Photography News Issue 59

Photography News | Issue 59 | photographynews.co.uk

News

Nikon’s full-frame mirrorless system unveiled After much rumour-mongering, video teasers and crystal ball gazing, the Nikon Z system is finally here

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Prices Z 7 body £3399; Z 7 with 24-70mm f/4 kit £3999; Z 7 with FTZ adapter kit £3499; Z 7 with 24-70mm and FTZ adapter kit £4099. Lenses 50mm f/1.8 S £599; 35mm f/1.8 S £849; 24-70mm f/4 £999; FTZ adapter £269 Sensor 45.7-megapixels BSI CMOS sensor Sensor format 35mm full-frame 35.9x23.9mm, 8256x5504pixels ISO range 64-25,600 (expandable to ISO 32 and 104,800 equivalent) Shutter range 30secs to 1/8000sec plus B, flash sync at 1/200sec Drive modes Fastest rate 9fps Metering system Matrix, centre-weighted, spot, highlight weighted Exposure modes PASM Exposure compensation +/-5EV Monitor 2.1m dot tilting 3.2in touch screen, 100% frame coverage Viewfinder 3.6m dot EVF Focus points 493 phase detect points in single AF covering 90% of the image area – usable in single-point, pinpoint, dynamic area, wide area, auto area Video 4K UHD 3840x2190 at 30p, 25p, 24p. 1920x1080 at 120p, 100p, 60p, 50p, 30p, 25p, 24p Connectivity Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, HDMI-C, USB-C Other key features Five-axis image sensor shift IS Battery EN-EL15b (USB) rechargeable, EN- EL15a can be used but with lower capacity and no USB recharging Storage media 1x XQD slot Dimensions (wxhxd) 134x100.5x67.5mm Weight 675g body with battery and card Contact nikon.co.uk

The launch of a new camera is a special event; the launch of a whole new camera system is up another notch, especially when it is something as eagerly anticipated as the Nikon’s full-frame mirrorless system. Now it’s here. Has the wait been worth it? Well, that depends on your perspective. If you’ve wanted to go mirrorless and were frustratedbyNikon’s inactivity, then you have already switched. And if you’ve hung on in the hope that Nikon would eventually go mirrorless with something worth waiting for, then your patience might well have been rewarded. TheZ 6andZ 7arethetwocameras that were announced, together with three lenses and a lens adapter, and just to show its commitment to its new enterprise, Nikon also revealed a lens roadmap that takes the system up to 2020. There is no doubt that Nikon is taking the Z system very seriously and its stated aim is to regain the number one spot in the full-frame camera market. Kicking off this mission are two physically identical bodies that have different specs; an exciting move which gives prospective Z owners a choice. The Z 6 (what happened to the Z 1 and Z 2?) is the entry-level model with a 24.5-megapixel resolution, an ISO 100-51,200 range (expandable After going hands on with the new cameras and lenses, I was impressed without being blown away. A full-frame Nikon mirrorless body has been a long time coming and the Z 6 and Z 7 seem to match the competition in most areas. That said, who cares about the competition? The first thing a Nikon mirrorless camera needs to do is hold onto the faithful who might well wander off to Sony’s A7R III. The good news for Nikonians is that the Z 6 and Z 7 feel like proper photographic tools. They’re not flimsy pieces of tech. They seemed to handle beautifully, and I was instantly at home with the layout and menus. The only head scratcher was working out where

to ISO 50 and up to 204,800 equivalent), 273 AF points covering 90% of the image area and a top shooting speed of 12fps. No Z 6 samples were at the launch so the floor was left to the Z 7. This

boasts a 45.7-megapixel CMOS sensor, an ISO range of 64-25,600 (expandable to 32-102,400), a phase detect 493 AF point system covering 90% of the image and a top 9fps shooting rate.

Shared system features include a high-resolution EVF, tilting touch monitor, robust weatherproof build, Wi-Fi/Bluetooth connectivity and the new EXPEED 6 processing engine. The Z system is the first from

Hands onwithKingsleySingleton

the AF mode selector had been moved to. Eventually I found it mapped to the Fn2 button by the lens. Problem solved. The EVF seemed excellent, and that’s a big deal, as screens have always been second best to optical for me. Also impressive was the focusing speed. My D850 is no slouch, but there are benefits to a hybrid AF system that a DSLR simply can’t replicate. I’m hoping it’ll solve the perennial problem of keeping pace with an on-rushing spaniel. The smaller size and weight of the new cameras is good, but it’s not vital for me, bad back or not, and I’d still have to carry my wide and telephoto lenses plus the FTZ adapter now, anyway, so it’s a moot point.

Battery life and the single card slots are a worry. Won’t the benefit of less weight be taken up by carrying extra spare cells? I’ve also go used to dual card slots, so I’m reluctant to go back to just one. Overall though, the Z system cameras and lenses really

impressed me, and particularly so considering the engineering of a new lens mount. Nikon has hopefully future-proofed itself with the bigger mount when it couldhave just lobbed amirrorless set-up behind the F mount. The benefits could be huge.