Being a Nikon shooter (over 40 years) the Z8 hits all of the buttons. Slightly larger to fit my hands and not let my little finger hanging like the Z6/7s, built to be a shooters camera and get out of my way like the D850. My NPS order is in.
On the shutter feedback issue - I have the Z9 and have learned to turn on the “cartoon” sound - great label btw - when I am doing portraits or model shoots. Models have learned to change their poses after they hear the sound of the shutter. If you are in silent mode they have no idea what is going on. Conversely when shooting wildlife I always shoot in silent mode, so as not to disturb my subjects or if someone is shooting video right next to me. As with all things technical it is something to learn to work with.
Totally agree with this observation. Also, for those times where silence may be desired (close bird or wildlife), but feedback is still necessary for the photographer, the EVF has a feature to turn on a thin border flashing or blinking around the EVF field display to help represent each shutter image.
And as you probably know, there are rumours of a future firmware update which will introduce more realistic (and one or two frankly unnecessary novelty) shutter sounds. I expect Nikon will also add the few new menu options the Z8 currently has over the Z9. I'm happy the way it is but more choice is never a bad thing.
Extremely professional evaluation, I always say that there are real masters in the comment area. We can always learn something here. For people, the camera is not just a tool for recording life, it is more like a symbol of art.
I loved the sample images of your presets. Just beautiful. I think the Z8 is precisely what so many hoped it would be, echoing the the D850’s position vis a vis its big brothers. As always, Nikon appears to have kept the controls and basic ergonomics uniform with the Z9, which was already familiar to DSLR users. It also reinforces the convenience for those seeking a second body alongside their Z9. This was well worth the wait!
Going for it! As a D850 user who went for the mirrorless looking to be more light, I have been waiting for this camera since the Z7 hit the market. Excellent camera, beautiful price. Thanks for sharing your experience. BTW going for your presets too.😉
It's not more light. The difference is too little and the lenses will add more weight than the cameras can remove. On the other hand, if you don't need top-notch AF but a pretty good one will do the Z9 will work wonders with adapter lenses, even with some 3 party lenses. My guess is that the Z8 will be as good. Matt Granger has two adapted lens videos. I can provide the links if you need them. Best regards.
I’ve been using a Z9 for a year and a half now, and it I really enjoy using it. I do a lot of wildlife/BIF in all kinds of conditions, and it gets the job done with flying colors. I also do a lot of concert photography, and the Z9 is great for that, but it’s a bit bulky for that use. I preordered the Z8 and I think it’s going to be the perfect concert camera as well as my wildlife camera when I have to hike to remote locations. Z glass is hard to beat, so there’s that as well.
I’ve been shooting with my d850 since the day it came out. I was waiting on this Z8 with great anticipation! Im not disappointed at all, I actually already placed an order to get it :)
Absolutely a magnificent camera. I shoot Fuji (long travel), Nikon (portraits) and m43 (when traveling with motorcycle). I migt decide to sell some and purchase this one. Good review.
Extremely professional evaluation, I always say that there are real masters in the comment area. We can always learn something here. For people, the camera is not just a tool for recording life, it is more like a symbol of art.
Do I need the z8? No. Do I want the z8? Yes! I'm a hobbyist so it's not like I have to have it for work. But, I can do enough side jobs this year to make enough to buy it. I don't know if Nikon will put a stacked sensor in any of their other full frame bodies. I would love to see that in the z6 iii and z7 iii. My two biggest pet peeves I've had with Nikon has been the focus tracking and the screen blackout in burst mode. You solve that with faster processors and a stacked sensor.
All great points but one omission: there is a setting to have a small white frame flash around the outside of the image when taking photos. This way it can be silent and also have no blackout, while still giving the photographer feedback. I find this works perfectly.
@@alwynsmit3546 if it's on par with Z9 it should be really good. Maybe not quite as good as Sony but way better than Panasonic DFD, or original Z6/Z7, etc.
Nikon shooter here…..I think the Z8 is amazing. A real D850 alternative. But as an amateur, primarily stills, landscape, shooter, my Z7ii is great and its lighter, smaller form factor is better for hiking. So my dollars are likely to go into more of that dreamy Nikkor Z glass, than a camera that is more than what I need. I use your presets, and I really do dig them! I actually love shooting on two old DSLRs the Nikon D200 CCD APSC and D300 CMOS APSC and using the presets to process the images. The sensors already have a film vibe and your presets help alot to finish off the vintage look. You don’t need the latest and greatest to enjoy a day out with a camera! Of course, when I really want the film vibe, I shoot, well…film.
I think the solution to the lack of a haptic feedback will be familiarity and comfort with use. Yes, we are *used* to something. In the coming years, that will completely change. Kind of like the EVF... An interesting option would be to allow the user to load their own shutter sound file.
Why the hell would you do that? Zero sense .. You already have everything in Z9 that a Z8 has to offer + an unmatched functionality and a professional look of a integrated battery
@@orsoncart9441 the z8 looks very good to me. It is a very long way from a fail. I can’t wait to try it out. The z9 is also a great camera but a bit too big for me. The extra features of the z9 are not worth that trade off for me as a hobbyist but YMMV.
Wouldn’t haptic feedback remove one of the advantages of an electronic shutter - shutter shock? You get visual cues that you’re taking a shot in the EVF if you choose to shoot completely silent, which should be adequate.
Until you want to shoot models who know what they are about! They listen out for the shutter noise and know when to move. But then you can set the noise to audible of course.
Haptic feedback could be much weaker and directly on the shutter button so it wouldn't have as much of a shock as a real shutter. AND it could be turned off without any downsides. I've been thinking about this a lot at one point :D
WHAT AN EXCELLENT AND BALANCED AND EDUCATED review... and yes, I mean to shout it! Very good and thank you - subbed! BTW - I note that no reviewer has commented so far on the round viewfinder. Nikon aims to place this camera firmly in the hands of pro photographers and not prosumers. The round form of the viewfinder is indicative of this - all other prosumer and lower level cameras have the squarer form. Small point but means an awful lot to thems that knows!
I am super excited and have my pre-order in. Always loved the Z9 but simply too big. This is an amazing all around camera. I CAN"T WAIT! And one more thing, I ordered your presets last year and use them all the time. Fantastic job.
I am particularly excited with the Nikon come back… Z9 compressed into a smaller affordable body is great… But it is equally exciting to watch Nikon finally catch up on the marketing front… counter for launch date, product already distributed to influencers in the community, simultaneous release of influencer videos globally with the product release… If Nikon keeps this up, they will grab significant market share from Canon and Sony… and with a Zf from Fuji 😂
I was just having the same conversation with my friend about the electronic shutter sound. Nikon should give an option to at least change the shutter sound. Maybe offer classic Nikon shutter sounds like an F3, F100 and D3x shutter sounds. It's a weird thing to consider but it makes it more fun to use.
@@yayayeter42 You can set the EVF to an almost blackout mode - I have my Z9s set that way. It doesn't *fully* blackout (which I'm glad for - I don't want to lose the advantage of the full time EVF), but it dims so that you can tell you are taking photos. I've turned off the sound altogether so the camera is silent, which I prefer.
Joking aside, I have yet to see a reason to upgrade from (say) a D3. I think the technology became so great so fast, that we approached the limit of what makes sense. A D3 provided a massive leap forward. I have not seen a similar leap ever since. Perhaps, we are approaching ‘as good as it will ever get” moment in photography.
The great thing I like about Nikon is they are always updating firmware with better user experience. You know Z8 will evolve more In Firmware, exciting.
As someone who is primarily focused on autofocus performance for wildlife (and not video at all), it would be awesome to have a clear comparison between this, the Z7II as well as the alternatives from Sony / Canon. As it stands, I am planning to stick to my D500 and Z7II indefinitely.
I have z6ii(identical af as z7ii) and z9(same af as z8). The AF is night and day difference, especially on animals. The new AF has pretty good hit rate with flying birds, and if you dont mind jpg, you can use pre-release mode to capture a bird takeoff momemt after it already happend.
@@bngr_bngr Not the exact same software. Z8 has newer firmware that enhanced human detect distance and also added a new plane detect mode(although the vehicle detect mode on Z9 already worked very well on most planes)
@@Yupthereitism there is basically no downsides to a stacked sensor and it goes up to 32000th sec shutter speed with no rolling shutter issues. You get silent AND blackout free shooting. You also have one less mechanical part to fail and it completely avoids shutter shock. You have no idea what you’re talking about.
@@ghas4151 I have been shooting with the a9 since 2017, and the a1 since 2021, and I tell you that the mechanical shutter is still useful in the following scenarios: 1. Flash with HSS. Electronic shutter is prone to banding above 1/2000s and lower output power, people who shot Z9 experienced it too. For a1 users they can fall back to mechanical shutter. 2. Venues with multiple LED flickering at different frequencies. You can adjust the shutter to avoid a single frequency, but not multiple frequencies.
I have the D850 and bought a z6 2 recently, I love the idea of the new z8 and it's form factor, It's very interesting to hear about SDR & HLG will like to learn more about this.
Interesting comparison also would be with the mini-medium format options also in the $4k price range-both camera performance and lens ecosystem. Long lens stuff is an obvious advantage, but portrait/travel/landscape/etc it feels very interesting.
I actually do like the form factor of the Z9, but if are there features offered with the Z8 that are not available in the Z9, I would be happy to add a grip if the camera itself offers better performance for wildlife, lanscapes and sports or image quality for portraits, product photography, or in high contrast environments
If you make the Z9 shutter sound the lower tone, you can actually feel it in the body. Not quite as strong as an actual shutter, but it’s there. Also, not having a shutter can be an issue with certain types of light (I’m a concert shooter). You can see horizontal banding in certain images.
Z8 is gr8 deal from Nikon Canon R5 dropped 500$ due to Z8 Sony A1 and Nikon Z9 are real competition for Z8 and look at the price point of Z8 . It gives all the features of true flagship camera and at lowest price point without compromising any features not only nikon will sell Z8 in big numbers but also the sell of Z lenses will shoot up
Thanks Ted, great review. I am really happy to see Nikon hit the ball right out of the park. Best thing to attract new interest is many manufacturers putting out great products.
I will enjoy my D850, D500 and D4s for a while…for mirrorless and lightweight work the m43 Panasonic is excellent when combined with fast 1.4 and 1.2 prime lenses
The price point of the Z 8 is almost identical to the D850 in 2023 dollars ($3299 the is like $4045 today). It has to price compete with the Canon R5 ($3899) and the Sony A7r V ($3899) so $3999 makes perfect sense. The Z 9’s price is easily $1000-$1500 below its contemporaries and well below inflation, so it’s the real anomaly. The Z 8 is right where it should be.
Ted, just curious, is the $3999.95 for the z8 more or less then you were originally told by Nikon. I certainly understand if you choose not to answer this question. Thank you for the video.
I’ll stick with my d850 and my Olympus om-1 both completely different but both get the job done. I still kind of like the mechanical feel of my d850 and the images i get with that camera are awe inspiring still so for the foreseeable future I’ll stick with it, as for the Olympus it is light and for the shooting i do it serves as a great scout camera when I’m on my motorbike looking for great locations to shoot. I’m sure in time we will all have to go to the mirrorless systems but for now contentment remains with the gear i already own, if it ain’t broke
I didn’t quite understand what that new RAW thing (that requires 400 ISO) was. Is it like the dynamic range setting on Fuji cameras? That one does affect RAW and it increases minimum ISO (500 on X-T5). Or is it meant as high dynamic range like in movies. You know the kind where you need a high dynamic range display to see it? I guess it’s not that, because you can already make most raw files into high dynamic range photos. I’ve done it myself with photos from the X-T3 using Affinity Photo on a iPad Pro.
The price is not unreasonable assuming it is as marked. Tbh the z7ii gives me everything I want from photography point of view, but the video resolution on this supporting 8k, makes it "a want to have camera".
Great review - thanks. As to the film simulations, I can only imagine that the original "developers" of these film stocks put a lot of time and their considerable expertise into what they sold and for you to resurrect them (if that is a fair description) is in my opinion a great thing to do. No, I am not a sycophant nor am I nostalgic but in emulating these film stocks, this saves a large body of knowledge from being lost.
I was surprised how well it handled, nice feel in the hand. Very responsive, quite fast. Should be a huge hit for my nikon buddies. I am a Canon guy but could easily be persuaded. The Canon still has a more solid feel to me and we don't need to talk about their color science. I know you are basically a Sony man, but you have to agree the Zed 8 is going to be a force to recon with. Thanks great video.
I own the Z8 since a week now. I am just overwhelmed by the quality and possibilities of this camera. I have the D850 and a lot of f-mount lenses as well as z-Mount lenses. I swapped my Z6 II for the Z8 and I haven't regret it a second. And for the first time I think about selling my D850 incl. lenses and make a total move to the z-mount system.
Thanks for the great preview! I’m a bit confused on one point though. HLG is not something you’d have in a RAW file, it’s a transfer function which can encode HDR content in a processed image (rather than tone mapping to SDR). I assume you mean the camera offers an HLG HEIF option, right? Or are you saying there is something unique about the actual RAW / NEF capture?
why not go on the Nikon page and check it there? It's really not too hard. But nice that you left a comment... Questions like this just always facepalming me.
@@BarisYener It's not a simple question. There's a lot in there. If you aren't familiar with how HLG works, I can appreciate this might sound like some lazy question, it isn't. I've been going back and forth with an expert who has one of these in his hands and this setting has a variety of implications. This isn't stuff that will show on Nikon's site or in their manuals, it's deeper than most people understand.
@@BarisYener it's more complex than that, it can be selected with other image types affects the RAW too (embedded preview, histo) . They aren't sharing full details.
Great video. I have a D850 and I am looking at the world of mirrorless cameras. How did you find the weight of the Z8. I have read that some users prefer the Z7II over the Z8 simply for the weight and size.
Hello sir, thank you for the mini review of the nikon z8. I have been into photography since I was 12. I am 60, and now I have a lil experience with cameras. My first nikon was the nikon coolpix 5000, from there nikon d70, from there nikon d200, and now presently nikon d500. I have wanted to go to mirrorless for some time, but nothing ran to nikon. I was thinking about going with Sony, but I have a ton of nikon glass. So I was probably going to go with either z6ii or z7ii. But hold up, wait a minute. Nikon introduced the z9 I loved the camera but not the size. So I say all of this to say I think my patience has paid off Nikon z8 will be my 5th nikon camera!!!! Thanks again for the review....
First thing which I noticed that I dont feel when shot is taken, so haptic feedback, buzzer or something would feel nice. It's cool that someone besides myself shares same opinion
Very nice review Ted. Thank you. As an amateur lucky enough to have a Z7 and a Z9, I'm sitting tight. If the Z8 and Z9 had come out at the same time, the Z8 would have suited me better. Nikon made me happy by not making the Z8 BETTER than the Z9. And the Z7 is much lighter than the Z8. Boy would I love a Z7 with an Expeed 7 and better autofocus, but I'm learning to focus just fine with the Z7. I love your presets. Can they work with ON1 Raw?
You mentioned "Fuji Velvia/Superia". Now I know you are a real photographer. Velvia 50 was my goto for decades in outdoor shoots. I've always despised the color tone of digital cameras. I've tried all the flagships and they suck at color rendition. Lots of wiz bang , but no really decent color output. I was hoping HDR 10 would fix these issues, but many manufacturers don't use it as a standard feature. Glad to see some work in the Adobe world to replicate the old film colors. I would have hoped that Adobe would have done this by 2023 on their own...but no. I will happily purchase your filters. Keep up the good work and count me as a new subscriber!
Greetings from Japan Ted, URGENT Question about your pre-set currently on sale. I shoot a Fujifilm X-H1 for my Macro & Color Photography and an X-Pro2 for my BNW Photography. I'm using Adobe Photoshop Lightroom for iPad for post-processing. Will your Fuji-fied pre-set pack work with my configuration?? I didn't see my version of Lightroom listed on your website and wanted to make sure before I placed an order🤔🤔.
Nikon please, on the Z8 we would like for next firmware version 3.0, when we turn the top Control Panel display ON, to be a little brighter and with a little more contrast
I very quickly acclimated to not having a thunking mechanical shutter in the Z 9. I love the nth degree of ultimate sharpness allowed by eliminating shutter shock. Now, when I use the Z 7II, it feels crude in comparison. I hope Nikon ditches the shutters on all its subsequent mirrorless cameras.
I am a z9 user (Love!) and shoot off-road racing. The z9 is tricky to use with a lot of engine noise around and I have had to learn to watch the yellow box flash in my viewfinder to make sure I’m getting the shot. That said though, it is the lightest and best sports camera I have ever used. I’d love to try out the z8 for a carry around/non work camera
Fantastic review , I have been waiting for the Z8 to replace the D6 Bodies I currently have , there were a few niggles with the Z9 (the door ) that I wasn't happy with , I have used z6 z611. as a stop gap , , it reminds me of going from film to the D1 it feels like a big step
The Art of Photography . . Quick Question, please . . Z7 ii Image Quality : Is the image quality of the Nikon Z7ii equal to the image quality of the Z8? Or does The Z8 produce more lovely images than the Z7ii? I understand there are more aspects to these fine cameras that define what they really are, but for this question, I would like to concentrate solely on Image Quality. Thank You Very Much.
I was all in until I heard that the grip is more like the Z6/7 than the Z9. I really have a problem with the ergonomics of the existing Z6/7 I or II bodies, they just don't fit well in my hand. I was almost determined to save up for a Z9 after hearing this; however, I decided to wait until I have my hands on one and see how comfortable it is for me.
@@jorgepinogarciadelasbayonas I guess I'll find out for myself pretty soon. I heard that Nikon is doing a hands-on day on the 25th of May here. I'm a NPM member and I should receive an email invite to the event, so I'll make sure to use the opportunity to get a good feel of it.
So ... turn on the shutter sound? Will jump on the Z8 when I've mastered my years-old D850 and find that it can't give me what the Z8 might. Thanks for the review!
I think the D850 was NIkon's real basis for the Z8, with a bit of modern technology of course (the stacked sensor for the Z9, and the shutterless design) but in a body and layout that's similar (although a little smaller) than the D850. I think Nikon saw comments from people who didn't like the Z6/Z7 for example, because they were too small (among other issues, like auto focus) and that those people were going to continue to use their D850 until a more suitable system came along, or they would switch to something else and so Nikon wanted to find a way to bring those D850 users over to the Z system, and I think for many, this may be the camera that does that (we could argue that the Z9 would have also fit the bill, but for some/many, the larger body and/or higher price point may have prevented some people from moving to the Z9 from a D850 or D810/D800, because not everyone likes built-in grips, and $5500 is quite a bit of money for a camera in general (although I think the Z9 is a bit underpriced at $5500 too, but for some it's just not financially possible or justifiable for them). I think that is what really pushed nIkon to do the Z8 the way they did. The other thing is I think Nikon has gotten into this pattern over the past 2 years of releasing some surprising things at amazing competitive prices. For example the Z9 is $5500, where they probably could have charged $6,000+ for it (we'll say $6k because I think it is still a step behind cameras like the Sony A1 which are $6500). But the Z8 is priced at $4,000 whereas I think Nikon could have probably asked $4500 and given it's feature set, compared to the R5 for example, could have gotten away with it (I suspect an updated R5 Mark II will be around the $4000 price point too, just like the Sony A7R V is) so some of it is to meet the existing price point but pack the Z8 with a lot of features from its bigger sibling the Z9. I'm actually glad they did ,because I was sort of expecting something like a 36MP (so lower res than the Z7) but probably the same speed as the Z9, so I'm glad they kept the same sensor as the Z9 in the end, and didn't skimp out on a 36MP sensor. But I think in the end, the D850 was their model for what the Z8 should feel and look like, and this is pretty evident given the marketing material Nikon has, where they compare it mostly to the D850 and Z9.
Greetings, thank you for the video. My photography journey is considering returning to Nikon from Fujifilm. No complaints regarding the X-system; just the acknowledgement of the limitations of a crop sensor. A considerable strength are the film simulations. My question is , are your lightroom presets 'certified' with Fujifilm? Travis
I just got a Z8. I used to shoot a Z6. Images from my Z8 seem noisier than the z6. I recognize that Z8 has more megapixels and hence is more noise prone. Would appreciate your insight on this 🙏🏼
Im looking to buy new set for my Model shoots, portraits and video. Was thinking get Sony A74 and Sony 50mm 1.4 gm. This Nikon looking great, but if i will buy the same high level set up i will get almost double weight(( Checked how many options of really premium lenses Nikon has, and was surprised that not so many and they are so over weight((Will check what Panasonic and Fuji can offer, but looks like will go for Sony. Many thanks for great review
9:00 how does touching a phone‘s screen offer more of a feedback to the user taking a photo than pressing down a shutter button? To me they equally lack feedback.
...it took me eight months to finish this review and today finally jump into mirrorless head first with the Z8, 135 Plena and the FTZ ll adaptor for my Funk lineup.
Being a Nikon shooter (over 40 years) the Z8 hits all of the buttons. Slightly larger to fit my hands and not let my little finger hanging like the Z6/7s, built to be a shooters camera and get out of my way like the D850. My NPS order is in.
same 40 year shooter with Nikon only...this build touches me in all the right places...😂
Yeah, main reason I'm considering adding an additional 2k to my budget - the Z6 is *tiny*. Does not handle well at all with the 24-70 imo
Does shooting for a long time on the Z8 cause overheating?
On the shutter feedback issue - I have the Z9 and have learned to turn on the “cartoon” sound - great label btw - when I am doing portraits or model shoots. Models have learned to change their poses after they hear the sound of the shutter. If you are in silent mode they have no idea what is going on. Conversely when shooting wildlife I always shoot in silent mode, so as not to disturb my subjects or if someone is shooting video right next to me. As with all things technical it is something to learn to work with.
Totally agree with this observation. Also, for those times where silence may be desired (close bird or wildlife), but feedback is still necessary for the photographer, the EVF has a feature to turn on a thin border flashing or blinking around the EVF field display to help represent each shutter image.
And as you probably know, there are rumours of a future firmware update which will introduce more realistic (and one or two frankly unnecessary novelty) shutter sounds. I expect Nikon will also add the few new menu options the Z8 currently has over the Z9. I'm happy the way it is but more choice is never a bad thing.
Extremely professional evaluation, I always say that there are real masters in the comment area. We can always learn something here.
For people, the camera is not just a tool for recording life, it is more like a symbol of art.
Hopefully it meows
Rumors of Nikon demise were greatly exaggerated! So nice to see them back in the game, with a bang!
I loved the sample images of your presets. Just beautiful. I think the Z8 is precisely what so many hoped it would be, echoing the the D850’s position vis a vis its big brothers. As always, Nikon appears to have kept the controls and basic ergonomics uniform with the Z9, which was already familiar to DSLR users. It also reinforces the convenience for those seeking a second body alongside their Z9. This was well worth the wait!
The D850 was the high resolution option compared to the D5/6 bodies. If the same formula was maintained the Z8 should be 80mp+.
@@MikeHeller you sound like the kid who asked the teacher if there was going to be homework
Great camera...but we need Z6III and Z5II with better AF, that are more afordable. :)
If it's real it's great lineup for nikon
Going for it! As a D850 user who went for the mirrorless looking to be more light, I have been waiting for this camera since the Z7 hit the market. Excellent camera, beautiful price. Thanks for sharing your experience. BTW going for your presets too.😉
It's not more light. The difference is too little and the lenses will add more weight than the cameras can remove. On the other hand, if you don't need top-notch AF but a pretty good one will do the Z9 will work wonders with adapter lenses, even with some 3 party lenses. My guess is that the Z8 will be as good. Matt Granger has two adapted lens videos. I can provide the links if you need them. Best regards.
@@jaimeduncan6167 nikon lenses really are crazy large
I’ve been using a Z9 for a year and a half now, and it I really enjoy using it. I do a lot of wildlife/BIF in all kinds of conditions, and it gets the job done with flying colors. I also do a lot of concert photography, and the Z9 is great for that, but it’s a bit bulky for that use. I preordered the Z8 and I think it’s going to be the perfect concert camera as well as my wildlife camera when I have to hike to remote locations. Z glass is hard to beat, so there’s that as well.
As a D850 shooter this is was Ihavebeen waiting for to go mirrorless!
I’ve been shooting with my d850 since the day it came out. I was waiting on this Z8 with great anticipation! Im not disappointed at all, I actually already placed an order to get it :)
Absolutely a magnificent camera. I shoot Fuji (long travel), Nikon (portraits) and m43 (when traveling with motorcycle). I migt decide to sell some and purchase this one. Good review.
Extremely professional evaluation, I always say that there are real masters in the comment area. We can always learn something here.
For people, the camera is not just a tool for recording life, it is more like a symbol of art.
Do I need the z8? No. Do I want the z8? Yes! I'm a hobbyist so it's not like I have to have it for work. But, I can do enough side jobs this year to make enough to buy it. I don't know if Nikon will put a stacked sensor in any of their other full frame bodies. I would love to see that in the z6 iii and z7 iii. My two biggest pet peeves I've had with Nikon has been the focus tracking and the screen blackout in burst mode. You solve that with faster processors and a stacked sensor.
All great points but one omission: there is a setting to have a small white frame flash around the outside of the image when taking photos. This way it can be silent and also have no blackout, while still giving the photographer feedback. I find this works perfectly.
Z8 completely blows A1 and R3 out of the water in terms of price, specs, and no cripple hammer!!!
I can bank on always finding a Kasey reference in new camera review comments :)
Not by auto focused 😂😂
😂 Yeah, so tell us, how's that AF compared to the Sony & Canon? 😂
@@alwynsmit3546 if it's on par with Z9 it should be really good. Maybe not quite as good as Sony but way better than Panasonic DFD, or original Z6/Z7, etc.
@@alwynsmit3546 blows away your canons and sonys of course, and goodluck with eating your cripple hammers
Nikon shooter here…..I think the Z8 is amazing. A real D850 alternative. But as an amateur, primarily stills, landscape, shooter, my Z7ii is great and its lighter, smaller form factor is better for hiking. So my dollars are likely to go into more of that dreamy Nikkor Z glass, than a camera that is more than what I need.
I use your presets, and I really do dig them! I actually love shooting on two old DSLRs the Nikon D200 CCD APSC and D300 CMOS APSC and using the presets to process the images. The sensors already have a film vibe and your presets help alot to finish off the vintage look. You don’t need the latest and greatest to enjoy a day out with a camera!
Of course, when I really want the film vibe, I shoot, well…film.
I think the solution to the lack of a haptic feedback will be familiarity and comfort with use. Yes, we are *used* to something. In the coming years, that will completely change. Kind of like the EVF...
An interesting option would be to allow the user to load their own shutter sound file.
What a great and professional review!! Thanks so much!! I love my Z9, but I'm very tempted to get the Z8 after watching this video.
Why the hell would you do that? Zero sense .. You already have everything in Z9 that a Z8 has to offer + an unmatched functionality and a professional look of a integrated battery
@@nikolajovicic174 I could not agree more. This z8 is a complete fail.
How is the Z9 a fail?
@@michael-4k4000 Try reading the post.
@@orsoncart9441 the z8 looks very good to me. It is a very long way from a fail. I can’t wait to try it out. The z9 is also a great camera but a bit too big for me. The extra features of the z9 are not worth that trade off for me as a hobbyist but YMMV.
It's probably the best camera Nikon has ever made. I'm impressed.
A mirrorless D700🔥. It looks just like it but a futuristic one🔝
exactly what i think. It feels like a D700 / D3 Reincarnstion
@@DM-rq1jk Or F5/F100
Lovely piece of gear : I see myself trading the R5 for a Z8
R5 is batter
@@mrinalphukan3630 you're right... complete batter! 😉😉
@@mrinalphukan3630 no no no z8 is butter
@@mrinalphukan3630 in what way, exactly?
@@mrinalphukan3630 Batter or Dough 😂😂😂😂😂😂 nikal Chhapri
Wouldn’t haptic feedback remove one of the advantages of an electronic shutter - shutter shock?
You get visual cues that you’re taking a shot in the EVF if you choose to shoot completely silent, which should be adequate.
Until you want to shoot models who know what they are about! They listen out for the shutter noise and know when to move. But then you can set the noise to audible of course.
Haptic feedback could be much weaker and directly on the shutter button so it wouldn't have as much of a shock as a real shutter. AND it could be turned off without any downsides. I've been thinking about this a lot at one point :D
The form factor alone will have me ordering the Z8. I really miss the grip on the D850
WHAT AN EXCELLENT AND BALANCED AND EDUCATED review... and yes, I mean to shout it! Very good and thank you - subbed!
BTW - I note that no reviewer has commented so far on the round viewfinder. Nikon aims to place this camera firmly in the hands of pro photographers and not prosumers. The round form of the viewfinder is indicative of this - all other prosumer and lower level cameras have the squarer form. Small point but means an awful lot to thems that knows!
I am super excited and have my pre-order in. Always loved the Z9 but simply too big. This is an amazing all around camera. I CAN"T WAIT! And one more thing, I ordered your presets last year and use them all the time. Fantastic job.
I am particularly excited with the Nikon come back… Z9 compressed into a smaller affordable body is great… But it is equally exciting to watch Nikon finally catch up on the marketing front… counter for launch date, product already distributed to influencers in the community, simultaneous release of influencer videos globally with the product release… If Nikon keeps this up, they will grab significant market share from Canon and Sony… and with a Zf from Fuji 😂
What lens and camera are you using to film this video? Love how glossy and creamy it looks. Thanks!
Pre-ordered Z8 as backup to my Z9, love the robust Z9 features in a smaller form factor.
I was just having the same conversation with my friend about the electronic shutter sound. Nikon should give an option to at least change the shutter sound. Maybe offer classic Nikon shutter sounds like an F3, F100 and D3x shutter sounds. It's a weird thing to consider but it makes it more fun to use.
@@yayayeter42 You can set the EVF to an almost blackout mode - I have my Z9s set that way. It doesn't *fully* blackout (which I'm glad for - I don't want to lose the advantage of the full time EVF), but it dims so that you can tell you are taking photos. I've turned off the sound altogether so the camera is silent, which I prefer.
I pre-ordered a Z8. For the price this is a lot of camera, especially on the video side of things.
That's amazing! A replica of the Z9. Way to go Nikon!
Joking aside, I have yet to see a reason to upgrade from (say) a D3.
I think the technology became so great so fast, that we approached the limit of what makes sense.
A D3 provided a massive leap forward. I have not seen a similar leap ever since.
Perhaps, we are approaching ‘as good as it will ever get” moment in photography.
Best comment
The great thing I like about Nikon is they are always updating firmware with better user experience. You know Z8 will evolve more In Firmware, exciting.
As someone who is primarily focused on autofocus performance for wildlife (and not video at all), it would be awesome to have a clear comparison between this, the Z7II as well as the alternatives from Sony / Canon.
As it stands, I am planning to stick to my D500 and Z7II indefinitely.
I have z6ii(identical af as z7ii) and z9(same af as z8). The AF is night and day difference, especially on animals. The new AF has pretty good hit rate with flying birds, and if you dont mind jpg, you can use pre-release mode to capture a bird takeoff momemt after it already happend.
Just watch the most recent Z9 reviews (latest firmware, etc.). The Z8 is the same hardware and software.
The Sony and Canon have better AF than the Z9. Given the same hardware and software the Z8 AF is not performing better than the Z9.
@@bngr_bngr Not the exact same software. Z8 has newer firmware that enhanced human detect distance and also added a new plane detect mode(although the vehicle detect mode on Z9 already worked very well on most planes)
@@qiyuxuan9437 Nikon says it’s the same. A few trivial functions that will be in the Z9 software update.
without shutter is NOT a negative!
Yes it is
I agree. A street shooters dream
@@Yupthereitism there is basically no downsides to a stacked sensor and it goes up to 32000th sec shutter speed with no rolling shutter issues. You get silent AND blackout free shooting.
You also have one less mechanical part to fail and it completely avoids shutter shock. You have no idea what you’re talking about.
@@ghas4151 I have been shooting with the a9 since 2017, and the a1 since 2021, and I tell you that the mechanical shutter is still useful in the following scenarios:
1. Flash with HSS. Electronic shutter is prone to banding above 1/2000s and lower output power, people who shot Z9 experienced it too. For a1 users they can fall back to mechanical shutter.
2. Venues with multiple LED flickering at different frequencies. You can adjust the shutter to avoid a single frequency, but not multiple frequencies.
@@ghas4151 and with studio flash ?
I have the D850 and bought a z6 2 recently, I love the idea of the new z8 and it's form factor, It's very interesting to hear about SDR & HLG will like to learn more about this.
Just based on how it looks... it's gorgeous. It looks the part. Great design
9:15 but that would unneccessarily destabilize the photos. I'm happy with the "cartoon" shutter sound
Interesting comparison also would be with the mini-medium format options also in the $4k price range-both camera performance and lens ecosystem. Long lens stuff is an obvious advantage, but portrait/travel/landscape/etc it feels very interesting.
I actually do like the form factor of the Z9, but if are there features offered with the Z8 that are not available in the Z9, I would be happy to add a grip if the camera itself offers better performance for wildlife, lanscapes and sports or image quality for portraits, product photography, or in high contrast environments
This camera ticks so many boxes... and at that price point? Well done Nikon!
Silent is great for shooting weddings and funerals, thumbs up.
If you make the Z9 shutter sound the lower tone, you can actually feel it in the body. Not quite as strong as an actual shutter, but it’s there. Also, not having a shutter can be an issue with certain types of light (I’m a concert shooter). You can see horizontal banding in certain images.
Z8 is gr8 deal from Nikon
Canon R5 dropped 500$ due to Z8
Sony A1 and Nikon Z9 are real competition for Z8 and look at the price point of Z8 .
It gives all the features of true flagship camera and at lowest price point without compromising any features
not only nikon will sell Z8 in big numbers but also the sell of Z lenses will shoot up
Thanks Ted, great review. I am really happy to see Nikon hit the ball right out of the park. Best thing to attract new interest is many manufacturers putting out great products.
I will enjoy my D850, D500 and D4s for a while…for mirrorless and lightweight work the m43 Panasonic is excellent when combined with fast 1.4 and 1.2 prime lenses
I will wait too......my D810 and D4......😊
Stuck in the DSLR (and SLR) world, and very happy to stay there, thank you.
It looks great. I wonder how it performs with adapted F mount glass. I think I will be buying this 🎉😊
performance well.
The price point of the Z 8 is almost identical to the D850 in 2023 dollars ($3299 the is like $4045 today).
It has to price compete with the Canon R5 ($3899) and the Sony A7r V ($3899) so $3999 makes perfect sense. The Z 9’s price is easily $1000-$1500 below its contemporaries and well below inflation, so it’s the real anomaly. The Z 8 is right where it should be.
1:09
"- A new airplane algorithm? What's that?"
"- It's a new AF tracking mode, but that's not important right now..."
Ted, just curious, is the $3999.95 for the z8 more or less then you were originally told by Nikon. I certainly understand if you choose not to answer this question. Thank you for the video.
On the Nikon D850 you have a FN2 My Menu button, does the Z8 have the My Menu where you can assign various Menu Funtions to access quickly?
Man oh man. Want. I know what you’re saying with the MS. Noting like that sound and feel, but with these specs, I can live without it. Great preview.
You can set the screen for visual feedback when a photo has been taken.
I’ll stick with my d850 and my Olympus om-1 both completely different but both get the job done. I still kind of like the mechanical feel of my d850 and the images i get with that camera are awe inspiring still so for the foreseeable future I’ll stick with it, as for the Olympus it is light and for the shooting i do it serves as a great scout camera when I’m on my motorbike looking for great locations to shoot. I’m sure in time we will all have to go to the mirrorless systems but for now contentment remains with the gear i already own, if it ain’t broke
Z8 can replace both those cameras though…but the z8 is bigger than the om1. Kind of my issue too.
I didn’t quite understand what that new RAW thing (that requires 400 ISO) was. Is it like the dynamic range setting on Fuji cameras? That one does affect RAW and it increases minimum ISO (500 on X-T5). Or is it meant as high dynamic range like in movies. You know the kind where you need a high dynamic range display to see it? I guess it’s not that, because you can already make most raw files into high dynamic range photos. I’ve done it myself with photos from the X-T3 using Affinity Photo on a iPad Pro.
The price is not unreasonable assuming it is as marked. Tbh the z7ii gives me everything I want from photography point of view, but the video resolution on this supporting 8k, makes it "a want to have camera".
Great review - thanks. As to the film simulations, I can only imagine that the original "developers" of these film stocks put a lot of time and their considerable expertise into what they sold and for you to resurrect them (if that is a fair description) is in my opinion a great thing to do. No, I am not a sycophant nor am I nostalgic but in emulating these film stocks, this saves a large body of knowledge from being lost.
I was surprised how well it handled, nice feel in the hand. Very responsive, quite fast. Should be a huge hit for my nikon buddies. I am a Canon guy but could easily be persuaded. The Canon still has a more solid feel to me and we don't need to talk about their color science. I know you are basically a Sony man, but you have to agree the Zed 8 is going to be a force to recon with. Thanks great video.
I own the Z8 since a week now. I am just overwhelmed by the quality and possibilities of this camera. I have the D850 and a lot of f-mount lenses as well as z-Mount lenses. I swapped my Z6 II for the Z8 and I haven't regret it a second. And for the first time I think about selling my D850 incl. lenses and make a total move to the z-mount system.
I’m confused as to why they left the PC sync port out. The Z9 has one, the D850 has one.
Does Sony need a 45mpx direct competitor? A8? 🤔 the a9 is speed, the r7v is resolution, but z8 and r5 is both at $3600-$3999.
at 4k60fps it has crop??
Thanks for the great preview!
I’m a bit confused on one point though. HLG is not something you’d have in a RAW file, it’s a transfer function which can encode HDR content in a processed image (rather than tone mapping to SDR).
I assume you mean the camera offers an HLG HEIF option, right? Or are you saying there is something unique about the actual RAW / NEF capture?
why not go on the Nikon page and check it there? It's really not too hard. But nice that you left a comment... Questions like this just always facepalming me.
@@BarisYener It's not a simple question. There's a lot in there. If you aren't familiar with how HLG works, I can appreciate this might sound like some lazy question, it isn't. I've been going back and forth with an expert who has one of these in his hands and this setting has a variety of implications. This isn't stuff that will show on Nikon's site or in their manuals, it's deeper than most people understand.
@@gregbenzphotography Nikon clearly writes HLG HEIF in the Marketing Materials. It is very simple to find.
@@BarisYener it's more complex than that, it can be selected with other image types affects the RAW too (embedded preview, histo) . They aren't sharing full details.
Great video. I have a D850 and I am looking at the world of mirrorless cameras. How did you find the weight of the Z8. I have read that some users prefer the Z7II over the Z8 simply for the weight and size.
It depends what hands you have that fit on the grip. There is no right or wrong.
Hello sir, thank you for the mini review of the nikon z8. I have been into photography since I was 12. I am 60, and now I have a lil experience with cameras. My first nikon was the nikon coolpix 5000, from there nikon d70, from there nikon d200, and now presently nikon d500. I have wanted to go to mirrorless for some time, but nothing ran to nikon. I was thinking about going with Sony, but I have a ton of nikon glass. So I was probably going to go with either z6ii or z7ii. But hold up, wait a minute. Nikon introduced the z9 I loved the camera but not the size. So I say all of this to say I think my patience has paid off Nikon z8 will be my 5th nikon camera!!!! Thanks again for the review....
First thing which I noticed that I dont feel when shot is taken, so haptic feedback, buzzer or something would feel nice. It's cool that someone besides myself shares same opinion
Very nice review Ted. Thank you. As an amateur lucky enough to have a Z7 and a Z9, I'm sitting tight. If the Z8 and Z9 had come out at the same time, the Z8 would have suited me better. Nikon made me happy by not making the Z8 BETTER than the Z9. And the Z7 is much lighter than the Z8. Boy would I love a Z7 with an Expeed 7 and better autofocus, but I'm learning to focus just fine with the Z7. I love your presets. Can they work with ON1 Raw?
bmwohl, I have the z7ii and from what I've seen just in videos, Z8 dances circles around z7s/z6s/all dslrs........
You mentioned "Fuji Velvia/Superia". Now I know you are a real photographer. Velvia 50 was my goto for decades in outdoor shoots. I've always despised the color tone of digital cameras. I've tried all the flagships and they suck at color rendition. Lots of wiz bang , but no really decent color output. I was hoping HDR 10 would fix these issues, but many manufacturers don't use it as a standard feature. Glad to see some work in the Adobe world to replicate the old film colors. I would have hoped that Adobe would have done this by 2023 on their own...but no. I will happily purchase your filters. Keep up the good work and count me as a new subscriber!
Greetings from Japan Ted,
URGENT Question about your pre-set currently on sale. I shoot a Fujifilm X-H1 for my Macro & Color Photography and an X-Pro2 for my BNW Photography. I'm using Adobe Photoshop Lightroom for iPad for post-processing. Will your Fuji-fied pre-set pack work with my configuration?? I didn't see my version of Lightroom listed on your website and wanted to make sure before I placed an order🤔🤔.
Nikon please, on the Z8 we would like for next firmware version 3.0, when we turn the top Control Panel display ON, to be a little brighter and with a little more contrast
I very quickly acclimated to not having a thunking mechanical shutter in the Z 9. I love the nth degree of ultimate sharpness allowed by eliminating shutter shock. Now, when I use the Z 7II, it feels crude in comparison. I hope Nikon ditches the shutters on all its subsequent mirrorless cameras.
Bravo...well it is always a pleasure to see your reviews
I am a z9 user (Love!) and shoot off-road racing. The z9 is tricky to use with a lot of engine noise around and I have had to learn to watch the yellow box flash in my viewfinder to make sure I’m getting the shot. That said though, it is the lightest and best sports camera I have ever used. I’d love to try out the z8 for a carry around/non work camera
The Best Z8 Review >> thank you so much
Which lens is he using at 6:38?
Fantastic review ,
I have been waiting for the Z8 to replace the D6 Bodies I currently have ,
there were a few niggles with the Z9 (the door ) that I wasn't happy with , I have used z6 z611. as a stop gap , , it reminds me of going from film to the D1 it feels like a big step
The Art of Photography . .
Quick Question, please . .
Z7 ii Image Quality :
Is the image quality of the Nikon Z7ii equal to the image quality of the Z8?
Or does The Z8 produce more lovely images than the Z7ii?
I understand there are more aspects to these fine cameras that define what they really are, but for this question, I would like to concentrate solely on Image Quality.
Thank You Very Much.
I was all in until I heard that the grip is more like the Z6/7 than the Z9. I really have a problem with the ergonomics of the existing Z6/7 I or II bodies, they just don't fit well in my hand. I was almost determined to save up for a Z9 after hearing this; however, I decided to wait until I have my hands on one and see how comfortable it is for me.
Z8 is bigger than Z6/Z7 and is having a bigger grip.
@@jorgepinogarciadelasbayonas I guess I'll find out for myself pretty soon. I heard that Nikon is doing a hands-on day on the 25th of May here. I'm a NPM member and I should receive an email invite to the event, so I'll make sure to use the opportunity to get a good feel of it.
Maybe I should go back to Nikon or wait for the X-pro4, hmmm! Thank for the infos.
I agree that haptic feedback would be nice. I seem to doubt if I pushed the button hard enough and check to see if I took a picture
What equipment did you shoot this video with? I really like the contrast and coloration.
So ... turn on the shutter sound? Will jump on the Z8 when I've mastered my years-old D850 and find that it can't give me what the Z8 might. Thanks for the review!
Haptic feedback? As in... introducing vibrations in a camera as a design choice??? What am I missing here?
I think the D850 was NIkon's real basis for the Z8, with a bit of modern technology of course (the stacked sensor for the Z9, and the shutterless design) but in a body and layout that's similar (although a little smaller) than the D850. I think Nikon saw comments from people who didn't like the Z6/Z7 for example, because they were too small (among other issues, like auto focus) and that those people were going to continue to use their D850 until a more suitable system came along, or they would switch to something else and so Nikon wanted to find a way to bring those D850 users over to the Z system, and I think for many, this may be the camera that does that (we could argue that the Z9 would have also fit the bill, but for some/many, the larger body and/or higher price point may have prevented some people from moving to the Z9 from a D850 or D810/D800, because not everyone likes built-in grips, and $5500 is quite a bit of money for a camera in general (although I think the Z9 is a bit underpriced at $5500 too, but for some it's just not financially possible or justifiable for them). I think that is what really pushed nIkon to do the Z8 the way they did. The other thing is I think Nikon has gotten into this pattern over the past 2 years of releasing some surprising things at amazing competitive prices. For example the Z9 is $5500, where they probably could have charged $6,000+ for it (we'll say $6k because I think it is still a step behind cameras like the Sony A1 which are $6500). But the Z8 is priced at $4,000 whereas I think Nikon could have probably asked $4500 and given it's feature set, compared to the R5 for example, could have gotten away with it (I suspect an updated R5 Mark II will be around the $4000 price point too, just like the Sony A7R V is) so some of it is to meet the existing price point but pack the Z8 with a lot of features from its bigger sibling the Z9. I'm actually glad they did ,because I was sort of expecting something like a 36MP (so lower res than the Z7) but probably the same speed as the Z9, so I'm glad they kept the same sensor as the Z9 in the end, and didn't skimp out on a 36MP sensor. But I think in the end, the D850 was their model for what the Z8 should feel and look like, and this is pretty evident given the marketing material Nikon has, where they compare it mostly to the D850 and Z9.
No shutter noise is an advantage when shooting events where shutter noise would be disruptive.
Looks impressive and I posit mechanical shutter mechanisms will soon join the museum of archival photo equipment. Good one-day review.
nikon z8 all-i 120fps 4k can write?
I agree, we need the haptic feedback while shooting
I'm pretty much thinking two things: how much at panamoz and how well does it handle EF lenses
Does continuous eye autofocus work in video mode?
Fantastic video! Ordered your presets and excited to try them out on my Z8 later this month!
Greetings, thank you for the video. My photography journey is considering returning to Nikon from Fujifilm. No complaints regarding the X-system; just the acknowledgement of the limitations of a crop sensor. A considerable strength are the film simulations. My question is , are your lightroom presets 'certified' with Fujifilm? Travis
I like the design! D850+Z6.
I just got a Z8. I used to shoot a Z6. Images from my Z8 seem noisier than the z6. I recognize that Z8 has more megapixels and hence is more noise prone. Would appreciate your insight on this 🙏🏼
Im looking to buy new set for my Model shoots, portraits and video. Was thinking get Sony A74 and Sony 50mm 1.4 gm. This Nikon looking great, but if i will buy the same high level set up i will get almost double weight(( Checked how many options of really premium lenses Nikon has, and was surprised that not so many and they are so over weight((Will check what Panasonic and Fuji can offer, but looks like will go for Sony. Many thanks for great review
I love Nikon Z8
9:00 how does touching a phone‘s screen offer more of a feedback to the user taking a photo than pressing down a shutter button? To me they equally lack feedback.
Melinials don't think so only complaint are from old azzz shoters...lol
Can I take still photo while recording a video with nikon z8 camera?
Can you shoot in bulb mode with an electronic shutter? The Sony A1 doesn’t in ES.
...it took me eight months to finish this review and today finally jump into mirrorless head first with the Z8, 135 Plena and the FTZ ll adaptor for my Funk lineup.
Is the 4K 120 P full frame? How about the 8K 60 P?