Ultimate22 wrote:
I am in the market for a camera. I like to do Sports photography for fun along with mixture of people, landscape and nature. I have been going back and forth about the Z6III and the Z5II. What would be your recommendation? To start I am considering the Z5II with a 24-120mm f/4 S-line lens as I think budget wise it makes the most sense, especially since this is for hobby purposes. Should I be saving up to bump it to Z6III instead? Thought?
I pondered the same question before buying a Z5ii. Between the Z5ii and Z6iii, the main practical differences I learnt are:
Z6iii has a faster sensor readout, giving it slightly better/faster autofocus tracking of fast unpredictable action. I haven't found the Z5ii lacking in that regard, just the Z6iii is apparently even better.
The faster readout is also better for video and if you are using silent electronic shutter for fast action, the Z6iii is less prone to rolling shutter effect distorting things moving fast across the frame (ie posts in the background if you are panning).
Z6iii has a faster maximum frame rate, though the difference is a bit academic to me - both are faster than flagship DSLRs not long ago.
Z5ii has marginally better dynamic range for recovering shadow detail, and (along with the same sensor in the Zf) seems to be generally regarded as producing slightly nicer, more natural looking images.
Z5ii is a bit smaller and lighter.
Z6iii has a small top screen showing settings.
Z6iii is more expensive, pricing varies in different markets but in my case it would have been about 40% more.
To me it wasn't worth the extra cost for a relatively small speed advantage. If I was a heavy video user I would have seen more advantage in the Z6iii.
Good choice on the 24-120 lens, it really is excellent.
GravelBen wrote:
Z5ii (along with the same sensor in the Zf) seems to be generally regarded as producing slightly nicer, more natural looking images.
Can you share more detail, hopefully with some links/threads I can read, please on this? I switched from the Z8 to Zf and also noticed this hard-to-describe magic about this 24mp sensor. Currently considering adding the Z6 III as my 2nd Z-body and I absolutely do not want to lose this special sauce. Prior to seeing your comment I assumed that Nikon uses the same 24mp sensor across these 3 cameras, and the extra circuitry of the Z6 is just for added speed, but you're implying that the Zf/Z5ii magic is not present in the Z6?
old-gregg wrote:
Can you share more detail, hopefully with some links/threads I can read, please on this? I switched from the Z8 to Zf and also noticed this hard-to-describe magic about this 24mp sensor. Currently considering adding the Z6 III as my 2nd Z-body and I absolutely do not want to lose this special sauce. Prior to seeing your comment I assumed that Nikon uses the same 24mp sensor across these 3 cameras, and the extra circuitry of the Z6 is just for added speed, but you're implying that the Zf/Z5ii magic is not present in the Z6?
Whole reason I picked the z5ii was the same sensor as the z6iii. I shot the zf and wanted that sensor in a more ergo body. Mind you I did not actually try the z6iii, was knew the known quantity of the zf. I picked up a z7ii as my second body which I also love the sensor of and it expands my horizons for a 2nd body when I don't need the AF capabilities, want some megapixels, and want the little extra ISO (landscape, travel if I want to crop, etc...). Used they're practically the same price.
I would buy Z5II, it has everything that I need, except one thing...1/16000sec electronic shutter....why is this important...I want to buy Viltrox 35mm f1.2 LAB lens, and If I want to shoot with f1.2 aperture during a sunny day, I need that shutter speed...I shoot weddings, and lots of times 1/8000sec is not enough..Yes, I can close aperture to f2, or similar, but I want f1.2 on sunny day...it can create nice 3d look
pemanja93 wrote:
I would buy Z5II, it has everything that I need, except one thing...1/16000sec electronic shutter....why is this important...I want to buy Viltrox 35mm f1.2 LAB lens, and If I want to shoot with f1.2 aperture during a sunny day, I need that shutter speed...I shoot weddings, and lots of times 1/8000sec is not enough..Yes, I can close aperture to f2, or similar, but I want f1.2 on sunny day...it can create nice 3d look
ND filter…? Bit of a faff, but if everything else is fine…
(But also, what are you shooting outside at a wedding on a sunny day at 1/16,000 that causes issues with the electronic shutter? Genuinely curious.)
shinyobject wrote:
ND filter…? Bit of a faff, but if everything else is fine…
(But also, what are you shooting outside at a wedding on a sunny day at 1/16,000 that causes issues with the electronic shutter? Genuinely curious.)
ND filter is fine, but, lots of time I shoot outside, then I go inside for couple of photos, and that I do all day, so ND filter would be on and off every couple of minutes.
Nothing causes issues with electronic shutter on a sunny day, I said I miss 1/16000sec on Z5II and that's it.
old-gregg wrote:
Can you share more detail, hopefully with some links/threads I can read, please on this? I switched from the Z8 to Zf and also noticed this hard-to-describe magic about this 24mp sensor. Currently considering adding the Z6 III as my 2nd Z-body and I absolutely do not want to lose this special sauce. Prior to seeing your comment I assumed that Nikon uses the same 24mp sensor across these 3 cameras, and the extra circuitry of the Z6 is just for added speed, but you're implying that the Zf/Z5ii magic is not present in the Z6?
I don't have anything specific and haven't compared them directly myself, just the impression I've picked up from various comments on forums like this.
I understand the Zf/Z5ii sensor is essentially the same as the Z6ii (and probably developed from the old D750/D780 sensor) while the Z6iii has a different sensor, I don't think its as simple as just adding extra circuitry for the faster readout.
Trying one and it should be here within a week. I want to use the Techart Z-M lens AF adapter on it.
Since this thread is so long I wanted to cut to my question.
Has anyone tried the Techart Af Adapter on the Z5II with M lenses? How do they perform?
Thanks.
I haven't used it with the z5ii preferring just to do the green box AF and keeping the weight down, but I have on the zf and it worked like I remember it working on my Sonys. Not going to blow you away but useable.
I havent used the Techart Adapter.
However I do use a ETZ with Dummy Adapters on my ZF and Z5II:
ETZ + E to F
ETZ + E to M42
It's still manual focus but you do get the green box focus confirmation. I been enjoying it with my old F Mount AI/AIS lenses and SMC Takumar on M42 Mount.
TTArtisan 75 1.5 on Nikon Z5II at F1.7 (or maybe F2). Edited with Adobe's new 'Warm B&W' film setting, with grain turned off.
This lens can be acceptably sharp close to wide-open for portraits, but you have to be okay with lots of lens flaws sticking their nose in. The bokeh has lots of colour fringing and so I prefer to use this lens for B&W.
At F8 it's fine, but perhaps still with a faint haze around the highlights (cropped for composition reasons):
I'm going to keep the lens for funky portraits but otherwise will keep to my Nikon 40/2 for most things.
