Nikon to announce Z8 May 6. Compared to A7 RV

[Brownie]

It is quite an interesting thing to see Sony not addressing this in any way though.

This^. Although I think they're far more concerned about Canon than Nikon. The commenters who believe they're waiting for Canon to release the R1 may be correct.

 

[AlphaWorld]

I'm sure if Sony release a major firmware update for the A1, it would change everything. On the camera which still is the premier camera on the mirrorless market, regardless of it's age a tiny nudge upwards in a couple of areas will put it head and shoulders above everything again.

This would be the best thing from a consumer standpoint, not a business one. But then again, I think if Sony leaves the A1 treading water and releases an A1II, there'd probably be a lot of A1 owners jumping to another system out of pure morality, so a major A1 firmware would be a fantastic business move I think.

It is quite an interesting thing to see Sony not addressing this in any way though.

I think the announcement of an A1 mark II wold actually increase the number of people owning A1 series cameras

There would be the early adopters pre-ordering their A1 mark II bodies, probably selling off their Mark I bodies the moment they got the Mark II.

There might be a few jumping ship (I doubt it would be many) but their old Mark I bodies would get snapped up, too.

It seems odd to me that some people seem to have an aching desire for validation from Sony - they want proof Sony still loves them?

I owned a Canon 1Ds mark III for 5 years from its release, and I do not recall Canon issuing a single firmware update with new functionality for that camera, despite it being their top of the line body that entire time. The Sony A1 has already seen an update adding functionality (the reduced resolution RAW formats that appeared on the A7 mark 4).

 

[Deleted Member 5045]

It seems odd to me that some people seem to have an aching desire for validation from Sony - they want proof Sony still loves them?

Not that it would matter to me, but I still empathise with the people who would like the lens breathing compensation added to the A1. I just think that if Sony have those capabilities on the A7IV and A7RV , then there's no reason why an A1 with the same processor and a more advanced sensor cannot have breathing compensation added as well.

I really hope something is coming down the line shortly for anyone concerned. I also recall Bob saying recently that an update wasn't far away, so hopefully A1 owners get that result shortly.

 

[iamdlewis]

I think if Sony leaves the A1 treading water and releases an A1II, there'd probably be a lot of A1 owners jumping to another system out of pure morality

I have only 4 lens and if I were to jump to either Canon or Nikon it would cost about $5000 before getting something to replace the 200-600. That is just in the camera and lens and doesn't count the losses in battery and CF-A.

 

[Deleted Member 5045]

I have only 4 lens and if I were to jump to either Canon or Nikon it would cost about $5000 before getting something to replace the 200-600. That is just in the camera and lens and doesn't count the losses in battery and CF-A.

You guys have a point there but. I guess as a manufacturer, where do you draw the line with older models so you can move forward with the latest? Regardless of the price of something, I guess it has to be moved along at some point.

I dunno...

 

[AlphaWorld]

Not that it would matter to me, but I still empathise with the people who would like the lens breathing compensation added to the A1. I just think that if Sony have those capabilities on the A7IV and A7RV , then there's no reason why an A1 with the same processor and a more advanced sensor cannot have breathing compensation added as well.

I really hope something is coming down the line shortly for anyone concerned. I also recall Bob saying recently that an update wasn't far away, so hopefully A1 owners get that result shortly.

Other things they might be able to add include focus stacking and bulb timer.

I doubt they can add the new autofocus - that needs the specialised chip, so I’d expect that to be A1 mark II. I don’t know whether that also rules out Insect and Vehicle subject recognition.

Maybe we’ll see firmware changes, maybe we won’t. I already feel I got my moneys-worth from the A1 with its current functionality.

What I have my heart set on now is an A1 mark II with the new AF…

 

[iamdlewis]

You guys have a point there but. I guess as a manufacturer, where do you draw the line with older models so you can move forward with the latest? Regardless of the price of something, I guess it has to be moved along at some point.

I dunno...

It is really the lens that up the costs. Yes you can get adapters for some but even then there is always a compromises in doing that. You are going to get about 50% for whatever equipment you have unless it is really old and rarely do the new lens cost the same as the ones you are replacing. Really this will all come down to how you feel on how the maker will perform in the future. Right now I would say that Sony would be in the lead if you just look at the top end, anything below that the leader is whoever released the most recent camera. The top end in 3-4 years will be the same. So unless there is something that you just can't live without and it doesn't look like Canon/Nikon/Sony will ever do that thing it will cost a lot to gain something like 5% improvement for what will probably be a 1 generation lead.

 

[Brownie]

Uh oh. $3599.

Competitions news: Nikon Z8 price is $3599 – sonyalpharumors

www.sonyalpharumors.com

 

[Deleted Member 5045]

It is really the lens that up the costs. Yes you can get adapters for some but even then there is always a compromises in doing that. You are going to get about 50% for whatever equipment you have unless it is really old and rarely do the new lens cost the same as the ones you are replacing. Really this will all come down to how you feel on how the maker will perform in the future. Right now I would say that Sony would be in the lead if you just look at the top end, anything below that the leader is whoever released the most recent camera. The top end in 3-4 years will be the same. So unless there is something that you just can't live without and it doesn't look like Canon/Nikon/Sony will ever do that thing it will cost a lot to gain something like 5% improvement for what will probably be a 1 generation lead.

What's the saying? Date your camera bodies, marry your lenses...

I'm satisfied with the R series. Will more than likely just get the new one each time it comes out now. Whatever happens, I think the A7RVI will have to be one extraordinary camera!

 

[AlphaWorld]

What's the saying? Date your camera bodies, marry your lenses...

I'm satisfied with the R series. Will more than likely just get the new one each time it comes out now. Whatever happens, I think the A7RVI will have to be one extraordinary camera!

But there will be someone demanding extra features in the A7RVII the day the A7RVI is announced

I think I heard that the A7RVIII will be packaged in a satellite so you can stay home out of the rain and shoot 600Mpixel images in Africa.

 

[AlphaWorld]

Uh oh. $3599.

Competitions news: Nikon Z8 price is $3599 – sonyalpharumors

www.sonyalpharumors.com

That will set the cat among the pigeons …

Wonder if that will be US only, or if it will be that level of cheap elsewhere in the world?

Hmm, maybe that means the price of stacked sensors is coming down rapidly?

 

[Deleted Member 5045]

But there will be someone demanding extra features in the A7RVII the day the A7RVI is announced

I think I heard that the A7RVIII will be packaged in a satellite so you can stay home out of the rain and shoot 600Mpixel images in Africa.

I certainly hope they hurry up. This RV is really holding me back something severe!

 

[Deleted Member 5045]

Uh oh. $3599.

Competitions news: Nikon Z8 price is $3599 – sonyalpharumors

www.sonyalpharumors.com

That's impressive!

 

[Brownie]

The price may be fake. They're calling out some dealer for putting the price on their website to get attention. B&H has a 'coming soon' listing for the camera with no pricing.

When something sounds too good to be true...

 

[Clix Pix]

On the day back in late 2019 I let go of Nikon and moved into the Sony FF system the 135mm f/1.8 was one of my first purchases..... It was the splurge, the surprise purchase that I made that day, although I had gone into the store with the idea of coming home with the two native macro lenses that Sony offers (which I did because those were what I had my heart set on) and the all-purpose 24-105mm. I figured I'd start out with the two macros and one other lens for a while and get really familiar with the Sony FF A7R IV before seeing what other lens(es) would be top priority right from the start or close to it. I knew I'd want a long lens eventually, and a couple of fast lenses, but.....that first day, just a trio of lenses until I'd had time to do some shooting, become acclimated to the camera and so on..... Macro was a priority, hence the two macro lenses were coming home with me no matter what.

While waiting for things to happen and staff were doing their thing, I stood there at the counter, my hand gently touching, sometimes resting possessively on the box holding the new A7R IV that I was about to call my own, and the boxes containing the lenses were there as well. I kept looking over at the store's display shelves of boxes filled with more Sony delights, including the amazing 135 f/1.8. That lens softly began calling to me..... I blinked. I looked again at the box on the shelf. Yes, I was hearing the beguiling siren song of that fast 135mm.... I abruptly decided to forget about that versatile all-purpose slower zoom lens, I wanted that fast and beautiful 135mm prime right then, that very day, to be part of my exciting journey into the new world of Sony FF. LOL! The 24-105 box went back to the shelf and the 135mm box was set down on the counter..... I gently touched it. Now everything about this process felt just right.....

I love the 135mm GM, but I have to admit that these days I haven't used her as as much as I could to take advantage of what this remarkable lens can do. And, yes, I also adore my 50mm f/1.2 GM, too.... The 50mm f/1.2 was a little more considered, further down the line, and as time went on I knew that at some point I wanted a 50mm prime but a fast lens which would really deliver the goods each and every time I reached for her..... The day came, I bought the lens. Another stellar performer which is quite capable of doing far more than I have yet really tapped into.

Switching systems altogether and starting from scratch with an entirely new one is in the beginning really rather daunting, but over time I have gradually added lenses to the family as the need or desire has been there, and at times I've waited, too, for new versions to be released of a couple of them (24-70mm GM II, 70-200mm GM II). In the meantime I've had more than a few lenses to keep me happy and busy!

One of the lenses I bought early-on (about a month or so after my initial purchases) was the excellent 200-600mm, which is certainly a home run for Sony. Fantastic lens! I think Nikon is now talking about a 200-600mm, but as far as I know, they have not released one yet. In the meantime I've been enjoying mine since early 2020...... They did finally come up with a couple of macro lenses in the native Z mount, so that's good for those who patiently waited a couple of years for that to happen. The results I've seen from them are really quite nice.

In the meantime I am more than happy with my Sony A1 and my Sony A7R V and the various lenses I have chosen over the years since that very first day.

 

[RogerSmith]

In my opinion the thing to look out for is the rumored coming Nikon 200-600 (some say 180-600). The Sony 200-600 was the hook to the system for me, with the Z8 at this price point Sony better drop some winners with A9III and A1II.

 

[Deleted Member 5045]

Now the dust has settled, in all honesty apart from the price, what is the huge fuss over the Z8? I mean considering it is basically identical to the Z9 a camera which came out a year and a half ago, I'd expect some new additions from a technological standpoint. I see the Z8 as Nikon showing that they are running on life support.

A year and a half between bodies should see some pretty nice operational progressions I think, not just re-housing an existing system into a new body.

 

[iamdlewis]

Now the dust has settled, in all honesty apart from the price, what is the huge fuss over the Z8? I mean considering it is basically identical to the Z9 a camera which came out a year and a half ago, I'd expect some new additions from a technological standpoint. I see the Z8 as Nikon showing that they are running on life support.

A year and a half between bodies should see some pretty nice operational progressions I think, not just re-housing an existing system into a new body.

A year and a half between releases but what will be the time between available? We all know that Nikon will state that the Z8 was more popular than expected and deliveries will be delayed.

Little more serious. I see the Z8 as Nikon pushing for the new photographers and a hail marry to those that left. Between Canon, Nikon and Sony it is Nikon that is probably in the most difficult situation. Though the Z9 has been a big hit most of the early Z line has been a miss or a meh when comparied to Canon and Sony. Nikon has also been slow and taken an odd approach to lens (58mm f0.95 $8000 as one of the first 3 lens?!) and also lots of supply issues with them. They also have the issue that they buy their sensors from Sony and how much of a nerf-hammer do they need to take, the A1 and Z8/9 use the same sensor but clearly the A1 seems to have greater functionality.

 

[Brownie]

Now the dust has settled, in all honesty apart from the price, what is the huge fuss over the Z8? I mean considering it is basically identical to the Z9 a camera which came out a year and a half ago, I'd expect some new additions from a technological standpoint. I see the Z8 as Nikon showing that they are running on life support.

A year and a half between bodies should see some pretty nice operational progressions I think, not just re-housing an existing system into a new body.

A lot smaller, a lot lighter, and a lot less expensive. The dust hasn't settled at all, wait until they hit the streets.

 

[Deleted Member 5045]

A year and a half between releases but what will be the time between available? We all know that Nikon will state that the Z8 was more popular than expected and deliveries will be delayed.

Little more serious. I see the Z8 as Nikon pushing for the new photographers and a hail marry to those that left. Between Canon, Nikon and Sony it is Nikon that is probably in the most difficult situation. Though the Z9 has been a big hit most of the early Z line has been a miss or a meh when comparied to Canon and Sony. Nikon has also been slow and taken an odd approach to lens (58mm f0.95 $8000 as one of the first 3 lens?!) and also lots of supply issues with them. They also have the issue that they buy their sensors from Sony and how much of a nerf-hammer do they need to take, the A1 and Z8/9 use the same sensor but clearly the A1 seems to have greater functionality.

Well said, agreed with all of that. ️

 

[Deleted Member 5045]

A lot smaller, a lot lighter, and a lot less expensive. The dust hasn't settled at all, wait until they hit the streets.

Smaller, but still not small. Lighter, but still not light. Cheaper, but still not cheap.

A couple of thousand dollar savings on a body with no new technology is not really going to make any proper inroads into the audience which spends this type of money on a camera system. It doesn't even have twin CF Express, that's pretty bloody funny...

 

[Brownie]

Smaller, but still not small. Lighter, but still not light. Cheaper, but still not cheap.

A couple of thousand dollar savings on a body with no new technology is not really going to make any proper inroads into the audience which spends this type of money on a camera system. It doesn't even have twin CF Express, that's pretty bloody funny...

This camera falls in a combination of performance/price that Sony currently has no answer to. For that matter Canon would be hard pressed.

Twin CF express? Who cares? I think its pretty bloody funny people are willing to spend ridiculous dollars for something that costs them no more to build one of those than it does a cheap SD card.

There's a big ol' world of camera users outside of this forum.

 

[AlphaWorld]

Smaller, but still not small. Lighter, but still not light. Cheaper, but still not cheap.

A couple of thousand dollar savings on a body with no new technology is not really going to make any proper inroads into the audience which spends this type of money on a camera system. It doesn't even have twin CF Express, that's pretty bloody funny...

That’s the problem with opting for CF express B. It’s impossible to make a slot which takes both CFeB and SD, so they cannot pull the trick Sony did - 2 slots taking either CFeA or SD (I am sure Sony went for CFeA for this reason).

They have choices. They need CFeB for speed. They could go for two CFeB slots, arguing that CFeB is cheaper now - they have done that before with XQD, but I don’t know if there is room in the Z8 body for two CFeB slots (Also, CFe slots run hot - two would run hotter!). Or they go with one CFeB, and one SD. Nice when you want the option of two card types, annoying when you want to write to both slots for backup…

I suppose they could put in 2 CFeB plus an SD, but if there isn’t enough room for 2 CFeB, there DEFINITELY isn’t enough room for a third slot!

It’s the kind of consideration that you can imagine causing arguments in the design team!

 

[Deleted Member 5045]

Twin CF express? Who cares? I think its pretty bloody funny people are willing to spend ridiculous dollars for something that costs them no more to build one of those than it does a cheap SD card.

There's a big ol' world of camera users outside of this forum.

I just think that being able to run a high performance camera at it's optimum speed whilst having the safety of not having to worry about losing data through a corrupt card is a very important aspect of it. As you said, there's a big world of users outside of this forum so I guess I might just be oblivious to the possibility of the average photographer being content with their equipment not running at it's full potential but I know with absolute certainty that I wouldn't be happy with that...

In regards to price, as sh*t and rip offish as it is which I agree on the same manufacturing cost of the two, if you want the performance unfortunately you have to pay at the till for it. I wasn't happy about forking out more money for CF Express A but I want my camera to be able to run at it's full potential, even if I don't need it.

 

[Clix Pix]

People on another site, one with a lot of Nikon devotees, with great enthusiasm and excitement proclaimed the how wonderful and magical the Z8 was going to be.... Uh, is that so? Well, they didn't like the facts that I pointed out making a comparison between the A1, the A7R V and the new Z 8, clearly illustrating the shortfalls of the Z8 in several key aspects when compared to both the Sony A1 and the A7R V ... Someone there claimed that I was posting false information. Ahem...... I own and have used both the A1 and the A7R V and I know exactly what features and functionality they provide and it was all too obvious from the descriptions that I've read precisely where the Nikon Z8 falls short. At first I was going to respond, then simply shrugged, and rather than getting embroiled in a big flamewar simply said that I hoped that no one would be disappointed with the Z8. I have the very strong suspicion that some of them will be, though....

 

[Uncle Kevriano]

That's one hell of a brick of a camera, almost D850 sized, which I found too big to hold comfortably. As for the 800 f6.3. If they have carried on the quality of the PF range of lenses it will be epic, but it's a fixed 800, that's very restrictive. It's purely a wildlife lens, with maybe a bit of use for sport.

 

[Gaz]

I heard the battery life needs work. I’m quite used to flipping through around a thousand frames before having to change. I rarely take the spare battery with me anymore.

 

[Gaz]

The Nikon z8 is a signal that flagship camera body prices must fall. That’s great for those of us who don’t own one.

I’d love to see the sales graph for the A7siii since the ZV-E1 for instance. The A9iii could have A1 like specs.

 

[Brownie]

People on another site, one with a lot of Nikon devotees, with great enthusiasm and excitement proclaimed the how wonderful and magical the Z8 was going to be.... Uh, is that so? Well, they didn't like the facts that I pointed out making a comparison between the A1, the A7R V and the new Z 8, clearly illustrating the shortfalls of the Z8 in several key aspects when compared to both the Sony A1 and the A7R V ... Someone there claimed that I was posting false information. Ahem...... I own and have used both the A1 and the A7R V and I know exactly what features and functionality they provide and it was all too obvious from the descriptions that I've read precisely where the Nikon Z8 falls short. At first I was going to respond, then simply shrugged, and rather than getting embroiled in a big flamewar simply said that I hoped that no one would be disappointed with the Z8. I have the very strong suspicion that some of them will be, though....

Let's be real. A fan is a fan. A Sony fan will find the faults and a Nikon fan will find the positives.

Why anyone thinks this camera should be compared to an A1 is beyond me. The A1 had damn sure better be superior, it costs $2500 more. It's also not comparable to the RV, or the A9, or anything else Sony makes. That is the entire point. Nikon has produced a camera that falls nicely into the slot that is not currently occupied by Sony. And the way Sony prices their gear, I'm pretty sure Nikon and Canon are comfortable where they stand.

So in one person's opinion the Nikon falls short. In another's, the RV falls short. They don't like the features of one, and someone else doesn't like the features of another.

I expect almost 100% negativity for anything not Sony here, except for a few people who've been around the block. Conversely, I expect almost 100% positive comments at a site that caters to Nikon users, again, except for those who know.

See how that works?

 

[alexpler]

A lot smaller, a lot lighter, and a lot less expensive. The dust hasn't settled at all, wait until they hit the streets.

But also with an abysmal battery life if the reports are correct...