfect system all in all, no questions asked. AF is something I'd like improved but is honestly perfectly good for me 99% of the time on Panasonic already, though I don't need AF-C almost ever.
I jumped from the MFT ship a few months back , my guess is that once lower priced bodies arrive - full frame will dominate the entry level markets and wipe the floor with smaller sensor models
@@RAKITHA9 good point, Canon RP is least expensive right? then Sony a7C, Panasonic S5 & Nikon Z5
I like the look of the video overall. I'll go back over it later and look in more detail, but the colours in particular have a very nice look. The gradations also have a nice smoothness.
I would have to say I love the quality of the video…I know you normally use a Panasonic for video, but this Nikon looks great
Hi guys - which cards did you use? I note you got 40/70/150 in the different raw modes. With Prograde Cobalt I got X/550/1860 shots (didn't take note of lossless sadly). That's a huge difference.
BTW - I just saw this part of your video - the response video I made was not aimed at you, FWIW.
As shown in the episode, we used a Sandisk Extreme Pro 1200MB/s max. Not the fastest card, so definitely the limiting factor. I do think people should know if they plan to use budget cards or especially XQDs that the buffer will be enormously reduced.
@@thatjordandrake 👍🏼 sorry I missed that. I can’t wait for the day manufacturers start to write the guaranteed MIN speed, instead of theoretical MAX speeds.
Well I would have commented the same hadn't you done it already... I think a lot boils down to the card you're using although CF Express type B should be already moving a great deal of data usually... but yes, I think one should try ALSO with the fastest card. This is like saying 'use the top grade fuel' when testing a car's performance.
@@thatjordandrake you're right but when one can afford a camera well over 5K it would be nonsensical to use a 'so so' card... I mean you buy a Ferrari, you use top oil&fuel. Question is: is this a Ferrari?
Thanks for all your input...this is not a buffer problem BTS of it and cards always get faster, by this time next year when this camera is flying this wont even be a problem.
Idk why I'm watching this, I only just managed to stump up the cash for a 98k- shot-count d700 a few weeks ago. And the function/ DOF buttons were glued in place. ....
Still bae tho...
Many thanks for the great review here and in all the other vids too.
Best channel when it comes to reviewing anything photography equipment. Been a fan for a long long time. Greetings from Down Under!
I do like that Canadians say zed not zee. Keep up the good work
I'm pretty sure everybody say Zed except the USA ... as usual
@@JetBen555 Where I live we say "Sætt".
Most people don't speak a variation of English, so Zed is unusual too.
But they do say Nai-kawn and not Nick-on as the Japanese, who named it, say it. :) Either ways, Its good Nikon has come out with the Z9. Glad for them.
Ordered... NPS Priority purchase... I knew the videos would roll out today! Nice review, thanks as always!!!
The ability to swap and switch batteries from the D5 is helpful to me. I was curious about those much higher shutter speeds they listed? well past the normal 1/8000 of a second and up to 1/30,000 of a second? Anyone test that out yet? The quiet shutter is perfect for the quiet environments I find myself in where the shutter noise has worked against me in the past. Looking forward to it. The cards are pretty pricy too but should last many years. You synced your flash at 1/200, are you saying that the Nikon cls doesn't provide high-speed sync with this? I hope that's not the case :)
Never did i think my bee keeper following and camera following would intertwine, but here we are! Lol
Well done! Now you can brag « hey I have the biggest and heaviest mirrorless camera around » !
@@Maxime-ho9iv and you can get the keyboard warrior award for being an ass..
I also ordered one, and am happy it weighs less than my D5 though I've never complained about the weight of it. They weigh a lot for a reason..
@@FrederickDunn In Jared Polin's preview video he states that the highest shutter speed is 1/32000.
Video looks awesome. Part due to a great camera, part due to Jordan, I assume :)
I hope this channel single handedly makes "noct" an actual unit of measurement.
I try to use NOCTs as much as I can.
Everything is looking good so far for this camera.. Cheers to them. I'm not a Nikon user but if i was I'd be all about it..
It’s the D3 moment again! Totally pumped!
One of the things that has impressed me with Nikon with the z series is the firmware updates. They are really supporting this new series. I hope my z6 II gets some of the society's for tracking from the z9. It also gives us a glimpse of what might be in the next z6 and z7. Will they have a stacked sensor and be mirrorless as well? I would also be interested in a crop sensor version that might replace the d500.
the processor speed of the z6/7 II is not fast enough to have these focusing algorithms working. that was the problem from beginning of switching to mirrorless. they underestimated the needs of "serial" processing speed for object detection and focusing compared to image processing that can be easy speed up by parallel processing.
the z9 is the first camera from nikon that has an expeed processor that fulfills that needs. and now it works brilliant.
i expect that to trickle down to a z6/7 III at the end of next year.
for the z6/7 II there is not much room for improvement because the processing speed of the expeed 6 is too low.
@@stefanweilhartner4415 I'm not expecting an update that does it the exact focusing algorithms of the z9 but I do think we will see some improvements. Remember, the z6 II and z7 II has 2 processors unlike all other cameras. They have more room than you think. I'm not expecting all the different object tracking the z9 has but I would like for the overlay to be better and maybe pick up the subject further away than it does. I do think we will see improvements soon.
No
@Chris really loving the discussion of easily changing settings in the heat of the moment at 15:50, including a workaround and how that takes up the only menu slot at the very top. I'd like to see this discussed for every review going forward, including common switches for event photography, such as between (1) auto ISO aperture priority for ambient light (2) base ISO full manual for flash (3) shutter angle priority for video (potentially including built-in ND). How many button presses for each switch? If we start to measure it, manufacturers will start to improve it.
Just had a flashback! One of the reasons I purchased the D5500 was from Chris Nichol's review from The Camera Store :D. Great review, excited!
I'm glad Nikon is catching up.
Watching this it's fun to know that I'm still a Nikon fan.
But I'm afraid for small travel and hobby photographers like me, Fuji has me.
But I'm open to change as they fill out the range of cameras.
I may not shoot Nikon anymore, but I’m so glad this camera came out. I’m sure they’ll listen to the critiques and tweak them to make the Z9 even better than what the preproduction is now.
There's nothing like being thorough. Even if I am not interested in the latest videos hardware, I can still appreciate the presentation. Keep clickin' boys.
Obviously you people are under enormous pressure to give tons of accurate information on a tight schedule - who wants to be the last to post, even if it's only by seconds. Awesome to see that you still have aesthetically most pleasing scenes. Like Jordan with the 2 sportives followed by Chris. Or Chris with the cyclists, from below @15mm and the cyclists like silhouettes!
Promising first look for Nikon. Their mirror less cameras have been very good imo. I currently run Sony but really like the Nikon bodies, the way they feel, the tech (af, colors, sensors) are keeping up and the images are impressive.
Best looking video so far..
King comes back!
What king..?
Canon shooter here, Bravo to Nikon for having the balls to say "mechanical shutter ? naaaaah, overrated" Can't wait to see the reaction of the market, also, so so so happy that the "shutter" closes on shutdown, one thing from canon that deserves to be everywhere
Great overview team. Thanks for always being fair and not clickbaity.
Ditto the comment about coming here first. I got up before 5:00 a.m. to watch the launch and quickly turned away from that to this (rather than any of the half dozen others that popped up), knowing that this would be the most sober, balanced first review. No, “This is it;” or “This is epic;” or “The best mirrorless camera ever.” I’ll watch some of the other reviews eventually, but I wonder how many will note the details such as the unstated (by Nikon, so far) EVF refresh rate, the machine generated “shutter” sound (similar to DCT “shift” sounds and lurches in cars), and the complications in quickly changing AF settings. There’s a reason Chris and Jordan are at the top when it comes to serious, fully reliable reviews. One last thing: Does the definition of “digital camera” change if there is simply an electronic on-off switch (shutter) rather than an actual shutter? Is it really a digital video camera that can selectively generate stills?
Best review here and Nikon has finally made a camera to talk about
Camera is pretty perfect as a prototype, I can’t imagine what it will do with firmware updates.
yep :)
Another silver award from DPReview :) .
the nikon colors really make Chris look amazing!
The Nikon Z mirrorless camera system is far superior than any other camera system on the market. Nikon has really outdone themselves with the Z9.
A seriously solid review on the Z9. Wow. Thanks for showing us what its capable of!
So you're saying, I need to have a divorce tomorrow to buy this body and lens in December?
Time to buy.
Wise choice!
Don't give me ideas man haha
Wonder if Nikon want a very partially sighted tog to test it out long term as I am available
@@andrewchisholm3665 I'll always be here lol
@@sanekn do it and you'll feel like Goku the first time he went SSJ.
What a killer camera! Can't wait to get my hands on this one.
High efficiency RAW, can preserve image quality similar to RAW, but a 1/3 size.
Ahh, you're killing me at 11:21 with how you're using the Z9 as an arm rest!
Your memory card was holding the camera back in the burst speed test when shooting RAW.
yup!!
Wow...so happy to see such a beast... I'm a Nikon Fan boy ✨🔥
A few years ago I really thought Nikon was doomed. Behind the game compared to canon and Sony. But boom! Here they are with an ultra respectable pro offering.
designing such a different expeed processor that suits mirrorless cameras, takes many years. this is something where they where a bit too late. but now they delivered.
it will be crazy what it can do in a z6 III when there is only half the megapixel calculation necessary.
Thanks Chris - best reviews you two guys! I only wished for a better light with these photos...
was waiting for this one. Thanks for the presentation!
Wow Nikon, I'm impressed! This camera looks amazing. Thanks for posting this video and providing real time camera shooting examples. 🔊💯📷✔🔥🔥😎
Chris, as to your low looseless compressed buffer capacity finding, Ricci indicates that the card you used might be the problem.
I always love your honest and to the point direct reviews
Thank you
"honest" :)))
I love the general look of the z glass. Now we have an impressing tool to feed. Nikon wow. As a fuji shooter you have my attention
with the wide z mount, the really designed it for a long lasting future.
Very cool ! Order placed. Thank you !
Great review. The form factor and weight is no problem, plus I love the position of the three custom buttons on front of the body. The battery life is a huge plus! Just a shame that Nikon has dropped the in-camera Tiff file option, which I use almost exclusively. It's selling for £5,299 in UK...so I expect it will drop below £5,000 in future discounts.
Z9 price in other country, like China, it is only sell about 4000pounds. May be it is a good choose to buy it in other country.
@@chenyanru5850 There's no way you can buy the Nikon Z9 today in any country for £4,000.
With the massive chip shortage Z9 will be sold out for months.
Why do you shoot Tiff?
@@RambunctiousHamster Because I love the files. It can be used in almost all editing software and does not degrade when saved. Yes, the files are larger than raw/nef but I like to capture each shot how I envision it at time of capture, not spending hours behind a computer with each image. My cameras are set to the way I want to capture them. I'm a professional with decades of using colour transparencies, where there is very little room for error...so using modern digital cameras with massive MP and back screens is so simple in comparison to get exposure right and colour spot on at time of capture. Tiff files straight out of a Nikon body look fabulous. I will generally edit the original tiff (if needed) and then save in Tiff and jpeg. I also set the Nikon bodies to save Tiff to both cards. Yes it fills the card faster (and buffer) but I use fast and large memory cards. Nikon have the Tiff option in ALL their professional DSLR bodies from D1 to D6, from D800 to D850 and Z6 and Z7. They only dropped this option in the Z6/7ii and Z9.
Thanks for a superb overview and pointing out strengths and potential issues in a professional unbiased manner! 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
Greetings from Thailand. You have me thinking about Nikon now. Great video.
I really hope that the Z9's processor makes it into future generations of the Z6/7 lines. I don't need a heavy sports camera, but even doing portraiture, my first gen Z6 gives me the middle finger if I want to capture an actiony photo where the model is moving around.
Nikon colours are great.
Great video guys! So much detail and information for a pre-production camera. Love to see cycling used as an AF test. I shoot bike racing and the different disciplines are such a challenge for autofocusing with small-ish subjects clustered together, fast movement, tons of colour, and indoor velodromes have awful fluorescent lights. Canon R6 was a wise investment!
AWESOME for Nikon. While I am a Canon shooter, unlikely to change, I am rooting for Nikon to take it out of the ballpark. We need the extra competition .... and hopefully, Canon will resort to their trump card of lowering the price when the competition heats up and their offerings are lack luster.
i am also a Canon shooter. That will never change, but Nikon just KILLED it!.. K.I.L.L.E.D it
That seems like a great camera-thing! ;)
Thank you for saying "ZED"!
I'm so excited for this camera!
why dont you faster write speed cards I noticed the one you used was 1200mb/s this may be doing the Z9 a dis service. I am aware that some cards are above 1600mb/s which will change the results you achieved with the slower card, maybe you could provide an updated test.
Just watched Matt Granger's buffer test and he was able to achieve 1869 raw shots before the buffer was full.....huge difference
Ah yes, the mighty picture box. I love your guy's sense of humor.
Very cool! Nice job on the video. :) Hopefully Nikon back ports some of the software/firmware advancements of this down to the Z7/Z6/Z5.
Z9's video quality looks great.
"Electronic shutter-only" makes a lot of sense. The best compact and bridge cameras of years past, which of course were effectively mirrorless cameras, were "electronic shutter-only." The mechanical shutter sounds were all synthetic.
that also made it cheaper and more reliable
Nikon Z9? An off chart camera. I’m impressed.
PS Chris, I've heard an advert for Nikon (the speaker having a northern American accent) and I was Sooo impressed with him pronouncing it correctly! You should be the nr 1 advocate for the correct Japanese pronunciation - don't you think?!
For the algorithm. Great review. Directly from sunburned to tanned, impressive!
Really fun and nice. I don't however understand how you can't arrive prepared with state of the art memory cards considering your works resources.
You guys have done an amazing review! A great camera from Nikon!
We all have our nit picks, and for me it’s going to come down to how much its iso performance is better than the kings: D3s/Z6 (not the number on the pamphlet, how do the images actually look!) and 2nd I need it to have a lot of customizable features for those Fn buttons… the options that were in menus for the pro digital cameras like D6 menu are all useless to me. Things I need quickly (er go a Fn button) are a single metering change, speed changes, white balance changes, single autofocus modes, and things like that. Id set Fn buttons to immediate shoot in spot meter (not a submenu, hold fn and you are shooting in spot!), or single autofocus point, things that I need immediately. While D8xx and Z6/7 can do this, all the “pro” bodies omitted these function choices… And all the Fn buttons need to have all the options, no partial lists!
The colors 😍
Hey Nikon, now open up the Z mount for third-party lens makers.
That's exactly what they need! Many z lenses, great as they are, are above the budget of ordinary people. Adapting is a clumsy option
@@maxdmachy yes. that is exactly the point why i am stuck now. don't buy F because i want to transition to Z. don't buy Z because the lenses are fucking expensive.
viltrox 85mm 1.8 seems fine though. i think i wait for the z6 III with an FTZ II
@@stefanweilhartner4415 hi Stefan, I am toying with the idea of a Z5 and smart-adapting my Sony E mount glass, Sony, Tamron, Samyang. If it works I am getting a luminous Sigma 35mm. That could be a great combo, the usability, ibis and dust protection of Nikon, great lenses designed for mirror less. Image stabilization of Sonys up to A7iii hardly deserves that name. Sony menus are a pain.
I think you missed an important spec: the low price! Jared Polin says it only costs 5500$, which is a super bargain, a little revolution!
With no mechanical shutter the reduction should be even greater. Not impressed
Are there really people surprised by this? Nikon were always going to produce a beast of a mirrorless system, once mirrorless had become the de facto platform. They were stuck with a massive DSLR customer base during the transition phase.
A beast? Where? They waited so long for this?
Love the size of this camera and heat distribution unlike other manufacturers.
@@Photographersforyou Yes, I watched their review of the video features, and one of the differences was a joystick to control AF points, rather than having to use the touchscreen.
It really seems like the advantages of an EVF, no mirror noise, in the form factor of a DSLR - a great compromise for those who want an all-round performer, and aren't focused on spec lists.
Not going to lie, I am eyeing on this, basically because I still have 2 EL18 and 2 F-mount E glass(and 2 sigma older glass) to rock with.
You guys are the BEST!
Tacoma lawn tennis?! Right down the street from me. 🤙🏼
could you guys comment on canon L glass vs the new Z glass? i left nikon after the D3s for canon 1dx system - but the Z9 has me thinking about switching back!
ask any pro about the Z mount - it is best atm
Welcome back Nikon! Where have you been for so long?
Jared Polin mentioned that the EVF is 120Hz! Is it possible you guys missed a setting?