Official Nikon Z9 Launch, Info, and Discussion Thread

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Some of us have been waiting for a Nikon MILC for wildlife photography with Z9 type spec's for 3+ years, since the first rumours of the Z system. So another week or a month is relative. Anyways, I have a D850 and D5 to muddle along with... we know from at least 3 sources Z9 day(s) are 23 Dec and thereafter..... subject to logistics etc

After dwelling on some interesting articles about machine-learning [aka Deep Learning] and the new generation of Auto focus systems in the latest cameras. Nikon as usual has not let on to much, but the first Zeds as well a least the D6 use deep-learning as is Canon's latest DSLR. Here's one and a second article fyi of some of the theory and applications of deep learning used in pattern recognition in AF tracking algorithms.

So, I ordered this book, which starts with the basics. The chapters of Bayesian analyses etc are about the best introductory explanations I've read... (Bayesian analyses have become the primary methodology in phylogenetic reconstruction over the past 2 decades, besides the many other disciplines, but some postgrad students often struggle with understanding the core principles. The software BEAST is one of the key packages we have have been using since ¬2007, and the latest versions have become fundamental to underpin the origins and realtime reconstructions of CoV19 dynamics etc).

So to get back to the main topic, it helps to have stimulating activities to immerse oneself in :)

 
Since no one has seen much less tested a Z9 I am waiting to make a decision on what to replace my D850 with or keep it.


Hands down i am keeping my D850, because if i travel on holidays i don't want to lug a Z9 around........and given its size in these conditions will attract a lot of unwanted attention, a Z7II would be better size wize but i have the D850 love it to peices, also i have a very high shutter count on it so its not going to be easy to sell. i am happy to live with it even if i buy a shutter asebly and leave it on et shelf...........its one hell of a camera.
 
‘A stop less DR than the Z7ii at base iso will still put the Z9 amongst some good company for landscape, just not the very best. That’s very far from disqualifying it as a landscape camera altogether.

looking at dxomark ratings that would put it at the same level as a Canon 5Dmk4 or a Sony A7Riii and better than the Sony A9 and A9ii.

‘And that one stop hasn’t been vetted on production cameras yet, so when all said an done it may be less than that, especially since that would be lagging quite a bit behind the A1 and R5 for DR which has always been a Nikon strength so I am not sure that’s the final word on it.


Thank you, i will keep the D850 as a back up.............and for travel road trips etc
 
Some of us have been waiting for a Nikon MILC for wildlife photography with Z9 type spec's for 3+ years, since the first rumours of the Z system. So another week or a month is relative. Anyways, I have a D850 and D5 to muddle along with... we know from at least 3 sources Z9 day(s) are 23 Dec and thereafter..... subject to logistics etc

After dwelling on some interesting articles about machine-learning [aka Deep Learning] and the new generation of Auto focus systems in the latest cameras. Nikon as usual has not let on to much, but the first Zeds as well a least the D6 use deep-learning as is Canon's latest DSLR. Here's one and a second article fyi of some of the theory and applications of deep learning used in pattern recognition in AF tracking algorithms.

So, I ordered this book, which starts with the basics. The chapters of Bayesian analyses etc are about the best introductory explanations I've read... (Bayesian analyses have become the primary methodology in phylogenetic reconstruction over the past 2 decades, besides the many other disciplines, but some postgrad students often struggle with understanding the core principles. The software BEAST is one of the key packages we have have been using since ¬2007, and the latest versions have become fundamental to underpin the origins and realtime reconstructions of CoV19 dynamics etc).

So to get back to the main topic, it helps to have stimulating activities to immerse oneself in :)


Great topics, interesting, its not so much how young your body feels its more how active and healthy your mind is.............creativity curiosity feeds the mind.........

Ever set the alarm for 5 am and wake up at 2 minutes before it goes off, so be careful...........you mind is always listening..........LOL.
 
interesting. How much if speculation, educated assessment, or solid knowledge?

I can say that its what i have heard from a solid source, could that information possibly differ in other country's, maybe, i have no idea.

I have been told that Nikon will respect the market and be fair to all concerned.

I have also heard from a reliable source that the initially indicated conservative allocation numbers for stock availability has turned out to be surprisingly better than the first forecast.

My Z9 is supposedly in the first batch as my order was in before the time line indicated, hope that's not an omen.

As to my getting a spare battery, or a FTZ II adapter i have been told they will follow the Z9 later, i am for a short while to use a standard FTZ, and the battery that comes with the camera.

Am i anxious or desperate, defiantly not, i don't care if i get it before or after Xmase or if it takes a few months............its only a tool.

What do i expect or want from the Z9

Image quality to NOT be less than the D850........i want a tilt screen, IBIS, at least D6 focus attack speed, to be able to dial in or limit the FPS to 10 to 15 as 20 and over is !
To be able to use the camera fully in my control like you can say with a D850 or D6.

Auto tracking is a fun bonus but not critical for me, i look forward to growing into the camera and driving it rather than have it driving me.

My real concern is the cost expenditure into Z exotics..........

My other thought is..........this is the first Single digit Pro camera not made in Japan...........i hope there are no first batch lemons/ issues, in fact i was considering pushing my delivery back several batches for that very reason............
 
I am slowly moving to Z glass. That means I can not use a dSLR as a backup body.

Understand your point but, for those of us using greater than 400mm today for wildlife/birds/sports we can not move to all S glass this year or maybe for two or three years.
Also there are may that use more than just one system so every trip always starts of with what should go into the bag.
 
I am slowly moving to Z glass. That means I can not use a dSLR as a backup body.


Under stand,

My D850 is super high on actuation's the other is half way through, and i still have FX glass, i don't see the D850 as a back up issue for some time as i don't want to rush into Z glass. I cant justify some of the Z glass costs unless the Z glass exotics are used very frequently, ie: for the super expensive exotics i rent when i need them and add it to the bill if you know what i mean, also I want to give the Z9 a good chance to settle in with me...........to see if its a hand in glove fit and not just a honeymoon night...........

late 2022 will see more things arrive from the industry..........i want to go slowly, as in the back of my mind there may be a brand change, and defiantly leaning towards MF 100 150 mp for different applications.
Lets face it there are plenty of people out there killing it still using a D4s D5 D6..............

At the moment i have no regrets selling my D4s D5, i am totally comfortable with the D850............the Z9 will be breathtakingly fast but for what i do or need maybe overkill.
Lock on tracking etc is revolutionary and coming of age.........but its also got a little bit of hype with it as well............
 
Ok, then, let me put it this way: If the Z9 relegates the D850 into backup-camera status, then the Z9 is a reaally fantastic camera!

The Z9 looks like a fantastic camera based on what we have heard and seen so far...........everyone will love it i am certain.........

But let me say, the D850 and Z7II produce some of the best image quality files ever seen in the industry in 35mm and even as i recall ? Sony admitted that Nikon's files especially on Z glass are brilliant.

There is so much we don't know yet about the Z9 production model that may be better than what we have heard or seen in demo models.

The Z9 has had lots of feed back from the Ambassadors and reviewers, its fair to assume that some tweaks may have been recommended so we just have to wait and see.

I think Nikon taking the D850 and D6 cameras and making one Z9 is more a marketing driven comment to usher FX uses to the Z system.

I haven't seen anyone evaluating the Z9 in landscape applications...............admittedly its a sports action camera................dose this mean Nikon will release a 80mp D850 Z7II equivalent.
 
Great topics, interesting, its not so much how young your body feels its more how active and healthy your mind is.............creativity curiosity feeds the mind.........

Ever set the alarm for 5 am and wake up at 2 minutes before it goes off, so be careful...........you mind is always listening..........LOL.
It depends upon the situation; many times I wake up 2 hours before the alarm goes off, and then find it impossible to go back to sleep. :(
 
Field testing the Nikon Z9 by Grays of Westminster


Some interesting eye tracking samples, alas they don't mention anything about release dates.

‘I see a lot if tail grabbing, body grabbing even when the head is visible - I’ll put that on the fact that the camera was probably not set up ideally for this kind of subject and they clearly don’t know what they are doing. Other videos have actually been more convincing than this one. They hardly showed any stills which is the only way to know if focus was achieved. I can’t imagine the Nikon rep who lent them the camera was too impressed with what they did with it.
 
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‘I see a lot if tail grabbing, body grabbing even when the head is visible - I’ll put that on the fact that the camera was probably not set up ideally for this kind of subject and they clearly don’t know what they are doing. Other videos have actually been more convincing than this one. They hardly showed any stills which is the only way to know if focus was achieved. I can’t imagine the Nikon rep who lent them the camera was too impressed with what they did with it.

Eh, I'm not a wildlife person, and I can only compare with my Z6 II, but I can definitely tell just from this video that this is two levels ahead of it, even if simply in the "select the right point to focus on". And I know that the Zs so far do focus well enough on whatever is the focus point, so I have high hopes for the Z9.

And yeah, this was a 7 minute short, not sure how much one can expect from that.
 
‘I see a lot if tail grabbing, body grabbing even when the head is visible - I’ll put that on the fact that the camera was probably not set up ideally for this kind of subject and they clearly don’t know what they are doing. Other videos have actually been more convincing than this one. They hardly showed any stills which is the only way to know if focus was achieved. I can’t imagine the Nikon rep who lent them the camera was too impressed with what they did with it.
This raises an important issue.Instead of people trying out by trial & error the manufacturer could probably release a manual with photos highlighting what works best for which sitution & what won't work.
I am shoting my A1 with 200-600 in deserts & some times the more obvious setting did not work & even focus tracking would focus on totally irrelevant point.
By changing the focus mode I did get the shoots .How ever I was left wondering many times as to why some thing did not work.
To cite an example Zone tracking would focus on the ground well infront of the subject or much to the left or right .
Changing to spot tracking did help .
 
Eh, I'm not a wildlife person, and I can only compare with my Z6 II, but I can definitely tell just from this video that this is two levels ahead of it, even if simply in the "select the right point to focus on". And I know that the Zs so far do focus well enough on whatever is the focus point, so I have high hopes for the Z9.

And yeah, this was a 7 minute short, not sure how much one can expect from that.

I actually have no doubt about the camera. I just hope nobody forms an opinion based on that video because I seriously doubt it is representative of what the camera can do.
 
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This raises an important issue.Instead of people trying out by trial & error the manufacturer could probably release a manual with photos highlighting what works best for which sitution & what won't work.
I am shoting my A1 with 200-600 in deserts & some times the more obvious setting did not work & even focus tracking would focus on totally irrelevant point.
By changing the focus mode I did get the shoots .How ever I was left wondering many times as to why some thing did not work.
To cite an example Zone tracking would focus on the ground well infront of the subject or much to the left or right .
Changing to spot tracking did help .

A lot of people make a living from figuring out all those nuances and selling their hard earned knowledge (I mean that in all sincerity); the other thing is that a dozen Nikon engineers spending the last years developing the camera will not cover as many cases and environments as the first 1000 users in their first week and certainly those engineers will never dream of the diversity of abuse and stupid things users will put their cameras through. Some of this has to be figured-out the good old way, time, trials and errors (many errors in my case - sometimes it feels more errors than trials :) )
 
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Understand your point but, for those of us using greater than 400mm today for wildlife/birds/sports we can not move to all S glass this year or maybe for two or three years.
Also there are may that use more than just one system so every trip always starts of with what should go into the bag.
I have long glass I can not switch yet. For everything below 100-400 it will be z glass (500 PF, 600). for everything else there will be ftz ii
 
A lot of people make a living from figuring out all those nuances and selling their hard earned knowledge (I mean that in all sincerity); the other thing is that a dozen Nikon engineers spending the last years developing the camera will not cover as many cases and environments as the first 1000 users in their first week and certainly those engineers will never dream of the diversity of abuse and stupid things users will put their cameras through. Some of this has to be figured-out the good old way, time, trials and errors (many errors in my case - sometimes it feels more errors than trials :) )
Actually the manufacturer's engineers know more than any user & I am sure they have test reports for every thing and also users test reports ( else the manufacturer is not serious about quality)
The issue is that the company does not want to release those test reports .
Hope this changes & companies realise that by being transparent will help it more in getting better quality products out .
The software industry had realised it long back & they release bug reports as a matter of routine.
 
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