Nikon is normally a camera company related to wildlife photography and high-end DSLR cameras. Well, the company decided to change that today with the introduction of its first full-frame mirrorless camera.
Until now, Sony has been the king of full-frame mirrorless cameras. The A7-series that Sony offers is regarded as one of the best “all around” full-frame cameras on the market, garnering praise from videographers and photographers alike. Nikon seems to want a piece of this action and launched its Z-series of cameras today.
The Z7 and Z6 are full-frame mirrorless cameras that are designed to go up against Sony’s A7III and A7RIII offerings, both some of the most highly regarded mirrorless cameras on the market today.
The Z7 is the higher-end version, which offers pro-level features. Sporting a 45.7-megapixel sensor, a 64-25600 ISO range, and 493 focus point, you’ll be getting everything a Nikon user wants with a mirrorless camera.
Meanwhile, the Z6 is similar but features a 24.5-megapixel sensor, 100-51200 ISO range, and 273 focusing points.
Mirrored cameras, what most people think of when talking about a DSLR, have a physical moving mirror that hides the sensor until its ready for the exposure to take place. This is noisy and means that there are moving parts which can wear out over time.
Mirrorless cameras forgo that mechanical mirror and use digital displays to show what’s going on, leaving the sensor on instead of only enabling it to capture an image.
This lets you have silent shooting (great for weddings or other quiet venues) and more compact bodies.
Nikon is also introducing a new lens mount called Z. This is a change from the current F-mount that the company has used for years, but you can pick up an FTZ adapter for $250 so you can still use your old lenses amassed over the years.
Each camera has 5-axis in-camera image stabilization, meaning that the actual sensor is stabilized if you’re using a lens that isn’t. 4K recording up to 30 frames per second is available with 1080p up to 120FPS. This means you can shoot slow-motion easily without the need for extra equipment.
There are also N-Log color profiles with 10-Bit HDMI output to use with an external recorder.
The bodies are weather-sealed similar to the D850, meaning you can shoot in all kinds of conditions. There’s Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, while USB connectivity is done over USB-C (YAY!)
The Z6 will retail for $1,995.95 and the Z7 for $3,399.95. Both cameras offer higher-priced entry points for those that wish to purchase kit lenses. Though on the upper end of pricing, these cameras could prove very tempting to Nikon shooters around the world as a new high-end offering in the world of mirrorless cameras, and may even sway those in the Canon camp waiting for something just like this.
[9to5-press-release]
NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–B&H Photo would like to share the announcement of the Nikon Z mirrorless camera system. This series is starting off with the Z7 and Z6 mirrorless cameras, as well as the NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S, 35mm f/1.8 S, and 50mm f/1.8 S lenses. There will also be the FTZ Mount Adapter, for photographers looking to use their F-mount lenses on the mirrorless cameras, which will work perfectly with the AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR Lens also being released today.
Called “The Perfectionist” by Nikon, the Z7 delivers high resolution and high speed. Powered by an FX-format 45.7MP BSI CMOS sensor in combination with the EXPEED 6 Image Processing Engine,the Z7 produces crisp, clean images at expanded sensitivities ranging from ISO 32-102400. The sensor also features phase-detection autofocus points, 493 to be exact, and they cover 90% of the image area both vertically and horizontally for fast focusing, even at the camera’s fastest continuous shooting speed of 9 fps. Another addition to this camera is in-body five-axis Vibration Reduction that compensates for up to five stops of camera shake.
Product Highlights
- 45.7MP FX-Format BSI CMOS Sensor
- EXPEED 6 Image Processing Engine
- UHD 4K30 Video; N-Log & 10-Bit HDMI Out
- 493-Point Phase-Detect AF System
- Built-In 5-Axis Vibration Reduction
- 0.80x 3.6m-Dot EVF with NIKKOR Optics
- 3.2″ 2.1m-Dot Tilting Touchscreen LCD
- 9 fps Continuous Shooting; ISO 64-25600
- Top-Panel Dot-Matrix OLED; XQD Card Slot
- 8K Time-Lapse Mode; Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
Weighing 26% less than the comparable D850, and being substantially smaller, the Z7 still maintains Nikon’s familiar controls and ergonomics, as well as its reliable weather sealing. The camera sports a 0.80x 3.6m-dot EVF with NIKKOR optics and a fluorine coating for outstanding viewing clarity. At the rear of the camera, users will find a 3.2” 2.1m-dot tilting touchscreen LCD and the top panel features a dot-matrix OLED for quickly checking settings. Another speedy aspect of the camera is the use of a single XQD card slot that can support the CFexpress standard in the future as it becomes available.
Nikon’s video department has made numerous improvements with the Z7, including both N-Log and UHD 4K recording options, as well as8K time-lapse support and 10-bit over HDMI. Full HD slow motion received a boost with frame rates up to 120 fps. Other nice functions for video shooting include Electronic Vibration Reduction, timecode, and focus peaking. Additionally, the camera is equipped with a mini-HDMI port, a mic input, and headphone output.
Alongside the Z7 is “The All-Arounder” that is the Z6. This camera looks and operates exactly the same, however it swaps out the sensor with an FX-format 24.5MP CMOS sensor offering 273 phase-detect AF points. This change enables a higher native sensitivity range of ISO 100-51200 and an expanded range of ISO 50-204800. It is also faster with continuous shooting at up to 12 fps and the ability to perform down-sampling from the full 6K image area for creating sharper UHD 4K video.
Product Highlights
- 24.5MP FX-Format BSI CMOS Sensor
- EXPEED 6 Image Processing Engine
- UHD 4K30 Video; N-Log & 10-Bit HDMI Out
- 273-Point Phase-Detect AF System
- Built-In 5-Axis Vibration Reduction
- 0.80x 3.6m-Dot EVF with NIKKOR Optics
- 3.2″ 2.1m-Dot Tilting Touchscreen LCD
- 12 fps Shooting; ISO 100-51200
- Top-Panel Dot-Matrix OLED; XQD Card Slot
- Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
This new mirrorless system wouldn’t be what is was without the new Z lens mount. With an interior diameter of 55mm and a back flange distance of 16mm, this mount permits for the creation of new lens designs and smaller camera bodies. One of the first lenses being released is the NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S. This standard zoom is both compact and versatile with a constant f/4 aperture for consistent performance. It has a button-less retractable design for getting compact when not in use and uses both aspherical and aspherical/ED glass elements to combat aberrations. There is also a Nano Crystal Coat for minimizing flare and ghosting. The lens has a minimum focus distance of 11.8” and has been designed for minimal breathing and silent operation to benefit video shooters. Additionally, a programmable control ring is available for quick access to NIKKOR Z 50mm f/1.8 S select settings.
Nikon NIKKOR Z 50mm f/1.8 S Lens
Product Highlights
- Z-Mount Lens/FX Format
- Maximum Aperture: f/1.8
- Two ED and Two Aspherical Elements
- Nano Crystal Coating
- Stepping Motor AF System
- Programmable Control Ring
- Weather-Sealed Construction
- Rounded 9-Blade Diaphragm
Two primes are also being released today: the and NIKKOR Z 35mm f/1.8 S. Both are designed to be compact while still yielding high sharpness and clarity. Both use a couple extra-low dispersion and aspherical elements to keep aberrations to an absolute minimum. They each also feature stepping motors for fast, reliable focusing and have programmable control rings. Another prime coming soon, according to Nikon, is the legendary return of the Noct. The Z NIKKOR 58mm f/0.95 is going to be among the fastest lenses available and is destined to be a high performer. More information on the ultra-fast manual focus optic will come later.
Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/4 S Lens
Product Highlights
- Z-Mount Lens/FX Format
- Maximum Aperture: f/4
- Aspherical Extra-Low Dispersion Element
- One Aspherical Element
- Nano Crystal Coating
- Stepping Motor AF System
- Programmable Control Ring
- Weather-Sealed Construction
- Rounded 7-Blade Diaphragm
- Retractable Design
For photographers with an existing library of F-mount glass, Nikon has developed the FTZ Mount Adapter. This device will have no impact on image quality and will fully support AF/AE functions with over 90 lenses, including AF-S Type G/D/E, AF-P Type G/E, AF-I Type D, and AF-S/AF-I Teleconverters. The lens will work with over 360 lenses in total, with varying levels of functionality depending of the specific lens used.
One more thing Nikon is announcing today is the AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f/5.6E PF ED VR lens. This super telephoto uses a Phase Fresnel element to dramatically shrink the size of this optic while maintaining overall quality. The lens measures 4.2 x 9.3” and just 3.2 lb, surprising specs for a lens of this focal length. It also features three ED elements and a Nano Crystal Coat along with multiple Vibration Reduction modes, an audio signal switch, focus limiter, and more.
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 500mm f5.6E PF ED VR Lens
Product Highlights
- Aperture Range: f/5.6 to f/32
- One Phase Fresnel Element
- Three Extra-Low Dispersion Elements
- Nano Crystal & Super Integrated Coatings
- Fluorine-Coated Front Lens Element
- Silent Wave Motor AF System
- Vibration Reduction, Sport/Tripod Modes
- Electromagnetic Diaphragm Mechanism
- Detachable, Rotatable Tripod Collar
[/9to5-press-release]
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