DBounce

Here is a quick test with some heavy grading on the internal 8 bit footage. Lens cap test at about half way through. I didn’t have time to hook up the Ninja V, will do that test tomorrow. Enjoy!

So then, by this logic, assuming the amount of light remains constant, increasing the gain will yield a cleaner image. So instead of shooting in a dark environment at 3200 ISO, just crank the ISO up to 25,000 and enjoy a super clean image... right? I mean the amount of light is still constant... the only thing changing is the image cleaning gain? But meanwhile... back in the “real world”, boosting gain also boost the noise... meaning? A noisier image at higher ISOs. Though I really think we all prefer your version.

I'll pass. But what does this mean? Is Sony trying to legitimize their hybrid cameras as professional motion picture creations tool? And if so, why? Are they planning to put some hardcore powerhouse sensors into their hybrid bodies? Is this a foreshadowing of the blurring of the lines between dedicated cinema cameras and hybrids?

Please understand, I'm not saying BMD has bad service. I'm simply saying that it's not uncommon for their products to launch with issues. For that reason I choose to wait until the bugs are ironed out. I know that these are complex products. And often times are rushed to market ASAP. So, defects can slip through. This is exactly why I like domestic service to be offered on anything I buy that is critical. I'll keep an eye on Z Cam to see how it's panning out. I'm not desperate for yet another body, so I can wait.

What lens? Or do you mean body cap? What ISO?

Well that's the thing. I think the Nikon might use a similar system for video as does the GH5S. Testing can confirm this. I'm going to look into it once i have time. It's good to know where the strengths and weaknesses are on a system.

It may behave differently depending on the lens used. That would be an interesting difference to most other cameras.

Better audio... didn’t think a software update would fix that one. I look forward to seeing/hearing the review.

You’re assuming the available light was the same. Both were properly exposed for the lighting conditions. In other words I used the f4 when more light was available. I’ll try to repeat this test. I’m as confused as you are, as usually I set a max ISO that is acceptably clean for my various cameras. On the GH5 it was 1600... on the GH5S 6400... same with the 1DXMK2. With the Nikon it’s... variable?

I owned a couple of original pocket cameras. They had nice imagery, but had many limitations also. I’m sure you have also heard stories of the P4k shutting down suddenly... or about swollen batteries... incompatibility with SSDs and other issues, such as corruption of drives... even those recommended by BMD. There is no camera, no brand that I owe loyalty to. I buy all my gear, so I can speak freely about how I feel. Not only after purchasing, but also while considering purchasing. My experience has taught me to take a wait and see approach with BMD. Also, I didn’t like how evasive the BMD people were at NAB. They were not exactly forthcoming, and honestly, they were the only manufacturers I spoke with at NAB that seemed this way. Panasonic was great. As were DJI, Tilta, Edelkrone and SLR Magic... all first rate. If I were to judge by customer experience, I would rank Edelkrone firmly ahead of the pack. Granted, they had some negative reviews of their motion kit... but it’s how they dealt with the issues that impressed me most... giving the old customers free upgrades to the newer version of the hardware. A lifetime warranty on all their gear... free accident coverage. Even free replacement. That’s exceptional service.

Not at all, I think they are worth keeping an eye on. Once they are a bit more established they might warrant consideration. But that’s my point of view. Yours may differ, and that’s OK too.

Well, you might for example want to shoot at a fast shutter speed, for slow-mo?

Sure I had two Fuji's go bad on me. Fuji has local service. And I agree, BMD has great service. So while there may be reliability issues... as reported by many. At least they stand behind it, and you don't need to ship it to China. If domestic service means nothing to you, go right ahead, there are units in stock.

That just tells you they are not stocking many as the interest is sparse. From reading what early adopters are reporting this camera comes with certain hiccups. Not that the same cannot be said of the P4K... but at least it can be serviced locally.

No doubt it will stay in stock if they have more than one. It's a hard reach to sell a bleeding edge camera with no domestic support.

I would forget about hopes of seeing this sensor in a Panasonic hybrid any time soon. They have the Varicam line to protect. However, Fujifilm has no such concerns... XH2?

Funny they would not advertise this fact. It’s a pretty popular feature. The difference is quite noticeable once you start playing with ISO settings. Though that bump happens at 800 ISO not 3200. Maybe something else is going on in video mode?

Why it shouldn’t be noisier is because the gain is equivalent. For example 800 ISO is clean weather more light is given or less light. Video shot in low light with a low gain setting are underexposed, but exhibit little noise. It’s the gain level that introduces noise, not the lack of light. Photo do quite well in low light. It’s a non issue. I did not try the 35mm @ f4 so I cannot say atm how it would perform. Though I will give it a try. That said, both were exposed correctly. It goes without saying, if the lighting conditions were the same one would be over/underexposed. So naturally different lighting conditions for each shot. I’ve noticed that the Z6 behaves like a dual base ISO camera... 2000 ISO is less clean than 3200 ISO for example... though there was no mention of this from Nikon. Keep in mind, this is with noise reduction off, no lens correction, no image stabilization. This is true for both in camera and external recordings. It reminds me of how the GH5S behaves. This is very different from my other cameras, where noise increases with gain.

The bar was not well lite. I set everything with manual settings.... 1/50, f1.8 and ISO 4000. I don't like setting changing on me by themselves. The 24-70mm f4 was correctly exposed with ISO 4000 and same shutter speed. It was at the wide end of the range. That's really the only difference.

One other thing that I think most do not know, while the Z6 has vibration Reduction.. aka VR... aka IBIS, unlike virtually every other camera with this feature, the Nikon Zs can lock the sensor in place when the feature is not in use. This gives the best of both worlds imo.

I'm understanding what you're saying, it's just that the Z6 seems to behave differently than other cameras that I have used. I'm leaning toward the idea that there is something else going on correction wise that is affecting noise levels. It's nothing that cannot be worked around, but it is an additional consideration when planing a shoot. I might have to dig into the settings to see if there is anything enabled that could be the culprit.

But the gain is the same. Granted with a lower f-stop you can get away with less light. But if the gain is equal should not noise be equal?

I think the challenge will come from China. It will probably get fierce... Look at the drone and gimbal market. There are not shortage of contenders. Competition is good for the consumers.

The Nikon Z6 is a great camera. But for me I find getting consistent results can be a challenge in low light. I tried out the 24-70mm f4 Z lens, but found to get correct exposure I was pushing the ISO higher than I wanted to. But when I slapped on the 35mm f1.8 Z lens, the same ISO values seem to be acceptably clean. I thought 4000 ISO would yield equivalent noise regardless of f-stop. At least I don't recall needing to use different max ISO for different lenses with any of my other cameras. The Z6 can give pleasing results, but the consistency is hard to nail down... there is more of a learning curve with the Nikon. I'm sure it's nothing that cannot be mastered. But it's something to be aware of. The rear LCD does show the noise, which is helpful. I would love to see Nikon release a LUT for this camera. It would also be great if Adobe would add some support for the NEF files. As for the preamp noise... it's blown out of proportion. While not the cleanest, it is usable with a good mic. If you need super quality sound just record externally. The lens used in the video below is the 35mm f1.8 Z lens at f1.8.

I can't help but think that more modern cameras should adopt this type of gimbal setup with an option to lock down the gimbal when needed. I'm not saying they should all be vertical designs, but they should incorporate some form of gimbal. For stills work it would make timelapse and panoramas easy. For video... well we know what it would do for video. DJI has light weight lenses that work with their larger drones. I would be perfectly fine with a zoom that was good quality with a serviceable range. But then again it might well be 360 cameras the leap ahead in this role. Combined with AI you get the best of both world, and the ability to choose camera angles on the fly in post. The tech is maturing fast. The new Snapdragon 855 is able to do DOF adjustment in post on video. That's a pretty neat trick.