Z9 or Z8

If you would like to post, you'll need to register. Note that if you have a BCG store account, you'll need a new, separate account here (we keep the two sites separate for security purposes).

mapleleaf56

mapleleaf56

Member
Member's gallery
Last weekend I picked up a used Nikon ZFC for a very good deal, I want it as a walk around camera.
Today however I was going out for my usual drive and walk and decided to put my 180-600mm on the Zfc just to see how it did. Anyway I did manage to get some shots off and was surprised how good they looked, nothing special basically perched birds. However I really noticed the difference in weight and it was so nice to be able to walk around without issue. Now it’s got me thinking if I should sell my Z9 for a Z8 and will I notice the weight difference, also I’ve been wondering about the Z6iii and if that would work for me. As I said at the beginning I’m just a hobbyist and post my stuff online to Facebook instagram ect.
Any feedback would be appreciated..
 
Member's gallery
I sold mine and bought a second Z8. This is something everyone should decide based on their needs. The Z8 is lighter, doesn’t have a grip, has a couple fewer buttons, doesn’t do as long a video, and has a smaller battery. For me…none of those outside the last is anything I want or need a Z9 for…and IMO the battery life, while admittedly shorter…has never been an issue…and I just carry an extra battery or two. I have needed an extra battery in the Z8, exactly once…11 hours into a 13 hour shooting day in Serengeti…so I just popped a spare in. For me, selling the Z9 f9r a second Z8 was a no brainer…for other people who might care about those extras the opposite could be the answer.
 
Member's gallery
If you don't need high megapixels, I think Z6iii is a good choice, especially if you don't have large hands. (If the Zfc feels comfortable to you then so will the Z6iii). If you want more mexapixels then I think Z8 is the obvious choice (it's what I use). Z9 is just too big and heavy for me and I have never found it difficult to hold my finger on the side for vertical shots. If you use a tripod and L bracket I also think L brackets are more awkward for gripped bodies like the Z9. However, the Z9 is their top pro camera so just make sure you won't regret selling it if you do.
 
Member's gallery
I prefer my Z8 to my Z9 for the size and weight. For me, the key advantages of the Z9 are built in GPS, larger battery capacity, and no heat issues with video (though I haven’t run into them with my Z8 yet). I would probably prefer two Z8 bodies over my Z8/Z9 combo but the advantage hasn't been worth the financial loss of selling the Z9 to accomplish it. I’m fine with one of each for now and have my Zf for lightweight, more compact needs. If I only had the Z9 and couldn’t afford to keep it and add the Z8 I probably would have traded it for a Z8 to get the smaller, lighter setup.
 
Member's gallery
When I owned D850 cameras I used them 99% of the time with the battery grip and EN-E18 batteries. To me the additional weight of a few ounces is trivial, especially when compared to the better grip afforded. A reason I was not interested in Sony when moving to a mirrorless camera and lenses was their not having cameras with a good grip and the ability to use larger batteries. In terms of perspective I liked every aspect of the D750 but found its grip too small for my hands and preferred the D3 camera for this reason in particular. If I shot primarily macro or landscape subjects or astro and have the camera used primarily attached to a head of a tripod, the ergonomics would be much less important.

If I want to save weight I do so by using a lighter lens, as with the 28-400mm instead of the 180-600mm and by using the 800mm PF instead of a 600mm f/4 TC.
 
Member's gallery
After using the Z9 for two years I added the Z8 to my kit. Even though I love my Z9 I find that I most of the time I prefer the lighter body of the Z8, even with my 600mm f/4 TC. The thought of selling the Z9 and buy a second Z8 has crossed my mind.
 
Member's gallery
Kjellis said:
After using the Z9 for two years I added the Z8 to my kit. Even though I love my Z9 I find that I most of the time I prefer the lighter body of the Z8, even with my 600mm f/4 TC. The thought of selling the Z9 and buy a second Z8 has crossed my mind.
Click to expand...
How do you find the balance between the Z8/9 on the 600TC? Do you handhold a lot, or tripod?
 
Member's gallery
I guess I am in "the middle of the road".

I had two Z9's.....but they were big and heavy. More importantly to me, I found it difficult to reach some of the buttons easily. When the Z8 was announced, I sold a Z9 and replace it with a Z8. I eventually sold the remaining Z9 and bought a second Z8. Although it is more difficult to balance a Z8 + 600mm TC on a gimbal, that is often not the gear I need to use. I am very happy with my gear selection for wildlife, architecture or any other genre I may find myself photographing.
 
Member's gallery
I have 2 Z9's when the Z8 came out I purchased one with my eye on the light weight for travel body. As it turns out I still have my two Z9's, and sold my Z8 last week hardly used. I do mostly wildlife/bird photography. I found for me the Z8 doesn't balance well with almost any lens. I thought it was a bit awkward just getting 3 fingers on the body. The battery life is an issue, I shoot a lot in monitor only mode. I do have an external battery pack I fasten to the tripod leg and connect to the charging port with both the Z8&9. Unfortunately the Z8 gives a card over temp alarm. My most used lens are the 400TC & 600TC from a tripod, or monopod. Followed by the 600 f6.3, and 400 f4.5. some times hand held, sometimes off a monopod depending on the situation. I haven't found the weight to be a problem, but then I'm only 79, maybe in another 10 or 15 years.....
 
Member's gallery
mdirvin said:
I have 2 Z9's when the Z8 came out I purchased one with my eye on the light weight for travel body. As it turns out I still have my two Z9's, and sold my Z8 last week hardly used. I do mostly wildlife/bird photography. I found for me the Z8 doesn't balance well with almost any lens. I thought it was a bit awkward just getting 3 fingers on the body. The battery life is an issue, I shoot a lot in monitor only mode. I do have an external battery pack I fasten to the tripod leg and connect to the charging port with both the Z8&9. Unfortunately the Z8 gives a card over temp alarm. My most used lens are the 400TC & 600TC from a tripod, or monopod. Followed by the 600 f6.3, and 400 f4.5. some times hand held, sometimes off a monopod depending on the situation. I haven't found the weight to be a problem, but then I'm only 79, maybe in another 10 or 15 years.....
Click to expand...
I agree with the above.
i really like the deep grip on the z9 and it feels well balanced with a heavy lens. I like the dual cf b card slots and the big batteries. It is built like a tank and does not overheat. Weight is not a problem for me. I do have big hands.
 
Member's gallery
I have a pair of Z9's, and a D6, which I prefer for the same reasons... vertical grip, and matching haptics etc, and particularly the same larger ENEL18 batteries.

However, there are sound reasons to use a Z8 or the even lighter smaller Z6 III in a Commando Kit with a lighter telephoto lens.

Z8 / Z9 DECISIONS

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...
bcgforums.com bcgforums.com

Z8 and Z9, which do you use the most

For those that have both cameras, which one do you use most of the time and why. Since the firmware updates are bringing them closer together in features, there are mainly hardware differences (GPS, battery, etc.).
bcgforums.com bcgforums.com
 
Member's gallery
mapleleaf56 said:
Last weekend I picked up a used Nikon ZFC for a very good deal, I want it as a walk around camera.
Today however I was going out for my usual drive and walk and decided to put my 180-600mm on the Zfc just to see how it did. Anyway I did manage to get some shots off and was surprised how good they looked, nothing special basically perched birds. However I really noticed the difference in weight and it was so nice to be able to walk around without issue. Now it’s got me thinking if I should sell my Z9 for a Z8 and will I notice the weight difference, also I’ve been wondering about the Z6iii and if that would work for me. As I said at the beginning I’m just a hobbyist and post my stuff online to Facebook instagram ect.
Any feedback would be appreciated..
Click to expand...
You WILL notice the size and weight difference between the Z8 and Z9. Whether it’s enough to justify replacing the Z9 with a Z8 is personal call. I have both and shoot handheld most of the time with 3 to 7.5lb teles. I do prefer the smaller size and weight of the Z8 and don’t feel I give up any performance with it.

However, I’ll admit I don’t like the short battery life of the Z8, although it’s easy enough to carry an extra battery or two. I also was surprised to get a heat warning during a pre-capture shooting session while I was maintaining focus on birds for up to a couple minutes at a time waiting for them to take off. Not a major issue, but still worth a mention.
 
Last edited:
Member's gallery
The actual difference in weight amounts to approximately one lb. This is a small difference if I am also carrying around a heavy lens, tripod and gimbal.

For me a heavy camera is one that I am not comfortable carrying on a neck strap. In this respect I find the Z9, Z8 and all the D800 series cameras to be “heavy”. By contrast the Z7ii is not heavy to me personally, of course depending on what lens I have on it.

The key to accommodating a heavy camera/llens combination is to make use of straps that transfer the weight from the neck/upper back onto the shoulder. Both Blackrapid and Holdfast straps do that. I have used both with success. Other people have used Cotton Carriers.

Last week I took a pair of Z9’s with a 70-200mm f2.8 on one side and a 400mm f4.5 on the other. I carried them on a Holdfast Moneymaker dual strap. I was able to hike at 5500-6500 ft elevation 4 miles with an altitude gain of approximately 1000 ft more or less. Using the Holdfast I was able to do this without shoulder/back discomfort. I am 75 years old and prone to mid back pain if I don’t carry things correctly.

I am offering this as a personal experience with full recognition that no two people are alike.

For me the difference in weight between the Z8 and Z9 is not consequential if I use the proper carrying straps.
 
Member's gallery
Marcus said:
How do you find the balance between the Z8/9 on the 600TC? Do you handhold a lot, or tripod?
Click to expand...
Actually the balance with the 600TC and Z8 is much better than I expected. Sure it feels a little more front heavy with the Z8 than with the Z9, but I feel it’s not an issue.
When walking around carrying the camera and lens the difference in weight is more noticable. The Z8 will be my prefered body for hiking with the 600TC.

I shoot about 50/50 handheld and using a tripod. I have the Wimberley replacement foot on the 600TC and it balances well on my tripod.

The difference in battery life is quite big. If I’m using pre capture, auto capture or waiting in camouflage or hide the Z9 will be my choice.
 
Member's gallery
I have a Z9 and a Z8 I use primarily for wildlife photography handheld with my 600 PF. I find myself using the Z8 more and more. I was worried about the firmware direction when the Z8 first was released, but they have almost identical features now. Anyone care to predict future firmware direction for these bodies? Steve?
 
Member's gallery
mapleleaf56 said:
Thank you everybody for your comments and suggestions. I have decided to stick with the Z9 and buy a good monopod any suggestions are very welcome..
Click to expand...
I agree with Wotan about the Wimberley 100 head but I just bought an inexpensive Manfrotto monopod. Don't have any complaints about it. I didn't go the cheaper route with a tripod for obvious reasons.
 
Member's gallery
I handhold and now have 2 z8s. I have used the z9 and found it to be for me unnecessarily heavy. The z8 is not light but lighter than the z9. I love the balance with it using the glass I have; 400f4.5,100-400 and the 600pf. Battery life is an issue but there are workarounds and I have no problems. I can see though if you were on a tripod with the back view screen on for long periods the z9 would be the better way to go. I love the z8 and would not trade up for how I shoot.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top