NIKON Z8 - The Simplest Camera I've Ever Shot A Wedding With!

[@ogonzilla]

Love the Z8 too! For the situation you mentioned at 11:02. You can assign one button to recall certain settings. So my display back button is my 3D no face focus and my back button is small area with eye AF. Works great. One quick thumb move.

[@adamwestphoto]

Hi Allen. I have entered the pro game after a 10 yr hiatus - the advancement in the focus tech is the reason I have decided to enter the wedding game. I was a Nikon shooter so I purchased a Z7, foolishly thinking it work help me focus with my 54 year old eyes! Wrong! So I jumped to the Sony A7IV, and it wasn't an easy transition. Now I shoot exactly as you have mentioned - the tracking is brilliant. It's a real pity that Nikon were so late in the development of the focus tech - that Z8 looks awesome! Thanks for the vid!

[@sekaf4125]

I couldn’t agree more. I upgraded to Z8 from D850. Focus focus focus!!!! It grabs the eye and then I can compose. I love this camera. Been shooting many years, this truly change the way I shoot

[@FART-REPELLENT]

I recently read some reviews on the Nikon Z8 where the reviewers stated that while the Z8's front panel is made of Carbon Fibre, the Z8's rear panel is made from a plastic, I am so extremely disappointed by this revelation. Apparently at Nikon HQ the idea was to design and build the Z8 so as to lure fans of the D850 into buying the new Z8, well considering that the D850 body is entirely made of Magnesium-Alloy, why would D850 users buy a plastic Z8?; the management at Nikon HQ made a ATROCIOUS decision to make the Z8 out of moulded plastic; it would have been infinitely better and wiser to cut back on features instead of compromising the Z8's build quality, yet the staff at Nikon HQ are presumably made up of university graduates. Considering the above points I have absolutely no desire to buy the Z8; in fact I would rather use a Nikon FM2n.

[@covetedpixel3238]

Hi, I enjoy your channel, I find myself always looking at that paper on the wall with the tic-tac-toe hieroglyphs. i discovered similar ones in images from my dslr days in my old house, I had one in my office, the kitchen and one on my patio... AF Fine Tune sanity double and triple checker.

[@josephpeppard561]

Hi Allen, It sounds as if you've found a reliable autofocus solution for your wedding photography. Thanks so much for the information.

[@tc6912]

I agree on your opinion of the recall. Mine was fine with the 4 Z lenses I have, but I sent it in anyway. In hind sight, it was a little tighter before the repair. I liked the tighter feel better.

[@smalltalk.productions9977]

thank you for the effort and the sharing. i am pleased the Z8 has been an effective tool for you. coming from the D750/D700 combo, the Z8 is probably years away for me but a guy can hope. thumbs up.

[@Digmen1]

Allen, every Nikon Z fanboy should watch this video. I have had my Z6ii for 2 years now, and I miss a lot of portraits focus. I keep getting told by "experts" to learn how to use the camera. You have shown me that Nikon can do it, and I just need to wait for the Z8 focus system to trickle to the Z6iii. (if I live that long)

[@niceyesplease]

Just get a used R5 and voila.

[@jorgepinogarciadelasbayonas]

@@niceyesplease Z8 is better value with stacked sensor.

[@TonyHobbs]

Nice video thanks Im lookin at various options 😊

[@rotvonrat]

Great true video Allen.

[@ThePhotographyHobbyist]

The way you describe using AF-C with 3D tracking AND face detect is exactly how I use it. It works great. I use it mostly for static subjects but for me this helps make shooting faster since I can recompose while keeping the focus on the subject I want. Based on what I shoot (nature, etc), I can occasionally get a bad focus but it almost never happens. It's extremely reliable.

[@christianpetersen1782]

Thanks for the info Allen. I’d love to own a Z8 but it’s too expensive for me as a hobbyist. Your confidence in the auto eye focus may give you more time to channel your efforts on composition etc. You might even find that you capture shots you’d otherwise miss, if that’s possible with your experience. Looking forward to your next video.

[@stefanbadass5357]

As a Lapsed Nikon shooter, this warms the cockles of my heart

[@robertdavis1255]

Thanks Allan for sharing your experience.., great video as I am interested in the Z8 but as a hobbyist the price is out of my reach....I love my D500 & haven't thought about moving to mirrorless gear just yet...but the Z8 does interest me ..... cheers from Australia 🦘🦘😊

[@piyhaw]

Great video Allen! I moved from D750 to Sony A7IV a year back. AF is great but just like you I find the experience not that great with Sony. I am thinking to move back to Nikon. But not having shot with Z before and only F, I am not sure if I will get the same F mount experience. Thinking if I should just get a Nikon DSLR or get into Z. Thanks!

[@Pawels-x6r]

Great review! Can you set small raw files in settings? Or you can shoot 45MP? It would be perfect camera with smaller sensor.

[@CreativePixelPhotos]

You can set files to large 45mp, med - approx 28mp or small about 16mp The Z8 (and 9) use a much better compression to reduce files sizes so even shooting at 45mp results in a 35mb raw file compared to my Z6ii at 24mp results in a 28mb raw file.

[@luisin69ful]

Hi Allen, do you shoot with Z lenses or AF lenses with an adapter?. Are you using Nikon lenses? I just got my Z8 and I'm getting ready for my wedding season this year. God Bless!

[@CreativePixelPhotos]

Hi Actually since this video I've switched everything to Sony. I was not at all happy with the Z 1.8 lenses and the 1.2's silly price and size/weight. So when I had it for 7 months used all F mount 1.4 primes and a 24/70. With Sony use their gorgeous 1.4gm primes and 24/70. Bodies are A7IV and A9II

[@mainemonty]

Why not still use bbf?

[@spinthma]

That exactly where I also see the Nikon Z8, the perfect event camera, for Hobby I shot occasionally weddings, the biggest issue always was Autofokus, Could you please specify your autofocus settings and also which lenses do you use for wedding. Cheers , thank you for the video. Karl

[@CreativePixelPhotos]

I've found that the 3d tracking is so good I use that for almost everything. So 3d with face detect peolpe on - I don;t even use back button focus anymore as the AF is so fast - so put the tracking box over the persons face - half press shutter which locks on - recompose and shoot. 100% accurate and consistent. I use several lenses depeneding on the situation - 24-70 F2.8 a lot - 50 F1.8Z lens for individuals and couple shots and then 24 F1.8Z for wider shots. Allen

[@oscarflores2799]

Thanks Allen! Such great insight of your workflow. Question, are you using the Tamron 24-70 2.8 Di VC USD G2 with the FTZ II adapter, getting all of your shots in focus?

[@CreativePixelPhotos]

Yep. Doesn't miss a beat. Oh and the original ftz not the mark ii

[@nickwilliams7867]

I currently shoot Sony but I am thinking of switching to the Z8. At weddings shooting wide open what percent are you getting in focus. I was just about to buy a Z8 then a couple of reviewers put me off saying the success rate is around 85%. I do not care about someone running in a zig zag pulling faces as a test or birds in flight. I care about in the field at a real wedding in the hands of someone who knows what they are doing.

[@CreativePixelPhotos]

Hmm.. must tell you that today arriving in the post is a Sony A7iv and 35 F1.4GM lens! For me as a wedding photographer I want 3 very good primes - 24,25,50 and 85. Nikon haven't delivered - they have the Z mount 1.8 primes which I dislike - plasticy, and only 1.8. Yes I can have their f1.2's but at £2500 each that's £10k AND they're huge and weigh too much to carry all day at a wedding. For me they (or 3rd party) need to offer less costly, smaller and yet top quality f1.4's - like Sony do! Hence I'm switching my Nikon Z6ii for the Sony A7iv and lens. Keeping the Z8 and adapted F mount primes but expecting to switch totaly back to Sony once I've proved the A7iv is what I want (sure it will be as had a A7iii for 2019 and 20) BUT the Z8 and your questions - in focus I'd say over 95% easily. Not sure what Sony you have but I basically I just use 3d tracking - half press shutter over subject and it just sticks like glue and with face and eye af. It IS AMAZING - Gimme until mid next week and remind me and I'll do a direct comparison to the A7iv and GM lens.

[@nickwilliams7867]

@@CreativePixelPhotos you should try the Sony lenses on the Z8 with a Megadap ETZ21 Pro adapter. I used mine on a Z7II and they worked perfectly apart from the 70-200 f2.8 GM MKII. I own both the A7IV and 35mm GM a great combo just make sure you stay away from silent shooting. The banding and rolling shutter is terrible.

[@CreativePixelPhotos]

@@nickwilliams7867 Yea I did have a problem with banding on the A7iii when I had it - I have had about 6 shots on the Z8 with banding during prep under led lighting. But out of 30k that's hardly a problem! So what do you think of the A7iv focus then?

[@nickwilliams7867]

@@CreativePixelPhotos it's AF is excellent, I just love using a stacked sensor for silent mode. I also hate the flip out screen of the A7IV. I currently use an A9 as my main camera but she is getting tired and needs replacing. I want more MP to allow me to shoot in crop mode and still have a reasonable amount of pixels. Really increasing the versatility of my 35gm and 85 f1.4 sigma primes. So it's an A1 or Z8. I did have the Z7II and it worked very well with my Sony lenses using the megadap 21 pro. My thinking if I do go with to two Z8's is to have Nikon zooms with my two Sony E-Mount primes. At least until some f1.4 Nikon primes become available.

[@pete_stewardson]

Great info Allen. One silly question, I notice the rings on the bottom of your cameras, what strap do you use to carry two cameras, assuming you are carrying dual bodies?

[@CreativePixelPhotos]

yes I carry 2 cameras - the strap is a Black Rapid - I got from here www.wexphotovideo.com/black-rapid-double-breathe-1607248/?cpgnid=18138250963&adext=&account=853-353-2386&campaign=&group=&mkwid=_dc&pcrid=&kword=&match=&plid=&pgrid=&ptaid=&si=&gclid=CjwKCAjwkeqkBhAnEiwA5U-uM5wKnsDTGClxb_5TNK3sEuadg_myL9f1OdkeuJXashC6HnXFYQzJCRoCSUoQAvD_BwE

[@parnilsson322]

Nice video and glad you like your Z8. I would like to have one as well. It "only" shoots 20 fps in raw but perhaps you shoot jpeg only. How do you like the High megapixel count, is there any advantage for your kind of photography?

[@CreativePixelPhotos]

I'd usually only use 12fps raw but wanted to just see what 30fps was like :-) 45Mp no advantage for me but as the Z8 has a "efficient" raw setting which gives me 28mb files I'm ok with it. My D850 gave me 50mb files!

[@denisgallen3764]

@@CreativePixelPhotos I´m using high efficient raw too! I think it´s awesome

[@FotosyMas.]

Sony Northtrup says the Z8 has eyelash autofocus and it’s hard to get the pupils sharp.

[@CreativePixelPhotos]

IMHO he always has been and always will be a bit of a twat. Does he actually "do" photography - suspect it's all just for KZbin

[@tw9535]

Listening to the sounds of Northrup talking is about as useful as listening to the sounds coming out of a Taco Bell bathroom. He isn't even a photographer.

[@CreativePixelPhotos]

@@tw9535 Absolutely Agree

[@funki_]

So, did you completely abandon your D780 and, consequently any DSLR...?

[@CreativePixelPhotos]

No - still have and use the D780 - somedays you just need a dslr!

[@ggdfggdfgdffgfddg34]

Can you tell me if you shot urban landscapes with houses and trees and grass, how to shoot so that the coast and houses are more three-dimensional, but with this frame all the objects in the frame were sharp. How to do this without a depth of field calculator?

[@CreativePixelPhotos]

The lens you use helps a lot with the "look" of the photo - I find the older the lens the more 3d look they have. Modern lenses are all about sharpness - a 50 year old manual focus 50mm F1.2Ais lens has so much more character. That's the sort of lens I'd use for the shots you mention - or my 58 F1.4G lens or Sigma 35 F1.4ART lens. As a rough guide I'd shoot F5.6 approx but would depend on how far away the main subject was. I never use any dof calculators - shoot and check the image - then adjust as required:-) Best wishes Allen

[@philipsutton2316]

I shoot weddings and events and use two Z6ii's - they are not perfect and I miss the odd shot with focus, but not as bad as people make out. I'd love to get a Z8, but here in Australia they are $7,000 body only (and no, it's not gold-plated for that price). I'm hoping that Nikon will do a Z6iii with the 24mp sensor, that will not bog my computer down, may be a bit cheaper, and smaller and will have the focus of the Z8. Do you find it a bit too heavy and big?

[@CreativePixelPhotos]

I find the Z8 perfect! It's finally the correct size - I always found mirrorless (Sony as well) too small. It's not heavy even after 10 hours at a wedding. TYhe 45mp files are actually only a few mb bigger than my Z6ii files 28mb v 25mb I think so doesn't affect editing or the pC at all. $7k Au is less than the £4k here in UK! I did wonder about spending that much but after 2 weeks it's worth every penny.

[@philipsutton2316]

@@CreativePixelPhotos thanks Allen. Do you still have a place in your kit for the Z6ii?

[@CreativePixelPhotos]

@@philipsutton2316 So at a wedding I have the 24/70 on the Z8 and the 50 1.8s or 35 1.8s on the Z6ii. So yes - it gets used but I must say my last wedding 2 days ago I did 1134 shots on the Z8 and 163 on the Z6ii !

[@philipsutton2316]

@@CreativePixelPhotos Thanks. Yes, I'm kind of with you on this Allen. The last wedding I shot two weeks ago I just used the Z35 1.8s on one Z6ii and the 50 1.8s on the other Z6ii. Two thirds of all images taken on the 35. However, it was a bit of a pain, having two cameras, later on for post process matching different time stamps, having to swap my flash between two bodies, etc. I have another wedding in a week, so I'm planning on literally shooting the whole thing on my gorgeous 24-70 2.8s. I use that lens for all of my street events and gigs, so I'm figuring because I'm not shooting weddings in a cave (bad light). other than nicer bokeh on the 1.8 lenses, I should be able to shoot the whole wedding just on my zoom.

[@TonyHobbs]

Interesting you tried sony moved to nikon Ive started a new channel on photo tonys photography corner 😊

[@bradl2636]

Strangely for decades before AF came along photographers managed to make in focus images... 🤔

[@CreativePixelPhotos]

Yea me too since mid 80's but the ability to get practically instant focus that's so accurate is awesome.

[@csc-photo]

And people rode horses before cars came along too. I like horses, but my car gets me around more efficiently.

[@bradl2636]

@@csc-photo Neither horses nor cars create images last time I checked #strawman #cognitivefallacy

[@bradl2636]

@@CreativePixelPhotos Zone focus is instant focus. Beats every AF system out there if you know what you’re doing.

[@chuc.dxq3809]

How is the your Tamron 24-70 on the Z?

[@CreativePixelPhotos]

Hmm - perfect I guess. I mean it's not quite as sharp as the 50 F1.8S lens, it's not quite as arty looking photos as the 58 F1.4G but it does a wonderful all round job for me.

[@nickcucchiara]

Do you keep skin softening feature on for weddings?

[@CreativePixelPhotos]

Hi I. That only works on jpegs and I shoot raw so has no effect. I have played with it and it does seem to work if you shoot jpegs

[@nickcucchiara]

Thank you as I wasn't aware it was jpg only. I always shoot large RAW as well.

[@AnteroNumminen]

Do you have a feeling that it is now boring to shoot photos with the z8? Because it focuses for you, I mean in old days we used to be happy when we get fine focus, now with z8 it might be a routine getting in focus.

[@CreativePixelPhotos]

I was thinking exactly the same. But I guess it's good as all my focus can be on composition, light etc. Should mean better photos🙂

[@ernstfrohlich897]

if you have problems with the auto focus on nikon cameras, you should try a sony camera.

[@gurugamer8632]

a7Rv is king

[@CreativePixelPhotos]

I switched from Nikon to the Sony A7iii in Dec 2018 and used for 2019 and 20 for weddings. Never liked it. Way too small - not made for adult hands (but that said neither are the Nikon Z's apart from Z9 and Z8) Didn't like the colours or lenses. But that's me and we're all different.

[@gurugamer8632]

@@CreativePixelPhotos I switched from Nikon D300 to Sony A7RV ) the A7RV is a better body compared to A7 III

[@jorgepinogarciadelasbayonas]

@@gurugamer8632 Sony A7RV is having a real slow sensor readout speed and can't be compared to the really fast stacked sensor of a Nikon Z8.

[@gurugamer8632]

@@jorgepinogarciadelasbayonas I had no problems. I shoot weddings and events. Z8 has problem with autofocus it focus more precisely on eye leashes rather than the eyes. Sony offers more lens selection too.

[@cutitcold]

8 minutes in of a 13 minutes video ... we get to the point of the video. And it's a point and shoot camera not about a £3500.00 camera 🙄 sorry 😅

[@roybixby6135]

The original viola Jones Algorithm face detect used by DSLRs does look for eyes. Unlike Nikon DSLRs on the Z8 / Z9 3D tracking now works ... 🦘

[@seahpengwui873]

Wait for 15 years Nikon Z8 cameras still do not have flip screen to vary-angle selfies, body size and weight are big and heavy, Canon vari angle flip screen attracted many buyer and occupied more than 50% sales, tilt screen are not favorites toy many photographer, I have to change to Canon for R6II camera which is lighter and have vary-angle flip screen.