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Nikon Z7 II review
Introduction
Late last
year, Nikon announced the Z7 II, the second iteration of its (for now) range topping high-resolution
full-frame mirrorless camera. As the name implies, this is a refinement rather
than a reimagining; and while the updates may not knock your socks off, we
really enjoyed the original Z7 and this new model builds on an already
successful formula.
The Z7 II
still has a 45.7MP full-frame BSI sensor, but it's now backed up by dual
processors compared to the single processor in its predecessor. The exterior of
the camera is largely unchanged, which is fine by us: Nikon's Z-series cameras
offer some of our favorite ergonomics on the mirrorless camera market.
Blessedly, though (especially for those of us that moderate online comment
sections), Nikon has included dual card slots in the Z7 II for users that need
immediate backup or want to easily separate their still images and video clips.
See? Something good came out of 2020 after all.
ISO 200 | 1/160 sec | F2.8 | Adapted Nikon AF-S 70-200mm F2.8E
Photo by Barney Britton
Key
specifications:
- 45.7MP BSI-CMOS sensor with
native ISO 64
- 4K/60p video with 93% coverage
of the sensor (a ~1.08x crop)
- 5-axis in-body stabilization
(3-axis with adapted F-mount lenses)
- 10 fps burst shooting with
single-point AF
- 3.69M-dot EVF, 3.2"
2.1M-dot rear screen
- -3EV focusing with F2.0 lens
- 1 CFExpress / XQD card slot, 1
UHS-II SD card slot
- New EN-EL15c battery, CIPA
rated to 420 shots (LCD), 360 shots (EVF)
- Compatible with new MB-N11
battery grip with vertical controls
The Z7 II,
being the high-resolution model in Nikon's mirrorless lineup, is all about
outright image quality. It remains one of the only cameras on the market that
provides a low native ISO of 64: this helps maximize dynamic range for
high-contrast scenes like sunset or sunrise landscapes.
Conclusion
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What we like... |
What
we don't... |
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The Nikon Z7 II may appear to be a
relatively subtle refresh of the original Z7 but the improvements that have
been made, such as the second card slot, the option to add vertical control
grip, and boosted AF performance will all increase its appeal to the kind of
photographers it's aimed at.
We were impressed by how polished Nikon's
first generation of full-frame mirrorless cameras were, so it's no surprise
that the Z7 II works well. It's responsive in its operation and, though we'd
love to see the reintroduction of Nikon's combined AF switch/AF mode button,
offers an experience that Nikon DSLR users will immediate feel at home with.
There's a good degree of customization without it being necessary to completely
reprogram its operation.
The main shortcomings (and they're only
really shortcomings in comparison to some very capable opposition) relate to
autofocus. The tendency for Eye AF to slightly front-focus and the subject
tracking's habit of focusing somewhere on the subject you
selected, rather than tracking that precise point are the only real grumbles in
terms of performance.
Processed in Adobe Camera Raw. Straightened, whites raised, highlights reduced. One dust-spot cloned-out with heal tool.
Photo: Richard Butler
More of an issue is the way AF area
modes, face detection and subject tracking interact. Both Canon and Sony have
tracking modes that will use face/eye/person focus as needed, whereas on the Z7
II, you'll need to cycle between modes and engage and disengage functions to
get the most out of the camera. Most photographers will find a way to make it
work for the subjects they shoot, but it's not as slick as it could be and it
can eat into precious custom button availability.
The rest of the cameras' ergonomics
remain amongst our favorite of the current full-frame mirrorless options.
Photo: Richard Butler
The best news is that it maintains the
image quality the original camera. We've seen advances in other aspects of
camera performance since the original Z7 was launched but, particularly in
circumstances where you can use its ISO 64 mode, there haven't been many that
beat it in terms of IQ.
The Nikon Z7 II is not a cutting edge
camera and it doesn't have many exciting new features to dazzle with, but it's
hugely competent, very usable and noticeably less expensive than its peers.
It's hard to imagine anyone being disappointed with the Z7 II, which earns a
solid Silver award. It only misses out on a Gold by the tiniest margin because
it doesn't particularly exceed the levels set by the best of its peers, and is
behind in terms of autofocus.
Source: https://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikon-z7-ii-review