Is the Nikon ZF a keeper?
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- čas přidán 1. 02. 2024
- I am thoroughly convinced after using the Nikon Zf for many shoots that this camera will be (if not already) a classic must have! If any camera deserves to go viral it’s this one.
A great video explaining the iso function dial: • How does ISO work on t...
Favorite Gear: www.amazon.com/shop/kaskophoto - Krátké a kreslené filmy
Does anybody else see the irony in people whining about having to do a bit of twiddling to set the ISO, on a camera that features manual controls for people that like to twiddle with things ?
😂😂😂
Ha ha. Great reply. I love it.👍
Enter Islam and success
I've had the Zf since late December as a replacement to my Fujifilm X-Pro 3. I've been shooting with it all month and I agree this is a fantastic camera. ItI pairs perfectly well with my Voigtlander 35mm & 50mm f2 APO-Lanthar and 90mm f2.8 APO-Skopar lenses. I have the LUMIX S5II which I was using primarily for all my portrait and model photoshoots but after a month with the Zf, it has become my primary camera for that purpose. The LUMIX S5II is not my backup camera and will be used primarily for video work moving forward.
I've never been a Nikon shooter but this camera has changed my mind and might cause me to sell the LUMIX S5II and buy the Z8 or Z9 to replace it. Nikon, you did good with the Zf.
It really does have that gateway drug vibe 😂😂
What about outer auto focus in video? Is it much better on the Lumix camera?
@@Weider63 unfortunately I can’t offer any thoughts on the video capabilities of the S5II. There are CZcams videos which speak to that better than I can. I’m a photographer. I only use this camera for event, fashion, and portrait shoots. That said, I did purchase it for its hybrid features and plan to learn how to use the video aspects of it so that I can add video to my portfolio of offerings for clients.
From what I’ve ready and seen on CZcams the S5II is the best bang for your money when it comes to features and performance. That’s all I got.
@@kaskoPhoto without a doubt. I’m waiting to see what Fujifilm does with the X-Pro4 when it’s announced in a couple weeks.
@@Weider63 I recently purchased the 24-120mm f4 NIKKOR and all I can say is that lens with the Zf is a BEAST!
As for the autofocus, the LUMIX S5II and the Zf are on par giving the edge to the Zf simply because Nikon has been doing phase detect autofocus longer.
Once LUMIX offers their next iteration of firmware updates I think it's going to be on par with Sony and Canon.
Nikon just straight up pulled me in with this one. I've been searching for a long term mirrorless system. I've tried Canon, Sony, and Panasonic and none of them were quite what I was looking for. Having the Z8 for work and the ZF for fun is a perfect combo... and you can trap focus with Nikon with MF lenses!!! Have you heard of that? You need the TTArtisan M-Z 6bit adapter ring. Using that adapter you can set the camera up to take a picture when it gets a focus lock so basically you don't have to do focus peaking or any of that stuff with MF lenses anymore you can just slightly defocus the lens and then pull it into focus and the camera will snap a shot as soon as it senses a focus lock.
I did not know that. Thank you for sharing
A Zf, combined with a 35 and/or 50 mm f2 Voigtländer APO Lanthar is on my wish list. Already own a Z8, but the Zf is something special, something of sheer fun...
I agree. I did reach out to CameraQuest to borrow a Z 50 APO to try on this body. I am seriously looking forward to that. I can use the VM mount but like the added little benefits of the native Z mount.
I have the z mount 35f2, 40 1.2, and 50f2 voightlanders and they are awesome on my Zf and Z8. They look great and it's easier to MF them with the Zf.
@@lpd13doc1 can’t wait to try them
Just do it. I have the Zf and it works great with 28mm Ultron, 75mm Ultron and 40mm Nokton in Leica mount. I am not rich and price points of the camera and lenses was excellent for the performance. The fun factor was of the charts.
I have that set up and I can tell you the Voigtlander APO lenses render nicely on the Zf. I shoot with the 35mm, and 50mm f2 APO-Lanther’s as well as the 90mm f2.8 Skopar-APO. You will get very nice results with that set up.
Had mine since November and I couldn't agree with you more. after using the zf I got rid of all my other dslr cameras because I knew right away, I would not used them again after using the zf and it's such a pleasure to use and a beautiful camera! inside and out!
Well if any camera could turn anyone it’s the Zf
Liked! I handled a friend’s Zf, and was favorably impressed.
It’s hard to find anyone who has tried this camera that doesn’t like it.
After hearing the rumors of the next X100, I’m glad I got the ZF. It’s an amazing camera. The 40mm F2 SE lens is a weird chunker but it takes very nice photos and videos. Can’t wait to try a 50mm lens on it.
I just came across your video courtesy of good old Google. I have to say that I liked it immensely. After many years of using Nikon SLR and DSLRs from the mid 1970s to 2018 I was persuaded to switch to Fuji. The X-Pro2, X-T2, X-T3, X-T4, X-T5 and X-H2 all joined my stable and they are great. Then late last year Nikon came back with the Zf. I liked the sound of it from pre-release days and ordered two of them. What an incredible camera it is. The ease with which I can get great SOOC images means I can concentrate on my subject rather than camera settings. Throw in amazing autofocus, colour and image quality and overall 'feel' when using the Zf and this has become my 'go-to' camera for every occasion. I did not have a problem with the camera without a grip but agree that a grip does add a certain 'something' so on one of mine I have the SmallRig grip and on the other an equally impressive Neewer model. Both highly recommended and the Neewer even has the old vertical Nikon Red Stripe. The plastic lens mount is also not a real worry and I have several other lenses built in the same way that have never given me any trouble. Thanks for your video.
Thanks for this! So I do love the look of the Neewer grip. Thought that old red stripe was brilliant design addition (for those of us old enough to get it) I really understand their idea with the 40 and 28 but I can’t seem to get over the plastic mount. That is on me for sure.
Happy with the ZF. As a Z9 owner for a while who shoots wildlife and sports and have dropped it a couple of times , definitely not ion purpose but didn’t experienced any issues . with my shield but had my card door and camera mount break after a pretty hard fall with the lens attached. Ship back to Nikon and received in back in a week, Insurance cover my expense, Depends on the extent of a drop to determine it its a mfg issue.
Hi John, I just wanted to say how much I enjoy your relaxing videos.
BTW 2 yrs ago I sold all my beloved Fuji gear to buy a Nikon Z7. I loved the analogue controls of the Fuji’s but found the cameras’ rear screens too small for my aging sight and dims. too small for my large hands. I’m surprised how much I love the Z7. It is criticised for its slow auto focus but with Voightlander lenses, who cares? The colours and quality of the sensor, which I believe to be that of the D850, are superb. I never print bigger than A4 but the 40 mpx allows for a large crop of a general photo to create almost a different photo. They cost so little these days they must be the bargain of the century. The Zf is tempting me more than it should! If Nikon came out with a 40mpx Zf I’d buy one so fast it would be on back order! I’m loving your channel even though I rarely take portrait photos. Greetings from UK.
I appreciate you taking the time to post. The Z7 sensor is pretty amazing and is still as relevant today as it was on release. The only issue I had with the original was the single card slot which I couldn’t use because of professional work. But for every day use camera, it couldn’t be better. And most people don’t actually shoot much that would require faster auto focus.
I'm enjoying mine too!!!! Like no camera EVER before. (And I have 56). Great chat/monologue.
The retro factor is cool, the specs seem good, but for me the thing that winds my watch is the eye/face focus confirmation feature; I like fiddling around with vintage lenses so adapting an old Nikkor or m42 lens to a new camera that will give me eye focus confirmation seems like magic.
That is an amazing feature on this camera. They got a lot of things right on this body.
I got the metagap e to z mount. I skipped those goofy modern lens and wait straight to the sigma I series lens. Thus far a wonder experience.
Great video! Quick question.. how dies the Nikon JPEGS compare to the Leica M11?
I completely agree that it'll be a cult classic. It's attracting people from all the other brands - Fuji, Leica, Canon, Sony, etc. With cheap adapters, you can use just about any lens on it and get some terrific results while enjoying the experience.
I saw someone using Sony lenses on it with perfect autofocus function. It really is appealing to everyone.
How does it compare to the Lumix S5? I’m not really interested in video specs in general nor am I tied to the L mount.
The biggest drawback of the S5 to me is the bulk when compared to my M8/Monochrom
They are all a deficit to me because of bulk but this camera has a little something special. Never going to replace my M but less offensive to shoot if you know where I’m coming from.
Does the image in the viewfinder match the rear screen? I have a z6ii and they don't match so I find myself using the rear screen a lot instead because it seems like it represents my final image better than the view finder
I can’t really answer that honestly - I just don’t pay attention to the screen or viewfinder other than to compose the image. I shoot a grey card and just shoot.
@@kaskoPhoto oh ok thanks anyway
Which lens would you pick with it? And what is wrong with the ISO you referred to?
I will be using the 50 1.8s for sure. And I don’t find anything wrong with the iso setup. Others do. If you have watched any videos on this camera some have complaints that the iso dial isn’t an on/off switch for auto iso
@@kaskoPhoto oh! Thanks again. Not that familiar with Nikon.
This really is a Z8 in a retro body...(btw, don't use the sensor cover). If the Zf is a sign of what will be an even better Z6iii, I'm pretty excited!
Well all Nikon Z shooters def should be excited for the Z6 III based on the Zf
I got my Zf just before Christmas here in Australia. I moved up from a DSLR (D7100) and I am unable to focus with it. It might be that I don't understand the mirrorless focus system at all but I've tried everything and the odd time I do get a shot in focus I have no idea how I did it. Anyway it's mostly just sitting on a shelf now. I guess I'll have to take it somewhere and have it professionally assessed. I might have bought 'a pig in a poke' unfortunately.
That does sound like the case. Try a local repair shop if you have one.
I shot Nikon up until 2012 when I grabbed my first Fujifilm XPro camera. I'm now waiting for the X Pro 4 and once it's released for me it will be a choice between that and returning to Nikon with the ZF. Not looking forward to that choice!
I am a HUGE fan of the XPro system. And I don’t know if I will pass up the new XPro. That with the 50Cron! 🥰
I am also looking forward to the X-Pro4 and as long as it is not a backward step in the way I felt the X-Pro3 was, I will buy one. But it will be in addition to my current range, not a replacement.
Same here. Hoping the XPro comes soon.
Get a Leica m mount to z mount. Use those Voigtlander lenses on your ZF. You're going to love it!
I will! I’m going to try the native Z mount as well
It’s a cool camera. Heavier kit compared to a Leica. Will we see more smaller lenses?
Mmm - the strapless Z9 shouldn’t have been dropped ideally. But some pros beat the snot out of their gear, so stuff happens. That shield also had a bunch of marks on it. Did its job, sensor was saved.
Loving my Zf!
Good points indeed.
Learn your camera and know your menu system.....well said 👍
What about video autofocus?
I'm getting better pictures from the zf compared to the d5 a huge difference
voightlander makes a nice 65mm for the z mount.
I’ve really heard great things about their 65 macro- is this the same series on the Z?
@@kaskoPhoto it is a lanthar macro. so many Voigtlanders so little time. the f mount 58 has me curious.
I thought only the battery door was plastic and the bottom plate metal?
Unfortunately, not, the battery door and balance of the bottom plate are lightweight plastic, but the square in the center for the tripod mount is metal
Yes.
Now if I could just get a date to say that! At my age it’s a little harder. 😂
Yup.
great video I was wondering at 2000 dollars price point is the nikon zf worth it over something like canon r8 or a fujifilm xt5 considering where I live there isn't much nikon z lenses to pair with it
I shoot mostly with the Leica M 11 and will be using this for fun shoots, and when I need auto focus and of course my back up. I don’t need everything that the Nikon Z8 has to offer so for me, that extra 2k would be wasted.
its the camera I love the looks and feel and quality of 😍
I do love the feel of this camera.
X100S!
When the s5ii and x came out there were plenty of detractors saying it's too little too late, the crop 4k60 is a deal breaker, the autofocus still wasnt as good as sony, and we all shouldnt be excited to have these old features finally on a camera. Then the zf comes out, worse specs in nearly everything aside from mechanical burst and lcd panel, a year later, worse ergonomics, worse ui, worse af performance, the same price as s5ii was at launch a year ago and the internet raves about it because it looks neater. Even DPR in their review of it recommend it over the s5ii without giving any compelling reasons as to why. Anyone find this at all weird? Not to sound like a hater - i actually have a nikon FM that i love, but for a daily shooter the lack of a suitable grip on the zf alone would be a deal breaker when using any lens with a modicum of heft to it.
Maybe try it. And I could care less about specs and features. Bottom line is image quality. And just for reference - the autofocus is flawless.
Looks and user experience is mostly what retro camera users look for. That's what the fuzz is about, along with the good enough specs and the fair pice. This camera is not comparable to the S5, or any other "standard" mid-level mirrorless camera, but to the Fuji XT5. For you the ergonomics may be worse but for the rest of us they are not. If the camera had a big grip and typical mirrorless ergonomics it would be called Z6iii, not ZF.
Hi…. It would be a lot better if you’d have removed the lens cap at some stage of the review. Thanks.
ISO... In the olden days (us) photographers were stuck with whatever film we had in the camera. People 2day are such crybabies.
Its too heavy and only 24mp. Maybe the next one will improve
It looked nice at the beginning for about two seconds, but when I realised it had that stupid flip around screen (for you-tubers and selfies), it is a deal killer for a pro who shoots 85% from the hip (I cover pro events), and shoots zero videos. At the moment - and I'm very happy with them - I'm sticking to my two Z6ii's for all my pro work and my Fuji X-H1 for my personal projects. This camera is probably great for a lot of people, but not me. So don't get cranky with me for my opinion - it's probably a great camera. I'm just so glad there are lots of lovely cameras out there that the savvy photographer can easily pick a system amongst them that suits his/her needs. It's akin to John shooting a manual focus Leica for all his pro work - I don't get it - but he's happy and that's the main thing!
I do not agree that the articulated screen is 'stupid' simply because you do not find that it suits your particular shooting style. I do agree that you are entitled to your opinion however, that it is not good for you.
Ah whamo right on cue - I knew it wouldn't take long for somebody to misconstrue what I wrote. Go back and read what I said "...don't get cranky with me, IT'S JUST MY OPINION - it's probably a great camera"!@@oc2phish07
I am 90% with you on the screen and understand completely. It is a double edge sword for me though because I love to be able to flip it around and hide the screen all together.
I never understood why so many serious photographers dislike the articulated screen. It does come in handy in some settings like capturing overhead shots and yes, it’s extremely helpful for videos. My pet peeve with a lot of the Nikon DSLRs was that some have a tilting screen but not the fully articulated screen. So serious question here, what is there to dislike about it? You can choose not to use a feature, but is there any downside to having it? Am I missing something here?
@@NewsMonkey123 looking off center from the camera axis bothers me but I like a tilted screen.
I common sense review -not used to that.
I don't get the plastic lens thing. There are over 400 Nikon F lenses and over 40 Z ones. Many are superb. Most all of them have metal lens mounts. Why are you talking about two that you don't like? Use the good ones. To be completely clear, I don't like plastic bayonets either. Although there are advantages to plastic used correctly for, say, top plates.
I was specifically talking about the two lenses that Nikon produced to pair with the Zf and Zfc - since this was the subject matter, I kinda had to talk about them 😂.
@@kaskoPhoto Ah! I understand. "Retro" marketing. Which I don't quite get. But whatever. If a salesman said to me "I've got a nice camera with tactile controls you can use without looking away from your subject" I'd be all ears. "I've got a camera that looks like a budget model that had terrible shutter lag, an 85% finder and a short cycle life and just wasn't great 45 years ago" sounds like a pitch that resonantes with, I don't know - somebody? I bought with my own money a pair of FMs when they first came out. As a company, we had dozens and dozens of them over the years. They were cheap and light. They served a certain purpose. But the memory of them hardly evokes nostalgia. The Zf, on the other hand, looks like something I could actually use in 2024. Yeah, more resolution would be better. But 24 MP is fine. Nobody said the M10 wasn't OK with 24 MP.
Man that plastic lens feels ridiculously cheap indeed
Right? I just can’t get over the parallel of the old plastic 35mm film cameras of years ago. Feels the same to me.
all new Nikon menus are too long and fidley. The price you pay for a camera that does more than you could ever dream of like auto bracket and milti auto focus distance so everything gets in focus. I am almost a year into all the details, but basic aperture, shutter, iso are easy as pie. For what you can not remenber, my Z6 & 7 has a "my menu" where you add the things like battery life into a short menu as duplicates.
I definitely agree with you, I will never use 90% of the features it offers. But shooting it as a straight camera, without all the bells and whistles is really enjoyable on its own.
Got Zf yesterday and grip is attrocious. With or without smallrig additional grip, my hand (short but stubby fingers) cannot hold this camera without death grip. Almost dropped it the first day while having smallrig grip, with 40 f2. Actually, additional grip makes it worse, my fingers need to bite into the faux letter of the camera for any comfort. For me, this is a much, much worse grip than the Q2 and M10(with thumbs up) that I have both, which is saying something. I ordered Zf specific thumbs up, and if that doesn't solve it, it goes back.
Otherwise, love the image, colors are great and it may be the camera with the best high ISO I ever used.
For reference, I shoot JPEG, as I find that I can easily pull/push jpegs stop or two, I trust AWB, and I almost never need more than that. Those few times I do need more, well too bad. I have more pictures ruined bc of auto-focus, etc... Obviously, not a professional here, but amateur for 30 years, and I do have 8-9 modern cameras from the last 5-6 years
That is the first I’ve heard of the problem even with the grip. Really sorry about that. I know Neewer makes a grip for it as well, but not confident it will be much different.
@@kaskoPhoto The Neewer grip is good. It has a front extension that helps prevent fingernails digging into the front faux leather and incorporates the famous Nikon vertical Red Stripe. I have one on one of my Zfs and it is good.
“professional camera” 😂😂😂 WTF does that over used comment even mean??!!! 🙄 people that throw that term around and down talk cameras are most likely 99% not even working pros 🤣so lame on al levels!
it’s a box with all kinds of crazy amazing features that most won’t / do not even utilize - (will take that bet any day)
arm chair photographers these day that most likely never shot film … Do they even know what the specs were in the film camera days of yester-year and were “pro cameras” getting amazing images !!?! Choice of film being key along w/ lenses AND a good photographer with a vision.
stop stop stop with the “pro” camera nonsense already! Rant over!
btw, non of this directed at f/stops here guy - sorry i forgot your name 😅
I’m hurt - it’s John. 😂😂 Didn’t take it towards me but you got exactly why I said it. I don’t need the specs of the Z8 or Z9 at this time in my career. If I were still shooting professional sports for a living they would be in my bag. That’s not to say I couldn’t shoot sports with the Zf - it’s really good.
Buy a proper camera a Pentax that’s how proper cameras are made. Instead of the Fisher Price quality of Canon.
a shity plastic fantastic camera to play with it 😂😂😂😂