Nikon Z7 vs Nikon D850 Bird Photography | Surprising Results!

[@adrianalfordphotography]

As I mentioned, I specifically bought the Nikon Z7 for landscape photography. It was fun to see what it could do with bird photography, but I think I’ll be sticking with my D850 for now 🤙📸

[@thomaslevine405]

I just bought one and changed from Canon to Niko D850. Loving it!! Takes incredible pictures!!

[@erikwestberg5348]

I hardly ever do any bird photography but your birds down under are so colourful!

[@adrianalfordphotography]

Thank you for watching and commenting. Have a great day 🙏📸

[@nightscapeimages.richard]

Great video Adrian. Always enjoy your enthusiasm for the craft. Have a wonderful Easter mate.

[@adrianalfordphotography]

Happy Easter to you and the family Richard. Hope you've enjoyed yourselves. I've just got back from up north so must catch up on some videos of yours. Cheers 🙏📸

[@denisesavage2382]

Interesting to see and get your take on these two cameras for a particular genre of photography. (I do like your take on technical difficulties too! ahahha made me chuckle. Half expected to see the old ABC closed for the day pattern come up!)

[@adrianalfordphotography]

Thanks for watching Denise. Darn planes flying over, how dare they ha! Glad you enjoyed the vid and got a chuckle, that's what I'm here for 🙏📸

[@rjpg]

Thanks for honest vid. For birds in flight/sports/fast action, I'll stay with my D500. The Z7 (or any other Nikon mirrorless) is good for everything else though (but Z9 is great, if you got the $$$-which I don't).

[@adrianalfordphotography]

Thanks for watching. Much appreciated. By the way there are some very capable mirrorless cameras out there besides the Z9 for capturing birds in flight / sports / fast action that won't break the bank. Don't fall the marketing hype. 🙏📸

Great comparison photography video - good points on the Z7. As always great set of photographs. Many thanks for sharing your advice Adrian :)

[@adrianalfordphotography]

Thanks for watching Shaun. Much appreciated. Wishing you and the family a happy and safe Easter, cheers 🙏📸

[@griffithbowen4590]

Great video. Thanks for this. I'm finally, able to upgrade to a D850 or a Z7. Both the same price where I am. My dream camera has always been a d850, the dream continues. ❤

[@NurJesus]

And which did you get? And how is it going, are you happy?

[@griffithbowen4590]

@NurJesus unfortunately, neither. Finances, (as always) got in the way.

[@stanpiper8158]

With the Z9 on backorder, this is precisely the question I needed answered. Very helpful indeed. I laughed at one of your remarks because my best shot of the past week (an osprey with a flounder in its talons) was either my D850's AF responding brilliantly, or the osprey saving the day by flying into focus. Either way, I can at least take credit for being there holding my camera at the right moment and holding the button down. No one has to see the rejects (that look like I was shooting blindfolded) :)

[@adrianalfordphotography]

Thanks for watching, glad you enjoyed the video 👍🙏

[@christian.irmler]

Hi Adrian, interesting, that the D850 allows you better button options for your aims. But I think this shows so well that when we break it down, a camera is not more than a tool to accomplish our goals. It is the same with handcrafting: sometimes we need a sledgehammer, sometimes we are better off working with a more precise tool :) Fantastic photos, by the way! Thank you for sharing your video and have a fantastic Easter weekend with your family. Nice greetings, Christian

[@adrianalfordphotography]

Thanks for watching Christian. I hope you have a great weekend over there in Austria. Glad you enjoyed the video, cheers 🙏📸

[@leod1671]

Thank you for your honest video. I know that while I am looking into getting a Z camera in the near future, my D850 will be with me for years to come.

[@adrianalfordphotography]

Thank you for watching Leo. Yes I think I will be the same as you. The D850 will go down as a classic. Have an awesome weekend, cheers 📸🙏

[@davidmonro-jones4191]

Interesting video, thanks Adrian. I have just ordered my D850 and am awaiting stock :-)

[@adrianalfordphotography]

Thanks for watching and well done on your purchase David. I think you'll love it. Have a great day 📸🙏

[@PhilThach]

Even all the way back on firmware 1.0, the Z6 and Z7 were good for perched birds using single-point autofocus but even with the newest firmware, the Z6/7 are not very good for birds in flight. I still love my Z6 but I rarely use it because my R6 is so much better for sports, wildlife, and portraits (the R6 is about 3 times as likely to nail perfect focus on the eye) and, I like my ZFC or Z50 better for landscape photography because they are so light and small while still being very functional. My Z6 does still get used for in-studio videos with the FTZ and 14-24 lens. All that said, I enjoyed your photos from both cameras in this video and the comparison was good and interesting. Thanks, Adrian!

[@adrianalfordphotography]

Thanks for watching Phil and completely understand everything you had wrote. We certainly do have a collection of cameras don't we. I think if I had the R6 I'd be using that a lot for BIF. Personally I still think I'd have the Sony A1 for the best "all round photography and video camera". It was nice to try the Z7 for bird photography but I kinda knew what was going to happen. Just had to see for myself. Hope you guys have a great weekend, cheers 🙏📸

[@amateurphotographerassocia5965]

Very nice, will share! We have a member in our group from Queensland, I think you would be amazed at what she captures ;)

[@adrianalfordphotography]

Thank you for watching. Much appreciated 🙏📸

[@terrynewmanphotography]

Thanks for this video Adrian. I’ve got some good shots with my Z7 (which I bought with intent for landscapes which it’s great at) but it’s not good enough for BIF. Lots of folks online arguing about this but the clue is in the vII releases and now the Z9. I picked up a cheap D500 which is amazing, to see me through what may arrive next in Z line. The Z9 may be flagship but with the cost and bulky body, many folks want an all in one camera as it appears Sony (A1) and Canon (R5) are providing. I have high hopes for a Z7III.

[@adrianalfordphotography]

Thanks for watching Terry. I think we all have hopes for the Z7III but if Nikon fail to deliver again, that’ll be 3 strikes for me. I will keep my D850 for its color and stunning images, but I will sell my Z7 and Z lenses and buy the Sony A1 with 200-600mm lens. I’ve used that camera and I know it delivers. Cheers 🍻

[@bvaldes8791]

Hello my friend great video. Personally you can’t go wrong with any of the two like someone said they each have their strength and weaknesses at the end of the day they are very reliable cameras. Hope you had a wonderful Easter.

[@adrianalfordphotography]

Thanks so much for watching my friend, much appreciated. Hope you enjoyed your Easter break 📸🙏

[@justinwoodgate3155]

Great video, did you photograph the Regents Bower Bird in Bundy?

[@adrianalfordphotography]

Thanks for watching Justin 🙏 I shot the bird at Lamington National Park while I was there with the D850. Cheers 📸

[@slimbirdy]

That was a fantastic comparison, and really enjoyable to watch. The Z7 video is fabulous, that duck gliding through the water was so steady. But totally see what you're saying with the stills. The D850 colour really pops where as the Z7 seems really greyish.

[@adrianalfordphotography]

Thanks for watching. Hope you have a great weekend, cheers 🙏📸

[@colinstalker]

Good to see a comparison Adrian. The D850 is an amazing camera and you have the best of both worlds with the Z7 for landscape photography. Great video mate!

[@adrianalfordphotography]

Thanks for watching Colin. Always appreciate your support. Have a great week mate, cheers 🙏📸

[@peterviragphoto]

Great comparison mate, some beautiful shots. The D850 is still a killer for bird photography and kicks the Z7’s butt, but for landscspe just like you said it’s perfect! The AF system is the same in the D850 is the same as the D5’s I think, so no surprise there:) Thanks for sharing! Cheers😉

[@adrianalfordphotography]

Thanks for watching Peter. Much appreciated. Have an awesome weekend mate, cheers 🙏📸

[@ajh5124]

Nice video! I’ll stick with my trusty D500 for birding photography 😉👍

[@adrianalfordphotography]

Thanks for watching. Have a great day 🙏📸

[@koolkutz7]

Still a great camera for wildlife photography for sure. I have the D7500 which has the same sensor & processor as the D500 and I get some good results with it.

[@TechSavvy.]

Me, too. I have my D500 paired with the 80-400. High speed and prodigious reach. It's all I could want.

[@scotttilleyphotography]

I agree with a lot of your conclusions Adrian. I still miss shooting with my Canon 70D at times. I also came to the same conclusion with regard to shooting video through the viewfinder on mirrorless systems, especially if you use glasses for reading. With my Sony it's so much easier to use the viewfinder for video as well instead of moving the camera away from me to see if I can see what's on the back of the screen😂 Super video as always mate.👍

[@adrianalfordphotography]

Cheers Scott for watching. Was interested to see the differences between the 2 cameras for my own curiosity, Be sticking with the D850 due to the colours and image quality. Z7 is awesome for the video B roll element though. Have a great week mate 🙏📸

[@PedroLauridsenRibeiro]

Hi Adrian, great video as always... I've never had a Nikon Z camera in my hands, so I cannot compare it to my D850, but I've seen quite a few people who did (e.g. Konstantin Kochkin from Grays of Westminster) say that the D850's AF system is more reliable than that of the Z7 (II) - just a notch below the D5 from which the D850 inherited it. The remaining difference is probably due to the D5's lower resolution, which helps things. That being said, the differences in the results are probably bound to diminish as you get more familiar with the Z7 and get over e.g. the lack of customizability as compared to the D850. The fact that you have IBIS on the Z7 also improves sharpness when shooting handheld - particularly at 400mm -, since it should (?) work in conjunction with the lens' VR, even with the FTZ adapter, albeit perhaps not to the level a native VR Z lens would do. The D850's high MP count without IBIS is absolutely merciless in showing even the slightest of camera shake, especially with non-VR lenses - one needs to shoot in high speeds in order to get optimal sharpness from the D850 handheld and (say) a non-VR prime. Still trying to get used to that, also trying to get my act together and finish learning how to use a flash properly for those cases when light needs to be corrected or is simply not enough. Regarding video stability, video AF and tracking through the EVF, there is really no comparison. The D850 is simply not suited to that end - I do use it for filming my university lectures, but on a monopod and I barely move at all, so locking the focus at the beginning is good enough even at f/1.4. I also don't shoot at 4K, for this is overkill in my case. The most surprising thing for me is the difference in color science in both cameras - I'd expected them to be essentially the same in that regard since they share the same sensor and the D850's color science is so fantastic, so no reason to change the latter on the Z7 (II) either, right? Since you shot with each camera in a different day, even if it was the same lens and the same location, I wonder if the difference in the quality of the light in each day is at least partially to blame...

[@adrianalfordphotography]

Thanks for watching. The photos in comparison where taken on the same weather type day and same time of year. So no, the Z7 color does not match the D850s. I tried this 3 times and got the same results each time.

[@PedroLauridsenRibeiro]

@@adrianalfordphotography ok, so that's very intriguing. I wonder why they changed the color science in the Z7 (II)... Maybe because it's a more suitable match to the native Z lenses? Speaking of which, since you don't have a native Z telezoom but you do have both F-mount and Z-mount wide-angle zooms, how do they compare both on the Z7 and between the latter and the D850? Have you already made that test when shooting landscapes?

[@adrianalfordphotography]

@@PedroLauridsenRibeiro yes I have done comparison test. But this has goven me an idea for another video cause others have asked the question. Even to see results using 16-35mm on Z7 via FTZII adapter vs 14-30mm

[@jedman322]

G'day mate I'm 99.9% sure the d850 is the the upgrade I'm going for , unfortunately I will only be able to purchase one lense for the foreseeable future as the cost will wipe me out for a while , I am coming over from fujifilm and hopefully be able to sell it all for some future lenses. My main interest is landscape with some wildlife , what would you go with for a one lense setup?....70-200 2.8? Cheers mate👍

[@adrianalfordphotography]

Thanks for watching. I can see you have a situation re the lenses. If you have a look at this video I made showing the 2 lenses I use on the D850 for landscapes - kzbin.info/www/bejne/q3SsZpVunaikbNk - I use the 80-400mm for birds and wildlife too on the D850.

[@jedman322]

Awesome , il give it a watch👍

[@allgamestotal6773]

thanks. whereabouts is this location.thanks

[@adrianalfordphotography]

Pine Rivers Park, Strathpine, QLD, Australia.

[@allgamestotal6773]

@@adrianalfordphotography i just bought a zoom lens. just embarking on bird photography. i live in maroochydore atm. so kinda find places for birding. thanks heaps for d info.

[@OmarFadul]

I had a D810 , a D850 and still have a D500. I tried the Z line with a Z6 and later a Z7, but the amount of problems with the colors and raw files in the Z system is just annoying! The Z7 and Z6 can't hold the colors when I need to recover details in shadow areas. There is a magenta thing happening with the raw files everytime! Just impossible to handle! Can't even call the raw files from my Z cameras "Professional". My D500 is perfect when talking about colors and amazing range for correction within the raw files. By the way, the D500 is the camera I will never sell. The files from my D810 and D850 were so, so, so good! The colors... Oh the colors!!!!! The amount of correction those raw files can take (without any bending, any color shifting any problems) are amazing! The D850 is the very best full frame camera out there by NIKON. I don't know about the other systems, but the D850 and D500 are just what we all need to take the pictures we want. The quality is superb. Battery life is superb... Ohh the battery life!!!. Colors are superb. I can't understand why Nikon cannot deliver the same photo capabilities for the Z system. As for now, if you are a photographer get one of the Nikon's DSLRs. If you are a videographer... Then, buy a panasonic and be happy!

[@adrianalfordphotography]

Thanks for watching 🙏

[@JapanLovers]

Nice one Ad! I wish my cameras had animal AF also. It sucks when the software already exists in other Sony bodies. The Z9 will have everything you need I guess?

[@adrianalfordphotography]

Thanks for watching. That would be a hard no on the Z9 from me. It's too big and bulky for travelling or would be horrendous carrying a long time. Have had a lot of reports from fellow Nikon users, it ain't all it's cracked up to be. I have to wait until Nikon release a baby Z9 version or if they don't, I'd have no issue getting a Sony A1. I thought the A7SIII had animal detect? Am I wrong? Hope you've had a good Easter break. Cheers 🙏📸

[@neelenpatten2959]

Could you please post the reference of your lense too? What lens are you using precisely?

[@adrianalfordphotography]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/gXLdpqKPrc-soM0

[@jal2550]

I miss my D850. Best camera Ive ever owned.

[@adrianalfordphotography]

Thanks for watching. I think I’ll be keeping my D850 for a very long time. Have a great day 📸🙏

[@davidsaylors]

Well done video Adrian. The Z7 has its strengths, but focus on tiny birds just isn’t one of them😂🤔 Enjoyed watching as usual. 👍📸

[@adrianalfordphotography]

Thanks for watching David. Was interesting to see the strengths and weaknesses of both cameras. I think I've said it before, at the end of the day it's about image quality and the D850 delivers. Hope you have an awesome weekend my friend and say hi to your local friendly security guard for me 📸🙏

[@davidsaylors]

@@adrianalfordphotography 🤣🤣👍👍📸📸

[@motumiseleke6329]

I think Nikon 850 is the best in terms of clarity!!

[@Luigi13]

Hello Adrian, I used briefly for a week the Nikon Z7 when it first came out and I noticed that it didn't focus as good as my Nikon D810 so I sent it back to the vendor and bought the D850 instead and I like it a lot better. Maybe you should try the Nikon Z72 I read it has an improved autofocus because of two processors and other upgrades Nikon did. The Z7 is known for its sluggish autofocus.

[@adrianalfordphotography]

Thanks for watching. I would not get the Z7II as I don't think it'd be much better TBH. If I was going to get a dedicated bird and wildlife camera it'd be the Sony A1 or new Canon R7. Have a great day

[@PhilThach]

He did what!?!?

[@adrianalfordphotography]

😂😂😂 He did what ??? That video was fun to make 📸🙏

[@gregorychernalis1958]

It's a shame Nikon choose that Capital Letter to embrace their new best camera's... I'll never buy one....

[@adrianalfordphotography]

Thanks for watching. Understand your point of view there.

[@roybixby6135]

Strange - I also prefer my D850 to my Z9 for most uses...

[@adrianalfordphotography]

Just goes to show Roy. I think the D850 will always be in my stable. Have a great weekend 🙏📸