ShunCheung Posted May 10, 2023 Share Posted May 10, 2023 The presentation is in progress. It is essentially a junior Z9 @ US$3999.95 and shipping starts on May 25, 2023. There is an optional MB-N12 vertical grip. YouTube link: The presentation is hosted by Mark Cruz, originally from Nikon Canada. He also hosted the Z9 announcement in October 2021. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike_halliwell Posted May 10, 2023 Share Posted May 10, 2023 (edited) Looking at the presentations, you'd think it wasn't meant to take stills! They're really pushing the video of the Z8, although as far as I can see has the same spec as the Z9. You've gotta wonder about battery life? Edited May 10, 2023 by mike_halliwell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShunCheung Posted May 10, 2023 Author Share Posted May 10, 2023 Nikon Japan's news link: https://www.nikon.com/company/news/2023/0510_mirrorless_01.html B&H's pre-order link: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1765622-REG/nikon_z8_mirrorless_camera.html Battery: EN-EL15C, same as Z6ii and Z7ii. All versions of EN-EL15 should be compatible. Memory Cards: one CFexpress Type B slot and one SD UHSii slot No built-in GPS Has sensor shield, same as the Z9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dieter Schaefer Posted May 10, 2023 Share Posted May 10, 2023 So essentially a mini-Z9. CFExpress + SD instead of 2x CFExpress. EN-EL15 series battery instead of EN-EL18 series. 8k video (not sure if the Z9 can do). Spec comparison with Z9 https://www.nikonusa.com/en/nikon-products/product/mirrorless-cameras/z-8.html mostly shows "same as Z9" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShunCheung Posted May 10, 2023 Author Share Posted May 10, 2023 The Z9 can capture 8K60p RAW video, but that would take up a lot of CFx card space. That is why there are 2T, 4T memory cards now. Matt Laur can put away his 32M CF card. 😆 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike_halliwell Posted May 10, 2023 Share Posted May 10, 2023 8K for £4K 🤣 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilkka_nissila Posted May 10, 2023 Share Posted May 10, 2023 1 minute ago, mike_halliwell said: 8K for £4K 🤣 4799€ at one store in my country. nikon.fi web pages are down, so I can't conform if this is the real price. I think the Z9 is a better deal if one plans on using the vertical grip and larger bettery. I would prefer the dual CFexpress/XQD card slots and I would need to get the vertical grip anyway. However, there appear to be a few new features in the Z8 that I don't think exist in the Z9, though a firmware update to the latter could change that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike_halliwell Posted May 10, 2023 Share Posted May 10, 2023 Just now, ilkka_nissila said: there appear to be a few new features in the Z8 that I don't think exist in the Z9, Plane and bird tracking...:-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dieter Schaefer Posted May 10, 2023 Share Posted May 10, 2023 (edited) Frankly, with what I know so far, I rather have the Z8 than the Z9 🤨 Would balance a lot better with the 500PF than the Z9 does. Not pre-ordering one now - might get one once my 800PF arrives. Given how similar they are, who is going to buy a Z9 now at $1500 more? Just for the build-in vertical grip and the larger battery? Now that the Z9 is finally in stock, no one will buy one. Furthermore, prices for used ones are going to drop significantly. Who is going to pay more for a used one that for a new Z8? Missed the segment on pre-capture - can the Z8 finally do RAW? Edited May 10, 2023 by Dieter Schaefer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShunCheung Posted May 10, 2023 Author Share Posted May 10, 2023 11 minutes ago, ilkka_nissila said: 4799€ at one store in my country. nikon.fi web pages are down, so I can't conform if this is the real price. I think the Z9 is a better deal if one plans on using the vertical grip and larger bettery. I would prefer the dual CFexpress/XQD card slots and I would need to get the vertical grip anyway. Does that 4799 Euro price include any VAT, sales tax? If not, that seems to be awfully high compared to $4000 in the US. I think the Z8 is great for those who don't like the Z9's size. Personally, I by far prefer the Z9's larger battery, built-in GPS, and dual CFx B cards. I really dislike SD cards. But in these days I am comfortable using only one CFx B. Nikon does not record video onto both cards simultaneously anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike_halliwell Posted May 10, 2023 Share Posted May 10, 2023 £4K inc taxes here in UK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilkka_nissila Posted May 10, 2023 Share Posted May 10, 2023 (edited) 20 minutes ago, ShunCheung said: Does that 4799 Euro price include any VAT, sales tax? If not, that seems to be awfully high compared to $4000 in the US. I think the Z8 is great for those who don't like the Z9's size. Personally, I by far prefer the Z9's larger battery, built-in GPS, and dual CFx B cards. I really dislike SD cards. But in these days I am comfortable using only one CFx B. Nikon does not record video onto both cards simultaneously anyway. Yes. It includes the VAT of 24% in Finland (in some other EU countries it would be slightly lower). I could get the Z8 for a lower price in Germany (4599€ at Foto Erhardt) but then the printed manual would then be in German. Edited May 10, 2023 by ilkka_nissila Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShunCheung Posted May 10, 2023 Author Share Posted May 10, 2023 It turns out that Thom Hogan has already had a (pre-production) Z8 for a little while. Here are a few new articles from him on the Z8: What the Z8 has over the Z9: https://www.zsystemuser.com/nikon-z-system-news-and/what-does-the-nikon-z8-have.html And what the Z9 has over the Z8: https://www.zsystemuser.com/nikon-z-system-news-and/what-does-the-z9-have-the.html His Friday, May 12 Zoom presentation on the Z8 with Mark Comon from Paul's Photo, a store in the Los Angeles area. The presentation will be at 8pm US EDT, 5pm PDT. Unfortunately, it'll be shortly after midnight in Europe: https://www.zsystemuser.com/nikon-z-system-news-and/upcoming-nikon-z8-presentat.html But then, since the Z8 is so similar to the Z9, I am not sure I'll learn a whole lot about it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike_halliwell Posted May 10, 2023 Share Posted May 10, 2023 Ricci Time....! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dieter Schaefer Posted May 10, 2023 Share Posted May 10, 2023 How many days until Nikon announces that demand far exceeded their expectations? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShunCheung Posted May 10, 2023 Author Share Posted May 10, 2023 13 minutes ago, Dieter Schaefer said: How many days until Nikon announces that demand far exceeded their expectations? I doubt that would happen to the Z8. Due to its relatively low price, plenty of people who had previously not bought any flagship Nikon bodies have gotten a Z9. To me, that is quite obvious that there are some amateurish questions in some FaceBook Z9 groups. In these days gray-market and refurbished Z9 are in the US$4000 to $4500 range. I think the starting $4000 price tag for the Z8 already has plenty of competition from within Nikon. Since so many people already have the Z9, I don't think the demand for the Z8 will be that high. But I am sure there is a group that is holding out for a "smaller Z9" without grip. IMO Canon's R5 is almost 3 years ago. Three years ago, Canon announced the R5 and R6 on the same day in July 2020. The Mark 2 for the R6 was already introduced in November 2022. I am sure the R5 will soon be updated and the Z8 will have plenty of competition. I expect that there won't be much shortage for the Z8, and we'll probably start seeing discounts in the 2023 holiday season, i.e. around November 2023. Nikon may discount the Z8 by a modest $200 or so, probably nothing very major. I, for one, am not interested in the Z8 at this point. @Mike, thanks for the Ricci link. It is always good to hear directly from him. It is much easier to watch a shorter, 30-minute video. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeBu Lamar Posted May 10, 2023 Share Posted May 10, 2023 I didn't see the frame rate for the Z8. What are they? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilkka_nissila Posted May 10, 2023 Share Posted May 10, 2023 (edited) 12 minutes ago, BeBu Lamar said: I didn't see the frame rate for the Z8. What are they? For stills, up to 20 fps in RAW, up to 30 fps in JPG Fine, up to 60 fps in DX crop mode JPG, up to 120 fps in 11 MP JPG. For video, it can do 4K/120 and 8K/60. Edited May 10, 2023 by ilkka_nissila Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike_halliwell Posted May 10, 2023 Share Posted May 10, 2023 37 minutes ago, Dieter Schaefer said: How many days until Nikon announces that demand far exceeded their expectations? Ricci noted somewhere in the video above, they were making 12 thousand a month... I can't seem to find it now. ... and don't want to watch it all again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Doo Posted May 10, 2023 Share Posted May 10, 2023 Steve Perry 2:00pm EDT today.https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox/WhctKKXwwqwzlmgWkSWFjgfblXbZjpskChFDRctHlRMzDLjMmLHdvkhVmRPBzMkrbFbgkBQ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShunCheung Posted May 10, 2023 Author Share Posted May 10, 2023 3 minutes ago, Mary Doo said: Steve Perry 2:00pm EDT today.https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox/WhctKKXwwqwzlmgWkSWFjgfblXbZjpskChFDRctHlRMzDLjMmLHdvkhVmRPBzMkrbFbgkBQ Thanks Mary. I think this is the YouTube link for the Steve Perry event, at 2pm EDT today, 10 May 2023, in a little more than 3 hours as I am typing this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fak6fQetpDA 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeBu Lamar Posted May 10, 2023 Share Posted May 10, 2023 38 minutes ago, ilkka_nissila said: For stills, up to 20 fps in RAW, up to 30 fps in JPG Fine, up to 60 fps in DX crop mode JPG, up to 120 fps in 11 MP JPG. For video, it can do 4K/120 and 8K/60. So it's the same with the Z9 which is good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShunCheung Posted May 10, 2023 Author Share Posted May 10, 2023 57 minutes ago, mike_halliwell said: Ricci noted somewhere in the video above, they were making 12 thousand a month... I can't seem to find it now. Ricci mentioned the 12K figure for the first month almost at the very end of his YouTube video, check the 30:36 mark: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Q2N4BRBDMA&t=1836s I assume the main bottleneck is the stacked sensor, which is the same as the one on the Z9. Earlier, the Z9 production rate was much lower (< 4000 a month??). Perhaps Nikon already has a lot of those sensors on hand, and production rate could go up a bit more. Back in 2007, Nikon was manufacturing about 80K D300 a month at the peak in their Thailand factory, but that was a $1800 camera in 2007 and the demand for digital cameras was much higher back then. Ricci has a second video on the new MB-N12 grip for the Z8. The Z8 with the grip becomes a larger camera than the Z9. The grip can take two EN-EL15C batteries but not the Z9's EN-EL18D or AA batteries. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lWHVWYjckk The grip is $347, but I assume there will be plenty of 3rd-party clones: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1766344-REG/nikon_27227_mb_n12_power_battery_pack.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike_halliwell Posted May 10, 2023 Share Posted May 10, 2023 Interesting.. trade in at WEX. However, no Z9 trade-in option....😉 Trade-in model Trade-in value** You could pay Nikon D850 Body £1,132 £2,867 Nikon Z7 II Body £1,690 £2,309 Nikon Z7 Body £1,025 £2,974 Nikon Z6 II Body £1,183 £2,816 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike_halliwell Posted May 10, 2023 Share Posted May 10, 2023 The fact the the gripped Z8 is bigger than the Z9, and they're currently the same price, admittedly grey v genuine import... humm. Nikon don't want Z9 users to 'downgrade' at no cost (No Profit), they want people to buy a Z8 as a backup... or the best FX bang-for-buck for newbies. ....but you could get a new Z9 NOW for the same £££ not after the .... 2 hours ago, Dieter Schaefer said: Nikon announces that demand far exceeded their expectations... I guess that's why they waited so long to announce the de-gripped Z9. It can only have taken 6 months to achieve, if that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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