My Thoughts on Nikon's New Mirrorless System
As the dust settles on the hype of the Z7 and Z6. As a Nikon user, I really feel that they had got it all wrong.
One Card Slot
I am sure this is not the first time you hear this and it is: ONE CARD SLOT! Why? It is now 2018, even Hasselblad put a dual card slot into their new H6D. Backup starts in camera and trust me cards to fail; rare but they do. Only 3 years ago, many criticise Sony A7RII for just having a single card slot. Lack of native glass selection. They listened to feedbacks and improved. Look where are they now.
Ergonomics
Nikon’s ergonomics always feel right for me. (By the way, I still hate the fact they reverse the focus and zoom ring of the 70-200mm f2.8 E. I thought I can get use to it but it is just to easy to bump the focus ring and throw the focus off while shooting) All the important setting like aperture, shutter, focus, release mode & etc have a dedicated button or dial. As long as you are familiar, you never need to take your eye off the view finder and your right hand off the camera grip while changing them. Most of the time when you upgrade your Nikon camera body, the minute you pick it up, you can start shooting without going through the manual. Looking at the Z7 and Z6 while they do maintain most of Nikon’s ergonomics. The 2 things I find that is not as well thought out are the focus and release mode. The focus mode is no longer on the left hand side of the camera. In fact is there is no dedicated button for it anymore. You can custom function it to the right hand custom function button and use your left hand pinky finger to change the mode while shooting. For this one, it is not that much of a big deal but I would prefer it to be on the left as it has been there since the film SLR days. The next one is a big compromise. The release mode is no longer on the top left dial but on the lower right of the camera. Quite awkward to change it with your right thumb and likely you’ll need to use your left hand to do so. I do hope they redesign these 2 mode buttons on the next gen body to where they used to be. Redesign the card door too, having the thumb rest as part of the card door is a bad idea. In time it will fail.
Auto focus - No Eye AF
We have to say goodbye to Group AF, 3D tracking and some of the other AF-C tracking modes. There are mixed reports on how well the Z7 AF tracks, but the one thing I am quite disappointed is that they didn’t implement their own version of Eye AF. Eye AF is a game changer. In a still image, if the eye if out of focus, you can trash that image. The face ID seems to do quite well on video but in still image that may not be the case. Especially, if you are shooting wide open. Not having this new form of AF mode maybe a deal breaker.
Poor lens line up at launch
Nikon launch the Z7 with a 24-70mm f4 S and a 35mm f1.8 S. The Z6 & 50mm f1.8 S on a later date. Looking at Canon, EOS R launch with a RF 28-70mm F2 (It is f2!), RF 24-105 f4, RF 50mm f1.2 and a RF 35mm f1.8. A much better lens selection and options for both consumers and professionals. The 3 different EOS R adapters and the R lens multi function ring are big pluses. I do think Nikon spend too much effort trying to launch 2 body at once and hence handicap their lens selection. There is a 3 year lens roadmap, but the problem is, with the hype of the new big S mount, shouldn’t we see more f1.4, f1.2 or even f1 glass? Yes, there is 58mm f0.95 S lens but it’s manual focus.
Price
Nikon call the Z7 the mirrorless D850 (It’s not!) and priced it is even more expensive than the D850. The D850 is overall the best 35mm DSLR money can buy period. (If you don’t consider the video side) That’s the reason why was always out of stock for about 10 to 12 months since it’s launch. I’ve walk passed a camera retail about a month back and there I see the Z7 sits quietly on the shelf. After speaking to the sales, it is currently selling at about 5k SGD which I think is ridiculous! The Z7’s main competitor is the Sony A7RIII. Another thing is, the point and shoot market is gone and Nikon do not have a Mirrorless Market. Nikon should have price it around the same as the A7RIII and give Sony a run for it’s money. The Sony A7RIII and A7III is by far a better camera solution for anyone that wants to go into mirrorless, period. The Nikon 35mm f1.8 S is also over priced. It’s a f1.8 selling at about $850 USD (About 1.1k in Singapore) about $300 USD more than the F mount f1.8 glass. I really can’t imagine how much they will charge for a f1.4 glass.
FPS compromise
Part of usual marketing hype, the advertise 9 fps of the Z7 does come with a catch. In the past, it will be by adding a battery grip. (By the way Nikon said there is no battery grip with shutter release button for the Z7 and Z6. They say they will only make a battery pack. WTF?) As FPS is really not my no 1 concern but by now I am already quite disappointed with the system. I didn’t really find out how the compromise kick in but I believe is it in the RAW 12/14bit setting and some exposure lock thingy. By the way, the AF assist light is GREEN!
To sum up, Nikon really blew it. They had all the time to make things right the 1st time but yet they followed Sony’s old path. Nikon (& Canon) always fear to launch products that will cannibalise their existing product line up. In the case, the DSLR market. If you don’t cannibalise your own product someone else will.