Hey, this is Scott of Photography Banzai.
In this video I'm gonna talk about the Nikon D850.
Thanks to Camera Craft in Rockford Illinois for letting me try this out at the
shop. With this video I'm definitely going to be comparing this camera to the
Z7 quite a bit. It's really the main focus of this video is how it compares
to that new camera. Considering they're very similar spec wise in some aspects,
but also very different. Right now the Z7 is actually a little bit more expensive
than the D850. The D850 has a lot of the higher-end pro level features of
Nikon's cameras. You have the flash sync port. You have that accessory port for GPS
and other things. You also have the round viewfinder with the switch to close that
off for astrophotography, or something similar.
You have the top left buttons for changing file quality, metering, white
balance, and the mode. That's a really important feature for a lot of
professionals. They're very used to those buttons up there, and then you have the
dial below that for changing shooting speed and different settings... Maybe
quiet mode if you want to use that. This camera does have the XQD slot and the
SD UHS-II slot. So you got the two card slots, one for backup right in the camera.
Of course, the Z7 only has a single XQD card slot. The screen is a touchscreen.
It does tilt. Basically the same thing as the Z7. They both work really well
with the touch interface. Both cameras do have the EN-EL15 battery, however the
D850 lasts significantly longer with the battery, at least based on the rating.
This one is rated to around 1,800 photos per charge. The Z7 CIPA rating is a
lot lower than that. The diopter adjustment dial is very similar to the
Z7. However I do think the Z7 is a little more convenient to use because it is a
larger with more texturing. But they're very similar. They basically work by
pulling them out changing them and then pushing back in so it locks. You have all
the standard ports HDMI, USB... those have locking capabilities to them. Also, you
have the mic port and headphone port. Autofocus wise, you have 153 phase
detection points. That is a standard autofocus system of course. It's separate
from the sensor, as this is a traditional DSLR.
Video wise, you have full sensor 4k at 30 frames a second maximum. Does not do
peaking at 4k, which I believe the Z7 does do that.
However at 1080p you can use the peaking feature. A few of the interesting
features of this camera from a photography aspect is that this camera can
do focus shift, and also time-lapse. You can do silent shooting but that is, of
course, with the Live View mode...
Now I'm going to talk about the Z7 over the
D850 and then do the reverse of that. With the Z7 it is better in autofocus with
video. It's naturally going to be that way because it has the phase detection
points on the sensor. In general, it's better suited to doing video because you
can use EVF or the screen. You do get all the benefits of a mirrorless system,
mirrorless camera. EVF if that's your thing... basically what you see is what you
get. It's better suited to silent shooting because you can use the EVF
when you're doing that silent photography. The Z7 does have a larger
focus area. Basically almost to the corners you can use those focus points
on the sensor. So you don't have to shift the camera at all to get exactly where
you want to focus. The Z7 is smaller, of course, it is mirrorless. Probably one of
the biggest benefits of the Z7 over the D850 is that you don't have to micro
adjust your lenses for focus. One of the other big benefits with the Z7 is that
it has the in-camera shake reduction. With any lens you can use that shake
reduction, and get lower shutter speeds in various situations yet still get
sharp photos. Especially with these high resolution cameras in-camera shake
reduction should help out. I actually prefer the top screen of the Z7 over the
D850. It is smaller, but it's very bright, very easy to see. The Z7 will eventually
have Z mount lenses that will not work on the D850. Moving forward, if you see
Z-mount lenses that will eventually come out that you're interested in... something
to consider. Alright, now let's talk about why the
D850 I think is better than the Z7. It has a traditional Nikon system and
it's really one of the best for tracking autofocus. Seven frames a second
with auto exposure and autofocus. However, if you put a grip on which the Z7 can't
even take a true battery grip... You can use nine frames a second with that
battery grip. If you prefer the larger cameras with large thick grip, this is
really the best option. It has a dedicated autofocus switch button
combination. I really like that feature with the Nikon cameras. It's quick to
change autofocus modes, and change from manual to autofocus right on the
camera. As I mentioned in the beginning of the video, there are a lot of pro
level features related to controls. You have that top one with the buttons for
white balance, mode, and all of that. With a dial right below it. A lot of Nikon
shooters are very used to that setup and they really like it. You have the two
card slots. You've got that instant backup. Longer battery life rated over 1,800
shots per charge. Especially if you use the battery grip, you'll have a lot of
photos with that set up without having to change batteries. Right now this
camera is actually lower price than the Z7. And I do think the body in general is
very robust. It's larger feels more solid than the Z7. In the hands, I actually
prefer the Z7's grip a little bit. Maybe because the D850 is so large, and I'm
more used to the mirrorless cameras these days. But it will really depend on
you, if you want that really substantial large camera body that will fit very
nicely with large lenses. I do think the D850 really excels in that aspect.
You have that traditional Nikon layout and it's not missing anything important.
They did drop a few things like the two button card format feature on the Z7...
That's really too bad. I liked that feature. I used it a lot on my D750 and
D600. All that said, if you are happy with digital SLRs and you want to upgrade...
Your really entrenched in the Nikon's F mount system... I do think that D850 is a
great option. It's actually lower cost at the moment than the Z7. And if you really
don't care too much about all the mirrorless features that it adds with
the Z7, the D850 is a way to go. However if you don't want to care about micro
adjusting your lenses with autofocus, Z7 is a decent option. And then if you want
to do silent shooting like in a wedding situation you've got the EVF on the Z7.
It's a good combination. However I do think you lose out in an economic
standpoint with the Z7. It is smaller and that can be a negative in some aspects.
With the D850 you've got all those buttons, all those ergonomics that come
with Nikon's higher level cameras. That was a look at the D850 with
consideration to the Z7. Again, thanks the Camera Craft in Rockford Illinois for
let me try this out at their shop. Hope you enjoyed this video, if you did please
consider subscribing. Helps me out a lot. Likes and shares help out a lot as well.
Thanks again!