I had preordered a Z8 but canceled and got the Z9 instead. The infinite battery life, no overheating, built in gps, and flagship build have been totally worth it.
I was EXTREMELY disappointed upon discovering that the Z8 isn't made entirely of Magnesium-Alloy, only the front panel onto which the mount is screwed into is Magnesium-Alloy, the rest of the Z8 body is plastic. I complained to Nikon U.K. about this, to which they replied that they wanted to keep the weight of the Z8 down; but the D850 weighed 1Kg, and not one complained about that, so the Z8 could have been made of Magnesium-Alloy and still weigh no more than the D850.
This was such a thorough and well put together reveiw that I wish you could do one for all the cameras that exist, so that any time I have to think about buying a new camera body, I would know exactly where to look for a review.
On a whim, I picked up a silicone rubber eyecup for a little over 20GBP from Amazon. I think the brand was JJC or something similar and, apart from a pair of tempered glass screen protectors, it is the cheapest photographic equipment purchase I've made since acquiring my Z9 and yet the one I repeatedly find most satisfying, It took all of five seconds to fit, has a cut-out for the Z9's proximity sensor, is very comfortable in use and, unlike some I've seen reviewed, swivels into portrait mode easily but with sufficient resistance to stop it happening on its own. Your review was top notch. I found it refreshingly free from hyperbole and superlatives and addressed important points. I fundamentally disagree about the screen articulation, which I believe is the way it is because professionals, particularly those at whom the Z9 is targeted, value longevity and reliability over a facility to capture their own image. But nobody's ever wrong in matters of opinion.
Nikon really does not compromise its pro-level cameras with inherently weak links - a reversible 'flappy' monitor is inherently a weak link. Anyone buying a Z9 for 'selfie' work is buying the incorrect camera! Additional monitors should be getting used for pro work. I get the occasional user-case when you are out and about, but compromising a pro-level camera for this sort of work is simply an unwise thing to do... leave this to the lesser brands of the world or simply buy a different camera for selfies! I really have to agree with you re the customer setting bit though... quite unfathomable indeed! Great review and lots of very good points made.
Absolutely agree. In a moment of inattention, I had my Z9 roll down a small grass slope with its screen extended. I was able to wipe it clean and carry on unconcerned only because the hinge mechanism is so robust. I'm not a professional but I've photographed alongside professionals and seen how incautiously they set down or grab their cameras by whichever part comes to hand. The word 'selfie' is not in the vocabulary of most of these guys and girls for whom a camera with a fully articulating 'flappy' screen (great choice of adjective) would spend as much time being fixed as being used.
The best review of the Z9, you've reviewed it like someone that's actually used the camera. How nobody else has brought up the menu/custom bank is beyond me lol. I actually prefer the dedicated custom mode like on the Z6II and Panasonic S5II as well. Anyway, thanks for this.
Thanks! I prefer reviewing things after I've used them for a few months, to truly figure out all the ways in which it's annoying. I did finally get a chance to mention the AF sensitivity setting location problem to a Nikon rep this week so maybe someday we'll see it in a more sensible location 😅 And yeah 100% agree, I prefer the custom modes on the S5II. Fujifilm has a nice setup on the X-H2S too as it has 7 custom modes available directly on the dial, which is very convenient.
100% agree regards using highlight weighted metering mode, I use it myself on my Z9 just as I did with my D850. The sensor has plenty of dynamic range to recover shadows.
I think this is a great review with really good, constructive criticism. Thanks a lot for your insight! Regarding the bird mode: The biggest diference it makes is with the actual subject detection and eye detection. You can now be further away from the bird and still catch it's body/eye, even on longer distances, when the bird is already super small. I'ts really great for that!
Yeah it certainly seems like it picks up the head at some weirder positions than the Animal mode. I do tend to shoot in Bird mode if I know I'm only photographing birds now.
The Z8 is such a good buy. The only reasons I went with the Z9 rather than wait for the Z8 was that I always stick a grip on it anyway, and I tend to stand in the rain more often than I should 😅 I hope you enjoy the Z8!
I used to have the Z9 but sold it last year and purchased the R3 (actually I don't know why lol) But now I bought the Z8 and Z 600 f6.3 and I love it I am actually thinking of selling the R3 to purchase the Z9 as I don't know about the new RF 200-800 but I actually think Nikon is where it's at now especially improving the AF so much with firmware updates;)
Nikon has been fantastic ever since I started with them in 1971 but have to say I love my Canon Printer >> Better in this field than Nikon >> office Machines
Nice combo! That new RF lens is interesting, but Canon’s progress on their lens lineup has been painfully slow. Nikon’s certainly got the edge when it comes to telephoto options at the moment.
@@Mr09260 Truth be told I had an Epson printer that I had to change the head if I didn't use it often so I actually chucked it in the dumpster cause I got mad and bought me a Canon Pixma Pro 10s and I just love that. But Canon makes great Cameras too and that's why I am a dual system user;)
@@robert_may I just saw Duade's review on the RF 200-800 and it does look sweet, But Nikon has gotta stop giving us jpeg only features I am just waiting for the next rumor firmware to see if it's true then I'll make my decision. Even the OM-1 has RAW features and that Pro Capture is excellent;)
Thanks for sharing ur main thoughts. I bought a z9 a month ago and its a huge upgrade from prev d6 n d750. But have noticed exactly the same issue with out of focus eye on birds. Just thought I did something wrong with my 400/2.8 or still had back/front-focus issues like with dslr’s. I love to shoot it wide open to get those great out of focus backgrounds. Cuz thats what I spent all that money for 😅
RAW pre-capture has been around for a while, but the earlier versions(starting, to the best of my knowledge) with the G9 and E-M1 mk ii, didn't maintain auto-focus during pre-burst, so you needed to make sure you had the subject in focus first, and then you could wait for the action to happen. I'm using a G9 still, but will certainly pick up the mark 2 at some point for the better AF and some extra pixels.
Interesting set of issues, Robert. Let me see if I can help (perhaps just a little bit) before I comment. BANKS: Yes, agreed that Shooting bank and Customs Bank are not bound. I can not fix that for you, but I did set up 4 custom banks (yes, PITA) that differ as little as I could (so it doesn't mess with you while shooting). I then placed "Shooting Bank" next to "Custom Bank" on the far right of the i-menu. I always check that first to make sure I have both the shooting bank and custom bank I want together. Not ideal, but fast. The i-menu set up for me also stayed pretty true for the 4 banks I shoot with perhaps 3 function that could vary. I agree that tracking with lock-on is very helpful - so I've placed that in my Wildlife/sports/action i-menu (and My Menu) instead of a function more useful in landscape, portrait or astro. That feature square might be replaced by "Warm Colors Display" in astro - since it is almost impossible to play with the menu when it is light out and the display is red. I really think if you add this (Tracking and banks settings) to the i-menu it will solve the problem. HIGHLIGHTS: I've complained about this since the beginning. Adding zebras/blinkies in stills would help, - it's already in video - would be nice - but I think if Nikon could have done it, it would have already with 5+ firmware updates. PRECAPTURE: No argument. I do use it. I believe if they do bring RAW to PRECAPTURE, they might have to restrict the frame rate at which you can use it. EYE"LASH" FOCUS - Well stated. As you mention, the size of the AF-point and using Wide Area anything (large, small, custom 1x1) can be an issue just for the reasons you mention. When I take portraits, and have time, it is for this reason I work with pinpoint. Enjoyed your personal take on use in your world. Just as an aside: I had to set all the menu listings (photo, video, custom, controls, etc.) to an Excel spreadsheet - both to know what options were already addressed and to keep the setup as close as possible between the banks (so my head is not spinning in the field). It REALLY helped learn the menu system and what I wanted where. Also, BTW: I use the record button in stills as a program button (cycle AF-Area modes) and the DISP button (Recall function shooting hold) to turn off / on subject detection quickly since both are prime real-estate. Mapped the change DISP (something I don't do a lot) to the QUAL button and Metering to MIC button. Thanks for sharing your work and your thoughts as well. Happy Shooting. One other pet peeve: The rubberized eye ring that comes off if you blow on it.
Ooh great tips, thanks very much! I haven't really played with pinpoint AF much yet, as I very rarely take portraits, so I'll have to give it a proper test. It would be nice to see Nikon address that in some way as I feel even my S5IIX is more accurate at hitting the iris than the Z9. I got tripped up again by the highlights this week when I accidentally had the camera set to spot metering instead of highlight priority 😩 Even when metering specifically for the bird it still blew out the highlights on it, which is just super weird to me. I noticed that the camera drops to 15 FPS RAW max recently when using the full sensor for AF in autocapture mode, so perhaps that's the compromise we might see with RAW precapture too. Also yes that damn rubber eye ring keeps popping out of the plastic bracket on mine lately! At least it doesn't break the clips off like the old Canon ones do, I suppose.
Good question 🤔 In theory it should only apply to JPEGs and the embedded RAW preview, and I actually do have it set to Auto for that reason, but I haven't noticed it having any effect unfortunately.
Sadly not, though I did mention it to a Nikon rep at the Photo & Video Show so hopefully it gets fed back to them. They did at least decouple the shooting mode (P/A/S/M) between photo and video mode, which is a big improvement 😅
@@MadManTnT It’s not quite as insane as some of the other systems (I’m still not over the random font selection for the Fuji ones) but yeah it would be nice to see an improvement for this 😅
@@robert_may nikon z9 has bugs from the era of firmware 1.0 of the z6. Different cpu same bugs. They are reported but they just don't want to fix them.
Loved the review, thank you for making and sharing it! I’m also very much looking to see if the pre-capture feature will be upgraded to raw. I tested it, enjoyed it, but as you said, I’m not really using it because it’s Jpeg only. It’s a very reliable machine, and it delivers every time I put it to work ❤️
Spot on summary! Nikon needed a winner, and they really delivered with the Z 9.
I had preordered a Z8 but canceled and got the Z9 instead. The infinite battery life, no overheating, built in gps, and flagship build have been totally worth it.
I was EXTREMELY disappointed upon discovering that the Z8 isn't made entirely of Magnesium-Alloy, only the front panel onto which the mount is screwed into is Magnesium-Alloy, the rest of the Z8 body is plastic. I complained to Nikon U.K. about this, to which they replied that they wanted to keep the weight of the Z8 down; but the D850 weighed 1Kg, and not one complained about that, so the Z8 could have been made of Magnesium-Alloy and still weigh no more than the D850.
This was such a thorough and well put together reveiw that I wish you could do one for all the cameras that exist, so that any time I have to think about buying a new camera body, I would know exactly where to look for a review.
Use a concave mirror to reflect back the back screen for video monitoring feed. The one's which are used in bathroom for makeup. Works like charm.
You've mentioned issues that others have failed to mention period .
On a whim, I picked up a silicone rubber eyecup for a little over 20GBP from Amazon. I think the brand was JJC or something similar and, apart from a pair of tempered glass screen protectors, it is the cheapest photographic equipment purchase I've made since acquiring my Z9 and yet the one I repeatedly find most satisfying, It took all of five seconds to fit, has a cut-out for the Z9's proximity sensor, is very comfortable in use and, unlike some I've seen reviewed, swivels into portrait mode easily but with sufficient resistance to stop it happening on its own.
Your review was top notch. I found it refreshingly free from hyperbole and superlatives and addressed important points. I fundamentally disagree about the screen articulation, which I believe is the way it is because professionals, particularly those at whom the Z9 is targeted, value longevity and reliability over a facility to capture their own image. But nobody's ever wrong in matters of opinion.
Nikon really does not compromise its pro-level cameras with inherently weak links - a reversible 'flappy' monitor is inherently a weak link. Anyone buying a Z9 for 'selfie' work is buying the incorrect camera! Additional monitors should be getting used for pro work. I get the occasional user-case when you are out and about, but compromising a pro-level camera for this sort of work is simply an unwise thing to do... leave this to the lesser brands of the world or simply buy a different camera for selfies!
I really have to agree with you re the customer setting bit though... quite unfathomable indeed!
Great review and lots of very good points made.
Absolutely agree. In a moment of inattention, I had my Z9 roll down a small grass slope with its screen extended. I was able to wipe it clean and carry on unconcerned only because the hinge mechanism is so robust. I'm not a professional but I've photographed alongside professionals and seen how incautiously they set down or grab their cameras by whichever part comes to hand. The word 'selfie' is not in the vocabulary of most of these guys and girls for whom a camera with a fully articulating 'flappy' screen (great choice of adjective) would spend as much time being fixed as being used.
The best review of the Z9, you've reviewed it like someone that's actually used the camera. How nobody else has brought up the menu/custom bank is beyond me lol. I actually prefer the dedicated custom mode like on the Z6II and Panasonic S5II as well. Anyway, thanks for this.
Thanks! I prefer reviewing things after I've used them for a few months, to truly figure out all the ways in which it's annoying. I did finally get a chance to mention the AF sensitivity setting location problem to a Nikon rep this week so maybe someday we'll see it in a more sensible location 😅
And yeah 100% agree, I prefer the custom modes on the S5II. Fujifilm has a nice setup on the X-H2S too as it has 7 custom modes available directly on the dial, which is very convenient.
@@robert_may That X-H2S does look impressive, I'll definitely have to try it when I can 😁
100% agree regards using highlight weighted metering mode, I use it myself on my Z9 just as I did with my D850. The sensor has plenty of dynamic range to recover shadows.
My Z9 is my go to camera - still love it after 2 years ... 🦘
Best review ever seen! 🤝
I love the robin shot, even if it’s not as in focus as you want 😊
I think this is a great review with really good, constructive criticism. Thanks a lot for your insight!
Regarding the bird mode:
The biggest diference it makes is with the actual subject detection and eye detection. You can now be further away from the bird and still catch it's body/eye, even on longer distances, when the bird is already super small. I'ts really great for that!
Yeah it certainly seems like it picks up the head at some weirder positions than the Animal mode. I do tend to shoot in Bird mode if I know I'm only photographing birds now.
Great Video Rob >> Got my Z8 last week finally for Budget reasons only instead of the Z9
The Z8 is such a good buy. The only reasons I went with the Z9 rather than wait for the Z8 was that I always stick a grip on it anyway, and I tend to stand in the rain more often than I should 😅 I hope you enjoy the Z8!
I used to have the Z9 but sold it last year and purchased the R3 (actually I don't know why lol) But now I bought the Z8 and Z 600 f6.3 and I love it I am actually thinking of selling the R3 to purchase the Z9 as I don't know about the new RF 200-800 but I actually think Nikon is where it's at now especially improving the AF so much with firmware updates;)
Nikon has been fantastic ever since I started with them in 1971 but have to say I love my Canon Printer >> Better in this field than Nikon >> office Machines
Nice combo! That new RF lens is interesting, but Canon’s progress on their lens lineup has been painfully slow. Nikon’s certainly got the edge when it comes to telephoto options at the moment.
@@Mr09260 Truth be told I had an Epson printer that I had to change the head if I didn't use it often so I actually chucked it in the dumpster cause I got mad and bought me a Canon Pixma Pro 10s and I just love that. But Canon makes great Cameras too and that's why I am a dual system user;)
@@robert_may I just saw Duade's review on the RF 200-800 and it does look sweet, But Nikon has gotta stop giving us jpeg only features I am just waiting for the next rumor firmware to see if it's true then I'll make my decision. Even the OM-1 has RAW features and that Pro Capture is excellent;)
@@Mr09260 Nikon is perfect, except of last 5-6 years - the era of ML, because the AF still sucks!
Thanks for sharing ur main thoughts. I bought a z9 a month ago and its a huge upgrade from prev d6 n d750. But have noticed exactly the same issue with out of focus eye on birds. Just thought I did something wrong with my 400/2.8 or still had back/front-focus issues like with dslr’s. I love to shoot it wide open to get those great out of focus backgrounds. Cuz thats what I spent all that money for 😅
RAW pre-capture has been around for a while, but the earlier versions(starting, to the best of my knowledge) with the G9 and E-M1 mk ii, didn't maintain auto-focus during pre-burst, so you needed to make sure you had the subject in focus first, and then you could wait for the action to happen. I'm using a G9 still, but will certainly pick up the mark 2 at some point for the better AF and some extra pixels.
Interesting set of issues, Robert. Let me see if I can help (perhaps just a little bit) before I comment. BANKS: Yes, agreed that Shooting bank and Customs Bank are not bound. I can not fix that for you, but I did set up 4 custom banks (yes, PITA) that differ as little as I could (so it doesn't mess with you while shooting). I then placed "Shooting Bank" next to "Custom Bank" on the far right of the i-menu. I always check that first to make sure I have both the shooting bank and custom bank I want together. Not ideal, but fast. The i-menu set up for me also stayed pretty true for the 4 banks I shoot with perhaps 3 function that could vary. I agree that tracking with lock-on is very helpful - so I've placed that in my Wildlife/sports/action i-menu (and My Menu) instead of a function more useful in landscape, portrait or astro. That feature square might be replaced by "Warm Colors Display" in astro - since it is almost impossible to play with the menu when it is light out and the display is red. I really think if you add this (Tracking and banks settings) to the i-menu it will solve the problem. HIGHLIGHTS: I've complained about this since the beginning. Adding zebras/blinkies in stills would help, - it's already in video - would be nice - but I think if Nikon could have done it, it would have already with 5+ firmware updates. PRECAPTURE: No argument. I do use it. I believe if they do bring RAW to PRECAPTURE, they might have to restrict the frame rate at which you can use it. EYE"LASH" FOCUS - Well stated. As you mention, the size of the AF-point and using Wide Area anything (large, small, custom 1x1) can be an issue just for the reasons you mention. When I take portraits, and have time, it is for this reason I work with pinpoint. Enjoyed your personal take on use in your world. Just as an aside: I had to set all the menu listings (photo, video, custom, controls, etc.) to an Excel spreadsheet - both to know what options were already addressed and to keep the setup as close as possible between the banks (so my head is not spinning in the field). It REALLY helped learn the menu system and what I wanted where. Also, BTW: I use the record button in stills as a program button (cycle AF-Area modes) and the DISP button (Recall function shooting hold) to turn off / on subject detection quickly since both are prime real-estate. Mapped the change DISP (something I don't do a lot) to the QUAL button and Metering to MIC button. Thanks for sharing your work and your thoughts as well. Happy Shooting. One other pet peeve: The rubberized eye ring that comes off if you blow on it.
Ooh great tips, thanks very much! I haven't really played with pinpoint AF much yet, as I very rarely take portraits, so I'll have to give it a proper test. It would be nice to see Nikon address that in some way as I feel even my S5IIX is more accurate at hitting the iris than the Z9.
I got tripped up again by the highlights this week when I accidentally had the camera set to spot metering instead of highlight priority 😩 Even when metering specifically for the bird it still blew out the highlights on it, which is just super weird to me.
I noticed that the camera drops to 15 FPS RAW max recently when using the full sensor for AF in autocapture mode, so perhaps that's the compromise we might see with RAW precapture too.
Also yes that damn rubber eye ring keeps popping out of the plastic bracket on mine lately! At least it doesn't break the clips off like the old Canon ones do, I suppose.
"I work with pinpoint" loool it is year 2024 and mirrorless for God's sake
@@prokremelskidezolati1426 Yes, I know, I know. LOL ;-)
@@prokremelskidezolati1426 It works well! Try it, you'll like it. ;-) It's good enough for some Nikon Ambassadors.
Does turning Active D-Lighting on make any difference in blowing out the highlights?
Good question 🤔 In theory it should only apply to JPEGs and the embedded RAW preview, and I actually do have it set to Auto for that reason, but I haven't noticed it having any effect unfortunately.
Hi Robert, when are you coming out with a new video?.. I hope soon.. regards Ron😀👍
Should be one later this week! Just got to cobble it together from the surviving clips from my recent expedition 🙈
Was the custom shooting modes along with custom shooting settings issue fixed with firmware 5.0? (as in they are now linked)???
Sadly not, though I did mention it to a Nikon rep at the Photo & Video Show so hopefully it gets fed back to them. They did at least decouple the shooting mode (P/A/S/M) between photo and video mode, which is a big improvement 😅
custome setting bank can be added to the I menu
Ooh yes, I forgot to mention that - I do have it on there at the moment. Still annoying it can't be on a function button though 😅
@@robert_may I agree. Nikon has to update its menu system.
@@MadManTnT It’s not quite as insane as some of the other systems (I’m still not over the random font selection for the Fuji ones) but yeah it would be nice to see an improvement for this 😅
@@robert_may nikon z9 has bugs from the era of firmware 1.0 of the z6. Different cpu same bugs. They are reported but they just don't want to fix them.
Is it possible to have Zebra in picture shooting mode ( not video) ? it could help with the metering mode...
Interesting idea! 🤔 I don’t think that’s possible currently, though I do think there’s a blinking highlights/shadows option in there somewhere.
Loved the review, thank you for making and sharing it!
I’m also very much looking to see if the pre-capture feature will be upgraded to raw. I tested it, enjoyed it, but as you said, I’m not really using it because it’s Jpeg only.
It’s a very reliable machine, and it delivers every time I put it to work ❤️
do you prefer Nikon or fuji hs2..???
Depends on the use case! For wildlife definitely the Nikon, but for more casual usage probably Fujifilm.
Not remotely affordable for me, but very interesting nonetheless.