In Korea, there was no RUclipsr who marked it in detail like this, and you showed me all the questions and tests I was curious about. Thank you, steve.
Quick follow-up. There have been a few comments here and elsewhere wondering about the AF speed of the gripped D850 + ENEL18 battery and un-gripped D850 + the normal battery and how that affects speed as well as how the lenses would preform on a D6. I've been saying that I believe the speed is the same, but it was bugging me since I haven't actually tested it. So, I just grabbed the 600E and tested with D850 with and without the grip (all batteries in question fully charged). Yup, both are the same. 1/2 second (15 frames @ 30FPS). :) I no longer own a D6, however, I did do this same test awhile back when comparing AF speed of the Nikon 600mm to the Sony 600mm (I never published it because it would cause too much bickering in the comments). At any rate, I loaded the video clip, checked the speed, and the D6 also takes 1/2 second to focus from minimum focus distance to infinity. I still contend that the speeds we're seeing both from the Z9 and and the D850 (and the D6) are simply the fastest speeds the AF motor can get the lens from minimum focus to infinity.
@@joshmcdzz6925 Speed was actually a tie. I kind of thought the Sony was a touch quicker, but the numbers didn't agree. 1/2 second for both. And I agree - people worry way too much about what others think of their gear.
The only thing no one has done, as far as I know, is to try the new EN-EL18d battery in the D6 or D5 and see if they can match the AF speed of the Z9. I've always wondered if the battery has something to do with it, as in the new battery is delivering more power to lens' AF motor? The only thing that makes me believe the Z9 is doing better speed wise...is the battery. I have the EN-EL18c batteries for my D6, D5 and D850. I think the reason people see the D850 do better AF wise with the MB-D18 grip, is because the AF sub-mirror is "seeing" the scene almost 30% more per second with the grip at 9fps than it is without the grip at 7fps. It's possible the Z9 and new battery work together to deliver more power to the lens' focus motor. Or it could just be the new battery or the Z9 itself. This would have to be tested with the Z9 using an EN-EL18c instead of the newer (d) battery and then testing a D6 with the Z9 battery. At the end of the day, it's nice to know that the Z9 is finally capable of extremely fast AF. My D6 will happily last me another year, hopefully by then I will be able to easily get a Z9, maybe even used? But I'm happy the Z9 is a possible upgrade path for a DSLR lover like myself. Before I buy a Z9 though, I want to see if it's possible to transfer images wirelessly in the field, reliably. The D6 has built in Wifi, but it's not 100% reliable, especially not when using the SnapBridge app. Which is why I absolutely love the WT-6A and D5/D6 for this purpose and as a photojournalist. With the WT-6A attached I can almost instantly choose a file to send and have it on my iPhone/ipad within 1-2 seconds of taking the image. The WT-6A has a 650ft range and it does not require any additional infrastructure. I've been able to reliably send images to my iPhone and then to editors, even from the front lines of wildfire's, because of the WT-6A. It just always works, at least while using the ShutterSnitch app. So I'm hoping the Z9 can do the same, reliably. Because the $6500 D6 still has issues and it's built in Wifi/Bluetooth is not as reliable or good as using the attached $600 WT-6A and the Z9, well it has no port to attach the WT-6A. Hopefully thats because Nikon is saying they no longer need one, hopefully that means the Z9 has a WT-6A built in. But so was the D6 supposedly, and it didn't do what it was supposed to.
@@patricksmith2553 Both the C and D version of the battery are 10.8v, so I'm not sure there's any difference coming form a voyage standpoint. I'd try it myself, but I had to sell the D6 to afford the Z9, so I have no way to do so.
Thanks for the hard work as always Steve. Got to admire Nikon's engineers for making F lenses work well. Can't think of anything else released in 1959 that is still in use in 2022.
Leica-M? Since 1954 and this year came the M11, with the same M-Mount. I do not think that any Manufacturer will beat Leica at this point. (We will see if Nikon will release new F-Mount bodys for the next 10 Years...i somehow doubt this.) And for the Leica M: You still can use Lenses with the M39-Mount, that came out since 1930... (with a very small adapter)
The FTZ adapters only offers autofocus with AF-S lenses. So it only "works" with lenses from the 1990s, when AF-S appeared. I have no idea why you start at 1959. You can put 90% of Nikkor lenses from 1959 and later on any camera with the correct flange distance. It only needs to be mechanical connected with a basic dumb non-electronic adapter. As in: not fall off.
Great to see that f mount glasses are performing as about same speed with the native lenses. This will help guys with exotic lenses to migrate without pressure. Excellent work Steve.
Thank you so much Steve for taking the time to do these tests. You’re the first to clearly answer these questions that all future Z9 owners were looking for.
Thanks for the, once again, great and informative video! What could have been good to mention in this video is that the FTZ adapter does not allow for transmitting focus distance to the camera, only focal length, and, therefore, does not allow the camera to use 5 axis stabilization. The 4th and 5th axis, the sensor's x- and y-axis movements, depend on this information. This could be important for someone choosing between old and maybe cheaper F-mount glass versus new Z-mount glass for filming.
Great video Steve! I am getting my Z9 tomorrow, and will be shooting it with the 300 and 500 PF lenses, with and without the same tc as in your tests. So your video allayed whatever fears I had regarding AF speed, and actually boosted my confidence in my purchase of my Z9. Thank you so much for your extremely timely video!
Enjoy that hotrod camera bro! Congratulations!, I think Nikon has a true high speed wildlife mirrorless camera finally..im waiting on an APS-C version...
for anyone reading this I just took the Lightroom library tutorial and I'm blown away by what I learned. there seems to be no small corner of that part of Lightroom I don't understand now. Steve thanks and don't stop there
I was already sold on the Z9 but this just confirms that decision. I have a collection of F-mount telephotos and converters to shoot mostly motorsports and don't plan on getting native lenses anytime soon. Great info, Steve.
This is groundbreaking news ! Seriously. You’re the only one who actually made a video to test it, this is such a relief, I even feel really excited and confident to get the Z9 now. Thank you so much 🙌
Wouaw! Thanks a lot Steve. As I’m loaded with AF lenses and don’t plan to sell them when I’ll get my Z camera, you just have given me the reason to go for the Z9 !!!
Great news! I've invested a lot legendary F-mount lenses the last two years and my D850 is still going strong but it is good to know that the transition to a Z9 one day will go well.
Thanks for the time, it's always lovely to see your pictures. That's and impressive result by the Z9. Matt Granger find, in portrait situations, that the performance of the adapted lenses is just stellar.
Steve what a great source for accurate information and I am so glad you choose to shoot with multiple brands to help all of us make informed decisions. I dont shoot Nikon but I am glad to see Nikon folks happy with the new Z9 and adapters
This is a fantastic video. I have 2 D850's and plan on keeping them for a while before eventually getting a Z9 when they are more readily available and the bugs, if any, have had a chance to be id'd and corrected. The biggest benefit of this video is its timing. I have 8-10 days left before returning a 600mm f/4 E to B&H. Compatibility with the mirrorless cameras was a concern for me. This video gives me even more reason to keep it and eliminates that concern. Great video coach. You have taught me a ton via your videos and your educational ebooks. Thanks a ton Steve. You are the goods. On the down side, you have cost me more money! Hahahaha! However, the utility received from those expenditures has worth it.
Wow !! Such an amazing improvement over the DSLRs when it comes to using TCs Wow!! Now someone getting a new z9 can buy a F Mount telephoto lens without any hesitation at all, Yes the native z mount glasses will perform better but again they will cost more than the already amazing f mount glasses. Thanks a lot Steve for such a detailed comparison. Waiting eagerly for your full review of the Z9 🙏🏼
Thank you so much for the technical data. I've been pouring over reviews and specs trying to decide if I should get z mount lenses or just go with an adapter and my F mounts. This is the first review I found where someone took the time to give actual readings instead of just, yup, looks about the same. Excellent work Steve, you've got a new fan today!
Thanks for your tests! So I feel pretty confident to (in the long run) replace my D750 with something like a Z6 III and continue to use my lenses until I actually have to replace them in the future
I am glad Nikon released Z9, not the I will ever purchase it, for I being an enthusiast with limited means only. But it seems brought Steve back to Nikon systems which will help me a lot to learn photography ☺️☺️
Excellent video as always Steve. Great info delivered in a frank and honest way, clear and concise and without conflicting music or dark moody lighting. Number one in my books! Cheers from Montréal.
Great Job Steve, as always. The faster focusing with the 1.4TC is a real game changer for sure. I will try this with my 400 2.8 lens and I assume it should mirror what you found with the other lenses. Can't wait until you come out with the Z9 review.
Steve Perry got a Z9 yeahhrrrrrrrrrr! A nice concise video Steve. I'm not in the Z9-level market, but as with other Z9 tech I hope the improved AF speeds with adapted F-mount lenses ends up in bodies further down the Z range.
I put my old 300 f/2.8 F mount exotic with a TC1.4 and got effectively 420mm @ f/4. With my Z9, focus is fast and accurate. I don’t need to spend $14k to get 400mm. Yes, I know the Z is faster and sharper, but it’s nice to be able to use glass I already own.
Another Good informative video as we used to get from this channel ... While Canon released their telephoto lenses with only changing the mount (they did it first tho) ... Nikon let its wildlife shooters wait for the Z9 and now they can keep their F mount telephoto lenses or adapt to the newer Z lenses which seems to be special (400 2.8 TC - 800 pf - 600 f4 "TC") ... I'm guessing the 600 to have a TC so it would be 600 f4 or 840mm f5.6 and that's why there won't be a 800 f5.6
Thanks Steve for another spot on video. I have been debating buying the 500PF to go with my Z9 and this just helped convince me it would be a great match.
Excellent analysis. You definitely answered a few of my questions. I have the FTZII already, but I may not get the camera to go along with it for months. I hope will do a video on the settings you recommend.
This is good to know. I am on the waiting list for a Z9. I ordered late, so I have a few months to wait. But, knowing that I can wait to start buying Z mount lens is good news. Trying to stick to a budget. Currently using a D810. Looking forward to your Z9 evaluation. Thanks
Super thorough and helpful. I can’t thank you enough as this is really relevant to me and has definitely tilted the scale towards purchasing the Z9. Many thanks again. Cheers
I can confirm this for the Z9 and the 500PF, when compared to a D7500 Before i was trying out the Z50 and using that with the PF seemed to me like a waste of fast focussing lens. The Z50 wasnt even half as fast as my D7500. Sometimes it was even not fast enough to keep the focus on fast moving subjects, so i missed A LOT of shots and decided to put the PF back on the d7500 and use the 200-500 with the Z50 (that lens is slower already, so it didnt hurt that much). Which was a shame, since the Z50s Autofocus was pretty damn spot on, when you had the time to get it to work. The Z9 now blows it right out of the water, im very happy with it. My girlfriend isnt, she now has to carry the 200-500 around, plus she tried the Z9 and (in contrast to her trying the Z50, which she didnt like at all) she was like: "Okay, thats mine now, you are not getting it back" What even impresses me more is the teleconverter performance... i was struggling to buy one with the z9 just to get back to my "old" aps-c focal length... but seeing these results...
I also use the D7500 and 500PF as my birding kit. I really want to order a Z9 but also worried about the loss of 'aps-c focal length'. Sounds like you are having great results! I anxiously await Steve's review of the Z9, especially for the AF tracking. Are you happy with it?
@@robinc-k7162 Hey Robin, you can hit a button on the Z9 to go to DX mode, which then is basically your 750mm focal length, with about (dont nail me on this) 19-23MP (somewhere in the ballpark of the D500 D7500) while retaining the Eye AF, Animal AF and 20FPS. You also get the "zoom" instantly in the viewfinder, and all the autofocus thingies go along with it. Basically you can go with the z9 in DX mode, shooting away like you did before, but with 20-30fps and insane af, and when you need it, you can go to FX mode and have 500mm with that extra full frame glory
@@benjaminzerhusen4941 awesome! thanks for the tips! I'm so glad that Nikon is stepping up the mirrorless game because I absolutely LOVE my 500PF lens and don't want to part with it!
i agree with you, your points are valid, shooting in DX mode or cropping from FX mode is the same thing, you have more freedom in the FX mode, true but when changing to DX mode, you get the way more zoomed in picture in the viewfinder, you know better where the focus is and basically you loose nothing to a aps-c camera. So as long as you arent filling the frame with the subject, in my opinion its smarter to use DX mode, when you fill the frame, change to FX and when that isnt enough.. well your bird feeder is to close ;)
Note that part of the FTZ thickness results from the sensor plan moving forward in the camera. Without the restriction of fitting the mirror in there is more flexibility for the sensor location, and I figure they moved it forward for heat management or to make room for the electronics in general.
Hi Steve, thanks for the informative video. If you ever revisit the subject, it would be helpful to include information regarding manual focus (ai/ais) lenses. I know they're not often used for wildlife photography, other than maybe the 400mm f/3.5, but there're they're still damn good and often used for photography and video.
Well, I just switched to a Z7II from a D810 but decided to go native lenses for the Z mount. I am keeping a 50mm and 85mm Nikon F mount lenses but that's mostly for portraiture. I primarily do pet photography which isn't too far a stretch from wildlife photography but with a bit more control over the situation. I understand the hit rate on action could be better but after using the D810 if it's just a hair better than that I will be happy. I hope Nikon will do a firmware update on the Z7II. I do know the buffer rate is way better. I've tested the camera a few times and am happy with it. The Z9 was tempting but beyond my budget at this time.
Very very interesting video, thanks!! I am waiting for the new z body to be announced before switching from F to Z, and I have a lot of good f lenses which I would like to keep. Hopefully the better performance in AF speed of the Z9 will flow down to future generations Z bodies.
I just got my Z9, and will use it with 500mm PF. I hope, Steve, you'll soon share your custom settings for your Z9, and update your ebook. I'm sure you will. Thanks.
its good to see AF performance with Z9. once Nikon have Z6III and Z7III with Z9 autofocus many Nikon DSLR users can moved to Z system while using F mount lens with same performance.
Suggestion for a next vidéo…. How to manage the custom setting banks, shooting menu banks… Vs the user 1-2-3 on the Z7 that I loved more (until I will may be understanding more those menus banks)… thanks!
Great video as always! There is one issue not mentioned in the video. Understandably since it is about photography. It is the video focusing speed on the Z cameras using FTZ 1 vs FTZ 2 with F mount lenses. I use a Z6 with the original FTZ 1 adapter for wildlife video. When using the 500 f/4 VRII lens for example, the video-autofocus struggles to follow the movement of birds, walking arctic foxes, etc... I can´t find a video testing this. It would be great to know if the FTZII performs better - and smoother - in video. - Best wishes from Iceland.
My suspicion would be that they are the same since Nikon says it's the same electronics, just a different form factor. My guess is that it's a processor issue and not an adapter issue. I hate to say that I think a Z9 would likely solve it, but I think a Z9 would likely solve it :) Still, I do about 3 wildlife clips a year so I'm probably not the best source :)
@@backcountrygallery Thank you for the reply. Z9 will probably solve a lot of things. :-) GAS is one of the them. ;-) It would be great to test this, since one of the main benefits of the mirrorless world is usable autofocus in video. We make a living from photography, not videos, but the videos are important for our channel. If the version II of the adapter works for video it makes it less necessary to buy a bunch of Z lenses. ;-)
Thanks again for your help. My Z9 is arriving tomorrow. Very excited. Looking forward to your field review and set up guide. What are your thoughts on the soon to be released 400 mm 2.8 TC S?
In Korea, there was no RUclipsr who marked it in detail like this, and you showed me all the questions and tests I was curious about. Thank you, steve.
Quick follow-up.
There have been a few comments here and elsewhere wondering about the AF speed of the gripped D850 + ENEL18 battery and un-gripped D850 + the normal battery and how that affects speed as well as how the lenses would preform on a D6.
I've been saying that I believe the speed is the same, but it was bugging me since I haven't actually tested it. So, I just grabbed the 600E and tested with D850 with and without the grip (all batteries in question fully charged).
Yup, both are the same. 1/2 second (15 frames @ 30FPS). :)
I no longer own a D6, however, I did do this same test awhile back when comparing AF speed of the Nikon 600mm to the Sony 600mm (I never published it because it would cause too much bickering in the comments). At any rate, I loaded the video clip, checked the speed, and the D6 also takes 1/2 second to focus from minimum focus distance to infinity.
I still contend that the speeds we're seeing both from the Z9 and and the D850 (and the D6) are simply the fastest speeds the AF motor can get the lens from minimum focus to infinity.
Which was faster from your test? The sony 600 vs nikon 600( I guess it's older)? I think boyz take their toys too personal.
@@joshmcdzz6925 Speed was actually a tie. I kind of thought the Sony was a touch quicker, but the numbers didn't agree. 1/2 second for both. And I agree - people worry way too much about what others think of their gear.
The only thing no one has done, as far as I know, is to try the new EN-EL18d battery in the D6 or D5 and see if they can match the AF speed of the Z9. I've always wondered if the battery has something to do with it, as in the new battery is delivering more power to lens' AF motor? The only thing that makes me believe the Z9 is doing better speed wise...is the battery. I have the EN-EL18c batteries for my D6, D5 and D850. I think the reason people see the D850 do better AF wise with the MB-D18 grip, is because the AF sub-mirror is "seeing" the scene almost 30% more per second with the grip at 9fps than it is without the grip at 7fps. It's possible the Z9 and new battery work together to deliver more power to the lens' focus motor. Or it could just be the new battery or the Z9 itself. This would have to be tested with the Z9 using an EN-EL18c instead of the newer (d) battery and then testing a D6 with the Z9 battery. At the end of the day, it's nice to know that the Z9 is finally capable of extremely fast AF. My D6 will happily last me another year, hopefully by then I will be able to easily get a Z9, maybe even used? But I'm happy the Z9 is a possible upgrade path for a DSLR lover like myself. Before I buy a Z9 though, I want to see if it's possible to transfer images wirelessly in the field, reliably. The D6 has built in Wifi, but it's not 100% reliable, especially not when using the SnapBridge app. Which is why I absolutely love the WT-6A and D5/D6 for this purpose and as a photojournalist. With the WT-6A attached I can almost instantly choose a file to send and have it on my iPhone/ipad within 1-2 seconds of taking the image. The WT-6A has a 650ft range and it does not require any additional infrastructure. I've been able to reliably send images to my iPhone and then to editors, even from the front lines of wildfire's, because of the WT-6A. It just always works, at least while using the ShutterSnitch app. So I'm hoping the Z9 can do the same, reliably. Because the $6500 D6 still has issues and it's built in Wifi/Bluetooth is not as reliable or good as using the attached $600 WT-6A and the Z9, well it has no port to attach the WT-6A. Hopefully thats because Nikon is saying they no longer need one, hopefully that means the Z9 has a WT-6A built in. But so was the D6 supposedly, and it didn't do what it was supposed to.
@@patricksmith2553 Both the C and D version of the battery are 10.8v, so I'm not sure there's any difference coming form a voyage standpoint. I'd try it myself, but I had to sell the D6 to afford the Z9, so I have no way to do so.
Thanks for the hard work as always Steve.
Got to admire Nikon's engineers for making F lenses work well. Can't think of anything else released in 1959 that is still in use in 2022.
Leica-M? Since 1954 and this year came the M11, with the same M-Mount. I do not think that any Manufacturer will beat Leica at this point.
(We will see if Nikon will release new F-Mount bodys for the next 10 Years...i somehow doubt this.)
And for the Leica M: You still can use Lenses with the M39-Mount, that came out since 1930... (with a very small adapter)
You’re definitely not a guitarist eh? 😉😋
The FTZ adapters only offers autofocus with AF-S lenses. So it only "works" with lenses from the 1990s, when AF-S appeared. I have no idea why you start at 1959. You can put 90% of Nikkor lenses from 1959 and later on any camera with the correct flange distance. It only needs to be mechanical connected with a basic dumb non-electronic adapter. As in: not fall off.
Great to see that f mount glasses are performing as about same speed with the native lenses. This will help guys with exotic lenses to migrate without pressure. Excellent work Steve.
Thank you so much Steve for taking the time to do these tests. You’re the first to clearly answer these questions that all future Z9 owners were looking for.
Thanks for the, once again, great and informative video!
What could have been good to mention in this video is that the FTZ adapter does not allow for transmitting focus distance to the camera, only focal length, and, therefore, does not allow the camera to use 5 axis stabilization. The 4th and 5th axis, the sensor's x- and y-axis movements, depend on this information.
This could be important for someone choosing between old and maybe cheaper F-mount glass versus new Z-mount glass for filming.
Great video Steve! I am getting my Z9 tomorrow, and will be shooting it with the 300 and 500 PF lenses, with and without the same tc as in your tests. So your video allayed whatever fears I had regarding AF speed, and actually boosted my confidence in my purchase of my Z9. Thank you so much for your extremely timely video!
Enjoy that hotrod camera bro! Congratulations!, I think Nikon has a true high speed wildlife mirrorless camera finally..im waiting on an APS-C version...
@@bassangler73 thanks, I’m excited!
@@johnredrup1036 you have every right to be!!!
Hi..If you don’t mind me asking please…How long did you have to wait after placing your order for a Z9?
@@baburao786 I placed a pre-order September 27th and received it on January 19th.
for anyone reading this I just took the Lightroom library tutorial and I'm blown away by what I learned. there seems to be no small corner of that part of Lightroom I don't understand now. Steve thanks and don't stop there
I was already sold on the Z9 but this just confirms that decision. I have a collection of F-mount telephotos and converters to shoot mostly motorsports and don't plan on getting native lenses anytime soon. Great info, Steve.
This is groundbreaking news ! Seriously.
You’re the only one who actually made a video to test it, this is such a relief, I even feel really excited and confident to get the Z9 now.
Thank you so much 🙌
The Nikon Z system is just the best, I'm all in on everything Nikon Z.
That had to be a lot of work putting these tests together. Thanks for saving us all a bunch of time!
Wouaw! Thanks a lot Steve.
As I’m loaded with AF lenses and don’t plan to sell them when I’ll get my Z camera, you just have given me the reason to go for the Z9 !!!
Sorry I mean F mount lenses. They are AF of course !
Great news! I've invested a lot legendary F-mount lenses the last two years and my D850 is still going strong but it is good to know that the transition to a Z9 one day will go well.
Thanks for the time, it's always lovely to see your pictures. That's and impressive result by the Z9. Matt Granger find, in portrait situations, that the performance of the adapted lenses is just stellar.
You are the best source of information on RUclips Steve thank you
Thank you for this! Been waiting too long for these answers.
Steve what a great source for accurate information and I am so glad you choose to shoot with multiple brands to help all of us make informed decisions. I dont shoot Nikon but I am glad to see Nikon folks happy with the new Z9 and adapters
I'm going to convert you to Nikon brother 😂😂😂
@@bassangler73 I'm a wildlife photographer. You give me a camera. I'll get you something out of it lol
@@longrider9551 👍
This is a fantastic video. I have 2 D850's and plan on keeping them for a while before eventually getting a Z9 when they are more readily available and the bugs, if any, have had a chance to be id'd and corrected. The biggest benefit of this video is its timing. I have 8-10 days left before returning a 600mm f/4 E to B&H. Compatibility with the mirrorless cameras was a concern for me. This video gives me even more reason to keep it and eliminates that concern. Great video coach. You have taught me a ton via your videos and your educational ebooks. Thanks a ton Steve. You are the goods. On the down side, you have cost me more money! Hahahaha! However, the utility received from those expenditures has worth it.
Thank you Steve! in 8 minutes you really summed up everything I needed to know about the FTZ adapters on real world use.
Wow! Not what I would have expected. Thanks for taking the time to do this Steve.
You and me both! I figured the Z9 might tie the F mount camera, but not that it would rock the TCs like that!
Wow! The result at 6:15 is really quite something - to autofocus just as fast with the TC as without is amazing and will make TC use so much better!!
Steve - Thanks so much for taking the time to do this! Super psyched to get out and shoot eagles next week with my Z9 and 500 PF (and TC-14e III)!!
thankyou so much Steve, very userful test！I changed my d500 to z6 and feels terrible in autofocus and now I ordered z9 just after watched your video.
Thanks for the info, answered a lot of questions as someone thinking about dropping my D750 for a Z5. Scary change but my questions were answered!
I'm in the process of getting the Z6II and I'm going to pair it with the 85mm f1.4G. This is good information.
Wow !! Such an amazing improvement over the DSLRs when it comes to using TCs Wow!! Now someone getting a new z9 can buy a F Mount telephoto lens without any hesitation at all, Yes the native z mount glasses will perform better but again they will cost more than the already amazing f mount glasses. Thanks a lot Steve for such a detailed comparison. Waiting eagerly for your full review of the Z9 🙏🏼
You are the Mythbusters of gear tests sir 🙂 I was hoping to see a big "Busted!" graphic at the end 😆
Thanks for all the helpful info!
Dang, this is one very useful test! Great stuff, Steve! My Z9 arrived today!
Thank you so much for the technical data. I've been pouring over reviews and specs trying to decide if I should get z mount lenses or just go with an adapter and my F mounts. This is the first review I found where someone took the time to give actual readings instead of just, yup, looks about the same. Excellent work Steve, you've got a new fan today!
Short, sweet, and to the point! Thank you!
Just received my Z9, and am encouraged by your test results! Looking forward to putting this exact same glass on it and letting it rip!
Thanks for your tests! So I feel pretty confident to (in the long run) replace my D750 with something like a Z6 III and continue to use my lenses until I actually have to replace them in the future
I am glad Nikon released Z9, not the I will ever purchase it, for I being an enthusiast with limited means only. But it seems brought Steve back to Nikon systems which will help me a lot to learn photography ☺️☺️
Great video and very pleased you have the Z9 in your hands which means soon we'll have a proper review of the camera. Thanks for your hard work mate.
Excellent video as always Steve. Great info delivered in a frank and honest way, clear and concise and without conflicting music or dark moody lighting. Number one in my books!
Cheers from Montréal.
Just got my Z9, waiting for the weekend to try it. Keeping my D5 as well.
You have to try this with Z8 when it comes out! amazing video
Really interesting revelations Steve, thanks for sharing your findings, it's appreciated. cheers.
Thanks Steve! A very clarifying video:) Now I know I will not buy the F 200-500 for my Z6ii.. Will wait for the Z 200-600.
really looking forward to Steve´s review of the Z9!!!!!
Wow great news, saves me $$ upgrading and I can go shopping for F mount lens again. Thanks Steve
A little late to the party (like Nikon) but great job as usual. Please keep it up Steve. Your work has really made an impact on my shooting.
Thanks for the great video. what about the focusing speed? and does it slow down the eye focus ?
Hey, have you found the answer yet? I'm looking for the same :)
Great Job Steve, as always. The faster focusing with the 1.4TC is a real game changer for sure. I will try this with my 400 2.8 lens and I assume it should mirror what you found with the other lenses. Can't wait until you come out with the Z9 review.
Steve Perry got a Z9 yeahhrrrrrrrrrr!
A nice concise video Steve. I'm not in the Z9-level market, but as with other Z9 tech I hope the improved AF speeds with adapted F-mount lenses ends up in bodies further down the Z range.
Fantastic results from the z9
Thanks for an awesome review!! It's great to hear that the Z9 can focus fast with a F lens!!
I put my old 300 f/2.8 F mount exotic with a TC1.4 and got effectively 420mm @ f/4. With my Z9, focus is fast and accurate. I don’t need to spend $14k to get 400mm. Yes, I know the Z is faster and sharper, but it’s nice to be able to use glass I already own.
Thank you...Finally some clarity on this adapter
Thank you so much - this video answered every question I had about the Z9 with DSLR lenses. I'm off to buy a bloody Z9 mate!!
Another Good informative video as we used to get from this channel ...
While Canon released their telephoto lenses with only changing the mount (they did it first tho) ... Nikon let its wildlife shooters wait for the Z9 and now they can keep their F mount telephoto lenses or adapt to the newer Z lenses which seems to be special (400 2.8 TC - 800 pf - 600 f4 "TC") ...
I'm guessing the 600 to have a TC so it would be 600 f4 or 840mm f5.6 and that's why there won't be a 800 f5.6
Thanks Steve for another spot on video. I have been debating buying the 500PF to go with my Z9 and this just helped convince me it would be a great match.
It's a super combo. I've been using it a ton lately and it's worked well.
At 5:03 mark, the 300mm PF lens image made me laugh... keep up the good/informative work.
This will be nice for me as a student on a budget. I buy all preowned f-glass so when I do go Z mount I’ll be fine
Thanks Steve for great informational video, I do understand you will take your time. Still want to request for Z9 setup video sooner.
Thanks
Brilliant news and thanks for your always thorough videos. Belated happy new year
Great video Steve! Thanks for all you and yours hard work!
Thanks so so much....Great and methodical work as always. Hats Off...!!!
Awesome Steve, thanks for doing that testing… that’s sensational news
I learnt a lot from Steve watching his videos 🙏🏻❤
Thanks for clarifying all the doubts
Thanks Steve for the thorough comparison
As always, great insights, thanks very much Steve.
Excellent analysis. You definitely answered a few of my questions. I have the FTZII already, but I may not get the camera to go along with it for months. I hope will do a video on the settings you recommend.
sir your photographs are Amazing.
This is good to know. I am on the waiting list for a Z9. I ordered late, so I have a few months to wait. But, knowing that I can wait to start buying Z mount lens is good news. Trying to stick to a budget. Currently using a D810. Looking forward to your Z9 evaluation. Thanks
Super thorough and helpful. I can’t thank you enough as this is really relevant to me and has definitely tilted the scale towards purchasing the Z9. Many thanks again. Cheers
Hey Steve,
I am waiting for your Z9 Review. :)
Cheers!
Mr Steve please suprise on the next Costa Rica trip all animals with Z9 🥂 You are the best Nikon ambasador and teacher for me. Thank You, thank You 😊
LOL, havnet decided what I'm taking this year :) It might be the Canon R3 if mine ever shows up!
Awesome video as usual, thank you Steve!
Thanks for the video, very helpful and informative.
Quick and easy well done and thank you
I can confirm this for the Z9 and the 500PF, when compared to a D7500
Before i was trying out the Z50 and using that with the PF seemed to me like a waste of fast focussing lens. The Z50 wasnt even half as fast as my D7500. Sometimes it was even not fast enough to keep the focus on fast moving subjects, so i missed A LOT of shots and decided to put the PF back on the d7500 and use the 200-500 with the Z50 (that lens is slower already, so it didnt hurt that much).
Which was a shame, since the Z50s Autofocus was pretty damn spot on, when you had the time to get it to work.
The Z9 now blows it right out of the water, im very happy with it. My girlfriend isnt, she now has to carry the 200-500 around, plus she tried the Z9 and (in contrast to her trying the Z50, which she didnt like at all) she was like: "Okay, thats mine now, you are not getting it back"
What even impresses me more is the teleconverter performance... i was struggling to buy one with the z9 just to get back to my "old" aps-c focal length... but seeing these results...
I also use the D7500 and 500PF as my birding kit. I really want to order a Z9 but also worried about the loss of 'aps-c focal length'. Sounds like you are having great results! I anxiously await Steve's review of the Z9, especially for the AF tracking. Are you happy with it?
@@robinc-k7162 Hey Robin, you can hit a button on the Z9 to go to DX mode, which then is basically your 750mm focal length, with about (dont nail me on this) 19-23MP (somewhere in the ballpark of the D500 D7500)
while retaining the Eye AF, Animal AF and 20FPS.
You also get the "zoom" instantly in the viewfinder, and all the autofocus thingies go along with it.
Basically you can go with the z9 in DX mode, shooting away like you did before, but with 20-30fps and insane af, and when you need it, you can go to FX mode and have 500mm with that extra full frame glory
@@benjaminzerhusen4941 awesome! thanks for the tips! I'm so glad that Nikon is stepping up the mirrorless game because I absolutely LOVE my 500PF lens and don't want to part with it!
i agree with you, your points are valid, shooting in DX mode or cropping from FX mode is the same thing, you have more freedom in the FX mode, true
but when changing to DX mode, you get the way more zoomed in picture in the viewfinder, you know better where the focus is and basically you loose nothing to a aps-c camera.
So as long as you arent filling the frame with the subject, in my opinion its smarter to use DX mode, when you fill the frame, change to FX and when that isnt enough.. well your bird feeder is to close ;)
Outstanding work. Thank you.
As always, great info! Thanks!
Note that part of the FTZ thickness results from the sensor plan moving forward in the camera. Without the restriction of fitting the mirror in there is more flexibility for the sensor location, and I figure they moved it forward for heat management or to make room for the electronics in general.
Hi Steve, thanks for the informative video. If you ever revisit the subject, it would be helpful to include information regarding manual focus (ai/ais) lenses. I know they're not often used for wildlife photography, other than maybe the 400mm f/3.5, but there're they're still damn good and often used for photography and video.
Very informative. Thank you!
Well, I just switched to a Z7II from a D810 but decided to go native lenses for the Z mount. I am keeping a 50mm and 85mm Nikon F mount lenses but that's mostly for portraiture. I primarily do pet photography which isn't too far a stretch from wildlife photography but with a bit more control over the situation. I understand the hit rate on action could be better but after using the D810 if it's just a hair better than that I will be happy. I hope Nikon will do a firmware update on the Z7II. I do know the buffer rate is way better. I've tested the camera a few times and am happy with it. The Z9 was tempting but beyond my budget at this time.
Awesome thanks for your super efficient informative review. Very impressive. I hope you'll release more real world review of Z 9.
Very very interesting video, thanks!! I am waiting for the new z body to be announced before switching from F to Z, and I have a lot of good f lenses which I would like to keep. Hopefully the better performance in AF speed of the Z9 will flow down to future generations Z bodies.
Excellent review, thank you!
Hey Steve. great Info. I may have missed it but was it the 1.4e3 tc that was used in the test?
Yup :)
@@backcountrygallery Cool! Thank You.
This is so great. Thank you Steve!
Super helpful video, thanks a lot!
Great review, I still find it hard to give up my D780 and D7500 for a z6
That d850!! Still a legend - that ole kid still giving the new blockbusters a good run for their pocket....
I still contend the D850 is the best DSLR ever.
Thank you. This is really usefull info for me. If you can test with 500mm and 1.7TC that would give more information.
Great news (other than maybe the Z6 being slow). I have the original ZFZ for Z50 and Z6, so I did wonder about this. Thank you for doing this Steve.
I just got my Z9, and will use it with 500mm PF. I hope, Steve, you'll soon share your custom settings for your Z9, and update your ebook. I'm sure you will. Thanks.
its good to see AF performance with Z9. once Nikon have Z6III and Z7III with Z9 autofocus many Nikon DSLR users can moved to Z system while using F mount lens with same performance.
Suggestion for a next vidéo…. How to manage the custom setting banks, shooting menu banks… Vs the user 1-2-3 on the Z7 that I loved more (until I will may be understanding more those menus banks)… thanks!
@Steve - Thank you so much for this video. In fact, you have answered all my questions!!
Great video as always! There is one issue not mentioned in the video. Understandably since it is about photography. It is the video focusing speed on the Z cameras using FTZ 1 vs FTZ 2 with F mount lenses. I use a Z6 with the original FTZ 1 adapter for wildlife video. When using the 500 f/4 VRII lens for example, the video-autofocus struggles to follow the movement of birds, walking arctic foxes, etc... I can´t find a video testing this. It would be great to know if the FTZII performs better - and smoother - in video. - Best wishes from Iceland.
My suspicion would be that they are the same since Nikon says it's the same electronics, just a different form factor. My guess is that it's a processor issue and not an adapter issue. I hate to say that I think a Z9 would likely solve it, but I think a Z9 would likely solve it :)
Still, I do about 3 wildlife clips a year so I'm probably not the best source :)
@@backcountrygallery Thank you for the reply. Z9 will probably solve a lot of things. :-) GAS is one of the them. ;-) It would be great to test this, since one of the main benefits of the mirrorless world is usable autofocus in video. We make a living from photography, not videos, but the videos are important for our channel. If the version II of the adapter works for video it makes it less necessary to buy a bunch of Z lenses. ;-)
I would have hoped for an AF-motor in the FTZ II adapter, to have auto-focus with older f-mount glass.
Great information. Thank you.
Świetna robota ❤
Hopefully you will post all your Z9 settings for wildlife photography like you've done with other cameras. Thanks
Thanks again for your help. My Z9 is arriving tomorrow. Very excited. Looking forward to your field review and set up guide. What are your thoughts on the soon to be released 400 mm 2.8 TC S?
None yet :) I gotta see get it in-hand first (if I get one - that thing is probably going to be really expensive).