8K Camera SHOOTOUT! Nikon Z8 vs Sony A1 vs Canon R5 C!

[@AykutArgun]

I think it is worth mentioning that Nikon is the cheapest of the bunch and it can indeed record 8k60, for whoever can need it or deal with those files.

[@thatjordandrake]

We did show the prices near the start. The Canon R5 C is also capable of 8K/60P Raw video. It's odd the Sony doesn't offer 8K/60P recording as the sensor is fast enough.

[@AykutArgun]

​@@thatjordandrake Thanks for the answer. Maybe the processor in Sony does not allow that, or they do not have big enough housing for heat dissipation. When I got to contact you I can ask something else :) I have a z6, when I want slow-mo, I have two options: 1-) Film 4k30 and slow down with DR Studio Optical flow speedramp. 2-) Film FHD60p or 120p and have native slowmo. I have a feeling that the first option gives me better results. Am I thinking dumb to compare these options, is there an obvious drawback for the first option?

[@danielvilliers612]

@@AykutArgun Sony invented a new flagship camera philosophy. The overheating flagship, I mean nikon and Canon have always made sure their flagship camera to be bullet proof, I mean you are supposed to be able to take any eos1 or Nikon D3 and go shoot from death valley to the poles. They decided they would stick with a small camera that absolutely need a grip if you want to do any sport/bird/action photography because of the lens size, and compromise on the reliability just for it to be small!!!

[@jorgepinogarciadelasbayonas]

@@danielvilliers612 What we see with Sony is they build consumer tech toys for the average Joe that is already impressed easily with spec sheets. Even the weather sealing quality in the A1 still can't match anything from Canon or Nikon.

[@Ben_Stewart]

Nailed it. At some point you need to disappoint that heat. @@danielvilliers612

[@redauwg911]

yep Z8 all the way👍

[@cinematools]

Z8 is a winner for me personally. It's such a versatile camera that can be used for any type of media creation. Seeing 8k videos on a 65-inch screen in HDR is really something else.

[@Mr09260]

The Z8 is Camera iof the Year and I use it for Wild Life Photography with Industries Best S Glass

[@princekhandelwal8069]

Nikon be like: The King is back.

[@andrewmason8691]

The Z9 would be Simba. 😃

[@amermeleitor]

I'm still thinking the Z8 at 4000usd is a bargain. Is like the best camera on the market now, for a lot less money than others.

[@VRcation]

& now they own RED

[@livejames9374]

Why was not having a fully articulating screen a big drawback for the Z8 but it was not mentioned at all for A1 which also doesn’t have a fully articulating screen?

[@borisgalos6967]

So the Nikon's biggest downside is only relevant if you're shooting selfies.

[@borisgalos6967]

Yes. It's not much of a downside at that. Trying to check focus from a flipped out little screen from several feet away is not going to work in any case so it's really ease of framing at most.

[@robert_may]

@@borisgalos6967 Yeah I use a Z9 and honestly it's pretty much my only complaint with the camera. Not that I'll be vlogging with the Z9 (unless I lift a lot of weights first) but it is a bit of a pain to not have it. I was really surprised they didn't put a flippy screen on the Z8 - it would have been a really solid improvement.

[@brianaddison2828]

Yeah, I can’t recall any times I’ve seen people using 4-6k cameras to selfie record in 8k. Doesn’t mean people don’t need and do this! But, seems like an edge case.

[@marin_real_estate_photography]

Well, if you are shooting on a gimbal, it might be good to have a flip out screen, too. I use the flip-out screen on my Panasonic S5 when on my Weebill S gimbal.

[@jorgepinogarciadelasbayonas]

You can use any external monitor on top of the camera by mounting the display on the hot shoe. Also any bigger smartphone display can be used for that task which is the cheapest solution.

[@jorgepinogarciadelasbayonas]

The Nikon f/1.8 S-Line lenses are perfect for video recording. Almost no focus breathing and they don't have slow and loud autofocus motors like all the Canon f/1.8 STM prime lenses.

[@jcg4350]

nikon z 50mm 1.8 is almost 600$, so 3 times the canon equivalent.

[@jorgepinogarciadelasbayonas]

@@jcg4350 And you get the optical performance of a Zeiss Otus lens. Even FUJI medium format GFX users are astounded by it's image quality wide open at f/1.8 on high resolution sensors. If you want a cheap Nikon lens you can use the Z 40 mm f/2.

[@ThatNorma]

@@jcg4350 well whats the surprise? its a better lens, its an S line lens , has better coatings etc

[@brianaddison2828]

No focus breathing. Matches Otus line.@@jcg4350

[@brianaddison2828]

Also, Nikon bodies are comparatively much cheaper with more functionality.@@jcg4350

[@danielvilliers612]

I just discovered the best system out of the Z8/Z9. It is the internal 4.1k raw mode in normal level. I mean in this mode you get RAW flexibility/dynamic range and quality for like 400-500 megabit per second for 24 fps. I mean it is like twice 10 bit h265 for raw video. I am no resolution freak and 4k is plenty enough and the cherish on the cake, it plays very smoothly on my 4 year old computer on davinci resolve.

[@rogeryoung3587]

* cherry on the cake ;)

[@NOAHAUYEUNG]

Agree on that lol. I've just tried 4.1k nraw and found that is not stressful to edit on my core i7 macbook pro.

[@danielvilliers612]

@@rogeryoung3587 Yes English is my second third language. LOL

[@danielvilliers612]

@@NOAHAUYEUNGI did the reallife test yesterday night. I rendered a job I did during the weekend and played it on my 4k 70 inch screen, I could count every pores and hair, so it is sharp enough for me even if it 4.1k.

[@mosc2k]

@@danielvilliers612 I think 4K will always be enough but shooting 8K gives a lot of flexibility to the 4K end-product for work where reshoots cost a lot more than computers...

[@glencurtis2761]

I think price should have been a category as well.

[@seanbirtwistle649]

but they're all expensive. why bother

[@hunortakacs6262]

​@@seanbirtwistle649nikon z8 is 3k$ cheaper then the sony a1

[@seanbirtwistle649]

@@hunortakacs6262 target market won't care

[@CHLBUTTERWORTH]

I know it's not Full Frame, but the X-H2 covers most of the points you docked the others for. Full size HDMI, IBIS, Oversampled 4K, 7 Custom modes.

[@AB_223]

That’s a really good point. Hopefully they’ll address this comment on the podcast. X-H2 is a beast!

[@zaymax_7]

There's also the s5 with all of those features plus fullframe and better ibis. Its just that this video is for maniacs who want 8k

[@AmeriMutt76]

​@zaymax_7 you know H2 is 8k?

[@Vinterloft]

@@zaymax_7 S5's IBIS is only better for walk motion suppression, for handheld tripod-like performance the X-H2 is better. Different priorities.

[@bailey.nt86]

If you can afford any of these cameras you're already winning in life 😇

[@andrewmason8691]

…or broke 😃

[@thomassanio8745]

Agreed. 8K is stunning…

[@Ben_Stewart]

For its versatility and price the Nikon Z8/Z9 pull ahead of the rest. The Z lenses are outstanding. The N-log footage 8K 60p was better than I thought and the 45MP sensor is very low noise when compared to the Sony A1. Can't wait for the Z6/7iii offerings.

[@ThatNorma]

wonder how freaking long Ill have to wait to get my hands on a z7iii....

[@Ben_Stewart]

The Zf is turning into the Z6ii I always wanted so if it's any indication the Z6iii should have at least what the Zf has or better. Im keeping my Z6ii for astro and I am holding out for a Z50ii for travel as my Z8 is a little too big.@@ThatNorma

[@andrewmason8691]

I suspect overheating will be an issue with the Z6iii. But I am curious to see what it’s like, as I currently own the Z9, Z8 and Z6ii.

[@Ben_Stewart]

Overheating is more of an issue at 4K-120 and 8K. The Sony cameras are too small for heat dissipation so that's an issue. I think 4K 12bit might cause overheating in a warm environment but overall I would be surprised if we see 8K on the Z6iii. @@andrewmason8691

[@CS90]

I'm pleasantly surprised by how close the competition was. It also shows how good of a deal the Z8 is as its easily the least expensive. But it's awesome that, no matter which brand you choose, it's hard to go wrong.

[@richheaton4008]

Being able to adjust the focus throw and all the video options and raw internal capture on the Z8 is a major win for me. I shoot in 8K raw for recomposing options later. I can shoot video with my 24 - 70 with smooth transitions and switch to stills all ising my favorite lens

[@RamimAhmedTV]

Thank you for specifying 1280 x 960 after 3.69M dot. I find it incomprehensible that we have accepted million dots as a standardized format when we are all so familiar with resolutions being presented in a W x H format.

[@MrDrunkenMoose]

Yeah especially when manufacturers often don't even list the real resolution... I feel like the camera industry has chosen a few weird genre specific metrics as the main metrics. Makes it sometimes difficult to get a good comparison to other fields and products, especially if you're new to the field.

[@danielvilliers612]

Last thing to consider, people should go and watch CINED lab test about dynamic range. I learned a lot from it, that is the difference between artificial measurement Xyla 21 chart/imatest and real world test, that is latitude test. The latitude test in particular is quite reveling about DR. The Z9...Z8 has about half to 1 stop above A1 and 1 to 1.5 above Canon R5c!!!

[@andrewmason8691]

In all Codecs?

[@sputnickers]

I went over and looked at Cined and it appears the Z9 has only 6 stops of latitude vs 8 for the A1. What am I missing. And in Mathieu Gasquet's review he found similar differences, where the A1 outperformed the Z8 by what looks like about 2 stops in the highlights. LMK.

[@danielvilliers612]

@@sputnickers You are talking about the Dynamic range test at the top, and this is due to Nikon very conservative Nlog. This is the conclusion for the latitude test. "That gives a solid 8 stops of latitude performance, with some wiggle room towards 9 stops!"

[@sputnickers]

@@danielvilliers612 Ah. Thank you for the citation and response. So we are talking a 3 stop difference between N-Raw and N-log!!! That is breathtaking. But yes one is 12 bit and the other is 10-bit. Still I wonder what is happening in the review by Mathieu Gasquet which shows the A1 clearly better in the highlights. Maybe that is a codec thing too? But wow the difference in his video is substantial. And I feel like s-log and n-log are similar.

[@livejames9374]

Sony A1 “the autofocus is extremely consistent never had it act up” *proceeds to show dog not in focus*

[@sputnickers]

True right at 10:21. Ha ha.

[@livejames9374]

@@sputnickers they were very forgiving of A1’s deficiencies. It doesn’t even have animal detect in video and is behind Z8 for video af.

[@sputnickers]

​@@livejames9374 I've seen elsewhere that the Z8 has far superior af in low light. But the Sony A1 excels with dynamic range (very important for me). Cined gives Sony and Nikon similar numbers 11.9 to 11.6 stops of DR, but Mathieu Gasquet shows A1s perhaps 2 stop superiority in the highlights. Nikon is also 2 stops behind the Sony in Cined's latitude test. So I'm still scratching my head here. The Canon suffers and is a dead last wrt to dynamic range. Sad that this video doesn't address DR which is easily one of my most important factors.

[@livejames9374]

@@sputnickers A1 certainly had the best stacked sensor for DR. I love the high flash sync speed too, so the ough unrelated to video.

[@palaneproductions7357]

Thanks Ducky, what about Fujis 8K????...how does the crop sensor come up points wise?

[@jorgepinogarciadelasbayonas]

Actually Nikon offers very good 4K video quality from 8K recordings by oversampling. It's the same method like audio recording and mixing in 24 Bit and 96 kHz sampling rate for music production (instead of 16 Bit and 44.1 kHz) even if the final result gets converted to less resolution media you still have a quality improvement. In digital audio the problem is called aliasing artifacts that are more prominent in 44.1 kHz sample rate and leads to less clarity and more smearing in the high frequencies due to harmonics that are not part of the original signal. It's a lot worse and audible if you use 8-Bit and 12 kHz sample rate because it creates distortion.

[@RaymondParkerPhoto]

Except for some B-roll, been shooting 8K since I got my Z9, 17 months ago. Added the Z8 more recently. I looked forward to 8K for the flexibility it offers in post. For all the reasons mentioned in other comments the Z System gets my vote ... not to mention my $! The internal 10-bit SDR is so nice, it's what I mostly shoot.

[@baljindersinghsidhu3959]

I'll go for Nikon Z8..🎉❤

[@sturm3n]

I've found that recording 8K on the Sony A1 is great for a 4K workflow, because I can run it through Catalyst Prepare to stabilize and downsample the 8K video into ProRes before it goes into my NLE. You get all the benefits of the other camera's "oversampled 4K" modes plus awesome stabilization, and you can even write it (redundantly) to dual inexpensive V60 SD cards.

[@joshmcdzz6925]

After all that merry-go-around, do you actually notice any difference between that footage and a FHD footage when played on the phone or computer?

[@jorgepinogarciadelasbayonas]

Nikon selfie mode is not really a problem: Just put a screen on top at the camera hot shoe. Problem solved. You can also use any bigger smartphone display for that task if you connect the HDMI output of the camera with a USB-C video capturing device on the smartphone side.

[@83442handle]

Wow brilliant comment. Who would have guess putting a screen on top of the camera hot shoe would solve this? I guess Panasonic and Canon got this wrong all along!

[@jorgepinogarciadelasbayonas]

@@83442handle It's actually most flexible solution and the cheapest one if you can do it with a bigger smartphone rather than using a small display from the back of the camera facing forward which doesn't work at greater distance. Professionals are doing it the whole time with a camera rig for video.

[@thomassanio8745]

Thanks for this. Considering the Z8 and will use it for some vlogging

[@sb4photos]

Love my 8k z9 on my m1 MacBook Pro M1 Max No issues

[@Travel_Photography_Dude]

I got a Z8 recently. I just bought a memory card ( 1TB) large enough to have a decent amount of 8k record time. So I’ll be recording some 8k on my next shoot. I’m mostly looking forward to adding movement to the footage after the fact. Otherwise it doesn’t seem Like 8k is really needed.

[@joshmcdzz6925]

why record 8k? I still can't figure that out.. I shoot in FHD when it comes to higher frame rates (60/120) and 4k ( 24/30).. But no matter what I record in, I render it in FHD.. finna still tryna figure out playing 4k footage on my phone or computer, now 8k?

[@Travel_Photography_Dude]

@@joshmcdzz6925 8k is just so you can stabilize, recompose and add motion to the footage. Ex record still on a tripod and add a pan motion or zoom in or out in post.

[@kalhana_photography]

@@joshmcdzz6925 ​for watching on 8K TV

[@amermeleitor]

What about overheating?

[@cruachfilms]

Every single video mode in the 5C up to 60p is oversampled from 8k, the 4K looks amazing the 1080p looks amazing. The autofocus is a video camera autofocus, not a stills camera autofocus, there are options to tune it to your liking, those of us immersed in the cinema EOS ecosystem know that the AF is excellent but it just requires a bit of tuning. There is so much more to the cinema Eos OS than the stills equivalent and this video barely scratched the surface of it. Only the 5C is Netflix approved 😁

[@andrewmason8691]

How many people are making films here for Netflix?

[@DAVISION-YT]

I‘m working with the R5 C since almost 1,5 years and never had the AF act up. Also I really perfer Canons Colors over the others. Even in C-Log3, I rather have right skin color then a little bit more dynamic range. Also not everyone is shooting in Log, I prefer Wide DR over any other color profile that Sony, Nikon, Panasonic or Fuji offer. But I almost never use the Camera in 8K. But what I was missing here totally is that Nikon and Canon have the ability to shoot 8K up to 60FPS. While the SONY doesn’t. You did not even mention it…

[@AndrewKlazinga]

I'm also an R5 C user and once you understand when to use the different AF features they work perfectly. I know this is just a review of the 8k, but the wonder of the R5 C is that its 4K from the 8K is amazing, it has a cinecamera OS from its higher end models, and its photography quality is also outstanding. Not to mention that Canon lenses are beautiful and the RF are smaller and more light weight than the EF. Oh, and the R5 C video is certified for Netflix and the others aren't.

[@brettrohlfingvideo]

Did the R5c get the newest firmware with the AF updates? Pretty bummed to hear the AF isn't so hot still, if so.

[@mr.poulet124]

The r5C AF is not as smart s others but it's the smoother and more cinematic AF available. You just have to learn to use it. R5 AF is way smarter tho.

[@Bigcookfilms]

I'm waiting on Lumix to release 8k video but man that Nikon Z8 is tempting. I'm more than happy with the 6k in my S5 ii for the foreseeable future though.

[@tvid777]

Unfortunately, Panasonic recently stated that they are focusing on 6K and not developing 8K in the next few years. The Z8 is very nice, but huge next to the S5ii.

[@Bigcookfilms]

@tvid777 It is and the price is huge compared to the S5 ii also. I'm good with what I have for the next year or 3...lol

[@mostlyfinnishlifeeventsand5112]

​@@tvid777 actually, 6K Open Gate is almost 8K, apart from, of course, the left/rightmost areas. (At least vertically it does deliver roughly the same as 8K.) On the Lumix S5 II, it has tremendous pixel-level detail levels and even the 200 Mbps H.265 video (the only one format available on the base S5 II) is the cleanest of all comparisons. (I've compared the compression artefacts to all.)

[@mostlyfinnishlifeeventsand5112]

6K OG is IMHO a sweet spot: an affordable camera can be produced with these common (and, for manufacturers, surely cheap) 24 Mpixel sensors, while still delivering astonishingly good video. Not everybody can afford 3000 USD+ cameras.

[@ChadSchrandt]

Great points on all the cameras here. I use both Canon (the R5c and the c70) and Sony (A7sIII). I shoot 8k once in a while with the R5C, but usually shoot in 4K for the vast majority of content and here's my take: I hate using the R5c. The battery is a serious liability. You have to rig with an external battery to get any real use out of it. Clog 3 straight up sucks to use. 10/10 times I reach for the A7siii or the C70. And as much as I love the C70, its huge and I find myself just using the a7siii the majority of the time.

[@Jawad.1]

Z9 is the best solution. Everything in one "box". You won't have to us any cage, any external battery any dangling wire with Nikon Z9, plus no overheating with a rugged body.

[@gandolfwang]

Are you using vertical grip on SONY A1 when you test battery life? Strange no grip on other two.

[@markusworsdorfer4432]

Great comparison 👍, I wonder, how does the Fujifilm X-H2 compare to these three?

[@JeanManuelVignau]

It would at least won the price tag competition... and better Ibis than Canon ;-)

[@markusworsdorfer4432]

Absolutely. I think it also would've done well with its screen and excellent viewfinder.@@JeanManuelVignau

[@joseacarrasm]

Why you never mentioned the Fuji XH2

[@alpha_6658]

My day job production company use Canon R5C to shoot 1080 videos. Yes FHD is good enough. And the quality is a huge step up from 5D4 already. 8K is used on specific situation only. To be honest, CLOG3 is kind a good in my workflow.

[@Mathew-vlogs]

How does the fujifilm xh2 compare? Im kinda shocked it wasn’t used in comparison here. Is it because it’s an aps-c sensor?

[@mostlyfinnishlifeeventsand5112]

Yup, APS-C... too bad this roundup is FF only. And accordingly VERY expensive, unlike the Fuji.

[@Mathew-vlogs]

@@mostlyfinnishlifeeventsand5112 would’ve loved to see how the Fuji compares to cameras that are double the price. Hopefully they will do something like this would the Fuji in the future.

[@Paul_Rohde]

It's naft to exclude a camera based on sensor size. WRT to video super35 has more applicable depth of field anyway, and Flog2 offers great dynamic range.

[@Mathew-vlogs]

@@Paul_Rohde totally agree.

[@christill]

I was really excited for 4K when it came out, but now, with most TV channels still in 720p and 4K still pretty niche; I realised that we don’t actually need it. And we definitely don’t need 8K. When we’re in a climate crisis, where energy use really matters, 1080p seems to be the logical choice for most video honestly. Maybe 4K when you’re taking the time to watch a film in a dark room with good audio and want the whole experience. Otherwise, I wouldn’t bother.

[@dsoprano13]

1080p images are soft unless you're watching on a phone.

[@christill]

@@dsoprano13 And yet most TV channels are still broadcast in 720p. So clearly most people don’t care that much.

[@dsoprano13]

@@christill Honestly, I don't watch TV unless it's a big sport event like the Superbowl. Everything I watch is streamed and most streaming content made in the last 5 years is in 4k. I only pay for TV as a necessary evil to get Internet.

[@christill]

@@dsoprano13 Yeah I generally don’t watch much TV either. (I’m with Virgin Media in the UK for TV and internet). For sports (I like American sports and other similar things) it’s just convenient to have a series link or whatever. For news shows and soap operas we watch, it’s just more convenient than streaming to have everything recorded in one place. I know I sound a lot older than I am saying that, but I honestly think having separate streaming services is a huge step backwards in terms of convenience and usability. Having one TV guide so you know what’s on rather than hunting around. It’s just better. And it’s more reliable. It continues to work when your internet is occasionally down. I do use streaming. I watch more KZbin than TV. And I watch certain sports on Discovery+. Especially winter sports. But cable is still great and very much underrated in my opinion. Of course it depends on the person. For those who only watch TV series and movies and no live sports, news or current affairs documentaries, then yeah. You can do 100% streaming. But for me, it doesn’t work anywhere near as well.

[@captureitphotography2352]

Great video. Would have loved to have seen the Fuji X-H2 in the mix

[@bigrobotnewstoday1436]

I just got off the phone with Gordon and he said these cameras are all trash and your just better getting a Arri Alexa.

[@Paul_Rohde]

Maybe a segment could include quality of retrieving stills from 8k? Feasibility? Most appropriate record format?

[@seanbirtwistle649]

exposure time is tied to frame rate so pick the 1 with the highest. you'll end up with a bunch of blurry photos at 24 fps. i think some Panasonics have the ability to take stills from video while recording but the workflow isn't really feasible if you just want to hit the record and hope for the best. you've got 30fps @ 50mp with compressed raw on the A1, 20fps raw @ 45mp with z8/z9, and 30fps @ 24mp raw with the r3 as the best options for highest frame rates at the highest detail

[@mostlyfinnishlifeeventsand5112]

@@seanbirtwistle649 "exposure time is tied to frame rate so pick the 1 with the highest" - noone forces anyone to use a 180-degree shutter angle. For example, on my S5 II, in 6K Open Gate mode at 30p, to be able to safely (w/o blur) extract still frames, I generally shoot with at least 1/200s when there's movement in the picture. Sport events 1/500s and up. Excellent-quality still frames can be grabbed from these videos - not THAT much worse than still images taken with the same camera.

[@seanbirtwistle649]

@@mostlyfinnishlifeeventsand5112 if it works for your workflow then I can't argue you're doing it wrong, but video and stills are still seperate disciplines looking for different outcomes. You might have the time to spend 12hrs going through an hour of footage for a shot that works, but most will want peak action in as many sequences as possible at the best quality they can get. I can't see an efficient way to get both video and stills at the same time with the 1 camera

[@LaurentSaintJean]

Nikon Z8, Z9 anytime ! Strong, internal 12bit Raw recording, no heating up, tons of other benefits; I own both after 4 Sony A7 bodies, one Canon 5D, Nikon best IMHO (I also work and love PhaseOne IQ3T and Arca Tech cam) and! the Nikkor Z lenses?! just incredible

[@tomcruz3774]

Really impressed with Nikon. I thought for sure it was gonna be an only Sony or only Canon result.

[@thomassanio8745]

Yes as an owner of a D850, it’s new succesor the Z8 is amazing for video.

[@fadiheterjag]

Where’s the Fuji X-H2?

[@mostlyfinnishlifeeventsand5112]

Its 8K is of considerably lower quality (effective, pixel-level resolution & compression artefacts) than that of these cameras. I personally wouldn't bother.

[@fadiheterjag]

@@mostlyfinnishlifeeventsand5112 is this coming from actual practical experience using the camera or a “full frame is better” auto-reply? Not here to pick a fight, just tired of auto replies :)

[@mostlyfinnishlifeeventsand5112]

@@fadiheterjag It's not an APS-C vs. FF debate. Clearly, as the even-smaller GH7 certainly shows it, this is not because the Fuji's sensor size. For some reason, the X-H2's 8K mode does NOT deliver better overall detail than the 6K mode. And the footage is the least clean; that is, it has considerably more compression artefacts at 600 Mbps than even the lowly S5 II at 200 Mbps. At least based on the DPR video test results - I haven't shot with the X-H2 myself. I've even started a thread in the DPR forums, comparing these results.

[@fadiheterjag]

@@mostlyfinnishlifeeventsand5112 that type of analysis in itself would have been a valuable addition to this video, I think

[@guyjordan8201]

Great comparison Jordan, thank you. Nice to see you headlining a video once in a while; do it more often. I assume your partner in crime was running the camera… Not bad. So little content is consumed in even 4K that I think all the concentration of reviewing 8K should be in its capability of downsampling and post process to a lower resolution. To that end, I’d love to see which of these three come out on top with 4K or even 1080 functionality as the end goal. Maybe next time.

[@tomnorton8499]

Did you only use one battery in the A1 for the battery life or the two that the grip can hold?

[@ryanarnst]

It's a shame the big 3 manufacturers decided to just skip 6K recording. I'm still delivering 99% of content in 1080p and I don't really see 4K being a necessity anytime soon (for my clients). 6K gives you more manageable file sizes, three "angles" to crop in when delivering 1080p, and room to crop and stabilize in 4K.

[@andrewmason8691]

I 100% agree. It’s why I don’t bother shooting 8k. But if there was 6k…

[@edwardekman9832]

Glad seeing the Z8 was clearly the winner in the comments here.

[@jordanshipley448]

Jordan, have you tried the Phantom Luts? I also never really liked any CLog3 luts but I have loved the image out of the R5C using those luts.

[@chcomes]

yeah missing points are IBIS and 8k60p

[@livejames9374]

They had to figure out a way for Sony to win. Also didn’t mention how a1 also doesn’t have a fully articulating screen but mentioned it 3x for z8. Similar to their Z8 vs a7r5 and a74 vs r6ii videos. I’m starting to become suspicious.

[@seanmolincreative]

@@livejames9374yeah, Nikon really should have cleaned up. The articulating screen is a non-issue, and Nikon’s IBIS is class-leading… factor in the price and it would have been a clear leader. Not to mention the S lenses, the mount that can adapt literally any lens from any brand, and the dual USB-C for power + accessory.

[@MrCloud254]

What is it about the fully articulating screen that makes it desireable for video? I genuinely want to know. If you're using a gimbal, surely that would throw the balance off. If you're on a tripod/monopod most people stand directly behind the camera, not off to the side like a weirdo. Explain the articulating screen usefulness to me. Unless you're vlogging, what are the benefits? Edit: I'm a Nikon user that thinks Nikon has just as good video capabilities 🤷‍♂️

[@mikeblack_pw]

Great video Jordan. I can make some minor counter arguments but over all very balanced and well done. Thanks for doing this.

[@swapymech]

1) why didn’t include fuji xh2 2) can you similar for 6k shoot

[@jorgepinogarciadelasbayonas]

There are many complaints about the Canon R5 C's abysmal battery life. I just looked at the B&H customer reviews and was astounded by this results. Also, Canon limits video recording when the battery life is around 30% and there are problems with the cinema operating system for video which is different than the operating system for photos. Looks like a unnecessary complicated camera.

[@cruachfilms]

The Cinema EOS operating system is one of the best parts of the 5C, there are absolutely no problems with it, it’s proper video tools for doing video, I really can’t understand why anyone would see that as an issue.

[@RonClifford]

After using the A1 and z9 for video. I settled on the z9 and soon after added the z8. Best hybrid camera for me.

[@jakubzieba6146]

I have a completely different combat experience than you do. But I also have a different perspective on the matter, as I have interacted with the Black Magic system. Canon basically has one flaw that you have to learn to live with. It's the issue of additional power supply. Adding a small V-lock plate from SmallRig with small V-locks (50Wh is sufficient for about 3.5 hours of shooting 12 bit RAW+4k DCI 10-bit 422 onto the second card) solves this problem (which isn't much of a concern if you've worked with Pocket cameras and larger cameras like URSA before). but we gain fantastic codec range, CF type B + SD (this mainly appeals to Sony users where Angelbird finally solved the issue with expensive and troublesome Sony cards), excellent support for the older EF system, separate OS for photos and photography, no overheating and related stress whatsoever, well-functioning timecode input without the need for adapters.

[@NeonShores]

Really hope Panasonic refreshes the S lineup soon.

[@robert_may]

"Fun" problem with editing 8K footage on non-Macs: you're probably gonna have a terrible time if you want to use h.265. The reason being that Nvidia continue to ship top-end GPUs without hardware decoders for 4:2:2 h.265, which is seriously weird. My 3080ti runs worse than an iPad Pro when editing h.265 footage because of that lack of decoders. I now shoot (sometimes in 8K) in NRAW on a Z9 and the editing performance is so much smoother, and aside from the cost of storage, I think it works out the better option (than buying an entire new computer just to edit on).

[@siyangqiu1]

The Sony A1 has a 8k 4:2:0 h.265 mode and that IS SUPPORTED by Nvidia. That's another option!

[@robert_may]

@@siyangqiu1 Yeah 4:2:0 is fine, if the cameras can output it 😄 Such a bizarre thing to not support 4:2:2 on at least the highest end cards. Not sure if their workstation cards do though 🤔

[@definedphotography]

I believe the new Intel ARC GPUs support 4:2:2 footage, so thats also an option on PC. Plus, their drivers have apparently improved massively since launch.

[@robert_may]

@@definedphotography Yeah I'd really like to try one out. Could be a good option on Linux too, as their driver support there can't possibly be worse than Nvidia 😅 Not sure what the state of the decoders are on current AMD cards actually, which also makes more sense on Linux as well. It's great to have a third player in the GPU space - hopefully it'll spur Nvidia and AMD to improve as well.

[@siyangqiu1]

@@robert_may AMD, like Nvidia, does not support 4:2:2 for some reason. Intel CPU starting from 11th gen with iGPU actually support 4:2:0, 4:2:2, and 4:4:4. You probably have to go into BIOS to make sure the iGPU isn't being disabled when you have a dGPU, but you don't have to buy an ARC GPU!

[@renestaempfli1071]

Well, I have been shooting with my A1 for 2.5 years now, but never hit the record button for video.

[@taylorhickman84]

I just recently started exploring video on the A1, captured a lizard fight in 4k 120p and was instantly hooked.

[@mikebartow9415]

Thanks Jordan that was very informative. Wish you had more time to go deeper. Keep up the good work!

[@lysolboss]

Lack of Fuji x-h2 tells me that it was likely either: not up to par with these cams, or way better. As a Fuji fanboy I will unapologetically assume the latter

[@utooboobnoob]

This was an 8K shootout… isn’t the X-H2 only 6.2K?

[@lysolboss]

@@utooboobnoobX-H2 does 8K 4:2:2 up to 30p

[@lysolboss]

@@utooboobnoobX-H2S is 6.2k max with Open Gate

[@lewcehjitl3282]

Buy a full frame already, never look back.

[@neethuandthomasphotography]

@@lewcehjitl3282 I've both full frame and APSC , X-H2 is as good as any full frame top camera in the market , it's got everything, just lags behind Canon and Sony in autofocus , that's the only draw back ( better than Nikon and Lumix autofocus though )

[@axlrose357]

For battery life, is it because of the grip that make Sony much better than others?

[@summonedfist]

no, the npfz100 battery is just really good

[@silvere36]

@@summonedfist It's the only camera here with the grip. It should be in 2nd place.

[@PetaPixel]

The grip was not used for the battery test, single a single Z battery.

[@summonedfist]

@@silvere36 the man literally said he borrowed the setup for a video prop and didn’t have a way to remove the cage. You can google CIPA ratings (which are usually underestimated counts anyway)

[@tennissir1986]

Do all three of these support All-I recording ?

[@sneakergearz]

Wouldn’t a possible weighted scoring system be more helpful. Battery life can’t be the same level as the screen quality. Same for the AF capability shouldn’t be same as handling??? Definitely understand everyone will weigh things differently but even adding a small weight to lesser features and heavier weight to more critical ones makes a difference. Also, you didn’t mention lens selection and how well various lenses can resolve 8K. Do Canons cheap lenses still work well? Does Nikons 1.8 lineup do well. Do you need Sony GM lenses or will Tamrons lineup suffice?

[@synthgreen5648]

No Fuji xh2? Does it have crop? I forgot

[@hugnos]

​ @thatjordandrake What about the time it takes to switch between photo and video modes for hybrid shooting? I gave up my Sony for the Canon because of the buffer time, I had to wait for the buffer to switch to video mode. But now the R5C has this waiting time between modes. I don't know about Nikon.

[@bsc001]

No waiting time on the Nikon.

[@jayforcinema]

I'll stick to my 6K Lumix S1 camera, for now. With a BM Video assist the 6K RAW is more than enough for most of my needs at a quarter of the cost of any of these behemoths :) However, if I had to choose one of these, Nikon Z8 is the easiest option for me. The photography experience is amazing, and the video features seem absolutely fantastic. Plus the IBIS seems quite decent

[@danielzb]

I shoot in 4k 10 bit 422. Had the Sony a7iv, then the a7rv then switched to the z8. I really really miss the fully articulating screen. Other than that, for the type of work I do, talking heads and product video and photo, they are very similar in terms of auto focus. But the footage out of the Nikon is better though One thing not covered in this video is the customization. There's way way more on Sony. It's very limited on Nikon.

[@andrewmason8691]

As a Nikon shooter, I would love to know what Sony is doing to get such good battery life and understand why Canon and Nikon can’t do the same. Battery life is one of the two main reasons I prefer my Z9 over my Z8. More customisable buttons is other reason. Actually, never getting an overheat warning and just the feel of the Z9 are two more reasons. Yes, I know the Z9 is heavier, but I’m surprised to hear myself saying how good it feels in the hand.

[@swagnemite552]

It's such a stupid comparison, because he uses a vertical grip on the A1. Without it I doubt it's battery life would be competitive. The A1 with the grip would be fairer to compare to a Z9.

[@lesniak60]

4:40 How the hell display with resolution 800x600 (0,48 M dots) can have 1,44 M dots? And how 9,44 M dots display (4:51) can have resolution 2048x1536 ( it is 3,14 M dots) Anyway it looks like all the resolutions are pretty strange.

[@mbravos]

When it comes to screens, resolution is always shown in pixels, while dot counts refer to the sub-pixel RGB structure, so pixels x 3 = dots.

[@lesniak60]

@@mbravos I hear it first time - this must be some kind of camera market folklore. It is misleading as hell and somebody should take these companies to court. Outside of digital camera market all producers just inform about resolution of lcd/oled screens. Claiming that 800x600 screen is 1,44 milion dots is complete bullshit because 99% people thinks that dot=pixel.

[@ronineditor9920]

12:47 -- "Put an Atomos on like an a##hole" LOL!!!! Literally did a spit take with my water, haha.

[@thatcherfreeman]

Solid video and I appreciate your balanced take on whether 8k is necessary these days. I think what might be a more fair comparison when it comes to the color side of the camera would be to make use of the color management functionality in Resolve. If you're just comparing the manufacturer's rec709 LUTs, that really becomes a LUT comparison rather than how the image looks under a standardized pipeline like ACES or Resolve Color Management.

[@problemat1que]

6:28 you don't need a $4000 laptop to edit 8k, you just need a computer with a good graphics card (the cheaper way to do that is a desktop), and software that makes the most of the GPU acceleration. Should be pretty easy to do for less than $1000.

[@83442handle]

While you clearly don't need a $4,000 laptop if you are in Apple's ecosystem(Mac Studio is half the price) building a PC for this purpose isn’t as cheap as you think and you cannot do it under $1,000 to match this. This is discussed all the time in the Davinci forums. Also not to mention misc bugs that pop up depending on the video card. AMD has tons of issues over the last few years.

[@williamburkholder769]

Realistically, Jordan, what do you use for everyday work projects that are not camera reviews? Do YOU use, or need to use, 8K? What's your favorite "go to" system for video these days?

[@aperture8983]

Dear sir plz say the sigma make 18-50 f2.8 for the z Mount plz

[@moorememoriesvideo7070]

I think I better comparison would be the standard R5 since the R5C is a cinema-hybrid camera. The auto focus system is different (and I actually like it better than what you find in other mirrorless canon cameras) but if you want sticky auto focus than the standard R5/R6 etc. will stack up against these cameras more similarly in my opinion. Great video!

[@outofthedoghouse6752]

What's a ZedA?

[@Feteh4all]

Isn't heating a major issue with the Z8?

[@JaywalkingTheWorld]

Within the next year, I will be shooting a low budget feature film. I will also be doing the editing and needing to crop 2.35:1, that's why I need to shoot 8K. Great video.

[@oskrrrrt2198]

Man they always leave out the Fuji ;(

[@-grey]

Probably just because they wanted the top 3.

[@mbismbismb]

Probably they are all Full frame

[@amermeleitor]

Wait until a Fuji GFX have a fast sensor and 8k video, with the processing power of a XH2S.

[@-grey]

@@amermeleitor Stacking a medium format sensor would be cool. I just wish fujifilm would hire a software department to utilise the stacked sensor for reasonable AF. They've been left behind on that since the X-T3.

[@ramonarias1234]

No price category ?? 🤔

[@pelaozoom]

Ty for the video, plz an photography autofocus test to ❤

[@Yoss2204]

Since price in many cases could be a deal breaker (I know it is for me, and I believe that I am not the only one), I would definitely add it as a parameter that could very likely change the final conclusion...

[@andrewmason8691]

I agree. The budget is the first place we typically start at.

[@bakonfreek]

Only thing with the Canon R5 C for me is needing to strap batteries to it. There’s no good way to do it unless you use an external monitor and at that point, the weight is such that you may as well use a more expensive camera with a better sensor (go RGB, RGBG pattern on my camera, in THIS futuristic space year!?). Granted, I’m also trying to bolt a microphone/recorder (Zoom M3, por que no los dos) in there since the internal monaural scratch mic on this (and the audio codec) is kinda real bad if you wanna change levels in post (worse hiss than a bootleg album recorded on type 1 tape stock at 1 7/8 ips).

[@harryvlogs7833]

Should have waited for panasonic s1hmk2

[@TomOhle1]

A few things I think that should’ve been mentioned in the 8k shootout. I’d like to have seen IBIS performance compared across the three for handheld. Does good IBIS come at the cost of cropped video footage (Sony active steadyshot)? What is the breathing performance of the associated native lens ecosystem? What support does each vendor give with respect to firmware updates to the body? There wasn’t a mention of assist tools across cameras. Normally I really really like your guys reviews and comparisons but I feel like this review omitted some key comparisons.

[@seanmolincreative]

I cannot believe they left out IBIS either, as that would have been a major win for the Z8. I was surprised they harped on the screen so hard but didn’t mention how good the stabilization is - something that matters way more than vlogging in 8k. Also could have mentioned dual USB-C on the Nikon for power AND accessory.

[@AndrewBassonZA]

actual question, how did you manage to upload and get youtube to show 8k video on the quality setting, I did some testing and was never able to get anything above 4k to process

[@bacon.dumpling]

Supposedly, you need to have a certain number of subscribers and the video needs a certain amount of views before YT will process 8K. It makes sense, they don’t want to waste resources on a video that barely gets seen. OTOH, it’s frustrating because you cannot even run a test to see what it would look like in 8K.

[@mostlyfinnishlifeeventsand5112]

​@@bacon.dumpling I upload almost all my 6K Open Gate videos, exported as 16:9 (with black bars on the left/right of course) as 8K. Most of the videos ARE eventually (in 1...4 weeks) processed as 8K; some, for some reason, don't and only continue to be available in 4K. I couldn't find out WHY those videos aren't processed, while the other vids are.

[@AnirbanBasu]

Hi Jordan, the rolling shutter, which you talk about starting @10:56, is an issue for me that I cannot seem to shed off. Although I haven't recorded 8K footage on the Canon R5C (or any of the other cameras that you mention in this video), I have had rather bad experiences with the Canon R8 at 4K. My scenario happens to be that my subjects or surroundings can move at speeds around 300 kmph, and sometimes at 600+ kmph. Basically, I am shooting high speed trains and the 600+ kmph is the relative speed experienced from inside one train seeing the windows of another passing at a similar speed. Is there any camera at all that can cope with this kind of speed and show nearly no rolling shutter effect? How about the 5D Mark IV although I have not put it through this high-speed experiment? Is the only option a Canon R3? Or, a rumored R1 with a CCD-sensor? Or, a cinema camera?

[@dance2jam]

I think you make a really good point at the beginning. Even one year later, who needs 8K RAW recording and why? Resizing is a fair point, but for the average videographer, it still seems like overkill and a PITA. As you mentioned, there's the need for upgrading in computing power, storage, monitor to output to who and for what? Where are you going to view those files? For those with money to burn, and home 8K displays - have at it, but the practicality and usefulness seems a bit overrated at this point in time.

[@Ildskalli]

No comment on the thermal performance of these three? Seems like a fairly important point to cover.

[@hoomanzahedii]

Just subscribed and love this video because of the Funny intro😂

[@xprs1257]

All fantastic cameras!! For me I’m opting for the Canon R5C

[@MannsWoodlandPerspective]

Ok, how long did it take youtube to offer you the 8k playback on this 23hr old video. lol Takes mine weeks..

[@petersuvara]

Lol. A1 for shooting video, my god … 🤣🤣🤣 What about… 1. Price 2. Lens availability 3. Weather proofing 4. Formats supported 5. Customer support (firmware)

[@jorgepinogarciadelasbayonas]

You have a much more professional approach than this video for the average consumer. :)

[@bladerealm124]

Hey Jordan, in regards to "is 8k worth it?" when very few people have an 8K monitor. I've noticed a substantial difference viewing 8K KZbin footage even on my 4K LG 48" CX OLED that I'm viewing this on now. I'm assuming that has more to do with KZbin compression but can you comment on this? Even just switching from the 8K KZbin setting to 4K on your video here causes a significant drop in detail. Can this be "faked" by upscaling to 8K when exporting before uploading to KZbin? Since I'm obviously not seeing the actual 8K on my 4K display. For example if you uploaded this same video shot in 4K, upscaled to 8K, played back in 8K setting on KZbin on a 4K display, how would the quality compare to a video actually shot in 8K, uploaded in 8K, viewed on a 4K display?

[@billyoung9538]

This comment raises a lot of questions, like distance from the screen and scaling algorithms, but human vision caps out at around 5k in a 16:9 aspect ratio in the best situations, and in many others drifts down to round 2k depending on the viewing distance. 4k tends to be the optimal resolution for the majority of people at almost all viewing distances. The differences you were likely seeing are far more likely due to the scaling algorithms altering things in a way they created the equivalent of a sharpening effect on the video more than real detail, and would likely be achieved in editing if one either used simple up-scaling/super-scaling algorithm while retaining a 4k timeline or potentially with a sharpen effect applied to the video. Anyhow, I'm not saying this is bad or good, but just pointing out that these perceived differences aren't necessarily because the source content started as 8k.

[@bladerealm124]

@@billyoung9538 while that may be true, if you watch the same video in KZbin 4K setting, then 8K setting, on a large 4K display (in my case an LG 48" 4K OLED from about 3ft away and also a 65" 4K OLED from a further distance), there is a substantial quality/detail difference that appears to be more than just sharpening. It appears that KZbin is just compressing the 4K setting more, but it's a significant difference. So my question is, would the quality be the same by simply upscaling a 4K video to 8K during export? Would KZbin then recognize it as 8K noticeably increasing quality and detail for the viewer? Or would native 8K still have better quality than 4K upscaled once KZbin compresses both videos? (both viewed on 4K displays in 8K KZbin setting)

[@billyoung9538]

@@bladerealm124 A lot of KZbinrs would simply render their old 1080p footage at 4k because it retained a higher quality when viewed at 1080p due to the bit rate differences. So it wouldn't surprise me if the same didn't hold true for an 8k upload of scaled up 4k content, but it is a good question someone should test.

[@davect01]

Much like 4K before it, right now so few of us can watch or edut 8k. For now, this is mostly academic to the few top tier video shooter. By the time the rest of us get to the point of using 8k these will be 2 or 3 generations later.

[@CINENIMUS]

Why no mention of Sony 16bit raw?

[@danieldougan269]

I love that I'm watching this 8K video on my 1080p laptop screen. I'm sure we will get to the point of 8K becoming mainstream someday, but even 4K is not everywhere yet. Broadcast and cable television is still in 1080i. Not even 1080p! My main TV is a 1080p set from 2010, and it still looks more than fine.

[@jorgepinogarciadelasbayonas]

Almost any big screen flat TV offers a KZbin app and they have 4K since many years.

[@danieldougan269]

@@jorgepinogarciadelasbayonas You're assuming everyone has a 4K TV. I don't! Only 44% of TV-owning households here in the USA have a 4K TV. The real advantage of filming in 8K is for reframing while delivering in 4K, just as it was for 4K delivering a 1080p final product. There's only so much detail the human eye can resolve.

[@fotografalexandernikolis]

@@danieldougan269 Your logic is fundamentally faulty. You're technically right but misusing that statistic. That only 44% of households have 4K is not because 4K only has 44% of the market popularity, but because many just keep their old TV for a long time. Among currently sold TVs the popularity for 4K is more likely 98% with the last 2% being 8K. THOSE are the statistics you should look at when comparing new tech to each other. Why should the camera brands not aim for current market standard? "My main TV is a 1080p set from 2010, and it still looks more than fine." This is one of those 'you think it's good until you try something better' things. Take a look at good 4K video on a 4K display, if you can't see the difference then something is wrong. Once you get used to it you'll never go back to 1080p. Most people think that bad cheap earphones are just fine, but that's because they don't know how higher quality ones sound, thus it's kinda irrelevant to use as an argument. 4K is the de-facto sweet spot because it's right at the limit where our eyes can no longer perceive the individual pixels when viewing from from a distance where the TV or monitor covers a comfortable field of view (in my case 48" from 2m away). So 4K is not just a standard because it's "the next thing" but because it actually is about as detailed as our eyes can perceive relatively. In the end, your argument is just completely irrelevant. The idea that brands should only aim to satisfy the lowest common demands has never made any sense in any industry ever.

[@danieldougan269]

@@fotografalexandernikolis Of course everything you say is true. I have two 4K cameras, and obviously, all the stores are selling 4K and 8K TVs except in the smallest sizes. I also have two 4K monitors and have seen my share of 4K videos on 4K displays. I've shot plenty of it myself. Using a 4K monitor up close for multitasking like I do is a wildly different use case from sitting 10 feet away from a 4K display. 8K is another matter entirely. The size of screen you need in order to see any difference between 8K and 4K is enormous. Can I see the difference between 4K and 1080p video? Yes. Is it huge? No. When it comes to the difference between 4K and 1080p as a final product, you still need a pretty good-sized TV to see a difference. For me, the best reason to upgrade to 4K over 1080p is HDR content. One of these days, my 40" Sony 1080p TV will kick the bucket, or I'll find an amazing deal on an OLED set, and that's when I'll upgrade. It's the color, not the additional resolution, that will compel me. It always makes me laugh when stores like Best Buy promote 4K TVs for watching sports when there are almost no 4K sports broadcasts. It's still in 1080i in almost every case. Digital Trends did an excellent video on why live broadcasts including sports broadcasts have been slow to adopt 4K or even 1080p. As for filming in 8K, you can do a lot of the reframing and still deliver in 4K if you only shoot in 6K open gate. It's probably quite a bit easier on your computer as well, although I would not push my gaming laptop (which is my only normal computer) past 4K for editing. 8K is just incredible overkill. There are limits to what the human eye can perceive. Remember, there is a cost to all of these extra pixels. You need more storage, more computing power, new cameras, and new screens. The benefits are marginal at best.

[@pedrodelaloca4176]

agree, R5C is the best for 8K RAW recording in FF.

[@jorgepinogarciadelasbayonas]

Not really. Thare are many complaints about abysmal battery life. Read the B&H reviews.

[@mr.poulet124]

In video mode the r5 c is the only true camera of the bunch. Nobody here understand the power of that cinema Os. And most cameras are rigged so..

[@pedrodelaloca4176]

@@jorgepinogarciadelasbayonas this is a cinema camera and bought her. fantastic image and functions, I had already owned the A1 and the Z9 but sold them again. The battery life is absolutely OK compared with other Cinema cameras, I have also the BMPCC 6K Pro. The best thing is always to make own reviews and not read them ;)

[@johnclay7644]

informative 8K based video.

[@gruntaxeman3740]

Does these even have a decent sensor readout speed? Like 8..15ms at 8k? My assumption is that they got rolling shutter that causes footage to be restless.

[@thatjordandrake]

10:54

[@gruntaxeman3740]

@@thatjordandrake Oh, my bad. I usually watch videos from KZbin by clicking start of video sections before section ends to avoid watching too often commercials so I just missed that.