- This is the new Nikon Z8.
It has a full frame, 45.7 megapixel stacked CMOS sensor
that thanks to the X speed seven image processor
can shoot RAW photos
at 20 frames per second for over a thousand frames.
There's also autofocus readings up to 120 frames per second.
And impressive video specs.
I'm talking 12 bit NRAW at 8K 60 frames per second.
Come your friend or 4K at 120 frames per second.
And if all of that sounds incredibly familiar,
it's because the Nikon Z8 is pretty much
the Nikon Z9 nine just
in a smaller body and at a much lower price.
I'm Becca.
Welcome back to Full Frame.
(upbeat music)
So when I reviewed the Z9,
I said that Nikon finally put itself
in the professional mirrorless camera race.
And in a lot of ways this camera's now winning.
And I said this because with the Z9,
Nikon made a big, heavy mirrorless camera
that was high specced
and made for working professionals who put,
you know massive telephoto lenses on it
and are gonna carry it out in the field for hours.
They also continued to roll out great firmware updates
for the camera and they priced it really competitively,
below the flagships from Sony and Canon.
So when I was invited on a photo walk
with a Nikon rep a few weeks ago,
I knew it was gonna be a Z8
because you know that's what was missing in the lineup.
But I did not expect Nikon to pack such high specs
into a small system and then price it at $4,000.
There are a few small differences
between the Z9 and the Z8.
On the outside, the Z8 has two USBC ports,
versus just one ethernet port and one USBC port on the Z9.
There's also just one CF Express type B slot
and then one standard SD card slot.
And the Z8 doesn't have a built-in vertical grip,
which means it uses the smaller Nikon EN-EL15c battery
that has been used in many other Nikon cameras.
Though there will be an external battery grip available
for the Z8 as well.
Internally, the big changes are that there's a portrait
impressions function that will allow you to change hue
and brightness when shooting portraits.
There's also skin smoothing.
Nikon's adding the ability to bring the base ISO down
to 200 as opposed to 800 when shooting an N-log.
And now you can shoot in HIF along with JPEG and RAW.
Otherwise you get all the same great specs of the Z9,
including that 45.7 megapixel stacked CMOS sensor
that produces great images and crisp video.
And since I already reviewed and recommend that camera,
does the size of the Z8 change the way I feel
about the system as a whole?
Yeah, it does.
But first there are two things I wish Nikon would've
taken the chance to fix.
Number one, I wish the back screen was able to flip
out and be forward facing.
It might make for a weaker design,
but loads of people film themselves
or they shoot in tight places that warrant more flexibility.
And secondly, autofocus.
Nikon made huge strides in the Z9 in this department,
but I still think there's a lot of room to grow here.
I mean, for starters
the focus modes themselves are just named kind of oddly
and and not in a way that makes sense
to someone who doesn't know a lot about the systems.
Yes, camera nerds, working professionals,
they're gonna dive into the settings,
they're gonna figure out the ones they like most.
But if Nikon wants to attract, you know,
more novice shooters to their higher-end systems,
they're gonna have to dumb this down.
And secondly, autofocus is just isn't as good.
Even when you do dial in these settings.
I was recently reviewing the Sony Z V-E1 and you pick
up that camera you turn on and immediately it just feels
like it reads my mind of what I want it to focus on.
And I have not had that experience in a Nikon system yet.
And then there is kind of like a third problem,
but it's an Adobe problem.
I still can't use N-RAW on Premiere.
It's been over a year.
Adobe, let's go, let's go.
There are also some things we just don't know
about the Z8 yet.
How much battery life will you get out of a smaller battery?
How will the system handle heat, especially when
shooting in 8K for long periods of time?
How important is the dual CF express card slots for folks?
Are ethernet ports necessary in a pro system?
We'll need more time
with the system to answer all of the above,
but after using the Z8 for three hours
and the Z9 for well over a month, my fear of Nikon
being like wiped off the camera market is gone.
The Z9 and now the Z8 produces great images
and high resolution video in a durable,
customizable body that users will continue
to be impressed by for years.
So the Z9 was special
because previously mirrorless cameras were known
for their small size and Nikon said, you know, screw it
we're going big.
With the Z8, Nikon is now playing ball with most
of the other camera manufacturers who set
out to get big specs into small systems.
And it's going to be more challenging to capture
an audience when it's camera now looks like everyone else's.
As someone who carries a camera almost everywhere though,
I'm going to welcome a smaller design
with open arms and I'm definitely gonna be recommending this
to folks because I mean,
these are incredibly high specs at a very competitive price.
But Nikon, you're gonna have to start shrinking
your lenses too.
So now I'm wondering of Nikon Z9 owners,
how many of you folks are gonna regret buying that
and wish you had waited to get the same specs
in a smaller body?
I do wonder about that.
Anyway, I'm Becca.
We'll see you in the next one.