Nikon Z7 II vs D850 review: FINALLY time to switch to mirrorless??

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Tony & Chelsea Northrup review the new full-frame mirrorless camera, the Nikon Z II, against the best DSLR ever made: The Nikon D850. They compare handling, comfort, focusing, sports, wildlife, portraits, travel, landscapes, battery life, and more!

[@TonyAndChelsea]

Re: Z7 focus tracking. We're totally aware that subject tracking can be assigned to one of the fn buttons on the front of the camera, but (as we point out in the video) we find those buttons more difficult to press than the dual back-button configuration on the D850. Also, activating subject tracking on the Z7 is a two-step process even after you've assigned it to an fn button: first you start subject tracking, then position it over the subject you want to track, and finally you press OK or the shutter to actually activate it on a subject. On the D850, this can happen with a single button press, either AF-On or clicking the thumb stick. This isn't a huge deal deal when photographing a building, but it caused problems when shooting action and sports, where tenths of a second really count. Also, please recognize that I was trying to point out that the Z7 II's all-autofocus-points algorithm is DUMB and needs to be improved. It shouldn't be focusing on something at the edge of the frame. All AF points is what most casual photographers will use in travel scenarios like we showed. It required me to attempt to focus, recognize that it's focused on something dumb, and then press an awkwardly placed fn button on the front of the camera to bypass that dumbness. It's an annoying and unnecessary process. Especially since eye detection can only be activated when using all autofocus points mode, that mode needs to be more intelligent. It could be as simple as favoring objects in the center of the frame. It would help if Nikon would update the Z7 II firmware to allow the "Sub-selector center" option to be assigned to subject tracking; that's how we shoot with the D850. It would also help if subject tracking activated instantly rather than requiring the current two-stage process.

[@punkrachmaninoff]

Nikon has been doing ok with firmware, hopefully they continue to update and make up some ground on Sony. More importantly, Chelsea, those boots are EPIC! 💜👢

[@HappyHubris]

Sony allows tracking from a plethora of different focus zone types without any additional input besides a shutter half-press or the AF-On button. Industry best practice should be minimal focus zone constraints or extra steps for eye-AF and subject tracking.

[@pete_stewardson]

You're not quite right with the subject tracking, it's not a 2 stage process if you assign the function button. You push the function button to enable tracking, then place the box over the subject and then hit the BBF or hold the shutter half way and it tracks the subject. Want to track a different subject, release the AF-On, place the box over the new subject and then hold af-on again and you're tracking again. No need for the second ok if you use the function button. Also if you have one of the holy trinity Z lenses you can assign the function button on the lens itself to subject tracking which is really convenient and not so fiddly to reach as the fn buttons on the front of the body.

[@brucesterlowden140]

Thanks for the very full and professional reply Tony and Chelsea, 😉. I agree with your comments about the sub selector too. I have not heard others describe the Fn buttons as awkwardly placed...concerning that they are not comfortable for some hands. If they were comfortable then the option to choose your subject might be useful in some scenarios and be less of a frustration. I hope they correct this with firmware. Meantime I’ll keep using my D500 for wildlife!

[@TonyAndChelsea]

+Pete Stewardson Yeah, I've used it and that's exactly what I'm describing. Step 1: Push the function button. Step 2: Place the box over the subject and hit BBF or shutter. If you use the 3D tracking on a D850 or D500 you'll see what I mean; it's quicker and easier bc you don't have to press the function button.

[@TheShaunyboy67]

I have two D850's for my wedding business here in the UK. Having bought my first 35mm Nikon FA in 1985 I consider the D850 to be the best DSLR ever made. I won't be shelling out any money on the mirrorless system and it's lenses any time soon, as there is absolutely nothing that would make any real significant difference to a professional photographers technique or workflow at a wedding by using the Z7II. Fancy focusing systems, when you know what your doing are irrelevant. FPS above and beyond 5 or 6 are irrelevant at weddings too. I always thought that the next wonderous step in camera technology was to somehow completely get rid of the shutter. So really, whats the REAL big advantage of getting rid of the mirror? Not that much really. Not when you know you have the best DSLR ever made working along side you.

[@stanfleming2050]

The EVF blackout at high frame rates is awesome too. Missed shots galor. Love that feature with mirrorless too.

[@caleidoo]

- live previewing exposure in EVF (especially when manual exposure, but also to check what the camera decides) - seeing in the dark with EVF (and fast glass) - eye focus (not always necessary, but very useful during wedding shoot) - much quieter shutter - optional totally silent shutter - smaller body - firmware updates give improvements and new features. - all Z lenses are significantly and visibly sharper and with less aberrations than the "old" F lenses - but good F glass will do perfectly fine. There are downsides of course. Battery consumption being one of them. And for hard core action photography, the AF won't keep up with tracking. The biggest reason why I still carry a D750 in my bag, besides the Z6 & Z6II as my main duo, is that Z cameras (and all mirrorless cameras) disable the AF assist light on any hotshoe flash you put on the camera. Sure, the camera body has a green LED light, but that draws all the attention to me instantly and kills any candid shot. So Nikon Z makes it impossible to autofocus in near dark or pitch black scenes (events & dancefloor scenes), for my style of shooting. So I grab the D750 & SB-910 for those moments. But I suggest you hire a Z7 II for a weekend and base your opinion on actual experience. D750 & D850 are Nikon's finest allround DSLR bodies.

[@MMB.__]

Absolutely. Plus it's a Pro body. The other feels consumer and the battery simply lasts much less. Focusing birds is another plus too. There is no point in having 400 focusing points if you can't track well enough erratic moving subjects. 153 is already plenty. Being able to use all amazing lenses is great aswell. I have heard by the way that smaller bodies tend to heat up more when using video.

[@HoniSoitQuiMalPense]

...and here comes the Z9 ...shutterless, no evf blackout and amazing autofocus, great filming capabilities...and I guess that changes the equation ;)

[@GeertDelmulle]

@@HoniSoitQuiMalPense indeed. And obviously, losing the mirror was the first step. Losing the shutter is the next. But to many, losing the mirror is more important one - it’s strange that these 2 are switched around by the OP (first time I seen that argument). Here’s an extra advantage for losing the mirror: no more ‘mirror slap’ and thus no more need for activating an extra delay in the camera settings.

[@johnz4412]

The D850 isn't at all outdated. This is new gear hype, making incredible gear seem out of step. I love so many things about my D810 and D850. Both produce perfect images, and both have awesome battery life. Spend your money on education. These fantastic cameras are not the limiting factor in getting awesome images, in fact, neither camera creates images. They just record what you envision, and that's where the magic is.

[@andriykovach2736]

D700 is still a great camera as well!! 😁

[@orinokoflow6280]

@@andriykovach2736 I still can't part ways with my 3Ds. Love the colours and kind of texture in the photos I get.

[@ross8260]

The Z lens tech is the real reason for upgrading. The likes of the 85mm 1.8 is clearly a new generation of image quality compared to the G equivalents.

[@johnz4412]

@@ross8260 I'm not in disagreement with your opinion. I simply feel that, even trained photographers, won't find the improvements will make much difference in the fine quality of well crafted images customers will love. My G lenses, including Tamron versions, produce gorgeous, sharp files. If just starting out, I agree with going mirrorless. If one already has a good DSLR and lenses, all the other elements that go into stunning images far outweigh the cost of switching up. Just my perspective from 35 years of wedding and portrait work.

[@bngr_bngr]

When Tony says mirrorless is not good for sports. It’s Nikon is not good for sports. Two years later Nikon still has the same cameras. While Sony and Canon have jumped ahead in AF technology. One would have to get a Z9 to shoot sports with a Nikon.

[@satoriivy175]

One of the biggest things that keep me using my D850 is the optical viewfinder. As an Astrophotographer having that optical view is essential. It’s still one of the greatest drawbacks of mirrorless cameras.

[@franktherabbit42]

I use the back screen and digitally zoom in to focus on the stars. I don't think it's paramount to have an optical viewfinder though. I've not found it limiting

[@Jimmy_Cavallo]

Why is the mirrorless viewfinder a drawback.??

[@ExpeditionNomadicAdventures]

I have watched you two since before I bought my D7200 3 years ago as my entry into Wildlife and landscape photography. When I saw the price of the Z9, I was all in to work a seasonal job as a retired full-time RV’er. Two months ago I discovered the price drop for the D850. Now, I will work for the first time in 12 years to purchase 2-3 lenses to go with a new D850 I'll gift myself for Christmas. Thank you so much for the comparison videos.🎉😊❤

[@Jeff26]

I’m riding my D500 into the ground

[@aussie8114]

I’m taking my D810 to my grave 😂

[@coreychappelle2543]

LMAo oh man top comment

[@CapturedByKen]

Same here lol

[@WhittyPics]

Hard to beat a D500 for action unless you go to a D5 or D6

[@coreychappelle2543]

@Marc Also own a D810 and it is a phenominal camera. Video is the main area that is lagging behind the mirrorless. That and depending on what you shoot size and weight.

[@crooney82]

My wife has been a working photographer for years and she’s made a very good living with Nikon full frame (and cropped frame years ago) professional cameras. This was a great discussion piece and I loved the reviews. I’d love to try this out versus our d3s and d6 and see how the mirrorless camera performed in a real working environment.

[@jeffhastings8048]

I'll hang onto my D850 for a while longer. I'm sure in the years to come I'll consider their mirrorless system more seriously. Great video!

[@NallePu83]

Z9

[@bngr_bngr]

@@NallePu83 the Z9 is a different price point.

[@michael-4k4000]

do u still own your D850????

[@ericfallabel9201]

Had to listen to 9:19 four times to confirm I heard what I heard

[@mcgill322]

Yep 😂 🐔

[@danoc51]

They won't be on KZbin very long with talk like that!

[@HarryHorakGadgeteer]

I thought I had to be hearing things, at first

[@mcmoose64]

Freudian slip ???

[@BlownMacTruck]

Sheesh. Can you guys travel or read a book or something? I mean even googling “le coq” + clock would give you some basic info.

[@billmastorakis2137]

Thumbs up button mashed on the THICC graphic.

[@cjlove9087]

Basically😂😂😂I almost hit subscribe again on that.

[@emilylobb6630]

I think I’m even more confused. I have been doing extensive research between Nikon D850, Nikon Z7 II, and and Canon EOS R 5. Ideally, I want a camera for landscapes and wildlife. I do a lot of hiking with my dog. I’d prefer Nikon only because it is NPS preference. I am working towards a career in the National parks. Any advice on cameras would be greatly appreciated!

[@joe2snj]

That rolling shutter when panning is a crime against humanity.

[@ytr8989]

Why do we have rolling shutter in 2021? Because Nukon

[@joe2snj]

@Strawberry Kiys The rolling shutter was when Tony was taking stills not video. That’s caused by having a slow readout speed of the sensor.

[@alperenakdemir]

Which camera is the best against rolling shutter?

[@joe2snj]

@@alperenakdemir Sony A9 series for FF

[@ghas4151]

@@joe2snj most full frame cameras have rolling shutter when panning using the electronic shutter. I think only the Sony A9 series offers a significant improvement in that regard due to the sensor it is using.

[@FrederickDunn]

I love that you went to Mystic Seaport... I was a maritime painter back in the 80's and getting my work in that gallery was a high-point for me. I dropped my D4 and D4s bodies for two Z7II bodies, I figured it's time I commit to mirrorless, and the weight difference alone is so strange in the hand. I could carry these around all day and they take up so little space in the gear bag. The Z Lenses are absolutely excellent, I'm keeping my old F-mount lenses as backups. Thanks for all you do! Oh, one more thing I like about the Z7II, I don't like to wear my glasses and I can preview images through the viewfinder and verify quality. With the D bodies, I had to put my glasses on and look at the back of the camera to pixel peep.

[@AD-mw6ne]

I love watching you two. You are both so refreshing to watch. Keep up the great work!

[@michaeltrue]

Thanks for the comparison T & C. My Z7ii, a 14-30 f/4, a 24-70 f/2.8 and a vertical grip on pre-order/backorder. Ready to sell my D810 and all F lenses to KEH!

[@IVMTAB]

D780 is a perfect mix of DSLR & Mirrorless and it gives you really long battery life, unlike mirrorless.

[@johnkaper1129]

Excellent comparison, loved the interaction between the two of you! happy holidays....

[@koolkutz7]

Nice overview and well presented facts. It proves that both systems have pros and cons right now. I am still hanging onto my Nikon D7500 for wildlife photography but I want to eventually switch to a mirrorless system because I am a hybrid photo/video shooter and the LiveView AF is terrible on Nikon DSLR's (as proved by Chelsea using the D850). The EVF lag is a real issue with mirrorless for wildlife shooting too. Hopefully these issues will be resolved soon.

[@milbankmedia6950]

To change the focus mode you hold the fn2 button on the front by the grip and roll the aperture wheel. So simple, you can do it with one hand.

[@kennethbradstedlarsen5194]

Yeah, it really is that simple. It's weird how many of these youtubers review cameras they haven't tested thoroughly.

[@TonyAndChelsea]

We discuss this and show it. The point is it's easier on the D850.

[@TonyAndChelsea]

FYI I added a pinned comment with detailed information.

[@Viper3870750]

@@kennethbradstedlarsen5194 That is the exact time when I stopped watched watching too. Now I remember why I stopped watching their videos years ago...

[@italozavarella5460]

Without a doubt the best informative, educational, inspirational and entertaining camera and photography couple on KZbin. Congratulations 😃

[@borethsaron8185]

You guys are awesome here. Loves it, Chelsea and her sense of humor. So funny. Great episode and scenery make me want to go shoot right now. Thanks guys and keep up the great team work.

[@Archonsx]

Lol you just think she’s hot, be honest

[@perilthecat]

Uhhh... guys... at 9:20 - Chelsea, ya kiiiiiinda dropped the “L” in “Tony comes from behind with just 9 minutes on the clock” 😅😂🤣😅😅😅

[@cage4life]

I also noticed that! I had to do a triple-take just because I couldn’t tell if I really heard that!

[@usafromad1]

I heard it as well and considered a replay but said, "nah, I know what I heard there." What's more intriguing is the choice to not edit out what was a voiceover to begin with.

[@raksh9]

Winky face ;)

[@arianduran1725]

Lol interesting . 🍰 cake sound much better than clock 🕙 mispronouncing.

[@robertw1962]

My ear picked that up, being a fan of bloopers and pranks.

[@antonioscopelliti]

I replaced my Z6 with the brand new Z7-II, mainly cause I would focus on portraits. I think DSLRs are not (still) dead, but electronic viewfinder simplify composition a lot in almost every scenarios. Mirrorless main lack actually is a 3D tracking autofocus such in Nikon Pro-DSLRs. Z7-II autofocus is great in face/eye recognition, but I found it's not so accurate in other modes.

[@jre617]

That 600mm lens is massive! Can't imagine walking around with that thing, maybe if it had wheels.

[@kevinastley2562]

You guys are great. You put so much fun into photography. Thank you

[@wibbley1]

why does my keh commercial keep getting interrupted?

[@sekrasoft]

It would be great to take weather problems into account. Overheating at +35C, freezing at -35C, operating with covered hands, operating while raining, etc. Everything mentioned is possible in my region.

[@antsfinland2760]

It was -25°C yesterday while I was photographing nutcrackers and the d850 worked perfectly!

[@aussie8114]

I still like my D810. I see no reason to change.

[@rogerwilliamson7161]

Me too. Greetings from Germany!

[@Twitter_Posts]

@@rogerwilliamson7161 greetings

[@noplastik]

Exactly. When you're a photographer. When you are a YT influencer, you need to praise every new model. Even though it's shit: D

[@markhawking5153]

This is the video that I was looking for! Thanks guys!❤️

[@markfrazee8623]

Enjoy your videos. Currently have a Z6 but would love to have a Z7 II.

[@coltoncyr2283]

I'm a little disappointed I didn't see a Helicopter being shot down with that 600mm Rocket Launcher!! Holy shhht haha

[@Noksus]

I switched from a D7200 to a Z 6II. Love the camera, especially I love full frame and low light performance. Love eye AF. Love Snapbridge. All my photos are transferring to my phone without me having to do anything. Completely transforms how I can use my camera as the imaging device and then my phone to send those images to where ever I want. I really don't need my camera to do that.

[@Noksus]

I hope Nikon keeps at it. I see absolutely no reason they can't regain popularity, they just have to keep making their cameras even better. If they make the decision to stop or slow down r&d just to save money, that's a bad idea. It's like selling all your properties in Monopoly just to make a few bucks to pay rent.

[@everydayfitness6605]

me same story D7200 to Z6II

[@ljwhatup]

Same here D7100 to Z6II. And I love it.

[@jlpitts93]

How are yall liking the z6 ii a year later? I’m considering the change from d7000

[@Noksus]

@@jlpitts93 Still awesome, not looking back at APS-C at all. And Nikon all the way.

[@meplayz6097]

You guys make a great couple,I laugh all the time at your humor.even though I do photography mostly underwater,I enjoy above ground.thanks for making photography enjoyable to watch through guys.

[@perilthecat]

😂 I love the little quips at the bottom “From the ‘90s: 20 years newer!” 🤣😂🤣

[@ridermedusa4289]

I love you guys. You're like the sweetest couple without intenionally being sweet.

[@chloescanlon1107]

🤢

[@martinlewis1015]

I am with Chelsea, I like D850 as view finder is easy for glass wearer and I added a x2 boost

[@CincyKid]

cute format, made me chuckle a number of times.

[@Joseph-iu6ip]

You are wrong. The Z7 has subject tracking. I cannot believe he says it doesn’t.

[@TonyAndChelsea]

I say that it does and discuss the problems with how it is implemented. Read the pinned comment.

[@Joseph-iu6ip]

@@TonyAndChelsea you must have leaned that after reading some comments, because your video made it clear you didn’t know how to turn it or nor use it.

[@youknowwho9247]

@@Joseph-iu6ip Except they have a video on the original Z7 from when it came out and discussed the problems exactly as stated in that comment back then...

[@Joseph-iu6ip]

@@youknowwho9247 then why was he play acting like you need to poke at the screen to focus?

[@dvpowers]

I'm with Chelsea! I love my D 810.

[@Zifiron]

You guys are actually funny together. Great vid and comparison. I'm coming from a D500 to a Z6II. Some similarities can be drawn here. I liked this comparison very much. Subscribing now

[@quite1enough]

Ergonomically, I'd really wanna have something like D850 but mirrorless and with ibis

[@suerakes]

I’ve been a Nikon user since 1983 and I feel like I’ve always been one of the FEW! I love my olympus mirror less but I miss my Nikon “feel”. Always some sacrifices when it comes to what you want to shoot. I’m so glad Nikon has developed their gear. As I’ve aged I’ve seen myself attracted to more lightweight gear so I can backpack on longer trips so I’m not sure I’ll ever return to heavy full crop gear. When backpacking I can only pick one camera so for now it must be the olympus Em1X ... loved loved loved your comparison video for an update on Nikon’s progress. One thing will never ever change-I love gear so I can always be persuaded to get newer better gear - I miss my Nikon FX bodies and only have the D750 for night work

[@corysilkenphotography308]

A good argument for having both, which is the current situation.

[@jimwlouavl]

Really good comparison and your banter was fun.

[@Databyter]

I love you guys. What a cool contrast. You guys are the Siskel and Ebert of the Camera world. I realise sometimes you both agree and one is playing the devils advocate, and that's cool too. But I love to watch videos like this where you guys entertain and compete and give the viewer a fuller understanding of two separate viewpoints, both valid, but both illuminating and edifying for the consumer. Bravo. Databyter

[@lobodk]

Great video I appreciate showing all the shortcomings & advantages to Mirrorless x DSLR & comparative to the best Nikon has to offers. Z7 II might not have everything, it’s enough to carry me a years tho. Hope I win, happy New Years Northrup clan 🙏🏾

[@longrifle.]

Until Nikon can make a mirrorless that can at least match the D850, for stills, in sports/wildlife arena. With a much better battery life. I'm staying DSLR. They are getting closer just not there yet.

[@nikolausbrzezinski419]

Thanks for the great review! Can you also review the Z5 and more budget friendly options in central?

[@davem1411]

I just wanna say thanks for coming to Essex CT!

[@alfredconqueror4422]

I always wanted to have a D850 but now that I have the money it seems more reasonable to buy the Z7II

[@andreika6681]

or may be it seems more reasonable to by g50s now :-P

[@MyNorthAmetican40]

Seriously, if a pro can’t take excellent pictures with any modern camera, the fault is NOT with their equipment. Look behind the camera.

[@bngr_bngr]

When a camera can’t reliably AF.

[@noxtrom]

You both rock! Great content, as always!

[@RickMentore]

A fantastic example of how a complicated subject of any kind can be presented in an entertaining format!

[@AndrewThomas73]

Bored of this now, every few months it pops up time to switch, you can take a great photo with an ancient camera system.....

[@woodybear8298]

Then why are you here?

[@jiffster25]

The D850 is my dream camera. Waiting for the price to come down a bit more. I shot Nikon since I started but recently shifted over to Fuji and sold all my Nikon gear. I'd love for Nikon to make a full mirrorless successor to the D850 but so far I've been fair unimpressed with their offerings, very average (in my opinion and compared to their main competitors). Hoping they still have something in the tank to blow everyone away again, just like they did with the D850.

[@Smoothblue90]

Pretty area. Nice drone work. Great video. Excellent camera.

[@darrenweston8085]

Love the vid guys... Any idea when the z ii series will be available when tethering in LR ..

[@petouser]

It would be so cool if Nikon could put the advantages of the Z7 II intro a DSLR. Like IBIS, Good live view autofocus, silent shutter, maybe hybrid viewfinder where you can switch between EVF and OVF (similar to the Fujifilm X-Pro series). You probably won't be able to use Z-mount lenses, but most stuff would be able to integrate i suppose.

[@roniL2000]

Check out the d780!

[@bestbass42]

Nikon D880 due out early next year.

[@davidhuffman8706]

The D780 is such a great combination of these two!

[@skyrunr]

I'll be trying one out this week. If only if was in a D5xxx shell. I don't need the tack sharp glass. I need a better all-rounder and the user experience I had with my pro DSLR's for over 15 years.

[@rockzionmedia8311]

I just love the quality of this video and everything, if i may ask. Which camera did you guys use for this video?

[@FrankDiNardi]

Filmed in the a7siii!

[@TMartins379]

I’m still rocking my D800E and Im loving it.

[@adrianvanleeuwen]

When Nikon puts out the successor to D850 in DSLR as it is rumored, such as a D880 with Z video tech inside (like they did for the D750/D780), I believe Chelsea might like trying that one out. Would she sell her D850 and get a D880 body? There is something to be said for having a lot of external button controls to speed up things.

[@smaakjeks]

6:53 - I wonder who edited this video :D

[@Neopulse00]

😂😂😂

[@tylerdoestech]

Fantastic video and production! As usual, this is an excellent rundown of head-to-head features. I think this same scenario on the Canon side is a bit more difficult depending on what you use for comparison. For example, I am essentially using two cameras to do most of what the R5 offers without 8K, of course, but my battery life is more than three times longer, and I get redundancy in my system with two bodies versus one. Thank you for sharing this!

[@irutgers]

I like the review...j I have been a Nikon user for years, with a minor in Sony A7II... for my needs the Z6II covers all my needs 😊

[@danoc51]

Whew! Early on I thought this one was going to end in a divorce. Seriously, I do like the competition format. Great job as always!

[@nairbyad7188]

i'll never sell my d850! i look at computer screens all day, give me a break!!

[@SamuelBarrPhotography]

What's up you two! Great video as always. Quick question - what camera did you use to film this video?

[@perthomsen8708]

Excellent comparison! Fully agree with everything T&C said.

[@kjetilsimonsen7180]

I switched from D850 to the Z7 and haven't regretted for a second. Loved the D850 though and I don't shoot wildlife. Not sure if I agree on what you say about the subject tracking on Z7 even after reading all your comments.

[@gordon9177]

is it the Z7 or Z7ii you have?

[@kjetilsimonsen7180]

@@gordon9177 I have the Z7. Switched from D850 to that one. Later I added a Z6 which I've used for video and that I changed to a Z6ii a few weeks ago. So now I have a Z6ii for video and portraiture, and Z7 for landscape (often use this for portraiture too). If I miss one thing, it would be a tilt screen as canon has for my low angle shooting.

[@gordon9177]

@@kjetilsimonsen7180 ah ok. I had the D750 for abut a year. I sold it & I'm getting that itch agin. but I want to move up though. i'm in between the d780 or the 6ii/7ii's. I"m no hurry. I'll till Cyber Monday comes around and hopefully they'll be sale this year, unlike last year.

[@tekkaman65535]

The battery life issue isn't just worth a single point... Depending on settings, the D850 can take 8-10 times the number of shots on a single battery as the Z7ii. Ironically, the number of batteries you'd have to carry with a Z7 to equal the same number of shots as the D850 would weigh twice as much as the much touted weight difference between the two.

[@simonzaus4263]

Have you ever tried one of the Z cameras by yourself? I don't know what you're doing, but I get about 60% of the shots out of my Z6 compared to my D850.. ;-)

[@jsavak99]

You should do a side by side comparison with a natural light FASHION shoot using the Nikon D810 and the Nikon Z7 - Id like to see if there is a difference in the photos at all. Compare each photo shot side by side. Would love to see this type of video

[@amogh3010]

Hey guys! Love your channel! Can you please do a camera review for the Nikon D780

[@curtarama]

Good comparison! I have also found that the the Z cameras do a variety of things better, especially video, but its complicated. I still think my D850 is much better for outdoor action sports, which is my primary subject matter. The 850's autofocus is simply better(I primarily use single point & group for action) and battery life while shooting mountain bike races, especially 12 and 24 hour events, is at least three times better with the 850. Just as I'm thinking of getting an R5 and trying Canon, Nikon announces the Z9.....

[@thomasphillips5850]

There is no comparison with the D850 for stills. I am very happy with my 850, and I shoot Canon as well. The absolute titan would be an 850 with IBIS. Thanks it was a great video.

[@sidvicious3129]

Tony and Chelsea, the two of you are just so adorable together. Keep up the good work.

[@eshanhalapanavar6774]

Love the way you present the video guys Awesome job Love from India 🇮🇳

[@MOMAT_]

tony's smile at the last frame lol!

[@JgHobley]

How was this filmed? The quality is outstanding! Stunning scenery too.

[@TonyAndChelsea]

Sony a7S III by Frank Dinardi

[@koolkutz7]

Yes I noticed how crisp & clear the filming was too.

[@B-kl8vj]

@@TonyAndChelsea looks fantastic. Which lens did you use?

[@weeklyinvestmentadvice6413]

Frank Dinardi!!

[@FrankDiNardi]

@@B-kl8vj we filmed it in the 24-70 2.8 g master. Used a ronin S for at the moving shots in Essex.

[@whafrog]

Chelsea: "I'm not having...problems" 😂

[@MR-si2cd]

I have two D810 and they have been great over the years for weddings and portraits. I have debated about going to Sony but most likely get one of these and also a Z9. People say those Z9 are too heavy and bulky but I have never used my D810's without a grip so I guess I'm really used to it.

[@phillipkozis6823]

thanks! I liked the review. maybe Z7iii? Still on the Nikon D810 with the best glass possible and it's still great for fine art portraits and real estate photography. Want to upgrade but wait until the next when the software and tracking, iso for video is better again, thanks.

[@gyozakeynsianism]

"She thicc!" "Tony was right!"x3 Great video!

[@Tap-a-roo]

My experience still remains that the mirrorless cameras still don't focus properly at all. Reminds me of the issues with the non-Nikon lenses not hitting the focus targets properly.

[@DalsPhotography]

I am so happy with my Fuji xt4 :) ..... LOL interesting points of view, and take into account I am another old owner hehe, from a Canon 5Dsr! Good one Tony and Chelsea!

[@meriharary]

I have a D850. I just use manual focus for videos and photos. I can decide what I want to focus on, what I want to be blurred, depth, etc. l’m not a pro, and just a beginner, but find manually focusing so easy and creative. I grew up before AF lenses, so even as a kid I was focusing myself. So all this talk about focusing issues to me, is very solvable.

[@GeertDelmulle]

7:10 Hey! DSLRs have a DoF preview button! It's configured standard on one of the function buttons at te front...

[@JimBailie]

This is starting to feel like a Dr. Ho infomercial:(

[@alvarogaitan2529]

fantastic Tonny and Chelsea terrific job thanks

[@jeffmckeon]

Hi guys, great video. i have just purchased the Nikon Z7 but it hasnt arrived yet. Was this video shot with the mirrorless camera and what lens was used. ??Thanks heaps

[@Wychfyre_]

Z7 the first also has eye autofocus, just came in a firmware update

[@sloppy-1-1]

true. promised to do a video about that almost 2 years ago, never came....

[@MannsWoodlandPerspective]

This is more entertainment than actual review lol

[@suzKawasaki]

Have a D3X and z6ii, was considering the z7ii or D850. Decided to go 850 for fast action and the thicc body :). I also like the cheaper F mounts that I can share across all my cameras

[@spen007]

Like fine wine... Just keeps on getting better. Thanks guys!

[@swisshoumi]

9:20 whait what? 😂

[@iamwhatiam6281]

ahahahahaah

[@Neopulse00]

9:10 - Sports and wildlife test.... don't please lol!

[@tim1398]

How much of that EVF lag is actually the IBIS? I found on my Lumix G9 that for BIF the IBIS *has* to be off. I used a red dot sight on the hotshoe, and with IBIS on I found at 400mm the picture could lag the boresight axis by close to half a frame. With IBIS on as you quickly pan the sensor doesn't until it hits the limits.

[@tomhughes5123]

sticking with my 850s thanks , mirrorless bodies are far to small for bigger hands

[@zahidjaffer2908]

The auto tracking works great on the z7 ii. You just don't know how to implement it, you need to make a couple of button assignments. I use it without having to touch the joystick or without having to take my eye off the evf!

[@TonyAndChelsea]

Check the pinned comment

[@don06281]

@@TonyAndChelsea Sorry, you're incorrect. I have it programmed to one of the Fn buttons (which are much easier to access with the battery grip in place), and all I have to do is press that button to turn tracking on, put the box on my subject, then hit the back focus button like usual. From there, as long as I hold that back focus button down, it'll track. To disengage tracking, I just press that particular Fn button again. Please note this very carefully -- using this setup, the OK button NEVER comes into play. Press the assigned Fn button to turn it on, press again to turn off. I will admit that it *might* be nice to have the ability to assign that to other buttons, but since I don't have that, I've adapted, and am now quite used to having it on the Fn button.

[@devilangel4655]

AF Z7ii still sucks, it’s only faster but still haunted like the Z7.

[@youknowwho9247]

@@don06281 Doesn't really matter anyway. With the Sonys and Canons I can go into tracking mode and it finds faces and eyes in that mode. That means if I put the tracking box on a person, it focuses on the eyes. If the eyes aren't visible it focuses on the face. If the face isn't visible it focuses on the head. If the head isn't visible it tracks the rest of the body. That means the user can fully focus on composition, even during very high speed action shooting. This functionality is the primary reason to even get a mirrorless camera these days, at least in terms of stills shooting. The Nikons don't do this. You either put it in auto to find eyes, which means you got little to no fail safe when it doesn't find the eyes and decides to focus on something else. Or you use the box to limit where it looks for eyes and faces, which makes the feature far less useful for action shooting and does not provide nearly the same flexibility or ease of use as the Canons/Sonys. Or you use tracking, which doesn't find eyes or faces and works worse than 3d tracking on the old DSLRs. Not saying the Z series cameras are bad cameras. They aren't. But they aren't competitive offerings. Compared to the Sonys and Canons, as well as Nikon's own top end DSLRs, they just don't stack up.

[@shaunknowles9476]

The difference to my photography would be minor. The difference to my wallet however...

[@HippieMagic]

Trying to decide what direction to go with my next body. I currently have a D810 that I really have no complaints with but I’d definitely like to have some of the new features.

[@bsmukler]

Although I have mostly moved to mirrorless, I think there is still a lot to be said for the solidly built, fast, and supremely usable SLR workhorses. Don’t forget those teething years of mirrorless where every downside was characterized as “almost” as good (e.g., “like looking through an optical viewfinder,” or a few-hundred shot battery life as “not terrible”). The convoluted AF settings are one example of mirrorless cameras getting in the way of photographing. For this reason, I’ve made another move, not away from mirrorless but toward cameras with more tactile and better laid out buttons and other controls, less menu clutter, and therefor more adept at getting out of my way. I generally turn photo review completely off, including on rangefinder cameras with no EVF. Light hasn’t changed, the exposure triangle has not changed, and solid, fast, and reliable camera bodies are just as valid today as ever. One last point: every photo and video frame is of a past moment and, regardless of refresh rate and lack of blackout, every EVF is by definition showing you only what has already occurred. I suspect seasoned sports and wildlife photographers will always have an edge in terms of reaction time using optical finders over EVFs. The latter are getting increasingly great results but that is due to advances in predictive and intelligent autofocus systems rather than photographers’ skill. The camera processors and firmware are essentially using a high tech spray and pray approach reliant on the video (past) image of moving subjects to estimate the upcoming position. It’s silicon in place of hand-eye coordination and earned knowledge of subject behavior.

[@wildkidau]

Agreed, mirrorless has come a long way. But my cameras get beaten to hell, optical viewfinder is still king. AF is still better in a DSLR. The day is coming when mirrorless will do everything, withstand tough conditions and have a viewfinder that matches optical. But it will likely require breakthrough battery tech that does not yet exist.