Thom Hogan to Discuss the Zf and Lenses at Creative Photo Academy

[ShunCheung]

Thom Hogan will join Paul's Photo owner Mark Comon, who also runs the Creative Photo Academy associated with the camera store on Monday afternoon/evening to discuss the new nikon Zf and a few recent Nikkor Z lenses. It is a free, on-line event:

8pm EST/5pm PST, on Monday, 5th November 2023. Remember Daylight Savings time ends on Sunday.

https://creativephotoacademy.com/event/nikon-zf-discussion/

P.S. I understand that Paul Comon was the founder of Paul's Photo. Mark Comon is his son.

[ShunCheung]

This is a Zoom recording for the session with Thom Hogan. It is supposed to be good for at least 15 days, starting from like 5 days ago. It may be there for much longer, but if you would like to watch it, please do it soon. Depending on the payment level, Zoom would delete old recordings:

https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/6sQmNS97PcvHgXruVHirOpXnxtVhpJnqUJmBg2409gbiX7NE5Vlrp_31BIyC3ilT.AabOYUB7pS859hcp

[ilkka_nissila]

Interesting and generally positive talk.

There are some minor errors in the slides though; both the Z8 and Zf do have Airplanes as one of the subject type as a directly selectable option.

[mike_halliwell]

Did they mention full frame global shutters?

🙂

[ilkka_nissila]

1 hour ago, mike_halliwell said:

Did they mention full frame global shutters?

🙂

I didn't watch all of it but it focused on the Zf and current Nikon cameras and lenses; there was not so much speculation about future products except the possibility of a Z6 III.

 

Hogan seemed to regard the 180-600 very highly. I don't have that lens but have been watching images posted on other forums and it does seem like it would (should?) be the long lens of choice for many people. 

 

Hogan said the Zf is a high-performance camera. I don't disagree really; I do think it performs well above my expectations. And I really like shooting with it. It's interesting the Zf has FTP support; I guess because it's a small camera it would be a good fit to use as a remote triggered roof etc. camera at sports events. The camera doesn't have cable release support but it can be connected to other cameras and triggered by the camera acting as master. Hogan set it up so that the top dials are not used (C, C and 1/3 step) so he's not really using the traditional parts of the UI. I do use the dials and it has made me rethink some aspects of how I use a camera.

 

[ShunCheung]

On one hand I am glad that Nikon manages to squeeze in the EN-EL15* battery into the Zf, unlike the Df which accepts a smaller battery. However, since the Zf only takes one SD card and also one Micro SD card, I think it is difficult to use it as a performance camera, without any CFExpress card slot. Nikon chooses not to include a modern grip on those retro cameras, and the space inside that grip is where they usually house the battery and memory cards. The lack of a grip denies Nikon the space/volume needed. That was one of the problems with the Df DSLR.

[ilkka_nissila]

14 minutes ago, ShunCheung said:

On one hand I am glad that Nikon manages to squeeze in the EN-EL15* battery into the Zf, unlike the Df which accepts a smaller battery. However, since the Zf only takes one SD card and also one Micro SD card, I think it is difficult to use it as a performance camera, without any CFExpress card slot. Nikon chooses not to include a modern grip on those retro cameras, and the space inside that grip is where they usually house the battery and memory cards. The lack of a grip denies Nikon the space/volume needed. That was one of the problems with the Df DSLR.

Because the Zf has a 24 MP sensor and the high efficiency and high efficiency * raw formats, the files are so small that you can shoot a huge number of images in one burst even while writing to two cards at the same time, despite the limitations of the cards themselves. I've pushed the Zf really hard in HE* mode and my conclusion was that the buffer simply isn't an issue, at least not with the normal high-speed (CH) frame rates. With the extended speeds (where one gets a slide show instead of a real-time view in the EVF) it's possible the card limitations would affect burst performance but I don't like the slide show so I don't go there. 😉  The 30 fps mode would produce a high risk of rolling shutter as well as this camera doesn't have a stacked sensor.

 

I just checked the CH mode on this camera gives 8.2 fps in EFCS mode (slightly slower at 7.0 fps in MS). This is fast enough for me. However, if using the faster (extended or high-speed capture) modes I imagine the experience might be less satisfying.

Edited November 13, 2023 by ilkka_nissila

[ilkka_nissila]

In the 30 fps mode apparently the max burst is 4 seconds so about 120 frames. I have not tried it though.

[mike_halliwell]

I was thinking about Nikon's use of Sony sensors and the fact Sony has just announced the A9 mk III with a full frame 24MPix sensor with a global shutter.

Of course, the Z9 doesn't have a shutter anyway...🤣

[ilkka_nissila]

5 minutes ago, mike_halliwell said:

I was thinking about Nikon's use of Sony sensors and the fact Sony has just announced the A9 mk III with a full frame 24MPix sensor with a global shutter.

Of course, the Z9 doesn't have a shutter anyway...🤣

While Nikon partner with Sony on making sensors, Nikon and Sony don't usually use the same sensors in their respective cameras, especially not in the high-end cameras. Nikon: 20 MP and 45 MP, Sony: 24 MP, 50 MP and 61 MP.

 

No doubt Nikon too is working on GS implementations of some kind. It will be interesting to see if there is a Z9 Mk II before the Olympics.

Edited November 13, 2023 by ilkka_nissila

[ShunCheung]

On 11/12/2023 at 11:24 AM, ShunCheung said:

This is a Zoom recording for the session with Thom Hogan. It is supposed to be good for at least 15 days, starting from like 5 days ago. It may be there for much longer, but if you would like to watch it, please do it soon. Depending on the payment level, Zoom would delete old recordings:

https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/6sQmNS97PcvHgXruVHirOpXnxtVhpJnqUJmBg2409gbiX7NE5Vlrp_31BIyC3ilT.AabOYUB7pS859hcp

Now about a month later, that Zoom recording is still available.