I have the F2 button of my Z7II assigned to “Subject Tracking”. It picks up eye focus very well and I press the F2 to arm the tracking box, hit BBF to use it. Press F2 to get rid of it. Works very fluently.
I literally just switched to Nikon from my 1DXll. Bought and upgraded to a Z6ll with the kit 24-70mm f4, grip, battery and adapter. Super, super, super underrated camera! It's amazing and better than my 1DXll in every aspect! The 24-70 kit lens is also so good that it makes my old canon lenses look like cheap glass. Not what I expected from a "cheap" kit lens!
The Z6 II is a good camera but it does not compete with a Canon EOS 1 DX II especially in sports/action/fast wildlife shooting, which is what the 1DX was made for, simply because none of the current Z cameras are suited for that due to how their EVF work when holding down the shutter button. Same as no Z camera competes with a D500 or a D6.
@@ogonzilla Hi Omar, love the channel, all the 2.8 zooms, do not lock. And for the sort of work you are doing and I and others with your use-case, the 2.8 zooms would be the way to go :) Have you used the 50mm 1.2 Z. Before you give the camera back you should check it out. It is my absolute fav lens at the moment. : ) Here is a video I made about it ruclips.net/video/ZXNu_YLXpHw/видео.html Pretty much made me cry it is that good. Even the 50mm 1.8 blew my mind when I first used it. Thanks again for the great channel. Cheers Matt
A big part of choosing a camera is the lens ecosystem and the Z lenses are FANTASTIC! The f/2.8 zooms are the best lenses I’ve ever used and the image quality is second to none.
If you want the best choice for lenses you wouldn't choose Z-mount, there are few lenses available, they are all bigger and pricier than competition. So if lenses is your priority you would want Sony e-mount.
@@ElementaryWatson-123 Sony definitely has more choices but not sure their lenses are better. I’m not trying to hoard lenses so having 2-3 quality ones is all I need
Really happy I found this camera. It seems to have unbelievable image quality at this price range - based on what I've seen no camera (for instance the Sony a7 iii) can produce this quality for this price.
@@ElementaryWatson-123 Now in 2021 there is everything you need except the big tele for sport/wildlife (max now is 400mm at 5.6). We got the 14-24/24-70/70-200 2.8 trinity and some excellent fast primes - what more do you need? They are smaller and cheaper than canon and the Sony 2.8 aren’t tiny either…
Just traded all my Fujifilm gear (except my X70) for a Z6ii, 24-70 f4 and 50 f1.8. Only stopped using Nikon after 30+ years because they didn’t have a sensible option when I wanted to go mirrorless. Am very happy to be back. Your recent videos definitely helped with the decision. Thank you for all the content you put out, really appreciated.
Nikon would be so well served to listen to the advice of pro's like yourself. They really could move the camera from good to great by just some firmware updates.
@@ogonzilla Hey Omar. You nailed most of my complaints in your review. I am still using the original Z6 so it feels a little more constipated overall than the mark II. What I would really like to see them add is a firmware update where you could be in any focus mode and just hit the AF on button to engage eye af. Being able to change the size of the tracking box, and if you could recenter your focus point by double clicking the joy stick like you can with Fuji. I think all of this could be done in firmware along with the issues you stated that would greatly improve the usability of the camera. One thing I really hope they add in the next camera is a vari-angel lcd like the xt3 and older cameras use, or better yet one like Panasonic uses that will fully articulate or open up like some of the fuji's do, that would appeal to everyone and boost their sales.
Z5 is the best value camera by far. Especially right now, at least in Canada, it's $500 off, so $1299 instead of $1799. Right now the Z6ii is $200 off, $2499 regular $2699. Just bought a Z5 as a backup to the Z6ii. They're going to be a great combo.
@@ElementaryWatson-123 I've been shooting with the Z5 for about a week now and haven't noticed issues with the AF. Seems to be as good as the Z6ii right now. The only thing I noticed was that you need fast SD cards for 4k30fps or 1800 60fps video (obviously). The Z6 doesn't have 2 card slots so that's not an option for a large group of people
Nikon Z is probably some of the best value in mirrorless full frame right now outside of those crazy affordable Tamron E zooms. I love my Z7. It complements my GM5 perfectly.
I think it will be interesting to see how the Z mount develops. Nikon really hit their stride in DSLRs with the D3/D300 combo, Sony also took a few generations to get their A7 line right. I don't think they're far behind, they just need to work on the autofocus a bit and release a few more lenses on the roadmap. As an ex-Nikon/current-Fuji shooter it's an interesting prospect.
My name is Photo-Me Ike, and I approve this message... Cept for the locking part. I actually don't mind it cause of the space savings. Plus is you never lock the lens, then you never have to unlock it...
If locking were done through a different mechanism than rotating a zoom ring I would agree with that. But unfortunately current implementation is bad when you need to be quick. Also both locking lenses 24-70/4 and 14-40/4 are rather large when unlocked in comparison to other similar lenses. I also have Tamrons 28-75/2.8 and 17-28/2.8 for Sony and those lenses are smaller despite being a stop faster.
@@ElementaryWatson-123 actually it’s not that hard if you are used to it. But if you are constantly switching between different camera brands and or types of lenses. Then I can see how you would get caught off guard every time you picked it up. The space savings of the Tamrons come at the expense of not having as wide of angle at the zoom end. 24mm vs 28mm makes a difference when you are trying to get as wide as possible.
@@ogonzilla I Dom, also disapprove of your locking lens criticism...just don’t lock it! If you do buy a Z5, most of the Z lenses don’t lock. PS I use the single focus point for most shots, often in the centre. A very fair review otherwise, bravo.
I think if I ever did go back to full frame mirror less this is what I'd buy. I have no idea why but these Nikon Z cameras have always been a curiosity of mine.
You should give setting F6 “Release button to use dial” a try. It makes it so you don’t have to hold down the function button while switching focus modes. You just press and release the function button and can then change the modes. This also effects the ISO and Exp Comp settings. It definitely doesn’t make it as easy as you demonstrated with the Sony, but I think it does make it a bit less awkward to work the dials.
I tried this with another setting, I think. ISO changes without holding. With my clumsy spider fingers I was constantly changing ISO somehow instead of aperture? lol.. thanks though....good tip
A week into my Z6 II ownership and I am in love. Picked up the 24-200mm (does not lock!) for my general walk around and it is wonderful, so good for a super telephoto. Got a 14-30 f4 S , which does lock but it doesn't bother me as that lens is used in slow situations. Also...the 50 f1.8 S...wow wow wowy wow wow! So very good! Not your dads 1.8 lens. Love the ergonomics, and all the buttons that my old interchangeable system likes to get rid of as new models are developed...(Fuji...dang you...but I still love my X70!). One good thing about Nikon (and Canon and even Sony...) is that they have been doing a good job recently with firmware updates, I guess we can thank Fuji for that. Maybe some more expansive button config options are in the future. You are so right about the Nikon colors, they are so quick and easy to edit RAW if I want to and the JPGs are so very good with actually a lot of configuration choices which I thought only Fuji did with their film simulations...but no, you can do a lot of similar customization here too. And LOVE the load/save to memory card for these custom settings as well as the full configuration ...gush gush gush....
Nikon has AMAZING metering and colors. I love my Fuji but I recently picked up a Z50… which led me to getting the Z6ii. I got the Z 24-70 f4 for about $400. I am VERY happy with the Z6ii .. and the Z50. The Z lenses are superb.
A point on center focus and moving the focus box around. You can hit the ‘ok’ button and the focus box snaps back to center. Hope you enter the Nikon ecosystem. The files as just artistic for a lack of a better term. 👊
You can also set the joystick to reset focus position with a click. But still no way to switch quickly between two AF modes (note the DSLR's offer this)
@@adam_mawz_maas I feel like this would be such an easy firmware update. We absolutely need an option to jump to any other focus mode with a single button tap. I also wish Subject Tracking behaved like it does in Continuous AF - meaning the subject tracks only when holding AF-ON (or, shutter half-press, depending on setup) and the box re-centers upon release. In Single AF mode, the box tracks until you deactivate & reactivate Subject Tracking. Both options in both modes would be IDEAL.
Have had my Z6II since November and it's my most used camera. I use it for events as well and I don't have too many complaints with it. I oddly prefer it over my A7RIII and Fuji's.
@@cohoonatube Build quality, I really do not like Sony's hotshoe design, I don't like Sony's EVF design because the screen to me has always appeared "greasy" to me, especially when you compare it to the Z6II EVF. The A9II EVF fares no better as well. I also like Nikon's eye AF better than what's on the A7RIII. There's probably better algorithm's in the 4th gen cameras, but I honestly just prefer the Z6II at this point for the budget. There's also the matter of rear LCD screens, which the Nikon is also better with. The Z6II isn't perfect but honestly no camera is.
@@cohoonatube Yeah I think the Z's beat out Sony's third gen cameras. The R6 is a fine camera, but I don't like Canon's button layouts, it's mostly just better in AF. I traded my A7RII in for the Z6II and honestly never looked back, was such an improvement.
@@cohoonatube Oh no...if I had a Z7II that would not be getting traded. My only real complaint about the Z6II is that it's only 24MP, but I don't always want to import and export the big files so it's an even trade off.
Marcus, what autofocus setting do you use for photographing a group of people (2 or more)? The eye/face detect is great for 1 person, but I haven't seen videos that discuss settings for taking sharp images of groups. I'm so used to the single-point focus on the Nikon D750; the Z6 ii has so many options, it's confusing. Thank you in advance for the info.
I found the subject tracking box a good workaround for the center point focus box and in some ways superior. Hit the fn button to bring it up in the center, half press the shutter to lock on, recompose, snap. When you release the shutter button the box goes back to the center ready for the next subject. The nice part is since it’s tracking you don’t lose any focus accuracy during the recompose unlike center single point.
I've been eyeing the Z6ii as an upgrade from a D700. Main reason being the loud shutter. I never in a million years would have guessed someone would compare the two in 2021. Thank you.
'The Bite Shot' just moved to Nikon Z from Canon. She said the colours were just right compared to her canon cameras. I definitely think I could get used to using the front function button to switch modes. Ive considered Sony but the awful rear screen wouldn't give me enough feedback on how I was doing during a shoot.
Yup. Already have 2 Z6s and several Z-mount lenses (on top of my adapted F-mounts, which work flawlessly). All in for 2 years now (made a video on that). If not for the disinformation campaign, many more people would have discovered the virtues of the Z System.
You are absolutely right about switching autofocus modes, the saddest thing is that in my Nikon D850 i have 3 different buttons configured with different AF modes, so Nikon does support it, but not in Z cameras. In my view they will expand the option for having more programmable buttons in their pro bodies to be released, which is a real shame :/
Nikkor Z 35, 50 and 85 are the best affordable primes of all time. You have to spend at least double the money on other systems to get comparable performance to them. This is coming from someone who's owned an RP, R6, A7iii, z6ii, and now a Gfx50r. The Z primes are fantastic.
@@markshirley01 35mm was the first lens i got when I purchased the z6. Then I got 85mm after DXOMark ranked it 3rd best lens ever. Both amazing lenses.
Very informative and honest report on this remarkable camera, thank you very much! I am a Z6- shooter (I will go to the second generation later - currently I need the money for the lenses), and everything you noted corresponds with my own experience. The ergonomics of the Z-bodys is outstanding, except that little issue concerning the change of focus modes. The Z6 comes close to the ideal, nearly perfect camera, I can recommend it for nearly all kinds of photography, except perhaps very fast types of sport and birds in flight. Kind regards from Switzerland.
Z6 isn’t the best for video though ! But amazing camera for still photos! One of the best around! I am a z6 shooter by myself! Z6 ii I am planning as well to move soon!
Love your review: conversational, real-world shooting examples, and cuts to the chase on what matters to those of us struggling with decisions (and budget considerations!) Also, making me miss the land of my people (Jersey-born!)
I am so glad I found you, Life long Nikon user and have had my Z6ii for a week and the focus was driving me crazy. Thank you for your fun and helpful videos!
I never knew my fuji zoomed in to what it focused on with the double tap...I always learn something new with Omar reviews. And I realize this is a Nikon review :)
I've watched nearly all of your videos and I liked how you go into your thought process of how you use the camera. I'm a Nikon shooter and it'll be six years since I picked up my first camera, a 15 year old (in 2018) D200. I loved that camera. Then I moved to the D600, and then the D750, and some good glass. Now, I'm in the process of getting the Z6II and finding all the information and reviews that I can and that's how I found these videos from you, and they've been very helpful.
Glad the Z5 got a mention, that’s the one that might tempt me back to Nikon, after you helped tempt me to Fuji! I look forward to an eventual video on the Z5! Wonderful as always Omar.
Largely agree with your sentiments, after using the Z6ii for a while I ended up shifting to Canon - the AF system was the main reason as a predominantly sports photographer
I am a 20+ yr pro photographer and I continue to say this is the most VERSATILE camera made today. It's also inexpensive. It's tremendous in low light (even better than the D5) , it's terrific in almost any task you give it, and even better for video. I own 2 (along with a D5, D6,Z7, and Z9. I still find myself grabbing for the Z6II when I go out on a shoot.
Our photography styles are super similar… I also was a Sony shooter for events and portraits similar to yours. One thing I’m surprised you didn’t mention or maybe I missed it is ergonomics. After shooting exclusively with Sony for a couple of years I forgot how much more comfortable Nikon bodies are. Now when I hold a Sony body I feel like my hands are super cramped and uncomfortable. Otherwise I completely agree with all of your comments! Love your videos especially and I can LOL please consider purchasing a Z62 so I can continue to watch your thoughts on the Z series.
My dude, you have been blessed with an opportunity to do and know what we have for the last 50 years. Nikon is the best glass and body combination on the market. Welcome to the family of, NIKON😎
Damn Omar! "Your results may vary" I damn near spit up my coffee I laughed so hard! Always look forward to your vlogs (even if they're about Nikons)... Thank you. (Jersey guy)
The "greens" were one of the main reasons why I switched from Fuji back to Nikon! :) And I really like the lock-mechanism - perfect when hiking and using a PeakDesign Clip. The Fuji zoom lenses always start to come out by themselves after a while ... But I miss the X-H1 customization options a little bit. Putting functions on dpad and such things ... I solved the "pricy XQD" - problem by not storing my cards like I did with SD cards. I just transfer all files from the full card to an external HD drive and format the XQD card. In the long term that is cheaper than buying 50 SD cards or so.
Thanks a ton for a proper review of your usage instead of bashing or praising a camera. We as users know all cameras are good, but the points you explained are the nuances we're looking for. Thanks again :)
Awesome video Omar! The Nikon Z f2.8 lens have a L-fn button that can be used to activate the focus tracking box. In fact the the f mounted 2.8 lens from Nikon (at least the ones I have do) with lens buttons can be used to activate the tracking box. I can jump between eye and box tracking without taking my eye off the view finder………… way faster than having to lift my finger off the back of the camera and move it to depress another button. Keep up the good work…… awesome information and love the humor.
I currently shoot on a Z5 and while I really do love it, I'm wondering if a Z6 II would be a meaningful upgrade in terms of eye/face detect AF and tracking.
Would love to see you play with a Z5. Seems to be more practical on a lot of fronts. Hope you're still going to talk about the 70-200 lens. Well done! 👍 🥂
Z5 is great but focus tracking on Z6II / Z7II is greatly improved (especially for moving targets). Z5 tracking is more on par with original Z6 / Z7 models.
Love your real-world opinions and pointing out little things that are awesome, or that bug you. Those are the things that make a big deal when putting up with a camera.
Great review, Omar, and I learned a couple of things about the system I did not know, I'm still in the adaptation phase. So far I'm very happy with it. But I might not be when I hit the first low light dance event. We will see.
100% agree about the customize all buttons to do anything. And customizing a button to switch between 2 specific focus modes would be awesome as well as a fixed centre focus point
I'm a long time Nikon and for fun, Fuji shooter. Commercially I use Nikon's D850's but I quite like my little Z6ii, especially with the 35 and 85 1.8 S lenses. A great channel Omar, thank you from the UK
Omar, I had a suspicion the love relationship was going to be short lived. I’ve been a long, and I mean a long time Nikon shooter and I struggled when I got my first Z body. All the niggles that you pointed out are valid and don’t qualify as Nikon bashing. I’ve had my fling with Canons and brief tryst with Sony. We’ve decided to let bygones be bygones and we’re still friends😉😊……..still a subscriber👍
Great review! I just bought my Z6II three weeks ago and I love this camera image quality color science, shooting experience and menu. I'm only using prime lenses vintage Nikkor 50mm f1.4 and Canon 40mm f2.8 pancake with adapters. I find their Z lenses are overpriced and for now, I Don't need them. Before that, I was shooting Canon 5DMKII and 30D over 1 decade then tried Fujifilm X100V but returned it.
My only camera is still a D700. I love it, but it's incredibly heavy for hiking and backpacking. Looking at a Z7ii or Z6ii. This review is incredibly helpful.
Great video Omar you are one funny guy, you always make me laugh and your video are so honest and genuine. Please remember the lens that locks that you have there is only the kit lens and it's the only full frame lens that does this. I have this lens which I use for holiday trips with the family but I have also bought the Professional 24-70mm 2.8 s which is amazing, to go along with my 35mm 1.8 s, 50 1.8s and the stellar 85mm.1.8s which will blow your mind its so gorgeous. Anyway I have now got used to toggling from the 2 main focusing modes and it's super quick now. All the best G
I’ve had my Z6ii for about a month now. It’s a great camera. Not perfect. Buttons, ergonomics and a few other things. But, yes the image quality is fantastic. I prefer a “natural” color saturation level, the Z6ii is a great “all around” camera.
Awesome review man, loved it, loved it, loved it! And the best is yet to come, as they have only done like 2 firmware updates, so a lot of improvements are coming as well as new lenses, and there are some announcements coming next week or sometime in May, thank you for being so positive.
Fun review! However, the comment about the locking lenses tripped me up. I have the Z 24-200 and unlocked it upon purchase. It has remained unlocked and always ready to go since. It only locks again if I do it manually. Is the auto lock only on your lens? Additionally - a funky lock feature is a hell of a reason not to recommend a full line of lenses. The Z24-70 and Z 24-200 take superb, sharp images.
Great video Omar!!! I want to change from Fujifilm XT3 to other system for photography and I would like to know which will work better, the Sony A7III or the Nikon Z6II? All the best
Didn’t have plans on getting one but thanks to the Z6III, I found a like new Z6II for less than the cost of a Z5. Only 52 shutter actuations, zero scuffs, even smells new. Feels like a steal for about $1,000.
Thoughtful article. Thank you. I run the Z6-2 with a z24-120 f4 S series lens, this lens doesn't have a lens lock. Also fabulous lens IMHO. One of the reasons it's my daily driver. The Z6_2 is new to me as well, as such, I was running single focus spot metering on center to the optical field x/y axis, and it stuck there. I've been running i menu override to go matrix metering and you get the wide box over your image field, which I find irritating. I would prefer a small icon on a bottom bar. The manual is vast at 900+ pages. Still expolring the tech integration, will likely take some time to digest all of the Z6_2's capabilities. I was wondering if you were going to keep it. I was considering the 5-7 series body only, knowing that I'd be running the 24-120f4 S, as it seemed to present the best of both worlds on price and optics quality. I primarily use the camera for work (building forensics) and for pleasure - mostly landscape related. Keep the good content coming ~ Peace
That is my only gripe with z series camera is the limit to set a function or customize a button to one of the Af modes so you don’t have to use dials to switch to single point etc if they change that in a firmware update it’s a game changer
Great review, I own the z5, z6ii and z7ii, I've had no problem using tracking mode, I've assigned it to the FN button. For both on and off and it automatically starts at the center of the frame for the quick moments that you need to capture. Also I wanted to point out that the 24-70 2.8 s does not have the lock, I believe only the f4 version is the only one that does . For zooming in, the ok button will zoom to your focus point. Regards
The Nikon Z series is so underrated!!! I own the Z5 and even the „entry Z“ ticks all the boxes. Ergonomics are insane on Nikon cameras plus the colors the Zs pump out in the jpgs are industry leading.
I've just added a Z6 swapping out one of my D750's so I'm about to start seeing how it performs. As you demonstrated here, to speed things up I need to get a handle on the function menus. Going from eye focus and then back again looks painful. As for lenses I'll likely stick with F-Mount with the adapter.
Another AF mode workaround is to save single point AF to “U1” on your mode dial, and save wide area eye-AF to “U2”, etc. Only drawback is the need to change with your left hand… but it’s faster than the Fn button + scrolling method. Nothing beats Olympus’ thumb Fn lever implementation on the EM5 and EM1.
Great practical user based analysis. I shoot both Nikon (DSLRs) and Fuji (mirrorless) and I went with these names because I felt their overall image quality appealed to me more than any of the others. Love the channel 👍
I was confused when I saw your channel associated with a Nikon Z6ii camera but I'm glad you are reviewing other cameras besides those that you use. You noticed things based on your shooting experience with other cameras. I switched back to Nikon from Canon a few years back and I am currently looking at upgrading to the Z6. I'm hoping it will replace my 2 Nikon DSLR cameras. Keep up the great videos.
This was a great, non-bias review. I even learned a couple of great tips from a pro. Thanks! I have a D5500. Would I be better off getting a Z50 or just investing in better glass? Z50 is mirrorless but I lose 4MP resolution. It is also only a crop / CMOS sensor. I think the Z6 would be a step for me and the Z9 would be a huge step up. The Z9 will do tracking better by the way. In all the videos I have seen, the Z9 locks on like a heat seeking missile- extremely accurate and fast. Clearly they borrowed some military tracking tech- it's that good. I am not sure about bouncing around though e.g., face to hand.
From a D5300 user try renting first instead of letting strangers make decision for you. I have tried the z6ii, z5, cannon r6, and Sony a7iv. All these cameras have eye af which destroys my d5300 in sharpness on portraits. They all have significantly better low light performance. I'm leaning towards Sony because their menu system is similar to nikons, its af is amazing and it has a flippy screen like my nikon.
@@smack9x Thanks and great idea! In the last few days I decided to stick with my D5500- for now. It does take some great pics but your 110% right about lower light exposure. Anyway, I just bought a new 80-300mm Nikon lens. The AF is super quiet- I thought it wasn't working. The manual ring wasn't working but later I discovered you have to use AUTO first, then fine tune manually. I'm newish and never used a big zoom before- just the kit 18-140mm which is ok. I've also been dabbling with Macro lately which is a ton of fun. Check out the Meike 85mm F/2.8. All I can say is amazing. If you have an email you can share, I can send you some snaps from it. It's 100% fully manual but most macro is best done that way. It's nearly all metal, heavy and solid with impeccable IQ. 1.4x magnification which beats out most others except Laowa Venus that offers 2x mag- slightly better but 3x the price. Check it out some of the pics if you are interested at www.venuslens DOT net/gallery/ Once there, click on Gallery (top right)...then select (on the left side) the lens called Laowa 65mm 2.8 2x APO or the 100 2.8 2x macro to see the pics sorted by specific Lens Galleries (smart idea.) Since you mentioned light, you should grab a book that was recommended to me by several pro's in a forum. It's called "Understanding Exposure" by Bryan Peterson. There are some really great nuggets in the book- like when shooting colors like flowers, expose/aim at the color GREEN. Very often, point your camera to the SKY to set your meter correctly. Slightly over expose when shooting snow, etc. He has tips on ND filters and how to use them, exposure bracketing and a lot more. You are smart and definitely making the right call with the Sony. Now you just have to save up for an amazing G lens- one of THE best in the world. Glass is easily as important as the body. Many of the pro's I follow and watch in YTube swear by the G lenses.
If you need a versatile lens get a 24-120 f4 vr with an adaptor, perfect lens for events (you can even put 1.5x crop on function button to get 180mm which can be very useful) . I also don't like that dinky 24-70. As for the zoom in and zoom out buttons - I think they are there because of the legacy. I can't get used to zoom in with pinch. Great video as always!
You can switch modes with one button. Just programme the Fn buttons for what you need/use the most. You can also programme other buttons like that (what do you mean by "you can't"? Sure you can 😂) Also, you can lock the focus by using whatever button you programme to lock focus. You just need to hold it while you need it locked. Honestly (for what I need it), I prefer it like that
I m curious about this camera too did you found the autofocus more trustworthy than fuji last camera for photo and for video? Cool video opinion as usual. 👌
I go back and forth between my Z6II and X-T3...the Z6II has way better AF, especially when it comes to face detection. The X-T3 does not recognize people if they're wearing a mask and the Z6II doesn't even get hung up on that.
@@artstorywork I use the Eye AF a lot, it's pretty good. I don't trust the real time tracking on it though, it's a feature I do not use or even try to use too much.
If you are not comfortable holding the buttons while spinning the dials, you can activate "Release button to use dial" option in setup menu. Then it will act like canon, you press & don't hold & instead release the button which will activate the associated setting & then change setting with front or rear dial.
Dearest Omar. As a fellow Fuji shooter I am perplexed. Have been using an xt1 for eight years and still LOVE IT!!! I look back on My pictures and still go wow!!! Unfortunately I’m not getting that with my new Nikon Z6ll. That crisp, contrasty, sharp look is just not there! What am I doing wrong? Am using a Nikkor 40mm f2. Sharpness setting? The lens? Have tried a lot and getting nervous on the 30 Day return period. Considering going back to xt3 or xt4? Is it a “full frame” thing? I shoot jpegs and love the sooc look of Fuji.
What a good video I’ve watched it twice incase I missed something I’ve buying my first z camera next weeks coming from a Nikon D500 mainly a wildlife photographer but love landscapes is the z6ii worth buying for landscapes or should get a z7 or z7ii thanks
If you want to switch focus from point A to point B very quickly with Z6ii, just stay in object tracking and it will switch quickly especially if you use touch on the screen to find focus at each point. I have done it however use full area tracking with touch to focus from point A to point B. If you don't like doing this method, if your focus is a super shallow depth of field and you want eye detect, then yes, it takes longer to go from object (yellow box) tracking and over to eye detect or back. Sony may be easier but Nikon Z6ii is do-able.
I just love watching your videos man; so funny a excellent info! Have you tried customizing the front function buttons? I believe it is possible to configure two different AF modes on those buttons. And since you fingers are already sitting there, it is easy to press these as required.
You have two customizable buttons on the front, so you can change modes or do anything else while shooting without putting your face away from the EVF. Great review, thanks
The Lumix S5 is totally customizable. In fact the camera is so well specified, you really have to save preferences as C-settings because the menu is so comprehensive.
Bro, you have me ceying🤣🤣🤣🤣 You are so right. I have the D700. It's loud, but amazing photos. And I have the z5. Loving it. Thanks for sharing on your thoughts.
If you hit the OK button, it will zoom to where the photo is focused! So you get both worlds! Tap to zoom and also zoom to the focus!
Very cool thanks!
Fuji and Sony do this as well
I have the okay button set to Histogram :D
What a great, fun, and informative video and wrap-up of this camera. This is my favorite photography channel on RUclips.
Yours is my favorite photography channel 😃
I have the F2 button of my Z7II assigned to “Subject Tracking”. It picks up eye focus very well and I press the F2 to arm the tracking box, hit BBF to use it. Press F2 to get rid of it. Works very fluently.
Been using this a LOT more. Great
What have you assigned the F1 button for? Thank you.
@@heidyh.8739 F1 is the AF mode changer.. So AF-S, C, M....and area...face, single, etc.
@@ogonzilla Thank you Omar! You are so funny! You could totally do comedy :)
Just read this - sorry newbie - what is BFF?
I literally just switched to Nikon from my 1DXll. Bought and upgraded to a Z6ll with the kit 24-70mm f4, grip, battery and adapter. Super, super, super underrated camera! It's amazing and better than my 1DXll in every aspect! The 24-70 kit lens is also so good that it makes my old canon lenses look like cheap glass. Not what I expected from a "cheap" kit lens!
Agree on the 24-70. But that lock!!!!!! Lol
@@ogonzilla Yes, the lock is suuuper annoying!
The Z6 II is a good camera but it does not compete with a Canon EOS 1 DX II especially in sports/action/fast wildlife shooting, which is what the 1DX was made for, simply because none of the current Z cameras are suited for that due to how their EVF work when holding down the shutter button.
Same as no Z camera competes with a D500 or a D6.
@@ogonzilla Hi Omar, love the channel, all the 2.8 zooms, do not lock. And for the sort of work you are doing and I and others with your use-case, the 2.8 zooms would be the way to go :) Have you used the 50mm 1.2 Z. Before you give the camera back you should check it out. It is my absolute fav lens at the moment. : ) Here is a video I made about it ruclips.net/video/ZXNu_YLXpHw/видео.html Pretty much made me cry it is that good. Even the 50mm 1.8 blew my mind when I first used it. Thanks again for the great channel. Cheers Matt
@@ogonzilla it's just a kit lens, get the pro 24-70 2.8 it doesn't have a lock lolz
A big part of choosing a camera is the lens ecosystem and the Z lenses are FANTASTIC! The f/2.8 zooms are the best lenses I’ve ever used and the image quality is second to none.
If you want the best choice for lenses you wouldn't choose Z-mount, there are few lenses available, they are all bigger and pricier than competition. So if lenses is your priority you would want Sony e-mount.
@@ElementaryWatson-123 Sony definitely has more choices but not sure their lenses are better. I’m not trying to hoard lenses so having 2-3 quality ones is all I need
Really happy I found this camera. It seems to have unbelievable image quality at this price range - based on what I've seen no camera (for instance the Sony a7 iii) can produce this quality for this price.
@@ElementaryWatson-123 Now in 2021 there is everything you need except the big tele for sport/wildlife (max now is 400mm at 5.6).
We got the 14-24/24-70/70-200 2.8 trinity and some excellent fast primes - what more do you need?
They are smaller and cheaper than canon and the Sony 2.8 aren’t tiny either…
@@ElementaryWatson-123 Pricier? Say, WHAT? Have you priced the RF lenses? That. alone scared me away from Canon and I love Canon.
Just traded all my Fujifilm gear (except my X70) for a Z6ii, 24-70 f4 and 50 f1.8. Only stopped using Nikon after 30+ years because they didn’t have a sensible option when I wanted to go mirrorless. Am very happy to be back. Your recent videos definitely helped with the decision. Thank you for all the content you put out, really appreciated.
Nikon would be so well served to listen to the advice of pro's like yourself. They really could move the camera from good to great by just some firmware updates.
Paul, I know you mentioned you shoot Nikon as well. Any issues from your end?
@@ogonzilla Hey Omar. You nailed most of my complaints in your review. I am still using the original Z6 so it feels a little more constipated overall than the mark II. What I would really like to see them add is a firmware update where you could be in any focus mode and just hit the AF on button to engage eye af. Being able to change the size of the tracking box, and if you could recenter your focus point by double clicking the joy stick like you can with Fuji. I think all of this could be done in firmware along with the issues you stated that would greatly improve the usability of the camera. One thing I really hope they add in the next camera is a vari-angel lcd like the xt3 and older cameras use, or better yet one like Panasonic uses that will fully articulate or open up like some of the fuji's do, that would appeal to everyone and boost their sales.
@@paulthomas8986 Recenter focus point with center press on the joystick can be done, at least on the Z6II. You set it up under custom controls. :)
@@jgranseth I just posted about the joystick center focus trick and misstated it as a double tap.
Z5 is the best value camera by far. Especially right now, at least in Canada, it's $500 off, so $1299 instead of $1799. Right now the Z6ii is $200 off, $2499 regular $2699. Just bought a Z5 as a backup to the Z6ii. They're going to be a great combo.
@@ElementaryWatson-123 I've been shooting with the Z5 for about a week now and haven't noticed issues with the AF. Seems to be as good as the Z6ii right now.
The only thing I noticed was that you need fast SD cards for 4k30fps or 1800 60fps video (obviously). The Z6 doesn't have 2 card slots so that's not an option for a large group of people
I bought a z6 in December and wish they z6ii had rebates then 😢
@@3akoscielski Just ordered the Z5. Is the color science comparable with the Z6 II in this video?
this.. and 2 years later.. he's Nikon hardcore guy😁
Basically, just the kit lenses have that locking issue. The 2.8 zooms don't, which is actually one of the main reasons I chose them too.
Locking it is optional. Best kit lens I've ever had.
Nikon Z is probably some of the best value in mirrorless full frame right now outside of those crazy affordable Tamron E zooms. I love my Z7. It complements my GM5 perfectly.
I think it will be interesting to see how the Z mount develops. Nikon really hit their stride in DSLRs with the D3/D300 combo, Sony also took a few generations to get their A7 line right. I don't think they're far behind, they just need to work on the autofocus a bit and release a few more lenses on the roadmap. As an ex-Nikon/current-Fuji shooter it's an interesting prospect.
Well said!!
My name is Photo-Me Ike, and I approve this message... Cept for the locking part. I actually don't mind it cause of the space savings. Plus is you never lock the lens, then you never have to unlock it...
I, Omar, approve this approval. I will also look into a "never-lock-gaffer-tape" hack for the lens. :)
If locking were done through a different mechanism than rotating a zoom ring I would agree with that. But unfortunately current implementation is bad when you need to be quick. Also both locking lenses 24-70/4 and 14-40/4 are rather large when unlocked in comparison to other similar lenses. I also have Tamrons 28-75/2.8 and 17-28/2.8 for Sony and those lenses are smaller despite being a stop faster.
@@ElementaryWatson-123 actually it’s not that hard if you are used to it. But if you are constantly switching between different camera brands and or types of lenses. Then I can see how you would get caught off guard every time you picked it up. The space savings of the Tamrons come at the expense of not having as wide of angle at the zoom end. 24mm vs 28mm makes a difference when you are trying to get as wide as possible.
It truly is a very small problem to have and it’s totally subjective
@@ogonzilla I Dom, also disapprove of your locking lens criticism...just don’t lock it! If you do buy a Z5, most of the Z lenses don’t lock. PS I use the single focus point for most shots, often in the centre. A very fair review otherwise, bravo.
Omar, a million dollar question for your fuji subscribers is “How are the SOOC jpegs especially skin tones compared to Fuji and Canon?"
Superb. Best of all three.
I think if I ever did go back to full frame mirror less this is what I'd buy. I have no idea why but these Nikon Z cameras have always been a curiosity of mine.
You should give setting F6 “Release button to use dial” a try. It makes it so you don’t have to hold down the function button while switching focus modes. You just press and release the function button and can then change the modes. This also effects the ISO and Exp Comp settings.
It definitely doesn’t make it as easy as you demonstrated with the Sony, but I think it does make it a bit less awkward to work the dials.
I tried this with another setting, I think. ISO changes without holding. With my clumsy spider fingers I was constantly changing ISO somehow instead of aperture? lol.. thanks though....good tip
Thanks! I was looking for this.
A week into my Z6 II ownership and I am in love. Picked up the 24-200mm (does not lock!) for my general walk around and it is wonderful, so good for a super telephoto. Got a 14-30 f4 S , which does lock but it doesn't bother me as that lens is used in slow situations. Also...the 50 f1.8 S...wow wow wowy wow wow! So very good! Not your dads 1.8 lens. Love the ergonomics, and all the buttons that my old interchangeable system likes to get rid of as new models are developed...(Fuji...dang you...but I still love my X70!). One good thing about Nikon (and Canon and even Sony...) is that they have been doing a good job recently with firmware updates, I guess we can thank Fuji for that. Maybe some more expansive button config options are in the future. You are so right about the Nikon colors, they are so quick and easy to edit RAW if I want to and the JPGs are so very good with actually a lot of configuration choices which I thought only Fuji did with their film simulations...but no, you can do a lot of similar customization here too. And LOVE the load/save to memory card for these custom settings as well as the full configuration ...gush gush gush....
Just picked up the z6ii and loving it.
Nikon has AMAZING metering and colors. I love my Fuji but I recently picked up a Z50… which led me to getting the Z6ii. I got the Z 24-70 f4 for about $400. I am VERY happy with the Z6ii .. and the Z50. The Z lenses are superb.
Also, rumor has it that nikon is working to release a mirrorless retro inspired camera.
Nikon z-fc?
A point on center focus and moving the focus box around. You can hit the ‘ok’ button and the focus box snaps back to center. Hope you enter the Nikon ecosystem. The files as just artistic for a lack of a better term. 👊
You can also set the joystick to reset focus position with a click.
But still no way to switch quickly between two AF modes (note the DSLR's offer this)
@@adam_mawz_maas I feel like this would be such an easy firmware update. We absolutely need an option to jump to any other focus mode with a single button tap.
I also wish Subject Tracking behaved like it does in Continuous AF - meaning the subject tracks only when holding AF-ON (or, shutter half-press, depending on setup) and the box re-centers upon release. In Single AF mode, the box tracks until you deactivate & reactivate Subject Tracking. Both options in both modes would be IDEAL.
Have had my Z6II since November and it's my most used camera. I use it for events as well and I don't have too many complaints with it. I oddly prefer it over my A7RIII and Fuji's.
@@cohoonatube Build quality, I really do not like Sony's hotshoe design, I don't like Sony's EVF design because the screen to me has always appeared "greasy" to me, especially when you compare it to the Z6II EVF. The A9II EVF fares no better as well. I also like Nikon's eye AF better than what's on the A7RIII. There's probably better algorithm's in the 4th gen cameras, but I honestly just prefer the Z6II at this point for the budget. There's also the matter of rear LCD screens, which the Nikon is also better with. The Z6II isn't perfect but honestly no camera is.
@@cohoonatube Yeah I think the Z's beat out Sony's third gen cameras. The R6 is a fine camera, but I don't like Canon's button layouts, it's mostly just better in AF. I traded my A7RII in for the Z6II and honestly never looked back, was such an improvement.
@@cohoonatube None of the Sony's have real native iso 64, that's more of a Nikon thing like in the Z7, D810 and D850 bodies.
@@cohoonatube Oh no...if I had a Z7II that would not be getting traded. My only real complaint about the Z6II is that it's only 24MP, but I don't always want to import and export the big files so it's an even trade off.
Marcus, what autofocus setting do you use for photographing a group of people (2 or more)? The eye/face detect is great for 1 person, but I haven't seen videos that discuss settings for taking sharp images of groups. I'm so used to the single-point focus on the Nikon D750; the Z6 ii has so many options, it's confusing. Thank you in advance for the info.
I found the subject tracking box a good workaround for the center point focus box and in some ways superior. Hit the fn button to bring it up in the center, half press the shutter to lock on, recompose, snap. When you release the shutter button the box goes back to the center ready for the next subject. The nice part is since it’s tracking you don’t lose any focus accuracy during the recompose unlike center single point.
I've been eyeing the Z6ii as an upgrade from a D700. Main reason being the loud shutter. I never in a million years would have guessed someone would compare the two in 2021. Thank you.
'The Bite Shot' just moved to Nikon Z from Canon. She said the colours were just right compared to her canon cameras.
I definitely think I could get used to using the front function button to switch modes. Ive considered Sony but the awful rear screen wouldn't give me enough feedback on how I was doing during a shoot.
I use the record button to switch modes, it's a lot more comfortable and less cumbersome doing that.
Yup. Already have 2 Z6s and several Z-mount lenses (on top of my adapted F-mounts, which work flawlessly). All in for 2 years now (made a video on that). If not for the disinformation campaign, many more people would have discovered the virtues of the Z System.
You are absolutely right about switching autofocus modes, the saddest thing is that in my Nikon D850 i have 3 different buttons configured with different AF modes, so Nikon does support it, but not in Z cameras. In my view they will expand the option for having more programmable buttons in their pro bodies to be released, which is a real shame :/
Get it! And get the Z 35mm f1.8 - it’s fantastic. 😊
The 35mm will be my first lens - I can do 90% of what I need on that focal length.
@@markshirley01 Enjoy! You won’t regret it. Best 35mm I’ve used - great colours & contrast.
Nikkor Z 35, 50 and 85 are the best affordable primes of all time. You have to spend at least double the money on other systems to get comparable performance to them. This is coming from someone who's owned an RP, R6, A7iii, z6ii, and now a Gfx50r. The Z primes are fantastic.
@@earthlingtheaaron21 thanks - yes Ive heard they are very good lenses.
@@markshirley01 35mm was the first lens i got when I purchased the z6. Then I got 85mm after DXOMark ranked it 3rd best lens ever. Both amazing lenses.
Very informative and honest report on this remarkable camera, thank you very much! I am a Z6- shooter (I will go to the second generation later - currently I need the money for the lenses), and everything you noted corresponds with my own experience. The ergonomics of the Z-bodys is outstanding, except that little issue concerning the change of focus modes. The Z6 comes close to the ideal, nearly perfect camera, I can recommend it for nearly all kinds of photography, except perhaps very fast types of sport and birds in flight.
Kind regards from Switzerland.
Z6 isn’t the best for video though ! But amazing camera for still photos! One of the best around! I am a z6 shooter by myself! Z6 ii I am planning as well to move soon!
Love your review: conversational, real-world shooting examples, and cuts to the chase on what matters to those of us struggling with decisions (and budget considerations!) Also, making me miss the land of my people (Jersey-born!)
I am so glad I found you, Life long Nikon user and have had my Z6ii for a week and the focus was driving me crazy. Thank you for your fun and helpful videos!
I never knew my fuji zoomed in to what it focused on with the double tap...I always learn something new with Omar reviews. And I realize this is a Nikon review :)
I've watched nearly all of your videos and I liked how you go into your thought process of how you use the camera.
I'm a Nikon shooter and it'll be six years since I picked up my first camera, a 15 year old (in 2018) D200. I loved that camera. Then I moved to the D600, and then the D750, and some good glass.
Now, I'm in the process of getting the Z6II and finding all the information and reviews that I can and that's how I found these videos from you, and they've been very helpful.
Glad the Z5 got a mention, that’s the one that might tempt me back to Nikon, after you helped tempt me to Fuji! I look forward to an eventual video on the Z5! Wonderful as always Omar.
Largely agree with your sentiments, after using the Z6ii for a while I ended up shifting to Canon - the AF system was the main reason as a predominantly sports photographer
I am a 20+ yr pro photographer and I continue to say this is the most VERSATILE camera made today. It's also inexpensive. It's tremendous in low light (even better than the D5) , it's terrific in almost any task you give it, and even better for video.
I own 2 (along with a D5, D6,Z7, and Z9. I still find myself grabbing for the Z6II when I go out on a shoot.
As a Fuji user, I really like the Nikon z5, I love Nikon colors!
Thingamabop - The kind of technical terminology I like in camera reviews.
Our photography styles are super similar… I also was a Sony shooter for events and portraits similar to yours. One thing I’m surprised you didn’t mention or maybe I missed it is ergonomics. After shooting exclusively with Sony for a couple of years I forgot how much more comfortable Nikon bodies are. Now when I hold a Sony body I feel like my hands are super cramped and uncomfortable. Otherwise I completely agree with all of your comments! Love your videos especially and I can LOL please consider purchasing a Z62 so I can continue to watch your thoughts on the Z series.
My dude, you have been blessed with an opportunity to do and know what we have for the last 50 years. Nikon is the best glass and body combination on the market. Welcome to the family of, NIKON😎
Damn Omar! "Your results may vary" I damn near spit up my coffee I laughed so hard! Always look forward to your vlogs (even if they're about Nikons)... Thank you. (Jersey guy)
Jersey!!!!
I NEVER eat or drink or even breathe when I watch Omar's videos, almost died laughing too many times...
Haha, yeah that got me too.
The "greens" were one of the main reasons why I switched from Fuji back to Nikon! :)
And I really like the lock-mechanism - perfect when hiking and using a PeakDesign Clip. The Fuji zoom lenses always start to come out by themselves after a while ...
But I miss the X-H1 customization options a little bit. Putting functions on dpad and such things ...
I solved the "pricy XQD" - problem by not storing my cards like I did with SD cards. I just transfer all files from the full card to an external HD drive and format the XQD card. In the long term that is cheaper than buying 50 SD cards or so.
Exactly. If you use a sigma lens a green tint is the last thing you need
The "i" button on the back can have a customized menu and you can change the focus mode there. Much faster than the front function scroll
Just switch from D5600 to z6ii. Got it 1k off. Very happy with it so far!
Thanks a ton for a proper review of your usage instead of bashing or praising a camera. We as users know all cameras are good, but the points you explained are the nuances we're looking for. Thanks again :)
Awesome video Omar! The Nikon Z f2.8 lens have a L-fn button that can be used to activate the focus tracking box. In fact the the f mounted 2.8 lens from Nikon (at least the ones I have do) with lens buttons can be used to activate the tracking box. I can jump between eye and box tracking without taking my eye off the view finder………… way faster than having to lift my finger off the back of the camera and move it to depress another button. Keep up the good work…… awesome information and love the humor.
I currently shoot on a Z5 and while I really do love it, I'm wondering if a Z6 II would be a meaningful upgrade in terms of eye/face detect AF and tracking.
Would love to see you play with a Z5. Seems to be more practical on a lot of fronts. Hope you're still going to talk about the 70-200 lens. Well done! 👍 🥂
Z5 is great but focus tracking on Z6II / Z7II is greatly improved (especially for moving targets). Z5 tracking is more on par with original Z6 / Z7 models.
Love your real-world opinions and pointing out little things that are awesome, or that bug you. Those are the things that make a big deal when putting up with a camera.
It’s on my radar too, Omar. Thanks for throughly presenting the pluses and minuses. Be safe, man.
Great review, Omar, and I learned a couple of things about the system I did not know, I'm still in the adaptation phase. So far I'm very happy with it. But I might not be when I hit the first low light dance event. We will see.
100% agree about the customize all buttons to do anything. And customizing a button to switch between 2 specific focus modes would be awesome as well as a fixed centre focus point
I'm a long time Nikon and for fun, Fuji shooter. Commercially I use Nikon's D850's but I quite like my little Z6ii, especially with the 35 and 85 1.8 S lenses. A great channel Omar, thank you from the UK
Omar, I had a suspicion the love relationship was going to be short lived. I’ve been a long, and I mean a long time Nikon shooter and I struggled when I got my first Z body. All the niggles that you pointed out are valid and don’t qualify as Nikon bashing. I’ve had my fling with Canons and brief tryst with Sony. We’ve decided to let bygones be bygones and we’re still friends😉😊……..still a subscriber👍
I just added a Z7II to my Z6II. Now my kit is complete!! Like you Omar, it's the image quality that has me loving the Zed series!
Great review! I just bought my Z6II three weeks ago and I love this camera image quality color science, shooting experience and menu. I'm only using prime lenses vintage Nikkor 50mm f1.4 and Canon 40mm f2.8 pancake with adapters. I find their Z lenses are overpriced and for now, I Don't need them. Before that, I was shooting Canon 5DMKII and 30D over 1 decade then tried Fujifilm X100V but returned it.
The Z5 is amazing, really. If there's no need for the video or higher fps count, then the Z5 is a great choice.
My only camera is still a D700. I love it, but it's incredibly heavy for hiking and backpacking. Looking at a Z7ii or Z6ii. This review is incredibly helpful.
Great video Omar you are one funny guy, you always make me laugh and your video are so honest and genuine. Please remember the lens that locks that you have there is only the kit lens and it's the only full frame lens that does this. I have this lens which I use for holiday trips with the family but I have also bought the Professional 24-70mm 2.8 s which is amazing, to go along with my 35mm 1.8 s, 50 1.8s and the stellar 85mm.1.8s which will blow your mind its so gorgeous. Anyway I have now got used to toggling from the 2 main focusing modes and it's super quick now. All the best G
I’ve had my Z6ii for about a month now. It’s a great camera. Not perfect. Buttons, ergonomics and a few other things. But, yes the image quality is fantastic. I prefer a “natural” color saturation level, the Z6ii is a great “all around” camera.
Awesome review man, loved it, loved it, loved it! And the best is yet to come, as they have only done like 2 firmware updates, so a lot of improvements are coming as well as new lenses, and there are some announcements coming next week or sometime in May, thank you for being so positive.
Fun review! However, the comment about the locking lenses tripped me up. I have the Z 24-200 and unlocked it upon purchase. It has remained unlocked and always ready to go since. It only locks again if I do it manually. Is the auto lock only on your lens? Additionally - a funky lock feature is a hell of a reason not to recommend a full line of lenses. The Z24-70 and Z 24-200 take superb, sharp images.
Omar, i d say that was the best review that i watched. I hope Nikon watched and learned. Tanks and have a good weekend!
Great video Omar!!! I want to change from Fujifilm XT3 to other system for photography and I would like to know which will work better, the Sony A7III or the Nikon Z6II? All the best
Didn’t have plans on getting one but thanks to the Z6III, I found a like new Z6II for less than the cost of a Z5. Only 52 shutter actuations, zero scuffs, even smells new. Feels like a steal for about $1,000.
Thoughtful article. Thank you. I run the Z6-2 with a z24-120 f4 S series lens, this lens doesn't have a lens lock. Also fabulous lens IMHO. One of the reasons it's my daily driver. The Z6_2 is new to me as well, as such, I was running single focus spot metering on center to the optical field x/y axis, and it stuck there. I've been running i menu override to go matrix metering and you get the wide box over your image field, which I find irritating. I would prefer a small icon on a bottom bar. The manual is vast at 900+ pages. Still expolring the tech integration, will likely take some time to digest all of the Z6_2's capabilities. I was wondering if you were going to keep it. I was considering the 5-7 series body only, knowing that I'd be running the 24-120f4 S, as it seemed to present the best of both worlds on price and optics quality. I primarily use the camera for work (building forensics) and for pleasure - mostly landscape related.
Keep the good content coming ~
Peace
Seems like a briljant camera. Nikon is stepping up
That is my only gripe with z series camera is the limit to set a function or customize a button to one of the Af modes so you don’t have to use dials to switch to single point etc if they change that in a firmware update it’s a game changer
@@theflyest203 yeah they really need to add that
Great review, I own the z5, z6ii and z7ii, I've had no problem using tracking mode, I've assigned it to the FN button. For both on and off and it automatically starts at the center of the frame for the quick moments that you need to capture. Also I wanted to point out that the 24-70 2.8 s does not have the lock, I believe only the f4 version is the only one that does . For zooming in, the ok button will zoom to your focus point. Regards
I got Nikon Z6 I. I still love it. Can't upgrade anytime soon. 😂 😂. Great video man..
The Nikon Z series is so underrated!!! I own the Z5 and even the „entry Z“ ticks all the boxes. Ergonomics are insane on Nikon cameras plus the colors the Zs pump out in the jpgs are industry leading.
I've just added a Z6 swapping out one of my D750's so I'm about to start seeing how it performs. As you demonstrated here, to speed things up I need to get a handle on the function menus. Going from eye focus and then back again looks painful. As for lenses I'll likely stick with F-Mount with the adapter.
Another AF mode workaround is to save single point AF to “U1” on your mode dial, and save wide area eye-AF to “U2”, etc. Only drawback is the need to change with your left hand… but it’s faster than the Fn button + scrolling method.
Nothing beats Olympus’ thumb Fn lever implementation on the EM5 and EM1.
Great practical user based analysis.
I shoot both Nikon (DSLRs) and Fuji (mirrorless) and I went with these names because I felt their overall image quality appealed to me more than any of the others.
Love the channel 👍
Hi Omar thanks for the great video
Which one is better in terms of AF for moving subjects Z6ii or XT4??
Thanks again
Mina
I was confused when I saw your channel associated with a Nikon Z6ii camera but I'm glad you are reviewing other cameras besides those that you use. You noticed things based on your shooting experience with other cameras. I switched back to Nikon from Canon a few years back and I am currently looking at upgrading to the Z6. I'm hoping it will replace my 2 Nikon DSLR cameras. Keep up the great videos.
This was a great, non-bias review. I even learned a couple of great tips from a pro. Thanks! I have a D5500. Would I be better off getting a Z50 or just investing in better glass? Z50 is mirrorless but I lose 4MP resolution. It is also only a crop / CMOS sensor.
I think the Z6 would be a step for me and the Z9 would be a huge step up. The Z9 will do tracking better by the way. In all the videos I have seen, the Z9 locks on like a heat seeking missile- extremely accurate and fast. Clearly they borrowed some military tracking tech- it's that good. I am not sure about bouncing around though e.g., face to hand.
From a D5300 user try renting first instead of letting strangers make decision for you. I have tried the z6ii, z5, cannon r6, and Sony a7iv. All these cameras have eye af which destroys my d5300 in sharpness on portraits. They all have significantly better low light performance. I'm leaning towards Sony because their menu system is similar to nikons, its af is amazing and it has a flippy screen like my nikon.
@@smack9x Thanks and great idea! In the last few days I decided to stick with my D5500- for now. It does take some great pics but your 110% right about lower light exposure. Anyway, I just bought a new 80-300mm Nikon lens. The AF is super quiet- I thought it wasn't working. The manual ring wasn't working but later I discovered you have to use AUTO first, then fine tune manually. I'm newish and never used a big zoom before- just the kit 18-140mm which is ok.
I've also been dabbling with Macro lately which is a ton of fun. Check out the Meike 85mm F/2.8. All I can say is amazing. If you have an email you can share, I can send you some snaps from it. It's 100% fully manual but most macro is best done that way. It's nearly all metal, heavy and solid with impeccable IQ. 1.4x magnification which beats out most others except Laowa Venus that offers 2x mag- slightly better but 3x the price. Check it out some of the pics if you are interested at www.venuslens DOT net/gallery/ Once there, click on Gallery (top right)...then select (on the left side) the lens called Laowa 65mm 2.8 2x APO or the 100 2.8 2x macro to see the pics sorted by specific Lens Galleries (smart idea.)
Since you mentioned light, you should grab a book that was recommended to me by several pro's in a forum. It's called "Understanding Exposure" by Bryan Peterson. There are some really great nuggets in the book- like when shooting colors like flowers, expose/aim at the color GREEN. Very often, point your camera to the SKY to set your meter correctly. Slightly over expose when shooting snow, etc. He has tips on ND filters and how to use them, exposure bracketing and a lot more.
You are smart and definitely making the right call with the Sony. Now you just have to save up for an amazing G lens- one of THE best in the world. Glass is easily as important as the body. Many of the pro's I follow and watch in YTube swear by the G lenses.
If you need a versatile lens get a 24-120 f4 vr with an adaptor, perfect lens for events (you can even put 1.5x crop on function button to get 180mm which can be very useful) . I also don't like that dinky 24-70. As for the zoom in and zoom out buttons - I think they are there because of the legacy. I can't get used to zoom in with pinch. Great video as always!
Hey Omar! Love to see you enjoying the Nikons! Have you checked out the Z50 too?
I enjoyed seeing how much your beard has grown since getting the Z6.
Looking for z5 review as it's only full-frame camera who literally support my budget
You can switch modes with one button. Just programme the Fn buttons for what you need/use the most. You can also programme other buttons like that (what do you mean by "you can't"? Sure you can 😂)
Also, you can lock the focus by using whatever button you programme to lock focus. You just need to hold it while you need it locked. Honestly (for what I need it), I prefer it like that
I just received my Nikon camera this week! Very excited!! 😊
Nice review I appreciate your honest appraisal of this camera and your presentation is great.
I m curious about this camera too did you found the autofocus more trustworthy than fuji last camera for photo and for video? Cool video opinion as usual. 👌
I go back and forth between my Z6II and X-T3...the Z6II has way better AF, especially when it comes to face detection. The X-T3 does not recognize people if they're wearing a mask and the Z6II doesn't even get hung up on that.
@@marcusbeasley3212 good to know still does it have a tracking function or is it good at following when it comes to objects??
@@artstorywork I use the Eye AF a lot, it's pretty good. I don't trust the real time tracking on it though, it's a feature I do not use or even try to use too much.
If you are not comfortable holding the buttons while spinning the dials, you can activate "Release button to use dial" option in setup menu. Then it will act like canon, you press & don't hold & instead release the button which will activate the associated setting & then change setting with front or rear dial.
Dearest Omar. As a fellow Fuji shooter I am perplexed. Have been using an xt1 for eight years and still LOVE IT!!! I look back on My pictures and still go wow!!! Unfortunately I’m not getting that with my new Nikon Z6ll. That crisp, contrasty, sharp look is just not there! What am I doing wrong?
Am using a Nikkor 40mm f2.
Sharpness setting? The lens?
Have tried a lot and getting nervous on the 30
Day return period. Considering going back to xt3 or xt4? Is it a “full frame” thing? I shoot jpegs and love the sooc look of Fuji.
Great video, informative and lighthearted. Also I love that street photo from 4th Avenue- as a native Brooklynite- I know exactly where that is.
What a good video I’ve watched it twice incase I missed something
I’ve buying my first z camera next weeks coming from a Nikon D500 mainly a wildlife photographer but love landscapes is the z6ii worth buying for landscapes or should get a z7 or z7ii thanks
I would wait for the Z7VI
The Z6 ii is one of the best cameras for Birds in Flight. :) And it is also fantastic for Wildlife in general! Love your videos! ✌️
If you want to switch focus from point A to point B very quickly with Z6ii, just stay in object tracking and it will switch quickly especially if you use touch on the screen to find focus at each point. I have done it however use full area tracking with touch to focus from point A to point B. If you don't like doing this method, if your focus is a super shallow depth of field and you want eye detect, then yes, it takes longer to go from object (yellow box) tracking and over to eye detect or back. Sony may be easier but Nikon Z6ii is do-able.
Im a Fuji guy for years, but I still go back to my Nikons. And dude, the D700 may be old but damn... it’s got something!
What would you say Nikon Z6II vs Sony A7III? I use it predominately for nature / astro photography!
Amazing video, thank you!
I just love watching your videos man; so funny a excellent info! Have you tried customizing the front function buttons? I believe it is possible to configure two different AF modes on those buttons. And since you fingers are already sitting there, it is easy to press these as required.
Great video, very good to get your perspective on the z6 II :) thanks!
You have two customizable buttons on the front, so you can change modes or do anything else while shooting without putting your face away from the EVF. Great review, thanks
The Lumix S5 is totally customizable. In fact the camera is so well specified, you really have to save preferences as C-settings because the menu is so comprehensive.
Great vid. Question: is this pre-firmware update? Curious how that changed the autofocusing.
Hey Omar, would you consider picking up a straight z6 over a z62 right now if the price was right. Nikon refurbs are 600.00 less than a z62.
Thanks for another great video! How different is the Nikon color science vs Fujifilm in terms of Jpeg and Raw?
Bro, you have me ceying🤣🤣🤣🤣 You are so right. I have the D700. It's loud, but amazing photos. And I have the z5. Loving it. Thanks for sharing on your thoughts.