Before the launch of the Z7, we would have never imagined that people could work themselves into a lather about card slots. Clearly, we underestimated the Internet.

Depending on your view of the world, Nikon’s entry into the full-frame mirrorless category has put Sony on notice or is a case of too little, too late. We turned the camera over to N.J. commercial photographer David Patiño to see where it falls.

Features

The flagship of the new mirrorless Z series boasts a 45-megapixel back-illuminated sensor with no optical low-pass filter and an ISO range of 64-25,600 (32-102,400 expanded). It has 493 hybrid phase/contrast detect AF points. The hybrid system automatically switches between focal plane phase detect AF and contrast detection.

The Z7 tops off with a continuous shooting speed of 9fps. It can create 4K time-lapse movies in camera and 8K time-lapse movies in post. It can meter in low light down to -3EV and focus down to -1EV, though a dedicated low-light AF mode can push that down to -4EV.

As for video, Nikon has finally killed the crop when recording 4K. If you do opt for a DX crop when recording 4K, you’ll enjoy full pixel readout (3840×2160/30p) when shooting 4K. This is Nikon’s first camera to support outputting a 10-bit video signal from the HDMI output as well as an N-Log color profile for 12 stops of dynamic range. Focus peaking in both 4K and full HD and time code are also supported. HD video can be captured at up to 120p.

The Z7 offers an electronic shutter, and built-in Wi-Fi for transferring images to phones and, for the first time, computers.

Nikon’s DSLR accessories, such as the EN-EL15/a/b batteries and WT-7/A/B/C Wireless Transmitter, will work with the Z7.

Design

Design-wise, the Z7 is largely a home run (maybe an inside-the-park one). With its generous front grip, we found it more comfortable to hold than Sony’s a7 models. At 23.8 ounces, it’s essentially the same weight as the a7R III but enjoys the D850’s robust weather sealing. Unlike the a7R III, it has a convenient top panel display to read out camera settings.

Patiño says that while he “hates EVFs” the one on the Z7 “was really, really good—the most true-to-life display I’ve looked through.” The 3690K-dot OLED EVF delivers 100 percent frame coverage and an .8x magnification. The viewfinder eyepiece has fluorine coating to make it easier to clean. Several menu options are visible through the EVF as well.

The 3-inch touch display can tilt up and down, and touch is fully implemented through the menu system, which is nice. Also nice is how customizable the Z7 is—you can remap a number of external controls to new settings and there are a pair of programmable buttons on the front of the camera, within easy reach of your fingers, that can pull up controls on the fly. Beyond that, Patiño says he really appreciated the three programmable user modes on the mode dial.

Stop us if you’ve heard this one before: the Z7 has but one XQD slot. Please commence frothing. (For the record, it should have had two.)

Image Quality & Performance

Patiño shot the Z7 using both the new 35m f/1.8 S and 24-70mm f/4 S lenses. He tells us he was quite impressed with the image quality and color rendition of the camera. Even wide open, the lenses proved quite sharp.

The Z7’s dynamic range was particularly solid, he says. After shooting a large group portrait outdoors with roughly 200 people (some in the shade, some in the sun), he was able to pull down the highlights and bring out plenty of shadow details in the Z7’s RAW file.

In the studio, the Z7 performed well, even if it has a slightly slower flash sync speed than the D850 (1/200 vs. 1/250). Patiño used it for several model shoots and videos and had no complaints in either scenario.

He tells us he found AF-C slower in low light but still “acceptable.” In good light, the Z7’s AF system was speedy enough. What he wasn’t a fan of was the decision to use a focus-by-wire system for the new lenses, which can trip up your ability to return to your focusing point when shutting the camera off, or impact smooth focus in video.

Nikon uses an in-body image stabilization along five axes for up to five stops of correction. When using the FTZ mount adapter, stabilization is performed along 3 axes. Stabilization using native lenses worked well for us, allowing us to shoot handheld down to 1/13 sec. without motion blur.

At 9fps, the Z7 is just about on par with the A7R III’s burst mode but has a shallower buffer depth, so you can’t let it rip beyond about 25 images before it slows down. Tracking autofocus during continuous shooting was quite aggressive—the Z7 should do well on the sidelines.

As for the battery life, the Z7 has a CIPA-rated stamina of a rather paltry 330 shots, shorter than the a7R III’s 530 shots and way less than the D850.

Bottom Line

With the Z7, Nikon has proven it can build a highly capable, full-frame mirrorless camera. Is it perfect in every respect? We’ve yet to encounter a camera that it is. Yes, it would benefit from a second card slot and yes it lags in a few performance indicators (battery life, eye AF and buffer depth in particular) but it delivers stellar image and video quality, great ergonomics, and the S series glass was quite impressive. There’s plenty to be optimistic about as the line matures. We’ll leave the last word to Patiño: “It’s a hell of a camera to enter the market with.”

Nikon Z7

www.nikonusa.com

PROS: No 4K crop; great design; well implemented touch display and menu operation; excellent image and video quality; great automatic white balance.

CONS: Single card slot; C-AF can be sluggish.

PRICE: $3,400

Notes from the TIPA Test Bench

PDN is a member of the Technical Image Press Association, which has contracted with Image Engineering for camera testing.



PDN is a member of the Technical Image Press Association which has contracted with Image Engineering to perform detailed lab tests of digital cameras. See here for a full methodological rundown of how Image Engineering puts cameras through their paces. Full res files of every visual in this review are available to download for your pixel-peeping pleasure here.

Resolution

At ISO 64, the Z7 captures 2822 line pairs per picture height (LP/PH), 103 percent of the theoretical maximum.

In comparison, the Nikon D850 captured 2591 LP/PH at ISO 64 – 94 percent of the theoretical maximum.

Lower ISOs show consistently excellent resolution, with, for example 2681 LP/PH (97 percent of theoretical maximum) at ISO 800.

Resolution is good at mid-range ISOs : 2511 LP/PH (91 percent) at ISO 1600 and nearly the same (2477 LP/PH) at ISO 3200.

At the highest range of ISOs , resolution is less good: at the highest native ISO of 25600, the Z7 records 2163 LP/PH, representing 79 percent of the theoretical maximum.

Texture loss

Texture reproduction is very good: at ISO 64, the MTF50 is 1924 LP/PH, with 20.6 percent artifacts.

Areas of high contrast are reproduced with an MTF50 of 1487 LP/PH (28.4 percent artifacts) at ISO 3200, together with 1308 LP/PH and 36.3 percent artifacts in low contrast portions of the scene.

Texture reproduction by the Z7 is better than that produced by the D850: in areas of high contrast, MTF50 is better at ISO 3200, for example, and at the highest native ISO of ISO 25600.

However, it is in areas of low contrast that the difference between the Z7 and the D850 is particularly noticeable: the Z7 performs quite a bit better than the D850, with better MTF50 at ISOs up to and including ISO 3200.

At higher ISOs , the Z7 performs less well: at ISO 6400, 1075LP/PH are captured in area of high contrast, with 34.1 percent artifacts, and 590 LP/PH in low contrast (51.3 percent artifacts).

At the highest native ISO of 25600, the Z7 records only 572 LP/PH with 48.1 percent artifacts (high contrast) and 295 LP/PH in low contrast areas with 75.2 percent artifacts.

Edge contrast / sharpening

Sharpening is moderate and consistent: at ISO 64, along high-contrast edges, the Z7 produces 9.7 percent overshoot and 10.3 percent undershoot. Along the low-contrast edges, the sharpening is more pronounced, with 13.2 percent overshoot and 15.7 percent undershoot.

The Z7 adds consistently moderate sharpening as ISO increases, with, for example 6.5 percent overshoot and 5.8 percent undershoot at high-contrast interfaces at ISO 6400, together with 6.1 percent overshoot and 5.6 percent undershoot along edges low in contrast.

At the highest native ISO , the Z7 produces 4.5 percent overshoot and 2.8 undershoot along high-contrast edges, and 3.5 percent overshoot and 3.0 percent undershoot along low-contrast edges.

OECF VN / visual noise

Visual noise scores in VN1 range from 1.0 (ISO 64) to 2.0 (ISO 3200), to a very poor 4.2 in images shot at ISO 25,600.

In VN2, at ISO 64, the noise scores would be 0.4, rising to 0.6 in images shot at ISO 1600 and increasing further to 1.0 in an image shot at ISO 12800.

In VN3, the noise score is 0.5 at ISO 64 and 400; noise would be noticeable in an image shot at ISO 6400 (score 1.0) and higher (e.g. ISO 12800, score 1.2).

Noise occurs primarily in the darker portion of the middle tones.

Dynamic Range

Tests carried out in accordance with ISO standard 15739, show that the dynamic range of the Nikon Z7 is better than the D850.

DR at ISO 64 is 9.3 f-stops; at ISO 1600 8.9.

At the higher ISO of 12800, DR is 7.5 f-stops, declining to 7.0 at ISO 25600.

The Nikon D850 showed a dynamic range between 8.6 and 8.9 at between ISOs ranging from ISO 64 to ISO 3200.

Color Reproduction

Only four colors – all bright reds – deviating strongly from the original color when reproduced by the Z7.

∆E is very consistent throughout almost the entire ISO range, with a score between 11.4 and 11.7 almost

See which cameras have the best color reproduction here.

Automatic white balance

Automatic white balance shows excellent and consistent results (0.6 to 0.8) at ISOs through ISO 12800.

At ISO 25600 (with a measurement of 0.9), the white balance is still good.

Video

4K capability in video.

Resolution in frames grabbed from video shot at low ISO is 1042 LP/PH (96 percent of the theoretical maximum) and 972 LP/PH at high ISO (90 percent).

Moderate texture loss: in areas of high contrast shot at low ISO , MTF50 is 816 LP/PH with 34.9 percent artifacts, together with 737 LP/PH and 28.9 percent artifacts in low-contrast regions.

Videos recorded with high ISO are also not bad, with MTF50 of 660 LP/PH and 37.7 percent artifacts in high-contrast scenes, and 617 LP/PH and 42.1 percent artifacts in low contrast.

Moderate sharpening: 8.5 percent overshoot and 8.3 percent undershoot along high-contrast edges recorded using low ISO, and 7.4 percent overshoot and 6.6 percent undershoot for the same edge videoed at high ISO .

Low contrast edges show more sharpening: at low ISO ,14.3 percent overshoot and 14.5 percent undershoot is added, and at high ISO , 11.3 percent overshoot and 12.0 percent undershoot.

Noise is barely observable when viewed as large prints or on a mobile screen (VN3 and VN2, scores 1.0), although the noise would be observable when viewed at 100 percent 1.4.

Dynamic range in video is 10.0 (low ISO ) and 9.7 (high ISO ).

Good automatic white balance at both high and low ISO : 1.2 at low ISO and 0.9 at high ISO.

Color reproduction is not bad in video, with ∆E measured at 10.9 in low ISO and 10.4 in high ISO.

Start-up time

The camera’s start-up time is 1.1 seconds.

The time lag between pressing the button and the shutter being released, is 0.1 seconds.

Continuous shooting

The Nikon Z7 captured 8.7 JPEGs per second until the card is full.

1 RAWs per second.

Similarly, the Nikon D850 could shot 9.2 JPEGs per second, up to 70, and 9.1 RAW images for a total of 19 before slowing down.

Autofocus (300lx) Live View

Autofocus in bright light takes 0.10 seconds.

Autofocus (30lx) Live View

Autofocus speed in low light, is 0.10 seconds, faster than the D850 where the autofocus is 0.20 seconds with time to shutter release being 0.27 seconds.

In Depth

The Nikon Z7 is a new mirrorless camera from Nikon. It boasts a 45.7 megapixel full-format sensor, the same sensor resolution and size as in the recent Nikon D850. Lab tests confirm that the Z7 produces images with excellent resolution: for example, at ISO 64, 2822 line pairs per picture height (LP/PH), 103 percent of the theoretical maximum. In comparISO n, the Nikon D850 captured 2591 LP/PH captured at ISO 64 – 94 percent of the theoretical maximum.

The native ISO range of the Nikon Z7 is impressively wide, from ISO 64 to ISO 25600. At ISO 400, resolution in images shot by the Z7 is nearly as good as at ISO 64: 2812 LP/PH, reaching 102 percent of the theoretical maximum; ISO 800 reaches 97 percent with 2681 LP/PH. However, at the higher end of the ISO range, resolution is less good: at the highest native ISO of 25600, the Z7 records 2163 LP/PH, representing 79 percent of the theoretical maximum. The higher ISOs still can be said to produce finely detailed photos, however, with 2336 LP/PH (85 percent of theoretical maximum) at ISO 6400, for example.

Texture reproduction is also very good: at ISO 64, the MTF50 is 1924 LP/PH, with 20.6 percent artifacts. Areas of high contrast are reproduced with an MTF50 of 1487 LP/PH (28.4 percent artifacts) at ISO 3200, together with 1308 LP/PH and 36.3 percent artifacts in low contrast portions of the scene.

Texture reproduction by the Z7 is better than that produced by the D850. In areas of high contrast, MTF50 in images from the Z7 (1470 LP/PH) is better than the D850 at ISO 3200, for example. However, it is in areas of low contrast that the difference between the Z7 and the D850 is particularly noticeable: the Z7 performs quite a bit better than the D850, with better MTF50 values at ISOs up to and including ISO 3200 (e.g. 1308 LP/PH).

The Z7 performs less well at higher ISOs than it does at lower ISOs . For example, at ISO 6400, MTF50 is 1075LP/PH in areas of high contrast, with 34.1 percent artifacts, and 590 LP/PH in low-contrast areas (51.3 percent artifacts). At the highest native ISO of 25600, the Z7 records only 572 LP/PH with 48.1 percent artifacts (high contrast) and 295 LP/PH in low contrast areas with 75.2 percent artifacts. However, these results are still improved over those from the D850.

In images made by the Z7, sharpening is moderate and consistent: at ISO 64, along high-contrast edges, the Z7 produces 9.7 percent overshoot and 10.3 percent undershoot. Along the low-contrast edges, the sharpening is more pronounced, with 13.2 percent overshoot and 15.7 percent undershoot. In comparISO n, the D850 produced slightly milder sharpening at the lowest ISO , with 9.3 percent overshoot and 6.8 percent undershoot along high-contrast edges, together with 13.4 percent overshoot and 8.3 percent undershoot along low-contrast edges.

The Z7 is consistent in adding moderate sharpening as ISO increases, with, for example 6.5 percent overshoot and 5.8 percent undershoot at high-contrast interfaces at ISO 6400, together with 6.1 percent overshoot and 5.6 percent undershoot along edges low in contrast. At the highest native ISO , the Z7 produces 4.5 percent overshoot and 2.8 percent undershoot along high-contrast edges, and 3.5 percent overshoot and 3.0 percent undershoot along low-contrast edges.

The Z7 produces somewhat noisy photos at all ISOs – for pixel peepers. Visual noise would range from observable to disruptive in images from the Z7 viewed at 100 percent (Viewing Condition 1, VN1). Scores in VN1 range from 1.0 (ISO 64) to 2.0 (ISO 3200), to a very poor 4.2 in images shot at ISO 25600.

However, when viewing photos from the Z7 as a small print or on a mobile screen (Viewing Condition 2, VN2), visual noise would not be noticeable at almost all ISOs . In VN2, at ISO 64, the noise scores would be 0.4, rising to 0.6 in images shot at ISO 1600. Noise would be noticeable in an image shot at ISO 12800 viewed on a small screen (score 1.0). The same is true for images viewed as a large print (Viewing Condition 3, VN3). In VN3, the noise score is 0.5 at ISO 64 and 400; noise would be noticeable in an image shot at ISO 6400 (score 1.0) and higher (e.g. ISO 12800, score 1.2). Noise occurs primarily in the darker portion of the middle tones.

Dynamic range tests carried out in accordance with ISO standard 15739, show that the dynamic range of the Nikon Z7 is better than that of the D850. Dynamic range at ISO 64 is 9.3 f-stops; at ISO 1600, it is nearly as good at 8.9 f-stops. At the higher ISO of 12800, dynamic range is 7.5 f-stops, declining to 7.0 f-stops at ISO 25600. In comparISO n, the Nikon D850 showed a dynamic range between 8.6 and 8.9 f-stops at ISOs ranging from ISO 64 to ISO 3200.

The Z7 reproduces color very well, with only four colors – all bright reds – deviating strongly from the original color. ∆E is very consistent throughout almost the entire ISO range, with a score between 11.4 and 11.7 throughout. Only at the top native ISO of 25600 is ∆E different (12.3). This is slightly worse than the D850, which had ∆E ranging from 9.9 to 10.4 at ISOs from ISO 64 through ISO 6400.

The automatic white balance shows excellent and consistent results (0.6 to 0.8) at ISOs through ISO 12800.

The Z7 does not seem to start up extremely quickly, but the start-up time is 1.1 seconds is actually pretty rapid. The time lag between pressing the button and the shutter being released is a very short 0.1 seconds. Autofocus is very quick in both bright light and low light, at 0.10 seconds. This is faster than the D850’s 0.20-second autofocus and time to shutter release of 0.27 seconds.

Burst shooting is just a tad slower in the Nikon Z7, which captured 8.7 JPEGs per second until the card was full, and 7.1 RAW images per second, slowing down after 19 shots.[1] The D850 could shot 9.2 JPEGs per second, up to 70, and 9.1 RAW images for a total of 19 before slowing down.

Video

The image quality in video mode is consistently good at both low and high ISO . The Z7 can shoot video in 4K, and the resolution in frames grabbed from video shot at low ISO is 1042 LP/PH (96 percent of the theoretical maximum) and 972 LP/PH at high ISO (90 percent). Detail capture is decent in videos captured using the Z7, with only moderate texture loss: in areas of high contrast shot at low ISO , MTF50 is 816 LP/PH with 34.9 percent artifacts, together with 737 LP/PH and 28.9 percent artifacts in low-contrast regions. Videos recorded with high ISO are also not bad, with MTF50 of 660 LP/PH and 37.7 percent artifacts in high-contrast scenes, and 617 LP/PH and 42.1 percent artifacts in low contrast.

Sharpening in video is also moderate: 8.5 percent overshoot and 8.3 percent undershoot along high-contrast edges is recorded when using low ISO , and 7.4 percent overshoot and 6.6 percent undershoot for the same edge videoed at high ISO . Low-contrast edges captured in video show more sharpening: in low-ISO films,14.3 percent overshoot and 14.5 percent undershoot is added, and at high ISO , 11.3 percent overshoot and 12.0 percent undershoot.

Videos shot at high ISO would show barely observable noise when viewed as large prints or on a mobile screen (VN3 and VN2, scores 1.0), although the noise would be observable when viewed at 100 percent 1.4. This is slightly worse than the D850, which could also create 4K video and had a score of 1.0 in VN1. Dynamic range in video is 10.0 (low ISO ) and 9.7 (high ISO ). The automatic white balance at both high and low ISO performs fairly well, with scores of 1.2 at low ISO and 0.9 at high ISO . Color reproduction is not bad in video, with ∆E measured at 10.9 in low ISO and 10.4 in high ISO .

[1] High speed burst shooting is faster when shooting Dx format images, as with the D850. On https://www.nikon.co.uk/en_GB/product/digital-cameras/mirrorless/professional/z-7#tech_specs, Nikon states burst shooting speed is “Up to 9 fps. … High-speed continuous (extended): 9 fps (14-bit NEF/RAW: 8 fps). (measured under Nikon-specified test conditions)”.