where there’s smoke there’s fire

My hands-on experience with the new Nikon Z7 by Fabio Marciano (website | Instagram | Facebook):

First of all, I would like to introduce myself: I am an Italian wedding photographer based in Padua who has used Nikon cameras for the past 8 years; and like many others, I was thrilled when Nikon announced their new mirrorless camera system. I could not wait to get one of the new models into my hands. When I was offered the chance to test the Nikon Z7 with the new 24-70mm f4 Z, I did not hesitate. I immediately organized a small photo shoot at a nearby lake and later also tested it during an actual wedding for a whole day.

Here I want to share my experience and the insights I gained: Where I see the strengths and the weaknesses of the camera, and for which kind of photography I believe it works best.

For easier reading I have divided this article into different topics:

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Nikon Z7 mirrorless camera field review by Stuart Palley (stuartpalley.com | terraflamma.org | @stuartpalley):

TLDR: Mirrorless is the future of working pros in the documentary/journalism/travel realm. It may take another generation or two to fully compete with DSLRs, but it’s coming. The Z7 will not replace my D850 but rather complement it for the many situations where weight and size trump ease of use and AF speed/reliability in the near term. As the Z mount lens system grows I can start divesting myself of F mount glass when a Z mount equivalent comes into production. This is written from the perspective of someone who makes the majority of their income as a photographer and creative professional.

For years many great companies have manufactured excellent mirrorless cameras already in use by working pros and enthusiasts alike. Fuji, Olympus, Sony, etc, all make awesome cameras (I’ve used many, the X100, X Pro 1, GFX, OM-D series, etc). The big news here is the FTZ adapter with solid AF/VR compatibility with my existing dozen Nikon lenses, similar button layout for fast workflow adoption, and smaller and lighter baggage.*

That means I can integrate the Z7 into my workflow with minimal fuss and rock the Z mount 24-70 f4 or 35mm 1.8 when I want to go fast and light. A metadata analysis of my images from wildfires shows 60-80% of my images shot in the 24-70mm focal length.

The other two lenses I use the most are the 70-200mm 2.8 VRII, 200-400 VRI, and Sigma 14mm 1.8, which all work great with the FTZ adapter.

Sigma 14mm 1.8 with FTZ adapter

With the Z mount 24-70 f4 I lose a stop of speed and the durability of the 24-70 f2.8 VR AF-S, (which is the best/most versatile Nikon midrange zoom I’ve used) but the lens is about 1/3 the overall mass and a fraction of the weight of the F mount big brother.

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