Who will by the Nikon Z9?

[Tballphoto]

So much cynicism from members on the Z9. It's for those who need a professional mirrorless camera. I'm encouraged that Nikon is stepping up their game.

Enhancement is GOOD... however the advancements are putting it WAY beyond what the regular consumer can afford. and yes, the main market segment IS still the amateur camera user, not the professional.

Before you gripe, ive seen various statistics charts from the last two decades where professional camera users, who MAKE their income from photographs is about 20% of the market sales.

 

[Destin]

The longer I’m in photography, the more I realize it’s less about equipment. I will never spend that much on a camera body, ever. I’m more drawn to small, simple, minimalistic gear these days.

It’s why I switched to Fuji and why I just ordered an X100V.

The harsh reality is that most people with $6k+ to drop on a camera body would be served far better by using that money to buy a D7200 kit with a couple lenses, a photography class, and a trip to somewhere to take photos.

Great photos require knowledge and being in the right place at the right time. Gear is secondary and always will be. Unless you’re a professional sports photographer, the Z9 is overkill. Period. And even if you are, you could still do absolutely fine with a D500 body, because it’s more about the glass than the body.

 

[mjcmt]

The longer I’m in photography, the more I realize it’s less about equipment. I will never spend that much on a camera body, ever. I’m more drawn to small, simple, minimalistic gear these days.

It’s why I switched to Fuji and why I just ordered an X100V.

The harsh reality is that most people with $6k+ to drop on a camera body would be served far better by using that money to buy a D7200 kit with a couple lenses, a photography class, and a trip to somewhere to take photos.

Great photos require knowledge and being in the right place at the right time. Gear is secondary and always will be. Unless you’re a professional sports photographer, the Z9 is overkill. Period. And even if you are, you could still do absolutely fine with a D500 body, because it’s more about the glass than the body.

It may be true but the Z9 is not for every one. Also some folks have a large disposable income and like the best. I'm sure not all the high-end BMWs, Mercedes, Alfa's, Ferraris, etc are owned by people that can use them to their capabilities. Same goes for owning a mansion with only 2 people living there. Every one is different, and some want cool stuff an can afford it. Not everyone wants what is the most practical. Selling lots of high end cameras keeps a company profitable too, and the technology will trickle down to us mere mortals.

 

[greybeard]

I look at cameras like I look at my collection of bass guitars. I can get the job done with any of them but some are just more fun to play than others. I have a Z50 so I know what the mirrorless thing is about. In fact I've owned a total of 3 mirrorless cameras starting back in the early 2000's with a Sony D8. Needless to say, digital and mirrorless has come along way since then. My cell phone is good enough for me to video my grand children and cat so 8k video isn't important to me. The IQ of my D850 is a lot better than the old Dell laptop I view my photos on. But, I might just go for a Z9 just because I want one.

 

[Dave Maciak]

The longer I’m in photography, the more I realize it’s less about equipment. I will never spend that much on a camera body, ever. I’m more drawn to small, simple, minimalistic gear these days.

It’s why I switched to Fuji and why I just ordered an X100V.

The harsh reality is that most people with $6k+ to drop on a camera body would be served far better by using that money to buy a D7200 kit with a couple lenses, a photography class, and a trip to somewhere to take photos.

Great photos require knowledge and being in the right place at the right time. Gear is secondary and always will be. Unless you’re a professional sports photographer, the Z9 is overkill. Period. And even if you are, you could still do absolutely fine with a D500 body, because it’s more about the glass than the body.

Could not have said it better.

 

[Strodav]

I look at cameras like I look at my collection of bass guitars. I can get the job done with any of them but some are just more fun to play than others. I have a Z50 so I know what the mirrorless thing is about. In fact I've owned a total of 3 mirrorless cameras starting back in the early 2000's with a Sony D8. Needless to say, digital and mirrorless has come along way since then. My cell phone is good enough for me to video my grand children and cat so 8k video isn't important to me. The IQ of my D850 is a lot better than the old Dell laptop I view my photos on. But, I might just go for a Z9 just because I want one.

How many guitars does a guitar player need? Just one more. Hmmm, wonder if the same could be said about photographers and cameras? Here's a couple of my favorites, with several more hanging on my music room walls, a Kiesel Aires 6 and PRS Santana SE. I do have a couple of SS Telecasters, but for some reason I like the tone out of double humbucker guitars.

ites.

 

[cgw]

The longer I’m in photography, the more I realize it’s less about equipment. I will never spend that much on a camera body, ever. I’m more drawn to small, simple, minimalistic gear these days.

It’s why I switched to Fuji and why I just ordered an X100V.

The harsh reality is that most people with $6k+ to drop on a camera body would be served far better by using that money to buy a D7200 kit with a couple lenses, a photography class, and a trip to somewhere to take photos.

Great photos require knowledge and being in the right place at the right time. Gear is secondary and always will be. Unless you’re a professional sports photographer, the Z9 is overkill. Period. And even if you are, you could still do absolutely fine with a D500 body, because it’s more about the glass than the body.

Agree. My EDC bag? Fuji X-100T and Ricoh GR II. A pair of X-T1 bodies+4 Fujicrons sees less use. A D7200+ 4 primes needs some exercise.

 

[Original katomi]

I am a canon user so don’t know the camera that is being talked about
I have seen the more money than brain crowd bragging about their latest... whilst leaving the camera on the pub table with the lens off and no body cap
I have seen the newbi with basic kit get some decent images because they worked at getting the shot

 

[Felixkoch2312]

My current gear is more than I need. I am not a fan boy of anything or a shill like that Tony youtube guy above. All I want in a camera is the aperture ring, shutter dial, and a 100% viewfinder. I hope the Z9 is the greatest camera on the market and gets Nikon back on track, moving forward.

It will be the greatest!

 

[greybeard]

I look at cameras like I look at my collection of bass guitars. I can get the job done with any of them but some are just more fun to play than others. I have a Z50 so I know what the mirrorless thing is about. In fact I've owned a total of 3 mirrorless cameras starting back in the early 2000's with a Sony D8. Needless to say, digital and mirrorless has come along way since then. My cell phone is good enough for me to video my grand children and cat so 8k video isn't important to me. The IQ of my D850 is a lot better than the old Dell laptop I view my photos on. But, I might just go for a Z9 just because I want one.

How many guitars does a guitar player need? Just one more. Hmmm, wonder if the same could be said about photographers and cameras? Here's a couple of my favorites, with several more hanging on my music room walls, a Kiesel Aires 6 and PRS Santana SE. I do have a couple of SS Telecasters, but for some reason I like the tone out of double humbucker guitars.

View attachment 204415ites. View attachment 204416

Nice guitars. Big difference is Guitars are a mature technology. How many different ways can you make a 6 string guitar. Many would say the Leo Fender perfected the electric guitar with the Tele or Strat, others with the Gibson Les Paul. Digital cameras are an immerging tech. What was hot just a few years ago is now sadly obsolete. Guitars are a much better investment.

 

[Scott Murphy]

Not me, I will stick with my trusty D850, D750 and D500, my money makers. Not to mention I am not fond of smaller cameras and AF lenses, all 31 of my lenses being Non-AI/AI/AIS Nikkors.

 

[Scott Murphy]

[/QUOTE]
............Digital cameras are an immerging tech. What was hot just a few years ago is now sadly obsolete.............[/QUOTE]

That is pure nonsense. In spite of all its various bells and whistles, the camera is still, and always will be, simply a recording device. It is the person behind it that makes the image. I can take my "antique" Nikon D700 (according to your assertion) and produce images that are as good or better than any here. The same goes for my 1969 vintage Nikon FTN and Kodak T-Max 100 or Portra 160 film and especially my Hasselblad 500CM and the same film. So many photographers get lost in the techno-nerd aspects of photography that they totally lose sight of the photography forest for the trees.

 

[rugbyhubby]

Better is in the eye of the beholder. Personally I would love the blazing frame rates a mirrorless can deliver but I know many don't care about that.
As much as I love shiny, new stuff, the harsh realities of economics will keep me from buying one anytime soon.

I purchased the Z6 to replace my 3500 and enter full frame. The one thing the mirrorless gives you that really stands out is the WYSIWYG of the view finder. If you want to take black and white you can do so and adjust the contrast before taking the image. You can see how the ISO or Aperture will affect the end result. That allows you to bracket images and get an idea of what the end result will be. I was upset when they started offering version 2 of the Z6. This isn’t my phone!

 

[DaveAllen]

It's obviously not a new camera for everyone, as reading through this thread shows. This should be a fantastic camera for those who need it, but it's no surprise that most people won't need it.

As a landscape photographer who rarely needs a fast camera, I've never wanted to carry the weight of a D5/D6 for those times when I might need it, given the loss of resolution which is something I do need from my daily work camera. If this camera comes in at high resolution like the D850 or better as they are saying, and has blazing speed to boot, I might consider picking one up to have a fast camera for when I need it. For me, that would make the extra size/weight in the bag worth it.

Looking forward to seeing the actual specs and performance of this one, even if it isn't a camera that I need. For the sports and wildlife guys, this should be awesome. And from what I've read so far, they might even get me to bite this time.

 

[adamhiram]

Not for me, but glad to see Nikon updating their full product line to support mirrorless. The price point is the same as the last few iterations of their flagship DSLRs, and those who need or want it for sports or photojournalism will probably love it. It will be interesting to see how it compares with Canon's R1 and Sony's A1, but ultimately I'm not too concerned with how much better the specs are on a $6500 body that I am not in the market for anyway. For what it's worth, the Z6 is a solid performer for a great price, and the Z6II I currently shoot with is a significant improvement. Will the Z9 be considerably better than my Z6II? At more than 3x the price, I hope so!