Top positive review
5.0 out of 5 starsI love this camera!
Reviewed in the United States on May 28, 2019
I have owned the Z 6 now for about six months. It has quickly become my favorite camera and my first pick when I am selecting a camera to use. About me: I am a hybrid shooter. I shoot run and gun style family videos, timelapse, and the night sky. I have only shot on Nikon cameras as my support system all use Nikon professionally and will let me try out their glass before I purchase. I have personally owned the D610 and still own D810 and D850.
Pros:
light
Z lenses (love the silent video autofocus)
video autofocus
Sharp EVF
low light performance
IBIS-VR
Cons:
Lack of native, wide, fast lenses
EVF and monitor brightness difference
First off, I want to address the biggest complaint I have heard about this camera — dual card slots. Most of my cameras have had dual card slots, and I find myself using the second slot not to shoot redundant but to separate video and photo or as overflow for when I fill the first card. This was nice because as I purchased higher MP cameras, I did not buy larger cards, so it was nice to have the overflow onto the second card. With my introduction to the XQD card on the D850, I choose to get 120 GB cards. They are expensive, but they are much faster. I would rather unload a full XQD card as compared to an SD card. Even the latest generation SD cards that I own are at least 1/3rd slower than my XQD card.
I love how light this camera is. When paired with f2.8 glass, this weight difference is not night and day different. However, when paired with the F-mount 50 f1.8 lens (my favorite adapted lens), the Z 6 is very light and very capable.
My favorite capability of the new system is the video autofocus. As a Nikon user who is not expert in manual focus, I love this feature. Nikon will continue to improve the autofocus system as shown by their efforts to add eye-AF. In close shots I think this AF system excels, I hope that future firmware updates will increase the functionality at further distances.
I find the in body VR to be very helpful. I am now hand holding shoots that I would have previously skipped without a tripod. When paired with a Z-mount lens, VR is improved even further.
Speaking of the z-mount lenses, they are the perfect partners to this new system. ESPECIALLY when it comes to AF and video! Silent AF paired with negligible focus breathing is fantastic! The 24-70 f2.8 s was my first native lens, but it won't be my last.
As mentioned earlier, I love shooting the night sky. To shoot without tracking, this requires a wide, fast lens. That is something this system lacks. I have used the 14-24 f2.8 f-mount adapted. This combo does give outstanding results. The adapter is just one more thing to pack/forget, which is why I am looking forward to the day a high performing native lens is available for astro on the Z-mount.
The display is super sharp, which makes checking focus on stars very easy. When shooting the night sky, I use a loupe for checking focus on the D850 and D810. I found that the loupe is not needed on the Z 6. Additionally, the night sky is made easier with ISO invariance and improved performance (dual native?) at ISO 800.
As lenses will resolve with time, my only real con is the difference in brightness on the EVF and the monitor. Even on the lowest setting, I think the EVF is too bright and shows a picture brighter (higher exposure) than it will be exposed. I think the monitor is accurate, but the EVF is too bright.
I wish they were matched in brightness.
Overall, I love this system. It has hiccups just like any system, but for my style of shooting it is excellent. I have no reservations saying to buy it. It is not going to make you a stand up videographer/photographer, no camera can. However, it makes the experience enjoyable for me, which means I am practicing more.
