Check price of the Nikon Z8, Z7 II and Sony A1 on B&H Photo Video*:
- Z8: bhpho.to/42sq8HY
- Z7 II: bhpho.to/3FwRV04
- A1: bhpho.to/3Q9jtxi
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Nikon Z8 vs Z7 II in-depth comparison:
mirrorlesscomparison.com/niko...
Nikon Z8 vs Sony A1 in-depth comparison:
mirrorlesscomparison.com/sony...
Birds in Flight Test:
mirrorlesscomparison.com/best...
Nikon Z9 Review for Bird Photography:
• Nikon Z9 for Bird Phot...
Nikon Z8 Recalls:
www.nikonusa.com/en/service-a...
Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:49 Design and Functionality
4:00 Image Quality
6:51 Shutter
9:17 Drive Speed
10:44 Autofocus
13:46 Bird Photography
17:43 Video
22:20 Sample Footage
23:54 Extra Feedback and Conclusion
24:07 I don't think the A1 performs $2,500 better.
Yes, I can see your point. The price hasn't aged that well.
@@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons both are great cameras but it’s hard to get past the price difference unless you have many Sony lenses and that’s your only option. May not matter though for working pros that can afford the difference and even possibly write off the hardware as a business expenses when tax filing.
@@ThePhotographyHobbyist One advantage of the Nikon Z-mount is that due to it being the largest diameter, and having the shortest flange to sensor plane distance, lenses from Canon, Sony, Leica and others can easily be adapted to work on the Nikon Z cameras. So, even if you were to be heavily invested in Sony or Canon lenses you could still switch to a Nikon mirrorless camera and use your current lenses. From there you can decide to slowly transition to Nikon glass if you want.
@@Robert-R not as easy as it seems. I shoot 7x Sony FE lenses on myy Z7II using megadap ETZ21 adapter. Autofocus is already weak on the Z7II and I accept that. Now I need a better camera for some work, street/wild animals. A more action based camera that can still do ok videos (but not video action). I plan to buy/rent but not sure what to go with. I can buy used A1 at more reasonable prices so almost same as a Z8. Another option is getting an A7RV which I believe will not match the focus when there is any high speed action but otherwise the af will stick really really well (plus it has best screen, 60 megapixel, best image stabilization also). As much as I wish too go Z8 because I love Nikon, I think lens performance will suffer and be more noticeable on a top of the line camera body where as Z7II was bad anyway. Not sure how to proceed.
For better autofocus id pay more. A1 has that. But I do agree the price on the z8 is good.
I have been using Nikon Z8 since its launch & I couldn't be happier. Autofocus is excellent, the colors it renders are beautiful, 4K 120, and if I need 8K raw in the camera are just great. The ergonomics of Z8 is also very nice. Love my Z8.
Are you only getting a 85% keeper rate on your z8. That seems low to me
After 4 great years with a Nd850, I was reluctant to transition to Mirrorless. Just 2 weeks into a a z8 and no regrets. With the AF system for birding so effective & nearly automatic - providing for better composition opportunity at the moment. Coming from 4 previous Nikon bodies enabled a quick setup & programming despite the plethora of additional features/settings. And Nikon’s seemingly new business model of providing regular & significant firmware updates provides much value added.
Great review. I hope Nikon continues to improve the Auto focus and then they are right up there with the best.
Thanks! Hopefully they will, they are certainly on the right track.
Love that youre reviews are always detailed and in-depth. And with lots of comparisons.
Thank you!
Agree, good information here, on many other channels reviews sound more like informercials.
Very well organised video, great job Mathieu! Thank you.
Glad you liked it!
Been waiting for this, thank you for the in depth test. The day Nikon announced the 180-600, I ordered both the lens and a Z8 to replace my old Fuji X-H2/Tamron 150-500 setup, and I couldn't be happier with the decision. While the subject detection sadly is pretty poor for birds, if the camera confirms focus, the subject pretty much always is in focus. With the fuji it would constantly show the green box, but the focus always seemed to shift back and forth for no reason. The Z8 has really impressed me, can't wait for the dedicated bird mode to arrive! 😁
Glad to hear you're happy with your new setup. If I were to start from scratch, I could see myself picking the Z8 as well.
I didn't compare the two lenses side by side, but the Nikkor 180-600mm I tested was very sharp wide open, in fact all of my images were shot at the largest aperture.
@@birdiec2769 Check the comparison by Steve Perry, they're pretty much identical. Jan Wegener and Duade Patton didn't properly test the sharpness, the Sony might've looked sharper simply because the image is smaller because of the focus breathing. I compared mine between f6.3 and f8, and decided to just shoot it wide open. There's barely any difference when stopping down.
I really want to love my X-H2s, but I'm getting tired of the false positive autofocus issues you described. I'm considering upgrading to the Z8 but am waiting to see if they add bird subject detection, 30fps RAW, and pre capture in RAW via a firmware update.
@@cy9nvshow is the Z8 after the recent update?
Your comparison videos are the best. No other reviews went into this much detail based on actual usage (af, battery, ergonomics, etc). I hope you have some time to make more videos at some point.
Best comparison videos on KZhead wish you make more of them
Although the image quality is indeed the same as the z7ii, one big advantage I've noticed using the z8 is that it has a more accurate white balance. That's a huge bonus for me when I'm processing 100's of photos.
Thanks for the feedback!
Thank you for that hard work you put in
Great review Matthieu! Was searching for videos on the eVR as I notice some annoying jitters in the footage. I don't use it based on my experience using it on the Z6 II and saw a video of the Zf where someone mentioned it worked well, so I gave it a try. I emailed Nikon about it then found this video showing the same, they really need to improve that and I need to learn how to slow down when walking with it in normal VR to get better results, lol! I've been spoiled by my FX30 and the A7R V I traded for the Z8, footfalls can be cleared up in Catalyst Browse, Nikon need to add stabilization function to their NX Studio software to clean things up. Thanks for putting in some info on the eVR in the video.
Thank you for sharing your experience. Let’s hope Nikon improves the Electronic VR!
The z8 will become the z9 feature wise. I expect a z9ii next summer.
Can we expect a video on the G9 Mark II. I know you already have an article comparing it with the OM-1 but would be nice to watch a video review as well!
Thank you for the question, unfortunaly this time around I couldn't make the video.
Great video thanks. I wonder if the menu also turns when LCD screen is in vertical orientation.
Not the menu (unless there is a setting I missed).
Thank you for providing a great review. Convinced me to keep the A1. I was considering replacing the A1 with battery grip, Tamron 35-150, and 200-600 G with the Z8, Tamron 35-150, and 180-600. It would reduce the insurance premium replacement cost of my gear. However, the AF for low light no flash allowed event photography is too important for me. 🙂 The A1 has been good to me for the past two years.
Glad I could help. I also use the A1 in low light events (sometimes with flash, sometimes without) and the AF is always reliable.
The Z8 is bascially an a1 (same sensor) with some updated features but not quite as good AF. In a bigger package. You're better off with the camera you already have. The only thing with Nikon which is interesting is their glass, specifically the supertele primes with built-in teleconverter and the 400mm f4.5.
Same. Autofocus matters. A1 is where it's it. But I like that Nikon priced the z8 aggressively.
@@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessonshas the Z8 low light AF improved with recent firmware updates?
Thank you for the review.
Thank you man is my pleasure to see your channel,
Thank you for the kind words.
Excellent review. Thank you for sharing it.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Nice comparison, the Z8 looks like a real winner compared to the A1 when it comes to value. At $2,500 less cost the Z8 checks all the boxes unless you really need the small A1 advantages. Thank you.
Thanks for watching.
There will come the same 4.10 update as the Z9 got. Vastly improving bird autofocus. =O)
One of the best review Z8! Good job, man👍
Much appreciated!
Will you do In Depth review of R50 vs R8? I wanna see the noise performance, your reviews are the best
Thank you for the kind words. Not sure about that specific comparison, but I'll see what I can do.
Hi there, have you tested with the latest Z9 BIRD EYE AF? Would love to know if there is a real improvement in hit rate. Thanks !
Not yet!
Whenyou can it's time for a comparison over Viltrox 20mm lens and Tamron! I love your comparison vids!
Nice video, Mathieu. How did you find the IBIS on the Z8 compared to the Z7ii?
For photos, the Z8 is more reliable between 1s and 1/8s. For video, the Z8 does a bit better when using the Electronic VR.
@@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons Thanks!
Thank you sir . Couldn’t make decision between Nikon Z II , Sony Alpha 7 IVSony alpha 7 R IV . It would be helpful if you let me know which is much better for landscape / scenic photography
They are all very good for landscape photography. The A7 IV is the least expensive, which gives you a bit more budget for a good lens, so that is something worth considering, unless you really want the extra megapixels of the A7R IV. The Z7 II is also very good, but there are less lenses available as of now (although to be fair the choice is not bad).
For landscapes you can adapt Sony lenses on Z7ii
@@lilnape2604 works perfectly -using megadap ETZ-21. Not for action but for landscape it's same as native experience
I’m not a technical person but imagine if Nikon release a DX mirrorless body with capable of shooting DX to M43 like with the full frame Fx to Dx, that would be something. Then, if they can release like a unique Noct 58mm 0’95 then why not try also small medium format with fixed lens From MF>Fx>Dx>M43 covered all in one mount lol 😆
Z8 isn't designed to cater to some travel & street photographers it's designed to cater to as many photographers as possible. That's why the size. Especially with the 600 pf there is no other camera or system that can manage portability & range & most importantly best grip like nikon.
Hi, your review is very useful and best informatics I found in KZhead! After my pre-owned Sony a1, now I’m shooting with Fujifilm gfx100s but it’s not good for all types of photography which I like (Portrait, Landscape, Still-life). It’s heavy and bulky with gf lenses to carry around, and slow for sports and wildlife if sometimes I like to experience it! But it seems Z8 is all in one camera. The only matter important to me is if I switch to Z8, with 14bit and 45mp, could I achieve the same high images quality (detailing, colour rendering, and deep dynamic range) by gfx100s with 16bit and 102mp? Thank you.
Thank you. I haven't tested the GFX100s, but I imagine you will loose something in terms of image quality. It depends what you prioritise, portability or ultimate image quality. Personally, I would choose the Z8 because the IQ is more than enough for most situations, and you have a more versatile camera for different situations. Try and see if you can rent the Z8 + 1 lens for the weekend (local store, online service, depending on where you live). That way you can see for youself exactly how much difference there is.
@@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons you are right, I should priorities my expectations. One of the important matter is on screen and viewfinder of Z8 I cannot see exactly what I shot because both are low dot resolution (but 9.4m dot view finder on Gfx100ii and a1 are an important advantage). Maybe I shouldn’t compare from first place, side by side :) you said based on your experience, IQ by Z8 in most scenarios are ok for you, so it means when you transfer files for editing in any software, it’s possible to see the real quality of image but not shown in view finder or lcd.
Good. Also expect a video about Nikon zf regarding bird photography.
What would make you choose the Zf for birds? I imagine it will be more uncomfotable from an ergonomics point of view.
@@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons To know auto focus system any improvement. Zf vs R8
@@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessonswith tele lenses body grip doesn't matter. Long time Df user here. It's the big modern lenses that create issues with grip in the 600g range. 900g and you support body using lens rather than gripping body and letting it carry the lens
Thanks Brother ♥️
Re: highlight recovery….. turn on active D-lighting to low or medium. The camera meters for highlights and boosts shadows. This camera setting is honoured by LR.
But it doesn't actually give you more dynamic range. I remember testing this in the past and I didn't see any difference. It affects JPGs, but can also change the metering on the camera if I remember correctly.
For low light, the starlight mode on Z8 makes focusing a breeze.
I tried it but it didn’t make a difference in my test.
@@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons I don't have a Z8, but it made a big difference on the Z9.
I'm sure there are situations where it is useful, it looks like a nice evolution from the Low Light AF mode that was available on previous Nikon cameras. But in that specific test, it didn't improve the results.
What is really frustrating about Nikon is you must buy their most expensive cameras (Z8&Z9) to get good autofocus and latest tech. With Sony & Canon, you can get it in entry level to mid-level cameras. Nikon still seems very behind.
Not anymore. The ZF is less that the a7IV with excellent AF and a first: eye/face detect with manual focus lenses. No one paid Sony any attention until their 3rd generation of FF camera. For their first 10 years they were a joke. Sony’s only advantage is their headstart. And still, they have a boatload of caveats…. the buffer clears at glacial speeds, slower cards or very expensive cards. 3rd party lens use hampers camera performance. High resolution EVF that drops in resolution when the most important aspect of photography is actually happening; focusing and shooting. The Z8 is $1000 less than the a1.
What's frustrating about Canon and Sony is that you must spend thousands of dollars more to get good glass 😂
Sony and Canon are not very good with firmware updates. The Z9 updates are amazing.
That'll change with z6 and z7iii but atm I'd agree, yes. Each brand has drawbacks. Sony SUCKS at firmware updates and they cripple their sensor speeds. Nikons biggest issue is the cost of their lenses and the fact that they have no 1.4s.
You sure about that? My wallet says something else about Nikon lenses. And, I see cheaper Canon lena deals all the time.
excellent review!!!!
Thank you!
Red kites and those green hills...are you in Powys by any chance?
Gwynedd, but I often travel to the feeding stations near Aberystwyth or Rhayader.
@@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons fantastic - I live in Bethesda 🙂
Hey in your photo autofocus tests what's the shutter speed?
Which one?
Any chance of an update to this after the 2.0 firmware update?
I don't have the camera with me anymore unfortunately, but never say never! :-)
@@MathieuGasquetMirrorLessons Think it would help potential Z8 buyers :) (I own an A1 but I'm mightily tempted by the Z8.) Thanks for all your work, just left a little tip!
@@henrikw377 beware before selling the Sony A1 an update is coming this month with many new features, I think Nikon and canon have pushed Sony to update the Sony A1 and A7SIII.
The Recalls are HISTORY !!!
June 2023 and August 2023. I wouldn't call that history.
Thanks!
Thank you very much! That's very kind.
Can't wait for the Z8 upgrade in 2024
Z8 is really good, I want to have one Z8
The Z8 with 84/85% is on par with the Z6 II.
I wish sony would finally bring down the price of their almost three year old a1. The price is horrendous
It's basically their Lamborghini. I have seen used A1's around the z8 price point. Sony barely lowers their camera prices. For their lower end it's just about $200 off on holidays.
❤
Hello from Aber !
Noswaith dda!