Big test
SPECS › Prices £2299 (body only), body with 40mm f/2 SE £2519, body with 24-70mm f/4 £2849 › In the box Body, body cap, EN-EL15c li-ion battery, strap, USB-C cable › Resolution 24.5 megapixels › Sensor FX format 35.9x23.9mm, 6048x4032 pixels; DX format 24x16mm, 3984x2656 pixels; 1:1, 24x24mm, 4032x4032 pixels; 16x9, 36x20mm 6048x3400 pixels › Image formats Raw save options: lossless compressed, high efficiency (high) and high efficiency. JPEG: extra fine, fine, normal, basic. HEIF: fine, normal, basic › Storage media Dual slot: SD/ SDHC/SDXC card and microSD/ SDHC/SDXC › ISO range 100-64,000, expanded 50 to Hi1.7 204,800 equivalent in 1/3 or 1EV steps › In-body image stabiliser Five- axis image sensor shift with 8EV benefit. Lens shift IS on VR lenses › Shutter Mechanical, electronic front curtain, silent (electronic) shutter. Via shutter speed dial: 4secs to 1/8000sec. Via main command dial: 30secs to 1/8000sec, extendable to 900secs in M mode. B, T, X-sync › Exposure system PASM, matrix, centre-weighted, spot, highlight- weighted › Exposure compensation +/-3EV on dial, +/-5EV in 0.3EV steps when compensation dial set to C › Monitor 3.2in fully articulated touch panel, 2.1m dots › Viewfinder 0.5in OLED, 3690K dots › Focusing 273 AF points selectable in pinpoint (photo only), single point, dynamic areas (S, M and L in photo only), wide area (S, L, C1 and C2), auto area AF, 3D tracking (photo only), subject detect (people, animal, vehicle, airplanes) in manual focus, subject tracking AF (people, animal, vehicle, airplanes video only) › Drive modes Continuous high- speed 14fps with JPEGs and 12 with Raws. Up to 30fps in C30 mode. Pre-release capture mode in C30 give up to 1sec previous and 3sec/max post capture › Picture Control system Auto, standard, vivid, landscape, rich tone portrait, three mono profiles. Twenty Creative Picture Controls including Pop, Sunday, Sombre, Sepia, Toy, Denim and Graphite › Video 3840x2160 (4K UHD) 24p/25p/30p/50p/60p 1920x1080 Full HD 24p/25p/30p/50p/60p/100p/120p › Battery One EN-EL15c › Connectivity HDMI Type D, USB-C, 3.5mm headphone and microphone sockets, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth › Other key features (still) USB charging, multiple exposure, diffraction correction, vignette control, auto distortion correction, skin softening mode, focus shift and pixel shift › Dimensions (wxhxd) 144x103x49mm › Body weight 710g (with card and battery) › Contact nikon.co.uk
PERFORMANCE: EXPOSURE LATITUDE
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To test the latitude of the Z f’s Raws, we shoot scenes using the camera’s bracketing feature. It was interesting to note on our Z f sample that there was some inconsistency in the brackets, evident in the images shown here. It should have been a gap of one stop between each shot, but checking the EXIF data showed this was not the case even though brackets were taken in continuous shooting mode. Tolerance to underexposure was impressive and the Raws looked good once corrected with barely any noise in the -3EV frame. Overexposed frames also corrected well although the limit was +2.6EV,
especially when there was some bright sky in the frame. Any more overexposure gave unacceptable veiled, grey highlights.
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The compensation dial is not lockable, but is firmly click-stopped to prevent inadvertent use, and setting C gives the option of five-stop compensation via the rear input dial. The Z f, like almost every new camera, is blessed with a good spread of video features including 4K/60p video. Toggling between stills and video shooting is done with a simple lever at the base of the shutter speed dial and there’s an extra position labelled B&W. Engage this for mono previews – even if you are only shooting Raws. In the menu, there are a total of three JPEG Picture Control settings: monochrome, flat monochrome and deep tone monochrome, which give slightly different renderings. But if
A LOT UP TOP The Z f’s top-plate (above) is especially vintage, with some huge, ergonomic dials On the back-plate, there’s no focus joystick for moving the focus zone around, so you have to use the eight- way D-pad. That’s OK, but it’s not as intuitive as a joystick. However, the touch monitor can be used with the eye up to the viewfinder eyepiece. In practice, that’s a good solution, but it probably suits right-eyed users more. Also missing is a dedicated AF-ON button, but that function could be assigned to the AE-L/AF-L button or front function button. you prefer more contrast, clarity or have a filter applied, you can do this too and save them as presets.
Issue 112 | Photography News 21
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