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First mirrorless advice


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9 replies to this topic

#1
tonyzoc

tonyzoc
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I've haven't used a mirrorless camera system, except for a Sony NEX-C3. I have 3 Pentax APC DSLRs and a Nikon D700 with allot of FX glass, so I'm looking at Nikon mirrorless full frame options. My budget isn't a big issue, but I'd prefer to spend under $3000. So I'm looking at the Z5 through Z7ii models. I'd like to get a body, ftz adapter and maybe a Z mount lens like a 24-70 or 24-50 or maybe a prime in the 35 to 50 range.

Frame rate and buffer capacity is not an issue for me. I don't shoot sports and with the wildlife I shoot I maybe have 3-4 frame bursts.

Some questions...
How big a deal is 24mp vs 45mp (Z5 vs Z7)?
What critical feature does a Z7ii have that a Z7 doesn't? Is it the OVF image quality?
Where does the Z6 fit? Is it just a faster Z5?

I thought about renting, but I'd have to spend $200-$400 for a week and I'd rather just buy a used outfit on ebay that I can resell quickly with minimal loss.

Right now I'm leaning toward a Z5 as a first step...



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#2
fallout666

fallout666
  • Country Flag
  • Locationcfl area of space coast

here best thing can do test them out before your buy. mirrorless not for all. also it was weird for me at start not having a shutter showing up and see all action with 1 second delay. i rather see find someone that has one or true camera store try out before you buy. or rent one from one rental places. mirrorless not for all and each hand is different and weight setup is different. once you try out in your hands you know if fits your needs. nikon canon sony and any other camera company makes there body's different. some better for all hands where other not good for large hands or small hands. since Z6 was my first full frame body by nikon i saw light why you want to shot full frame. took me about couple months for me get used to not having shutter. also took me long get use to 1 second delay when shooting mirrorless. since could learn when start shoot and when to stop action shots. go mirrorless and i would go with Z6 or Z7 start with if have good amount full frame lenses. Z5 is like getting d3000 and D5000 series body's will be able to do more with Z6 and Z7 body's i say Z6 if do not have money for Z7. since Z6 better in low light and video. where Z7 better for portraits landscapes.  



#3
Nikonphotographer

Nikonphotographer
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  • LocationSolihull, West Midlands
I looked at them all last year, and ended up buying the Z5,and spent what I saved by not buying the Z6 on better S glass,24-70 and 14-30 f4.

Reasons I didn't get the Z6, Z5 has 2 card slots, and there SD, which I have a lot of those, the Z6 only has 1, the Z6ii has 2, I didn't need the faster frame rate or better video, a function I've never used on my DSLR'S.

Depending on your computer, you may well have to upgrade it if you try and work on the 45mp files of the Z7, I've just bought a brand new Dell computer, as my old struggled loading Raw files from the Z5, mind you, it was a pretty old computer.

Do I regret going for the Z5 ? absolutely not,it does everything I want it to, I'd rather spend money on good glass and on travelling to use the camera.

#4
lightcapture

lightcapture
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  • LocationNC

Why change what isn't broken but if you must make the leap here's some info on image quality...

 

Z5 has same 24mp sensor 24mp D750

Z6 versions use BSI version of the 24mp sensor which yields slightly better images

Z7 versions use BSI 45mp sensor which will yield higher quality images

 

Depending on what you do with your final images 24mp may be all you need.

 

Z cameras are smaller and lighter than DSLR but the lenses are larger so size isn't much different.



#5
tonyzoc

tonyzoc
  • Country Flag

here best thing can do test them out before your buy. mirrorless not for all. also it was weird for me at start not having a shutter showing up and see all action with 1 second delay. i rather see find someone that has one or true camera store try out before you buy. or rent one from one rental places. mirrorless not for all and each hand is different and weight setup is different. once you try out in your hands you know if fits your needs. nikon canon sony and any other camera company makes there body's different. some better for all hands where other not good for large hands or small hands. since Z6 was my first full frame body by nikon i saw light why you want to shot full frame. took me about couple months for me get used to not having shutter. also took me long get use to 1 second delay when shooting mirrorless. since could learn when start shoot and when to stop action shots. go mirrorless and i would go with Z6 or Z7 start with if have good amount full frame lenses. Z5 is like getting d3000 and D5000 series body's will be able to do more with Z6 and Z7 body's i say Z6 if do not have money for Z7. since Z6 better in low light and video. where Z7 better for portraits landscapes.

Unfortunately I don't have a camera store nearby...NYC is 4 hrs away. I looked into renting but it wasn't that cheap and I'd do better just buying one on eBay and reselling it if I didn't like it. I usually get my money back or even make a few bucks. As for lenses, while I have allot...they are mostly manual focus film lenses, non-AI and AI, or autofocus AF and AF-D lenses. I do have a Tamron 28-70/2.8 that's a later G type... Which would be the only lens I might get AF with using the FTZ adapter. I can do a Z7... Actually right now B&H is doing a $1000 discount on the Z7...makes it almost the same price as a new Z5.

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I looked at them all last year, and ended up buying the Z5,and spent what I saved by not buying the Z6 on better S glass,24-70 and 14-30 f4.

Reasons I didn't get the Z6, Z5 has 2 card slots, and there SD, which I have a lot of those, the Z6 only has 1, the Z6ii has 2, I didn't need the faster frame rate or better video, a function I've never used on my DSLR'S.

Depending on your computer, you may well have to upgrade it if you try and work on the 45mp files of the Z7, I've just bought a brand new Dell computer, as my old struggled loading Raw files from the Z5, mind you, it was a pretty old computer.

Do I regret going for the Z5 ? absolutely not,it does everything I want it to, I'd rather spend money on good glass and on travelling to use the camera.

I think my computer can handle the larger files...its a Lenovo i7 with 16gb and a solid state hard drive, so its pretty quick for its age.

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Why change what isn't broken but if you must make the leap here's some info on image quality...

Z5 has same 24mp sensor 24mp D750
Z6 versions use BSI version of the 24mp sensor which yields slightly better images
Z7 versions use BSI 45mp sensor which will yield higher quality images

Depending on what you do with your final images 24mp may be all you need.

Z cameras are smaller and lighter than DSLR but the lenses are larger so size isn't much different.

I'm just curious as to why the industry is moving away from DSLRs (and I got some money burning a hole in my pocket). The MP isn't that important to me. I've got a D700 and the 12mp images are great. In crop sensors I got a 10mp CCD, 24mp and 26mp. In not making murals so I think 24mp would be fine. As for size and weight...again, not important. I can handle the D700 with battery grip and 80-200/2.8 AF-D, not to mention I have 3 F4's and a Bronica EC...all boat anchors. I do think if I get a Z...in not going to bother getting the FTZ adapter. I'll just get two or 3 Z lenses...maybe the 24-200 to start.

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#6
lightcapture

lightcapture
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  • LocationNC

I'm just curious as to why the industry is moving away from DSLRs (and I got some money burning a hole in my pocket). The MP isn't that important to me. I've got a D700 and the 12mp images are great. In crop sensors I got a 10mp CCD, 24mp and 26mp. In not making murals so I think 24mp would be fine. As for size and weight...again, not important. I can handle the D700 with battery grip and 80-200/2.8 AF-D, not to mention I have 3 F4's and a Bronica EC...all boat anchors. I do think if I get a Z...in not going to bother getting the FTZ adapter. I'll just get two or 3 Z lenses...maybe the 24-200 to start.

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If you got a nice selection of AF-S G lenses you could upgrade to a D780. It's a hybrid DSLR w/ a very good live view similar to the Z6. Some reviewers have compared it to a cross between a  D750 and Z6. It has the same 24mp BSI sensor as the Z6. I wouldn't mind have that to replace my D750. And then have money to get some really good AFS lenses...like the AFS 300 or 500 PF. Both are real gems.



#7
fallout666

fallout666
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  • Locationcfl area of space coast

if not sure rent or test before you buy, if did not get Z6 as gift would not liked it at start. since hard to get hang of not having mirror and get one second delay. 



#8
tonyzoc

tonyzoc
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So this week I ended up getting the Z5 with the 24-70/4 S lens and the FTZii adapter. I also got the battery grip. The lens is very sharp and I like the image rendering. I'm still figuring out how I want to use the autofocus...but I'm impressed with eye focus and animal eye focus. It works really well. One thing I'm disappointed with is the battery grip...no vertical controls or release. There are 3rd party grips that have a release, but they use a cable to the remote port. 763056f1faf65945f1a658c4d23273bd.jpg

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#9
Nikonphotographer

Nikonphotographer
  • Country Flag
  • LocationSolihull, West Midlands

So this week I ended up getting the Z5 with the 24-70/4 S lens and the FTZii adapter. I also got the battery grip. The lens is very sharp and I like the image rendering. I'm still figuring out how I want to use the autofocus...but I'm impressed with eye focus and animal eye focus. It works really well. One thing I'm disappointed with is the battery grip...no vertical controls or release. There are 3rd party grips that have a release, but they use a cable to the remote port. 763056f1faf65945f1a658c4d23273bd.jpg

That's the outfit I ended up buying, and I'm perfectly happy with the results, I never bought the battery grip, as the only advantage would be not having to carry a spare battery in my pocket, which to date, I've never needed, the Nikon battery grip with the vertical shutter release only works on the Z6ii and Z7ii

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#10
tonyzoc

tonyzoc
  • Country Flag

So this week I ended up getting the Z5 with the 24-70/4 S lens and the FTZii adapter. I also got the battery grip. The lens is very sharp and I like the image rendering. I'm still figuring out how I want to use the autofocus...but I'm impressed with eye focus and animal eye focus. It works really well. One thing I'm disappointed with is the battery grip...no vertical controls or release. There are 3rd party grips that have a release, but they use a cable to the remote port. 763056f1faf65945f1a658c4d23273bd.jpg

That's the outfit I ended up buying, and I'm perfectly happy with the results, I never bought the battery grip, as the only advantage would be not having to carry a spare battery in my pocket, which to date, I've never needed, the Nikon battery grip with the vertical shutter release only works on the Z6ii and Z7ii

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Yeah I just assumed the grip would have a vertical release and some basic controls. It was kind of a last minute throw in as I was ordering. If I had known I may not have bought it. I still have time to return the grip so I may do that tomorrow.

I'd like to get a ultrawide and some bigger tele zoom... I'm looking at the Tamron 70-300 at around $600... It has decent reviews. Another option is the 80-400 G in the $600-$700 range. I can use it with my D700 and with the FTZii. For wide I have a 20/3.5 AI-s and a AF-D 20-35/2.8 but both in manual focus, which isn't really a problem. So I'm not going to spend $2500 for the 14-24...but I might try to find a used 14-30 in the $600 range.

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