NIKON Z6ii Review after 80,000 Photographs

[@RebeccaMeekPhotography]

"zooming in... okay maybe not that much but look!" 🤣 love this! just got mine today and I'm so excited to start shooting with it!

[@lukewtcleland]

Hahah - ooo exciting!! Let me know how you like it!

[@L.L.Shamma]

Just ordered it! Can’t wait Iv been waiting 2 years to finally decide on with Nikon s to go with and this one seemed to fit my needs the most

[@lukewtcleland]

Oooo amazing!! You’ll love it! 👏🏻👏🏻

[@Cincy_Kid]

I’ve been using the Z6II’s for wedding work as well and absolutely love them!

[@lukewtcleland]

Ooo yes! Love that, great to hear!

[@IMNOTABARISTA]

As a Nikon fan, have been using Nikon for almost a decade, the newest camera from Nikon is ZII, and love it. It is surely not the best in auto focus, or speed, but still love it.

[@lukewtcleland]

I love Nikon too!!

[@MonsoonGeek]

Just ordered this camera. Thanks for the review, I’m very excited to try it!

Your face says EVERYTHING. Such a pleasant and honest impression. I see myself, a hobbyist, having a similar impression because I want to upgrade from a million years old D7000 to a Z6II. :D I think my mind will be blown when I realize that I can actually shoot over ISO 1600 and not get horrible, unusable noise. the D7000 truly has horrible ISO performance on top of being APS-C. And those lenses, can't wait. :) Thanks for the encouragement!

[@lukewtcleland]

Haha totally. Your mind really will be blown! And that transition to full frame really is worth it too. It will be worth the wait whenever you can do it!

[@-AtomsPhere-]

I really like your work, so classy. Glad the algorithm sent you my way!

[@lukewtcleland]

Thanks so much! Thanks for watching! :)

[@georgehunk]

I'm really considering to upgrade to mirrorless. Searching for a video just to give an insite about Z6ii..then found this..Thank you, Luke! We're almost at the same scenario, using old Nikon full frame bodies. Now.. definitely getting my Z6ii. ☺️

[@lukewtcleland]

Oh awesome - you're welcome George! Glad you found it helpful! Ahh yeah, You will love it! The upgrade is amazing. Let me know how it turns out for you!

[@tundrusphoto4312]

Thank you for this, Luke. It's a pleasure to see your work - it's great! And as I've said before, it is wonderful to have someone provide an unbiased, practical view of a Nikon camera. Too many KZbin characters love to slag Nikon and complain about the autofocus (compared to Sony). Once you know how to use a camera, whatever limits it may have disappear.

[@lukewtcleland]

Thanks so much!! I know, I've noticed the same. Nikon definitely does the job for me! Thanks for your comment, and glad you enjoyed it

[@8Rames]

is not about the camera is about the person behind the scene

[@lukewtcleland]

@@8Rames but a good camera is better than no camera at all!

[@davidalvarado7270]

BRO I've recently bought the Nikon Z6II, and this is probably the best review video I've ever seen so far. Just hitted the Subscribe button, waiting for more content

[@lukewtcleland]

Thanks David!! So glad you liked it. More coming!!

[@MKN2024]

7yrs of canon now i'm planning to switch and try other brands and it happened that your video is a very informative one, plus the way you delivered it makes it a perfect inspiration to switch to a Nikon system.

[@lukewtcleland]

Awesome! Glad it was helpful!

[@lemonkng3188]

Just sold off my Canon DSLR and got the z6ii . It's crazy moving to mirrorless and in body stabilization, wow Soo nice!

[@ajcarbonell]

man i borrowed this last week for an event and it was amazing i cant wait to get my hands on this one!

[@thesilenttraveller7]

If you look at the Z6II's graph line of noise vs. ISO, you see that you get almost the same level of noise at ISO 160 and 200, then it increases linearly until ISO 800 when it drops sharply. Noise continues growing linearly after that. So, I almost always end up choosing either 200 or 800 ISO in most conditions, except in rare cases.

[@lukewtcleland]

Interesting! Good to know! Thanks for the tip

[@Thewolfamongus74]

Just found your channel. I really love how you explain everything. Feels down to earth and pleasant. Great an energy and great review. 🐺👌🏻

[@lukewtcleland]

Thanks so much! Glad you are enjoying it! :)

[@shutterblinkz7911]

Cool Luke, loved the way you have presented it...i felt like i am talking to one of my friends! And a nice review too! I am also on a D750 planning for an upgrade...but awaiting a Z6 iii!

[@lukewtcleland]

Thanks man! Ah I love that, that's great, glad you liked it!! Ahh yes I'm sure that will be a perfect upgrade. I would have loved to wait but my D750s were dying. ha

[@buidoi72]

Wow! It's so nice to see such a positive review for the Z6ii for once. How well does this camera doing at capturing people walking towards you, like down the aisle for a wedding? That's one of the biggest issues I have with my D750. Also, what focus mode do you use for this? And does it do well on a dark dancefloor?

[@lukewtcleland]

Glad you enjoyed it! It works great. I'd say 80-90% of the time I'm using smaller square face recognition focusing. For people walking towards you just switch it to continuous focus instead of single. When you do that its excellent for the aisle. I think it works pretty well! It definitely increased my focus rate significantly compared to my 750. If you're using flash, just make sure to turn off "apply settings to view finder" on the view finder, otherwise it will be black when you're using flash.

[@sharonraboy3358]

I've seen many good reviews... I think apparently the autofocus in sony is still considerably better (i'm nikon, thats only what i've heard) so i think that's why when they compare them, sony keeps wining. Whta do you think? I saw a Video that compared this nikon and sony alpha equivalent and they sayid how to make it work in that situation o f moving forward....... but i've watched so many!!! Maybe theres a video taling about that specifically for the D750.

[@Tzotzo52]

Nikon D750 user here. Can't wait to switch to the Z6 ii, even tho it was launched 3 years ago! I know that the launch of the Z6 iii is near, but I think the ii will be enough, especially for my budget. Your video was very informative and your personality is really nice, love your attitude!

[@AngryAnt0]

Thank you for this review! I've just bought my Z6ii today. Currently shoot weddings with a friends business and my D7500 is just struggling in the modern era of mirrorless. I'll probably still keep that for a backup as I have one lens I adore. The fact it can use the same batteries makes me happy, but I must admit the second card slot is a bit of a head scratcher, being CFx. Im also very much with you with the screen. I tend to use the view finder more than others I've noticed (old habits), but the fact the screen doesn't come out, I don't understand Nikon's logic for this as it seems to be a trend with every other camera system apart from theirs.

[@lukewtcleland]

That’s great!! Yeah I do like the cf express though, it is so incredibly fast at copying to my computer.

[@UsedToBeMax]

Currently using a Z50 which I've had for a year - my first proper camera. Looking into upgrading to full-frame and was looking at the z6ii. Those high ISO images blew me away. Snatching this up as soon as I see a good black Friday sale

[@lukewtcleland]

Love it!

[@travis9612]

I just rented this camera a few days ago. Im in a suite with normal lighting but, i know that dslr cameras struggle in lowlight. I tested the z6ii with a 24-70 2.8 at 2000 iso. I was blown away. Its having me wanting to upgrade from the d7200 to the z6ii! even for video as well!

[@lukewtcleland]

Yes!! It’s a massive jump and so fun to use!

[@winfcad]

I really enjoy looking on this wedding photos. It has some sort of Fuji 400H pro film esthetics.

[@lukewtcleland]

Thanks!! Yes, my preset is actually based on Portra 400 film, which is very similar to Fuji 400h in a lot of ways!

[@dan.knows.photography]

Love love love these images Currently thinking of switching from fuji

[@karlkiiliphotography]

You seem like a genuinely pleasant person and it was awesome watching your joy at using the z6ii. I bought into the z series this year as well, coming in from the D7100. And it has been an incredible upgrade in so many ways, many of which you listed... Thank you kindly for this video :)

[@lukewtcleland]

Thanks Karl! Glad you enjoyed it! Wow yes, from a D7100 to Z series would be amazing switch. Happy photo taking!

[@gavk5789]

Thank you for your review, I’m currently using 2 Nikon d750 for shooting weddings and considering upgrading to a Nikon z6ii

[@theaustralianchef]

Great review, beautiful photos

[@lukewtcleland]

Thanks very much!! Glad you enjoy it!

[@Gman4MF]

Thnx. You're a pleasure to watch & listen to.

[@lukewtcleland]

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@cidfidchris]

Hey there. Great video. Thanks. Would recommend to use ftz converter or change to z Lense? Thanks

[@lukewtcleland]

Hey! Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it! I've used the ftz, and it does work great. But the improvement of the z lenses are massive. If I had the choice I would switch to the z line.

[@MMm-hz6hl]

Ur smile made me smile and happy with my Z5..cheers..

[@lukewtcleland]

thanks!! glad you're enjoying it!

[@johnscratchley3288]

Great plug for the Z6 II, I have been using it for over a year and have well over 1000 images. It's a great camera and I like the fact that it is weather-sealed against the elements as most of my images are out door shots and I live in the Pacific Northwest which = rain. I have jettisoned all of my other DSLRs and use this exclusively. My big beef is the cost of the Z Mount lenses. Love the ones I have, would like to get more but the price makes that prohibitive.

[@lukewtcleland]

Yes! You've got lots of rain up there, a weather-sealed is a huge help. Definitely, they are pricey, but I'm impressed with how good quality they all are. A few people on here have found some good deals in the used market, depending on what you're looking for of course! Thanks for watching and your comment!

[@ronrotunno522]

I purchased a Z6ii mainly for astrophotography but I've found myself using this camera for much more than that. Plain and simple, there's nothing that I don't like about this camera; from image quality and build quality to ergonomics, the Z Series is a winner. The S Series glass is what sold me on the Nikon system in the first place and I have to say that I'm equally impressed with the lenses I've purchased to date. I've found the button layout to be very intuitive; an important factor when shooting in low light conditions, it handles noise well and it has a built in intervalometer. There's a lot to like here. I'm not sure if this helps anyone in the market for a new camera but it probably doesn't hurt. And no, I'm not a Nikon shill by any means, I shoot Canon as well.

[@lukewtcleland]

Me too! I didn’t expect to like the lenses as much as I do. Pleasantly surprised!

[@gregriley3060]

Thanks Luke. I shoot with the D750 and wanted to hear from someone who tried the Z6II. Yours was a practical evaluation from someone who earns a living with the camera. One question. Have you used the Z6II with any of your F mount glass and the FTZ adapter? If so, what was your experience? Any change in focusing performance or exposure?

[@lukewtcleland]

Hey Greg, Oh that's great! Glad you found it helpful. I have used it a little bit. I found that it actually worked faster than my D750, or just the same. I didn't notice anything worse! Again, I didn't do it extensively though.

[@dpedrosoliano]

enjoyed this video! very informative,hello from Malaysia!

[@lukewtcleland]

Great to hear! Glad you enjoyed it - thanks for watching!

[@NITISHVIPIN]

Sir, between Nikon d750 vs z6!! , images quality straight out of camera are same or different? Also color rendition same?

[@juliette-mansour]

Great review... the reasons for your "BAD" section are the reasons I would like it! I have the Zf and was considering picking up thee Z6ii since they're dropping in price and because I likely would not need the upcoming Z6iii based on specs. I shoot events, have very small hands and also don't care for the flippy screen. Thanks!

[@noonsound4894]

Hi Luke, I'm late to your channel, but loving your style and presentation. I know this video is 9 months old but I was wondering if you're still feeling as enthusiastic about the z6ii? Have you felt tempted by a z8 or do you think the z6ii still offers everything you need, particularly in terms of focus acquisition, accuracy etc? I had bad experience with first gen Sonys, then used Fuji 's for a bit before reverting back to a D850 plus a D500, that have been great but I'm feeling the call to mirrorless again.😊 🙏🙏

[@lukewtcleland]

Thank you! Yea I am still feeling very enthusiastic about the z6ii. The z8 looks like an amazing camera! But also significantly more expensive. So it’s just a different camera and hard to compare. The z6ii is a huge jump from regular slrs, I would always suggest renting a body for a weekend and testing it out! That’s always a low cost way to see if you like it.

[@noonsound4894]

@@lukewtcleland thank you, that's good to know. Renting is a little less appealing here in Australia. The cost of a 1 day rental in Australia is about 5 times the cost of a 7 day rental in the USA. I know you're in Canada, not sure what it's like there but we get slugged pretty hard price wise on gear. The z8 here marketed on release for virtually $7000. Anyway, enough whinging from me. I appreciate your insights and great work, many thanks 🙏😁

[@spoon48854]

Hey Luke...thanks for the review!! I've been using the D750 and D780....I'm starting to do more corporate events where I'm in meeting rooms with low light because of slideshow presentations etc. and also events on stage with low light. So I plan on purchasing the Z6II in hopes of much clearer and sharper low light images!! Your thoughts?? Thanks, Tom.

[@ViaViktor]

Very cool review. Thanks man.

[@lukewtcleland]

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@camiloadolfozabala]

Hello Luke. Thanks for sharing your experience. I agree with the location of the ISO button, but with lenses that allow it, I change it with the focus ring and it's great.

[@lukewtcleland]

Hey Camilo! Thanks for watching! Yeah, maybe I should try that again. I just found myself accidentally changing it when I had it on my 50 1.2, but maybe I should try it on my other lenses to see if it works better for me. Good idea!

[@JohnBogna]

Really glad I found this channel, and this review. My setup is very similar to what yours was, a D750 with Sigma Art glass (35mm/50mm 1.4) and I'm considering a switch to mirrorless for my next upgrade. This camera was one of the contenders, and it's probably the one I'll end up going with.

[@lukewtcleland]

Hey John! So glad you enjoyed it!! Ahh yes, I loved my sigma art lenses. Yes totally, it feels like a really good transition from the 750. If you heavily rely on a 50mm I’d suggest even renting the 50 1.2 to test it out to see what you think. I know it’s a crazy price, but it really is quite amazing. If that’s totally out of your budget the 50 1.8 really is impressive too.

[@JohnBogna]

@@lukewtcleland the art lenses have been so great! And I would love to test out the 50mm 1.2. It seems like an incredible lens, so I might rent it but will probably end up with the 1.8s to start.

[@lukewtcleland]

@@JohnBogna that's great! Yes, I would totally rent the 50 1.2, its just so fun to shoot with. But the 1.8 is a good starter place!

[@jumartours8417]

I agree that the face detect is 80%. I think it's fine for my wedding photo/video work. I also love the battery (new). I know some people don't like it. The best part for me is that for video, I love the 4k 30 flat reduce the sharpness video.

[@sloetryUK]

Very useful thank you. Is the low light capability significantly better than the d750?

[@lukewtcleland]

Yes it is. It’s been a while, but from what I remember it is a good bit better. Focusing in low light, that’s a different planet compared to 750

[@jlacour2696]

Thanks for the review

[@lukewtcleland]

thanks for watching!

[@douglascarrphotography]

Hi Luke interesting thx but as you don't do that much video I'm just wondering why you didn't get the z7ii instead or was it because of the $$$ thx

[@lukewtcleland]

Hey! So from my understanding, a higher megapixel is actually not great when you use a high iso a lot, it creates extra noise apparently. Also I don’t need that 45mp just seemed like a bit overkill for wedding images.

[@BOUNTYEATER]

What flash did you use with z6II also any 2 lens that you can suggest for weddings?..Im about to purchase z6II this coming month..really love your feedback! 😍Thank you!

[@lukewtcleland]

Hey! I use my old flash a Yongnuo YN560 which I’ve had for years and has work really well. But looking to upgrade those soon. Oh amazing! We’ll it depends on how you want to shoot weddings. I’d suggest using prime lenses as much as possible. So something like a 50mm 1.8 ( or 1.2 if you can afford it) and a 35mm 1.8. I’d also suggest to find a local place that will let you rent a lens so you can test it out before you buy. It’s typically pretty cheap to rent a lens for a weekend.

[@BOUNTYEATER]

@@lukewtcleland its just sad that we dont have a store that offer camera rentals. Im planning Tamron 15-30mm 2.8 G2 & Tamron 70-200mm 2.8 G2 or Sigma 70-200mm 2.8 Sports...is it good? Thanks!

[@BOUNTYEATER]

@@lukewtcleland thank you so much for your insights! Oh? Is yongdoun flash good for events?..can you pls tell me the specific model? Thank you!

[@RemyOrtiz]

@@BOUNTYEATER I highly suggest you get native Z glass. For ultra wide, get the Z 14-30mm f/4S, if you'll be using it with flash. No flash? 14-24mm f/2.8S; it's pricey but it's worth it. For that 70-200mm, get the Z lens as it has been rated as the BEST lens, overall, for any system, PERIOD. For flash, I've been using the Godox V1N, N is for Nikon, and recently been using the MagMod system with it. I HIGHLY recommend it.

[@lukewtcleland]

@@BOUNTYEATER Yeah I think it's good, I'm looking at a Godox flash, or a pro foto speedlight, but if you want to see the flash I use now there a link for in the video description!

[@nellermann]

use the z6ii in Airplane mode, if you are not using wifi or bluetooth. Really helped me! VR and the continuous focus also burns up battery quicker, but really good features.

[@sharonfox7322]

Great review !

[@eoinkirwan3147]

Really enjoyed this review! I continue to research this camera and just on the cusp of buying it.. Were you on firmware 1.4 when this review was made? I'm really looking for great autofocus and eye detect without switching systems from nikon and hoping they are getting there with current firmware!

[@eoinkirwan3147]

just read that 1.5 has no autofocus update, so yeah, 1.4

[@lukewtcleland]

Hey Eoin, No, thanks for bringing that up! I'm still on 1.3 actually. So yeah I'm sure I will see improvement when I update that. Glad you enjoyed it!!

[@elizabethharper6044]

Hi Luke, great video! Have you shot with the Z7ii and if so how would you compare the two?

[@lukewtcleland]

Hey Elizabeth, no I haven’t shot with the z7ii, from what I was looking at, I didn’t need those additional stats like the megapixels. And for low light, my understanding is that the higher megapixels is worse for low light. I also didn’t need my images to be that large.

[@elizabethharper6044]

@@lukewtcleland Thank you Luke, I appreciate your response! Take care.

[@matthewkaltenborn4621]

I agree with everything said here… including the highlights- it really likes to be under exposed! I do find the autofocus isn’t as good as other mirrorless cameras I’ve used but it’s still good. I don’t know if you’ve experienced this but I find the z lenses fog up a lot with temperature changes, including the rear element… I’m finding this very annoying at the moment!

[@lukewtcleland]

OKAY! Yes! But only when we were shooting a wedding in North Carolina in July. It was stupid hot, and our lenses were going nuts with fog. But actually besides that I haven't experience any fog. That's frustrating!

[@natedagreat90]

Raising your is to like 800 while using a speed light and bouncing the flash helps keep the ambient light and give you some insane shutter speeds that will freeze motion every time.

[@ajayshahchennai3817]

GOOD INFORMATION I AM GOING FOR THIS NIKON BODY THIS MONTH THANKS

[@lukewtcleland]

🔥

[@cronufc]

Good review, nice channel, like your mojo. Subscribed ✅️ P.s. Your work is awesome!

[@lukewtcleland]

Thanks so much! Glad you enjoyed! Thanks!!

[@the_bong_traveller3319]

Loved your video man.....am thinking of upgrading from my D7200....Many guys were telling me to buy Z50....but I think this is far better

[@lukewtcleland]

Thanks!! The Z6ii is amazing. I think they may be coming out with a 6iii but who knows.

[@luiseduardo22285]

Hello, excellet video. How it is the maximum ISO that you used in the camera??

[@lukewtcleland]

Maximum I usually use is about 10,000

[@mattcero1]

It's nice to see a true and thorough real world and extensive review. Can you tell me if in the menu, you can select mic level or line level for your microphone audio port? I can on my Fuji and it's great to use line level from my great external sound sources totally bypassing the camera's inferior mic. preamp. Thank you.

[@dansouth2088]

Good stuff! Thank you!

[@lukewtcleland]

Thanks for watching!

[@mankindben]

Hi Luke, great video. Have watched a few of yours and subbed. Quick question, I’m in a similar boat to you but a year behind with regards the move from D750 to Z6 II. When you talked about battery usage, you mentioned having and using all 6 batteries and then some of the back ups. I’m guessing thats 2 EN-EL15-C batteries per body (you mentioned using three in your team) and I’m guessing the back up batteries are your older Non-C batteries, is that right? Just trying to get a feel for how many of these things I need to buy 😂

[@lukewtcleland]

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed and thanks for subbing! Yes, so for each camera body I have 2 enel15C batteries (the new ones), and then I have my old previous Nikon batteries from my d750. I have 3 of those total, which is just 1 per body. So I have 3 batteries for each camera, two new ones and one old one. The old ones work not bad, but they did drop pretty quick a few times while using them, but my batteries are pretty old and we’ll used. A big factor to your battery length is your screen settings like standby. If your screen and camera stays on for a long time those batteries will drain quick. Hope that’s helpful!

[@RJPhotographics]

I've ordered one to take over very low light duties from my D4. I'm a bit concerned that your Z6ii is only returning an 80% hit rate - was that figure for Face Detect only, or C-AF in general? That would be slightly lower than my D4, and much lower than my main camera, an Olympus OM-1. Plus I'll be adapting my 3 f1.4G F mount lenses via FTZ. I'm worried this might not be the camera I'd hoped for. Great photos by the way.

[@markcamm5330]

Just bought one, would you believe to replace my Nikon D850! So happy I did, rather than a Z7 or Z7 II.

[@kimambrocio]

Hey Luke! Love your work. Have you ever tried working with a Z9 before? I found that a lot of the concerns/painpoints you pointed out were alleviated when I swapped over to the Z9 (albeit with the increased weight)

[@lukewtcleland]

Hey Kim! Thanks very much! No I haven't - I'm scared to... I may like it too much and have to replace all my cameras - haha. But weight is a real issue for me. I have to try to keep things light so my back doesn't kill me at the end of a wedding day. But I definitely would like to try the Z9 out in the next year. That is interesting you say that, I'll have to consider it for sure. Thanks for your thoughts!

[@bradcofo]

@@lukewtcleland I shoot Z9s for weddings, but I'm never above 6400 ISO because I light my receptions. After hearing you say you shoot up to 40,000 ISO, I wouldn't recommend the Z9. AF is WAY better on the Z9, but for weddings I don't think the image quality is there above 16K ISO. I recommend waiting to see what they come up with in the Z6iii to still get the amazing low light of the Z6 sensor. Just my $.02

[@lukewtcleland]

@@bradcofo No you're exactly right. And a really good point. The higher the megapixel count on a sensor the worst it is at noise at high ISO (I think that is how it works, someone at a camera store told me that once, and seemed legit haha) But yeah, if you light your scenes you don't need that crazy iso push!

[@jotapardophoto]

What camera are you using right now? I want to upgrate my Nikon Z6II to another better, but not z7 nor z8 nor z9 .... I was thinking in ZF but is is so sad the ergonomics and the minisd card. I rather canon R6 right now. What do you think?

[@QSpeaks]

Good video. First time watcher. Have a z6ii in my cart. Currently a D750 person but not sure I am going to press the shutter.....close.....I shoot sports and this z6ii is much faster....of course the Z9 is 120fps :-). I did mess around w a Sony A1 for fun, and wow- that eye tracking is off the charts.

[@lukewtcleland]

Hey Jay! Thanks for watching! Ahh yes, I loved the 750, but I love my 6ii much more! Haha Yes we’ll the z9 is just a different league. I’ve never shot with the a1 but heard amazing things!

[@smkunder1]

What’s your go to focus mode and do you feel confident with it?

[@lukewtcleland]

I use the smaller size of face recognition about 90 percent of the time. And then spot focusing when I have something really specific to shoot. I think it's great! So much better than my F mount camera. The more you use any of the focus modes the more you learn the pros and cons.

[@elektriksheep]

Useful. Thanks 😊🙏

[@lukewtcleland]

Welcome 😊

[@williamlivesay738]

Hey! Great video! Do you sell your presets by any chance?

[@lukewtcleland]

Hey William. Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it! Not yet! But I've had a few people ask for it, so I think I'll start putting together in the next little while!

[@mjw123]

Great review Luke, as a D750 event shooter very interested in your thoughts. Battery life wasn't something that was on my radar as a negative to the Z6ii. I can do a full event on one battery per body. I do the occasional wedding and it was 2 batteries max per body for the entire day. How many batteries per wedding per body are you getting through ? About 9.20 you talk about apply settings to live view for flash photography, please could you elaborate on this as don't want to get tripped up by it.

[@VitoUno]

I finally did it. Switching to the mirrorless form my D750s to z6ii (why for for z6iii when you can get two used x6iii for the same price almost). Now the sad part. selling off my old gear that has support my family for the past almost decade. :(

[@NR-yq7qo]

Sir, I need your Help.. I rest our camera settings and i can not shots clear picture and many other problem.. Can you share your nikon z 6ii camera settings sir?

[@himalayareaders]

Seems you could well master your device.

[@lukewtcleland]

definitely!

[@annerocksontheroad]

what is the K for this video? thank you I am subbed.

[@lukewtcleland]

Like you mean the colour temp? Awesome! Thanks!

[@annerocksontheroad]

@@lukewtcleland yes the color temp please

[@jdutaphoto703]

Sold! Great video. Nikon owes you commission from my sale!!

[@lukewtcleland]

haha awesome! Thanks!

[@nathanjimenez1562]

A great way to keep ambient light when shooting with Flash is to raise the iso to like 800 and bounce off the walls I can getting insane shutter speeds indoors all while keeping the images look natural can't even tell I'm using a flash

[@lukewtcleland]

Exactly! Great point.

[@ΣάββαςΠαπ-ο5ι]

I love the new nikon z6ii .thanks for your review but still i havent found how to shoot a focused image in the night with flash installed with many people ...the rectangle does not apply to the whole size of the image and theres no way to enlarge it..any advice?

[@lukewtcleland]

Yes, you can do entire screen but still do eye focus. If you have the rectangle you can just go a few settings over and it looks over the entire image for eyes. I will say, that setting isn’t great in really low light.

[@ΣάββαςΠαπ-ο5ι]

@@lukewtcleland how do you enlarge the rectangle? What setting do you propose for night club? Thanks in advance

[@magischehochzeit]

You never said anything about lens. Are you using ftz and sigma art 1.4 or did you buy Nikon new 1.8?

[@lukewtcleland]

So I sold all of my F mount and went all new Z lenses. I've made a few videos about individual lenses I've gotten. Like the 50 1.2, 35 1.8, 50 1.8, 105 2.8. I have used the FTZ and found it works quite well. I just didn't like having and extra mount and the extra size, and the Z lenses are amazing!

[@magischehochzeit]

@@lukewtcleland thx. I will check out your videos.

[@sols9449]

How does it deal with lowlight action like dance floor with the autofocus.

[@lukewtcleland]

The lowlight in general is great. The lowlight autofocus is okay, I think the firmware update makes it a little better which is on my list of things to do. It just struggles a little when its really really dark (dance floor) otherwise it does a pretty good job.

[@sols9449]

@@lukewtcleland thanks 🙏

[@colinmsmall]

I’m looking to buy my first camera and start my journey. I feel drawn to nikon and at the moment I’m leaning towards the Z6II. I originally was considering the Z7II and even thinking of splurging on a Z9.. but after some research and me just entering photography, I think the Z6II may be the way to go. Cheaper, faster than the Z7II, better low light performance.. I love the images nikon cameras generate. I also considered Sony but I’m leaning towards Nikon. What would a great all around lens be to start with?

[@lukewtcleland]

I think you're right! The 6ii seems like a great option for you. I always suggest people to get a simple prime lens to start off with. Either a 50 1.8, or a 35 1.8. Those lenses are going to give you amazing quality, and teach you how to take better photos.

[@colinmsmall]

@@lukewtcleland My only delay at this point is that I keep hearing the z6iii is coming in a matter of a few months. Decisions decisions…

[@lukewtcleland]

@@colinmsmall yes that's true! that could be a great upgrade too

[@hhz246]

Thanks for sharing, very helpful information!

[@lukewtcleland]

You're welcome! Glad it was helpful!

[@deantan4080]

What lens are you shooting with? It appears not sharp at some photos. Or is it intentional?

[@lanbella1016]

thanks luke

[@lukewtcleland]

No prob

[@youngjukim9270]

@@lukewtclelanddoes z6ii low light af struggle ls like z5 for wedding situation?

[@brucecrossan2284]

I have the Z6II and Z7II. . . love them both, but I prefer the Z6II for any situation where I do not need to crop. Tonality, colour, resolution, high ISO output are all fabulous. Agree with you on everything except the highlights. I tend to use highlight priority metering + 0.3 or 0.7 ev or manual and highlights rarely bother me. I have the same issue with the button placement (the D750 was just perfect) and wish there was a vertically swivelling rear screen. . . but overall am really happy with it. Only issues with AF is in tracking Birds in Flight. . . where I get about a 20% hit rate vs about 60% with my (now sold) D500. But I used to get too many keepers with the D500 and took ages to process them all. I often shoot 1,000 to 2,000 images at a time so am still getting 200 - 400 'In Focus' to work with.

[@lukewtcleland]

That's great! I haven't ever used the Z7II. YES! That button placement kills me, but I think I've been slowly getting use to it. Thanks for your comment and for watching!

[@markusbolliger1527]

I agree - the Z6 (I still work with the first generation) is a great camera. So are the lenses. Ergonomically near to perfection, an outstanding image quality.

[@lukewtcleland]

Yes! Glad you think so too.

[@laragway2449]

i love your presets i hope i could have that too

[@lukewtcleland]

Thank you!!

[@ajayshahchennai3817]

i bought body to day thanks for the review

[@lukewtcleland]

Exciting! Hope you enjoy your first day with it!

[@Alice-rn4bi]

I'm thinking about upgrading from a D800 to a Z6ii. I'll use my D800 for a backup camera. This information will help me in my decision thank you.

[@lukewtcleland]

Awesome! Glad I could help Alice, thanks for watching!

[@bfs5113]

In respect to the battery gauge and older EN15 batteries, the gauge is only good for near fresh 2280 mAh EN-15c and not for the 1900 mAh EN-15 or near exhausted/third party battery. For geeks like me, I use a separate USB power tester to measure their amperages while charging or after conditioning. Hence the EN-EL18 and EN-EL4 that use 3x18650 cells last almost a day. Also, as good as the Z6 II is, both Series I & II remain gap fillers to the Z9 v3 in term of AF interface & features and technology. Yeah, shooting with the Z9 v3 is liked an unbox D3. 🙂

[@lukewtcleland]

A power test that’s cool! Definitely, the z 9 is in a different category, but the z6ii works great for what I need!

[@Digmen1]

Three of them! wow I have one and a zfc

[@lukewtcleland]

Nice! That's a great start!

[@jeffreyforbes504]

At 12:24 in the preview screen , the blinking image that looks distorted. Is this normal.

[@lukewtcleland]

That is just a setting on the camera. It shows when the highlights are blown out.

[@chessmagic5300]

is z6ii worth buying in 2023, or there are some other alternatives at the similar price ranges. i want to buy a good photography camera priced below 2000$ for body only. (I have very less interest in videography). i would love to go with full-frame mirrorless, so could u please suggest me the best camera.

[@lukewtcleland]

I think it's great for me, I think they may be coming out with a Z6iii soon, so that may be a great option for that price point.

[@tk_wanderlust]

Thank you so much for mentioning you went to this from the d750! That's where I'm at now and I've been thinking about upgrading for a while now

[@lukewtcleland]

Oh awesome! Yeah, I loved my 750, but i LOVE this just as much!

[@heythere6983]

Does iso performance look different in terms of noise in different settings? For example 1000 iso in a room during the day like your photos vs 1000 iso in the street at night looking much more grainy? It wasn’t the same camera , it was the z7 ii Photo with iso 1000 infront of a brightly lit diner (photo I saw) and it was very noisy and it surprised me . I know the 7 has more mp so it one noisier but I was so confused bc Iv seen night photos that look free of noise at times and I have idea why the shots Iv seen sometimes look noisy with these cameras and the iso isn’t super high

[@lukewtcleland]

Hum. Good question. I would assume it may look less grainy if there is more light. It could be how they edited it? Maybe it was shot at 1000 iso but under exposed, and then they brightened in post, that would add a lot more grain. That's what my guess would be.

[@jacquelinevs]

What focusing modes do you find are best for a wedding day? Edit to add: Also, I just followed you on IG and realized you're Maple's dog dad - I've got my Chloe! Love another Cavalier Toronto wedding photographer!

[@lukewtcleland]

Chloe is ADORABLE 😭😭😍 That’s so crazy! Nice to meet you!! We already follow you! My wife came across Chloe somewhere before! So I use the the wide-L face tracking for like 90% of the day. I find it’s decent for focusing when there is no face as well. If it’s having issues then I’ll switch to wide-L on its own. But I’ll often tweek the focus with the manual focus override on my 50 1.2 to get it exactly where I want it.

[@Watching-and-Learning]

Looking at moving away from DSLR into the world of mirrorless. Can anyone help me with an amateur question please? - Are the 'old' SD cards for the DSLR the same fitting to the memory cards required for a Nikon Z6ii? I understand an upgrade in capability would be required, but I need to buy a card reader for my MacBook and I'm not sure if the cards are two different sizes. Thanks in advance.

[@lukewtcleland]

Hey! Good questions. So for the Z6ii it takes an SD card and a type B CF Express card. You don't have to have both in your camera. You can just have one or the other. For SD cards, any normal sized SD should work. So I could have used my old SD cards from my previous DSLR, but I just upgraded because I wanted a bigger size, and I wanted it to match the size of my CF Express card. So you could continue to use your SD card. If you're looking for a card reader I would look at the PROGRADE readers. I actually added a link to it in the video description if you want to look into it.

[@Watching-and-Learning]

@@lukewtcleland Appreciate the info, thanks mate.

[@RemyOrtiz]

What Luke said is all correct. For the fastest buffer clearance times, take a look at the card's WRITE speeds, not read. B&H Photo has those numbers clearly available on their website for all of the memory they offer. But, to get you started, the SD card slot can take UHS-I cards, not just UHS-II. Because the files aren't massive like on the Z7 II and Z9, I recommend going with 128GB cards for full weddings/events. The fastest UHS-II card I've been able to find is PNY's X-PRO 90 series at 280MB/s. You can then pair it with any CFExpress Type B card that's over 1,200MB/s on its write speed and you're golden. Just keep in mind that shooting in back up, the buffer clearing speed will dumb down to the SD card you have in. Overflow should get you well over 100 shots in 14-bit RAW-L only, Lossless compressed, before the buffer fills.

[@lukewtcleland]

@@RemyOrtiz Well said!

[@markshirley01]

Im still on my D750, I just couldn't face less battery power. Plus I couldn't see the sense of two slots with mixed media and you can't back up video. Im seriously looking at moving to Sony but hanging on for dear life for Nikon to drop a mid-market camera that is a winner

[@lukewtcleland]

Totally, it’s great for photo but I could see the drawbacks with video. It’s definitely hitting the right points for me - hope you can find one that does it for you!

[@jacquelinevs]

The 780 is a pretty fantastic compromise

[@lukewtcleland]

@@jacquelinevs that's true actually! I used the 780 for a wedding last year, and was surprised by how much of a nice upgrade it was!

[@andykphoto]

I have one on the way on a trade up form my D3s… that’s going to be interesting. I have to figure out what to do with my Df next… 😅

[@lukewtcleland]

haha oo interesting! Let me know how it goes! I think you'll like it. The Df! it's a cool camera though.

[@andykphoto]

@@lukewtcleland I like the Df visually, and it is a great sensor, UAT the UI/UX sometimes lets me down. I’m loving the Z6II so far 😸

[@readitoutloud]

I agree on zsystem that the highlights blow out very easily when compared to DSLR. Even the d850 was more sensitive than d810 that I owned. I own the z6, Z6ii and z7ii. The quality of images is great but I miss the character of the older d series.

[@lukewtcleland]

Okay! Good to know I'm not crazy. I thought the highlights were sensitive. That's true, I guess I shoot film too, so I use other lenses that have some great quality. But I will say the 50 1.2 has some character!

[@readitoutloud]

@@lukewtcleland KZbin testers like the slanted lens used to test highlight roll off on different cameras. Lately I don’t see many reviews or tests that cover the subject. It’s a useful measure for that film simulation. Dynamic range tests don’t give the whole story.

[@colt24]

Got myself a nikon D3200 and I'm ready for my upgrade.. Currently, low light is my nemesis! Anything over 600 ISO causes so much distortion and noise! Tell me this will be a massive upgrade? 😅

[@lukewtcleland]

Ahhh your mind will be blown.

[@RemyOrtiz]

As a Z6 II wedding and portrait shooter for the last year, my upgrade path was D5300>D5600>D7500>Z6 II. The low light capabilities are ASTOUNDING and the images are so clean. AND you're jumping from APS-C crop to full frame. That alone, your light sensitivity with an equal resolution sensor is enough to shock your system. Just make sure to get the best Z glass you can. Bread and butter is the 24-70mm f/2.8S. But if you had to get ONE lens, it would pay to get the 50mm f/1.2S because you can always stop it down to f/1.8 and the Z f/1.8 model is super pricey, compared to the competition.

[@colt24]

@@RemyOrtiz this comment excites me beyond words! I'm a massive novice when it comes to photography equipment. I will purchase the 24 - 70mm standard Z lense by default and definitely considering the other lense. My freelance work is currently interior design products. I can't wait!

[@RemyOrtiz]

@@colt24 Make sure you get the 2.8S model, not the f/4. The 2.8 can always be stopped down to f/4 but you have the added stops of light you can use with that standard zoom lens. It’s certainly worth the investment. The clarity is like having f/2.8 primes, all in one lens.

[@lukewtcleland]

@@RemyOrtiz wow what an upgrade path!

[@jeffro06]

Just got one!

[@lukewtcleland]

Ooooo exciting! You’ll love it!

[@shadyninja1]

Do you ever miss focus when the focus has been clearly placed on your subject. I do miss focus on my Z6 at 1000 ISO in low light conditions

[@lukewtcleland]

Really?? Not really. I do notice in low light it can be tricky, but overall it doesn't miss focus in taking the actual shot. It does search before I shoot it, but it's pretty good for me. Maybe it's a firmware update issue?

[@totochandelier]

thx for sharing !

[@lukewtcleland]

Thanks for watching!