Nikon Z7II April 26 Update-Good or Not??

Ok folks with the Nikon Z7II and who are wildlife photographers.  Is this new update great, good or just so so???  I have the Nikon D500 and D850 and am very on the fence, since I LOVE my D850 and my Nikon 500 PF, 300 PF and 500 f/4E, FL lenses.

Thanks!

I had the Z7II for a week. Pre new firmware though. It’s a step down in performance from what you have. I’d wait for Z8 or 9 to come along.

Scott Fairbairn wrote:I had the Z7II for a week. Pre new firmware though. It’s a step down in performance from what you have. I’d wait for Z8 or 9 to come along.

It's definitely going to be interesting to see how well Tower Semi sensors are bale to track focus, compared to Sony Semi or Canon...

Nancy, my cameras and lenses are pretty much the same as yours. I am not going to buy any Nikon mirrorless body unless it has the same or better features than my current cameras. I am waiting for a Z something. I really do not want to switch brands as at age 78, I am not sure it will be good investment. But who knows?

Scott Fairbairn wrote:I had the Z7II for a week. Pre new firmware though. It’s a step down in performance from what you have. I’d wait for Z8 or 9 to come along.

Thanks Scott.  First the Z9 is going to be $6-$7000 and the bigger body, neither of which I am willing to go with.  Also, from what I am hearing one needs at least a month or so, with steady use, to get used to the mirrorless cameras.  I am not getting rid of my D850 or D500, but the idea of a silent shutter and the EVF very much interests me.

photoman4343 wrote:Nancy, my cameras and lenses are pretty much the same as yours. I am not going to buy any Nikon mirrorless body unless it has the same or better features than my current cameras. I am waiting for a Z something. I really do not want to switch brands as at age 78, I am not sure it will be  good investment. But who knows?

I do understand what you are saying.  I have no interest in switching either and would not.  I feel though the silent shutter and EVF is an advantage and worth dipping my toe in for.  I am not getting rid of my D500 or D850, the Z7 II would be just an added tool.  The Z9 or whatever they are coming out with this year has the bigger body and supposedly will be $6-$7000, neither of which I am willing to go with.

flygirl wrote:

Scott Fairbairn wrote:I had the Z7II for a week. Pre new firmware though. It’s a step down in performance from what you have. I’d wait for Z8 or 9 to come along.

Thanks Scott.  First the Z9 is going to be $6-$7000 and the bigger body, neither of which I am willing to go with.  Also, from what I am hearing one needs at least a month or so, with steady use, to get used to the mirrorless cameras.  I am not getting rid of my D850 or D500, but the idea of a silent shutter and the EVF very much interests me.

I think you'll find it much easier to get used to than a month. The biggest change will be new buttons and menu items to understand. If you are not doing fast action like BIF, then the Z7II would be fine. 

Coming from a D800E it took me about two hours of field use (I spent an afternoon/evening shooting wildflowers near Ennis, TX last week) to feel extremely comfortable with the Z7ii but--and this is a big but--at least 95% of what I photograph falls under the landscape genre. 

However, I was in Amarillo yesterday and there was a prairie dog colony right next to the hotel I was staying at, so I spent about an hour photographing the little guys using the Z7ii + 80-400 G w/FTZ adapter.  Particularly given that this kind of photography isn't my forte and that I was using "compromised" equipment I was impressed at how well everything went.  I got numerous shots I am very happy with.

Given that I am decidedly not a wildlife photographer, and thereby not accustomed to the performance from equipment designed for action, take the above for what little it may be worth.

EDIT:  I should add, my Z7ii experience is exclusively with firmware 1.10; I haven't updated to the new firmware and won't until/unless it's receives the all clear after another couple of weeks.

Here is a trick I use to quickly get accustomed to a new camera system and be ready to use it in the field the first time out while sitting on my couch.  When I get a new camera, especially a new brand or one that has significantly changed their camera controls or menus, I turn on a nature show on TV or youtube and when I see something I like, I pause it and then set the camera to take the shot.  I do this until it becomes second nature.  I don't want to be fighting gear in the field, I want it to be natural so that I can concentrate on the subject, composition, etc, not fiddling with the camera.

Oh, I also read the manual and watch online tutorials from people that know what they are doing with that brand (which is NEVER YouTube reviewers that have the camera for a couple of hours and then rush to put out videos with a bunch of clickbait nonsense info like the Northrups, Polin, et al - they are fine for getting a spec run-down and even that is often wrong in the case of the Northrups).  An example of people that I do trust with set-up info and how best to use info would be Mark Galer for Sony and Steve Perry for Nikon.

Speaking of Steve Perry, here's his review of the latest firmware updates on the ZII cameras.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXhNkRpede0

Here’s a link to an article comparing the D850 and z7ll:

https://photographylife.com/nikon-z7-ii-vs-nikon-d850

Joe

flygirl wrote:

photoman4343 wrote:Nancy, my cameras and lenses are pretty much the same as yours. I am not going to buy any Nikon mirrorless body unless it has the same or better features than my current cameras. I am waiting for a Z something. I really do not want to switch brands as at age 78, I am not sure it will be  good investment. But who knows?

I do understand what you are saying.  I have no interest in switching either and would not.  I feel though the silent shutter and EVF is an advantage and worth dipping my toe in for.  I am not getting rid of my D500 or D850, the Z7 II would be just an added tool.  The Z9 or whatever they are coming out with this year has the bigger body and supposedly will be $6-$7000, neither of which I am willing to go with.

I'm sort of going along with both thinking.  Don't see any need to change brands either.  One thing I have noticed, in various forums, a good photographer takes good images whatever the tool, and likewise, a poor photographer doesn't.  (quick look at some A1 images in another forum will confirm that comment).  

I'm in the " I like the way Nikon sensors work and the way their images look".  I'm just about to add bit of kit in the shape of a Z7II and think of it as a compliment to what I have rather than I must have it to make me a better photographer as we in the UK are still a bit stifled about where we go, which is the main driver/bug for me.  PS Nancy.  My D500 stays.  My D800 stays...(quite a quiet camera in normal use and provides creamy IQ at low Iso).. Even D7100 stays.  D850 is the swap model.... Superb IQ but noisy... We all make choices and all have little things that become key pointers.  

david fletcher wrote:

flygirl wrote:

photoman4343 wrote:Nancy, my cameras and lenses are pretty much the same as yours. I am not going to buy any Nikon mirrorless body unless it has the same or better features than my current cameras. I am waiting for a Z something. I really do not want to switch brands as at age 78, I am not sure it will be  good investment. But who knows?

I do understand what you are saying.  I have no interest in switching either and would not.  I feel though the silent shutter and EVF is an advantage and worth dipping my toe in for.  I am not getting rid of my D500 or D850, the Z7 II would be just an added tool.  The Z9 or whatever they are coming out with this year has the bigger body and supposedly will be $6-$7000, neither of which I am willing to go with.

I'm sort of going along with both thinking.  Don't see any need to change brands either.  One thing I have noticed, in various forums, a good photographer takes good images whatever the tool, and likewise, a poor photographer doesn't.  (quick look at some A1 images in another forum will confirm that comment).  

I'm in the " I like the way Nikon sensors work and the way their images look".  I'm just about to add bit of kit in the shape of a Z7II and think of it as a compliment to what I have rather than I must have it to make me a better photographer as we in the UK are still a bit stifled about where we go, which is the main driver/bug for me.  PS Nancy.  My D500 stays.  My D800 stays...(quite a quiet camera in normal use and provides creamy IQ at low Iso).. Even D7100 stays.  D850 is the swap model.... Superb IQ but noisy... We all make choices and all have little things that become key pointers.  

Thanks for your input David!  I just pulled the trigger on a Z7II and starting to get used to it.  I still have my D500 and D850.  I find the D850 superb with noise.  Here are a few, ocelot at iso 10,000, Great Grey Owl iso 8,000, which took just a touch of clean up.

Ocelot by Nancy Elwood, on Flickr

Great Grey Owl by Nancy Elwood, on Flickr

Way to go Nancy.  (I'm awaiting delivery.   expected Tuesday).  PS.. I'm available as a baggage handler for Africa any time, kwa bahati, mimi  si mbulu..

Cool images BTW.  The D850 comment was more about noise as in sound/loud.  (my bad, LOL)