MrSMW

Sony RX100V ? I had one and it was pretty fantastic. Tiny, genuinely pocketable and my only real issue was overheating for how I used it which is for MUCH longer takes than you Kye. Same issue with the ZV1, brilliant little thing but needed cooling…which it probably could today with the Tilta stick on jobbie. Part of me really wants to go uber-small with my gear, but I think for my needs and taking budget (the huge losses in trading) into consideration, it’s a non-starter. Just knocking off 1kg is a big plus for me for 2024 but that is still a body and lens combo about 5+ times heavier than any of yours 🤪

Finally just saw it myself today. Had to watch on my 16” MacBook because…well that is a long and boring story, so I won’t bother with that, but really enjoyed it. Big fan of Bladerunner (both), Dune, Rogue One, ie, well done sci fi and this can be added to that list. It could have been a bit longer actually, but the opposite of Rebel Moon which we saw the other day and didn’t think was complete trash, but fairly poor. I’m tempted to trade in my S1H and S5ii for a pair of FX3’s but somehow, I don’t think it will be enough, so sticking with them.

Awful in my line of work as any change/changes mid scene is near impossible to overcome in post. Just a headache. But otherwise yes, fixed WB of ‘5500’ works nicely and is my go to (not 5600) as it’s the recommendation for the conversion LUT I use. I also meant 4500 indoors not 4000, so 4500 and 5500 are my two programmed default options.

Pretty sure it will be Zf spec except for different body and bigger second card slot than the Micro SD. Not expecting anything more. FF 4K 60p would have been nice but there are going to be restrictions compared with the Z8 for sure.

Agree…unless shooting street and with smaller primes such as the 26/28/40 lenses. The grip makes a difference. Still waiting for my Tamron 70-180 as there is a chance, albeit slight, I get a second ZF because other than the side hinge screen, it’s a ‘perfect’ camera for me.

Being a hybrid wedding/event shooter, I don’t have the time to be setting WB every single scene so it’s 5600 outdoor and 4000 in and adjust in post if needs be. Otherwise indeed trying to get as much SOOC internally as possible. Works for me. I shoot log these days/this last year, but no issues with shooting a flat profile and do so for all low light/after dark stuff.

If it’s basically a ‘DSLR’ version of my Zf, I might just save the bucks and go for one over a Z9…which I am favouring over the Z8. Z7iii just seems too close to Z8 if we are are looking at similar mp sensor size difference as per the previous 2 models so maybe they will go something much larger, otherwise don’t see where it fits in really? Tried to have a play with a Z9 today on one of my rare forays into a city but no joy, didn’t have one. Also depends on availability because unless I can actually buy one by end of March max, it’s default Z9 for me...which is no bad thing because it will allow me to run L Mount for video and Z for stills all year and then make a decision whether to continue with that or trade 2 L Mount units for another single Z and use what will then be 3x Z units all as full hybrid. I really don’t mind either way as there are pros and cons for either option so either way it’s a win.

My parents still believe Great Britain has colonies and rules the world…

I hear you brother Django. It’s the same in my camp, - attempting to weigh up the pros & cons so as not to make a decision I will later regret. Done that too many times previously and determined not to again. If I can help it. Hopefully getting into a real bricks & mortar camera shop next week for a final handling/ergo check, but the Z9 makes the most sense to me. Fortunately I am not ‘stuck’ between brands, - it’s simply the more compact Z8 vs the combined additional attributes of the Z9. Close now…

Where exactly do you live in the World where it’s 2024 already? Must be one of those remote Pacific islands? 🤔

Yep, sounds like me 😜

This is the principal element that stops me going all in on Nikon. I'm not especially interested in grading etc and have a capture & edit workflow I am very happy with with Lumix. So why change that? I quite probably will not, for 2024 at least, but if I do, it would probably be for the Flat profile because I could work with that. It's just one component of the greater puzzle for me personally.

I meant new Blazar anamorphics…but apparently not.

The add on grip is an option…for some users I guess. Personally I think it’s hideous and I would never use it. I did use an add on grip to my S1H to balance the Leica 24-90 as that lens is a beast and still do actually for the 70-200 f4. So necessity rather than ‘choice’ but I much prefer an integrated grip. Personally (professionally) I have no need to ever add on or take away a grip so it’s a case of I need one 100% of the time, or 100% not at all. I don’t like even changing lenses, so the thought of changing the handling characteristics of any set up so significantly, fills me with loathing.

Indeed. Before the Z8 came out, there could be a bunch of Z9 buyers who bought it for it’s spec and compromised on the size/weight for their needs, who then later wished or exchanged for the Z8, but today, with both on the table, it should be more straightforward to make the right decision for ‘you’. I am at that stage now where I have cleared my backlog of work for this year and am now twiddling my thumbs and contemplating my naval. I have a trip to the UK a week today and then Christmas and then it’s into the new year which is also a new financial year. I also have some plans for some personal projects Jan-March just so I am not totally bored to tears so have made a pretty firm decision that unless I see any sign of an imminent (available by end of March latest) Z6iii, I am going to pick up a Z9 at the start of ‘24. The pros just outweigh the cons for me and though I still prefer the Canon R3 body (the only real competitor at this time for the Z9 in terms of being a gripped mirrorless body) the combo of body + lens has tipped things now in favour of Nikon + Tamron at the ‘Dream’ level, never mind the reality level, because the Canon route is not financially viable anyway 😜 The above is a pretty easy decision to now make, but if that Z6iii does show signs of appearing within my timescale, the Z8 comes back into play as a possibility as it would not be having to do quite the heavy lifting that the Z9 would. But having said that, still probably Z9 for all the previously mentioned reasons; platform, portrait orientation, battery life, cards, yada yada. Actually, no yada yada, those are the reasons!

Looks like one of the new Sirui anamorphics?

It’s not really an Achilles Heel though but rather a better (the Z9) platform for the larger zoom lenses it is designed for as this is their ‘Pro Sports’ camera. No one has to buy this (or any other) camera but for those that do and then later say, “it’s too large, it’s too heavy”, perhaps should not have purchased it on the first place. But for it’s target market, you want/need that lens platform and that is what this type of body is. Would I rather have the same FF sensor capability in a M4/3 chassis and lens sizes? Sure, so would anybody in their right mind, but it does not exist. It comes down to compromise as most things do ie, where do you make your compromise? The principle one for me would be weighing up ergos including size and weight vs performance/capability/need sensor-wise. With that choice to make, I personally will compromise on the physical side of this equation. Personally though, I have taken a middle route and that has been lens based within the FF sensor capability and building a system around just 2 lenses that cover all my needs; 20-40mm and 70-180mm. The latter choice is the key one for me in that it gives me all the real world range I need for my job, but on the smallest and lightest FF option currently in existence, the Tamron 70-180mm f2.8 The body, well still to decide on that but probably the Z9, sacrificing some weight and size benefits over the Z8, for all the other stuff it brings to the table for me. Personal choices based on my specific needs.

Why would anyone replace a Z9 earlier than a Z8? I would rather have a smaller & lighter camera if it was possible, but it’s a case of weighing up the pros & cons, ie, ‘The Compromises’. The Z9 edges it for my needs though I could make the Z8 work. It depends on your use case/needs/preferences and for some, the Z8 will fit better and for others the Z9, but I’m not sure why you think anyone who makes the Z9 choice would replace it sooner than a Z8 if they made the right choice in the first place?

That is the plan and why I have switched to Nikon for stills at least; the Zf with the 40mm f2 being the 'candid' camera and then something more substantial, Z8 or 9 for everything else; longer, wider, portrait format, higher res, etc... Oh I agree. It's Z6 sensor but with Z8/9 'brain' in it, though some seem to think they held back on the last bit of AF performance, but whether that is speculation or fact, I have no idea. My S5ii is good, but the Zf is definitely better. And a much nicer stills camera to me. Which is the whole point. I haven't, but then I am not planning on using Nikon for video at this time...unless that Z6iii comes out by March and then providing it meets my spec, overheating being on my check list, it would become my principal video unit and the Zf and either the Z8/9 would switch from being dedicated stills units to hybrid use. Only one of my cameras needs to run for any length of time. Both S1H and S5ii have never had a problem, 1+ hour, in direct sunlight, at 40 degrees celsius. Could the Z8 manage that? I doubt it... Which is why I 'secretly' hope Nikon does not produce a Z6iii, or it's later than March 2024, or they stuff it up somehow, because then I can stick with L Mount for video, because it needs to be bloody good to be as good as, never mind better than my current S1H/S5ii pairing.

Probably… Back in the day, rangefinders for film photography were the thing. To some they still are, but perhaps these days in a digital format such as the Leica M8/9/10/11, Q2/3 and the rangefinderesque Fuji X Pro-1/2/3 and X100 line. In recent years, they have become video capable, often to the same level as their mirrorless ‘SLR’ style siblings, but are they the best tool for the job? Probably not but will either work in a pinch or can be made to work… I’ve had a string of the Fuji X cameras from the Pro1 to the Pro2 and all of the X100 cameras except the the V, ie, all of them except their most recent incarnations which are the most video capable. I personally would not choose any of them for video work regardless of capability because unless rigged out, they don’t work very well ergonomically for video compared with their siblings, ie, I’d take an XH2 over an X100V as a video tool every time. For stills though, either with a built in pancake or interchangeable compact lens system such as the X Pro line or the Nikon Zf, they are nice to use. For stills, in my career, the two cameras I have enjoyed the most have been the X Pro1 and X Pro2, the second version fixing the somewhat tardy AF issues of the first version. I never went to the 3 because though I would have welcomed a tilt screen, the one they went for was not for me. So the Zf is a return to that style of shooting (stills) for me and with a fixed lens approach as another…and perhaps my favourite ever stills camera, was the original X100. The 35mm focal length was/is pretty good, but 40 is better still. 12mp back in the day was OK, but 24/25 is far better. And it has excellent AF and all round operating speed including start up from cold. And then there is fantastic class leading IBIS and almost the same level of video capability as my S5ii. Almost because it doesn’t allow for 6k shooting though technically could. But would it make a decent or even good video camera? Actually yes, for my needs at least and this is something I will be exploring in 2024. In standard format, it’s ergonomically shit for holding out in front of you style video, but the Smallrig grip improves things considerably. I don’t think it’s the kind of body to be using bigger zooms or longer lenses on, but I will be interested to see how it handles with my (adapted) Tamron 70-180mm when it turns up, but again, more from a stills perspective. But as a pure video camera? Probably not. For one thing, it doesn’t really offer anything you’d want to shoot externally so whilst you could add a cage, handle, monitor etc, why would you? That would possibly be a case of forcing a tool to work better for you than it otherwise might, but more suited tools exist in the first place. But compared with the Z6ii, it’s moved the game on in the AF and IBIS department so it sits between it and the Z8. Kind of. At least capability-wise, though not ergonomically. I’m looking forward to using mine more. I never saw it coming but when it was announced ‘out of the blue’, knew instantly it would be a good fit for me. There’s quite a bit of hype, both positive and negative, around it right now, but that kind of thing doesn’t influence me, - it either works for me or does not and for me, it’s the 2023/2024 version of the Fuji X100 I always wanted. Criticisms so far… Only one and that is I would rather it had a tilt screen than a flip out but understand why they probably went this route, - to try and please 2 markets. Market 1 being the casual video shooter/content creator and Market 2 being ‘The Photographer’ who can turn and close the screen and use the viewfinder only and never use the video function. It’s not for everyone, but it is for me. Which topic is this again? Z8 I think… 🤔😉 Still sitting on my fence over that one… It depends on if Nikon pop out a Z6iii any time soon and how that 70-180 works on my Smallrig gripped Zf, but otherwise leaning back towards the Z9 for the following reasons in no specific order: A. It’s arguably more ‘pro’. B. It’s undeniably ergonomically better and a better larger lens platform. C. Better cooling. D. Longer battery life. E. Twin CF Express card slots. The negative is it costs more than the Z8, is heavier and less discrete, but these compromises do not outweigh the sum total of A-E for me.

The FX30 is a very fine camera in it’s own right but would be a sideways…or even backwards move for me, so no, not going to happen.

Because 50% of my work is photography and as a photo camera, it is ‘average’ at best. The FX30 is designed to be a mini ‘cine’ camera, either with or without a bit of rigging out such as a cage and side or top handle plus monitor. The S5ii is a better hybrid and arguably better video camera. IMO.

Yes I saw that yesterday. Difficult to judge with YouTube compression but it looked to me that the Zf footage was a little warmer, the Z8 a little more neutral but magenta and the Zf not as detailed in UHD but equal to and maybe a tiny bit more in 4k? The Zf less noisy also. I have yet to fully explore the video capabilities of the Zf but all the evidence so far points to it being excellent and a strong competitor for the Lumix S5ii having the same size (actual?) sensor and crop in 4k 50/60p. Still waiting for my Tamron 70-180 to arrive which will determine whether I need the Z9, or whether the Z8 will do (mainly a handling POV) or even whether I could get away with it on my Zf… Regarding the latter, well of course I could, but I don’t want to get into another ‘handling issue compromise’ like I have had all year, albeit with a good handling rig, but just too heavy, ie weight alone is not the only factor. Decisions, decisions, decisions… Footage-wise though, liking what I am seeing from all the Zeds.

Completely disagree. But based on my definitions of size/weight/bulk etc. To put it into perspective, my main camera this year has been an S1H + battery grip + Leica 24-90mm f2.8-4. This rig weighs just over 2.8kg…which is one of the reasons I am reluctantly trading it for something lighter for 2024. My dream rig is the Canon R3 + 24-105mm f2.8 weighing in at 2.35kg, so still a bit of a beast, but around 1/2kg lighter, faster constant aperture, bigger zoom range at the more important (to me) long end, integrated grip, non-extending lens…but costs 8k+, so unfortunately I cannot justify it. Then there is the Fuji X-S20 with Tamron 17-70mm f2.8 offering the same equivalent focal length as my dream rig above, but costing 1/4 of the price and weighing in at under 1kg. I would call it ridiculously compact, lightweight and capable and with maybe 90%+ of the real world capability of either of the ‘pro’ combos above. I shot the XT3 professionally for 2 years and it was and still is a fantastic camera. The ONLY thing it lacked for me was IBIS. The X-S20 is arguably a more capable camera than the XT3, has IBIS and is even smaller. No-brainer to me. The S5ii is not much bigger or that much more capable, though it is in both senses, but the issue for me is then lenses because the equivalent is the f4 24-105 and so yes, the combo is bigger, heavier and out of budget, so I could not recommend it in this instance.

Ditto all of the ☝️ Some folks read too many YouTube comments or even opinions from certain channels that are often based on diddly squat. Never had banding or AF issues with my S5ii. For video, it’s a f**king excellent piece of kit and way above most folks needs or skills. And for the price, silly value.