Z8 / Z9 DECISIONS

[hrv]

and the other Z9 with a 100-400 on a Cotton Carrier chest mount. This works really well for me but the Z8 on the 100-400 would probably be better.

If you would use the Z8 as your second camera, and mostly shoot with the Z9 and 800 combo, then battery life may not be such an issue on a day's trip?

 

[Garfield]

Have to admit I was initially stoked about the idea shaving some size and weight off my Z9 by pickup up a Z8, but after walking a lot of trails yesterday with my Z9, 100-400+1.4xTC attached to a Black Rapid sport strap, I have to say I really didn't notice the weight, but sure appreciated holding the big Z9. And today I was out shooting Eastern Bluebirds video and stills all morning off a tripod. For some unknown reason I kept looking at the battery indicator which hardly budged all morning long. Kinda nice not to have to worry about batteries. Anyway, sooner or later I'll probably end up with a Z8 (maybe pick a used one up in a year or two) but for now I've decided to table that idea and instead put the money I "saved" not buying a Z8 towards a 600TC, which for me is better bang for the buck, I think.

 

[O]

Have to admit I was initially stoked about the idea shaving some size and weight off my Z9 by pickup up a Z8, but after walking a lot of trails yesterday with my Z9, 100-400+1.4xTC attached to a Black Rapid sport strap, I have to say I really didn't notice the weight, but sure appreciated holding the big Z9. And today I was out shooting Eastern Bluebirds video and stills all morning off a tripod. For some unknown reason I kept looking at the battery indicator which hardly budged all morning long. Kinda nice not to have to worry about batteries. Anyway, sooner or later I'll probably end up with a Z8 (maybe pick a used one up in a year or two) but for now I've decided to table that idea and instead put the money I "saved" not buying a Z8 towards a 600TC, which for me is better bang for the buck, I think.

Yes I feel there is a weight difference, but well, for me i have to agree its not that big a issue if at all.
I prefer the body comfort feel features synergy of teh Z9 if i have a choice.
To be honest, i actually prefer the weight, its like a Leica solid heavy for a reason, stability, feel, its not just all about IBIS.
I have always liked the full Pro body over everything else.
Its either real small like a D500 or smaller size or its large like a D6 Z9.
On smaller cameras i usually hang a very light very small mono pod shorted for balance, a bit like the Bow and Arrow principal.

Only an opinion

 

[O]

Have to admit I was initially stoked about the idea shaving some size and weight off my Z9 by pickup up a Z8, but after walking a lot of trails yesterday with my Z9, 100-400+1.4xTC attached to a Black Rapid sport strap, I have to say I really didn't notice the weight, but sure appreciated holding the big Z9. And today I was out shooting Eastern Bluebirds video and stills all morning off a tripod. For some unknown reason I kept looking at the battery indicator which hardly budged all morning long. Kinda nice not to have to worry about batteries. Anyway, sooner or later I'll probably end up with a Z8 (maybe pick a used one up in a year or two) but for now I've decided to table that idea and instead put the money I "saved" not buying a Z8 towards a 600TC, which for me is better bang for the buck, I think.

I hands down prefer the Z9 but at the moment need the Z8.
Its because what i do has changed recently, hiking all day or doing 4 day hike trips you cant load up.
A lighter smaller New model like the Z7III may be the ticket, also by choice i am not doing sports action anywhere as much, i recently sold the Z9 bought a Z8, i will use it till i see what the Z7 III is, meanwhile hire anything else i need when necessary.
There just all tools, everyone is and has different needs.
Plus doing street photography the Z8 is more practical over the Z9.

Things i do will change again in the near future. I am also focusing more on good lighter glass to adapt to smaller lighter bodies if they arise and fit the purpose, hey that's me at the moment.

Happy to hire a Z9 D6 for a shoot if and when needed rather than owning a lot of gear sitting on the shelf to often.

Only an opinion

 

[Calson]

Although I like the Wimberley Sidekick and my wife still uses it with the MFT cameras and lenses, I found that I needed to use a heavy duty ball head as the load on the head is a leveraged one with the Sidekick mount and even a 500mm f/4 was too heavy. I now use a video head that provides far better access to the camera controls than either of my gimbal mounts (Custom Brackets and Gitzo).

For landscape and night and macro photography the Z8 would be fine. For wildlife photography and shooting hand held as I do nearly 100% of the time with still shooting a full size Z9 is much more comfortable for me to hold for hours in the field. I also like that the EN-EL18 battery lasts 3x as long as the little EN-EL15 batteries and so when traveling I need carry and recharge far fewer batteries. I can charge two of the EN-EL18 batteries every second or third night which would not be the case with the EN-EL15.

I use the small screws on the lens plate to keep it from sliding off the head. I also use a removable OP/Tech camera strap that comes off the camera when the camera is in use on a tripod. With no strap there is no chance of catching on the strap and sending the camera and lens crashing to the ground - had two close calls before adopting this practice.

For me the concern is not about the cost to repair the camera and or the lens but rather losing their use for weeks or for months and finding myself in the middle of a trip and without critical gear. I am much more cautious as a result and take precautions to avoid damage to cameras and to lenses as well as having a backup camera and a backup lens available. Even if the backup gear is left in my room or car while traveling it is still available for the next day of shooting.

 

[EricKlees]

So sorry to hear about your mishap.

I tell people a lot, there is a difference between a 2nd body (use often ava often with a 2nd lens attached) and a backup body (generally only used when your main body is down for repairs)

For a 2nd body for me, it needs to be the same body. Didn't want to have to make mistakes because it's not the same like only 2 fn buttons on the front of the Z8. I remap most every button on my Z9. Also, the different battery life is key to me. I can go out and sit from sunrise to sunset and shoot 6,000-7,500 shots on a single battery. I'd have to carry 3 or 4 extra batteries with a Z8 to do that and miss shots when the battery dies is I'm not paying attention.

If it's a backup body it wouldn't be hard to adjust after a day or 2 to a Z8. But back and forth through a day... I'm a creature of habit and i dual in muscle memory wise.

 

[O]

I have just returned from a business trip to Australia, which included a couple of days wildlife photography. On my first day out I had a disaster! I was walking with a couple of local photographers at a well know location in Sydney. I had my Z9 + 800pf on a monopod with Wimberley Mono gimbal. I have been using this set up for quite some time and although I like the operation, it always concerns me how awkward it is to attach the side mount and also the amount of weight that is being supported on the side of the gimbal. (I am an engineer) I have even set up a Kensington lead, wrapped around the gimbal, with a short length of lead into the Kensington lock on the 800pf. I realise that this is not intended to take the weight of the camera and lens but have always thought it may avoid a disaster. Anyway, after using this setup for a long time, on this particular day I didn't attach the cable! You can probably guess what coming next. It was almost slow motion as the Z9 + 800pf hit the deck. To be fair, it was not the hardest of falls, onto bare earth but the lens sheered off, removing the mount from the body. My two local companions didn't know what to say but after some seconds I said it was my stupid fault. Although I am obsessive about checking the tightness of the Arca Swiss clamp, I clearly didn't on this occasion. After a few minutes contemplation, my companions informed me that the Nikon Australia headquarters were only 1200 yards away! Off I trudged and 15 minutes later I was in the reception of Nikon Australia. Here I was greeted by a large poster, telling me the new Z mounts are 60% thinner than the F mounts!! This possibly contribute to the ease of failure but I am not blaming that! Nikon were really helpful and removed the camera mount from the lens but said nothing could be done, in the week I had left, with the camera body.

By coincidence, this was the day that the Z8 was launched. I had no intention of ordering one, although it seemed a great camera, I have 2x Z9 bodies which I love. However, with the days events and being several hours ahead in Australia, in the early hours of the next morning I decided to place an order.
I am NPS and the store that I use said I was 4th in the queue. All being well, there is a possibility of having a Z8 within a few weeks. I am expecting the Z9 repair to take some time, so I am ultimately going to have the decision to make of selling the Z8 with low mileage or selling a Z9. I have really gotten used to having the two Z9s set with identical setting but as the Z8 is so similar, it would not be hard to have it set the same, albeit having to configure manually. I am interested to hear from other Z9 users whether they are considering mixing Z9 + Z8 baring in mind that 2x Z9s are already available to me.
p.s. You would not believe how many times I have rechecked the tightness of the clamp, now I am using my second Z9 on the 800pf!!!

Just a side note again, investing in a thin soft but amazingly strong piece of curtain pull cord that you don't even know is there definitely works as 100% security especially if your hiking with the mono pod and camera over your shoulder, its all of about 30 cents in cost and fits in your top shirt pocket LOL.
It has saved my gear twice over the years. I just make it so it loops around or over easy to move or remove, it catches the gear within about 6 or 8 inches of falling, better than hitting the ground.

Strange i know but seriously it really really works,

Only an opinion