GEAR
NIKON Z 8
So you’ll be filling roughly 1TB of card space in 24 minutes, which is how long we got to run the camera for before it overheated. That’s a lot of space, which requires a lot of memory cards and hard drives for storage plus a very fast computer to edit it. And being Raw, you have plenty of control in DaVinci Resolve – but noise reduction does need applying. We found changing white- balance also affects overall colours. Raw takes up tons of space, required more work in post, but does give the ultimate control. The Z 8 can also output 4.1K/60p ProRes Raw to an Atomos monitor/ recorder, and now even has Atomos- specific controls for its C2C system. There is also a new LUT and view assist when shooting in N-Log. But if you’re shooting in Raw, then it’s just to help you when monitoring as nothing is baked in. All the work is done in processing. For heat management, the smaller body means the Z 8 can’t dissipate as much heat as the larger Z 9, but it’s still pretty good. Nikon’s bizarre two hours and five minutes time limit on recording remains, but that’s half an hour longer than shooting 8K/24p in H.265 before overheating. Although, for short clips rather than extended recording, most users will have no issues. And who really wants to shoot hours of 8K/60p Raw footage on a mirrorless anyway? The sweet spot for quality is 4K/60p in ProRes 422. This gives natural colours, smooth skin tones and good high-ISO performance. Native ISO in N-Log is 800, though, so it does need some denoising. The only omission is anything faster than 120p. For a camera that’s perfect for action stills and video shooters, it’s a shame there’s no 240p in HD for super slow-motion. But that’s the only significant gripe we have with the Nikon Z 8. It is a fast machine that produces ridiculously detailed stills and video.
TOP GEARS Fix a follow focus and the Z 8 is a real dream for moviemaking – even with an AF lens set to manual focus
THE VERDICT This is the greatest ever Nikon camera for hybrid shooters who partake in a significant amount of filmmaking. It’s quite incredible for stills and movies in a smaller, lighter and cheaper body than the flagship Z 9. Video Raw is, unsurprisingly, simply stunning and gives Nikon an edge over mirrorless camera rivals. But you must demand the ultimate quality – and have both the time and resources to handle such large files – to justify using it regularly. For the rest of us, it’s hard to beat ProRes 422 HQ in 4K up to 120p. This camera deserves to be a smash hit with filmmakers – but with Nikon so far off the radar for most video-centric shooters, it’ll be an uphill battle. While Nikon might offer an impressive line-up of native Z mount AF glass, hardly any video shooters actually own any – or even F mount Nikkors which can be used with adapters and retain autofocus. If you’re after a set of cine lenses to get the most out of the sensor, Nikon Z mount versions are nearly impossible
to find. So, for a company with a long optical history remember, this could be one of the biggest hurdles to get filmmakers to jump ship to Nikon, despite how good the camera is.
More information
nikon.co.uk
HOW IT RATES
Features: 9 Incredible choice of codecs and the holy grail of Raw Performance: 9 High-res stills and video, fast frame rates, stunning AF Handling: 9 A Nikon made for video, but no fully articulated screen Value for money: 9 Cheaper than a Nikon Z 9 and better size for filmmaking OVERALL RATING: 9/10 Nikon’s best ever mirrorless camera for video Pros: Incredible video options, top build quality Cons: No 240fps slow motion, one CFexpress card slot
MIXED BAG The rear panel is a combination of Nikon DSLR-style controls and contemporary mirrorless design
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