This weekend the Nikon FTZ mount adapter will be included for free with every Z6 and Z7 camera purchase in the US. Stay tuned for the details. Currently, the FTZ adapter is $100 off when purchased in a kit at Adorama, B&H and Amazon.
Update: the new deal is now live in the US.
This Meike Z 50mm f/1.7 lens review is by Steve Gong (stevegongphoto.com, Facebook, Instagram). The lens can be purchased at B&H and Amazon.
Although it’s been six months since the Nikon mirrorless Z system was announced, there’s still a dearth of native Z mount lenses, and the ones that are available are in my opinion somewhat overpriced (starting at $599 for the Nikon 50mm f/1.8 S) . While the FTZ adapter does work remarkably well, it adds quite a bit of bulk to even the smallest F mount lenses. This is where I believe the Meike 50mm f/1.7 finds its niche.
The Meike 50mm f/1.7 is not only tiny in size, but is also very affordable at just $139. The image quality too is surprisingly good at this price point. Perhaps the most glaring difference is the fact that this is a manual focus lens. With the advent of focus peaking in mirrorless systems, this may not be a big of a deal breaker as one might think. In my tests I’ve found this lens to be fun to use and a way to force myself to shoot differently, which by extension has me thinking about photography in a fresh way. In fact, it reminds me of shooting a manual focus rangefinder.
Key specifications:
Some additional pictures of the upcoming Nikon Museum Special Collection I reported about two weeks ago:
For the next 4 days you can get 10% off on “notable” Nikon gear at KEH with coupon code NIK3A (this offer is valid from Thursday 3/14 – Sunday 3/17). This offer excludes ‘New’ and ‘Like New’ grade gear.
All used gear sold by KEH comes with a 180-day warranty.
KEH is an authorized Nikon dealer.
DxOMark just published their Nikon Z7 sensor test results (see Z6 DxoMark score here):
“It’s interesting that the Nikon Z 7’s sensor produces results that are similar but not identical to the D850’s. It’s possible that some of the differences can be attributed to the presence of phase-detection autofocus pixels on the imaging sensor.
The Z 7 performs well across the board, and the combination of a high pixel count (which enables it to record a lot of detail) and the sensor’s excellent color depth means that it is capable of producing images that are very pleasing to the eye. Factor in the excellent dynamic range, and the Z 7 looks like a good choice of camera for landscape photographers, wedding photographers, and keen amateurs alike.”
Here are the test results/comparisons (click for larger view):
Kenneth Tan sent me a few pictures of his Nikon Z6 setup. For those interested, the red Peipro L bracket for Nikon Z is available on eBay and Amazon. The battery and memory card case is from Lensgo and can be purchased at Amazon and eBay. Red cameras straps can be found here. The red thumb rest is available at Ali Express.
Update: for red lens cap options check LensBuddy.
The complete the setup, you can add also a red silicon case for Nikon Z6/Z7.
Check out also this Nikon Z6 + Nanuk 935 setup (the case is available at Adorama, B&H and Amazon).
Additional pictures:
First, a small note on the Nikon Z1 entry-level mirrorless camera: when Nikon makes a prototype, they do not name or label them in any way – see some previous Nikon Z prototypes:
The Nikon Z1 mirrorless camera picture I posted on Sunday could have been developed as a prototype, but the fact that it has a model label on the front (Z1) could indicate that it may actually be released one day. This is where the new rumors I received come to play – I was told that Nikon will announce a new DX (with an APS-C sensor) entry-level mirrorless camera. I received this information from two different sources, several weeks apart. I do not have any other details but reportedly Nikon already has a very aggressive DX mirrorless roadmap. The official announcement is expected in 2019. The new DX mirrorless camera maybe not be called Z1 (the Z1 pictured above is labeled as FX).
My personal take: given the current state of the camera industry, I just don’t see how Nikon can develop a full line of DX mirrorless cameras and lenses, keep up with the full-frame Z products and at the same time continue with the F-mount. The math just doesn’t add up. Nikon hardly announced any DX F-mount lenses in the last few years and I have a hard time believing that they changed their strategy.
Additional pictures of previous Nikon camera prototypes can be found here, here and here and as you can see they do not have any model labels:
