I love Nikon’s color science and my Nikon D750 has served me well–it’s one of the best pieces of gear I’ve ever owned. When Nikon introduced its full-frame, mirrorless camera the Z7 two years ago, I wanted one. The Z7’s 45mp is a significant upgrade to the D750’s 24mp.
Initially, the Z7 was criticized for having only one memory card slot. Pros need two slots the critics said. In addition, the Z7’s autofocus was sluggish compared to Canon’s and Sony’s competing cameras. Firmware upgrades have corrected the autofocus issue, and since I’m not a pro photographer, having one card slot doesn’t bother me.
So this week I finally bought a Z7. I went back and forth between the Z7 and the newer Z7ii. Both versions have the same sensor, but the Z7ii has two slots and an additional motor to make it faster. All mirrorless camera manufacturers struggle to produce fast-performing cameras. The Z7ii’s video capability is better but I primarily use my camera for still photography. So these enhancements are not compelling for me. The actual picture quality is the same. Plus, I saved $1,000 by going with the Z7.
I don’t yet have any lenses designed specifically for the larger Z-mount. My first Z lense purchase will be the 50mm 1.8 prime (sorry for the camera jargon porn). For now, I’m using Nikon’s Z adapter with my older F-mount lenses.
I’m loving the new camera.
Here’s a quick snap of the painting I’m working on today.
The unfinished “The Entertainer”