Nikon Z6 features 4K N-LOG, 10bit HDMI output and 120fps 1080p

[Lenscamera]

I received my Z6 the other day and this is my quick first impression and usage after 2 days. Before I pre-ordered the Z6 I rented the Sony A7III and used for a month and was considering buying it.

The Z6 feels very solid in the hands. You immediately get the confidence you can use it in any weather condition without worrying too much. It fits well in the hands.

The EVF and screen in nice, big, and sharp. The buttons have a nice feel to it.

The menu; a lot simpler than the Sony. I have to say I am fairly familiar with Nikon menu system from past usage but if you were to give both cameras to someone who has never used a Sony or Nikon before, their learning curve on the Nikon menu system will be fast. Within 30 mins, I will say I was very comfortable with where everything was on the menu.

I only have the 24-70 f4s lens and I am quite impressed with that lens and the IQ I am getting with the Z6 and that lens. Even more impressive is the low light with that F4 lens. This camera may turn out to be the king of low light with other cameras at that price point.

Video AF; sorry Panasonic I am so happy for you for your latest firmware update on the GH5/s but Nikon completely beat you at video AF on their very first attempt on a mirrorless camera! It’s quite impressive, I dare to say on par with Sony. Moreover, you get face detect AF when shooting 4k! On the video side of things, this camera is very capable! Of course, it doesn’t have the advanced video tools the GH5/s has but for most of the hybrid shootings I do, I will be ok.

I wish this camera had is eye AF like Sony and better tracking when shooting stills. Eye AF is quite handy and useful when it works. 

There is quite a latency with this camera with what you see on the LCD and EVF, worse than any camera I ever used. 

I am still testing to see how long the battery will last compared with my time with the A7III, but I don't think it will measure up to the A7III.

Overall so far, I think Nikon did an ok job with their first attempt in the mirrorless world. Are there things that need improvement, most definitely! For my kind of hybrid shooting, I think the Z6 will keep me going for a while.

One last thing, I like their mobile phone and camera app (Snapbridge). The only camera that compares is Panasonic. (I have tried Fuji, Sony, Panasonic, and Nikon) It still amazes me how camera companies still haven’t yet made communication between the camera and mobile device effortless.

Off to more shooting and testing. 

[Phil A]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikon_1_series

It's not their first though, I don't understand why people keep saying that. Nikon was quite early with the 1 series, it's just that they developed completely independent of what customers wanted and the product kinda bombed.

[DBounce]

3 hours ago, Phil A said:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikon_1_series

It's not their first though, I don't understand why people keep saying that. Nikon was quite early with the 1 series, it's just that they developed completely independent of what customers wanted and the product kinda bombed.

It’s their first full frame mirrorless. Conversely, I’m not sure the EOS R is actually Canons first full frame mirrorless, certainly not for video anyway. 

[BaZa]

I'm searching for a long time for a real good hybrid camera. This one may retire my D600 and NX1. And that option to save photo and video settings independently, is gold.

But I still have some doubts about this in Z6:
- Does it crop at 100p/120p? How much +/-?
- any crop with IBIS on?
- I haven't see any comparison between FX and DX mode in Z6 or Z7. How IQ (video) compares between FX vs DX?
- Also, in DX mode does it crop at 100/120p?

Thanks

[liork]

IBIS never causes a crop, in any camera. Digital stabilisation does make a crop, these are two different things.

[Danyyyel]

Video comparing Log profile on skin tone between Canon Eos R and Nikon z6. At first I would say the Canon is better because it is at the right level of contrast I would say. From highlight to shadows the right contrast ratio. But looking a little bit more the Canon seems to suffer from a harsh clipping shadow compared to the z6 and it is confirmed by the log non graded sample side by side. Somehow their is one thing hat I am witnessing is the very green tint Nikon Nlog. I don't know if it end up in the grade it (it doesn not look so in this video).

Video

 

[IronFilm]

19 hours ago, DBounce said:

It’s their first full frame mirrorless. Conversely, I’m not sure the EOS R is actually Canons first full frame mirrorless, certainly not for video anyway. 

Do you mean they developed other FF mirrorless but didn't release it or even announce it?
 

13 hours ago, BaZa said:

- Does it crop at 100p/120p? How much +/-?
- any crop with IBIS on?

No and no

[DBounce]

6 hours ago, IronFilm said:

Do you mean they developed other FF mirrorless but didn't release it or even announce it?

No, I mean as the EOS R is largely crippled in 4k, suffering from a huge crop, it isn't really a Full Frame mirrorless. It's more of a hybrid frame camera. All of that expensive R glass is wasted on a crop sensor body.  Which is exactly what the EOS R becomes the moment one selects 4K recording mode. 

I recall being pumped when I first heard about the EOS R... and then the details came out and burst that bubble. I think im not the only one that feels this way. 

[Mattias Burling]

There is no crop on the EOS-R when shooting video. It's full frame. When using the digital IS there is a slight crop, but very minimal. So not wasting any glass at all.

[DBounce]

10 minutes ago, Mattias Burling said:

There is no crop on the EOS-R when shooting video. It's full frame. When using the digital IS there is a slight crop, but very minimal. So not wasting any glass at all.

So the EOS-R does not crop in when shooting 4K video? I think you mean 1080p... lots of cameras have been shooting full frame 1080p for years. But who cares? I’m speaking of 4K video, and there is definitely a crop in that mode.

I understand you may own this camera, but such comments might mislead others.

[MattH]

16 minutes ago, Mattias Burling said:

There is no crop on the EOS-R when shooting video. It's full frame. When using the digital IS there is a slight crop, but very minimal. So not wasting any glass at all.

In 4k? 

I'm pretty sure there is a significant 1.7x crop (in the EOS-R) as evidenced by the test in the video above and as publicised by every single person talking about the camera on this forum.

[DBounce]

17 hours ago, Danyyyel said:

 

 

 

The 4K crop is evidenced in this video... look at the side by side @ 35mm. It’s a hugh difference. Even the thumb nail shows it.

[BaZa]

8 hours ago, IronFilm said:

Do you mean they developed other FF mirrorless but didn't release it or even announce it?
 

No and no

So the Nikon Z6 unlike the Z7, doesn't crop at 100p?! That's good to known. Now I just need to see some examples in DX mode, if it looses video quality or not. If it doesn't I can keep my Sigma 18-35mm.

I actually didn't know there was an digital stabilization option, I thought it was only sensor stabilization. 

[ade towell]

5 hours ago, Mattias Burling said:

There is no crop on the EOS-R when shooting video. It's full frame. When using the digital IS there is a slight crop, but very minimal. So not wasting any glass at all.

In denial?

Intentionally misleading?

Bit of both probably

 

[webrunner5]

Pretty good video from DPR comparing the Nikon Z6, Sony a7 III, Canon EOS-R.

 

[Danyyyel]

 

[BTM_Pix]

For the love of God, he needs to take the music off that video.

Difficult to hear the lens noise he's talking about or any of his other observations when its drowned out by a soft porn soundtrack.

That aside, I thought the Z6 did pretty well with the face tracking, especially with the 85mm adapted lens.

However, it was definitely struggling and doing an overshoot with that lens when he was on the right hand side of the frame.

It also seemed to struggle even with its native lens when he moved out of the frame completely and it had no face to track as, unlike the Sony, it was very inconsistent in then subsequently acquiring focus on the Leica/Billingham bag cabinet at the rear centre of the frame.

Without knowing what all of his additional fine tune AF settings were set to (which are many with Nikon of course and can also include individual lens tuning), its difficult to call it a problem but the inconsistency is a bit concerning.

As it stands though, the fast acquisition of focus on the face appearing from beneath the frame certainly makes the Z6 another solid choice for coverage of weightlifting.

[IronFilm]

18 hours ago, BaZa said:

So the Nikon Z6 unlike the Z7, doesn't crop at 100p?! That's good to known. Now I just need to see some examples in DX mode, if it looses video quality or not. If it doesn't I can keep my Sigma 18-35mm.

You can still use it, but you won't be able to use the wide end of the zoom 

[Castorp]

I feel the Nikon Z6/Z7 video AF behaviour is the most tasteful from the tests I've seen. I like how the Nikon slowly focuses to the background but very quickly prioritises a face when it appears in frame. 

[DBounce]

4 hours ago, Danyyyel said:

 

Looking at this test from about 1.50 into the video, I noticed that when focused on his face the background looks more blurred on the Nikon than it does on the Sony. Also the Nikon seems a bit more contrasty and clearer.

I see little between them in overall AF performance.

As of yet I have not shot a single frame of video with the Z6. I have taken several pictures, and love this camera. Is it as fast to focus as the 1DXMK2?... No, but it is certainly fast enough to get the job done. It’s also easy to get great pictures with this camera. It doesn’t fight you. The low light image quality is fantastic. Far better than the Fuji X-T3 and perhaps better than the Canon.

I’ll have to run some video test. Any ideas on best video setting for the Z6?