This year, I finally made a full step for Nikon Z System. It is true that I have owned Nikon Z6 for some time, but it was not my main camera because its autofocus was not enough for most wildlife scenarios. Recently, I went to Nikon Z8, and while it is a great camera, it is In fact An upgrade from my trusted Nikon D500?
Nikon D500
The longest time, I used Nikon D500. In fact, I still use it from time to time, recently sent it to Nikon for a general cleaning. Everyone knows that D500 is a great camera. It is very fast, and its autofocus is still not the best.
I also had to accept that I love optical viewfinder! I know I am in a minority, but I enjoy optical viewfinder in more than one electronic one. Of course, it is better to judge electronic viewfinder exposure, and optical viewfinder cannot be used for video. But there is something magical about looking at the image without a screen. In addition, visualization can be used while the camera is closed to test birds without testing compositions and using battery power.
Then the fact is that DSLR is immediately turned on like the D500. The second day, I really tested it and tried to suppress the shutter button as soon as the switch fell. Do you know what? It took a picture correct and autofocus starts functioning immediately. he is still Mirrorless cameras like Z8 are not true.
And finally, can we talk about battery life? D500 is a skilled camera. Last year, during most of my days in the Brazilian Atlantic One, I always kept three batteries with me. But I could not remember once when a full battery did not last long. Not one. I swaps the battery at a two-time level to feel comfortable, but I could meet just one battery throughout the day! This cannot be done with Z8.
Is Z system really better?
We had the second day A pole about the best nicon cameraAnd after thousands of votes, Z8 won. Even defeated the D500 head-to-head in a score of 76% to 24%. So is it better than D500? Is this really?
Well, this is not one of those contradictory, “DSLR is better” article. The truth is that, I think Z8 is a better camera, but perhaps not for clear reasons that most people agree, such as its theme recognition, high -speed shooting on 20fps, and 8K video.
In fact, 20 FPS is not as important for me (although in some cases it is useful). Even D500 to 11 FPS was quite good, and I do not use burst. In fact, I have ever used the UHS-I SD card in my D500, and I have treated the CFEXPRESS slot only as a backup!
Similarly, 8K video is something I will not use often. Perhaps sometimes to zoom in the post, but otherwise, not. Actually, when I am doing the video, I always output in 1080p, so 4K usually has a lot for cropping or zooming.
So, why did I get Z8, even if I don’t use all its characteristics? This is actually a mode that I enjoy on D500: Blackout-free, silent shoots with electronic shutters. The fact is that, finding a good composition with a bird is rare, and when I get it, I feel completely in the moment. It is very peaceful, and a completely silent shutter fits so much better with the experience that makes noise with just a mechanical shutter.
I will tell you a story. On the second day, I was shooting an intimate landscape with Z6, which is also a luxurious Z-mount camera. This was one of the rare moments where I was using a tripod, creating my shot with a rear-view screen peacefully. I spent the whole day in the field, tried to find the most organized looking and deliberate photos of the grass. (No, I was not expecting to fly in the grass for a bird – Haha!)
The best thing was that I was just sitting there, no one was around, only listening to the air through the leaves and sometimes (I am afraid to say) the distant voice of the Sawan Sparrow. Such a rare thing these days is for moments without the sound of civilization, and when I can do such a moment I cherish it deeply. And in this silence, I really praised the silent shutter. It sounds like a small thing, but for me it is very big.
Mirrorless is also better than other methods. In addition to sound, silent shutter does not mean shutter shock. On this occasion, I have seen a little shutter shock with D500, and I have lost some image quality on some occasions. And hey, full-frame sensor, more accurate autofocus, and Sinkro-VR ibis are very good!
I also enjoy that the AF system can be used with a rear LCD screen. With the D500, the autofocus was very slow in the live view leaving stable subjects. I think it is very easy to shoot the following-level shots with the rear LCD of the Z8-and I like the following-level shots. Any DSLR that I have used can compare.
conclusion
So, is the Z system F-mount an improvement in DSLR days? I know it’s for my work. On the other hand, I can think of many strong arguments for F-mount, depending on personal preferences. For example, when I raise my D500, I praise its simplicity. It has received very little autofocus mode, but they simply work fine, and honestly, I am sure this Z8 can keep it with 95% time. Most flights in 5% time have more uncertain birds; Then Z8 pulls forward.
Anyway, a lot of people believe that when a new piece of gear is very advanced, it will automatically increase their keper rate. I never found that for this to happen, not with the upgrade of any camera that I did in the past.
Instead, the only thing that will actually increase your keeper rate is extending your time in the field, and in fact wondering what kind of compositions you want. What new gear Be able to do When you potentially reach the amazing composition, remove some obstacles to get the shot, and I think it’s one thing that the Z system does very well.
