nikonkelly
Member
But saddly I don’t have a r1c1. Also, the 3 settings that control the flash are all greyed out.
Need Help Deciding Between Two Cameras (d850 & z8)
- Thread starter Bird Guy
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- advice nikon d850 nikon z8
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ricardo00
Well-known member
By any chance do you have your Z8 set on silent shooting? That is incompatible with the flash. Looks like your flash unit should be compatible?
Nikon Z 8 | Hybrid Mirrorless Camera
The Nikon Z 8 is a compact hybrid mirrorless camera ideal for videos and still images.
en.nikon.ca
O
Well-known member
Everyone is different, so many options..........
Keep it simple and grounded is my advice.
Ask your self what is it that has made you happy doing what your doing to date.
If you have to save up for a while to get a used Z8 then its going to be a long save to get any decent native Z glass.
If you have a 200-500 and a 600 F4 then you will enjoy the D850, or the Z8 just for the file quality alone.
The D850 in group mode focuses on the closest thing to the sensor, you just have to track the subject, this system is not modern but it works very well.
With the Z8 you can use the wide frame setting with Bird ID and as long as you frame the overall area keeping what ever fly's in that large framed area then usually what ever it is gets nailed and tracked, i guess its really similar to taking a video, if this is the type of shooting you like to do for super fast or small fast moving subjects then the Z8 will shine more so than a D850, that said the traditional way with the D850 is using your skill sets with group.
The other key item is frame rates which i am certain you know all about.
If you need these super features then yes the Z8 is the better choice, other than that practically the D850 still gets great excellent results for everything else.
I have had the Z9 for 2 years plus, i sold it a few weeks ago as my needs have changed and i wanted to shed weight and size, also the new Z9 is not far in the pipe line, personally i am waiting for a Z7III with some of the ZF features and hopefully 60 mp sensor, in the short term i bought a new Z8 on sale $3400 USD, for me its an interim camera i can walk around with for long periods. Oh i am not frail or old quite the opposite, i do a lot of walking and also street photography and the Z9 gets to much attention, i certainly don't want to have both cameras.
I also have a D850 with a genuine grip batteries and charger to go with it so i get super long battery life and 9 fps, with the option to use it with or without a grip.
In my case specifically for what i do and need, there isn't much i cant do with my D850 that i can do on the Z8 or Z9 with the exception to high speeds and lock on tracking,
everything else in the Z8 Z9 may be of greater benefit to many other people.
May be you should rent and experience full frame in the D850 or Z8, also i hear Nikon is coming out with a DX mirror less that will be very interesting.
Or sell your 600 F4 to get a Z8 and enjoy it on the 200-500, i also have a 200-500 modified to be a push pull lens because i am happy to take the risk doing so.
Happy days, just keep enjoying what your doing and don't worry so much about the gear, but yes full frame is very enjoyable.
Only an opinion
O
Well-known member
How do you like the ZF
nikonkelly
Member
Yes, it is set to silent shooting. thank you O, I will make the adjustment after church and see how it goes!
Petrphotosss
Member
Unpopular opinion, but the D850 or even the D500 with a wider DX lens should suffice. A new camera will always be better than the old one, but you shouldn't spend more money than you can afford and should have savings for rainy days. Also, consider what gives you better photos and experiences: the Z8 or the D500 plus the cost of a used Z8 for traveling
MikeJ
Well-known member
Likewise, my SB800s and R1C1 fire flawlessly. Do you have silent shutter turned on? I think I read somewhere that silent shutter will turn off flash firing.
**Edit - sorry, late to the party, seems someone already suggested silent shutter...
Doomrider74
Well-known member
Can we have at least one of these threads without someone feeling the urge to give unwarranted financial advice, please. What people do with their money is their business.
I switched from a D4s and a gripped D850 to a Z8 in good time before Christmas 
and there are only two things I don' like:
If you can find the money, go for the Z8. The AF improvements including the customizailtiy aound the AF system alone make it worthwhile for a wildlife shooter, especially if you call marvels like a 600 f4 ypour own.
For a DSLR shooter the EVF can still be something you have to get used to because a true view with you eye through your lens is hard to mimic even with the most modern technology, but in the end I'm pretty sure you'll get on with it, especially because there are a number of benefitial features that simply are not doable with an OVF.
Depending on what wildlife you are shooting, the silence of the camera may be another argument. Shy mammals heard my D4s over 100+ meters even in "quiet" mode.
All the best with your decision
and there are only two things I don' like:- After having been used to have DSLRs operating with EN-EL18 batteries only, the battery life of a Z8 with EN-EL15 seems like a bad joke. But in the end i got used to it and carry some more EN-EL15's with me. That said, the difference in battery life is less significant if we talk about macro work with intensive use of the rear display with the D850. If you primarily shoot wildlife using the EVF it's not that bad. And, with stationary work from tent/blind I made good experience having a small power bank hanging off the tripord to be on the safe side.
- Not a really serious complaint is that I miss having a second body that I can have ready with another lens, simply because I can't afford two Z8 at the moment.
If you can find the money, go for the Z8. The AF improvements including the customizailtiy aound the AF system alone make it worthwhile for a wildlife shooter, especially if you call marvels like a 600 f4 ypour own.
For a DSLR shooter the EVF can still be something you have to get used to because a true view with you eye through your lens is hard to mimic even with the most modern technology, but in the end I'm pretty sure you'll get on with it, especially because there are a number of benefitial features that simply are not doable with an OVF.
Depending on what wildlife you are shooting, the silence of the camera may be another argument. Shy mammals heard my D4s over 100+ meters even in "quiet" mode.
All the best with your decision
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I'm not entirely sure what you're disagreeing about - you restated my position perfectly.
The F-mount, however, remains a dead platform. That means no new products, no development, probably no firmware updates, and eventual phasing out of all Nikon support. It won't be long and Nikon won't even be selilng refurbs from their website.
That doesn't mean that the cameras are no longer worth owning, buying, and using. I wouldn't be surprised if people were still buying, selling and trading F-mount gear for the next 30 years or longer, lifespan of electronics, batteries and power supplies permitting.
And while there is fantastic F mount glass, it simply can't compete with its F mount counterparts, and getting the Z8 will open that up to you.
My wife shoots frequently with a Z6ii +Ftz Adapter 1.7 converter and 300mm PF and comes up with some really nice shots , you might consider the Z6ii and resale it in a year or two . Good luck with your decision
Jamie Baker
Active member
If budget is an issue, you can’t go wrong with a D850. That said, I bought a Z8 because I really wanted the Z800 lens and the D850 has become a shelf queen. It’s that much more useful. But, the D850 is still a great camera with no real future.
I have both, and will for the foreseeable future. All of my lenses are F-mount with the exception of a couple of M-mount Voigtlanders and a 600 PF. The M-mounts will likely spend more time on a planned Zf, later this year.
I bought a D1X on ebay a couple of years ago, after owning one 20+ years ago when it was first released. I’m having fun with it and pretty much any of my F-mount lenses work fine on it, with a few quirks here and there (e.g., aperture display with a 25/2 Zeiss Distagon ZF.2).
With respect to ’dead’ product platforms, that doesn’t appear to concern anyone who has an appreciation for old cars, for example. (I’d love to own a Jensen Interceptor Mk 3, but I’ve already spent that money on my current kit!) Just because something is no longer manufactured, doesn’t mean it stops working. Sadly, this is driving consumption-based economies (and waste-management) more and more each year. Happily, it makes some great tech affordable for many, at the same time.
With respect to ’dead’ product platforms, that doesn’t appear to concern anyone who has an appreciation for old cars, for example. (I’d love to own a Jensen Interceptor Mk 3, but I’ve already spent that money on my current kit!) Just because something is no longer manufactured, doesn’t mean it stops working. Sadly, this is driving consumption-based economies (and waste-management) more and more each year. Happily, it makes some great tech affordable for many, at the same time.
?? Steven, do you mean to say Z-mount at your second reference?
Doug Herr
Well-known member
OTOH older technology doesn't incorporate features that enable photographs that were beyond hope of creating just a few years ago. Viewers' expectations evolve along with the photos that technology enables. Also parts for many older cameras are NLA. The market for replacement parts for older cars is much bigger so specialty manufacturers have stepped in to meet the demand.
The term ”game changer” is often used in this forum. It means a piece of equipment or technology that completely changes and improves how we work.
The reality is that as nice as the d850 is the z8/9 is so much improved that it really changes the way we photograph wildlife.
I now use bird subject detection on a wide format af. I shoot bursts at 20fps RAW. The camera grabs and holds onto subjects and I end up with all kinds of creative results that I could not possibly have gotten with an F mount camera even the 850.
You can be perfectly happy shooting with the 850. But do you want to experience the game changer for yourself?
The reality is that as nice as the d850 is the z8/9 is so much improved that it really changes the way we photograph wildlife.
I now use bird subject detection on a wide format af. I shoot bursts at 20fps RAW. The camera grabs and holds onto subjects and I end up with all kinds of creative results that I could not possibly have gotten with an F mount camera even the 850.
You can be perfectly happy shooting with the 850. But do you want to experience the game changer for yourself?
Fair enough, Doug, your points are valid. But I’ll invoke the Pareto principle here and suggest that 80% of the value is achieved from 20% of the features delivered by each technological upgrade. And I don’t think it would be a stretch to tweak that ratio to 95:5. I’m pretty confident that the population of users who are producing “photographs that were beyond hope of creating just a few years ago” is pretty tiny… regardless of what expectations consumers may have when they buy in. I will acknowledge that the members of this forum are not mistaken for the general population.
Doug Herr
Well-known member
I can't speak for others but for myself a blackout-free viewfinder @ 20+ fps was a game-changer, bird eye AF was a game changer, WYSIWYG exposure in the viewfinder was a game changer, and silent shutter with negligible rolling shutter distortion was a game-changer. Add them up and there was a dramatic change in my own photos, and as I see it numerous photos I see posted on social media which are now commonplace were technically very challenging just a few years ago.
Considering the question was asked on this forum the utility of these features to the general population isn't in question.
Z8. Hands down. I switched from the D850 to the Z8. Don't do it because you think it will be lighter, it's not when you add the adapter for your older lenses. But the technology is just head and shoulders above anything in the DSLR line. Also, I firmly believe Nikon will eventually phase out the DSLR line. So, if you are ready to move up, wait, save up, and jump in. And I won't say IMHO. Because my opinion is anything but humble! 
I completely agree…and it's got zero to do with mirrorless vs DSLR. What it's got to do with is newer tech…faster processors, better sensors, better AF, and all the other goodies that just happened to come along with the removal of the mirror/transition to EVF…not to mention the things that come along with the wider throat on the Z lens mount and the closer flange to sensor difference which makes optical design lighter and smaller and improved coatings as well. It's a simple matter of technology marching on…it doesn't mean that older gear can't still make good pictures…but newer gear will make more pictures faster and at a higher percentage keeper rate because of all the techology advances.
I have both (and a D1x)… I usually reach for the Z8, mainly because it’s smaller, lighter and works best with my manual Voigtlander glass. On a safari, I won’t leave either behind.
Brian L
Well-known member
Hi, I may not be adding much here but I own both the D850 and the Z8. Both are great cameras, albeit of different generations of technologies. My main wildlife lenses are the f mount 500mm 5.6 pf, the Z mount 600mm 6.3 pf and the Z mount 70-200mm 2.8 with either of the 1.4x or 2.0x extenders.
All that said, while I love taking my D850 out for old times sake, the Z8 basically leaves it in the dust on multiple fronts for wildlife or action - AF modes and subject/eye detection, frame rates, subject tracking and pre-capture (waiting on the raw option firmware update, Nikon). Its really an apples to oranges comparison, the Z8 is that far removed from DSLR tech. The only area where the D850 keeps up is image quality, IMO.
Also, the Z8 works fine with the original FTZ adapter (the cheaper option?) - although I don’t have the vertical grip so not sure if it fits in that config.
Good luck with your decision. As I said, both are great, but you can see where my bias lies.
All that said, while I love taking my D850 out for old times sake, the Z8 basically leaves it in the dust on multiple fronts for wildlife or action - AF modes and subject/eye detection, frame rates, subject tracking and pre-capture (waiting on the raw option firmware update, Nikon). Its really an apples to oranges comparison, the Z8 is that far removed from DSLR tech. The only area where the D850 keeps up is image quality, IMO.
Also, the Z8 works fine with the original FTZ adapter (the cheaper option?) - although I don’t have the vertical grip so not sure if it fits in that config.
Good luck with your decision. As I said, both are great, but you can see where my bias lies.