Z6 + Z7 II - Where Do They Fit? | Nikon 'Plastic' Lenses - Are They? | Discussion Piece | Matt Irwin

#NikonZ6II #Nikonlenses #wellmade
In this holiday season, sit down with a cup of something hot, and lets explore some of what Nikon are up to as there has been some online debate as to how the new pro Nikon Z mount lenses are externally constructed?
Plus the Z6 II and Z7 II where do they fit in?
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[@macsandsquid528]

Nikon is going down the same road that the hand tool manufactures went down 30 years ago, moving from a metal body to a glass fiber reinforced nylon type material. Tons of weight saving and extreme durability in harsh environments. If my Z lens lasts as long as my "plastic" drills and saws I'll be a happy camper!

[@parolsson]

I am a mechanical designer, have worked with design/ construction of industrial products for 40 years. I am University educated in mecanics, and are also a polymer expert with a lot of education and experience. Very many industrial products today have a lot of polymer materials that are stronger and better than metal, zinc or aluminium. So people who say plastics are bad they should know that in a modern Car there is about 350 kg polymer materials even around the Engine, the wings of modern airplanes are made from Composite. a modern F1 car is mostly Composites. I have some Nikon Bodies and Lenses and are planning to upgrade to Z6 and some new lenses.

[@ShaneBaker]

Hi Matt and season's greetings. Your rant about materials reminded me of something I wrote in my blog in February 2016: "It turns out that Nikon is forming the box around which the D750 is built from a composite plastic carton fibre called Sereebo. This produces a product which is light, strong and even shields the internals from electromagnetism. (The D750 still has magnesium alloys, but on the back where there's so much wear and tear.) In heading in this direction, Nikon is joining the aircraft and auto industries in moving away from metals to composites. So, the bottom line is that with at least some of the higher end cameras, "plastic" isn't inferior to metal. In fact, it may be better: lighter, but just as strong as the magnesium alloys we all know, love and trust." More generally, I find it frustrating that Nikon is always judged by some other brand. For years, Nikon was "inferior" because their cameras weren't Canons. Now it seems, the only criterion to judge a camera is whether it focuses like a Sony. Minor factors like ergonomics, reliability and dare I say it, actual image quality, don't seem to come into the equation!

[@praetorian65]

Comparing the 50mm 1.8 S and the Z6, the "plastic" parts on the lens barrel appear to be the same as the material on the camera body itself. I don't have a D750 anymore to compare it to, but it is possibly the same material?

[@ShaneBaker]

@@praetorian65, I'm not qualified to comment - though I see no reason why it wouldn't. Once you start working with a material and find that it fits your requirements, I'd expect to stay with it until something better came along. But I'm no engineer! :-)

[@soundadviceb2b]

They are all fabulous lens .....different than 30 year old 80-200 f4 lens ... just great. Why worry about it?

[@jpdj2715]

"Soms people know the price of everything and the value of nothing." (Oscar Wilde, IIRC)

[@jrarsenault2413]

Bravo! Well played, JP!

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Fabulous quote.

[@alanjones8579]

I welcome new plastic(s) material, their strength to weight ratio is of a great benefit to me. I do most of my photography whilst travelling or hiking

[@genewhitney5993]

I enthusiastically agree with you about using "plastic" as a pejorative term, Matt. The Kevlar in a bullet-proof vest is a synthetic polymer (i.e., "cheap plastic"). The canopy on a fighter jet is made of polycarbonate (i.e., "cheap plastic"). Many medical and chemical devices and instruments are made of polyetherimide (i.e., "cheap plastic"). Anyone who thinks the use of plastic in an engineered product makes it "cheap" should try to catch up to the 21st century.

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Well said Gene, thank you. Happy New Year !! Matt

[@CB-nd9ki]

As I've said before, the images don't lie. The word eye focus probably didn't even exist 5 or 10 yrs ago, yet you would think it's more important than battery life at this point. It's like the guy sitting next to you on an airplane complaining about the wifi speed. "Reviewers" are not reviewing, they are protecting their position on the internet. It's sad and I refuse to watch those that are on this train.

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Good take Chris. 😀

[@jrarsenault2413]

Exactly my feelings, Chris. Eye focus and bokeh?!!! Guess giants like Ansel Adams, Cartier-Bresson, all the rest totally missed it. It never ceases to amaze me how the current crop of 'experts' rolls.

[@fetzie23]

It's because they try to find something to rip on. For example, up until about a year before the Z6 released, their beloved Sonys only had one card slot and they weren't complaining then.

[@washingtonradio]

What many 'reviewers' are complaining about are minor issues. Also, many forget the latest features are very new and did not exist 10 years ago and in the film days were not even a dream. There are few technical specs that are important for camera but most cameras exceed the minimum specs already. One of my favorites is frames rate when my first film camera had manual film advance, frame in seconds per frame.

[@kingalias]

Ack, don't be that guy, you sound like a curmudgeon.

[@RobertTeague]

I agree 100% with your sentiments in regards to Nikon. I've always found their build to be fantastic and love handling Nikon gear. In fact, yesterday, I was out shooting my old F6 (such a solid feel and sounds to that camera).

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Awesome Robert, I really must give my F5 a spin sometime soon :)

[@smkunder1]

You are right on track, Matt. I am so excited the direction Nikon is going!

[@jeffersoncalvesbert3223]

I recently purchased a Z6ii and love it. Have always shot Nikon from the film days to now full frame mirror less and have never had any issues. Long live Nikon! Nothing about the 24-70mm F4 ‘kit’ lens feels cheap or inferior. Quality glass and auto focus is all I see.

[@RobOnRefresh]

Hey Matt great points on the Nikon negativity. I've personally never understood this obsession with nitpicking the aesthetics of the exterior of a tube. There is only so much you can really do. I loved the Canon white 70-200 as well but it certainly wouldn't make me switch my entire set of lenses just for a prettier exterior. Whether it's space-age plastic, carbon fiber, or some other type of composite doesn't matter to me in the least. I want optical excellence and superior weather sealing. If I have those (which the new 70-200 F2.8 S lens has in spades) then I'm good to go. Everything else is nitpicking with a genuine lack of substance...

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Indeed I like the Canon white, but it did not make me change systems :) And yes Rob I agree, we have reached a point where the nitpicking is going too far, and often not substantiated. Happy New Year !!! :)

[@tashihishey34]

The trick I think is to upgrade one's photography skill and not worry too much about upgrading one's gear. My best photos were take by the Nikon 50mm1.8D lens that costs under $100.00 all plastic 12 years and still perfectly ok on a Nikon D600 camera. Too much tech can interfere with creativity. "If you have unlimited options how can you focus on something? Using constraints to be more productive, the liberation of limitations. " - Alan Schaller.

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Tashi very well said and many of us could take a leaf from this book. 😀

[@baronsilverton6504]

I dropped my brand new 70-200 2.8 S lens the very first time I used it. I had it connected to my Z6 which was attached to my Peak Design Clip on my belt. I failed to tighten the screws on the Peak Design clip tight enough, and it slipped and my who kit (camera and lens) went crashing to the concrete floor. Luckily I had the lens hood deployed and this struck the ground first. In the end, I had some scratches on the lens hood - although it still works perfectly and there is no evidence whatsoever that the lens took an impact - it still looks brand new with no scratches and operates perfectly. I think these lenses must be very resilient - optically they are superior - we all know that. Thanks again for the great channel and content Matt!

[@alsimoncelli7313]

I agree Matt, I have about a dozen Nikon f-mount lenses. I prefer the sleek look and feel of the Z lenses of which I have 4, the 24-70s f2.8, 14-30 f4, 35s f1.8 and the 50s f1.8. All fantastic lenses. The dampening of the zoom rings are just right. I have zero complaints!

[@PushkarTutorials]

How's the quality of 14-30 F4, and does irt works smoothly with Z6II

[@alsimoncelli7313]

@@PushkarTutorials I am using it on the Z6, not the Z6ii. However the 14 -30 mm F4 works very well with the Z6.

[@prl105]

Hey Matt, hope you had a great Christmas, and my best wishes for continued prosperous 2021. I’ll take one of your special edition orange cover books. Keep the video content coming, looking forward to next years episodes already. Have a good NY celebrations fella, best; Paul.

[@paulbennett429]

I love your honest opinions and reviews from a person who actually uses the system day in and day out, I love the Z-Series, I have sold all my D Range and F-Mount and invested in the Z Series bodies and glass and never looked back. You only have to look at the channels of actual Z Series users and they all love it, yes it does have minor issues depending upon your user case but these are minor, I don`t normally track fuzzy haired individuals zig zagging backwards and forwards across my viewfinder so the few milliseconds it takes the Z Series to capture and track makes no odds to me. 90% of my user case is stills and the Z Series excel in all my user situations. Cannot wait for the dedicated macro lens and my collection is complete :)

[@richardayres2949]

I dropped my 24 to 70 f4 in similar circumstances, still working as new. Nikon has put “plastic” lens hoods on its cameras for years and I’ve not had one of those break and the “plastic” in the new lenses looks far superior to me. Happy new year.

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Cheers Richard. Fine point regarding the lens hoods :)

[@vicpico1]

Hi! they call it, "plastic", but carbon fiber on Formula One, have been used for ages.! Technology of "plastic" have gone a long way! Carbon fiber are even stronger than Steel, but lighter. , that is why they use them for racing, to save weight., but very expensive. Only my opinion. Thanks for sharing. Happy New Year..!

[@zZola_Photography]

So this isn't speaking to the "NEW" lenses but talking about the overall build quality of Nikon "plastic" I have the 200-500 which is a solidly built and heavy lens (2300g). I dropped this lens attached to a d500 body(860g) from about 5feet up straight onto stone pavers (it took a dive off my tripod when I loosened the clamp accidentally in the dark). The lens hood for that lens is very definitely "plastic" ... The camera landed strait on the hood... forming a single long crack the length of the hood... it then bounced up and landed on the camera itself. The lens/filter/body were all 100% undamaged ... no calibration issues no damage dings scuffs.... that hood took a 3.2kg weight dropped on top of it and cracked absorbing the shock and... SAVING the rest of the camera. After the hood was broken I tried to break it further by hand(i was replacing it anyway and was curious)... and could not. I am very happy with any high end composites Nikon chooses to use in their high end glass.

[@rogeramdahl4992]

My experience is the opposite. I dropped a brand new D800 onto a wooden floor of the soft kind, from less then a meter. It did not fare well, resulting in a very expensive repair.

[@Digmen1]

Great video Matt Merry Xmas and happy new year to you and all of your subscribers You make some very good points about pricing and materials

[@grosema]

Thanks matt......... My Z7 II and Z-70-200s are working Great sharp as hell... I just ordered the Z-2x tele for it .... from Ontario Canada

[@King_Kenny66]

I get a kick out of reading on the various forums that glass is what defines your brand of choice. Then, a new fancy body comes out and tons of people are switching brands. :D

[@ageprevention]

Thanks Matt. Great vid as usual :)

[@MindTrailer]

Hi Thanks for this - solid meaningful commentary. Plus the background reality of putting tour books together. Perfect.

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Hey, thanks Stephen, I like to mix the vids up a little. :) Happy New Year !! Matt

[@YYZSQL]

Thanks for your consistent big picture thoughts about Nikon. I've only gotten serious with my photography in the last four years. I bought a D500 two years ago because it seemed to be my best option coming from a D7100. You deliver great news about the Z system lenses and bodies. Hopefully I'll pickup a Z6 II in the next year. I'd love one of your special Orange Books too 🙂 Keep up the great work!

[@AndySnap]

Making lots of very valid points there Matt... One thing that strikes me in these days of technological evolution & revolution, is that really only Nikon and Canon have experience of making long lasting pro' gear. Every other mirrorless system manufacturer is trying to make their products up to the standard and/or reputation of those two companies. To some degree, any other manufacturer is 'user testing' their latest designs in the real world, maybe pro' even use. So while Sony may have 'better' AF, are they truly 'better' made cameras and lenses? We all still await the long term results of well used and abused kit from Fujifilm, Sony, Panasonic, Olympus, etc. Meanwhile, the D4s holds it's value, the D3 revered for it's toughness... Nikon and Canon not only know what is required in a sturdy camera, they both have huge reputations to maintain, as they have the demanding pro' user base (quite separate from the 'demanding' KZbin reviewer base... 2 weeks eh? Many vids made after 2 hours or 2 days playing around).

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Indeed It is hard to understand why a subset of people persist with this line of thinking when Nikon and Canon as you say are experts in this space. They know what they are doing.

[@BillLivingstone]

I’m still using my F mount 24-70 2.8, but now that I recently purchased the Z6 I can’t wait to update my setup to the new “composite” lenses! I’m sure they are just a good of quality if not better.

[@buffmaloney]

Ending 2020 putting out another logic filled video. Keep it up.

[@NikCan66]

Another excellent thought provoking views on the future of camera technologies plus a new possible Z pro mirrorless cameras need to come out ASAP.

[@antonoat]

"Excuse Moi" , a balanced, informed view how very refreshing, lol. Hope you have a fantastic 2021, cheers. PS I think many modern composites are very resistant to thermal expansion are light and totally immune to corrosion whilst being extremely strong, it's a win, win I reckon!

[@slewisgreen]

great video, just like I am with you in your studio having a conversation...thank you.

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Cheers Steve. A complete pleasure. 😀

[@slewisgreen]

@@MattIrwinPhotography thanks for your reply, now i guess that i will have to buy that book your were re-wrapping...please send details. Steven Green 4 shad blow road new fairfield connecticut USA 06812-2420

[@corrbox2]

Very interesting watching you take the jackets off and placing new jackets on your books. Your points are very well taken. Using new materials, "plastic" does not necessarily lower the quality the quality of the lens. New materials may be different on these new Z mount lenses, but that contributes to why the lenses are smaller and much lighter without all the heavy metal. You are correct, comparing the IPhone cost and the cost of a Z6II orZ7II to other items we purchase, and use regularly. We won't know for years what material Nikon is usiing in the mamnufacture of these new lenses.(we may never know) It is reefreshing to hear you speak so openly about "thinking out of the box" with the use of new materials. Thanks for your review and opinions. They are very much appreciated. Good job!

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Cheers Joel. Thank you and Happy New Year. 😀

[@MichaelAdamsStory]

Hi Matt, greetings from a fellow Melbourne-based z6 owner. A few months ago, I dropped my z-mount 85mm S lens and put a 5c piece size (15mm dia) dent in the focussing barrel such that it wouldn't focus properly. Being a risk-taker (and engineer), I dismantled the lens, carefully pressed the dent out of the *metal* barrel and reassembled. I don't recommend self repair because the screws are tiny and i broke a focussing wire and had to solder it. However the lens barrel is metal, as far as I could see, it's just about all metal - an aluminium alloy I believe. Lens works perfectly now.

[@leod1671]

Voice of reason, thank you!

[@cooloox]

Is it Nikon users complaining about plastic, or others? Canon has gone down the composite materials track too with its RF lenses. The lenses are very strong. I dropped a lens on its end (where the filter thread is) in the gutter and it took me ages to find 2 tiny scratches in the plastic. A metal lens would have dented for sure. The lens works flawlessly. There's no way Nikon would take a backwards step in build quality, they have too much pride to do that.

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Great example. I don’t know for sure who all the voices are. Some are the negative Nikon influencers and those looking to find anywhere they can to seemingly criticise Nikon to the uninitiated.

[@kevingoza]

I have used various Nikon bodies, but the Z6ii has inspired new confidence in my photography, especially night/ low light. The camera is predictable, so my consistency has improved shot to shot. Some people just like to scoff. I’m totally happy with the decision to go Z, and I’m glad I waited for the Z6ii!

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Congrats Kevin, would love to see some pics if you have a link. : ) Cheers Matt

[@sbphotography3751]

Bravo - very well put, Matt.

[@MarkHummerNikonZ9]

As you know, I own most of the Z system already, Be it Bodies or lenses, And have compared the F mount to the Z mounts extensively. And quite frankly I could not care if it was made from recycled coke cans, Because I trust Nikon based on a consistent history and their own pride in what they offer the pro`s. Being that the lenses and the bodies are so good to use and the images themselves are so amazing, I am more than happy to leave their engineering decisions to them. And spend my energy actually taking pictures. Great discussion by the way I like how you think.

[@josephsworkshop75]

Matt, last night my wife surprised me with your 2021 calendar! Have a great New Year’s Eve. Cheers, Joseph

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Fine work from your wife. 🎇

[@J5388T]

A very good video and like you I have no issue with camera's and lenses made from modern composite materials and I hope this helps balance the equilibrium you mention although like you I suspect it wont unfortunately! As for the Z6II, its superb, I've owned one for just over a week and I'm amazed at just how versatile this camera is along with the optical quality of the new lenses.

[@shanekartz]

Shortly after receiving my first Z6 with the 24-70f4 kit lens, I was in Arizona and had an “incident”. I will spare you the embarrassing details, but the short version is that my Camera w/lens smashed with significant force into a metal streetlight post. To my horror, the metal filter ring got mushroomed, the UV filter shattered taking a very small chip out of the front lens element. As for the camera body, the magnesium frame cracked just in front of the mode dial. However, non of the “plastic” bits got any damage whatsoever. Other than the knick in the lens, it still functions perfectly. The camera functioned normally as well. I sent both into Nikon for repair. They replaced the frame in my Z6 body (covered by my Credit Card purchase protection), but replacing the front element in the lens was too cost prohibitive, so I live with it. Moral of the story, the metal bits were damaged, the “plastic” bits were not.

[@GeoffKirby]

I'm loving my Z6ii with my 24-70 F4 and 50mm plus using it with all my older F mount lenses. I can't wait to get the Nikon Z 85mm and the 24-70 Z mount 2.8! Exciting times

[@bryantharmon8531]

Right on !you hit the nail on the head.

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Cheers Bryant :)

[@cotswoldphotographers]

I agree with you 100% even down to the gold ring. Whilst I’m not a professional my wife and I are invested in both D750 and z6 and will be buying a z6ii in 2021. I think the bad press for Nikon has only come about by you tubers making a living out of click bait which frustrates me no end. I think a vast majority of pros and amateurs alike recognise this but unfortunately there’s always going to be haters and jealousy but one thing for sure there is a big enough market out there for everyone which ever way you go and there are no bad brands, it just comes down to preferences. Great content Matt and a very happy 2021 🍾

[@SwanSycorax]

Thanks Matt. As always, loads of good old fashioned common sense. Personally, I am VERY happy with both my Z6 and Z7ii. I have now had the 7ii for three weeks and been out with it every day. I have shot a mix of subjects and been delighted with the results. I have only had a couple of opportunities to shoot fast moving subjects - A flock of crows took off from a field I was walking past. I had only a few split seconds to lock on and track - it worked perfectly. I have taken some animal and human portrait shots and the eye-detection worked perfectly in 95+% of the shots. I don't know what anyone else wants from their cameras but I think they are great value and, with the quality/performance the Z-mount lenses offer, make a really great all round system. Am I just a "fan-boy"???

[@thunderpup1327]

Regarding "Plastic": Pay as much attention to those indictments as you paid for them. I have friends in law enforcement and in the military who literally trust their lives every day to rifles and pistols made of composite materials. The old timers all screamed to high heaven when "plastic" guns began to appear on the market. Their weapons are expected to last for decades of regular use with hundreds of thousands of rounds expended and a bit of regular maintenance. A few thousand clicks with my Nikon over the next 6 or 7 years is a holiday by comparison of usage Keep up the great work, Matt.

[@guyyowell8547]

One of my good friends that I shoot with quite regularly uses and loves her Canon R. The RF lenses are also using “composite” materials. I noticed this in the new RF 100-500mm lens that she recently purchased. So this is probably something that many of the major manufacturers are doing to keep the weight of the lenses under control. The build quality and tolerances between the different “sections” of these new Z-mount zoom lenses, in my opinion, is noticeably better than the F-mount lenses when you compare them side by side.

[@jvicks22]

Great stuff Matt ! Or maybe I should start calling you professor Irwin !

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

LOL :)

[@SteveSylvester23]

Hi Matt, thanks for sharing your insight as always. All the talk here is about Nikon, but what stood out to me in the videos is the orange jacket book that one can only get from your generosity. Lol. What do I need to do to become Matt Irwin’s biggest fan and receive the elusive orange jacket book?

[@colintomjenkins]

Interesting thoughts again Matt. I use a Z6i with the Z 85mm 1.8 to take photos of my two year old grandson when he is here with us. I shoot wide open in auto area AF with eye/face detection on and love the results. The colours and bokeh are just beautiful to my eyes. Sure the AF misses a few shots, but to be honest I'm amazed the number it nails given how quick he is :) Another thing I love about the Z6 over my old DSLR is that I can use a small 80 year old Leica rangefinder lens with focus-peaking for a different 'look'.

[@acronymphotography]

I agree, the aesthetics of a camera/ lens is a considerable part of the purchase decision- I love the Z style, I used to run Tamron G2 lenses on my f mount cameras and much much preferred their understated look. Plastic, is as you say, a broad term (it’s even used to describe the brain) perhaps all that’s missing is a clever-sounding adjective before the word “plastic”. Happy New Year Matt.

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Happy New Year AP

[@jpdj2715]

In photography, we have 4 archetypes: photographer-creators, compensators, collectors and nerds. The compensators need something expensive as attribute to raise or underline their status. These are the people running a KZbin channel who shoot their videos with a 1DX or D6. The nerds express an old set of genes we see a lot with technical people. This has a long documented history. The word "architect" is from two old Greek words: "archos" (king, leader, boss) and technoi (the builder, engineers). There's this story of Brunelleschi arriving on a building site to start leading a failed building process to success and he first needed to pass scrutiny by the technoi before they accepted him as archos. They threw insider architecture and builder terms at them that he flawlessly integrated in his answers and then he introduced something they did not know and the balloting was over

[@tlatown]

Great Video as usual!

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Glad you enjoyed it! Happy New Year !! Matt

[@felm.974]

Great analysis! There are a lot of influencers just working hard to help companies and destroy others, thankfully, you can't beat quality and that's what NIKON is all about. As I mentioned on your other video, I feel that the Z6 seems to have benefited from the recent firmware update, since I updated to the new firmware, the AF is a lot snappier and faster, I'm still upgrading to mark II but I'm quite happy with my Z6 and I could just get more glass instead, I'm not sure yet, but I feel, as you mentioned, having two processors will get NIKON to a great new level. Cheers!

[@OafArk]

Hi Matt. Could you please help me out with a question on the Z series. I’m trying to decide whether to add a 70-200 F mount or 70-200 VR F mount to my collection to use with the Z6ii with the adapter. Is VR necessary at these focal lengths even with camera stabilisation? Thanks so much!

[@travborger]

Great video, tired of all the hate on the nikon. Breath of fresh air and true statements.

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Thanks Trav :) Happy New Year !! Matt

[@Skye_the_toller]

I had the Z6 and the d850... now I am « only » with the Z7ii....do not underestimate the learning curve.... there is almost no learning curve from d500 to d750 or d850... but... it needs some practice to master the new way the af modes work, the way it tracks.... and ... at the end... I do not understand how the captures are so crisp, so detail, so contrast... so good. Even my wife noticed it when I loaded them in LR... a great new path is now building...

[@gpgpainting]

I would LOVE an orange jacket book !!! will trade you one for one of my limited edition photo books !! only 300 printed, each hand signed and numbered. And love this vid. I shoot with a D850 and Z6 both are great !!

[@ThePinoyAggie]

I love the Nikkor Z 70-200 f/2.8S. The build quality is great. Lightweight and weather sealed. Perfect for those who hike with their camera. I brought this out yesterday at the Skagit River to take photos of bald eagles catching steelhead salmons. It was foggy so no luck on the eagle photos. We walked under the evergreens and went to Rock Port State Park. Moisture everywhere and the lens got some water droplets and I never worry about it. Image quality and snappy autofocus were great as well. My USD$2600 well spent!

[@shuttermatt]

I've only ever shot with nikon and I upgraded to the z6II, from the d7500, when it was released. The z6II is blowing me away. The low light iso is insane. For the price point and what it does, its a fantastic option. Nikon glass (imo) is pretty superior to other brands as well.

[@andrewchisholm3665]

Well said. I got the Z5 and even with the 24-50 kit lens it blows me away how great it is then I got the 50 1.8 and FECKIN WOW it just blew me away. I took photos of the christmas decorations at home handheld at 1/13th of a second at f1.8 and in the gloom only lit buy the led lights and the quality is awesome

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Yes Andrew, the 50mm 1.8 S is a very fine lens. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

[@andrewchisholm3665]

@@MattIrwinPhotography same to you. Just waiting for my 7artisans 35mm F0.95 Manual Focus Fixed Lens to arrive. I must be mad as I am very partially sighted 😎 and getting a manual focus lens😁😁😁😎

[@davidlittle2364]

Matt, you said it. People are getting value for money, no matter what camera system they use. Great points about Nikon developing their latest cameras with a view to the future. The luxury of negativity is a first world problem... Enjoyed this video, and it was interesting to see you working in your office/studio/warehouse. Trust the books sales top the charts... I have multiple Nikon SLR's & one Z camera... I've been reluctant to sell any of my Nikon gear, but as the Z system progresses, I am finding it easier to consider parting with the earlier cameras...

[@richardmurray1858]

Good video Matt, thanks. You said something at the start of the video that I think is very much overlooked, the point about camera companies developing products in their own time. This was certainly true a number of years ago but I do think this is where Sony has had a negative impact on the camera market. I am not bashing Sony products, many of their cameras are very good nowadays, but as a consumer electronics company (not a dedicated optics and camera company) they, with the help of KZbinrs demanding fresh content to talk about every week, have changed the photographic landscape where camera releases have become like mobile phones where new or upgraded versions need to come out at a rapid rate to keep people consuming the latest and greatest. This I think caught both Canon and Nikon by surprise and I think especially Nikon has become the victim of not being ready to keep the hype train running at full speed. Nikon are going as fast as they can and I think it is impressive how quickly they have fleshed out their Z lens lineup over 2 years...many of those lenses are optically brilliant also so they have not been churning out rubbish despite the speed. The pro/sports bodies will come very soon I am sure for the few people (like me - who shoots sports and gets paid for it) who actually need super fast autofocus tracking. Until then, I have a wonderful set of DSLRs (D4s, D500 & D850) that have fantastic tracking ability. In fact, I would finally add that as someone who sits behind the ad boards at pro sports events getting paid to shoot I can confirm that not one of us photographers (canon and Nikon shooters) are using mirrorless, not seen one R6 or R5. I honestly think none of the companies are yet to make a truly full mirrorless sports camera that pros would rely on for shooting from the touchlines.

[@koolkutz7]

An interesting insight as always Matt. My D7500 body has some sort of composite materials for the top and it is still going strong. I also have a Nikkor 70-300 f-mount VR lens from anout 15 years ago and that still works perfectly! I must admit the image quality from the new Z-Mount lenses looks excellent and I do like the look of some of the new Canon RF lenses-trying out different designs etc. You do know that the latest chatter on YT is about Nikon moving it's production to Thailand right? Any thoughts?

[@per-martingrambo4379]

It’s very uplifting to find a voice of reason among all these allcaps-clickbait youtubers with strong opinions all the time.

[@justinmaccreery2490]

Are you interested in shipping one of those re-covered books, a book that can't be found here in Charlotte, NC regardless of cover, at premium price?

[@jtes1442]

I like the composite material just. In my experience sometimes metal lenses scratch easier. I love the new lens aesthetics. I was never a fan of the f mount gold lettering. I'm waiting for a murdered out Z6/Z7 II design, lol. Great post!

[@ytr8989]

Matt, I believe your filter saved your lens. I once dropped my D3300 with the kit lens onto the pavement below, because I was newbe and hadn’t connected my strap correctly to the camera body. Well, upon inspection the only thing broken was the UV filter. The 18-55 kit lens and D3300 body remained undamaged.

[@MadEnglishTV]

I've always thought Nikon bokeh is the best. Just waiting for the 100-400.

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Fingers crossed for 2021 :) Although I think the 70-200 with the TC 2x is a good option too :)

[@SirIronJim]

@@MattIrwinPhotography I have the TC 2x, and the 70-200 Lens, just waiting for my Z 7 II to arrive :)

[@thomasfox5476]

@@SirIronJim me too👍

[@KarenVaisman1]

@@SirIronJim Looking forward to a review on tc2!

[@EvilNeedle90]

@@MattIrwinPhotography What do you think will produce the better image quality? The 70-200 with the 2x or the 100-400?

[@gabrielkarczewski4453]

Could you please do a Z5 vs Z6 II if possible? There is no video nor article covering that, especially low light

[@ypt287]

Hi Matt. A good video as always. I wonder though why Nikon is not able to provide more information in terms of the build quality of the z lenses, and more specifically the materials used. We seem to be somewhat in the dark otherwise, and our potential monetary investment into the z system deserves some degree of assurance. Btw Matt, I own a collection of Nikons including the mirrorless editions (Nikon 1 AW1, Nikon 1 V3, Nikon 1 J5, and more recently the Z7). I now need to learn how to use them :)

[@frabo1000]

These new lenses have spoiled me. When I use a legacy lens with the ftz adapter I can't believe how heavy it feels. I am sure that I will be replacing my f mount glass as funds allow. By the way, I love the all black look as well!

[@toddhathaway6864]

Agree with you.

[@jamesdotd53]

I recently purchased the 70-200 S and it is a great lens. I just traded up to the Z6ii from the Z6 with 103,000+ clicks and this is a great camera. I can't wait until the Z6ii comes. I may be trading in the other Z6 soon.

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Cheers James, yes great gear which will give amazing results for a line time to come I reckon. Happy New Year!!!

[@jamesdotd53]

@@MattIrwinPhotography Same to you Matt. I like your videos. I am a long time working Pro and have never understood why there is such negative talk about Nikon. It is really the very easiest body to use. There is no comparison.

[@jamesdotd53]

The glass is exceptional. I have sold off all of my F glass except the 105mm Macro and the 24mm PCE. I am an architectural photographer and play with the Macro.

[@nocturnus009]

Happy New Year Matt! I am hopeful your audience is cogitating on your message here. I own a $10kUS time trial bike (titanium Guru back when they made TT bikes) the products are better AND we are not reviewing how good everything is. I finished the 2009 Marine Corps Marathon in Washington DC thanks to training with a Garmin GPS watch & HR monitor chest strap. The tech & cost have advanced to the point that the Apple Watch (I’m waiting for the series 6 currently) covers my training/tracking needs before I even activate the Fitness+ trial. I look forward to what Nikon shares because they have earned my trust. Like with most of the current crop of Apple products, the people that complain from without or within the Apple ecosystem, they might not understand the $550 wireless headphones where probably $1200 18 months ago. The origami necessary to spec & build to an agreeable price is the issue. Nikon is no different. The real clue as to how good their platform is can be seen in support for the black magic raw format. Having access to that & ProResRAW speaks to a trust the auteur philosophy. Looking forward to enjoying all you have to share this year. The books look great.

[@navyjaa1916]

just got my Z7ii & 24-70 F4 last few days, ergonomic and the optical performance is absolutely fantastic, no complain at all. *happy uand satisfied user here* I been using Nikon DSLR since day 1 learning how to shoot, later on switched to various brand mirrorless camera (Olympus M43, Fuji, SONY) due to Nikon haven't offer a decent mirrorless camer by that time (Z6, Z7). But finally Z6ii Z7ii released, here I'm switching again 😂

[@christianstenvall6023]

Matt - Id buy your orange edition!

[@timryan6395]

I finally made the jump to the Z series this last week from the D750s- I'm loving them and the low light video for my use case will now allow me to finally dump all my Sony products and glass and invest in another Z or two with a few more native lenses. The images from these cameras are simply amazing. Just a bunch of noise from gear reviewers (not photographers) who have no clue what they are talking about...Nothing but noise. Thanks Nikon, loving the Z

[@petermenzel822]

THANKS! Finally someone who dares to tell the truth! How many self-proclaimed "professionals" on KZbin tell the same "standard shit" here. You got it all VERY well to the point, Matt and I agree with you 120%! The only mistake you could blame NIKON for is "bad marketing". I have been in the NIKON warehouse for more than 40 years (everything started with a Nikon F3 HP) and a NIKON item has NEVER let me down - no camera, no lens, no flash, ... - nothing. Today EVERYTHING is being discussed to death by the self-proclaimed professionals on the Internet - and unfortunately very often wrongly, only with partial knowledge and without real know-how or insider knowledge. Nikon might do well to go on the marketing offensive and explain more to the end customer WHAT they do and WHY. It will all make sense - as it has for the past 40 years. Thanks Matt - keep it up!

[@stevebennettphotography]

Having recently lost my F mount 24-70 2.8 to a pretty innocuous fall and roll I’m convinced had the body of that lens had a little shock absorbing give it would’ve been fine. Also can you imagine the internet backlash Canon would get if their pro lenses being white was first being introduced now

[@edcoronel9671]

Publicity can either be good and promote innovation like what NIkon is doing in developing its Z line of products. Or similar to a 6PM news bulletin of a car accident, like what others are saying that Nikon has a bad product. Why would anyone disprove a good product and promote negativity, sell their entire gear collection etc, blah blah, if one has nothing to gain from it, right? What has Nikon done? No one is criticising the Hasselblad 907x, or the Leica SL2s? Why pin everything on Nikon? ---- "Drama is created where there is no drama". You nailed it. But I route for the underdog and wish Nikon succeed far ahead in their hard work and innovations!

[@stmarks3934]

Got my Z50 in September this year, so amazed by the Z mount that the new Z6 II is on its way to me. So looking forward. Hope the camera will be more robust, especially the battery door and the connector covers. Seems way too flimsy to me. To be fair I'm the kind of guy that prefers 50 pound NAD amplifier rather than iPod 😂😂😂

[@michaelluder3193]

Saint, I share your concern regarding the battery/sd card door. Other than that , as you say the Zed 50 is an amazing piece of technology.

[@gionspenzers]

For me, Nikon moving to Plasticy (but not really plastic) materials is actually moving forward. Why? Well for me it's a part of the Material Revolution thingy. Stone Age into Bronze Age into Silver Age into Iron Metal age related. Now we're moving into Plastic Age (we're already started the plastic age since the Industrial Revolution). So for me we're now moving forward towards Artificial Materials to build some objects like our Cameras, Lenses, Books, etc. And also not all Artificial Materials are plastic. Carbon-fibre (as you said in the video) aren't plastic or anything, they're Artificial Materials but they're Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger. (Yes I pull a Daft Punk in there)

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Bring the Daft Punk :) well said Gion.

[@MichaelSeneschal]

Canon and Nikon lenses are plastic on the outside and metal on the inside. Sony lenses are metal on the outside and plastic on the inside. KZbinrs review Sony lenses noting their solid metal build quality, and ding Nikon and Canon for their plastic build quality.

[@williamm.3981]

In 1980 I bought my first Nikon an EM with the 50mm1.8 and 100mm 2.8 series E lenses. The criticism because they had polycarbonate construction was relentless and unfair. I loved this camera and lenses and was very much bothered by this. Subsequently Nikon made many cameras from polycarbonate and metal construction. People began accepting it . Other companies made entire cameras out of it (Minolta/Canon etc.). I embraced the lighter, non denting materials . Nikon used metal/polycarbonate combined and made a superior and long lasting product still working 40years later . I have a Z50 and 16-50, 50-250 and think they are fantastic! The materials are fine with me! I can’t believe after all these years that the plastic police 👮🏻‍♂️ are out again. 🤪 Great video Matt as usual! 😃

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Thanks Will. Love ‘the plastic police’. Great input thank you. 😀

[@MrBratius]

I went with Nikon, I am happy with my choice. The Z6ii is a wonderful camera and takes great photos.

[@stephenbates5237]

Nah...I am heavily invested in the Fuji crop XT3 mirrorless and lots of its legendary glass. Love it as a format. Knowing it’s limitations, it’s still excellent and versatile. I itch when I don’t pick it up for a few days... Previous Shot over 100k on my Nikon D7100 since 2014. That camera inspired me to keep my hobby alive even tho it’s DX. Just put that to one side and purchased a brand new D850 in 2020? Not saying I am not paying attention to all your and subs excellent and valuable insight on Nikon Z roads but I felt the jump to full FF with a predominately stills inclination, could not go wrong. Maybe I made the wrong financial long term choice as many Nikon FX advocates are switching to mirrorless (add FTZ). Time will tell, but for now I am certain the 850 is a tank and superior image upgrade. Thank you all.

[@rudolffoldvary5654]

More "people of understanding" like you, building bridges between opinions, rather than fences. I personally prefer new plastic lenses because of lighter weight. Also sub zero temperatures is something where i find plastic lenses more suitable (subjective, no data :) ) My use case is mouintaineering and long distance hiking. Cheers from Slovakia.

[@Supershoots]

I shoot with the Z6 and the 6II and I love them but I can tell you the rubber covering over the bodies is inferior compared to other cameras. I was hoping they would improve it on the II but it's the same. Not a deal breaker as I put a strip of electrical tape in the groove of the handle to protect that area. Glad to hear you probably chew your nails down to a flesh point. ;-)

[@mahdiali6732]

Would you pick the z7ii over the D850?

[@ytr8989]

I just viewed your video on how you changed from Sony to Nikon 11 months ago. What camera did you use before Sony? I mean back in the film days.

[@michaelluder3193]

P.S . I've had an 18-135 mm 3.5f / 5.6f G ED for circa 14 years , came with the D80 as a kit lens. Hooked it up with NiCKon Zed 50 , ( it's not NYEkon Zee50) and guess what ....shock horror .....it delivers good images . More shock horror, it's got a plastic mount , so the doomsayers can take a hike . I've also eschewed colour , gone back to my roots of b&w images. Inspired by Daidō Moriyama . Feel the texture , enjoy the contrast. I don't use adobe or similar . Just shoot to enjoy the results, good or bad. Meanwhile, stay safe , stay in the house and read. Thanks Matt , you also inspire me. I'm waiting for a 40 mm AFS DX Macro f/2.8 to be delivered from China. I'm in the Philippines so every item I need to buy has to be delivered either from U.K. , USA or Australia along with China. I've read the reviews and done the research so I know what to expect from the little sucker. Also picked up a Nikon SB -400 , nice little flash ...can bounce the light around off the ceiling.sweet.

[@skyrunr]

I sure wish they used some fancier lighter materials for the FTZ and put a button or two on it as well! I also wish my 180mm 2.8D had a plastic built in lens hood so I could just replace it. Bent it for the third time a week after I had it fixed. LOL ;)

[@bobg982]

"Duel processors" at 6:25 following your slide about nuance made me chuckle. Good points though, thanks for the discussion.

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Whoops. Photography is what I am good at. Spelling less so. 😬

[@bobg982]

@@MattIrwinPhotography Don't sell yourself short Matt. You've proven you're a savvy businessman who can think on his feet during a COVID crisis and you're strong on analysis of the photography/camera equipment industry.

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Thank you. 😀

[@rickpinelli1586]

You can pick up an almost new Z6 for under $1000. on ebay. Looks like Z6 users are dumping them for the new Z6 II's. I am sure the Nikkor "S" lenses will withstand the "Test of Time".

[@MichauxJHyatt]

I've always loved my Nikon gear even though I don't own many Nikon lenses but I have mad respect for the bodies being that I own the D5300 (my first), D750, and Z6. I totally get what you're saying and to be honest my only doubt I had was how they would finally make the jump to mirrorless. Sony was too expensive and Canon didn't seem to be doing so hot either in terms of cameras a few years ago. (I know at least 3-4 acquaintances that jumped ship from Canon). It didn't seem to make sense to me, and not only that most of these people aren't working professional photographers. It just didn't seemed economically sound to jump ship, and my work only got better as a photographer being that I worked with what I had. I didn't have much starting out as I'm sure most people can attest to. I believe it then places people in two to a few different camps as to where to negativity comes from. There are those who wants the camera to do everything for them like a phone. I say to those people, just use your phone then or use Sony. They'll never truly be happy until the camera can wash their clothes for them. Then are are pros and really good people that are really good and they may still use DSLRs. Statistically, most photographers whether pro or not still use DSLRs. I know it's never easy for a business to shift, especially making a big change, and I know Nikon created something that's going to be future proof. By the way, one of my former roommies and friend of mine was holding my camera (never again lol) while hiking back. He fail and I thought the lens was done. This was on my D5300 and this actually is one of a few Nikkor lenses I actually own. He fail right on the lense. The camera was fine and while I thought the lens glass was cracked it was only the filter that protected it in the first place. Everything else was good. So I know Nikon makes high quality product even if it's not their most expensive. Thanks for sharing as always. I hope to get back to Australia sometime after the world gets a bit better again.

[@michaelnikonfuji3539]

Hi love your Chanel I am hooked on the mirror less view finder and using me D500 and D850 less Really hoping someone can add comments about the performance of the z6ii compared to a D500 also with some legacy glass such as the 200-500 Bottom line the image quality of the camera with the sprites is just awesome particularity on low light

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Thanks so much Michael, yes I don't own a d500, so we will have to wait for somebody else to make that comparison. :)

[@TouchLifeStudio]

I have been shooting D500 for 3 yrs. About a month ago picked up the Z6II. The only thing that D500 has over the Z6II is the ergonomics, although this can be debatable by some. Z6II Image quality, sharpness, accuracy, low light performance is beyond my expectations.

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

@@TouchLifeStudio thanks TLS for the intel, that is fantastic to hear :)

[@LaveaFirmis]

I own the D500, Z6 II and A7 mkiii. There’s a few things odd focusing things I’ve noticed which is maybe because I only have the f mount 24-70 and 70-200 2.8 but the Z6 II struggles to focus on horizontal lines while put the camera in portrait, will suddenly see those same lines. I noticed it first taking pictures of my door and cone on my speakers when I had just got the camera. I would personally say the Z6 II focus is much slower and less consistent than the D500 maybe 70% at best speed wise unless your in bright light. The D500 also has far fewer issues low light focusing. I would say the Z6 tracking is better on a subject but it still misses a lot in continuous, it seems to have micro jitters. In video I hoped to move back fully to Nikon but the A7 is so much better, the Z6 doesn’t smoothly move between things as you go from a wide shot to a tight that isn’t the original subject and it hunts close up making shots unusable. It’s fine in medium wide or locked off shots but if your fast moving or shooting objects not faces the A7 is just flat out better. Oddly colour wise the Sony in stills I’m not the biggest fan of, though I love the noise level and dynamic range. But in video the Z6 like the D500 has a long way to go, they are fine if you want to shoot and use the colours pretty with no grading but compared to shooting cine4 on the A7 it’s just not good it seems to mash reds and oranges together in a odd way making it hard to grade skin to colours in the background while it’s no issue on the A7. Zero issues with this in stills though with the Nikon’s. If you shoot different coloured lights like a gig sort of thing the Z6 doesn’t seem to be a camera I can trust sadly compared to my D500 and A7. If you shoot daylight brightness and colours wise the Z6 seems ok. This is just my experience and my personal opinion. I took photos low light at a blacksmith with the A7 which did amazing, I think the Z6 would have made a mess of it. Maybe the Z glass would make the difference. Hopefully this makes sense writing it at 2.21am. Ha ha

[@ullybleil]

Well said!!!

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Cheers Ully :) Happy New Year !!

[@ullybleil]

@@MattIrwinPhotography Happy New Year to you too!

[@photo-markus]

I’d like to see compared the Z 70-200 to the F mount variants-VR1, VR2, FL. I don’t care about plastic/metal, image quality and usability is what matters.

[@Youtuber-zs4wx]

As far as I understand, all types of plastics can be divided into two groups, either thermoplastics or, well do not remember what the English word is called, but plastics that are chemically cured, such plastics can be epoxy or polyester. Thermoplastics come in small pellets, and here there are several different varieties that I can not name, they are heated and injected into a mold and when the plastic cools it solidifies. Both types of plastics can be reinforced, which usually takes place in demanding situations, the reinforcement can consist of, for example, fiberglass, kevlar or carbon fiber. So there is a difference between plastic and plastic, that something consists of plastic is not an argument that it would necessarily be a substandard material. Best regards.

[@RyanLunaPhotography]

@ 6:26 are the processors fighting each other to complete operations? Just busting your balls...you're awesome and your content is superb Matt.

[@MattIrwinPhotography]

Lol yep. 10 paces at sunrise. 😀 Happy New Year.