Nikon Z7 review at Photographyblog: “it feels like Nikon has got it right this time”

Photographyblog tested the Nikon Z7 and this is their conclusion:

“There’s absolutely no doubt that Nikon users have been waiting for a viable mirrorless option for some time now. The ill-fated Nikon 1 series certainly didn’t tick the right boxes for the vast majority of pro photographers, while the Z7 finally feels like the company is heading in the right direction.

The Nikon Z7 feels like a camera which can be picked up by existing Nikon DSLR users without hesitation about how it works or what certain things do. While some things will be slightly different and may take some to get used to, all in all, it’s very much like using a smaller and lighter Nikon DSLR.

Having a mirrorless model opens up certain shooting scenarios for photographers that may otherwise have been more difficult or even impossible. The silent shooting function is a great example of that and we can see it being particularly popular with wedding photographers and in other situations where being discreet is important.

That said, the Nikon Z7 is probably not the perfect model for everybody. If you shoot a lot of sports or action, there are certainly better tracking focus and burst speeds on the market – both inside and outside the mirrorless realm. There’s also the issue of the single card slot – it seems likely that many will either learn to live with the risk of one of the cards corrupting, or wait even longer to see what Nikon produces next.

Either way, it’s clear to see that this is just the beginning. Right now we have the Z7 and the Z6, but how long will it be until we see a Z3, Z1 or even APS-C models to really open it up to the consumer market. DSLR production is still going strong, but it could become somewhat of a niche in the years to come. It finally feels as if Nikon is no longer scared to admit that and is open to the possibility of the mainstream future being mirrorless.

For a first iteration of a brand new system and mount, the Nikon Z7 is really quite remarkable – it’s a truly exciting time in the market and it feels like Nikon has got it right this time.

Your move, Sony.”

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MIng Thein reviews the Nikon Z7: “enough solid improvements over the D850, and not too many compromises”

Ming Thein reviews the Nikon Z7:

On an absolute scale, what we have here is not revolution but thorough evolution – much as the D3 was in its day. And as the D3, this represents a massive quantum leap of innovation for conservative Nikon; though the Z7 isn’t the second coming of sliced Jesus there are enough solid improvements over the D850, and not too many compromises (some of which are firmware-fixable). For a first try, it’s remarkable effort. Put another way: I don’t care what the fanboys say, but we’re now on the third generation of Sony A7 (fourth, if you count the A9) and they still don’t operate as smoothly.

If you’re not bothered by the D850’s size and weight, or need stabilization in lenses that don’t have it, or shoot video, or use a lot of manual focus – then you can skip this generation. But if any of those things apply to you for any meaningful portion of the time, you’re likely to find the Z7 is a worthwhile addition. Just remember that there are some differences in control paradigm, with heavier reliance on customizable menus and far fewer customizable buttons. Don’t get me wrong, though: Nikon has managed something impressive: a mirrorless device retaining all of the advantages of mirrorless, but still feeling and operating with the immediacy of a good DSLR.