Disclaimer: While I am not one of Fujifilm’s X-Photographers, I was paid to work with this camera on a recent assignment as part of the launch of the FUJIFILM GFX 100. I want my readers to be aware of this upfront. With that in mind, also know that this system is going to be my...
This article was originally published in my Winter 2019 Newsletter. Over the last four months I have been shooting a lot with the new Nikon Z mirrorless cameras as can be seen in the last few Newsletter equipment reviews. At first, I thought the new cameras were cute, tiny little gizmos that were a great...
Michael,
Thanks for the review. Based on your review I’m renting the Z 6 this weekend for short assignment. I’ll have my trusty d810 and Z 6 together to compare images. I was aiming for the d850, but it’s a little out of reach at the moment. But, if I’m not thrilled with the Z I will wait longer. On another note, thank you for the Workflow ebook. It has been a huge help in designing my own backup system as well as many other topics. Excellent work!
Randy
I owned 4 nikons d750 then i bought z6 and… it did not stole my heart. no i own 4 fuji xt3 – i know its not full frame… but i love it! it small, its genius and to work on it gives you so much fun! sorry nikon…
The Winter 2019 issue of the Michael Clark Photography Newsletter is now available for download. If you’d like to sign up for the Newsletter just drop me an email and I’ll add you to the mailing list. This issue includes an editorial entitled Skiing with the Bison, a review of the Nikon Z6, an article detailing my...
nice <3
In just about every aspect, the Nikon Z6 is identical to the Z7 save for the sensor, which in the case of the Z6 is a 24.5 MP sensor instead of the Z7’s 45.7 MP sensor. Hence, for this review, I am not going to rehash everything discussed in my Nikon Z7 review. I will...
Great review! I am anxious to try out my first mirrorless and think the Z6 would be great with my D850 bodies as well. I noticed you said that under 1/400th you turn OFF IBIS and above you turn it on? I am confused as to why when using slower shutter speeds you’d turn it off? Again, great write up sir!
Scott – Thanks for catching that. I just corrected that. Below 1/400th second I turn the IBIS on and above 1/400th second I turn it off. Sorry for the confusion.
It was a bit of a relief to read your experience with somewhat soft images. I have yet to offload an image I consider really sharp using the 24-70/4, 50/1.4 ais, 70-200/2.8 VRII, or 500/4 AF-S. They’re all “ok” on the rear screen (until pixel peeping, which I never did with my D700 or D800), but kind of frustrating on the monitor. I’ll try the setting you recommend for Adobe and experiment from there. I’m also going to try Nikon’s software and compare how it handles to raw images.
I also wonder about the AA filter. I’d far rather deal with an occasional moire in post than have a strong filter that compromises overall sharpness.
Vince – Yes, they come in looking quite soft and adjusting the sharpening in Lightroom makes all the difference in the world.
Hi Michael,
Thanks for the thoughtful and informative review.
With the current (Feb 2019) Z6 firmware, are you finding that, when shooting action in high frame rate AF-C, the two Wide AF area modes gnerally work best?
Michael,
Thanks for the great review. You said ‘the AF tracking capabilities of the Z6 are still no where near as capable as those in my trusty Nikon D850 or the AF capabilities of the Sony A9.’ But is the AF good enough for your type of action photography? Or will you primarily be using the video features of the camera?
I’d love to get the Z6 for portrait photography but I’m still unsure whether the limtited AF capabilities could cause problems. (I’ll be shooting one ore two weddings, too.)
Regards,
Johannes
The Z6 can track some subjects quite well as shown in that ski shot. It is just super fast erratic subjects that it might have trouble with. I am still experimenting with AF modes on the Z6. But my go to AF mode is the dynamic AF mode for AF-C.
The D850, and the Nikon D5, still hav the best AF on the market as far as I know. The new AF update for the Sony A9 might surpass those but that is still yet to be figured out. For me it doesn’t matter as I don’t shoot with Sony. The AF on the Z6 is excellent, but for crazy fast sports work it might not be up to the task as well as the D850. For anything not moving crazy fast it is more than capable. For weddings you would have no issues at all with the AF. For portraiture it is totally fine, though I suppose that depends on what you are expecting. The new Eye AF feature to be released in May will hopefully allow it to focus on eyes at f/1.4. For that type of stuff I just click over to manual and use focus peaking when shooting portraits with my Nikkor 85mm f/1.4 on the Z6 (with the adapter). That is more accurate than even the 85mm wide open on my D850. We will see what the new firmware update brings on that front. Fingers crossed it is amazing!
Great review! I actually jumped head-first into the Nikon mirrorless system late December 2018. So far, I’m loving everything about it – the size, the mount size, the EVF, the display, ergonomics, etc. I’m very hopeful having peeped some of the Eye AF content recently that with these firmware updates, the camera will improve significantly. I weighed waiting–even trying the A7iii, but in the end, the optics possibilities intrigued me with the Z series cameras which is one of the biggest reasons I stayed with Nikon. That, and to see all my glass and learn a whole new system just seemed too much for me at the time.
Over all, really loving the camera. Switching the WB modes, the AF modes, all of that is so intuitive. One thing I was wondering about is when you’re using off camera flash. Does anyone know if you’re setting up a shot and your killing all the ambient, is there a way to see the image exposed normally so as to gain focus, without switching your ISO or shutter back and forth – lightening it up to see the object and focus, then changing it back to the exposure for flash before shooting? Is there a way to change that function so you only see the image after you’ve shot it – but not in the EVF?
Thanks again for your indepth reviews – always interesting stuff – especially when it affirms my purchase decisions. 🙂
A
Andy – Likewise, I am loving the new Z series Nikon mirrorless cameras as well. There is a way to be able to see your subject when shooting with flash and when underexposing. Go to the Custom Settings menu to “d8 Apply settings to live view” and turn it to off. Then the EVF will give you a real time view of what is in front of the camera so you can see what is going on. Hope this helps.
[…] entirely at home with the Z 6 yet: there are issues with sharpening parameters, which are addressed here […]
Thanks Michael! I’ll try that out – that will make things way easier! Loving this camera. Very excited to see their Eye AF update in May – an add on to an already amazing camera. So glad I upgraded from the D750! Keep up the amazing work and thorough reviews.
A
Excellent review! I was very excited when Nikon ANNOUNCEd this camera, but the AF capabilities do give me pause. I primarily shoot outdoor actions sports with a D850 and D4. However, last year I bought a Sony A7iii for video and did some experimenting using it to shoot some mountain bike events. The Sony has excellent AF, but lacks in other areas that made it less than ideal for my work in event photography. I certainly loved the video capabilities of the Sony, but after an 8 month trial, I decided to sell it. With my D4, d850, and all my past Nikon cameras I prefer to use AF-C with single point or occasionally 9 point AF options. In your experience, how does the Z6 AF-C single point stack up to the d85o for fast moving subjects at relatively close range?
Curtis – As I said in the review the Z 6 is no D850 in terms of AF. It did pretty well with surfing but the subject was quite far away. It isn’t as bad as the internet might lead you to believe. Also, Nikon is upgrading the AF here in a few weeks so we will have to see. You will have to try it out for yourself to see if it will work for you.
[…] about the Z6 camera, as there are already vast masses of reviews out there. Take a look at this blog by Michael Clark and this review on […]
Thank you for the review. Nikon z6 is already on my shopping list for the upcoming wedding season (if it starts :)). The only thing I miss is an electronic shutter faster than 1/8000
Thank you for the review !
Great Review!
A great description of the equipment I am thinking of buying a Nikon
Really nice review! thanks 🙂
I’ve been shooting with the z6ii for the past year and a half. this is the first time I had heard of this issue, but you’re totally right! It has been frustrating seeing just off from sharp images, yet when I record in 4k video, my video is sharper than my images could ever be, especially in low light. Don’t get me wrong though, I do really love the camera. I am just very happy to see that this issue is not just my own!
great article thanks
Over the last three or four years, I have been watching the mirrorless market as it grows and matures. While teaching workshops, I have had the chance to play with quite a few different mirrorless cameras brought by participants. Every time I have picked up a mirrorless camera in the past my reaction was no,...
Great in-depth review Michael! I received the Z7 along with the FTZ adapter and 24-70S lens when released. It is not a replacement for my D850 or D5, but overall I think it is an EXCELLENT piece of gear. I intend to put it to a lot of use, often alongside the 850 or D5, and often solo on it’s own. My sample with the 24-70 is incredibly sharop and really nails the focus everytime (still, not action)..
Thanks again for the review..
Tony
Excellent Review! Thank you for all the hardwork and rational assessment.
I’m also keeping my D850…. but I do agree the Z7 is an excellent camera all considered.
BUT Nikon messed up seriously on options to customize the control buttons. They have chucked out major +ves of their top DSLRs. Two irritating glitches:-
1. Unlike the Trifecta of the D500/D5/D850 the AF performance is hamstrung by the inability to assign different AF settings (ie AFC + single-point) to a Fn button. So you cannot toggle from Group to a Single-Point. This is a showstopper IME and not only shooting action but any portrait.
2. The Image Protect function cannot be set to kick in only when in Playback mode. Nikon caused this problem by killing off the Image-Protect button (yet there is enough space top left, rear above Playback & Delete);
I found last week’s firmware upgrade a BIG disappointment that these bugs\lost functions have been ignored by Nikon.
If Nikon make a mature revamp an upgrade of the firmware a MOST URGENT priority, then they will set a new precedent in customer relations. I would advise prospective buyers to hold back to see if the Z6 has improved customization.
Michael,
Great review. Thanks for taking the time and effort to write that up. The Nikon Mirrorless Cameras are certainly getting all the love right now.
Have you had a chance to shoot with the 500 f5.6 PFE lens? I’ve shot a bunch of surfing, soccer, scenics with it and it is awesome. Razor sharp, crazy light weight and compact. My new travel lens for sure as it can fit in my carry on and not attract a ton of attention.
Appreciate your newsletter too!
Bill
Bill – I have not shot with that new 500mm PFE. I love the 300 and take it with me just about everywhere. I wish they made that in a Z mount. Not sure I want to buy any F-mount lenses anymore.
Very nice and practical review. This is my first Nikon and I am enjoying it. Easier for me since I don’t have other Nikon bodies to compare to.
Hello Michael,
Do you happen to know whether the combination of the latest manual focus Zeiss Milvus lenses and the Z7 body provide for the full functionality?
Thx and cheers
Klaus
Klaus – I have not tried them Zeiss Milvus lenses on the Z7 but I don’t see why they wouldn’t work just fine–especially since they are manual focus lenses.
[…] — i.e. fast paced action in dark, mixed lighting. The Z7 did incredibly well. Check out the full review of the Z7 on my […]
[…] 45.7 MP sensor. Hence, for this review, I am not going to rehash everything discussed in my Nikon Z7 review. I will instead concentrate on how the Z6 is different than the Z7 and why for me it was the better […]
Over the past year or more, in anticipation of this time–where Nikon, Canon and everyone else would jump on the mirrorless train–I have been testing out and thinking a lot–too much really–about the equipment I use and what the future holds. It has been clear for a while now, at least to me, that mirrorless...
Hi Michael,
Thanks for sharing your thoughts about the Mirrorless world.
Since Nikon and Canon entered the full frame Mirrorless focusing most of their marketing on the lens mount itself I have been wondering what are the advantages of having a bigger diameter mount like Nikon vs the Sony smaller mount diameter.
In 1987 Canon introduced the EF mount with a much bigger diameter than Nikon and Nikon was still able to build awesome lenses on pair with Canon.
Do you know what are the advantages of the bigger diameter lens mount?
Cheers
Martim – Hello. There are quite a few benefits to a larger lens mount, and especially with such a short flange distance like the Z series Nikons and R series Canons. First it simplifies the lens design pretty seriously, allowing lenses to be built with fewer elements, which means more light reaches the sensor (i.e. fewer lens surface interfaces). Second, you can also collimate the light so it is striking the sensor straight on instead of being bent at radical angles. This reduces Chromatic Aberration and also allows for much sharper rendering in the corners than previously. Thirds, it allows for using IBIS to it’s full potential. Fourth, in the case of the Nikon, it might mean that we are using the center of the lens more – i.e. the best part of the optics. With the Z7 I have not really seen any CA at all, which is pretty phenomenal. I will discuss this more in my actual review. This covers the basics of a larger lens mount. I am sure there is a lot I don’t know. Nikon released a very extensive PDF all about the reasoning behind the larger lens mount.
[…] I wrote about in my last blog post, entitled Random Thoughts on Mirrorless Camera Systems, while the small, lightweight form factor of the Z7 is great for some situations, it can be a […]
Excellent thoughts about mirrorless Michael! I totally agree that the future will be (or should be) a range of mirrorless cameras incorporating the advantages and minimizing the disadvantages of mirrorless. I’m very pleased with the Z7, but already thinking about a Z850 :-).
Many Thanks for the article. As a long-time (mostly) Leica user I am clearly not in the telephoto or ‘need for speed’ lane. As such, I now cannot imagine having to use those big, long-lens units of my youth! (Especially as most Leica lenses are basically miniaturized.)
At Photokina a few weeks ago the crowds of people around the mirrorless stands were many bodies deep. Probably 75% of them were carrying DSLR cameras so it was possible to see, first-hand, the enormous interest in mirrorless. I did persevere and got to fondle the Nikon Z7. Very nice!
The Summer 2018 issue of the Michael Clark Photography Newsletter is now available for download. If you’d like to sign up for the Newsletter just drop me an email and I’ll add you to the mailing list. This issue includes an editorial about the award winning Lighting the Spirit project, a review of the new Elinchrom ELB...
Michael,
Please know that the work you put into these newsletters is so appreciated. You’ve mentioned before that you’re not sure wether it is worth the effort, but I have learned a lot from you and from these newsletters. Thank you for publishing them. Randy
© 2024 Michael Clark Photography|ProPhoto7
incredible images! I’d love to get the Fuji one day when my budget allows it.
THank you for your review, TheRe’s No one out there that describes the technology the way you do. Thank you. Question…The h6d-100c has a larger sensor what’s your guess as to difference in quality? Also, in previous blogs you were sold on Nikon mirrorless, what features are missing on the gfx100?
Great Review! 🙌
Alberto – Hard to say what the differences are in image quality. It will be close between the Hasselblad H6D 100c and the GFX 100. I am betting the H6D might have a smidge more dynamic range but only by a hair if it does. The GFX 100 is so much easier to use and so much more versatile that it doesn’t matter to me. Also, the Fujifilm GF lenses are sharper than the Hasselblad H series lenses. In terms of what features the GFX 100 is missing there are not many–if any at all. It has pretty much everything the Nikon mirrorless cameras have and a better EVF and better autofocus.
HI MICHEAL. HAVE YOU TRIED USING ANY OF YOUR NIKON LENSES with an adapter on this body yet? I am curious how well this would work. Obviously, native is the way to go, but when you already have investment in one set of glass, then got to make that work for a while.
Glenn – I have not tried any 3rd party lenses as of yet. I have a whole set of the Fujifilm GF lenses so I haven’t needed to but at some point that might happen.
Have you been able to work around 125 sync speed?
I haven’t used that 1/125th shutter speed – I used Hi-Sync and HSS, which allows me to work at any shutter speed up to 1/4000th of a second. HS (with the Elinchrom ELB 1200 strobes) is way more powerful than HSS so that is my main option for the sports images. For portraits the HSS option (with the Elinchrom ELB 500 TTL) is super easy to work with.
I’m sure this is a great camera…but – I think there are some things here that maybe need more context. I own a H5X and have shot it on a Credo 40/60 and recently iq3 100. I’ve always been able to handhold images down to around 1/125 and get 50-75% in focus (and any issues are AF related, not vibration), i don’t think you’re giving yourself enough credit – a photographer as talented as you surely has a higher in focus rate than 5%.
Also – (and I know you know this), HSS isn’t the same as true leaf shutter 1/800 sync. You’re giving up a LOT of power (or DOF, or distance you can throw the light) to use hss, plus you need the right flashes and triggers. (which is also true with leaf shutters, you need a short enough flash duration and fast enough trigger to get them to work).
This is probably the camera I’d buy if I didn’t have a MF setup, but the lack of leaf lenses would give me serious pause – but that depends on how you work. The price and speed are phenomenal.
Douglas – For me it wasn’t AF issues with the Hasselblad it was camera shake issues. I drink way too much caffeine and for critical tack sharp images I would be hard pressed to get many images tack sharp (or as sharp as I would like) at 1/125th second with my H5D 50c. Even at 1/500th second it was 50/50 if it would be tack, tack sharp on the Hasselblad handheld. The AF was slow on that camera but very accurate. Yesterday, I was testing out the GFX 100 with the 100-200 mm lens and at 1/40th second to 1/80th second handheld we got repeatedly crazy-sharp images on the GFX 100. That is pretty impressive.
I am definitely aware of the limitations of HSS and it is not nearly as powerful as leaf shutters. No question there. I am holding onto a few of my Hasselblad lenses and can use their leaf shutters with an adapter on the GFX 100. But, HS (Hi-Sync), which is different than HSS and leaf shutter techniques, is way more powerful for what I do than either leaf shutters or HSS and because the GFX 100 has higher shutter speeds (one stop more than the H6D at least) it is definitely pretty versatile with HS flash techniques.
None of this is to say that the Hasselblad or Phase offerings are not great cameras as well. They are beautiful cameras with incredible image quality. They are just more limited as to what they do for a wide variety of photography genres and that is where the GFX 100 really shines — along with image quality.