I only barely touched on it, but the 14-30 f4 is seriously an underrated lens on this system. If you're really considering the Z6, you should take a look at my review of that lens: th-cam.com/video/i6XiIqjwJuQ/w-d-xo.html
I fought with myself for a long time if I should go Sony a7iii or Nikon Z6 and after going to the store and just playing with each of them I went for Nikon just from my feeling (and obviously lots of "review research" :D). I found people complaining about the Z6 a lot but many video comments are full of happy Z6 owners...now I am one of them. It is definitely not the perfect camera. -The bitrate can only be checked in the manual (which is 28Mbps for 1080p 25/24fps (High-quality mode) and 144Mbps for 4k 24/25/30fps and 1080p 100/120fps, if anyone is wondering) -Eye AF is not always 100% accurate and yes...missing in video. -Low light focusing also isn't perfect. - I feel the AF is a bit slow in video mode...which can sometimes be nice because it makes it look like you are smooth manual focusing, coming from a fast Canon AF though it also makes me feel like "Quick! Focus already"! -The Audio preamps are not very good (at this moment probably my biggest complaint, should actually be first on the list...since I don't want to carry around another piece of gear just for that). -One thing I find annoying and others might love is that the custom U1/2/3 modes save ALL your settings...even WB, Audio preset, etc.. I would wish you could choose what gets saved and what not. For example: When filming outdoors and you arrive in a location with mixed light you might want to set a custom WB (which btw. is super fast and easy in the z6 which allows you to safe 6 custom WB...great feature!)...if you do that on your U1 which maybe is your 4k 25fps then it will be set at first. BUT...as soon as you switch anywhere else (Auto, P, M, anywhere)...like maybe your U2, 1080 100fps...there it will switch to the WB setting you had set for U2. Which is probably AWB, because it makes the most sense. Now switching back to U1 after you got your 100fps shot...also here it will be jumped back to AWB. For me that is kind of annoying, maybe for others, not a big problem. -Last but not least I have some difficulties with metering. I have the feeling that even I shoot at an indoor location with fixed lights the metering of the camera causes lots of exposure changes. I find myself tweaking the exposure, highlights, shadows a lot in post, much more than my previous canon. -It misses an exposure composition indicator in video mode For the rest...as you said...actually a great camera. Even with all the negatives mentioned above I am more than happy with it. -AF is still very reliable with at least enough light (must not be super bright but also can't be super dark). -Low light ISO is amazing!! -Ergonomics, form factor and ease of use are great! -Image quality is great! (Even if I read people saying the HD Bitrate is low...to me the image, colors, all looks very great. 4k as well!) -EVF and the back display are great. -The 24/70 f4 "kit lens" in the package is an amazing lens. Sharp, nearly silent, light, compact and balanced. -Battery life is very decent (as long as you use original batteries). -All plugs are laid out nicely for use. -Custom buttons and custom "i-menu" set up gives great functionality. -Lots of other nice features like "vibration reduction" (IBIS), switch from FX to DX, focus peaking, highlight display, Wifi functions with smartphone App, and and and.... Last but not least. I am not a professional photographer or videographer but I read an interesting article on the "one card slot problem". The article addressed the problem that many SD cards fail not so much because the card actually fails rather than the writing process fails...which causes a card failure or data corruption. Most cameras on the market today with 2 card slots have only one internal BUS system (saving space) controlling both card slots. Meaning when writing on two SD cards simultaneously this BUS system is pushed to its limits. This extensive use of just one BUS significantly increases the chance of a writing failure and therefore data corruption. In fact, the person in the article suggests that camera producers are very well aware of this problem...but they also know that not many people will look at it like this. They know that MUCH MORE professionals are so much craving for a second card slot (not knowing of the internal issues) that they choose the double slot anyway...just to ease their mind, even though the risk of data corruption is much higher. Putting a high-quality XQD card with insane writing speeds and let it be controlled by just one BUS with all its power just focused on one job and one card, therefore, is an actual much safer choice to decrease data corruption. Nikon is a huge company and has put a lot of time and research into this camera system. It only seems utmost logical to me that they know of this problem and they have definitely done much much more tests than any of us could ever do before releasing a huge product like this with just one card. Unfortunately, people's minds are not easy to change from old habits. Plus if you search many online forums you will find that you will have a very very hard time finding people that ever had an XQD card fail on them. Having said all this...like I said...I read it myself and find it a very reasonable argument. But wedding photographers will still say "I can't take the risk of one card". But maybe...the two-card thing is actually the risk?! Plus...think about all other things that could go wrong...having an accident on the way, the wedding being canceled because the bride ran off, a thunder striking you on the way, you forget to charge all your camera batteries, etc. etc. PS.: This is the longest TH-cam comment I ever wrote. xD
Really great overview Tommy, hit all the really important points. I really love my Z6 and it just works so well. The updates will just help it get better as time goes on. I can't even imagine what the next gen will be like.
Agreed! Really curious if they're going to make another Z with a focus on video, like a Z6 mk 2, or if they'll just give it another number, like a Z12 (based on all the other Z's that are coming out soon)
Can I make a request Deity? Get on the horn with Atomos and get your Deity 3 Pro working with the Ninja V. Mine's here collecting dust because I wasn't aware they wouldn't work together. Cheers and beers.
Love my Z6. I agree with your pros and cons. I really like the IBIS but another thing I love about the Z6 is the slo-mo video options. Only thing I 'hate' about the Z6 is the battery. Other than that, it's an extremely capable camera for what it is. I've started out with the Nikon D40, to the Nikon D90 to the D700, to the D750 and now with the Z6. Definitely agree with your review about it.
Solid video. External sound recording is a must for me because I've always found in-camera mics to be bad. Either tinny, or pick up too much of the lens noise, or whatever reason. Something like a little Zoom H1N will let you record to the device and camera, instant sound back up. I do agree they should allow external and internal video recording. Also added HDMI to my quick menu so it's a little less digging.
Great review! Thanks so much man. I'm loving the Z6 for video especially. I'm excited for what might come through firmware. I'm surprised we haven't seen more of these in general on YT. I love how easy this camera is to use. Great to see another YT'er using the Z6! Cheers
Totally agree with you man. Everyone's always talking about sony vs canon.. but nikon has come up with the freakin golden gun and hardly anyone uses it.
I love the z6! I started photography with the d5000 back in the day and now I’ve recently been getting into video and it’s such a no brainer for a transition. I’m just waiting for Atomos and Nikon to release ProRes Raw! Excellent video Tommy! Thanks!
Had to subscribe after watching this. Your studio's lighting setup is on point and you deliver concise and well-ordered points. Lots of info without too much jaw-flapping. It's clear you spend a lot of time crafting your videos and it shows. I searched for "nikon z6 ETTR" to find out what people are saying about exposing to the right for the Z6's video and this review was the top result. Maybe that would be a good topic to tackle since I don't see anyone else talking about it, but just a throwaway suggestion, haha. I'm definitely checking out your previous content and looking forward to what you put out in the future. Eagerly awaiting my Z6 w/ Tamrons 15-30mm and 24-70mm, as a GH3 and original BMPCC user.
I'm still on the fence about buying a Z6. I'm currently using a D750 for hybrid event work. Your right about the flat profile it's really easy to grade. PS - snapbridge has just been updated - it can now transfer RAW images among other improvements.
Mark Shirley hey mark I was just like you debating about getting the Z6. Coming from the D800 and a D7100 as my backup and with a bunch of lenses. Half of my lenses were screw driven lenses. I had full intentions of getting it, sending it back and switching to Sony. I was blown away on how good the auto focus was using pinpoint AF. You didn’t have to auto tune the lenses like the DSLR’s. Just slap the lens on and it tunes itself. The vibration control is wow! All my lenses that don’t have VR now do. My handheld accuracy is like mounting your dslr on a tripod. 2 weeks after I received my z6 it had the new firmware update with the eye auto focus and yeeeesssss! GAME CHANGER! I never had a camera with eye AF and it work 90% of the time. I am extremely happy with it and I use it 80% of the time with my photo shoots. Using my older Nikon screw driven lenses I use focus Peaking and the zoom feature and I get the shot so crisp it makes it fun and super easy. Yeah I wished it had a 2nd card slot but I don’t even think about losing the photos ( I have a clause in my contracts that cover me for card failures) and if I had the cash I would get the z7. The only problems I had with my older Nikon lenses is with my tamron 45mm f1.8 VC don’t work but they are coming out with an update to fix it. My tamron 70-200 f2.8 G2 works flawlessly. And so does all my Nikon “G” lenses. I love it and I recommend this to anyone who has a bunch of Nikon glass. Hope this helps. You can find the for $1700 new. That’s a steal of $1500 used.
@@markshirley01 go for it..sold my D750/D500 to get two Z6's and now just got the Z14-30mm F4s..im heavily invested on transitioning from F-mount to the new Z mount lenses..all Z mount lenses are sharper that their F mount counter parts lenses..
XQD cards are comparable in price to high quality SD cards while offering faster performance. I found on Amazon that a Sony 120gb XQD comes in at $197 and a Sony 128gb G-series SD card at $221.
I own 2x D750's and quite invested into Nikon's professional glass. Been wanting to get into video for like forever and almost pulling my hair out on weather I should get the z6 or completely jump ship and go for Sony. Thing I like about Sony is the superior auto focus and small size but hate the EVF, poor weather sealing. Nikon on the other hand has poorer auto focus (I'm sure I can live with it since I don't have a Sony to compare), awesome EVF and great handling. Video features seem similar. Also not a fan on how big the Z6 is with adapted F-mount lenses. This video made me realize that the Z6 is definitely not the best but will be great for most so I think I may have decided. Thank you!
Just transitioned from photographs to video. For photos, I use the viewfinder, but for video I used the LCD screen. My problem is seeing the focusing spot. In a recent outing in which I was videoing ducks swimming around in the water and trying to keep the focus on the head, I would occasionally slip off the head onto either the back of the duck or off the head and onto something behind the duck without realizing it until the focus changed. It would really be nice if there was a way to brighten the red box separate from brightening the display.
Great review Tommy as always. For my corporate work, the flip--screen is fine. I guess only vloggers will find it a con. Agree that the pre-amps suck (even though I record everything externally - would be nice, however, to be able to use the onboard audio as backup). Also agree about the FLAT profile, that's all I really shoot with if I'm not using the Ninja V. It's not even that flat. A little tweak to the contrast and saturation and I have it matching close enough to my RED footage. Here are the gripes that come to mind as a someone who mostly uses the Z6 for a daily driver with corporate work (my other camera is the Epic-W)... 1. Really, really wish the N-Log 10-bit could be recorded internally. Most of the time it's just not worth losing that 10% crop, the time needed to set it all up with the external recorder, and the extra size of the rig. 2. No N-Log to rec709 LUT - I mean, come on Nikon, really? 3. No frame guides - should be an easy firmware fix, surprised they didn't include guides 4. Also really wish they had 60fps at 4K - my guess this is turning a lot of people off. This alone almost convinced me not to buy the camera 5. No Clear Display - sometimes you just want to see exactly what you're shooting without all the overlays 6. The most critical problem I find with this camera that no one seems to talk about is viewfinder and HDMI lag! I've measured a 7 or 8 frame lag to just the viewfinder! And through HDMI I've measured about 9 or 10 frames! For any kind of moving camera or gimbal work, this is a huge setback. I don't understand if it's because this camera isn't being used by a lot of working videographers or if precision isn't a problem with those who are but man, that frame lag is horrible. Anyways, keep up the great work, love your videos man. By the way, anyone know the difference between regular IBIS and sport IBIS?
Thanks Ryan! This is for sure the MVP comment of the day. I love it when you (or others) chime in on my reviews with your own experience, and I never would have even thought about something like frame lag... but I'm sure it's going to bother me now! Haha. As for IBIS.. it probably is slightly more "springy" similar to the ronin-s sport mode vs regular mode. I'm speculating, though.
@@TommyCallaway No problem. I find it more productive to share experiences with those who already have a platform rather than try to make my own video that'll get lost in the sea of amateur TH-camrs looking to get exposure. I find more of us gain when we share our experiences on channels like yours. Again, thanks for all your work. I did forget to add that Nikon really needs to push Apple to get Prores RAW working on PC software like Premiere so that us Premiere guys and gals aren't left wondering what to do when the RAW firmware is released.
@@AAndinoPhoto Hey! I've actuality bought those and tried them but just kept going back to the FLAT profile. Maybe I'm just not good at grading 8-bit log-like footage. Would love to see some examples though.
@@rgsauve Idk if I have any crazy cinematic stuff, but basically the last 4 or 5 videos I posted on my channel were using the EOSHD and I did my own color grading on them.
I do like the skin tones of the z6 and image quality. I guess part of that was your editing huh? How difficult was it to edit ? Will you maybe in the near future do some N-log so we can see what 4:2:2 -10 bit looks like? What's your take on the x-t4? I think it's pretty nice as far as stills go, but I don't like the wobbly video in the corners.
Haz hecho una muy buena explicacion, te felicito por tu honestidad. De hecho, yo no sabía, que el z6, para grabar en N-LOG necesita un grabador externo. ¡Que fastidio! Un gasto más. Aquí en Mexico no nos pagan en dólares como para estar invirtiendo tanto. Estaba a punto de comprarlo, pero eso me decepciono. Ni Canon, ni Sony, exigen eso para grabar en C-LOG o en S-LOG en el caso de Sony. Solo una pregunta, la Z6II, ¿tambien necesita una grabadora de video externa para grabar en N-LOG?
Totally agree with you.. Rumors are around next month some time. But I'm not really sure! It's going to be absolutely bonkers how much value it will add to this set, but it's not being available yet is the only reason I didn't really mention it here.
Tommy Callaway I look forward to ProRes. I’ve always been disappointed shooting video on Nikon, like not being able to change aperture while recording or even in live view and focusing the opposite direction, but ProRes Raw could easily change my mind. (I’m actually waiting to see what Canon & Sony bring to the table. The anticipation is almost too much right now. I feel like the internet is about to explode with what Sony is about to drop.)
@@Photographicelements Are you talking about older cameras not having Power Aperture while recording? I think they fixed that with the D750. Not great with some lenses, but it was something. The Z6 and the S-lenses have smooth power aperture even in recording.
I feel like crying. I just bought this. Might return it. I needed the 4K 60fps but I thought the tilt screen was a flip down screen where you can see yourself in the frame. I am a solo film maker and I've been researching like crazy.. Thought this was the one. Any advice? I originally was getting the z50 for the viewer but really wanted the 60 fps.. This camera was over 2 grand..
Great review I am about to purchase z6 u said the stablization was very good would u say same level as gh5? I hear there is no exposure scale in movie mode does that bother you? Really need your help Would u buy a6400 16mm 1.4 and a gimble or gh5 with 16mm 1.4 or z6 24-70 f4?
In my experience, the stabilization on the Z6 is *almost* as good as the GH5 (both are excellent) which is pretty incredible considering the sensor is quite a bit larger on the Z6 (physically is more difficult to stabilize). I would be most satisfied with the z6 + 24-70 f4 of those options (don't forget, gh5 autofocus is awful). Don't forget to pick up an XQD Card reader!
Great video, I use the Z6 for a few days before returning it and going back to sony. One of the biggest thing that I didn't like was that face af was only activated in Af-A mode, this made it a problem because face detects doesn't always work the way you want to and there needs a way to override that. The touch screen is awesome and responsive but you can not drag the focus around which is very useful when using the viewfinder. Tracking is pretty good when you're in a controlled setting but use it outdoors in a real environment and it goes all over the place, it also misses focus MANY times, it's simply unusable. And the very last thing that got on my nerves was that AF-C (i always use af-c over af-s) doesn't give you the green indicator that it's working. I believe these are all things that Nikon will fix in their future camera until then I will stick with sony as its more reliable once you learn how to use it.
Now that prores raw is available are you going to get your Z6 upgraded and pick up a Atomos Ninja V? Or is that not really your bailiwick since you like the flat profile anyway? I've been waiting for prores raw to decide whether to upgrade from my D750, or ditch Nikon (and all my F-mount lenses), since film making is much more important to me now (and I have an X-T3 with great lenses too).
@@TommyCallaway I sent my D750 in for recall work last year. The service center was a local (Los Angeles) address and round trip was 6 calendar days total. Might be a longer turnaround for Z6 upgrades if they get any backlog. Maybe wait a few weeks!
I got my Z6 in December and I have had my time to reflect on it, although I might be a bit biast as I only have owned Nikon cameras. I just feel that my lack of filmmaking/editing/Grading knowledge is what is hindering me for what is capable with this camera.
Oh I most certainly haven't even begun to touch on what this camera is actually capable of. The camera is way more capable than I am as a camera user - I try to learn a little more about editing / grading / but mainly story telling every time I film a video. I use davinci resolve to edit these days and after a few hours of learning, it gets a lot more fun.
ALL cameras developed in the last 10 years are better than the users so the limit is usually imagination or skill rather than technical weaknesses of the cameras. It might be a drawback to have such good equipment without enough skill to exploit it all reducing the requirement for learning and being creative. I have been shooting for 50 years and these cameras are better than I have been, any weakness in a project comes down to creative roadblocks of the user not the equipment. The real turning point in cameras being better than the users started with digital with the D90 in 2008. Everything since has been minor incremental improvements.
Great video! I like that you got into the things you don't like first. I've been using this camera for video for the last 6 months, and overall really happy...but nothing's ever perfect and I wholeheartedly agree with all of your points (good and bad). Thanks for sharing and your audio and lighting are spot on .... need to up my game in that respect. What are you using in this video for mic and external lighting?
thanks for your Z6 review. i think anybody who could invest new camera system it's better going with Nikon Z, but you have already invested Canon EF it's better going to Canon EOS R.
9:20 Snapbridge, I have an iPhone 6S and could yet not manage it to connect that crappy Snapbridge to my Z6, nor D850 neither D500. Latest firmware upgrades, iOS, Snapbridge installed by 2019-08-26. Following EXACTLY the manual and guidelines.
Tried the Nikon Z6/z7 cameras against my Nikon D5 for sports photography under floodlights and the tracking was appalling on the mirrorless. Ponderously slow in comparison to my Nikon D5 cameras. One slot as I shoot Raw & JPEG was a problem I couldn’t feel secure in using just one card slot. If Nikon brings out a mirrorless to surpass the Nikon D5 in build and handling. New Nikon to take on Sony A9 or it’s newer equivalent whatever that is I will be released I will be interested but at the moment for my area of Action Sports it’s not worth it.
Tommy Callaway both native z and with Nikon F mount glass using the adaptor the focus tracking was rubbish. Mate has mirrorless Canon was equally rubbish. Sony photographers using Sony A9 with 400mm f2.8 lens was stunning in comparison.
Would you recommend the Nikon z6 to wedding videographers. I am considering buying the Z6 for video, as I currently have D750 and Nikon lenses. Are FX lenses with adapter a bit slower to focus lock than Z lenses or not at all? I am interested in your thoughts? Do you know anyone using Z6 for wedding videos?
Sounds pretty stupid but I am not a big fan of that huge thumb grip because it puts presure on my thumb and hurts after a while. Don't have this problem with other cameras. But besides of that...it's amazing. Love the files, colors, buttons, evf, backscreen is also really big and high res and so on. Oh and the z lenses are really good as well. They also have character which i really like. Most modern lenses handle aboration and stuff well have great contrast and sharpness but they have no special look. If you take the 50 mm 1.8 z for example: this thing has swirly bokeh like the helios 44. Not crazy like helios though but enough to give it a nice almost filmic look.
Absolutely great review, very much appreciated! I am a photographer (not a videographer) - but once in a while I do record some short scenes and frankly the quality of the output just blows my mind. And yeah, I love the 14-30mm, I have just recorded some nice scenes today with it in Norway. Keep up your great work!
@@TommyCallaway Hi Tommy, in general my photos are here: krasnesvetlo.cz/galery and as for 14-30mm photos I have a created a temporary gallery with photos made with trhis lens: www.dropbox.com/sh/wdyd4ziepwgdks2/AADUWVei8IE4J8y1oCYxwo15a?dl=0
..let's talk about it. how come you didnt mention the drastic lag/delay of the live view, obviously when shooting video!? It's around 250ms, that's a quarter of second. How come this not a big issue? I wrote nikon today, because i thought or hoped, it's gonna get fixed or better with some upcoming firmware updates... Now, they releasing new Z cams... and i feel like the Z6 it's a thing of the past... Try to shoot a live concert, or any thing... An actor close up talking... you get a weird feeling behind the Z6... it feels wrong, and actually something is wrong... For me, that is the biggest fail of this camera and i feel actually betrayed. Nikon promoted the Z6 as semi pro or whatever video camera... thx for listening.. i hope i get some response or help with this issue...
Not something I've ever had an issue with, or even noticed. But we've got different use cases. I would say hawk it on craigslist if it hurts your workflow and get something quicker. I have no brand loyalty. lol
@@TommyCallaway thanks for responding. Seems strange you didn't notice this issue. I'm curious what Nikon will say to this issue. In my opinion it's not possible to not notice this issue, when you working behind the camera. Maybe it's a thing of individual perception...
Haha, yeah - thats some sound foam I've had since I first started using sound foam and learning about sound quality. I switched to the light grey pyramids about a year after that so I could reflect RGB lights off them and make it any color, as you've seen in most of my videos over the past year or so.
Instead of whining, why not share your own experiences with the Z6? If you don't own one, perhaps politely request he touches on those areas in a future review. No need to be a dick.
@@rgsauve I do own one and I've watched Tommy's videos before and it felt that he did not covered a lot In this one, I'm not complaining Ijust wanted to know if there is a reason he did not cover all those things which he politely answered in comment section. Just slow your 🐎 dude and relax.
I only barely touched on it, but the 14-30 f4 is seriously an underrated lens on this system. If you're really considering the Z6, you should take a look at my review of that lens: th-cam.com/video/i6XiIqjwJuQ/w-d-xo.html
I fought with myself for a long time if I should go Sony a7iii or Nikon Z6 and after going to the store and just playing with each of them I went for Nikon just from my feeling (and obviously lots of "review research" :D). I found people complaining about the Z6 a lot but many video comments are full of happy Z6 owners...now I am one of them. It is definitely not the perfect camera.
-The bitrate can only be checked in the manual (which is 28Mbps for 1080p 25/24fps (High-quality mode) and 144Mbps for 4k 24/25/30fps and 1080p 100/120fps, if anyone is wondering)
-Eye AF is not always 100% accurate and yes...missing in video.
-Low light focusing also isn't perfect.
- I feel the AF is a bit slow in video mode...which can sometimes be nice because it makes it look like you are smooth manual focusing, coming from a fast Canon AF though it also makes me feel like "Quick! Focus already"!
-The Audio preamps are not very good (at this moment probably my biggest complaint, should actually be first on the list...since I don't want to carry around another piece of gear just for that).
-One thing I find annoying and others might love is that the custom U1/2/3 modes save ALL your settings...even WB, Audio preset, etc.. I would wish you could choose what gets saved and what not. For example: When filming outdoors and you arrive in a location with mixed light you might want to set a custom WB (which btw. is super fast and easy in the z6 which allows you to safe 6 custom WB...great feature!)...if you do that on your U1 which maybe is your 4k 25fps then it will be set at first. BUT...as soon as you switch anywhere else (Auto, P, M, anywhere)...like maybe your U2, 1080 100fps...there it will switch to the WB setting you had set for U2. Which is probably AWB, because it makes the most sense. Now switching back to U1 after you got your 100fps shot...also here it will be jumped back to AWB. For me that is kind of annoying, maybe for others, not a big problem.
-Last but not least I have some difficulties with metering. I have the feeling that even I shoot at an indoor location with fixed lights the metering of the camera causes lots of exposure changes. I find myself tweaking the exposure, highlights, shadows a lot in post, much more than my previous canon.
-It misses an exposure composition indicator in video mode
For the rest...as you said...actually a great camera. Even with all the negatives mentioned above I am more than happy with it.
-AF is still very reliable with at least enough light (must not be super bright but also can't be super dark).
-Low light ISO is amazing!!
-Ergonomics, form factor and ease of use are great!
-Image quality is great! (Even if I read people saying the HD Bitrate is low...to me the image, colors, all looks very great. 4k as well!)
-EVF and the back display are great.
-The 24/70 f4 "kit lens" in the package is an amazing lens. Sharp, nearly silent, light, compact and balanced.
-Battery life is very decent (as long as you use original batteries).
-All plugs are laid out nicely for use.
-Custom buttons and custom "i-menu" set up gives great functionality.
-Lots of other nice features like "vibration reduction" (IBIS), switch from FX to DX, focus peaking, highlight display, Wifi functions with smartphone App, and and and....
Last but not least. I am not a professional photographer or videographer but I read an interesting article on the "one card slot problem". The article addressed the problem that many SD cards fail not so much because the card actually fails rather than the writing process fails...which causes a card failure or data corruption. Most cameras on the market today with 2 card slots have only one internal BUS system (saving space) controlling both card slots. Meaning when writing on two SD cards simultaneously this BUS system is pushed to its limits. This extensive use of just one BUS significantly increases the chance of a writing failure and therefore data corruption. In fact, the person in the article suggests that camera producers are very well aware of this problem...but they also know that not many people will look at it like this. They know that MUCH MORE professionals are so much craving for a second card slot (not knowing of the internal issues) that they choose the double slot anyway...just to ease their mind, even though the risk of data corruption is much higher. Putting a high-quality XQD card with insane writing speeds and let it be controlled by just one BUS with all its power just focused on one job and one card, therefore, is an actual much safer choice to decrease data corruption. Nikon is a huge company and has put a lot of time and research into this camera system. It only seems utmost logical to me that they know of this problem and they have definitely done much much more tests than any of us could ever do before releasing a huge product like this with just one card. Unfortunately, people's minds are not easy to change from old habits. Plus if you search many online forums you will find that you will have a very very hard time finding people that ever had an XQD card fail on them. Having said all this...like I said...I read it myself and find it a very reasonable argument. But wedding photographers will still say "I can't take the risk of one card". But maybe...the two-card thing is actually the risk?! Plus...think about all other things that could go wrong...having an accident on the way, the wedding being canceled because the bride ran off, a thunder striking you on the way, you forget to charge all your camera batteries, etc. etc.
PS.: This is the longest TH-cam comment I ever wrote. xD
This was super helpful - I was doubtful about the single-card-slot configuration but you've convinced me otherwise.
Really great overview Tommy, hit all the really important points. I really love my Z6 and it just works so well. The updates will just help it get better as time goes on. I can't even imagine what the next gen will be like.
Agreed! Really curious if they're going to make another Z with a focus on video, like a Z6 mk 2, or if they'll just give it another number, like a Z12 (based on all the other Z's that are coming out soon)
Awesome review. Never touched a Nikon much so this was really helpful and in depth.
I love your microphones.
Can I make a request Deity? Get on the horn with Atomos and get your Deity 3 Pro working with the Ninja V. Mine's here collecting dust because I wasn't aware they wouldn't work together. Cheers and beers.
Love my Z6. I agree with your pros and cons. I really like the IBIS but another thing I love about the Z6 is the slo-mo video options. Only thing I 'hate' about the Z6 is the battery. Other than that, it's an extremely capable camera for what it is. I've started out with the Nikon D40, to the Nikon D90 to the D700, to the D750 and now with the Z6. Definitely agree with your review about it.
Thanks! I am definitely way more impressed with the Z6 than I thought I would have been.
What's wrong with the battery; My z6 shoots around 1400 pc before it dies;
Thanks for such a practical review, picking one up this week. Excited to use snapbridge with my instax printer for street portraits.
No prob man, thanks for comment. You're going to freakin love it.
Solid video. External sound recording is a must for me because I've always found in-camera mics to be bad. Either tinny, or pick up too much of the lens noise, or whatever reason. Something like a little Zoom H1N will let you record to the device and camera, instant sound back up.
I do agree they should allow external and internal video recording. Also added HDMI to my quick menu so it's a little less digging.
Great review! Thanks so much man. I'm loving the Z6 for video especially. I'm excited for what might come through firmware. I'm surprised we haven't seen more of these in general on YT. I love how easy this camera is to use. Great to see another YT'er using the Z6! Cheers
Totally agree with you man. Everyone's always talking about sony vs canon.. but nikon has come up with the freakin golden gun and hardly anyone uses it.
I love the z6! I started photography with the d5000 back in the day and now I’ve recently been getting into video and it’s such a no brainer for a transition. I’m just waiting for Atomos and Nikon to release ProRes Raw! Excellent video Tommy! Thanks!
Had to subscribe after watching this. Your studio's lighting setup is on point and you deliver concise and well-ordered points. Lots of info without too much jaw-flapping. It's clear you spend a lot of time crafting your videos and it shows.
I searched for "nikon z6 ETTR" to find out what people are saying about exposing to the right for the Z6's video and this review was the top result. Maybe that would be a good topic to tackle since I don't see anyone else talking about it, but just a throwaway suggestion, haha. I'm definitely checking out your previous content and looking forward to what you put out in the future. Eagerly awaiting my Z6 w/ Tamrons 15-30mm and 24-70mm, as a GH3 and original BMPCC user.
Thank you! Comments like this keep me going. :) definitely more info coming on the z6 soon.
I'm still on the fence about buying a Z6. I'm currently using a D750 for hybrid event work. Your right about the flat profile it's really easy to grade. PS - snapbridge has just been updated - it can now transfer RAW images among other improvements.
Mark Shirley hey mark I was just like you debating about getting the Z6. Coming from the D800 and a D7100 as my backup and with a bunch of lenses. Half of my lenses were screw driven lenses. I had full intentions of getting it, sending it back and switching to Sony. I was blown away on how good the auto focus was using pinpoint AF. You didn’t have to auto tune the lenses like the DSLR’s. Just slap the lens on and it tunes itself. The vibration control is wow! All my lenses that don’t have VR now do. My handheld accuracy is like mounting your dslr on a tripod. 2 weeks after I received my z6 it had the new firmware update with the eye auto focus and yeeeesssss! GAME CHANGER! I never had a camera with eye AF and it work 90% of the time. I am extremely happy with it and I use it 80% of the time with my photo shoots. Using my older Nikon screw driven lenses I use focus Peaking and the zoom feature and I get the shot so crisp it makes it fun and super easy. Yeah I wished it had a 2nd card slot but I don’t even think about losing the photos ( I have a clause in my contracts that cover me for card failures) and if I had the cash I would get the z7. The only problems I had with my older Nikon lenses is with my tamron 45mm f1.8 VC don’t work but they are coming out with an update to fix it. My tamron 70-200 f2.8 G2 works flawlessly. And so does all my Nikon “G” lenses. I love it and I recommend this to anyone who has a bunch of Nikon glass. Hope this helps. You can find the for $1700 new. That’s a steal of $1500 used.
@@LMActionsports thanks it is helpful. I think it's mainly the lure of Sony that has made me think twice. It's seems they are now the dominant force.
@@markshirley01 go for it..sold my D750/D500 to get two Z6's and now just got the Z14-30mm F4s..im heavily invested on transitioning from F-mount to the new Z mount lenses..all Z mount lenses are sharper that their F mount counter parts lenses..
XQD cards are comparable in price to high quality SD cards while offering faster performance. I found on Amazon that a Sony 120gb XQD comes in at $197 and a Sony 128gb G-series SD card at $221.
Solid point!
I own 2x D750's and quite invested into Nikon's professional glass. Been wanting to get into video for like forever and almost pulling my hair out on weather I should get the z6 or completely jump ship and go for Sony. Thing I like about Sony is the superior auto focus and small size but hate the EVF, poor weather sealing. Nikon on the other hand has poorer auto focus (I'm sure I can live with it since I don't have a Sony to compare), awesome EVF and great handling. Video features seem similar. Also not a fan on how big the Z6 is with adapted F-mount lenses. This video made me realize that the Z6 is definitely not the best but will be great for most so I think I may have decided. Thank you!
You got it bro. Thanks for watching!
I don't remember you saying this, but the Z6 has XQD but upgradable to CF Express.
Just transitioned from photographs to video. For photos, I use the viewfinder, but for video I used the LCD screen. My problem is seeing the focusing spot. In a recent outing in which I was videoing ducks swimming around in the water and trying to keep the focus on the head, I would occasionally slip off the head onto either the back of the duck or off the head and onto something behind the duck without realizing it until the focus changed. It would really be nice if there was a way to brighten the red box separate from brightening the display.
Great review Tommy as always. For my corporate work, the flip--screen is fine. I guess only vloggers will find it a con. Agree that the pre-amps suck (even though I record everything externally - would be nice, however, to be able to use the onboard audio as backup). Also agree about the FLAT profile, that's all I really shoot with if I'm not using the Ninja V. It's not even that flat. A little tweak to the contrast and saturation and I have it matching close enough to my RED footage.
Here are the gripes that come to mind as a someone who mostly uses the Z6 for a daily driver with corporate work (my other camera is the Epic-W)...
1. Really, really wish the N-Log 10-bit could be recorded internally. Most of the time it's just not worth losing that 10% crop, the time needed to set it all up with the external recorder, and the extra size of the rig.
2. No N-Log to rec709 LUT - I mean, come on Nikon, really?
3. No frame guides - should be an easy firmware fix, surprised they didn't include guides
4. Also really wish they had 60fps at 4K - my guess this is turning a lot of people off. This alone almost convinced me not to buy the camera
5. No Clear Display - sometimes you just want to see exactly what you're shooting without all the overlays
6. The most critical problem I find with this camera that no one seems to talk about is viewfinder and HDMI lag! I've measured a 7 or 8 frame lag to just the viewfinder! And through HDMI I've measured about 9 or 10 frames! For any kind of moving camera or gimbal work, this is a huge setback. I don't understand if it's because this camera isn't being used by a lot of working videographers or if precision isn't a problem with those who are but man, that frame lag is horrible.
Anyways, keep up the great work, love your videos man.
By the way, anyone know the difference between regular IBIS and sport IBIS?
Thanks Ryan! This is for sure the MVP comment of the day. I love it when you (or others) chime in on my reviews with your own experience, and I never would have even thought about something like frame lag... but I'm sure it's going to bother me now! Haha. As for IBIS.. it probably is slightly more "springy" similar to the ronin-s sport mode vs regular mode. I'm speculating, though.
@@TommyCallaway No problem. I find it more productive to share experiences with those who already have a platform rather than try to make my own video that'll get lost in the sea of amateur TH-camrs looking to get exposure. I find more of us gain when we share our experiences on channels like yours. Again, thanks for all your work.
I did forget to add that Nikon really needs to push Apple to get Prores RAW working on PC software like Premiere so that us Premiere guys and gals aren't left wondering what to do when the RAW firmware is released.
@@rgsauve you guys should check out the EOS HD profiles. I've been using those for my videos and I like the way they color grade.
@@AAndinoPhoto Hey! I've actuality bought those and tried them but just kept going back to the FLAT profile. Maybe I'm just not good at grading 8-bit log-like footage. Would love to see some examples though.
@@rgsauve Idk if I have any crazy cinematic stuff, but basically the last 4 or 5 videos I posted on my channel were using the EOSHD and I did my own color grading on them.
I do like the skin tones of the z6 and image quality. I guess part of that was your editing huh? How difficult was it to edit ? Will you maybe in the near future do some N-log so we can see what 4:2:2 -10 bit looks like? What's your take on the x-t4? I think it's pretty nice as far as stills go, but I don't like the wobbly video in the corners.
Haz hecho una muy buena explicacion, te felicito por tu honestidad. De hecho, yo no sabía, que el z6, para grabar en N-LOG necesita un grabador externo. ¡Que fastidio! Un gasto más. Aquí en Mexico no nos pagan en dólares como para estar invirtiendo tanto. Estaba a punto de comprarlo, pero eso me decepciono. Ni Canon, ni Sony, exigen eso para grabar en C-LOG o en S-LOG en el caso de Sony. Solo una pregunta, la Z6II, ¿tambien necesita una grabadora de video externa para grabar en N-LOG?
When will ProRes Raw be available for the Z6? That is a game-changer for mirrorless, when that becomes available.
Totally agree with you.. Rumors are around next month some time. But I'm not really sure! It's going to be absolutely bonkers how much value it will add to this set, but it's not being available yet is the only reason I didn't really mention it here.
Tommy Callaway I look forward to ProRes. I’ve always been disappointed shooting video on Nikon, like not being able to change aperture while recording or even in live view and focusing the opposite direction, but ProRes Raw could easily change my mind. (I’m actually waiting to see what Canon & Sony bring to the table. The anticipation is almost too much right now. I feel like the internet is about to explode with what Sony is about to drop.)
@@Photographicelements Are you talking about older cameras not having Power Aperture while recording? I think they fixed that with the D750. Not great with some lenses, but it was something. The Z6 and the S-lenses have smooth power aperture even in recording.
Perfectly crisp review!
Also, you haven’t mentioned the beautiful LCD of the Z6. That alone made me switch and leave Sony forever!
I feel like crying. I just bought this. Might return it. I needed the 4K 60fps but I thought the tilt screen was a flip down screen where you can see yourself in the frame. I am a solo film maker and I've been researching like crazy.. Thought this was the one. Any advice? I originally was getting the z50 for the viewer but really wanted the 60 fps.. This camera was over 2 grand..
Great review I am about to purchase z6 u said the stablization was very good would u say same level as gh5? I hear there is no exposure scale in movie mode does that bother you? Really need your help Would u buy a6400 16mm 1.4 and a gimble or gh5 with 16mm 1.4 or z6 24-70 f4?
In my experience, the stabilization on the Z6 is *almost* as good as the GH5 (both are excellent) which is pretty incredible considering the sensor is quite a bit larger on the Z6 (physically is more difficult to stabilize). I would be most satisfied with the z6 + 24-70 f4 of those options (don't forget, gh5 autofocus is awful). Don't forget to pick up an XQD Card reader!
Great video, I use the Z6 for a few days before returning it and going back to sony. One of the biggest thing that I didn't like was that face af was only activated in Af-A mode, this made it a problem because face detects doesn't always work the way you want to and there needs a way to override that. The touch screen is awesome and responsive but you can not drag the focus around which is very useful when using the viewfinder. Tracking is pretty good when you're in a controlled setting but use it outdoors in a real environment and it goes all over the place, it also misses focus MANY times, it's simply unusable. And the very last thing that got on my nerves was that AF-C (i always use af-c over af-s) doesn't give you the green indicator that it's working. I believe these are all things that Nikon will fix in their future camera until then I will stick with sony as its more reliable once you learn how to use it.
Now that prores raw is available are you going to get your Z6 upgraded and pick up a Atomos Ninja V? Or is that not really your bailiwick since you like the flat profile anyway? I've been waiting for prores raw to decide whether to upgrade from my D750, or ditch Nikon (and all my F-mount lenses), since film making is much more important to me now (and I have an X-T3 with great lenses too).
I have the Ninja V already. I just hate the idea of mailing in my Z6... might have to get it done anyways. ;)
@@TommyCallaway I sent my D750 in for recall work last year. The service center was a local (Los Angeles) address and round trip was 6 calendar days total. Might be a longer turnaround for Z6 upgrades if they get any backlog. Maybe wait a few weeks!
I got my Z6 in December and I have had my time to reflect on it, although I might be a bit biast as I only have owned Nikon cameras. I just feel that my lack of filmmaking/editing/Grading knowledge is what is hindering me for what is capable with this camera.
Oh I most certainly haven't even begun to touch on what this camera is actually capable of. The camera is way more capable than I am as a camera user - I try to learn a little more about editing / grading / but mainly story telling every time I film a video. I use davinci resolve to edit these days and after a few hours of learning, it gets a lot more fun.
ALL cameras developed in the last 10 years are better than the users so the limit is usually imagination or skill rather than technical weaknesses of the cameras. It might be a drawback to have such good equipment without enough skill to exploit it all reducing the requirement for learning and being creative. I have been shooting for 50 years and these cameras are better than I have been, any weakness in a project comes down to creative roadblocks of the user not the equipment. The real turning point in cameras being better than the users started with digital with the D90 in 2008. Everything since has been minor incremental improvements.
Good review. glad to hear u havent abandoned the gh5 though.
Word. That camera is still dope too. :)
Great review, best i’ve seen!
Thank you!
Great video! I like that you got into the things you don't like first. I've been using this camera for video for the last 6 months, and overall really happy...but nothing's ever perfect and I wholeheartedly agree with all of your points (good and bad). Thanks for sharing and your audio and lighting are spot on .... need to up my game in that respect. What are you using in this video for mic and external lighting?
Thanks! Key: aputure 120d, hair: 120d mk 2, wall: cametv rgb slim tube. Mic: senn mkh 416, and deity v mic d3 pro
Stabilization how do you do that with the z6ii? My handheld footage is a disaster…pls help
thanks for your Z6 review. i think anybody who could invest new camera system it's better going with Nikon Z, but you have already invested Canon EF it's better going to Canon EOS R.
9:20 Snapbridge, I have an iPhone 6S and could yet not manage it to connect that crappy Snapbridge to my Z6, nor D850 neither D500. Latest firmware upgrades, iOS, Snapbridge installed by 2019-08-26. Following EXACTLY the manual and guidelines.
Hmm. I use an iPhone X, I wonder if their support for older devices just doesn’t exist.
Do you use a clean flat profile or with adjustments? if with corrections, then with what?
It's so funny, that everyone brings up the flip screen and no one fixes it
Facts
Happy Z6 owner here.
Flip - fix? It works just fine to me!
Tried the Nikon Z6/z7 cameras against my Nikon D5 for sports photography under floodlights and the tracking was appalling on the mirrorless. Ponderously slow in comparison to my Nikon D5 cameras. One slot as I shoot Raw & JPEG was a problem I couldn’t feel secure in using just one card slot. If Nikon brings out a mirrorless to surpass the Nikon D5 in build and handling. New Nikon to take on Sony A9 or it’s newer equivalent whatever that is I will be released I will be interested but at the moment for my area of Action Sports it’s not worth it.
Very interesting. Was that with native glass or ftz adapted?
Tommy Callaway both native z and with Nikon F mount glass using the adaptor the focus tracking was rubbish. Mate has mirrorless Canon was equally rubbish. Sony photographers using Sony A9 with 400mm f2.8 lens was stunning in comparison.
The manual did state the bitrate for the video modes, the 4k video was fixed at 144mbps while fhd varied all the way up to 60mbps.
how to record more then 20 min ?
Would you recommend the Nikon z6 to wedding videographers. I am considering buying the Z6 for video, as I currently have D750 and Nikon lenses. Are FX lenses with adapter a bit slower to focus lock than Z lenses or not at all? I am interested in your thoughts? Do you know anyone using Z6 for wedding videos?
There are lots of wedding pros on the z6. Check out the z6/z7 user groups on Facebook - it’s fairly active and great for questions like this.
My laptop just overheats when I try to edit photos or even try to do videos always fails.
What software do you use to do your grading?
Davinci resolve, free version.
Sounds pretty stupid but I am not a big fan of that huge thumb grip because it puts presure on my thumb and hurts after a while. Don't have this problem with other cameras. But besides of that...it's amazing. Love the files, colors, buttons, evf, backscreen is also really big and high res and so on. Oh and the z lenses are really good as well. They also have character which i really like. Most modern lenses handle aboration and stuff well have great contrast and sharpness but they have no special look. If you take the 50 mm 1.8 z for example: this thing has swirly bokeh like the helios 44. Not crazy like helios though but enough to give it a nice almost filmic look.
Do you have experience with the Lumix s1? :)
Not yet my dude. I do love my GH5 though.
@@TommyCallaway would be cool to hear your thoughts on that one! :)
I just made a video about the Z6
Absolutely great review, very much appreciated!
I am a photographer (not a videographer) - but once in a while I do record some short scenes and frankly the quality of the output just blows my mind. And yeah, I love the 14-30mm, I have just recorded some nice scenes today with it in Norway.
Keep up your great work!
Thank you my dude! Drop a link to your photography if you've got any. Would love to see it.
@@TommyCallaway Hi Tommy, in general my photos are here: krasnesvetlo.cz/galery and as for 14-30mm photos I have a created a temporary gallery with photos made with trhis lens: www.dropbox.com/sh/wdyd4ziepwgdks2/AADUWVei8IE4J8y1oCYxwo15a?dl=0
@@CGYPP Fantastic work man.
..let's talk about it.
how come you didnt mention the drastic lag/delay of the live view, obviously when shooting video!?
It's around 250ms, that's a quarter of second.
How come this not a big issue?
I wrote nikon today, because i thought or hoped, it's gonna get fixed or better with some upcoming firmware updates...
Now, they releasing new Z cams... and i feel like the Z6 it's a thing of the past...
Try to shoot a live concert, or any thing... An actor close up talking... you get a weird feeling behind the Z6... it feels wrong, and actually something is wrong...
For me, that is the biggest fail of this camera and i feel actually betrayed. Nikon promoted the Z6 as semi pro or whatever video camera...
thx for listening.. i hope i get some response or help with this issue...
Not something I've ever had an issue with, or even noticed. But we've got different use cases. I would say hawk it on craigslist if it hurts your workflow and get something quicker. I have no brand loyalty. lol
@@TommyCallaway thanks for responding. Seems strange you didn't notice this issue. I'm curious what Nikon will say to this issue. In my opinion it's not possible to not notice this issue, when you working behind the camera. Maybe it's a thing of individual perception...
Why are you in so many different ecosystems?
Keeps it interesting! It’s all in the same room. Lol
Wall checkers!
Haha, yeah - thats some sound foam I've had since I first started using sound foam and learning about sound quality. I switched to the light grey pyramids about a year after that so I could reflect RGB lights off them and make it any color, as you've seen in most of my videos over the past year or so.
"You don't need a new camera to create great content" .... but has bought a new one anyway ... LOL
My content revolves heavily around filmmaker tech. For me, it’s pretty unavoidable sometimes. :)
@@TommyCallaway And you want it.....come, you can tell us! We all love buying new camera gear.
First 🙌🙌🙌
Battery life ? Evf ? Handling ? Z mount ? It seems like this video was rushed
Thanks for the feedback! There are certainly more things I could have covered, but I chose to go over the things that were most important to me.
Instead of whining, why not share your own experiences with the Z6? If you don't own one, perhaps politely request he touches on those areas in a future review. No need to be a dick.
@@rgsauve I do own one and I've watched Tommy's videos before and it felt that he did not covered a lot In this one, I'm not complaining Ijust wanted to know if there is a reason he did not cover all those things which he politely answered in comment section. Just slow your 🐎 dude and relax.
Who cares about lack of as card.
Xqd card is superior by a long shot
I mention that toward the end of the video 🤙🏻 totally agree.
Flyppy screen ....