Nikon Z Series cameras and disgusting fanboyism
A few days ago Nikon made a giant leap forward in the world of interchangeable lens cameras with the launch of their new Z Series mirrorless full frame cameras. The Nikon Z7 and the Nikon Z6 represent a huge change for this traditional Japanese company, that has had a great influence on the photography and optics industry for 100 years. With this new camera and lens system, Nikon is announcing to the world, that they want to remain relevant in the next 100 years. I believe they have successfully achieved that.
Online reactions
The first reactions by American Youtubers were mainly positive clickbait, but then the usual thing happened: Some alleged "flaws" were reported about the camera (1 XQD slot, battery and autofocus), and the whole system was proclaimed "an epic failure". Most second opinion videos were then negative clickbait like below and much worse:
The funny thing is that nobody has really tested this camera in the real world so far to deliver a true judgement on the product. One thing is specs on paper, another thing is real world usage. I understand that some of these YouTubers run their channels as a source of substantial income, so they're always chasing for cheap views, instead of delivering something of value to their viewers. There's also another type of channel, the hobbyists who like to talk gear. Out of these a lot of them are Sony and Fuji shooters, who are now legitimately afraid of the new Nikon Z system, so they are looking for any kind of flaw to ease their insecurity that there might be a better system out there. Here I think Fuji fanboys with their dinky crop-sensor toys with JPEG filters are much worse than Sony fans. Most YouTubers, who talk about Fuji are not able to produce a decent photo. They love to talk about Fuji quality, how Fuji is always designing cameras with the user in mind, etc. This is just all marketing bullshit. Sony has their own, so has Nikon and Canon. Out of all the systems right now the Fuji one is the most limiting. And the biggest joke is that no matter which Fuji X-Trans camera you buy, you get the same sensor! LOL. And the cameras are way overpriced for what you get, and the quality and durability are sub-par (read my post about the X100T which I sold, because the whole Aperture ring failed - it cost me 250 USD to repair it). Apparently I wasn't alone with the issues, if you search "Fuji X-T2 issues" on YouTube, you get so many videos by real Fuji fans who have had failures with their cameras, such as Zed Pro Media here:
No doubt Fuji cameras have their charm and the newest cameras deliver some good performance; and I did love some aspects of my X100T, but the camera was slow and at the end un-reliable. It's no wonder, that Fuji is heavily discounting their crop-sensor cameras right now to move them out, because nobody wants to buy them at the price that was initially set. They're also launching more and more cheaper cameras like the XT100, because their high-end cameras just can't compete with the big brands in the upper segment (1500 USD and above). It is expected, that the new Fuji X-T3 flagship will be cheaper, it seems that Fuji is just giving up.
Quality is a big feature
I never had a single issue with any of my Nikons (D5300, D7100 and D810). These cameras are reliable and durable, and one can only hope Nikon will be continuing to deliver in this regard with the Z Series. We will only know about that in a couple of years, but if we look at Nikon's recent marketing, quality seems to be at the center of their marketing focus with the Z Series:
Quality, reliability and durability are huge "features" for anyone who is entering the photography world seriously (pro or hobbyist), and here Nikon (as well as Canon) still have a huge advantage over the competition. Sadly, this is something YouTube fanboys fail to address: All they talk about is specs, specs, specs, as if it's a specs Olympics. That is also kind of not surprising, because very few real photographers run YouTube channels: They're out there shooting, producing amazing photos, and making their money with the art of photography. Photography YouTubers are mainly enthusiasts with poor photography skills. There's one guy, I won't mention his name, who is shooting with a gear worth nearly 10,000 USD, but is not able to produce a decent portrait. Then you have guys like Pablo Strong, who is taking amazing images with a 13 years old 250 USD camera:
Nikon Z Series is amazing
Nikon Z Series cameras are amazing, same as all new modern Full Frame cameras, mirrorless or DSLRs. They sure aren't perfect, no system is, but for their first iteration, they seem to bring a lot of value to prospective new and existing customers. Here are some of the things that I feel deserve the most praise:
1) New Z mount and the lens road-map
Very promising, especially the ultra-fast prime lenses. Right no I am shooting with a D810, and I'm really happy with it, I don't want to switch to a new camera. But maybe in a few years I will, and the Z System might be mature enough for me to have a very smooth transition.
2) Ergonomics
The best thing about the Nikon Z6 and Z7 is that they look and seem to fell like all the current Nikon DSLRs. They have a similarly textured surface which feels very comfortable, and a very nice grip that looks like the one on my D810. A camera that feels great to hold will make you shoot more. When I held a Fuji X-T2 and the Sony A7Riii I was very disappointed, they were right away uncomfortable to hold. I cannot imagine shooting with them for hours the way I do with my Nikon.
3) Durability
Nikon DSLRs are durable, and Nikon is promising the same for their mirrorless line. The Z6 and Z7 are weather-sealed, which brings them ahead of a lot of competition. Their chassis are made of magnesium alloy, which promises great durability. Here again most of the mirrorless competition lags behind.
4) Compatibilty with F-mount lenses
Another great thing about the new Z Series is their compatibility with the existing F-Mount lenses through a native adapter, which are still by far outnumbering the new Z-lenses. It will probably take a decade or more for the Z-Mount to catch up with the F-Mount, so it's great to see that Nikon was thinking ahead, and not trapping their customers with a limited lens selection (like Sony and Fuji do). A fun fact: It seems that even some 3rd party F-Mount lenses can be used with the new FTZ Adapter.
5) Usability
Nikon has retained the same familiar menu system, and built upon it by adding new features native only to their new Z Series cameras. The button-layout is intuitive, too and familiar to Nikon shooters. The back LCD screen and the top LCD screen were massively upgraded in quality, while the EVF seems to be the best in the industry right now when it comes to color accuracy and resolution. This is promising.
6) Great sensors
Nikon's back-side illuminated sensors are the best in the industry (The D850 has garnered several awards), and the new mirrorless cameras come equipped with them. Here Nikon is ahead of Sony, and miles away from Fuji, that has nothing comparable in their own X-Trans series of crop-sensors.
7) Unique features
Nikon hasn't only caught up to the full frame mirrorless game, they have surpassed everyone with unique features such as wireless transfer of RAW images, or the programmable focus ring (you can turn it into an aperture ring, or exposure compensation ring). These and many more small features make this system very promising for the future.
Conclusion
If the bugs and quirks are slowly fixed through software updates, and future revisions, the Nikon Z System has the chance to be best in class, and leading in terms of sales and catapult Nikon to #1 spot of Full Frame camera sales (a spot Canon currently holds globally). It's great to see Nikon innovating, and moving the industry forward. Canon is now under pressure to answer, and it will be very fun to observe how the ILC camera industry will develop in the upcoming years. I, for one, will stick with Nikon... the DSLR that is. The D810 is a great camera, still one of the best cameras in the market, and all I care is how I can advance my photography, and take some great images. Maybe Fuji keyboard warriors can also start taking photos for a change, instead of ranting online?
Online reactions
The first reactions by American Youtubers were mainly positive clickbait, but then the usual thing happened: Some alleged "flaws" were reported about the camera (1 XQD slot, battery and autofocus), and the whole system was proclaimed "an epic failure". Most second opinion videos were then negative clickbait like below and much worse:
The funny thing is that nobody has really tested this camera in the real world so far to deliver a true judgement on the product. One thing is specs on paper, another thing is real world usage. I understand that some of these YouTubers run their channels as a source of substantial income, so they're always chasing for cheap views, instead of delivering something of value to their viewers. There's also another type of channel, the hobbyists who like to talk gear. Out of these a lot of them are Sony and Fuji shooters, who are now legitimately afraid of the new Nikon Z system, so they are looking for any kind of flaw to ease their insecurity that there might be a better system out there. Here I think Fuji fanboys with their dinky crop-sensor toys with JPEG filters are much worse than Sony fans. Most YouTubers, who talk about Fuji are not able to produce a decent photo. They love to talk about Fuji quality, how Fuji is always designing cameras with the user in mind, etc. This is just all marketing bullshit. Sony has their own, so has Nikon and Canon. Out of all the systems right now the Fuji one is the most limiting. And the biggest joke is that no matter which Fuji X-Trans camera you buy, you get the same sensor! LOL. And the cameras are way overpriced for what you get, and the quality and durability are sub-par (read my post about the X100T which I sold, because the whole Aperture ring failed - it cost me 250 USD to repair it). Apparently I wasn't alone with the issues, if you search "Fuji X-T2 issues" on YouTube, you get so many videos by real Fuji fans who have had failures with their cameras, such as Zed Pro Media here:
No doubt Fuji cameras have their charm and the newest cameras deliver some good performance; and I did love some aspects of my X100T, but the camera was slow and at the end un-reliable. It's no wonder, that Fuji is heavily discounting their crop-sensor cameras right now to move them out, because nobody wants to buy them at the price that was initially set. They're also launching more and more cheaper cameras like the XT100, because their high-end cameras just can't compete with the big brands in the upper segment (1500 USD and above). It is expected, that the new Fuji X-T3 flagship will be cheaper, it seems that Fuji is just giving up.
Quality is a big feature
I never had a single issue with any of my Nikons (D5300, D7100 and D810). These cameras are reliable and durable, and one can only hope Nikon will be continuing to deliver in this regard with the Z Series. We will only know about that in a couple of years, but if we look at Nikon's recent marketing, quality seems to be at the center of their marketing focus with the Z Series:
Quality, reliability and durability are huge "features" for anyone who is entering the photography world seriously (pro or hobbyist), and here Nikon (as well as Canon) still have a huge advantage over the competition. Sadly, this is something YouTube fanboys fail to address: All they talk about is specs, specs, specs, as if it's a specs Olympics. That is also kind of not surprising, because very few real photographers run YouTube channels: They're out there shooting, producing amazing photos, and making their money with the art of photography. Photography YouTubers are mainly enthusiasts with poor photography skills. There's one guy, I won't mention his name, who is shooting with a gear worth nearly 10,000 USD, but is not able to produce a decent portrait. Then you have guys like Pablo Strong, who is taking amazing images with a 13 years old 250 USD camera:
Nikon Z Series is amazing
Nikon Z Series cameras are amazing, same as all new modern Full Frame cameras, mirrorless or DSLRs. They sure aren't perfect, no system is, but for their first iteration, they seem to bring a lot of value to prospective new and existing customers. Here are some of the things that I feel deserve the most praise:
1) New Z mount and the lens road-map
Very promising, especially the ultra-fast prime lenses. Right no I am shooting with a D810, and I'm really happy with it, I don't want to switch to a new camera. But maybe in a few years I will, and the Z System might be mature enough for me to have a very smooth transition.
2) Ergonomics
The best thing about the Nikon Z6 and Z7 is that they look and seem to fell like all the current Nikon DSLRs. They have a similarly textured surface which feels very comfortable, and a very nice grip that looks like the one on my D810. A camera that feels great to hold will make you shoot more. When I held a Fuji X-T2 and the Sony A7Riii I was very disappointed, they were right away uncomfortable to hold. I cannot imagine shooting with them for hours the way I do with my Nikon.
3) Durability
Nikon DSLRs are durable, and Nikon is promising the same for their mirrorless line. The Z6 and Z7 are weather-sealed, which brings them ahead of a lot of competition. Their chassis are made of magnesium alloy, which promises great durability. Here again most of the mirrorless competition lags behind.
4) Compatibilty with F-mount lenses
Another great thing about the new Z Series is their compatibility with the existing F-Mount lenses through a native adapter, which are still by far outnumbering the new Z-lenses. It will probably take a decade or more for the Z-Mount to catch up with the F-Mount, so it's great to see that Nikon was thinking ahead, and not trapping their customers with a limited lens selection (like Sony and Fuji do). A fun fact: It seems that even some 3rd party F-Mount lenses can be used with the new FTZ Adapter.
5) Usability
Nikon has retained the same familiar menu system, and built upon it by adding new features native only to their new Z Series cameras. The button-layout is intuitive, too and familiar to Nikon shooters. The back LCD screen and the top LCD screen were massively upgraded in quality, while the EVF seems to be the best in the industry right now when it comes to color accuracy and resolution. This is promising.
6) Great sensors
Nikon's back-side illuminated sensors are the best in the industry (The D850 has garnered several awards), and the new mirrorless cameras come equipped with them. Here Nikon is ahead of Sony, and miles away from Fuji, that has nothing comparable in their own X-Trans series of crop-sensors.
7) Unique features
Nikon hasn't only caught up to the full frame mirrorless game, they have surpassed everyone with unique features such as wireless transfer of RAW images, or the programmable focus ring (you can turn it into an aperture ring, or exposure compensation ring). These and many more small features make this system very promising for the future.
Conclusion
If the bugs and quirks are slowly fixed through software updates, and future revisions, the Nikon Z System has the chance to be best in class, and leading in terms of sales and catapult Nikon to #1 spot of Full Frame camera sales (a spot Canon currently holds globally). It's great to see Nikon innovating, and moving the industry forward. Canon is now under pressure to answer, and it will be very fun to observe how the ILC camera industry will develop in the upcoming years. I, for one, will stick with Nikon... the DSLR that is. The D810 is a great camera, still one of the best cameras in the market, and all I care is how I can advance my photography, and take some great images. Maybe Fuji keyboard warriors can also start taking photos for a change, instead of ranting online?
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