Nikon D850 vs Nikon Z7

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Stany Buyle
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Nikon D850 vs Nikon Z7

Post by Stany Buyle »

I was using both cameras from their first moment of availability and after that for many thousands of shots. I also used them next to each other for about 2 months.
After some months I sold my D850 because I find Z7 with it's ML concept a MUCH better camera for what I do.
Z7 uses the same kind of sensor than D850, so there is NO difference in IQ.

Reasons why I find Z7 a better camera are:
  • The possibility of total silent shooting(while looking through the viewfinder) which is very important when I'm taking pictures on professional billiard tournaments. Players simply hate the loud click of DSLRs and some organisations even forbit the use of DSLRs. People who are involved in wedding-, classic music- or theatre photography, -just to mention some of the various photographic situations where silence is required-, appreciate that same advantage ML offers over DSLR.
  • No mirror slap means less vibration for macro shooting.
  • WYSWYG in the viewfinder (D8 set to "ON"): No more disappointments of over- or under exposed pictures... Excellent for perfectly exposed moonshots, helpful when you want to take a picture of a bird in dark shadow on a very sunny day, and more...
  • ML' AF is more precise. While taking stills, everything simply looks sharper than what I got with my former dslrs.
  • Back- and front focusing issues because of imperfect secondary mirror alignment do not exist anymore while using ML.
  • ML offers a MUCH bigger AF field coverage than classic DSLRs. Even very expensive DSLRs like D5 have that tiny AF point coverage. The old focus and recompose trick automatically makes AF less precise because you move and the angle gets a little different. Up to that focus and recompose takes time.
  • Because of the MUCH bigger AF field coverage ML offers vs the DSLR's tiny AF coverage, the advantage of ML is enormous when you use auto AF for BIF or action photography.
  • Magnification in viewfinder. Again a plus for tele and macro shooting
  • Lenses in combination with TC's used on ML cameras autofocus MUCH more precise than how they do on DSLR.
  • Full coverage of the scene in the viewfinder when you use a DX lens
  • The incredible, versatile, compact, well built, sharp, super fast & close focusing 24/70 F4 S, the most attractive 24-70 I ever had...
  • 9 fps at 45Mp on my Z7 while only 7 fps with a D850(without grip) and Z6 even does 11 fps...
  • Nikon ML is incomparable much better for video than its dslr counterparts (D850-D5-...).
  • ML cameras are smaller, lighter, more compact and more discrete...
  • Weight: My Z7 & Z6 together weigh less than my D850 with battery grip alone…
  • ….
In the mean time, under while more than a year ago I replaced my D4 with a Z6. IQ at low & high iso is significantly better with more resolution. Up to that Z6 & Z7 are perfectly complementary cameras with exactly the same body, something that can't be said from a D4 & D850 combo, or a D850 combined with a D750... Last time Nikon offered this perfect couple was D3s & D3x...

And about the Nikon Z'AF system: simply fantastic for a first appearance in the ML world, and after the latest firmware upgrades also for tracking and eye recognition. The only negative is the way tracking has to be started by the photographer and this needs a total interface makeover.

2020 02 18 - Update after FU 3.00 for Z7 (and Z6):
With this update Z' now has a ML' AF focusing system that is as good, or perhaps even better than Sony'ML full frame cameras and way better than Fuji and Canon' ML.
The eye and animal eye recognition works incredible well.
The AF tracking became usable now with a modified UI as I hoped for, but still not on D500- AF-locking-speed level for fast moving subjects.

Thanks for your attention and kindest regards,
Stany Buyle
Richard
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Re: Nikon D850 vs Nikon Z7

Post by Richard »

Merci!
Amitiés
RB
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