where there’s smoke there’s fire

From Z6 to Z8: two months with Nikon’s latest camera

Guest post by Lee Pullen, a photographer from Bristol, UK.

I’ve used a first-generation Nikon Z6 since January 2019, and have found it to be a really excellent camera. I figured it could be time for an upgrade, and was rather hoping that Nikon would announce a Z6iii. As it happens, they unveiled the Z8 instead, and the specifications looked good enough for me to take the plunge.

This guest post isn’t about pixel-peeping or in-depth technical assessments, but rather outlining my personal thoughts and experiences using the Z8 compared to the Z6, formed over 12 photoshoots during the first two months of ownership.

First impressions after unboxing are that the Z8 does feel a bit bigger and heavier than the petite Z6, but not by enough that I think it’ll be a significant issue. Personally I prefer the smaller form of the Z6, but the Z8 certainly feels like a premium product and is comfortable to hold.

The Z8’s sensor cover (automatically activated when the camera is off) is very good indeed, and makes the whole camera seem more robust. This will be particularly useful during lens changes. The Z6’s sensor looks awfully exposed in comparison.

The extra card slot gives an added sense of security. I set my images to automatically backup onto the second card. Annoyingly, the Sony XQD card reader I used for my Z6 isn’t compatible with the Z8’s CFexpress Type-B card, so I had to buy a new reader. (Note that the Z8 can take the Z6’s XQD cards, but they have slower speeds). I opted for a ProGrade CFexpress Type B / SDXC UHS-II reader, as this can handle both types of Z8 card. It’s very fast and works well.

Eager to put the new camera through its paces, I’d arranged to photograph a friend’s dog in the local park.

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