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An Austin or a Mini then 😜

So do I. Really love the lines of some of the vehicles from the 60s and 70s. Thanks for watching!

@@Cebelihle1 Yebo!

The lens itself is a fantastically sharp lens. I've only had a chance to play with it and don't know it intimately, but other photographers who have it say it's fantastic. It doesn't feel quite as robust as some of the other f2.8 zooms (my impression when holding it). The only niggle I personally have with the lens is the long shape, which doesn't suit the Zf for street. Again, an entirely personal feeling. For travel and street I would love to see the diminutive Tamron 24mm f2.8 come out in Z mount, but it hasn't...so the Nikkor 24mm 1.8S is probably the best 24mm option for the Z system.

@emilvonmaltitz I agree , I would have gone with the 26mm f2.8 but it's lacking sharpness corner to corner , sunstars are meh, and I love to have f1.4 or f1 8 for low light streets. I would have preferred a shorter shape for the 24 f1.8 to be perfectly in balance with the retro look of the Zf , nikon should have made it like the sony gm 24mm f1.4, but hey nothing's perfect! I don't take photos as close as you of people, about 5 years of street photos only once I have been notified by a dude in Spain as he was walking with his girlfriend, and I had a smaller lens aka Fujifilm 18mm f1.4 on x-T5

@@anemikcinema depends…are you using that with the intuous tablet? You can set the wheel to scroll on one of it’s settings and that should allow you to cycle through the layers.

@@emilvonmaltitz Yes I use an Intuos pro, I was thinking about using the button on the pen just like in photoshop ?

@ I’m sure you could programme that. What would you use for right click though? Or if you programme the rear button instead of undo, then it could definitely work. Create a shortcut in C1 for cycle through layers and the. Programme your pen button for that shortcut.

@@emilvonmaltitz I feel you but I can't find a shortcut in C1 to cycle through layer ?

@ I’ll look when I’m behind a computer tomorrow

@@johndwilliams I’ve often thought of trying that piece of kit out. My only concern is my desk would then have the box, a wacom tablet, keyboard and a mouse sitting on top of it… possibly a bit much to make sense of 😂 i know the Tour Box works brilliantly with video editing as well. Oh dear… I might kljust he having a GAS attack thanks to your comment.

@@emilvonmaltitz my Lite cost £70 direct from China. Might make a good RUclips video as I found very few reviews for using it in photography. Plenty of graphics users.

@@peteb5461 IMO the leveling base is THE most useful component in a pano rig. So that would help a yes (unless you always keep the horizon dead centre, in which case you can get away with a panning clamp)

@@darryl_young it’s a pleasure Darryl. Glad you found it useful

@@jayplatt8798 that’s an awesome setup. Likewise, my panos tend towards the 1x2 to 6x17…in the days of film (I suppose we haven’t left them) I always hankered after a 6x12 camera like the Gaoersi 612)

@@emilvonmaltitz I never shot panos with film. I was a 35mm chrome shooter. Now, I shoot only monochrome landscapes with my 30 Mpix EOS R. I’ve shot multi row “panos” with as many as 63 separate frames and no parallax. 3 rows, 7 images per row, 3 brackets +/- 2 per image. That will yield a 270 Mpix image that is 2x3. It can be printed as large as you want without any loss of detail.

@@wandering_weasel that’s bizarre! I haven’t seen the 255CEX, but this works with the 36, 32 and 28 series tripod apexes. Absolutely at a loss as why your 25 apexes aren’t swopping.

@@emilvonmaltitz I was surprised too; I bought a 255CEX assuming that apex would be interchangeable, but the pivot shafts were imperceptibly (ie <1mm) bigger on the CL than the CEX, so there was slight play when I fitted the CL legs to the CEX apex and I simply couldn't mount the CEX legs on the CL apex. In a last ditch attempt, I did an internet search to see if I was missing something and found your video. Not sure if it is a consistent difference between the 25 series tripods, or just down to batches. Have gone for a separate levelling base (LB-60N) which works great but clearly adds more weight and bulk.

Thanks, glad you enjoyed them. Will keep them coming.

That is frustrating. Having supped and stayed within the Apple family everything so far works. I didn't know about the Windows 11 issue.

I'll look into it, but to be honest I don't really use those features. They're there, but I tend to use keyboard shortcuts to get through to flow and opacity.

@@emilvonmaltitz That's what I do too because I get such inconsistent results. I was hoping someone had figured out setting that actually worked 🙂

Thanks for comments Justin! I sort of stumbled on the voice note feature. I'm fairly sure Nikon will stick it in future cameras (it would be silly not to, but then again it's been missing from all except the top level cameras for years). The Z8 does have it as well and I think the Z6ii with updated firmware.

Great setup, I’m more into 40mm and slightly wider, but the 50 f1.8D continues to be an excellent lens and one which I imagine works nicely with the adaoters to mirrorless.

You're welcome. Thanks for watching

Thanks!

You sort of nailed it with commenting that a camera makes you want to use it (in relation to your Olly). I suspect that the Zf will have a similar effect to your own desire to shoot. What a lot of pundits forget is that the vast majority of photographers are shooting out of pleasure, not in pursuit of some pinnacle of image quality (although that would be nice) or for a demanding client. So, yes, the camera needs to also have a gestalt that makes you want to use it. The Pen F has that I think, as does the Zf. Earlier Fujifilms had it too, more so the earlier models than the current generation IMO which are becoming more like their competitors in form. I didn't come across the issue you are having with metering though. One thing to note regarding that though is that the matrix metering recalculates based on the focus point itself...giving that point priority. Probably why you are seeing the exposures changes there.

@@emilvonmaltitz Thank you for your reply! Letting go of a pursuit of image quality - near perfect crispness, superb composition and a colour contrast to get any photographer to check twice - is liberating when one concedes you're not going to come close. Now it becomes a pursuit of capturing that of emotional value to oneself and those around you, within the limits of your own aptitude and willingness to put in the work. And, like you implied, a camera that stimulates play and creativity will encourage you to keep picking it up and have fun, even when humbled by one's own limits. Too bad this visceral experience cannot be listed in a specifications table. There's another unquantifiable property these cameras have, it makes people strike up a conversation. As you mentioned yourself, it often starts along the lines of "does it take film?". My workflow used to be to take in the scene, adapt the EV to my subject in combination with matrix metering. Now that, as you say, the focus point adds more weight to the metering my workflow will have to change. Changing platforms keeps you on your toes, testing one's fundamentals!

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching and for the comment.

Thanks! Unfortunately mine was driven over by a Tundra truck in Iceland recently (a not so small disaster resulting in numerous squashed pieces of gear). I was really enjoying having it.

I actually do have a home-made multi-row rig...a Heath Robinson like contraption that I use for VR images of interiors. I just haven't done a video about it. Your idea about the long lens wide angles is the same scenario as the Gigapixel images of various cities. I did something similar with another hodgepodge of gear (including a Wimberley Sidekick) with a 300mm f2.8 to shoot a city skyline. The resultant image was enormous and lovely to pixel-peep. Thanks for commenting

Thanks Bernard. I haven't had much chance to shoot with a Z8 and Z9 (only a cursory play so far) but yes, the EVF is really good...but not exactly like an OVF yet. Close...but you'll know the difference. The one area where an OVF still excels in my opinion is still in the studio. Yes, the EVF boosts the shadows etc, but it's replaced by noise. So I personally still prefer an OVF in studio. There's a part of me (quite a big part) that regrets selling my D3x. Its sensor has a certain look to the files that I have always loved. Definitely not as high dynamic range and highlight retention than my D850, but used carefully a really excellent colour response with a noise pattern that looked more like grain than digital noise.

I hope the shoot went well. Take a look at some of Jo McNally's work for inspiration if you haven't shot it aleady. Seems the kind of style that should work well with your subject.

The XT-5 is a very capable camera. I’m bot sure you’d gain much by swopping… it would be a wholesale change system wise. As I see it the XT-5 is cheaper as a system, as well as smaller (fujifilm APS-c vs Nikon FF). The Zf has better build quality and durability and I personally prefer the controls (the XT-5 is quite fiddly I find and doesn’t feel quite as durable). However the XT-5 does have a nicer rear LCD and is slightly more comfortable to hold (the lack of grip could be an issue for you, although that can be changed with an add on grip to the Zf). I’d say rent a Zf for a weekend and see if you find it ‘better’ to handle or not. IQ wise the the XT-5 has more pixels, but the Zf has more useable Dynamic range (and yes, I’ve used, played with and seen the results from both cameras). The XT-5 has a slightly faster sync speed of 1/250th of a second which might make a difference for you. On a personal note I prefer the Zf, but the Xt-5 is an extremely good camera.

@@emilvonmaltitz thank you. That actually made me feel better. I love my XT5. I’ll rent a Nikon, I’m sure it’s lovely. But the XT5 is like second nature to me at this point. I just pray that Fuji fixes the autofocus system.

@@babyboy1971 if you’re comfortable with the Fuji, I’d probably stick with it. Definitely rent the Zf, but I have to say that switching brands often causes all sorts of issues…takes a while to get used to the new camera and system.

I’m really not sure why. Sorry, the gremlins in the algorithm there I suppose.

@@emilvonmaltitz ok. Too bad…

@@drwatsonismine I am sorry about it as I ended up doing a video based on one of your early comments.

@@emilvonmaltitz still subscribed. Always look forward for your updates

Depends which country you’re in. I’ve chatted to our distributor and they’re happy to do special order of components. So you might not be able to buy an apex (like a CEX apex) or tubes ‘off the shelf’, but you can order it and it would come in on the next shipment…so for us in South Africa that’s every 6-8 weeks. Chat to your local distributor and see if they can offer the same.

Quite frankly they all copy from each other. There are several Leofoto only designs out there, but they certainly started as a suspiciously similar tripod to RRS. But as RRS’ prices it’s hard to blame manufacturers for coming up with cheaper alternatives.

Check with your local distributor. You can’t necessarily get the apex off the shelf, but they can be ordered. Our local distributor (SA) is happy to do orders for clients that come in on shipments roughly every 6-8 weeks.

Brilliant. Let me know if it works for you with your images!

That’s quite a judgement to make. In today’s globalised and very interconnected world there’s a lot of equipment that has its roots in a Chinese factory. If you’re interested in the Nikon Zf there’s a good chance that the lens and battery were both made in China and there are components inside the body that are also made in China (just like Apple’s products). Tripods ostensibly made in Germany also have components that are made in China. On inspection, every major camera brand is involved with Chinese manufacture at some point of the assembly line.

Nailed it with ‘depends on how you shoot’. I know street photographers who reckon the best street camera is a cell phone or a disposable film camera.

@@emilvonmaltitz It depends how close you want to get and whether you want to be seen.

@@EvilTeddie23 my style of photography tends towards engagement of the subject, as opposed to candid capture (I’ve never really felt comfortable with the latter…personal choice no judgement made to either style) so although the Zf is bigger than something like the GR, it’s still significantly smaller than a D6 with f2.8 zoom.

Setback rail? Is that the same as a nodal rail? Sorry, I’m not familiar with the kit, or know it as something else. Sorry. Possibly you’d find the center or nodal point of the lens in the same way I describe in my video: Perfect Panos.

I don’t see how you could mix the flip and screw locks as they have different end components. They’ll fit each other’s apexs though.

The length very much depends on the lens you are using. I use a 200mm rail, but if you have a superwide like an 11 or 12mm you might find that you have to use a 150mm rail instead.

@@emilvonmaltitz Thank you for following up. I bought the Koolehaoda adjustable nodal rail. I am trying to determine the rail mm values would be for my new Sony RX10 M4. I just bought one :-) I am not sure I am doing it right. My near lightstand is about 5 ft away and and I am lining it up with the edge of a door about 20 ft away. Mounting the camera at the end of the rail, and the middle of the rail on top of another lightstand, I measured for 24 mm focal length on the rail, which seemed to be 110 mm. I wanted to find the distances for longer focal lengths like 150mm, but I do not seem to be able to do it. Will you give me some more tips please? My goal is to take panoramic pictures of my wife in the foreground with large objects in the background. Thank you again.

That's a tough one Brian. The Z6iii is a better video camera than the Zf, period. The Zf uses the older sensor which actually has more dynamic range at base ISO than the new semi0stacked sensor that the Z6iii uses. So on paper potentially the Zf is possibly a better stills camera. But that's splitting hairs I suspect. Both are excellent. My personal opinion is to choose the camera that feels the most comfortable 'in hand'. I loved the Zf for its dials, retro feel, and how it worked with short telephoto lenses. With longer zooms I suspect that the Z6iii would be my preference. Were I in the same situation, I probably wouldn't have bought the Z6iii (if I already owned the Zf). However, if I had, I'd just stick with the Z6iii and spend some time getting used to it (unless you you really hate the ergonomics).

Thanks again!

Thank you!!

I actually often vary the way that I crop, BUT, best practice is to crop last as some of the controls like clarity and dehaze affect the edges of the crop (also with some masks near the edge of the frame). If you don't want them to affect the edges in a tell-tale way, rather crop at the end.

Thanks for sharing your experience with the Zf. I didn't really use the microSD but I agree with you that it's a useful backup that you can sort of just leave and forget about (there if you need it).

Like you, I'm not a huge fan of the swivel lcd, but for every photographer who dislikes it, there's one who loves it. Go figure. I disagree about cameras not being intimidating though. I run workshops in Madagascar and Namibia and in some places people who allow us to take photographs, and are aware, of what a camera is, react very differently to being photographed with something like a XT-5 or Zf, to when they are photographed with a D5 and 24-70mm f2.8 lens (or Canon 1Dxiii etc). Yes, a lot of people couldn't care less, but the size of the camera does seem to change whether a person looks more relaxed or is 'tense/nervous' in front of the lens. Just my thoughts though. It might have more to do with the photographer than the camera.