Yes, there are downsides to a smaller body, and arguably I prefered the layout of the larger D850 with its dedicated AF mode lever and area button, and greater number of inputs running down both sides of the LCD. The deep grip has felt comfortable from day one and my muscle memory has now kicked on for the new button layout. Nikon has got the Z7 II’s handling pretty much spot-on. And along with some stepping rings to bring the 24-70mm f/4 S up to 77mm, I can use a single set of filters, too.
I often take my AF-S 20mm f/1.8G ED and AF-S 300mm f/4E PF VR plus the FTZ mount converter, making a streamlined kit that can handle all sorts of subjects, but still fits in a small backpack. Even when adding a couple more Z-mount lenses, accessories and outdoor gear, the load is lighter, and that’s made me feel more like getting out and shooting. On various landscaping trips and hikes, I’ve really noticed that difference, and especially when twinning the Z7 II with the 500g Z 24-70mm f/4 S lens alone.
I’m not sure there’s a better example of that than comparing the D850 with the Z7 II: the latter is a camera that’s very similar in spec, but at 705g versus 1005g with battery and card, also one which weighs almost a third less. One of the trumpeted benefits of mirrorless cameras is that they’re smaller and lighter than DSLRs. And in that way, I genuinely think it’s changed the way I shoot for the better. So, after almost 10 months of shooting, what have I learnt? Well, not only that it’s a great camera, but that it delivers on the general promise of mirrorless photography. I needed to dive in without the water wings and get used to its benefits. That was necessary: first to pay for the new body and second because I knew that having old faithful around would make me less likely to embrace the new world of the EVF. After all, as a not-quite-second generation of Nikon’s full-frame mirrorless flagship, the Z7 II promised to iron out several kinks in the original model, adding greater speed with its dual processors, while preserving its more attractive features.īuying the camera in December 2020, my Nikon D850 went in the opposite direction. In a lot of ways though, it meant I was lucky. So while Nikon had been noticeably late to the mirrorless party, I felt like I had, too. Having spent two decades using DSLRs, the Nikon Z7 II was my first mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. Kingsley Singleton shooting with the Nikon Z7 II